In Front Of A Camera

• chapter twenty four •

"Can I ask you for another favor? I know I've asked for so many lately...but tonight's like really important." Harry asked Mitch over the phone, locking himself in the bathroom so Liam didn't hear.

"What is it H? I'm sure it'll be a yes. You know it'll be a yes. It's not like this is annoying for me" Mitch chuckled a little bit.

"Okay...well Liam's going out for tonight and I told him I might have a work thing so the baby will have to go to the babysitters? So I was wondering if you could back me up?" Harry asked hopefully. "You bet...but may I ask the reason you're going to lie to Liam this time?" Mitch asked him with a bit of a laugh.

"Well Louis kind of promised a celebration of my lingerie deal with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. And well...I wanna be able to stay the night and not worry about the well-being of Ev" Harry told him as he stood there in the bathroom.

"I'll say yes under one condition..." Mitch said, and Harry could just hear that he had a smirk on his face by the way he was speaking. "What?" Harry giggled and waited for a response. "You gotta promise to be on your best behavior, you better not get in my car tomorrow with love bites on your neck" Mitch teased, making Harry blush but laugh.

"Okay dad...no promises though" Harry laughed and then they both hung up.

•

Harry spent the rest of the day getting ready because he just wanted to look nice for Louis. It wasn't often that he got to get dressed up. He also never had been this excited for a "date" in his life. Although it wasn't really a date, Harry liked to think of it as one.

Soon the babysitter was at their house and Harry was about to leave. He was wearing something casual but also nice, and then a light dust of makeup on his face.

"Goodbye my sweetie. Be good for Rebecca my darling. See you tomorrow" Harry smiled as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

With that he walked out the door, leaving Everleigh with their babysitter Rebecca who had been watching her every day while they were at work. Then he met Mitch out at his car and got in.

Mitch turned some music on and they started driving to Louis' house.

When he got there Harry got out of the car and waved to Mitch. "Thanks again!" He called as he hurried up the steps and knocked at the door. As he was waiting he turned around and blew a kiss to Mitch as he drove away. He did that with everyone, it was just something he'd always done.

When Louis opened the door Harry couldn't help but grin, Louis had dressed up like him and it just made his stomach flutter. "You look gorgeous...as always" Louis smiled, grabbing his hand and leaning in for a kiss which Harry gladly took.

"Thank you, you're looking pretty handsome yourself. Is that a new cologne I smell too? You smell nice" Harry smiled, having his hands on Louis' chest as they stood there.

"Well thank you" Louis said, kissing his forehead and taking his hand. "C'mon, I promised champagne and chocolate covered strawberries."

Louis led him to the kitchen where there was a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and a bouquet of flowers waiting for him. "Now I realize you probably can't take this big bouquet home without Liam noticing but I figured you could keep them here for whenever you come over?" Louis asked, going to grab two glasses for the champagne.

Harry blushed, smiling so wide that his face hurt. He'd never been celebrated like this before and it felt so nice. He felt like his heart would just burst from love for Louis. He really couldn't see himself with anyone else. He loved Louis more than any person in the world.

He thought he'd known love with Liam.

But he was highly mistaken.

Louis had shown him love like no other.

•

Louis had brought him out to his backyard where he'd laid a blanket out and had a speaker on. He shuffled a playlist he'd made just for this occasion and it warmed Harry's heart.

"I think it's time for a little toast..." Louis said, grabbing the champagne bottle after they were both full on chocolate covered strawberries. He popped the cork and poured two glasses for both of them, handing Harry one and taking the other.

"A toast to the hottest, kindest, most successful person I know. You're literally so amazing Haz, and I'm so proud of you" Louis told Harry, clinging their glasses together and looking into Harry's eyes.

They both took sips of their champagne while holding eye contact. "I love you..." Harry whispered, he honestly couldn't help but saying it whenever he looked into Louis' eyes.

Louis smiled, taking another sip of his champagne. "I love you too" he told Harry as they both sat in silence, listening to the music and drinking their champagne.

After they'd both drank about two or three glasses they were slightly tipsy and all lovey towards each other. They were cuddling on the blanket when Louis heard a song that caught his attention. "I love this song! We gotta dance" Louis smiled, turning the volume up and then standing.

He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him up, guiding him over to the grass. "Love on the Brain?" Harry asked with a giggle as Louis placed his hands on Harry's waist. "I never would've taken you as a Rihanna type of guy"

"What can I say...I'm a man of taste" Louis smiled as Harry hooked his hands behind Louis' neck and they started swaying slowly. Louis started singing the lyrics, making Harry blush and smile as they danced.

Louis spun him and dipped him, all while they were feeling the grass under their bare feet. It was the perfect type of night and they were both so caught up in each other.

By the end of the song they were just swaying again, Harry looking up at Louis. "Thanks for doing this...you're the best ever" Harry whispered, leaning up to kiss Louis before he even got a chance to respond.

Louis smiled, kissing Harry back and hugging him to his chest while Harry had his hands in Louis' hair. They stood like that, starting to make out right there in Louis' backyard until there was an unspoken agreement between the two of them to go inside and upstairs.

•

The next morning was so peaceful, Harry and Louis laid in bed cuddling. Neither of them had many clothes on and they were both in and out of sleepiness. It was so nice and Harry never wanted to leave the warmth of being in Louis' embrace, even when Louis snored or drooled in his sleep.

Harry was scrolling on his phone, Louis just resting his chin on Harry's bare shoulder, his face sort of buried in Harry's poofy unkept morning curls.

Louis was just about to drift off to sleep again when Harry gasped a little. "What is it?" Louis asked him groggily, opening his eyes and looking at Harry's phone.

"The fucking tabloids have already gotten ahold of what my new job is and they're spreading it everywhere. So many people are commenting on it..." Harry said, sounding worried and even a little overwhelmed.

"What are they saying?" Louis asked gently, hearing the bit of panic in Harry's voice so he didn't want to startle him by panicking too. That just wouldn't help anyone.

"A lot of them are positive...but there's a lot of people calling me slurs...I mean...the pictures haven't even been taken yet, let alone released. How can they already judge me?" Harry asked, his eyes welling up with tears.

He'd expected backlash from this, but not this much. He hadn't expected to blow up like this and unfortunately right now he was only focusing on the negative comments and it was really causing him to feel upset.

What if he made the wrong decision?

Hey guys! Double update today! I really hope you enjoyed and I hope you like where this story is going so far! We're really having a fun time writing this! Thanks for reading!
-💜Violet