I'm cutting this off short at chapter thirty, just for you all to be aware of, maybe chapter thirty one by the the that I actually plan out the next ending chapters! Once I have this out of the way then I am free to finish other fics that are in need of a finish and then I'm free to start more!!

20 votes away from 3K! Thank you so much and lets get me to 800 comments to finish to fic off!!

"So tell me again how many people are coming for dinner?"

"10."

"10?! I'm not running a fucking Michelin 5 star restaurant, Liam."

"Look, that's not my fault. There's us, and then the squatter you call your best friend that lives in our attic, and then Fletcher invited Axel who then asked Michael and Calum who are both working who had spread the news to Harry and Zayn who are instead coming in replacement of Calum and Michael."Liam explains as he's watching Louis buzz around the kitchen.

Christmas is fast approaching and as much as Louis should be in the excited mood of putting up Christmas decorations and paying Christmas music - something he and Liam only started to get interested in whenever Fletcher was born - with the amount of stress that's piling on top of him, Louis is nowhere near excited for Christmas.

And really, this happens every single year. They have a dinner, one that Louis should be prepared for every single year - and one that's planned a year in advanced - which always happens to be turned onto its head with more people coming than planned or picky eaters being incredibly frustrating.

Usually, Olivia is here to lend him a hand as he preps the dinner but she went with Fletcher to pick up Zayn and Harry from their house and Adrian is just as useless at cooking that Liam is. Axel however is a marvellous cook and Niall isn't too bad himself, it's just finding where they're both hiding that Louis needs to find out.

"Wait that's 9, 9 people, not 10."Louis momentally pauses in his actions to look over at Liam who seems to move out of the way from where he's blocking the doorframe at the exact moment. The joyful scream - and it's a scream, Liam is sure he hasn't heard Louis scream in excitement since Adrian said his first word - that leaves Louis nearly makes Liam hit the deck with utter surprise.

"Matthew!"And Louis is completely running past Liam to leap at his best friend who he hasn't seen in month, a leap that nearly sends Matthew tumbling to the ground with Louis going with him, but one that he gratefully embraces.

It's been so long since he's last seen Matthew and for him to be standing here in his kitchen is enough to make tears start to form in Louis' eyes as he clings on tightly to one of his best friends. Since moving to New York, Matthew has had a hectic life with his hardworking job, and even now as his promotions keep on coming, he still makes time to contact Louis even for a short 10 minute chat on the phone once a week.

"Whoa, what's with the crying? Am I that repulsive looking?"Matthew frowns.

"It's because I've missed you you big asshole."Louis rubs away his fast running tears with the sleeve of his jumper, glaring up at a taller Matthew with watery oceanic blue eyes. Matthew has aged remarkably well for being in his forties. He turns to look at Liam,"And you. You kept this a secret from me!"

"It was a surprise,"Liam smirks, completely satisfied that Louis is now overjoyed to have his best friend under his roof."Am I out of the dog house yet?"

"You're lucky that you're handsome because yes."Louis rolls his eyes and blows a kiss towards Louis only for him to leap forward and hug Matthew again. Liam learned long ago not to get jealous of the way that Louis and Matthew are so close, he's been here for Louis an awful lot of times that Liam wasn't.

"I hope you're not mad that I'm your tenth guest, Louis."Matthew chuckles as he gives Louis a final squeeze and lets the smaller man go.

"Oh, I'm mad because you know how much I hate cooking for large crowds, but I can make an acceptation for you."Louis grins up at the American, a bright grin that immediately turns into a scowl whenever Niall is entering the kitchen, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and without a top."You on the other hand, put clothes on or you're not getting fed."

"That isn't even remotely fair. Matthew could be naked and you'd still feed him."Niall throws his hands dramatically at the tall American because goddamnit, he was friends with Matthew first and he still isn't even close to being one of his top friends, especially when Louis is involved.

"Because he's my favourite."

"I thought parents weren't allowed favourites?"

"I'm not allowed to have a favourite child, but I can have a favourite friend and right now, you're not even remotely close to being at the top of my list."

"Okay, I can't argue with you on that."

"Go put on clothes."

"Okay mum."

"Fuck off,"

"Oh god, I've missed this."Matthew laughs, watching as Louis sends him a famous Louis Tomlinson smile before he turns back to his cooking. He's missed, he really has, from all of the family arguing and friendship bantering, it's an atmosphere that he really missed when he was back in New York.

"Oi! That's not for you!"Louis is shouting as Liam swoops in and goes to crap a cookie of of one of the cooling trays, being slapped on the hand just as he pinches Louis bum. The smaller male is letting out a loud squeak of surprise at the pinch, lips being silenced by a sneaky Liam who silences him with a kiss to the lips.

In that moment of distractedness, Adrian is making his quick appearance and running off with a handful of cookies to hoard upstairs, all missed by a distracted Louis and witnessed by an amused Matthew.

Yeah, he's glad that he's back.

~~~\0/~~/\~~

"Oh my god, I've friends with fucking children."Louis pinches the bridge of his nose as he sits at the head of the table, Matthew vertically opposite him at the end and everyone else spread to sit at the extra long table. It's a squeeze and if Olivia needs to pee then everyone sitting on the left side of he table needs to get up to let her through, but it's already an enjoyable evening.

"Honestly, and you wonder where you chicken pick up all of their swears from. I've never heard of someone with as bad as a potty mouth than you."

"We're not 5."

"Until you start growing facial hair, you're 5."Liam declares from across Fletcher who rolls his eyes.

"Don't sweat it, kid. Your papa is 36 and I haven't seen a hair on his face. He's like some sort of hairless cat."

"Thanks, Zayn. How charming."

"It was a compliment! I was calling you expensive! Harry wanted to buy one of those cats last year and it was like 2 grand."Zayn throws his arms dramatically up on the air to show of his shock. They've been living together for long and been together even longer, and yet there still hasn't been any wedding bells.

"You won't let me have a pet."Harry pouts pathetically.

"I let you have a goldfish."

"A goldfish is not a pet."Niall declares, his mouth full of food which earns himself a glare from both Matthew and Louis.

"We should get a pet."Olivia declares with a sort of smug smile because she's always wanted a pet, even though her Dad has been the one that never has wanted on because he says that they're too much work.

"Yeah! Like a dog! How great would a dog be!"Adrian joins in, ecstatic at the prospect of having a dog.

"I want to pick the breed!"Fletcher pitches because a German Shepard would be an awesome dog to have in the house. It's his favourite type of breed.

"I want to name it."Axel chirps.

"You don't even live here, you can't name our dog."Adrian glares.

"He practically lives here. Papa basically adopted him."Fletcher defends, squeezing Axels hand from underneath the table in which it's returned.

"Yeah, lets not tell people that."Olivia side eyes her brother and his best friend with a knowing smirk behind her glass. She winces whenever she feels a kick at her leg from across the table."Fletcher! Dad, Fletcher kicked me!"

"My foot slipped."

"Both of you stop it."And even with being as big and bad as he is and looks, when it comes to shouting at Olivia that's a thing that doesn't happen. She's his little girl.

"So are we getting a dog or not?"Adrian asks in boredom as he pushes his food around his plate.

"We're not getting a dog."Louis finalises, glaring across at Zayn who is snickering at the mess that he has caused."This is all your fault, look what you started."

"Get the kids a dog."

"You get them a dog then."

"Fine."

"Don't get them a dog,"Matthew rolls his eyes,"If Louis and Liam want to get them a dog, they will. And you three, four, stop pestering them."

"And this is why you're my favourite,"Louis sends Matthew his famous smile and everything seems to fall back into place once again. In a way that it's like that nothing has changed over the last 16 or so years, that they're still young and still dumb and it's great, it's good. And Louis wouldn't change having his favourite people surrounding him in the world.

Please tell me your opinions!

Who do you think is the top in Axel/Fletcher?

Your opinion on Matthew? Who's glad that he's back?

Votecommentfollow

Peace✌🏼