Chapter Text
“Louis?” I hear and look back at where the sweet voice is coming. I’m faced with Harry trying to sit up, with the sheet covering his lower part and his eyes still semi opened.
“Morning love!” I instantly give him a grin and walk from my nightstand to his bed.
“What time is it?” he asks, rubbing his eyes
“Early.” I lay back under the sheets, pressing my body against him and giving a kiss in his temple. He responds at my touch by squeezing my hand but when tries to tangle our fingers, stops
“What do you have here?” he asks and I raise my hand showing him the so well-known necklace.
“Your necklace.” I answer, giving emphasis in the word your. I hand him the collar and he looks at the object in awe “I don’t want you to take it anymore.” I look at him and our eyes meet. He takes some time looking back at me till he nods, making his messy hair going to the front of his forehead. By instinct I pull the small locks of hair away when he takes his necklace from my hand.
When he puts it around his neck I can’t stop but smile by thinking that things are slowly going back to normal. I can’t believe that yesterday around this time I was feeling like shit and right now I feel so alive with him next to me. I even slept better last night because I was feeling his arms around my body, I knew he was okay next to me and he was protecting me. I fell asleep listening to his sweet words and feeling the gentle kisses being pressed against my skin. I fell asleep warm, pleased and loved.
“I love you!” he says with the small object making small circles against his bare chest. The words he speaks make me wondering. Did I really find the love I was looking for? Did I finally learn what that is? The answer to those two questions is the same. No. I wasn’t looking for Harry, I wasn’t asking for so much. So he’s a surprise, a good one! And then, no one learn the meaning of love in a day, especially alone, so I expect Harry to help me with it while I help him as well. “Lou?” He makes me pay him attention. He looks carefully at me and somehow he’s smiling with his face closer from me now. “I won’t.” he says and I know he’s referring to the necklace. I know he won’t take it off anymore by now.
I smile back at him, resting my hand on the back of his neck “Good. Because I cried when you did.” I admit, looking away from him with the last words.
He chuckles and makes me look at him by my chin again “You’re a pussy!” he says and I play hurt
“Shut up Harry” I shout and when I try to slap him on his arm he takes my wrist in his hand and spins me on the bed, pressing me against the mattress with his naked body on top of mine and the little air plane moving above my lips.
“I’m sorry for that!” He caresses my cheek and I close my eyes, leaning my face at the touch. He leans over to give me a kiss on my nose “I cried a lot too you know?”
I groan in annoyance “Let’s stop apologising each other and talk about this.” I laugh a bit and he nods
“You’re right, boyfriend.” I laugh due his words and then he lets himself fall on top of me.
Our naked bodies pressed against each other make me moan due the touch and I feel him giggling “You’re fat, get off me!” I try my best to speak firmly
“Yeah right, remember the last time you said that?” he teases and I shut myself right away. “Thought so.” He smirks and I roll my eyes
“We have to go to classes today.” I say after some minutes just listening to each other’s breathing.
“I know” he speaks and wraps his arms around my torso “Can we make like the old times?”
“Of course.” That’s all I ever wanted
“And have lunch with the others? I miss Liam and Zayn.”
“Yeah… about that…” I start and move away, making him getting away from my body and sit at my side, looking at me oddly “Me and Zayn fought, I shouted at Liam and Niall punched me.” I say too quickly and he looks widely at me
“What?” I know he understood so I don’t think about repeating “So when you came talk to me… your cheek? Was that Niall?” he’s shocked
I nod carefully, unsure of what to say and fearing to get him in trouble with Niall. When I see his furious expression and ready to blow up since he tries to get up from the bed. I stop him by his arm “Harry, please… I deserved it.” I did deserve it. From Harry at least so since he wouldn’t so it I think Niall made it well
“You what? Louis for fuck sakes you-“
“Harry!” I raise my voice, making him to shut up “He was just trying to help.”
“By hitting you?”
“By opening my eyes!” I say firmly “It worked,” I shrug laughing a little “Don’t get mad at him, don’t even mention it. It’s fine! I understood.” He sighs with my words
“What about the others? How was that?”
“Don’t feel like talking about it.” It’s his time to roll his eyes. It’s weird because when it happened I wanted Harry here to talk about it. Well I wanted to talk about it with someone, probably because I was handling with too much.
“Was it because… because of me?”
I take some time to answer “Y-Yes.” He makes an annoyed expression “But they were trying to help too. I was just being too selfish and stupid to listen to.” He shakes his head. He’s not helping but somehow I just want to laugh with his reactions and not actually being mad or annoyed because of it.
“Just talk with them. Everything will be okay, I’m sure.”
“I know it will.” I just don’t know how to make things okay. I was never good with apologising.
“So let’s get up, get ready for classes and drink a good coffee before it, shall we?” He suddenly says, jumping out of the bed and throwing me my underwear and clothes with a big smile. It’s good to have him back.
~*~
“Good to see you here in time!” I say with a smile written upon my face when see the tall boy walking towards me. He pecks my cheek and tangles our hands together with a grin.
“Didn’t want to make you wait today!” he says when we start walking away from my classroom. I’m not gonna lie and say that I wasn’t afraid that he wouldn’t show up today, maybe it was the fact that I couldn’t remember what this was. Finishing this boring classes but with a smile because I knew Harry would appear to pick me up. But he’s here and I need to stop worrying. Everything will be okay for now on if we want to.
“You sure didn’t have problems the other times” I joke and we laugh a little
“Let’s pretend I was always punctual!” he plays serious and squeezes my hand. I find myself looking at his profile while we walk with a stupid grin on my face. So beautiful… and mine. And I’m his. And I’m so happy for that. “What?” he catches me staring at him and we stop. I look away, feeling my cheeks burning by being caught. Harry laughs due it adding “Cute!” in his sweet tone of voice. I feel his hand resting on my cheek, making me look at him. He finds the opportunity when we’re face to face to kiss my lips, slowly and ardently. It surprises me that it’s our first kiss of the day making me realise how I missed his lips pressed against mines. Not taking this anymore further he pulls away, for my sadness, but not disappointing me when mutters an I love you. My heart melts due it and when I’m about to answer him, we’re interrupted by a presence of someone, blocking our way.
“Louis?” we hear and Harry knows who is just by the gruff but somehow grating voice. I feel him trying to release my hand from his, but I stop him by holding it tightly and making him understand that he needs to calm down.
“What do you want Bryan?” I look at him as harshly as Harry. This guy has some guts… seriously who does he thinks he is? I regret so much everything i did to protect him from Harry. He deserved everything Harry did and I was just stupid. Harry is right, Bryan doesn’t change. Harry knows it better than anyone and I could saw a bit of it with my own eyes. Bryan probably hates Harry as much as Harry hates him. But otherwise my Harry, he doesn’t have reasons for it. He is a selfish, stupid and egocentric brat who likes to play with other people’s mind. He fooled me plenty of times so I’m not going to allow him doing it anymore.
“Are you two… together now?” He looks at us at time and his eyes show a bit of surprise but doesn’t make the disgust and annoyance disappear.
Harry tries to speak but I’m determinate not to allow him to. He is tense, I can feel it, but it’s my turn to do something about this matter. It’s my turn to protect him even if he doesn’t need to. “Is none of your damn business” I answer bitterly and firmly. I keep holding Harry’s hand tightly and trying to pass through the touch that everything is okay and he doesn’t need to worry.
“Whoa, calm down Louis!” he even tries to talk to me like he is a victim and doesn’t understand what’s going on, a good person who doesn’t deserve the others to speak with him like I did. “I was just asking…” the way he moves his look from me to Harry, looking at him mischievously makes me want to spank him. “You always stood up for me Lou, it surprises me since, you know, by the way he treated me I didn’t expect you to forgive him so soon.” His words make me sick. Harry is losing is temper next to me and I don’t know for how much long I can keep him calm. That was my problem I always stood up for him and forgot that it was Harry who was by my side truly and since always. Half of our fights wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t that. My fault. It was my fault so now I need to show to this guy that he never deserved my trust and he’s only a piece of trash.
“Well maybe I shouldn’t have stood up for you. You didn’t deserve it after all.” He takes his eyes off from Harry and looks again at me scornfully and in surprise.
“Well babe you were too busy drooling over me to realise that. Too late, hum?” he smirks.
“You motherfu-“ Harry gives a step forward brutally, tries to release our hands once more time and clenches his other one. Once again I stop him, putting my arm in front of him and pushing him away gently, thankfully he stops. I don’t hold his hand this time, I just take a step forward, being closer from Bryan and in front of Harry.
I try my best to make a confident and firm expression and don’t show my weakest part. I was never good in this kind of things and I guess I was used to have Harry protecting me that forgot that I had myself to do that on my own.
“Look, Bryan” I say his name in a wryly tone “you can speak all the shit you want but if we see this situation closer, this time, it was you who were fooled. I got a boyfriend now and he is better than you.” I smirk shrugging “You’re alone again and the next time you find another person to play around maybe you will have the same end. At the end of the day is you who is going to be hurt. So I don’t know what you expect to do with your life but I see a dark and lonely future for you my friend.” I keep with the playful and ironic smile while Bryan’s face changes and he doesn’t seem as confident as he was before. I grab Harry’s wrist, not bothering to see his expression and start to walk away not allowing Bryan to say a word. Though he probably didn’t have one to speak. However I stop after two steps and walk back to him, where he still is in the same place and with the same face “Oh and next time I hear you speaking shit about Harry it will be me who is going to punch that arse face of yours.” I whisper and this time I walk away for good. Damn I’m proud of myself, I can’t believe I could say those things without stammering and with so much confidence. I could finally impose myself and do what I should have done sooner.
“Holy shit did you see his face?” Harry says in enthusiasm, stepping in front of me and walking backwards “What a glorious moment I had the pleasure to contemplate!” he grins and I can’t stop but laugh due his expression. “Well at least I can say that when you were annoyed by me in the past, you weren’t really mad, were you?” he teases and I shake my head due his stupidity
“No I really was annoyed!”
“You were?” He raises his brow and I nod with a smirk. He finally stops walking and grabs my cheeks with his both hands “No you weren’t.” he whispers huskily and presses our lips together in a rush and strongly. This time I don’t care where we are I part my lips so our tongues move in synchrony. He kisses me hard and I grab the hair from the back of his neck.
He pulls away after a gentle kiss “I lov-“ he starts but I cover his mouth with my hand
“I love you” I say instead, smiling and I know he’s making an effort to do the same with my hand pressed against his lips.
~*~
“Are you sure they are coming?”
“Niall didn’t say anything else but I suppose he can manage to bring them” Harry answers my question checking out his phone just to be sure he doesn’t have any message. We are only waiting at the table for the others for ten minutes so I still have hopes, even if they always arrive before us.
I choose not to say anything else and just wait patiently. Harry’s hand is above my knee squeezing once in a while giving me comfort and assurance. I still don’t know what to say to mend things or how to act around them after everything but I guess if I keep over thinking is worst.
After what it seems like ages I don’t feel Harry’s hand on my knee anymore, so I finally take my eyes off of the table and look at him. He’s looking forward with eyes wide open and when I follow his glare, I’m faced with a blonde guy and with two taller ones behind him walking towards our table.
I instantly smile when see them sitting in front of us in their usual sits but no one dares to say a word for some minutes.
“Hey guys! It’s been a while since we met up all together, hum?” Harry comments with a grin and with an alive tone of voice trying to cheer up the mood and change their frowns into smiles.
By the glare Niall gives me and then at Harry at time I can tell that Harry didn’t tell him that we are dating… better, he didn’t tell him that we made up and probably didn’t expect me here. As well as Liam and Zayn who just looked surprise when saw me before sitting in their sits and didn’t look at me anymore. Okay this is not a good start.
The guys choose to give Harry a small smile and don’t say anything else, which is weird but expected. Harry frowns and I give him a look to applaud his attempt. This is going to be harder than Harry made me believe to.
“So are you two okay now?” Niall is the first to speak, still unsure. I always liked Niall because of this, he always finds a way to change the situation. Sometimes.
Harry nods frenetically “Yes we are, just like the old times!” What? No.
“Not like the old times” Harry’s eyes move to me “We are dating” I decide to take the first step. All the eyes come to my direction, all shocked and surprised. When did I see this scene before? “For real now.” I add to show that this time is for real and none of us is going to deny it or create more problems. Niall’s glare is not the friendliest and I know the reason why. Shit how am I going to solve all of this? I don’t want Harry to do it for me, I can do it on my own, I proved it with Bryan minutes ago, but this is hard.
I take a deep breath before speaking the next words “I know what you are all thinking… I made shit, I was an asshole all this time.” Harry tries to interrupt me but I don’t allow him to by raising my hand in front of him. He can’t do this for me and he can’t say anything to protect me this time. “I haven’t been the best person for you guys, I was a shitty friend” I say looking at once at time, including Harry “I know you Niall won’t trust me so easily from now on and I understand, but you need to believe me this time. Also, thank you for opening my eyes.” I look at the Irish lad and he only looks back at me, not allowing me to read his thoughts “Liam… Fuck, I’m sorry! You were just being the great friend you are for me and I screwed everything by being ungrateful.” Liam, unlike Niall, gives me a small smile. “Same with you Zayn, you were right! You were damn right! You two are my best mates and you didn’t deserve to hear what I said and also I shouldn’t have been avoiding you” I make a pause “I can’t stop saying how stupid I was because… I’ve been living only thinking about myself and not looking back to my friends. The truly people who are here for me.” I bite my lip and then look at Harry “And Harry, I know we already talked about this, I’m not going to apologise again as we agreed to but what I did to you was unforgivable… no one deserves it, especially the person you love.” He nods and I know he’s probably saying to himself that I didn’t need to say this to him but if I wanna change I need to make this. “Damn guys, I just… I’m so sorry! I love you all so much and I just don’t want to lose my four anchors.” I suck at words so is better if I just stay from here.
Harry tangles our hands under the table and when I look at him our eyes meet and he gives me a smile. I understand that he just said good job so I smile back at him. There is a silence–well not really silence because the restaurant is pretty loud but none of us dare to speak for a while.
“So you love us hum?” Zayn says laughing
“And we’re your anchors?” Is Liam’s time to mock me.
“That’s pretty gay Tomlinson!” Niall laughs along with the others and Harry, making me roll my eyes
“I am gay Niall!” I laugh as well. This is what I like, this is what is right. I am happy with them, I have Harry as my boyfriend, I have great friends, I don’t really need a family because I have them. Sure new people come and the others go but if we really want to, they can stay. If we really appreciate the real people we have next to us, they will stay. I am twenty, not fifteen so I can’t see life as a nightmare, I can’t dramatise with unnecessary things, I can’t only see the bad things life offers me. I can’t live in the past, I need to make the future worth it, I can’t be the person I made myself be.
Harry wraps his arms around my shoulders and kisses my temple. When the boys see the gesture they stand up from their sit and walk straight at us. All of them with a smirk and a teased look wrap their arms around me as well and make their best to hug me while I’m sat. Niall grabs me from behind, Liam sits on my lap and Zayn tries his best to reach all of us with his arms. I start laughing by how idiotic this situation is but not giving any importance to the noise and scene we’re causing in the restaurant.
I hear Liam whispering It’s okay I forgive you, Zayn screaming Congrats to the boyfriends, Niall whispering threats but even though saying I’m gonna trust Harry on you and Harry laughing next to me and murmuring I’m proud of you.
I’m not going to disappoint anyone, anymore.
~*~
Harry tangles our hands together in the air, appreciating the way our fingers fit in each other. The room is illuminated only by candles and our sweaty and naked bodies are covered just with the soft and thin white sheet. The way he moves his fingers with mines make me shiver, he’s so gentle as if he’s almost afraid that with the harshest movement I’ll break apart. He loves me, I’m sure of that and it makes me feel wonderful, so complete and good with myself. I can’t believe that I thought I hated this boy. I think I only hated him because I couldn’t be like him. I admired him so much to the point of hating him because I knew I was nothing like him. All of that changed and I’m thankful for it.
“Hey Lou?” I hear his sleepy voice. I hum in response. “I want to sleep next to you forever.” He says making me laugh a little “Don’t laugh, I’m serious!” his accent is deep in this sentence, hot though. “I want to sleep next to you and I want to wake up in the middle of the night and roll over and kiss you and know that you aren’t going anywhere.”
Fuck you Styles “I hate you.” I finally say it out loud. He drops my hand and looks at me, kinda of amused and his eyes… fuck his eyes are so beautiful “I hate you for how you make me feel, you know?” I complete myself with a grin.
His lips form the same smile and he moves to crawl on top of me. He parts his legs next to my thighs, grabs me by the back of my neck and pulls me into a deep and long kiss “No you don’t…” he whispers pressing our foreheads together.
“Yeah, I don’t…” I say somehow breathless.
I love him.