Chelsea boots and cigarettes

Epilogue

Twenty four

Crazy how fast the time passed by, Harry was still feeling like the sixteen-year-old boy that just got into eleventh grade and now he was about to finish uni in a few weeks. He was feeling not even close to twenty-four.

Neither did he think of feeling so incredibly comfortable in his neighbourhood, after the first weeks being as terrible as they had been. And never in a billion years had he thought to fall in love with the reasonable person for that rough start...

Harry rolled over to check the time. Only 10.33 am. There was not much to do on a Sunday like this.

But because it was Harry's birthday he decided to bake a cake, he could eat together with the lads later on.

Tired footsteps approached the kitchen, the sound of those small steps taken by short legs made Harry chuckle. "Happy birthday," Louis murmured in his rustling morning voice, stealing a piece of the chocolate Harry was about to meltdown and use as frosting for his birthday cake.

"Hey! I need that." Louis just smiled, such a dork Harry leaned to the side, stealing a kiss. "Did you invite Zayn, Lee and Niall to come over today?" What a question.

"Of course," Harry answered, drawing his brows. "When exactly are they going to be here?"

"Lou." Harry turned, he knew that cheeky smile just too well. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing." The man shrugged giving Harry another peck before he turned on his heels and went straight up to the front door. Harry leaned back to follow him with his eyes. Seriously, what was he up to?

He disappeared and then passed the kitchen window, heading to his house, through the white snow that was still falling. As he returned, about ten minutes later, he was carrying a huge box with a red bow on top. Harry dried off his hands and went into the hall, just as Louis closed the front door with his heel, the same smile on his face he had before. As if he just won a lottery win.

Harry could swear he heard some squeaking noises coming from that box. "I told you I don't want anything." Except for Louis maybe.

"I know but... just open it."

Harry took the heavy box and kneeled on the ground. "Did it just move??" Not gonna lie, Harry was a little terrified to open that carton. As soon as he removed the bow, what happened to hold the box briefly together a little puppy jumped out.

He jumped excitedly all around Harry and right into his arms. Harry's eyes lit up.

"What? Lou- oh my god, why?" He laughed, following the excited dog with his eyes happily, trying to catch him.

"Cuz you always wanted one and now that uni is over, I thought you have the time."

"And.." He added scratching the back of his head nervously.

"...because, I love you." There was so much fond in Louis's eyes as he saw Harry sitting on the ground with the little puppy in his arms, and having such a huge smile on his face, it for sure hurt his cheeks.

"You-"

"Yeah," Louis nodded not able to hold back a giggle, so relieved to finally have gotten this off his chest. There was a while of silence, Harry needed to process this all first. Did Louis really just say that? Harry smiled, now finally seeing it, the way he wants to spend his life with Louis.

Every minute of it. It sounded stupid he knew that but he simply couldn't picture someone else. He reached for the collar of Louis' jumper and pulled him down. Louis followed him with his body while they kissed until he kneeled on the ground just in front of Harry.

The kiss held for a couple of seconds. It was calm and sweet and perfect. With everyone else, Louis would have found it cheesy. With Harry, it was just right.
"I love you too." The younger replied a bit shy, he had never said those words to somebody out loud before. At least not like that.

Louis just pulled him closer by the sides of his face, running his thumbs along Harry's jaw just in the way he knew Harry loved it.

But enough of the cheesy, excited B
barking made Harry flinch and pull away what left Louis laughing.

"God..." Harry chuckled holding a break where a name was supposed to be, but the puppy had none so far.

"She needs a name don't you think?"

"She?"

Louis pulled a little book out of his back pocket and flicked through it. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he said it's a She. Look."

"What about-" Of course, a phone had to interrupt the moment. What else?

"Hello?" Louis answered a bit confused. ".....Yes." Harry watched him getting more and more confused while he tried keeping the dog quiet by stroking through his fluffy fur. Then Louis' eyes caught with Harry's, his eyebrows drawn together. "Uh, yes, he's here." Louis put the phone on speaker.

It was the Director. "Good, because I need a word with you two." Harry's heart stopped and at the sudden look of realisation in Louis' eyes. Did he-? Did he know? Harry could tell Louis was thinking the same. "I think you know what I'm talking about." Fuck. Harry quickly muted them. "I thought you overplayed the video??" Louis panicked.

"I-I did.." Harry's heart felt as if it would jump right out of his chest any second. Fuck. "... I didn't know they have backups."