Just Hold On // L.T. ✓

15

~Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh oh,

Darling, just hold on~

Just a little under two years later, Louis was in New York. He had done tons of small jobs for Simon, advancing his skills, and he was back for yet another small job.

Simon had been really understanding and kind, following Louis being locked in the closet and saving the North Carolina job. Now Louis usually did two person jobs, and this job was no exception.

Louis spun in the spinny chair, his grasshopper mocha sitting on the table. He was in a conference room in Simon's office, since the building where they usually had their meetings was being remodeled. Louis waited, spinning in the chair, waiting for Simon and his partner, whose name was Ed or something.

"Hello." Someone said, walking into the room. "Am I in the right place? Are you Lewis?"

Louis scoffed, stopping the chair. "Louis, not Lewis."

"Hi, I'm Ed."

Louis' vision stopped spinning, and he saw a red-head holding his hand out. Louis stood and shook it. "British?"

"West Yorkshire." Ed smiled.

"I'm a South Yorkshire man, myself." Louis said, smiling.

"Good to see you two getting acquainted." Simon said, walking in with a smile. "Now do you want job details or what?"

"Yes please." Ed said, sitting down with an eager smile.

"He's a computer guy." Simon said, first of all, to Louis. "Louis' my everything man. He could be a hit man if I wanted him to be."

"I don't want to kill people." Louis said with a straight face.

"What if he stole your sandwich?" Ed asked, folding his hands together on top of the table.

Louis laughed, caught off guard. And then he smiled over at Ed, knowing that they were going to be good friends.

---

Ed and Louis now sat at a club, having a couple drinks together, talking and bonding. Louis had never really done anything like that before with anyone that he'd ever worked with, but Ed was the one who suggested it, so out they went.

"I'm telling you, those were the meanest people I've ever met in my life. They just wanted me off the team, really."

"I could understand that, but that bullying was below the belt. But I got a lot of hate back when I was a teenager and I was trying to get into music. I wasn't what music needed."

"I'm sure your music was good, then. Maybe today it'd be better off?"

"I'm done with music. Rid myself of it. Computers is where it's at, man. Hacking brings me so much joy, it's unbelievable. One day I'll do good with it, but as for now, I just need some money to get me up in the world. What about you? How did Simon get you in his clutches?"

"My mum got sick, my family needed money to live. So I did what I had to do. And now, I guess I like doing it. Gives me a rush. The money's good for my family. My sister Lottie, I sent her to beauty school, and she's releasing a book soon about makeup. She's connected to a bunch of beauty companies, and she's doing what makes her happy."

"How many siblings you got, then?" Ed asked.

"Six. Five sisters and one brother. All younger. Youngest two are three. Lottie's the oldest, under me, and now Fizz has gone off to uni. The twinnies, Phoebe and Daisy, are getting into makeup too, and Ernie and Doris are still very young."

"Big family. Quite a family man, are you?"

"Of course. I'd do anything for my family." Louis said, smiling.

"Can't have too many drinks." Ed said, putting his half full one down. "Got the job in the morning."

"Yeah, I think it'll be a breeze really, as long as you're timing is right and everything."

"Yeah, I've got it down. Everything is set up so that I just have to push a couple buttons at the right times. The computer is in the getaway car. You're a good driver, right?"

"The best, mate. Want to walk down to the beach with me?"

The two of them left the bad New York bar, walking down to the shore. That was the only thing good about the place - it's location next to the water.

The two of them joked and threw stones into the water, the cool breeze sobering them just a bit. "Everytime I'm away, I forget how much I love New York." Louis giggled.

"It's a wonderful and a horrifying place all at once." Ed said, in an oddly poetic way, lending Louis his lighter.

"The music industry would've been lucky to have you, Ed Sheeran." Louis said, saluting him.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Eh, music is probably better off without me."

Louis shook his head. "Never in a million years."