This House (l.s.)

12

"To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides" – David Viscott

"Happy anniversary," Harry murmurs, kissing behind Louis' ear. It's June, and they're stable. Louis turns around in bed to face his husband, yawning.

"Happy anniversary."

"Seventeen years of marriage. That's amazing," Harry says, running a hand through Louis' hair.

"Yeah, I know. Think we can make it another seventeen?"

"We're going to make it until I die," Harry promises. Louis doesn't want to think about Harry dying; he can't, so he kisses him instead for the first time all year. Harry kisses him back, pulling him close. Louis bites his bottom lip, tugging at his curls and throwing a leg around Harry's waist. It doesn't last long, but it's slow and sweet.

"Is this something we do now?" Harry grins, biting the inside of his cheek.

"I don't know, maybe. It's our anniversary; I figured we had to do something. We'll see what happens," Louis murmurs.

"I can live with that," Harry agrees. "I have a gift for you."

He stands up and walks over to the dresser, picking up a box from underneath his briefs and sitting on the bed again. He hands Louis the box and another card. Louis opens the card, another cheesy one about how 'even when I don't like you, I love you' which fits them completely. He opens the box and finds a necklace that almost looks like a dog tag. It's got his birthstone, Harry's and all of the kids with their names engraved next to them.

"Harry, this is gorgeous," Louis says quietly. "Oh, I love this."

"I hoped you would," Harry murmurs. "Here, let me put it on for you and see how it looks."

He picks it up out of the box; putting it around Louis' neck and watching it fall between his sharp collarbones. "Looks beautiful."

"I'm sure it does," Louis whispers.

"I do have another gift, though." Harry says, tugging off his t-shirt and turning his back to Louis. Louis sits up straight and sees a sun inked on Harry's shoulder, their wedding date in script underneath it, with five stars hovering above it with the kids names over each one.

"Oh, Harry, this is gorgeous. I love it so much," Louis whispers, tracing his fingers over the fresh ink. "Absolutely stunning."

"Thought it was nice, you know, shows unity as a family," Harry says, peaking over his shoulder at Louis.

"Yeah, it's beautiful," Louis says, kissing over the sun gently. "Happy anniversary."