The Boy in the Bookstore | l.s ✔

Twenty

Shout out to marylou2809 thank you for pointing out where i accidentally miss-copied something x
Every day for the next ten days, Louis checked up on the views and comments on his youtube video. He was desperate for someone other than Harry to tell him that he was doing a good job at something. He had always felt like he was failing in some way unless someone told him otherwise. He knew that thinking this way was probably unhealthy but he was working on it. It was a cold Thursday evening, exactly a month before his seventeenth birthday. Jay was in hospital, but she was doing well and responding to the chemotherapy. Louis missed having her around but he was enjoying looking after his sisters. Anne was helping out by picking the girls up from school and taking them back to Harry's so that Louis and Harry could get on with their 'schoolwork' when in reality all they did was cuddle.

'Louis, what do you want for your birthday?' Harry asked quietly, his head in Louis' lap. Louis paused for a moment eforespeakig.

'I haven't really thought about it, baby. I've been saving up for a while to make sure the girls have a good christmas, but with mum being so unwell, I don't know what I'm gonna do.'

'You're so kind, Lou. I love you for that.' Louis smiled a small smile.

'And I love you for being brave and for always making me feel like I mean something to somebody. You're an amazing boyfriend, Harry.' Harry blushed, before sitting up and looking Louis in the eyes.

'You mean so much to me, L-lou. Without you, I... well, I'd be the sad kid in the back of the classroom who didn't speak and got beaten up just because b-bullies felt like it.' Harry was on the verge of tears, and he let them fall. He felt safe and not like Louis would judge him for crying. Louis pulled Harry closer to himself. Harry's head found its way to the spot that he loved the most, the little space on Louis' chest where he always snuggled into.

'You mean everything to me too, baby. I love your gorgeous curls, your adorable dimples, your green eyes that sparkle when you get excited. I love it when you stutter when you're anxious or tired and how you're always so self conscious. I love how you're so tall and that you hold me when I'm sad. One day when we're old and sat in a nursing home I'm going to look back and remember you as the boy who walked into the store I worked at. I love you so much, Harry. I don't ever want to change what we have. It's perfect, love. You're perfect.' Harry had always been so used to being the person who was always left out or left behind, he wasn't used to being someone's priority or somebody of importance to anyone. Louis stood up from the seat and took Harry's and. The room was only lit by fairy lights and there had been soft music playing in the background. Louis pulled Harry close into himself, holding him closely into his chest. Harry was around five inches taller than Louis, so everything was a bit awkward. One of Louis' hands was in Harry's hair, the other around his thin waist. Harry had both his arms around Louis' shoulders, and they began to move in time to the music. It was a slow song, so their movements were slow. Harry was looking down. Louis slowly moved the hand that was in Harry's curls from his hair to under the younger boy's chin, gently placing his small thumb below his jawline and lifting it slightly so that Harry was looking at Louis. There were a few silent tears falling from Harry's eyes, so Louis quickly wiped them away. Harry smiled that wonderful smile and Louis beamed back up at him. They carried on slow dancing until the song had finished and then they flopped back onto the sofa. Louis placed a tender kiss onto Harry's lips before holding Harry's hands in his.

'I think I've fallen for you again, Harry. Every day, it feels like we rediscover the love we have for each other, and that's beautiful to me.' Harry nodded, only half listening.

'I wanna try something, Lou.' Harry said after some more quality cuddles.

'What, love?'

'I wanna paint my nails.' Harry looked down, as if he was embarrassed.