Where I Am Without You [L.S]

Chapter Thirty Two

Willow, their tour choreographer sighs at them as she watches on for the tenth most time that morning the five of them stumble around the stage. As uncoordinated together now as they once had been. Being back on stage with four other lead singers is a strange dynamic for him, he's so use to commanding most of the attention on stage now from being a solo artist that now he has to go back to fitting in around others is odd.

They won't be beginning stage rehearsals at Wimberley till four days before opening night so for the time being they've been rehearsing on a makeshift version of the actual stage in a smaller, closed off venue in downtown London.

It's their fourth day in the studio, their final stage design having passed two days ago and they're now mid way through the setlist choreo. Remembering the places they had to be in was similar to running a mind marathon each time they ran through what they'd created so far. They'd at least, whilst doing tour promo, finalized all their parts in each song so that was one less thing they had to focus on. Instead he fumbled his way across to stage left, in time for the second verse of Walking in The Wind.

"Louis, I swear to everything that is holy, if you don't get your arse over to that box..." Willow threatens though her tone is light and teasing, Louis flips her off before darting over to the little 'x' marked out on stage, one of the hundreds that is.

In the two weeks since they'd returned from PortMeirion everything had gone better than he'd hoped. The five of them had caught up every couple days, either in studio rehearsing over each of the songs and transitions with the band, or going around to one another's houses to do so. He'd gotten to know Michael better as well, the guitarist, though quite was someone he'd come to quite like and had enjoyed having them around. Having Sandy rejoin them had also been great, certainly now that he brought his kids round every so often which was some of the best days without a doubt.

Undoubtedly however, the best part of the past few weeks was the time he'd spent with Louis. He couldn't help but feel especially draw to him now that they'd opened up about so much. They spent most nights or afternoons together now, not yet venturing out into London's streets but tucking away inside, sometimes watching movies or otherwise simply talking. They still hadn't progressed further into any sort of relationship, but they'd spent long nights hanging around one another, lazily strung out in either of their living rooms catching up on everything they'd missed in each others lives for the past four years. It had been so aching familiar and comforting that he'd not minded that neither of them had suggested going any further just yet. They were still finding their feet around one another and even just learning the most basic things about Louis, or his family's life in the time they'd been apart had been a blessing for him.

"I swear this is like herding cows, why on earth did I agree to come back to this?" Zayn says though only half serious and Niall wanders over to him, throws an arm around Zayn's and declares promptly, "Because you love us and have coped terribly in our absence."

They all snort at that, even Willow cracks a smile not able to resist Niall Horan.

Rehearsal continues for another hour or so before they are finally all walking out to their separate cars. Calling goodbyes to each of them he slides into the driver's seat of his car and pulls out onto the mildly busy London streets.

Pulling into a parking space in mostly quiet street he locks the car behind him after grabbing his coat to ward off the slight chill in the air still evident from the last remaining shreds of winter and heads for the café perched on the street corner. He doesn't really know where he is, only that he needs a coffee otherwise he doesn't know how he'll make it through the merchandise meeting he has later this afternoon.

The café is only half full, an older couple perched happily by the window front and several others dotted around tables elsewhere. He keeps his head down, pushing his sunglasses up into his hair and walks towards the front counter.