Have I forgotten how to love; remind me once again

Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N The time has come!!! I'm being Louis-mother-fucking-Tomlinson tomorrow. I am SO excited!!!

Harry ends up sending Anne upstairs to have a shower and take a minute to relax, insisting on taking care of dinner which she only reluctantly accepts. Louis of course offers to help, but after Harry sees him attempting to slice carrots, he changes his mind and basically orders Louis to sit on an empty countertop with instructions to stay there until they're done.

So, Louis keeps Harry company instead, offering to set the table which he does with a familiar ease that takes Harry aback a little, before he hums in understanding, "I keep forgetting you've been here before." Louis simply smiles back, knowing the words weren't meant to hurt him, yet a wave of melancholy still washes over him, no matter how much he tries telling himself that starting over is just as good.

The feeling disappears as quickly as it came though because Harry follows the statement up with, "And somehow, I still feel like it's so normal having you around. Sorry, I know that doesn't make sense".

This time, the smile Louis sends him is genuine, once again seated on the countertop as he considers speaking the words on his mind, and then deciding to just go for it. "It does make sense. It's always been like that with us. From the moment we met, I felt like I had known you forever".

It doesn't even take a full second for an intense blush to cover Harry's cheeks, making him fumble with his words, starting several sentences that Louis doesn't manage to catch a single word from, until the sound of the pot on the stove bubbling over interrupts him, Harry suddenly fumbling with that instead of his words.

"Careful", Louis hums, but Harry seems to regain control pretty quickly, wiping off the stove before replacing the pot. "Sorry, got distracted", Harry responds, eyes trained on his cooking, yet he can't hide the smile playing on his lips. Louis thinks he must be on his way to literal heaven with the way this is going.

Not long after, Anne joins them and the three of them eat, Louis and Anne mostly carrying the conversation while Harry simply listens contentedly. When they're done, Anne shoos them off into the living room, insisting on doing the dishes as the two of them cooked - despite Louis insisting that he wasn't of any use in the preparing process.

They return to the couch and plop down beside each other, Harry leaning his head against the back of the couch with closed eyes and a sigh. Worriedly, Louis lets his fingers stroke Harry's arm lightly, "Are you okay?"

A small smile is the first indicator that Harry is indeed not dying, then he's squeezing Louis' hand. "Yeah, 'm fine. My head is just a bit tired, is all".

"Oh, of course", Louis exclaims. "Sorry, I didn't realize. Do you need me to go or something?"

With that, Harry tilts his head to the side and looks softly at Louis - who is positive he is physically melting under that glance. "No, no need. Maybe we can just watch a movie or something?"

After Harry assures him that Louis is free to pick whatever movie, Louis settles on a romantic comedy neither of them have seen before, and it's worth having to endure another cliché movie when Harry giggles excitedly beside him.

Though, Louis could have chosen any movie and it would not have mattered because no more than ten minutes into the film, Harry is sound asleep against his shoulder, Louis' heart beating abnormally fast and making him feel like a bloody teenager once again. In the best way possible.

Anne joins them not much later, looking at the two of them with a soft smile then she proceeds to politely pretend not to notice the way Louis spends more time glancing at Harry than he does watching the movie.