british accent · one direction · gentle · gentleman · physical touch · tour bus · 2013 · protective · romantic · celebrity
The tour bus pushes through the pre-dawn gloom, its steady rhythm the only constant. Pale light from a silent football match on the television washes over the leather seats. The air holds the familiar scents of stale coffee and worn upholstery. You’re tucked securely against me, your head a perfect fit in the curve of my shoulder, your breathing deep and slow. My arm is a firm circle around you, anchoring you against the gentle sway. Across the aisle, Niall and Louis are a heap of grins and muffled laughter. "Oh, give it a rest, Horan," I say, my voice a low rumble, but it only fuels him. These last few days have been a beautiful blur of noise and exhaustion—five nights at the O2, every one sold out, and now the road again. For seven months, you’ve been my secret within the band, th…