Security

Chapter 3

The best thing about this video, about this day in general, is that it is completely on Harry's own terms. They're in Harry's territory, and for once he's not the one so far out of his element that he feels like he could cry. No, instead, the rest of the Sidemen as well as a couple of the Troops are, and it's all because Harry's flown them out to a different country, one none of them have ever been to but Harry knows like the back of his hand. He has completely flipped the table on them, and the joy it brings him is arguably terrifying. Worrying behaviour, his secondary school counsellor would definitely point out to him. It's a good thing Harry no longer has contact with the tiresome old hag.

(Simon seems to have clocked on to the way he's feeling about it, as more than once Harry has caught his friend rolling his eyes at him, shaking his head with a small smile painting his features.)

Admittedly, when they get there, they don't actually seem fazed, not a single one of them giving off the tell-tale signs of situational anxiety. The victory doesn't feel quite as sweet because of that, so Harry busies himself with the video and tries to convince himself to just enjoy the moment.

After all, he's finally persuaded his friends to come to Guernsey! They're actually going to be inside his house, after all these years. It feels like an achievement in and of itself.

"Do you mind?" Dylan, the cameraman who recently moved over from their main channel editing team, asks him some time after they've finished filming. He's pointing towards the food Harry spent an hour preparing as he waited for the boys to land in Guernsey.

"Errr, no-no m-mate. You go, go and he-elp yours-self-f!" Harry smiles, simply happy that the man is still willing to be on amicable terms with him after the way Harry shouted at him the previous week. ("Of course he'd be all chummy with you - you paid him a grand out of guilt!" Ethan had judged him for his thought process on the matter, accusing Harry of being deliberately obtuse.)

"Ch-ch-cheers, m-m-mate." Dylan thanks, his smirk mocking and his eyes cruel. Harry chooses to ignore it in favour of establishing a good relationship with the employees in the workplace, as per the agreement the group came to in the recent Sidemen meeting a couple days ago.

Watching the man grab multiple of the prepared sandwiches, as well as one of the various cans of pop, Harry is too absorbed in the unappreciative sight to process that Simon has just entered the room also. He doesn't realise that is the case until he feels a large hand on his shoulder, and can feel the presence of a body behind him. He can recognise the scent of Simon's favourite cologne, but it's actually more so the fact that everyone else knows not to sneak up behind him so closely, as well as to avoid touching him when he's unaware, that tells him the body belongs to Simon.

It's not that Simon doesn't know not to, it's more that he seems to be immune to causing Harry any sort of panic. It amuses Harry to think that his anxiety just gels well with Simon, for some odd reason.

"If I were you, mate," Simon's voice is stern, his grip on Harry's shoulder too tight yet comforting, just as Simon knows he aches for whenever he needs to feel grounded. "I'd show a bit more respect to my boss. I especially wouldn't go around mocking them after they've just fed me and given me a bonus."

At the chiding, Dylan suddenly looks noticeably less smug, but he doesn't do more than throw out an apathetic apology - to Simon - before leaving. He even has the gall to take the food and drink with him.

As soon as the other man is out of the room, Harry breathes an audible sigh of relief, his muscles relaxing as he leans back against Simon, letting his eyes slowly fall shut as he does so. He keeps them closed, though with the lids squeezed tighter together, as he feels Simon gently urging him forward. He swallows deep in his throat when he notices the flooring beneath him switch from tiled to wooden, but doesn't say a word as Simon continues guiding him through the house to some unknown destination.