Heartbreaker ~ Larry Stylinson {English}

86. "I forgive you."

~ Pov Louis ~ 

"What are we going to cook?," I ask as I hang my coat on the coat rack. I follow Harry through his hall to the kitchen and see vegetables, knives, pots, pasta and ground beef everywhere. 

"Spaghetti. At least if that's still your favorite dish." He turns around with a smile and I nod. 

"You still remember." 

"Of course. I remember everything." He slings a kitchen towel over his shoulder. "Everything about you." I press my lips together so that the corners of my mouth don't curl up too much, but they do.

"Where do you need me?" 

"I know you're not a good cook, so maybe you can roll the minced meat?" I nod. 

"Sounds like a good idea to me." After washing my hands, I walk to the other side of the kitchen island and take the minced meat between my two hands. I rub them together, but the shape doesn't come out exactly right. Harry looks at it with a frown and shakes his head. 

"Maybe you better cut the vegetables after all." I nod. 

"Great idea. Let's do that." I walk over to him and have him put a carrot on the cutting board. He comes up behind me and lets me hold the knife. With one hand he holds the carrot while he tries to guide me with the other hand. His lips are almost attached to my neck. I cough. "Harry?" 

"Hmm?" 

"I think I have it." 

"Okay, if you're so sure about that, I'll let you work, chief." He plants a small kiss on my neck and I feel the blood rising to my cheeks as the adrenaline races through my body.

We're 2 carrots away when I cut my finger. "Ouch!" Harry turns and drops what he was doing to come to me. He brings his hands to my finger and shakes his head. 

"I should have known better than to let you near a knife," he laughs. He lets go of me to get a band aid from a cupboard. He gestures for me to sit on the kitchen island in front of him. He comes between my legs and disinfects my finger. 

"Sorry to ruin this." He smiles. 

"You didn't, Lou. Not everyone can be a chef like me." I shake my head laughing and look at the band aid he sticks on my finger. "You're all better. But I think it might be best if you don't touch anything anymore." I nod and kiss him on the lips. 

"Great idea." Harry's eyes remain closed and I run my hands through his curls. "What is it?" A smile rests on his lips. 

"That felt good." 

"Oh. What?" I tease him before pressing another kiss to his lips, "this?" 

"Hmm."

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me so I can wrap my legs around his hips. He places his hands on my waist and kisses me deeply. "Aren't you supposed to cook?" I mumble against his lips. 

"Hmm. You're holding me back." With one last touch I let him go hard. 

"Okay okay." Harry gives me a kiss on the nose before continuing with whatever he was doing. "I'll watch you cook for me," I sigh, placing a hand on my forehead dramatically. I hear Harry laughing and spend the next time enjoying that sound.

A few hours later we are sitting on the couch. After eating Harry's delicious spaghetti, we set up a movie that is already halfway through. Harry lies with his head on my lap as I comb through his hair with my fingers. A thought races through my head, one that's been there for a while, but it's only now that I dare to ask. "Hazz?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Do you still have the tapes?" He immediately sits up. "The tapes of the bet," I explain to him. He ignores my question as he looks at the floor. 

"Why?" 

"I want to see them." He looks at me shocked. 

"Louis, I don't think you-" 

"Do you still have them?" 

"I deleted them." 

"Is there no other way to see them?" Harry seems to think for a moment. 

"There may be a way... But it's not a good one." 

"Do it." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes. Do it." 

"Why do you want to see them so suddenly?" I shrug. 

"Curiosity? I'm trying to close that chapter and I think this is part of what I have to do. For myself."

Without another word, Harry stands up and takes out his cell phone. Hesitantly, he brings the device to his ear after briefly looking up a number. I hear it ring for a few seconds, then it picks up. I look up, but don't hear what's being said on the other side.

"Luke," Harry sighs.

His eyes look into mine and I can see how much he hates this, how much he hates Luke. 

"Yes. I know. But I need something." I can't hear any words, but I can tell his tone is loud. "Luke, please. After all you've done, I think it's just a small gesture to do this for me." It sounds quiet. "I was wondering if you still had the footage from the bet. I- Louis wants to see them." Luke changes his tone and Harry rolls his eyes. "Yeah, just send me them, okay?" Another roll with his eye, a sigh... "Luke," his voice is serious. "I'm not going to call again. This was an exception. I closed last year. I learned my lesson. Maybe you should do that too. Ash has moved on too and he's fine. Try to do that too. For this is not see you later, but goodbye." Harry bites his lip when he doesn't get an answer. "Best of luck to you, Luke..."

Harry turns off and throws his cell phone on the couch. "He sent tapes via email." I nod. 

"Are you okay-" 

"Not right now." I nod and sit next to him as he takes out his laptop. "Sorry," he whispers as he puts his hand on my knee. He opens a new email with the subject 'for an old friend' and clicks on the accompanying video.

With a lump in my throat I watch as we kiss in his room, in the swimming pool, even in Paris... I can feel the pain that the situation has caused me to come back, but it is drowned out by another feeling. I bite my lower lip when I see Harry kiss me. His fingers in my hair, his veins clearly visible in his neck, his hands exploring my body... I cough for a moment and try to turn the feeling off.

"It all seems so long ago..." Harry roughly shuts the laptop as the footage ends. He runs his hands through his hair. "Hey," I put my hands on his cheeks. "It's okay. I'm okay. It's in the past, Hazz." He looks at me guilty. 

"It doesn't feel that way." 

"That will come. You must be able to forgive yourself, because I have already done that..." He looks at me.

"I forgive you."

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I'm back :)