It's Getting Cold These Days [Larry Stylinson AU]

Epilogue

It was a mild summer, less like the one Louis had predicted and everything substandard that the weather forecast had failed to acknowledge. Rains frequented the city as often as the living room curtains changed. The latter was heavily but not solely caused by Anna – Harry had had the judging voice in many of the choices. Not that he understood why. He had never lived there, and now he never would.

To emphasise the thought he knocked his heels to the carboard box he saton. Anna had hid in it until Zayn dragged her off to the moving truck once more, all nails and promises of intimate gestures. Anna had said something along the lines of, "Don't ever get engaged, Styles. Don't. Do. It." To  this, Louis had said, "Perhaps we should just stay put here, eating your food, the both of us. I'm sure we can still tear the lease." This had made Zayn all the more insistent.

Now Louis sat across the table, on a box of his own. His was labelled Tomlinson's Damaged Goods (#2). It had a disclaimer written by its namesake, namely describing its contents as mundanely as possible for lessened effect. Zayn had added an "+ dildo", which Harry was uncertain if Louis had noticed or not.

And, wasn't that technically Harry's damaged goods, anyway?

"Screw Zayn and Anna," Louis said, oatmeal-brimming spoon jutting toHarry. The box was high enough for his feet to hover the ground. But then, Harry had always been taller. "All these complaints but have we ever heard Niall – once, just once – distress over Babysitting? I think not."

Babysitting with the capital B, of course. The feline had given her adieu to Harry with awls and howls when Harry as much as considered the words"moving" and "cage". She had conflicted with Nick's dog, which was when Niall offered to take her in. Said he could do with a few chewed-on assignments.

Louis seemed to have a revelation by the kitchen table. "That's his lucky charm. It's not alcoholic persistance, it's cat-watching."

Harry's lips folded around the jutting spoon, sucking off all oatmeal. Louis watched him with rapture.

"I love it when you eat," Louis said and held up another spoon to his mouth.

Grinning, Harry rejected it. Blueberries and raspberries fought in his own bowl. Its taste rotted his teeth while appealing to dine limitlessly. Had they already packed toothbrushes and paste? He tried locating the toiletry bag in the ruckus to no avail. Perhaps nicotine gum would suffice until they unpacked in the flat.

"What are you thinking about?"

It was too cliché to deserve an honest answer, still Harry said,"Brushing my teeth."

Louis finished up his bowl, dropped it unceremoniously in the sink.

"Ever the poet," he said, hand brushing through Harry's outgrown locks. And just like that, he had vanished into the carboard cluster.

Harry took his time to eat. Once he was finished he detoured to the balcony. On the street, Anna was arguing with one of the movers in gestures to vehicles and Zayn, who embellished the Toyota's battered hood with ripped jeans and greased hands. He sat in a light twenty-degree slope with two of the wheels up on the curb.

The thrum of their voices reached the balcony in place of actual words. Lavender flourished in a cracked pot jackknifing off the railing. Safely below it on the floor, a barshel of mint. Harry plucked one ofits leaves to suckle on. The buildings were too steep to become mirrors of the sun but light drenched the flats at both ends of the narrow one-way street. Some of the light scattered onto Anna and the mover, slicking up the hood and Zayn's hair, highlighting the rings on their fingers.

Harry didn't call for them. Another stack of boxes swayed out to them from inside the building. Beneath them, Louis tried to straighten up, probably to keep from panting, until the mover packed them in the truck. He glanced up and caught Harry's eye. With an eager gesture Harry couldn't decipher, he hurried back inside.

A moment later, Louis emerged behind him, swallowing wheezes.

"Love of my life," Louis lilted. His warm hands hovered Harry's hips while he peered over Harry's shoulder. Zayn waved up to them. Somewhere was the scent of barbecue and coal.

"Shut up."

"I will not. It's true."

Harry handed him a leaf. Louis accepted it and nicked a stalk of lavender to crumble it over the railing. Both watched the purple crowns waft away.

"I've actually been thinking about the future," Harry said.

Louis made an impressed hum.

"Isn't a joint flat enough?" he said.

Harry shook his head. "Further ahead. Not next month."

"Where to grow old? Where to hoard our kids?"

If Harry hadn't been serious about the idea, he would have snorted. Now when he turned around to the cocoon of Louis' body, it was no longer a mere image in his head; it was a possibility. It was comforting instead of scary. Something real, something certain.

He resisted looping his arms around Louis' neck, knowing he wouldn't be able to let go. Minty breath hit his cheek.

He said, "I was thinking a cabin. Overlooking the water perhaps. Two bedrooms. In case we ever—yeah."

Louis smiled, dauntless, excited by the prospect.

"Good choice."

They walked back into the flat, closing the door, and headed down to Zayn and Anna by the loaded truck.

Harry hadn't thought about Liam Payne for weeks.

A/N: Wow. It's Getting Cold These Days has officially come to an end. It's been almost a year since the two of us took this on as a join fic, and about three in total since the idea was created. We are both incredibly proud of IGCTD and how it turned out, and we hope you enjoyed every bit of it as much as much as we both did.

Thank you for all of your lovely comments and for your patience during some tough update schedules as we struggled through school. IGCTD... this fic was truly a gem to write and we're still in disbelief that we're here, at the end. This fic meant a lot to the both of us and we couldn't be prouder at the finished outcome.

If you choose to stick with us, there will be some more Team Vace projects in the future that we hope you enjoy (and that we will, too) as much as It's Getting Cold These Days.

-Grace and Veronica.