The Weekend (Narry)

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"You will never untangle the circumstances that brought you to this moment. Embrace your fate."
Leonard Cohen

It takes a lot of convincing on both of their parts to leave the park and head for the hotel Louis is staying at. Neither of the men want their weekend together to be over, and every step they take is one step closer to it being just that. They make an unspoken decision to hold hands as they make their way to the hotel, and Harry wonders why they didn't do this sooner.

They don't really talk, just a few directions and pointing out people they pass by. Harry considers taking out his camera and taking as many pictures as possible in order to remember today, but he knows that isn't how these things are supposed to go. On the corner before the one they turn to get to the hotel, Niall stops them and kisses Harry.

It's a simple kiss, nothing major and not offensively PDA to anyone else walking by. It feels like a goodbye to Harry, and he wishes that it didn't. The finality of it makes him never want it to end. When the kiss does end and when Niall pulls away, Harry smiles somberly at him.

"One more corner, and you're home free." He says. "You'll finally be rid of me."

"Finally." Niall says, a bit too over-dramatically. "I have been waiting for the moment I can finally get away from you."

"I want you to meet Louis." Harry says, the thought striking his mind. "I want you to meet him."

"I'll do it for you." Niall nods, promising him.

"And I want you to talk to your parents too."

"I don't know about that one, Tourist." Niall shakes his head. "Those bridges were burnt far too long ago."

"Okay." Harry acts like he understands even though he really doesn't.

"I want you to have your kids." Niall says. "You'll be a great dad, I can tell. You deserve children."

Harry grins at him softly before they continue to walk down the sidewalk, no longer blocking other pedestrians. "I love you, you know. It's a strange kind of love. I can't really explain it, but it's there."

"I love you too, Harry." He points ahead of them and Harry follows his finger to find the large hotel Louis is staying at. "Are you ready for this?"

"I don't really know."

"You don't have to propose to him."

"I wasn't going to." Harry looks at Niall. "I realized that I didn't come to Ireland to propose. That was just an excuse my mind made up to convince itself that I wasn't simply lonely."

"You're not as lonely as you think you are." Niall says, gripping Harry's hand tighter before letting go.

The two of them walk the rest of the way in silence, and find their way to the front desk, asking for Louis Tomlinson. The manager asks them to wait while she calls Mr. Tomlinson down to the lobby. When Louis arrives, Harry's stomach lurches and his mouth dries. He isn't sure what to say.

"Harry! Babe! I'm so glad you're safe, oh my God." Louis embraces him, kissing his cheek, then turns to Niall. "And you must be Niall. Thank you so much for getting Harry to me in one piece. He's a bit of a walking hazard, so I'm amazed you did it, to be honest."

"Hey." Harry acts offended, but his laugh gives him away.

"It was no problem." Niall says.

"Did you take care of him, Harry?" Louis asks. "Did you pay him?"

"Yeah," Niall answers for Harry. "He paid me." He says, even though Harry hadn't.

"Awesome." Louis smiles widely. "Oh my God, Harry I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Lou." Harry says, setting his luggage down.

"No, I mean I really missed you." Louis starts. "And while I've been here, I've been really considering our relationship and where we were and where we could be."

Harry's eyes widen with every word, and he can't take his eyes off of Louis.

"And I was wondering," Louis takes something out of his pocket and presses it into Harry's hand. Harry spreads open his fingers to find a gold wedding band sitting in the palm of his hand. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Harry is in shock. He isn't sure he can breath. He hadn't been expecting Louis to propose like this, and it's all he can do not to cry. Children. This means Louis wants children with Harry, and that thought alone sends Harry's heart into overdrive. "Yes." He nods. "Yes, of course."

Louis beams at him before kissing him square on the mouth. He begins chattering on and on about the plans they can make and what they can do, but Harry hears only a rush in his ears. He feels like he's back underwater, in the springs with Niall. Niall. Harry wants to talk to him. He turns to his left to grab his attention when he stops short, heart settling slowly back into his reality. Louis is holding him in his arms again, and Niall is gone.

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