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Harry wakes up to sunlight streaming through the window onto his face, a thousand times brighter from the reflective, sparkling snow on the ground. He grunts and turns over, eyes still shut, feeling around the bed for Louis’ small body. Eventually, he squints his eyes open, heart falling when he sees the empty space beside him. He tumbles out of bed and walks over to the bathroom, seeing light seeping out from under the crack in the door.
Louis is standing sideways to the mirror, alternating poking his tummy and sucking it in. Harry comes up behind him, snaking his arms around his waist and kissing just under his ear.
“Hey, love, what’s going on?” Harry asks groggily, voice rough with sleep.
Louis whips around too quickly, smiling and kissing Harry.
“Hmm? Nothing! Nothing at all.”
The mental image slowly starts to unfold in Harry’s mind and he pieces it together.
“Lou…what were you doing just now? You don’t think you’re…no, Lou, come on, tell me,” Harry’s face crumples with concern.
Louis sighs, letting his forehead fall against Harry’s broad shoulder.
“God, sometimes I wish I could keep a secret from you, Harry. I just…you’re beautiful, Haz, and I wish I could be beautiful like that but I’m just…I’ve got a bit of…extra weight around the edges and…dunno,” he trails off, face still pressed against Harry’s bare skin.
“Lou, come on, look at me for a second,” Harry puts his big hands on either side of Louis’ face and tilts it up so he’s facing him, “You’re gorgeous. And you’re small and I love that. I like being taller than you and stronger than you and I like being able to pick you up if I’d like-”
Louis cuts Harry off, blurting out, “That’s the thing, Harry, I wouldn’t mind that either if I didn’t know that I weighed so much. I know I’m short but I’m heavy.”
“Louis, god, I promise you’re not, all right?” Harry sighs, “Come on, let’s just get ready. We were gonna decorate the Christmas tree today, remember?”
“Yeah, all right,” Louis says, looking down and breaking out of Harry’s touch, “Already brushed my teeth and all so the bathroom’s all yours.”
When Harry comes out of the bathroom, the room’s empty again. He puts on some jeans and his most festive jumper. It’s the one he wore the first time he kissed Louis, the day they became boyfriends.
He comes downstairs to see that Louis has started decorating without him, threading fairy lights around the tree.
Harry sighs and starts decorating, opening a box of ornaments and half heartedly hooking them on branches. Suddenly, his eye catches the star for on top of the tree lying in the box and he gets an idea. He hands it to Louis who stares at him in annoyance.
“Harry, I’m not tall enough, you need to-”
Harry cuts him off by putting his hands on the smaller boy’s waist and picking him up easily.
“Go on, then, love,” Harry grins, kissing Louis’ lower back.
Louis puts the star on top of the tree and Harry turns him around, forcing the older boy to wrap his legs around his waist. Harry kisses him, smiling into the kiss and Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s neck, threading his fingers in the boys curly hair.
“Thank you,” he whispers, tilting his forehead against Harry’s.
“Anything to show you how gorgeous and tiny you are, boobear,” Harry grins.
Louis hops down from his position of Harry’s hips, bright smile lighting up his face.
He giggles, “Come on then, you sap, let’s get this tree decorated.”
After the tree is covered and shining, Harry slings Louis over his shoulder and tosses him down onto the couch. He rolls Louis’ shirt up and off of his body and licks up his chest.
“Not sure you’re convinced of how flawless you are yet, boo,” he murmurs.
Louis smiles up at him under his eyelashes and the two boys tumble together on top of the cushions, warm light from the Christmas tree illuminating the room.