be there for you

nine .

"Good afternoon menace 1, menace 2, and Harry." Josh's voice cuts through the momentary silence of the room, and Harry can't help but smile as his eldest brother walks in, carrying Luna like a newborn baby.

"Josh, oh my god, you won't believe what happened today, my mate was out si-"

Ethan gets cut off by Josh smacking him in the back of the head. Luna jumps out of the mans arms, scurrying off behind the couch. "I heard your story from the other room, brat. You're lucky I was only doing revision or I would've come in here and taped your mouth shut."

Harry can't help but laugh at the look of betrayal on Ethan's face, and his sibling just glares at him.

"Laugh at me again and you'll regret it." Ethan's threat is an empty one, but Harry's nails still dig into his palm with anxiety.

Simon snorts beside him, his hand moving away from Tilly and coming to rest on Harry's thigh. It's subtle, but it's protective. "Lay a hand on Harry and I'll make sure Jj knows all about the crush on him in secondary school."

Ethan shoots out of his seat and tries to get to Simon, but Josh quickly grabs him and pins his arms to his sides. "Alright! Enough violence for the day." He says, maneuvering so he's sitting behind Ethan and hugging him tightly so he can't escape.

"I haven't liked Jj since year nine! You wouldn't!" Ethan whines, and Harry watches in amusement as Josh covers the younger's mouth with his hand, stopping his flow of words.

A loud ringtone blasts through whatever Josh was about to say, scaring Tilly away for good and causing Harry to flinch. It's Simon's phone that's going off, and the elder quickly fishes it out of his jacket pocket.

"I need to take this," Simon says quickly, pushing himself off the couch. Harry watches him leave to the kitchen, and he stares at the spot he left from even after he can't be seen anymore.

When he turns back, his brothers are both silently staring at him, grins on both of their faces. Harry furrows his eyebrows. "What?"

Ethan smile grows. "You're whipped."

Harry can feel the heat blooming in his cheeks, burning the tips of his ears. It must be noticeable, because Ethan laughs right away, but he's immediately silenced by Josh who makes a gesture towards the kitchen.

"Who do you think the call is with? Possibly... a girlfriend? Boyfriend?" Ethan teases, and the comment is said jokingly but a twisting feeling settles in his stomach and he doesn't like it.

Harry pushes the feeling to the side, uncomfortably squirming in his seat, and welcoming Tilly as she reappears on the couch. "I think he would've told me if he was in a relationship."

... Right?

Josh opens his mouth to speak but that's when Simon returns, and Harry immediately senses that something is off. "Si? Who was it?" He questions, gaze caught on how the elder's shoulders are tensed and his phone is gripped tightly in his hand.

"It was my mum. I'll tell you about it when we get home." Simon says, and he leaves it at that, taking a seat next to Harry again.

And Harry can't help but notice that Simon isn't sitting as close as he usually does.