Atlas At Last

Chapter 9

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698 Miles To Go

⩶

"Today's the day!"

It's the early morning, Louis' back is now beyond kinked and knotted from sleeping sans bed for more than a week, and as he throws open the sliding door with a triumphant bang, he is absolutely positive this is about to be one of the best days of his life.

"Up and at 'em, gentlemen," he says loudly, clamoring into the driver's seat and starting the engine. He's feeling a little manic for having just woken up, and there's really no reason for him to have brought everyone else into consciousness along with him— feeble groans and cursing spill from the backseat— but he's like a kid the night before Christmas, and California is mere hours away.

The rest of the occupants of the Garbage Truck are remarkably less thrilled.

"Fuck off," Niall groans, and Harry mutters angrily in agreement.

Louis doesn't care.

He's got California on the mind, a less than satisfactory night's sleep under his belt, and the suggestion of After in his pocket.

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Two hours later, the excitement has worn off and Louis is forced to admit defeat. His eyes are heavy, his back is aching, and after driving 'til 1 AM, the watch on Harry's wrist claimed it was only 7:30 when he'd woken up this morning.

Today's still the day, but California is probably a solid nine hours away, and Louis cannot physically be the one to bring them there.

"Zayn," he says loudly, rubbing his eye with the palm of his hand. "You're turn." He pulls off onto the shoulder and flops back against the headrest. Shit, his head hurts.

Zayn mumbles something in response, and Louis cranes his neck to look back just as he sits up. Zayn looks down, blinking sleepily for a moment before apparently deciding that he doesn't need his vest this morning— at least not while it serves as Liam's pillow.

Louis catches his eye and nods without a word, slipping out of the front seat and into the back feeling somewhat like a zombie.

Zayn slides into the front, and Louis settles back in besides Harry, leaving a safe distance between them given the dry morning heat.

Harry's eyes blink open. "You're back," he mumbles.

"I'm back," Louis agrees, folding his arms under his head.

Harry smiles and his eyes close again. He wiggles in and grabs Louis by the hips, tugging him in close. "Good."

✘✘✘✘✘

Later, when they're all finally awake, they drive in comfortable silence punctuated only by whatever's on the stereo and bits and pieces of jokes, quiet conversation here and there.

"Game," Louis announces, and proceeds to beat Liam at their fifth straight round of connect the dots. In a surprising twist of fate, it's the most uneventful day so far.

In the late morning, Niall gives Harry a tiny tattoo of a something that looks like a diamond. "A gem for my sister, Gemma," he explains as Louis looks on questioningly, and it's a sharp reminder of Then vs Now, of all the things that Harry hasn't mentioned, and a life that he hasn't even hinted at, but Louis doesn't have time to be confused or sad before Harry' adds, "You'd like her, Lou. Maybe you'll meet someday." He smiles easily, hissing when the needle makes its first poke.

Liam crawls into the front seat at some point, of course just to be next to Zayn, and Niall stretches out on his back and tells them all about how little there is to do in Lawton, Iowa.