A Night in Hollywood

Excitement

Some important info in this chapter, though it's very short. Soon we are traveling to NY.

- - - 

Louis was pouring himself a cup of tea when his phone started ringing from where it was on the counter.

Louis recognised the caller ID as his mom's, and he quickly grabbed the phone, swiped right, and brought it to his ears.

"What do I owe the pleasure, Mom?" he asked, grinning.

"Do I need a reason to talk to my own son?" Jay asked, amusedly.

"Well, no." Louis sipped his tea. "But I suppose there's one nonetheless."

Jay chuckled. "Yeah, you're right. I'm calling regarding New York, you and the crew are gonna fly there soon, right?"

"Yeah," Louis said. "On November tenth."

"For how long are you gonna stay?" Jay asked.

"Um, for about three weeks, I think," Louis said. "We have quite a lot of shooting to do there. Why are you asking?"

"I know Mark has a work trip to New York soon, around the fifteenth," Jay said. "He doesn't know you're going to New York, I believe, right?"

"No, I haven't mentioned it," Louis said.

"Tell him," Jay said, "perhaps the two of you could meet up. He misses you."

Mark was like a father to Louis, but he rarely ever got to see him after Jay's and his divorce. It was rare he saw his mom and siblings, but Mark was even rarer.

"I'll tell him," Louis said with a grin. "I'll arrange something for us. I miss him too. A lot."

"That'll mean a lot to him," Jay said. "Also, the girls told me to say hi, but they're all out."

"Tell them hi back," Louis grinned.

"Also, they're thrilled about Christmas," Jay added. "They are insisting you take them shopping. I told them no, they shouldn't use their brother's mo—"

"I'll take them," Louis said with a grin. "I don't mind."

Louis could practically hear Jay's eye roll. "You shouldn't spend your money on them."

"Mom, I've too much money to just spend them on my own."

Jay sighed fondly. "Since when did my son become like this?"

"Rich?"

"Well, yes."

"About... six years ago."

Jay chuckled, but it sounded sad. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Mom," Louis said softly.

"I always knew they were gonna move out and everything," Jay said, "I just always hoped I would be able to have you home for Sunday dinners. That being said, I'm so, so proud and thankful for you, Louis. For everything you've done for us."

Louis swallowed and blinked his eyes rapidly. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Lou. Can't wait to see you."

After they hung up, Louis moved to sit on the counter. It was the day after the party, November first.

Louis still couldn't stop thinking about what had happened two days prior. He still wanted more, but he couldn't. Shouldn't. He could, but it was wrong.

He tried to move his focus to the conversation he had just had with his mother. He was going to see his father.

Grinning, Louis pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled Mark's number.

* * *

"Tomlinson."

"Styles."

The two men regarded each other. It was their first day back at work since their short conversation on Halloween. Louis could still feel the thick air between them on his tongue. Their time in studio three hadn't made it go away, it had simply made it more prominent. More needy.

"Ready for today's shooting?"

They were sitting in the makeup chairs, Rosalinda and Clara dotting around them. They were getting ready to shoot a scene where they were at a business meeting.

"Of course I am," Louis said. "The question is if you are. You've been slacking a bit lately."

That, of course, was a lie, but it had turned into a game to see which insult would hurt Harry the most.

"Fuck off, Tomlinson."

"There there, love birds," Rosalinda said. "Be nice to each other."

"Rosa," Harry said, "you're well aware we aren't actually dating, right?"

"Of course I am," Rosalinda said and swatted him in the back of my head. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Ouch, no, of course not," mumbled Harry. "Jesus, woman."

Louis snickered. "That was well deserved, Styles."

"Was it really, though?"

"Totally," Clara said as she put some powder on Louis' face. "Louis, Christ heavens, do you sleep? Your eyebags are so bad."

"Wow, thanks," Louis said. "Of course I sleep."

A lie. Lately, he had often had a certain man on his mind as he drifted off. He wanted Harry's touch again. God, he craved it.

But no.

No.

"Sure doesn't look like it," Clara said and put concealer under his eyes.

* * *

"Are you ready for us to go to New York?" Harry asked between shooting two scenes.

"Yeah," Louis said. "I'm really excited, actually."

"How so?"

"Why are you interested?"

"If I'm completely honest, I have no clue."

Louis snorted. "Alright, Styles."

"So, why are you excited?"

"I'm gonna see my dad," Louis said.

"Your dad?" Harry asked.

"Well, step-dad, if you want the real proper terms," Louis said with a slight eye roll.

"Been long since you last saw him?"

Louis nodded. "Months."

"You have a good relationship?"

"What's with all these questions?"

Harry was about to answer, but just then, Henry called them back to shoot the next scene.