Hands of Fate (l.s. soulmate AU)

Chapter 3: Broke The Sweetest Promise

The weeks before a movie's promotion were usually that of leisure. Nothing too exerting other than fittings and trials, hitting the gym, and going over a few pre-empted questions. But Harry's life had always been filled with exceptions.

Jeff called him a little over a week after the previous meeting, telling him that his trip to London had to be postponed. Relief and annoyance battled to take precedence - relief as to having an excuse to not visit his family, and annoyance over Jeff finalising projects without consulting him - relief won, he could voice his frustrations to Jeff and cancel the project if he did not feel inclined to it, but he would not get another chance to back out of flying to London.

While his manager explained the requirements of the project, Harry decided he was not entirely opposed to the idea. He had worked with Alessandro before, however briefly, and the brand would surely boost his catalogue further. Gucci wanted him as the face of that year's fall collection, it would be months of designing and trials and shoots, flying to and fro between Milan and LA, and they wanted to start as soon as he was available.

"I can't do runway," Harry said, putting a front not merely for its sake, he could act and pose for magazines, but modelling for an entire collection was another thing.

"I've seen your previous runways, they are decent," Alessandro's voice carried over the laptop speakers, the man himself in his home office in Milan.

"I'm not a model."

"Would I prefer an actual model leading the runway? Of course. But my male models are not as popular as female ones, and with what I'm trying, I need a face that people love everywhere," Alessandro explained, "Experimenting with the diverse nature of fashion can have guaranteed success in two cases. First, the portfolio is immaculate, no flaws, and second, the person wearing those designs can capture the audience's heart. I want both."

"You are a demanding man, Alessandro," Harry chuckled, weighing the options in his head. The pros definitely stood out, but the travel could prove to be taxing.

"Does that mean you're in?"

Harry looked at Jeff and then back at Alessandro's expectant face, smiling, "Yeah, I'm in."

"Great!" Jeff grinned, "Now let's go over the contract, there's just a few things that need to be tweaked before I free you gentlemen."

-

Life worked in mysterious ways; the golden threads of fate twisting, entangling, knotting each second before they either broke or the thread ran out - the reel no longer spinning. Fates, as the Greeks believed - were three goddesses, forever spinning and dispensing the thread until Atropos decided the moment an individual would take their last breath.

It felt similar, if not cynical, when Harry believed he would surely be unable to breathe again.

Ten days since he had walked out of that restaurant alone, ten days since he had been carrying a metaphorical weight on his chest. He refused to admit to even himself that he had made a mistake, one based on his biases that had carved a space for guilt in its wake. There was no time in his life to lament over what was done and couldn't be changed.

Yet, his heart trudged to a stop. Stood beside Alessandro was the person Harry had so vehemently turned away. In the light of the afternoon sun filtering in through the dyed glass of the windows, Louis looked no less than an angel. Maybe it was how the entirety of the building had been built to maintain the classical image of Italy; the Roman pride reflecting through the architecture and everything occupied within, that made Louis seem even more ethereal. Whatever might have been the cause, Harry couldn't take his eyes off of him.