Young & Beautiful

“It’s about the flat, isn’t it?” Louis offers, searching Harry’s downcast face. “You regret buying
it.”
Harry doesn’t speak.
Louis’ insides wilt.
“You don’t want to live that close to me and my family,” he concludes flatly. He tries to keep it
out of his voice, tries to keep his feelings separate from this, but…
But he’s Louis, so he can’t.
“No, that’s not it at all,” Harry immediately rushes, eyes snapping up to Louis’, imploring and
wide. “Not at all,” he emphasizes, and squeezes Louis’ hands.
His insides wilt a bit slower.
“Well, then,” Louis says gently, bumping his head against Harry’s shoulder and causing him to
smile, if only briefly. “What is it?”
Harry swallows.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
And oh. He’s wilting again.
But Louis maintains his features, just swallows delicately.
“Why not?”
“Because then it’s…” Harry trails off, turns his head to look out the window, eyebrows furrowed.
“It feels a bit more, like, serious then? More… Permanent. I don’t know.”
Ouch. Is that a spear that’s just been driven into Louis’ heart?
Oh, no. That’s Harry Styles.
“And that’s not what you want,” Louis finishes, voice breaking.
Shit.
Shit shit shit.
“No, I do,” Harry says quietly, still staring out at the window, his brows un-furrowing. “I do,” he
repeats gently. “But it’s not what I want for you.”
Oh, for Christ’s sake.
He can breathe again.
“All right, Harold Curly Styles, or whatever your name is. You listen to me,” Louis says, his
shoulders relaxing. His grip on Harry’s hands tighten as Harry looks to him, his lips twitching at
the name. “You need to just stop that, all right? Stop doing that thing you do—where you decide
things for me? Yes. That thing. Stop it. I love you. A lot. Probably too much, actually. And do I
plan to stop loving you any time soon? No. Do I plan to stop loving you ever? No. So do you see
the situation now? Do you understand why it’s terribly inconvenient of you to always fight against