Work Text:
“...and welcome to the final segment of the show. We are almost done for today, just a few more phone calls and a few more songs, so come on, London, wake up and Bare you heart,” Louis spoke from behind his microphone, cracking his knuckles, sipping on his almost cold brew.
The effect of the after-party that he attended was definitely showing off and he just wanted to fall face first on his bed when he reaches home. He definitely shouldn’t have drunk so much. What was he thinking?
The crimson coloured sky was almost dissipating the hues into the room while the sun was on the course to finally bid adieu for the day. Louis always loved sunset more than that of sunrise, he doesn’t have a proper explanation for the same but he just does. He feels like it’s the perfect amalgamation of the warmth and serenity and brings in that peace of mind. He just like it a lot.
This was one of the major reasons when he was asked for a time slot for his show on the Radio One studio that he chose the time slot during the hour of sunset. Louis feels like it goes with the theme of the show that he hosts. Love. Well, and break-ups as well. But mostly Love.
Louis always wanted to do something that would not just help him express himself creatively but will let him have fun and have the reigns to himself. His one hour radio talk show “Bare Your Heart” is definitely everything that he had wished for. The job pays well, he gets to meet a lot of celebrities, he gets to know new stories of people and also play some songs. The real deal.
Although Louis loves everything about it, the only thing he is not that sure of is probably the title of the show. He wanted something a bit more sophisticated and posh but well, you definitely have got to sacrifice a bit to earn a bit, so he doesn’t mind it much now.
And there he was today, sitting on the chair, hosting the last 10 minutes of the show, receiving his last phone call for the day, his feet perched up on the chair, brought close to his chest.
“Hello last caller... what’s your name and what are you going to share with us?” Louis asks the same question every single time even when he knows it’s either going to be a love confession or a song dedication or someone seeking for some relationship advice. It’s nothing new.
“I, uhh, Hi, Louis...” the voice was shaky and tentative. “My um, My name’s Thomas. I-I just wanted to talk to someone, if that’s okay? Even if it’s for a few minutes.” In normal times, Louis would have simply replied with a snarky comment but he didn’t this time. He understood that the boy was upset. He didn’t want to aggravate the situation.
“Sure, mate. What do you wanna talk about? I am all ears.”
“I just, umm, came out to my parents and well, they didn’t take it well, you could say. I just needed someone to talk to and even though it’s nothing related to love or relationships I just wanted to bare my heart out, as your show title suggested.” Louis could hear a deep sigh from the other side of the call.
He knows it. He knows the terrifying feeling of rejection and the lack of empathy from the closest people when they find out about your sexuality. While all a person wants is acceptance, facing the backlash and hate is simply disheartening. Although Louis’ family has always been very supportive, he had lost so many friends and even relatives when they found out that he was gay.
‘well, they can fuck right off’ his mind chimed in.
“It’s okay, mate. I am always hear for all of my listeners, always here to listen to every single persepective of their life, even if its not just about love and relationships. I am all ears. I just wish you had called a bit earlier, I just can’t hang in anymore today, buddy. My time slot for the show is almost done with, the next show is about t start in a few minutes.” Louis felt so disappointed because for the first time since he started his career, someone actually wanted to talk to him and he just couldn’t spare any more time.
“It’s okay, Louis. Thanks for listening though. Have a good day.” Thomas’ voice was shaky and Louis could sense that all that boy needed was someone he could simply talk to, someone to reassure him. He desperately wanted to bit that one person.
“Take care, buddy. I hope it all turns out okay for you. You are a strong and brave one for speaking about yourself like that. It’ll be okay, mate. I promise.” Louis just wanted to reach out through the speaker and simply hug the shit out of the boy on the other side to let him know that there was nothing wrong with him, his parents are being irrational.
“And the last song of the day... here’s Running Home to You by Grant Gustin... for all the people who are out there cuddled up with their significant other, who are just there laying on the couch waiting for this day to be over with. I personally love this song and I hope you do to. I’ll see you all again tomorrow. Bye bye.”
Louis simply unhooked the headset from his ears, played the song and darted out of the room, to get to the technical division of the office. There was no way in hell that he was going to not talk to Thomas and check up on him after listening to how distraught he was. He couldn’t be that indifferent or heartless.
^-^
‘Can't say how the days will unfold,
Can't change what the future may hold.
But, I want you in it,
Harry’s life has always been a lot hectic since his career kicked off after his first album. He has already released four albums and is finally doing a movie now which is close to it’s release date. Harry has everything that a 23-year old ever wishes for, even more probably. He has every single thing but he still feels like he is missing something, he feels that constant void in his life.
This new song keeps playing on in the background, a faint and unrushed melody intertwined with beautiful lyrics. Harry hasn’t heard this song, it’s his first time but he loves it.
‘All I want to do,Is come running home to you,
Come running home to you.
And all my life I promise to,
Keep running home to you,
Keep running home, To you.’
Harry wishes he actually had someone to go home to. Someone who he could share his goods and bads with. Someone who would be eager to know how his day was. Someone he could be himself with. Someone he could share both silence and chaos with. Someone to call his. Harry just wants someone who would want him for him and not for the fame and money but luck doesn’t turn out in his favour.It’s not like he hasn’t tried dating. He has. But most of them either turn out to be complete douche or simply someone who want to revel in his fame. He wants someone genuine. ‘Just someone like Louis’ his mind chips in.Louis. Yes, the radio host he has been obsessing over for the past few months since Nick forced him to listen to the new bloke who hosted the sunset shows and plays “SICK” tracks. Harry can figure out why Nick would have said that. Louis sure does play some nice songs, perfectly to dwell and compel along with the weather and the mood outside in the city. The first time Harry heard Louis’ voice, he didn’t want that hour to be over. He was so mesmerised with that hoarse yet raspy voice that Harry didn’t really want him to play any songs. Just listen to his voice, just wanted him to talk throughout the entirety of the show. It’s not like Harry hasn’t tried to meet Louis or get Nick to help him with that. It was just that luck wasn’t really on his side, every time he did try to do so, he was either a bit late because ‘Louis just left the building’ or ‘Louis has a day off today, Harry’. And that was that. He just wanted to put a face to that soothing voice, to know if he is tall or short, to know if there are crinkles by his eyes when he smile, he just wanted to know and even Nick doesn’t want to show him a picture because that little shit wants him to meet him face to face and not through a picture.‘Screw this shit’.
“Are you ready to be roasted tomorrow, Mr. Harold?” Nick’s messages comes through breaking Harry’s trail of thoughts.
‘Oh... yes... the interview tomorrow’ How could Harry even forget it?
“Why do I have a feeling that you are going to pull some shit tomorrow?” Harry knows none of the interviews with Nick are ever simple because Nick always likes to put a twist to every single one of them.
“You’ll see tomorrow, Dear Harold” the reply comes in.
Definitely screwed.
^-^
“A heart monitoring game? WHAT?” Harry was finally done with the ‘interview’ part of the interview and now Nick decided to drop a bomb over his head.
‘You are just going to be rigged to a heart monitor and we’ll monitor your reactions to a few pictures’ SIMPLE AND EASY. Nick Grimshaw can go to hell because Harry knows that he is doing all this just to embarrass the boy. Why is he even friends with him? ‘He understands you.’ Harry’s conscience adds.
Harry Styles is officially going to embarrass himself in front of the entire nation. SHIT. FUCK. SHIT.
Nick calls in a specialist to look through setting the leads on Harry’s chest and finally set up the machine to start the game. Harry call already feel the beads of sweat forming on his hairline and even the back of his neck.
‘Deep breaths. In. out. In. out.’
“So, finally all the set up is done and our dear Harry here is hooked to the machine.” Harry barely registers Nick’s voice, his gut coiling in stress and anticipation. “We are going to show you some pictures and monitor your heartbeat for it and see how you react.” Harry barely registers the statement and nods in approval. “Just five pictures.” Nick adds in.
After the fourth picture of a bare Ryan Gosling with a towel wrapped around his waist and Harry’s heartbeat deceiving him sky rocketing to over 90 beats per minute, it was finally time for the final picture. Harry sighed with relief. ‘It was not that bad.’ he whispers to himself.
“So... here is the final picture... of Harry’s favourite pair of Chelsea boots.” Nick was almost ready to fall off the chair when Harry’s heartbeat started rising, the constant beeping of the machine filling the room.
’90... 95... 100... 108... Oh God...’ Harry could feel his already forming blush around his cheeks and all he did was laugh out hysterically to muff the sheer awkwardness his mind was going through.
“And that my friend, is how much Harry Styles loves his Chelsea Boots. Here’s the final song for the day and I’ll see you all again tomorrow, same time and same place. Bye Bye. Thank you, Harold for dropping by for a quick chat.”
“Thanks for having me.” Harry quickly adds in.
Just as they went off-air with the show, Nick was laughing like a maniac, banging his closed fists on the table, his eyes watering.
“SHUT UP, YOU GIT.” Harry was so annoyed with the person he calls his best friend. Watch him not associate with him anymore. “Sure” a voice from his head adds in a mock teasing.
Just as Harry was about to unhook the leads and set himself free off these restraints, the door to the studio opens and there enters a man, a man that can take away someone’s breath with just a single glance. A man who fringe covering his forehead itself feels like the definition of “fluff”. Harry was whipped with just a single glance.
“Louis, my man. Long time, no see.” Nick mumbled while getting up from his chair only to revert his attention back to Harry when a sudden beeping sound covered through the entirety of the room.
Harry didn’t even register Nick calling out his name, too busy studying every curve and inch of the beautiful boy standing right across the table in his loose-fitted jeans and an oversized jumper, the sleeves dangling off, his palms barely visible. CUTE.
He was suddenly jolted awake from his day-dreaming when Nick vigorously shook his shoulders, trying to draw his attention to him.
“EARTH TO HARRY... EARTH TO HARRY,” Nick’s almost shouted.
Harry simply looked up at Nick’s face only to see his raised eyebrows and that signature smirk around his lips.
‘What the fuck happened?’
Nick simply points out to the machine in the back which was constantly beeping. Harry turned around to get to know what was so fascinating only to find the blaring digits “125” blinking in a green light on the machine. Harry simply looked over at Nick and then towards the door where Louis was at. He wasn’t there.
‘Well. Shit’
“Got to say anything, Harold?” Nick asks smirking.
“Shut UP”. Harry was just done with his best friend. And simply astonished at the fact that his heart was literally pouring out of its cavity, the fastened pace of the constant “lub-dub” upon seeing Louis for the first time. He doesn’t really blame anyone, Louis is just so beautiful, and anyone’s heart is going to deceive them.
He just hopes he didn’t embarrass himself too much in front on Louis. That would be a downer because now that Harry can finally put a face to that beautiful voice, he wanted to get to know him better. To know what he likes and what he doesn’t. To know if he like coffee or tea, if he likes a quiet night in or a pub crawl. Harry wanted to know every single thing about the man named Louis Tomlinson.
^-^
“We have our next caller on the line. Hello, lovey... Who am I talking to?” Louis’ voice has been happy and full of joy since the last two days after that awkward interaction with none other than Harry Styles.
He still can’t believe that his presence was the reason Harry’s heartbeat ricocheted to a 125 beats per minutes. Louis smirks to himself upon the thoughts.
This is Harr- Harvey here... hello,” Louis feels like he has listened to that voice somewhere. Hmm, probably just a coincidence.
“Hello there, Harvey... So what do you want to talk about? Anyone special? Or just a simple chit-chat?,” Louis questioned.
“I just needed your advice,” the voice added. “Go Ahead.”
“I... uhh... I played this game a few days back and just around the end, my eyes were met with the most beautiful man I have ever seen and my heart almost plummeted out of its cavity, beating faster than ever...” Wait... wait.. No wonder, Louis knew that voice. It was Harry. OKAY SHIT.
“... and I am kind of unsure what to do. I have been trying to meet him for quite some time now,” and WHAT? “and now that I have seen him, I don’t want to waste any more time. So what do you suggest, Louis? What should I do?” Louis could almost feel the smirk forming in Harry’s lips just by his voice. Louis felt his own lips quirk up to a smile, his cheeks already hot.
“I- Uh- You should just ask them out then, Harvey,” two can definitely play this game. “But do you have his number?” Louis adds in quickly, his palms covering his lips to muffle the quite laugh.
“I was about to ask my friend for the number of that gorgeous boy but I wanted to ask him in person. Should I do it?” Harry was definitely very good at this flirting thing.
“Maybe you should.” To say that Louis was flustered would be an embarrassment. He was enjoying this, really enjoying it.
“Okay, then. Thanks for the advice, Louis. Hopefully, We’ll have a good time.” “We will.” Louis whispers out.
From then on, it was really hard for Louis to focus on rest of the show when all he had in mind was ‘HARRY... HARRY... HARRY’. The remaining twenty minutes felt like an eternity. After finally wrapping up the show for the day, Louis simply placed his headset back on the table and breathed out heavily.
Just as he was about to get up from chair and leave the studio, a sudden knock alerted his senses.
“Come in.” he called out to no one in particular.
And there he was, all draped in a black silk shirt and skin tight jeans, with a perfectly styled hair, Harry Styles. Louis could feel his heart beating probably at 300 beats per minute although it was not possible physiologically.
“Hi.” Harry’s voice came through from the other side of the table.
“Hey.” Louis could feel his voice shake and crack with stress. OH SHIT. DON’T SCREW UP.
“I-Uh.. What are you doing here, Harry?” Louis felt a bit conscious when he found Harry checking him out from top to bottom, his eyes lingering on for a few seconds on each part of Louis’ body.
“Well, someone just advised me to ask for someone’s number in person... So here I am.” Harry remarked his dimples popping out whilst he sported that beautiful smile of his.
“So... Are you going to ask for that someone’s number from that someone?” Louis still to this day doesn’t know why he even tries to flirt when he literally sucks at it.
“Can I have your number?” Harry asks, his nose scrunching up, his smile intact and Louis has never seen a face that endearing.
“What are you planning on doing with it, Mr. Styles?” Louis was almost starting to get comfortable and was in mood for some banter and casual flirting even if he sucks at it.
“Ask you out, maybe,” Harry replied unsure.”Maybe?” Louis teases.
“Definitely as you out, Louis. So can I have your number? I just want to sweep you off your feet, wine and dine you.” Harry adds in quickly, his voice rushed and impatient.
“I am very good with hearts, Harry and if the occurrences two days back are anything to go by, I am sure your poor little heart won’t be able to handle too much.” Louis could see that glint of mischief in Harry’s eyes and he could feel his own stomach doing somersaults inside.
With two quick strides, Harry was just about in front of Louis, crowding him against the desk, their breaths mixing together. Louis could almost feel Harry’s breath ghost over his lips and his knees were about to give out if it continued any longer.
“You might not be hooked to a machine right now, Louis but I can sure as hell feel your heartbeat against my own.” Harry says placing his palm over Louis chest, feeling that constant yet erractic beating of the organ.
Louis didn’t know what came over him but the next moment he was on his tiptoes moulding his lips with Harry’s tasting the aftertaste of some strawberries and a hint of mint lingering somewhere at the back. It was probably the best thing that has ever happened to him. He was kissing Harry Styles and Harry Styles was kissing him back.
“I wanted to do that the first time I saw you two days back.” Harry finally speaks after breathing for a few seconds.
“Me too.” Louis simply adds in.
“About that date then?” Harry asks, his fingers splayed on Louis’ cheek caressing the soft skin underneath his fingers.
“I can’t wait for you to sweep me off my feet, Harry. But i want your heart to beat at a constant rate.” Louis replies only for Harry to cut off his speech with a fervent yet soft kiss.