Okay so I may just jump to the epilogue after this chapter, which means this story is coming to an end. ):
Ps: It does get a little sensitive when Louis brings up a song, so please be cautious when reading. I don't want to offend or trigger anyone. Love all of you.
A towel is around Harry's waist as he steps out the wash room, body still coated in droplets of water. He uses a free towel to dry off his hair, walking towards the bed and sitting down on the mattress. Louis is still in there, drying off, freshening up. After their morning celebration, which followed their somewhat proposal, they showered together, washing off all their troubles of the past and pressing kisses of promises in to their bodies. Harry smiles at the memory of it, Louis' hands on him, rubbing soap into his skin and touching him softly.
Then, Harry remembers. Their friends are supposed to stop by the hotel this morning, following up the celebration from last night with a breakfast, just the lads. There were a slew of messages and missed calls on both their phones when they checked this morning, all asking where they ran off to and if they planned to join. They never followed up. They remained in the hotel last night together, laying in each other's warmth. Harry feels a little guilty about it. The club was his idea. He thought going out with his friends and getting drunk would be the perfect start to his timeless hiatus, but things didn't go as planned.
Fuck. Harry didn't even see his family after the show. Never hugged his mother or met up with Gemma. He completely ignored them all in favor of being with Louis. Everything after the show was such a blurry mess, mixed in with tears and happiness.
When Harry checks his phone again, there's another message, in line with all the other unanswered ones. This one, however, gets him on his feet.
"Louis, the lads are here."
There's something that clatters in the washroom before Louis rushes out, head out the doorway. "What?"
"I told you the guys wanted to stop by for breakfast. Remember?"
Louis purses his lips, glancing up and down Harry's slim and wet torso. "I got a bit side tracked, love. Can't blame me, really." Sighing, he steps into the room, walking up to the boy and wrapping his arms around his waist, pulling him in close. A smile graces his plump pink lips, and Louis leans in to kiss them. "They're a bit possessive, no? I've never been around them as much as I have this week. What possible more do they want with you?"
"Well," Harry sings out, giggling, hands resting against Louis' chest, fingers tickling with the small wisps of hair there. "Considering we ditched them last night, we probably owe them a breakfast." Louis makes a sound and leans in, lips pressing light kisses along Harry's neck. He blows a heavy breath out his nose in response. "But, we did have breakfast already. Sounds useless to go down there."
"So let's stay here. Naked. In bed."
"Louis," Harry whines as he collapse against his body, nosing along the dip in his neck. "Come on. Get dressed. They're waiting."
It takes much reluctance and lots of groaning, but Louis does comply. They've spent the better part of the night and early morning tangled in each other's bodies. It's only a matter of time before they need to civilize with their friends, who they so graciously ditched the night prior. It's the least he can do. Get dressed. Accompany them downstairs. Spend a few hours chattering, then willfully drag Harry back into the room. Maybe back to his own apartment, show him London now in his eyes.
Louis presses a kiss to the top of Harry's head and walks over to his clothes thrown on the floor. It's not ideal for him to put the same outfit on for the third time in less than twenty four hours, but well, here he is.
As he dresses, he realizes Harry hasn't moved from his spot. Turning around, Louis glances at him, eyebrow raised when he sees Harry sitting on the edge of the bed, completely starkers, a gentle smile curving his lovely lips. Once Louis gets at least his bottoms on, he walks over to him, standing between his legs and lifting his jaw up tenderly and just admiring.
In the morning light, it's like Louis' seeing Harry for the first time. All happy and radiant. His skin is soft and delicate, illuminating such a pale milkiness in stark contrast to the dark walls of the room. Harry's glowing. Glowing in a way he hasn't in the entire week they've been together. His green eyes. Bright and open, a beacon of happiness that shimmers in the way he looks back at Louis. The smile he wears, so wide and beautiful, dimples cratering his cheek and crinkles forming near the temples on his forehead.
A sight to behold. All flushed cheeks and warm body. Harry is loved, and he knows he is loved if by the way he looks is anything to go by. Louis can't help but to smile at him.
"You look beautiful."
Harry's cheeks tint even more pink. "I'm naked."
"I know." Louis curls his fingers into the back of his head, scratching his scalp gently. "But I'm looking at your face, love."
"You think my face looks beautiful?"
"Amongst many things," he responds, eyes drifting down. Harry cackles as he slaps Louis' chest playfully, drawing his eyes back up to him. "You look lovely. Stunning. Gorgeous. Happy."
Harry's smile grows impossibly brighter, and he scoots closer to Louis, arms wrapping around his waist. "I am happy. You make me happy, Lou. Always have."
Louis hums, leaning to kiss the curve of Harry's jaw. "I suppose I never realized that until now."
"Does that frighten you?"
"No." Louis shifts to kiss Harry's lips, softly. "You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy."
Harry giggles as he raises his left hand, wiggling the finger with the ring. "Good thing I plan to marry that someone."
"You're a dork." Louis kisses Harry once more then steps away. He continues to get dressed again. "Put clothes on, love. Wasn't you who insisted on seeing our friends, dear?"
Harry rolls his eyes and stands, heading over to the suitcase he has stowed away in the corner. Louis gets momentarily distracted when the boy bends down to rummage through some clothes.
"You sure you don't just want to stay in?"
Harry angles his head around, eyebrows narrowing at the way Louis is staring blatantly at his ass. "Keep your eyes steady, Tomlinson." He goes back to gathering clothes, and once Louis is fully dressed, he watches on more freely. Leaning back against the wall, he crosses his arms over his chest, head tilted as he watches the way Harry's slender body wiggles into his clothes.
The phone buzzing momentarily distracts him long enough to drag his eyes away. There are more messages incoming from their friends, asking where the two of them are. It's coming in back to back, a constant stream of stating they're downstairs and urging them to hurry up. Apparently, the bacon is almost gone. Louis rolls his eyes and opts to not respond.
Harry is dressed by the time Louis sets his phone down and looks up. He's standing in front of the mirror above the dresser, tying his long curls up in a bun. A few stray pieces fly out, and they frame his face delicately. There's a a slight furrow in the way he's concentrating on making the bun look good, like it's imperative all the parts are in the right place. It makes Louis chuckle, and Harry's eyes dart his way in the reflection.
"What?"
"Still can't get over how beautiful you look right now."
Harry's arms fall to his side, head tilting, smile softening. "Please don't ever get over it."
"So. You really haven't been happy like this for the past three years?" is what he then asks, retracting from the wall and walking up behind Harry, pressing to his back, wrapping around his waist. "I hate knowing that I pushed you in to it. There had to be some happy bits, no?"
Harry places his hands on top of Louis'. "I'm happiest on stage or writing music. There has been some good out of it." Frowning, Harry turns around, hugging Louis close. "Don't worry about it, honey. I'm here now. I'm getting out. We're together. That's what matters."
"Yeah but - "
"What is it?"
"I don't want you to ever feel miserable again. What you said earlier I - " Louis blows out a breath - "I worry about what could have happened."
Harry blinks, eyes casting down.
"Harry, I listened to your songs. I listen to you explain what you've been going through. You were living in a constant hell for so long, at such a young age. Did you mean anything when you wrote about talking to angels? Because that freaks me out a bit."
"I mean - " Harry shrugs, a slight grimace to his expression- "Writing's my outlet. It's my way to express my feelings and send a message. Felt like I did a good job on that one." He leans down and rest his head on Louis' shoulder, staring at their pressed bodies in the reflection of the mirror. "The amount of fans that sent me messages about the song is amazing. It's relatable. It's real. It's how I felt at my lowest."
Louis tightens his arms. "And do you still feel that way?"
Harry smiles. "I don't. No." He picks his head up from Louis' shoulder and looks at him, caressing his chin. "Writing the song helped. Like I said. Thinking about angels makes you realize all the things here that are worth loving."
They're interrupted when, once again, their phones go off. Sighing, they separate, Louis walking over to check and seeing an incoming call from Liam. He declines it, but he does walk towards the door.
"Suppose we should join them?"
Harry chuckles under his breath, following behind. "I guess we should. Kept them waiting long enough."
Before he walks past, Louis grabs his arms, fingers gently curling around him. "I love you, Harry. And I hope I can make you the happiest."
"You sound like you're about to propose again," Harry teases, nose scrunching up in a cute way. Louis' heart swoons. "I love you, too. You're already making me very happy."
Louis kisses that nose scrunch and then grabs his hand.
They walk down the corridor to the elevators, joining a few other hotel patrons as they step inside. It takes them down to the lobby, and they step out still holding hands. Their friends already have a table at the hotel restaurant, and Louis leads them over there.
"Well. Well. Well," Zayn sings-songs, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest, eyes casting down to their conjoined hands. "Seems like you two have been busy."
"Busy?" Niall cackles loudly, glancing between Liam and Zayn. "They've been having sex. That's what they've been doing."
"Yeah. Near ditched us again this morning," Liam mutters into his mimosa.
Louis huffs as he looks over at Harry, wincing. "I knew this would happen."
Harry smiles brightly, disregarding all the quizzical looks and drags them towards the empty seats.
"I knew boning it out would be the answer," Niall comments. Liam looks appalled, smacking him on the shoulder.
"Be real though." Zayn leans forward on the table, resting on his elbows. "Is everything good between you two? I mean after this whole week ... Quite questionable."
Harry places their conjoined hands on top the table, thumb rubbing along Louis'. "We're working on it."
"Together," Louis finishes.
It seems like a giant weight is lifted, and all three boys at the table let out a breath of relief. A bit dramatic, come to think of it.
"Thank goodness. Was getting real old watching you two quarrel," Zayn sighs. He tops off his mimosa glass and chugs it.
"Im sure we still will," Louis teases, smirking at Harry, nudging him playfully. Harry's nose scrunches again, and he can't help but to lean in and kiss it.
Niall gags loudly and tosses a wad up piece of napkin their way. "Please. None of that. You should have gotten plenty of that this morning."
"And last night," Liam adds, raising his eyebrows. "Harry, what did you tell your mother when you didn't show up at the end of the concert? Surely, not that you went off to have sex with your ex-boyfriend."
Louis snorts.
"I didn't say anything to her," Harry answers, brows furrowed together in thought. "I think Gemma covered it up."
"Well, Louis made a scene storming out the box. She probably put two and two together," Zayn says with an ever growing smile. He's way too interested in. "Man, the girls have been non stop talking about this all night."
"I think we need to ask the real question," Niall cuts in, a certain sort of mischief in his eyes. Louis is already dreading what's about to come out his mouth. Liam looks like he is too, simply of the fact that he's sometimes way too responsible and modest. "Did Louis uphold the same skill set as in the past?"
"Oh, come on," Liam groans, covering his face, shaking his head in shame.
Harry's entire face flushes pink, and he looks for Louis to help. He simply shrugs, biting back the urge to laugh. "I'm not answering that," Harry mumbles under his breath.
"Was it at least better or worse?" Zayn wonders, brows knitting together in curiosity. "He is older now."
Louis scoffs, offended. "I'm not that old."
"It is quite interesting. Actually. To know if there is a difference." Liam hums as he tilts his head, glancing ahead dazedly. "I should ask Sophia if she notices a difference with us."
"Three years is a big gap from young to old," Zayn adds in, giggling when Louis rolls his eyes.
"Did Louis improve?" Niall continues, eager as ever. "Did he get worse? What about size, did he shrink?"
"Alright," Louis intervenes, throwing the wad up paper back at him. "That should be all the questions for the morning."
"Did he lose his stamina?" Zayn looks at Harry for an answer. "How long did it even last?"
"Do you prefer young Louis or older Louis?" Liam blurts out.
"Sex with Louis is always good. Now and then," Harry finally answers, just to shut them up. "We had sex last night. We had sex this morning. Honestly, I hope we have sex later today, too. It's good."
Silences follows after that, and it's a bit awkward as they all shared glances across the table. Harry sips his mimosa, and Louis clears his throat, cutting through the silence.
"I suppose that's settled then."
"Where are the others?" Harry ends up asking.
The waitress stops by to drop off platters of food, apparently items the lads had order in lieu of waiting for their arrival. Harry stiffens a bit as he watches the others push food on to their individual plates, hoping that this inner turmoil of all the food present isn't noticeable. He ate the muffin earlier and felt semi-okay with it. Louis distracted him long enough to not make him worry or think too much about it. And the tea, a good diuretic to limit his appetite.
But there are eyes in front of him. Glancing his and Louis' way, like they're expecting them to grab some. He feels Louis squeeze his hand, as some sort of comfort, and he relaxes easily, sagging against the side of his body. Louis removes their hands and instead wraps it around Harry's shoulder, pulling him in close. It feels nice. It feels safe.
"Feel free to grab some. We got a quite a bit," Liam urges. "Wanted to try a lot."
Harry sucks in a breath, but Louis beats him to an answer. "Already ate, mate. Forgot about our breakfast plans."
Zayn grunts. "Wonder why."
Harry immediately relaxes.
"The girls had brunch for themselves," Niall answers, drawing back to the question Harry asked earlier. "Plan to meet up later."
Louis makes a face. "I like how you lot keep making plans without my approval."
"It worked out for you in the end, chap." Liam winks.
Louis hums. He's not wrong about that. "What's the plan for later then?"
Niall takes a big bite of his food and then points his fork over at the two of them. "Well, we need to inform them that you two have rekindled an old flame." Louis grimaces. "And then we want to do one last thing with Harry before he goes on his break. I'm sure you plan a big trip away from reality?"
"I sure hope so. You deserve it," Liam says into a sip of his mimosa.
The thing is, Louis hasn't really considered what this means for them moving forward, with Harry's break. They reminded each other of their love for one another last night and this morning. Plan to work through all the kinks in their relationship and move forward on to better things for each of themselves. But ... Harry is on his hiatus now. Free to do whatever he wants. Louis doesn't know how he plays in to that. He hopes during Harry's break they can be together. Strengthen their love and get back to what they used to be, become better than before.
They're engaged now. Supposedly. In a lack-un prompted way. Louis isn't too fond how it happened. He always envisioned himself asking Harry in a very romantic, personal way. Perhaps in the park, where they shared their first kiss. Where they whispered their love to each other under the moon light. So many different versions he's mustered up in his head, and it all fell down to asking Harry in his hotel room, the morning after they've gotten back together again.
Knowing himself, Louis will probably ask again. And again. And again, until he feels fulfilled enough to move past asking Harry for his hand in marriage. It sounds kind of fun. Finding different ways to ask him. In different moments. A surprise. Perhaps he'll ask him again in a couple weeks, when they're off in their own world. Maybe they'll be on vacation together. In the Virgin Islands. Or Jamaica. Louis always wanted to go there. He needs the break, and Harry for sure needs the getaway from reality.
Louis has gotten lost in his own mind, straying away from the conversation that the others have taken over at the table. Harry's laying underneath his arm, and he's a warm body that fills his heart with so much love. However, the sharp gasp coming from Niall does draw him back in, startling him just a tad when the sharpness of his voice cuts through his ears.
"Harry, you're wearing Louis' ring again."
Louis glances down and sees Harry's hands resting on top the table, clasped together, blue Zircon on full display. He smirks, glancing up to catch Harry's eyes. He's glowing again, under the attention of wearing something so proudly of Louis' on his hand.
"I am," he whispers softly, untangling his hands and bringing it close to his chest, caressing it close.
"That's the lil-promise ring he gave you," Niall narrates, like he's trying to understand. "Haven't seen you wear that all week." His eyes cast over to Louis', gleaming.
"I've worn it. You just haven't seen it."
Zayn lifts an eyebrow. "You wore it secretly?"
"As a necklace," Harry answers, blushing.
"I put the ring back on him this morning. Felt it appropriate," Louis adds in, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together. He brings their hands to his lips and kisses across Harry's knuckles. "A promise indeed worth upholding."
"And what's that promise?" Liam wonders, getting excited.
Swear, these boys are way too invested in their relationship. More than Louis would like, honestly. It's both annoying and endearing.
"That we'll marry one day."
All eyes dart to Harry, and he smiles. "Surprise?" They're all still too stunned to speak, and when there is no change to their reaction, swaying one way or the next, Harry slumps, growing unsure. "Is that ... you lot think it's not a good idea then?"
Louis rests his hand flat on Harry's back, soothing him. That alone makes the others react.
"What? No. It's a wonderful idea," Niall reassures quickly. "It's long over due. Trust me."
"I'm just in shock." Zayn blinks, staring at the ring. "We all knew this day would come. Just cant believe it's here." A smile takes over. "But I'm glad. Really. You two always talked about marriage."
"I mean - you two have been bloody in love with each other for the past three years. I think if you two can keep that up while apart, then you have nothing to worry about," Liam adds as an after thought, looking so proud, so happy for them. It's refreshing.
Instant relief floods Harry's system, and he turns to look up at Louis with that same about of happiness and beauty that he had from this morning. This proposal is everything to them. Marriage. Their future, it's everything that they've talked about when they were young and in love, years ago when the thought of such a strong commitment was new and fresh. Louis isn't scared about it. He's excited and hopeful, ready to tackle on this new journey with Harry by his side. They've already hit rock bottom in their relationship, all that's left for them is to go up, together, hand in hand.
The lads are already on about planning the wedding and who gets to do what. Fight for best man is on, even on who gets to marry them. It's quite comical to watch as they plan out something that he and Harry have already talked about. They already know how they'll marry. The same plans they had back then still sit present to this day. Their wedding will be private and quaint, something for themselves and not for the world to see. At one point, they talked about eloping, maybe with their family and close friends. They never sought something big and extreme. The party would be after, more of a celebration. But when they exchange their vows, that's something for only their ears to hear, something for their eyes to witness.
Honestly, Louis is getting excited just thinking about it.
It's moments like these where Louis realizes where his true happiness lies. He loves his friends. Loves how strong their friendship has grown over the three years of Harry's departure. But nothing compares to now. Being here with his friends and with Harry by his side. He's denied himself of this happiness and freedom all this time, and now he gets it back. Their friends mean the world to him, and Harry means the world to him. Now, his two worlds can finally be together again.
Louis glances over at Harry, seeing his green eyes already looking back at him, so in love, so bright. He's everything Louis has ever dreamed of. Reaching up, he cups the side of the boy's jaw, lightly tracing his cheekbone.
"Happy?" he questions softly, privately, only for him to hear.
Harry's smile is near blinding. "Very happy." Leaning up, he hovers his lips above Louis, whispering the words against him. "Fiancé."
Louis kisses him hard.
Ta-Da!
Hope this was cute and cheesy and romantic.
Leave your thoughts. Most likely epilogue next.