Young & Beautiful

“Fuck’s sake, Harry! This isn’t good for you!”
“How can you say that?” Harry snaps, whipping around to look at him fully. He knee knocks
harshly into Louis’. “It wouldn’t be good for me to just abandon him!”
“Not abandon, you bloody cunt, just live somewhere else. You can fucking visit him, you can
spend all your livelong day with the man, but for fuck’s sake, Harry, you honestly cannot argue
that living with him isn’t dangerous or difficult. That’s too much to expect for an eighteen year
old. Don’t be a hero.”
Harry shakes his head once before sitting back, folding his arms. “I’m not discussing this.”
“Harry,” Louis sighs, placing a hand on his arm. “It’s gotten worse.”
“It’s gotten better,” Harry snaps. “This past month of me being home was fine. Good, even. The
song—he likes the song. That helps.”
“I should hope so, he wrote it,” Louis says with a roll of the eyes.
Harry doesn’t say anything.
“Look, I don’t want to fight. I don’t. I’m drunk still—pretty pissed, to be honest—and tonight was
fun and I missed you Harry, I missed you. I don’t want to fight.” Harry’s face softens as Louis
continues, inclining his head in Louis’ direction infinitesimally. “But could you please, please just
begin considering some other options? Ones where you can keep him in your life but, just, take
some healthy steps back? It could help him, you know. Sometimes people need a bit of distance.”
He keeps his hand on Harry’s arm. The fabric of his gold jacket is warm, a little damp from the
night’s events. It’s smooth as a sigh.
Harry quiets, seeming to consider Louis’ words. Albeit begrudgingly.
“Yeah, all right,” he says, a little crossly, but a little gently. He glances over at Louis through a
half-attempted pout. “Though I’m still not sure why you care.”
Louis grins, feeling some of the tension ease as he removes his hand. It feels cold and heavy.
“You’re stuck with me, Curly. Better get used to it.”
Harry averts his face, but Louis can still see the smile.
There’s a pause
“I’m not—“ Harry begins, then stops. His feet shuffle and his arms uncross. “I’m not used to
having, like, proper mates. I’ve only ever had Zayn as a real mate, he’s my best mate, even, but,
um. Even then I fucked it up a bit. And, like, I’m just…not good at it, I don’t think. I’m not really
sure what to do? But, like…thank you. Just, for being…there? I, just, um, I’m really appreciative
of it. And I really…like being around you. And I’m glad we’re mates. And.” He sends a smirk
Louis’ way. “I’m sorry for being such a twat before.”
It’s very possible that Louis might combust from the sheer amount of emotion that is welling up
inside of him. Every emotion known to man is erupting like a volcano from every crevice in his
body and he’s just…
Harry’s apologizing.
Harry’s telling Louis that he cares.