When I Think About You

"So.. who needs you right now?" Louis asked me with a teasing glint in his eyes. Freak.

"It's Harry. 'Duchess is on a rampage. Help!'" I read aloud and burst out laughing. He must've done something to piss Duchess off again. Yeah, my dog is a tad on the spoiled side. Just a tad, though.

"Duchess doesn't like him much." Louis pointed out with a laugh.

"He must've pissed her off again. Let's just buy some ingredients and go home. I'm sure that Harry can hold out for half an hour more." I said with a devilish grin as I looped my arm through my brother's and dragged him off to buy carrots, French beans, butter, tenderloin steaks, and some ingredients for chocolate mousse.

"You like Zayn, huh?" Lou said quietly as I looked through the aisles for fresh carrots. My head snapped up to his face and I glared at him as I blushed.

"I thought you guys had that pact, or deal, or something that states that you guys are not allowed to date each others' sisters. So, shut up, Lou." I snapped at him then grabbed some carrots before tossing them into the cart.

"Touchy, touchy, Lil. If Zayn's your one-way-ticket to happiness, then.. so-be-it." He said with a shrug as he gazed lovingly at the carrots. Yes, LOVINGLY. He LOVES them.

"Shut it, Lou." I snapped again and he grinned.

"Just saying, Lil. He's a nice guy. I trust him. And, you'll have some beautiful babies. Uncle Lou.. I like the sound of that." Lou babbled on.

"Ugh! Shut it, Lou!" I hissed at him and then stomped off. There's nothing worse than your older brother teasing you.

"I'm just --" I cut him off.

"Just saying. I know." I sighed and then headed towards the check-out counter. Lou paid for everything since he was older and the one with the job. Yeah. Older + Job = YOU ALWAYS PAY. That's logic.

"No need to be bitter about it." He said and nudged me gently with his elbow as we walked out into the street with grocery bags in our arms.

"I'm not bitter. I'm just.." I trailed off.

"Being rational? You're being uptight, Lil. It's time that you thought about spreading some luuuuurrrve." He teased which made me blush a brilliant shade of red.

"You're my older brother! You're supposed to be telling me to become a nun or something." I mumbled and he laughed.

"Well, I'm not like most older brothers, eh?" He wiggled his eyebrows and we both burst out laughing.

"Yeah. I totally agree. You aren't mainstream, Lou." I said with a nod and we continued on in a very comfortable silence.

***

Once we got to the front door, I could hear barking in the house as well as screams of terror. I grinned and then burst out laughing.

The boys were here.

"Guys, we're home!" I yelled out and walked into the house after unlocking the door with my keys. A little bundle of fur ran towards me and jumped at my leg before latching onto it in a standing position.

"Hi, Duchess!" I said in that typical baby voice and leaned down to scoop her up in my free arm. She wriggled a bit and then looked up at me before wriggling again in an attempt to lick my cheek. I held her up and let her shower me with her doggy affections as I walked towards the living room where all four boys were standing on the couches.

"Your dog.. is a demon!" Harry said accusingly as he pointed an accusing finger at Duchess. Duchess barked at him and then trailed her large, crossed eyes at me.

"Demon is so harsh. She prefers bitch." I said with a laugh and set her down again. She started barking at the boys who all yelped with fear and clutched the couches tighter.

"Stop torturing them with Duchess, Lil." Lou said from the entryway. We looked at each other and laughed.

"No." We both agreed and then set off to the kitchen to place the groceries on the counter.

"Lil!" The boys screamed again. I laughed even more and then looked at Lou.

"Should I?" I asked him.

"I guess so. They've been scared for a good 45 minutes." Louis nodded and then we laughed again.

"DUCHESS!" I called her. She came bounding in the kitchen and then bumped her head into a chair leg which made me giggle. "Go to Lou." I instructed and she followed.

Louis picked her up off the floor and cradled her in his arms. The boys all ran into the kitchen and headed towards me.

"You!" Liam said in mock anger. I grinned innocently.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah! You!" Niall continued.

"Me? Me?" I pointed to myself and all of them nodded; save for Lou who was laughing.

"Who else!?" Zayn said aloud.

"I dunno. Maybe.. Lou?" I said with an innocent smile.

"She's your dog." Lou pointed out.

"And, I left Haz in charge. What did you to to piss her off like that, anyway?" I asked as I set to preparing all the utensils I would need for cooking. Mise-en-place. All of them sat at the table and Lou ran his fingers through Duchess' fur which made her curl up closer to him and sleep.

"It was Zayn's fault!" Haz shouted accusingly. I looked at Zayn and couldn't help the butterflies that errupted in my stomach. He looked so... handsome. And, his eyes. Oh, his eyes were just so mesmerizing. And his hair, though it looked like a meringue mix.. still looked awesome.

"What? You took the stuffed dog." Zayn shot at Harry.

"You took Duchess' stuffed dog? That's her favorite toy." I said in a know-it-all tone.

"Sooo.. that's why she went berserk." Niall stated. I nodded.

"Never.. and I mean.. NEVER touch her stuffed dog. If it's hers.. it's hers." I lectured them and started marinating the steaks.

"She's one spoiled dog." Liam pointed out. I shrugged.

"Shut it.. or I'll bring the spoons out." I threatened Liam. His mouth dropped open and I smirked. "I thought so."

"You shut up, Stripe girl." He shot at me. I acted offended and turned to glare at him.

"Stripe girl? Whyyy!?" I whined.

"You're wearing stripes. As usual." Zayn pointed out. I blushed slightly and then scrunched my nose at them before rolling my eyes.

"I don't wear stripes ALL THE TIME. I wear them.. often." I said with a triumphant smirk.

"No. All the time." Zayn countered.

"No. OFTEN. There's a difference, Zain. And, yes.. I used the ORIGINAL spelling of your name. Conversation over, Bradford bad boi." I smirked and turned back to my marinating.

"This conversation isn't over until I say it's over, Lilian Jane." Zayn said as if he was challenging me.

"It's over, Zayn Jawaad." I answered and then drizzled pepper all over the steaks.

"It's like you two are talking about an unrequited relationship of some sort." Louis stated. I blushed beet red and ducked my head to make my hair fall on both sides of my face; effectively hiding my flaming cheeks.

"Shut up, Louis." I mumbled and then bit my lip.

"Do you guys have a relationship?" Niall asked.

"Niall." I hissed.

"Yeah. It's been quite obvious. The googly eyes." Harry played along. There was most certainly no 'googly eyes'. At least on Zayn's part there wasn't any of the 'googly-eyed' action. On my side, though..

"The stammering. All the quarreling. You two are girlfriend and boyfriend!" Liam stated the final blow. And, that's when I lost it. I snapped my head up to look at them and ignored my flaming cheeks as I glared at all of them; save for Zayn who was also blushing madly. What's he blushing at!?

"Out of the kitchen! All of you! Out! Or no dinner!" I snapped and pointed at the entryway. Their mouths all dropped open and one by one, they got up their chairs and went out of the room. Harry and Niall left first then Liam followed, then Zayn.. and then it was just me and Louis in the room. I rarely lost it with them.

"Lil, in all my defense--" I cut him off.

"You are an idiot, Louis. Now, get out before I strangle you to death.. or worse: Strangle you then stab you to death." I said and tried my hardest to scowl at him. I epically failed and burst out laughing at the sight of his face which was turned up into a puppy dog pout.

"See, it's not all that bad. It could be worse. We could be hinting about babies and love-making and such." Louis said optimistically.

"Shut up, Louis. I just don't want to leave tomorrow while I'm on bad terms with you.. or the boys. Tell them they're forgiven, yeah?" I said softly and hugged him which squeezed Duchess in-between us.

"'Course, Lil. I love you." He murmured and kissed my forehead.

"I love you, too. And, please.. don't tease Zayn any more that necessary." I said softly and hugged him again before sending him off to the living room where the boys probably where. I smiled to myself and resumed making dinner.

"I know how that feels."