Call Me Baby: Epilogue
Louis looked up at Harry, smiling as he caught the boy’s eyes on him. He nodded towards the two men standing next to him, indicating cheekily with his head to pay attention to the ceremony. Harry winked at him, turning back to watch as Niall choked out his vows, tears streaming steadily down his flushed cheeks. Sean watched him reverently, hands cradling Niall’s as he listened to the words falling from Niall’s lips.
Louis smiled, his eyes prickling slightly. Over the last few months, he and Harry had been immersed in plans for this “wedding”. It was as close to marriage as the two men could get, and it had been a very interesting experience helping with the arrangements. Despite his initial dislike of Niall at dinner, Louis had grown very fond of the blond-haired Irishman, and Harry often complained that he’d been replaced.
“Harry’s looking at you again, Louis,” Lottie whispered from beside him, an exasperated smirk on her face. Louis’ eyes swept over to his lover, his mouth quirking into a small smile as he noticed his gaze on him again. He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, lifting his hand and pointing at Niall and Sean. Harry’s mouth split open in a goofy grin before he turned back to the proceedings. Lottie groaned quietly, feigning retching next to him, giggling when he kicked her gently.
The girls had been wonderful about his and Harry’s budding relationship, although they had taken to teasing them mercilessly, as had Liam and Zayn. That is, right up until Harry and Louis had walked in on them. They had offered to babysit while Harry and Louis went out for date night, and they had come home to Liam straddling Zayn on their couch, the girls asleep upstairs.
They made a neat little pack, the six of them. Niall, ever amicable, befriended Liam and, more surprisingly, Zayn. Niall had brought Zayn out of his shell, and the two had quickly become fast friends.
Louis watched as Niall slipped a band onto Sean’s finger, a watery smile lighting up his face. The two leaned over, playfully shoving each other as they signed the paper. Louis grinned, his eyes finding Harry on their own. Harry was already watching him, and answering smile dimpling his cheeks. Louis’ own cheeks flushed happily, and he glanced at his hands bashfully.
He’d never get used to the way Harry looked at him-like he was the most precious thing he’d ever had to behold. Harry liked to tell Louis he loved him; when they woke up in the morning, when he came home from work, when they were having sex, and at completely random times, catching him off guard and making him blush brilliantly. Harry’s eyes would light up, his lips quirking into a small smile as he leaned over to kiss him softly.
Louis had had a little more trouble saying it, but Harry didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. That was one of the reasons Louis loved him-Harry understood that, because of Louis’ past, he needed to hear that he was loved, but he couldn’t reciprocate nearly as easily. So, Louis showed him he loved him, in little ways. He didn’t need flamboyant declarations to make his love known. He showed him in the reverent little kisses that he littered over Harry’s body to wake him up. He showed him in the burned pancakes turned cereal and milk in bed that he gave Harry on his day off. He showed him in the surprise kisses that he attacked him with on a whim, without any prompting.
And it was because of this that Louis knew that Harry knew that he loved him. And Louis did love him. With all his heart.
*~*~*~*
“May I have this dance?” Harry’s cheeky smile lit up his eyes with mirth, dimple carved delicately into his cheek. Louis grinned, rolling his eyes and accepting the hand offered to him, following his lover out onto the dance floor, where Niall and Sean had just finished their first dance. Other couples were flocking to the wooden floor, the DJ playing a slow, melodic song. Harry drew Louis up in front of him, wrapping an arm around Louis’ waist, his other curling around Louis’ hand as Louis’ own cradled his neck.
“This time next year, that’ll be us,” Harry whispered, leaning down to rest his forehead against Louis’ as they swayed to the music. His partner sighed, a soft little smile curling his lips as his arms tightened around Harry’s neck.
“Will you wear a dress?” Louis breathed softly, his tone disguising his words for a few brief seconds, before the actual message registered in Harry’s brain. He froze, staring incredulously down at his lover, before laughing heartily, pressing a kiss to Louis’ mouth.
“No,” he murmured against his lips, still chuckling, “but you can, if you want.”
“You only say that because you want to get into my knickers, for real,” Louis answered playfully. Harry didn’t say anything more, merely pushing another kiss across Louis’ lips, and cradling him as they danced.