Defenceless l.s

Twenty Eight

The blaring alarm shrieked through the room, successfully waking Louis up. He groaned slightly before rolling over in the bed and turning the alarm off. He threw his arm over his eyes to shield from the bright light seeping through the blinds and lightning up the room before sighing deeply. He really didn't feel like getting up. 

Louis had never been a morning person but he had gotten used to the early hours but today he just felt extra lethargic. Sighing deeply, Louis slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, he just felt completely exhausted and he didn't understand why, he had gotten a good night of sleep. He just figured it was one of those days before getting up and getting ready for work, deciding not to take a shower since he did that last night. 

Louis rubbed his temples with his fingertips as he read an email he had gotten about. . . something. He found it incredibly hard to focus and had to re-read it four times before realizing it was about a lawsuit. He forwarded the email to Mr.Styles before leaning back in his desk chair with a sigh. Louis blinked a couple of times trying to get rid of the tired in his eyes but that didn't go particularly well, he felt like he had gotten hit by a truck and just wanted to crawl back to bed. He ras his hands down his face, cursing his growing headache before returning to his emails. 

When all the emails were read, Louis looked to the corner of the screen to see that only fourteen minutes had passed, he did not understand how all this time had gone by in fourteen minutes, it just didn't make any sense.  Louis closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he picked up his work phone and made some calls. Eventually lunch time rolled around and he saw Niall coming strolling down the halls, he smiled towards him but really just wished he wouldn't approach him. 

"Hey, Louis!" He exclaimed when he neared his desk. Louis suppressed a sigh and plastered on a smile. "Hi," he answered shortly. "I'm gonna grab some lunch with Harry, he said and gestured towards his office door. You wanna join us?" He asked excitedly. He really wasn't feeling up for eating, especially if Mr.Styles was gonna be there. 

"No thank you, I wanna get this done" he said and sighed lightly, though his stomach was churning in protest. "Are you alright? No offence but you look like shit" he said with a concern written in his face. Great! He thought, even Niall could see the bags under his eyes, he must look hideous right now. "I'm fine, just didn't get much sleep," Louis explained.

Louis was laying on the couch, just staring up at the ceiling, he didn't quite know what to do, he just felt like sleeping but he wasn't tired, he had taken a nap when he got home and now he just couldn't keep his eyes closed without growing a headache. He put his headphones in and started a relaxing playlist before opening 'Instagram' and mindlessly scrolling through his feed until he got bored and his mind started to drift off. 

He put his phone down on his chest as the music played in the background, but he wasn't really focused on that. He wasn't focused on anything. He can't quite remember what he was thinking about, he just layed there, totally limp and emotionless as the thoughts were running around his head. Some time passed, he wasn't quite sure how much, when he heard the lock turn. 

Louis immediately scrambled off the couch and ran to the front door where Liam was standing. He took notice that he was wearing the same hoodie he left in a couple of days ago, didn't he change for work, Louis wondered. But his thoughts were interrupted when Liam wrapped his arms around his waist and plasted a light kiss on his lips. 

"Hi baby" he said, still holding him close. Louis sunk into his touch and rested his chin on Liam's chest, looking into his eyes. "I've missed you," he whispered quietly as he wrapped his short arms around Liam's middle. He sighed and brought his hand up to cup Louis' face, "I've missed you to" he said, a little frown on his lips. He gently brushed his thumb over Louis' cheekbone as they stood there in silence. 

"Where have you been?" Louis finally asked. Liams frown deepened, "I told you, I stayed with a coworker for a while cause I had to stay late at the office" he explained. "Oh," was all Louis could reply, he didn't know what to say. He wanted to yell at him, to tell him how much he hurt him, but nothing came out. He was to exhausted to scream at anyone, and he realized that he wasn't even mad anymore, just relived that Liam was finally back because he was just so fucking tired of feeling so alone all the time. 

"Do you wanna stay here all night?" Liam chuckled and finally pulled away from the hug. Louis blushed and looked down at the floor before whispering and nearly inaudible "sorry" and walked into the kitchen. "I didn't think you'd be home, I haven't cooked anything," he said as Liam sat down at the dining table. "Oh, that's alright, I can just order something in," he said but then frowned. "Haven't you eaten?" He then asked. 

Louis couldn't tell when he last ate a whole meal, he usually munched on some crackers when the pain got too much and he couldn't handle it anymore. And when he went out with Niall, well he just ordered what he thought was the smallest or healthiest, often just a salad. But he barely ever finished his food, he just cut it up in little pieces and played around with it on his plate, eventually taking small bites so Niall would think that he ate when in reality he had eaten about two mouthfuls. 

"I ate the leftovers from yesterday," he explained easily. He had been lying so much lately that it had become an easy habit, he didn't even think about it anymore. "Alright then, I'm ordering a pizza, do you want something?"

"No, I'm fine"

They were sitting on the couch with the pizza box on the coffee table, Louis ended up eating a piece since he felt really light headed from the lack of food. He had practically devoured it with how hungry he was. They decided to move to the living room after Liam declared how tired he was. 

Louis stared blankly at the TV as he munched on some pizza crust, Liam's arm wrapped around him. Suddenly Liam spoke up, "hey, can you give me your phone, I have to call Lindsey. I think I left my phone at her place," he said. A deep crease developed on Louis' forehead as he gave Liam a confusing look, why was his phone at Lindsays? 

Like Liam could read his mind, he continued, "I stayed with her, I don't think I told you, we work together," he explained. Louis got this unsettling feeling in his gut at the mentioning of Lindsey, he wasn't quite sure what the feeling was but suddenly he felt awfully nauseous. He swallowed thickly before handing over his phone.  

That night Louis layed in bed with Liam's strong arms wrapped around him securely. He didn't understand why he still felt so numb, almost sad but not quite so, he couldn't really explain it but he knew he didn't like it. He rested his head on Liam's chest and fell asleep in his warm embrace.