a proposal in the park [e.c]

Chapter 1

a/n: I hate Halloween so here's a Xmas story lmao

The crowds leaving Green Park tube station are heavy, carrying Eleanor along towards the exit and pressing Louis close to her side.

"And TFL said to use any station other than Hyde Park Corner to avoid crowds," Louis grumbles good naturedly, letting go of Eleanor's arm briefly to scan his Oyster card over the reader and pass through the barrier. "Clearly everyone listened and no one went to Hyde Park Corner. Bet it's absolutely empty right now."

Eleanor exhales, passing through the barrier behind Louis. She pockets her Oyster card and reclaims her boyfriend's hand, mitten clad hands slotting together. "It's just because it's a Saturday, babe. And two weeks until Christmas."

Louis rolls his eyes, tugging them through the crowds and out of the station. It's surprisingly sunny for mid-December, the sun weakly shining through the grey clouds. "Next year we'll just have to take a Tuesday off or something and come."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Eleanor agrees, slinging her arm around Louis' shoulders now that they're in the open air, the crowds not as tight around them.

Louis burrows into Eleanor's side, pressing a kiss to her neck. "Crowds or not, I'm glad we finally made it to Winter Wonderland, love."

Eleanor has to steal a kiss. Just a quick, dry brush of lips, but she has to. "Me too."

It's been four and a half years since Louis asked Eleanor on a date to Hyde Park, a date which Eleanor thought she'd made such an absolute fool of herself (in her desperate, clumsy attempts to impress the boy she had a massive crush on), that she thought Louis would never want to see her again.

But miraculously, Louis had found her endearing and was more than keen to go on a second date.

Louis' sweetness and eagerness had proved what Eleanor already suspected – they were definitely soulmates.

Her theory only became more concrete the more time she and Louis spent together.

They fell for one another as easy as breathing, and Eleanor couldn't imagine what impossibly good deed she must have done to ever deserve a boyfriend like Louis Tomlinson, but she wasn't going to question it.

They've been together four and a half years, and they've been the happiest years of Eleanor's life.

Ever since they first got together, Hyde Park has been a special place in their relationship. Not only is it where they had their first date and shared their first kiss, it's where Eleanor first told Louis she loved him. They attended  England vs. Croatia World Cup semi-final game in the park on a rare sunny day in July only a couple months after they started dating. Louis was so excited to see his favorite team, and Eleanor couldn't help but be endeared as Louis cheered his team  after spending the entire afternoon telling Eleanor stories about his football phase in sixth form.

After the game, high on life and adrenaline but a little saddened by the croatians's win, Louis was as vibrant and energetic as a sunny hurricane. Louis was talking a mile a minute as they walked to the tube, bouncing along next to Eleanor, when Eleanor could no longer contain the words inside of her. She turned to Louis, still nattering away, and without a thought, Eleanor said, "I love you."

Louis froze mid-sentence, eyes wide and lips parted and looking so, so beautiful. Then slowly, an incandescent smile broke across Louis' face, and he grabbed Eleanor  by the shoulders and kissed her. "I love you, too," Louis whispered against her lips.

And while Hyde Park holds many milestones for them, it is also the place that holds ordinary, seemingly insignificant memories that are still so special to Eleanor. The two of them walking through the rose garden during the spring, sharing kisses behind the bushes. Numerous summertime picnics, sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with all their friends or their families. They love walking their dogs Clifford and Bruce in the park, letting them chase the ducks and geese away from a still-terrified Eleanor while Louis watches on, always laughing.