They woke up early on Christmas morning.
"Merry Christmas." Louis mumbled and nuzzled Harry's neck.
"Merry Christmas. Do you feel like 21 now?" Harry asked.
Louis laughed softly.
"Not really."
Harry didn't make an attempt to move away. Having Louis spooning him was way too cozy. He could get used to it. He shouldn't be thinking that. Soon they would be free of the handcuff and everything would get back to normal. He got a lump in his throat.
"We'll get rid of the cuffs soon." He said, to see what Louis would say about it.
"Yeah, I will enjoy taking a shit by myself." Louis chuckled.
Of course. Harry had hoped that Louis would say something that would indicate some kind of deeper feelings toward him, but here he was talking about pooping.
"Me too."
They headed to the bathroom and brushed their teeth before they stepped into the shower. As soon as the water came pouring over their heads Louis connected their lips. Harry knew that he should stop doing this but everything about Louis made him weak in the knees and he just wanted to feel his mouth on his, his body pressed against his and his hands over his body.
They helped each other get off and then they washed their hair and got out of the shower. Louis was smiling brightly.
"Best way to start the day."
Now Harry just felt cheap. He tried to laugh. It sounded fake and Louis noticed. He just gave him a look but he didn't comment on it.
They got dressed and joined Louis' family downstairs for breakfast. Everyone was excited about Christmas and it rubbed off. Harry decided to leave his problematic feelings for Louis behind for the day and focus on the holiday. Easier said than done. Louis was right beside him, smiling, touching his knee under the table.
When Harry's family arrive at noon he finally got other things on his mind. He hugged his grandparents. He hadn't seen them in so long. They were getting older.
Louis' grandparents arrived as well and he greeted them too. They had to explain the handcuffs to the older generation. It was a bit embarrassing but their grandparents just laughed.
Christmas was wonderful. The food was great and so was the company. Harry looked around at everyone and they seemed to enjoy it. They were all talking and laughing. He looked at Louis just to find him already staring at him with a dreamy look on his face.
"What?"
Louis jumped.
"Nothing."
"You're staring at me. Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked and started to rub it.
Louis giggled and reach out his hand to remove Harry's.
"No, stop it. Your face is perfect."
Was that compliment? Harry wasn't sure but he blushed anyway. Louis looked happy. He was all smiley and pinched Harry's cheek teasingly.
"I think I need to compliment you more often. You're adorable when you blush." Louis said in a low voice so the rest of the table wouldn't hear.
That sounded a lot like flirting. Harry gazed into Louis' eyes to try to find an answer. Louis just smiled at him and looked away, turning his head to the side. Was he blushing? Harry was so confused. Louis acted strangely. As if... No, that couldn't be.
They gathered in the living room when they had finished the meal. Robin "went out to buy the paper" and ten minutes later Santa knocked on the door. Even if there wasn't anyone young enough to still believe in Santa they kept up with tradition.
Robin had a hard time breathing behind the mask and he was huffing and puffing. Anne got worried and made sure that he was alright and Robin assured her that he was. Harry glanced at Louis and saw that he was trying to keep it together. They both burst out laughing. Louis leaned in to whisper in Harry's ear.
"Santa sounds like a perv."
Harry let out something between a snort and a loud cackle and covered his mouth to muffle the sound. Santa only had to give out one present each before he could leave. The twins took care of the rest as soon as Robin arrived with a paper under his arm. Harry reached out and looked at it.
"I didn't know they still sell last week's papers." He grinned.
Louis laughed like it was the funniest thing he had heard in ages. Harry grinned proudly. Not everyone appreciated his jokes.
Watching others open their gifts was almost as fun as finding out what he got so Harry waited. Jay got really happy over the gift Louis had bought him and came over to give him a kiss on the cheek. Then she opened Harry's gift and made another round. He got a kiss on the cheek as well.
After everyone had opened their presents Harry started to tear the wrapping off his. He noticed that Louis had waited as well.
He got the usual knitted socks and gloves from his grandparents and smiled. For them he was Harry, their grandchild. He didn't think that they even understood how famous he and the boys were. Not for real.
He noticed a small box in his pile of presents and took that one next. He read the label to see who it was from. He turned to Louis.
"You bought me a gift?"
"Yeah, you bought me one." Louis smiled. He had Harry's present in his hands.
"I asked my mum to get it."Harry said.
"Funny, I asked me mum to buy yours." Louis smirked.
Harry was dying of curiosity to find out what Louis had got him but he let Louis open the gift from him. Since he had bought him a guitar for his birthday he had gone easier on the Christmas gift. Louis opened the present and smiled. It contained skincare products and expensive aftershave.
"Thanks, Harry. Now, open mine!"
Harry ripped off the paper to find a jewelry box. He opened it. A silver ring with the word peace engraved in black met his eyes.
"Oh, wow! It's great! Thanks, Lou." Harry beamed and looked up to meet Louis' eyes.
Louis leaned in so only Harry could hear him.
"It's my white flag, you know, a promise that I won't go back to my old ways. I'm tired of fighting with you, and I'm sorry that I've been such a prick."
A white flag, a peace ring. Harry was moved.
"I'm sorry too. Peace?"
"Yeah." Louis smiled.
Christmas was lovely. Their families got along so well. Harry's family stayed until nine and after he hugged them all goodbye with a promise to see them the next day he and Louis spent the rest of the evening playing board games with Louis' family before they finally went to bed.
Louis didn't waste any time. As soon as they closed the door behind them to his bedroom he pressed Harry again at the door and kissed the breath out of him.
"I wanna finger you. Can I? Please?" Louis breathed hotly against his lips.
Harry's brain shortcut. He drew in a sharp breath. He wanted that. So badly. His stomach twisted. His legs started shaking. Louis smiled and started to kiss him again as he pushed him against the bed. Harry panicked.
"No!"
Louis immediately stopped kissing him and took a step back.
"No? You don't want that? That's okay. You're not comfortable bottoming?"
Harry sighed and took a seat on the bed. Louis sat next to him. Harry glanced at Louis.
"I don't have trouble bottoming, I think. It's just... It's really intimate and I don't even know what this is, you and me?"
"Oh. I guess we should talk about it then." Louis replied and twisted uncomfortably.
Harry waited for him to continue but Louis kept quiet. Harry opened and closed his mouth a couple of times but wasn't able to form words. It was too fragile. Too scary. Louis sighed.
"I have to say it? Alright. Promise me that it won't affect the band though?"
Harry snapped his head and stared at Louis who looked back at him. He was so vulnerable. Big, blue eyes stared back at him.
"Of course not."
Louis took a deep breath and held it. He sighed again.
"These last couple of days have been amazing, Harry."
Harry smiled hopefully.
"I think so too."
Louis started to ramble nervously.
"I don't know what it means to you, and honestly, I'm scared to find out, but I... Us making out and stuff are not meaningless to me. I'm not using you to get off. I would never do that. I don't want to make things weird between us and if you're not feeling the same as I do that's fine, but then we have to stop this. I've been in love with you for so long, and I know that Simon would be furious if we started something, but I don't care anymore. I've tried to stay away from you but I can't do that anymore, I mean, unless you don't feel the same way. Then you can just forget..."
Harry silenced him with his lips. Louis immediately kissed him back. Harry broke the kiss to tell him something.
"I'm in love with you too."
Louis broke out in a happy smile and connected their lips once more. They ended up having sex that night and they were both emotional about it. When they were trying to catch their breath afterward Louis opened the handcuffs.
"What? How?" Harry wondered.
"They're handcuffs with a safety lock. Look, you just press this thing on the side. You don't need a key." Louis explained.
Harry burst out laughing.
"How long have you known about it?"
"Two weeks?" Louis replied with a sheepish smile.
"And you didn't tell me?" Harry laughed.
"No, then you would have left and my master plan to get you to fall in love with me wouldn't have worked." Louis smirked.
"I have loved you since I was sixteen. You didn't need a master plan." Harry said and rolled his eyes.
Louis looked like he was about to burst into tears any second. Harry caressed his cheek.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm happy and I love you too." Louis smiled.
Harry laid his head on Louis'chest and let out a happy sigh.
"I guess we'll have to thank Niall for cuffing us together."
Louis giggled.
"I guess, but first we'll tell him that the band is done."
"That's mean!" Harry giggled.
"And your point is?" Louis questioned.
"True." Harry said and yawned.
They fell asleep in each other's arms. They didn't know what the future held for them but they were excited to find out. Together.
This had been the best Christmas break so far due to a pair of fluffy pink handcuffs, and they were looking forward to many more. Together.