This is where my chapters got out of hand and just started to get longer and longer. Sorry.

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"Haz?".

In his half-asleep state, Harry could feel Louis poking his cheek for probably the third time. Too tired to react just yet, he nuzzled his nose further into his chest, breathing in the smell of simply Louis and it made his heart flutter.

"Haz?" Louis wouldn't stop poking him, sounding the tiniest bit alarmed by now, so Harry blinked one eye open to glance up at Louis and waited for an explanation. "Coco's staring at us".

And that made him snap both eyes open in bafflement and sit up in Louis' bed. "What? What are you talking about? She isn't ...".

"She's right there, Haz" Louis pointed with his head at the end of his bed, where for sure Coco was sitting, watching them curiously.

"Where the hell does she come from?" Harry gaped at his cat, who should be in his flat and not in Louis' bed.

"You tell me. You're the witch and that's your demon cat" Louis fell into amused laughter before he even finished his sentence.

"Normally I'd be offended you called her that but this time, I have to agree. It makes her look like a demon cat" Harry kept staring at her in utter disbelief, especially when she made her way over to Alexa, who was sleeping right next to Louis. "Would you look at that? They're getting along. Someone bewitched my cat".

"Not a fan of dogs, huh?" Louis watched their pets curl up next to each other like old friends.

"Of anyone, remember?" Harry couldn't trust his eyes. This was the strangest sight to wake up to. "Well, except you".

"Exactly. She loves me, so it's only logical that she would love Alexa as well. Probably smells like me" Louis made sense of this in a heartbeat, his morning voice being so endearing.

"Or you smell like her and Coco is used to her scent already. As much as Alexa likes to plop down on you ...".

"Are you saying I smell like a dog?" Louis asked him outraged like the drama queen he was. "That's outrageous. I smell like ...".

"Cinnamon and vanilla and baby powder and daisies in the early spring" Harry's brain was still too asleep to control his mouth. "I mean, um ...".

"Harry Styles, I adore you" Louis pecked his cheek softly.

"You do?" Harry asked dumbly, adjusting his head enough to be able to look at Louis, not willing to let him go just yet.

"How could I not? You are so bloody adorable" Louis trailed with his pointer finger over his facial features. "Such a precious petal".

"Why petal though?" Harry had always wanted to ask that. He loved that petname but it had come out of nowhere.

"I don't know. It just suits you" he could feel Louis shrug, looking thoughtful for a moment. "You love flowers and have them almost everywhere and you just ... You're kinda like a flower yourself but even softer when I'm allowed to see it. Like a petal".

And no, he wasn't gonna cry in the morning over Louis being so taken by his soft side, that he barely let anyone see at this point in his life. Not because he was actively hiding it. More because life needed him to be strong more than soft and vulnerable. But with Louis, he felt safe enough to drop all of his walls and let him see every part of him. Louis would keep them safe.

"I don't think anyone has ever said that about me" Harry said in pure awe, realising how true his words were while saying them. Of course, his loved ones knew how squishy he could be but this here was different. This was Louis. "And maybe this is awfully cheesy now but to me, you're like pure sunshine, Lou".

It was the truth. Everything about Louis resembled sunshine to him. When he smiled, Harry could practically see the sun and when he laughed, it filled him with warmth like only the sun could. And when Louis' endlessly blue eyes sparkled, Harry saw the very centre of his universe. His sun. Whatever that meant for him.

"I really wanna kiss you right but we shouldn't" Louis brought out, hearably affected by his words. "Morning breath and all".

"I really couldn't care less. Please, kiss me, Lou" Harry was dying for Louis to kiss him and nothing could dim that feeling, not even morning breath, which was something he really didn't like.

"As if I could say no to you" Louis' whole face was so soft when he closed the gap between them, kissing him good morning. And maybe this right here was the best kiss of Harry's life.

After sharing a few more lazy kisses, they snuggled up again under the covers, not wanting to stand up just yet. Right now, he was so thankful that he had this Monday off. Like this, he could enjoy his first morning with Louis in its entirety, bathing in his warmth and letting himself drown in this domestic feeling.

In the comfortable silence between them, his mind wandered back to their evening and first night together. It had been one of the best nights of his life. They had taken Alexa out for a late evening walk before settling down in Louis' living room, simply cuddling and talking for hours. Somewhere along the lines, they had fallen asleep for a bit, which had led to Louis offering him to stay the night and of course, he had stayed.

And unlike his own beliefs, they had not been awkward around each other at all. There have been no too-careful steps or too-long lingering pauses. And most of all, there has been no weird or tense hesitation or questioning eyes. They had both been on the same page and Harry had loved the innocence of it all. It had felt like so much more. It hasn't just been a silent decision against anything sexual last night. It had felt like a decision for something.

But even now, cuddled up to Louis and totally at ease, Harry couldn't say what they had decided for. Maybe each other in a new way. Or to approach things differently this time around. Or to just enjoy the simple moments as well and that proximity didn't always have to lead to sex. Which didn't mean that Harry had stopped wondering what it would be and feel like now with them actually being a thing and having chosen each other. He was dying to know if it would be different now but all in time.

For now, they had to reluctantly stand up because both of their stomachs were rumbling loudly in protest. Untangling their legs, they stood up and got the tiniest bit ready in the bathroom. Now with brushed teeth, they shared another few kisses before going downstairs to start on breakfast. Knowing that Alexa had to pee, Harry shooed Louis out of the kitchen to take her out for a quick walk around the neighbourhood. While he was gone, Harry prepared some bacon and scrambled eggs with buttered toast and sausages, brewing some coffee on the side to fully wake them up. He knew Louis loved his hot chocolate but not in the morning. That's when he needed coffee like everyone else.

"Wow, it smells amazing in here" Louis sniffed the air when he came back into the kitchen, having no right to look this good in simple sweatpants and a hoodie with his hair still a bit mushed from sleep and his beanie. "You didn't have to do all this".

"I wanted to" Harry plated their food carefully, knowing full well that he had wanted to impress Louis with his breakfast skills in hopes this would become a regular thing for them. "Sit down".

"Whatever you want, Petal" Louis pecked his cheek before walking out of the kitchen again, only to appear on the other side of the kitchen hatch a few seconds later, grinning down at his full plate. "You're gonna join me?".

"Course, Sun" Harry grabbed his own plate and made his way over to sit down next to Louis. "Hi".

"Hi".

Willing his face to stop smiling so he could eat turned out a lot harder than expected. Having breakfast with Louis and seeing him smile at him so openly made his heart go crazy, making bloody somersaults in his chest or something. It complicated eating normally but he found that he didn't care. Louis in the morning, with his soft edges and tired eyes, was the most beautiful thing he had ever witnessed and he didn't wanna miss a second of it.

"You really don't have to do dishes as well, Haz" Louis tried to take the pan out of his hands when they were back in the kitchen but Harry only turned his back to him. "I have a dishwasher for that, Baby".

"I can see that but I like to clean pans by hand before putting them in. It's better for them" Harry kept scrubbing the pan.

"Says who?" Louis watched him amusedly.

"Me" Harry huffed out madly.

"Oh, Baby" Louis came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. "Are you really mad at me now? I didn't mean to upset you. You're free to scrub the pan as much as you want".

"Louis" Harry whined childishly, feeling not taken seriously.

"That's me" Louis kissed his shoulder blade through his sweater.

"Stop being lovely when I'm upset with you" Harry pouted just because he wanted to. "It makes it hard to stay upset".

"Upset over washing a pan?" Louis glanced up at him with his head still resting on his shoulder. It was way too cute.

"Yes" Harry forced himself to look anywhere but Louis.

"Petal, I only wanted to keep you from doing even more work. You already made such a delicious breakfast. You don't need to wash any dishes on top of that" Louis nudged his jaw gently with his nose like a cat asking for attention. "I can take care of that".

Dropping the pan into the sink, Harry leaned into Louis' touch now. "Stop being perfect, Lou. It's unfair. You're lovely enough".

"I'm not doing anything" Louis pressed a kiss onto his jawline.

"If you're doing this every time I'm throwing a fit, it might work out in your favour" Harry felt his whole body tingling.

"If this was you throwing a fit, then I think I can handle it" Louis smiled against his neck. "You're an adorable Aquarius, Petal".

"It's not adorable anymore when I wanna talk about things but refuse to do so at the same time because I'm difficult" Harry warned him of what would come his way because he felt like he needed to be this honest with him, give him an out.

"I'm pretty patient" Louis tightened his arms around him, full-on cuddling him now. "Your moods won't change that".

"We'll see about that," Harry thought out loud before he could stop himself, biting his tongue when it was already too late.

"Even if you throw a huge fit because I burned our breakfast, it won't change the way I feel about you" Louis was somehow able to tell what he was afraid of. "We're not perfect, remember?".

"More and more, I think you are" Harry turned around in his arms, cupping Louis' face because he loved doing that.

"I'm not. I'm the most stubborn Capricorn there is. You're warned. It can get pretty annoying" Louis caressed his waist lovingly.

"Stubborn and bratty. What a mix" Harry chuckled at the pure absurdity of their conversation, both warning the other of their quirks. "We might end up having some pretty heated arguments".

At that, Louis only shrugged unbothered. "I can't wait".

Somehow that simple reply made him so immensely happy that he just had to kiss Louis, deep and meaningful. Pressed against the sink, Harry felt like he could fly, just over the moon. Louis made him feel things he had never felt before but he wasn't sure what to call all of these feelings. They were overpowering all of his senses, melting his brain but he was fine with it. He just was.

"Don't take this the wrong way now but do you have any plans for the day?" Louis asked him sheepishly when they came up for air. A bit dizzy and utterly confused, Harry only shook his head. "Because I do have plans around lunchtime".

"Oh" Harry tried not to let his disappointment show too much but he had hoped to spend the rest of the day with Louis. "What kind of plans are we talking about?".

"Naw, don't frown, Baby" Louis reached up to smooth out the wrinkle on his forehead. "I'm up for lunch with Maria and Paul ...".

"Because you cancelled on them yesterday to go on our date" Harry remembered that Louis had told him about the cancelled plans. "But why lunchtime? Wasn't it dinner?".

"Yes, but it's a Monday and Bethany comes home from school around that time. It fits a lot better and gives us more time" Louis looked actually apologetic even though he didn't have to. "You're not the only one who doesn't want this morning to end".

"At least we have a few more hours before you have to leave" Harry didn't care about sounding needy and clingy right now.

"That we have" Louis pulled him closer into his arms for a real hug but then Harry could practically feel that Louis' mind was racing, just like his heart. "Unless ...".

"Unless what?" Harry untucked himself from Louis' neck to look at him. He looked very nervous out of the sudden.

"I mean, you could always just come with me" Louis locked eyes with him bravely, knocking the breath out of his lungs with his words and the look in his eyes. "Would you want that?".

For a moment, Harry just stared at Louis in shock, hesitating. Coming with him to lunch with Maria and Paul would not only mean seeing them again after everything that happened between Louis and him. It would also mean officially meeting Bethany and that felt like a huge step into a shared future. A future he definitely wanted but was coming way faster than expected.

Before Louis could interpret his silence in the wrong way, his hands found their back into Louis' face, caressing his cheeks with so much affection pooling out of him. "I'd love to, sunshine".

"Really?" Louis looked as if he hadn't expected him to say that at all. It only cemented his decision. He wanted their future now. "You really wanna come with me? It means you'd meet Bethany".

"I would be honoured to officially meet her, Lou. She's a very important part of your life and I intend to be a part of your life for as long as you want me" Harry told him sincerely. "I think ...".

"Fuck" Louis crashed their lips back together faster than Harry could react but he met his eager lips just as passionately anyway.

This kiss felt so different again, like so much more in every sense and Harry was loving it, feeling something stir in his stomach. Wanting Louis even closer, Harry grabbed him by the waist and pulled him flush against him, feeling that he was just as affected. When their hips rutted together, Harry knew what he wanted.

"We need to stop doing this in a kitchen" Louis panted out, his voice hoarse already when he started leaving kisses down along Harry's neck. "Climbing stairs in this state sucks".

The intention behind Louis' words sent shivers down his spine. Throwing his head back to give Louis better access, Harry closed his eyes and dug his nails into Louis' waist, already feeling way too much from just Louis' lips but still needing more.

"I could carry you" Harry brought out in a deep voice, his words bringing him back to a different moment in time.

"I don't wanna stop kissing you though" Louis sucked on his neck, driving him absolutely insane. If this was an inexperienced Louis, Harry was in no way, form or shape prepared for an experienced version of this man. He was already a dream come true. He wouldn't survive it but it was a nice way to go.

"Then hop on" Harry let his hands wander down to Louis' incredible thighs, tapping them until Louis got the hint and jumped up, his legs wrapping around Harry perfectly. "Better?".

"Much" Louis' mouth was back on his in an instant, making his head spin.

With Louis in his arms, Harry manoeuvred them out of the kitchen and up the stairs back into Louis' bedroom. After closing the door behind them to shut their pets out, Louis adjusted his weight in his arms to make him fall onto the bed with Louis still wrapped around him but now pressing him into the mattress with every press of his lips and swipe of his tongue. It was paradise.

When Louis shifted around a bit to rest his legs on either side of him, their dicks rubbed together, making them both moan at the friction. The sound sent an electric wave through his whole body and he just needed Louis closer, preferably naked and sweaty.

"Lou" Harry panted into Louis' mouth when he kept rocking their hips together, creating more and more much-needed friction that made him see stars already. "Lou, I ... I want ...".

"What do you want, Baby?" Louis kept their faces close together when they broke apart for a moment. "Me on your cock like this?".

"Shit, don't put that image in my head" Harry closed his eyes at the mere thought, saving that suggestion for another time. Now he needed something else and wanted Louis to know that they were equal in every way. Their last time didn't make that very clear, he was afraid. "Not today. No, I want you to fuck me, Lou".

Stopping every single one of their movements, Louis blinked down at him in shock. "Really? That's what you want?".

"Yes, unless you don't want to" Harry looked deep into his eyes to make his intentions clear this time.

"I do want to" Louis still looked totally flabbergasted.

"I figured" Harry just knew Louis would be an amazing top. It just came naturally to him. "I know I probably made it seem like you had to bottom every time the last time we had sex but it isn't like that. More the opposite. I've never been much of a top".

"No?" Louis' eyebrows shot up at that in sheer surprise.

"I mean, I do love it but it was always more me who bottomed. I can do both and like it equally" Harry felt a bit awkward talking about his former sex life with Louis, who couldn't relate. "It's really up to you, in the end, Lou".

"No" Louis frowned deeply, looking unhappy now.

"No?" Harry swallowed heavily, afraid of what he could mean.

"It's not just up to me. It's up to us" Louis leaned closer to his face again, sitting down on his stomach. "It's about what we both want at all times and I don't know about you but I'd like to share".

"You would?" Harry felt so stupidly happy over something this sexual and totally non-monumental, especially when Louis only nodded in confirmation with big expecting eyes. "Me too, Baby".

Beaming brightly at that, Louis kissed him again, way too short for Harry's liking, who was still half-hard. "So, you really want me to ... do you today? I ... I don't really know how to do that".

"You do though. You've written it so beautifully many times and it was always pretty accurate. Just do what feels right, natural and the rest will come on its own" Harry smiled at him, hoping to sound encouraging and not mental. "I'm also right here to guide you through it if you need me to".

"And it won't ruin the mood?" Louis worried massively.

"Never" Harry squeezed his waist comfortingly. "It's you".

"Damn it" Louis kissed him yet again. "Okay. Whatever you want, Petal. I'm gonna make you feel good".

"You already do," Harry told him to ease his nerves. He may be utterly adorable when he was nervous but he needed him to relax and enjoy this moment as well. Your first wouldn't come twice.

"Good" Louis breathed out before he connected their lips for good, kissing him as if he never wanted to do anything else again.

Getting back into it, they made out steamily for a good couple of minutes before starting to get undressed. Tenderly, Louis helped him with his clothes and then let Harry undress him just as carefully. Somehow this moment right here felt monumental. It got even better when Louis started roaming over his body with his hands as if he were some precious cargo. Every single touch of his fingertips made him feel so worshipped. It was maddening.

Seeing the nerves on Louis' face when he settled down between his legs, Harry just had to reach out and tangle his fingers into his hair. "Just start with your fingers to get a feel for it, if you like".

"Yeah, okay. You did that" Louis seemed to be a little lost in his own head at the moment. It was understandable.

"I did," Harry thought back to their first time in this very bed. Even under those unlucky circumstances, he had used his three fingers to make Louis relax and get used to the new feeling.

Hearing the cap of the lube bottle open, Harry spread his legs a little more to give Louis better access. Louis' first touch was very brief and sent a spark through his body, clearly telling him that he wasn't ready for this experience. That thought manifested itself in Harry's brain when Louis pushed his first finger inside of him hesitantly. The usual little sting at the intrusion made this moment feel all the more real. He just had no word for it.

Mesmerized, Harry watched Louis finger him until he was up to three fingers and looked a lot more confident than at the start. His toes curled in pleasure when Louis traced his prostate, which made his eyes snap up at him in recognition. Hitting that exact spot purposely a few more times brought Harry way too close to the edge, making him realise he wouldn't last long when Louis was actually inside of him. This would be over way too soon.

"Lou, need you" Harry whined out riled up and desperate.

"Okay," Louis stuttered out, obviously equally as affected by all of this. Carefully, Louis pulled his fingers out but it still made him hiss at the now empty feeling. "I got you, Baby".

"I know" Harry could come alone from Louis calling him Baby.

Shaking with nerves and anticipation, Louis was struggling to rip open the condom, which brought Harry back to a thought he'd had about them. With Louis being a virgin in that sense and him not having bottomed in four years and being regularly tested, they technically wouldn't need a condom, like ever.

"Lou?" Harry spoke up quietly, a bit hesitant to bring this up and he wasn't sure why. When Louis looked at him with bright red cheeks, Harry's throat went dry. "Without?".

Fish-mouthing for a moment in obvious surprise, Louis focused on his eyes only. "Yeah?".

"We could" Harry didn't want to go into any more detail. That would probably ruin the mood. "Do you want to?".

"Hell yes" Louis threw the condom away and kissed him again, making him laugh with his enthusiasm. This was way better than the nervous from a minute ago. "Wanna feel just you, Baby".

"Then by all means, please" Harry was so impatient but he needed Louis right this second or he'd die on the spot.

Shaking his head at him way too fondly, Louis slicked his dick up and got into position right at his hole. All the cheek left him when Louis finally pushed inside and bottomed out, giving them both a moment to get used to the feeling and fully take it in. Giving him the go, Louis started thrusting his hips in a slow but steady rhythm that made Harry see actual stars. With every push of Louis' dick, Harry felt more alive and on fire. This between them felt like a blazing wildfire, burning him in all the good ways.

"Lou, I'm close" Harry moaned out incoherently, knowing he couldn't hold it off much longer. It just felt too good.

"Me too" Louis picked up his pace only a little bit, keeping his thrusts as steady as possible while being close to the edge.

This almost careful and gentle way of fucking him made his eyes tear up with too much affection for this man. It was his first time topping, his first time fucking anyone and he was still making sure that Harry felt cherished with every stroke of his dick. This right here felt borderline like love-making and not just quick sex. It brought that word that he couldn't find to the tip of his tongue.

"Louis" Harry gasped loudly when Louis hit his prostate dead-on and sent him over the edge, making him come so bloody hard.

Fucking him through his high, Louis released into him only a moment later, filling him up with his cum. The feeling was mind-numbingly incredible. Different from anything he's ever felt. With his chest heaving, Harry pulled Louis in for another kiss, soft and simple, only meaning to connect them again and feel loved.

"Careful" Louis warned him before pulling out of him, making him hiss at the sore feeling but it has been worth it.

Tenderly, Louis cleaned up his chest and his leaking hole with some tissues before wiping off his dick, throwing the tissues away afterwards. Feeling taken care of, Harry simply cuddled up to Louis when he lay back down on the bed next to him, his heart still racing as fast as his own. Dreamily, Harry drew some mindless patterns onto Louis' chest, letting his body come down.

"This was incredible, Lou" Harry had to let him know before he could question his abilities. "Best morning of my life".

"Likewise" Louis was smiling into his hair, pressing a kiss onto his head. That simple gesture meant the world to him and he couldn't explain why. He just loved these small things coming from Louis. It always felt meaningful but still simple, like an instinct.

"We should probably shower before we leave" Harry started to feel sticky but he didn't want to let go of Louis just yet.

"One hundred per cent" Louis agreed with him easily but made no move to stand up, only pulling him closer into his chest. "But it can wait. I'm way too comfy right now".

Pressing a kiss right over Louis' heart, Harry couldn't be any happier even if he tried. "Me too, sunshine".

For something around forty minutes, they stayed in Louis' bed and enjoyed each other's company and body heat in mainly just silence but at one point, Harry was literally itching to take a shower, making Louis laugh at him but join him nonetheless.

Together, they took a long shower. It might've been because they kept getting lost in each other, being mesmerised by seeing the other not just naked but dripping wet. This image of Louis would never leave his mind again. With water streaming down on him, Louis looked otherworldly and it was almost unfair how the water droplets stuck to his skin even after they'd stepped out of the shower, making it look like he was actually sparkling like the sun.

After drying off and getting clothed, they headed downstairs to just cuddle some more on his couch until they had to leave for lunch. Wrapped up in Louis' arms, he could almost pretend that he wasn't hella nervous to see them again. The last time they'd seen each other, he had ended up hurting Louis on that very day, as much as he had tried to convince himself back then that he didn't. And he was pretty sure that Maria and Paul knew about it. They probably knew way more than he was comfortable with but they meant the world to Louis and he just talked to them about things that were bothering him, like him.

On the way to their house, Harry tried to ease his nerves as much as he could. With Louis' hand in his, he looked up at the two-story townhouse and took a deep breath, reminding himself that he had wanted to accompany Louis to this lunch. As his maybe-boyfriend, he wanted to meet everyone who was important to Louis and hopefully make them like him. Or at least tolerate him.

When the door opened, Harry could hear the beat of his own heart over the excited and friendly chatter, making it hard for him to interact with anyone at all for a few seconds but Louis was right there to support him, definitely able to tell how nervous he was.

"I know you technically already met but I wanna do this properly" Louis' hand was twitching now, showing Harry that he wasn't the only nervous one. "Maria, Paul. Meet my boyfriend Harry".

Hearing Louis refer to him as his boyfriend so easily and casually made his heart do more somersaults in his chest, settling the one big question that had been circling around in his head. Now he knew what Louis thought they were. It made him so happy that he had to bite down a huge smile, feeling his cheeks heating up.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Harry" Maria smiled friendlily at him, giving him the feeling that he was welcome, after all.

"The pleasure is mine" Harry had literally no idea what to say or do. It's been years since he last had to meet anyone new and make them like him because he was dating someone.

"Come in, boys" Paul beckoned them to follow him into the living room, where Bethany was playing with some dolls. "Beth, we have visitors. Wanna say hello?".

Immediately, her little head snapped up and her eyes landed on Louis, a huge smile growing on her face. "Loulou!".

"Come here, little Beth" Louis opened his arms for her to run straight into them, almost knocking him over. "Hey, Angel".

"Mummy said you would come for lunch. I'm happy to see you" Bethany was literally hugging the life out of Louis, completely over the moon and Harry could relate to that feeling. Being in Louis' presence just made you unbelievably and inexplicably happy.

"I'm very happy to be here as well, little miss. And I even brought someone with me that I'd like you to meet" Louis looked over at him now, drawing Bethany's attention onto him and making him scared to say something wrong. "Beth, this is Harry but you can call him whatever you like best. He's my boyfriend".

There was the word again, making his head spin. Before he'd actually end up fainting, Harry approached the two of them and smiled at Bethany. "Hi, Bethany. It's nice to meet you".

"Does this mean you love my Loulou?" Bethany knocked the air out of him straight away, making him freeze in his spot. "Because I loved him first. He's mine".

Feeling his lungs letting air back into his body, Harry leaned down to be on eye level with her. "And he always will be. I'm not stealing him from you, okay? Maybe we can share him?".

Thoughtfully, Bethany pondered his suggestion for a moment, looking into his eyes when she had made a decision. "A boyfriend is what Daddy is for my mummy, right?".

"Correct" Harry's throat felt dry again out of the sudden.

"Then we can share him. I don't love him like that. It's okay if you do. I'm not mad" Bethany told him adorably but he was still frozen and petrified because of her choice of words. It was too much.

"What do you mean you don't love me like that?" Louis gasped indignantly, gaping at her in sheer disbelief. "I'm appalled!".

"Silly Loulou" Bethany giggled cutely, covering his mouth with her tiny hand. "You are like an uncle. You're family. I love you like I love mummy and daddy but I'm not your girlfriend".

"Now I'm hurt. I thought we had something special" Louis was acting so unbelievably over-dramatic that it made Harry relax again and push Bethany's words to the back of his mind. It was too early to think about this and the wrong place. The wrong time.

"We do, Loulou" Bethany kissed his nose, making him shut up.

"Aren't you two precious?!" Maria cooed over them dramatically.

"Um ... of course, we are. Look at us!" Louis pointed back and forth between them to prove his point. "We are adorable".

"Unique, that's for sure" Maria rolled her eyes at them fondly.

"I always knew we were special. Yes!" Louis cheered joyfully, making Bethany squeal in excitement. "High five, Beth".

"When you're done with being special, can you help me in the kitchen for a moment or are you too special for that?" Paul tapped his hips pointedly, looking highly unimpressed.

"What do you think?" Louis asked Bethany, who only whispered something into his ear. "I agree. I can help him out this time".

"How gracious of you" Paul snorted sassily, leaving the room.

"I'm always gracious" Louis stomped after him poutily.

And just like that, he was alone with Maria and Bethany, who was watching him closely. Out of nowhere, she grabbed his hand and dragged him over to her dolls, making him sit down on the floor with her. "You wanna play dolls with me, Hazzy?".

"I'd love to" Harry got comfortable on the floor, touched by how easily she included him. "What's her name?".

"You can decide that. Her name always changes. Mummy calls her Lisa, Daddy calls her Margaret and Louis calls her Evie. What are you gonna call her?" Bethany tilted her head aside curiously.

"Mh" Harry thought about it for a moment, one name coming to him immediately. "I'm gonna call her Darcy".

"That's a nice name. Why Darcy?" Bethany hooked interested.

"I always liked that name. It's pretty" Harry shrugged, not sure why he liked the name so much. "Just like yours . Very pretty".

"Yours is pretty too," Bethany told him before focusing on her doll.

From his spot on the floor, he could feel Maria watching them and it made him want to start a conversation with her as well but he didn't know how to start. Before he could even come up with anything, Paul came back into the room but without Louis. He made his way over to Maria, whispering something in her ear that made her frown and stand up immediately. In the blink of an eye, they had swapped places. Paul was watching Bethany and Maria had disappeared into the kitchen. It made his stomach sink.

"I'll be back in a moment, yeah?" Harry addressed Bethany before turning to face Paul when he felt his bladder acting up. "Can I use your bathroom real quick?".

"Of course. It's down the hall" Paul just pointed in the vague direction of the bathroom, his expression impossible to read.

"Thanks" Harry stood up clumsily and left the room, heading for the bathroom but passing the kitchen on his way.

"But it's entirely irrational, M" he could hear Louis' voice clearly, which made him stop in his tracks and sneak closer to the wall by the door, hiding in the shadows to eavesdrop for a moment. "We are fine. Everything is great and I'm happy".

"But there is still something on your mind. I can see it. Subtlety has never been your strength" Maria noted knowingly, making his heart beat faster with her words. "What's the matter, Honey?".

"Nothing. It's just that ..." Louis trailed off, sighing loudly. "Fuck, I'm just scared he'll get bored of me someday".

"And why is that?" Maria hooked gently while Harry's heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. Louis still had doubts.

"Once, he said that he's grown bored of his marriage when we talked about the reasons for the divorce for the first time. He did try to rephrase it because it wasn't what he meant but they did grow apart and fell out of love and I ... I'm not questioning his sincerity with me this time. I can tell that he's all in or he wouldn't be here today. I learned how to tell when he's lying and he isn't when he tells me all these nice things and says he wants to stay in my life but I'm still just me" Louis opened up to her solicitously, making Harry's guilty conscience grow for listening to their conversation but now he couldn't stop. He needed to know what exactly Louis was thinking. "Phil is ... he's everything I'm not and I know that might be a good thing because they didn't work out but he's way more interesting than me and less traumatised. How could he not get bored of me when he's gotten bored of him?".

"I can't answer that, Louis" Maria sounded apologetic, causing Harry to hold his breath in fear to find out what she thought. "But you never have a guarantee, no matter if your partner has grown tired of their former partner or not. It can always happen but maybe it won't. You can't know that. The fear of that happening in the future shouldn't keep you from enjoying the present".

"I swear it's not. That one sentence just keeps popping up in my head at random, making me falter for a moment and I don't want that. I told you it's irrational and I know that" Louis explained himself a little more. "I know I need to get over it".

"Give yourself some time, Louis. I can see that you're happy around him and the same goes for Harry. He's glowing when he's next to you, even when he's nervous. Can't that be enough?" Maria's faint footsteps were heard, so Harry assumed she had stepped closer to Louis. "Isn't that enough?".

"It is more than enough" Louis' words made him finally take in a much-needed breath but he was still anxious to hear more. "He makes me very happy. I'm just overthinking this because losing him once hurt enough and we haven't even really been a thing. To think that I will get used to this, to us, and that he then notices that he's tired of me scares me. I'm just not ... interesting".

"I beg to differ" Maria contradicted him and Harry agreed with her. Louis was definitely interesting. Everything about him was. "There's so much to you that is interesting and admirable".

"But is it enough for a lifetime?" Louis' question made his eyes grow huge, not expecting him to think that far ahead. "He and Phil didn't work because they didn't talk enough about important things for their future and those are things we haven't talked about and I ... I shouldn't worry about this but I'm scared he might not see a future with me and that's why he didn't bring it up yet. Maybe he expects to get bored this time as well and that's why ...".

"You're aware you're blowing this way out of proportion, right?" Maria cut him off calmly but Harry was anything but calm. All these worries were weighing heavily on his racing heart. Maybe Louis had a point. They hadn't talked about anything certain when it came to their future but it's only been three days.

"I know. I'm just scared. I like him so much, way too much for just a couple of days but ... I don't wanna lose him again" Louis made something crack inside of him with his words, his voice anxious.

"Well, you've already been through some shit. So, I wouldn't call it a few days. You've liked each other for at least a few months. It doesn't matter who was aware of it or who wasn't. It's not only been a few days and even if, feelings aren't rational. You feel what you feel, Louis" Maria put his thoughts into perspective, giving Harry a different view on some things. "And I get that you're scared and I'm sure that fear exists in his brain as well but you two still chose each other. That means something. You chose to be together and you will continue to choose each other every day from now on for as long as it feels right. How long that will be no one can know. I could still wake up tomorrow and realise I've grown tired of Paul after all these years but I still wouldn't change a thing about our past. You get what I'm saying?".

"I do. Thanks, M" Louis' voice didn't sound anxious anymore. No, it sounded lovely and affectionate, warming Harry's nervous heart. "And even with this irrational fear, I don't doubt us. I don't doubt him. I can see us working out. I want us to. I really do".

"You like him quite a lot, mh?" Maria sounded a bit mischievous.

"Like is probably not the right word to describe my feelings for him anymore but one issue at a time, yeah?" Louis deflected the loaded question, shaking the ground he was standing on. "How about we finally finish up this lunch and get to the eating part?".

Stepping back from the wall, Harry rushed into the bathroom, staring at his own reflection and seeing his pale face. What he had heard was quite shocking and he didn't know what to do.

"Shit" Harry cursed helplessly, feeling some of his own old worries creeping back into his head. "What if I get bored of him? What if I can't choose him one morning but he does?".

Rubbing a hand over his face, Harry stared at himself for a moment, trying to calm down. He was here to bond with three very important people in his boyfriend's life. This wasn't the time for doubts or second thoughts because of a conversation he wasn't supposed to hear. His boyfriend wanted him here and was maybe already more than liking him, which ... They hadn't even officially talked about being boyfriends and Harry hadn't allowed himself to think about the extent of his own feelings but he really needed to let himself feel what he was feeling without any fear. If Louis was facing his irrational fears, he could do the same.

Splashing some water in his face to clear his head, Harry looked himself in the eyes. "Do I love him though? Enough not to get bored? I love being with him but is it enough to last?".

Looking a bit closer at himself, he thought that his eyes were definitely holding the single answer to his questions. As soon as he had thought about Louis and their relationship, he had seen it in his own eyes. That sparkle. "Fuck, I do love him enough, don't I? What now? Does he love me though? Is he in love with me?".