eight years later; nouis

six.

"You don't have to do that..." Niall whispered as he pulled away rather quickly. Louis was disappointed that the kiss he'd been aching for had ended already. 

"I want to," Louis said leaning back in-- Niall dodged him again. Louis made a face of confusion at him.

"I told you, Lou, I don't feel that way anymore. I didn't tell you all of that to get you to kiss me or feel bad for 20 year old me. I just wanted you to know..how it was."

Louis raised his eyebrows and blew out a puff of hair. He shook his head and stood up, "I'll call an Uber." he said and dropped some cash on the table for the meal he never even got to eat. Of course Niall still felt that way about Louis, but he had to be sure Louis wanted this, and it wasn't just out of pity or guilt. Niall supposes he never stopped feeling this way about Louis, even when he was married, even when he hadn't properly spoken to him in a year or so--hadn't seen him in several years or so. 

When Niall got back to Louis house later that night, he unlocked the door quietly, thankful he had taken the key, knowing Lou probably wouldn't have opened the door for him. "I thought you were going to help me find my joy, Niall." Niall jumped, not knowing Louis was sitting there on the couch in the dark. "It's really quite simple isn't it.." Niall said quietly, taking a seat next to Louis, but not too close, and not looking at him directly. "You are my joy." Louis said, "Always have been, I gathered." Niall felt his stomach lurch and his heart pick up a few beats. "You've always been mine, that's for certain."

Louis looked at him, but didn't say anything. Niall knew what he wanted to ask, "I was protecting myself." and Louis nodded knowingly. He knew how he could be, and knew that Niall might think he was just trying to force something with Niall, like he has done with so many other things in the past. 

"But I mean it, you are my joy, young Niall." and Niall laughed at the nickname Louis had given him so many years ago. It seemed a bit strange now, a 30 year old man being called "young." But it was endearing, and held nothing but sweetness behind it from his lifelong love, so he didn't mind. 

"Think I could try kissing you again? And properly this time?" Louis smiled and let Niall lean in and kiss him, Louis feeling just as overwhelmed as the first time he kissed him.