skates // boyxboy

epliogue 2/2

Harry watches as Louis' small smile quickly erases from his face, his blue eyes falter to the envelope in Harry's hand. He stands there for a moment, both of them still and quiet. Then, in a moment, Louis grabs the envelope from Harry's grasp and tears it open while he runs out of the room and towards their small living space.

"Lou! Wha-" Harry yells running behind him. He watches as the shorter boy scans the paper, his eyes rapidly reading, and his knuckles white from holding the paper so tight.

Louis finishes the paper before looking up at the taller boy in front of him. Harry watches as he drops the paper and it drifts slowly onto their cheap hardwood flooring. His knees wobble a bit so Harry quickly catches Louis before he falls.

"Babe..What-what's going on?" Harry asks in a worrisome tone. He holds Louis like a child and begins tucking his soft brown hair behind his ear repeatingly. Harry knew that was always a comforting feeling to Louis.

"I-I didn't make the team," Louis manages to whisper before letting out a sob. He hides his face into Harry's shoulder and snakes his arms around Harry's waist tightly.

"Didn't make what sweetheart?"

"I didn't make the team. I-I competed for a spot on the skating team. For the Winter Olympics you know? I tried to keep it a secret just-just in case I didn't make it so your hopes wouldn't get up..." As he finishes a few more tears drop down Louis' soft features. It breaks Harry's heart to see his beautiful boy in such a state like this.

"I know...I know I don't make a lot of money and I just wanted for once to provide more for you," he hiccups, looking up with puffy red eyes. Harry guides him to their couch where he sits him down and wraps him in one of his infamous, soul warming hugs. Harry then begins to give little kisses on the top of his head, cheeks, and the tip of his nose.

"Louis, oh honey, come here...it's okay." He says affirmatively before giving him another hug.

"I'm so proud of you Louis. No matter what. Everything you've done. Everything you've worked for. It's doesn't matter to me if you had made the team or not. They're missing out on an incredible, hard working, and talented skater. It's their loss. I promise you," Harry says holding Louis' cheeks up and making blue meet green.

Louis stares blankly at Harry, it was obvious he was having a difficult time with this but his boyfriends words definitely helped. They always did.

Still, Louis was upset. It seemed as though nothing could cheer him up no matter what Harry did. Movies, food, even sex didn't bring Louis out of this funk. It had been almost 2 weeks and Harry thought at this point his boyfriend was flat out depressed. This was serious and Harry was running out of ideas.

"Lou? Baby?" Harry asks shuffling into the living room to see his boyfriend hugging his knees, watching his routine he submitted to the judges on his laptop. His eyes looked glazed over as he kept replaying the tape, pausing at random moments and writing a few notes down. Harry swears Louis' seen the video over 100 times.

"I'm going to bed do you wanna lay with me?" Harry pleads but in a soft tone. Louis' back is hunched as he mumbles a few words and clicks replay on the video.

Harry's had enough. He hasn't cuddled with his man in what feels like weeks. He sighs and trudges back into their shared room where he opens their closet (with mostly Harry's clothes) and reaches for a stuffed rainbow bear on the top shelf. He crawls into bed and snuggles it until he falls asleep, dreaming about a happy Louis.