Half a heart

Chapter 60

Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, Mental Health, Emotional Distress

Harry's POV

The air in the hotel room was tense, charged with the urgency of the situation. We'd spent the last twenty minutes tearing the place apart, searching every nook and cranny for Charlie's ear defenders, but they were nowhere to be found. Charlie stood by the door, looking more and more anxious as each minute passed. His hands fidgeted at his sides, and I could see the worry etched on his face.

"I don't get it," Niall said, frustration lacing his voice as he flipped through Charlie's bag again, even though we'd all checked it a dozen times already. "They have to be here somewhere!"

"They're not, though," Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We've looked everywhere."

Louis glanced over at Charlie, concern in his eyes. "How are you holding up, mate?"

Charlie just shook his head, not trusting himself to speak. He was trying to keep it together, but I could see he was on the edge of losing it. I stepped over to him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay," I said softly. "We're going to figure this out."

"But... what if we don't?" Charlie's voice was small, almost defeated. "I need them, Harry. I can't... I can't do this without them."

"We'll find a way," I promised, squeezing his shoulder gently. "Let's think. If we can't find them, maybe we can get you a new pair before we head to the stadium."

Liam nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea. There's got to be a store around here that sells them."

"Yeah, we've still got a bit of time," Niall added, already pulling out his phone to search for nearby stores. "Let's get you a new pair, Charlie. We won't leave until we have them."

Charlie looked between us, the anxiety in his eyes slowly giving way to a flicker of hope. "You'd do that? We don't have much time before we need to leave for the stadium."

"Of course we would," Louis said firmly. "Your comfort comes first. We'll sort it out, no matter what."

Niall found a store close by, and we all quickly agreed that getting Charlie new ear defenders was the best course of action. Time was ticking, but we knew we couldn't let Charlie go to the stadium without them-not with everything he'd been through.

"Let's move," I said, grabbing my jacket and nodding towards the door. "We'll go with you, Charlie. You're not doing this alone."

The boys and I ushered Charlie out of the room, his bodyguard Jacob following closely behind us. The city outside was buzzing with activity, and I could see the tension in Charlie's shoulders as we navigated through the crowd. But we stayed close, making sure he felt safe with us.

As we hurried down the street, I kept an eye on Charlie, watching his expression. The panic was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but he was holding it together. He trusted us, and I knew we couldn't let him down.

When we reached the store, we headed straight for the section with ear defenders. Charlie's eyes scanned the shelves anxiously, and I could tell he was looking for something familiar, something that would make him feel secure again.

"These ones look good," Liam said, picking up a pair that looked almost identical to the ones Charlie had before. "What do you think, Charlie?"

Charlie took them from Liam, turning them over in his hands. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "They'll work."

"Perfect," Louis said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's get these and head back."

Niall paid for them quickly, and we made our way back to the hotel to grab the rest of our things. I could see the relief slowly settling into Charlie as he clutched the new ear defenders in his hands. It wasn't the same as finding his old pair, but it was something, and that was enough for now.

"We'll make it to the stadium on time," I assured him as we walked back. "And you'll be okay. We'll all be with you."

"Thanks, Harry," Charlie said quietly, his voice steadying. "I just... I really appreciate this. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"You'll never have to find out," I replied, giving him a small smile. "We've got your back, always."

By the time we returned to the hotel, Charlie seemed more at ease, the weight of the morning's panic lifting off his shoulders. As we headed out to the stadium, I could see that he was still nervous, but with his new ear defenders in hand and us by his side, he was ready to face whatever the day would bring.