In Front of Them (L.S.)

Chapter 33

They hadn't even reached the car before Louis was taking off his tie.

"Really? Already, Lou? We're in public," Harry joked before Louis began to tie the fabric around Harry's eyes, blocking his vision completely. About a million BDSM jokes came to mind but before Harry could speak, Louis said, "It's a surprise and I don't want the road to give it away."

He led his boyfriend to the car, laughing at the pictures the paps must be getting. He couldn't stop the smile that held on his lips, though, because it really didn't matter. The trashy tabloids could write anything they wanted and it could never ruin this day.

"Couldn't you have waited until we were on the road?"

"Harry, shut up and get in the car."

Harry could hear his smile, a contagious one. By the time they struggled to get Harry's long legs into Louis' car, whilst being blindfolded, they were both in such a fit of giggles Harry had nearly forgotten about Louis' surprise. He listened to the surroundings, trying to place where they were as they drove, but all too quickly Louis caught on and turned the radio up.

Harry eventually gave up on trying to make anything out above the music, leaning his head back to relax. He found his hand groping the air between them and felt relief once Louis' hand had joined his own.

Harry always loved when Louis drove. There was this serenity that accompanied them whenever they drove alone. It used to be one of their most frequent activities, right after the band had formed, but once they started gaining attention it became more and more difficult to do much of anything alone.

Eventually the car slowed to a stop. Harry had a giddy feeling as he reached for his blindfold, but quickly stopped as he heard, "ah ah ah, not yet, my love."

Louis turned the music down and Harry listened as his window rolled down.

A drive thru?

Suddenly, just outside the car there were 4 small beeps, and a click that seemed so familiar to Harry, but he couldn't quite place it. As they began to drive again, a thought suddenly hit him.

"Lou, you didn't know I'd be getting to leave today. How did you have a surprise ready? What if I had gotten time? What would you have done with it then?"

Louis was quiet for a moment. "Call it... a contingency plan."

He immediately knew he'd given away too much as he heard the gasp from the passengers side.

"Louis, you didn't—"

Harry cut off his own words as the car came to a halt again, this time he felt Louis put it in park. He heard him open up the drivers side door and step out, only a moment later opening Harry's door. The tall boy stepped out on wobbly legs. Once he'd regained his composure, he slowly lifted his hands to the blindfold, waiting to hear if Louis would stop him again, but once he heard the ever so soft 'go ahead' he wasted no more time taking off the tie.

Harry let out another gasp at the sight before him. It was bigger and more beautiful than he remembered. The large white house that they had fought in over a month ago was lit from the inside, exaggerating the large glass windows that plated the front.

"How..."

"I called the realtor three days after we had viewed it," Louis began his explanation. "And I asked her to make an offer for us. I wanted you to have a home to come back to when you won against Garrett. And I wanted me to have a place near my home if it was locked away in a jail cell."

Harry's heart fluttered and he wiped his eyes, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to escape.

Louis took his hand, and looked toward the house. "It's ours if you want it. All you have to do is sign. I didn't go all the way through with the purchase quite yet, because I wanted your name on it too. If that's what you want."