labyrinth Δ harry styles

Door Five: Lost & Found

HE TUNED OUT. The legal odds and ends of the situation was something he could care less about. Harry's attention was elsewhere, found somewhere outside watching the snow fall like autumn leaves to the grey pavement. The conversation around him was lost in the thin brisk air. Unlike the other two men, Harry didn't mind the cold so much. He much preferred colder nights where his breath was visible with just a single exhale. So that's what he did. He silently breathed out and watched as his hot breath condensed into slight fog.

"Are you even listening?" Misha scolded ironically.

"Yes." Even though it was a lie, he managed to catch the last few words Jansen, a director—and a close friend of his and Misha's—had said. "I have to meet with your agents to audition for the role." Harry turned his attention from the outside—even though the restaurant was half inside half outside—to meet eyes with Jansen who was about to lose his shit.

Jansen Carlyle was his full name, and a big one at that. Everyone in Hollywood knew who he was, and you'd be stupid if you didn't. Even though he was much younger than most directors in Hollywood, Jansen was known to not take shit from anyone, and he played no games whatsoever. Harry, Misha, and Jansen were all very acquainted with each other outside of business, but when it came down to it, it was as if they never knew each other at all.

"When?" Jansen tested with squinted eyes.

"Next Wednesday. One at noon, and the other at six,"  Harry said sharply, then looked away. Jansen took a gulp of his cooled yellow beer and shot an icy glare his way. Misha sighed and continued talking details with the director. It definitely wasn't common for a director to straight up have a meeting with a manager, but since they knew each other since way back when, it was just easier for them in this informal way.

Once again, Harry was lost in thought, as if he had actual thoughts to ponder on. His mind wandered, but it never truly held onto something for more than a minute tops. His subconscious drifted away into the soft melodies of a nearby street performer. With each strum of the guitar, a deep tenor voice followed, giving the songs a warm feeling to them. Even with the frigid temperature, Harry never felt more alive. The lyrics of a love story washed over strange feelings that he, if he was going to be honest, has not felt in a while.

"Harry, I know you have been going through some personal issues, but if we're gonna make this work, then you have to at least act like you want this," Misha spoke this time. Unlike the other times, Misha's voice was much softer and less demanding.

"Right," Harry nodded, looking down at the half empty glass of water.

His hunger escaped him that night. This strange feeling had been creeping up on him for weeks now, and it was seriously putting a damper on things. Did he want to come off as a total douchebag? Of course not. Harry just had a nag of brushing things under the rug, but that was just how he dealt with things, and no one, except his best friend, has stuck around long enough for to tell him otherwise.

He scratched his jaw because of the prickling feeling on his sensitive skin, even though he just shaved off his beard just a few hours before. He didn't like, rather, he hated  the feeling of not having a beard. He thought it made him look like a baby, whereas his beard made him feel more like himself and not someone who had to pretend to be professional for someone he already knew.

"Harry, I'm going to say this as a friend and not as a director, but if you don't want to be an actor then don't. It's very easy to be blacklisted in Hollywood, but it's very hard to get out of it. I really need you to understand that, so if you don't want this, then tell me, and we can finish this right now," Jansen put softly yet sternly.