Dancing with Strangers // sequel to bag of bones // zianourry

maverick

Louis hardly saw trench coat anymore. Maybe it's because he's actively looking for him. He wants to talk again. He knows that trench coat knows more about Harry than what was discussed. Everyday after class, he'd stand on the sidewalk, just minutes from his apartment, and wait.

Sometimes he'd smoke a cigarette to pass the time.

Sometimes two.

Sometimes three.

And the boy never came around.

At times, Louis would worry. What if Ricky had eyes everywhere and they witnessed him speaking with trench coat and got him in trouble?

That's highly unlikely. Louis would probably be dead by now.

Eleanor has grown suspicious to Louis' behavior as well. He didn't want her around anymore, and if she'd try to follow him home, he'd force her the other way. He wasn't trying to ice her out permanently, instead, he just wanted to talk to trench coat privately. He knew El would try to talk him out of it somehow. She doesn't talk much about Harry with Louis, because Louis doesn't want to. All she really knows about him is that they lived together in a group home with two other boys and it was ran by a doctor named Liam. She knew nothing else. Of how extensive Louis' eating disorder is, Harry's troubled past, their love affair. Heck, she didn't even know Niall's and Zayn's names. She had seen pictures of them, of course, but Louis is extremely reserved of that life for a reason. It's too troubling. Too complex. She'd try to convince him to leave it all in the past because it is just too grotesque to even think of being true life.

But it was true life. It was Louis' true life. And it happened to be woven in with three other fucked up guys.

He honestly doesn't even know how he's going to approach this baby prostitute. Does he just sneak up on him again or what?

It's about 5 in the evening when he sees a familiar trench coat darting through the busy street. It's a Thursday evening, not quite the weekend yet. But pre weekend he supposes. Louis stomps outs his cigarette again and starts chasing the boy again. This time, he knows he's being followed rather quickly. The coat turns around and confronts Louis, a small pocket knife in his hand. Louis jumps back.

"Ah! Don't stab me you psycho!" Louis says.

"I'm the psycho?! You're the one who's been stalking me!"

"Relax! I just wanted to ask you some more questions if you had the time!"

The boy eyes Louis suspiciously. Louis rolls his own eyes.

"I'll buy you dinner? Are you hungry?"

The trench coat shoves his pocket knife into his coat pocket and nods.

"I'm a bit peckish."

"Okay. Whatever you want. As long as you talk."

"Hmm.... blueberry pancakes. Drenched in maple syrup and butter."

"Gross. But okay." Louis agrees and extends his hand out to shake. The boy takes it cautiously and they shake.

"I'm Louis."

"Maverick."

"Hello Maverick."

"Hello, Louis."

Louis and the young boy walk to a nearby cafe that happens to serve breakfast all day. It's retro themed and it's actually very nice.

"For two please." Louis says to the greeter at the front. She looks at Louis, and then at Maverick with a hint of judgement. Like she knew Maverick was a prostitute or something. She walks them to a booth and leaves two menus.