Words - [deaf!Louis] Larry Stylinson [AU]

Epilogue

Words – Epilogue

If you were to tell Harry that he said he couldn't be more in love with Louis seven years ago, he would laugh at you, tell you it was possible to love someone so much you want to spend forever with them, to want a family with them, to grow old with them.

Louis had been trying to get cochlear implants but he wasn't suitable for them, as he'd been deaf since birth and the chance of it working was incredibly small. It had been quite a blow, hearing he wasn't suitable for the implants but he figured he'd get over it eventually.

Fifteen years had passed since Harry and Louis first met, that day at school when Harry got lost and asked for directions to the right classroom. And to be quite honest with you, not much had changed since that day.

Of course, they'd fallen in love and very much so. Sure, they'd had difficult times but they were still going strong. Naturally, they'd fought multiple times but it had always ended well.

It was only logical that ten years after they'd met, at the ages twenty-eight and thirty, they had gotten married. A year after their marriage, they had found a girl willing to be their surrogate: Lottie.  Gemma had offered as well but Louis absolutely refused to take the risk that their child would be born deaf, like him. So Lottie offered to be their surrogate to which Louis had agreed after a while.

It had been tough, mostly for Louis because he'd been worried sick during Lottie's entire pregnancy. What if something went wrong? What if he lost his sister? What if he lost both his sister and the baby? What if their kid was deaf after all? Of course, it wouldn't be a disaster and Louis would still love his child just as much but he didn't want them to be deaf. He didn't want them to go through the same thing he had been going through for years; bullying, taunting, name-calling and ignorance.

He positively hated it.

And what if he couldn't raise their child properly because he wouldn't be able to hear them cry if something was wrong?

But there was always someone who talked him through the panic attacks and mental breakdowns. Most of the time, it was Harry. Sometimes, it was Lottie, by telling him she could feel the baby kick and that she was definitely going to take after Harry with his long limbs. Lottie believed she was carrying a girl, Niall, Liam, Perrie and Danielle had set their money on a boy and Zayn and Anna were with Lottie on team girl.

To Harry it didn't actually matter whether it was a boy or a girl but Louis was secretly hoping for a girl.

And a girl it was. Two years after their marriage, Alessia Hope Styles was born, completely healthy and her hearing worked perfectly. It had taken Harry and Louis months (and lots of help from Anne and Jay) to find two names they both liked. They had both narrowed down their lists with girls' names to Alessia ('protector'), Hope ('hope'), Summer ('born in summer') and Emily ('gentle'). They had mutually agreed on Alessia and Hope so that's what their daughter was named when she was born – Alessia Hope Styles.

They had also chosen some names for boys but they hadn't needed them. They had appointed Zayn and Anna as Godparents.

Alessia looked a lot like Harry but she also clearly had some Tomlinson genes. Her hair was caramel brown and curly and she had eyes that seemed green one day and blue the other day. She had light freckles and her personality was also a complete mix. She was incredibly nosy and curious but very polite and charming as well.

Right after her birth, Harry and Louis had unanimously decided they'd raise her with both English and sign language. And, if Harry may say so himself, they did a pretty good job so far.

-

"Alessia, where are you?" Harry called and a sigh sounded from the kitchen.

"Daddy, you know I'm in the kitchen making cookies with Dad", she replied.

"Right", Harry said. "Is the kitchen a big mess yet?"

He heard her giggle and Louis was making some noise that sounded a lot like a plate falling to the floor. "Dad! Those are my cookies!"

Harry was just in time to witness Alessia signing quickly to Louis with a frown on her face and Louis signing back with a sad face.

"I'm sorry love. I didn't mean to drop them. We can make new ones?"

"But these were just right, Dad! They weren't brown or black and they were perfect!" Alessia looked a bit mad and a bit angry.

"Don't guilt trip me", Louis said sadly.

"Alessia, be nice to your Dad", Harry said softly.

"Haz, why don't you help us make new ones?"

"Yeah Daddy, help us make new ones!"

And so Harry found himself mixing the dough while Louis and Alessia were sat at the kitchen table eating the few they had managed to save. "You know, when you said 'make us help new ones' I thought you were actually going to help me", Harry said laughing.

Alessia and Louis giggled together. "Of course not, Daddy. You should've known."

"Yeah, Haz. You should've known", Louis laughed.

"You're both menaces", Harry muttered but he knew the affectionate smile on his face was clearly visible.

"You don't mean that, Daddy", Alessia said and God, she looked so much like Louis right then.

"No, you don't mean that. You love us."

"Of course I do but the point is that I'm the one making the cookies now while the two of you were supposed to make them. Not to mention you ate all the good ones."

Alessia came to stand in front of him and gave him the oh-so familiar puppy eyes. "Please Daddy? Dad and I really want cookies."

Harry pretended to think for a while when he finally nodded. "Just because I love you!"

"I love you too, Daddy!" and she hugged his legs.

Even though Harry had been living with Louis for years, he still treasured every day. Of course Louis had bad days – everyone had bad days every once in a while but Harry had always been there to kiss away the tears and tell him he loved him no matter what. And vice versa.

Yes, Harry could definitely get used to days like these.

*** A/N: That's it, my lovelies. The end of Words. No sequel, no prequel, no more parts. Officially the end. Massive thanks to everyone (that includes you, reading this right now) helping and supporting me through the months. It took me 5 months to complete this - from May 9th to October 8th. I'm so happy I finished another thing. Each one of my writings is my baby and now I have to let it go. Kind of emotional, but true. (It will be another emotional moment to put up the check mark which I'll be doing right after I posted this).

I love you all so much for helping and supporting me. I can't ever thank you enough. 

This is dedicated to @Hopieleilani and my Tumblr friend Alessia for their (partly silent and unknowing) support (even though Alessia possibly didn't even know I was writing this fanfic - oops). Thanks.

Last goodbyes are difficult. Come follow my new fanfic so it's not forever? Lots and lots of love, MARLOU <3 ***