Chapter Thirteen

"Losers." Is the first thing Harry hears as he steps into the dressing room the next morning ready for the photoshoot. "That's the only insult you could come up with." Niall says with a whine from where he's sprawled over a couch in the far corner of the room. Already dressed in an open brown and white shirt tucked into dark pants.

"I was distracted, it was the first thing I thought of." Zayn says in his defense and Louis snorts from where he sitting next to Zayn, phone in his hand.

And, fuck. Harry really wishes Louis hadn't spoken because it would have meant he could avoid looking at him for at least a while longer. Instead, his gaze flickers over to the man, dressed in a simple white shirt with a black jacket slung open over top and black skinny jeans which immediately brought Harry's mind tumbling back to 2015.

A knock sounded at the door before anything more could be said between them, three women walking into the room after Liam called out for them to come in.

He spends twenty minutes sitting before the make up mirror as his hair is styled and light coating of powder is applied over his face so that the stage lights don't overly expose against his skin.

He's directed towards a small rack of clothing choices, asked to choose between the outfits on display and for a moment he's stunned. He'd always only ever been told what to wear in shoots. Even now as a brand ambassador for Gucci, and even before then, he'd always just been handed what clothes to wear. Sure, all the clothes before him are ones he'd approved last month for his latest wardrobe of Gucci attire, but it still felt nice to have the choice in which he chose to wear.

He's barely changed into the open white and gold silk shirt and black dress pants with a slight flare at the bottom and chunky black boots when the five of them are called through.

They're in north east London at a discreet location where they know they have little risk of being found out by any members of the public. Still, black fences have been put up around the perimeter of the grounds so no prying eyes can see through to where they are led to an outside venue surrounded by camera equipment and lighting rigs.

"I know you've all gone through the schedule for today, but we're here for an hour and a half before we move to the other location. We're going for everyone being shot together for this first shoot, individual shots and small groups will be at the next location. I believe only Niall has worked with our photographer for today so boys this is Mario Lucero." Amanda tells them as they wander out onto the small set that's been placed outside. A tall, slim man somewhere in his sixties offers his hand out for all five of them to shake and with a nod of his head he begins directing them around the small set up. There's a black backdrop set up in one corner, an arrangement of chairs and low sofas set up before it and they're simply told to sit down and start having a conversation.

It's easy and fun, the five of them falling swiftly into a conversation once Niall takes the prompt and immediately decides to offer his opinion on the latest trend of owning a Hamster.

It's ridiculous, and so very them that Harry falls back into the rhythm of it within minutes. They shift around the different seating options frequently, for the most part ignoring the camera angled towards them as they talk and laugh with one another, topics falling away quickly to be replaced by the next outrageous comment.

They're mostly through the next setting, the five of them sprawled out against a dark brick wall when Louis shuffles his way in between him and Zayn, his thigh pressing into Harry before he tucks his legs up too his chest and throws his arms casually over his knees. A smile on his face and eyes bright, Louis looks like a true picture of content as Harry turns to him, a quizzical expression laced across his face.

"What?" Louis eventually asks, head turning towards him and Harry is fully aware of how close they are.

"I'm simply pondering whether this new thing between us is moving to fast," Harry says teasingly, pretending to be serious, "You know I usually don't go for physical contact until at least the third date."

"Is that so?" Louis says with a raised brow, an equally amused expression befalling him.

"In that case, I'll just go sit with Zayn, think he might..."

"Don't you dare!" Harry interrupts and his hand is halfway snatched out to grab onto Louis' arm before he stops himself. "How can I possibly decide if I want a second date if I don't even get to talk with you on our first?" He switches back into a playful demeanor.

"In that case, let me remind you that we've been on plenty of dates, and I'd say we're likely far past the stage of worrying about physical contact." Louis says blankly and Harry very nearly blushes at the way he pronounces the sentence. Because this is not fair, Louis teasing him like this when he knows exactly the extent of how far they're relationship had progressed. Especially in the middle of a photoshoot.

"I'll make you a deal, I'll allow the contact only after I've heard the album."

Louis takes a long moment to take him in, and Harry swears he's simply imagining that Louis' eyes flicker down to his lips for a fraction of a second. But then he shrugs, eyes once more meeting Harry's and says, "You know I never got to tell you what I thought of your performance at the Brits."

"And what did you think of it?" Harry asks after a moment, he'd really hoped he could avoid this subject, at least for a while yet.

It's a long moment before Louis says anything else, and Harry wonders for a moment whether he's about to pretend he didn't just bring it up when, "I've never heard you sing like that. With so much... emotion... you know? It was amazing. You were amazing."

Harry has to turn away from Louis then. He's afraid he'll do something totally stupid otherwise. He isn't sure what, but in that moment in can't make himself look at Louis.

"Are you free later?"

"What?" Harry blurts out before his mind can fully process the words.

"Later, to come listen to me album."

"Oh." He says dumbly, "Right, uhh yeah sure. I'd like that."

"Now smile Harold, you're on camera."

~~~~

They've moved twenty minutes away to the next location. This time the five of them are redressed completely and laying out across several large rugs lain out on the grass in the middle of a closed park.

Somehow, despite all the space, they'd all immediately piled onto the same rug, practically laying across each other. Harry is on the edge, Niall is laying with his head across the butterfly tattoo on Harry's lower belly, lying horizontally from Harry. Louis and Zayn are both stuffed together, their own heads resting across Niall and finally Liam is sprawled across their lower legs. It's a mess, but it's so very them that Harry can't help to have missed this over the past four years. He really enjoys how he does things now, how he can be so open and expressive with his personality and media persona, but sometimes it's just really nice to fold together into four people you spent the better part of five years with and for it to seem so natural.

"So are we're gonna get the full dance right, otherwise I'm quitting." Niall exclaims as they're all laying there.

"Ni there's gonna be like, eight-year old's in the crowd." Liam says unamused.

"So! You did it at a festival in front of tens of thousands, there were kids at that show, why won't you do it at ours?"

"Because we might be all nearing thirty, but this is still One Direction we're talking about."

"I can't believe you're trying to convince Liam to do the Strip That down dance Niall, isn't that usually Louis' line of thinking, to cause mischief?" Zayn puts in and Harry chuckles, earning him a very misjudged smack from Niall on his shoulder at the movement.

"Oi! I'm a very grown and mature man thank you very much!" Louis cries out and Harry can't help the wide smile on his face now. He's all too aware of the camera clicking away around them but he's too relaxed to pay too much attention to it at the moment.

"Sure mate." Zayn mutters.

"Alright, if we can have just Louis and Zayn, the rest of you can move off for a moment." Mario calls out to them and it's a chaotic full minute as they each untangle from one another, at one point Harry fully trips over Liam's foot and very nearly ends up falling on his face before he manages to get his feet firmly under him once more.

Eventually it's just Zayn and Louis left on the rugs and Harry makes his way towards a table fully laid out with refreshments and light snacks. It hasn't begun raining yet, which he supposes is a good thing as the clouds are threateningly dark and seem ready to burst open at any moment.

He fills in ten minutes replying to messages on his phone, most of which are either from Gemma or Sarah. He's just opened his Instagram when he hears his name being called and he stands from the small chair he'd been seated on. As he goes to stand, the first droplet hits his hand and he guesses they only have a matter of minutes before the heavens truly open and he's saturated. The camera equipment is fully under cover and he takes that as a sign that there aren't any plans of stopping anytime soon.

He does a photoshoot with Niall first off, the two of them taking to dancing in the rain as it begins to fall in a more steady stream. Somewhere behind him someone starts some random music he's never heard, blasting it through some loud speakers which only makes him dance even more wildly. It's an array of flailing arms and legs and bright smiles. Niall is soon replaced with Liam and the two of them burst out laughing when the music changes from the strange, hippie vibe to one of rap. They are both completely lost in the music, neither of them seem to even know the songs, let alone the words but they dance on amidst the rain regardless.

They go through three songs before Mario signals for Liam to switch out and Harry sees Louis hesitantly making his way towards him. He's soaked now, his silk shirt drenched by the rain and the fabric of his pants clinging to him. Louis is still mostly dry as he steps out from a small shelter that had been set up. Within the time it takes for Louis to walk from where he'd been sat out to where Harry is, the white shirt underneath his jacket is soaked through. The material draping over him and exposing the skin beneath.

Harry swallows firmly and tells himself not to look down past Louis' face as he finally stops before him.

"We're really gonna dance in the rain then?" Louis says, no one is close enough to hear them.

"Like every one of my favourite cliché romance films." Harry replies, and he's pushing their new found connection he knows, but he can't help it as the words slip from his mouth.

"Thought you looked like you were enjoying this." Louis says with a slight smile beginning to form on the edge of his lips.

From the corner of his eye, Harry sees Niall reach for the phone he knows to be controlling the music. He and Louis haven't exactly started dancing yet but as a familiar tune begins to play through the speakers both men turn to Niall and groan.

"He's not fucking serious." He hears Louis murmur and he bursts out laughing.

Harry decides to just go with it, they're here to prove they're having fun being back together aren't they?

By the time he joins in with the lyrics the song has well and truly started.

"We made a start! Be it a false one I know!" He sings loudly and sees Louis whirl back around to him while Harry dramatically throws out his arms and begins shuffling around on his feet.

"So kiss me where I lay down, my hands pressed to your checks." He sings with his head falling back and he closes his eyes.

"I have loved you since we were 18! Long before we both thought the same thing!" He's laughing now, the rain coming down in earnest and he opens his eyes to find Louis singing along with him, a wide grin plastered on his face as he dances around like a madman, twirling in circles and flinging his body around as they sing it together.

It's ridiculous, and totally ungraceful but now the other three have joined them in yelling the lyrics from under the wee constructed shelter and Harry can barely hold himself upright between screaming the lyrics into the rain and laughing so hard his sides are beginning to hurt.

He doesn't even know the last time he's done something like this. In front of at least two dozen people as well, he feels as though he's on stage for a moment, alone as he dances to the music until he opens his eyes and there's Louis before him. Dancing in the rain. Eyes bright and shinning as they catch his and they both sing out the chorus, so out of tune he wonders briefly wonders who he ever made it as a musician but it doesn't matter in this moment and it's beautiful. Dancing in the rain with Louis is beautiful.

He's so lost in the song he doesn't even register for a moment when Louis drapes his arm around Harry's waist as the song comes to a close and out of years of pure habit, he throws his arm around Louis' shoulder and pulls him firmly into his side.

"I want a love like you made me feel!" The two of them sing out into the rain, pressed into each other.

"When we were 18."

It's truly pouring now as the last note dies out but Louis doesn't pull away from him. Instead at the start of the next song, both totally and utterly soaking wet, Louis removes his arm from around his waist and grabs for Harry's hand before he can protest. He pulls Harry towards him with a wide grin and sings the first line of the next song.

"Maybe it's the way she walked!"

"Wow!" Harry yells out, tilting his head back and sees Louis laugh.

"Straight into my heart and stole it!" Louis continues and Harry never thought he'd be singing their old songs in the rain with Louis looking at him like this.

"I said can you give it back to me?" Harry cuts in but pauses as he sees Niall, Liam and Zayn run from the shelter towards them.

She said never in your wildest dreams!" The five of them all scream out as the speaker volume increases. They're seriously just overgrown children.

"And we danced all night to the best song ever! We knew every line now we can't remember! How it goes but I know that I won't forget her! Cause we danced all night to the best song ever!"

There's no style to the way they're all jumping around each other, arms flailing in the air as they scream out the words. The oh's are no less enthusiastic and Liam's arms fly out in a slicing motion when the next verse begins, each of them pausing in their movements as Liam alone sings the next line.

"Said her name was Georgia Rose!"

"Wow!"

"And her daddy was a dentist!"

"Said I had a dirty mouth!" Harry cuts in and he hears Louis and Zayn yell out; "I got a dirty mouth!"

"But he kissed me like he meant it!" And ok, Harry thinks, that one just slipped out but no one seems to notice.

"I said can I take you home with me, she said never in your wildest dreams!" Niall passionately sings after him and Harry is definitely getting more and more into this as the chorus starts up once more and they are suddenly all bounding around one another again in the pouring rain.

Louis sings his verse next, each of them halting in their movements before Zayn starts onto the next verse. They're excitement levels rising as they begin to squirm like little children.

"How we danced...." Zayn sings out and all five of them scream together, hands raised into the air. "1, 2, 1, 2, 3!"

He doesn't know how they manage it, nor how he remembers the moves, but somehow the three hours they'd been drilled to remember and learn these dance moves was still engrained in his mind as through the last chorus they all somehow manage to pull off the crude, yet iconic dance moves they'd done for the music video. Their shared laughter infectious as they stumble over each other as the song comes to a close.

The camera was loving it, Mario practically racing around them, an assistant frantically trailing him as to not let the camera suffer under the rain.

All of it falls away when Louis pulls Harry into him, and sings much softer.

"It was the best song ever."

And yeah, maybe this tour wouldn't be so bad after all.