Pretty in Plastic (l.s)

xi

"Are you okay?" Louis asks Gemma when Harry heads back to his bed room. The doll stands in his spot, scared to move, and tugs on the hem on his shirt nervously. He's never seen Harry so upset, and it bothers him that his friend's mood could change so suddenly.

"He used to be so different." Gemma mumbles, and sips her water as she sniffles. "I don't know what caused it, but he's become so distant. So cold."

"O—Oh." Louis nibbles on his lip, and takes a seat next to her. He can admit that Harry has grown up since he last played with Louis. He's more serious now, and seems more down and insecure. Louis doesn't know who or what made him that way, but he hopes Gemma can see past it like Louis does. Harry needs people to love him.

"We used to be close, you know. We weren't always this way." Gemma wipes a tear away. "I wish he knew that everything I'm doing is with the hopes of helping us let go. Mom wouldn't want us to cry about her being gone. She would want us to move on, and I'm trying to do the right thing."

Louis watches her before looking at his lap. He doesn't know how to respond.

"He started acting different when he started dating Kala. The only person he kept close to was mom." Gemma mumbles, and she stares at her glass. "Now sh's gone, Harry's isolated himself even more."

"Isolated?"

"He doesn't call anyone in the family, he doesn't answer his phone, and he refuses to talk things out. He just stays inside, and lives the bare minimum." Gemma rubs her face. "Sometimes, I wonder if he's alive. If he's hitting rock bottom, and just not telling me."

Louis takes a deep breath, and frowns. Is Harry really this sad? Why has Louis never seen it?

"I want my baby brother back. I want to help him, protect him, but he won't let me." Gemma brings her knees to her chest. "I want things back to normal, Louis."

—————

Gemma doesn't leave. She ends falling asleep on the couch, and Louis is kind enough to cover her with a blanket. He knows Harry will probably want her out, but he also knows that Gemma is sad. She needs someone, like how Harry has Louis, and Louis feels bad that Harry won't be that person for her.

When Louis goes upstairs, he finds Harry with an old book. The thick pages are shining from being wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, and Louis can see pictures bundled together on each page. Harry looks up when he notices Louis, and gently motions for him to come sit with him. Louis does.

"She's sleeping." Louis mumbles once he's next to Harry. The man has a stone cold expression, no hint of happiness, and Louis' heart aches as Harry flips back to the front of the book when reaching the end. "I know you probably want her out, but I couldn't—"

"It's alright." Harry whispers, and Louis stops talking. "I didn't expect you to do anything, anyway."

"Oh." Louis fiddles with his thumbs, and nods. "What're you looking at?"

"A photo album. It's a book of photos." Harry explains because he's gotten into the habit of explaining everything to Louis. Louis nibbles on his lip, and peaks. "All these pictures were taken at that house."

Louis sees a baby boy in a hat with a shirt, and diaper on. He has a pacifier in his mouth, and he's looking at the camera. Louis points to the picture, and Harry smiles. "That's you."

"Yeah." Harry nods, and turns a few more pages. He stops, and his finger drags over on small polaroid. In it, he sits on his mother's lap with a large smile. He's holding a baby pink box with the front cut out. There's a doll in it, stiff and smiling like the sun, with large blue letters that say LOUIS on top.

"Hi, I'm Louis. Will you be my forever friend?" Louis says automatically, and Harry looks at him.

"Mom got me you so I wouldn't feel so different." Harry mumbles, and Louis looks at him. "I was being bullied for a short while, and the kids called me weird for liking pink and dolls. When mom found you, she thought she found my solution. For years, I felt so alone and isolated. Then, I got you and it all changed. I was happy, I felt safe, and you really were my friend, Lou."

Louis blinks a few times, and slowly lays his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry pets his hair, and the doll stares at the picture as Harry keeps talking. "I don't know why you're here, or how long you'll be here for. I just know you came when I needed you the most back then, and you're here when I need someone the most again."

"Forever means forever." Louis whispers, and Harry hums as he shuts the book.

"I didn't have a choice in whether Gemma sold the house or not. Now my best friend is gone, and my safe haven is sold off." Harry holds his hand. "All I've got is you."

—————

Gemma didn't leave for the whole day. Under Louis' guidance, Harry kept her good company. The doll told Harry that Anne was Gemma's mommy too, and it's reasonable that she got upset. Even if selling the house was Gemma's idea, and her idea alone, the pain wasn't any less real.

"You have to be there for her." Louis told him. "To have people be there for you, you have to be there for them. It's important you show her you care about her."

Harry listened. It took a lot in him to not be cold towards Gemma, especially when she kept attempting to justify her actions, but he did it. He sat with her, cried with her, watched movies on repeat, and Louis was serving snacks and drinks throughout the day.

"I like him." Gemma mumbled to Harry when Louis left to get them more chips. "He cares so much about you, Harry."

"I care about him, too." Harry mumbles, but Gemma shakes her head. Harry raises an eyebrow at her, and she raises one back.

"You care, but not how he does." Gemma says. "Can't you tell?"

"Tell what?" Gemma sniggers at him, and sits back.

"Never mind."