Chapter 16

Louis and Harry spent the ride home in silence. The only sound was the rattling engine that vibrated lightly under them as they drove the way back to London. To Louis' home.

Louis' hand though never left Harry's.His thumb moved in a constant gentle rub over the back of Harry's as he leaned his head against the cold window, following the changing landscape for a while until his eyes dropped heavily and he fell asleep, holding onto Louis' hand tightly.

It was Harry's anchor. Because he was on the verge of drowning.

''Darlin' I will be lovin' you till we're seventy,'' Louis started to hum lightly along to the radio, a small smile settling on his lips at the faint squeeze of Harry's hand,

''Baby my heart could still fall as hardat twenty three'' Louis sighed and pouted.

''Even though I'm twenty four already but still- I'm thinkin' bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways ..Maybe just the touch of a hand'' Louis grinned down at their intertwined hands.

''Me, I fall in love with you every single day, I just wanna tell you I am''

~

''Ops'' Louis gasped, almost stumbling over the last step that led to his front door while he carried a way taller, sleeping lad with a mess of brown curls into his house, fumbling with the key for a while until he got it and walked inside.

Harry was fisting his hands in Louis' shirt, holding desperately onto him while Louis' face turned red with exhausting.

''Unf'' He scrunched his face as he straightened up from placing Harry on the couch, holding a hand to his small back where pain was making its way through Louis' whole spine. He wasn't the youngest anymore, he guessed.

Louis glanced over at the clock and yawned softly, even though it was only 5 pm.

At least it meant he had enough time for Harry..

Louis smiled down at the sleeping boy and moved quietly over to his bed, getting the two blankets and pillows ( since Harry slept once at his he was keeping the extra blanket there because it smelled like Harry) and returned again, wrapping the blanket around Harry and propped his head up on a pillow, careful not to hurt his bruising cheek any more.

Louis got some tea ready and biscuits he baked a few days ago when he was lonely and bored before he snuggled up behind Harry, carefully wrapping his arms around the taller boys waist to spoon him from behind,

''Harry it's Louis.. please don't panic you're with me now. At my house..'' He was cooing, stroking some of Harry's curls out of his face to be able to look properly at his beauty.

The second Harry's big green eyes opened, Louis felt such a stirring in his heart that completely knocked him off. He was deeply in love with this boy.

''Hello..'' Harry's deep, with sleep dripping voice turned up before he snuggled forward in Louis' neck, hiding the blooming bruise on his cheek.

''I hope you feel a little better being here with me now.. I hope you're feeling good with the decision you made'', Louis whispered honestly, stroking his smaller hands over Harry's long curls.

He stayed silent for a few moments, just listening to Louis breathing that did calm him.

He felt.. kind of free.

Now that he knew he would never have to go back to Will. That Louis will be there for him now, that he doesn't have to leave him again to go 'home' to a man that's treating him badly.

''Did you mean all t-that?'' Harry whispered after a while, twirling his finger around one of Louis' sweater bands. He was used to Will saying things he did not mean.

''I-I mean everyone can say those words b-but I believe you it's just that.. he once said them t-too a-and..'' He swallowed harshly, burying himself deeper into Louis. He never wanted this to stop.

''Shh.. I mean them. I drove all the way down to Brighton to get you out of there Harry. Because I care about you. I do mean everything I said..'' Louis smiled down to him and pressed a kiss to his warm forehead.

''What about we drink some tea, eat some biscuits and then sleep together, cuddle for the rest of the night..'' Louis mumbled as Harry sniffled slightly and nodded, ''I won't leave your side ever again, Harry.''

~

''You're a bad baker by the way..'' Harry mumbled in Louis' shirt and yawned softly, placing his chin on Louis' chest and looked up at him. The bruise on Harry's cheek was making Louis' sad.

He hoped it would vanish quickly. But with him pressing several kisses to it every five minutes, the healing process could only move quicker.

They slept through the night on Louis' bigger couch, bodies entangled beautifully. They never let go of each other.

Harry even trotted after Louis when he had to visit the bathroom during the night.

He was like a lost little puppy.

But Louis loved it.

Right now though, he gasped. ''Harold Edward Styles. Did you just call me a bad baker?'' Louis lip jutted out in a pout that made Harry smile a little.

''What about we bake today and you show me what I have to do..'' Louis looked down at Harry, placing a soft kiss to his lips and stroked over his good cheek slowly.

''Okay'' Harry whispered and nodded slowly.

''I love you..'' Louis whispered and pulled the boy in for a soft, very sweet kiss.

Louis and Harry showered together but neither of them paid attention to their bodies. They looked in each others eyes, and Harry did not want it any other way because he didn't like Louis seeing his ugly body.

''P-please don't touch me lower than my waist.. I.. ''Harry swallowed, his eyes looking desperately for any kind of explanation but Louis cooed him and nodded.

''Only your chest and back. Relax, Harry. My hands won't ever hurt you.. I promise you that.''

Harry let out a shaky exhale and nodded, eyes tearing up a little before Louis wrapped his arms around the trembling boy, hugging him to his chest for a good few minutes. It was exactly what Harry needed after everything that happened.

Louis was looking at Harry the entire time while his hands gently moved over his chest, shoulders, arms and back. The poor boy was so tensed.. Yet, he was slowly relaxing under Louis' touch. And it was more than Louis could ever wish for.

Louis gave Harry his xxl sweater he loved to wear on rainy days and some comfy sweatpants that hung nicely around Harry's slim waist. Fluffy socks, also.

After they had breakfast, Louis fed Harry with some strawberries while they were watching Love Actually.

Harry was a little absent throughout the day but whenever his eyes threatened to glaze over with that haze, Louis was there to kiss it away.

And while they were baking chocolate chips cookies, Harry clung to Louis backside the entire time, arms wrapped tightly around the older boys waist, face nuzzled slightly in Louis hair that smelled like vanilla.

He was watching Louis, smiling softly because he was a little clumsy. Almost nervous.

''Hey, I know you worked in a bakery earlier okay.. so.. you're not helping me'', Louis pouted devastatingly and crossed his arms playfully in front of his chest. It was raining outside.

Harry blushed softly and swallowed, ''you're doing it a little wrong'' He said nervously, as if he'd be afraid his chose of words would get him into trouble. Louis though, just smiled and nodded gently.

''Help meeee then'' He whined softly and Harry nuzzled back in his neck, helping Louis to make the dough for the cookies before they pushed them into the oven.

Soon enough, the smell of fresh, warm cookies lingered in the house, causing both Harry's and Louis' mouth to water.

It was the best during the December time.

''Christmas is coming up soon..'' Louis mumbled and looked down at Harry with a small smile as they sat on the couch in front of the fire place,

''Do you have any wishes?''

Harry chewed on his lip and slowly looked up, ''Only you. To be happy with you, to be with you.. And you?''

Louis heart melted into a puddle.

''Oh, my lovely Haz, you already have me. All of me, my heart," Louis smiled and pressed his lips to Harry's forehead, "I want you to be happy."

~

During the following days, Harry clung to Louis' a lot. He didn't like being left alone, did not like to decide anything on his own and he liked to be depend on Louis for a while. Because he knew that Louis loved him. Truly loved him.

They cuddled a lot, they retired from the on going world outside their windows for a while, they were in their own little world but both of them loved it.

Christmas was nearing, the atmosphere got calmer and people got nicer.

''Hey, Haz. Do you wanna take a walk? It's already dark outside.. barely people. It's you and me right?'' Louis smiled down at Harry who was looking up at him while they laid on the couch.

They spent a few days inside Louis' house, with each other, constantly whispering sweet things to each other.

But Louis thought that Harry needed to get out of here again.

''I'd like that..'' Harry smiled softly. His bruise almost disappeared completely, allowing his cheeks to beautifully blush again whenever Louis whispered something sweet to him. Which was every five minutes.

Louis grinned and pulled Harry up, walking with him on his hand to the front door and put on his thick jacket along with shoes before he turned to Harry who looked at him with eyes that sparkled more and more each day.

''Help me?'' Harry looked at him a bit sad. He was afraid that Louis would be annoyed with him some day because he was acting like a baby.

But the worrying thoughts quickly vanished as Louis' smiled brightly and got Harry's jacket and his shoes, helping him inside before he wrapped a scarf around his neck.

''We wouldn't want you get cold now, would we, Boo?'' Louis grinned causing Harry to smile.

''You're reminding me of a little cute ghost whenver you call me that..'' Harry bit down on his lip, looking carefully up at Louis who chuckled softly,

''Well that's what you are. Cute and little. And I adore that''

Louis pecked Harry's lips again before they were walking outside, down the street they walked on Halloween.

''Do you want to have a christmas tree?'' Harry perked up at Louis and smiled, clutching on Louis' hand.

''Of course! I'd love to set it up and make it pretty together with you..'' Louis cooed and squeezed his large palm.

''I'd like to have a tiny one, they're cute..''

Louis laughed and nodded, ''whatever you wish for'' He lifted Harry's hand up to his lips to press a soft kiss to it.

''and we can bake some more cookies together.. yummy cookies!'' Harry grinned up at Louis and lowered his head softly to kiss Louis cheek. He made him happy.

''Yes and listen to christmas music and watch love actually for the.. hundreth time?'' Louis smiled and chuckled softly. ''But you.. like the movie?'' Harry whispered unsure, a white cloud forming in front of his plump lips as he spoke, ''I don't want to bore you..''

''Harry you won't ever bore me because I love you.'' Louis sighed and stopped right in the middle of the street they were passing, the street lamps on, turning the place around them in almost a golden light.

Harry blinked as a snowflake landed on his nose and he smiled, wishing he could lick it up but his tongue wasn't that long..

''Lou.. ''He whispered out in amazement as suddenly millions of snowflakes followed the one that landed on Harry's nose, falling on the ground around them, some getting caught in their hair and eyelashes.

Louis heart beat madly as he saw the fascination come back in Harry's eyes, awakening them again and maybe that was the final point where he got his Harry back.

''Harry.. '' Louis whispered and cupped the younger boy's face in his hands, looking at him with all the love he could bring up, which was a lot.

''Be mine, be my boyfriend, please'' Louis eyes' flickered over the boy's eyes, watching his cheeks blush and his green eyes sparkle and at that second, only they existed, standing in a middle of an empty street that got covered with more and more snow.

''Yes.. '' Harry only mouthed the word out at first before he was smiling so that his dimples were popping, ''yes, yes, yes!'' He giggled and hummed as Louis pressed his lips towards his, shyly at first before the kiss got more passionate.

''Louis..'' Harry whispered and smiled.

''Mhm?''

''I love you, too.''