It’s around 1:30 on Monday afternoon and Harry is laying on his bed scrolling through TikTok on his phone. He’s been trying to convince himself to get up and do something all day.
“Come on. Get up and brush your teeth. You’re fine,” Harry whispers to himself.
He sets his phone down on the bed next to him. He has things to do and he knows it. He keeps telling himself that, but he can’t seem to bring himself to do anything about it. He sits up and leans against the headboard. Progress.
Suddenly, Harry’s phone rings and he’s shaken from his thoughts. He glances down at the screen and finds that the caller ID reads “My Love.” With a sigh, he picks up the phone and clicks the answer button. He doesn’t really want to talk to anyone, but he can’t decline a call from his favourite person.
“Hi babe, how are you?” says the cheerful voice of his boyfriend, Louis.
Harry can’t help but smile the tiniest bit at the cheerfulness in Louis’ voice.
“A little better because I get to hear your voice,” replies Harry, gloomily.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Louis asks.
With a sniffle Harry answers, “It’s bad again, Lou. Real bad.”
“I’m on my way,” is the reply that comes through the speaker before Harry hears a click and the room falls silent.
Twenty minutes later Harry hears a key turning in the lock of his front door.
“I have milkshakes!” shouts Louis from the front entryway.
When Louis walks into the room Harry gives him a small smile and says, “My knight in shining armour.”
Louis walks over to where Harry is sitting on his bed and kisses him softly on the lips before handing him one of the chocolate milkshakes that he’s holding. Harry takes a long sip and closes his eyes in bliss as Louis sits down and curls into his side. Milkshakes and boyfriend cuddles might not be able to cure what’s wrong with him, but they definitely help. They stay snuggled into each other, drinking their milkshakes for several minutes before Louis breaks the silence.
Sitting up and looking at Harry, Louis asks, “So, can you tell me how you’re feeling?”
Harry sighs and says, “Like everything is hopeless. I feel like I’ve been doing so well! I’ve been so productive and everything has been going amazing. I’ve had no issues with finding motivation or anything! This hasn’t happened in so long! Then, when I woke up this morning, it was like there was a weight of sadness holding me to the bed. I don’t even know what triggered it! I wanted to call you, but then I changed my mind. I knew I needed to stand up and brush my teeth. I knew I needed to put clothes on and work on writing. I knew all of that. But I just couldn’t, you know?”
Louis nods. He wishes he could take everything that Harry is going through and put it all on himself. He knows that’s impossible though, so he tries his hardest to help the best he can. He doesn’t always feel like he does a great job, but Harry seems to appreciate it.
“I have so much I need to get done and I’ve done none of it!” Harry adds.
“That’s perfectly alright,” Louis tells him.
“Is it really, though?” Harry asks.
“Yes, it is. I promise you. How about you take today and tomorrow as mental health days? I’ll stay with you and help you through it. Hopefully by the end of it you’ll be feeling better. You should also make sure to mention this to your therapist when you see her on Thursday, ok?” Louis says.
“You’ll really stay with me?” Harry asks.
“Don’t be silly, baby. Of course I will. How about we take a bubble bath later tonight? Does that sound nice?” says Louis.
Harry nods and smiles. That sounds really nice. Somehow Louis always knows just what to do. And Louis is always so caring and understanding. He never pushes Harry to do more than he’s ready for. There have been days in the past where he couldn’t get out of bed even with Louis there, so his boyfriend stayed in bed with him all day bringing him things as he needed them.
Louis pets Harry’s hair for a moment and asks, “What can I do for you? How can I help right now?”
Harry looks at Louis with puppy eyes and says, “More cuddles, please.”
“Of course, baby. C’mere,” Louis replies before pulling Harry close.
They sit there for a while, talking about anything and everything while finishing their milkshakes. It’s nice and Harry feels like maybe things aren’t so hopeless. If someone can be this caring towards him there has to be hope, right?
Once they finish their milkshakes Harry sits up and says, “I think I’m ready to get up now.”
Louis beams at him. “Yeah?” he asks.
Harry nods.
“I’m so proud of you!” Louis gushes.
Harry blushes at his boyfriend’s enthusiasm. He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and stands up. He stretches, his joints popping, stiff from being in bed. Louis comes around the bed and takes him by the hand. Harry smiles at him and walks to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Louis stands and watches him as he does it, beaming with pride. He knows how difficult simple tasks like that can be. When Harry’s done they go out to the living room and sit on the couch.
“Want to watch a movie?” Harry asks.
“Only if you let me paint your toenails while we watch,” Louis responds, smiling. He loves pampering Harry.
Harry giggles and nods.
“I’ll be right back,” Louis tells him, standing up.
Louis goes into Harry’s bathroom and opens the medicine chest. He moves Harry’s Citalopram prescription to the side and pulls out a bottle of pink nail polish. Louis smiles to himself because of how proud of Harry he is in this moment. Though sometimes the days are really rough, today didn’t require any kind of medication. On the days that Harry does need medicated help, Louis is still right by his side. He will always be right by Harry’s side. When Louis returns to the living room, Harry has already opened Disney+.
“I kinda want to watch a princess movie,” Harry says, giggling a little.
“Whatever you want,” Louis answers with a smile.
So Harry turns on Snow White and Louis sits down and pulls Harry’s feet into his lap. They watch the movie and Louis carefully paints Harry’s toenails pink before nudging him to change position and proceeding to paint his fingernails. By the time the movie finishes, Harry’s nails are mostly dry.
“I’m going to go run a bath, ok?” Louis says.
Harry smiles at his boyfriend and nods.
Louis goes into the bathroom and puts the nail polish away before turning on the water in the bathtub and pouring a generous amount of bubble bath in. Once the tub is full he calls Harry into the room.
“Are your nails dry all the way?” Louis asks.
“Yep!” Harry replies with a smile.
They both undress and climb into the tub, sitting facing each other. Harry admires his fingernails for a moment.
“You did a good job,” he tells Louis.
“Thanks,” Louis says.
“You being here today has really helped. And everything you’ve done for me-” Harry trails off, getting emotional.
Louis leans over and wipes a tear from Harry’s cheek before gently grabbing his hand.
“Hey, it’s alright. I’m here. I don’t mind doing any of this at all. And it’s ok to take a day or two off every now and then. Please remember that. Taking days for your mental health is super important. And if you want me to come over, I can always come over. I will always make time for you because you are my favourite person,” Louis tells Harry.
Harry smiles and asks, “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
