Work Text:
June 8, 2014 -
The doors into the main amphitheater flew open, the five of them falling across the sill in the same boisterous pile of puppies they had been years earlier. The slamming door reverberated through the empty room; the booming echo bringing them all to silence. No matter how many hundreds of concerts they’d played, thousands of questions they’d answered, or millions of fans they gained in the years in between, Wembley Arena had become holy ground to them, and they treated it with all the reverence it deserved.
Harry’s arm slid of off Louis’ shoulder, his large hand seeking out the comforting security of Louis’ smaller one. Clasping it tightly, Louis nudged into Harry’s side, offering a bright smile that brought those familiar crinkles Harry loved to the corners of his eyes.
“Four years, Lou,” Harry whispered; incredulous tears welling in his eyes.
Wordlessly, Louis tugged on Harry’s hand, encouraging Harry to follow him down to the stage. Stepping onto the familiar floorboards, he pulled Harry closer, staring up into familiar green eyes that were older, wiser, but still so very much the boy whose arms he’d leapt into when they knew they still had a chance at their dreams. Everything they had ever known, their entire lives in fact, had been irrevocably changed in this room, on this stage.
“It’s been worth every moment,” Louis murmured as their lips met.
***
Back at the door, Liam stood behind Zayn, his arms protectively wrapped around the smaller man’s shoulders, their cheeks pressed tightly together. Zayn settled back against the familiar broad chest, his hand resting on top of Liam’s where it laid against his heart.
“If only I had known then,” Liam whispered, a hint of regret in his voice for so many wasted moments.
“You know now,” Zayn whispered back, his lips brushing against Liam’s ear. “You know now, and that’s all that matters.”
Liam tightened his arms, tucking his face into the crook of Zayn’s neck, his tear-laden lashes fluttering shut as he drew in a ragged breath. Yeah, he knew now, and nothing could take that away.
***
Niall looked between the two couples, his four best friends – his brothers, and shook his head in wonder. How had he ever ended up with some of the soppiest bandmates in the world? Pulling out his iPhone, he scrolled through his playlist, settling on a song.
“How ‘bout it lads?” he asked. “For old time’s sake?”
A familiar chord filled the air, and they all crowded together – one more time.
“I thought I saw a girl brought to life … “