Underneath It All {l.s}

XXVII

Two years later

"Yeah, I'm almost about done packing, honestly," Harry said, his phone glued to his ear, pausing to take a sip of coffee. "Might even finish before you even get here, Gem's."

"I still can't believe you're making me take all your things home while you get to go stay at your boyfriend's abode." Gemma complained.

He sighed, as he set one of his jigsaw puzzles into a box that nearly filled. "Gemma, you're the one who offered, remember?"

"Yeah, but I clearly remember saying that I'd offer to take you home. Not drive around with your stuff and be the one to carry it all in. I just got my nails done, you know." Gemma complained as Harry sealed the box with some tape. "Be lucky I'm such an amazing sister to help you on my day off."

Harry may have had a shred of guilt because Gemma would have to do a little bit of heavy lifting. But, Harry wanted to stay with Louis tonight before he heads back home to figure out his life.

"It's not like you have to unpack my things." Harry reasoned as he carried the box over to the small pile in the corner, phone tucked against his ear.

"Yeah, lucky me." Gemma deadpanned, and Harry just smiled.

Harry's dorm was fairly sparsely decorated. Everything was pretty much packed away and ready to be sent home. He still had his clothes to pack and whatever else was in his nightstand. The desk was empty and the bed stripped of Harry's own blankets. Pictures were torn down from the wall he had taped up over the past two years. His laptop tucked away in a box somewhere. He also was setting himself up a duffle bag of essentials to bring to Louis' flat for a few days. It had been quite the bittersweet of a week, Harry was finally done with uni. Graduating fairly soon, and he had been trying to wrap his head around it. All that hard work he put in, the long days he spent in his books making sure he covered all his bases. Making sure everything was up to par. Striving to achieve that first-class degree as he spent many days night cramming everything into his head. Keeping up with study group throughout the years and taking part in the nursing society. Working his best at clinical practice and trying to be a great nurse. Everything Harry strived for finally happened and he was just so proud of himself.

"So, about breakfast-" Gemma started.

Harry just idly listened to Gemma ramble as he sat down on his bed, pulling the small box on his nightstand to set in on his lap. Opening the drawer and tossing his extra phone cord into the box. Some old mystery books he stopped reading or at least forgotten about. Bottle of lube that Harry tossed over to his duffle because no need for Gemma or anyone to see that. Grabbing the few polaroid pictures of Louis and him kissing. Niall had gotten himself one of those instant cameras two Christmases ago and decided he needed to document everything for nearly a month. Taking snapshots of whatever he deemed interesting. Apparently capturing them kissing without even knowing inspired Niall. Regardless, Harry loved to look at them whenever he didn't get to see Louis for a significant amount of time. It made him feel warm inside just looking back at those photos as he set them carefully in his box. Almost too afraid they'd get ruined because it was memories he couldn't get back.

When Harry looked back into his nightstand, the corner of his lip quirked upward. He reached it and held in his palm, reading over the engraving of best friends. It's the keychain Louis had given him a few years ago before holidays. Harry thought back to that cold morning. Standing in the empty car park, all alone but with a warm heart.

Harry thought of Louis kissing him in Manchester under the fireworks, telling him he loved him in the pouring rain, and Louis making a promised he wasn't going anywhere in a defaced room. Harry remembered of the past two years they've been together and how great things have been.