Two Floors Apart (Louis Tomlinson AU)

IV » Doncaster vs Nottingham

IV.   F O U R   //   D O N C A S T E R   V S   N O T T I N G H A M

m a r c h   2 0 1 3

"So," Pyper said the second Louis walked into her flat. He had invited her to watch his upcoming footy match and, clearly, she had agreed to going. She wasn't sure who Doncaster was facing, though. "Who are you lot up against? You never ended up telling me."

            "If I tell you, are you going to hit me?" Louis asked. When all she did was raise an eyebrow, he continued, "Okay, fine. It... It might be against the Nottingham Tigers."

            She was silent while he was waiting in complete agony. What was she going to do—hit him? Strangle him? Slap a hot, metal tea ball in his face? He was waiting to for something but instead he was met with a strangled cry. "Who am I supposed to I cheer for now?"

            "You don't have to cheer for anyone, I guess," he suggested, sipping his cup of Yorkshire tea while sitting in one of the two dining chairs she had out. He hissed once the scalding liquid touched his lips so he walked into her kitchen and took the milk carton out of the fridge. Before Pyper was able to ask he muttered, "Didn't expect the tea to still be so hot."

            "You've only had the cup for ten minutes, of course it's still hot." She took the tea ball out of her own cup and left it in the sink before sitting across from him. "And you can't expect me not to cheer. I love my home team and you're my best friend and yet you're on the opposite team! How am I supposed to rationalize that?"

            "Cheer only when I score?" Louis shot her a cheeky grin. He had gotten used to being called her best friend and he didn't mind it as much as he used to. "You know, because you have so much faith in me and all."

            Pyper shrugged. "Maybe that's what I'll do. I'll buy a doughnut from Coffee Hit beforehand, saved just for you. But you only get to eat it if you score three goals tomorrow."

            "And what if I don't?"

            "You get to watch me eat the doughnut."

+++

"Over here, Tomlinson!"

            Louis kicked the football that was in his possession over to his teammate, Liam, who caught the ball with the tips of his toes. He kicked it into the air, waiting for it to land on the grass in front of him before running with it and passing it to another member of the team. The weather had been surprisingly chilly for the first few days of spring, so the match that night was moved to the indoor arena. It was the day of the big game against the Nottingham Tigers. It was a good feeling—he would know—when one realizes that his coursework had slowed down, and that was the exact position Pyper was in.

            Louis chuckled at the memory of the day before. He wasn't too sure whether he wanted to win for his sake or lose for hers, but either way he'd try his best that night and put everything but his team aside. He was prepared. After the short practice, he and several team members decided to go out and grab a bite of pizza. Despite being with his teammates, he couldn't help but pull out his phone and sent a text to Pyper. You doing alright at home?

            He closed his phone and took a few bites of pizza, listening in on the other lads speak about their personal lives and the football match that was on television the night before. He only contributed when spoken to; normally he was the one talking and making jokes and poking fun (hence the nickname Peter Pan that his team had given him) but the only thing he focused on was the buzz in his pants.

            Yeah, i'm fine. Do i look better in cream or light blue? was her text. Louis smiled at the screen. He had only begun to type a response when she sent a second text. Also i'm out of mac n cheese and about to step into the shower. if you can get me some i'll pay you back! x

            Light blue & course i will, i'll be back in 20. When Louis closed his phone and looked up from under the table—where he had hid his phone—to see the four people around him giving him a sly look. "What're you all staring at me for?"

            "Who were you texting, Lou?" Liam raised an eyebrow. "A specific brunette, maybe?"

            Louis' brows furrowed in confusion. "'course I was texting Pyper. I was just checking up on her at home."

            "You make it sound like you two are living together, mate," Alex added before stuffing his face with the side of fries he had gotten. He raised his eyebrows at Louis' confused stare. "Come on, we all know you fancy her. It's sorta obvious."

            "Is not," Louis muttered, but he couldn't hide it very well. He could feel his own ears growing hotter the longer he tried to deny himself the truth. "She doesn't want a relationship. She said so when we first met and she's stuck by it since then."

            "Ah, but if she did want one?" Liam questioned, stealing one of Alex's fries and pointing it at Louis. The sound Alex made over his food being stolen was ignored. "We know you'd be all over her in a heartbeat."

            "I'm not interested in her like that." Louis picked up his own fry off his friend's plate and ignored the glare he was given. His phone buzzed again.

            i don't know what i'd do without you. ur the best!

            All Louis did was smile and he heard his other teammate, Max, scoff. "You keep denying what you wish, Peter Pan. Just you wait, you'll regret not telling her sooner."

            Louis didn't respond. Instead, he settled for picking a piece of pepperoni off his pizza and flicking it in Max's direction, hitting him on the side of his nose. Max stuck his tongue out and stuffed the pepperoni in his mouth.

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          happy valentine's day! 

          so i had to put writing aside for an entire week because i was so busy and i come back and see that two floors apart (given the acronym tfa from now on) has 1.1k reads and on my entire account i hit 300 likes. this is such an accomplishment for me i don't think you understand i am just so, so happy that you guys like my writing! 

          also, i can now confirm this story will have either twelve or thirteen chapters. i think.

          also, maybe just as a personal confidence booster... do you think this story can make it relatively close to (or over) 100 votes? it could be considered a late valentine's gift from you guys to me~

            – linn