"Haz, where are we going? You'renot gonna murder me, right?" Louis asked for the thousandth time.

"Stop all the nagging and whining,Lou. You can be quite impatient, mh?" Harry chuckled fondly.

"Correct. I don't like surprises"Louis kept wailing.

"Why?" Harry hooked, concentratedon his mission.

"Because I don't like the unknown,Haz. Not knowing what's coming my way is terrifying. I prefer to bein control, so I know what will happen when and where and how"Louis explained to him.

For a second, Harry haltered in hissteps. Louis' words had hit him hard. He knew the fear of the unknowncame from his past of abuse. He has never seen it coming and couldn'tcontrol it. He has been powerless. That's why surprises scared him.Harry understood the deeper meaning of Louis' words but chose to staysilent because it looked like Louis didn't mean to hint at that.

"Well, I prefer you being in chargeas well, you must know" Harry decided to say instead.

"Course you do, Princess" Louissnorted amused.

"Princess?" Harry cocked aneyebrow at him bewildered.

"Yes" Louis grinned brightly.

"Why? I don't wear dresses ortiaras. I'm very manly" Harry puffed up to show off.

"Calm down, Tarzan. Of course, youare manly. Very manly, Haz" Louis laughed joyfully.

"Then why would you call meprincess?" Harry squirmed a little bit, the petname kinda affectinghim but he would deny it if you'd ask him.

"Because you are a princess to me.My princess. With your luscious looks, that are growing longer andI'm loving it. Those hypnotising dimples and your pretty face withthose stunning eyes, like emeralds. The total of your magnificentbody and just your whole precious being, Haz. Just like a princess.Special and perfect and beautiful. Precious. You have to be protected24/7 and I'm here to do just that" Louis listed all the reasons forHarry to be a princess.

And if Harry felt like melting righton the spot then no one needed to know that. The love and admirationlacing in Louis' voice made Harry go weak in the knees and all hewanted to do was kiss him senseless for treating Harry like the mostprecious treasure in the universe. His princess.

"Not that you can't protectyourself. Of course, you can. You're a strong and independent young...".

Harry threw himself in Louis' arms,crashing their lips together. A sound of surprise escaped Louis' lipsbut Harry felt him melt into the kiss only a second later. Like everytime they kissed, a fuzzy tingling mixed with a warm and familiarfeeling spread through his whole body. This familiar feeling was hardto put into words for Harry but it felt like home.

"I am your princess, Lou. You aremy prince charming. Or knight in shining armour because princecharming usually doesn't do anything useful apart from looking good.He's mostly useless but you're not. You are my saviour, my protector,my love, my hope, my sadness, my happiness, my everything, Lou"Harry rambled totally out of it and completely gone and in love.

"You are my everything too, Haz"Louis beamed at him with teary eyes, looking unsure for one secondand Harry was wondering why.

"What is it, Lou? What's wrong?"Harry asked directly.

"Nothing, Haz. It's just ..."Louis trailed off, biting his lip nervously. "I just love you sofucking much. It overwhelms me sometimes".

Hearing those words actually leaveLouis' mouth made Harry's heartbeat pick up, his pulse throbbing inhis veins like crazy and he swore he could hear the blood rushing inhis ears. Of course, they had discussed before that their feelingswere mutual and had talked about loving each other or making love orbeing loved but for some reason they hadn't said those three wordsout loud yet. Maybe because they were stupid and awkward. Yeah,definitely. But that's just who they were, right? Stupid and awkward.

"I love you, too. So so much. Inever thought this was possible but you make me feel invincible. LikeI can do anything" Harry started crying again and when did hebecome such a crier? Well, Louis made him emotional.

"You can do everything, Haz"Louis cupped his face, kissing Harry gently again.

When they had stopped pouring theirhearts out to each other in the middle of the park they continuedtheir walk. Harry was excited to reach their destination. He hopedLouis would like it. He was sure he would because this place wasspecial to him but a part of Harry was still scared that he wouldcross a line or open up a new can of tears.

Shortly before they'd be there Harrycovered Louis' eyes with his hands after making sure this was okayfor him. Shakily, he led them closer to it and exhaled deeply. "We'rehere. Open your eyes, Love".

Harry pulled his hands back and Louisblinked his eyes open. After adjusting to the light and the scenery aquiet gasp left Louis' mouth, causing Harry to hug Louis from behind.With his head on Louis' shoulder and his arms wrapped around him,they looked at the old stone bridge lying in front of them in thesunlight of this June afternoon.

"Haz, I ..." Louis wasspeechless.

"I remembered how you told me aboutthis place. You said it was your favourite place as a child outsideof the studio but you haven't been here in forever. So, I thought wecould go here together and ... I don't even know. Just look at it?"Harry expounded to him why they were here.

"You're unreal. Thank you, Haz"Louis turned around in Harry's arms, stood up on his tippy-toes andkissed him.

"Wanna sit down?" Harry motionedto the edge of the water by the bridge.

"Only next to you" Louis jokedlight-heartedly.

"You're an idiot" Harry pushedhim aside.

"But you love it" Louis winked athim while walking towards the water.

"You got me there" Harry smiledoverjoyed.

Side by side, they sat down by thewater but after only five minutes of enjoying the scenery Harrycrawled in between Louis' legs and cuddled into Louis' chest with hisown legs bent into his chest. Automatically, Louis wrapped his armsaround Harry's tall frame and sighed contently.

"What are you thinking about, Lou?"Harry asked when Louis was mostly silent.

"Just you and me, actually. Mostlyyou" Louis answered honestly without a problem.

"I feel flattered. Even cuddled upto you I'm you're only thought" Harry joked touched.

"You're always on my mind, BrightEyes" Louis kissed Harry's head lightly. "But I was thinkingabout our whole journey and how unbelievable it is that we are hereright now. Destiny really sent you to me when I least expected it andI don't think you wanted anyone new in your life, Hot Shot. It'sfascinating how fast I've felt drawn to you and just wanted to openup. Wanted you to know me, the real me and not just the fake happynerdy persona I had made up over the years. I can't put into wordswhat I'm feeling and how happy I am to have you. This happiness issomething that scares me".

"Why?" Harry asked spellbound.

"Because so much pure and genuinehappiness never lasts long. At least, not for me. But then I realiseI've never felt this kind of happiness in my life before, so maybe Ijust have to go with it. My heart is full of happiness and love andexcitement and joy and nerves. My love for you is so pure and realand big that sometimes I just wanna scream because it seems likewords are not enough to express my love for you to you, Pumpkin. Andwe're also both good at being stubborn but communication has alwaysbeen our weak spot. Well, we worked on that but what if we fight andwe're too dumb to talk our way out of it, Sweetheart? I can't bearthe thought of losing you over something like this, Darling. Or ever.You are my life now. Is that healthy?" Louis opened his heart up toHarry without a filter.

Clumsily, Harry turned around inLouis' arms, still in between Louis' legs. He flattened Louis' legsdown on the grass and sat on Louis' lap, legs wrapped around Louis'waist. One hand he placed on Louis' neck while he used his other handto caress Louis' face affectionately.

"Who cares if the book says it'shealthy or not? We know what feels right and this here with us feelsright to me, Lou. Of course, we're gonna have some fights. That'snormal but I know it won't change anything between us. Yes, we areboth stubborn but we've learned to talk about our thoughts andproblems and issues and doubts, didn't we? There's nothing you coulddo to make me hate you or give up on us and that's scary to me,considering I never wanted a relationship but I don't care anymore.All I want is you. All I see in my future is you. And yes, there aregonna be darker times but maybe we deserve to be happy, Lou. And I'mhappiest when I'm with you" Harry confessed, looking deep into hiseyes.

"Me too, Sunshine" Louis smiledmoved at him. "And there's nothing I could ever do to make you hateme, mh?".

"No" Harry shook his headdetermined but Louis only raised his eyebrow at him unconvinced."Well, maybe there are one or two things theoretically that wouldturn our love into nothing more than a sad memory but Iknow in reality you would never do any of these things and meneither, so there is no danger. My love for you is endless, Lou".

"And mylove for you is infinite, Princess" Louis kissed him emotionally.

"You'rebig on petnames today, aren't you?" Harry leaned their foreheadstogether, gazing into Louis' eyes.

"Yes,because I am enamoured by you. In love with you. Innamoratodi te, enamoradode ti,verliebtin dich,Haz" Louismurmured lovestruck. "Those are all languages I'm capable of sayingI'm in love with you in. I'm out of words".

"Howabout I love you? How do you say that in Italian or Spanish orGerman?" Harry questioned amazed.

"Teamo,Tiamo,Ichliebe dich.I love you" Louis rubbed their noses together.

"Icould listen to your voice for hours. Your cute Northern accent andthen mixed with all those pretty languages is a dream" Harry gushedover his boyfriend.

"Youare a dream, Haz" Louis countered smoothly.

"Ishould hate you for this but I can't. I turned into such a sab"Harry giggled enamoured.

"Mysab" Louis whispered fondly.

Forsomething around an hour they stayed there just entangled into eachother. On their way home, Harry couldn't help but cling to Louis'side. Somehow he felt cuddlier than usual. All this lovely-dovelytalks had made him go woozy. All he could see and feel was Louis, whosuddenly stopped when they passed a dark alley at the edge of town.

"Didyou hear that?" Louis asked alarmed.

"No,what?" Harry awoke from his Louis-trance.

"Icould swear I heard something whimper" Louis mumbled more tohimself and went inside the alley.

Harryfollowed him without question and watched Louis searching the placefor something, anything that could have made the noise he had heard.Louis stopped next to a huge paper bin and knelt down to a hugecarton. Now Harry could hear a quiet whimper, too.

"Oh,God. Hi, little one. Are you all alone?" Louis cooed endeared bysomething in a sweet voice. Harry glanced over his shoulder andspotted a frightened-looking puppy in the carton, cowering in fear atthe back of it. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you".

"Whoabandons their dog in an alley like this? That's cruel" Harrygasped in horror.

"Idon't know but it looks like he or she is all alone. They look hurtand hungry and scared. Dirty. Neglected. But we can change that,right? I can't leave it here now" Louis moved closer to thetwo-coloured shaggy trembling dog.

"Youwanna take it with you? Louis, you know there are no dogs allowed inour apartments and ...".

"Onlyfor a week when it's a visitor's dog" Louis corrected him. "Ilooked it up because I always wanted a dog but that's not the point.I can't just leave it here now when I know it's here. This dog needsmy help".

"Andit's lucky you're the one who found it. You hear that, little one?Louis is gonna be an amazing daddy to you. You're very lucky" Harryaddressed the dog now, who seemed to be a bit calmer by now becausethey weren't hurting it.

"I'mgonna ask Àmber for help. The little one can stay with her until Ifound something new. She loves dogs and has her own one since newest.It will help our new friend to ...".

"Somethingnew? Does this mean you wanna move?" Harry realised what Louis wasimplying with his words.

"Yes.I've been playing with this thought for months. Since the beginningof the year. This flat was supposed to be a starting point. A help tofind my way back into life but not a permanent thing. And it helpedme. I found my way back and I met you, Haz. But I hate this apartmentcomplex with a passion and it doesn't allow pets although I want one.I was only waiting for a sign that it's the right time. I guess thisis my sign. In form of a little lost puppy, who needs help and a newhome. I can feel it. It's time" Louis let him know surely.

"AndI'm gonna help you find the perfect place for the both of you"Harry assured him supportingly.

Inwardly,Harry was feeling conflicted. The prospect of Louis moving out wassad and scary. Then he wouldn't be able to go downstairs to see himwhenever he wanted. He didn't want him to leave because it was scarybut he would support him, no matter what. He wasn't selfish anymore.