The two weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. White pages scribbled with messy notes was all Louis could see when he closed his eyes. He was pretty sure he had confused half of the physics and chemistry formulas, not to forget that he was positive he was going to fail; not a nice feeling when you were about to enter the examination hall.
"Relax, Pet," Harry's calm voice reached his ear. He turned to face the dominant when his hand was clasped in a larger one. "You are going to ace that test. I know it. Don't panic, just take your time when something confuses you. You will do great."
"Thank you, Sir," he smiled, his nerves calming down a bit with the dominant's words. Harry had taught him well, had sat with him for hours and made sure that Louis knew and understood everything. "I promise I will do my best."
"Good boy. I will be waiting right here for you. Alright?"
"Okay."
"Now, go and make me proud."
"I will," he leaned up on his toes and kissed Harry before entering the hall.
-
The test was conducted in two parts; three hours for the first set, a break of half an hour, then two hours for the second set. By the time they were done with the second set, Louis was pretty sure that he was about to give up. Not because he didn't know the answers, he did, and that was the problem. He knew the answers and writing them was making his hand and head hurt.
He pushed through, though. Harry's words going around in his mind. He was going to make his dominant proud.
He saw Harry leaning against the hood of the car when he stepped out of the hall. An unconscious smile bloomed on his face, Harry had kept his promise and was waiting for him. It was silly how the smallest of things made his heart flutter. Deep down he knew that the mere thought of his dominant lifted his mood because no one else had ever cared for him, no one had shown him even a hint of affection, ever. And here was this gorgeous man, making Louis the centre of his universe.
"Hey, baby," Harry greeted him with a kiss, pulling him by his waist, and Louis was quick to wrap his arms around the dominant. "From that smile, I take it your test went well."
"Really well, all because of you. Thank you, Sir," he was grateful for everything the man did for him. Sometimes, he wondered if Harry knew how much he meant to him, how in a short amount of time the dominant had occupied every waking thought and every sleeping dream of Louis.
"Don't thank me, you are a fast learner... and such a good boy," the words whispered at the end made Louis shiver. They hadn't had any sexual contact in almost a week. They kissed, sure, but it was chaste and nothing what Louis had been craving. But he knew, it was for his own good, Harry had wanted him to concentrate solely on his studies until the exam.
Louis was relieved that it was over now. He wanted to submit himself completely to the man, wanted to follow any order that the dominant gave.
"Are you tired, darling?" Harry asked once they were seated inside the car.
Louis' heart skipped a beat at the endearment, he was pretty sure he was blushing wildly, "A bit. Why?"
"I was hoping we could stop on the way to grab lunch, but if you are tired Lauren will fix us something."
"We can stop on the way," he shrugged, biting his lip to hide the smile trying to breakthrough. It had been days since they went out together. Last time, and the only time, was when they had gone shopping. He had loved that experience, to have Harry choosing what was best for him, keeping him close and protected.
The dominant guided him inside the restaurant with a hand placed at the small of his back.
"Good evening, Mr. Styles. We have your table ready," the hostess greeted them before leading them to their table.
"Did you book the table beforehand?" Louis asked once they were alone.
"No, I just happen to own this restaurant."
"What?" He stared at the man with wide eyes, "I didn't know that. You know what, I think I don't even know what your business us about."
Harry laughed lightly at his faux-anger and laced their hands on top of the table. "My business is about a lot of things; hotels, restaurants, luxury resorts. I apologise for not telling you."
"You don't have to. I never asked before."
"I have a surprise planned for you," Harry stroked the back of his hand before bringing it up to his lips and placing a light kiss, "It was for after you passed all your tests, but I am pretty sure that you wouldn't disappoint me, so I think I will let you know."
"What is it?" Louis asked eagerly, a grin breaking at his lips.
"A week at our beach house. We will enjoy the sand and the ocean, no interruptions from my work or your studies. Just the two of us. I can teach you how to surf."
"Our beach house?" He asked uncertainly, as excited as he was about idea of a getaway trip, it always made him nervous how Harry used words like our.
"Yes. Our. What is mine is yours, I mean it. My legal team is in the process of naming everything that I own under both of our names."
Louis fell short of words. It was too much. They were supposed to be enjoying a simple lunch, but suddenly Louis felt like he couldn't take in another breath. What Harry said was too much for him to process and handle. He was saved from replying when the waitress came with their meals.
For the rest of the lunch, he avoided speaking and made an excuse that he was tired.
He did the same once they were back at home and told the man he wanted to rest.
-
Louis didn't see Harry until Lauren asked him to come downstairs for dinner. He had stayed in his room after they came home, avoiding the dominant at all costs.
What Harry had said might not seem like much to someone else, but to Louis it felt like he was suffocating. He had hardly ever owned a decent pair of shoes before he met Harry, and now the man was naming half of his assets to him. He felt like there wasn't enough air around him.
These past weeks he had felt loved and taken care of, as if the world wasn't cruel and had finally given him happiness. But now he felt confused. He never wanted anything from Harry other than his love and guidance.
Did harry think that Louis wanted his money? That he was with him for his luxuries?
It occured to him that the dominant might just think that. He was unwilling to submit at first, and Harry might think that he stayed because of the comfort.
The pillow under his head was soaked with his tears. Everything confused him. He was happy in the morning, so grateful and full of hope, and now he was hurt.
"I'll be there in a minute," he told Lauren after drying off his tears, avoiding her concerned look.
He splashed some water on his face in the bathroom before bracing himself to face Harry.
He could feel the dominant's eyes on him as he took a seat beside him on the dining table.
"That will be all. You can head home for the night, Lauren. Good night," Harry's voice was void of any emotion and it made Louis curl in on himself.
"Good night, Mr. Styles," Lauren replied politely, shooting Louis another concerned look before leaving.
Louis kept his gaze on his plate, his appetite dying the longer they sat in silence.
"Lou," Harry spoke finally, his voice caressing Louis like a feather, "Look at me, baby."
He did. He did, because how could he ever say no to that man.
The sad look in the dominant's eyes broke his heart. He never wanted Harry to be sad, never.
"Talk to me, darling, please. I tried to give you your space when you didn't feel like talking, but I feel like you are shutting yourself away from me. Don't do that, tell me what I did to make you upset."
Louis wanted to say that he did nothing, he wanted to climb into the man's lap and forget that that afternoon ever took place. He wanted to go back to that morning.
But he had to say it. He had to tell Harry what was bothering him.
"I don't want your money," he said, smiling sadly when Harry looked at him in confusion. He never had anything, never owned anything, while Harry had everything. They were two completely different people. "This afternoon, you said something about naming your assets under both of our names. That... that scares me. I have never owned anything in my entire life, Harry. The clothes I had, belonged to the academy. The things I have now, are what you bought for me. I am not- I don't want you to give me more than what I can handle. And I can't handle what you are trying to give me. I can't. All I want from you is to be yours.
"Maybe somewhere in our future we will have things which will belong to both of us, once I can finally stand on my own feet. Once you help me achieve my dreams. But not right now. Not when they are not actually mine. I don't want you to think that I want you for your money. Please, don't give me what I can't handle."
He had broken down into tears once again, the creeping thought of someone buying him and owning clawing at his neck. He thought that he had left those behind, that they wouldn't return and make him feel miserable, but apparently they were waiting for the right moment to grasp his weakness and poison his confidence.
Harry had gathered him in his arms. Louis was grateful for that, because even while sitting in the chair, he felt like the ground was collapsing under him. But here he felt safe, always felt safe in Harry's arms.
"I am sorry," Harry whispered into his hair, kissing his head before tilting his face up to wipe his tears, "I am so sorry to make you feel this way. God, I did it all wrong. I never once wanted to make you think any of this."
Harry carried him to the couch when he couldn't stop crying. He felt pathetic to let his emotions break him down like this, but the tag of being a nobody was shining in bold, red letters inside his mind.
"Baby, you have to believe me when I say that you are my whole world. I am not doing this because of the reasons you are thinking. I am doing this because I want you to be safe, always. If anything ever happens to me, I want you to be safe, I want you to have everything I have, because it scares me like hell when I think about you being alone with nothing if I am gone."
"Stop saying that!" Louis snapped at the man before pushing their lips together, he kissed Harry like his life depended on it. "Stop saying that something will happen to you, it's not helping. You are not leaving me, you are not going anywhere, I won't let anything happen to you."
"Lou-"
"No. Please. Don't say anything," he cried into the dominant's chest. The actual reason of why Harry was naming things to him was a lot more worse. He never wanted to think of Harry dying, never wanted to believe that that could happen.
"Darling, please. Look at me. Don't cry," Harry wiped his tears again, kissing under his damp eyes, "I am not going anywhere. I would never leave you, never. But I have to be practical. In case, something happens to me, I want you to be secure--"
"No, we are not talking about something happening to you. We are not. I am done talking about this," he made a move to stand up but was pulled back into strong arms.
"We are talking about this. You have to become bold and face the truths of the world. It is a scary place out there. Anything can happen at any moment. And I swear to God, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe," Harry spoke firmly and it finally made Louis listen, "It is just a hypothetical situation. If something happens to me, you have no idea how many people there are who will try to bring you down and eat you alive. And I have the power and means to stop that, so I will implement them if it means that they will keep you out of harm's way. You said you trusted me with your life, then trust me when I say that I will not let anyone touch a damn hair on your body."
He gave into the soft kiss, letting the feel of calm and protected wash over him like a cool breeze. It was a welcomed feeling. Harry was protecting him, always protecting him. And Louis had let his insecurities blind him from seeing that.
"I get it now," he spoke after pulling away, resting his forehead against Harry's, "But please promise me to look after yourself as well. I don't think I can survive without you. I know I can't."
"I promise to look after both of us."
"Thank you," Louis smiled through his tears and settled back into Harry's arms.
-
Louis was aware that he was holding onto Harry for dear life. The day had been too emotional for him, for both of them.
"I am here," Harry whispered into the darkness, bringing him out of his thoughts and making him look up, "I am not going anywhere, darling. Don't be scared."
He loosened his grip and kissed the man's lips. "We don't talk about that ever again."
"Okay," Harry nodded with a smile and Louis finally relaxed, snuggling back under the covers and into the dominant's arms.
"Okay."
-
Thoughts on the chapter?
I personally think that this conversation might have brought them even closer.