May had finally rolled around and the days were getting warmer again in Manchester. It was May 17th to be exact and the boys were laying on the plush carpet of their music room, singing pieces and parts of undefined lyrics back to each other.
"I don't need my love," Liam sang out, quirking his eyes at Niall to continue.
"You can take it you can take it, I don't need my heart," the blonde boy grinned back at Liam.
"You can break it, you can break it," Liam responded dramatically.
The Irish lad switched gears and shrugged his shoulder against Harry's. The youngest turned his head towards Niall, smiling into his rich brown curls that were splayed across the floor like a halo around him.
"With no way out and a long way down
everybody needs someone around," Niall sang another string of unfinished lyrics.
Harry continued after a second of trying to remember what words they had decided would come next and which song they exactly came from.
His bright green eyes sparkled with recognition as he sang back to his bandmate. Louis smiled at the two bubbly boys, wondering how Harry's eyes could have possibly glowed any more vivid than they already were.
But they did, beautifully and naturally as always and it made Louis' breath catch in his throat.
A gentle brush against Louis' wrist snapped him back into reality: a sweet voice singing to him.
"But I can't hold you, too close now.
Through the wire, through the wire," Harry sang sleepily to the oldest.
Louis shifted his weight on the carpet so that he could rest his head against his hand, smiling down at Harry's closed eyes.
"What a feeling to be right here beside you now, holding you in my arms," Louis sang back dragging his finger tips up and down Harry's arm.
The green eyed boy giggled at his touch and smiled up at Louis.
Liam watched them carefully, grinning at the lack of tension between the old best friends. Whatever happened a few weeks ago seemed to have changed everything.
Harry wasn't so skittish around Louis anymore, and Louis in turn wasn't always sulking away in his room.
It was as if things were back to the way they used to be, Liam dared to ponder.
Just minus one band member.
Out of the four, Niall was the one who thought about Zayn the most. He missed his raven haired friend more than he'd let anyone know .
He missed his contagious laugh that used to echo throughout the tour bus.
He missed the way he was always able to tell when one of the boys was upset.
But most of all he missed just hanging out with Zayn, at concerts, in their house, or even during meet and greets.
It felt unreal to lose someone so close to you so suddenly and then be faced with Simon's absurd plans to keep the band together.
But what even was One Direction without Zayn?
Niall sighed, thinking about the way Zayn's raspy voice might sound next to the four of them, singing the new songs together without a missing piece.
"About six months lads," Harry's soft voice broke everyone out of their thoughts.
"I can't believe it, six months till the new album, we're gonna need to put some hard time into the studio," Liam nodded, smiling at the songs running through his head.
"You think Made in the AM's gonna sell just as well as the others?" The blonde boy asked, concerned that without Zayn the album might be a flop.
"The fans are loyal Nialler, they won't let us down, no matter what happens," Louis promised, sensing Niall's apprehension.
"I say we go out for dinner boys, it's been a while since all of us spent some quality time together," Liam changed the subject, hoping Niall would cheer up.
"With Lou and Haz being busy with the stunt and you and I running lyrics constantly with Julian, the four of us haven't had a proper sit down dinner," Liam continued.
Niall grinned, standing up and offering his hands to Harry.
"Sounds great," Harry agreed as Niall helped him up.
Liam watched Louis carefully, and if he noticed some type of jealousy written across Louis' face, he didn't say anything.
~
"I love this place," Niall smiled, any gloomy feelings completely forgotten.
Liam bit into a mozzarella stick, sighing contently and relaxing his head against the booth, "wholeheartedly agree Ni," he said.
Harry and Louis sat next to each other on the other side of the table, laughing quietly at inside jokes.
"Is it 2011 again or am I seeing things?" Niall chuckled, watching the pair smile at each other like they were the most interesting people on the planet.
Neither of the boys had heard a word Niall had said, but Liam looked to him with a shake of his head.
"I think we've time traveled mate," Liam shrugged his shoulders at his Irish friend.
"What's that?" Harry looked up suddenly, cheeks coated in a subtle blush from being so oblivious.
"Nothing H," Liam smiled innocently, taking another bite of the appetizer.
Louis looked down at his hands, trying hard to contain the affectionate feeling that grew with every beat of his heart.
God Harry was beautiful.
Ever since that night on the rooftop, it felt as though Louis was starting fresh with Harry. It was as if the past wasn't so important anymore, and the oldest couldn't have been more thankful.
Louis noticed that the curly haired boy looked happier. He smiled more and when the two of them were alone it felt normal again, even comfortable.
The blue eyed boy would be lying if he said he wasn't happier too, and when the two of them sat together it felt like everything was falling into place.
~
Two hours of eating, talking, watching the footie game, and laughing had went by in a flash.
The group of four made their way to the revolving door to meet their security guards.
"Ready boys?" their main guard Paul asked cheerfully.
"Yeah I think so, are there many fans outside?" Liam questioned while he peered out the door.
"No, you boys are safe, no one took notice to your entry and it's too late out for most of the girls," Paul noted.
Paul wasn't wrong. Unless the paps were tipped off and a crowd of journalists were following them, their typical gathering was teenage girls during daylight hours.
The security guard led the band outside and was immediately met by three other guards who surrounded the boys on all sides for safety.
But the night was quiet and the streets were empty. Niall beamed up at the sky.
"Look guys, the stars are out tonight."
Everyone looked up, gazing at the midnight sky in wonder. It was moments like these that made Paul remember just how young the boys truly were.
A cool wind blew against the group as they walked towards the limo. Harry wrapped his arms around himself, still looking delightedly at the stars.
"Cold Hazza?" Louis asked, gently moving strands of his friend's hair that had blown across his glowing eyes.
"Just a bit," Harry mused without shifting his gaze.
Louis carefully picked up one of Harry's hands, holding it in both of his against his heart to warm the youngest up.
Harry's eyes met his bandmate's; just like the stars shined, Louis did too, radiating light as the sky turned black.
And when the dark sent chills down Harry's spine, the blue eyed boy lit up his heart with a smile.
It was then that he knew: Louis wasn't the cold.
Louis always was completely and
unconditionally the warmth.