Unwinding (Completed)

14

Its Friday, the day of the game. Louis feels incredibly calm about it. He has spent extra time practicing, even had a little match with Harry after his own practice was over.

Harry had teased him the entire time, taunted him and it only drove Louis to score every time. Louis felt overly content with the amazement on Harry's face. 

Harry had told him that he was better than he thought. Louis had blushed and rolled his eyes. Afterwards Harry gave him a-lift home. They haven't talked since.

Louis and his team go out onto the field and Louis scans the crowd, his eyes land on Harry and he smiles as Harry waves at him, his eyes move to Gemma who is grinning and waving like a maniac.

-

"Halftime!" The ref calls, and Louis is thankful, his legs ache and he feels so sweaty and disgusting. He looks over at Niall and Liz, who are talking to a man by the the bleachers. Louis nears them and suddenly catches a glimpse of him. He immediately stops and his heart feels like it drops straight out of his chest.

Louis stares blankly, his heart beating rapidly. The man finally looks back at him and so do Liz and Niall.

"Louis! Meet my Step-Dad, Troy." She smiles, "Troy this is Louis, isn't he great at footie?"

Troy smiles at Louis and nods, "Very good for your age."

Louis is still just staring at him, swallowing harshly. "Yeah? And what age am I?" He says, the words mean to come out harsh, but are weakly said.

Liz furrows her eyebrows, looking at Louis, "What are you-"

"I have to go." Louis says, tears filling his eyes as he runs off the field and into the bathrooms near the concession stand.

Louis attempts to open the door, seeing that its locked, then begins to panic. He needs to get in there, he needs to get away from where others can see him.

Louis knocks harshly, he can hear the sink running, indicating that the person was just washing their hands.

The door finally opens and Louis sees that its Harry. "Geez- Louis?" He asks, moving out of the way when Louis pushes past him.

Harry closes the door and locks it, surprised when Louis pushes himself into Harry's chest and cry into it wrapping his dainty arms around Harry.

Harry hesitantly holds Louis, rubbing his back soothingly, "Sh, babe, its okay." He says, though he doesn't know exactly what the problem is.

"No, It's not." Louis whimpers, sniffling as he pulls away and sinks down to the floor, putting his head in his hands, "I don't know why Im so upset." He cries, "I don't- God, Im so overdramatic."

Harry sits down next to him and shakes his head, "What's wrong, Louis?" He asks softly, "Im sure you aren't overreacting."

Louis wipes his eyes and sniffles a little, "Well, You remember how I told you my dad had moved off to the states?" Harry nods, "Well, Liz, the girl that just moved in by you guys, well-"

Harry furrows his eyebrows, he thinks he knows where this is going, but he lets Louis continue, "-Liz introduced me to her step-dad, and uh, well, Its him." He says, staring down at his hands, "And he didn't even acknowledge who I was, just told me I was good for my age."

Harry furrows his brows, "Thats fucked up." He mutters, "Im sorry, Louis." He says, "I don't think you're being over dramatic at all, I'd be pretty upset too."

Louis nods and smiles at Harry tightly, "I never knew him well, he left when I was about 8, I remember him, I remember having a father figure, I remember crying all the time after he left." Louis says, "But when my step-dad came along He kinda faded from my memory, but then he left too." Louis says, laughing dryly, then shrugging, "I wanted him to go though, he got on my nerves."

Harry smiles fondly at Louis and sighs, "I know its hard to see your father with another family, makes you feel like you aren't good enough."

Louis looks at him, "You've been through it?"

"No, I just imagine thats sort of what you're feeling." He says softly, looking back at Louis.

"What did happen to your-"

"Louis!" Theres a shout from the otherside of the door, knocking too. Its Tom, a kid from the team, "Halftime is over, c'mon dude we need you out there!"

"Comin'!" Louis shouts back to him, getting up almost immediately, Harry following suit.

"You can do it, Lou." Harry says, "Put your emotion into the game, let it drive you, not destroy you." He says, rubbing Louis's shoulder. "And if you win, I'll take you for some ice cream afterwards."

Louis grins, "Move, I gotta game to win." He says, opening the door and running out to the field.

He's gonna win this thing, not just for the ice cream, but because he doesn't want this to destroy him, like Harry said.

He's thankful for Harry sometimes, but you didn't hear him say that.