Ronan: To the Moon and Back

9. Louis' Breadcrumbs

AN: The usual warnings will apply, mainly Rae's hand at her chest and panic attacks. If there's something major, I'll TW it. If I miss anything, please let me know. (Also, this story is set waay back in 2013)

Enjoy :)

It's been a quick three months of their break, having down time and spending it by traveling home, visiting old friends and just lazily lounging around their flats in nothing but their pants. Or in some cases, just plain naked. They sleep into the afternoon just because they can and because they truly still feel like they need it. An eight month long tour has bone deep exhaustion still over them, with jet lag screwing up their internal clocks. 

The boys spend time apart, hanging with other people, other friends, and once in a while sneaking around as to not be spotted by fans. All they want to do is be able to buy a jug of milk without being mobbed. Though in the end, they still gravitate towards each other, piling up on one of their couches in their flats playing videos and watching movies while throwing popcorn at each others faces.

It's not like Louis forgets to hop over to Manchester to visit his girlfriend, it's just that he's been busy not actually being busy and chalking it up to pure laziness. He'll catch the tube the next day, he doesn't want to fill up his gas tank, he's catching up on shows he never really watched, but figured this is a great time to start on Breaking Bad. He holds up in his room with his laptop and the show, while Harry cooks dinner and reminds Louis that he is indeed human and yes, he has to eat. So yeah, he actually does just kind of forget, save for the few phone calls because midterms are coming up and maybe he just "shouldn't be a bother and distract her"; her words, not his.

However, as much as he tries to deny it and make excuses of watching American TV shows, he's really spending his free time finding ways to be at the Hospice. It's all for the children, really, it is. He spends time with them, and if he just happens to look over his shoulder to see a girl with a camera attached to her face, then so be it. He leaves his jacket there by accident the first time, after one of their music days.

Rae is disappointingly absent that day, but they meet her mum, the second time for Louis, who explains her daughters lack of presence is due to a double shift at the diner she works at. If Louis spends a little extra time cheering up Ronan, pulling silly faces and pretending to get punched in the face by his toy dinosaur, just because his sister isn't there to do it for him. Well, then no one really has to know. Except they do. The other boys notice, when Louis has to double back two hours later, because he so desperately needs his jacket. He comes back to Niall's flat looking put out.

Harry notices Louis' left his jacket again, the second time in the week. When Rae does show up on a Friday, Zayn watches as Louis deliberately places his phone on the bed side table and conveniently forgets he's put it down by the time they get home. Niall sees Louis forget his football he brought in, because they wanted to play kick around right after. Liam keeps his eyes open and catches Louis swiping off his beanie while fixing his hair and "forgetting" he had it on. 

It falls off his head and into Raelyn's opened camera bag. She was, at the time, snapping photos of the nurses working hard and doing their jobs. She notices it before they leave, teasing Louis relentlessly about his ulterior motives of wanting to steal her bag again; he's really a thief and this Popstar thing is a cover up. He goes back for each item he leaves.

"Why don't you just leave your number with a "do you like me, check yes or no" note and stick into her forehead?" Zayn deadpans after the seventh time Louis forgets something and has to drive back.

Louis is suddenly, suspiciously clueless. "I haven't got a clue what you're on about, Malik."

Niall snorts into his food while Louis grabs his keys. "My arse."