In Front Of A Camera

• chapter two •

//TW: mentions of domestic abuse

Louis had gone to the store the night before to grab Midol, in hopes he could sleep better. But that had the opposite effect. Although his headache was gone, he couldn't stop thinking about his encounter with Harry.

He laid in bed the rest of the night thinking, speculating. What was the bruise on his face from? Why was he getting ointment for it at midnight? And, Why wouldn't he just say what had happened?

All of these were thoughts running through his mind and he just couldn't think of any logical explanation for any of them.

The next day he showed up to work, getting busy immediately on setting up his camera equipment as Mitch walked in with a cup of coffee. There was no Harry to be found.

Everyone was waiting on him, the makeup team, hair, everyone. Time was ticking and in this industry it didn't do good to run behind.

After almost half an hour waiting Harry finally showed up, in no big rush to get his outfit on or do anything. "Harry! You're like half an hour late! Hurry up! We can't keep everyone waiting all day!" Mitch urged him as someone held up a little divider for him to change behind, the studio wasn't big enough for dressing rooms.

"I don't wanna fucking hear it today Mitch, just lay off" Harry snapped, looking pissed off but also exhausted. The bruise from the night before was yellowing on his cheek and he had dark circles, from what looked like lack of sleep.

Mitch was a little taken aback, Harry rarely snapped at him. He was normally only a bitch to everyone else. Once he was in the makeup chair Louis approached, wanting to do what he always did and get a feel for what kind of shoot he wanted to do.

"I slipped up the stairs. That's what happened to my face" Harry told the makeup artist, avoiding eye contact with her.

Louis overheard their conversation and was just wondering why Harry hadn't just said that last night, and why did it sound so rehearsed?

"Are you fucking obsessed with me or something? God...you never leave me alone" Harry said coldly when he saw Louis, giving him the hardest stare as he now was getting his hair refreshed and done.

"Still just doing my job...trying to get an idea on how to run the shoot" Louis responded, trying to put up a front that he didn't care that Harry was being bitchy to him. He just took in everything he could by looking at him, his hairstyle, makeup, outfit, and even observing his body language. He wanted to give himself ideas for poses and things like that.

But he couldn't lie to himself either, he wanted every chance he could get to stare at Harry...he was probably the most gorgeous person Louis had seen.

•

The second they wrapped for lunch break, Harry grabbed his phone from Mitch and walked outside, shakily dialing someone's number while looking nervous.

Louis walked outside just around the same time as he was going to grab a jacket from his car, it being cold on set that day, when he heard Harry talking and stopped to listen.

"I thought you were coming to have lunch with me today...and see the set...well now I don't have lunch babe..." Harry spoke, his voice sounding timid and quiet. Louis couldn't hear the person on the other line, only that they were speaking loud, almost yelling. "I can just have coffee for lunch, it's fine, I could stand to miss a few meals...no no I'm not trying to be ungrateful...it's fine! You don't have to bring it...it's my fault I forgot it. I-I just thought you were coming to see me. Li, please listen to me...I-I-..." Harry was obviously trying to explain himself but the person on the other line hung up.