Time

Epilogue

They looked up just to find Niall grinning excitedly at them.
"So?"

"Get this thing off me!" Harry growled and tried to remove the helmet from his head.

Russel came rushing to help him. Niall's smile faltered.
"It didn't help?"

"Well, I found out that Louis is a fucking idiot who takes life-altering decisions for the two of us based on an assumption!" Harry shouted.

"I'm sorry Harry. I thought that I was doing the right thing." Louis replied.

"Oh, don't make me fucking punch you in the face! We're married, Louis! You should have talked to me." Harry growled angrily.

"Uhm, Russel, let's go and see if your mum has some of that lovely Ambrosia cake she always makes." Niall said and dragged Russel with him.

As soon as they were alone Louis turned to Harry.
"You're right. I should have talked to you but I couldn't. I didn't want to hear you say that you don't love me anymore."

"I don't understand why you would even think that." Harry sighed.

"You've been so distant in the last couple of months. Whenever I called you were busy. You never asked if I could come to L.A. You never said that you missed me or loved me. You've been hanging out a lot with Nick." Louis tried to explain.

Harry looked guilty. Louis took that as confirmation that something really was going on with Nick. He clasped a hand over his mouth and his eyes teared up.
"No! No, Louis. Nick is just a friend. I have no romantic interest in him. I'm not attracted to him. I would never cheat on you! Damn it, Lou! We've been together for eight years. Why are you so insecure?"

Louis stared at him with his mouth partly open.
"Because..."

"Because?" Harry pushed.

"Because you were sixteen when we got together." Louis said.

'So? What does that have to do with anything?" Harry wondered.

"Teenage love pass usually." Louis said.

Harry just stared at him for a long time.
"So you're basically just waiting for the day my 'teenage crush' will be over with?"

"Not waiting. Fearing." Louis shrugged.

"Why are you so hung up on age? Sure, I was sixteen when we met but Louis, you were also a teenager. Are your 'teenage crush' ending soon?" Harry questioned and made quotation marks in the air.

"No. I love you." Louis answered.

"Well, I love you too. You're the love of my life. I don't want anyone else. Why is that so hard for you to believe?" Harry said softly.

Louis' lower lip started to wobble.
"I don't know. I'm just scared to lose you. I thought I had. You were doing all these amazing things and it felt like I was holding you back. I'm sorry. This is all me fault." He couldn't hold back his tears anymore.

"No, love. It's my fault. I've been a lousy husband. My number one priority should be making sure that you're happy and know that you are loved, appreciated and that you don't ever have to be unsure about me. I've been so caught up in my own thing and I'm sorry. A relationship needs constant work and I haven't done my part." Harry said and wrapped his arms around his husband and hugged him tightly.

"Does that mean that you don't want a divorce?" Louis asked.

"I never wanted that. You?" Harry wondered.

"Never." Louis said and buried his nose in Harry's neck.

They just stood there holding each other for a moment before they let go. Louis dried his cheeks.
"I think we need a couple of things. A two-week rule. No matter what we're doing we won't be away from each other for more than two weeks. How does that sound?" Louis asked.

"Absolutely, and we talk every day, no matter where we are or how tired we might be. We take time for each other." Harry said.

"And ask me to come with you. I really don't mind Harry. I just wanna be where you are, if I can." Louis smiled shyly.

"As long as you don't sacrifice yourself. If you have your own projects, go for it. Write that killer album!" Harry smiled.

"Yeah, I'm gonna do that." Louis promised.

"Lou? I think we should try some couples therapy. We really need to learn how to communicate better. We need some tools for that." Harry suggested.

"Therapy? Fine, anything to make this work." Louis agreed.

Harry cupped his cheeks and leaned in to kiss him.
"And sex, lots and lots of sex." Louis mumbled against his lips.

"Best idea ever." Harry smirked before they deepened the kiss.

"Aaaaaw, you made up!" Niall shouted behind them.

They turned around.
"Yeah." Louis smiled.

"I'm happy. So?" Niall grinned.

"So we're not getting a divorce." Louis said.

"Well, duh! What else?" Niall said and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall.

Harry caught up.
"Thank you captain Niall for helping us sort things out. Again." He smiled.

"Yeah, thanks Niall, but time traveling? You're crazy!" Louis chuckled.

"Well, you two are stubborn. I needed something over the top." Niall grinned.

"I can't believe Russel figured it out. It's incredible. What are you gonna do with the invention?" Harry asked.

"Destroy it. Imagine how much damage it could do. We could destroy the world. Butterfly effect you know. No one saw you, right?" Niall asked nervously.

"No. But are you seriously gonna destroy it? You could travel everywhere. You could meet Jesus or kill Hitler." Louis said.

"We know what we have but not what we would have if we changed history. It's too risky. Russel and I agree on this and you two can't say a word about it." Niall said serious looking.

"True. We promise. " Harry smiled.

Niall drove them home after that. Harry unpacked his bags and then they spent the rest of the night in bed reconnecting. Louis would never do the same mistake again. Just thinking about that he almost drove Harry away made him cold. That would have been the biggest mistake he would have ever done. Harry was right. They needed to improve their communication and they would. He would make sure of it.

The End