Once in a Lifetime

Forty-Nine.

"Harry!" Louis sang as he walked into the apartment, causing Harry to stop laying the table and look over to see Louis stood in the doorway.

"Hey, baby, good day?" Harry asked as Louis walked towards him, engulfing him in a tight squeeze.

"Yeah, caught up on all the paperwork I needed, you?"

"The meeting took too long, a client didn't turn up and I think I've lost my favourite pen," Harry pouted, "but I'm happy now that you're home." Louis smiled at his boyfriend, his fiancé, even, and reached up to peck his lips in a sweet kiss.

"I'm happy to be home too, but I'm even happier that it's a Friday so we can pig out on your delicious burgers," Louis cheered, Harry laughing at his eagerness to eat already. Once they had eaten, Harry went to have a shower whilst Louis did the washing up, so as soon as he heard the water running Louis grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to Liam to put his plan in motion. He got a thumbs up in response, so he tried to distract himself with the dishes.

It was half an hour later when there was a clang from the letter box, signalling someone had just put something through it. Harry and Louis were flicking through the TV channels, arguing about what they should watch, when they heard it.

"Bit late for post, isn't it?" Harry asked, the confusion obvious as he looked down at Louis who had his head on his lap.

"You can get it," Louis replied, "I'm too comfy."

"You're comfy on me, it makes no sense for us both to move so you should go."

"If you get it, I promise to love you forever," Louis tried, smiling slightly when Harry sighed and shifted Louis off him.

"Fine, but you owe me." Harry walked towards the front door to get the post, and that was when Louis sprang into action. "Ha! It's only got my name on it!" he called from the front door, and Louis heard the envelope ripping as Harry began to open it. His heart was beating so fast in his chest. "You are invited to the wedding of..." Harry trailed off, looking up as he walked into the living room.

"Yeah? The wedding of who?" Louis smiled, tearily looking up from his position on the floor. Harry's mouth was wide open in shock as he looked between the invitation and Louis' bent knee. Harry couldn't speak, so Louis continued. "Harry, earlier this year you asked me to marry you and it was the greatest moment of my life. My mental health meant I couldn't make that dream a reality until after my therapy. Well, baby, that moment is now. Caroline discharged me on Monday, and I've been frantically planning the perfect wedding to surprise you with for a number of weeks, so, Harry Edward Styles, will you do me the honour of becoming my husband at The Café Royal on Saturday 28th September?"

"That's... That's tomorrow?" Harry whispered, his tears falling as he reached out to hold Louis' hands and pull him up from the floor.

"I know it's fast, but I don't want to waste another second without you as my husband. I love you, but if you think this is too crazy then I'll cancel everything, and we can plan a new wedding together, okay?"

"No, no! I mean, yes, Lou, of course I will marry you tomorrow, I just can't believe this is happening. I love you so much!" Their lips joined in a tear-filled, passionate kiss, but that was quickly broken when the front door swung open, and Niall and Liam came bursting into the room.

"Is it happening?!" Niall screamed, bounding towards the two men with a huge smile on his face. "Oh my God, it's happening!"

"Sorry, I couldn't hold him back any longer," Liam laughed, walking towards the three boys who were now hugging and crying together. "But yeah, congratulations, guys!" Liam joined in the hug too, and for a moment Harry was so happy he forgot to worry. That didn't last for long, though.

"You were all in on this?" he asked once they'd sat on the sofas with an alcoholic beverage to celebrate.

"Yeah, Lou asked us as soon as Caroline suggested he could be nearing his discharge date. It's been so hard keeping it from you for so long!" Liam answered, high-fiving Niall for being able to keep the secret.

"We've invited your family and friends, we've picked out your suit, the venue has been decorated, the cars are booked, the food is being prepared and your best man," Niall explained, pointing at himself, "is ready to help you plan your escape if you change your mind, all that's left for you to do is write your vows and we'll be good to go."

"If you leave me at the altar, I will hunt you down and kill you, understood?" Louis laughed, the others laughing too when Harry agreed he'd never do that.

"Honestly guys, I can't believe you arranged all this, and I had no idea. Thank you, really, I appreciate everything you've done to get us to this point. And Niall, I know I technically didn't choose you to be my best man, but I just want you to know that I was always planning on asking you anyway. I take it Liam's yours?" Harry asked, looking at Louis who nodded in agreement.

"Right, say goodbye to your future husband whilst I get my bag from the car then we can all have a good night's sleep before the big day," Niall said, earning a confused look from Harry.

"You're not staying here tonight?"

"No baby, it's bad luck for a groom to see theother groom before the wedding, and I just want it to go as smoothly aspossible, okay?" Harry nodded, snuggling further into Louis' side because hedidn't want to let go. After a little bit of persuading and a lot of kisses,Harry waved as Liam and Louis left the apartment. He and Niall had a few moredrinks as they talked and laughed about all the things that got them to thismoment, and when Harry went to bed that night, he was so excited to be marryinghis best friend in a few hours.