New years go's by and Louis just sticks to his apartment, the boys text back and forth with him and he's relieved they didn't hold him leaving against him.

Louis starts back at work in three days and he's dreading it, he hates the owner of the company Dan, he's an arrogant jerk, if Louis had known about him when he went for the interview he would never have taken the job, now he feels completely trapped. It's like they keep him there on minimum pay, and no hands on designing, under the gies of teaching, knowing perfectly well he has no resume to take to another firm.

Louis has worked on a few designs himself, put together a portfolio, but nothing he's designed has been for anything that moved forward, he doesn't think anyone will hire him, especially since he's been at Smith and Leon for two years And has nothing to show for it.

Louis worked up the courage to use his dads drawing desk and has spent most of his days and nights drawing, it centres Louis and calms him and knowing he's using his dads desk makes it that much more special.

He decides on a whim to just send his application off to some other firms, including HS & Wolf. What does he have to lose. He packages some designs and his mood boards, as well as his cover letter and resume. If nothing comes of it, then nothing comes of it, but if there is even a slight chance he can get away from Dan and Jax, who is Louis direct supervisor, he will take it.

Louis never told the boys, or anyone but he's pretty sure your boss's aren't meant to harass and physically assault you. It's only been a few times but Louis thought he was just being precious and needed to suck it up. He just hopes it stops in the new year. They have a new intern starting, Rhys, and Louis hopes he can at least design something now, move up the ranks like he should be.

He hasn't heard from Harry and Scott at all, he's pretty sure they got the message, even though he's terribly sad about it and now has some sort of growing ache in his chest when he thinks of them. He misses them, and he's only spent one night with them, known them for a few days. It doesn't make sense but no matter how hard he tries to push it all aside, the ache grows daily.

Louis grabs a coffee on the way home from posting his latest resume off, coffee and toast is about all he's been living off, his anxiety over harry and Scott, the boys and going back to work just plague his mind and he can't stomach much food.

its freezing out, and Louis is thankful when he reaches home, he is just unlocking his door when he notices a package on the doorstep, its addressed to him. He picks it up and brings it inside. He goes to get out of his wet clothes and into his comfy sweats before he's sitting on the couch and unboxing the package.

Inside the brown box, is a neatly wrapped present, and a card. He's confused, he opens the card first.

Dear Lou,

We didn't get the chance to give you this for your birthday. We wanted you to have it and really hope you like it, unfortunately it can't be returned, but maybe you can give it back to us this year at Christmas time, if you don't like it 😉

Happy Birthday

Love,

Harry and Scott x

Louis insides go crazy, the fact they are still being kind and even bothered to send him something means the world, they are even joking around with him and Louis again can't help the smile that comes across his face.

He opens the present and inside is the most beautiful, drawing set, one he's had his eye on for a year now. He'd never told anyone he'd wanted it, how did they know. Despite himself he grabs his phone out of his pocket and sends a text to their group chat.

"Thank you so much for my birthday present, how did you know I have been wanting that exact set, I've literally been wanting it for over a year " Louis says.

"We're glad you like it, we thought of you as soon as we saw it" Scott writes.

"We hope it helps you create something amazing" Harry says.

"I don't know about that, but I absolutely love it, thank you" Louis says.

"We have no doubt you'll do amazing things Louis, you should apply to that firm again, we have a good feeling about it" Scott says.

"Maybe" Louis responds.

He doesn't get a response back but he's so flawed that Harry and Scott know him so well. He ends up spending his afternoon drawing and again, he has a warmth inside him that grows just a little bit more . 

....

Work starts back two days later and as it turned out, his anxious thoughts were right, work is still hell. Dan and Jax single him out when showing the intern what not to do, it's their words that hurt, calling him pretty much incompetent in front of the entire office. If he didn't need the money and thought he was good enough to get a job somewhere else, he would walk out.

"Louis, can you get Rhys here a coffee please?" Jax asks condescendingly as he shows Rhys a few sketches they've been working on.

"Black no sugar" Rhys announces.

Louis rolls his eyes, Rhys is about 26, a bit old to be starting an internship, but who is Louis to judge. He does as he's told, looks like he will be staying at the bottom by the sounds of it.
Rhys has been shown more in his first three days then Louis was shown in his first year at the company.

Louis deposits Rhys's coffee on the table and turns to leave.

"Louis, Dan and I would like to see you in his office please" Jax then says.

Louis looks to Jax curiously before he's heading to Dans office.

Once inside, Louis is met with an angry looking Dan, Jax walks in behind him and closes the door. The blinds to the office are already down and no one can see in, which makes Louis a little nervous.

Dan is quite big, about 32 with an arrogant persona, he's not terrible looking but he thinks he's gods gift to women and men and acts like he's the most important person on the planet.

Jax is no better, he's slightly shorter than Dan and has curly blonde hair, the way Dan and he hype each other up and make excuses for their poor behaviour irks Louis to no end, but he just tries to ignore them and get on with everything.

"So Louis, Jax and I have been discussing your progress here at the firm and we still don't think you're ready to start designing" Dan says.

Louis isn't one to talk back, but this is getting ridiculous.

"Are you serious?" Louis asks.

"Very, you're just not impressing me at all" Dan says.

"Because you don't let me do anything except watch and get coffee" Louis deadpans.

"You haven't shown you're ready to move forward and design Louis"Jax says angrily.

"I ask to draw all the time, I've submitted drawings to you for clients, just to show that I'm thinking about their designs too, I stay late most nights even though I'm just supposed to watch you design. I don't think that's a fair thing to say" Louis says.

His heart is beating fast, he hates confrontation but he needs to stand up for himself right now.

"You don't think we are being fair?" Dan asks as he gets up and walks close to Louis, until he's face to face with him. Louis has to look up as Dan towers over him, Louis won't back down though.

"No, you're letting Rhys draw and he's been here three days" Louis protests.

Suddenly he's pushed back into the wall of the office, it happens quickly and he's grabbed by the collar and shoved into the wall.

"If you want to keep your job here Louis, you will not question how we run this firm" Dan tells him.

"Maybe I don't want to keep my job here" Louis says, he panics internally after admitting that to his boss.

"You ungrateful twat, after all we've don't for you here, I can tell you now, I will pick up that phone and you won't get another job with another firm in London.Your name will be mud, you have zero power here Louis. I think you need to remember that and remember who's in charge" Dan spits and he pushes Louis harder into the wall.

He then releases Louis,

Louis looks looks between Jax and Dan.

"Now, we are going to forget you said that, you're going to go back out there and remember  who's in charge and who you report to. If you want to make it anywhere in this industry, you will remember that" Dan says.

"You will also report here every morning at 8am for your check in" Jax tells him.

"Check in?" Louis asks confused.

"Yes Louis, you will now have a daily check in where we will discuss your progress from the day before" Jax tells him.

"Now get out and do your job" Dan says angrily.

Louis sighs, this is worse than he thought. He's shaken up and sore. He walks outside Dan's office and into the communal workspace, he heads to his corner waiting to be told what to do.