Golden

Chapter 16

Short and sweet
Lila x

"

where the fuck is he?" Louis scowled, tipping back a shot of straight vodka. Harry rolled his eyes from the seat he had occupied a safe distance from him at the gate, scrolling through Twitter.
"Get me a shot?" He asked. Louis looked at him surprised, Harry wasn't a big fan of drinking on tour. "C'mon babe," he scoffed, "we haven't started yet. Besides, I didn't think I'd have to face doing this for a while y'know."
Louis nodded sympathetically, their families had both been upset to see them go. His littlest sisters had cried, his older sisters were angry and his mum was upset she couldn't get more time. But Harry's mum had taken it the most to heart. She cried into their hug, shaking Harry's equilibrium and quite frankly his own. Gemma had to pry them gently away from each other and was still comforting her as they left.
"Ohhh, I found 'im!!" Louis yelled, flipping Liam off excitedly as he neared them, pulling him to a hug. "alright lad?" He asked
Liam smiled his teddy bear smile and hugged him back, launching himself at Harry and fist bumping him.
"Missed you guys." He smiled, taking Harry's shit away from him and downing it himself causing Harry to growl at him and stomp off for his own drink.
Liam shrugged at Louis' raised eyebrow. "I'm gonna need it if you two decide to join the mile high club." He smirked
"Been there done that." Louis answered, sitting down and parting the spot next to him. "Had a good week?" He asked
"Wish it were longer. But yeah, I had a good week." He didn't elaborate and Louis didn't press him, the two sitting in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Liam sighed.
"We going to work this out then?" He asked him, tapping his fingers nervously,
"Just like the good ol days." Louis smiled back, "let's talk it through when H falls asleep on the plane."
"Who said he'll fall asleep?" Liam frowned
"Well if he doesn't, he can hear it out, he's done it in the past, and if he does, which he probably will, then we're good mate."
"Alright, let's go with that." Liam smiled finally and Harry appeared with 3 drinks.
"More vodka, an Old Fashioned for you Payno and tropical sunrise for me." He smiled
The three sat around catching each other up until boarding, Harry fist bumping each member on their private jet before settling down next to Louis, opposite Liam who immediately popped open the champagne.
"Niall just texted, he's about to take off." He smiled fondly, "much as I hate to admit it, I'm looking forward to being back."
"Yeah..." Liam agreed, "even without Z, I don't think I'd know what to do if I wasn't working."
Louis simply looked out the window, taking Harry's hand into his own and beginning to fiddle with his rings and fingers.
"Be weird without him though." He commented
"Yup." Liam agreed.
Harry simply squeezed his hand, declining the drinks menu.
"Think I'm drunk enough to face this by now," he smiled.
Shortly after takeoff, he snuggled into Louis, drifting off to sleep. Louis shot Liam a look and he laughed, "boyfriend instinct?" He asked
"Exhausting night." Louis answered shortly. "Let's get to it."
"Alright," Liam smiled, "so I've been thinking, we have a shit tom of leverage right now, right?"
Louis inclined his head encouragingly,
"I mean Z leaving could be an excellent excuse for us to finish the tour and go off on our own, I'm sure Simon's considered the possibility."
Louis agreed instantly, "we should absolutely come from that angle. Make them beg us to stay."
"We just need to figure out what tweaks we want for our contract." Liam said
"I wish I could ask for our freedom," Louis mused, stroking Harry's hair, "but that would be all our leverage, not fair to the others."
"Less hours?" Liam suggested
"Less hours." Louis agreed, "Choice of what press we engage in too."
Liam nodded, "and vacation days? Ni hardly gets to be home."
Louis nodded, "think that's good enough, we'll have to clue in the others."
They shared a smile, "really is just like old times." Liam smiled
"Welcome back to 1D 2.0" Louis laughed, reaching for the champagne and drowning when he realised it was empty
"How'd that happen?" he shrugged, "guess we have to call the flight attendant back."
"Nah, don't move Harry," Liam said fondly, "I have a flask anyways. He pulled it out and handed it over, the two sharing a quick drink.
"Li?" Louis said eventually, "are you okay?"
"Course." Liam scoffed, "m'always okay."
"Daddy direction," Louis chuckled, "just stay okay, alright? And if you ever need anything, ever. 1d bro code." He smiled, hand on his heart just as Harry began to stir in his lap, blearily rubbing his eyes and sitting up
"I need a wee," he mumbled, headed for the bathroom.
Hours later, the three stumbled out of the plane, hands shielding their eyes from camera flashes as they entered the airport, Harry instantly running ahead towards a blonde boy who was waving frantically at them, Louis looking a little sad as he trailed behind next to Liam.
"Even if you were free," Liam said gently, "he would still run off to Niall."
"I know," Louis sighed, "but I still feel like I'm wasting a golden opportunity to be free and not telling him about it." He turned fully to Liam, "how is that fair? I can't do that to him."
"You can't tell him," Liam said tiredly, "it's not on you, Harry would've chosen the same thing, but if you tell him you had the choice, he'll be crushed. Lad wants nothing more."
Louis sighed, "you're right." He turned back to watch Harry give Niall a piggy back towards them, "but I still feels guilty."
"Welcome to 1D 2.0" Liam snarked sarcastically, running ahead to smother Niall in a hug.
With one last guilty sigh, Louis caught up with the others too.