"Harry, could you empty the dishwasher when you're done eating?"

"Mum, he can barely bend down," Gemma shakes her head. Harry loves when she comes home for a few days. She's always on his side. "I'll do it."

Anne doesn't say anything. Harry mouths a thank you to Gemma before finishing his breakfast and bringing his plate to the sink. "Okay, I'm going to Louis'."

"You're always over there," Anne shakes her head, taking a sip of her coffee. "How about you stay home today? Gemma's home, we could all spend time together."

"I have plans, Mum, you know that," Gemma says, her mouth full. "I told you last night."

"We can hangout tomorrow?" Harry offers. Anne doesn't look satisfied. Harry sighs. "Is there a problem, Mum?"

"I just don't understand why you have to be over there all the time," Anne shrugs. "Is there something wrong with our house?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with our house," Harry has to restrain from rolling his eyes. His mum is trying to guilt-trip him. "Louis' my boyfriend, and he has cancer, so I'd like to spend as much time with him as possible."

"Okay, and just because your boyfriend's ill means you can practically move out?"

"He's not just ill," Harry crosses his arms over his chest. "He has lung cancer, and a 30% chance of making it." Anne finishes her coffee and sets her mug in the sink, her expression not changing. Gemma watches from the kitchen table, glancing back and forth between Harry and Anne.

Anne sighs. "I know you probably feel obligated to spend time with him, because of the cancer and the fact that you're pregnant, but-"

"Him having cancer and me being pregnant have nothing to do with me wanting to spend time with him," Harry scoffs. "He's my boyfriend. We hung out just as much before everything, and you didn't have a problem with it then."

"Because it was harmless before," Anne finally snaps. "And now its like you're trying to play adult. You're not an adult, Harry, and you can't just leave the house whenever you want. You're seventeen."

"You never gave a shit about what I did before I was pregnant!" Harry exclaims. "Louis' mum has supported me so much, much more than you have, and that family loves me, and doesn't treat me like I'm a disappointment!"

"You are a disappointment, Harry!" Anne yells. "How could I not be disappointed? You've gone and gotten pregnant at seventeen. Why couldn't you have just gotten with a nice girl and been the way I raised you to be?!"

Okay, ouch. Harry doesn't even know what to say. "If Johannah's such a good mother, why don't you just move in there? See how much better it is over there, since that whole house seems to have no morals or structure, and clearly they've rubbed off on you."

Harry can't keep his bottom lip from trembling a bit. He swallows thickly before turning around and grabbing his keys off the counter, storming out of the kitchen.

"Harry!" Anne calls from behind him. "If you walk out that door, don't come back!"

Harry leaves, slamming the door behind him.

♛

Harry gets out of his car, wiping the tears from his face and taking a deep, shaky breath before walking to the door. He rings the doorbell, sniffling. It's pouring out, his hair is getting soaked. He knows that if he had texted Louis that he was coming over, Louis would have told him to wait, because the roads are so slippery. He just had to get out of that house.

Jay opens the door, her face softening when she sees Harry standing there, wet and teary-eyed. "Harry, honey," She coos, stepping aside to let him in. Harry steps inside, pushing his wet hair out of his face while Jay closes the door. "Are you alright, love?"

"I'm okay," Harry says quietly, voice trembling.

"Louis' not up yet," Jay says. "How about you come sit with me in the lounge? We can talk?"

Jay is such a good person. Louis' so lucky to have such a great Mum, and Harry's so lucky that she's so nice to him. "Okay," Harry nods, sniffling. Jay leads him to the living room, sitting down on the sofa, and he follows suit.

"Did something happen with your Mum, love?" Jay asks gently. Harry looks down at the floor and nods, biting his bottom lip. "You know you can tell me anything."

"She called me a disappointment," Harry can't get it out without starting to weep. Harry's whole life has been trying to avoid being a disappointment, honestly. He always worked hard in school, and tried his hardest to be kind to everyone. It's why he waited so long to come out to his mum–he was terrified of disappointing her. "A-And she said I can't keep coming over here all the time, and I should've just found a nice girl instead. Then none of this would have ever happened."

Jay doesn't say anything. Instead, she wraps her arms around Harry and holds him tight. "Oh, Harry," She says softly. "I'm so sorry."

"She told me if I left I can't come back," Harry cries into Jay's shoulder. "But I couldn't stay there."

"I know, I know," Jay soothes, rubbing Harry's back. "It's okay, love. You know you're welcome here anytime."

"I'm sorry if I'm a nuisance for coming over all the time," Harry sniffles. "B-But I love it here. It's so much better than it is at my house. I feel loved here."

"You are loved here, pumpkin," Jay leans back so she's looking Harry in the eyes, putting her hands on both of his cheeks. "You're like an eighth kid to me Harry, genuinely. I'm so glad Louis has such good taste."

Harry giggles through his tears, and Jay kisses his forehead. They hear slow footsteps coming towards the lounge, and Louis appears in the doorway, his face melting into concern when he sees Harry's tear-stained cheeks. "Haz. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Harry says, voice raspy. Louis looks to Jay, and she just tightens her lips.

"Okay," Louis sighs, nodding. "Come upstairs and hang with me. I missed you."

Harry smiles wearily. "Thank you, Jay," He says as he gets up.

"Of course, babes," She nods, her eyebrows furrowed, a concerned expression still on her face. Harry approaches Louis, who wraps him up in a hug and holds him close, right in front of his mum. Usually he's a bit more bashful about this stuff in front of her, because he knows she'll tease him. She doesn't say anything.

♛

"It's really not that bad, Louis."

Louis runs his hand over his freshly shaved head, wrinkling his nose. "I look like the tumour they removed from my lung."

Félicité chokes on the water she's drinking, laughing through her fit of coughs, and that makes Lottie start to laugh. Harry leans into Louis' side, tucking himself under his arm.

"You're handsome," He mumbles. Louis rolls his eyes, but he kisses the top of Harry's head, giving his shoulders a squeeze.

"Why is my head shaped like that?" Louis puts his hand on his head again.

"It'll grow back," Lottie snorts. "You've been wearing beanies for months anyways."

"Lottie, Félicité, come clean up this mess!"

"Oh, shit," Félicité pouts, and Lottie just sighs. They both leave the washroom, and Harry and Louis are alone.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Louis asks quietly, turning away from the mirror and putting his hand on Harry's cheek. Harry leans into his hand, closing his eyes and sighing. "You've been quiet all day."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry says softly. He opens his eyes to see Louis raising an eyebrow at him. He sighs again. "I got in a fight with my Mum this morning."

Louis' face softens. He grabs Harry's hand and leads him out of the washroom, taking him to his bedroom and shutting the door behind them. "You've been on your feet too much today, you should sit," He helps Harry sit down on his bed before crossing his arms. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know," Harry looks down at the floor.

"Is that why you were crying this morning?" Louis asks, his voice a bit gentler. Harry just nods. Louis frowns, grabbing a beanie from his nightstand and putting it on before leaning down and pecking Harry's lips. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"You don't even know what happened," Harry furrows his eyebrows. Louis sits down next to him, and Harry leans into him, hands trembling a little from the memory of that morning.

"I'm sorry you have to go through any of this," Louis says softly. "I'm sorry your life is so shitty."

"My life isn't shitty," Harry looks up at Louis, who just looks back at him guiltily. "My relationship with my mom is shitty, and the fact that you have cancer is shitty. But, my life is good. Mostly because of you."

"What's that I smell?" Louis sniffs the air theatrically, wrinkling his nose. "I think...it's cap."

"I hate you," Harry laughs, burying his face in Louis' shoulder. Louis chuckles, wrapping Harry up in his arms and kissing his forehead. Harry sighs softly. "My mum called me a disappointment."

"She called you what?!" Louis' grip on Harry tightens.

"She didn't want me to come over here, and we got in an argument," Harry explains. "She told me if I walked out, I couldn't come back. I couldn't stay there, L."

"Oh, Hazza," Louis buries his nose in Harry's curls, holding him tight. "I'm so sorry. Holy shit. That's terrible. What the fuck."

"Why can't my mum be as cool as yours?" Harry exhales shakily, his eyes becoming watery.

"You know you're always welcome here, H," Louis mumbles into Harry's hair, rubbing his back. "You're sleeping over tonight. You're safe here. My mum loves you, my sisters love you, Ernie loves you. Nothing bad's gonna happen to you while you're here."

Harry can't help it; he breaks down in tears for the second time that day. Louis literally has cancer and he's still making sure Harry feels safe and loved. Harry can't believe he has him all to himself.

Louis pulls Harry into his lap, letting Harry lay his head against his chest. "I love you, Haz," He says softly, kissing the top of his head. "You're okay. Everything's okay." Everything is painfully non-okay, but just because it's Louis that said it, Harry wipes his tears and takes a deep breath.