Don't Let It Break Your Heart

23: Not Goodbye, See You Later

Harry was sitting up in bed, Louis sitting next to him, and his eyes wander to how he had his half-smile again.

"Do you want some water, H? Louis indicates to his water bottle setting on the table.

Harry couldn't help but smile, even more, the moments he had with Louis and the way he cared for him like no one else, made him feel loved, wanted even. The way things had gone into a deep spiral downward, it took Harry a minute to realize that he hadn't given up and he was breathing and smiling, some patients couldn't even manage that.

He was thankful, to put it into his own words, he felt like a blessed man. Of course, his health wasn't at its peak but it was better than the alternative, he was alive he was breathing, and he was so thankful to have Louis by his side.

"H, love, you with me?" Louis's voice came about in his mind and he turned to meet where he now stood beside him.

His eyes glanced at the blue-eyed boy, whose face was outlined in worry, the thin line of his lips, and how he stood it all made sense to Harry and clicked.

"M' okay Lou." Harry registered his love's voice and was able to speak without stuttering, it surprised him, and he widened his eyes as soon as it was grasped within his mind. "Y-Yeah... I don't I-I don't n-need anything." Well so much for that. Harry grimaced, he was frustrated with himself, he thought he was going to finally get better and not stutter this time.

"Hey, don't get so discouraged yeah?" Louis pats his knee and smiles a bit, since you've not had any more seizures I'd said that's a perk wouldn't you?"

Love. Fondness. And the absolute praise. The way Louis called him love and how held his hand if Harry were to ever get too anxious. It was the best friend in his husband that he adored so much.

He soon felt the warmth of Louis's arms around his torso and a smile tugged at his lips, Louis was not only an encourager, but he was also wise. He knew what he was talking about and despite it all, even when the doctors managed to have their doubts nowadays, he believed Louis. Truly, anything his love had to say to him, whether it was during the evening hours or the middle of the day, his trust remained.

"There's that smile, the real deal right?" Louis cracked a smile himself before squeezing Harry's hand, glances were given once again and the curly-haired boy stayed quiet, at least for the time being. "You want to go see the garden for a bit, you know get out of this dried-out excused of a hospital room?"

Harry slowly nodded his head and the fond smile which was like a little ray of sunshine soon made its way to his face, and for once, he did a bubbly laugh. "Y-Yeah this place i-is shit, so bland and t-too ordinary f-for my t-taste."

Louis listens to every word his angel-voiced and the smile never left his glowing face, he was radiating with good cheer and high spirits. And for once, in what seemed like forever, he was looking forward to the future with Harry by his side. For the time being, not that it was relevant, but it was just the two of them, and the energy around them felt better. The connection and bond felt like a forever together, put a ring on my finger and say I do type of aura.

"Alright, just let me grab your wheelchair and we'll be out of here and no time."

He looked up at Harry who had the most innocent smile on his face, gentle eyes and it was like watching a love story, or a fairytale if you rather, before his very eyes.

"Y-you ready?" Louis actually stutters out of nervousness, he slowly wheeled over the wheelchair and took in a deep breath.

~.~

"C'mon 'arry, faster!" Louis was only about nine or ten at the time, and he was in a little red wagon, his best pal Harry was pulling him across the yard and laughing nearly the entire time, he was closer to Louis than anyone else in his entire school, and they were were neighbors before even then, when Harry was no more than three. And Louis found him to be the cutest toddler he had ever seen, he wanted to be around Harry forever. "Come on faster! Its my turn!" Louis loved the little red wagon so much and the sunny warm days made everything so much better.

Barefoot lads in the green grass and warm sunshine. Louis even found it fun to play in the dirt and when Anne would give Harry a bath, Louis too would get one, because his cheeks were powdered with the debris from outside and it never seemed to bother him, he would giggle and quite witty even for his age.

It wasn't until they were fifteen and thirteen when they began to do things alone, like their first trip to the world's biggest aquarium. And Harry explained his love for the different species of fish, "I like the one that resembles Nemo and Marlin," he spoke with a gentle smile, and Louis was officially head over heels for the lad. His mile saying it all, when Harry began to list ff the different fish he saw in each tank of the aquariums. "Lou Lou, look at this one, it's an angelfish, Harry was playful, and the way life was going he couldn't complain. "I'm going to name it Lou Lou because it's an angel like you."

Louis couldn't help the tear that fell that day, he was so lucky. Harry was such a good friend to him, he was the happiest teen in the world.

~.~

"H-Hey Louis, can I s-see the c-c-carnations?" Harry tried to pronounce each word to the best of his ability, but he felt so helpless in his speech, but Louis saw the growth in his voice, how he began to speak more often, even with stuttering, he did it. He felt like Harry had won.

"Yeah Harry, here love." He smiled, picking an individual one before handing it over he gave him a shy smile, "You are more pretty than all the flowers in the garden."In fact, Louis reaches down to pick the prettiest flower of the bunch, "This is my promise to you, Harry Styles, that if something does happen we won't say goodbye. Right? We will just say see you later."

To Louis, this was his way of promising to Harry and himself, that if things didn't go as they planned he would eventually see him again and that's okay. "To my dearest Harry, I vow to love you, protect you, and I'll keep you safe." Louis tears up, but quickly blinks them away, he wasn't going to let his emotions get to him, not now.

"You will forever be in my heart, and I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me, you know that right?

He didn't until now. "Th-thank you, Lou, I l-love you."

Thank you to legends who have made it this far in my book :) I hope you are enjoying it, I love you all 👋🤲