Larry Stylinson One Shots II

...But You Can Be Brave

Summary: Harry bends to fit each and every one of management's expectations, even when it is detrimental to him. He doesn't realize how bad it gets until Louis has to rescue him.

Content Warning
Alcohol abuse

Fuck management and fuck Simon. I honestly don't want a 1D reunion if it means that they'll have to face what the did while in the band (Liam literally said he was happy when the band stopped bc it would have killed him). The boys' happiness comes first always.

-

"Harry, you need to start acting like a man. You're 19, you're not a child anymore," Dennis, a man on the management team, scolds Harry.

"How? I'm just doing what comes naturally," Harry says. His hands are trembling and he is beginning to sweat under Dennis' stare.

"'What comes naturally' isn't going to cut it for one of the biggest boy bands in the world," he sternly replies.

"Sorry," Harry apologizes, then looks down at the glass desk separating him and Dennis.

"Just start being more manly, alright? Pretend you like women instead of acting like one," he scoffs. "Get out of here, you're keeping the bus waiting." He dismisses Harry with the single wave of his hand. Harry wipes his tears, stands up, and leaves the room. He feels exhausted and defeated, and all Dennis did was talk to him.

As he slowly walks to the exit of the backstage area of the concert venue, all he feels like doing is curling up in a ball and crying. Dennis attacked Harry's character, telling him he can't do what comes naturally to him. Unfortunately, he has to change now, because he doesn't want to get talked to again.

"Hey bud, ready to go?" Zayn suddenly appears beside Harry, tossing an arm around his shoulders. Harry quickly looks towards the floor to hide his red eyes.

"Uh, yeah. Is everyone else on the bus?" He asks, mentally cursing when he sounds nasally, thus blowing his cover. However, Zayn doesn't seem to pick up on it.

"Yeah. I was just out smoking, though, then I saw you come out of management's office. Are you alright?" Zayn knows, as do all the boys, that it is not a good thing when one of them is called to management's office alone.

"I'm fine. It was just something about the concert," Harry lies, because a man wouldn't complain about getting told off.

"Oh, okay," Zayn nods. They walk the rest of the way to the bus without talking, which Harry appreciates; he is far too worn out to entertain a conversation. Liam, Niall, and Louis are all lounging on the living room couches on the tour bus, talking about how amazing the show was as they usually do after concerts.

"Hey, baby. Come here," Louis happily says when he sees Harry. When Harry looks at Louis, Louis pats his thighs, signaling for Harry to sit on his lap. All Harry sees and hears is Louis calling him a baby and wanting him to sit on his lap like a child.

"I'm tired, I'm just gonna go to bed," Harry meekly responds.

"Oh, alright. Do you want me to come with you?" Louis asks, frowning at the news.

"That's okay. You can stay up." Harry gives Louis a fake smile, then grabs his toothbrush and quickly brushes his teeth in the small bathroom. At the bunk beds, Harry strips until he is has only his briefs on, then puts one of his pajama shirts on before climbing into bed. As soon as he gets comfortable, he hugs a pillow tightly and begins to cry hot, devastated tears. He doesn't know how long he is going to have to act "manly" for, he just hopes it isn't too long; he doesn't know how much he can take.

-

As the first full day of acting more manly comes to an end, Harry finds himself more exhausted than usual. He is wearing black skinny jeans, a red flannel shirt, and white Converse, having searched his entire suitcase for the most masculine looking clothes he could find. How do masculine men even dress?