Work Text:
“ Louuuuu .”
The corners of Louis’ lips curled upward at the whine of his boyfriend. He spat out the toothpaste and gurgled quickly, before exiting the bathroom.
Harry was sitting on the bed, holding a piece of poster paper that he had explicitly locked up, not to be seen by a certain pair of blue eyes. Louis crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, one eye raised.
“Yes, love?”
The boy grinned. “Do you wanna see the sign I made for the concert?”
Ah, right. The Fleetwood Mac concert. Harry’s absolute favorite band in the world, oftentimes saying that Stevie Nicks would definitely be his hall pass, if only he was, well, into girls.
Louis had gotten them pit tickets to their reunion tour for Harry’s birthday. Harry almost passed out when he opened them, tackling Louis to the ground and almost giving their families a show in the middle of the living room. Needless to say, Louis did not regret getting Harry those tickets one bit.
“Oh, am I allowed to see it now?” Louis cocked his head to the side, acknowledging the mischievous glint in his boyfriend’s eyes.
That’s one thing Louis will never get over, how beautiful he is, even seven years into the relationship. The butterflies may not be as active as before, but Harry will always make Louis’ stomach flip.
Harry nodded, standing up from the bed, clutching the poster to his chest. “Now, don’t get offended and don’t you dare take the sign from me. I believe in this.”
Louis sighed exasperatedly, a bit of fondness coming through. “Just show me the sign, H.”
He exhaled, turning the sign around. Louis snorted when he saw it, shaking his head while his lips turned up.
“H, really?”
Harry shrugged, feigning innocence. “You can’t blame me, can you?”
The sign, which Harry claimed to have spent
hours
on, was very simple. Written in black sharpie, drawn by a semi-careful hand, were the words “Convince my boyfriend to propose!” with a big sketch of a diamond ring.
“You’re crazy.” Louis bit back a particularly fond smile, walking toward Harry. He outstretched his arms, about to hug him, when Harry moved out of the way so Louis met air instead. “Um, hello?”
Harry was suddenly over by their luggage, folding the poster neatly. “You were about to crinkle my wonderful sign. That’s, like, interaction material.”
Louis held back a laugh. He came up behind Harry, making sure the poster was out of his hands, and kissed up the side of his neck. “I love you.”
Harry turned around in the embrace, cupping Louis’ face in his hands. “I love you, baby.” A soft peck of lips, then a hard smack on Louis’ ass caused him to yelp. “Now, we have three hours until showtime so let’s go!”
♡
Inside the venue, they managed to get a spot right up close to the barrier, Harry’s sign tucked protectively under his arm.
While waiting in line, Harry seemed to strike up a conversation with every single person around them. He was like an over-excited golden retriever. Louis watched on with a careful hand on the small of his back and eyes glimmering like he was staring at the universe.
Well, he was. But that’s beside the point.
Harry turned to Louis, nuzzling himself in his neck. “Thank you for this.”
Louis wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, holding him close. “Of course, baby. Anything for you.”
They stood together for a while, until Harry untangled himself. Louis thought something was wrong, until Harry blurted out: “I can’t believe I’m about to see Stevie Nicks in the flesh.”
He laughed, throwing an arm around Harry’s shoulders.
Soon enough, the lights went down and the band entered the stage. Harry screamed when he saw Stevie, joining the chorus of the other concert-goers. Louis cackled, watching the first tear of happiness roll down Harry’s cheek. His arm didn’t move from his waist the whole time.
After performing Monday Morning and Sugar Daddy , Stevie decided to walk around the stage, smiling at the crowd and engaging with some people.
This was when it started going downhill.
Stevie came over to their side, and Harry immediately held up his sign, waving it around like it was his most prized possession.
Louis rolled his eyes, not even trying to hide his smile. He figured she wouldn’t see it, and he could still go through with his plan.
Until she saw it.
“‘Convince my boyfriend to propose to me…’” Stevie laughed, looking between Harry and Louis. The crowd screeched. Harry’s jaw dropped while Louis’ eyes went wide. Fuck .
Harry was a bundle of excitement because Stevie Nicks just acknowledged him.
“Well, I have to know more. This is your boyfriend?” She pointed to Louis. Harry nodded, clearly too starstruck to answer. “How long have you been together?”
“Seven years!” Harry yelled over the murmur of the crowd. Somehow, Stevie heard him.
“Wow! Quite a commitment.” She smiled. “Did he know you were making the sign?”
Harry shook his head, “Not until earlier this afternoon.”
She chuckled, “A sneaky one, hm?” Louis nodded just out of habit. “What’s stopping you?” She turned her head, focusing on Louis.
Louis was panicking. There was a weight burning in his pocket. He had this perfect fucking plan. Wait until their song, and ask. Fuck.
He was so panicked, he didn’t answer Stevie Fucking Nicks. Luckily, she only laughed again, narrowing her eyes. “Wait, let me look in his eyes, that’s how you know if he’s gonna do it or not. Take note, ladies. Or gentlemen. Or anyone.”
She squatted down, making direct eye contact with Louis.
He decided that if he was going to execute his plan still, he had to somehow communicate with Stevie Nicks that he will be asking Harry that special little question, but he can’t right fucking now. His plan could still happen, and he’s determined to go through with it.
(Also, making eye contact with Stevie Nicks was something Louis never thought he’d do. He can feel Harry gripping his hand even tighter. Oh god, what is his life?)
Stevie stood back up, “He’s going to.” The crowd erupted into an ear-piercing shriek. She held up her hands, “You don’t have to do it now, obviously. No pressure. But don’t worry, love, he’ll do it.” She winked at Harry, and went to the other side of the stage.
Well then, alright. Maybe Louis can communicate well with his eyes. Thank god.
Harry turned toward him, practically vibrating with excitement. “Did that just happen?!” He whisper-yelled to Louis.
Louis nodded, “It did, babe. We just had a conversation with Stevie Nicks.”
“No no.
I
talked to her. You stood there like a deer in headlights.” Harry wanted to sound snobby, but the smile his face was wearing was betraying him.
“ Heeey I communicated with my eyes!” He hugged Harry, kissing along his neck. He ran his fingers through Harry’s curls, enjoying the soft feeling of it.
“Oh yeah? What did you say?” Harry smirked.
“Nothing you have to know about.” Louis winked, replacing his arm back around Harry’s waist.
This meant he could still go through with his plan.
They played a handful of songs, but nothing of importance. It wasn’t until the guitarist played the first chord of an acoustic version of Emerald Eyes that anxiety overtook Louis’ stomach.
He stuck his hand in his pocket, fingers grasped around the velvety box.
Harry was staring up at the stage with stars in his eyes, while Louis was staring at his whole universe right in front of him.
You don't know what she means, you see
She's a heart that beats close to me
Harry began to mouth the words along with the band. Louis stood behind him, wrapping his arms across his chest and bringing him close. Louis kissed his outer earlobe, beginning to whisper the lyrics into his ear.
Emerald eyes is a mystery
She's my place of serenity
Harry smiled, deep dimples caving in on his face.
“You know I love you, right?” Louis whispered. Harry nodded, laying his head on Louis’ shoulder, kissing the underside of his jaw.
Louis swallowed all the excess saliva that made his way into his mouth. He was going to do this.
He turned Harry around in his arms, rubbing his thumbs in small circles on Harry’s bicep.
“I love you so, so much.” A confused smile made its way onto Harry’s face. “These past seven years have been the best of my entire life. I’m so glad to have met you at 18 and-” he wetly chuckled when he saw the light turn on in Harry’s brain. He knows how to read his boy.
“And you have just made every day wonderful and amazing. You’re the habit I can’t break, my sunflower, my adorable frog-face of a boyfriend.” Harry laughed, lightly swatting Louis in the shoulder with as much might as a fly.
“You keep me grounded, just like an anchor.” He grabbed his hands, tracing his index finger over the anchor tattoo on Harry’s outer wrist. “I feel like I’m a moth to a flame with you, every damn day of my life.”
He bit his lip nervously, getting down unsteadily onto one knee, but his eyes never left Harry’s blush-filled face. He took the box out of his pocket with shaky hands, opening it. Harry gasped.
“Baby, will you marry me?” Louis could barely see Harry with how many tears filled his eyes, but he could see Harry’s blurry figure nodding like a madman.
“Of course, you big dumbass!” Before Louis could do anything, he saw Harry’s poster drop onto the floor and felt big hands lifting him up. Lips were on his immediately.
Louis brought the hand that wasn’t clutching the very expensive engagement ring up to Harry’s hair, anchoring himself in those beautiful curls.
“I love you. Oh my god.” Harry said between kisses. Well, they were meant to be kisses, but their smiles were pretty damn large, so it was more like teeth clashing uncomfortably. Neither of them seemed to care.
Suddenly, Harry detached himself, eyes wide, “Holy shit, my sign didn’t make you do this right? I really want you to be ready, I’ll wait as long as-”
Louis brought a finger up to his lips, “Love, I’ve wanted to do this for years. I just never found the right time. I bought this ring a year ago.” He held up the ring again.
Harry shakily took the ring from the box, “Lou, it’s beautiful.”
He watched as Harry slid the ring onto his finger, “It’s a mix of amethyst, turquoise, and sapphire.”
“The birthstones of my birth month, your birth month, and our anniversary month.” Harry said, still not taking his eyes off the ring. Louis only nodded, giving Harry a long forehead kiss, trying to transfer all the feelings he has for that boy in one singular kiss. He wasn’t successful.
“Oh, and also there’s something engraved on the inside.”
Harry quirked an eyebrow, shining his phone flashlight in order to see.
“ You bring me home ?” He questioned.
Louis smiled, “I have one on the way for me. It’s just silver though. It’s going to say “ Wherever I go… ”” He started feeling self-conscious when Harry’s facial expression didn’t change. “Like, you know. You’ll always bring me home. Compass, ship, etc.
“Fuck, I love you.” Harry smashed their lips together again, successfully squelching any and all doubts Louis had.
They hadn’t realized they gathered a crowd around them. Many of the girls were crying, some had their phones out, and once they realized Louis noticed them again, they started clapping.
“Well well! I see tears and smiles over this way!”
Stevie Nicks was in front of them again, eyes bright.
Harry held up his right hand, showing off the ring. “The sign worked!”
Stevie laughed, “I’m happy for you two, lovebirds. I was watching you two the whole night, and the way that man looks at you is something I haven’t ever seen before. You’re his whole world.” She blew them a kiss, and introduced the next song. Landslide .
Some tears escaped Harry’s eyes, and he let them flow freely. Louis hugged him close.
“I’ll never let you go, my baby.”
Harry grinned, “Love of my life, forever and ever.”
Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder, even children get older
And I'm getting older too
~end~