Secret Surprises

32.

Louis can see the amusement in his eyes, but nowhere else. "Are you saying you didn't take me seriously, Jake?" He asks back. Jake panics. "No, I-I've always taken you seriously, Up All Night, that is my Sergeant Pepper, my friend." Jake says, breaking at the end. Harry breaks too, curling over. Louis laughs, patting Harry on the back. "I have always respected you!" Jake tries to cover up.

Harry is still laughing, finding Louis' hand with his and feeling a squeeze. "I read that psychedelic drugs had been consumed while making your album." Louis looks at Harry briefly, shocked. He didn't know this. "Now I'm not going to ask what type of psychedelic drugs your stylist was on..." Jake says, laughing. It takes Harry a moment register what he said, but he bursts out laughing as well. Louis giggles, but stops because he is mad Harry for using drugs.

"Any one here your date?" Jake asks, gesturing to Sarah, Gemma, and Louis. "That's my sister." Harry says when Jake points at her. "Oh, your sister, oh good, keep it in the family, no not good, I- um." Jake freaks. "I brought my mum!" Jake says, pointing to where his mother is. Louis is laughing with Gemma about this whole mishap. "Hilary, how is Hilary?" Harry asks.

"Hilary, she's good. It's weird how you know my mum's name, she's over there." Jake says. Harry stands up and waves. "No Harry sit down!" Jake exclaims. "I do have a date, actually." Harry says, sitting back down, taking everyone's attention. "Oh. Who is the lucky lady?" Jake asks, clearly the word that Harry and Louis are together hadn't spread to the celebrity world just yet.

"Oh, umm." Harry sobers up from the slight buzz and turns to Louis, who nods. "C'mon Harold, don't leave us hanging." Jake urges. "This is my fiancé... Louis." Harry says, shakily. Everyone is silent for a moment. Louis fears that they won't like he or Harry anymore..

"Fiancé? When?" Jake says, unfazed that the whole arena is applauding the two lads.

"Well, Harry, Louis. It's been a pleasure, you better invite me to the wedding." Jake says as he raises a glass of alcohol, not knowing what it is. "What is this, apple juice?" He asks as he sips it. Harry takes a sip of his drink to, Louis waits for the outcome, knowing that what Jake is about to drink is tequila.

"Oh god that's tequila." Jake says, Harry almost spits his drink out. Louis burst out laughing with Gemma. "Thank you, that is literally tequila! He has gone off the rails!" He says. Harry stands up, not able to contain himself. Jake hands Lizzo the tequila and she downs the whole glass. Jake starts pounding on the table. Right has Harry sits down, Louis' glass of wine spills onto the table and onto Harry's bright yellow suit.

Harry looks down after Jake apologized many times. "Honestly its ok. I have to change for the performance. Lou, come with me?" Harry says, standing up and Louis follows, during the camera break they can go use the restroom and change.

"Haz, I'm sorry about your suit. That was expensive and-." Louis is cut off when they reach the dressing room. "Don't worry, I have a backup, always do. You should know this by now, Boobear." Harry says, quickly stripping out of the soiled suit and changing into his lace, Gucci jumpsuit. Louis' eyes stay glued to Harry's chest until it gets covered by the clothes.

They make their way back out to the main area, Louis going back to their table, having a perfect view of the stage. He watches Harry go up on the stage and his microphone gets hooked up. He puts his in-ears in and the pianists come and join him. They start the water flowing into the little pool.

"Welcome back to the 2020 Brits Awards." The announcer says. Right after, the beginning chords of Falling start ringing through the arena. Harry adults his mic stand one last time.

"I'm in my bed, and you're not here. And there's no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands. Forget what I said, it's not what I meant, and I can't take it back, I can't unpack the baggage you left." He sings, full of raw emotion. Voice slightly hoarse.

"What am I now? What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling.What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling." He says, each voice crack on the last 'falling' stronger than the one before, full of raw, unfiltered emotion.

Louis is staring, unblinking, feeling his eyes water slightly. He can't believe that this angel performing is his.

"You said you cared, and you missed me too, and I'm well aware, I write too many songs about you. And the coffee's out, at the Beachwood Cafe, and it kills me 'cause I know we've run out of things we can say." Harry belts out. "What am I now? What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling. What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling." Harry sings.

Louis feels a wetness on his hand, he looks down and realizes he's crying. He quickly wipes his cheeks and looks up again, only to meet with Harry's gaze. Harry smiles as he sings the biggest part of the song. "And I get the feeling that you'll never need me again!" He sings. Not missing a voice crack, one beat,or messing up the timing. Louis grins, feeling another tear run down as Harry continues the run.

"What am I now? What am I now? What if you're someone I just want around? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling. What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? I'm falling again. I'm falling again, I'm faalling." Harry finishes up the song. Opening his eyes and finding Louis in the crowded space.

From where Harry is, Louis is smiling, he can't see the proud look on his face or the tears falling down. He's just clapping with everyone else at this moment. Harry bows and and blows air kisses. He turns around and thanks the two women, and gets off the stage.

Authors note.
Hello, this is the fourth and final part of the Brits night. This took a while, and I am so sorry.
Next chapter will be closer to the release of Walls.
My plans for this book are to write the Walls release, hopefully carpool karaoke and then wrap this book up. But I plan on doing a sequel, or a part two, I guess, so dont be upset! Also, thank you for 6.87k reads! Holy shit!
I hope that this chapter includes Louis a lot more than I think it does, ahah.
Four more days.
Date: Sunday July 19, 2020
Time:11:28
WC: 1,704