Hiding in the Shadows

First Day Back at Work

Niall groaned when he heard the beeping going off around him. He didn't want to get up today! Yesterday had been... different really but a lot of fun too. He'd had a blast at the museum and best of all - no Bradford! His trip out of the hotel had actually been approved! Watching Liam and Harry destroy the gift shop had been funny though realistically he knew that it wasn't alright (didn't change the fact that he was still chuckling an hour later).

Messing with Simon had been hilarious. He knew that he'd never be able to really get away until he got this tracker off his wrist but that didn't mean he had to take it lying down. Simon had to know that coming to 'watch' him was a bad idea - the question would become would Simon be willing to come back?

"Come on Nialler" he heard Louis sigh, "time to get up"

Louis laughed as he watched Niall huff and burrow under his comforter - it was adorable and he wised that he could indulge the boy. Unfortunately they had an early rehearsal before an interview.

"Up Niall, you need to eat before we leave" Louis ordered.

Niall pushed his head out of the comforter just enough to glare at Louis, "I'd rather sleep"

"Niall," Louis sighed.

"You said I don't sleep enough"

Louis smirked, cheeky little... "I also said that you need to eat, now up with you" and for a little encouragement he gave a light swat to the boys backside.

Niall hopped up at that, not wanting to push any longer and risk actually getting...spanked. "Fine"

"Thank you" Louis smiled, "Now, which one would you like"

Looking over at the table Louis had gestured to Niall couldn't believe what he was seeing. There were ten different bottled shakes and all of them were of a different flavor. There was chocolate, salted caramel, dark chocolate, coco puffs and strawberry among others. Smirking, he did notice that there wasn't one vanilla.

Louis kept part of his focus on Niall as the lad looked over the shakes he now had to choose from. At least he wasn't throwing things or making a run for it this morning.

Eventually Niall settled on a dark chocolate and headed over to the window to sit and drink his breakfast. At least breakfast was simple.

Louis didn't understand why Niall kept sitting places that weren't actually meant to be seats - such as the window or the night table, on top of the coffee table, on top of the desk. Didn't matter, he was safe, in the room and consuming something for breakfast.

"Whose ready?" Liam asked barging into the room.

"We're almost there" Louis answered as he finished picking out clothes for Niall, having already fed and dressed himself before ever attempting to get Niall up. "Just need for Niall to finish up his breakfast and get dressed"

"Right," Liam clapped his hands together before turning to see Niall, once again on the window, "You know Niall, there is a couch and a table in the room"

Niall ignored Liam, he didn't care that there were couches and tables, he liked to be curled up someplace where he could see outside or up high or, if he had everything, both.

Liam was about to talk again but Louis put a hand on his arm to quiet him, for once Niall was calm and not fighting them about getting ready or eating. Liam though pointed over to Niall with his eyebrows raised as though asking 'are you ok with this?' and Louis sighed but just shrugged his shoulders.

"What's this?" Niall interrupted their silent conversation as he looked over the clothes laying out on Louis' (and his) bed.

"Those are for you" Louis stated as he came over, "I noticed that you didn't really have many outfits that were... comfortable" (read, they were all way too big for Niall as he'd lost a good amount of weight since those clothes were bought and the ones that did fit were cheap and full of holes).