THEIR PURGE | One Direction AU

one; silenced.

nine pm - on the dot.

Another show had ended, each boy had sipped their individual waters and they'd gathered backstage for yet another meeting with their management.

No one could deny that they hated their management, sometimes they even organised professional photographers to follow the boys around just so they could form (what the boys liked to call it) 'publicity stunts'.

They didn't get to make their own plans, or their own dates, they didn't even get to plan when they'd get a break from their tiring schedule; it was like they were chained down by the ankles and being pulled along like puppets. Playing a game.

Of course, they couldn't speak out about it though, they'd lose everything. It was cruel, their sleeping schedules had even gone off the rails because of the stupid hours they'd be woken up at, or the stupid hours they'd stay up until practising again and again.

Rehearsals were also planned by their management, they used to be fun. They used to run around the stage and get used to their surroundings before huge arena shows, but now they'd stand with microphones and be forced to sing the set list.

"I fucking hate this." Liam muttered under his breath, he was slumped back into a set chair with his arms folded over his chest. The fans liked to call him 'daddy direction' but of course, management didn't like that either.

"And you think we love it?" Louis snapped back, looking over at his fellow band mate, he raised both eyebrows. "You think we love sitting here for an hour straight talking about shit we don't want to?"

Liam shook his head, he knew no one liked it, he knew they all wanted to cut off any possible ties with their management, but they couldn't. It was just the way things were. "They expect us to sit here and wait-"

He was cut off by the door opening and closing, all five sat up straight and waited for the usual 'hello boys' followed by a list of things they did wrong, or a list of things they should do next time.

"Hello boys." a woman addressed them, she was the deputy head of their management. She was the one who organised photographers and plans for the boys, they despised her most. "Liam, Zayn, stop making up your own little speeches. It's ridiculous and uncalled for."

The pair exchanged looked and sighed. "What are we meant to do then?" Zayn asked, he usually stayed quiet in these meetings, although it wouldn't make a difference if he'd didn't.

"When it's your turn, you talk, not in between singing. I don't care if that's what you like to do, it's not in the routine and it never will be." her tone was harsh as she crossed off something in her little notebook.

"You three." she pointed her pen at Louis, Niall and Harry. "Stop giving fans something to buzz about online, it creates rumours and lowers your reputation."

"What did we even d- ow!" Louis began to talk before Liam nudged him and shook his head, with that he sank into his seat and grumbled to himself.

"Also, those wrestling matches you have on stage? Stop those too, you're always out of breath and wheezy afterwards. Doesn't sound good." she said with a grimace on her face, Liam looked as if he wanted to punch the look straight off her lips.

"So, you want us to be a stereotypical boyband? That's just not us." Harry spoke up with a frown, he didn't necessarily get angry he more or less got upset during these meetings.

"Whether it's you or not, it's what pleases people and brings you better reviews from highly ranked businesses and magazines." she shrugged as she shut her notebook, standing up. "You need to be ready to move on in an hour, no less no more."