Into the Blue

1

zarah5 on ao3

*

Louis wakes up to hair tickling his nose.

It obviously isn’t his own hair, and he doesn't remember bringing anyone home last night. Which could mean...

He squints one eye open and jerks back just in time to avoid the cattail swishing for his forehead. Unfortunately, the image of two rather impressive cat testicles swaying right in front of his face is not that easy to escape; their size is the main reason why, two weeks after Behemoth had wandered into their kitchen and then just never left, they'd picked that name. Well, Louis had picked it, and Zayn and Liam hadn't put up much of a fight.

What a thoroughly disgusting way to wake up.

Seeing as Louis had left the door to the garden open last night, hoping for a hint, just a hint of fresh air to disrupt the stiflingly humid summer heat, he can't even blame anyone else for his misfortune; Behemoth must have simply slipped inside and decided that Louis was the person to supply him with breakfast. Well, fuck that. Louis has another thirty minutes before his alarm goes off, and he intends to use those thirty minutes. He could have a wank, even. At least if he manages to ban the image of Behemoth's, ah, endowments from his brain.

"Liam?" Louis calls out. It's a better bet than Zayn, at this time of the day, especially since Liam had said something about catching the morning waves before this week's straggle of hopeful surf students would restrict him to shallow waters.

A crash from the kitchen, directly adjacent to Louis' room. Then Liam knocks once and waits for Louis', "Yeah, come in," before poking his head into the room. He'd learned that particular lesson after walking in on Louis with some guy once. Or twice.

"Already up?" Liam asks. He looks perfectly happy to be awake. Louis hates him.  

"Get that bloody cat away from me."

"It's your cat." Grinning, Liam crosses his arms, expression cheerful, and Louis squints at him. Surely the waves weren't that good this morning? They've had very little wind for days, and from what Louis can hear, the rhythm of the ocean is unchanged, a gentle lapping of waves that implies it's not even worth the effort of paddling out to catch a break.

Ah. Wait. Niall is due to arrive.

Right, yes. That does explain Liam's mood -- although, of course, Liam and Niall are not dating. Are not. They're just not seeing anyone else, right now, so they're not dating, but exclusively so. Yes. It's also mere coincidence that Niall's visits to his parents' resort have increased significantly since he and Liam started not-dating. Uh-huh.

"Behemoth is a free spirit and bows to no man," Louis says.

"You're the one who insisted we feed him, though, that first time he showed up." Liam's smirk widens, and it's way too early for this, it really is. "So, your cat."

"Well, and Niall is your not-boyfriend," Louis counters. Admittedly, it's both a non-sequitur and a bit of a low blow, what with the way Liam immediately ducks his head, a hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck. But. Louis woke up to a mouthful of cat hair and an eyeful of cat bollocks, so he's not feeling very magnanimous right now.

Twenty-seven minutes until he has to rouse Zayn, forty-two minutes before they need to open up the dive centre, even though the guests won't start trickling in before eight.

Twenty-six minutes. Still enough time for a wank.

"If you get that cat away from me," Louis says slowly, sweetly, "I promise that Zayn and I will vacate this cabin for the evening, give you and Niall a chance to catch up in private. Deal?"