Mixed Double

23

Christmas is just around the corner when Harry calls Niall one evening.

"How was your day, pet ? " Harry wants to know, smiling softly at his phone as if Niall could see him.

" Nothing special, one indie band recording three songs, one meeting with the management of a well known Scottish singer.... I can't tell you yet but they think about recording a whole fucking album at Nilou's. Louis is freaking out .. ya know him..

"How was ya day darlin'? " Niall wants to know his accent thick and Harry doesn't need to ask to know that Niall is drained from work and beyond tired.
His Irish accent usually gets more thick and obvious the more he lacks sleep.

" Rehearsal with my 5th and 6th form students for the nativity play, a extraordinary security meeting and ...my mum called and wanted to know about my plans for the holidays, she told me that they would be glad if you came with me.."
Harry trails off, he knows that it's a big step to bring someone you just started dating home for the holidays. He doesn't want to appear to eager or presumptuous or want Niall feel pressured into anything he isn't comfortable with.

" Sure they want to share ya with some Irish bloke they don't even know? " Niall asks playfully, so he's obviously considering to go with him to Cheshire on Christmas Eve.

" You talked with my mum and Robin, weeks ago when we skyped and you talked with Gemma on the phone, you are no stranger to them.

You are my boyfriend and they love to meet you properly before Rosie's christening.....told me with all the other guests around they wouldn't have enough time to get to know you properly.
Tell me honestly what you think, pet "

Harry bites on his bottom lip, waiting nervously for Niall's response. Every day closer to Christmas he has been agonising over what do, on one side he absolutely loves the idea to spend the holidays with his family in Cheshire, but on the other side there's Niall, and he might appear like some teenager who's the first time in love, counting the hours until they see their favourite person, heart beating in overdrive and butterflies doing somersaults all day long - and when he's honest that what he's feeling, what's swirling around in his mind is nothing short of the desperate and wonderful, amazing and breathtaking, overwhelming and mind blowing blossoming of a first love.

And it doesn't matter that Harry's been in love before, doesn't matter that he got disappointed and betrayed and got cheated on, doesn't even matter that he almost died because all that matters now is he loves and feels loved. Finally again.

In the past it seemed that he couldn't make anyone stay and he felt more and more that he wasn't worth to be loved, wasn't worth for anyone to stick around but Niall had managed so easily and effortlessly to change it all.
Nevertheless Harry doesn't want him to feel obliged to accompany him, he could just as well prefer to fly out to Ireland to visit his family.

" I'd love to come with ya, darlin' " Niall tells him softly. "Can't stand the idea that we aren't together. I'm inviting me ma and dad to visit me after Christmas. Could even
try to get them tickets for Wicked or Kinky Boots... How long do you plan on staying at your mum's ? " Niall asks, a happy expression on his face  as he waits for Harry to answer.

Yes, he's happy, finally happy again. One year ago he hit rock bottom when he found out that his husband had cheated on him over months, his dreams and hopes shattered, his whole life was in ruins and he became an alcoholic, not even caring that he was successively drinking himself to death.

If it wasn't for Louis he would be lying in a coffin six feet under, but Louis wasn't willing to lose him to alcohol, wasn't willing to lose the fight against his addiction.
He was strong where Niall was weak, he was brave where Niall lost all his courage, he was the light in Niall's darkness, and his anchor when he lost his safe haven.