I'm fine, We're fine [boyxboy]

Twenty-One

Louis POV

Things have been quiet for awhile. There isn't any yelling, nothing is getting broken. My ribs have healed; there aren't any sharp pains in my side anymore. Other than the scar above my eye and my lack of hearing, it's almost as if nothing happened. Harry and I carried on as if nothing had happened.

I'll credit his daily runs to the way things were going. I didn't know if it really cleared his head or if it was just an excuse to get out of the apartment with me, but I didn't dig too much into it because things felt good lately. I still got an inkling of fear when my back was to him and there was this way he would breathe across my neck or into my ear that made my skin erupt in goosebumps. I suppose I would always be wary of him, but it was okay.

"Lou, let's go to dinner."

"...What?" I looked up from the book in my hands to where Harry stood, watching me from the doorway that led back inside the apartment. It wasn't often I ventured out, especially in winter, but it wasn't freezing today so I opted to read outside, curled up in a blanket. I pushed my glasses up on my nose while a smile spread across his face.

"Dinner. Me and you."

"What about your run?"

Harry chuckled and came to where I sat. "It's the first day I can't see my breath in the air and it isn't storming. We haven't gone out since th-... We haven't been out in awhile. I want to take you to dinner."

I knew he was going to say we hadn't gone out since the night I hit him back. Staying home worked better for us. I was always a homebody, but even I was beginning to feel cooped up. I was running out of interesting books, smoking didn't really thrill me.

Harry was still talking. "...you haven't been eating much lately, I've noticed, and I think a nice dinner would be better than something we can toss into the oven or microwave. Come on." He tugged on my arm a little.

"I'm not dressed for going out," I protested, flipping the corner down on my book and closing it. I lived in sweats and whatever large hoodie or sweater I could get my hands on. It was what I was wearing now; black sweats, maroon hoodie. This was at home dinner attire. I ignored the comment about my chosen intake of food.

"You look perfect. Come on, throw on some jeans. Or don't, I don't care. I want to take you out to dinner."

The way he smiled at me soon had me smiling and I knew I couldn't just tell him no. Harry was trying harder than he had since we'd been together, and it hadn't gone unnoticed. He was inattentive from the start, though he wasn't outwardly cruel. Now he listened when I talked or showed him something on my phone. He watched anything I asked him to watch with me and there were even a few times when I'd drawn myself a bath and Harry actually joined me in the tub. I remember asking him once early on and Harry laughed at me. Now he didn't seem to mind the lavender scented soap I'd toss in while it was filling.

I stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Well, since you asked so nicely," I smirked. He helped me up and let me lead the way back inside and to our room. I slept in here with him every night. My anxiety or fear- whatever it was to be called -couldn't outweigh my desire to be held and cuddled all night. A month ago his arm around me was terrifying; now it was one of the few instances that allowed me to sleep fully.

"I'll just wear this, if that's okay..." I watched him in the reflection of the mirror atop the dresser. I wasn't dressed to impress, but I was comfortable. "I don't really want to wear my contacts either." I don't know if I expected him to be upset, but Harry only continued to smile.

"You look perfect." He was wearing a yellow pullover and what I would have called mom jeans, just rolled up at the bottom. The converse he wore were just like the ones I was pulling on. Mine were cleaner. Harry gave me my phone and led me through our apartment. "I'll take this just in case," he said as we passed the closet behind the door. It was where we kept our extra jackets and shoes. Harry took out an extra coat and threw it over his shoulder.