Have I forgotten how to love; remind me once again

Chapter Fourteen

A/N Here comes another long one. Hope you like it!

Luckily, they're home long before Harry and Anne, Louis receiving a picture from Harry just as they walk through the door, the boy and his mum smiling brightly in a selfie with their faces pressed closely together. Louis might have saved it as his background no more than five seconds later.

The four of them agree on keeping Harry in the dark about the tour pressing on in the very near future, agreeing that Louis will tell him when they can't conceal it any longer, including the fact that they're not going on tour until Harry is well enough to join, or if he simply doesn't want to go, none of them are.

Still, the mood is a bit weird as a movie plays in the background of the living room, because they're all aware that Harry probably isn't going to be well enough to go and Simon will want the four of them to go anyways, threatening their careers if they won't comply. None of them have even the smallest amount of doubt that they're making the right call, but it's going to be a big change, no matter the outcome.

About two hours later, Anne and Harry burst through the front door, arms linked and the big smiles from the picture still spread across their faces. They've barely made it into the living room before Louis is asking about their day - mostly the results of the tests, and Harry pads towards him, seating himself beside Louis on the couch and begins retelling what the doctor had to say, all four listening intently.

"Well, nothing much has changed", Harry starts, looking apologetic. "The operation wound is healing nicely, and my leg is all good now." Even though the cast has been off Harry's leg since they left the hospital for the first time, it's good to know that the fragment that chipped has healed perfectly. "Nothing much on the brain department".

He doesn't get further before Anne interrupts in a kind tone, softly petting Harry's hair from where she's standing behind the couch, "It hasn't worsened either and you got almost everything back in order from more than three years back. That's absolutely great, love."

Happy noises fill the room, all glad that Harry is getting better, and even though the gap in his memories hasn't lessened that much, at least he can remember things pretty clearly from before the interlude and after as well. Things could be worse.

They could be better too, and when Harry finishes retelling the doctor's comments and Anne has seated herself in an empty chair, Louis leans closer to his boy with an alluring smile, trying his best to master a combination of casual yet convincing, as he hums, "Are you maybe up for trying those exercises? Just one or two".

Harry looks a bit skeptical, and Louis tries again, "It went so well yesterday! With the music and the food and everything." His boy doesn't look too entertained by the idea, so Louis tries one last time, slightly desperate to at least give a try to making a difference.

"You promised that you'd try", and finally Harry's furrowed brows soften a bit as he agrees with a curt nod, Louis having pressed a bit more than intended, a sudden desperation for some kind of progress making him want to start as soon as possible, and Harry agrees, although still a bit reluctantly. Louis writes it off as Harry's earlier testament to doubting the effectivity of them, but Louis knows it will work. It has to.

They retreat to their room for a quieter and more private atmosphere with a quick explanation to the others in the living room, Harry leaving control up to Louis, who decides he'll start off with some picture recognition, elated and hopeful from yesterday's success. Harry seems even more skeptical at that, but Louis constantly reassures him. "Darling, there's no need to worry this much. It's been going great and you're ready for this!"

At last, Harry agrees to try, leaning back against the headboard of the bed, eyes closed while he tries to relax. Louis is already shuffling through his pictures to find some suitable and reasonably memorable ones to use. "Okay", he says, settling on a picture from the day they got engaged; a selfie they took on the floor when Harry insisted that they immortalized the moment.