The drive over was silent, a tense awkwardness settling over them as the car glided over the asphalt smoothly. Liam attempted to make small talk, but each attempt was immedaitely shot down by Levi's hollow attempts at continuing them. When they did arrive, Levi got out and took his suitcase from Liam without any comments, though they did walk fairly close together because Levi sometimes needed to support himself on Liam's shoulder because of a sudden vicious headache or queeziness, sometimes putting a hand on Liam to steady himself, Liam stopping accordingly and asking him if he was alright. Levi would just nod breathlessly, briskly, still managing to look angry even though he was in such bad health.
Liam, of course, had to hold back a chuckle by reaching down on the ground for a pen he'd knocked off the table of the board room when Levi was requested to take his sunglasses off. Levi flipped him off under the table and explained--in a very big lie--that on certain days his pupils were very sensitive to light and this was one of this very sad, poor, unfortunate days, and they man in front of him nodded pityingly. Liam mocked him for it, and Levi elbowed him nonchalantly.
When the meeting began, Liam was presnting Levi's ideas to the investors, him explaining that Lev was a bit under the weather today and that his 'condition' was flaring up. Someone asked him what the condition was, and before Levi could answer, Liam smiled sweetly and said, "He doesn't really like to talk about it."
Levi stared very angrily at him.
----------------
When Levi's meetings were over, he was far past being hung over--more like lucidly anrgy by the time they got in the limo.
"Why didn't you cancel the meetings?" He asked, his red face the only sign of his anger. Liam bit the corner of his lip before answering--a seemingly distracting act for Levi. "I was exhausted," Liam replied,matter-of-the-factly, as he got himself a glass from the cup holders in the limo and a bottle of champagne, filling his glass. He didn't bother to offer one to Levi--he figured he'd had his fair share of liquor. "I was exhausted from the night's activities and I wanted sleep. You were very giving in that area, so I forgot."
Levi seemed to flush at the mentions of last night, like a twelve year old boy, as he told himself. "That's a whole other reason for me to be mad at you," he said, leaning forward so his elbows were on his knees. "I... know what happened before we went to my house, but after that, I'm at a bit of a loss," Levi explained. He needed backstory before he could be angry.
"You drank absinthe. We watched television on your bed. You played with my hair, I fell asleep, and I woke up a bit later and undressed from m suit to be able to sleep comfortably," Liam said. "You were on the couch, knocked out. I didn't want to bother you," he finished, downing the rest of his champagne and putting the glass back in the cup holder. Levi nodded. At least that didn't happen, he thought, letting out a breath of relief that he disguised as a deep sigh.
"Back to my point--why in hell didn't you cancel my meetings? My plans?!" He said, resuming his previous angry yelling. Liam rolled his head on his shoulders, looking up at the ceiling, annoyed. "I told you already!" He shouted back, and Levi tightened his lips. "Whatever," he said, like a fuming child, and leaned back and crossed his arms.
"You have a dinner party tonight," Liam informed him when they stepped out of the car, Liam walking in front of him this time, head bowed as he looked at his phone to check Levi's schedule. "It's from five o'clock to nine o'clock. You'll have to convince at least some of the suitors to invest in the company. I'll be there too, if you need me," he finished, holding open the door for Levi to his home. Levi thought for a moment.
"No you won't."
"What?"
"You won't be at the dinner party," he said. "I'll tell you more later. For now--go home," he said, ducking into the mansion before him. Liam was left standing outside, gob-smacked, before he clenched and unclenched his hands, and walked off.
--
Levi had to admit, it was kind of strange to not have Liam there, making snarky comments and reprimanding him for how he tied his--oh, dear. He didn't know how to tie his tie. He sighed and called someone up to help him. They did it slowly, messing up once or twice before they got it right and smiled at him, walking out again just as quietly as they had entered. Levi couldn't help but compare it to the quick, jerky manner that Liam did it in, with five or six flicks of his wrist and one end of the tie hitting him in his face before it was situated perfectly around his neck.
He wiped the thought from his mind, though, and walked down the stairs, maing sure everything was ready for the party, when he felt a faint buzzing in his pocket. He sighed and went to go outside to take it, only to find that it was pouring down rain. He sighed and turned back, going into a bathroom and jumping onto the sink counter as he took it. "Levi Lowry speaking," he said professionally. On the other end he heard someone clear their throat, and the pitter-patter of rain was very loud. "Yeah, uh," they said, clearing their throat. Their voice sounded very familiar. "Yeah, hey Levi. My uh... my car broke down," he heard, and he knew why he'd recognised his voice immediately; it was Liam. "Did it?" he asked innocently. "Yeah, it did. Um, can you come pick me up--or, like, send someone to do so? It'd be greatly appreciated."
So Levi sent someone to get him, and when he got mention of him coming in, he excused himself from the amiable chatter he was participating in and went to the front lobby, where he'd inevitably be.
Liam was sitting down on one of the couches, drying his hair with a towel. He was bent over to do so, rubbing the towel roughly over his hair and tousling it. When he sat back up, he pulled the towel over his shoulders--his clothes had been soaking wet.
He looked up at Levi when he heard the clciking of his heels, and he immediately looked back down, hunching over as he tried to keep warm. Levi sighed and went over to him, getting him up and ushering him to the elevator to get to his room. Once there, he got him a warm beverage, dry clothes--sweatpants and a t-shirt, and left him with tv remote. "Stay here," he said strictly, pointing at him. Liam rolled his eyes.
-------
When Levi came back, he was a bit tipsy--a lot tipsy, really. Liam wondered if he usually drank this much on consecutive nights or if he was making specil exceptions. Either way, he was too drunk to notice Liam--he didn't blame him, really, he was curled up in a tight ball on the top corner of the bed--and he changed into his pajamas, jumping onto the bed with Liam and furrowing under the covers.
When he woke up, he was quite surprised at his position.
