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Harry and Louis have grown up together. Anne and Jay have always known.
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It starts when they are three and five. The Tomlinson’s were new to the road and on the day of their arrival, Harry sat at the window sucking his thumb and watching.
“Mummy, there’s new people!”
Anne smiled. Her son had always been intrigued by new people – it was in his nature, he was so kind to everyone around him that sometimes she worried he’d be taken advantage of as he grew up.
“Yes baby, we can go and welcome them to the road later if you want? They might have someone your age you can play with.”
Harry giggled and replied to his Mum; “Hope so Mummy, want a friend.”
Anne sighed. Although Harry’s heart was enormous and he had so much love to share, people took advantage even at the tender age of three and he didn’t really have any friends, except from his sister Gemma, who in Harry’s eyes, was his best friend.
“I know you do baby” she said as she picked him up and sat down on the sofa with him on her lap. While she ran her hands through his curls, she silently hoped and wished the new family would bring joy into Harry’s life.
And then the doorbell rang.
Harry perked up and struggled to get off his Mum’s lap without hurting himself. Anne just smiled and picked him up on her hip and walked towards the door. Putting Harry down, she opened the door to a smiling young woman and a little boy, not much older than Harry, with bright blue eyes and a big smile on his face. Harry whimpered and hid behind his Mum’s legs holding on to them with all his might – although he wanted a friend, children his own age had already been unkind to him making him scared.
“Hello, I’m Jay, we’ve just moved in across the road and thought we would come and introduce ourselves” said the young woman.
“I’m Anne and this is Harry, come in, I’m sure you’d like a cuppa after all that moving!”
“Thank you” said Jay, walking in holding the little boys hand before he took his hand away and jumped in front of Harry making him fall back on to the floor. His lip started to wobble and he reached for Anne.
“Harry, why don’t you stay here with this little boy while me and his Mummy go and have a chat?”
Harry kept quiet but nodded.
The little boy took out his hand and held on to Harry’s, pulling him up and then pulled him into a big hug.
“I’m Louis William Tomlinson and I am five” said the little boy.
Louis then hugged Harry again, squeezing him tight, making Harry giggle at the tickling sensation. Louis joined in with the giggling, poking Harry’s dimples.
“I’m .. I’m Harry Edward Styles. I’m three” Harry said holding three little fingers up.
Louis smiled at him and took his hand.
“Can we be friends Harry? I’ve not got any friends here. I didn’t really have any back in our old place either because people said I was weird because I like giving hugs. But Mummy said it’s not weird because it only means I like you and want to be affect .. iffect .. oh Mummy called it a big word. Can we be friends with hugs?”
Harry smiled again and nodded. Squeezing Louis’ hand in his and running into the lounge with him screaming “Mummy! Mummy! I’ve got a friend!”
Anne and Jay just smiled knowingly at one another knowing this was the day that was probably going to change both of their sons lives (as well as their own) forever.
And that was how it all began.
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Five years later and Louis and Harry are still best friends. Inseparable in fact. Louis’ now ten and tells everyone that stops to listen, while Harry’s fast approaching eight. Louis’ still his only friend but as he always says “Louis loves me enough for one hundred friends. As long as I’ve got Louis, don’t need anybody else”.
They do everything together, from playing in their tree house, to swimming lessons, learning to ride their bikes without stabilisers (which ended many a time with Harry on the floor in tears but as soon as Louis ran over to him, wiped his tears, and kissed his knees better, he had a smile beaming brighter than the sun), and yes, they still hug. Louis never grew out of his hugging and Harry never once complained.
“It makes my tummy feel fluttery like a butterfly” he’d told Anne once. She’d rung Jay as soon as Harry had fallen asleep and they spent the whole evening squealing down the phone at one another once she’d revealed Louis had said the same thing about Harry.
They’re in different years at their primary school, but that doesn’t stop them from spending all the time they can together. Louis’ become Harry’s safety; Harry’s become Louis’ light.
Harry is bullied at school on a daily basis. He spends classes sat on his own at the back wondering what he has done wrong to make people dislike him. He can’t think of anything though; it makes him sad. When the teacher isn’t looking or listening, the other children in his class point and laugh and whisper about him until his eyes well with tears. He sometimes hears their whispers. They call him names and joke about how much he hugs Louis
“Weirdo”
“Obsessed with that other boy”
“My Daddy calls people like him faggots”
“He hasn’t got any friends, he’s always by himself”
Harry just sniffles and looks down, trying to ignore their comments despite his heart feeling like it might rip to shreds.
You do have a friend. He tells himself. Louis. Louis’ name is often all that gets him through his school day.
At lunchtimes, Louis waits outside his classroom for him to be dismissed, and takes him into his arms straight away, wiping away the tears with his thumbs, delicately brushing Harry’s face, pushing the curls back and kissing his forehead.
“It’s alright love” he whispers. Harry just nods, pushing his head into the crease of Louis’ arm and chest. He feels safe there. Like nothing can ever hurt him. Louis holds him there, slowly walking them to their secret spot in the corner of the field.
They spend all the time they can in their secret corner; Harry on Louis’ lap, all curled up into him; Louis with his arms wrapped around Harry’s waist making him giggle. Anything to make those dimples reappear. And when it’s time to go back after lunch, Louis always leaves Harry with a note to get him through the rest of the day. Today’s note makes Harry well up again, but for a different reason.
Harry, Haz, Hazza!
Don’t let anyone make you cry for the rest of today cos I am your friend and you are my friend and I love you and I know you love me. Mummy told me the other day that you are good for me, I don’t know what she means but I do know you make me feel fluttery inside and tingly.
You are my best friend Hazza, see you outside school in an hour,
Love Booooooo
Xxxxx
Harry never tells him how much that note affected him. Not until years later anyway.
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Another four years pass. Louis is now fourteen, Harry twelve. Louis’ not an only child now, with four little sisters arriving each year since his tenth birthday and Harry still has Gemma there making him smile, when Louis’ not there to do so. They’re boyfriends now and have been for a year. Harry’s still bullied, but Louis’ always there making him laugh, holding him through his tears, whispering about how much he loves him.
“I love you sweetheart” he says to Harry one day. Harry replies with “I love you too Boo”. It’s the first time they have said ‘I love you’ to one another since they became a couple. They don’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.
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One year later and Louis is attacked by Harry’s bullies. They tell Harry the day before they’ve had enough of him not retaliating to their bullying, so they’re going to do something about it.
The next day, Louis is punched to the floor, spat on, kicked, and left bleeding on the floor. Harry hears from his classroom and comes running when he hears that angelic voice he would recognise anywhere call out for him. Painfully.
“Lou, oh my god Boo what have they done to you” he cries while pulling Louis into his arms, rocking him gently back and forth. He is so used to Louis comforting him that he panics about what to do.
“Boo, what do I do, tell me Lou please!”
“Just hold me Haz” replies Louis.
Later that evening when they’re lying in Harry’s bed together, legs and arms entwined, Harry confesses he’d never been more scared in his life.
Louis wipes the tears away, an act of affection his is oh too familiar with and whispers back to him.
“I would give myself up to be attacked every day if it meant it kept you safe.”
“Lou” Harry whispers back, turning to hold him in his arms, and kiss him slowly and lovingly. The kiss says it all.
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Another five years pass. They’re no longer at school now, but university. Harry in his first year of law and Louis his third year of teaching.
Louis is still Harry’s world. Harry is still Louis’ baby.
They spend every night together, kissing, touching, and connecting as one.
Harry’s never felt more alive.
He watches Louis one night after they’ve calmed down after a night of making love (Harry likes to call it this and will never stop, even with Louis’ teasing) and feels overwhelmed with love for this boy. He gently caresses his eyelashes, his eyebrows, his cheeks, his beautiful lips that produce the Tomlinson smile that can brighten up even his darkest of days.
He’s never been much of a religious man, but that night he thanks god. He thanks him for bringing him Louis.
He smiles, softly kisses Louis’ cheek and then settles down to sleep with him.
He doesn’t know where he would be today without his Boo.
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Two years pass and they’re having a quiet night in at their flat. Louis is cooking (a rarity but he begged Harry to let him loose in the kitchen for just one night) and Harry’s in their room looking through old boxes.
“Tea’s nearly ready baby” Louis calls.
“Kay Boo, I’ll be two secs” he replies.
He’s found the note that Louis wrote to him all those years ago that made him cry. He smoothes it out with his thumb and takes a moment to remember their past. The bullying, the teasing, the name calling. Louis’ attack. They’ve overcome all of it now but the memories are still there. Harry still hurts sometimes.
He stands up holding the letter, and runs into the kitchen taking Louis into his arms and spins him round and round until they're dizzy.
Harry shows Louis the note and proceeds to tell him of how the notes he wrote literally saved him.
“I love you Lou, I hope you know that. You made my life all those years ago. I don’t know what I would do without you; I never want to find out. In fact ..”
He trails off. He doesn’t want to ever find out what it would be like without Louis. So without a thought he blurts out ..
“Marry me Louis!
Louis giggles and takes Harry back into his arms, kissing him.
“I was going to ask you the exact same thing Styles” he says pulling out a box from his left pocket.
It’s the beginning of their new lives that night.
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Eighteen months later and they’re standing beside one another at the altar.
Anne and Jay are sat next to each other, tears streaming down their faces, holding each other’s hands. They knew all those years ago that this day would come.
Gemma and all of Louis’ sisters are in beautiful cream dresses, stood beside the boys.
But Harry and Louis have eyes for no one but each other. Their vows to one another create more tears for everyone there.
Harry tells Louis how he saved him, you are my life, my everything, and I will never be able to thank you for choosing me.
Louis takes his hand, kisses him softly, lovingly, and whispers to him “after all these years, you still make me feel fluttery and tingly”.
Their first kiss as a married couple is magical, beautiful, sensual, intimate, and a promise. A promise to be there for one another until their dying day.
There is not a dry eye in the room when they have their first dance. Gliding around the dance floor, they whisper the lyrics of their song to one another.
“You are my life, my love, my only, and that’s the one thing that won’t change”
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Four years later and they’ve just brought their baby girl home from hospital. Harry watches as Louis feeds their precious baby girl, sees the love in his eyes, it makes him fall in love all over again. He will never get used to Louis.
Hours later when she’s down for a nap, Louis pulls Harry onto his lap like old times, holding him, kissing him and whispering how much he loves him into his ear.
“Baby, we still need a name for our girl” Harry replies to Louis’ whispers of love.
Louis smiles at Harry.
“I was listening to our wedding song last night and I heard the line ‘my love’, thought we could maybe shorten mi amor to Mia, she’s our love.”
Harry beams.
“Boo, I love it. Mia Tomlinson-Styles.”
Louis’ face reddens and Harry asks why.
“I was thinking for a middle name, cos you know, when we were younger, and still now, you know, we give each other that butterly feeling in our tummies, maybe her middle name could be Butterfly? Oh no you know what it’s silly, just ignore me baby”.
Harry covers his mouth and kisses him.
“Lou baby, I love that. She has parts of us wherever she is. Mia Butterfly Tomlinson-Styles it is”.
“I love you Haz” says Louis, as he curls up on Harry’s lap and closes his eyes. Harry holds him close, and kisses his neck.
“I love you too baby. I always will. Thank you for saving me”.
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I’ll never stop trying, I’ll never stop watching as you leave, I’ll never stop losing my breath, every time I see you looking back at me, I’ll never stop holding your hand, I’ll never stop opening your door, I’ll never stop choosing you babe, I’ll never get used to you.