5 years too late [L.S]

6

Harry

"Harold Edward Styles, hurry the fuck up before I eat your breakfast up and leave you hungry for the entire day at the studio, and trust me, I am NOT bluffing" I quickly put on the clothes he prepared for me, forcing me to not wear an all black outfit. A pair of black jeans, and a dark green sweatshirt. With my Nike air forces. I quickly make my way down to se him hovering over my food. He crashed at my place yesterday, for the second night, after going to get some stuff from his home. And I'm sure he is planning on staying more than the two already spent nights. Today would be a full day at the studio with the boys, in hope of getting started on the song.

I snatch the spoon out off Nialls hand and start eating MY cereal.

"Hey, I was eating that"

"Still my breakfast Niall"

Yesterday was mainly a good day, after Niall and I settled things, we were back to talking almost like in the old days. My answers were still emotionless and from time to time cold. But I managed to hold up multiple conversations. And Niall didn't push me to much, knowing that I need to ease into it. There were times that I accidentally snapped at him, either due to me being tired of trying to be my old self or if he accidentally hit a nerve. But he didn't back out, and didn't mention it.

We mostly talked about our tours, awards, families and some of the same people we have worked with during the years spent apart. I went to bed early, being drained by all the conversations I had, but feeling almost happy with myself for the first time in years. Ohh and I didn't have a bad dream. Slept a whole of 9 hours.

***

We were now stood outside of the studio, me having a smoke and Niall standing 6 feet away, still not used to it.

" let's have a kind of safe word"

"Excuse me?"

"Not in a sexual kind of way, you sex freak, but like if you get uncomfortable in there, if Louis stands to close or if Liam starts asking inappropriate questions, so I can come and save you from the situation, a safe word" I really appreciate how considerate he is, he knows it's hard, even though I haven't said a word about it.

"Uhh, sure, if you want to I guess" I look down trying to figure out a word that would be natural

" how about watermelon?" Niall asks, happy with his hint to one of my songs. I just laugh and ask him how to casually bring up a watermelon in a conversation without sounding crazy or like a brat. He hums and continues thinking.

"How about 'fucking hell' I mean I swear a lot nowadays so it wouldn't be hard to get it into a conversation I'm not enjoying" I shrug and Niall lights up, clearly agreeing. I put the cigarette out and we make our way upstairs to the studio. We were late again due to Niall insisting on stopping by at McDonalds even tho we just ate breakfast. He even got lunch for everyone, with the help of me, somehow remembering everyone's order.

The moment we open the door three sets of eyes look at us, a little confused to why we are together. I get it, I did ignore Nialls puppy eyes during our first dinner. But they don't get to judge, especially not Louis. Niall takes my attention by gently pushing me forward. I set the two McDonalds bags on the table and simply say "we brought food". They are very skeptical al at first, but Liam is quick to grab his burger, saying how he hasn't had any breakfast between the chewing.

Zayn makes his way to me and Niall to thank us, not for the food tho.
" Thank you thank you thank you for coming, I don't think I could have survived a minute more with these two, Louis won't stop looking at me as if I killed his dog, and Liam won't stop with his bad jokes in an attempt to ease the tension... it's even worse than your jokes H."

Niall laughs and is quick to answer.

"Mate, if it's worse than young Harolds jokes, then it's beyond bad" I give him a fake angry look, but happy that they can still joke around me and not walk on eggshells like almost everyone has been doing for the last 5 years. "And for Louis being a bitch, he will have to simply get over himself" Nille shrugs while hitting my back hard making me almost spill my drink. I hear the anger when mentioning Louis, but he has promised to not be too mad at him, to try and still be friends with him. Although the slap he gave me, distracted us all from the anger and made us chuckle and laugh. It feels good not faking it all the time.

I see Louis looking at us angrily through the corner of my eye. Sucking on the straw with his beautiful pink lips. Ohh god... 1. I need to get some, soon... 2. Louis has to make his damn mind up, does he want me to be cold and not smile, or be happy. Right now he seems to be angry with me whatever I do. I meet his eyes and snap at him, not having the energy of being put down by the person who caused all this.

"What!!"

He shifts in his seat, looks down an quietly mumbles. "Nothing... should we get started? We have a lot of work to do"

Niall looks at me, then Louis, then me again, before saying a quick 'let's get started' and pointing to me and Zayn to take a seat. I quickly take a seat besides Niall, leaving Zayn the one besides Louis. I send him a small sad smile, and he nods. Understanding. Thank god.

Liam is the next one to break the silence. "So does anyone have a song we can work with, something to put out in the world. I mean we have in my opinion some of the best writers in the world right here, one of you got to have something unfinished, or finished, we can use"

" Liam you know that includes you, right?" Zayn says, not letting Liam put himself down, Liam smiles and looks down. Happy to for once get som attention. Zayn continues " I don't have much, my kind of solo music doesn't really go with the band, but Harry I feel like you have a LOT of great music, I think one direction could really make the glow up it needs with one of your songs"

Niall looks at me, ready to steer the conversation another way if I use my safe word. But this is my job. I can do this. I need to do this.

"Uhh... yeah I have a few song we could work with... some really personal so we would have to change them up a bit ..."

Liam beams at this, ready to get to work, "Great! Could we hear one of them?"

I'm debating in my head which one to sing, I have a lot.

"Sure, uhh I wrote this a couple years ago... I call it 'half the world away' don't really know if it's the vibe we want, but it could be seen as if we are half the world away from our fans and that we missed them..."