Harry was sulking.
Though his dignity would protest otherwise, it was quite clear, from the slumped shoulders, the brooding expression and pouted bottom lip that he was, and there was no other word really appropriate for it, sulking.
It wasn’t an activity that he participated in often. Harry didn’t like people who pitied themselves, and he especially didn’t like it when people made a spectacle of that. The fact that he was engaging in such behaviour himself was annoying.
It was a month and a half into the tour and Harry was reaching the end of his rope. Getting a maximum of six hours sleep every night on an uncomfortable bed and performing at concerts constantly, made for an annoyed and grumpy Harry. And, on top of that, a month without seeing his boyfriend – who wasn’t even allowed to come and visit in case the fans got suspicious of why Harry was spending so much time with an undeniably attractive young male.
He missed Louis.
He loved his job, and he loved his fans, but all he really wanted to do was sleep in his own bed with Louis snuggled into his side.
And that day had not been a good one.
He had suffered through a morning full of monotonous interviews that made him want to rip his hair out of his head and constant travelling to and from venues. He was being carted from one radio station to the next to answer the same sorts of questions over and over again. The repetitiveness of the interviews made Harry want to tear his hair out in boredom.
It wasn’t long before everyone was starting to irritate him – Niall had a habit of eating too loud (and Niall ate almost constantly), Zayn’s quips that usually made Harry laugh were making him want to punch the Bradford boy in the face, and Liam won’t stop hovering.
“Are you alright, Harry?” Liam asked concernedly for about the sixth time in the last half an hour, his hands hovering awkwardly mid-air as if he was going to reach over and pat the youngest boy on the back. Harry knew he looked pissed off, and though for most people it would encourage them to walk away and not come back until he had calmed down, Liam had the annoying trait of trying to mother the boys.
“Yeah,” Harry answered shortly, his tone so sharp that Zayn, who had been trying to sneak in a few precious minutes of sleep, opened his eyes to give a sleepy glare. “I mean, sorry Liam, I’m fine. Just want this day to be over, y’know?”
Liam nodded once, his expression showing faint lines of hurt, before dropping his hand from the air, turning to Niall and striking up a conversation.
They were sitting in a small, comfortable room in a radio station, the presenters bustling around them in preparation of the interview that was commencing shortly. The boys had been offered food and drinks as soon as they stepped in the building and Niall was happily munching away at a packet of crisps, when a blonde haired woman ran over to them, her face smooth and professional.
“Alright boys, just step through this way now, that’d be lovely…”
Harry mentally groaned.
The interview was the same as usual; this time it was Liam and Niall’s turns to answer most of the questions. Zayn said not much at all, playing with the hem of his shirt idly and looking up every now and again to say a comment or answer a question. The smile on Harry’s face was loose and fake, and he projected just the right amount of attentiveness that had the interviewer, a brunette woman, satisfied.
Harry began to lose track of the interview, letting Liam and Niall take over. It was barely noticed – he had gotten so used to pretending to be interested that it was a talent now. The noise around him began to fade together, the interview going completely unnoticed around him. His attention was fully focused otherwise when –
“Harry?” The curly haired boy snapped his head up, his smile so bright and charming that the woman blinked slightly, her cheeks going bright red. “Now, you’re single aren’t you, Harry?”
Even later, when asked to explain the event, Harry wasn’t truly able to describe what happened next. Not really thinking, and still somewhat distracted, Harry’s face dropped, his head automatically shaking as he said, “No, I’ve got a boyfriend –“
The world seemed to stop as Harry’s eyes widened in total horror.
