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He knows Louis is home when he gets back, even if only silence is responding to his callings. Louis’ new boots, that he has been obsessed with in the last few days and is literally wearing them everywhere, are next to the door and his favourite jacket hangs from the hook just above.He stops in the kitchen to make some tea for both of them. He knows his husband will need a lot of it today. He takes his favourite cup from the cabinet and the blue one that's standing on the counter, which clearly wasn't there when he left earlier, so Louis must have drunk from it in the meantime, and he puts tea bags in both of them.He leaves the steaming drinks to brew and goes to find Louis. His first thought is to check their bedroom, so he doesn't even bother to search downstairs. It turns out quickly to be the right idea. They almost bump into each other in the hallway on the first floor."Lou," Harry says as a greeting, and reaches his hand to Louis’ arm to steady them - more on instinct than because it was actually necessary. From the two of them, it’s him that usually needs help staying vertical, and reaching for Louis in every situation is just his basic instinct after all those years of being together.Louis’ hair is a mess. He's wearing a black oversized hoodie, joggers and thick warm socks. His arms are crossed and wrapped tight around him. When he looks up at Harry, his eyes are full of tears.“Baby,” Harry chokes out. Immediately he pulls the man into his arms, and wraps them tight around his body. Louis wiggles a little and makes some space between them, enough to reach and pull airpods from his ears and put them in his pocket, and then he leans back into the hug. His fingers dig in the material of Harry’s hoodie, holding like a lifeline, and he snuggles into Harry’s neck. The embrace is tight and smells so familiar, so comforting, and yet, or exactly because of that, Louis starts shaking, and a few tears escape his eyes. Harry tries to bring him even closer, hold even tighter, to try to fix all of his broken pieces."Let it out, sunshine," he whispers reassuringly. "Let it all out."And Louis does. Right there in the middle of the hallway, where he's the safest in the arms that are his home, he lets himself fully break down.
Few hours earlier, Louis
(14:30) Niall: r u ok?Louis frowns at the message on his phone. Why shouldn't he be?(14:31) Louis: yeah, why?(14:34) Niall: [send link](14:35) Niall: :/(14:35) Niall: Call if you need anything? <3(14:36) Louis: What is this even? Where did you get that?(14:36) Niall: Tumblr? It's Zayn's leaked album?(14:37) Louis: What(14:38) Niall: Not leaked exactly, it's out in nz anyway, but sort of like ya know, leaked for the rest of the world?(14:38) Louis: God, Niall(14:38) Niall: Just listen? To this one song?(14:39) Niall: I think you might wanna know before it goes fully public?(14:39) Niall: Don't kill me, please. Don’t kill the messenger.
Harry
His phone vibrates in his pocket right when he's on his way to leave the studio.(16:07) Niall: Haz, i think i fucked up...Harry dials right away. "What have you done?" He starts without any courtesy."I might’ve sent Louis a link to one of Zayn's songs?" Niall says, unsure, clearly afraid of Harry's reaction."How bad is it?""Very bad.""Jesus, Niall." Harry's heart aches, and he moves a hand through his hair in nervous gestures. "He would know eventually anyway. I thought that hearing from someone sooner will make it better?"That's where he's right, and Harry can't fight that logic. He signs, "Sum it up for me.""Zayn hopes he didn't waste all of his good years. Literally in those exact words."Harry stops in his tracks, fish mouthing for a while before he finds the words. "God, Niall.""I'm sorry."Harry shakes his head as he starts walking again. He has to get home, now. "No, it's alright. Thanks for telling me. Send it to me too?""On it.""Thank you." Louis stirs in his hold after some time, and leans back a little. Harry lets him out of his tight hold as he wipes his cheeks with the sleeves of his hoodie, but his hands never break contact with his body."Alright?" he asks softly, stroking Louis' sides through the material.Louis nods slightly, his eyes still wet and shiny, but he doesn't cry any more. It's not all alright, but it's alright for now."How long have you been wandering halls like that?"Louis shrugs, not exactly looking at Harry. "I don't know. How long ago did the song come out?""Lou," Harry sighs. He didn't make it home straight home from the studio as he planned. He was held up, and it was a couple of hours after his talk with Niall."No worries," Louis reassures him with a little smile, reaching up to hold Harry's wrists. "I drank some tea in the meantime. I'm okay.""How did you find out?" Harry knows, but he asks anyway. He wants to hear it from Louis. To see how much up to talking this out he is."Niall sent it to me."Harry nods. "And how do you feel?"And oh, well, isn't the question loaded. How can he feel is this fucked up situation? And Louis hesitates for a moment, his eyes jump around them, to paintings on their hallway walls, to their feet, and their connected hands, before they settle again on Harry's face. He bites his bottom lip and sighs."I don't know, Haz. It just- So unclear,” he shrugs a little with one arm. “He's not happy. Or he wasn't– but I think he still isn’t. A–and that's– Ugh. I miss him, God, I miss him so much. I want to give him a hug, and don't let go until he's fine again. I was hoping he would get better after leaving us… but now… I'm not so sure he did. And– and I never was there for him.” He wipes a few stubborn tears that fell on his cheeks and then looks up at the ceiling, and blinks a few times to try to keep them away. "And thinking that…" he chokes on his words. Tries to clear his throat, to find his voice again. "...that he wrote this about us…? Wasted years…? Fuck, Haz. That hurts so fucking much."Harry tries to smile a little, reassuringly, but it’s more a grimace than anything. And he tries not to fall apart too. Because he knows, god, he knows. It’s an ugly wound, still not healed, not like it should. And Zayn saying so openly, he regrets their time together? Time when they all were bound by the hip, living on top of each other most of the time? It's like he rips over again all the stitches they so carefully tried to put to seal it.But he also knows songs don't always mean what they might seem to be. And he tries to think about that. About finding positives in this. Because if he won’t, they both are going to be crying messes, with no one to bring them cups of tea to make it better."I don't want him to regret us," Louis continues after a moment, bringing Harry back from his thoughts. His voice is quiet and breaking, and he grips Harry tighter. "I don't think I can take knowing he regrets us.""Lou," Harry starts, trying to find some words, but his throat seems tight too. It's so overwhelming, to have the rug pulled from under your feet, again, when you thought you were finally standing on the steady ground. To see that maybe you were wrong again, about how someone feels about you. It takes him a few tries, but finally he finds his voice."What if– what if this is about all of us?” He starts to explain. Louis looks at him a little confused, because well, obviously, it is about all of them; but as patient as he always is with Harry, he just gives him time to collect his thoughts, and to continue. "About wasting all those years on something that hurt us all so much. Maybe we could have been as amazing on our own, outside Simon's contracts. Under another label. What if, Lou. There are a thousand things this song can be about."Louis just looks at him for a while, processing this information, eyes big and a little bit more clear."You think he doesn't hate us."Harry shakes his head. "No," he says, although it's kind of hard for him to believe in this himself, in that exact moment. But he knows it's emotions talking, not his rational thinking. "I think he never did. He's just probably still bitter, still angry. Just like you."There’s a little spark in Louis' eyes, and he moves his hand up to slap Harry’s chest. "Rude, Styles."But Harry just shrugs playfully, the corner of his lips twitches a little, and he pulls Louis into a full hug again. It earns him an approving hum."Thank you," Louis says. "For everything."Harry kisses his neck, and the gesture responds in thousands of words. Always. I love you. Happy to help. You're my everything."You're so warm," Louis murmurs into Harry's neck. "Take a nap with me." "Okay. C'mon," Harry agrees easily. He won't ever turn down an offer like that. He tugs at Louis' waist, but his legs are glued to the floor. "Babe," he sighs with a hint of a laugh in his voice."No," Louis protests stubbornly. Harry rises a brow at him. "What do you mean 'no'? C'mon. Do I need to carry you?""Yes, please. I'm emotionally incapable."Harry tries not to laugh. He's totally amused. "Of walking?""Yhm."He's so silly. Harry loves him. "I love you."Louis scowls at that."I'm amazing, of course you do." Harry digs his fingers in his sides, between his ribs, and then swoops him up from the floor."Harry!" Louis yelps, first from discomfort and then from the shock of being up and over Harry's arm so suddenly. "You barbarian! Let me down!""You wanted me to carry you!""Not like that! Harold!"But Harry ignores him, and it's just a few seconds before they are in their bedroom, and he places Louis on the bed gentler than the other boy was expecting. But that’s the way they are always with each other. Always so gentle. Always surprising each other with it, even after all those years.Harry hovers over him, one of his hands brushes Louis’ fringe out of his forehead."He loves you too, you know.""H..." Louis tries to protest. He doesn't know if he wants to hear that, he's not sure if he's able to take it right now. But Harry needs him to know."It's true," he insists. "I know he did. And I don't think that anyone, who ever loved you, would ever be able to stop."Louis' eyes fill with tears again, his hands search for some, for any parts of Harry to hold. Always physical contact, always the peace and comfort it provides."He's just still heartbroken, just like you."Louis shocks his head and grimaces at that. Too stubborn at times."I wasn't the one who left.""You know why he did that," Harry reminds him, his voice is soft but tone unyielding."He never talked to me. How could he just stop talking to me one day? I was there the whole time. And he slipped through my fingers."
"I need to get out. We need to change something. This is killing us."
“Just few more months.”
“We won't make it few months.”
They've had this Zayn talk countless times, over the years. But it never felt old, never talked through, never like pointlessly dragging something again and not being able to let it go. It was still too fresh, too deep, and too painful to heal. Too heavy on them. So they were talking, again, again and again. Trying to find a reason, trying to make sense of any of it. But nothing changes, nothing ever changes. It's easing the pain for a while – the complaining. Letting the anger out. Trying to make it all weigh a little less on their hearts every time. Helping to move on to the next hour, to the next day.But there is nothing you can do with not knowing. Just wonder. Spiral into the same questions over and over again.That's the worst someone you love can do to you. Leave without a reason. Without explaining a damn thing. Leaving you to always wonder. To always hurt. To always remember and to never know. Always with damn why surrounding your broken heart.Always the one you thought that would stay. The one with who you thought nothing can break you up. And then, they're just gone. One day leaving a hole in your heart, knife in your back, and always with the question why. When you were meant to be. Always. Indestructible, unbreakable. And there's nothing, where it used to be home. Cold, when used to be warm. Silence, where used to be a laugh. You're just standing alone where it used to be a soul next to yours, a brother, a part of you. With an aching heart. And you just wish; for one more time, one more talk. For another chance to save everything before it crumbled down."We were so good," Louis whispers with pain in his voice. He looks up at the ceiling, trying to hold the tears and squeezing Harry's hand. "I hate not knowing what changed. When. Why did he never talked to us. He could just come talk to us. He could've asked for time, for anything. We would give him everything and anything we could. But he never did. He never talked to us," Louis sobs again. "We were not enough, why were we not enough?""Lou..." Harry tries, trying to make him not think like that. But how can he, when he knows Louis is so right. He feels it too. He wonders too. "I don't know, Lou," he finally admits, his voice teary, almost breaking too. "I have no idea."He takes Louis hand and presses his lips to 28 tattoo. "You are everything, Louis. You are to me in every possible way. You were to him as a friend.""He's your soulmate too. I know, he is." Harry brings their foreheads together. "And I think you can have it all back one day."Louis sniffs, eyes wet again. "Do you, really?""Yeah. Yeah, I do."Harry kisses Louis' nose. "Come cuddle.""Clothes," he tugs at Harry's hoodie. "Off."Harry chuckles at that. “Alright, alright.”Skin pressed to skin, Louis feels his body finally relaxing, and it becomes easier to breathe. Overwhelmed after all day and wrapped in familiar scent and warmth, he almost starts to cry again. He silently thanks the universe again, for giving him the opportunity to meet Harry all those years ago. For giving him home he can always come back too.He pulls the love of his life to himself even more and kisses all the skin he can reach in this position, whispering quiet I love you's in between them. They fall asleep wrapped tight in each other, forgetting about the whole world outside their little bubble.
Louis
He doesn't know how stages of grief goes. He's sure he did know it once, but he can't remember now. He's just mad. It was stupid. And careless. And he didn't even give a damn about Louis' heart. I am so confused. He types down.He should have just left it out. Don't put it on a damn album, for the whole world to see. It was between them. And it was no one else's business.Pop fucking star, Zayn fucking Malik. Who the hell he thinks he is.
What a hypocrite!
He clicks post, closes the app, blocks the phone and throws it across the bed. His notifications are off, he doesn't open twitter again and he doesn't see any responses. Payback, bitch.Not even Niall and Liam dare to message him that day.He asks Harry to help him forget. Harry fucks him senseless that night. Bed is cold and empty when Harry wakes up."Lou?" he calls out, confused.There is nowhere to be today, Louis should be there by his side.He groans in the pillow, but stumbles out of the bed. He needs to check if everything is alright. He waddles down, bare foot, and rubbing his eyes. He stumbles in a door frame, wall and the railing, barely seeing anything, not awake enough to have the right-working sense of his surroundings. There is a packed suitcase standing in the hallway. It makes him stop in his tracks. Suddenly he's wide awake."Lou?" he calls again. He tries not to think about the worst."Kitchen," comes the airy answer.He turns there slowly, his steps now wary and his mind going hundreds miles an hour trying to figure out what’s going on. No one can't actually blame him for being a little bit paranoid after the last time. But Louis just smiles when he sees him, warm and open, and his eyes sparkle. It doesn’t seem like anything is wrong. "Hey, love."It does not ease the knot in Harry's stomach though."Did– Is that–?" He tries to speak, to make sense of his thoughts and words, pointing his thumb behind in the direction of the hallway. "What's– Louis. Please. Did–" he swallows, and then finally chokes out. "Did I do something wrong?"Louis' eyes go wide, only half a second later."God, no. No! I'm sorry, no." He rushes to reassure Harry. He puts his tea away, and pulls Harry into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm not leaving. Not again. Not like that. I'm sorry." [1]"Fuck." Harry sighs, resting his forehead on Louis’ shoulder and relaxing in his hold. "You scared this shit out of me.""I'm sorry, love." He apologises again, regret clear in his voice. "I didn’t think about what it might look like.""It's alright." He reassures, and takes a step back to look at his husband. "It really is, Lou. We've been over this.""But you–"Harry shakes his head. "No, I know. You promised me, and I believe you. I just panicked in the moment, and overreacted. I'm sorry.""Alright.""Is it?" Harry makes sure."Yeah."Harry kisses his forehead. And hugs him again. How fast their roles changed. Now it’s Louis resting head on his shoulder. Harry tangles fingers in his hair. They’re soft and freshly washed."I'm going to see Zayn."Harry is so surprised that it takes a few long seconds for his brain to even register this information properly."Come again?" Harry asks, shocked. Did he hear this right? "Really?" Louis nods. "Did you–?""Talk? No. I got his location from Liam."Verbal response of follow-up question from Harry is not needed, Louis reads it easily from his face.He shrugs before answering."I just go knock at his door. It will save me from calling. I can't risk him not picking up."
Few months earlier, Zayn
He's asked one more time to confirm the list of the songs that will go on the album. He's annoyed at anyone who thinks that after five times checking and approving, he might be still second guessing himself.He argues for a while with Alex, who hands him a tablet with the list."Zayn, please, don't kill the messenger. I was asked to give this to you, nothing more. It's from above. They will be here shortly, so just check this one more time or tell them you did and go outside for a smoke before they get here. Honestly, I don't care and I have other things to do. Just take it from me."He holds his hands up when he backs out from the room, not sparing Zayn a second glance. Then he hears a door shuts somewhere in the corridor, and he's one again alone. He sighs, throws the tablet he was given on the couch next to him, stands up and goes to do exactly what Alex said, smoke outside to tame down his annoyance before he snaps at someone during the meeting.He doesn't know how long he's been outside, he doesn't even know how much he smoked, lost too deep inside his thoughts.He sits again, not sparing a glance in the direction of the cast-off tablet, and instead he pulls the phone from his pocket and starts aimlessly scrolling through it.When after several minutes no one is still there, and he doesn't have anything else to scroll through, he finally gives up and with a sigh he reaches for the tablet.He doesn't change anything on the list. He made decisions long time ago and he's not going to change his mind. He clicks approved one more time, just for the sake of it and to get everyone off his back once and for all.
Earlier, Louis
Line connects at the second ring."Tommo, what's up?""I have a favour to ask.""Hello, Liam. Everything is alright here. Are you good too, mate?""Yeah yeah, all that. Like we didn't see each other last week. And you don't spill your guts on gc every time something is up. Can we move on, please."Sensing that Louis is not in the mood for joking, Liam lets it go. "Yeah, okay.""So, the favour.""Everything for you, you know that.""I'm not sure if you're gonna say that after you hear what this is about.""Try me.""I need to find Zayn."There is a quiet on the other side of the line. And then just a sigh. And "Louis." "I know, Liam, but please. It went too far. It's time to fix this.""We are not exactly on speaking terms right now."Louis knows how rocky Liam’s and Zayn’s relationship is. They are on and off, as long as he can remember them being together. Louis and Liam even had a fight about this once.
"Well, Louis, we are not all actually fortunate enough to have a soulmate. Some of us have to work a little more on their relationships."
"But you know where he is." Louis says. It wasn't a question, but Liam answers anyway."I do.""Will you tell me?"
Now, Harry
"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Harry ask again."I'm sure, love." Louis says, smiling and reaching for Harry one last time before going. "I have to do it alone. But thank you for everything, H.""Everything for you." Harry responds softly, pulling Louis into a hug. "Always. Be safe.""I'll always come back to you. No matter what, you know that.""I know. Just don't disappear like that on me ever again, please."[1]"I won't. I'm sorry. I will spend the rest of our lives trying to make it up to you.""Just by coming back to me will be enough."Louis kisses him then, and Harry melts in his arm."I love you.""I love you, too.""See you in three days?"Harry nods eagerly. "Let me know if you will want me to pick you up.""Alright.""Miss you already.""You say this always.""I always mean it."He kisses him again."Alright." Harry pats his bum a little. "Go, before I’ll drag you back home with me.""Love you."
Few months earlier, Zayn
He swears to God, one more person gonna question one more time any of his decisions, and he's gonna snap.Not even nicotine is helping any more. He needs out of here, and he needs it now.He takes the opportunity on instant, just taking his things and leaving before anyone else can try to stop him. He doesn't even bother to send any text to anyone. They know him well enough by now. If he's gone without a word, then he wanted to disappear, right there and right now. It could take two to three work days for him to turn on his work phone again and answer any emails. They know better than to bother him at home. It didn't take long for them to learn after that one time he called police on his old manager, the first one he had after leaving the band, for trespassing his property.They can make money on him, but he won't let them cross the borders in the process. He's done with letting people do that. If they want him, they need to respect him. The damn line is red and bold, and he dares anyone to try to cross him one more time. He can go to court and win, it's fucking America, and he will take as much as he can and do everything to protect himself. This time he's gonna do it right.He’s almost calm again by the time he makes it home from the studio.But then again, he must've been still more on the edge than he thought because one comment from Liam, makes it all burn again inside of him, and he snaps."You did it." It's the first thing Liam says, when he sees him. Not hello , not I missed you . Just straight to the accusations. And Zayn had enough. For weeks now, everyone try to tell him they know better."Not fucking you too. You should be on my side here. We were through this together. I won't take shit from you, Liam. Not for this.""I don't fucking understand why you can't let it go! It's one fucking song.""I explained it to you a hundred times!""And I still don't fucking get it!""I need to get it out of my chest!""But you don't fucking have to release it to the whole damn world! Not with the massage like that!""It's one of the most loud fuck you to the industry I can get out there!""It's also and firstly , loud fucking fuck you to us .""It's not about–""It fucking seems like that! That's what people will get from this! They won't think about fucking Syco and Simon, they will think about us! About the band. You might break more things than you are ready for."Zayn knows that, even when Liam doesn't think he does. He fucking considered every possibility of how this will turn out. But he hopes for the best. That the boys will understand what he means. They were in this together."It's done now." He says, still defensive, but his not yelling anymore. He shrugs. "Nothing I can do."Liam open his mouth and closes it. Then he blinks at him."How should I know what you are actually thinking?" He points at Zayn. "Right now, in your head. I know there is some reasoning for this there. But you're keeping it inside. You never talk to me. You never talked to us! You just do whatever you fucking want, damn the consequences and our fucking feelings!" He shakes his head. "You did not fucking change a bit. I can't do this right now."He storms right next to Zayn to get to the door. But then he stops at the threshold, and turns back with his hand on the handle."That's gonna fucking break him. And take the troll on all of us."And then he's gone.Instead of a welcome kiss and a quiet afternoon after not seeing each other for a while, they had a fight for a desert, and Liam leaves before he was even able to unload his things from the trunk. It's a great day.
Now
With heart in his throat, Louis knocks.It's a painful minute when he just stands there staring at the white door and questioning every single choice, decision and thought that brought him right there.And then the door opens, and he's there . He's right there."Zayn." Louis chokes out."Lou–" Zayn tries, but he's just as shocked, probably questioning if he's seeing right or if he's having hallucinations.They stare at each other for a while, trying to catch up with reality and drinking each other in.Finally, Louis' nerves catch up with him, and he starts to shutter. "I had too–I needed– Oh my god, I'm so sorry– I shouldn't have come– I don't know what I thought– Fucking hell– It wasn't– it shouldn't– I'm so, so, so sorry– Just forget I ever–""Louis," Zayn interrupts him calmly. It's enough to make him stop. "What?""Louis.""Yes. Yes?""Take a deep breath." And Louis does. Blue, blue eyes look straight in his. "And come inside? We can talk."Louis nods. Zayn moves out of the way, and then they are side by side, for the first time in years. * Zayn has a cabinet full of different kinds of alcohol, but Louis just takes a tea, just to have something to keep his hands busy.He takes a first sip and almost chokes."Yorkshire." He gets out, between waves of couch. With the right amount of the milk. "What in the–""I stock up regularly."Louis can't believe his ears. Zayn keeps his favourite tea? In a fucking holiday house?"Zee…" He doesn't even know what to say, his heart aching for the relationship he's so desperately trying to save. Maybe there is a bigger chance than he ever thought. Maybe Zayn just needed someone to make a first step. His next words prove exactly that."I never wanted it to go south like it did."Louis puts back his cup, his full attention shifted now only to the man in front of him."I just–" Zayn continues. "It went out of control at some point and I didn't know how to fix it."Louis nods, understanding. They all made mistakes back then. So fucking tired all the time. They were just trying to survive."We just wanted you to stay. Probably more selfishly than we should." Louis admits. "But more important, we just wanted you to talk to us. Everything was so tense back then, and you stopped talking to us, to me , like you used to, and then... it all went to shit.""I just desperately wanted to leave. It began to be too much. I need to take myself out of that situation. You know I had too.""I know Z, god, I know. Look at you now. You look so much better, so healthy.""I know I hurt you back then."Louis shrugs a little."It just killed me that there came a day when you thought you can't talk to me any more. To any of us. It just... everything was good one day, between us, and then I blinked, and you were gone. You slipped through my finger and I didn't even know when."Zayn shifts from leg to leg. "It was so hard back then. Too much was happening, falling apart. I– I didn't want to add to this. Stepping back quietly, without a fuss, seemed like the best way.""I would let you go, you know." Louis says, voice shaky and eyes glassy. "I would never keep you in a situation you weren't comfortable with any more. I just, god I wish, you would just talk to me back then. Just explain the situation, and how you feel, and that you need the time. That you need to go. I would let you go."Tears starts to fall down his face and Zayn can't take it anymore. He crosses the space between them in a few steps and swipes Louis into his arms.Louis doesn't even hesitate to hold him back tight, they hold onto each other like on a lifeline."Was I not enough?" Louis sobs in his neck."God, no Lou, don't ever think like that."How shit communication can fuck the things up."Losing you was one of the worst things that ever happened to me." Louis says. "Please, don't go again. Not like that. Not without talking to me first. Please. I don't know if I will be able to take it again.""I won't." Zayn promises. "I love you forever." "You're happy," Harry says as he watches Louis undress, from where he's lying stretched out on the bed.Louis raises a curious brow at him. "Sounds like you just made some discovery. Should I be worried, Curly? And are you suggesting I wasn't before?"Harry looks him up and down, it's a hot piece of a husband he has right there, but his gaze quickly settles on Louis' face."No," he answers. "Not like that. Not for a quite some time."And Louis knows exactly what he's talking about. It is easier to breathe since Zayn came back into their lives. Like a weight was pulled off his shoulders.He climbs onto the bed and settles above Harry."Hi.""Hi.""You lost some of your grey hair, and wrinkles, since he's back." Harry says, stroking the side of Louis' face. "You're happier now."Louis thinks about the day they just had. Niall's laugh still lingering in the hallways. They meet for a barbecue at their house, all five of them. I was loud, it smelled amazing and it felt like home. Just like all these years ago.It was the first meeting in a full squad like that again. It took a few months to catch them all off work, but they made it. Zayn was a little bit nervous, clinging to Liam's arm when they entered, (they made up again), but as quick as they were spotted in the backyard, Niall was there pulling him into a hug. And from there the rest went smoothly.It was bloody late before they went back inside, and all the boys decided to stay for the night. It's gonna be a horrible, grumpy, ridiculously early morning tomorrow, since all of them have places to be, but he can't actually wait. It's gonna be all of them again.Louis settles down on Harry's chest, and Harry wraps his arms around him."I've missed this," he says."Hmm?" Louis hums sleepy.Harry kisses his forehead."Smell of Zayn's cigarettes on you. It's comforting. Smells like everything is alright in the world again."