Pretty in Plastic (l.s)

xix

"Lou," Harry calls as he walks into the house, "you here?"

"Bedroom!" A faint voice calls back, and he follows it. There Louis is, sitting amongst disheveled sheets with his hair a mess and a lap top placed in front of him. Harry grins, and kicks his sneakers off. He walks over to Louis, ruffles the doll's hair, and snuggles him into the bed.

"How's Gemma?" Louis asks, and Harry smiles wider.

"She's good. Really good." He mumbles, and feels Louis' dainty hands twirl one of his curls. Harry closes his eyes, enjoying the feeling, and relaxes. His phone buzzes in his pocket, and Louis sneaks a hand to grab it. He taught Louis the basic mechanics, even gave the doll his password because he really has nothing to hide, but Louis's only been able to grasp the downloading.

"Harry," Louis mumbles, "you said this is how people talk when they're far from each other."

"Yeah, they do." Harry confirms.

"So, why don't I have one?" Harry lifts his head, and looks at him. Louis stares back. "You're far from me most days, and what if I need something? I can't talk to you."

He has a point. Harry hums, and takes his phone. "I'll take you shopping, and you can pick one. How's that?"

Louis smiles, and nods. "Okay."

—————

Louis sits in the car, tapping on the clear screen with the device held closely to his face. They're outside the shop, just having got the phone, but Harry decided it was important to answer Louis' questions before driving home. Harry chuckles at Louis' fascination, and nudges for Louis to move the phone back and lift his head.

"Your neck's going to hurt," he mumbles, "and you'll go blind faster if you hold it that close."

"The writing is so small." Louis frowns, and Harry shows him how to make it bigger. The doll hums, and leans closer to Harry. He asks Harry how to take pictures, do videos, adjusts brightness, make a password, and lock it. "How do I contact?"

"The most complicated question." Harry laughs, and shows him how to call. Louis only has him as a contact right now so Harry calls himself as an example. He shows Louis how to type, and send a text. "These are emojis."

"Emojis?" Louis whispers. "What do they do?"

"They express how you feel." Harry mumbles, and points at the happy faces, sad faces, and so on. "Kissy faces are for flirting."

"Oh." The doll nods, and Harry starts the car. "I can call or text any time?"

"Any time." Harry confirms, and smiles as Louis takes pictures throughout the ride home.

—————

"Look, Liam." Louis shows the man his nails, and they twinkle in the day light seeping in from the windows. Harry's at work, once again, and Liam decided to come by unannounced. Louis didn't mind, he wanted to share his recent experiences with a friend. "Harry took me to get my nails done! Aren't they amazing?"

Liam's face reads something indecipherable, but he quickly smiles at the doll. He takes Louis' hand, caresses the back with his thumb, and hums. "They look great, Lou. I didn't think you'd choose black."

"Harry picked it." Louis looks at his other hand, and innocently ignores the flirtatious touch. "He got his done, too."

"Did he?" Liam says in shock, and he seems more keen on the conversation now. "That's not like him?"

"What do you mean?" Louis bats his eyes.

"Harry's never shown interest in... those things before." Liam says honestly. "Since when did he become so flamboyant?"

"Harry's always liked polish." Louis defends. "Since we were kids, actually."

"Really?" Louis hums as confirmation. "Why would he hide something like that?"

"Why is it such a big deal?" Louis raises an eyebrow, and Liam looks appalled. He quickly raises his hands in defense, blushing at the assuming allegation that he's being judgmental.

"Oh, it's not! I just thought— I don't know, I figured Harry and I were close." Liam shrugs. "Maybe we aren't."

"Harry isn't comfortable with some of his likes." Louis says carefully. "He has to fully know himself before you get the chance to. How can you know someone who can't identify who's in the mirror?"

"Oh," Liam mumbles and he seems to be soaking in what Louis's saying, "wow. Okay, never saw it that way."

"Be mature, Liam." Louis giggles, and places his hands in lap. "Anyway, what're we doing today?"

"I did want to take you out," Liam starts, "but it's too cold for something like that. Is it alright if we stay inside?"

Louis shrugs, and lays his head back on the couch. "I'm comfy, anyway."

"Good." Liam chuckles, and notices a red phone sitting on the other side of the doll. "Who's is that?"

"Oh!" Louis grabs it, and holds it out to Liam after unlocking it. "I forgot to ask! Put your number in, please. I recently got it, and my only contact so far is Harry."

"That's it?" Louis nods, and Liam texts himself. Louis saves his number, and Liam smiles. "Well, now we can talk any time you'd like."

"I know! It's great, right?" Louis smiles, and his mind becomes occupied with a recent game he downloaded earlier. "Harry got it for me."

"Harry did?" Louis nods again. "Lou, are you and Harry... more than friends?"

His words are careful, edging to the topic he wants to dig into because he thinks the two are simply too close to be friends. The doll looks up from his phone, and frowns. "No, we're just friends. Harry likes Kala."

"You still like Harry?"

"I'll always like Harry."

"What if he's treating you wrong?" Louis falls silent. "You always make sure everyone's nice to Harry—"

"He's going through a hard time, and he's sweet."

"— but has he ever taken the time to make sure people are nice to you? I mean, Niall and I are nice people so you didn't have to worry. Kala, though? A righteous bitch."

"Liam." Louis gasps, and uses his phone to cover his mouth.

"I know she wasn't nice to you." Especially with how you look. "Did Harry ever defend you from that?"

"Well," Louis hesitates, "no."

"Why do you insist on protecting, cherishing, and loving someone who won't return the gesture?" Louis becomes flustered, and tries to hide it. "You look like you're being used as a way for him to feel good again. You're being played with."

"That's not what it is, Liam."

"Like a toy."

Louis freezes, and he chokes on air. He can't say anything back, his body won't move, and his heart is slipping into the familiar pit at the bottom of his stomach. He clenches the cushions, and furrows his eyebrows. He thinks about what Liam's saying, and he wants to deny it so bad. He wants to scream at Liam for even suggesting it, because a huge part wants to be convinced that Harry doesn't see him as the childhood plastic object he once was, but he knows it's a valid question: Harry's living a happy life with him now, even starting to see himself as an individual, but what will happen when Kala forces herself back in? Will Harry ditch Louis like before, stick to whatever role Kala tells him to play, and live as an insecure boy? Will he put Louis back on the shelf? Like a toy?

"Find somebody who won't use you like that. Who won't take advantage of you." Louis blinks, and looks at Liam. He's watching Louis with a stoic expression, one that hints at something more than friendship and Louis isn't sure if he's comfortable with it. "You aren't some scapegoat, Lou."

Louis feels his heart race a little, but it's nothing like what Harry does to him. He mumbles that he's tired, and Liam leaves. Laying between Harry's covers, the doll can only think of two things: Harry, and what the fuck is a scapegoat?