The memory of you

11

For a week it seemed to Harry like Louis was doing better. It seemed like he might wasn't as ill, that he had more time than they thought.

Louis was cheerful, enjoying his dates out with Harry. He helped him with keeping their flat clean, and they could talk about anything and nothing.

Then the next week came around. It felt like a cold bucket of water was emptied onto Harry's head.
As soon as he woke up, he felt weird, like something was wrong.
Louis was lying on his back wide awake. Harry only noticed that when he sat up.
"Good morning, Lou." Louis stared at him, opening his mouth, but the words weren't coming out.
"Love?"
"Morning." he mumbled eventually, making Harry really worried.
Instead of asking Louis if he had trouble speaking, he realized it was better to ask normal questions to find out on his own.
"How did you sleep?" Louis nodded.
"Good. You?" Harry walked over to him, leaning down to kiss his lips.
"I slept well." Louis scrunched his nose.
"Oh, is my morning breath really that bad?" Harry chuckled and Louis just nodded, smiling afterwards.

Later that day, Louis seemed to be able to speak more, which was nice, but it still made Harry wonder. One day Louis might stop talking altogether and Harry couldn't get over that fact. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he wouldn't get to hear that angelic voice ever again, even though Louis would be alive. He didn't want to stop hearing Louis' voice.

"Harry, could we watch Venom? You said you'd watch with me." Harry nodded. As soon as he finished cleaning the kitchen after they finished eating lunch, he joined him. Louis wasn't eating that much, but he was still eating something, so Harry really couldn't wish for more.
"Put it on. I'll be there in a minute." Harry made himself a glass of juice, making one for Louis as well.
When he entered the living room again, he could see that the tv was still turned off.
"Lou? Did you change your mind?" Louis shook his head.
"Can't find it." Louis seemed like he was in some sort of distress.
"What? The flash disk you have the movie on?" Louis just shook his head no.
"The..." he showed Harry a motion in which he pointed his hand at the tv and pressed his finger into the empty air.
"Oh, the remote! Sorry, sometimes I put it here." Harry got up and took it out of the chest of drawers which was standing next to the tv.
"Here." Harry gave Louis the remote before he got comfortable on the couch.
"Cuddles?" Louis asked when he put the movie on.
"Sure thing." Harry let him lie his head down on his chest. He loved to feel Louis so close.

Harry tried to focus on the movie because it was Louis' favourite. He wanted to watch it with him and remember it for the rest of his life.
He had to admit that Venom wasn't that bad of a movie and he actually really got into it.
The ending scene made him crack up as well as Louis.
"So, what do you say?" Louis smiled up at him.
"It was a good movie. I really enjoyed watching it with you." Louis smiled even wider, feeling all warm on the inside.

Afterwards, Louis opened his mouth, suddenly not finding the words he wanted to say.
"What's up, love?" Louis closed his eyes as he thought.
He opened them again, blue meeting green in the cutest way.
"I love you." Louis' voice was barely above a whisper, but Harry heard him clearly.
"Did you say what I think you did?" Harry watched as Louis sat up, his blue eyes still trained on him. He nodded.
"Lou, I love you too." Harry grabbed his hands into his, smiling widely at him.
"Yes?" Louis asked, feeling happy.
"I believe that you are my soulmate." Harry admitted. He felt like them finding each other was fate. Fate wanted Louis to meet Harry and make his last months worth it, fate wanted Harry to meet his soulmate and be with him for as long as he could.

Harry led Louis inside of the hospital, holding his whole arm, so Louis could lean onto him and feel him close.
Louis was seeing a specialist to see how he was holding up so far. Louis was told to do that, he didn't choose to do that himself. He felt scared. He didn't want to be there and he didn't want to know.
"Harry, let's just leave." he said when he saw the waiting room full of people.
"Once we are done here you won't have to come back for a while, okay?" Louis sighed, feeling defeated. He told himself to do it for Harry in the end. They sat down and waited for the nurse to call Louis' name.