Dream Writer (Sequel) » Larry AU

24: BABIES

A/N: Please don't forget to comment so that I know you're still enjoying it! I love you all so much.

Harry, December 25th

Bing Crosby's White Christmas played in the ceiling-speakers when Louis awakened to my festive breakfast-in-bed.

There was a tray each, both of which balancing their own lit candle, scented with rhubarb and orange blossom. Louis' tray had a cup of tea, not Yorkshire this time. No, it was cinnamon, and I prayed to God he would like it. The main edition to the tray was perhaps the baked ham and cheese rollups that I'd spent all morning on.

Louis sat up tiredly to accept his food, his feathery hair tousled in different directions. Just as I joined him in my robe, he pressed a kiss to my lips and mumbled a merry christmas against them.

About two weeks prior, we had been doing the fundamental Christmas shopping. This included an artificial Christmas tree (which was hidden away in the garage), the ornaments we planned to decorate with after having spruced the house up after last night's mess, and last but certainly not least, Christmassy clothing for us to wear for the entire day (I had persuaded Louis).

Since I got to choose, Louis' jumper was red and had a large reindeer in the centre, while mine was ice-blue with silver snowflakes all over.

By the time we were decorating the tree, it was already midday. It took place in the downstairs' common room, simply because it was the biggest one in the house. For inspiration, I kept thinking of Julie. This would be her fourth Christmas Day, which probably would end up being the first one she would remember for life. It had to be good, strictly for her sake. So I did everything with her in mind.

Niall's family (that was so strange to say) were the first to arrive, this time. It didn't surprise me that the three of them came dressed as Santa's elves, or that Niall did a leprechaun kick as he entered, just to make his daughter laugh.

Matt and Angela, when they showed up, were just as energetic as the day before, despite of the potential hangovers. Liam and Iris, though, were tired and as calm as I'd ever seen them, which probably contributed to the fact that they arrived last.

Our gift unwrapping session began later in the afternoon, and it wasn't long until the room filled with loud chatter and laughter that drowned out the Michael Jackson's young voice from the speakers. Julie was hysterical over her new LEGO-castle that I'd bought her and the lion-costume she received from Louis. Angela and Iris were chit-chatting about the perfume Angie had been gifted from her boyfriend, while the American man himself sat happily tucked under a fluffy blanket, munching on a mince pie for the first time in his life. He seemed to be thoroughly content with the baking gear Louis and I had purchased for him, as well as the food in his hand.

There was so much going on that I doubted anyone was paying attention to what I was doing. I was in my own little world, and that was when I found a smaller, more solid package in the pile. It was badly wrapped in one of the wrapping papers I knew I had bought, which was why it wasn't challenging to figure out who the giver was. To make it even more obvious, he had scribbled down a small message on a note that was tied to the ribbon.

To Harry, from a secret admirer. Loads of kisses, it said.

Under the snowman wrapping paper, there was a black box in the size of my entire palm. It was already undeniable that it would contain some type of jewelry, which made the unwrapping process a lot more thrilling. This was bound to be some romantic gesture. It was Louis, for Pete's sake. Of course it would be amorous.

Though, I hadn't expected the nostalgia that striked me as I flipped the open box over the examine the silver bracelet inside. It was simple and clean, but in the narrow inside of its circled form was the tiniest little figure, engraved into the metal. And what would it be, if not the outlines of a petite butterfly?