Going My Way (Larry Stylinson)

Epilogue

About five years later...

Harry pulls up in the courtyard and turns off the engine. He's home nice and early as is the norm nowadays. The perks of being the boss of his own PR firm are many and varied, but the flexible working hours are certainly up there with the best of them.

It had been a slow and daunting start but Louis was there every step of the way, supporting and encouraging him even when Harry wanted to chuck it all in and go back to a regular job. But he'd persevered and it's paid off; now heading up one of the most successful PR firms in LA, specialising in critical incident and communications management for large, customer-facing organisations.

The decision to go out on his own had meant they'd held off a year longer than they'd originally planned to expand their family, ensuring that they had the stability they both wanted before they took the plunge and welcomed little Oscar onto their brood three years ago. Talks of a third child are intensifying and they're going to start trying again soon, now that Lily will be off to big school in a couple of months.

It's been an amazing five years, filled with love and so much joy that Harry sometimes has to pinch himself just to make sure it's all real. He had popped the question after only three months, so sure that Louis and Lily were his forever.

The proposal itself had been completely unplanned, just a regular day out shopping at their local Whole Foods. They were stood in the baby aisle, Harry carrying Lily in a baby wrap against his chest, and deciding on relative benefits of organic packaged foods versus the homemade version; preparation time being the leading factor in their discussion. A woman pushed a trolley up behind them to reach over and grab something from the shelf and she'd stopped to chat when Harry had elicited her opinion. He had introduced Louis as his boyfriend, but it didn't sit right with him, the description just sounded wrong for what they were.

After she'd walked away, Louis had scrunched his nose up. "Boyfriend sounds like we're teenagers, partner doesn't seem right either... maybe spouse?" Louis had mused.

Harry's brain had pretty much short-circuited, the answer suddenly seeming so crystal clear, and before he could stop himself he'd turned to Louis and the words had tumbled out of his mouth. "Uhm... how about husband?" Louis' eyes had practically bugged out of his head, but Harry was undeterred. He'd reached over and taken Louis' hands in his own, gripping them tightly and staring into his wide eyes. "You're it for me, Lou, you're perfect, we're perfect, I don't wanna be with anyone else but you for the rest of my life. Why wait?"

Louis had gasped, looking down at Lily and back up to meet Harry's intense gaze. "Harry Edward Styles are you proposing to me? Here? In an aisle at Whole Foods surrounded by diapers?!"

It was ridiculous and spontaneous and so completely and utterly them. "Yeah, I am." Harry had said and smiled before looking down at Lily snuggled in her pouch, sucking happily on her fist. "Whaddya reckon Lil's? Should we ask daddy to marry us?" Lily had gurgled and blown out a spit bubble and Harry had decided to take that as a yes. "See, she agrees," he'd said with a nod and a smirk, clearing his throat and bending down on one knee, Louis hands still held tightly in his own. "Louis William Tomlinson, light of my life, my soulmate, my world, my everything. Would you do me the great honour of becoming my husband?"

Louis' mouth had gaped open before snapping shut, a massive grin spreading across his face. "You're an idiot, I love you, and... and yes, I'll marry you."

They had tied the knot in a simple ceremony in their garden, surrounded by those closest to them when Lily was five months old. Harry had formally adopted her a month later; Louis' ex having thankfully given up his parental rights without a fight, too busy off finding himself to be concerned with a child and the responsibilities of fatherhood. Harry had struggled to comprehend his decision, but he was immensely glad for it nonetheless. Their family is everything to Harry and he gives thanks every day that the universe brought them together.