Play Pretend, Find a Friend? (Larry Stylinson)

4

IV.

Later that day, just after the sun had dipped below the horizon, Louis found himself standing in front of the Phi Kappa Alpha house with his finger hovering over the doorbell. The sky was mauve-colored and the October air was cold, breezy and brisk, and it was making him shiver. He hadn't dressed warm enough, just in Adidas trackies and a hoodie, which had been adequate when the sun was out, but now it felt like the wind was blowing straight through him.

He was nervous too, but he wasn't a coward. He rang the doorbell.

His skateboard was clutched under his arm, and he picked at the peeling smiley face sticker on the bottom. He'd skated here because as it turned out, his dorm was on the opposite end of campus from the Greek division, which had been a strategic choice on his part. There was a nice, long, satisfying downhill on the way to the Phi Kapp house and Louis had spread his arms out like a bird as he sailed down it, feeling the cold wind in his hair. It would be a bitch to go back up it, though.

He was so focused on peeling off the old smiley sticker that he didn't even look up when the door finally swung open. That is, until:

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Landon's voice was deep and annoying, obviously recognizable because Louis had heard it in his ear telling him sappy bullshit lies for two years.

Louis clutched his skateboard tighter to his side and met him with an equally icy stare. "I'm watching a movie."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, like he thought Louis was making it up. "With who?"

"Harry."

Landon folded his arms over his chest. He looked like he was still dressed for rugby practice. He looked like he needed a shower. He also looked like he'd been sucking on something sour.

"So, you and Styles? Since when?"

Louis stared at him for a moment before realizing Landon had no intention of letting him inside. The entryway was blocked by his broad, defensive stance and it was unlikely Louis could slip past him without bumping into him.

"Are you not gonna let me in?" Louis asked, keeping his tone as bored and unaffected as possible. His hands were possibly shaking from the cold but he refused to look down and confirm his suspicions. He should've worn his denim jacket over the hoodie, the soft one lined with sherpa fleece.

"No, I don't think so."

A beat of silence passed between them as they glared at each other like they were in a wild west movie, about to have a showdown.

"What do you want from me?"

Whatever Landon was about to say, Louis would never hear it, because he was cut off by a loud voice ringing through the foyer.

"Oh, Louis, you're here!"

Harry appeared like an angel sent from the heavens and blithely shouldered past Landon. His big hand wrapped around Louis' wrist and he tugged him inside, almost yanking him away from the doorway. Louis stumbled after him, heart beating fast with relief.

"How was your day? Did you eat dinner already? I made brownies; they're in the kitchen. You can take your shoes off and set your stuff down there."

Louis nodded, kicking off his vans and resting his skateboard against the wall, aware of both Harry and Landon watching him, albeit in very different ways.

"Did you eat?" Harry repeated.

Louis stared at him. It looked like he was fresh out of the shower with his hair still damp and beginning to curl slightly. He was wearing a worn t-shirt and a pair of running shorts, despite how cold it was outside. He was all legs, and barefoot too.