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"Hey harry?"
"Yeah Lou?" They're laying out on the roof of their house, the stars only partially visible in the the London air. It had become their favourite place to go when they wanted a minute of peace- something about the endless expanse of sky that made it seem like they could be anywhere in the world, could be anybody.
"You love me right?"
"Eh, you're okay I guess," Harry quirks an eyebrow and half grins in louis' direction. Louis slaps him in the stomach. "Yeah I'm in love with you Louis, not exactly new information."
Louis glares at him for a moment before continuing. "We've been through a lot together haven't we."
It's spoken as a statement, but something about this conversation makes Harry feel like Louis actually wants an answer. And yeah, they have been through basically everything together. (Really, Harry can hardly remember anything of great importance happening in his life before X Factor and the boys and Louis.)
From their first kiss (it's week 3 and Harry and Louis are brushing their teeth in the X Factor house bathroom, elbowing each other in the sides and grinning around their toothbrushes. They fight for spitting room and both look up; Louis' got a bit of toothpaste slightly to the left of his mouth and Harry sort of kind of a lot wants to lick it, so he does. And then Louis' kissing him and Harry's so surprised he doesn't even get a chance to shut his eyes and he sees Louis' eyelashes fanned out prettily as they flutter close. Harry never had a chance, did he? Goner from the beginning.)
To their first fight (Harry teases Louis about his hair just one too many times that day and Louis yanks, hard, on one of Harry's curls and they're off, chasing each other through the house and hurling non-sensical insults at each other and getting progressively angrier until Louis slams Harry against the wall and attacks his neck with his teeth and his tongue. Harry decides fighting isn't so bad with Louis.)
Through countless shows and performances (Louis running his hands through Harry's hair and murmuring words of comfort in his ear, rubbing his back and kissing him softly on his temple. Louis promising that Harry will be okay, that Louis will be there for him, that he won't mess up his solo, and even if he does, Louis will love him anyway.)
To filming their first music video (Harry constantly lost to the world, busy staring at Louis and how nice Louis looks in swim trunks and wondering how it's possible that Louis has gotten more tan. Harry glaring daggers at the one model in their video that won't stop looking at Louis' bare chest and doesn't she know that Louis is his? Harry pulling Louis behind a lifeguard tower to yell at him for flirting with that girl. Louis telling him he's hot when he's jealous and pushing him against the wood of the tower to snog him for as long as they can before Zayn sees them and drags Louis away right when things are getting good (things are always good with Louis).)
To Leeds fest (Harry getting (really) drunk for the first time on their first night there. Louis and Harry being reckless and in love, paying little attention to the performers and more to each other. Having sex for the first time in an old tent on top of lumpy sleeping bags while music circles around them. Harry and Louis stealing each others clothes and shoes and hearts.)
Through the hard parts (Harry having to go out with nameless semi-celebrities and only getting through it knowing that he gets to come home to Louis making tea. Louis holding hands and kissing and going on dates with Eleanor and Harry trying to avoid and ignore it. Dreaming about the day when he can hold Louis' hand as they walk down the street and kiss him in the park and have nobody question it.)
Winning awards (Louis' arm around Harry's waist, Harry's thumb rubbing circles on Louis' thigh hidden under a table. Louis kissing him breathless in a bathroom stall as Adele and Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber make their acceptance speeches. Receiving countless awards, awards they can't believe they have and can't understand why they have them, wondering what could have blessed them to have this life, to have each other while living it.)
"Yeah," Harry answers, "we've really been through everything together."
"Right," Louis says, biting his lip and sitting up. Harry sits up too, looking at him quizzically. "So, like, erm. Yeah. Uh.... Oh god let me start again." Louis pauses and takes a deep shuddering breath, composing himself a bit more. He grabs one of Harry's hands in one of his and looks at him quite seriously. Harry's getting a bit nervous just because he can tell louis is nervous and louis doesn't get nervous and what is going on?
"Harry." Louis looks into his eyes and harry squeezes his hand for comfort. Louis smiles briefly at him before resuming talking. "You're probably, definitely, the best thing that's ever happened to me and wow shit fuck I had a whole speech scripted in my head for ages and yet right now it all sounds shit and cliché and fuck this is not how I planned but," Louis sticks his right hand in his pocket, the left still clinging to Harry, and he's pulling out a ring and shitfuckcockdamnshitshitshit this is happening and Harry's sort of maybe about to choke on his own tongue or something because Louis has rolled over to sit on his knees and, "Harry Styles, will you marry me?" Harry is gaping and words won't come out and Louis is fidgeting now and Harry needs to say something or it looks like Louis might probably throw up, so he throws himself at Louis and kisses him hard, licking into his mouth and sliding one hand around the back of his neck to push under the collar of his shirt, while the other grabs for Louis' thigh and holds him in place. Louis eventually manages to pull away with a breathless, "so is that a yes?"
"Yes, you fucker!" Harry says, shoving him lightly and then making up for it by pulling him into a hug. "A thousand times yes."
They've been through a lot together.
When they got engaged (Louis kissing Harry lightly on the lips and sliding the ring onto his finger, grins permanently stuck on their faces. Linking their fingers and laying back down on the roof together, Harry snuggling into Louis' side, happier than ever.)