Work Text:
Even for Harry, ten Starbucks drinks was kind of a lot to carry, especially considering that he also had to keep his security badge, phone, and keys on hand along with a bag of pastries and sandwiches. His fingers were splayed out impossibly, his hands beginning to cramp when he finally, FINALLY made it back to set. He set everything down and was immediately swarmed with people coming to grab their orders, not so much as a nod of thanks to him for being their gopher.
“Oh, the joys of being an unpaid intern,” his one friend on set-- Kate, the previous year’s unpaid intern --said, nudging him with her elbow. “Did you get something for yourself this time?”
Harry shook his head, rolling his eyes as he answered. “Did you forget the unpaid part of the unpaid internship, or--”
“You’re using the company card, right?” Harry shrugged, and Kate stared at him for a moment before sighing. “Baby boy. Sweetheart. You aren’t getting paid, but you do actually work here. Your Starbies gets covered too.”
“I can drink the regular coffee here,” Harry said, gesturing toward a table with a couple of pump pots of coffee and mini creamers. It wasn’t good, but then again neither was Starbucks, really. “And there’s always snacks out, so it’s not like I need to get food from there, either.” Yes, the snacks were a variety of single serve chips and those little powdered donuts, but it wasn’t like he really had the time to eat when he was trying to show off his amazing work ethic.
“I’m ordering you food and coffee tomorrow,” Kate said, poking him in the shoulder. “And I’m going to make sure you actually eat it, too. You’ll get hired on after your internship without running yourself ragged, H.”
“Not worth risking it,” Harry said, backing away before she could scold him further. “Gotta go check with Ryan now, so byeee!”
“Harry!” Ryan’s voice, much closer than Harry would’ve hoped, rang out with its usual sharp tone. “If you’re my assistant, I expect you waiting to assist me, not having a little coffee break with your friends.”
“Yes sir, I have your coffee. Was just on the way to find you.” Harry held out the coffee-- black, no sugar, probably the worst possible thing to order from a Starbucks in Harry’s opinion --and smiled at his boss in a way that he hoped hid his annoyance.
“Right,” Ryan took the coffee and immediately shoved a stack of papers into Harry’s hands. “Call sheet. Think you can handle it without babysitting?”
“Yes. No problem.” Ryan raised his eyebrows at Harry, then turned to walk away without another word, leaving Harry to nod and whisper, “alright, bye then.”
Typing up the call sheet didn’t take Harry more than a few minutes, but Kate had told him not to do things as quickly after seeing how efficient he was his first couple of days, so he took the time to actually look at the list of actors who’d be on set that day. There were a couple of names he recognized, but only one that made him actually nervous-- Louis Tomlinson.
Louis had been Harry’s first and biggest celebrity crush from the moment he saw him starring in his first action film at age twelve. That film had turned into a series, with Louis eventually taking over the role of the Indiana Jones-esque protagonist. He’d done a few rom coms as well over the years and even a few dramatic roles, and Harry had seen all of them. He allowed himself a moment to daydream about actually meeting Louis-- locking eyes across a busy set, stumbling into Louis’ trailer together for a quick, heated kiss --before shaking his head to refocus.
The name right after Louis’ was somehow more distracting.
LT Ball Guy
How he’d typed it without registering what was written was beyond him. He assumed the LT stood for Louis Tomlinson, since that was usually a part of Louis’ branding for the brand collaborations he did, but the other part? That was nothing that made sense. Naturally he had to ask Kate.
“No really, what the fuck is a ball guy?” Kate said, biting back a laugh. “Like do you think he’s got a fluffer?”
Harry rolled his eyes. “This isn’t a porn shoot, Kate. I doubt he’s got a fluffer for a Netflix action comedy.”
“Alright, what’s your guess then?”
“Maybe it’s a typo, and it’s supposed to say ‘Fall Guy,’ like a stunt double? Or maybe it’s a guy who keeps energy balls for him? Bouncy balls?”
“It’s a fluffer, H. I’m so sorry to ruin your innocence.” Kate put a hand on his shoulder as if she were giving him bad news, and he couldn’t help but laugh, deciding to play along this time.
“Well, if Louis Tomlinson needs a fluffer, I’d do it for free. He can call me his ball guy anytime.” Harry looked back at Kate, expecting her to keep up their joke, but instead she just looked back at him with an expression that Harry couldn’t quite understand. Maybe he’d not taken it far enough? “Oh when I say it suddenly it’s too much? I’d be proud to handle Louis Tomlinson’s balls, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Wouldn’t mind the rest of him, either, but--”
Kate squeezed his shoulder harder now, widening her eyes and giving the slightest nod over Harry’s shoulder. And. Oh. Harry spun around slowly, hoping that Kate was pranking him even if it had him on the verge of throwing up at the moment.
But no.
There was the face that he’d kissed a picture of when he was a kid, with those blue eyes gleaming back at him even sparklier than they were in the movies. At least there were crinkles by them, and an amused smile on his lips. There was a good chance this would at least be something Harry could laugh about eventually instead of the worst day of his life.
“Hey Oli,” Louis said, without taking his eyes off of Harry’s face. “This lad’s coming for your job, mate.” Harry chuckled nervously as a slim guy with red hair stepped up next to Louis. There was a bag slung over one of his shoulders and a soccer ball under his arm.
“It’s shit,” Oli said with a shrug. “You can have it.” He put the soccer ball against Harry’s chest, waiting until Harry grabbed it to let go. “Always has to win, even in a kick around. There’s no winning in a kick around though, is there?”
“Not my fault you’re not as good a footie player as I am,” Louis said, elbowing Oli before turning his attention back to Harry. “Should we have a little interview then, future ball guy?”
“I’ll take the call sheets,” Kate said, patting Harry on the back before leaving.
“I, um, I’m just the intern?” Harry shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking on his heels. He was almost certainly blushing obviously, and he could feel a prickle of sweat across his brow.
“Unpaid?” Louis quirked a brow at Harry, who nodded. “Yeah, you’re coming with me,” he said, promptly ushering Harry outside. They kicked the soccer ball-- “it’s a football, Harry,” Louis had said after a proper introduction, “there’s no job if you can’t even identify balls correctly” --for a while, Harry surprising himself with how well he kept up with Louis.
They ended up passing the next hour like that, talking and joking around as they played with the ball. It felt a lot less weird than it probably should’ve, but Harry chalked that up to Louis being so easy to get along with. Harry was having enough fun that when he saw Ryan walking toward him, he managed to keep smiling in spite of the look on Ryan’s face.
-
The unpaid internship ended that day, replaced by a job as Oli’s assistant. It came with a pay increase (easy) and NDAs (normal) and a very clear statement from Louis that he was not Harry’s boss, because that could make taking him on a date feel creepy.
One of the first assignments Oli delegated to Harry? Ball guy.