I Bet You Won't • Larry

9. I Bet You Won't Fly Pt. 2

Harry leaned in front of Louis to access the film channel on the little TV that was attached to the seat in front of them. Their seats were at the very front, so the "seat" in front of them was really just a small wall separating the pilot's cabin and their own. He noticed that Louis wasn't looking at the screen, so he chose one that he knew would surprise Louis.

As the beginning music to "The Little Mermaid" chanted in their shared earbuds, Louis turned around quickly. He looked at Harry with wide eyes and smiled so wide that they were soon shut. He turned back around and nuzzled into Harry's chest, reaching for the bag of popcorn and candies. When Harry offered Louis a gummy bear, Louis just took it and ripped it in half. Just as Harry was about to say something, Louis put one half back into Harry's palm. Harry had never felt happier.

(Except for when they'd decided to move in together, moved in together, and when Louis told him about this trip)

When Louis re-positioned himself in such a way that it blocked Harry's view from the film, Harry didn't say anything. He didn't care. The best view was the one sitting on his lap.

Just like last time, neither of them made it to the part where Eric finds Ariel. Except, Harry just pretended to be asleep. When Louis noticed that Harry was asleep, but not that he was faking it, he decided to shut his eyes for a minute as well. One minute turned into ten, and Harry knew that he was asleep by the way his chest was rising and falling evenly. Harry's eyes popped open and he stared at the smaller boy with dried tear stains on his cheeks, and he wished now more than ever that he knew what that pang in his chest and stomach meant.

•••

Louis awoke to see Harry staring down at him. He was almost startled, but found it more funny and cute than creepy that Harry had been watching him sleep. He just didn't know what he was doing with his head on Harry's lap.

"Hiya, sunshine," Harry said, smiling.

"Hiya," Louis said, his deep morning voice prominent.

"You fell asleep for about two hours, and halfway through I put you down here so you'd be more comfortable. It's only two, p.m of course, we still have seven hours before we land," Harry said. It was a nine hour flight, and they left at noon, but with the time zones and all, they would be arriving in Florida at two in the morning.

"O-oh," Louis said, realizing mid-word that they were still on the plane, and he still had that panic attack, and he still hated himself.

Harry could see that flash of pain in Louis' eyes, a hint of self-hatred mixed in there somewhere.

"Hey, Lou," he said, his voice softening as well as his touch.

"It's fine. You're fine. Like I said before, I love taking care of you. You're okay, we're okay, everything is okay," Harry cooed.

"I know, 's just," Louis started, pulling himself off of Harry's lap so he could sit on it, his bum replacing the space where his head once was. He was sitting sideways on Harry's lap, facing the isle, but his head was turned so he was looking at him dead on.

"I feel so lame. I feel like a loser, like a child who can't take care of himself. I can't even handle my self on a fucking plane of all things. There are people out there who have cancer, who don't have food, who don't have a family for god's sake and I'm here having a fucking panic attack because I am on a god damn plane. Do you know how many people who give up their lives just to go on a plane? And here I am, freaking out and wishing I was off of this contraption and totally being a fucking child who can't take care of his damn self," Louis finished, tears sliding down his face in frustration.

"Louis," Harry said, rubbing Louis' back. "It's not your fault. You can't control what you have an attack over. Hell, I once had a panic attack because my refrigerator broke and I didn't want the food to get spoiled because it would be too much money for Mum to pay for. Lou, you're not lame, or a loser, or a child. You can take care of yourself, we all just sometimes need someone to help us along the way. You're here for me and I'm here for you and that's how it works. We're here for each other."