the moon [h.s.] - EDITING

twenty-four.

Harry is grabbing something to eat with his favorite intern, Nolan. The other interns eyed them on their way out of the building together after work. He figures Nolan gets shit from them for being Harry's favorite. It's not his fault he's the only one who makes the most effort to get to know Harry.

"Finals are coming up soon so I haven't been sleeping! You can imagine," Nolan says. He takes a bite from his fish taco as they sit in the dining area of a small restaurant together.

Harry chews through the bite he took and nods. "It'll all be over soon. Just remember, if you need me to revise a final paper for you, I'd be glad to do it." He tells him.

"Thanks! I do appreciate that, sir." Nolan says.

"Nolan, you can call me Harry. I'm not that much older than you for you to call me sir."

Nolan laughs. "Sorry, I know. It's just a habit... sir." He takes another bite of his taco after laughing. He takes a napkin to dab his mouth clean. "So, any plans for the holidays?"

Harry's chewing slows down. He hasn't really thought about plans for the holidays. They will roll in on him fast and he hates the fact that he might spend it alone. His holidays in New York were spent with the same people three years in a row. "Uh," he starts and then puts on a smile. "I don't know yet. I've just been so busy at work... Who knows, maybe I'll surprise my mum." Surprising his mum might be nice, he thinks.

Nolan smiles at his response. He takes a sip of his soft drink. "That sounds lovely... I'm planning to spend it with my boyfriend's family. I'm meeting them for the first time. It's so scary."

"Meeting the family is scary..." He can't help but think back to when he met Kristen's family. They didn't like him.

"Yeah... Especially when my boyfriend's super conservative family doesn't know he's gay," Nolan says. He's looking down and just stares at his fish tacos. It's like he has lost his appetite.

Harry raises an eyebrow. He's too busy thinking of himself, he doesn't realize Nolan is also going through problems of his own. "Oh?" he says. "Then yeah... sounds like a disaster."

Nolan lets out a laugh. "Right? I just hope it all goes well." He finally picks up his taco again to eat the rest.

"I bet it will! They are going to love you. Don't stress over it," Harry says to him. He takes a sip of his soft drink through the straw then feels his phone ringing in his pocket. It's Zavier. Harry looks at his screen when his phone is in his hand. "Um, do you mind if I take this?"

Nolan shakes his head. "Not at all, Harry. I'm gonna get a refill." He shakes his cup of ice and stands up. He walks off.

Harry is left to answer Zavier's call. "Hello?"

"Harry, uh, I'm calling because I'm worried about Luna."

Harry frowns and he's suddenly worried, too, just by the tone of his voice. "What? Why?" He asks.

"She's... I don't know. Freaking out about something. Packing her bags. I know you guys are kind of a thing so... I called you." Zavier tells him through the line.

Why is she packing her bags? Is she planning to leave? Leave because of him? He's so confused and now he wants to freak out, too. "Yeah... Uh, I'll be there. I'm going now." He tells him. He hangs up on Zavier the moment Nolan comes back with his refill.

"Everything okay?" Nolan asks. It must be the look on Harry's face to get him to ask.

"I have to go... I'm sorry, Nolan. It's a friend. I need to check on her." He explains as he stands up.