The Perfect Match.

Chapter 31

Louis is pouring a glass of wine for Harry in the kitchen as he hums softly. It's nearly 10:30 at night and Harry and Emma had been painting in their art room for most of the entire day. Louis put Emma to bed around 9, but Harry had insisted on staying in the room and working.

Since their return from vacation, Harry hasn't wasted a second in completing the mural on the wall. It was almost finished in December, but now, it's January 31st and Harry and Emma has almost finished every single detail.

Harry, however, has just a bit more to go. Louis and Emma aren't even aware of what Harry has in mind... yet. And he has insisted to Louis and Emma that he will finish it and show them... he has promised they will love it.

"Tired yet, love?" Louis asks Harry from the doorway.

Harry's sitting the brush down and sighing, his bun a mess and his white tee covered in the blue paint he's been using.

"I... I think I can cope a few more hours," Harry finally tells Louis, a smile on his face. He notices the glass of wine in Louis' hand and his grin grows. "Is that for you or me?"

"It's yours. I thought...," Louis starts before he pauses. He grins a bit and glances out the glass windows, "maybe you'd like to share a glass with me... by the pool?"

Harry gives him a curious look but smiles, "ok, sure."

Louis waits in the doorway while Harry is putting his brushes into water, then cleaning them.

Louis could watch Harry doing these little things all day... these small little things that he does. He loves to watch Harry paint, but he enjoys seeing him doing normal, small things more than anything.

That's all Louis has done for months: watched Harry living normally... feeling almost normal. He has watched Harry recover and become stronger; he has watched him become himself again.

Though Louis' mind is still full of worry constantly that Harry's condition may not stay this way, he has pushed it back; he has promised himself that he will only focus on the positive. And right now, the positive is that Harry is doing wonderfully... the positive is that Harry is engaged to him, and Louis is engaged to Harry.

Though they haven't set the date, Harry has already discussed with Louis that he'd love to have a summer wedding; a wedding outdoors in a garden... Louis couldn't say no to him, and he immediately started researching places in LA just for Harry.

Harry finally wipes his hands clean and sighs a little before pushing the loose strands of his hair back. He glances back at Louis and grins, "should I change?"

"Just... take your shirt off," Louis suggests in a quiet voice.

Harry smirks and pulls off the shirt that's splattered in paint before he's following Louis downstairs slowly.

"Did Emma finally settle down?" Harry asks him while he's pulling his bun down and running his fingers through his messy curls.

"She did," Louis replies as he's turning off the living room lights, leaving nothing but a small light coming from a lamp in the corner of the room. "She was asleep before the movie was even over on her tele."

He opens the glass doors that lead out to the patio, the warm breeze immediately hitting his face. He smiles and walks out, Harry right behind him.

Harry's eyes fall to the table by the pool; there's candles sitting on it with roses in the middle. There's also a bottle of wine and a glass that is already full, which Harry figures is Louis'. He's smiling again instantly, his eyes falling to Louis next to him.

"What's this?" He whispers.

"Well, it's your birthday tomorrow," Louis stutters out, shrugging, "and I felt like... we both deserved a few quiet moments... I mean, I've been working again a lot... and..."