Falling In Manchester

Chapter Seventeen - Harry

Harry grinned, placing a kiss on Louis' cheek. "Want me to make you breakfast?"

"Gladly," Louis said, turning his face to look at Harry. "Can we go into the snow after? I have a slide. I know some hills not so far from here. Walking distance."

Harry beamed. "I love that idea. Just remember to dress up properly, that hot denim jacket of yours isn't enough anymore, love.

Louis rolled his eyes fondly. "Whatever. Okay."

Harry hid his face in Louis' neck, hugging him closer to his body. "Can we take a really hot shower also? I still feel slightly sticky from last night."

Louis chuckled. "Sure."

* * *

The hills Louis knew were incredibly tall, icy, and very fun to slide down. They spent hours there, and once they returned to Louis' apartment, they were both frozen to the bone. Time for another hot shower.

* * *

Exams were coming up with the semester ending. That meant that almost all of Harry's time was spent studying for English and writing his ten-thousand-long story for his exam assignment. It left little time to spend with Louis, who also was in the middle of taking God knew how many pictures for his exam, plus writing an essay for it. Harry had one exam he had to show up to, the English one, but for the Author's class, he just had to send in the exam by the twentieth. Louis had no exams where he had to show up in person, only having to send in his photographs and essay on the twentieth as well.

A lot of the photographs he took were of Harry.

A lot of Harry's story for Author's Class was inspired by Louis.

Louis one day jokingly said they were each other's muse. Harry had chuckled, saying he did in fact consider Louis his muse. Then, Louis had blushed a lot, and Harry had kissed all over his face.

On December tenth, Harry asked Louis what he wished for for Christmas and for his birthday.

"I honestly don't know," Louis replied, tracing his finger over Harry's butterfly tattoo. "You don't have to get me anything."

"I'll get you something," Harry said. "Of course I will."

"Alright," chuckled Louis. "I'll get you something as well. So... what do you want?"

"I don't know either to be honest," Harry said. "Guess we'll just have to surprise each other."

"Planning on it." Louis kissed Harry's lips.

On December fifteenth, Louis joined Harry in buying a Christmas tree for his and Niall's apartment. It was a small one, barely reaching Harry's kneecaps, but he smiled proudly at it.

"Are you and Niall gonna celebrate together this year?" Louis asked as they carried the small tree up the stairs.

"Um, no," Harry replied, fishing his keys out of his pocket. "Niall is going home to Ireland as he always does."

"Oh." Louis hoisted slightly up in the tree. "Who are you just gonna celebrate with?"

"Just me," Harry said, stopping in front of his door. "My mom and stepdad are travelling, my sister with her boyfriend. So... just good old me."

"What about your father?" Louis asked.

"Eh, not really in the picture," Harry dismissively said. "At least not enough that I want to waste my holiday on him."

"Sorry," Louis said, casting his head down.

"Hey," Harry grinned at him, reaching over to tip his chin up. "It's okay. You didn't know. Really, it's no big thing. He just... after my parent's divorce he moved far away and didn't do much else than pay child support. I see him once in a while."

"Still," Louis said. "I hate that you're gonna spend Christmas alone."

"It's okay," Harry said, unlocking the door. He shouldered it open, beginning to carry the tree inside. "I like my own company." He said it with a sad tilt to his mouth. Harry had tried, he had really tried, to get used to the thought of celebrating Christmas alone that year, but he just couldn't. He loved everything about Christmas, and he loved making every single one special. But what special was there about being alone?

They laid the tree down in the living room, collapsing on the couch. Louis lay on top of Harry, his fingers moving a few strands of hair away from Harry's face.

"Hi there, Baby," Louis whispered.

"Hey," grinned Harry.

Louis fiddled with the neck of Harry's shirt. "You got me thinking—"

"Oh no—Ouch!" Harry grabbed his arm where Louis had pinched him.

"It was well deserved," Louis said, kissing Harry's cheek. "Now let me finish:"

"I do let you finish quite often."

"God," Louis laughed. "Get your head out of the gutter!"

"Alright, alright," chuckled Harry. "What did you want to say?"

"Well, I don't think you should celebrate Christmas alone," Louis began to say. "That's just... no. So... maybe, like, you know, I would miss you so much over break, so..."

"So?"

Louis sighed, hiding his face in Harry's neck. "DoyouwannacomehomewithmeforChristmas?" He spoke so fast that Harry only caught onto a few of the words, but the sentiment was there.

"What?" he breathed.

Louis straightened his back. "Yeah. I'm sure my family wouldn't mind. They have been dying to meet you." He looked nervous. Harry gently touched his jaw, thumb stroking Louis' cheekbone.

"But... it's so soon, and I don't want to intrude—"

"Baby," Louis spoke softly. "Please come celebrate Christmas with me."

Harry sucked in his bottom lip. "I... I would like that. If your family wants me."

Louis surged in for a kiss.