Let Me Help You Larry

What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" Harry's face is red. He's furious. He wants to smash his phone against the wall. Except Louis had done that once during these types of phone calls and it didn't exactly go over well.

How fucking dare they?

The guy was babbling. He was spewing shit out of his mouth to Harry. Things along the lines of "Harry, I know this may be a bit of a surprise for you... but do you really think that even though your new album skyrocketed, you wouldn't need something like this?" and "Harry, the media can only handle you being a bachelor for so long." 

He had stopped listening to the man. He was new. Harry knew that for sure. Modest! always got the new people to tell him and Louis the bad news. The bad news involving another step they had to take in order to hide their relationship. The bad news they had to take in order to cover up who they actually were. The guys voice was high pitched and nervous... he was probably stressed because of the workload Modest! dumped on him with this case. But why the fuck did he have to keep repeating his name? To taunt him? To say 'yea hey, we still are dangling your sexual freedom over yours and Louis' heads because we are homophobic assholes and you were stupid enough to sign a ten year contract with us'. They can't just leave them alone for once? Louis and Eleanor are still a... thing...? (Like hell he actually knew what was going on there). 

"Harry are you even listening to me anymore?" The new guy says. He had introduced himself  only minutes before at the beginning of the phone call... but... the name had slipped Harry's mind. Dan? Dave? Kevin...? Whatever. Who the fuck cares? 

"No. Not really." He admitted wickedly. He doesn't give a shit what this person had to say anymore. He knew, there was no way getting out of this, and he might as well just get it over with at this point. 

He cursed himself again. For probably the tenth time during this phone call. Why was he and Louis stupid enough to sign a decade long contract with these people? If only they had looked more into Modest!. Maybe met them and talked about their sexualities before they signed the contract. But alas, they were both too young and stupid and so fucking naive that they listened to Simon without batting an eye, without even thinking that their blooming relationship and sexualities could have been a problem. The thought of homophobia didn't even cross their minds when they had walked into that meeting room, bouncing, holding hands, giggling with the other boys. They were fucking excited. All five of them, even Zayn, who had eventually learned to hate Modest! possibly even more than any of the other boys did. He had a reason though. Maybe a reason even better than Harry and Louis. 

"I said, could you possibly meet her today? Maybe take her out for a little bit?" The other side of the phone call says. 

Fuck. 

Today?

"Does it have to be today?" Harry sighs, rubbing his eyes and leaning forward a little more off the couch. 

He felt a tension headache coming on, but didn't even seem to care all that much because today of all days? They can't have one day off. One day where he and Louis do absolutely nothing but sit around wearing each other's pajamas, stuffing their faces with shitty take out food and catching up on the new episodes of Shameless. The one day this month where both their schedules actually lined up and they got a day off together. In between Harry's new album exploding everywhere in the world, random shows around the UK, preparation for tour and Louis' prep for his new album and tour later this year, the two boys didn't really have any time for each other anymore. And to be quite honest. It was stressful. They were both looking forward to this day off. The one day they could actually belong  to each other, instead of their work and the rest of the world.

"Yes." The man answers curtly. He doesn't even stutter this time. He was probably annoyed by Harry's hostility at this point. 

"Okay." Harry says. He hangs up the phone, not even asking what time he should be there. They can text him the details if they want him to come in so badly today. He throws the phone on the coffee table in front of him, and leans forward even more with his head in his hands, and his elbows resting on his knees. He doesn't even try to fight back the tears of frustration, anger and disappointment. 

What was he going to tell Louis?  Louis was going to be devastated. Maybe even a bit angry at Harry himself. He will probably ask "why didn't you fight harder?" like he usually does, which results in an angrier Harry standing like an idiot while he asks himself the same question. And then Harry will remember, and probably say something along the lines of "do you remember what happened to Zayn?". And that will be the end of it. Louis will slam the door to their shared bedroom, and they won't talk for the rest of the day. No one talks about what happened to Zayn. Not even the other boys. Him leaving had never been discussed privately amongst any of them. All of their conversations about it, shut inside the meeting room where they found out what was going to happen to One Direction after Zayn left. They were too scared. 

And that's why Harry brings it up in fights like these. It's a low blow, he knows. But it's also true... and terrifying to the both of them.

Harry stands up, and begins to make his way down the hallway to the bedroom. 

'Louis is going to be so upset', he thinks to himself before reaching the room, and opening the door, mentally preparing himself for the possible fight that just might happen.

Inside, the room is still dark. The curtains are pulled down but he is able to make out the small ball on the left side of the bed. Before Harry can even reach the bed, Harry hears a small, fragile voice speak, 

"I know, darling." Louis says. 

"I'm sorry." Harry immediately responds, and crawls under the covers next to the boy. Louis turns and faces him. His hair is sticking up in all places, and Harry resists the urge to comb his fingers through it and smooth it out. He doesn't know if Louis is mad at him. Not yet. 

"I know." Louis scoots closer to Harry, and cups the younger boy's face in his hands. "Just be mine for right now, yea?" He finishes with a light kiss on Harry's lips.