Scared (L.S)

thirty nine

When Louis showed up to practice that afternoon, he was pissed. He arrived 10 minutes late, first of all, because he couldn't pry himself away from Harry, who had fallen asleep on the couch and just looked so cuddly and inviting. The coach gives him a weird look when he drops his bag on the bench when everyone else has already started passing the ball around in some relaxed drills. They had a game the next day, their first real game of the season, and the coach always went easy on them the day before so as to avoid injuries and soreness.

But Louis had too much anger to pass the ball around casually with the same people who had beat up his boyfriend just hours earlier. So he started running laps around the track. Their normal warm up was two laps, which presumably the team had done before he arrived, but Louis couldn't stop at just two.

After just two laps, Louis felt nothing so he kept running until his lungs were burning and he could tell that the coach was trying to get his attention each time he sprinted by but Louis knew that if he stopped running he may find the kids that had hurt Harry and punch each and every one of them in the face. Or he would cry. And he really didn't want to know which.

It was only when his coach walked directly onto the track and grabbed Louis' arm did the boy stop running, out of breath, lungs and eyes stinging.

"Tomlinson."

Louis glanced around to see that the team was now scrimmaging, but when he turned back to talk to his coach, he caught the eye of one of the guys that had been with Harry. The guy, Ben Louis thought his name was, raised an eyebrow at the sight of Louis before smirking, reminding Louis of the smug look he had had in the bathroom.

"Oh fuck off!" Louis shouted, pulling out of his coach's grasp and storming over to the boy. Although Ben had a good few inches on Louis, Louis pulled on the boy's shirt and socked him right across the face.

He heard a few 'ooh's from the crowd of players around them but Louis took advantage of Ben's startled state and punched him two more times before he was pulled back from someone. Louis was being moved away but he caught sight of Ben smirking slightly, through the blood that was gushing from his nose. This set Louis off and he got away from whoever's grip for just enough time to kick the guy in the balls.

"Tomlinson!" Louis was whipped around by the coach's hand on his arm, but as soon as he made eye contact with him, Louis burst into tears.

Louis could see the hint of panic in the man's face but he was quick to instruct someone to take Ben to the nurse and for everyone else to stay on the field before he guided Louis off, through the locker room and into his office.

It was only once the door was closed and Louis was sat in the same seat he had been in the day before that he let his tears fall. He pressed his face into his hands and tried to take deep breaths, remembering everything that he would have Harry do when the younger boy was upset.

"What was that?" The coach asked. Although his words were angry, his tone was calm and Louis felt comforted, although a bit ashamed.

"I'm sorry," He choked out. All he could picture was Harry, crying his eyes out and Ben's bloody smirk.

"Why would you do that?" Louis just shrugged, he wasn't a violent person. "C'mon Tomlinson, I know you, you wouldn't just do that unprovoked."

Louis looked up at the coach who was running a hand through his hair and drumming the other one on the desk between them. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, Louis," He insisted. "If this was just you beating him up, I'll have to kick you off the team."

"I don't fucking care," Louis groaned, "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Louis," The coach pressed, standing up and walking around the desk so he was right in front of Louis. "Did he do something to you?" Louis shook his head and the coach paused, as if in thought. "Did he do something to your boyfriend?"

Louis stayed silent. He hated every person involved for hurting Harry but he wasn't a snitch, and, above all, he blamed himself.

"I'll be back," The coach said before leaving the office. Louis stewed in silence for several minutes until he returned. The coach sat down on the other side of the desk and the two sat for a moment before he spoke. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, Louis. Some of the players told me what happened and neither you nor your boyfriend deserve this. I've spoken to everyone about it and Ben has been kicked off the team. Anyone else who bullies you, or any one else, will also be kicked off.

"If you have any other problems, Louis, please let me know. I know this all must be very difficult for you but I want you to know that you have people on your side, supporting you."

Louis' eyes shone with tears but he tried his best to blink them back before he looked at the coach. "I'm sorry for punching him but- Harry was just so sad today and-and they don't even give a fuck. They're just fucking, fucking assholes and I'm so-" Louis hiccuped as he tried to hold back his sobs, "I'm so fucking angry! How could someone do that to Harry? He's literally the sweetest boy I've ever met."

Louis sobbed quietly as the coach stood up and pulled Louis up from his seat with a gentle but firm hand. He put one hand on each of Louis' shoulders and forced the boy to look at him. "I'm not going to lie to you, Louis. Life sucks and it's probably going to suck more for you, and for Harry, because of who you are. But you are strong enough to get through it. It's okay to be upset and to break down every once in a while but then you need to get up and stand taller than everyone else. Okay?"

Louis nodded slightly and allowed the coach to pull him into a hug. Louis couldn't help but let out an extra sob because the coach was hugging him and he was the closest thing, other than Anne, that Louis had to a parent.

"Thank you," Louis whispered after a minute had passed, stepping away. "I think I should go home now."

"Okay," The coach agreed, "I already sent everyone home so the locker room and parking lot should be clear."

Louis nodded and walked to the door, saying another quiet thank you before leaving.

When Louis opened the door, he could hear Anne and Harry in the kitchen, quiet but happy voices that made Louis smile. Louis slipped off his shoes and dropped his bag on the floor, entering the kitchen to see Louis at the table, chopping onions and Anne at the stove, sautéing something.

Harry hadn't noticed him but Louis gave Anne a tight smile and approached his boyfriend. He carefully wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pressed his forehead to the back of Harry's neck, taking in the warmth and the smell of his boy. It was everything he needed to end his terribly shit day.

"Alright, Lou?" He heard Harry's quiet voice followed by the brush of a hand over his wrist before the sound of chopping resumed.

Louis pressed a soft kiss to Harry's back before nodding and adding a whispered I love you.

And yeah, maybe Louis was right about the world being terrible and unfair, but maybe Harry was right too, about that being okay.