"Breath, Harry, deep breaths," Louis was coaching his friend of a few short weeks. Harry had slumped in the corner of the room, overcome with nerves and coming dangerously close to having a full out panic attack.
Liam, Zayn, and Niall stood back, giving the two boys their space and trying not to put any more pressure on Harry. The poor boy had thought through everything that could go wrong, what if he couldn't remember the words? If his ear piece wasn't working? What if he just couldn't do it?
It was all silly of course. They'd practiced the song hundreds of times, everyone knew that Harry could sing beautifully no matter what. It was the new audience that was frightening to all the boys, they had fans now that they didn't want to let down. People were there to see them, scattered around the TV waiting for their performance. It was nerve wracking to anyone, but Harry couldn't block it out, it was like he was holding the pressure from each and every fan on his own shoulders.
"Lou, I can't. I don't think I-I can do this, I'm so-" Harry let out sob that just about broke Louis's heart, "so scared, there are so m-many people,"
Louis pushed back Harry's curls until he could see all of Harry's blotchy red face, using his thumb to wipe away the wet streaks on his face.
"Harry, we're all going to be there for you, you aren't doing this alone. I'll be right next to you, don't think about anything else. Everyone will be so proud just for going out there. Do you hear me?"
Harry nodded but didn't look convinced. Louis couldn't give the boy self confidence, he had to find it on his own.
Louis sighed, he just had to get Harry on stage. Everything would feel different once they started signing together, he could feel it.
Eventually, Louis got Harry to the couch in the room where they waited. The boy refused to eat a thing, he was only convinced to drink a few sips of water for his throat. It was 20 minutes before they were supposed to go on stage when Harry silently got up and left the room. Louis called after him, asking where he was going, if he was alright, but Harry wasn't listening.
"What happened? Where is Harry going?" Niall asked, his eyes were wide in anticipation, Harry's disappearance was not doing much to help any of the boy's growing nerves.
"I'll go find him," Louis stated, getting up before any of the other boys had the chance. He walked swiftly out of the room and down the hall. Louis checked the rooms as he went, but he had a feeling he knew where Harry went so quietly.
He pushed open the bathroom door.
"Harry? Love, are you in here?"
He didn't need an answer. Two steps in the door he could hear Harry breathing heavily. Two steps farther he could see that the boy had already been sick in a sink.
"Ah, Haz,"
Louis took a moment to rinse out the sink so that Harry wouldn't have to see it when he managed to escape from the bathroom stall. Then Louis went to the second stall where Harry was huddled and knocked on the door.
"Can I come in, Love?"
Harry didn't answer Louis, all he could do was lean over the toilet and retch as his stomach got the better of him yet again.
"Oh, Harry," Louis mumbled, wanting more than anything in that moment to be able to comfort Harry's unruly nerves.
He heard the latch on the door jiggle and unlock. In a moment, Louis was behind Harry, rubbing his shuddering back and holding back his previously perfectly styled curls.
"Hey, hey, you're okay, I'm here. I'm right here for you. It's going to be okay," Louis told the suddenly ill boy. God, he hoped he was doing an okay job at comforting him. He didn't know Harry well enough yet to know what made him feel better. What if he just wanted to be alone? After all, he'd left so quietly; was Louis over stepping his bounds? He hoped he wasn't.
When the vomiting stopped, which in the end hadn't taken that long, Harry collapsed into Louis's arms.
"You stayed," Harry whispered, coughing roughly. For a moment, he strained against Louis's arms like he might throw up again, but Louis shushed him quietly.
"Shh, you're okay, Harry," he said, an then, "of course I stayed,"
Harry smiled a little and relaxed, for a short moment forgetting about their performance just minutes away.
"You need to drink something."
Harry groaned, pushing his head against Lou's chest.
"I can't have a lot. I don't think I could hold much of anything down right now." Harry's eyes were closed. He was pale. Too pale, in Louis's opinion.
"God, I'm so sick to my stomach," he continued. Louis wished he could be more helpful.
"Are you going to be okay?"
Harry didn't need to hear the rest of the question.
Was he going to be ready to perform?
Harry nodded. He had to be ready.
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This one is a bit shorter:) Oooooh Larry.
Thank you for reading!