KINGS & QUEENS - LARRY STYLINSON FANFICTION

AFTER THE SHOW

After the show, the band and Harry return to the hotel as usual. Louis is exhausted but still, adrenaline is pumping through his veins and he doesn't feel like going to bed at all. Niall and the others are brabbling like crazy during the drive. Everyone is talking and laughing and absolutely enjoying themselves, including Jeremy and the bodyguards Rob and Ben. When they're in their room, Harry goes straight to the bathroom. When he comes back, he's wearing his tight briefs only and the old, worn Rolling Stone shirt with holes he usually sleeps in. Louis sits on his bed, scrolling through the latest pictures he has taken.

"Do you want to sleep?" he asks Harry.

"I have to leave early in the morning."

"When?"

"Around seven."

"That's fucking early."

"It is." Harry turns around in bed. His curls are sprawled on the white pillow. "I loved the show but I feel like I can still hear the crowd screaming. They were so loud."

Louis chuckles. "It doesn't go away, does it?"

"Not really."

"You should get used to it if you want to attend more shows."

"Seems so. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Harold."

Harry tries to hit Louis with his hand but misses him. "You're terrible," Harry mumbles, "but I'm too tired to pay back now."

"You can try tomorrow again."

"Shut up."

Louis looks at Harry for a while. His breathing slows down and within minutes, quiet snores escape his mouth. Louis usually can't stand snoring but to his surprise Harry's isn't annoying at all. Louis puts his phone onto the bedside table and slides down in bed to lay down in a comfortable position. He looks out of the windows, thinking about his day. It wasn't so bad reading the headlines with Harry in the morning and also their lunch was better than he had imagined. Maybe this day has been a little step toward accepting the circumstances a little better, Louis thinks to himself.

***

In the morning, Harry is gone. Louis looks over to the empty side of the bed. The only thing that's left is Harry's water bottle and a pack of tissues he always puts on the bedside table before sleeping. Louis turns around again and looks out of the huge window front. The sun has already risen outside and the roofs of the houses glisten beautifully in the golden sunlight. Some clouds are covering the sky but nevertheless, it's a sunny morning. Louis blinks twice before he turns around in bed again. They'll leave for Berlin around two in the afternoon but until then there's enough time to stay in bed and just be lazy.

At lunchtime, Louis meets the other band members and some crew members at the restaurant of the hotel. They talk about last night's show and what happened backstage. "By the way, where's Harry?" Zayn suddenly throws in. "Shouldn't he be with you?"

"Does he have to be everywhere with me?" Louis' tone is a bit harsh but he just can't contain his temper. Again, someone is talking about Harry when he isn't there as if it was Louis' task to always keep everyone informed about him. "I'm sure you have his number by now, just text him and ask."

"Sorry man . . . I just wanted to know," Zayn replies reproachfully, "stop bitching around!"

"You've gotten slightly aggressive since Harry's become your new boyfriend," Niall jokes but Louis isn't in the mood for jokes, obviously. He stops eating, frowns and stares at Niall with a sour facial expression.

"He's not my boyfriend, Niall. Stop calling him that!"

"It was a joke, okay? Calm down, just a joke! Jesus, what's wrong with you today?"

Louis can feel the anger boiling inside of him, anger mixed with an uncomfortable nuance of some undefinable feeling that tugs at his heart. Why can't they understand? Louis has talked to them but still they make jokes and hurt him with his words. Louis feels helpless. "You know exactly how I feel about this stunt thing and yet, you keep rubbing salt into my wounds whenever you can! Both of you! Just stop asking me about Harry and don't make fun of him being my boyfriend – that's all I'm asking for but you just won't stop." After that message, everyone around is quiet for some seconds. Louis looks down and shakes his head. "It's not funny – at least not for me."

"Sorry Lou, I didn't want to upset you," Zayn says and rubs Louis' back. "I thought you two were getting on well."

"So what? Does that change anything? I think not." Louis stabs some of his potatoes onto his fork. "I don't want to talk about him all the time and I don't want you to talk about him as if he was one of my friends. He's not my friend or someone I want to be remembered of permanently. I've told you so many times how hard this is for me but you won't listen to me." Louis voice has gotten quieter. "It's crazy enough that everyone seems infatuated with him."

Niall sighs. "Sorry Lou. I just wanted to be funny." Louis glares at him for a second. "Do you believe me?"

"It's okay now. I don't think you really understand, both of you. I'm alone in this, absolutely alone." Louis puts his fork down. His appetite is gone, there's only a sinking feeling left in his stomach.

"Do you want to come with us for a quick round of table tennis after lunch?" Zayn asks.

Louis shakes his head. "No. I'm really not in the mood to do anything with you now. I'll just stay in my room until we leave."

Zayn puts his hand onto Louis' shoulder and squeezes it. "Hey Lou, we really didn't want to irritate you. I'm sorry. We'd love you to come with us."

"Zayn, don't. Just leave me be. You've hurt me enough."

"I'm sorry," Zayn says. "Please if you want I can-,"

"You don't understand me anyways," Louis says. "Just think about what you say to me the next time. If you were in my position, you would understand but you're not. You two don't." He presses his lips together and leaves. The day began nicely but now it's a mess again. Maybe Zayn and Niall can't understand, Louis thinks. Later, they come to Louis' room and apologize again. As a present, they got Louis a small basket that's filled with different sweets.