[Changed]

[Seven]

[Louis]

Louis awakes in the morning, Liam's arm draped around his waist as they both lay on their fronts in the large bed.

For once he hasn't been woken by a nightmare, and he feels warm and sleepy in Liam's embrace. It's early, seven am, but that's nothing compared to two am, the time that he usually wakes up.

He wriggles forward, cuddling into to Liam and burying his face in the pillow before sighing, content.

"Lou" Liam says sleepily, stirring awake at the movement.

Louis looks up at him slightly, craning his neck only to get a view of Liam's light stubble covering his jaw.

"Yeah?" He replies.

Liam doesn't say anything back, pulling Louis closer towards him and wrapping both arms around the smaller boys chest.

"I missed you".

Louis and Liam were always this way, and the truth is Louis missed Liam too.

He missed their endless banter and nights spent together doing stupid things, away from the rest of the lads. He missed the water fights on stage, the way they'd just go for something, no thought put into it. No thinking about the consequences their actions would have. Honestly, he just missed his best mate.

"I missed you too Li".

***

[3 Days Later]

Louis looks at Liam nervously as they take the lift up to Simons floor, bopping his leg as he pulls his cap further over his face.

"Lou it'll be fine" Liam tries to reassure him as the doors ping. "You'll be fine".

All the lads had been called in for another meeting and Louis was nervous. Hell he was terrified! The last time they'd had a meeting like this he'd walked out, leaving the rest of the boys emotional and in tears.

He was afraid of how they were going to treat him.

Were they going to hate him? Pity him?
He didn't want any of that.

His thoughts take over his head as they make their way down the corridor, getting closer and closer to Simons office.

He gulps as Liam opens the door, and he sees the three other lads already sat around Simons desk.

Simons not there though, yet to appear.

"Alright lads" Liam says quietly as he takes a seat next to Niall, leaving Louis to take the one between himself and Zayn. Awkward.

He slouches in his seat and fiddles with his cap nervously.

He feels Zayn's stare and turns to look at him, sighing.

He feels bad about the other night. Fuck, he feels fucking awful. He knows how hard that is to admit to someone, he knows how much courage it takes. Yet he still freaked out and made one of his best friends feel like utter shit.

"M'sorry" he mumbles quietly at Zayn, so only he hears it.

Zayn looks at him surprised, his face brightening. He gives him a small smile before looking down at his trainers.

The awkward silence among the boys is heartbreaking. There was a time they'd be chattering noisily, not a care in the world. How things have changed.

Fortunately Simon soon appears, taking his seat at the other side of the desk.

"Well boys" he says, his gaze lingering on Louis. "Our last meeting was....eventful shall we say?"

Louis looks down as he feels the other boys looking at him and he sighs.