#like maybe bc it's similar enough to me but an ex protestant hits too close idk

[maraskywalkers]

I don't know why I, a former protestant, have such a soft spot for characters who are ex-catholic but I do.

[avocadolouie]

Hii Uhm I’m going through some shit rn about an abusive (not physically) ex and I’m really down could I ask you to write a Drabble of Lou and H comforting their queer son over a boy? With H as pop/papa and Lou as Dad. It would make me love you to the moon and back twice. Bc I already love you to the moon and back❤️ doesn’t have to be too long :)

alright my friend here we go! featuring your other requests of a sweet boy named Holden around 19 years old coming home from uni heartbroken and being comforted by his wonderful loving parents Harry and Louis. i hope you enjoy it, lovely! ❤️ :’)

“How is he?” Harry whispers from the upstairs hallway, keeping his voice low as he leans into his husband.

Louis sighs, shaking his head as he glances across the hall at their son’s closed bedroom door. “He doesn’t want to talk about it. I’ve knocked twice already and I don’t want to crowd him or anything but…I’m really worried about him, H.”

Their nineteen year old son, who last they heard was having a brilliant time at uni, had shown up at their door step completely unannounced in the middle of the night. And at first, Harry and Louis were thrilled that their son came home to them, but when they noticed the heavy bags pulling at Holden’s usually bright blue eyes, now red rimmed and horribly puffy, they immediately grew with concern.

Holden said all around five words to them before bolting upstairs to his room, locking the door behind him. It’s completely out of character for him, he’s usually so open and forthcoming with his parents. Harry and Louis have never had a hands-off approach to parenting, and they pride themselves on having real, honest relationships with all of their kids.

And out of all three of their children, Holden has always been the most transparent about how he’s feeling. He’s the sweetest kid, a bit goofy at times, possessing the same silly streak as his father, but still so gentle and kindhearted. As their oldest and only son, Holden is incredibly responsible and fiercely protective over his younger sisters, always an active and lively presence in the house when he’s at home and to see him so drawn from his usual self is starting to take a heavy toll on his parents.

“I know babe, I’m worried too.” Harry pulls his bottom lip through his teeth anxiously. “He’s been locked in there for hours—is it wrong that I want to kick the door down just to see if he’s alright?”

“If you don’t do it, I’m about to.” Louis decides, sounding perfectly serious. “It’s his fucking dick of a boyfriend, I know it.”

“Louis.” Harry turns to him.

“What, Harry?” Louis protests. “You hate him too. He’s a total ass and we never liked him.”

“But to be fair, we’ve never actually met him either.”

No, they haven’t met the kid, but from the way Holden described him in passing one time, Louis already knew he was trouble. Holden hadn’t said much about him, illusive in the way he spoke, evasive when it came to details, which was already a clear indication of the quality of the relationship. Every parent wants the very best for their child, that’s a given, but from the moment Holden briefly mentioned him, Louis knew his son deserved better.

“It doesn’t matter.” Louis grumbles, frowning as he continues to stare at the closed door, biting his lip with worry.

“Lou, we don’t know for sure…” Harry tries, wrapping Louis up in his arms. “Maybe he’s just overwhelmed about school or something?”

“Harry…” Louis glances up at him, eyes serious.

Harry sighs heavily then, mirroring the trepidation in Louis’ eyes, already knowing his husband is right.

“Of course I don’t want it to be true, I don’t want to be right. Who wants to hear about how some punk ass kid broke their child’s heart?” Louis’ expression is saddened as he speaks, voice quiet. “And you know he was so gone for that boy…it’s his first real boyfriend—I just don’t want to see him hurting…”

“I know, baby.” Harry nods just as sadly, pulling Louis in closer to his chest. “At least he came home to us.” He tries to look for the positive. “He could have gone anywhere and if he came home, he must feel the safest here.”

“Do something, Harry please…” Louis begs, holding Harry’s hand with both of his. “We can’t leave our baby alone in there, he needs us. Even if he doesn’t know it.”

Harry leans in to press a long, reassuring kiss to Louis’ forehead, trying to ease his worries as best he can. He tugs at Louis’ hand, crossing the short spans of hallway to their son’s room together.

“Holden?” Harry calls gently, knuckles hitting the wood of the door. He keeps his voice even, but impossibly warm and so filled with love. “Hey little H, can we maybe talk for a second?”

“I don’t really want to talk right now, Papa…” A quiet, timid voice comes through the door. It sounds nothing like Holden’s usual bubbling voice and Louis absolutely hates it. And then there’s a sniffle, teary and heavy and awful and Louis swears to god, he’s only half a second from busting the goddamn door down.

Harry squeezes Louis’ hand tighter and Louis knows he shares a similar sentiment, features pulled by creased, worried lines. “Ok…we don’t have to talk just yet…” He answers softly. “We only want to know if you’re ok.”

“We’re just worried about you, Holden…please…” Louis tries, crowded against Harry by the door. “Are you ok, love?”

There’s a long pause that stretches on far longer than either Louis or Harry can reasonably handle, but it’s the small, distant and horribly broken-hearted, “No…” that comes from the other side that really does them in.

Louis and Harry exchange the same exact look, a look of total concern and distress over their child.

“Oh sweetheart, please let us in.” Harry begs, doing a horrible job of keeping the raw desperation out of his tone, but Louis can’t rightly blame him. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, I promise…just let us in…”

Another quiet moment stretches on, Harry and Louis practically becoming nearly one with the bedroom door, pressed closely against it as they wait for any signs of life or movement.

And when Holden finally does open the door, Louis wastes not a single moment barreling into the room, pulling his son in for the tightest, warmest hug he can manage.

“Ugh Dad, you’re so embarrassing, god…” Holden tries to protest, as any teenage boy would, but he isn’t actually fighting the comfort in any way, instead burying his head further against Louis’ chest and squeezing him tightly.

“I know, I’m so embarrassing.” Louis nods knowingly, pressing a kiss to his boy’s mess of curls. “I’ll always be embarrassing over you, no matter how old you get.”

Harry huddles in close to rub soothing patterns to Holden’s back and when the tears inevitably start to fall down his cheeks, Harry’s right there to softly brush them away.

They hold their eldest child, who seems to have been far from home for far too long, they hold him until the saltwater tracking his face begins to slow, until he feels totally safe again.

“I’ve missed you guys.” Holden admits through a whisper.

“I know, H…we’ve missed you too.” Harry tells him. “The house is never the same when you’re gone.”

“It’s way too quiet and there’s no one here to help me anymore when I can’t get my computer to work.” Louis admits as lightheartedly as he can manage.

It’s small, but Holden cracks a little smile at that, further burying his head against Louis.

“Ready to tell us what happened, love?” Louis asks, pulling back just enough to see his face.

“Not really but…” He swipes at his teary eyes and slowly nods his head. “Ok.”

They settle onto Holden’s bed, Harry and Louis flanking him on either side with their arms draped around their son’s shoulders like a cocoon. It could potentially be argued that as parents, he and Harry are far too affectionate, but they wouldn’t dare change a thing.

“You want the whole story?” Holden peeks up at them.

“If you can talk about it, we only want to help you.” Harry says.

“Ok…but…you can’t get mad.” Holden pleads, looking up with wide eyes still lined in red. “It’s hard enough as it is.”

They both nod their heads, vowing to remain as neutral as possible. Even though it’s nearly impossible with the tempers he and Harry have, brought on by any sign of harm to their children.

“I um…well—remember when I told you about James…” Holden starts off slowly, avoiding eye contact with either of them.

Louis tenses automatically and he can feel his husband do the same, both of them already weary of how this story is going to go because both of them already have their opinions of James. It’s the same opinion really, the only opinion, that he’s a fucking prick. But still Louis reminds himself to just let his son talk, not to jump to conclusions and most of all not to lose control of his emotions.

“I never really told you but…we met at a party…my first uni party and I wasn’t even going to go, but I dunno? I feel like I never really do the ‘cool’ thing so I went.” Holden explains nervously, pushing a hand through his flopping curls. “So um yeah, he was there and—he’s popular, like, so popular. Everyone knows him, he’s like the unofficial king of the school or something. I didn’t think he would notice me…I mean he can have whoever he wants but…I dunno…when he saw me, he didn’t look away. He watched me the whole night long and eventually he came over and we started talking—just casually, you know? And I don’t quite remember everything…I drank a lot…because he said I should and I can never hold my alcohol properly, but I really wanted to impress him, so I did it anyway.”

What a fucking predator, Louis thinks to himself, hardly able to control his growing anger and when he glances over at Harry, his furrowed expression indicates he feels the same. Harry glances at Louis, wordlessly expressing his frustration.

Not to be those dads, who are always boasting about their kids, but their son is gorgeous, growing taller everyday with a heap of light brown golden curls on his head and freckles dusting his cheekbones and a wonderfully lopsided smile. But at the same time, he’s so very innocent and genuine in his interactions with people, completely trusting of just about everyone and he’s the type of boy that gives pieces of himself away blindly, wearing his big heart on his sleeve. Holden’s not used to the attention the looks he’s just now starting to grow into will garner, but it’s not at all surprising that the jock of the school noticed him right away.

“After that we started to hang out a lot and he’d invite me to go places with him—places not just anyone can go to and I dunno…I felt special or something.” Holden sighs to himself as though embarrassed about it now. “He was so nice at first…so nice and lovely and sweet, and he said he wanted me to be his and only his and I was really happy because I wanted that too.” His voice starts to get shakier and uncertain as he continues, stuttering every so often. “But t-then he started to get more demanding w-when I didn’t want to do things with him…and he never treated me the same when we were out with his friends. He treated me like…like I wasn’t good e-enough for him and…and…he was always mad at me for s-something—yelling and saying e-everything was my fault even when it wasn’t…and he’d call me things—really h-horrible things…he’d say I was worthless or—”

“He WHAT.” Harry blurts angrily, no longer able to hold back his reactions anymore, clearly recognizing the signs of a toxic relationship.

Holden looks to him and shakes his head, on the verge of tears. “Please don’t, Papa.”

“He didn’t ever hit you, did he?” Harry grits, looking his son in the eye. “Because if he did, I swear to god, I’m going to jail.”

“We both are.” Louis fumes irately. “We’ll make orphans out of you and your siblings right now if that boy even so much as thought about laying a finger on you.”

Holden shakes his head again, but he looks closer and closer to breaking down into tears again and Louis just can’t take it. “N-No, he d-didn’t, I swear…”

Harry’s body language hasn’t relaxed in the slightest and neither has Louis’ for that matter. The very last thing they wanted to hear was that their son had endured such a negative relationship, that he fell victim to the cruel manipulations of an older college boy.  

“I know it probably s-sounds ridiculous and naïve…but I…I thought he really l-loved me…” Holden’s lip quivers and his voice wavers and cracks in the worst of ways and he’s breaking down again before anything can be done about it. “And now I f-feel so s-stupid…”

“Oh honey.” Harry pulls him in right away, attempting to shield him away from the pain and hurt he feels. Holden goes easily, curling into his father’s side as he cries. “I’m so sorry, H.”

Louis’ heart aches for his eldest baby, shattered and devastated held together by his father’s arms. It’s only natural that they wants to shield their child from things like this, but unfortunately the older Holden gets, the less either Louis or Harry can do to spare him potential heartbreak.

“And I wish I d-didn’t care about h-him, you know?” Holden cries, eyes squeezed shut against the material of Harry’s jumper. “I w-wish I never f-fell for him at all—I wish I realized s-sooner that he was trouble b-because now it h-hurts more than anything… and, and I d-don’t want to f-feel this way anymore…”

“I know love, I know.” Louis comforts softly, palm held flat to Holden’s back as he rubs it in slow, drawn out circles. “But you know that nothing that he ever said to you was true, right? You’re worth everything, Holden. Everything and more.”

“And anyone who refuses to see that isn’t at all worthy of knowing you.” Harry continues, arms encircled around Holden’s frame.

“But it’s still ok to feel sad right now, it’s ok to acknowledge that you’re hurting. No matter how it happened or what could have gone differently, he broke your heart and as much as you want them to, those feelings don’t always disappear right away.” Louis tells him, still curled close. “I know it hurts now, love, I know and I wish we could make it better for you, make it all go away somehow. But the best thing you can do is learn from this for the next time.”

“There’s never going to be a next time.” Holden decides adamantly, lifting his head just to look Louis in the eyes. “I’m done with love and I’m done with boys forever.”

“You’re as dramatic as your dad.” Harry faintly smiles, tracing the side of Holden’s cheek.

“I’m not being dramatic, it’s the truth!” Holden defends, sitting up a bit more as he swipes his sleeve over his ruddy face. “I can’t risk feeling this again…it fucking sucks—sorry, I didn’t mean to curse.”

“It’s a very appropriate time to curse, I’d say.” Louis offers him a knowing smile. “It does fucking suck and you don’t fucking deserve to feel so fucking awful and fuck James and fuck his popular fucking jock lifestyle and fuck his shitty fucking friends too.”

Holden smiles, breaking into a watery laugh as he looks up appreciatively at Louis.

“But in all seriousness, there’s so much better for you, Holden. I know it’s really hard to believe that right now, because of how heartbroken you feel but it’s the truth.” Harry promises him. “I wouldn’t lie to you, would I?”

“Yes, you would.” Holden teases a bit. “You would if you thought it would make me feel better.”

“Ok, maybe that’s true…” Harry admits with a grin, ruffling his hair. “But I swear I’m not lying, there really is better for you, little H.”

“It’s true.” Louis agrees fully. “You’re so young, Holden and I’m sorry that this happened to you, we both are. But in time you’ll find another one, a better one.”

“And when you find the right one, you’ll wonder why you ever doubted it.” Harry promises in certainty. “They’ll treat you right and they’ll respect you as much as they love you.”

“But how will I know they’re the right one?” Holden questions uncertainly.

“Because you won’t need to even question it.” Louis tells him, speaking from experience. When it’s right, it’s so right and it’s not a feeling that can be countered or questioned, it takes you completely by storm and it’s undeniable in every possibly way.

“Exactly.” Harry smiles softly, eyes warm as he looks over at Louis. “But in the meantime know that we love you, we will always, alwayslove you and you can always come to us with things like this—with anything.”

“I promise we’ll always be just as embarrassing.” Louis grins and Holden cracks the biggest smile he has in the past hour, his hands laced with each of his father’s.

“Our golden Holden boy.”