Putting on a Show (L.S)

Epilogue

[5 Years Later]

"He's not some puppet that you can keep suffocating with the strings!" Louis yells, his grip on the phone tight enough that his knuckles are whiter than I've ever seen them, and I'm not too far from betting the phone is going to break in half.

"I understand that, Simon, but- no, no, he's done working for you. His contract ended a year ago! You can't keep this up, it's stupid!"

He looks over at me, and I purse my lips, playing with the rings on my fingers.

He looks furious, but the second his eyes meet mine, his expression seems softer- almost appearing calm.

I watch as he paces the room, bickering and complaining- kicking at the flooring.

He lets out some frustrated groan before hanging up, tossing the phone onto the counter. He puts his head in his hands, and I stand up from the couch, walking over to him.

I take him into a hug, kissing his hair as he continues rambling about how much he hates Simon.

It's been the same thing, ever since I came back from New York.

Simon was enraged- to the point that he threatened to destroy my name. Louis, somehow, convinced him to simply shut up and mind his own business.

I ended up living with Louis for a week or two, just laying low, until Louis asked me if I wanted to, perhaps, go out to dinner with him.

From there on out, he began living with me, and he still does to this day.
My favorite part about it is that we aren't enemies or just friends anymore, but boyfriends.

I don't let Louis live it down, the fact that he turned soft and admitted how he felt- feels- about me.

It's reassuring that he loves me for me, even if I still had to work with stunts for quite some time.

He never let it get in the way. Sure, he wasn't allowed to be seen with me in public for the longest time, but we've been okay. Yet, even then, in the same way he did when he hated me, he fought Simon for something more than we had already.

I can hold Louis' hand in public now, without the worry that a rumor is going to spread like wildfire. Simon laid off a bit on controlling me considering my contract ended a year ago, especially when it came to Louis, because he knew that Louis would just retaliate in the end.

Louis doesn't insult or spit on my name anymore. Now, he compliments me like it's his job to.
He's mentioned several times now, though, that one day he's going to steal my last name from me, and to be honest I can't wait for when that day comes.

It's incredible the way Louis just came into that office one day, in search of work- and going through with it, even though he didn't like me.

The way we didn't like each other- well actually, I was completely falling in love with him by the second week I knew him, but I couldn't say any of that to him in that time.
I'm glad that now I can.

"Babe, I'm sorry," he laughs, walking over to the couch and falling onto it.

I follow after him, making him sit up so I can cuddle next to him. He says he hates when I do that, but he never complains or moves when I do, so I know he's lying.

"Why are you sorry?" I whisper, messing with the necklace around my neck that I got from Louis for Christmas last year.

"It's taken five years for us to get where we are. Maybe if I hadn't been so stupid back then, maybe Simon would've been alright with us. But I screwed it up, and now he's not going to leave you alone because of me."

I laugh a bit, "Lou, you do understand that I don't care what he does anymore? I've told you, as long as I've got you, then I'm alright."

He smiles, looking a lot calmer since his argument on the phone, and I'm glad that he's not mad anymore. "Good, because it took me a minute to realize you were all I needed, but I'm glad you're mine now, you know?"

I nod, knowing exactly what he means.

Louis needs me and I need him. That's how it's been, and I hope it stays that way.

~•~
What am I doing.

Uhhh. So, yeah. Bye. :)