Hello muffins,
How are y'all? Hope you have a wonderful day ahead. ❤️

Finally after a month and a half, I am back with an update. So much happened in the past month and as we all know many of them were not good. But I don't want to bring that up right now because time heals all the pain and I'm really happy to see our little hedgehog back and smiling. :)

I want to thank all of you for reading this book and for being so understanding when it comes to the delay in my updates. The book crossed 11k and I can't believe it. I didn't even think there'd be more than twenty reads on a chappie. So I am grateful to you all for this. It truly means a lot. Love you guys.

I dedicate this to each one of you reading this, especially stylinson_pride, larrysbabe_xx and girl_with_no_job. I love you a lot girls.❤️❤️

Now, without further ado, let's get the chapter.

Please don't forget to vote and comment. xx

"Niall, Hurry up. We're gonna be late!!"

"Oh shut up, Harry!!" Niall shouted from his bedroom while hastily putting on his t-shirt.

"What's the hurry, by the way?" Elisa asked and handed Niall his phone.

Niall rolled his eyes and said, "I have no idea what's gotten into him today. I get that we are starting our album today but I don't think he should be THIS excited for that! We are gonna be early by almost an hour. It's already the fourth time he's shouted for me to come down. I could've cuddled with you for a longer time dammit!." He whined in annoyance.

Elisa giggled and teased her boyfriend by saying, "Yeah. And it's been known that you're not a morning person babe."

"EXACTLY!" He exclaimed with emphasis.

Elisa laughed at that. But just then a thought came in her mind. She turned towards Niall and asked with raised eyebrows, "By any chance, will Louis be there?"

"Yes, why?"Niall stopped combing his hair and his eyes widened with realisation ,"Oh my God, you don't think Harry is impatient to meet Louis, do you?"

"Maybe." Elisa shrugged. "They had quite a long chat in the room yesterday, remember?"

"Yes. Honestly, I had thought that they would fight once again like every time they have, on being left alone in the past couple of weeks so I was surprised to see both of them joining us without any sad look or upset expression.  A good surprise obviously."

"I hope they get together as soon as possible."

"Me too, babe. In fact I-"

"NIALL JAMES HORAN, IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN IN TWO MINUTES, I'M LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!!!!!" Harry's voice boomed in the room.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. I'M COMING, YOU @$$HOLE. CHILL OUT!" Niall shouted back. He quickly checked himself in the mirror one last time and turned towards Elisa. "I'll see you in the evening yeah? When is your meeting with Burberry, by the way?"

"Two days later."

"Okay. You can look around the town for today. Maybe go for shopping with Anne?"

"Sure. You have a good day, babe."

Niall leaned forward to place a short but sweet kiss on Elisa's lips. "Love you, girlfriend."

"Love you too, boyfriend. Now go before Harry shouts again."

And with that Niall left the room to join Harry. He smashed the green eyed boy on the head for rushing him without purpose after which both of them rode to the studio.

-----------

The sound of the table clock's alarm blared through the room, waking Louis up from his deep slumber. Yesterday night, after a really long time he had slept with a smile on his face. All because of Harry's little step of kindness and gentleness towards him.

You can call me Harry.

These set of five words had made Louis happier than they should have. To everyone else, it may not seem like anything huge but to Louis, who had been struggling with his guilt internally and had been trying to hold his demeanour firm in front of Harry's wrath all this while, it surely meant a lot. He felt like he had made some progress and was genuinely happy about it.

Louis pressed the alarm off and sat up on his bed. He gave his hands and limbs a stretch before getting out of the bed to finish his morning business.

He had just finished his shower when he heard his phone ringing in his bedroom. He quickly tied the baby blue coloured bathrobe around his waist and walked out of the bathroom with fast steps, knowing very well whose call it was.

"HEYY BABY!!" Louis chirped with a wide smile as he answered the video call.

"GOOD MORNING DADA!!" came a very energetic and enthusiastic voice just as the adorable face of his son popped up on his mobile's screen, instantly making Louis' smile grow wider, like always. Ethan had been away for four days now and there were yet another fifteen days to go before he returned to his dada. But even after being away, the little boy's habit of wishing his dada a good morning first thing after waking up, didn't change. Every morning, he made his auntie Lottie call Louis to talk to him and requested the same thing at night before going to bed when he would tell Louis everything that he did throughout the day.

"Good morning, my little sweetheart. Did you sleep well last night?" Louis asked as he sat down on his bed.

"Yes dada! Aunty Lottie read a new bed time story to me before I went to sleep and it was really nice!" Ethan said while trying to remove the bed sheets off of him with one hand and balancing the large phone with his other tiny hand.

"Oh did she? What was it about?" Louis asked with an excited expression although he knew that it was most definitely going to be one out of Lottie's grand collection of dumb stories about animals. He hadn't forgotten how much Lottie sucked at storytelling and always ended up making weird narrative plots that included animals in some way while reading bedtime stories to their twin sisters, Phoebe and Daisy.

"It was about a big bad cat who used to disturb a small family of four mouses. And-"

"Ethyy!" Louis interrupted Ethan with a mild stern voice. "What have we learnt about the plural of mouse?""

Ethan eyes widened and he starting looking up at the ceiling trying to remember. His lips turned into a cute pout when he couldn't bring to mind if he had learnt it in school or if his dada had ever taught him. But still he tried to answer, "umm mouse...es?"

Louis chuckled a little. He could never get enough of the ball of cuteness that his little baby was. "No bubba. remember dada taught you? It's mice, okay?"

"YESS!! Mice. Now I remember dada!" Ethan said with a victorious smile.

Louis laughed and said, "Very good. Don't forget that, okay bub?"

"yes dada!"

"Now whose gonna tell me the story that their auntie told them?" Louis asked while getting up to go to the kitchen.

"Meeeee!" Ethan said with eagerness. 

And that was how Louis spent the next ten minutes listening to Ethan's story and cooking breakfast for himself.

"....then they beat the big bad cat away and the mouses-"

"Mmm?"

"Sorry sorry, mice lived happily ever after in their small hole" Ethan said while ending the story.

"Very nice, bub. Now get up and brush your teeth okay and - oh my god, be careful, Ethy!" Louis said alarmed as he saw Ethan standing on the fluffy bed and falling backward on the pillow because of the bedsheets.

Ethan giggled coyly and mumbled, "Sorry dada!"

Louis shook his head with fond and said, "Now dada has to go to work. You be a good boy for auntie Lottie okay?"

Ethan dramatically rolled his eyes and said, "Duhhhhh! I am always a good boy, dada. Aren't I, auntie?" He asked and turned the camera to show Lottie entering Ethan's room . The same room which belonged to Louis years ago.

"Of course, sweetpea." Lottie said with a smile and took the phone out of Ethan's hand so that he could get out of the bed.

Louis talked to all his sisters for the next twenty minutes while eating his breakfast. He knew he would be a little late but his sisters deserved at least this much time of the day from him. He liked being updated about what was going on in their lives and his sisters trusted him enough to tell him ever single detail. After talking to all of them, Louis bid goodbye to Ethan and went to his room to get dressed. He knew he was late but he wasn't really needed early in the office. Harry was going to start working on his album from today and Louis had already arranged for some other songwriters to assist him. The musicians were also informed and Louis had nothing much to do accept for scheduling some interviews for the singer. So, the fifteen minutes delay that Louis had made, didn't really bother him.

He walked up to his room and rummaged through his closet to find himself today's outfit. He discarded his bathrobe on his bed and dressed himself in the full sleeved grey sweater and black skinny jeans that he had decided on. He dried his slightly damp hair and fixed it in a side fringe and checked himself in the mirror one last time before leaving his room with his work bag.

He wore his white vans and gathered his keys, phone and wallet before leaving the house and driving away to the BBC building. Not to mention, the excitement bubbling in him of maybe catching a glimpse of a certain green eyed handsome singer. He knew that Harry didn't need him today but he was hoping that they could at least meet.

--------------

Just as Harry and Niall entered the BBC R&M 's building, they were greeted by a smiling Tiara. She had been really polite and sweet to them right from the first day and they always made sure to talk to her every time they visited the office. Also, from the few visits in the past, Harry had learned that she was quite a die-hard fan of his and his songs so he always made sure to be humble and chivalrous towards her.

"Hey Tiara." Niall said with a grin.

"Good morning Mr. Horan, Mr. Styles." She  said with a bright smile while extending her hand to shake.

"Good morning and like I said before, Niall and Harry would be fine, love." Harry said while accepting her handshake.

"Sure. I am assuming that you must be starting with your album today, right?" She asked to which the boys nodded in response.

"I can't tell you how much it's taking me to control myself from squealing, right now. A new Harry Styles album with the amazing Niall Horan on the guitar is like treat to everyone's ears. Oh my God, I am so excited to hear it. It's gonna be a hit, like usual!" Tiara exclaimed, coming out of her formal demeanour and letting her inside fangirl emerge.

Both boys chuckled at that and the green eyed one spoke up with gratefulness, " Thank you for being so supportive, love. We wouldn't be here making our third album if the amazing fans like you hadn't been this encouraging. And I hope we live up to your expectations this time as well." 

"I know for a fact that guys will. Anyways, you guys are quite early. The songwriters haven't arrived yet."

Niall rolled his eyes at that and said, "Oh yeah, we're just...we're very excited for this album, so much that we couldn't wait to get to work on it. That's why we came rushing to the studio, isn't it Harry?"

Harry caught on Niall's sarcasm and glared at his best friend. "Yeah, definitely. Also, some people actually like to start their day early without having any particular reason. Don't they, Tiara? I mean look you're here early too." Harry sassed back while smirking at Niall.

"Uhh yeah...but I'm not exactly an early person though.I had some important files to submit to Mr. Matthew and that was supposed to be done yesterday but it slipped my mind. So, I'm here to keep them in his office before he arrives and pleasee don't tell this to anyone!! " Tiara said with a pleading smile.

It was Niall's turn to smirk then. He smiled smugly at Harry while the green eyed boy just looked away with annoyance. Harry avoided Niall's knowing and teasing looks and turned towards Tiara with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Tiara. We won't tell anyone."

Tiara smiled and said, "Thanks. But anyways, I was told to take you guys to the studio once you arrived. The songwriters will be here soon. Come on, this way."

"Sure, last time I didn't get the chance to see the studios and the recording rooms. Let's go." Niall said and started walking in the direction Tiara showed.

Tiara was about to follow when Harry stopped him. "uhh Tiara?"

She turned around to see the singer not making a move. "Yes?"

"uhh...umm Has none of them arrived yet? I mean you know,.. any of the musicians or... or Louis?" He asked trying to be as discreet and casual as possible while asking about Louis. The real reason behind him being early was actually his eagerness to see the small boy, about whom he couldn't stop thinking all night. Ever since Louis left his house yesterday, he was all Harry could think about. That wide smile that he had seen on the boy's face, after what he'd said to him was beautiful and it was then Harry had realised how immensely he had missed that smile. 

In the past few days when he had forced himself to look at Louis with only resentment filled eyes, he had only seen sadness, guilt and a hidden secret in that face. But yesterday when he finally decided to look at the small boy with no harsh feelings, all he saw was the beautiful and pure hearted boy again. The boy whom he had fallen deeply in love with, six years ago. And now that he had seen that boy again, he was craving to admire him more and more. 

"No. None of them are here yet. In fact, Louis was the one who had texted me minutes ago and asked me to take you guys to the studio whenever you arrived." Tiara replied to his question.

"Ohh. He texted you. " He said and mumbled the next part, "but why did he text you?"

"Huh?"

"Oh no I mean, why did he ask you to do it? Is he not coming today? Not that I really wanted to see him uhh I mean I don't need him for anything today cause you know I have to work on the album but I was just umm casually....wondering?"

'Way to being subtle, Harry' ,He mentally scolded himself.

Tiara giggled. For her, even this meaningless rambling was pleasant. She was one of his huge fans after all.

"Ohh no he'll definitely be coming. He said he'd be a little late though and that's why asked me to escort you to the studio if you arrived here before him."

Harry released a deep breath he didn't even know he was holding. It was a relief to know that he wouldn't have to go one day without seeing Louis and that all of this being early wasn't futile.

He smiled at her and said, "Ohh okay then."

--------------

Louis hastily parked his car in the parking lot before hurrying his way inside the building. The unexpected traffic jam in his way had added on to his delay, making him late by almost an hour. He entered his cabin and tossed his work bag on the table before going towards Tiara's cabin. He wanted to know if everyone was here or not and whether she had taken care of everything in his absence.

He knocked at her door and opened it when he heard an indistinct 'Come in'.

"So sorry I'm late. I got held up while talking to Eth-..Oh" Louis stopped speaking when he noticed that Tiara had company. Sitting on the chairs were Niall and Harry looking directly at him.

"Oh hey Louis." Tiara said with a smile.

But before Louis could speak up, Niall huffed out a deep dramatic breath and stood up from his chair. He walked towards Louis and said "Oh thank God Tommo. You're here." He then turned towards Harry and continued "Now can we please start? Honestly I'm so bored sitting around uselessly that if it weren't for Tiara talking to me, I would have been fast asleep. Harry, all you did this past hour, was bounce your legs and look at the door every two minutes."

"Shut up, Niall." Harry said while glaring at the Irish boy and looking very embarrassed at the same time. 

"Umm did you need me for something?" Louis asked Harry not knowing why could he have possibly waited for him. But yet again, before Harry could speak up Niall did, "Ohh no no not at all, Lou. Harry just really wanted to see you." He said with a smirk and winked at Harry to which the tall boy shot multiple eye daggers at him in response.

Harry stood up from his chair and started justifying, "No, I mean what Niall means to say is that umm..I'll be-" He cleared his throat to hide his stuttering, "We'll be..busy in the studio all day so I thought I'd wait for a little while before starting, just to say...umm..hello?"

Niall scoffed next to Louis. The ex blondie was too smart for his own good. " 'Hello'? Seriously Ha-"

"Hello...Harry" came a soft voice from next to Niall, stopping the boy from further teasing the green eyed singer. 

Harry's head snapped towards Louis when he heard that. Louis had just called him by his first name without any hesitation. Why? because now he could and that too without having Harry mad at him. He couldn't help the small smile that came on his face or the light pink blush that adorned his cheeks after he said that. He bit his lower lip trying to contain himself from grinning too wide. 

Harry, on the other hand, felt as though the small boy had pulled on the strings of his heart. He couldn't take his eyes off of the beautiful blush coating the blue-eyed boy's face. A wave of warmth washed over his entire body when Louis caught his bottom lips in between his teeth. Hearing his name in that silky voice after such a long time had melted Harry right there. 

And that's when Harry realised. Letting Louis in gave him more peace than shutting him out. The idea that he had built in his head was completely fallacious. He had hoped that the pain he'd inflict on Louis would render him satisfaction, that seeing him suffer would give him peace of mind and that the harsh behaviour would make him get over the boy. He had thought that seeing the small boy in the same pain as he was would make him happy. He didn't want to lose to Louis and his mind had convinced him that revenge was the way to triumph. 

But he had never felt this contentment within himself at those times when he was playing tough as he was feeling right at the moment while seeing Louis grinning with brightness in those blue orbs. Being the cause of the big tears in Louis' eyes had never made him as happy as being the reason behind that small smile on his face did. Harry's anger and heartbreak had prevented him from seeing the bigger picture and had blocked his vision from noticing that this 24 year old Louis was nothing but the same that he had been six years ago, same innocence, same purity, same beauty and the same heart that he had fallen in love with. He had refused to believe that Louis could've had a big reason behind what he did.

And now, it was as if Louis calling his name pulled him out of that darkness of heartlessness and threw light on the fact that love wasn't supposed to be a game where there's either a loss or win, instead it is the one thing where losing one's heart to someone was the biggest victory. And he knew he loved Louis, he always had and he always will. 

Harry realised that choosing his head over his heart was not only hurting Louis but wasn't doing himself any good either. No matter what might have happened, Harry's love for Louis never vanished. So, giving pain to someone he loved was excruciating for him as well. 

He was ready to forgive and forget the past if it meant seeing Louis blushing and glowing with happiness just like he was right now and it gave Harry immense serenity to be the reason behind that smile. He eyes were fixed on the boy like there was nothing or no one else around him.

"Harry" Niall called. But when he got no answer he tried harder, "HARRY!!"

Harry jumped a little at Niall's shout, "You just scared me. What is it?" 

Niall rolled his eyes and said, "It's not my fault that you weren't listening okay. Anyways, now that Louis said 'hello', shall we do some writing and composing now? please?" He may have been mocking his best friend but deep inside, Niall's heart was smiling at the two boys. He could envisage the young shorty and froggy who were at the inception of a freshly budding relationship, in the boys standing in front of him. It was like witnessing them falling in love all over again.

He remembers how back in those days, they always used to turn out late for football practices only because of Harry taking his sweet time while talking to Louis. How the two would never stop communicating through their eyes and converse without any words spoken. He remembers how he used to groan at his best friends' disgustingly cute love and had to literally pull Harry away from Louis for the practices.

But seeing both of them elated was worth all of it and he wouldn't mind reliving the third wheel role of his all over again if it meant getting them back together. So, he did excatly what his eighteen year old self used to do at times like these.

As soon as the green-eyed boy nodded and absentmindedly mumbled a 'yeah', the Irish lad went ahead and grabbed a hold on his wrist before dragging him out of the room, knowing very well that Harry wouldn't have moved by himself towards the studios.

Harry's attention on Louis diverted towards Niall when he felt the boy pulling him out of the room. "Niall, Stop, Stop, Stop."

Niall groaned and said, "Now what!"

Harry turned towards Louis and said softly, "I'll be in the studio, okay."

Louis whose eyes hadn't left Harry even once all this while, nodded his head subconsciously.

Niall grumbled yet again. "He knoooows, Harry. Let's goooooo."

With that Harry allowed his best friend to pull him out of the studio as he kept looking at Louis' figure disappearing behind the door, whose blue eyes were also stuck on him as he walked away.

Louis took a deep breath to calm his racing heart once Harry was out of the cabin. He slowly turned around still reminiscing the feeling of those green eyes staring at him with something other than hatred and hurt after a really long time.

He composed himself and looked up only to find a stunned Tiara standing with wide eyes and jaws wide open with shock.

"W-what the hell just happened?"

"Uhhh...he umm."

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! He likes you! He likes you! He likes you. OMG how did I not notice that before? HARRY FREAKING STYLES BLOODY LIKES MY BROTHER. OH MY GOD!!!"

Louis skipped quickly towards Tiara, trying to stop her from screaming and squealing. "Shhhh, turn down a notch, will you. And it's not what you think it is, T."

"Oh come on Louis, I saw it with my eyes. And oh wait, so this was why he was fidgeting while asking about you when he arrived. Holy shit! and... and you like him too, eh?" She said with a smirk.

"Wait, wait don't just assume anything."

Tiara narrowed his eyes at him and said, "Then explain to me his flushed look and your blushing and your two eyeing each other non-stop."

Louis sighed and couldn't help but chuckle at Tiara's excitement. Not to mention, how her words also made him feel butterflies flying in his stomach. 'Was Harry really asking about me in the morning?' He wondered.

And let's just say that for next hour, explaining everything to Tiara about what she had just seen without actually mentioning many things from the past, was bit of a tough ordeal for the blue eyed boy but nonetheless, he happily complied.

💙💚💙💚

So, how was it?
I'm sorry for the mistakes, if you've found any.

I know it's a little short cause this more of a filler chapter. But from now on there will be really less emotional moments for the next few chapters and there'll be more romantic stuff. ;)

What do you think about Harry's decision of giving Louis another chance and looking beyond the scars of the past? Also, what do you think your reaction would have been if you were in Tiara's place?😁

Please do send in your views and expectations from the next update or any scene you want me to add. I'd love to try.

I'll try to write the next chappie as soon as possible.

Thank you for reading. Please do vote and comment.️️❤️

Updated: 21/04/2019

I love you,
Pragati💞💞