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24. Love Me When I Don't

Ugh I messed up the chapter numbers again. Evidently this has 31 chapters. Don't ask me how I keep doing that. I'm just an idiot.

24. Love Me When I Don't

When all my sanity's gone, the demons are strong
I put you through hell, you know me too well
But you bring me home, 'cause you always know
How to love me when I don't

I'm too hard on myself, I don't ask for help
When I'm not okay, I push you away
But you pull me close, 'cause you always know
How to love me when I don't

The next day, during soundcheck, Scott eyed Harry, who was watching with an unreadable gaze as he sang the chorus with Kirstin.

They finished the song, and Scott sat at the edge of the stage, watching as Harry approached, resting his hands on Scott's knees.

"Did you write that last song?"

Scott shook his head. "Kirstie."

"You and Kirstie sound quite similar in how you react to stress."

Scott laughed. "Maybe that's why we've been butting heads."

Harry puckered his lips and Scott laughed again, leaning in to peck him on the lips quickly.

"American leg starts next week. You ready?" Harry asked.

Scott nodded, but then he backtracked. "I don't know. I think so. Nervous."

"What about?"

Be honest. You've been trying to be honest.

"It's been easy to hide from my problems when I'm thousands of miles away from them."

Harry nodded, his eyes shimmering with understanding.

"I guess it's going to hit me pretty hard when I see my parents again. When I see the friends who didn't know about the split until after I had left for tour. It's going to be..."

"Reality."

Scott nodded.

"Thanks for staying with me last night," Scott said after a moment. "I didn't remember you crawling into the bunk, but I know that I slept fantastically so you must have been there for a long time."

"Thirteen hours."

Scott's mouth fell open. "Okay, something really is wrong with me."

Harry laughed. "You're overdoing it. Over-exhausted. But that's why I wanted to talk to you. I have a couple of questions."

Harry pulled himself up onto the stage with his arms, the veins in his biceps popping out ever-so-slightly as he did so.

It was unfairly attractive.

"First..." Harry started, looking around to make sure that nobody was around before he continued. "Will you let me take you out tonight before the show? I was thinking an early dinner?"

Scott looked down at his torso, reflexively, wondering if he was looking even skinnier than usual. Harry bumped his shoulder. "I'm asking you on a date, love."

Scott was rendered speechless by the question. A date would be so... formal. What they had been doing was messy... confusing.

"I'd love that," Scott said, unable to emit the words in more than a whisper.

Harry beamed at him, and he couldn't help but smile in return.

"And secondly... I was wondering if we should make our sleeping arrangement a bit more... consistent."