Prince Not-So-Charming And His Tipsy Princess (l.s)

Chapter 2

Harry was there the very next night, rambunctious as usual. Liam had told Louis he showed up each night but he was hoping he wouldn't since he now he had to get it over with and say sorry. With what he barely knew of the man, he wasn't sure he would let him off the hook so easily. He looked a lot nicer that day in a better suit of a blinding neon pink shade. He really did love attention.

"Hey, Mr Styles...?"

"What's up, stranger?"

"Wanted to apologise for yesterday. We kind of got off on the wrong foot, there." Harry stared at him until Louis felt a bit like squirming but he kept his blank gaze, folding his arms in preparation for what was to come.

"You were judging me, weren't-cha?"

"Only for like a second which was still completely uncalled for and I shouldn't have, sir. Honestly, you and I are different people; party animal, antisocial guy. Bottom line, it's really none of my business-"

"Sir?" His face crumpled like there was a bad taste in his mouth. "Please don't be so formal, I've hated that since I was a kid. I'm not some big shot you have to fake manners with or anything, you can trust me on that."

His expensive clothes and jewellery begged to differ but Louis didn't care enough to bring it up. He was just glad he had said his peace and if that didn't work out, it wasn't for lack of trying. He noticed Harry was still speaking to him and tried to focus on deciphering the slurred words leaving his lips with the beat slamming his eardrums every second. "I mean, sir? Way too far. That's almost like calling Simon Mr Cowell... Doesn't fit. Mostly because he definitely doesn't deserve that amount of respect either way-"

Now there was one thing they could agree on. "Tell that to Liam. Treats that piece of utter fucking shit like a god."

Harry laughed. It was loud and incredibly cute but Louis had always been a sucker for seeing people happy. It wasn't something he got to experience often so he couldn't help a bittersweet smile, pushing every emotion down as Harry composed himself. He must have really hated Simon to laugh so much, not that he could blame him.

Lou had a hunch as to why Liam acted that way and Cowell was a part of it. Just like billions across the world, he craved validation and maybe, just maybe, also had some daddy issues needing resolution? He treated Simon with awe, respecting him to a fault and that blinded him to how much of a dick he was even at the times it was blatantly obvious. Louis could distinctly remember how Liam would complain about work at times but not blame Simon who had put all that excessive workload on him in the first place.

"You've got a mouth. You're not quite as chatty when you're talking to anyone else... Does that make little ol' me special?" He batted his eyes at Louis who replayed Harry's words once more, forgetting about the random analysis in a second. Again, how could one man's face be so aesthetically pleasing?

Hazz smiled quirkily when he got no response and a dimple appeared on his cheek that made the bartender blink for a moment. With a quick pep talk about how he was meant to be helping Liam instead of eyeballing this rando, Louis went back to work and made his roommate take Harry's orders instead whenever he got called on.

Harry was grumbling to Zayn a week later as he walked to the club. Once again, Zayn nodded, adding sympathetic grunts here and there while Harry pratted on and on about Louis. His blunt was finished by the time they got there and he had run out of patience, running a hand through his hair.

"Harry, I love you and it's great you've found some new hot guy to gush over and all, just fabulous, but I can't listen to this shit forever. No offence." Narrowed eyes were the reply he received and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look... if he's still not speaking to you, just go up to him and confront him about it directly. You're tiring me out so go tire him out instead until something happens."