This one is dedicated to Golden_Strawberryy
Hope you like it :)

^^^

2020 dedication. 🤷🏽‍♀️

2023 Mag 🦋

SEVENTEEN

It was just a week later, right after I finished the last paperwork of the day at work, when I decided it was time to make a move.
Harry had been wonderful so far, allowing me to stay with him during the nights, and even if we were happy and I longed to be with him at the end of the day, we had just recently become a couple, and moving in with him just seemed too rushed.

I needed my place back.

And I needed to talk to Niall.

This time, I opted to just show up at his door, not the bar.
I didn't have much in mind, I didn't know exactly what I was going to say, but in the back of my head, I knew I needed him back.

His shocked expression when he opened the door and saw me said it all.

"What are you doing here?" - He gasped.

"We need to talk."

"Come in." - He stepped aside, letting me in.

I nodded, walking inside the welcoming and familiar apartment I had shared with Niall for almost two years now.
Everything was just exactly the same.

It's not like I expected it to change in just a few weeks of me not being there, but somehow I feared Niall had replaced me.

Luckily, It wasn't the case.

I sighed in relief, trying to relax and falling backwards on our couch.

"What are you doing?" - He asked, frowning.

I chuckled, my hands behind my head and my feet over the armrest.

"Getting myself comfortable."

Niall rolled his eyes.

"Why are you here? You made yourself clear last time, you don't want me around."

I closed my eyes and sighed.

"A lot had happened since that day."

"Did the teacher break up with you?"

"Nope." - I smiled, remembering Harry. - "We are very together. Like, we are a real couple."

"What?"

"He's my boyfriend." - I beamed. - "And I'm so happy."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, I know you'll love him if you give him a chance." - I opened my eyes and looked at his puzzled expression. - "He's the reason I'm here. He told me I should be the one coming to you to fix our friendship."

"And why the fuck would he care about me?"

"Because he only sees the good in people." - I sighed, sitting up on the couch and patting the now empty spot next to me. - "Come here."

Niall seemed a little skeptical but joined me in the couch nevertheless.

"What now?"

"You told Brianna about Harry." - I said, not wanting to avoid the topic any longer.

"I did."

"You know what happened after that?"

"No. What?"

"She turned against me. She's not letting me see Freddie."

"Why?"

"Because she says I'm a bad example. She's crazy mad." - I shrugged. - "I don't blame you for telling her though, Freddie would had told her too." - I snorted. - "I kept it from her and it backfired."

"I'm sure she won't be mad forever."

"She's moving to the States. With Freddie."

"What?"

"She's taking him away from me for good." - I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"She can't do that."

"Those were my exact words." - I exhaled, tiredly.

"Louis... You have to do something."

"Don't you think I know that already? But she keeps blaming me of being a bad father and that he'll be better without me." - I shrugged, biting my lip to stop my tears from falling, but failing.

"Are you crying?"

"No." - I lied, wiping my tears away.

"You are."

"Of course I fucking am! Briana is leaving the country, and she's going to take Freddie with her."

"Wow, okay." - He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. - "It's okay."

"She's taking my son away from me!"

"Ok, Louis. Breathe. Calm down, and explain everything to me."

"I know I fucked up, okay?! I know that! I started things with Harry and he's been so good with Freddie, I swear that kid loves Harry." - I sobbed. - "But he told Brianna, and then you told her too, she just went crazy!"

"She's not going to move away just like that, Lou."

"She took a job in the states, she has her family there. I don't fucking know, but she's not answering the phone or letting me see him."

"She can't do that. Louis you are his father. You have every right to see him as much as you want! Besides, you work at a law firm, you can find the way and force them to stay. I'm sure you can sue her, or something."

"I don't want to sue her or ask for full custody." - I shook my head. - "The only one who matters is Freddie right now, and he is going to get hurt if I start a cause against his mother. You didn't see him crying for me last week, it broke my heart, Ni. He was so scared." - I sobbed.

"Okay, not that then, but I'm sure there must be something else."

"My head is burning of all the thinking I've been doing lately. I have no clue what to do. I just don't want her to take Freddie away from me, Niall."

"Freddie is the only one getting hurt here, you said it yourself. We need to figure something out. Something that can keep your relationship with Brianna in good terms, since you don't want to do anything that drastic, right?"

"Yes." - I sobbed. - "What can I do?"

"First of all, calm yourself down and stop crying. You can't do anything like that. And then, if you don't want to ask for full custody, we need to think of a pacific way so that kid can have his both parents."

"Okay." - I mumbled after wiping my tears, trying to calm myself down. Then, a little smile showed up on my face. - "Harry was so right."

"Huh?"

"I really needed my best friend." - I grinned, dropping my head on Niall's shoulder.

"I missed you too, you idiot." - He laughed, patting my back. - "We're going to find a way. That woman isn't going to take my nephew from us."

"Thank you." - I said, separating from him. - "How do you feel about Harry though? Are you still... Mad?"

"I mean, I was right. He was trouble." - He shrugged. - "I'm fine with you being with a man. It's not that. But if he really made you drop your pride to come to my door, then I can't exactly hate the guy."

"I guess that works." - I laughed. - "You know, he actually suggested going on a double date. He has some women for you." - I wiggled my eyebrows.

"How many?" - He smirked and I laughed, hitting his arm. - "Fine." - He laughed as well. - "You said he makes you happy, right?"

"Very." - I stated.

"Then tell him thanks."

"Because I'm your absolute best friend and you only want to see me happy?" - I teased him, poking his arm.

"No." - He rolled his eyes, laughing. - "Because depressed Louis always drinks all my beer."

"Sure." - I laughed. - "So, do I still have my room?"

"Until you and your lover decide to buy your own place, that is."

"Deal."

🌈🌈🌈

When Niall eventually had to leave to open the bar, I decided to go to Harry's house to tell him the news.
And also, to thank him for pushing me to mend things with Niall.

But, when I got out of the apartment, I found out it was raining outside.
It was raining so hard that when I got to my car I was already soaked.

But I didn't care.

I drove, quite uncomfortable in my drenched clothes, but with the enthusiasm of seeing Harry again.
I hadn't seen him since that morning after I dropped him at the daycare, and I already missed him.

So, standing under the rain, I rang his bell with a big smile on my face.

Harry laughed the second he opened the door.

"What happened to you?"

"Boyfriend!" - I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air and laughing. - "I missed you." - I said, reaching for his hand and pulling him to me. - "Come here."

"It's raining."

"It's romantic." - I mumbled, grabbing him by his hips and holding him close to me, leaning for a kiss.

I walked a few steps backwards without breaking the kiss, getting us both to be completely wet by the pouring rain falling over us.

Harry smiled into the kiss, tangling his fingers on my wet hair and tugging back so he could gain control of the kiss.
I fisted his now soaked shirt and let him dominate the kiss completely, just responding to his lips instinctively.

The rain was starting to get in my eyelids, and my clothes were weighting on me, but I couldn't care less.
This man was making me see paradise with his kiss.

I was practically moaning into his mouth when he decided to stop, taking some distance as he arranged my hair back, moving strand by strand and placing it behind my ears.

He smirked.

"Rain looks good on you." - He smirked.

I leaned up and pecked his lips.

"I'm going to pull you under the rain more often if it makes you kiss me like that." - I said and he laughed.

"Come in." - Harry said, taking my hand and pulling me inside. - "I'll get us both some dry clothes."

"Thanks." - I laughed.

I stayed by the door trying not to wet the wooden floor as much while he went to get me the clothing.
He returned minutes later, already in his dry clothes and with a shirt and some shorts in his hand for me.

I changed in the nearest bathroom and then returned to where Harry was. He was waiting for me with open arms in his bed.

I climbed on the bed and hugged him, letting my head rest on his chest.

"I'm not sleeping here tonight." - I said.

"You're not?"

"Nope. I went to Niall's." - I smiled, lifting my head to see him in the eyes. - "We're good."

"Yeah? That's great." - He grinned. - "Though I might miss sleeping with you." - He pouted.

I hugged him tighter.

"We can still sleep together a few days a week."

"Okay." - He nodded, brushing his nose with mine.

"Thank you." - I whispered, looking right into his eyes.

"What for?"

"For knowing what's best for me better than I do." - I smiled sadly.

"I'm just looking out for you. I care so much for you." - He caressed my forearm.

"Me too. I'm sorry this is all about me lately." - I said.

"It's okay."

"I barely get to ask you how was your day because I have my head full of all this Brianna shit."

"Then maybe you need to let that shit out."

I analyzed his expression, noticing nothing but honesty in his eyes.
And there again the tears started.

I buried my head in Harry's chest, allowing myself to cry and just be held by him. Right in his arms where I felt safe.

Harry and I laid in bed for what it looked like hours. I had my arms around him and my head was still resting on his chest. Harry was making traces on my back with his fingers, soothing me after my breakdown.
We didn't have the need to speak, the only thing we could hear was the rain outside the window.

"I'm sorry for being such a baby." - I mumbled, kind of ashamed of my behavior.

"Everyone cries. It doesn't make you a baby."

"I don't like to cry."

"Hey." - He said, softly lifting my chin with his finger. - "See the rain outside the window?" - He pointed and I nodded. - "The rain means that the sky is crying. You know why?"

I looked at him with a questioning look.

"Why?" - I snorted.

"The sky is crying because you are sad, my love. You are the sun, and the world breaks apart when it sees you crying, so it cries with you. When your smile returns to your face, I'm sure the sun will come out again."

Harry ended his phrase and I smile slightly between tears. I kissed him softly on the lips and it tasted a little salty.

"I love you, H."

I don't know why, but those three big words just slipped out of my mouth without warning. Without thinking.

Harry looked shocked for a second, but then he smiled widely at me, tightening his grip around me.

"I love you too."

Harry buried his head in my neck and left three little kisses there.

And just when I was least expecting it, my phone vibrated somewhere where I had abandoned it.

"What now?" - I groaned, making Harry chuckle and kiss me on the lips shortly.

I stood up, searching for the device somewhere around the room until I saw it, laying on the nightstand and with the screen lit.

It was a text from her.
Right in the middle of the screen, a message I never expected to receive.

'We're moving in a week.'

"What?" - I whispered under my breath, opening the chat and seeing it was the only message there. Nothing else.

"What is it?" - Harry asked.

"They're moving in a week."

"What?"

"In a week." - I repeated, still incredulous.

"That's... Fucked."

"Shit!" - I screamed, throwing the phone to the bed.

"You need to talk to her."

"Don't you think I tried that already?"

"I know you did, but try again."

"She's not going to answer me!"

Harry stood up from the bed too, walking towards me and cupping my cheeks.

"Breathe."

"I can't." - I said, feeling I was hyperventilating.

"Let's try talking to her once more. If it's not possible, then..."

"Then what?"

"I have an idea, okay?"

"What idea?"

"We need to talk to her, I can go with you. We'll make her get into her senses." - Harry took my hand.

"Your idea is to come with me?"

"Lou, you don't want to bring things in the hands of justice, right?"

"No."

"Okay, I have an idea that might work, do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then trust me with this."

"Trying to talk with her?"

"Both of us. Together."

"Okay." - I nodded, still unsure.

"Tomorrow night then?"

"After work?" - I asked and he nodded. - "Okay."

He took me from behind my neck, meeting his lips with mine. He was trying to assure me everything was okay. That everything was going to work out in the end.

I didn't know about the future, but in that instant, with him kissing me, everything was alright.