fighting love » l.s.

epilogue

"Louis!"

"What's going on?" Louis called, not even looking up from his computer. He had a paper due in a few hours and he was just a couple minutes away from finishing. "I thought you were working tonight."

The door slammed loudly behind Harry, a gust of cold rushing through the apartment. Louis shivered, rubbing his hands together in an attempt to protect some of his warmth from the harsh winter outside.

"I got off early," Harry replied easily as he slipped off his coat and dropped his bag beside the door. "But Louis, my letter came!"

Even as he continued typing his final sentences, a huge smile crept onto Louis's lips. Harry had been waiting weeks for his college decision letter, and the day had finally come. "Hold on, love. Don't open it without me!"

Harry groaned loudly. "Come on, Lou, I've been waiting ages. Don't make me wait any longer," he whined. He clutched the letter tightly in his hands, as if it might slip away if he set it down for even a moment.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Louis laughed, saving his document quickly before shutting his computer down. He jumped up from the couch and hurried into the kitchen, where Harry stood at the counter staring at the letter. He looked petrified, and he barely took his eyes off of it to acknowledge Louis's presence before staring right back down at the piece of paper that would determine his life for the next year.

Louis walked around the counter to stand behind Harry. "No matter what happens, we'll figure it out," he said, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend from behind and resting his chin on the younger boy's shoulder. When Harry didn't respond -- too caught up in his nerves -- Louis nudged him gently. "Yeah? We always figure it out, don't we?"

Harry nodded, mumbling quietly, "We're still going strong, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are." Louis dropped a kiss to Harry's shoulder. "Now open it. You rushed me over here, didn't you?"

"Okay," Harry agreed. He slowly tore open the seal on the letter, carefully to keep even the envelope in one piece. Louis rolled his eyes, thankful that Harry couldn't see his face. The curly-haired boy always had to treat everything so delicately, and Louis loved him for it.

Sliding the paper from the envelope, Harry unfolded the letter and held it out so they could both read it together. The two boys quickly scanned the page. Louis stayed silent, waiting for Harry's reaction, but the younger boy stood quietly for a long time, just staring at the words in front of him.

Finally he spoke, his voice barely a whisper: "I did it."

Louis nodded, kissing Harry's shoulder again and squeezing him tightly. "You did it."

"I did it," Harry repeated, louder this time. He dropped the letter on the counter and whirled around to face Louis, throwing his arms around the older boy's neck. Louis caught him easily and held him tightly, grinning like an idiot as he buried his face in his boyfriend's neck.

"I am so, so proud of you," Louis said.

"I love you," Harry replied, leaning back from their embrace so he could connect his lips with Louis's. Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and slotted his hips firmly against Harry's, forcing their bodies impossibly closer to deepen the kiss.

After a few moments, Harry pulled away breathlessly. "Thank you for asking me to come with you this year. And thank you for believing in me," he said, swallowing the lump that had risen in his throat. He was not about to let his overwhelming emotions ruin what might be the absolute happiest moment of his life so far. Even in the happiest moments, Harry was finally starting to feel like the best was yet to come.

"Always," Louis responded simply, his bright blue eyes glued to Harry's green ones. And he didn't need to say anything more -- Harry already knew.

So Harry and Louis went through college together, knowing in their hearts that they were meant to be together for the rest of their lives, and forever and ever after that. And maybe these feelings were just products of two teenagers' naive idealism, but maybe, just maybe, their love would be the most beautiful love story ever told.

And whether things worked out between them in the long run or not, they were each others' first true loves. Louis taught Harry to love himself, and whenever the younger boy seemed to forget, Louis was there to remind him the way he deserved to be treated. And Harry, who had grown from a nervous, reserved young boy to a strong, confident man, taught Louis to be brave even when Harry thought he himself couldn't be -- especially when Harry himself couldn't be. Harry and Louis learned to be brave for each other; and most importantly, the two boys would never, ever, ever hide, deny, or fight their insurmountable love for each other ever again.

[THE END]