Gods & Monsters

Chapter 9 (Part 3)

Jesus, this kid is tightly strung. Louis has to bite his lips to withhold a bark of laughter.

In the back of his mind, somewhere, he can't help but wonder if Harry is still typing. His phone hasn't buzzed with a new text yet.

But oh well. No matter. Back to the task at hand.

"So, is this your first time meeting Liam?" Louis purrs after it's obvious that Horan is incapable of speech. Putting himself on autopilot, he allows his instincts to take over as he inches still closer, smiling teasingly as he lets his arm settle on the back of the couch, fingers brushing Horan's shoulder.

Horan warms to the touch, beaming. "Yeah, actually. He's nice! Me mum says great things!"

This halts Louis' smile and gently moving fingers.

"Your mum? Alice Horan?" he questions, blinking his surprise.

Horan nods, very quickly, chewing on his lip.

Louis stares. "She says nice things about Liam?"

Horan nods again, grinning and still unable to completely look away from Louis' mouth. "Yeah," he laughs a little breathlessly, still drumming out those nervous beats. He's jiggling a leg now, too. "Says he's a good influence!"

What the fuck, Liam? What the actual fuck? He made her out to be some Maleficent type figure—this evil, calculating, demonic thing always purposefully plotting against him and...

And now he discovers that she likes him?

Honestly, what the fuck.

Louis' about to prod further, already opening his mouth despite being completely unsure as to how to approach this, but then his phone vibrates.

A text. Harry.

Without a second's thought, he pulls his arm away from the back of the couch, disengaging himself from Horan's side as he picks up his facedown phone with focused hands.

'I dunno' is all it says.

Well, then. That was anticlimactic.

Slightly irate, Louis responds immediately, his taps a bit harsher than is strictly necessary.

'Yes you do. Can I expect to see your pretty face tonight or not pup ?'

"So, uh, do you go to school with Liam, then?" Horan asks, glancing between Louis and his phone.

"Hm? Oh, erm, yeah..." Louis replies slowly, in a daze, fingers flying as he thumps out a second message.

'Or, should I say, can I expect to actually have fun tonight'

He sends a wink for good measure. Good job, Tommo.

"Oh, yeah? Are you in the same grade?" Horan asks, smiling more fully once Louis looks up at him.

Which... What is he talking about?

"Sorry?" Louis asks, brow pinched, still clutching the phone. He sets it down quickly.

Horan's smile lessens a tad. "You said you go to school with Liam? And I was asking if you were in the same grade."

"Oh." Louis scrunches his face. "Oh! No, nah, mate. I don't go to school, sorry. Must've misunderstood the question."

Buzzzzz, goes his vibrating phone once more. He picks it up instantly, any words that Horan may be saying becoming soundless puffs of air.

' :) HAHA' (of course Harry uses capital 'haha's—he types exactly how he sounds) 'I dunno... I just finished gardening! I'm all covered in soil :( '