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harry sat cross-legged on his bed, immersed in the chaos of his bedroom. an array of sneakers lay haphazardly around the floor. the soft glow of his laptop screen flickered in the semi-darkness, the gentle hum of his fan providing a soothing backdrop to his quiet evening.
as he scrolled through his notifications, a headline caught his eye—a new sidemen video had been uploaded: “youtubers control what sidemen eat for a day.” a jolt of excitement twisted in his gut.
he clicked the notification before even checking the time. it felt like eons since they filmed it, but only a few weeks had passed. behind the jesting and laughter on his screen, harry could still vividly recall that sunny day in the park, when friendship was the currency and fun was the purchase.
the scene replayed in his mind like a favorite movie. lush greenery surrounded them, and vibrant flowers danced in the light breeze. trees swayed gently, their leaves whispering secrets to each other as harry, tobi, and george set up to stuff their mouths full of feastables, per mr beast's request.
“okay, so any insight on what's to come?” george had asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. his enthusiasm was palpable, his eyes shining with an energy that could rival the sun.
tobi, with his easy smile and striking features, leaned back on his elbows, his gaze thoughtful. “i’ve spoken vik, and it looks like we’re in for a wild ride today.”
“a wild ride involving food?” harry joked, the hand on tobi's shoulder rubbing back and forth. the playful interaction sent warm currents through him. tobi had that spark, a way of bringing lightness to even the heaviest days.
“are you ready to lose control over your stomach’s wants?” tobi shot back, grinning widely. the expression transformed his face, making him look younger, carefree, and utterly radiant in that moment.
harry couldn’t help but admire him, feeling a flutter of warmth you couldn't quite fully define.
the expression sent a surge of nostalgia through harry, like a punch to the gut.
he thought back to the hours total spent in the car with tobbi, driving to and from the sidemen house. he remembered nights where the music was blaring, tobi subconciously singing along. he remembered admiring the older man, eyes raving over his features. he used to and still does look up to him. tobi, a seemingly always grounded figure in harry's life.
but he also remembered nights where the music was a low hum, a backing track to the conversation that flowed between them. voices ranging to hushed, gentle to loud, boisterous, cut off by laughter.
they talked about anything and everything, and those nights left harry feeling like there was no one that knew him better than tobi. had him feeling like he could compete with josh on who knew tobi better, had him feeling sure that he'd win.
as they dove into the treats, laughter echoed across the park, bright and boisterous, drawing glances from curious passersby. there was something beautifully infectious about their dynamic—an effortless blend of wit and warmth.
harry’s heart raced as he caught tobi’s playful smirk. every joke exchanged seemed to weave a tapestry of memories that would last a lifetime. he couldn’t deny the magnetic pull he felt toward his friend, a spark igniting like the warm sun overhead. the laughter fused with the scent of chocolate, creating a heady feeling.
harry was jolted back to reality as the youtube video started playing, the energy of that day rushing back to him in waves.
harry thought about the unmistakable way tobi’s laughter could carry across the park, wrapping around him like a melody.
as the video played, harry's thumbs moved unconsciously, scrolling through the comments section, a habit that had become automatic over the years. he barely registered the flood of messages, emojis, and hashtags, but one particular thread caught his eye. it was a group of comments gushing about the “adorable moments” between him and tobi. he felt a flutter in his chest, an odd warmth that he quickly brushed off. he couldn’t let himself get carried away by fleeting thoughts—after all, it was just friendship, wasn’t it?
he kept scrolling, trying to focus on the video. but the comments kept drawing him back.
- they’re literally the cutest duo -
- did you see how they looked at each other? goals -
- i need someone to look at me the way harry and tobi look at eachother -
with each comment, harry felt that warming sensation again. he tried to shake it off, convinced it was just admiration for their friendship. nothing more.
then, he stumbled upon a series of comments in a thread timestamped 32:04,
- who else thought it was cute when tobi was snuggled up to harry in the bathtub? -
harry frowned. he hadn’t thought much of the scene when they filmed it; they had all been trying to cram into the bathtub together. and tobi and harry had always been tactile with one another. so it was nothing new to them, yet as he read through more comments, he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.
- seriously, though, that was sooo cute! they looked so cozy together! -
he clicked on the timestamp and watched the short clip again. there it was—tobi, lying comfortably, a soft smile plastered on his face as he lay on top of harry, who was propped against the wall of the bathtub, looking utterly confused yet way too comfortable considering he was snugly chest to back with his best friend.
it wasn't even mentioned in the chaos of the video, not that it would've been anyway. the other sidemen were more than used to it, but the way they both seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces struck him in a different light. harry’s heart raced oddly as he took in the image, the laughter ringing in his ears.
he thought back to the little looks he caught tobi giving him—were they just hints of friendship, or were they something deeper? the more harry thought about it, the harder it was to dismiss.
he shook himself out of this stupor, laughing it off. “this is ridiculous,” he muttered to himself. “nothing bad about a cuddle between friends.” but the truth hovered just below the surface—a truth he had been skirting around for a while now.
the video ended, but harry remained frozen in place, staring at the screen. his mind drifted back to the last few weeks. how he and tobi had spent so much time together, how their conversation felt effortless, and how tobi’s laughter seemed to brighten even his darkest days. and he couldn’t deny the pang of something deeper every time they were together.
his phone buzzed beside him, breaking the spell. it was tobi, sending him a message.
tobs - yo, just watched the new video,people are going mental over the bathtub thing
harry smiled at the brightness of tobi’s text. he typed back quickly,
me - yeah ikr, can’t believe how many people are talking about it”
tobs - i mean, we were adorable, though 😂
tobs - honestly, what’s not to love?”
me - true true
harry replied, feeling a swell of camaraderie wash over him. he hesitated before typing again, his fingers hovering over the keys.
me - they keep saying we’re cute together. you agree?
tobi didn’t reply right away. a moment stretched into an eternity, and harry’s heartbeat quickened nervously. what if he took this too far? what if tobi just saw him as a friend?
finally, tobi responded.
tobs - i think they might be onto something. but it’s all in good fun, right? 😜
harry huffed out a breath, half-relieved, half-disappointed.
me - yeah, sure, all in good fun
he typed back, trying to suppress the fluttering in his chest. but there was a tinge of hope in his veins now, a crack of light in his blurry thoughts.
the conversation flowed easily, as it always did, but harry felt a change in the air. their playful banter shifted into something more profound, as if they were both dancing around unspoken feelings that lingered just below the surface.
tobs - you know
tobs - i’ve really enjoyed hanging out with you lately. it’s not just for the videos, it’s... nice.
harry paused for a moment, his heart racing.
me - i feel the same way. it’s been fun just being us.
tobs - yeah, i love that. we should hang out more, outside all this
tobi replied, the words hanging in the air like a promise.
harry’s fingers trembled as he typed.
me - like a date?
there was no immediate reply, and for a second, harry’s heart sank. had he ruined everything by being so bold? but the reply came in quick succession.
tobs - if that’s what you want it to be, then yeah, let’s call it a date...