We Danced Anyway [Larry Stylinson // Travel 🖤 AU]

Chapter One: Jason

So there Harry lay, in his childhood bedroom on a decades-old full bed, texting his (hopefully) future husband on a cracked iPhone. Sure, either of his parents could replace it if he asked, most of his own money currently tied up in the shoppe, but he didn't want to ask his mum for favors or give his father the satisfaction.

He hadn't replied to Jason's text before his phone began to ring, so he answered quickly, concerned. Jason wasn't the overly clingy or controlling type. He'd always been very quiet and introverted, happy to let Harry draw most of the attention. He could be a bit bookish and elitist. Sensitive and easily embarrassed, but he loved Harry and Harry loved him.

"Hello?" He asked, keeping his voice low out of habit. Too many childhood nights spent hiding his dalliances from his own mum as if she hadn't known he was gay before he learned to shave.

"Hey babe," Jason's Scottish brogue was always comforting. "What're you up to?"

"My mum's still trying to make me go to my father's wedding in Acapulco next week. Said no."

"You should go, love," he smiled, already missing him. They'd had an incredibly romantic and quite physically satisfactory date on Tuesday before Jason's three-day work trip to Greece. "You've been working nonstop at the shoppe for forever. You deserve it."

"I can sleep when I'm independently wealthy - or dead," Harry joked.

"You sound like an American," he chuckled. "So... my flight just landed."

Harry immediately sat up. Jason hadn't been due to return until tomorrow evening.

"You're back?!"

"Yeah, the meeting wasn't what I thought it would be so I was able to depart a bit earlier."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything is," Jason exhaled a long, loaded sigh, "everything's fine. Just complicated. Work shit." Harry nodded, understanding completely. "Can I see you?"

"It's almost ten, babe. I've got work tomorrow."

"I know. I just missed you and really need to see you."

"Erm, yeah," he stood up out of his bed now, searching for something suitable to wear. "Do you want to come here?" Harry asked. Jason's lease had ended six weeks earlier, but he'd simply put his things in storage and had taken every travel job his company offered. The extra pay was insane - and it would be nice to put towards some lovely and upscale furnishings for their place. Maybe a ring, Harry hoped.

"No. No. I don't want to bother your mum. Can you meet me at The Pug?"

"The Pug? We haven't been to the pug since-"

"First anniversary. I know." Harry felt his chest tighten. Oh my God. "Please? It's important." OH MY GOD.

Jason was going to propose. Oh my God!

"Of course!" Harry tried not to sound too excited. "Meet you in a half hour?"

"Perfect. See you then, babe. Love you."

"Love you too." Harry ended the call and proceeded to scream dramatically into his pillow. He'd been hesitant to move in with Jason without an engagement, worried about getting stuck in an unhappy relationship because moving out was more of an ordeal than just telling yourself you were happy. His parents had been living together at nineteen and only gotten married because his mum had gotten pregnant with his older sister Gemma. Four years later, Harry was born.

He searched around for something appropriate, gleeful with the knowledge that next month, he'd be moving in with a fiancé! He settled on skinny black jeans and a bright blue silk top covered in petite stars with beautiful pearlescent white buttons. His hair was long now - just past his shoulders, but he tossed it around until it had that tousled, wild, devil-may-care quality Harry had been working towards.