the royal family of the music industry

27. Same Mistakes

Harry Styles, 2021

"How's G?" Harry asks, holding his phone to his ear with one shoulder while making an early birthday cake for Louis. His actual birthday is in two days but Harry already bakes for him since they're not going to be in the castle on Christmas Eve.

Louis set the date of his second festival on his birthday, because he wants to be celebrated by as many people as possible since he always had to accept not being the most important thing of the day for his whole life.

When your birthday is on Christmas eve, everyone is stressed, your siblings get presents too and you're just not the head of the party so he wants to be in the centre of attention for once and Harry can't blame him one bit.

Although, he is still sad that he can't have Louis alone for himself on this special day.

"She's good, a bit stressed with being momma." Zayn replies, apparently having Harry on speaker and playing the guitar while talking to him.

"I told you, I can always come and babysit Khai and you can have a romantic date night." Harry says, adding more flour to the dough.

"But you're in England. Or should I say." Zayn makes a dramatic pause. "Half the world away."

Harry bursts out laughing, causing the phone to slip from his shoulder and almost fall into the bowl, but he catches it on time.

When he puts it back against his ear, not quite recovered from his laugh attack yet, Zayn is also chuckling.

"Isn't it funny how we are so good friends, without even talking once in one D?"

"Harry." Zayn says, his voice suddenly serious.

"I'm joking Z." Harry chuckles and waves it of, even though they're not on FaceTime.

Actually, he had been really hurt by it when he first saw the headlines about Zayn telling the press that he apparently "never really talked to Harry". But then he had called him and they talked it through for a while.

Back then, Zayn had been forced to say bad stuff about the other lads to get publicity and to be noticed for his first solo album. It hadn't been easy for any of them, and it most certainly hadn't been easy, sitting on Harry's bed with Liam, Louis and Niall listening to mind of mine and a few offensive songs about made up drama between them that never actually took place.

Zayn is way too quiet at the end of the line, even his chords stopped.

"I'm really joking, mate." Harry assures. "Look." He adds and requests a FaceTime, which is immediately accepted, Zayn appearing on his phone screen with a guitar and Khai in his lap.

"Hellooo." Harry waves her and she giggles into her father's sleeve.
"We talked about it, it was really just a joke. Pay back for making fun of my very emotional song."

Zayn laughs again at that and Harry grins successfully, setting his phone against a bottle of water to use both hands. 

"Are you baking again?"

"Yep. Lou's birthday."

"Right." Zayn takes a breath. "Have you talked about this thing yet?"

Harry stops his movements and sets the baking tools down. "No."

After what happened in the forest, every time the topic came across Louis successfully brushed it off and they never had this conversation.

Zayn hums. "But you want to have the talk." He asks, saying it more like a statement.

"Um, yes I think so."

Harry doesn't know what he wants.

He wants to be free, wants to out himself and wants to confirm his relationship with Louis more than anything after living and loving in the shadows for so long now.