Chapter Text
@roxtco: WHAT THE FUCK HARRY I’M….. WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WHO THE FUCK IS THAT BOY IN LOVE WITH #LoveIslandUK
In reply to @roxtco:
@jikookboyinluv: right??!? sksksks bet that person is crying on their sofa right now
---
The next morning, Louis woke up, hazy from dreams that had been filed with unrecognizable figures and shadows. There was a moment where he had been suspended in the sleepy dimness of the early morning, before the reality of yesterday came crashing down on him.
Fuck. He checked his phone, finding that he had maybe a few more minutes before the lights turned on, and Louis groaned inwardly. He wasn’t ready. Wasn’t ready for the day to officially begin again, for the filming to resume, for the drama and the spectacle to start again, because Harry wasn’t here. Harry had left.
And Louis felt like utter shit, hadn’t slept the entire night, and couldn’t shake the feeling of loss and emptiness that had plagued him ever since last night.
The whole thing felt surreal. And not in the good way, either.
Shaking his head, he sluggishly crawled out of bed, nodding mutely at Eleanor before making his way towards the kitchen for his morning cuppa. Eleanor watched him with wide, worried eyes as he left the room, constantly appearing as though she was on the edge of saying something before promptly pursing her lips and looking away. It figured. Louis hadn’t ever known Eleanor to bite her tongue, which meant that Louis’ situation must’ve looked bad enough that it was even alarming her, of all people.
Louis hadn’t seen his own reflection yet, but he was becoming more and more certain that he looked exactly the same as he felt: awful.
The trend continued when Louis walked past Ethan and Jasper, who, for the first time, had woken up earlier than Louis. They had already started their workout session, and glanced at him briefly as they continued to do push-ups. Meeting Louis’ eyes, Ethan gave him a small wave but promptly stopped when he took in Louis’ state of dishevelment. Even Jasper was apparently stunned enough to keep his mouth shut. Fuck.
Louis started the kettle and leaned against the counter, staring off into the space in front of him. The area felt weirdly void without Harry, like something was missing. Harry should’ve been at the counter with him, teasing him about already having had his second cuppa of the day, or making small comments about Zayn’s hair.
You go around pretending like everything is fine when it isn’t.
Things weren’t fine. Not even a bit.
But it would pass, right? Louis had done this before, two years ago. He would have to do it again. He’d just have to spend a little more time thinking about everything. Thinking about Harry, about them.
Shit. Louis shook his head to himself, feeling more confused than ever. What was wrong with him? It wasn’t like he and Harry had broken up again, they had barely even had any alone time together, much less discuss whatever ‘they’ had been.
Even if maybe a part of Louis wished they had discussed it. Wished that he had been able to think more quickly about whether he should’ve run after him, leave all this Love Island stuff behind.
---
Louis knew that they were being filmed. He knew. And yet, the turmoil was starting to feel like it was eating him alive, and what was he supposed to do?
A long time ago, Liam had suggested he talk about it, talk about whatever had happened between him and Harry. And although Louis had brushed off his suggestions back then, a part of him now thought that maybe his best friend had been onto something.
He was going to have to just do it, even if the thought sent a prickle of discomfort through his body. He just had to talk to someone, see if maybe they could help him sort through the mess that had been plaguing his mind.
He found Niall sitting at the pool alone, looking pensive as he stared at the water in front of him. Louis approached him hesitantly, wondering what he could even say to start the conversation. At the sounds of Louis’ footsteps, Niall turned around, seeming unsurprised.
“Hey Louis,” he greeted him. Although the words were cheerful, they both knew that there was nothing pleasant about the situation, at least for Louis.
“Hey,” Louis replied, and if his voice was quieter than usual, the audience would probably attribute it to the drowsiness he was feeling from the sun. He took a seat next to Niall, and they were silent for a while, dangling their feet in the water.
Right. So if he wanted to talk, he could talk. He just had to do it cryptically.
“How are you?” Louis asked, keeping his gaze focused on the scenery directly in front of him.
For the event that had just happened in the villa, it was too mundane of a question, too casual. So Louis understood when Niall looked at him for a second before responding. “I’m alright. You?”
“I’m alright,” Louis said, words clipped, trying to sound nonchalant. He took a small breath. “How are you feeling about yesterday?”
Niall turned his body towards him attentively, like he was catching on to what Louis maybe wanted to discuss. “I don’t know. I mean, I really like Denise.” He paused, seriously contemplating the words that he had just said. “Is that weird?”
At Niall’s naivety, Louis had to smile. Based on Niall’s relationship history, it was clear to Louis that this could possibly have been the first time Niall had ever truly liked somebody, for real. “That’s not weird,” Louis reassured him. “I can tell you really like her.”
“Do you think she likes me, though?” Niall mused out loud. “It’s so weird. I mean, we’ve literally only known each other for a few days.”
Well, that was true. But then again, Niall obviously hadn’t seen the sheer number of fond smiles Denise had been shooting his way all day. “Niall, that girl likes you, even if you guys have only known each other for a bit. You have a connection, you just have to believe in it.”
Niall grinned bashfully, shaking his head slightly before turning to face Louis, his expression marked with an edge of caution.
“So yesterday was kind of strange, huh?” Niall said, tone mild for someone that was supposedly just discussing yesterday’s events for the sake of it.
Louis glanced at him. “Yeah,” he said, holding Niall’s gaze. “I’m not really sure what to make of it.”
Niall scooted closer. “Yeah.”
There was a brief silence that hung in the air. Louis looked away, staring at the pool as he gathered his thoughts. He wasn’t sure what he even wanted to ask, only that he knew he had to say something to someone, to be honest. And Niall would have his back either way.
Niall touched his foot to Louis’ inconspicuously, prompting Louis to direct his gaze back at his friend.
“What about you?” Niall asked softly, before shifting his eyes around him to look out for cameras and other islanders. His eyes remained fixed at the lounge area, where a group of islanders including Denise and Eleanor were watching them curiously. Probably because, even from afar, their conversation looked more serious than usual.
And although this conversation felt too private, too intimate to be aired for the entertainment of the entire UK, Louis found that for once, he couldn’t really bring himself to care.
“I don’t know,” Louis said, drawing his gaze down to his toes in the water.
They sat in silence for a minute before Niall spoke. “I don’t know much about them, but I do know relationships can be… difficult,” he said, deliberately keeping his words vague. “Especially with distance,” he added. “But with Denise, I remember thinking… could it really be so bad? To just go for what I want, just this once?”
He looked over at Louis earnestly, his gaze serious before he cracked a small smile. Louis sometimes forgot that Niall was a lot more introspective and thoughtful than people gave him credit for.
“I mean, it’s not always that simple, I guess?” Louis replied. Why did everything have to be so complicated? All he knew was that just a few days ago, Louis had actually felt happy. He had felt excited in a way that he hadn’t for years, and now there misery was weighing him down. And the only difference was that Harry wasn’t around anymore.
Niall was silent for a while. “You know what my nan told me, once? When I wanted to go for music but also wanted to go to school at the same time?”
Louis didn’t know why Niall’s nan had suddenly entered the conversation. He glanced at him. “What did she say?”
Niall looked at him solemnly, as if he had all the wisdom of an old grandpa. Or, Louis supposed, all the wisdom of his grandma.
“She said that the hardest decisions are between two equally good things, or two equally bad things. Otherwise, your choice should be clear.”
At that, Louis couldn’t help but curve his lips up into a smile because, honestly, what a piece of fortune-cookie type wisdom.
Louis allowed the words to sink in. Niall’s nan wasn’t wrong.
As he compared his options, it was becoming more obvious that he didn’t have two bad options; he had the possibility having Harry, or not. And one alternative was better than the other.
It had been two years. Two whole years, since him and Harry had been each other’s halves, two years since Harry had been in New York. And then he had suddenly appeared in Louis’ life again, making the colours seem brighter, the world seem a bit sunnier, the present and future seem a little more exciting.
It’s about someone I have feelings for, Harry had said, bold and unwavering, in front of all the islanders, all the Love Island staff, all of the viewers.
Harry had put himself out there, and been ready to start a conversation. And Louis — Louis had still been trying to absorb everything, sort out the mess of his emotions, long enough that he had let Harry leave. He had let Harry go back to London alone, without ever having even had a true conversation about them.
He thought back to the long evenings alone in London, turning off his phone earlier and earlier into the night as he tried to avoid the stinging possibility that Harry would forget to call him. To the times when Harry had wanted to speak with him over Skype, only for Louis to make feeble, hurried, excuses so that he wouldn’t have to deal with the pain that maybe their relationship was falling apart. To the moments when Harry had called, asking again and again if anything was wrong, only for Louis to tell him that no, of course not, everything was fine even though they weren’t.
To the times Louis had maybe given up on them before they had even had a chance to make things work, together.
There was a large chance things wouldn’t work out. But… Louis wasn’t sure why that had scared him so much, now. Things were already a mess. He already felt like shit. But throughout this entire time, he hadn’t even spoken to Harry about all this, heart to heart, honest and clear.
Fuck. Louis felt suddenly as though the world had been tilted on its axis, only to right itself again in a way changed everything.
And maybe everything had changed.
He could take his chance to possibly have Harry, or he could be without him for sure. The choice seemed pretty clear, from that perspective. Harry was good, the way he brought happiness into Louis’ life when he was there.
Louis had fucked up back then, that much was clear now. Sure, he had been scared. He had been hurt. But at least he should’ve tried to have a conversation, should have let himself be vulnerable around Harry, because. Because, well. Harry had meant so much to him. Still meant so much to him.
Like Niall had said, could things really go so bad?
Harry had even admitted to having feelings for someone, for Louis on live television, and had told Louis that he would miss things when they left. Louis was only now able to accept that Harry had meant them, because of course he had. Harry would miss them when he left.
Louis had decided not to tell Harry about his honest feelings, and here he was, alone in the fucking villa, feeling like shit, and heartbroken.
He literally had nothing to lose, not anymore.
“Lou? You good?” Niall asked.
“Niall, you’re right,” Louis breathed, his mind abruptly going into overdrive. He had to call Harry and tell him everything. If it wasn’t too late, that was.
Niall looked momentarily confused, before the realization dawned on his face. He broke into a wide grin, slapping Louis on the back.
“Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m talking about,” he cheered.
Louis smiled in response, hugged Niall briefly before scrambling to his feet. “Thank you,” he said quietly, before bolting towards the crew worker’s tent. He prayed that Zayn would be there, and not Carla. He needed to explain everything, and if he was lucky, Zayn would let him use his phone one last time to call Harry. At least Zayn knew Harry. Zayn didn’t even know Liam, and he had let Louis call him anyway.
Fuck. Liam. He wondered what Liam would think about all of this, what it would be like for him to watch everything unfold, back home in London. Louis pushed through the entrance of the tent, disappointed to find that the tent was empty, except for a Liam look-alike. Huh. Had Louis seriously missed his best friend so much that he was now hallucinating his presence in the crew workers’ tent?
Louis did a double take. Wait. That was Liam.
“Payno,” Louis screeched, and Liam turned around in confusion. Upon seeing Louis, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Lou,” Liam yelled, rushing forward. “Oh my God, Lou.”
After everything that had just happened, being in his best friend’s arms was cathartic. Closing his eyes, Louis sunk into Liam’s arms in gratitude and inhaled. Yep, Liam was still wearing his signature Old Spice. The scent burned his nostrils, but it still smelled like home.
“What the fuck are you doing here,” Louis pressed when they broke apart.
“They brought me in to deal with all the islanders who were being introduced and eliminated in Casa Amor,” Liam said. “God, I wanted to talk to you, Lou. I’ve been worried sick. Are you okay?”
“But… you’ve never done that before,” Louis said, confused. “Like, actually go on-set where the show is. Did you come here for me?”
“Partially,” Liam hedged, looking awkward. “But also, erm, I wanted to see Zayn.”
There was a pause as Liam’s words sunk in. Wait, shit. Liam still didn’t know. “Liam,” Louis said. “I need to tell you something. You know Zayn, the assistant,” he said, and Liam’s face immediately went red. Oh no. Liam’s crush on Zayn must have been quite strong. Louis was going to have to break it to him gently.
“I’ve been trying to figure out if he’s been seeing anyone. And I saw that he’s been texting someone recently, a lot?” Louis continued, watching as Liam’s eyes grew wide. Fuck. Poor Liam. “But honestly, he seems kind of lame,” Louis finished quickly. “He just messages him a bunch of sappy monkey emojis. You’re probably better than him.”
“Louis,” Liam hissed, right when Zayn stepped through the tent. “You fucking dolt.”
“Why is Louis here?” Zayn asked. “And why is he a fucking dolt?” He looked between Louis and Liam, far too casual for someone who didn’t know who Liam was.
Then Liam said, “Louis doesn’t know that we’ve been dating.”
...Hold on. Hold on. Liam was the one Zayn had been texting?
“What?” Louis exclaimed, and Liam shushed him, frantically peering outside the tent for any passerbys. Louis whipped his head toward Zayn incredulously, who was looking at Liam with pink cheeks.
“Are we dating?” Zayn asked, and… was Zayn being shy? “I mean, I thought we were,” he said quickly, “but I wasn’t sure. We never really talked about it.”
Liam turned toward Zayn, blush just as obvious. Holy fuck. Holy fucking shit. For a moment, Louis was forgotten. “I mean, yeah,” Liam said. “If that’s okay with you.”
“That’s okay with me,” Zayn said. There was a pause as they both looked at each other with soft eyes.
Gross. Louis was so here for it, but also not. Also. “Lads,” Louis said, directing both their attention to him. “When the fuck did this happen. I thought you were too scared to talk to him?” Louis directed the last part of his sentence towards Liam, sending him an intrigued look.
In response, Liam shot him an unimpressed glare. Oops. Evidently, Louis hadn’t been meant to bring it up, ever, with Zayn around. Served him right for not telling Louis. “Remember that night when Harry came into the villa? You called me from his phone and handed it back to me. It didn’t take long for me to figure out whose voice it was.”
“Liam was worried about you, and even though I didn’t know what was going on, I gave him updates on how you were doing from time to time,” Zayn chimed in. “And then we just... started talking.”
Oh, God. They were even finishing each other’s sentences.
“You gave him my phone number,” Liam emphasized to Louis, like he was genuinely doubting Louis’ intelligence. “Then Zayn pulled some strings since we needed a scout to manage all the contestants in Casa Amor anyway.”
That made… so much sense. He could practically see the puzzle pieces falling into place when he thought back to everything he’d seen from Zayn. Louis didn’t want to admit how oblivious he’d been to the entire thing, literally anyone else would have figured it out within seconds, except, well. Harry had been the only person who was as invested in the Ziam situation as Louis had been, but he hadn’t known about Louis’ panicked phone call.
“Well,” Louis choked on a laugh, “I just feel dumb now.” He was happy, so happy for his best friends, and yet the combination of emotions from the day were threatening to overwhelm him. “Harry and I had been trying to set you two up for the past few weeks.”
Leaning against a chair, Liam gave Louis an inquisitive look. “Speaking of. Harry.”
Louis’ heart stopped for a nanosecond. Yes. That was why he was here, in first place.
He turned to Zayn. “Zayn, I think I’ll need your phone again.” At the curious glances the couple shot him, Louis sighed.
“I’m going to go after him,” he said in a small voice, suddenly feeling sheepish. Zayn widened his eyes as Liam broke into a wide grin.
“Yeah?” Liam probed, moving in for a second hug. “You’re sure?”
Fuck. Louis was so glad that Liam was here. Just talking to him felt like he could release a whole mountain of tension that he had been holding. “I don’t know,” Louis admitted. “It’s been all a mess, really.”
“It has,” Zayn interrupted, sounding sincere and warm-hearted. “But I think it could be good for you guys to actually talk, when, you know. The producers aren’t around,” Zayn finished his words with a quick scan around the tent, emphasizing the fact that, right, Louis was still technically on the show, still.
Louis nodded. “That’s actually kind of why I came in here,” he said. “I want to call him, just to maybe talk about everything.”
Zayn paused. “Well, you know… Harry isn’t leaving for London until tomorrow. You could maybe catch him at the hotel if you leave today,” he said.
Louis stared at him. Fuck, Harry was still in town. He hadn’t left yet. Louis barely had to think about it.
He was going to do this. He was going to go after Harry. And he wasn’t going to regret it.
He wagged his finger between Zayn and Liam. “Just remember, I’m giving myself credit for this,” Louis announced, before he spun around and left the tent.
---
After Harry’s grand exit, it was like nothing surprised Carla anymore.
After a frenzied explanation of what had happened, Louis planted a teary kiss on Carla’s cheek as he rushed upstairs to pack his luggage. If this had been a movie instead of a reality TV show, this would have definitely been the cheesy ending part. The part Harry had always loved the most.
As Louis descended the staircase with his frantically packed bags, he saw Eleanor in the foyer, staring expectantly. Fuck.
In the midst of everything, he had forgotten about her, their deal. Shit. This was unfair to her. He scrambled for words, but she held up a hand before he could find anything to say.
“Go,” she said knowingly, and Louis could feel his heart swelling with gratitude. He hadn’t expected to come out of Love Island with friends who supported him in the most drastic decision of his life, but here he was now. The show had surprised him at every corner.
Crossing the foyer, he gave her a peck on the cheek. “You were the best choice I made on this island,” he said, and Eleanor responded with an eye roll.
“Hopefully you can make a better one off the island,” she responded, swatting his arm.
Louis winked at her as he stepped out the door, then climbed into the van.
---
It took a few raps on the door, but eventually, it opened. Harry was barefoot, a blanket wrinkle crested into his cheek. He looked drained. He looked like shit. But he reeled back as if he’d been hit as he registered Louis in front of his doorway, eyes running up and down him in disbelief. Then he swallowed jerkily, before gesturing for him to come in.
Silence hung in the air for a long moment as they stared at each other. No questions, no greetings. Just an invitation.
Stepping inside cautiously, Louis felt fragile as he brushed past Harry into the hotel room, unsure as to whether he was really allowed here. The living area was still kept, the ruffled sheets the only evidence that someone had been living in the room. Then again, Harry had only been here for one night.
Harry said nothing, simply stood by the door as he watched Louis’ eyes shift around uncertainly. Louis glanced back at Harry, noting that Harry didn’t look exactly ecstatic to see him. But fuck it. He was here to tell Harry how he felt, no matter what. He wasn’t about to back down now. The room held a bed and two chairs, so Louis opted for one of the chairs. Harry trailed after him slowly like a ghost, taking a seat on the bed, a good six feet apart. Louis wished he were closer.
Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Louis tried to make sense of his rattling brain. Despite the weariness in his eyes, Harry’s gaze was still trained carefully on Louis’ face, like he couldn’t look away. God. Harry looked so tired.
“When you were in New York, I felt ignored,” Louis started, feeling as if he was about to launch into a whole monologue. His words felt like water beginning to seep from a cracked urn that had been contained for too long, slowly until it burst and everything spilled out. “You had a new life, new friends. And that was fine. I mean, there was no way you could go to a new city and not make friends, you know?” He took a pause to gather his breath as Harry remained silent.
“And I was so boring all the time, studying for my degree, living in the same place, barely having a social life. I was the same as always, nothing new or exciting. I understood why you were so caught up by all these new things, because I had nothing new to share with you.”
“But I felt swept aside,” Louis said, returning to his first point. He rubbed his neck self-consciously, grasping to find the words. “It’s just… You had so many things going on in your life, so many people. It seemed like you were having such a wonderful new life, and I knew that you cared, or I thought you did, but I couldn’t help but think, that if you really cared, then you would have tried to get home on time to call me, you know? You would’ve made an effort.”
“Lou,” Harry said, quiet.
“But you didn’t,” Louis carried on, because now that he was here, now that he was present, he was on a roll. And he didn’t want to stop, wanted to finally let Harry in, let him know everything about how he had felt. “And it felt like I was just waiting for you to care, and you never did. And that’s why I started pulling away initially, to the point where it was just easier for us to break up.”
A pause, as he took a breath.
“Looking back, I should have told you. But I didn’t know how.”
“Honestly, it was my fault, too,” Harry said, shaking his head. “I should have realized what I was doing. I shouldn’t have believed you when you said it was okay. Because it clearly wasn’t, you know?”
Eyes trained on the floor, Louis allowed the words to roll back and forth in his mind.
“I know,” he finally said, once Harry’s words sunk in. “I just didn’t think it was up to me to demand your attention when it didn’t seem like a big deal to you, anyway. So I thought that it shouldn’t have been a big deal to me. That maybe I was l just being too emotional, or too selfish.”
“It was a big deal,” Harry said. “You weren’t a nuisance to me, Louis. But I’m sorry that I treated you like one. I was so dumb, and so caught up in everything new.” His eyes were shining. “I realized that, you know, after we broke up.”
Louis let out a deep breath. For so long, it was Louis who had held the burden on himself. He hadn’t ever thought that maybe, just maybe, it could have been Harry’s responsibility, too.
“I’m sorry that I was pulling away this week. I realize now that you were trying. But when everyone started vying for your attention, and we just didn’t get that much time together, or God, Harry, we weren’t even allowed to just be ourselves in front of the cameras most of the time...” Louis shook his head. He could hear how his voice was cracking, like a frozen lake under weight. “It just felt like the beginning of us falling apart again. And I just couldn’t deal with that.”
Tilting his head up at the ceiling, Louis hoped that the tears wouldn’t fall. “It was so painful the first time, for so long. I spent months and nights wondering if you still cared about me. I just didn’t want to relive that again. It was easier to just pull away, to detach my emotions completely.”
There was a moment where the only sound in the room was Louis’ heartbeat. Then he heard a choking sniffle, and realized that Harry was crying quietly.
“God, Lou,” Harry said, voice broken. “I wish I had known that you had felt that way.”
Louis thought about all the times he couldn’t bring himself to stop Harry from talking about his friends, about what had happened at school that day for him. “I loved you so much back then, you know?” he voiced aloud. “And I was too scared to tell you. I was too scared to talk to you. I didn’t want to take anything away from the experience you were having.”
Crossing the room, Harry slumped down on the chair next to Louis, shuffling it closer with his feet so that their knees were almost touching. Louis could see the defeated desperation in Harry’s eyes. “Louis. You can’t put me first before your feelings, babe.”
Babe. Just the word shot an emotion of feelings through him. God, Louis missed hearing that word so much.
“I know,” Louis said, wringing his hands together. “Apparently I’m not so great at reminding myself that my emotions are valid. To me, it wasn’t fair that I couldn’t compromise for you, you know? I thought that I shouldn’t have been feeling this way, and that telling you would be dragging you down with me.”
Harry let out a slight, watery chuckle. “You can’t pull away because you want to stop yourself from feeling things, Lou,” he said, tone soft and fond. “I love you because of how intensely you feel.”
Louis looked up, breath stilted. I love you, Harry had said. So easily, slipping out of his mouth like he hadn’t even had to think about it.
“And isn’t that what a relationship is?” Harry continued. “Compromise? Communication?”
“Communication was hard when we weren’t that good at it from miles away,” Louis said. “I guess that’s why things fell apart.”
Harry gave a small smile. “Well, it’s a good thing we’re here in person so that we can work on it now, innit?”
“You want that with me,” Louis confirmed, and he wondered if Harry could hear the hope in his voice.
Harry nodded, no trace of uncertainty in his eyes. “I do. Louis, I wanted this when I saw that you were one of the islanders. I didn’t think I’d sign up for this, but when I got scouted, I thought, hell, why not. Maybe I’d stay for a little bit, just enough to get some exposure for the bakery. But I saw your name, and I couldn’t believe it, you know?” Harry shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle. “First of all, I still can’t believe you actually signed up for this shit.”
“Hey,” Louis said, a wet laugh escaping. “I can’t, either.”
“But,” Harry continued. “I saw your name. Maybe it was stupid, I don’t know. But everything in me was telling me that I had to do it. Or I would regret it.”
Seeing the sincerity in Harry’s eyes felt like an emotional punch in the heart. “I didn’t deserve that,” Louis said. “The fact that you still wanted another chance for us.”
Harry shook his head. “You need to stop thinking about whether you deserve shit, Lou,” he said. “The breakup wasn’t your fault. We were young and bad at communicating. We were both to blame.”
“I thought you would’ve been angry,” Louis whispered.
“I was, at first,” Harry admitted. “But that was because I didn’t understand what was going on. It took a while before I realized that I had been shit, too. God, we were both really shit.”
Hearing Harry’s words made Louis realize that for years, he had held the belief that Harry had somehow resented him for what he had done. He hadn’t even bothered to consider that Harry, the person who knew him the most, would realize where he was coming from. Would even forgive him.
For so long, Louis had dwelt in this pool of belief. And now, here was Harry, dismantling the walls that Louis had built out of his own assumptions.
“Yeah,” Louis said, shaking his head. “I suppose a reality TV show where we were both hiding our relationship wasn’t the best place for communication, either. God, who would’ve thought.”
Drawing Louis’ hands into his lap, Harry smiled. “Do you think that the viewers caught on?”
Louis looked at their hands for a moment, intertwined, and warmth curled in his chest. “What, that we were arse over tits for each other?” Louis said, noting how Harry’s smile expanded at the statement. “If the cameras caught it, then I don’t know how they would’ve missed it. Plus, Niall and I may or may not have had a suspicious, cryptic conversation before I left. They’ll figure it out eventually.”
Louis felt a gentle, tight squeeze around his fingers. “I love you,” Harry said, and the words were packed like a soft hit to Louis’ chest.
“I love you,” Louis said, flutters in his stomach as he said the words for the first time in two years. The first time in two years, and they felt so easy coming out of his mouth, like smooth honey. Like coming home.
And Harry’s smile grew, blossomed like a flower. His eyes were shining when he said, “I never stopped loving you, you know?”
And Louis laughed, eyes looking up at the ceiling, because the joy in his heart was too full for his chest. “I didn’t either.” Then he looked down again at Harry, here in front of him. “Are you gonna properly kiss me now?” Louis asked, because those were words that he could say now, for real. “None of that challenge, crowded dressing room shit.”
“Baby,” Harry said smoothly, pulling Louis’ chair even closer until all Louis could see was Harry’s glistening eyes, crinkling with soft joy. “I would’ve kissed you on the first day had they given me the chance.”
Laughing, Louis leaned his head in, finally, finally getting what he had really wanted this whole time.
There were things to do and arrangements to be made. They would need to get on their flight tomorrow. But for now, Louis was content to sit here, in this foreign hotel room, and waste the day away with Harry’s lips on his.
---
The downside to being on a reality TV show was that none of them were actually allowed to leave the hotel. Even if Louis wanted to take Harry out to the bar downstairs, have a proper date, there was always the possibility that they’d be spotted. So room service it was.
But after years of not being together in the same room, it felt like a sanctuary for him to observe the man he loved, sitting right here in front of him. And since they were stuck together, it wasn’t like Harry could very well leave whenever he wanted. Nope, Louis could spend as long as he wanted staring at Harry, the way he grinned bashfully, the light in his eyes, how his lips were still slightly swollen from kisses.
Louis felt himself swell with pride. He had done that to Harry. Not Lainey, not Julia, not fucking Ginger Girl. Louis.
Harry was in the middle of reviewing the room service menu when Louis finally decided his patience had run out.
“Thought you knew how to cook,” Louis said. “Professionally, even. Why can’t you just order a bunch of produce and cook things up here?”
Harry shot an unamused look at Louis. “You’re right,” he said. “Should do that instead, with the one microwave we have here.”
And Louis smiled, because he was giddy, giddy that he had the opportunity to have this with Harry again. It felt good to tease, to do even the most mundane things with him. To just be here with him. So he bumped his hip into Harry’s, and Harry bumped him back.
Louis was glad that at least, the producers had had the decency to put Harry in a nice hotel, especially given the dozens of islanders to budget for. A nice hotel meant decent food. A nice hotel, Louis discovered that evening, also meant a fucking nice bathroom.
He whistled upon opening the bathroom door, taking in the spacious area, the marble tiling. “Damn. Reckon I would’ve gotten kicked off sooner if that meant I could take a shower in peace.”
Coming up behind Louis, Harry eyed the jacuzzi tub. “Do you want to get in that thing?” he asked. The question was voiced without any timidity, but Louis noted the apprehension in Harry’s face as he waited for Louis to answer.
He appreciated Harry’s concern, knew that Harry wouldn’t push him, and was only asking. Nothing about Harry ever made Louis feel like he was being pressured to do something that he didn’t want to do.
But the thought of Harry close to him, naked underwater — this was something that Louis wanted to do, absolutely. Had been thinking about it ever since their spa day, when Harry had been across from him, the gap between them just wide enough that he hadn’t been able to touch.
“I do,” Louis said, turning his body to face Harry. “Do you?”
Harry held Louis’ gaze as he nodded, slow. “I do.”
God. It was insane how the attraction came back so easily, static pulsing between the gap where their bodies almost touched, but not quite. Like a pull, Louis felt himself reaching for Harry, hands gentle as he reached up for his face.
And just as easily, Harry reciprocated, bending down to catch Louis in a kiss.
The kiss was unhurried, like they had all the time in the world. And to Louis’ realization, they really did, this time. Now, they were alone, and they had time to relearn each other, reacquaint themselves.
It didn’t take long before their kissing grew deeper, clutching at each other’s sides. With great effort, Harry pulled away, eyes blown. “We’re never going to get in the bathtub if we keep doing this,” he mumbled breathlessly.
He was right. “Okay,” Louis said. “Okay,” he repeated again, mind a bit clearer this time, and took a conscious step back. “Run the bath. I’ll wait outside.”
With a jerky nod, Harry’s eyes followed Louis hungrily until Louis closed the door.
Fuck. Louis took some time to gather his breath, willing himself to calm down. It had always been like this with Harry. Passionate, fast, impossible to stop. Like a drug.
He had always been unable to resist Harry, that was the thing. Couldn’t stop himself from wanting more. And it wasn’t just the physical attraction. Couldn’t stop himself from wanting the best for Harry, from loving him with everything that he could.
I never stopped loving you.
Louis let out a choppy chuckle, sinking onto the bed in happy disbelief. This was his life right now. Screw the reality television bit — the biggest development in this new chapter was Harry. This was the bit that was going to stay with him the rest of his life.
A ping came from his pocket, and Louis dug his phone out to find a text from Liam. All it said was, “?????”
Louis sent a smiley face in response. It was all that Liam would need to know that everything had turned out the way it was supposed to be.
How things were supposed to be. They were always supposed to end up together, weren’t they?
“Water’s ready,” Harry called out, voice echoing from the bathroom.
Louis padded to the door, deep in thought, and when he peeked around the door frame, he could see that Harry was already in the bathtub. And wait, were those… rose petals?
“How did you —” Louis said, and Harry pointed smugly at a vase on the sink, which now held several empty stems. The soft pink petals littered the water in the jacuzzi, the fragrant smell permeating the air, making everything feel warm and romantic and perfect.
“I’m creative,” Harry said, raising his brows mischievously. God, Louis loved him so much.
Louis leaned against the door. “Remember our first summer together? When you were nineteen?”
“Yeah,” Harry said, rolling a rose petal between his fingers as he waited for Louis to continue.
“There was a night when we had just finished a whole bottle of wine,” Louis recalled, feet moving to the bathtub. He propped himself on the edge, and automatically, Harry reached out. As if on instinct, Louis took his hand, playing with Harry’s rings as he continued to speak. An all-encompassing feeling of warmth curled throughout his body.
“We were laying in some field near your mum’s house in Holmes Chapel, and you had prepared a picnic, and we were looking at the stars.” He paused before saying, “You said that we were soulmates. Do you remember that?”
“I do,” Harry said. “I do remember that.”
At Harry’s sure words, Louis nodded. “It’s so strange, you know.”
“That we both applied for UK’s most rubbish reality television show?” Harry said, filling in the remainder of Louis’ thoughts. “That after all these years, we’re both here now?”
All of it did sound kind of ridiculous. “Yeah,” Louis said, laughing. “That.”
Harry laughed too. “Come join me,” he said, rippling the water with his hands. “I covered this whole thing in roses for you.”
“Damn,” Louis said as he began to toe off his socks. “Proper romantic, this is.”
“Only for you, baby,” Harry said, not hiding the way his gaze swept over Louis hungrily. “God, you’re so hot.”
Louis could feel the heat climbing onto his face. “I only took off my socks.”
Leaning back, Harry winked. “Still hot.”
“Shut up. Don’t look.”
“It’s nothing that I didn’t see a few days ago,” Harry said. Still, he covered his eyes respectfully.
“I know,” Louis replied. “But we’re saving the suspense for later.” As he quickly stripped off the rest of his clothing, Harry continued to make obnoxious, appreciative noises despite the fact that he couldn’t see anything. Louis was in love with an idiot.
“I kind of want to turn on the jets,” Harry admitted once Louis had sunk into the hot water, toes pressed against Harry’s thigh.
“You do know that there wouldn’t have been a point to the rose petals if we just turned on the jets, right?” Louis could already picture the dismay on Harry’s face as rose petals got sucked away. That would be a nightmare to explain to the hotel staff. “Also, we just went to the spa.”
Harry ignored Louis’ first comment. “But I didn’t get to enjoy the jacuzzi in the spa,” he said instead, dipping his head close to Louis’ ear, “because I was too distracted by how I wanted to snog you senseless while we were in there.”
Oh.
Upon seeing how Harry was looking at him, eyes hooded, a deep tingle ran through Louis’ body. He held Harry’s gaze, a twinge of desire unfurling below his belly. “I’m sure we can make up for lost time.”
Slowly, Louis felt a finger trace along his leg. Despite the hot water, Louis shivered. “Yeah?” Harry said, before replacing his touch on Louis’ thigh with his entire hand.
Fuck. How was it that Harry was still able to turn him on like this, with just a few words? With just a single look? It was stupid how he was still so, undeniably attracted to Harry, in a way that he could never be with anyone else.
Leaning forward, Harry placed both hands on Louis’ thighs, eyes peering up under his eyelashes. Louis wanted to devour him.
“Fuck, Harry,” Louis rasped, noting how the head of Harry’s cock was already hard, erect and just breaching the surface of the water.
“You can,” Harry said, voice sultry, low. “Fuck me, that is.”
A part of Louis wanted to groan, because of course, Harry was so fucking cheesy. But a bigger part of him felt his body fully react to the words, like they had fanned the flames that had been beginning to build in his gut. Being naked in a bathtub really wasn’t doing anything to quell their sexual frustration, obviously. Louis was fucking glad that they were off the island.
Although he would have normally opted for a smoother response to Harry’s word, it had been nearly a month and a half of frustration. With a low growl in his throat, Louis brought a possessive hand to Harry’s neck, tugging gently. “Yeah?” he asked teasingly. “Do you want me to?”
Eyes fluttering shut, Harry tilted his head, exposing his neck slightly, inviting Louis to do what he wanted. And Louis knew, remembered that this was how Harry had been whenever he wanted to be touched. Louis pressed his fingers a little more gently into Harry’s skin, feeling Harry bend into the touch.
“We’re getting out of here,” Louis declared, and Harry’s eyelids flitted open. “I know you put thought into this lovely bath, babe,” Louis said, dipping his voice low, “but I really want to get inside you.”
These words were enough for Harry to snap out of his docile state, clambering out of the bathtub before Louis could even blink. Towelling off quickly, Harry escaped to the bedroom without another word.
Eager. Louis could work with that.
When Louis stepped out of the bathroom, mostly dry, he had to gulp at the sight. Harry was sitting upright on the bed, hand already circled around his cock, his eyes fixed on Louis — patient, hungry.
Harry’s gaze drew up and down Louis’ body eagerly. As if he had never seen it before. “Fuck,” he breathed out. “You.”
“Babe,” Louis breathed. “Lube. Do you have it, fuck, tell me you have lube.”
“Luggage,” Harry said, and Louis started for Harry’s bag when he stilled, realizing the implication.
“For me,” Harry clarified, after seeing Louis’ frozen reaction. “Had to get myself off in the days when I was quarantined before the villa.”
“Sorry,” Louis said. It was dumb. He had no right to be possessive over whoever Harry had been sleeping with.
Still, Harry reached out for Louis when he finally located the tube and came to the bed, joining Harry on top of the duvet. “Don’t be,” he said. “For me, it was always you, you know? No matter who I was with.”
The sincerity in Harry’s words was too much for Louis to handle. “Fuck,” Louis said. It was ridiculous, how they were naked and Louis felt as though he was about to cry. “I made you leave, Harry.”
Harry placed a gentle hand around Louis’ waist, burrowing his wet curls into Louis’ shoulder reassuringly. They laid there on the bed for a moment, just breathing each other in.
“There were things we both should’ve done things differently the first time around, even before we officially ended it,”Harry murmured, voice vibrating against Louis’ skin. “Even if we didn’t know it at the time. It’s not your fault at all, sweetheart.”
Louis allowed the words to sink in. “We’re going to do better this time, right?” he asked quietly, feeling Harry nod against his neck before he pulled back.
The look in Harry’s eyes was steady. “We will. Because now we know what we lost,” Harry said, bringing a hand to Louis’ arm, “and that we can’t bear to lose it again.”
Harry said his words with an air of certainty, finality like this was it. And Louis realized how true the words were. He couldn’t bear to lose Harry again. Not after there had finally been a second chance, a possibility that they could finally work things out, turn the bad into the good. Despite the bumps in their relationship, Louis couldn’t picture life with anyone else. Couldn’t picture anyone else who could fit him as well as Harry could.
“I love you,” Louis said, and Harry responded by drawing Louis in, kissing him.
For what was supposed to be a romantic declaration, the kiss quickly turned filthy, tongues clashing, hands clambering everywhere. They were naked, after all. And after all this sexual frustration that had been taunting, it felt natural, like it had been bound to happen sooner or later.
Wrapping Harry’s hair into his hands, Louis felt Harry’s breath catch as he pulled gently. Harry rolled Louis on top of his body, and Louis felt all the points where their skin touched; it felt like little pinpricks of sensation all along his body, like little fires that only Harry could douse. Louis pushed himself up onto his arms, caging Harry against the pillows below him.
Harry stared back, pupils blown and eyes hooded, like he couldn’t quite believe this was happening. Fuck, against the crisp, white cotton, Harry’s golden skin looked too tempting for Louis to not sink his teeth into.
Harry’s eyes closed shut as Louis grazed his lips over his neck, a soft ghost of a touch, mindful that Harry’s neck had always been sensitive. Louis felt delight in knowing that that hadn’t changed. Harry was still his, Louis still knew his body like no one else did. He pressed his lips to the bare skin, firmer now, mouthing wet kisses along the length of Harry’s neck.
“Louis,” Harry whimpered, a broken sound. Touch me.
There was a part of Louis that wanted to let go of all his instincts, to ravish Harry just how he wanted. But another part of him wanted to go slow, savour everything, tease Harry until he was craving for release, asking Louis for more. To let Louis take his time in treasuring Harry’s body, learning the map of his body again, see where things had changed and where things had stayed exactly the same. It had been two years, after all. Louis had to make it good.
In response, Louis placed a hand over Harry’s ribcage, sliding it down to his hip bone. He pressed gently, just enough for Harry to still under the pressure of Louis’ fingers. It was the reaction that Louis had been looking for.
“What do you want, love?” Louis asked, focusing on how Harry’s mouth parted, his breathing barely audible.
“Your fingers.” Harry’s voice was laced with raspy desperation. Underneath his weight, Louis could feel how Harry’s legs were parting as if on their own accord. “Want them inside.”
Louis looked away, groaning. God, Louis wanted that too, hell yes, he wanted it. So much. Just the thought of being able to touch, to be inside Harry, sent Louis into a frenzy, the warmth in his groin spreading into the rest of his body.
Uncapping the lube, he squeezed a generous amount, rubbing the liquid between his fingers to warm it up. Louis lifted up his eyes, gauging Harry’s reaction as he brought a finger between Harry’s legs, gently grazing the puckered mouth of Harry’s entrance. Just lightly, as if he were saying hello. Harry’s eyes were blown, dilated.
Watching Harry had always been one of his favourite things. Harry was so responsive, affected by every touch. Louis loved that it was him who got to make Harry feel this way. Hopefully for the rest of their lives.
Pulling away from Harry’s face, Louis moved to Harry’s chest, placing wet kisses along the skin there as he kept teasing Harry’s hole. He continued along the length of Harry’s body, sucking a mark into Harry’s hip, where his fingers had previously pressed, and Harry gasped. Louis loved how sensitive Harry was.
Harry was probably desperate for one finger now, at least, but Louis wanted to treat him well. Wrapping light fingers around Harry’s cock, Louis dragged his hand along the thick shaft, the tip of his dick already shiny, precum glistening at the top. Louis wanted to taste it, just a little bit. After a few pulls, he brought his lips to lick the wet bead, savouring the taste of salt against his tongue.
Harry was clearly affected, chest rising heavily as he stared at Louis, unable to speak. It gave Louis enough encouragement to take the head into his mouth, peering up at Harry from beneath his eyelashes.
Louis knew that him looking up at Harry had always been one of his weaknesses, and by the way Harry’s cock twitched in his mouth, he knew he was correct. Louis tongued the tip and took more of Harry into his mouth, just enough for Harry to loosen even more. To take the remainder of the edge off.
Sure enough, Harry’s head tipped back, easing against the pillow a throaty groan filling the room. Louis pulled off his cock, taking it as a sign to start pressing a wet finger inside.
“Fuck, babe,” Louis said, feeling the ring of Harry’s hole open around his digit. Even though it was only one finger, Harry fell apart on the sheets, body limp.
Louis couldn’t take his eyes off him, how beautiful he was. He had almost forgotten how good Harry looked when he was being taken apart like this. “Feel good, love?” Louis asked, his voice low enough to be a whisper.
“Yes,” Harry panted, arching his back when Louis found his prostate, rubbing firmly. “I can take another,” he begged, and Louis slipped in a second finger along with his first. He couldn’t stop himself from crawling up to cover Harry’s mouth with his own, kissing the moans right from his mouth.
Louis knew it was getting too much when Harry began moaning, eyes squeezing shut. “Fuck,” Harry swore, flexing his back gorgeously when Louis spread his fingers apart. “Oh my God.”
“Babe,” Louis said, mouthing at his jaw. “Are you ready for me?”
“Lou, I’ve been ready for so fucking long,” Harry muttered, throat hitching. “Just get inside me, please.”
That was an invitation that Louis couldn’t decline. Drawing his fingers out, he crossed the room to retrieve a condom from his wallet. Even though he hadn’t been getting any action, hadn’t expected himself to, he now thanked his past self for having been optimistic. He was glad, and to know that he got to be with Harry again, of all people. This had been the best case scenario.
There had been a time where they didn’t need condoms. And even though Louis didn’t necessarily want to think about Harry’s previous sexual partners, maybe that was a conversation for another time. Fucking him raw would definitely be in the cards in the future, but now. Now Louis was just happy to have this.
Rolling on the condom, Louis looked at Harry, who was lying on the bed. A fucking beautiful vision, he was. The best thing Louis ever had in his life. The best thing Louis was ever going to have. The thought made his heart swell, and he climbed onto the bed, drawing Harry into a deep kiss.
“You’re the best thing in my life,” he whispered, watching as Harry’s eyes softened.
Harry raised a hand to Louis’ cheek. “You are too, for me,” he said just as quietly, and Louis bowed down to kiss him again, lining himself up between Harry’s cheeks. Immediately, Harry’s hands flew to Louis’ hips, gripping tightly as Louis nudged inside.
He took his time, feeling every part of Harry as he continued to move, sinking his cock deeper, inch by inch. Shit. This was more than Louis had expected, having Harry so perfect and beautiful and full of him, writhing underneath. He could barely think straight. Was it possible to feel simultaneously so turned on while feeling so much love?
Once he had fully settled inside, Harry’s eyes were on him, not willing to let go. “You can move,” Harry said, lips red by how much he had been biting them. Red like cherries, probably just as sweet. Louis ducked in for another kiss.
Now he could feel everything, feel the soft cushion of Harry’s lips against him, wet tongue moving in time with how he was thrusting in and out. Everything was so tight, so good, Harry squeezing around him as he dragged his cock in and out in slow increments.
There’s no doubt that Harry could come from this. He knew Harry could, just based on how he was already a mess underneath him, sweaty curls pressed against his face as he let out slow groans, a beautiful, low melody to Louis’ ears. Louis didn’t think he would ever get tired of this song.
But Louis had been thinking about this week upon torturous week of Harry walking around him, bare skin taunting Louis everywhere he had gone. He was going to make this fucking worth it.
He knew what Harry looked like when he was close, knew the way Harry’s head tilted backwards, how his mouth stayed open when he was getting fucked. There was nothing more that Louis wanted than to see Harry come with Louis’ cock inside him.
He wrapped a hand around Harry, feeling Harry clench around him tighter from the extra stimulation. Together, they panted, rough strokes and uneven thrusting, until Harry was spilling in Louis’ fist.
Louis could feel the pressure mounting with himself, was about to come when Harry slid a hand up Louis’ neck, getting his attention. “Come in my mouth,” he said, and yes, this was something Louis couldn’t say no to.
Pulling out, Louis tossed the condom aside as he crawled up Harry’s body to angle himself above Harry’s open tongue, willing and pliant. Harry’s tongue curled up against the underside of Louis’ cock, and that was all it took for Louis to finish all over Harry’s face, painting his beautiful golden skin with streaks of white.
Fuck. Tension releasing from his whole body, Louis sank down onto Harry’s chest, stroking Harry’s hair and taking in his spent face. Blinking languidly, Harry gave him a blissful smile, one that Louis couldn’t help but kiss.
He couldn’t stop himself from kissing Harry tonight. Not when he had every opportunity to.
The only thing that convinced him to drag himself away from Harry was that he still had cum all over his face, which required a bit of clean up. Plus, kissing his own cum? Not ideal.
Louis returned with a wet washcloth from the bathroom, wiping down Harry’s face while Harry giggled in delight. “You’re taking care of me,” Harry said.
One more wipe, and Louis was done. “Is that really the bare minimum for you?” he asked, tossing the washcloth onto the floor. Probably not the most sanitary, but he couldn’t be damned right now. He plopped down next to Harry, muscles loose, happy. “In that case, the bar is really low. Not sure how I feel about meeting such a shitty standard.”
Turning his head so that his face was directly facing Louis, Harry grinned in response. “But you’re the best cum wiper. That should count for something.”
Harry’s choice of words were something that really left much to be desired. Louis wrinkled his nose. “I hate that you said cum wiper.”
Throwing an arm over Louis’ waist, Harry looked all too satisfied with himself. Or maybe that was the look of being satisfied in general. Because that’s what Louis felt, back in his boy’s arms, like everything was right with the world. Like he had started to live again.
The euphoria he felt now had only ever been present with Harry, Louis realized as he tugged Harry closer, moving Harry’s head so that it was nestled comfortably on Louis’ chest. Having that back in his life was like finding lost joy again. Now that he was living the feeling again, Louis didn’t ever want to lose it.
Maybe it was too sappy to say out loud, but Louis wanted to say it anyway — right before they inevitably drifted off to sleep. Which would probably be soon. It had been a long fucking twenty four hours, after all.
“Harry,” Louis said, quiet, even though Harry was right there. But still, Louis felt tentative anyway. Careful, like he wasn’t sure if these words were right for the moment just yet.
“Yeah?”
Louis looked down at him. “I’m really glad we ended up here,” he admitted. He could feel the wide smile against his chest.
“I’m glad, too.”
---
It wasn’t until the next morning that Louis realized that they hadn’t televised his exit. He had just left, and the viewers would probably be confused. Two exits in the span of twenty-four hours. That would be a spectacle, for sure.
But Carla had given them the go-ahead to catch the next flight back to the UK, so it wasn’t his problem anymore. Harry’s smile was broad as they drove to the airport terminal, hand reaching for Louis’ in the cab. At the touch, Louis smiled, happily glancing out the window.
Who would’ve thought that this was how he’d be leaving Majorca. When Louis had arrived, he certainly hadn’t thought he would be leaving with someone else, much less someone who he actually loved.
But here he was, going home with the first and only love of his life. Bringing Harry’s hand to his lips, he placed a kiss there, because he hadn’t yet completed his goal of kissing every inch of Harry’s skin. He figured it wouldn’t be long until he accomplished that particular objective. Harry’s face was shining, happy. Louis didn’t ever want his smile to dim.
He didn’t let go of Harry’s hand as they climbed out of the car, or when they sat down in their seats on the plane. Didn’t even let go when they arrived at Terminal 3, when there were already hordes of fans waiting for them, jaws dropping wide.
When Louis turned to Harry, Harry was already looking at him, gaze assured and calm. Camera shutters and shocked whispers surrounded them like a cacophonous symphony. And it was a lot, but here was Harry, glowing brighter than any of the flashes directed at him. Louis couldn’t look away.
He felt a soft squeeze around his hand, as gentle as the radiant smile that Harry was giving him. “So what do you think?” Louis asked, keeping his voice low.
“I think,” Harry said, eyes bright and gleaming, “that I love you.”
Louis looked at him. They had come so far. They really had. And even though they had gotten here, everything wasn’t perfect. Yet.
In fact, things were far from it. There were still conversations to be had, mistakes to amend. They both knew that they still needed time to heal.
But it was the fact that this time, they were going to work on it, Louis was going to make sure they worked on it. And maybe by this time next year, they’d be one step closer.
Louis briefly recalled how he had once made a vow to marry Harry. And although it had seemed so far ago, Louis had no doubt that this was what he wanted again. They would make things work. They would live together, get married, maybe even think about children. Maybe they would adopt a cat, finally, and Harry would inevitably become its favourite even though Louis was the one who fed it.
But that could all wait. Even as the whole nation watched, Louis knew that there was no one else he would rather do it all with.
So when Louis kissed Harry, to the roar of excited gasps echoing around them, he knew it was the right decision.
Harry had been the right decision, all along.
The first right decision on the path to many more.