Glitter & Crimson

2

Louis barely had the chance to get the hotel door open before the rest of the band stumbled in, collapsing into a tangled heap on the floor with a loud thud.

"Guess we have company," Louis muttered, raising an eyebrow and motioning to the three younger members sprawled around the room.

Harry was the first to wriggle free from the pile, standing up and brushing off his clothes, now wrinkled and covered in dust. "Good morning," he grinned, as though they hadn't just spent the previous night in a chaotic blur.

Still on the floor, Liam lay with his head draped across Niall's leg, looking entirely unbothered. "Paul is absolutely outraged," he announced, his voice muffled but filled with resignation.

"Paul and management are in full crisis mode, trying to figure out how to handle *your* mess," Niall added, trying to wiggle out from under Liam. "And will you please get your arse out of my face?" he grumbled, half-heartedly kicking his foot to nudge Liam off.

"My leg is trapped," Liam replied, deftly dodging Niall's attempts to dislodge him and opting to stay exactly where he was.

Harry glanced at the two still wrestling on the floor, then looked back to Louis and Zayn, his face softening. "So... what are you going to do?" he asked quietly, his tone carrying a hint of worry as he sank onto the edge of the bed.

Zayn shrugged, looking down. "I guess it doesn't really matter. It's not up to us," he sighed, defeated. They all knew how it worked by now—everything, from the smallest appearance to the biggest scandal, was tightly controlled by management. There was no room for deviation. With a heavy sigh, Louis grabbed some fresh boxers and a pair of joggers, disappearing into the bathroom to change while the others continued to discuss the situation.

When Louis returned, he collapsed onto the bed beside Zayn, letting out a weary sigh. "At least we're flying back today," he said softly, resting his head on Zayn's chest and absently tracing patterns with his finger.

On the floor, Niall and Liam had finally managed to detangle themselves, now sitting on opposite sides of the room, exchanging death stares.

Zayn met Louis's gaze, his brows furrowed. "I should probably head back to my room to pack," he said after a moment, though his voice held a hint of reluctance.

"How are you not even remotely hungover?" Liam grumbled, eyeing Zayn with a mixture of annoyance and envy. The rest of them were visibly suffering through the worst stages of a hangover, and Zayn looked almost... normal.

"I drink a pint of water and, well, throw up before bed," Zayn replied with a shrug. "Gets most of the alcohol out." He pushed himself up, grabbing his phone. He cast Louis one last look before heading out of the room.

***

The band had just landed at Leeds Bradford Airport. It was a rare, quiet moment in the terminal as they collected their bags, each of them heading towards their own rides home. Zayn lingered by the meeting gate with Louis, both waiting together for their parents, who'd been traveling up to meet them.

"Do you think they know?" Louis asked, his voice low as he adjusted the ring on his finger, his eyes darting anxiously to the nearby paparazzi lurking outside.

Zayn's face tightened. "It's... everywhere," he admitted, sighing. "I guess the paparazzi caught something." He glanced at his phone, the notifications already buzzing with the latest headlines.

Louis's shoulders dropped as he shook his head. With a slight tilt, he motioned to the exit. "Smoke?" he suggested, knowing Zayn would be on edge, just as he was.

Zayn hesitated, biting his lip. He hated the smell of cigarettes, the taste, the lingering ash. But today felt different. "Alright," he muttered. "Split it? I don't think I could stomach a whole cigarette."