California Sold

Chapter 11

AO3 AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi guys! This is the second to last chapter! Only one more update after this!! :) It's been so fun writing this story, really, and the response has been amazing. I hope this continues to be okay :) xx

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Harry's arm around Louis is warm as usual, if a bit looser than it normally would be. Louis leans down to let his temple rest against his shoulder, arms wrapped softly around his fake boyfriend's waist. Getting up this morning was particularly hard. Early flight, too many bags, too many people, too much paparazzi, sleeping far too few hours...

He snuggles further against Harry.

There are fans and paparazzi at the airport, waiting for them to get on their plane to take them back to the UK. Along with the two of them are Harry's family and Liam, and arriving in a bit is the rest of the band. For safety reasons only Liam is walking with them to their gate, Zayn and Niall on their own until they see one another on the aeroplane.

Alberto is on Harry's other side, all of them waiting for clearance to start heading through to the gate.

"How are you feeling, mate?" Liam asks for the fiftieth time that morning since he arrived, despite his lengthy phone conversations with Harry the previous day after waking up to the news. Harry's fingers run across Louis' forearm.

"Fine," he sighs. "Everything has been okay so far..." He trails off, and Louis glances up to see him tilting his head in the direction of the door to the room they are waiting in. There is a man there with a laminated card around his neck, waving Alberto and Liam's bodyguard in for a chat.

"Are you ready for the event tomorrow? It's gonna be big."

Harry sighs, shifting his weight onto his other foot. "Talking about it doesn't make it easier, does it?"

Liam arches his brows at him, tilting his head to the side. "It might."

Harry shrugs. He is tired, that much is obvious. The previous day, Tuesday, was intense. The news spread everywhere, and both of their phones kept going off every second. Never mind that their own relationship was in an exhausting enough state, but the business side of things naturally was and still is wearying. Jeff barely gave him a second to breathe yesterday.

Louis squeezes Harry closer, pursing his lips against him. "So proud of you," he mumbles into his hoodie, closing his eyes.

Being proud is an understatement. The situation he is in is immense. The boy has millions of eyes on him every day, and though the speculation about his sexuality has been going on for years it is indeed a bombshell reveal to the media. Not only that, but the boy has a highly anticipated music album coming out, and there are lots of pressures from so many people.

Harry's arms disappear from around him.

"Time to go," Alberto announces, and Louis sees him holding the door up when he finally opens his eyes. "Harry, Louis, stay by me."

Liam's bodyguard Paddy heads out with him first, Harry's family following, and Louis and Harry exit last with Alberto. With their carry on bags thrown over their shoulders, Louis' hand clutched tightly in Harry's, they head toward their gate.

A cluster of noise meets them as they exit the short hallway. Paparazzi instantly crowd with only a few metres of distance around them. It is the first time Harry has been in public since the video was posted, and it is by far the most intense encounter with paps and fans that Louis has ever experienced. After three months of being involved in Harry's celebrity life, one would think he has gotten used to this. He positively has not.

The people with cameras are in their faces, shouting and yelling things at them, camera shutters loudly going off around them. Alberto stays put by Harry's side, keeping him safe while several other security guards employed by the airport help keeping their way clear of fans. Louis tries his best to follow the fast pace everyone is walking, but with everything surrounding them it's hard to keep up.