TWENTY ONE
[ Louis' POV ]

"Harry, please. Talk to me."

"I can't. Because if I do I would feel like a controlling and demanding boyfriend and I don't want to be that way. You're your own person who makes his own decisions." - I heard him say while sobbing from the other side of the door.

"Can we talk about this face to face? Please babe."

"I can't, I'm sorry. I'll get used to this eventually. I'm fine. I really am." - He said with his cracked voice, clearly crying, making me let out a little giggle.

"I'm hearing you crying, you know?"

"Lou, can you just go? Please."

"I'm not going to leave you here crying.  Even less if it's my fault."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Then we won't, let me cuddle with you, no talking. I promise."

"Just cuddle?" - I heard him ask in a low volume.

"Yes."

"Ok, just because I actually wanted you to stay tonight."

"Good, because I wasn't going to leave anyways." - I said and I heard him giggle.

Seconds later he opened the room door.
His eyes were red and full of tears, he looked tired.

"C'mere." - I said, extending my arms and engulfing him.

He rested his forehead against my shoulder and I slowly felt my shirt go wet. I lifted one of my hands to his hair, burying my fingers on his curls, making traces on his scalp, trying to comfort him.

"Want to lay down?" - I asked and he mumbled a little 'yes' into my chest. - "Okay." - I walked both of us to his bed, still holding him close.

I let him get under the duvet and I followed suit.
He looked at me and I could see his tears were drying and that he was more calm. I smiled at him and opened my arms again, letting him cuddle close.

He pressed his face into my chest and tangled his legs with mine under the duvet.
I kissed the top of his head and he nuzzled even closer to my chest.

"I know you don't want to talk. I'm just going to say that you make me happy, so I'm not planning on leaving you. You can be absolutely sure of that." - I said while tangling my fingers in the hair over his nape and staring at the ceiling.

"You make me happy too." - He whispered, barely audible.

"I'm glad." - I giggled.

"Little ocean?" - He said, still pressed against my chest.

"Harry?"

"I… it's... It's not like I want you to quit your job. You know? I would never ask you to do that."

"Mhm…"

"I just want not to feel jealous about it, like I'd prefer if you don't do intimate things with them, or whatever."

"Like what baby?"

"Kissing? And maybe like touching their thighs or, yeah. You get it."

"I'm afraid I'll have to kiss them eventually. Maybe I can reduce the amount, or just stick to short kisses. Like nothing long, or not letting them kiss me with tongue, and that." - I said and I felt him tensing. - "I'll shut up, I'm just making you uncomfortable."

"No, I mean. Yeah you can put some ground rules, short kisses I think it's alright. I can handle that." - He said timidly and I felt my heart clench.

I sighed and continued.

"And as for the touching, you already know me, I won't let them touch me in any sexual way, and I won't touch them unless it's truly necessary, okay?" - I said and felt him nodding. - "Remember it's just acting for me."

He nodded again and ran his hands on my torso.

"I just don't like to think of other people around you in that way."

"I know baby."

"Are you going to go to Nick's wedding after work? I want you there, even if you show up later."

"I'll be there." - I smiled even if he wasn't looking at me. - "What are you going to wear? We still need to match our outfits, and I need to pick the perfect flower to give you."

"You're going to pick a flower for me?" - He asked, lifting his head to look at me with an illusion in his eyes and a beautiful smile that brightened up his features.

"When didn't I pick a flower for you?"

____________

Next morning I woke up before Harry and I thought of doing something nice for him. So, I kissed his forehead and let him rest for as long as he wanted while I went out.
I drove to Lottie's shop and, with Harry's color of tuxedo for today in mind, I looked around the blue flowers to choose the perfect one for him.

He said his tux would be blue with brown and gold details, so a blue flower would be perfect for him to put on his head. It would also highlight his beautiful hair color.

I went straight to the blue flowers section and looked around, ignoring the few customers and Lottie's disapproving look.
I found this little flower called forget-me-not and the little card behind it said 'Fidelity and true love.'

Yep, that's the one.

I smiled to myself and grabbed a few to make a flower crown with them, that way they wouldn't fall from his hair anymore.

I'm getting addicted to seeing him wearing those.

Not that I would admit it out loud.

I picked them and waved Lottie on my way out, she just rolled her eyes.

Well.

As I was driving back to Harry's flat, I stopped at a bakery and bought a coffee and some croissants to leave for Harry too.

I entered his flat minutes later, to find him still asleep.
I opened the curtains of his window slightly, to let him wake up at his own time.
I got out of the room and the first thing I did was make the flower crown.

I placed it on the table and wrote a little note to leave next to it.

"Harry, I hope this one matches your outfit, I will wear a few in mine too.
If you are wondering, this flower means 'Fidelity'.
I hope you keep that in mind, I won't ever look at other men like I look at you. I won't ever think about anyone else but you. Please believe that.
This flower also means 'true love'. That's how I feel about you.

I'll see you at the wedding in a few hours, enjoy breakfast baby."

I placed the note above the coffee and beside the flower crown and the croissants, so he could see them when he finally woke up, then I left the house.

_______

Hours later, I was picking up Christopher, my client, from his house, and we both headed to his sister's birthday in my car.
The ride was quiet, he wasn't a very talkative person, but he was nice.
Once we arrived, all his relatives were over me. His parents and his two older sisters.

I struggled with myself when Christopher took my hand as we walked towards his family to say hello.

I faked a smile and took a deep breath.

"So, William, how have you been lately?" - Christopher's father asked me. - "Chris told us you were back in your hometown for the past months."

"Oh, yeah. Yes, I needed to take care of some family things." - I smiled at him, trying to make up a story in my mind.

"What happened?"

"Dad, don't interrogate him." - Christopher saved me.

"I'm just being curious." - The old man said.

I was still having trouble remembering his name.

"Are you two thinking of having kids already? I want to be a grandmother soon." - His mother said and poked my cheeks.

"I don't know, Mary. It's a big step." - I said, trying to sound calm.

Her name was Mary, right?

Why am I so nervous?
Why am I forgetting their names?

"Yeah, mother, we are not sure yet." - Christopher said next to me, placing an arm around my waist. - "Don't put so much pressure on us." - He giggled and luckily, his mother let go of the topic.

I sighed in frustration once they let us alone again, his sister's were chatting with other guests and one of Christopher's nephews was running in the garden with the family dog.

We sat down in one of the outside tables, far from the people and the interrogations, and I felt totally relieved when he took his arm away from me.

I shifted in my seat, trying to look as comfortable as I could and make small talk with Chris.

But I just wasn't there.

I felt my phone vibrate and I quickly took it out of my pocket, excusing myself and walking away from the people and the music playing.

Harry is calling.

I smiled at the screen and accepted the incoming call.

"Lou?"

"Hey baby."

"Are you at the event already?"

"Yeah, are you at Nick's?"

"Not yet, I'm on my way out actually. I just wanted to thank you for the coffee and the flowers."

"You're welcome, Curly."

"I loved the note."

"I meant every word."

The line stayed silent for a few seconds, then he started again.

"You're coming later, right? To the wedding?" - He sounded unsure.

"Of course my love. I wouldn't miss it." - I said and I know he smiled.

"Are you having fun?"

"Not really."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Always." - I smiled.

"If you have to compare, would you say that Ed's wedding was more fun than this event you are right now?"

"Are you kidding? Anything that includes you is better in every way." - I said and heard him laugh.

"Thanks for answering my call. I didn't know if you would. Or if you were allowed to."

"I'm always for you Harry baby. Call me whenever you want."

"Isn't someone going to hear you talking like this with me? Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

"I don't think so, I'm far from the guests. Harry, Don't torture yourself. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you in a few hours."

"Can't wait."

"Me neither." - I said and smiled.

Seconds later he hung up and I looked down at my phone with an stupid smile on my face.

What are you doing to me, Harry Styles?

I composed myself and returned to where Christopher was, he was now talking to his aunt and uncle.
Great.

They were again asking for our future, for adopting kids, for moving closer to Chris' relatives, to see us more during the year and not only on birthdays, and the list went on.

I really don't know how this guy is going to get out of this giant lie he is in.
His family already takes me as one of them.

And how wrong are they.

I excused myself again and went to the bathroom.

What's wrong with me?

Damn. There's nothing I want more right now than to be with Harry.

I feel like shit for letting him go to the wedding on his own.
Not even the good amount of money that Christopher gives me each time is worth feeling like this.

____________

Three hours later and with my wallet full of money, I went home to change my clothes.
I put on a navy blue tux and carefully placed the little blue flower on my pocket.

I brushed my hair and went out, checking on the address that Harry sent me that day.

When I arrived at the wedding venue, the party had already started.
I walked through the crowd of people dancing to find Liam and Maya sitting alone in one of the tables.

"Hey guys, have you seen Harry?"

Liam frowned and shrugged.

"I haven't seen him in a while. Ask Niall." - He said, and pointed to where Niall was, talking to Ed in the corner of the room.

I thanked him and walked to Niall.
Weirdly, Niall said he hadn't seen Harry either.

I spotted Roman in the middle of the crowd, dancing with his wife and the rest of Harry's friends, I interrupted them to ask if they had seen my boyfriend, but no one seemed to have seen him in at least the last hour.

I went out of the room, far from the loud music, and into the hall to the bathroom to give Harry a call and ask him where the hell he was.

I opened the bathroom door and I heard a whine, followed by some sobs.

Harry.

He was down on his knees, crying.
I looked at him and he had red eyes and tears falling down his cheeks.

"Oh baby. What happened?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"You are not."

"Lou…"

"Tell me."

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." - I said as I sat on the floor next to him. - "Are you going to tell me why are you crying on the floor and ruining your beautiful tux?" - I said as I wrapped him in my arms.

"I think you already know." - He said, wiping his eyes.

"Okay." - I said, trying to think on how to calm him down. - "Want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Want to go back to the party and forget about this whole thing for a while?"

"Maybe."

"Want a kiss?"

"Yes."

I smiled and cupped his cheeks, bringing him to me.
I wiped his tears with my thumbs and he closed his eyes. Then I kissed both of his cheeks softly, making him smile slightly.

I brushed my nose against his', and while I caressed his cheeks I cut the distance between our lips and joined them in a proper kiss.

"Please be mine." - He whispered into my lips.

"I am." - I said, pressing our foreheads together. - "I will not disappoint you, I'll be right here for you till the end."

"Okay." - He nodded.

"Let's go back, yeah? I'll let you get drunk." - I said and he laughed.

"I don't want to ruin Nick's wedding too."

"Oh c'mon! That's what we do best!"

Harry laughed and captured my lips again, now more vividly than before.

_________

Whoever caught the 'please be mine' reference, just marry me.

Remember, only four more chapters guys, get ready.

Mag 🦋