Burn [Larry Stylinson AU]

Chapter Seven

Louis stepped out into the arctic air, glad to be released from the confinements of his hospital room. He closed his eyes and breathed in the city's exhaust, relishing as it dragged through his lungs like a chainsmoker when they took their first hit.

For the last three days he had been stuck in that tiny room, laying in a cold sterile bed, breathing in cold sterile air that mingled with the strong odor of bleach and Lysol. The hospital cafeteria's food smelled off, and Louis had a slight hunch they probably disinfected that too.

The nurse had been a total bitch, snapping at Louis whenever he shifted slightly when she checked his vitals and barking at him when his blood sugar was too high or too low. It wasn't his fault his body was bipolar. Plus, he'd only eat what Niall supplied him with, which was usually crisps or chocolate chip granola bars.

She had made an enemy out of him since the very minute she arrived into the hospital room's doorway, smacking her gum obnoxiously loud between her lipstick-smeared lips.

He absolutely loathed that woman with every fiber in his being. He hated her purple scrubs, that clung desperately to the swiss rolls on her stomach. He hated the grandma perfume that stenched the room whenever she walked in. To top it all off, it made Louis want to scream in frustration at her horrible auburn/brown/Louis-doesn't-even-fucking-know hair color that looked like she got it done by some blind nun. If he would have been kept a day longer and forced to see that woman one more time, he's sure he would've commited homicide.

The boys had remained by his side the whole time, especially the green-eyed angel. Since Louis awoken the morning after the theatre incident, suffering only from a slight cucussion, there was always someone by his bedside.

Zayn would usually be reading a book he'd read a hundred times before or scribbling his thoughts in a leather bound journal he kept in his bookbag. His shift didn't start until three in the afternoon, so it was common for Louis to wake up to his friend's dark jasmine, musk, and sandalwood, with a mysterious undertone, cologne. Liam, Niall, and Harry all had to be at work, though the lads themselves had informed Louis that they all would rather be at the hospital with him. 

Sometimes, when Louis would ask him, Zayn would read a poem or short story he'd been working on. Louis would give him feedback, tell him it was "bloody brilliant" or "utterly depressing mate, seriously". Louis thinks Zayn could give Edgar Allan Poe a run for his money. 

When Niall was by his bedside, after Zayn had left to cover his shift at Urban Oufitters, he'd be chirpy and loud, not caring if The Bitch (that's what Louis referred the purple-scrub nurse as) would give him a glare to urge him to quiet down. He spilled to Louis about the footie match on the telly he had missed, bellowing out loud when he explained the penalty kick or any of the game's highlights. The Mullingar boy would have a heap of food in his lap, his goods gathered from his nightly raids of the local Tesco and beatings that he gave the vending machine in the hospital lobby. He'd slip Louis a few bags of crisps or granola bars for later, and finish up the rest by the end of his shift.

Liam would then slide into the chair, wishing Niall a good day at work, since both boys didn't get to work with each other when the other was with Louis. He'd then grasp Louis' hand with his own, squeeze lightly as a way of saying "hello", and drop it to work on Louis' medical paperwork. Louis would do it himself, but he doesn't like answering "yes" or "no" to the stupid questions about his health, and his family's health, and if he had a monkey too, they'd probably ask questions about its health as well.

Liam was usually there when The Bitch showed up, so he'd ask her questions on Louis' health like some brooding parent. The woman would chew her wad of gun so loud that Louis thinks China could here her, and supply the brown-eyed boy with answers, all the while throwing Louis around like was a rag doll. When The Bitch left, Liam would idly chat with Louis about his day at work and uni, and in turn listen to Louis complain about the crap TV, the crap service around here, and the crap feeling in his cramped legs from being stuck in a crap bed all bloody day.