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Chapter Text

So maybe Louis’ in over his head.

He had signed up for the Bachelor on a whim after his second bottle of wine and well, here he is. He’s just been announced as the twenty-sixth Bachelor and his ass is sweating. Like, literally sweating. He’s positive that if he were to turn around, the entirety of Bachelor Nation would get a nice peek of his ass sweat.

Foster Donnell shakes his hand as he steps onto the stage, waving to both the crowd and America through their TVs. He gestures towards a set of chairs, signaling for Louis to sit.

“Louis!” Foster beams. “We’re so glad to have you onboard. This season is sure to be a fantastic one. Are you nervous?”

Louis hums thoughtfully. “Yeah, a little bit. I’m more excited than anything. I just can’t wait to meet everyone and to find my future husband.”

“You sound so sure that you’ll find him.” Foster laughs.

“I am! I wouldn’t be here if I weren't.” Louis smiles dreamily, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“And we’ll all be here to watch it every step of the way. You could be engaged at the end of this!” Foster smiles. “How do you feel about that?”

Louis takes a deep breath, a watery smile gracing his features. “I’m just so grateful for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to meet him.”

“We’re so happy to have you.” Foster turns to the camera. “Make sure to tune in for the most dramatic season of The Bachelor yet.”

--

Louis shuts his eyes for a moment as he adjusts his navy blue suit, buttoning and unbuttoning then fidgeting with his tie as he’s instructed on what to do, and where to stand just as the limousines start to arrive at the front gates.

His heart pounds in his chest as he thinks about the thirty men waiting to meet him. All handsome, all hand-picked for him. His future husband being one of them. It’s enough to make him nauseous. The prospect of what will happen over the next nine weeks leaves him light-headed, his fingers tingling with anticipation.

Louis fidgets in his seat as he waits with his window down to hear the producer’s instructions, watching as Foster turns to the camera in front of him as a producer counts him off.

“Good evening, Bachelor Nation. The moment has finally arrived! Louis is about to meet some of the most amazing men in the country and hopefully, one of them will become his husband. So here he is now, your Bachelor, Louis.”

Louis’ limo drives forward a few feet as if just arriving, perfectly angled for the camera’s shot as a man steps up to open the door. He steps out of the car, buttoning his suit jacket and stepping forward to shake hands with Foster.

Foster grins. “Louis. Welcome. How are you?”

Louis smiles brightly for the cameras, staring up at Foster. “So excited. I’m ready. I’m not even nervous!”

“How does all this end for you in a perfect world?” Foster asks, gesturing with his hands and smiling at Louis sincerely.

“I find the man of my dreams, we walk off into the sunset, engaged and ready to take on the world.”

“So you’re definitely ready?” Foster raises his eyebrows, a hint of bemusement in his tone for the cameras.

“Absolutely.” Louis smiles. “I’m so ready.”

“Let’s meet the guys. Here comes the first limo. Good luck, let the journey begin.”

Louis bites his lip, bouncing on his toes. “Fuck, let’s do it.”

Foster gives Louis a quick hug before stepping off camera, watching with producers as the first limo pulls up. There’s five men to each limo and six of them in total. Thirty men, just for him.

Louis turns to the car, smiling as the door opens and a tall, handsome man steps out. He has dark hair and a bright smile. He adjusts his suit jacket before stepping forward. “Hi, Louis.”

“Hi, there.”

“My name’s Stanley.”

“Stanley, it’s so great to meet you!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. You look amazing.”

“Well thank you.” Louis giggles, smiling up at the tall man. Blue eyes, yum.

“How do you feel tonight?”

“Excited.” Louis takes Stanley’s hands, squeezing them gently. “How ’bout you?”

“So excited. Do you want to do a deep breath together?” Stanley smiles hopefully down at Louis, cheeks flushed from nerves.

“Sure!”

“Alright, you ready?” Stanley smiles, taking in a deep breath at the same time as Louis.

They both hold it for a few moments before letting it out, Louis shaking his head. “I needed that.”

“I did too. I can’t wait to get to know you better.” Stanley leans down to hug Louis tightly.

“Me too.” Louis giggles into his shoulder. “I’ll see you inside.”

“Yes, definitely.” Stanley smiles at Louis one more time before heading towards the mansion.

Louis takes another deep breath as he watches him walk away. “One down, twenty-nine to go.”

When the next limo pulls up, Louis is practically vibrating with energy, his heart pounding in his chest. The first two guys aren’t incredibly memorable, but when the third man steps out, Louis gasps. “Hello.”

“Hi, Louis.” The man smiles. Nice teeth.

Louis’ mouth practically waters as he watches the man strut towards him. “My name’s Ren. How are you?”

“So good, how are you?”

“Great. I brought you these.” Ren smiles, bringing a hand from behind his back to show off a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

“Oh, wow!” Louis blushes, taking the flowers and immediately stepping forward to hug the bulky man. Dark eyes, soft looking, tousled brown hair. Louis’ smitten already. “Thank you so much.”

“Of course. You look amazing tonight.”

“Thank you, so do you.” Louis gives him a once over, giggling at his own cheekiness.

Ren smirks. “I hope you’ll come find me inside, I’d love to get to know you some more as soon as possible.”

“Of course, I’ll be in later. Thank you for coming.”

“Anything for you, gorgeous.” Ren kisses Louis’ hand before turning to head inside the mansion.

Louis watches him go, eyes fluttering in a silent moan at the man. “Wow.”

The next limo arrives and Louis genuinely can’t believe his luck with these men. They’re all so hunky and kind, he honestly feels like the luckiest man in the world right now.

When the door opens for the fifth time, a gorgeous, thin black man steps out with the most energy he’s seen all night. “Hey, hey!”

“Hi.” Louis laughs, the man immediately wrapping him up in a warm hug. “You look great!”

“Look at you! You look amazing.”

“Thank you!” Louis squeals as the man spins Louis around, both of them laughing loudly.

He sets Louis down, beaming down at him. “My name’s Terrell, I’m so glad to meet you finally.”

“So happy to meet you!”

“Well Louis, it’s my job as an attorney to help the jury find a verdict, and in your case, you’d be found guilty as charged for looking beautiful in this suit.”

Louis scoffs, blush sitting high on his cheekbones. “That was smooth.”

Terrell laughs, leaning in for one more hug. “I’ll see you inside.”

“See you inside.”

Louis watches him head for the mansion, so hot.

When the fourth limousine pulls up, Louis turns to watch as the door opens. The first man that steps out honestly takes Louis’ breath away, and much to Louis’ pleasure, it only gets better when he speaks.

“Hi, how are you?” The man smiles, curly hair and dimples!

“Hi.” Louis can already feel his face flushing, his heart beating so loud he’s sure this man can hear it all the way across the driveway.

“You look beautiful.” The man immediately wraps him in a hug.

“Thank you. You look very beautiful too.”

Curly hair and dimples hugs so tightly, burying his face in Louis’ neck. “Can’t believe I’m finally here, I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks.”

“I have too.” Louis giggles, wild curls tickling his cheeks. His smell is intoxicating and Louis finds himself never wanting to leave his warm arms.

The man pulls back but keeps his arms wrapped loosely around Louis’ waist. “I’m Harry.”

“So nice to meet you, Harry.” Louis bites his lip, cheeks aching from how wide his smile is.

“I can’t wait to take this journey with you, to get to know you, and to fall in love.”

Louis is speechless—he’s sure his brain’s short-circuited—and he’s left standing there with a pounding heart and shaking hands. Harry starts to rub Louis’ back soothingly. “I can’t get over this feeling right now. You’re so stunning.”

“Me too,” Louis whispers, sure he has hearts in his eyes by now.

“This is just the beginning. I can’t wait to spend some more time with you tonight.”

“Sounds so amazing.” Louis giggles at his own voice, high pitched and breathy. “I’ll see you inside.”

Harry nods, leaning down to kiss Louis’ cheek sweetly. “See you inside, baby.”

He turns to head into the mansion, holding Louis’ hand until he absolutely can’t anymore. Louis watches as he walks up to the front door, his entire body shaking. “Fuck.”

Louis takes a few deep breaths, rubbing his hands over his face, trying desperately to calm down. His heart is hammering quickly in his chest, faster than it has with anyone else. He feels his stomach turning with desire to just grab Harry’s hand and run away, a wild feeling to have from speaking to him for a total of five minutes. He giggles a little hysterically, “I definitely feel like I just met my husband.”

Louis takes a few more grounding moments, smiling at the producers before turning to watch the fifth limousine pull up. The shouting from within can be heard from outside the car and Louis giggles in surprise, the door swinging open and a thin, lanky man with dirty blonde hair stepping out.

“’Sup Louis?”

“How are you?” Louis tries not to cringe.

“Good, I’m AJ.”

“So nice to meet you.”

“So nice to meet you! Can I get a hug?” AJ smiles down at Louis.

“Of course, c’mere.” Louis hugs AJ tightly before stepping back.

“I’m so happy to be here and with you. I think you’re a great person so far from what I’ve heard and I can’t wait to learn more.”

“That’s so sweet, thank you. I can’t wait to get to know you.”

AJ squeezes Louis’ hands tightly. “Great, I’ll see you inside?”

“Yes, see you.”

Louis watches him go for a moment before the final limousine pulls up. Last five men and he can head inside.

It’s more than surprising when a Rolls-Royce rolls up in place of a limousine, Louis blinking a few times in shock. “Damn, okay.”

When the driver steps out Louis is blinded by an overbleached smile. He tries not to make comparisons to a grown-up version of the boy from Stuart Little, but c’mon, they have the same fucking glasses. The man steps forward to shake Louis’ hand, his pink pocket square so perfect he’s afraid to touch him.

“So nice to meet you, I’m George.”

“George.” Louis giggles, biting his lip to try to hold back. “So nice to meet you, what an entrance.”

“Thank you, I thought you’d like it.” George smiles, he’s oozing in wealth and Louis isn’t sure if it’s turning him on or scaring him. “I’ve written you a poem and I’d love to recite it to you later if that’s okay?”

“Of course.” Louis blushes, even if the man's a little bit over the top and not someone he would usually go for, he seems sweet. “Can’t wait.”

“Great, I’ll see you in there.” George squeezes Louis’ bicep before turning to head inside.

Once the fifth and final man has been introduced, Louis takes a few deep breaths before turning to head inside and join everyone.

Before he steps inside, a producer, Tom, waves him over for an interview. “How’re you feeling?”

“So, so good.” Louis smiles at him, stepping onto the tape marked on the floor. “Ready to get in there.”

Tom laughs, smiling at Louis fondly. “I’ll be quick. Three, two, one. How are you feeling so far?”

“I’m feeling so, so lucky to have this opportunity. I’m so happy to be here and I’m so excited to see where this journey goes.”

“You said you felt like you met your husband when you met Harry. What stands out about him?”

“What stands out about Harry is just how natural it felt immediately. I was immediately breathless and just … felt like I didn’t need to put on a mask anymore. He just made me feel so safe in those few minutes we spoke.”

“Other than Harry, who else has stood out to you?”

Louis takes a deep breath. “Oh, god. Well. I would say Ren and Terrell have stood out the most outside of Harry. Ren was very sexy and very confident, which I loved. Terrell has amazing energy, I just know we would have so much fun together.”

“Great, you’re good to go, Lou. Head inside and Lindsey should be there to direct you.”

“Thanks, Tim.”

Louis heads inside, where the voices of thirty men echo through the halls and fill his belly with butterflies. As he steps into the large living room, all the men turn to look at Louis, smiles wide and voices charming as they greet him. They all stand and one of the men—Louis can’t remember his name right now—steps forward to hand him his drink.

“Champagne.”

“Thank you, love.” Louis smiles, eyes crinkling as he takes the glass. He takes a deep breath, taking a look around the room at all the—gorgeous—faces.

“Well, we’re finally here.” The men all shout, fist-pumping and clapping, clearly trying to earn brownie points. “I just wanted to say—this means the world to me that you all have come here to get to know me and to take this journey with me. I’m truly so excited for what’s in store for us and I can’t wait to fall in love. Thank you for sacrificing your time, time that could be spent with friends and family, to come meet me. Let’s get this night started!”

Louis raises his glass along with all the men, all of them chorusing, “Cheers!”

Just as Louis takes a sip from his champagne, Harry steps forward to take his hand. “Hi, beautiful.”

Louis bites his lip, eyes crinkling as they lace their fingers together. “Hi there.”

“I hope you don’t mind me stealing you away.” Harry chuckles, squeezing Louis’ hand as he leads them out to the patio outside.

“No, I absolutely do not.” Louis smiles up at him, taking a seat on the couch beside Harry, fingers still tangled together and resting in Louis’ lap.

“So, I’ve never seen the show before.” Harry bites his lip, eyes crinkled as he giggles at himself.

“What?” Louis laughs, shaking his head. “How did you know to sign up?”

“I saw a commercial and from the moment I saw your face I was like, I have to meet him,” Harry admits, his cheeks flushed like he’s a little nervous to admit it. “I just thought you were so beautiful. So I watched a few interviews, and turns out your soul is just as beautiful.”

Louis feels his heartstrings tugging, his eyes welling up. “Harry, that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Harry reaches forward with his other hand to brush some of Louis’ long fringe out of his eyes. “I just knew I had to know you.”

Louis leans his cheek into Harry’s palm. “You’re sweet.”

Just as Harry begins to lean forward, another man steps out of the shadows. “Can I steal you away, Louis?”

Louis smiles, but the disappointment settles in his gut. “Of course. AJ, right?” The man nods to confirm.

Harry squeezes Louis’ hand as he stands, pressing his lips to the back of it like he did before. “I’ll see you later.”

“Sure,” Louis whispers, his heart begging him to stay put and learn all about Harry.

AJ leads Louis back inside and into a small room, where a couch and warm fire ooze cozy vibes, a safe haven from the cooler night. They sit together, AJ’s hand on Louis’ knee.

“You look so amazing tonight.”

Louis blushes. “Thank you. So do you.” He sips his champagne, smiling fondly when AJ starts to rub his thumb over Louis’ knee. “So tell me about yourself.”

“Well, I’m a pharmacist.”

“Wow!” Louis gasps. “That’s impressive.”

“Yeah, yeah.” AJ laughs. “I love it.”

“I bet.” Louis nods. “Where are you from?”

“Los Angeles.”

“Oh, okay. Not a long flight then.” Louis laughs, AJ practically snorting whiskey out of his nose. It wasn’t that funny. AJ is sweet, he has nice eyes and a nice smile, but Louis isn’t completely sold yet. There’s not much of a spark and he isn’t sure this could ever be anything more than friendly, at least not on his end.

Just as AJ starts to ask him a question, the door opens and Ren steps inside.

“Sorry to interrupt, do you mind if I get a few minutes?”

Louis smiles at AJ, standing to go with Ren. “It was good speaking to you, AJ.”

“Yeah, you too. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Louis takes Ren’s hand, swallowing the last swig of his champagne.

Ren points to the empty glass, smiling fondly. “Do you want another? I can get it for you.”

“Yes, please.”

Ren nods. “My kind of man.”

Louis giggles squeezing his hand. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, I like having fun so I need someone who wants that too.”

“So you’re a big partier?” Louis questions, trying to gauge if this is a red flag or not.

“Not a partier. I just like to have our friends over and have a drink, enjoy quality time. Play games, watch sports, celebrate accomplishments and birthdays.”

Louis nods, deciding it’s actually sweet. He notes the use of “our” friends, butterflies starting their dance low in his belly. “I definitely love doing that, too.”

Ren drops Louis’ hand to pour his champagne, handing it over once it’s filled up. “There you are, gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” Louis takes a sip, his heart jumping when Ren wraps his arm around his shoulders. Louis’ such a tactile person, so the fact that Ren is so comfortable holding him and touching him already is incredibly important to his needs.

Ren sits on one of the kitchen chairs, Louis sliding into the one next to him. “How are you feeling so far?”

Louis sighs. “Good. Everyone’s so nice.”

“Good, that’s great. I know you’ve said that you’re excited about this journey but what actually brought you to this show?”

Louis’ a little caught off guard, his mind whirring quickly before he can gather himself to answer. “Well, uh—my last boyfriend was not interested in settling down, but led me to believe he was. Up until it got to a reasonable time for us to take the next step, then he dropped on me that he didn’t want to get married or have kids. Obviously there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not what I want.”

Ren nods, squeezing Louis’ hands soothingly. He’s rubbing his thumbs over the backs of Louis’ hands, his elbows on his knees as he leans forward to listen. The eye contact is intense, making Louis slightly nervous but in a good way. He likes Ren. “So I figured why not go on the Bachelor and meet men who are here to get married and hopefully fall in love.”

“That makes sense.” Ren nods. “I think I’m in the same boat, I just haven’t found anyone who is ready for something serious.”

“It’s hard.” Louis laughs, Ren joining in and nodding along. “It’s like everyone wants to just sleep around these days.”

“I know.” Ren shakes his head. “I’m ready to give someone my all.”

Louis smiles at Ren sweetly, this man is a very good prospect. “Good to know.”

A man steps into the room, smiling at the two. “Mind if I steal you away?”

“Of course.” Louis smiles, turning to Ren. “It was so nice to speak to you.”

“It was my pleasure, Louis.” Ren smiles, squeezing Louis’ hand once more before standing. “Do you want my seat, man?”

“Yes, that’d be fantastic.”

They swap places, Ren disappearing down the hall and the other man taking his place. “Remind me of your name?”

“Brad.” He laughs, his dark eyes crinkling as he smiles. “I know it’s hard with so many men here.”

“I’m shit at names anyways.” Louis laughs. “It’s so hard.”

“I can’t imagine, thirty men all here for you.” Brad says sarcastically, both of them giggling at how outrageous it is.

“Poor me.” Louis pouts.

“God, you’re so cute.” Brad laughs, reaching up to pinch Louis’ bottom lip. “You’ve got one of those faces that you just want to kiss all over.”

Louis giggles, cheeks flushing. “Thank you.”

He’s attractive, his dark curls neatly groomed and dark eyes making Louis’ heart skip a beat. His lips look inviting, but unfortunately for Brad, another man steps in just as he gets a twinkle in his eye.

“Hi, Louis. Mind if we go talk?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles at Brad once more before turning to follow the man back outside to the patio.

As they sit, the man squeezes Louis’ arm, eyes sweet. “I’m Reshawn, by the way. I heard you say that it’s hard to remember all the names.”

“Oh, thank you.” Louis smiles, placing his hand over Reshawn’s. It dawns on him that Reshawn is the man who chose to bring a family photo to give them something to chat about, much more interesting than the flowers and cheesy pick up lines other men used to attempt to stand out. “You brought the family photo, right?”

“Yes!” He laughs, pulling it out.

“I would love to know more about everyone. Who are they to you and what’re their names?”

Reshawn scoots closer, holding the photo so they both can see. He points to an older woman, salt and pepper hair and her dark skin flawless. “That’s my mom, Linda. She’s amazing, super sweet.”

He moves to a tall man, his smile wide and friendly. “That’s my dad, Thomas. He’s the life of the party, kind of like the glue that holds everyone together. No matter how tense or uncomfortable things can get, he keeps you laughing. Can lighten a room in a matter of seconds.”

Louis nods, sipping at his champagne as he listens intently. Reshawn points to each member, his brothers, sisters, his nieces and nephews, before finally pointing to a precious little girl. Her bright pink dress stands out against Reshawn’s dark jeans, their hands joined on her shoulders. “This is my daughter, Lindsey.”

Louis gasps, scooting closer. “You have a daughter?”

“I do, yes. She’s an absolute angel, she’s three years old.”

“Oh, she’s just beautiful. She looks so much like you!”

He laughs softly. “Yeah, she’s the spitting image of me.”

“I love her dress, her daddy’s got style.”

Reshawn laughs loudly, Louis’ heart squeezing fondly at the sound. “She’s a little diva so we would be screwed if I didn’t.”

Louis hums softly, looking up into his gorgeous eyes. He smells fucking amazing. His eyes drop to Louis’ lips, his own parting on a shaky breath.

“Hey, Louis?”

Just like that, the tension breaks and Louis turns towards the voice, humming in acknowledgement. “Do you mind if I grab you for a chat?”

“Sure.” Louis glances back at Reshawn. “I wanna know more about you and that sweet girl later.”

“Whenever you want, Louis.”

Louis nods, standing and following the other man. “Sorry, I’m so bad at names, do you mind telling me yours again?”

“Tony.”

“Tony, that’s right.” Louis smiles, taking a seat next to the man. “Are you having a good night so far?”

“I am, yes.” Tony smiles, jiggling his leg like he’s nervous.

“Great.”

“So, I hate to start off the night like this, but I feel like this needs to be said right now before anything comes to light.”

Louis’ stomach drops immediately, leaning forward to set his glass on the table in front of them in preparation. “Okay.”

“So, Aiden and I are from the same town and we know the same people.”

“Alright.” Louis nods, raising his eyebrows. He already doesn’t like where this is going, he’s really not in the mood to mediate drama for the next nine weeks.

“Long story short, he has a boyfriend.” Tony rolls his lips together, shrugging arrogantly. He’s already on Louis’ nerves.

“Right. Stay right here.” Louis gets up to go grab Aiden, finding a producer to lead him to the living room where a handful of guys are standing together. The producer points him out, smiling pityingly. Louis sees the first impression rose on the table, his blood boiling when he thinks about how he’s wasting so much time right now. “Aiden, can you follow me?”

Aiden nods, looking excited as he stands and follows Louis down the hall and back to Tony. They sit on the couch, Louis sitting in the middle of the two assholes. “So Aiden, Tony has brought it to my attention that you have a boyfriend at home.”

Aiden furrows his eyebrows, immediately tense and defensive, here we go.

“That’s bullshit. We broke up weeks ago.”

“That’s not what I’ve been told. Cassandra messaged me last night and told me that you’re still very much committed to Evan and that you have an agreement that you can come on here for publicity.”

Aiden scoffs, shaking his head. “You’re so full of shit. Cassandra’s a fucking bitch, she doesn’t know anything. Evan doesn’t even like her, why would he tell her something like that?”

Louis holds his hands up. “So you’re saying it’s true?”

Aiden backpedals quickly, “No, it’s not. We broke up two weeks ago, he knows I’m here.”

“Two weeks ago?” Louis questions. “So after you went through the entire process of applying and being interviewed and selected?”

Aiden shuts his mouth then, guilt filling his eyes. Tony scoffs, shaking his head. “You’re trash, Aiden. Louis doesn’t deserve—”

Louis interrupts Tony, “Stop talking. Listen, this is a waste of my time. I do not appreciate you coming on this show with a boyfriend”—Louis points at Aiden before turning to Tony—“and I do not appreciate you coming to me with drama the first night. It’s really fucking annoying I have to do this.”

Louis stands, chugging the last of his champagne and leaving the room to try to get a breather before someone inevitably finds him and drags him into another conversation.

He pours a glass of champagne and sips it, his head a little dizzy, either from the alcohol or the whirlwind of the night—or maybe both, he doesn’t know nor care.

Louis hears someone walk into the kitchen, his skin prickling knowing it’s going to be another man he has to put up with. This one better not be bringing him shit to deal with too.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Louis immediately relaxes at the voice he’s able to recognize already, turning to see Harry leaning against the doorframe. “Hi.”

“Hi, baby.”

He steps forward to refill his glass with dark whiskey, smiling at Louis. “Having a good night still?”

“I was.” Louis sighs.

Harry swirls his glass for a second. “Come.” He reaches out for Louis’ hand and tugs him into the large pantry. He flips the light on, leaning one arm against the wall and setting his glass on the shelf beside Louis’ head. “What’s going on?”

Louis sighs, eyes already welling up from being overwhelmed and frustrated. “There’s already drama, and I just—do not want to be mediating some petty drama between thirty men for the next three months.”

Harry nods, his other hand cupping Louis’ cheek. “You don’t need to be going through that, Louis. You deserve better than that. It’s childish for men to come on here and start shit on night one. They should be here for you and for you only, not to get into other men’s pasts and cause drama.”

“Exactly. It just scares me. This is night one for God's sake, what else is going to come out over the next few weeks?”

“Hopefully that’s the majority of it and the rest of the drama will work itself out.” Harry smiles, hopeful and sweet. “You deserve to have a relaxing experience, to just fall in love with me and embrace it all.”

Louis practically melts, his warmth spreading in his belly and filling him up. He whispers softly, “Thank you.”

Harry smiles, leaning forward to hug Louis close, resting his chin on top of his head. “Of course, Lou.”

Louis slides his arms under Harry’s suit jacket, seeking warmth, finding it on his lower back where he’s slightly sweaty. His smell is everywhere, Louis buries his nose in the little bit of chest hair on display from Harry’s halfway unbuttoned shirt. He wants to open his mouth and lick over the sweat that’s gathered there, his nose drifting towards the crease of his underarm. It’s intoxicating, slightly ripe but with the right amount of cologne and man. Louis practically whimpers when Harry pulls back slightly, chuckling when Louis squeezes tighter. “No, wait. Just a bit longer.”

“As long as you want, baby.” Harry presses a kiss to the crown of his head, rubbing his back soothingly. Louis would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little turned on right now. Or a lot.

Harry takes a deep breath, squeezing his arms tighter around Louis and groaning like he’s just done a big stretch. “Honestly, I could stay right here forever.”

Louis pulls back to look up at Harry, trying to decide if he’s being serious or not. His green eyes sparkle in the light of the pantry, a hint of a smirk making Louis weak at the knees. He looks sincere and Louis’ never seen anything more attractive. It surprises him when he reaches up to lace his fingers in the tangle of curls at the nape of Harry’s neck, tugging him down to kiss him.

Harry makes a surprised noise but recovers quickly, immediately cupping the back of Louis’ neck, his other hand dropping to squeeze at his hip. They kiss slowly, just sweet pecks at first, and then Harry’s tongue brushes across his lower lip.

Louis opens for him, moaning when Harry licks into his mouth and grips his hair to tilt his head further back. Harry’s hand slides up Louis’ back, under his suit jacket to fist his dress shirt, whispering into his mouth, “You’re so beautiful.”

Louis whines, kissing Harry roughly and nipping at his lower lip. He tastes amazing, warm amber from the whiskey driving him wild. Harry groans when Louis tugs his hair a little too roughly, their tongues sliding together. Louis can feel the temperature rising, his head dropping back against the wall as Harry kisses across his jaw and down his neck. His hands are shaking where they’re tangled in Harry’s curls, his knees weak and his heart hammering in his chest. “Oh, my god.”

Harry chuckles, unbuttoning Louis’ shirt so he can get access to his collarbones. He presses a few gentle kisses before sucking a dark bruise into the right one, Louis moaning and gasping as Harry nips and licks over the mark. “Something to remind you of me this week.”

Louis giggles, shaking his head. “Already possessive, are we?”

Harry smiles down at him, not even a bit ashamed. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had this feeling before.”

Louis stares at him for a moment. “What feeling is that?”

“Like the world makes sense suddenly. Like my heart is whole.”

Louis’ jaw drops, his stomach swooping and his heart pounding so hard he’s almost worried. “Harry.”

“I know that’s a lot, but I just want to be honest with you about how I’m feeling.”

Louis nods, tugging Harry back into another kiss. “Please, please always be honest with me about how you’re feeling.”

Harry nods. “Of course, baby.” He kisses Louis passionately, cupping his face so gingerly. “Anything you want, it’s yours.”

Louis giggles, kissing him once, twice, three times before pulling back. They slip out of the pantry and Louis tells Harry to not go anywhere. When he walks into the living room, all the men turn to smile at him, watching closely as Louis steps forward to grab the first impression rose. He turns and heads back to Harry, listening to all the disappointed sighs and mutters. When he steps back into the kitchen, Harry’s sat at the table chatting to a producer. She immediately backs off when she sees Louis, the cameras rolling as he steps forward. “Harry.”

“Louis.”

“You’ve been so sweet to me tonight, and honestly, you were the one that I immediately felt a connection with. That’s only grown tonight, which is saying something considering I have thirty men here vying for my attention. So, with that said ...” Louis smiles, so fond at the sweet look on Harry’s face. He holds out the rose, taking a deep breath. “Will you accept this rose?”

Harry nods. “Yes. One hundred percent.”

Louis steps forward to pin the rose to his lapel, Harry cupping Louis’ cheek and kissing him gently. “Thank you, beautiful.”

Louis whispers softly, “Anything you want, it’s yours.”

They head back into the living room to join the rest of the men, Foster Donnell slipping into the room behind them. “Louis. It’s time.”

Louis turns, smiling at all the men. “I just wanted to say again, thank you for coming tonight, for sacrificing your time with friends and family. It means so much to me. I have a lot of hard decisions to make, but I’m here to find love.” Louis glances to Harry and he can’t help but smile. “I’ll see you all in a bit.”

The men chime a goodbye together, Louis turning to follow Foster down the hall and into a room with producers.

He sits down with a list of names and pictures, immediately taking note of the men who impressed him and the men who did not. The men he didn’t speak to or didn’t make much of an impression he sorts through based on who seems promising based on their application and picture. He narrows the list of thirty down to twenty-two, confident in which men he’s about to send home.

He follows producers out into the dining room, risers set up for the men to stand on. They line up one by one in their places, Louis standing off to the side with Foster as they’re instructed on how this will go.

It’s a start and stop production, Foster stepping forward to say a few words before stepping back so Louis can say a few words. He apologizes to the eight men about to go home, but reaffirms his hope for the coming weeks. He has a tray with twenty-one roses, his heart hammering as he’s told the first few names. Harry looks smug with his rose pinned to his lapel, already safe for another week. He takes a deep breath before picking up the first rose.

“Terrell.”

Terrell smiles, stepping down and crossing the room to Louis.

“Will you accept this rose?”

“Gladly.”

Louis giggles, his energy contagious. He pins his rose to the lapel of his jacket, patting his chest and laughing when Terrell wraps him up in a hug.

He dances back to his spot, shaking his ass and fist pumping the whole way. The men chuckle and Louis shakes his head. So cute.

Louis grabs the next rose, looking up at the rows of men looking at him hopefully. “Reshawn.”

His big smile fills Louis’ heart. When Louis pins his rose to his lapel, he looks so proud to wear it, pressing a kiss to Louis’ hair when he hugs him tightly.

“Rafeal.”

Rafeal steps down, his hands shaking as he accepts the rose and hugs Louis tightly.

Louis goes down the list and gives roses to Aaron, George, AJ, Boyce, Tim, Vance, and Carlson. Only pausing every few roses to be given a few more names. Brad, Stanley, Lee, Mitchell, Matt. Casey, Damien, Jake, and Tory. He gets down to the final nine men, his eyes dragging over the clearly nervous men. One final rose.

Foster Donnell steps in. “Gentlemen, this is the final rose. Louis will now announce which of you will receive it. If after this final rose, you have not received one, it’ll be time to please say your goodbyes and leave.”

The men all take deep breaths, Tony and Aiden clearly regretting their actions tonight. Aiden looks like he’s going to punch something, or someone. Louis holds back from rolling his eyes, pursing his lips as he takes a second before picking up the final rose.

“I wanted to thank you all again for coming. This wasn’t easy for me, you’re all such nice men and it’s been so nice getting to know you all tonight.”

Another deep breath.

“Ren.”

He steps forward, smiling down at Louis sweetly. “You scared me for a second.”

Louis giggles, pinning the rose to his lapel. “Couldn’t forget you.”

“I like that.” Ren smiles, hugging Louis and pressing a kiss to his cheek before returning to his spot.

Foster steps forward again. “Gentlemen, say your goodbyes.”

Each of the eight men hug their new friends and then in turn step forward to hug Louis, thanking him for his time. Louis apologizes to each one, feeling guilty as he lets each one walk out of the front door. Well, except for Aiden and Tony. Fuckers.

--

The following morning comes quickly, Louis running on four hours of sleep as he gets up to get ready for the first group date. He slides on a pair of black leggings and a sheer black tank top, the armholes hanging down past his ribs. The world can see the hickey Harry sucked into his collarbone the night before, but Louis’ proud to wear it. He runs his fingers through his styled hair, smiling at his reflection in the mirror before grabbing his shoes and heading for the door.

He sits down with Clare, beaming at her excitedly.

“Good morning, Louis.” She laughs, sliding a few papers over to him with pictures and names of the men. “This afternoon is the first group date, this one is going to include nine men and then you’ll also be choosing a man for the first one-on-one, and the nine men for the second group date.”

Louis nods, glancing down at the pictures before him. “Nine, one, nine, right?”

“Correct.” Clare nods, “We suggest Ren for the first one-on-one. He looked to be the best contender last night.”

Louis mulls it over, flipping through each picture. He sorts them into four piles, nine men for the first group date, Ren for the one-on-one, and nine more men for the second group date. This leaves three men without a date, unfortunately, but they can try again next week if they’re still here after the rose ceremony at the end of the week.

The limo waiting out front is still surreal, the fact that he’s about to go on a date with nine men at once not sinking in yet. They pull up to the mansion and Louis takes a few deep breaths before climbing out and going inside. Walking through the halls to the living room, the echo of twenty-two voices bounce off of the walls, making Louis smile. Those are his men.

When he steps into the living room, everyone shouts and claps, Louis smiling and waving. “Hi, boys! How’re we feeling today?”

“Good!”

“Good, you ready for our date today?” Louis smiles at the nine men already dressed and ready to go. “We’ve got a fun day planned.”

They all nod and clap, Louis’ eyes locking with Harry’s. He looks good, dressed in some tiny shorts and a singlet, his hair clipped up on top of his head. He winks, waggling his eyebrows at Louis like the cocky bastard he is. Louis shakes his head, giggling at himself. “Let’s go boys.”

Waiting outside is a bus, all the men climbing on and practically begging Louis to sit next to him, but Harry wraps his arm around his shoulders and pulls him down in a seat before he can even consider his options. “Sorry guys, I guess I’m sitting with Harry.”

He doesn’t miss the eye roll a few men give, some of them muttering quietly as they take their seats. Louis’ confusion disappears the moment Harry’s hand squeezes his leg, his mind immediately focusing on the man beside him. “You look gorgeous today.”

“Thank you, short shorts.”

“Mm,” Harry hums. “I think you like my short shorts.”

“They’re awfully short, don’t leave much to the imagination.” Louis quirks an eyebrow at him, trying his best to keep a straight face.

“Maybe that’s the point. Besides, you can’t really talk in those leggings, baby.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Louis scoffs, crossing his arms petulantly.

“Just means your ass is the best I’ve ever seen, and I like your thong.”

Louis gasps, eyes going wide. “Are they that see through?”

Harry chuckles, shaking his head. “No. I just guessed, but good to know that’s the kind of boy you are.”

Louis’ cheeks immediately flush, his neck hot with embarrassment. “Cocky bastard.”

“You like it.” Harry smirks, pinching Louis’ pouty lower lip. “Pretty baby.”

When they step off the bus, SoFi stadium awaits. All the men follow Louis through the gates and towards the large obstacle course set up, gazing curiously at the scene before them. Louis turns to face the group, smiling at each of their confused faces. “Today’s date will determine who out of the nine of you can be considered ‘husband material’.

“The obstacle course includes a series of challenges such as changing a baby’s diaper, mowing the grass, sorting laundry, doing the dishes, and taking the dog on a walk. Whoever finishes first will win an hour with me in private. Do you think you’re up for the challenge?”

The men all shout, Terrell ripping his shirt off and racing forward to throw Louis over his shoulder, running in circles around the crowd. Louis screams, laughing and kicking his legs as he’s carried around the men, “Terrell! I’m not part of the challenge!”

Terrell giggles as he sets him down, winking as he returns to his spot beside Aaron and Boyce. Louis shakes his head. “Go take your places, boys.”

Louis explains the details of each step as the men nod along in understanding, serious faces surrounding him. The men line up in front of their changing table, each with a baby doll lying fully clothed ready to be changed and a baby carrier to strap to their chest hanging beside the table. The first challenge is to change the diaper, get the carrier on correctly and carry the baby through the course. Louis counts down from three, laughing as the men jump into action, each one using a different strategy. Harry gets the carrier strapped on first, immediately diving into changing his baby, powder and wipes flying. Terrell and George are close behind him, immediately ripping the diapers off their babies to try to catch up.

Harry redresses his baby and slides it into the carrier, taking off for the next challenge. He grabs the lawnmower, clutching the starter and pulling to get the engine going. Louis can see the muscles in his arms working, his biceps tanned and toned as he cranks the mower over and over before the engine starts. Pity.

Terrell is close behind him, then Boyce, Vance, and AJ. They mow their grass, Boyce almost too neat about it and wasting time as Harry and Terrell break off and are suddenly neck and neck. Harry and Terrell grab their baskets and begin to sort the laundry. Terrell plops down on his ass, pulling out piece by piece while Harry dumps the entire basket and throws each color into the proper basket.

Boyce slides up next to Harry, sorting through his basket of laundry much quicker, grabbing chunks of clothes and ripping through the task. He finishes first, taking off to the next challenge. Harry curses loudly, finishing the last of his laundry sorting and taking off. They wash the dishes quickly, all the other men left in their dust as they are neck and neck.

Only one challenge stands between them and an hour alone with Louis.

Harry finishes scrubbing his last dish, tossing it on the rack to dry on his way to the dog walking course, Boyce on his heels. Louis cheers them on, shouting support and clapping for them both as they race through various obstacles. Harry leaps over each barrier, crawling through a tube and squeezing through a wall and bush. Boyce pulls ahead when they have to crawl under wire, both of them covered in mud by the time they get to the last obstacle. They scale the wall, both of them making it to the top at the same time.

Louis holds his breath as they jump down, racing for the finish line. It happens in slow motion, his heart pounding in his chest as he watches the boys cross the line, shaking hands as they try to catch their breath. Louis giggles giddily, stepping up to the podium to announce the top three.

“In third place, we have Terrell!”

The men clap, Terrell accepting his bronze medal.

“In first place, we have ...” he pauses dramatically, “... Harry!”

The men clap, Harry stepping forward and accepting his gold medal.

“And in second, we have Boyce!”

Boyce accepts his silver medal, standing on the podium with Harry and Terrell for a picture. The moment the photographer is done, Harry jumps down from his podium to wrap his arms around Louis’ waist, propping his head on his shoulder. “Time for my hour now?”

Louis giggles, squeezing Harry’s wrists and turns to the men. “Great job boys! I’m so proud of each of you, go rest up and get ready for dinner and I’ll see you all later.”

The men turn and head for the bus, Harry already pressing kisses to the back of Louis’ neck. Louis giggles, swatting at him and turning to face him. “You’re so clingy.”

“I sure am.” Harry beams, reclipping his hair up and propping his hands on his hips. “Do you want to do the course together?”

Louis bites his lip, looking at the course before turning back to Harry. “What do I get when I win?”

Harry smirks. “IF you win, you get whatever you want. If I win, I get to see that thong.”

Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Only if I get to see yours when I win.”

“If you win,” Harry corrects, winking at Louis. “C’mon, baby.”

They reset the course together, Louis grabbing one of the babies and laughing when Harry wraps his arms around Louis from behind, swaying them together and humming a lullaby. “Isn’t this perfect? You, me, and little Shithead.”

Louis throws his head back and laughs, spinning in Harry’s arms to kiss him playfully. “What a beautiful family.”

“Well, duh. Look at us, of course our kids are beautiful.”

Louis hums. “Just hope they don’t get your ego.”

Harry gasps, jaw dropping in offense. He pinches Louis’ ass in retaliation, smirking when he squeals. “Peachy.”

Louis rolls his eyes, carrying his baby to the changing table. “Get ready for me to kick your ass, Harold.”

“Get ready for me to see that ass, Lewis.”

Louis huffs, shaking his head. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

They both grab their carriers, sliding them on effortlessly and immediately starting to change their babies. Louis finishes just seconds before Harry and takes off to the lawnmower. He grabs the starter, pulling the cord once, twice. On the third pull, Louis glances at Harry and immediately goes dumb. God, his arms!

Harry’s mower starts on the first pull and he immediately starts mowing his patch of grass. Louis jumps back into action, tugging on the starter and huffing when he can’t get it to start. Suddenly a body is pressed against his and Harry’s starting Louis’ mower for him, slapping his ass and heading for the next task. Louis whines, mowing his patch of grass messily and heading off after Harry.

Louis giggles at Harry’s dumped out basket, immediately going for the same strategy that Boyce used. He grabs as many of one color as he can, throwing them into each basket and going through it quickly. He finishes before Harry, taking off towards the dishes and scrubbing each one as quickly as he can. Harry slides up next to him, going through his sink of dishes so fast that Louis can feel his competitive side prickling in annoyance.

Just as he finishes his last one, Harry finishes his and takes off for the dog walking course. Louis tries to keep up, his little legs no match for Harry’s fucking stupid ass daddy long legs. They yank their stuffed dog up, racing through the course. When Harry trips over a blockade, Louis rushes past him, giggling manically, “Can’t wait to see your ass, Harry!”

Harry giggles, immediately catching back up to Louis as they crawl under the wire, grabbing his ankle and tugging him back. Louis screams as the mud squelches under his body, Harry flipping him onto his back and pinning him down. “Dirty boy.”

“This is cheating,” Louis mumbles, eyes dropping to Harry’s lips.

“Rules were made to be broken.” Their lips lock passionately, Harry licking into Louis’ mouth and moaning. He intertwines their fingers, pinning them above Louis’ head as he kisses him. Their lips slide, tongues tangling as the air around them buzzes with electricity. Louis’ never felt this way before, has never felt so alive while kissing someone. He’s covered in mud, his head sinking into it the longer he lays there, but that’s the furthest thing from his mind right now.

Harry pulls back slowly, shaking his head minutely, their noses brushing together. “Wow.”

Louis giggles sweetly, nipping at Harry’s lower lip before sucking it into his mouth, opening wide for him. They kiss until their lips ache, their skin raw from each other’s stubble. Louis can feel his heart pounding in his chest, reality starting to come into focus again. He flips onto his belly, crawling forward quickly and climbing out from under the wire. He can hear Harry laughing behind him, hot on his heels as they climb over the wall together. Harry jumps down and races for the finish line, Louis huffing and puffing as he runs.

Harry crosses the line first, his arms pumping in the air as he shouts his victory. He scoops Louis up, swinging him around in circles, “Woooo!”

Louis giggles, immediately going limp and squealing when Harry tosses him over his shoulder. He smacks Louis’ ass and takes a victory lap around the football field. “I get to see Louis’ thong! I get to see Louis’ thong!”

Louis can barely breathe from laughing so hard, tears pouring down his cheeks and his belly aching. Harry sets Louis down, smile bright and so fucking sexy. “Don’t cry, beautiful. I’ll still show you my undies.”

Louis rolls his eyes, Harry immediately turning to yank his shorts down. Turns out, Harry’s not wearing anything. Louis scream-laughs, slapping his hands over his eyes. “I’m blind! Harry, I’m blind!”

“Think I might need to lay out and tan my ass, what do you think?”

Louis giggles, shaking his head. “You’re such a freak.”

Harry winks, shaking his ass before pulling his shorts back up. “Your turn!”

Louis rolls his eyes, turning and digging his thumbs into his leggings. He glances over his shoulder seductively, sliding the leggings down slowly, teasingly. Harry’s eyes are glued to his ass, his chest rising and falling quickly, pupils dilating with each inch of skin revealed. The black string of Louis’ thong is revealed, his leggings sliding over the meat of his ass and tucking underneath the cheeks. “Happy?”

Harry groans, shaking his head. “You’re unreal.”

“Like what you see?” Louis arches his back seductively, biting his lip to hold back his giggles. Harry’s shorts are looking tighter than before, clearly enjoying the view. “Harry.”

“Huh?” Harry’s eyes snap up, clearly trying to hold himself back.

Louis snickers, tugging his leggings back up, turning back around. Harry giggles, wrapping his arms around Louis and burying his face in his neck. “You’re already under my skin, baby.”

“Good.” Louis smiles, nipping at Harry’s jaw. “Keep it that way.”

A limo takes Louis away from Harry to get ready for dinner, his heart aching as he leaves. He showers all the mud off, trying to scrub it from his hair and out from under his fingernails. And if he spends a few more minutes in the shower thinking about laying in the mud with Harry, well, he can’t help himself.

He towels off and puts on his suit, styling his hair so it’s perfectly messy.

He’s driven to a nice restaurant downtown, rented out so it’s just the ten of them—and the crew.

Louis greets the men as he steps inside, hugging each one of them and trying to keep a straight face when he feels Harry cop a feel, whispering to him, “Be good.”

“I’m always good, baby.” Harry chuckles.

Louis steps up to the front of the room, toasting to the night with the men. It’s unexpected when both Harry and Boyce step forward to ask for his time. Louis glances between the men. “I’ll come grab you right after, Boyce. Okay?”

He nods, stepping back and letting Harry take Louis’ hand to lead him away. He finds a couch in a private room, both of them taking a seat. “I know this is probably going to put a target on my back in the house, but I really don’t give a fuck, I can’t get enough of you.”

Louis can feel his cheeks flush, the giddy feeling bubbling in his stomach. “I definitely feel the same way, Harry, and I’m really glad you feel comfortable sharing that with me.”

Harry grins at his words, continuing on, “I had an amazing time today, we have so much fun together. It’s sort of surreal, my feelings are already so strong; I just want to cherish every moment I get with you.”

Louis pokes his lip out fondly. “You’re so sweet. I definitely love spending time with you and I love how this relationship is progressing.”

Harry smiles. “Good.”

Louis leans in, kissing Harry sweetly, hands slipping into his curls. Their lips smack with each kiss, tasting each other. Harry’s hands slide down Louis’ back, tugging him closer and dragging one of his thighs over his lap. “Love kissing you.”

Louis giggles, sliding down onto his back as Harry follows to hover over him. His thigh slides up to hook around Harry’s waist, their groins settling together and making Louis breathless. He’s dizzy with the emotions and the feeling of Harry so close, the entire world falling away with each kiss. Harry’s hips shift, both of them gasping as their cocks brush in their suit trousers.

Louis whimpers, burying his face in Harry’s neck as goosebumps spread over his skin. “Shit, okay, we need to stop or I’m going to lose my mind.”

Harry nods, taking a shaky breath. “Yeah, I’m struggling to control myself around you.”

Louis giggles, sucking a mark into Harry’s throat. “Me too, clearly.”

Harry squeezes Louis’ thigh, hooking his arm under it and pinning it to his chest. Louis drops his head back, squeezing his eyes shut and trying not to picture this position with less clothes. He’s failing.

The door swings open across from them, George getting an absolute eyeful. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. Uh, I’ll come back.”

They scramble apart quickly, Louis jumping up and fixing his suit. “No, no, it’s okay. I’ll come with you. I’ll see you later, Harry.”

“Yeah.” Harry clears his throat, tugging on his suit trousers to try to adjust his cock. “See you, baby.”

He follows George outside to the patio, sliding onto a couch beside a fire pit. George clears his throat a few times, clearly uncomfortable with what he just saw.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“No, no. You don’t need to apologize.”

“Okay.” Louis bites his lip, racking his brain for something to say. “So did you have fun today?”

“I did.” George nods, smiling at Louis shyly. “It was a lot of fun. Obviously I wasn’t even close to winning but it was still a great time.”

Louis smiles fondly, he really does think George is sweet, he’s just not sure there’s much of a spark there. “I’m glad you had fun. I definitely have had one of the best days ever.”

“I believe it.” George laughs, quirking an eyebrow at Louis.

Louis’ cheeks flush immediately, looking down at his fidgety hands.

Boyce opens the door to the patio, smiling at Louis and George. “Do you mind if I steal you for a minute, Louis?”

“Sure. It was nice speaking to you, George.” Louis smiles, rubbing his bicep before standing and following Boyce inside, back to the couch he was just lying on with Harry.

“So, today was a lot of fun.” Boyce smiles, intertwining their fingers and leaning towards Louis. “I really love spending time with you and getting to know you, so I was a bit bummed that I lost, but I’m a good sport.”

“That’s sweet. I like that.” Louis smiles, squeezing his hand. He’s attractive, green eyes and dark hair, tall and tanned. “I love spending time with you too.”

“I just want you to know that I am developing feelings for you.” Boyce confesses, eyes genuine as he takes a deep breath. “It’s hard, this journey is hard, twenty-one other men wanting your attention and affection, but I’m willing to wait my turn. I want to get to know you.”

Louis can’t help the butterflies, knowing he’s not alone when it comes to developing feelings is everything. He feels sparks here, so he leans forward and kisses Boyce. It’s sweet and slow, Louis squeezing his hand when Boyce slides his tongue into his mouth. Boyce pulls back, bumping their noses together. “I think you’re so cute.”

“You’re pretty cute yourself.” Louis giggles, Boyce leaning forward to kiss his nose.

He speaks to each man, trying to take in the night and the fact that each of these nine men have feelings for him. After he speaks to AJ, he heads out to the living room and sits with the rest of the men, the first impression rose staring at him.

“So, I’ve had such an amazing day. I’m so glad I got to spend my first date and first day with this group of men. You’ve all been such good sports and I appreciate it so much. I’ve definitely been shocked with how quickly relationships are progressing here and one of those is with”—Louis takes a deep breath, locking eyes with Harry as he leans forward to grab the rose—“it’s with Harry. So, with that being said, Harry, will you accept this rose?”

Harry nods, standing for Louis to pin the rose to his lapel. Louis can’t help but smile when Harry’s hands squeeze at his hips. “Thank you, baby.”

“Thank you, Harold.” Louis smiles, patting his chest playfully.

“Alright, I’m going to turn in for the night. Thank you all for making today amazing, I’ll see you later!”

The men say their goodnights, each hugging Louis before he goes. On his ride back to his hotel room, he thinks about the differences in his feelings with Harry versus Boyce versus George.

--

Louis wakes up the next morning refreshed and giddy, his first planned one on one date ahead of him. He knows it’s going to be a good day, thinking about the man he chose to spend extra time with today.

When he gets to the mansion, producers are waiting outside the gates with a convertible. He immediately jumps out and beams at the producers. “Good morning to me!”

Tom smiles at him from behind his camera, already sitting in the passenger seat ready to film Louis rolling up on the house. Clare, one of the other main producers, explains that he’s to drive the car up to the house once with Tom in the car and once without, then when his date comes out, let Tom get a good shot in their car before they head to the location. Louis nods along. “Alright, alright, I need keys.”

Clare rolls her eyes, handing them over. “Don’t crash it.”

“I would never.” Louis giggles, sliding into the driver's seat. “Ready, Tom?”

“Ready.”

They roll up on the mansion once, Tom filming Louis smiling and looking as giddy as he feels. Then he reverses and pulls up again, the men filing outside of the house to greet Louis. “Good morning, boys!”

“Morning!” the men chime, all of them wanting hugs. Harry squeezes extra tight, kissing his cheek. Then Ren steps forward.

“Hi, gorgeous.” He smiles, hugging Louis tightly.

“You ready?”

“Absolutely.” Ren’s eyes sparkle when Louis holds up the keys, quirking an eyebrow. “Do I get to drive?”

“In your dreams.” Louis giggles, turning and strutting back over to the car. Ren rushes forward to open the door for him, winking when Louis slides into his seat. He walks around the car and gets in, Louis starting the engine. He turns around on the driveway, Tom filming them as they drive, getting out when Louis stops before turning onto the main road.

Louis follows the car full of producers, cameras flying around them at all angles. He glances over at Ren, smiling at the look of awe on his face. “Surreal huh?”

“Extremely.” Ren laughs, reaching over to lace his fingers with Louis’. “I just can’t believe I’m here, with you, getting to do amazing things like this.”

“I definitely know the feeling.” Louis smiles, taking a curve a little too fast, laughing when Ren gasps and squeezes his hand.

“Fuck, Lou.” Ren laughs nervously.

“Oh, hush.” Louis giggles, flooring the engine and laughing at the look of terror on his face.

Louis weaves in and out of traffic, maybe a little recklessly. Ren digs his nails into the door, jerking with the car. “Baby!”

Louis rolls his eyes, he’s used to people acting like this in the car and he really doesn’t get it. He’s just driving.

He peels into the parking lot, taking the turn on two wheels practically, Ren’s stomach in his ass and sweat pouring down his face. Louis dodges a few pedestrians and pulls into a space, throwing the car into park and squeezing Ren’s sweaty hand before climbing out.

Ren gets out of the car on weak legs, closing the door gently. “Louis.”

“Hm?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a shit driver?”

Louis scoffs, “No.”

“You’re a shit driver.” Ren widens his eyes seriously.

Louis laughs loudly, tossing his head back. “You’re alive, aren’t ya?”

“Barely,” Ren grumbles, following Louis through a small crowd. “Where are we?”

Louis turns to Ren, grabbing his hands and smiling sweetly. “We’re at the Beachside Wine Festival, so we’re gonna roam around and get a little drunk. How’s that sound?”

Ren smiles fondly, tucking Louis’ hair behind his ear. “Sounds amazing, Lou.”

Louis glances at a camera to get the okay to head on, smiling back at Ren, “Let’s go. I bet you need a drink after all my terrible driving.”

“I need at least two, actually.”

“Smartass.” Louis giggles, tugging Ren along.

They line up at the first booth, filling their glasses with a light white wine. Louis swirls his glass as they stroll, sipping and swinging their joined hands. “So, Ren. What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a teacher.”

“Oh? What age?”

“First grade.”

Louis’ heart melts, his stomach swooping fondly. “So you like kids then?”

Ren laughs softly, nodding. “I do, I love them.”

“That’s so cute.” Louis smiles, finishing off his first glass of wine. “How long have you been doing that?”

Ren takes Louis’ glass, stepping up to the next booth to pour them each more wine. He hands it back to Louis, his smile blinding, humming for a second. “Four years now, which is sort of unbelievable.”

“Why unbelievable?”

Ren shrugs. “I just love my job, so it’s sort of wild how time flies I guess. It feels like just yesterday I was student teaching. I love my kids and I love watching them grow up, you know my first class starts middle school next year, and I could cry over it.”

“That’s sweet,” Louis coos, Ren reaching up to wrap his arm around Louis’ shoulders, their fingers still laced together. “Do they come and visit you after they move grades?”

“Yeah, I’ve had a few of my first class come by to help with after school care and I still see them in the halls or during awards programs.”

“I bet you’re an amazing teacher.”

Ren sighs, tucking Louis closer under his arm. “I definitely try to be the best I can be for them.”

Ok so, apparently this man is really perfect. Louis’ stomach flutters as they stroll through each booth, sipping their wine and chatting about Ren’s job, his big fluffy dog, and the best trip he’s ever taken. Louis can feel himself slipping into the right side of tipsy, his fingers tingly and his mood light. He’s happy and he’s giddy and he thinks Ren is so, so cute.

“You’re so cute.” Louis giggles, running his fingers through Ren’s dark hair.

Ren chuckles, holding his wrist and kissing his palm sweetly. “You’re drunk.”

“Noo, not drunk. Just tipsy.”

“Mm, right.” Ren bites his lip, cupping Louis’ cheek. “Can I kiss you?”

“Don’t need to ask.” Louis giggles, wrapping his arms around Ren’s waist and puckering his lips up at him. “Just plant one on me, Renny.”

Ren laughs, dropping his head back before wrapping his arms around Louis’ thighs and lifting him up. Their lips meet, fireworks going off in Louis’ head. Holy fuck.

Ren sucks on Louis’ lips, their tongues sliding together and teeth clanking messily. Louis pulls back to giggle, Ren scrunching his nose cutely and mumbling, “Fuck, I love to hear you laugh.”

Louis’ cheeks flush, his heart pounding in his chest. Ren sets Louis down, chasing him down the boardwalk and laughing loudly as he watches him steal a bottle of wine and head down the steps towards the beach. Ren catches up with him before the waterline, scooping him up and swinging him around in circles. He runs into the ocean, Louis screaming with laughter and kicking his legs. “Ren!”

Ren holds him over the water, laughing uncontrollably. “Three.”

“No!” Louis screams, throwing his head back and wheezing.

“Two.” Ren dips Louis’ foot in the water.

“Ren! No!” Louis screams. “My hair looks good today!”

Ren chuckles, shaking his head. “What are you going to do if I drop you?”

“No more kisses!” Louis giggles, clearly bluffing. He tips the wine bottle back and takes a long swig. “And I won’t share my wine with you.”

Ren hums thoughtfully. “I think you’re bluffing.”

He fucking drops Louis.

Louis resurfaces, gasping and laughing so loud people on the shore are stopping to stare. “Dickhead! What about my wine!”

Ren’s doubled over, laughing so hard his face is red. Louis sees his opportunity and jumps on his back, knocking him off his feet and making both of them go under. Worth it.

They spend the rest of the afternoon splashing in the Pacific, kissing sweetly and chasing each other.

As the sun begins to set, they trudge back up the beach and head to a random hotel the producers point out to them to change. Louis rinses off quickly, trying to get his hair styled neatly but giving up when he realizes the ocean and wind have just ruined it for good. He changes into a cute t-shirt, pairing it with a blazer and some tight black jeans.

Ren meets him at his door, looking effortlessly cool and sexy. “God, how are you so perfect?”

Ren flushes, his eyes dragging over Louis’ body. “Have you seen yourself, Lou?”

“Hush. C’mon.” Louis giggles, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hall. They step out onto the patio of the hotel, a table set up for the two of them.

There’s a single rose in the center of the table, pressure's on.

They sit across from each other, Louis laying his napkin over his lap even though they’re not allowed to eat what’s on their plates. Ren chews on his lip nervously and Louis reaches out to squeeze his hand comfortingly. “I had an amazing time today.”

“I did too. I’m having an amazing time, and I just want you to know that I really feel something here.”

Louis’ heart skips a beat, his eyes going soft as he listens to Ren confess his feelings.

“I just don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before, you make me feel so comfortable in my skin and so excited to spend time with you. I want to spend more and more time with you each time we’re together. It’s like you’re addicting.”

Louis giggles, leaning forward to kiss Ren, fingers tangling in the dark hair curled at the nape of his neck. “I’m really, really glad to hear that. I definitely feel like this is one of the relationships that is progressing really well and easily. It’s easy with you, to just have fun but also to be serious. You make me feel safe.”

Louis can see the weight lift from Ren’s shoulders, his eyes brightening and his breathing even out. “God, thank God.” He laughs, leaning forward to press his lips to Louis’ again.

When Louis pulls back, he scoots his chair closer, a massive smile plastered and permanent on his face. “So, with being a teacher, does that mean you want no kids or lots of kids?”

“I want a fucking farm of kids,” Ren laughs. “I come from a big family and there’s just been no other way for me.”

“How big of a family?” Louis asks, intrigued.

“I have 23 first cousins.”

Louis gasps. “What?!”

Ren laughs, shrugging. “Catholic.”

Louis giggles. “That’s so many, how do you keep up with all of them?”

“We’re all really close, oddly enough. We all live in the same town and spend every holiday, birthday, everything together. It’s a lot.”

“I can’t imagine.”

“It was super embarrassing when I was younger but I’ve embraced it at this point, wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Louis really needs to contain his fondness, it’s written all over his face, he’s sure of it. “That’s sweet. So a big farm of kids to add to your massive family.”

“Yeah.” Ren bites his lip. “I love kids, my nieces and nephews are so beautiful and fun and I just want my own now. I love being everyone’s fun uncle Ren, but I’m ready.”

Louis can relate.

“My younger sister has two of her own, both under five, both a mess, but I love them so much. I’m ready for my own, give her babies some cousins to play with.”

Louis feels better when he sees how Ren’s face melts, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “I bet you’re good with kids.”

“The best,” Louis says dramatically.

Ren laughs. “As fun and dramatic as you are.”

“Fun?” Louis raises an eyebrow.

“You're alright.” He chuckles, squeezing Louis’ hand. “Among other things.”

Louis scoots even closer, practically in the man’s lap at this point. “Don’t stop there.”

Ren chuckles, one of his hands landing heavily on Louis’ thigh. “You really want to know what I think of you?”

“I’m intrigued.” Louis raises his eyebrows, flirting heavily and thriving from the attention. Ren’s attractive and funny and he’s here to fall in love, why not lay it on thick?

Ren smirks, leaning closer and cupping Louis’ cheek with his other hand. “I think you’re incredibly smart, funny, silly”—he presses his lips to Louis’—“kind, and so sexy.”

Louis brushes their lips together again, whispering softly, “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Ren whispers back, his hand on Louis’ thigh inching higher. Louis’ head is spinning, goddammit. He lets Ren grope his thigh as he kisses him, his pleased groans making Louis sweat. He drags his fingers down Ren’s firm chest, sucking on his lower lip and moaning softly.

“I think you’re pretty sexy, too.” Louis pecks his lips once, twice, three times before pulling back.

“That’s it?” Ren laughs, pretending to be offended. “I’m hurt.”

“Yeah.” Louis shrugs, “That’s it, I’m afraid. Just a nice man to look at and kiss.”

Ren shakes his head, full-on belly laughing at Louis. “You’re so annoying.”

Louis winks. “Well—” he drags out the end of the word, “I guess you’re also sweet, and kind, and fun, and you look sexy being dunked in the water. Very drowned rat chic.”

Ren rolls his eyes, shoving Louis gently. “No more kisses for you.”

“Renny.” Louis pouts, poking his bottom lip out.

“Nope. Rude boys don’t get kisses.” Ren sticks his tongue out at Louis.

“I bet I can change your mind,” Louis sing-songs, waggling his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah?” He laughs, his eyes widening when Louis reaches for the rose.

“Ren.” Louis smiles, twirling the rose between his fingers. “I’ve had an amazing night tonight, truly one of the best I’ve ever had. I’m so thankful that you shared so much with me today about your family and your kids, I’m really starting to feel something here and I would love to keep exploring this with you.”

Louis takes a deep breath, glancing down at the rose before locking eyes with Ren once again. “Will you accept this rose, Ren? And give me more kisses?”

Ren giggles, nodding and leaning forward so Louis can pin it to his lapel. “I’ll give you all my kisses, Lou.”

Louis hums confidently, immediately squishing the rose as he climbs into Ren’s lap. “Lay ’em on me.”

--

The next morning Louis gets up feeling refreshed and giddy. His date with Ren was absolutely perfect and he floated home on cloud nine, lips sore and belly warm.

He thinks of him while he gets ready, changing into some basketball shorts and a singlet, using a headband to push his hair back out of his face. He’s got his second group date today and he’s too excited, bouncing on his toes when he’s dropped off outside the mansion.

Clare meets him at the front door, explaining how today is going to go. “So you’ll go in, greet the men and get them pumped up, then everyone’s going to run out to the bus and climb on. I’d prefer you sit by one of the men you haven’t had a lot of time with yet but I know you’ll do what you want,” she huffs, rolling her eyes. “Then when you get to the venue, they’ll film you running out of the bus and then we’ll head inside. Sound good?”

“Peachy.” Louis gives her a winning smile, and bats his eyelashes. “Can I go in now?”

“Yes.” She sounds mean but she’s got a smirk on her lips, clearly charmed by Louis, just like everyone else that crosses his path.

Louis slips inside and down the hall, poking his head into the room. “Good morning!”

The men all greet him, huge smiles on their faces, “Morning!”

“Are you boys ready? We’ve got a fun date planned.”

They all clap, Louis giggling at their hesitant enthusiasm. “Then let’s go!”

Reshawn immediately rushes forward to follow Louis to the bus. “Hey, Louis. Do you mind sitting with me?”

Louis smiles fondly. “Definitely, yes.”

“I’ll save you a seat.”

Louis watches as the men load up, Reshawn basically sprawling over two seats so no one else can even try to sit with him. When Louis steps onto the bus, he has a few more offers to sit before he gets to Reshawn, but he turns them all down, plopping beside Reshawn and leaning heavily into his side. “Hi.”

“Hi, sweetheart.” Reshawn beams, his arm draped across the back of Louis’ seat. “How’ve you been?”

“So good.” Louis smiles. “I’m so excited for today’s date.”

“What are we doing?” Reshawn whispers.

“It’s a secret,” Louis whispers back, waggling his eyebrows.

Reshawn laughs, placing his hand palm up on his thigh, clearly offering to hold Louis’ hand. It’s the oldest move in the book, but Louis appreciates his old school ways, so he links his fingers with Reshawn’s.

“I’ve missed you all week, I’ve been so excited to see you again after the cocktail party.”

“I have been too, how’s the princess?”

“She’s amazing, I actually spoke to her last night. I told her all about you.”

Louis melts into a puddle, his heart squeezing in his chest. “You told her about me?”

“Of course, she’s so excited to meet you.” Reshawn squeezes Louis’ hand, lifting it to press his lips to the back of it.

“Oh my god,” Louis fonds. “That’s so sweet. She’s precious. I can’t wait to meet her, too.”

Reshawn looks like he could fly. “That makes me so unbelievably happy.”

They pull up to the Staples Center, the men exiting the bus one by one. Louis squeezes Reshawn’s hand. “Come find me later and we’ll talk more about her.”

He nods, Louis turning to follow the rest of the men off the bus.

They all head for the front doors, all the men oohing and ahhing, excited to be here, but Louis knows they’re not ready for what waits inside.

As they head down to the gym floor, the LA Lakers wait for them.

As the realization hits the men they all start to cheer, hooting and jumping on each other and fist pumping, shaking hands with the players. Louis stands off to the side, smiling fondly at his boys.

Louis and LeBron James stand together, all the men standing amongst the players.

“Today, you and Louis will be playing me and my team.” LeBron smiles, laughing at the looks of horror that immediately cross the mens’ faces. “Don’t worry, we’ll go easy on you.”

Louis giggles, bouncing on his toes with excitement. “Myself and four men will play the first half, then the other five of you will play the last half. Do I have any volunteers to play first?”

None of the men step forward for a few moments, all of them looking at each other expectantly. Reshawn wastes no more time, immediately stepping forward—he’s clearly taking the initiative today and Louis’ liking it. Matt and Stanley step forward after, all three men getting tossed a jersey. Louis crosses his arms, quirking an eyebrow at the rest of them. “One more man.”

Hesitantly, Lee steps forward, accepting the jersey and smiling nervously at Louis.

“Thank you, Lee. So that leaves Brad, Mitchell, Rafeal, Casey, and Jessie to play the second half, so go sit on the bench.” Louis laughs, turning towards the other four men and sliding his jersey over his head. They discuss positions and immediately spread out on the court, Louis having a vague idea of what he’s doing, but not really.

Just as the ball is about to be tossed into the air, doors open around them and a small crowd fills the stadium to their left. They’re all clapping and cheering, the men looking even more terrified than they were before. The ball is tossed in the air, one of the Lakers immediately snatching it and heading for the goal. Louis and Stanley try to block, both raising their arms and pressing against the man. It’s not really any use though, the man is six billion feet tall and Louis stands no chance. He shoots and the ball swishes through the net.

Reshawn catches the rebound, bouncing it as he heads down the court, passing it to Matt, who immediately gets the ball swatted out of his hand. The crowd boos, the Laker heading down the court and alley-ooping the ball over Lee. Louis doubles over in laughter at the sight of Lee ducked down with his hands over his head, terrified to get dunked on by a fucking legend.

Reshawn joins in on the laughter, running by and squeezing Louis’ arm as he catches the pass from Stanley, shouting directions to the team. He passes the ball to Louis, running down the court to try to get open for a pass. Louis bounces the ball, trying to keep his eyes on his team, looking for anyone to pass to. Reshawn runs around the player guarding him, his arms open as Louis throws the ball over LeBron’s head. He catches it, running down the court and shooting, sinking the ball into the net. Louis, Matt, Stanley, Reshawn, and Lee cheer, all of them slapping each other on the back as they chase the Lakers back down the court.

That’s the only basket they make, the Lakers scoring two more and ending their half at twelve to three. Louis drops down on the bench, pouring sweat and chugging water. Mitchell looks like he might be sick, his head in his hands as he watches the other men warm up. Louis slides down the bench beside him. “You okay?”

He looks over quickly, nodding his head. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

He stands quickly, running over to join his half of the team in warm ups before halftime is over. Reshawn plops down beside Louis, smiling at him fondly. “You held your own, sweetheart.”

Louis giggles. “I was the Troy Bolton at my high school.”

“Really?” Reshawn laughs, looking at Louis with shock all over his face.

Louis shrugs. “Nah, I was definitely Gabriella.”

Reshawn throws his head back and laughs. “All drama, no balls?”

Louis shakes his head. “No, no. There were plenty of balls, Reshawn.”

Reshawn’s belly laughing now, shaking his head. “I should’ve seen that one coming.”

“Yes,” Louis laughs, smiling at Reshawn fondly, “you definitely should have.”

The buzzer signals the end of halftime, the remaining five men taking their positions on the court, the ball being tossed in the air. Louis, Reshawn, Matt, Stanley, and Lee cheer on their teammates, trying not to laugh too hard as they get creamed by the Lakers.

Only after Rafeal gets knocked down do they get another basket, solely because he gets to take a penalty shot. They spend most of the game chasing after the Lakers, barely even touching the ball. Louis and Reshawn laugh together, making up cheers together and forcing the other men to join them.

When the buzzer signals the end of the game, forty-six to four, Louis and the men shake hands with the Lakers. Reshawn scoops Louis up and throws him on his shoulders on their way out to the bus, laughing the whole way. Louis screams and holds on tight, the feel of Reshawn’s hands holding his thighs tightly making him a little lightheaded.

He sets him down so they can climb onto the bus, their fingers intertwined as they collapse into a seat together, sweaty and cheeks sore from laughter. They force the men to cheer with them the whole ride to the next venue, Louis clapping his hands over his head to the beat.

When the bus arrives, they split off so everyone can get ready for the cocktail party, Louis showering and changing into a button up and jeans. When he enters the closed off restaurant, all the men are standing around, drinks in hand and looking so good. Reshawn is the first to notice Louis, stepping forward to hand him a glass of wine. “Here you go, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.” Louis smiles, blushing at the fact that he did that on his own accord. He turns to the men, who have gathered together for Louis. “I had an amazing time today, you were all such good sports and I really appreciate you all giving it your all, even if we got our asses kicked.”

The men all laugh, elbowing each other and blushing with embarrassment at their horrific loss. “But, you made the day so much fun and I’m so thankful I got to spend it with each of you. Let’s make it a good night too, cheers.”

The men clink their glasses together, Matt stepping forward to steal Louis away. They head to the patio, Matt grabbing a blanket to wrap it around Louis’ shoulders.

Louis accepts it gratefully, taking a sip of his wine as Matt takes a seat beside him. “So, I appreciate you taking the initiative of playing first. I promise those sort of things do not get overlooked.”

“Of course, yeah. I love playing basketball so I was really excited. It’s just intimidating playing the Lakers, you know?”

“Of course”—Louis smiles—“but it’s so nice seeing men step forward and face that and be a good sport about it.”

Matt nods. “I mean even just a few minutes extra with you makes it worth it.”

Louis takes a sip of his wine. “You’re sweet.”

Matt takes Louis’ hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it. “I know we haven’t had much time to get to know each other, but I do have feelings for you and I just want you to know that I’m here to be with you. I want to pursue you.”

Louis nods, taking another sip of his wine. “Thank you, that means a lot to hear that.”

The door opens to the patio, Mitchell stepping out and swapping out with Matt. Louis can feel the awkward tension enter the air, his stomach twinging uncomfortably. Mitchell sits quietly, sipping his whiskey and clearing his throat.

“So,” Louis starts, racking his brain for anything to say, “was this just not really your kind of thing?”

Mitchell sighs, shrugging his shoulders. “I just struggle with those types of things, I’m not one for wanting attention on me and that was honestly my worst nightmare.”

“I’m really sorry you didn’t enjoy the date.” Louis feels bad, he really does, but he’s also a bit annoyed. “I wish you had told me so I could have tried to salvage it for you.”

Mitchell shrugs again, downing the rest of his whiskey. “Yeah.”

Louis’ brows furrow, glancing at a producer out of the corner of his eye. She scurries off, quickly returning like an angel. Reshawn steps out onto the patio, smiling at Louis sweetly. “Can I borrow you?”

“Of course.” Louis smiles at Mitchell one more time before standing and following Reshawn back inside. They sit on a couch in a part of the restaurant that’s been curtained off for privacy, Louis curling up into Reshawn’s side. “Did you have a good day?”

“The best day.” Reshawn smiles, kissing the crown of Louis’ head, his arm wrapped around his dainty shoulders. “Thank you for spending so much time with me today, I truly appreciate every second.”

“I had so much fun with you, Reshawn. You really made my whole day.” Louis smiles, turning to face him.

“My feelings are growing for you so much, Louis. Today has really opened my eyes to it and I just want you to know that what you said earlier, about meeting my girl, that’s the most important thing to me. I want you to come home with me, meet my baby, meet my family. I truly think you’re such an amazing person and I love how I feel when I’m with you.”

Louis tears up at his words, immediately launching forward and wrapping his arms around Reshawn’s neck, kissing him deeply. “Thank you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Reshawn whispers, their lips locking in a gentle kiss.

Louis pulls back. “I think you’re the sweetest man here. I really like where this relationship is going, so please keep coming to me and putting yourself out there like you did today.”

Reshawn nods, rubbing Louis’ back soothingly. “Anything for you.”

When they peel themselves away from each other and return to the group, Louis takes time to speak to Stanley, Lee, Brad, Rafeal, Casey, and Jessie but ultimately returns back to Reshawn’s side. They sit together as a group and chat, the only one not really speaking being Mitchell. Louis thinks hard about the rose as they all chat, eventually leaning forward and scooping up the rose. “Reshawn, do you mind coming with me?”

Reshawn immediately stands, taking Louis’ hand and following him out to the patio. They lean against the railing, overlooking downtown LA. “So, normally I would give you this in front of the group, but I feel like today has been very monumental in the progress of our relationship so I felt better doing this alone.”

“I appreciate that, sweetheart.” Reshawn smiles, making Louis’ stomach swoop.

Louis twirls the rose a few times. “I’m giving you this rose to encourage you and show you that what you did today, putting yourself out there like you did, it pays off. I can’t wait to see where this goes, so, would you accept this rose, Reshawn?”

“Yes, of course, sweetheart.”

Louis smiles, pinning the rose to his lapel. Reshawn places his other hand on the railing on the other side of Louis’ body, leaning down to kiss him. It’s sweet and soft, like Reshawn, a perfect way to end the night.

--

Louis spends half the day lying around, his stomach rolling with guilt due to the fact he has to send home three men tonight. He has his mind made up for the most part, but he has a cocktail party to try and speak to the three he’s not clicked with so far.

For Louis, it’s important to have his man reach out and put in the effort that he puts in and there’s been a surprising amount of men not doing anything at all. Yet, he’s still lying here feeling guilty and a little upset over it.

Clare comes to knock on his door to warn him that he’s running out of time, her judgmental look at his sweats not helping his mood.

He dresses quickly, sliding into the same skinny jeans he wore the night before and a cute sweater, styling his hair as best as he can. A makeup artist, Tanya, stops Louis before he leaves, dabbing concealer under his eyes. “Sleepless night?”

Louis sighs. “You could say that.”

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispers, smiling at him genuinely. “You’re making the right decision for yourself.”

Louis nods. “I just feel bad.”

She shrugs, dusting some powder over his face. “They knew what they were signing up for, there’s a 3% chance that they’ll be the one when they come on here. If that.”

Louis smiles at her gratefully. “Thank you.”

“Of course, darling. Now go spend some time with your men.”

The limo takes Louis to the mansion and when they pull up, he sits in the car for a few minutes just trying to brighten his mood, taking deep breaths and forcing himself into the mindset he needs for tonight. Eventually, Clare knocks on his window to signal that he has to get out. He follows her up to the door, slipping inside and down the hall to greet the men.

When he steps into the living room, the men all stand, greeting Louis and looking incredible. They have their glasses in hand, probably already a drink or two deep. Louis’ jealous. Ren steps forward to hand Louis a glass of wine. “Hi, gorgeous.”

Louis smiles, cheeks flushing. “Hi, Ren.”

Ren steps back into the group, everyone looking at him expectantly.

“This week has been absolutely amazing”—Louis smiles, glancing around at the various faces—“and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. Obviously, tonight is a little difficult because I have to send some of you home, but we’re going to have a good night and I’m happy to be here with each of you. Cheers.”

The men all clink glasses, Harry immediately locking eyes with Louis and quirking an eyebrow, Louis smiling and nodding minutely. Harry immediately steps forward and holds out his hand, both of them heading to a different part of the house. They sit together on the couch by a fire, Harry pressing his lips to the back of Louis’ hand. “What’s going on in your head, baby?”

Louis sighs, looking down at his lap. “How’d you know?”

“You’re not your usual self tonight, missing my boy.”

Louis takes a sip of wine. “I just feel awful about having to send people home. They’ve come here to get to know me and we’ve hardly had a chance to speak.”

Harry nods, rubbing his thumb over the back of Louis’ hand soothingly. “That isn’t your fault though, Louis. They’ve had time to get to know you at this point, even if it was just pulling you aside during the cocktail parties.”

Louis nods. “I know, I just feel bad. I don’t want anyone to be upset.”

Harry scoots closer, pulling Louis’ legs over his lap to hold him close. “I know, baby. You’re too nice, but this is the way it goes. They won’t hold it against you.”

Louis bites his lip, looking up at Harry with watery eyes. “Thank you for listening and for pulling me aside.”

“Of course, baby. I love listening to you.” Harry smiles, squeezing Louis’ knees. “I want you to be happy and have fun tonight, you look stunning.”

Louis can feel his cheeks heat. “Thank you.”

The door opens, Damien smiling shyly. “Can I steal you Louis?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles sweetly at Harry, squeezing his arm as he stands and follows Damien outside.

Louis’ only said a few words to Damien since they got here, his introduction and a few minutes at the last cocktail party. He’s on the short list to go home, clearly shy and not able to progress using this process. He’s cute and nice, but that can only take you so far when there’s men doing the most for Louis’ attention.

They sit together, Louis crossing his legs and smiling at Damien. “So, long time no see.”

Damien laughs quietly, nodding awkwardly. “Yeah, I’m just really shy and I struggle to put myself out there. I wanted to pull you aside tonight, though. I know I wasn’t on a date and we’ve not had a lot of time to speak but I do think you’re such a great person and I’m attracted to you.”

Louis smiles, reaching out to hold Damien’s hand. “That means a lot to me that you’ve put yourself out there even if it makes you uncomfortable. I find you really attractive, as well, but I’m just a little concerned knowing how I’ve already progressed with other men here.”

Damien nods understandingly. “I guess I’m just asking you to think about not ruling me out yet, because I can really commit to this process and try to open up.”

Louis nods. “I will, thank you.”

They stand, Damien reaching out to hug Louis tightly. They head back inside, Harry crossing paths with them. Harry catches Louis’ hand, pouting cutely. “Can I have a few more minutes?”

Louis giggles. “Okay.”

He follows Harry back into the room, curling into his side as they sit together.

“I just haven’t seen you in a few days, I missed you.” Harry wraps his arm around Louis’ shoulder, kissing the crown of his head.

“I missed you.” Louis nuzzles Harry’s shoulder, kissing his neck softly. “Have you had fun?”

“Haven’t done much, I spoke to my mom and sister the other night but that’s all I did besides lie around and swim in the pool.”

“You have a sister?”

“Mhm.” Harry smiles. “Older, smarter, but not as funny.”

“But you’re not funny.” Louis wrinkles his nose, his face breaking into a smile when Harry gasps offendedly.

“I’m hilarious, the funniest person you know,” Harry corrects, twisting Louis’ nipple cheekily. Louis gasps breathily, he really doesn’t mean to, but Harry catches it right away. “That’s interesting.”

The door opens, Ren stepping inside. “Sorry to interrupt, mind if I take your seat, Harry?”

Harry hesitates before standing, Louis smiling smugly to himself. Harry slips out of the room and Ren takes his seat, his hand landing heavily on Louis’ thigh. “Hi, Lou.”

“Hi, Ren. How’re you?”

“I’m good, better with you here. I’ve missed you since our date.”

“Yeah?” Louis smiles, sliding closer to Ren. “I was going to come find you and see how you felt about our date. Where’s your head at?”

“My head is a little bit all over the place, I’m not going to lie, but not in a bad way.”

“What kind of way then?” Louis questions, twining their fingers together.

“A good way. I just have such strong feelings for you already and it’s a lot to take in. I can’t stop thinking about you.” Ren smiles shyly, cupping Louis’ cheek with his other hand. “Think about you all day and all night. It’s driving me crazy that I can’t see you whenever I want.”

Louis giggles, leaning forward to kiss Ren, their lips locking passionately. Louis buries his fingers in Ren’s hair, his thigh draped across his lap. “Good answer.”

They kiss until the door opens again, Stanley standing in the doorway. “Sorry, um, can I borrow you, Louis?”

Louis pecks Ren’s lips once more before standing to follow Stanley, taking his hand and following him down the hall to the kitchen. They sit together at the bar, Stanley dropping his hands to Louis’ thighs. “Hi.”

Louis laughs, placing his hands over Stanley’s. “Hi.”

“I’m so happy to see you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the date the other day.”

Louis pokes his bottom lip out fondly. “That’s sweet. I feel like we haven’t had much time to talk at all.”

“We definitely haven’t, that’s why I wanted to pull you aside tonight.”

“Okay”—Louis smiles—“go ahead.”

“I just want you to know that I’m here to find love, Louis. I want to be here and I want to get to know you and have time to grow and build a relationship. It’s so hard in this setting, but I want you to know I’m dedicated.”

“Okay.” Louis nods, squeezing Stanley’s hands. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Stanley. It’s nice to know that’s where your head is at because this process isn’t for everyone. It only gets harder from here.”

“I understand.”

A knock interrupts, Louis turning to see Harry in the doorway. “Sorry, can I borrow you for just another few minutes?”

Louis glances at Stanley then back at Harry. Honestly, he doesn’t know where else this conversation could go tonight, so he nods. “Yeah. Thank you for pulling me and speaking to me, Stanley. I do appreciate the effort you’re putting in.”

Stanley nods, squeezing Louis’ hands before he turns to follow Harry down a hall. A door is opened and Harry tugs Louis inside, shutting it behind them so they’re in the dark. Louis can’t help but giggle, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck. “What are you doing pulling a lady into a dark closet?”

“Giving the lady what she wants.” Harry smirks against Louis’ lips, kissing him slowly. He licks into Louis’ mouth, pouring his feelings into each press of his lips. “I missed kissing you, can’t ever get enough of you.”

Louis moans, a thigh slipping between his. “Harry, you’re driving me crazy.”

“Good.”

Louis moans, his hips grinding forward against Harry’s firm thigh. A warm hand slides up his sweater, fingers dancing over Louis’ nipples until they’re sensitive and hard.

“Think my baby likes his nipples to be played with.”

Louis whines into Harry’s mouth, arousal shooting up his spine. His cock twitches in his jeans and he knows he’s in dangerous territory. “Fuck, okay. We have to stop.”

“Why?” Harry groans, pulling his hand out of Louis’ sweater and pressing them to the wall beside his head. “Why would we need to stop?”

“Because,” Louis sighs, shoving Harry back, “we have to.”

Harry drops his head back and squeezes his eyes shut. “Okay, yeah. You’re probably right.”

Louis giggles, nipping at Harry’s jaw. “I’m always right, H. Get used to it.”

He turns to leave the closet, gasping when Harry pinches Louis’ ass. He glances over his shoulder at Harry, a decent tent starting to form in his slacks. “Might wanna take care of that before the rose ceremony.”

Harry shakes his head, dropping his hand to the front of his slacks and pressing down. Louis runs, fast, knowing that if he stays any longer he’ll be on his knees in two seconds flat.

Foster Donnell steps into the living room just as Louis slips in. “Louis, you ready?”

“I am.” Louis turns to the men, eyes drifting to Harry when he sees him slip in. “I just wanted to thank you all for coming and for making this week so much fun. You have no idea how much all of you and all of this means to me, I’ll see you all later.”

Louis heads down the hall with Foster, slipping into the room with producers to give his three to eliminate.

He feels bad, but the three men he picks haven’t had much of a spark and Louis just isn’t sure they could catch up with the other men even if they wanted to. Once he gives his final decision, they slip down the hall to the dining room where the men have lined up on the risers.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” Foster Donnell greets the men. “We have sixteen roses. Ren, Harry, and Reshawn, you already have a rose so you are safe until next week.”

Foster takes one more glance around the room before turning to Louis. “Louis, when you’re ready.”

Louis takes a deep breath, stepping forward and picking up the first rose. “This has been a tough decision, I do not take this lightly and I’ve definitely struggled. You’re all amazing men, though, and I want you to know that I truly appreciate the time you’re sacrificing to be here.”

Louis glances at each face, his heart in his stomach. “Boyce.”

Boyce steps forward, smiling wide. “Hi.”

Louis giggles. “Hi. Will you accept this rose?”

“Of course.” Boyce nods, letting Louis pin it to his lapel before hugging him tightly. He returns back to his spot, Louis picking up the next rose.

“Terrell.”

Terrell practically jumps across the room, his smile blinding. “Yes!”

Louis can’t help but smile when he’s around Terrell, his energy so contagious. “Terrell, will you accept this rose?”

“Yes, please. A million times yes!”

Louis pins his rose to the lapel of his jacket, giggling as he watches Terrell dance back to his spot.

He hands out roses to George, Aaron, AJ and Tim, the entire room laughing when Carlson comes to get his rose and trips over a rug, face planting and having to go back and start again. “This is gonna end up on the bloopers, isn’t it?”

Louis nods, still wheezing with laughter. “It better be or I quit.”

Louis picks up the next rose, twirling it slowly for a dramatic pause. He takes a deep breath and lets it out. “Matt.”

Matt steps down, squeezing between two men to make it up to Louis. “Thank god.”

Louis smiles, squeezing Matt’s hand. “Matt, do you accept this rose?”

“Yes, please.”

Louis pins the rose to his lapel, hugging him tightly.

After Matt’s back in his place, Louis hands out roses to Brad, Lee, Mitchell, Rafeal, Casey, and Jessie. One final rose, four men.

Foster Donnell steps into the room, motioning towards the rose. “This is the final rose.”

Louis smiles at Foster, turning to face the men. “So like I said earlier this has been so hard. I have four great men here, but one of these relationships has a little bit more spark and has had a bit more development over the last week than the others. I know it’s hard with the circumstances, but I appreciate you all for coming and spending this time with me. So for my final rose …” Louis bites his lip, glancing from face to face. “Stanley.”

Stanley steps forward, a relieved smile on his face. “I was so worried.”

Louis smiles. “I want you to keep putting yourself out there, it goes a long way. Do you accept this rose?”

“Yes, of course.” Stanley smiles down at Louis as he pins it to the lapel of his jacket, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Foster Donnell steps forward once again. “Damien, Jake, Tory. You did not receive a rose, say your goodbyes, it’s time to go home.”

The men shake hands and hug their friends they’ve made, Tory and Jake stepping forward to shake Louis’ hand before they leave. Damien steps forward last, Louis immediately hugging him tightly. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’re just following your heart and I respect that.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Louis pulls back, trying his best not to cry. Damien hugs him once more before heading for the door.

After the three leave, Louis and the men grab their glasses.

“That’s definitely the hardest thing I have to do, but I know this is the group of men I’m supposed to be going into the next week with. I’m excited for what comes next, and I’m excited to explore these relationships more.”

The men all nod in agreement. “Cheers.”

Chapter Text

Louis wakes up the next morning a little drained from the emotions of the night before, his belly still a little uneasy. He only lets himself laze around for an hour before he goes to meet Clare to discuss this week's dates. She’s sat at a table in the hotel bar scrolling through her iPad, glasses perched on her head.

Louis slides into the chair across from her, smiling at the waiter that comes straight over to take his order.

“I’d like a massive glass of orange juice and a waffle please.”

Clare hums, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him. “Have you thought about this week’s dates?”

“I have.” Louis leans back, smiling at her sweetly. “I want Harry to go on the one on one this week.”

“I figured as much, especially after your little closet getaway last night.”

“You aren’t going to put that in, right? No cameras captured it?”

“We have some audio and a recording of the door we could use, but if you really don’t want us to I’ll mark it down.”

“I mean it’s just us making out, so...” Louis shrugs, a waffle and glass of juice being placed in front of him. “I just would prefer you not.”

“Done. So this week’s dates, Harry for the one on one, which men on which group date?”

Louis sighs, looking at the two options for group dates, raising his eyebrows at them both. “Wow.”

“Fun week planned.” She smirks, setting her iPad to the side and resting her chin on the heel of her hand. “I would say any high energy men for the first and some men that need to loosen up for the second.”

“I was just going to say that.” Louis smiles. “I’m glad we’re in agreement.”

He sorts the men with Clare, deciding to leave out Mitchell and Lee from this week’s dates. Clearly Mitchell didn’t have fun last week, so he won’t get a date this week, simple fix, and Lee… well, birds of a feather.

The next morning Louis wakes up and gets ready to go, dressing in some nice jeans and a fitted t-shirt. Clare gives him a once over before they leave, shaking her head. “You really do aim to please, huh?”

“Always, Clare.” Louis beams.

When they pull up to pick up the men, they’re already standing outside. Louis jumps out of the car, immediately being scooped up by Terrell for a huge hug. Louis hugs each man, standing back with his hands on his hips. “You boys ready? Today’s not a day for amateurs.”

The men all clap, Terrell leading them in a chant. Louis giggles. “Alright, in the limos, then!”

Louis catches Harry’s eye before he leaves, noticing his pouty lip. He winks at him, fond over the way Harry’s face brightens just at the little bit of attention.

Climbing into the limo, he wedges himself between Terrell and George, polar opposites. This should be fun.

Terrell has the limo driver turn up some music, making the whole car sing to Ariana Grande’s new song, his arm wrapped around Louis’ shoulders as they laugh together.

They pull up to the venue, everyone getting out of the limos and staring at Louis, confused. “Why are we here?”

“You’ll see.” Louis smirks. “C’mon, boys.”

They step inside the club, the lights down low and due to the time of the day, empty of bodies except one single scantily dressed lady on the stage, a stripper pole standing bold beside her. “Good afternoon, boys!”

“Hi,” they all chime back nervously, unsure about what they’re about to be doing.

“My name’s Kaley. I’m a stripper here and I also give classes on pole dancing. Have any of y’all done anything like this before?”

Matt raises his hand slowly, all the men giving him incredulous looks. “I went with my friend to a class, it’s fun.” He shrugs, not at all ashamed or uncomfortable.

Kaley smiles, nodding her head. “Alright, so what we’re going to do is I’ll teach you all a routine, and then you’re going to perform it for Louis and a few other girls who work here.”

The men follow Kaley to a back room, Louis slipping away to change into some workout clothes to join the boys during their pole dancing class. The men all whistle and ooh when Louis steps back into the class, his short, tight shorts hugging his ass deliciously. He knows he looks good, it is what it is.

The instructor walks them through the basics, showing them how to grip the pole and how to do different moves, the whole group of men trying their best. Louis notices how effortless Matt is already, his eyebrows furrowing. No way he’s only done this once.

Once the class has the basics down, Kaley turns on the music, walking them through step by step of the routine, Terrell making the whole class laugh with his flamboyance. He pops his ass when she does, singing along to the song Kaley’s picked.

Louis catches Ren’s eye in the mirror, laughing when he sees that he’s staring at his ass. He quirks an eyebrow at him, shaking his hips a little extra on his next move just to see him squirm. Ren shakes his head, dropping his head back in agony.

After Kaley walks them through the routine twice, she shouts over the music as she turns it up louder, “We’re going to put it all together now. Ready?”

Everyone shouts, “Yeah!”

“Five, six, seven, eight!” she counts, going straight into the first steps.

A few of the men are not coordinated and struggle, laughing the entire time at themselves. Matt and Terrell are too good at it, and Louis, well, he’s got a nice ass so he uses it to his advantage.

They swing on the poles somewhat in sync, twisting their bodies and grinding against it to the beat. Louis’ eyes drift back to Terrell, the sight of him grinding his groin into the pole making Louis’ head spin a little. He’s so hot, arms rippling as he holds his body weight up on the pole. Goddamn.

They run through the routine twice, Kaley then taking the men to another room to prepare a surprise for Louis and the rest of the viewers. Louis heads back out to take a seat at his table, a waiter bringing him and a few of the girls sitting with him drinks. They all chat, getting to know each other before the lights go down and Kaley steps out onstage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present... George of the Jungle!”

Louis scoffs, George strutting out onto the stage dressed as a caveman. “Oh my fucking god!” he screams, slapping his hand over his mouth as he watches George dance. He’s not bad, just a little off rhythm. It’s precious, really.

He tosses dollar bills at George, clapping and laughing the entire time. He does a final spin before taking his bow, heading backstage.

Kaley steps up to introduce the next man, “You aren’t ready for this one, I give you... Ass Jiggler!”

Louis shakes his head at his name, unable to stop the giggles from bubbling out of his mouth as AJ shak— jiggles his ass, or tries to jiggle it. His hips are so stiff and he looks so uncomfortable, but he’s laughing and having fun and that’s what matters.

Raffy Taffy (Rafeal) is next, and surprisingly good. He rolls his hips and struts around the stage confidently, Louis shouting and standing on his chair during his big finale. Lace-y Casey is next, his uncoordinated moves sending Louis and the girls into hysterics, their bellies aching from their laughter. No one, however, is as bad as Messy Jessie. He clearly didn’t absorb any of the information Kaley taught them, just shaking his ass and walking around the pole rather than swinging, acting like he’s never heard this song in his life. It’s entertaining for sure, but it does make Louis question if he has been absent today, mentally rather than physically.

Kaley steps onstage to announce the next man, laughing hysterically. This oughta be good. “Next up is the wonderful, talented Tiger!”

Terrell steps onstage in just a furry pair of underwear, his ripped body on full display, and suddenly Louis’ sweating. He struts around the stage with confidence, the most entertaining man to ever walk the planet. His energy makes the entire room get out of their chairs, everyone clapping and dancing as he swings around the pole. He locks eyes with Louis, breaking the choreography to jump off the stage and throw him over his shoulder. Louis screams, kicking his legs and laughing when Terrell swings him in circles, setting him down in the chair and kissing him passionately, shocking Louis. Good shock.

He does a final twirl onstage, taking a bow and heads backstage.

“Next up is Renpho the Nympho!”

Louis cackles at his nickname, laughing even harder when Ren steps out onstage in a golden thong. “Oh my god!”

He’s not very talented, but he looks damn good. His little peachy ass jiggles as he dances, his broad back looking amazing as he swings, dropping down into a squat and getting the crowd to their feet. He’s so fucking cute, Louis feels like his chest is going to explode.

“And last, but certainly not least, Mystique!”

Matt steps onstage in heels, his tiny shorts not leaving much to the imagination. He’s by far the best, clearly having done this before. Louis for sure doesn’t believe him now. He throws in a few more expert pole dancing techniques, strutting effortlessly in his heels. He drops it low, shakes his ass, and tosses his hair. He’s fucking hilarious and Louis’ loving it.

On his final twirl, he twists his ankle and goes down, Louis gasping and jumping up only to find Matt laughing so hard he can barely breathe. “Fuck!”

“Are you okay?” Louis giggles, squeezing his arm.

“I’m fine.” Matt laughs, standing up as the rest of the men come out on stage too.

Kaley joins them all, holding a clear bedazzled shoe. “Alright! My girls and I are going to discuss and we’ll be back with a winner.”

They don’t have to wait long, the girls taking their seats again and Kaley holding up the shoe. “And the winner is…”—she pauses for dramatic effect—“Mystique!”

Matt howls with laughter, accepting his shoe and holding it high over his head when Terrell hoists him on his shoulders and takes a victory lap around the club. Louis leads the men in a chant, “Mystique! Mystique! Mystique!”

Once the men are back in their street clothes, they take their limos to go get ready for the night, Louis changing into a nice pair of jeans and a sweater, running his fingers through his long hair before heading downstairs to meet the men for their cocktail party.

Louis raises his glass, smiling at the eight men beaming at him. “Today was so, so much fun and I really hope you all enjoyed it too. I really appreciate you all stepping out of your comfort zone and going all out. Let’s have an amazing night, too. Cheers.”

They clink their glasses together, Louis immediately latching onto Ren. “C’mere.”

They head onto the patio, Louis dragging him over to a couch out on the lawn. They snuggle up under a blanket, Ren tucking Louis under his arm.

“I really liked spending some time with you today, even if I was dancing in a thong.”

Louis giggles, nuzzling his shoulder. “I know that’s out of your comfort zone, but I’m so proud of you. You really did an amazing job.”

“Thank you, Lou.”

Louis smiles up at him, scrunching his nose cutely. “Highlight of the day then?”

“Seeing your ass in those shorts, one hundred percent.”

Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes and mumbling, “Pig.”

Ren chuckles, leaning down to kiss Louis. They get wrapped up in each other, the world falling away as their lips move.

When it gets too cold, Ren walks Louis back inside, Terrell stopping them. “Can I steal you, beautiful?”

“Of course.”

They head to the bar, Louis and Terrell ordering themselves drinks.

“I had an amazing time today.” Terrell smiles. “I love doing fun things like that.”

“I can tell.” Louis giggles, giddy just from being around Terrell. “I do have concerns though.”

Terrell’s face drops, his eyebrows scrunched together. “Okay, what are they?”

The waiter hands them their drinks, Louis and Terrell heading for a cozy seating area to continue their conversation. “I just worry that you aren’t going to show me the more serious side to you. I love when you’re energetic and excited, but I’m a little nervous at this point that I’ve not had a serious conversation with you.”

“That’s fair.” Terrell nods. “I tend to keep things light but I can be serious. In fact, I want to be serious. I really like you, Louis. I’ve enjoyed every bit of time we’ve spent together and I feel really good about this.”

“What’s something that you tend to do when you know you need to get serious?”

Terrell hums thoughtfully. “I mean, there’s not anything I do specifically. I just have to snap out of my light mindset and get serious.”

“Is that hard for you?”

“No, I mean. You just witnessed it. I want to be here with you and I want to clear up any worries you have about me, so I got serious so I could do that.”

Louis nods, taking a sip of his drink. “So like next week, you can be completely serious with me for more than just a few minutes? And we can have more conversations like this?”

“Whenever you want, Louis. I’m an open book.”

Louis hums. “Good to know.”

“What did you think of that kiss earlier?” Terrell smiles, leaning closer to Louis.

“It was nice, why? You tryna kiss me again?” Louis smirks, leaning closer.

“I think I am.”

“Open book,” Louis whispers, their lips an inch apart.

“I definitely am.” Terrell presses his lips to Louis’, kissing him slow and sweet. He licks into his mouth, tasting of champagne and mint gum. He smells amazing, Louis feeling all of his senses heighten with each brush of Terrell’s lips.

It isn’t long before George comes to find them, knocking on the door frame and smiling at Louis hopefully. “Mind if we go talk somewhere?”

Louis nods, squeezing Terrell’s hand as he leaves. “See you.”

They sit down outside on the steps together, George twisting their fingers together and resting them on his knee. “I just want you to know that I had so much fun today, that is... not something I would have ever done on my own, and I think I’ve found something I really love.”

Louis’ taken aback, the possibility of George doing pole dancing more in the future absolutely shocking. “Wow, George of the Jungle is gonna have an encore?”

“Sure is!” He laughs, kissing the back of Louis’ hand. “All thanks to you.”

“I’m so glad you found something you love doing, that’s so amazing, George.”

George laughs. “I never would have guessed it, honestly. I had so much fun, and I love getting to know you and seeing this cute smile on your face. I truly feel something so special here, Louis.”

“Yeah?” Louis smiles, biting his lip.

George nods, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to Louis’ lips. “I know I move slower than the other guys, but I do.”

Louis nods in understanding. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course. Should we head back in?”

Louis nods, standing with George and heading towards the door. Just as they’re about to go inside, George spins around and dips Louis, taking him completely by surprise when he kisses him passionately. It makes Louis’ stomach swoop, his fingers tingling and heart pounding. Who would’ve guessed it.

After speaking to the rest of the guys, Louis takes his seat on the couch. He glances from face to face as he tries to make a decision about the rose staring at them. He leans forward to pick it up. “So, you all did an amazing job today, and a lot of you have really impressed me today in more ways than one.” Louis glances at George, sharing a private smile. “There’s a relationship that I do think took the next step tonight, and I really look forward to learning more about him, so, Terrell”—Louis turns his whole body towards him—“will you accept this rose?”

He nods. “Yes, of course.”

Louis pins it to his lapel, trying to ignore the disappointed looks on Ren and George’s faces. It’s getting harder and harder, the guilt eating Louis alive.

They chat for a few more minutes, Louis finishing off his drink. “Well boys, I’m going to head home. I’ll see you all later.”

The boys all hug him goodbye, pressing kisses to his cheeks. He hugs Ren extra tight, reminding him that he’s still on Louis’ mind.

Maybe he cries in the limo on the way to his hotel, the pressure so overwhelming.

--

The following morning, Louis gets up before the sun to sit on his balcony and sort out his thoughts and feelings. This process has been much more emotionally draining than he realized, his heart feeling like it’s going to claw its way up his throat.

He thinks back to how disappointed Ren and George were, and how his feelings are definitely stronger with some men than others. His relationship with Harry is so physical already, he’s definitely the most attracted to him in the house. Ren is very sweet, definitely checks every box on his list, and he seems to feel the same way about Louis.

Then there’s Terrell, George, Boyce, and Reshawn. He isn’t as attracted to George as he is to the others, but the more he gets to know him the more interested he is.

Reshawn is definitely special, his heart is huge and he’s probably the kindest person Louis’ ever met. Boyce is attractive, but Louis hasn’t had much time with him so the relationship hasn’t developed like the others. He can see it happening, however, so he’s more interested to see how he handles his group date time this week.

Terrell is so much fun, his heart clearly in the right place in this process. Louis could see how genuine he was being last night, promising to be serious and discuss his feelings more openly from now on.

They’re all promising and amazing men, but he can’t shake that first night feeling he had with Harry. He’s excited to spend a full date uninterrupted with him, to see a new layer of Harry and his heart. As far as he’s concerned, Harry’s still definitely the front-runner, his favorite man in the house and he can’t get enough.

Louis gets dressed for their one on one, nerves starting to settle in his belly. He’s anxious to see Harry, excited for what the day could bring.

He heads to the mansion to pick Harry up, heart pumping out of his chest. He’s been excited and nervous about the other dates he’s been on, but not like this. The feelings he’s developing for Harry are unique and he’s not sure how to place them, but what he does know is that Harry makes him incredibly happy.

When they pull up to the mansion, Louis heads inside, finding the men all lounging around in the living room. “Morning, boys.”

Reshawn and Boyce jump up to give Louis a hug, the rest of the men waving and saying hello from their seats. He pulls back from Boyce’s hug and spots Harry leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and a huge smile plastered on his face. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi, handsome. You ready?” Louis giggles, immediately feeling the inescapable magnetism drawing him closer.

“Born ready.” Harry cups Louis’ cheek, leaning down to kiss him gently, the rest of the men groaning behind them.

Louis snorts, pulling back from the kiss. “C’mon, we have plenty of time for that.”

Harry makes a happy noise, grabbing Louis’ hand and following him outside and to the limo. They slide inside, Harry immediately wrapping his arm around Louis’ shoulder. “So, you gonna tell me what we’re doing?”

“You’ll see.” Louis smiles, angling his body toward Harry. “I missed you.”

Harry raises his eyebrows, a fond smile making his cheek dimple. “Yeah? My baby missed me?”

Louis giggles, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck. “Missed you so much.”

“How long do we have?” Harry whispers, bumping their noses together.

“About half an hour.” Louis expects Harry to kiss him, but instead he’s tugged down so he’s laying on his back, Harry draped across his body with his head on his chest.

“Good. We can snuggle and take a little nap.”

Louis laughs, burying his fingers in Harry’s hair. “Sleepy?”

“Exhausted.” Harry nuzzles Louis’ chest and squeezes his arms around his middle. “You’re so tiny.”

Louis buries his nose in Harry’s curls, soothed by the sweet smell of his hair. He didn’t realize how tired he is until now, his eyes drooping as the car sways, Harry’s warm body wrapped tightly around him like a blanket.

Clare knocks on the window when they arrive, stirring them from their slumber. Harry pushes himself up onto his hands, knees digging into the leather seats as they straddle Louis’ hips. “Good morning, beautiful.”

Louis smiles like an idiot. He can’t help it, the smile a permanent fixture on his face around Harry. He attempts to distract himself by stretching out, moaning at the cracking of his bones and pulling of his muscles. Harry quirks an eyebrow, dragging his eyes down his body. “And good morning to me.”

Louis scoffs, shoving at his chest. “Okay, loverboy.”

Louis climbs out of the car, squeaking when Harry pinches his ass. Clare rolls her eyes. “Took you two long enough.”

“Sorry,” Louis mumbles, plastering himself to Harry’s side.

“No you’re not.” Clare sighs.

Harry glances around, confused. “Where are we?”

“Irwindale Speedway.” Louis smiles over his shoulder, dragging Harry towards the gates. “Gonna have a friendly little race today.”

“Let’s kick this love into high gear?” Harry laughs, referencing the date card he received this morning inviting him to spend the day with Louis.

“Exactly.” Louis giggles, entering the gates of the track, only to be greeted by a member of staff.

“Welcome! We’re glad you’re here. I’m Tony.”

“Nice to meet you, Tony.” Louis smiles, shaking his hand. Harry follows suit and Tony leads them inside to fill out their paperwork and watch a safety video. Tony sets up their racing suits and helmets while they watch, most of it pretty simple and self-explanatory.

They slip into their racing suits, zipping them up over their clothes and putting on their helmets and gloves. Tony nods approvingly. “Ready to race then?”

“Ready.” Louis and Harry nod in unison, following Tony out to the track where two cars that look straight out of NASCAR wait for them.

“So what’s going to happen is you’ll take the first two laps at a normal speed, forty to fifty miles per hour. Once you finish the second lap, you’ll see the green flag which will signal that the race has begun. You’ll have a walkie talkie the entire race to give you instruction or answer any questions, should you need it. Any questions?”

The two shake their heads, Louis side-eying Harry cheekily. “You know, Harry. It’s a good thing you like staring at my ass.”

Harry snorts. “Why’s that, baby?”

“Cause you’re going to be looking at it an awful lot today.”

Harry shakes his head, stepping closer to Louis and pecking his lips chastely. “We’ll see about that.”

Tony helps them into their cars, buckling their seat belts and making sure everything is secure before shutting their doors firmly. They line up side by side, revving their engines and waiting for the signal to take their first two laps.

Tony climbs the flag stand, grabbing the yellow flag. Louis watches as he counts down, three... two... one... yellow flag. Louis hits his gas, shifting from first into second gear. He keeps his foot down on the pedal, shifting to third once he hits twenty-five miles per hour. Harry inches past him as they take the first turn, Louis shifting to fourth once he hits forty-five miles per hour. “Fuck, c’mon.”

His car kicks forward, jerking past Harry. The race hasn’t started yet but he wants to be ahead when they wave the green flag, speed and fearlessness on his side. He’s always been a bit reckless, driving a little too fast and unafraid of everything. “Kiss my ass, Styles.”

He rounds the track, heading for the lap line. One down, one more to go, then he can leave Harry in his dust.

Harry tries to pull ahead in the second lap, Louis breaking the rules a little by hitting the gas to pass him again on the second turn, speeding towards the lap line. He can see the green flag, trying his best to restrain himself from slamming on the gas and shifting into fifth gear until he laps. The moment he crosses the line, Louis stomps his foot down, picking up speed quickly and taking the first turn at sixty miles an hour. He shifts into fifth gear as he hits seventy on the long stretch before the second turn. He takes the turn at a hot eighty miles an hour, gaining speed with each second. He glances in his rear view mirror as he speeds towards the lap line, Harry hot on his tail. “Fuck.”

As he passes the lap line, Harry inches up next to him, Louis huffing irritably, “Absolutely not.” Louis shoves the gas down, taking the next turn at ninety and leaving Harry behind, straightening up as he heads for the next turn. He glances in his rear mirror, laughing loudly when he sees how far behind he is now. He takes the next turn, gritting his teeth at the centripetal, making his stomach drop at the speed. “Holy shit!”

Louis straightens up, laughing maniacally. “Fuck!” He glances in the mirror, not even seeing Harry anymore. He laps, taking his next turn smoothly and pressing the pedal down, taking the car over a hundred miles an hour. His grip tightens on the wheel as he takes his next turn, alone for the most part with Harry long behind him.

It only lasts another three laps before Louis takes a turn and glances in his rear view as he straightens up, shocked to see Harry on his tail once again. “Fuck!”

Louis flies past the lap line, taking the turn, keeping his eye on Harry behind him. The nose of Harry’s car is right up against his ass, Louis’ heart pounding in his chest as Harry pulls up beside him, neck and neck.

Harry cuts back as they take the next turn, sliding past Louis on the inside corner and speeding towards the lap line. “Asshole!” Louis screams, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. He slams his foot down, engine cutting out for half a second before kicking back on and shooting him towards the line. He pulls up right behind Harry, trying to pass him on the next turn but he’s cut off at the last second, slipping back behind him. “Oh my fucking god!”

Harry cuts him off on the next turn too, clearly loving the control he has right now. Louis can feel his blood boiling, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Just as they straighten up, Louis tries to pass Harry, only to be cut off again and again. He’s one step ahead of Louis each time and, honestly, it’s pissing him off.

They pass the lap line, Louis trying to strategize for the final three laps. He gnaws on his bottom lip as they take a turn, glancing from side to side to try to find Harry’s weak point. He’s a little shaky when he straightens up after a turn, Louis taking a note and trying to angle himself just right for the next turn. He’s not fast enough, Harry straightening up before Louis can squeeze past, barrelling towards the lap line. Two laps left.

Harry’s getting cocky and sloppy, Louis smirking as he comes out extra shaky on the first turn. “Bastard.” Louis pulls up close, keeping his speed even as they ease into the next corner, trying to stay back just a smidge as Harry’s car jerks. His plan is a risk, but he’s willing to take it to kick Harry’s ass. He keeps close to Harry through the lap, the white flag waving as they pass the line.

They take the first turn, Louis gritting his teeth and fingertips tingling. Here we go.

They straighten up, both of them speeding up for the final turn to the finish line. Louis keeps the nose of his car mere inches from Harry’s bumper, both of them taking the final turn quickly. Just as Harry’s car jerks, Louis yanks the wheel and shoots past him, pounding the clutch and leaving him in the dust. His heart pounds as he hits one hundred and ten miles per hour, speeding past the finish line. “Fuck!” Louis scream-laughs, hitting his break to slow down. As his car comes to a stop, he tosses it into neutral before putting it into park and climbing out. Harry’s already out of his, shaking his head as he rips his helmet off, sweaty curls wild to match the look in his eyes.

Tony’s voice echoes around the track, “And the winner is, Louis Tomlinson!”

Louis shouts to the sky, spreading his arms wide, screaming when Harry lifts him up off the ground. “You’re such a little cheat!”

“I did not cheat!” Louis gasps, kicking at Harry’s shins.

Harry laughs, setting Louis down but hugging him tight to his chest and slapping his ass. “You look sexy driving that car.”

Tony comes over to put Louis’ medal on, handing him a bottle of champagne. He shakes the bottle before popping the cork, screaming when Harry grabs the spewing bottle and spews him with champagne. “Feel like a winner, baby?”

Louis’ soaked and full of adrenaline and Tony’s walked away, so he yanks Harry over to the car and shoves the seat back. “Get in.”

“Huh?” Harry laughs, pouring champagne in his mouth. Louis huffs, shoving Harry into the car and climbing in his lap, avoiding the gear shift and the car horn. “Oh, okay. I get it now.”

“I’d hope so.” Louis gasps, pressing his lips to Harry’s and fisting his hair.

Harry groans, setting the champagne in the passenger seat so he can grab two handfuls of Louis’ plump ass. “Baby.”

Louis licks into Harry’s mouth, moaning at the taste of champagne, pulling back to kiss down his sweaty neck, licking at the salty skin. He unzips Harry’s racing suit, extremely happy that he wears his shirts unbuttoned to his naval. He licks over Harry’s chest hair, shoving the racing suit and button up to the side to lick at his nipple, then over further again to bury his nose in the crease of his underarm. He reeks, ten laps of pure adrenaline making him so ripe. Louis’ cock twitches, feeling fucking feral, he needs Harry. Right now.

Harry grabs his chin, clearly no longer caught off guard as he takes control, slapping Louis’ ass and sucking on his bottom lip. The adrenaline pumping through their veins is sending them wild, Louis moaning loudly and grinding desperately against Harry’s groin. “Please.”

“Baby,” Harry groans, voice horse with arousal, “what do you need?”

“Want you.” Louis gasps, sucking a dark mark into the hinge of Harry’s jaw. “Please touch me.”

Harry drops his head back, reaching for the handle of the seat, adjusting it so they’re laid back, Louis straddling his hips. “Grind on me, baby. Show me you’re worth it.”

Louis chokes out a moan, burying his face in Harry’s sweaty neck and pushing his hips forward over and over. Harry groans loudly, his cock hard and brushing against Louis’ with each movement. “Oh my god, baby. You’re such a good little boy.”

Louis seizes up as he comes, spilling into his briefs and soaking through his jeans and the race suit, babbling nonsense into Harry’s neck and biting roughly. Harry groans, gripping Louis’ ass roughly and thrusting up once, twice, before spilling into his own briefs. Louis moans, an intrusive thought slipping in about wishing he was being bred right now. His thighs shake as he sits up slowly, Harry staring up at him with red cheeks and even redder lips. “Fuck.”

Louis glances out of the steamed up car window, everyone, camera men and producers alike have scattered. “Oops.”

Harry snorts, laughing so hard he almost unseats Louis. “Oh my god, we just dry humped in a fucking racecar because you were so hard from the adrenaline of winning.”

“Shut up.” Louis giggles, leaning down and pressing his lips to Harry’s gently. “That wasn’t the only reason I was hard.”

“Hm.” Harry smirks against his lips. “Yeah, I should’ve known you had a pit kink when you buried your nose in it last week.”

“I’m not going to apologize.” Louis shrugs, leaning down to bury his nose in the dark patch of hair, Harry’s racing suit and shirt still hanging off his shoulder.

“It tickles,” Harry whispers, squeezing his arm against his side to stop Louis from nuzzling. “Hey.”

Louis sits back up, looking down at Harry. “Hi.”

“This is more than just this for you”—Harry furrows his eyebrows up at Louis—“right?”

Louis mirrors his look, nodding quickly. “Yes, H. This is way, way more than just physical. I—” Louis cuts himself off, not sure if he’s supposed to be saying this but, well, he’s just dry humped Harry in a racecar so why not break another rule, “—I really, really like you and I love where this is going. I love spending time with you.”

Harry nods, rolling his lips together. “I do too, I’ve meant it this entire time. I’ve never felt this way before, I can’t get enough of you. Physically and mentally.”

Louis feels his insides go warm, his fingers tingling for a whole other reason now. He leans down to press their lips together gently, just slow and soft pecks. “I know exactly how you feel.”

Louis can feel the tension leave Harry’s body, his hands sliding down his firm chest. He pulls back slowly, sitting up. “We should probably get out, I think they wanted to take some pictures of us on the podiums.”

“I can’t wait to frame pictures of you looking fucked out on a first place podium in our house.”

Louis’ jaw drops, twisting Harry’s nipple roughly before he can jerk his shirt back into place, laughing hard at his own comment. Louis shoves the door open and climbs out, stomping off. Harry’s giggling as he chases Louis, trying to adjust his shirt and zip his race suit back up. “Baby! Wait!”

“Dickhead!”

“Aw, baby.” Harry catches up, slinging his arm around Louis’ shoulders and pressing his lips to his ear. “Don’t you wanna be reminded of how much of a good boy you are?”

Louis’ cheeks flush, spotting one of the cameras. Bastard.

It’s not until they’re on the podiums that Louis glances at Harry and spots the traces of their little escapade. Hickeys litter Harry’s neck, the darkest one at the hinge of his jaw. “Oh my god, Harry.”

“What?” Harry asks in terror at Louis’ tone. “Is there something on me? A bug?!”

“No! Your neck!” He turns to Clare. “Do we have someone who can cover them up?”

Clare raises her eyebrows disapprovingly. “Nope.”

Louis looks at her in horror. “What?”

She shrugs. “I wasn’t exactly planning on you attacking him in the racecar.”

Louis huffs, glancing at Harry, who looks extremely smug. He shrugs. “I like them, baby. Shows America what a good boy you are.”

The crowd of producers snort loudly, Clare biting her lips to stop from laughing as his face goes red. “Fuckers.”

Once they’ve changed out of their race suits and into clothes with fewer cum stains, they climb into their limo to head to dinner. Harry gives Louis a sweet kiss, wrapping both arms around him and burying his face in his neck. “Kind of wish this was over and I could just take you home.”

Louis sighs happily, clenching his fists in Harry’s shirt. “Don’t tempt me.”

Harry laughs, kissing Louis’ cheek. “Baby, just say when and we’ll quit and go home together.”

Louis scoffs, “I can’t do that, nor will I.”

“I know.” Harry smiles. “I would never ask that of you, but I am really confident in this. Us. I think I’ll be taking you home with me at the end of this.”

Louis bites his lip, knowing deep down that he’s probably right.

When they arrive, they’re directed down to a dock, a huge yacht waiting for them. Louis’ eyes widen. “Oh shit.”

“Fancy.” Harry laughs, heading straight for the boat. “C’mon, baby. I need a drink after today.”

“Need to drown your sorrows after losing so spectacularly?”

“No, need a drink so I can stop thinking about your orgasm face.”

Louis doesn’t skip a beat. “I don’t think that’ll work, I’m afraid. Might make it worse.”

Harry hums disappointedly. “What a shame.”

Louis giggles, shaking his head at how ridiculous Harry is.

They grab their drinks, heading to the stern of the yacht, a table set up for them and taking their seats, Louis leaning forward to peck Harry’s lips. “I had fun today.”

Louis can see the sparkle of mischief in Harry’s eye, but he tamps it down, his smile sincere. “I did too. I love spending time with you, Louis. I really cherish it, I just can’t believe how unbelievably lucky I am to be here, with you, getting to share moments with you.”

Louis shakes his head, constantly amazed at Harry’s way with words. “I love spending time with you, Harry. You keep saying things about our future like they’re so sure, and normally that would scare me a bit this early on, but with you it—it feels right.”

Harry nods. “I feel the same way. I just keep thinking about how much my mom and my sister are going to love you, how happy you make me, how strong my feelings are so early on. I just can’t wait to take you home and spend every moment with you.”

Louis’ heart stutters in his chest, wishing so badly that he could just call it all off and give Harry the final rose. He takes a deep breath, trying his best to come up with a subject change. “You mention your mom and sister a lot, do you think they’ll like me?”

Harry nods, beaming at Louis. “Yes, one hundred percent. They’re going to love you, Louis, you have no idea.”

“I think my sister is going to love you, too.” Louis giggles, Harry’s fingers tangling with his on the table. “What about your friends?”

“They’re the same, they’ll love you. They were very encouraging about me coming, a few of them watch the show.”

Louis laughs, leaning forward to rest his chin on the heel of his hand. “I think my friends will think you’re so fucking funny. My friend Liam is going to love you.”

Harry reaches forward to rub at Louis’ thigh. “So our families will get along, our friends. How many kids do you want?”

Louis closes his eyes tightly, his cheeks aching from how wide he’s smiling. “A ton.”

“Define a ton.”

“God, six, seven, eight maybe?”

“Perfect.” Harry bites his lip, squeezing Louis’ hand. “I grew up with just the one sister and now I want tons of kids.”

“I did too, just the one sister.” Louis nods. “I had fun obviously, the older brother and everything, but I just want a lot of kids now. I love babies.”

Harry’s entire face screams fond, eyes sparkling and soft. “You’re so cute.”

“So, hypothetically, where would we live? Phoenix or San Diego?”

Harry sighs, pursing his lips. “Personally, I would love to get out of Phoenix. San Diego is nice, and I love the beach.”

Louis nods, everything falling into place in his mind. “Good answer.”

He isn’t sure he could pinpoint what it is, but suddenly everything is clear for Louis. Harry’s it for him, this is his husband. He knows it. Every second since the first moment he’s felt a shift in his world. He doesn’t mean to, but he tears up, Harry immediately catching on and leaning forward to wipe his tears. “Hey, oh baby,” he coos, pulling Louis closer and draping his legs over his lap so he can hold him to his chest. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Louis shakes his head. “Sorry, just getting a little overwhelmed with emotion.”

Harry nods, pressing his lips to Louis’ forehead. “Okay, baby. Just let it out.”

Louis sobs, fuck—he’s already falling in love with this man. He’s in so much danger, but he’s never felt so safe. He cries into Harry’s chest for a few minutes, pulling back and sniffling as thumbs wipe under his eyes and soft lips press kisses into his skin.

He leans over the table to grab the rose, still in his man’s lap. “Harry”—He bites his lip—“I had an amazing time today, for more than one reason. Everything you’ve shared with me today, tonight, since you arrived, it means the world to me. I can’t even begin to explain my feelings right now, but these tears, these emotions, they’re something I’ve never felt before.”

Harry leans forward and kisses Louis passionately. “Baby…”

“I want more of this, more of you. So, with that said, Harry will you accept this rose?”

“Yes, Louis. I definitely will.”

Louis tries to get the rose pinned to his lapel, giving up after two tries and throwing it on the table in favor of throwing his arms around Harry’s neck and kissing him.

A loud boom startles them both, Louis jumping. “Fuck!”

Harry laughs loudly. “A little warning, damn.”

More fireworks shoot into the sky, exploding colors dazzling over the harbor.

They both stand, heading to the bow to watch the fireworks. Harry wraps his arms around Louis’ shoulders from behind, resting his chin on top of his head. “It’s beautiful, truly. But it doesn’t even hold a candle to you, baby.”

Louis looks up at Harry, feeling the flood of emotions hit him again. He turns in Harry’s arm, wrapping his own around his waist and burying his face in his chest. They sway together as the fireworks burst over their heads, wanting this moment to last forever.

--

Louis lays in bed, thinking about Harry and how light he feels as a result of their date. He misses him, as pathetic as it sounds, excited to see him today for a few minutes before he has to go off with the men on the next group date. Even just the thought of a glimpse at Harry is enough to get his heart beating faster.

With that in mind, he pulls himself out of bed and gets ready for the day. He had picked a few men that he’s not had much of a chance to speak to since the first night, Boyce and Reshawn being the only standouts from this group. They're all nice, just not as comfortable taking the reins, which isn’t usually Louis’ cup of tea but he’s trying to give everyone a chance.

When he gets to the mansion, the men meet him outside, some of them in swimming trunks and a few sleep rumpled from their naps. The men who were invited on the date this morning are all dressed up, looking polished and excited. “Good morning, guys. You all look like you’re enjoying yourselves.”

The men chuckle, nodding their heads and chatting amongst themselves. Louis catches Harry’s eye and takes note of the droop in his eyes and the pillow crease on his cheek. They had a late night, he probably just woke up.

Harry winks at Louis, a dimple sinking into his soft cheek. Louis bites his lip, mouthing discreetly to him, “Hi.”

Harry looks like he wants to shove everyone aside and wrap him up in his arms, his lips twitching before mouthing back, “Hi, baby.”

Reshawn steps into his view, holding out his hand. “You ready, sweetheart?”

“Sure am.” Louis smiles, taking his hand and heading for the bus that waits for them.

He sits with Reshawn, the bus a hell of a lot quieter with this bunch. He’s hoping this date specifically is a good idea for this group, maybe it’ll help them loosen up a tad, or at least feel more comfortable around Louis.

When they arrive, they pull down a road that’s seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The boys head off the bus, all waiting for instruction as they take in the view. It’s a vineyard and there’s people everywhere, cameras being set up and wardrobe being set out. Louis steps in front of the men, smiling at them sweetly. “Well, I hope you brought your smiles, boys. We’re going to be on the cover of The Advocate, an LGBTQ+ magazine. You’re all going to take pictures with me and one of you will be featured on the cover with me, the rest inside in a group photo. How’s that sound?”

The boys all clap, a few looking very uncomfortable. This is definitely going to be interesting.

They all change into the outfits set out for them, Louis changing into a full runway look from Stella McCartney. The pants are pink and silky and a gorgeous daisy pattern, paired with a sheer white, long sleeve top. It’s comfy and cute, definitely one of the most gorgeous outfits he’s ever worn in his life. He turns to look in the mirror set up against a truck, twisting to look at his ass. “This is stunning.”

“It fits you really well.” Brad smirks, walking past in a nice suit.

“Don’t look too bad yourself.” Louis giggles, following him out to the vineyard to get his next directions from the photographer. He’s immediately shoved into a set, Aaron being sent to sit with him.

They have Louis sit in a wooden chair amongst the vines, Aaron with his arm wrapped around Louis’ chest and his head on his shoulder, smiling at the camera as he whispers, “I’m not photogenic.”

Louis giggles, looking back at him with crinkled eyes. “I don’t believe you, you’re sexy in real life, it should translate on camera.”

“Better stop there or we’ll need another bus to take my head home.” Aaron smiles, kissing Louis’ cheek for the camera.

The photographer snaps the photos, the director guiding them so that Aaron is now sat in the chair with Louis in his lap, their noses pressed together. “That’s beautiful, boys. I think you’re good now Aaron.”

Louis takes more photos with Tim, Vance, and Carlson, all of them pretty simple, nothing exciting and most of them stiff as boards the entire time. They call Boyce over next and Louis smiles sweetly at him, excited to take pictures with him and get some time just them two. “How’re you feeling about this?”

“Good!” He smiles, wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist and lifting him up off the ground a few inches. “Excited to get my model on.”

Louis smiles into his neck, the director of the shoot calling their names. They head over to an open area surrounded by grapevines, following instruction and laying on the picnic blanket spread out. “Okay, Louis lay on your side and Boyce—if you lay behind him.”

Louis does as he’s told, laying on his side and pillowing his head on his arm just like the director asks, Boyce laying behind him. “Closer to Louis, Boyce. No, press your body against his,” the director instructs, Boyce scooting closer until his groin is pressed against Louis’ ass. Louis widens his eyes, holding his breath unconsciously. “Yes, good. Now you’re going to lean over Louis and press your lips to his cheek.” Boyce obeys. “Perfect.”

The photographer starts snapping the camera, the director positioning them every few shots, eventually having Boyce hover over Louis, their noses just mere centimeters from each other. Louis stares up into Boyce’s green eyes, tummy stirring with butterflies. He’s so attractive, and suddenly he’s thinking about the kiss Boyce planted on him last week. He goes with his gut, jutting his chin up so their lips meet, Boyce humming in surprise before kissing back.

“Perfect, boys. Keep going, this is amazing!” the director shouts, watching as the pictures come through.

Louis reaches up and tangles his fingers in Boyce’s soft hair, their kiss gentle but passionate, making his toes curl. It’s so good and Louis can’t get enough, kissing Boyce in every position they put him in. A few men were watching before, only to have scattered now, clearly not enjoying the show.

They have Louis take pictures with Stanley and Brad next, Louis feeling a huge lack of chemistry with most of these men. It honestly makes things confusing, he’s supposed to be feeling things for all these men but he just doesn’t even click with a chunk of them. It’s hard to wrap his head around, honestly. He’s doing his best to make everyone comfortable, he is, but some of these men just don’t reciprocate.

They call Reshawn over last, leading them to a more secluded area between the vines. “Okay, I want you two to slow dance, or at least pretend to.”

Louis turns to Reshawn, raising his eyebrows expectantly. Reshawn holds his hand out, bowing like a proper gentleman. “Can I ask for this dance, sweetheart?”

Louis giggles, taking his hand and resting his other on Reshawn’s shoulder. They sway slowly, no music to keep the beat, but then Reshawn starts humming softly. Louis can’t place the tune, laying his head on his chest and dropping his arm to wrap around Reshawn’s waist, the snapping of the camera fading out. “This is nice.”

They slow dance between the vines, Reshawn humming a tune of his own, only breaking to confess, “Could stay here forever.”

Louis nuzzles Reshawn’s chest, lifting his head to look up at him with a huge smile. “Yeah?”

Reshawn nods, twirling Louis before dipping him, pressing their lips together. He kisses Louis gently, their lips smacking and tongues teasing. When they stand up straight again, Reshawn wraps both arms around Louis’ shoulders, kissing his forehead before swaying them once again.

“Perfect. We have our cover I think,” the director announces, the set clapping as Reshawn presses one more kiss to Louis’ forehead before letting him go, smiling at the crew.

“Louis, you have to come see this. It’s a beautiful shot.” The director waves him over, turning the computer towards him. Reshawn follows him, looking over his shoulder at the photo of Reshawn dipping him, their lips joined and a sweet smile on both their faces. It’s extremely romantic and breathtaking,

“Wow,” Louis whispers, glancing at Reshawn and smiling fondly. “Look at us.”

“We’re such a pretty couple,” Reshawn says in awe, glancing down at Louis and giggling.

Louis rolls his eyes. “Of course we are.”

“It’s all you, sweetheart.” Reshawn kisses Louis’ cheek, making him blush.

The director waves all the men over to the wooden chair used in Aaron’s shoot, asking Louis to take a seat as she lines the men up around him. They’re placed around Louis so all their faces are close together, the photographer using a tighter shot to take the group photo. They have to adjust a few times, the photographer doing his best to get all nine faces in frame and perfectly spaced, Louis trying to be patient to set an example for the men. Stanley, for some reason, is throwing a fit, huffing and puffing every time they have to adjust. Louis isn’t impressed, rolling his eyes without realizing it. Oops.

The photographer finally gets the shot, the director signing off on the photo before allowing them to head back to wardrobe to change out of the designer clothes. Louis’ sad to be parting ways with his outfit, really obsessed with the look of it.

“You can keep it if you want.”

Louis turns to see the wardrobe director smiling at him. “We don’t have to send those back, nobody will ever know it’s gone.”

“Wait, really?” Louis’ eyes widen, looking back at the outfit longingly.

“Sure. Wear it on screen tonight, it’s like free publicity.”

“If you’re sure, I’d love to.”

“I’m sure, go put it back on and I’ll grab a garment bag for the clothes you have on.” She smiles, going over to one of the closets and pulling out a black garment bag. Louis goes to change and she packs up his clothes quickly, handing them to Louis with a hug. “Enjoy it, Louis.”

“Thank you so much, this means the world to me.”

“Of course, darling. You look great in it. Now go enjoy your boys.” She smiles, patting his cheek gently.

Louis beams, so excited about his cute clothes and his cute cover shoot. Honestly, he’s just loving life right now.

They head to a house on the vineyard, plenty of wine waiting for them to drink during their cocktail party. Reshawn pours Louis a big glass, handing it to him and waggling his eyebrows cheekily.

“You trying to get me drunk, Reshawn?”

He laughs loudly, taking Louis’ hand and tilting his head towards the patio.

“One sec.” Louis giggles, turning to the rest of the men as they pour their glasses. “So, I would just like to say that I really loved spending the day with you all. The pictures were so amazing and this opportunity was honestly once in a lifetime. I want you all to know how much I appreciate everyone stepping out of their comfort zones and really giving their all,” Louis lies but tries to stay positive. “I’m really happy to be here with each of you, let’s have a great night to finish off the day.”

They all raise their glasses, Louis taking a sip just as Reshawn intertwines their fingers. “Now?”

Louis nods, following him out onto the patio, taking a seat practically in his lap on the couch. Reshawn laughs, squeezing Louis’ thigh and draping his arm over his shoulders. “So, we’re going to be on the cover of The Advocate.”

Louis bites his lip, turning to face Reshawn completely. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m so happy about it. I read that magazine when I was like eighteen and nineteen, so it feels like I’ve come full circle.”

Reshawn smiles. “Do you think eighteen year old Louis would be proud of you right now?”

Louis blinks, a little shocked at that question. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it, but yes. I think I would’ve been. I’m not married or anything yet like I thought I would be, but I’m very accomplished career wise with my marketing job, and I have amazing friends that love me, and I’m completely myself. Eighteen year old me couldn’t say any of those things.”

“You’ve come a long way it sounds like.” Reshawn’s smile is fond, soft, and kind.

“I have.” Louis nods. “How are you feeling about everything? Any concerns you want to discuss?”

Reshawn bites his lip, leaning over to set his glass down. “No concerns, honestly. I just want you to know where my head is at right now.”

“Please.”

“I miss my daughter, obviously. This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, being away from her for this long. It’s been two weeks, and while I’m excited to be here with you and I’m falling for you, I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest.”

Louis nods. “Of course you do. You have no idea how much I appreciate you sacrificing this time with her to be here, with me. I want you to know that I definitely love where this relationship is going and I have a lot of hope for it. I don’t want you to worry that this isn’t something I’m into too.”

Reshawn nods, leaning forward to kiss Louis, their lips sliding and his hands squeezing his hips. “Thank you, that makes me feel better. Honestly I just needed some confirmation that I’m not here wasting my time.”

Louis shakes his head, nipping playfully at Reshawn’s lip. “Definitely not wasting your time.”

Reshawn laughs, pulling Louis fully into his lap and kissing him deeply. “Thank you.”

When they head back inside, Boyce catches Louis. “Can I borrow you?”

“Of course.” Louis smiles, taking his hand and following him. “Where do you wanna go?”

“Let’s go upstairs, there’s a cool loft.”

They climb the stairs, a cozy fire burning in the fireplace of the loft, blankets and a massive couch taking up the room. They sit, Boyce pulling Louis closer so they’re snuggled up on the couch. “This is comfy.”

Boyce laughs, resting his hand on Louis’ belly and nuzzling his neck. “Very. Might take a nap up here.”

Louis tilts his head back until he can see Boyce’s face. “Okay but that’s not a bad idea.”

Boyce grabs Louis’ glass of wine, setting it on the coffee table. “Let’s do it. Take a little power nap together and then I can tell you how much fun I had with you today.”

“Mm, did you?” Louis smiles, grabbing a blanket from the couch and pulling it up.

“I did, and you have the most beautiful eyes. And I love kissing you.” Boyce squeezes Louis between his legs and lays his head on his chest. “And I have some really strong feelings here.”

Louis leans up to peck Boyce’s lips once, twice, but the third is anything but a peck. Boyce’s tongue slips across his bottom lip before licking into his mouth, his hand cupping Louis’ cheek. They kiss languidly, Louis pulling back to rest his head on Boyce’s chest and shutting his eyes. “Nap time now.”

Boyce giggles, wrapping his arms around Louis and they drift in and out of sleep for a few minutes before the sound of someone coming up the stairs stirs them. Louis sits up, tossing the blanket to the side just as Aaron comes into sight. “Hey, Louis.”

“Hey.” He leans forward and grabs his glass of wine, taking a few sips from it.

“Can I speak to you for a little bit?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles, glancing at Boyce over his shoulder and winking. Boyce chuckles, sitting up and folding the blankets to put them back the way they were.

Louis follows Aaron back down the stairs and into a sitting room. Louis takes a sip from his glass before turning to face Aaron, genuinely happy to see him put in some effort tonight. “I’m glad we got to spend some time together today.”

Aaron nods. “I am too, I’ve been trying to find my moment to grab your attention.”

“Oh really?” Louis raises his eyebrows, confused by what he means.

“I’m a lot more reserved than the other men in the house, so I don’t feel comfortable on these dates. Getting to spend a little time with just you helped, though.”

Louis nods, not sure why he came on the show with the knowledge he doesn’t do well in group settings, but each to their own. “That’s good to know for the future then, thank you for sharing.”

Aaron nods. “Thank you for understanding.”

They hug, Aaron squeezing Louis tightly before leading them back to the living room.

He speaks to the rest of them one at a time, but his mind has been made up for most of the day. He sits down on the couches with the men, reaching forward to grab the rose laid out in front of them. “Today has been such a nice day, and I really am excited about this group of guys. Today’s rose is going to the man who made me feel the most special and the most comfortable today; he really opened up to me tonight about how he’s feeling and I’m so excited to continue getting to know him.” Louis smiles at each of the boys, “With that said, Reshawn, will you accept this rose?”

Reshawn smiles, standing up for Louis to pin the rose to his jacket. “Yes, I definitely accept, sweetheart.”

He does feel bad for Boyce, snubbed twice when it comes to group date roses, but honestly, both times other men have outshone him. He’s here for love, what more can he say?

--

Louis wakes up ready for the day ahead, his mind already made up for the rose ceremony tonight and giddy to see Harry again. He gets to lounge around most of the day, catching up on sleep and spending the day pampering himself for the night. He takes extra time, shaving every hair from his neck down, using a hair and face mask, and taking a long bath. He gets ready leisurely, taking his sweet time in styling his hair and dressing. When Clare finally knocks on his door, he’s ready to go, checking his hair one last time in the mirror.

When he arrives at the mansion, the men are shuffling into the living room, all of them looking so handsome and so excited for the night. As soon as Louis sees Harry, he feels his knees go weak. He looks unreal, dressed in a plaid blazer, plaid pants, and a blue button down unbuttoned to his fucking naval. He looks incredibly cocky, standing amongst the group of men and smirking at Louis filthily. Someone hands Louis his glass of wine, but he doesn’t take his eyes off Harry long enough to see who.

He raises his glass to the group. “Another amazing week. I’m so happy you’re all here, each of you. Here’s to an amazing night.”

“Cheers.”

Not a single person has had a second to move before Harry’s stepping forward and grabbing Louis’ hand. “Can I grab you first?”

“Please.” Louis giggles, turning to follow Harry, their fingers intertwined.

“Wanna see my room?” Harry smiles, squeezing Louis’ hand, leading him towards the stairs.

“Yes.” Louis and Harry climb the stairs, heading for the bedrooms. “Are you messy or neat?”

“Definitely neat.” Harry glances back at Louis, turning to wrap his arms around him from behind when they reach the landing. They walk together down the hall, Harry pushing one of the doors open. “Unfortunately for me, Boyce and Carlson are messy.”

It’s obvious to Louis that it’s not Harry, his bed made nicely and his nightstand empty except for a picture. His suitcase is closed, no clothes hanging out or thrown around the room. He’s definitely neat.

Louis goes to sit on his bed, laying back against his pillow and snuggling it. “These beds are comfier than the one in my hotel.”

“You could stay here with me,” Harry offers cheekily, shutting the door and climbing on top of Louis. “I’ll give you whichever side of the bed you want.”

“How sweet of you.” Louis giggles, threading his fingers in Harry’s hair and pulling him down. Their lips joined softly, Louis moaning into the kiss. “Missed you.”

Harry chuckles, his lips massaging Louis’ as they breathe each other in. The kiss is wet, slow, Louis sucking on Harry’s tongue as it explores his mouth.

Louis pushes Harry back, climbing on top of him and straddling his hips. Their lips smack as they kiss, Louis sucking on Harry’s bottom lip. Harry licks into Louis’ mouth, savoring the sounds he pulls from his boy. Louis’ obsessed with the way Harry kisses him, the way he tastes and smells. Like whiskey and mint gum, his smell getting stronger the longer they kiss.

Louis hears a rap at the door, popping up and glancing at it. He hears the knock again and slides off Harry’s lap, going over to the door to open it, Matt standing there with an eyebrow raised.

“Oh, hi.” Louis giggles, wiping his mouth.

“Can I steal you away?”

Louis nods, going over to grab his glass of wine off the nightstand and winking at Harry as he leaves. He heads downstairs with Matt, finding a seating area to chat privately.

“I haven’t seen you since the group date and I just wanted to have a chat with you.”

Louis squirms in his seat, mind still upstairs in Harry’s lap. “Okay, yeah. What about?”

“Just, how you’re feeling, how I’m feeling.” Matt shrugs.

Louis chews on his lip for a moment before nodding. “Okay, do you mind giving me a minute? I’ll be back in a few.”

He’s already up and heading back for the stairs, hearing Matt mumble, “Okay…” distantly. He climbs the stairs quickly, heading back to Harry’s room. When he pushes the door open, Harry’s still lounging on the bed.

He looks shocked to see Louis, his eyebrows raised. “Back so soon?”

Louis practically dives onto the bed, crawling back into his lap and laughing loudly when Harry flips him onto his back and smashes their lips together.

Louis wraps his legs around Harry’s waist, their tongues sliding together. Harry groans, gripping the meat of Louis’ thigh and pouring every ounce of passion into the kiss. Harry’s hands roam Louis’ body, his mouth dropping to his neck and sucking kisses into the skin.

Louis moans, tugging on his hair, his own mouth finding a home on Harry’s chest. He licks over his collarbones, tugging the blue button down to the side and sucking on his hard nipple. Harry groans, sliding his hands under Louis’ body to squeeze his ass.

Louis noses his way over to the crease of his right arm, unable to help himself. Harry raises his arm, smirking down at Louis as he watches him lick over the hair there. “God, you really love my armpits, huh?”

Louis whimpers, his cock twitching against Harry’s hip. Harry’s eyebrows raise almost to his hairline. “Fuck, you really love my armpits.”

Louis hears another knock at the door, dropping his head back in frustration and whispering, “Go away.”

He climbs out of bed, opening the door to find Stanley with an annoyed look on his face. “We’ve been looking for you, can I speak to you?”

Louis glances at Harry over his shoulder before turning back to Stanley. “Yeah, sure.”

They head to a seating room downstairs, Louis forgetting his wine upstairs in Harry’s room. Fuck. “How are you feeling?”

“Better now that I’m with you.” Stanley laughs, taking Louis’ hand. “I feel like I haven’t had much time with you over the last two weeks but I really wanted to get some time tonight.”

Louis nods, seeing Harry out of the corner of his eye. Stanley’s still speaking, but Louis can’t hear a single word he’s saying. “Sorry, would you excuse me for a minute?”

Stanley nods in confusion, Louis standing and following Harry down the hall. Harry glances over his shoulder at the sound of footsteps, smiling cheekily and immediately stopping. He opens a door next to him, quirking his head telling Louis to get inside. It’s a closet, the same one from the other night, and Louis is absolutely overjoyed to be stepping into it with Harry on his heels.

Harry shuts the door and pins Louis against the wall, their lips joining in fervor, knowing they’re going to get interrupted again soon.

Harry’s hands slide down over Louis’ ass, gripping the backs of his thighs and lifting him up. Louis wraps his legs around his waist, knotting his fingers in Harry’s curls. “Fuck.”

“Shh,” Harry whispers, sucking on Louis’ lower lip before biting it and soothing it with his tongue. Their mouths work together, tongues massaging and tasting. Louis clenches his thighs, arousal burning through his veins and curling his toes.

There’s a knock at the closet door, Louis whining pathetically into Harry’s mouth. He pulls back and Harry sets him down, Louis opening the door to Ren with a furrow in his brow. “Can I steal you?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles, annoyed out of his mind that they keep getting interrupted. They sit on the couch together, Ren crossing his legs and angling towards Louis. “I haven’t seen you since the beginning of the week.”

Harry pokes his head in the room. “Louis.”

Louis glances at him and back at Ren. “Sorry, one second.”

He gets up off the couch and goes into the hallway, smiling at Harry holding his glass of wine he left upstairs. He takes the glass and glances down the halls, making sure they’re all alone before dragging him to a dark corner. Their lips meet, Louis kissing back hurriedly. Their lips slide and tongues tangle, Harry’s hand dropping to Louis’ ass and squeezing.

“Louis.”

Louis pulls back at the sound of his name, glancing over Harry’s shoulder to see Foster Donnell. “Oh, hi.”

Foster laughs. “Hi. It’s time for the rose ceremony.”

“Oh, shit.” Louis’ jaw drops. “Is it really?”

Foster nods, quirking his head towards the living room. “Care to join me?” Louis nods, straightening out his clothes and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Foster points to his hair, “Might wanna fix that too.”

Louis runs his fingers through his hair, trying to fix his fringe quickly as he heads into the living room with Foster. All the men are sitting on the couch, well, all except Harry who slips in behind Louis and heads to stand beside Boyce.

Foster waits for his cue before speaking, clasping his hands together in front of his body. “Gentlemen.”

Louis smiles at the men, noticing how all of them look pissed off, Harry the only one smiling back at him. “This week was an amazing week, and I wanted to thank you all for spending time with me and putting in the effort. I’ll see you all in a few.”

Louis turns to follow Foster, going into the familiar room with producers, ready to tell them his decision.

When they finalize the names, Louis heads towards the dining room where the men are lined up and ready to go.

Foster steps forward, smiling at the men. “Good evening, gentlemen. We have twelve roses. Harry, Terrell, and Reshawn, you already have roses so you are safe tonight.” He turns to Louis. “When you’re ready.”

Louis steps forward, taking a deep breath. “This is never easy to do, and I just want to say again that I appreciate you all sacrificing time to be here with me. It means so much to me.”

Louis picks up the first rose, twirling it slowly. “Boyce.”

Boyce steps forward, smiling at Louis sweetly.

“Boyce, do you accept his rose?”

“Of course.”

Louis smiles, pinning the rose to his lapel. “Good.”

Boyce laughs, turning back to go back to his spot. Louis picks up the next rose, glancing at each of the men, eyes lingering a couple extra seconds on Harry’s, a dimple carved deeply into his cheek. Louis looks down at the rose. “George.”

George steps forward, a huge smile on his face. “George, do you accept this rose?”

“Yes, please.” George watches as Louis pins the rose to his lapel, hugging him tightly before returning to his spot. Louis hands out roses to Aaron, AJ, Tim, and Vance next, hugging each of them before they return to their spots. There’s tension tonight, no doubt, but Louis is trying to ignore it the best he can. He can tell the men are annoyed with him, clearly pissed off that Louis spent the entire cocktail party with Harry’s tongue in his mouth. He’s not going to apologize for it, though.

He picks up the next rose, holding for dramatic effect before announcing, “Ren.”

Ren steps forward. “Ren, do you accept this rose?”

“I do.” Ren nods, not even smiling at Louis. He’s not happy.

Ren turns and heads back to his spot as soon as Louis’ done pinning the rose to his lapel. Louis tries to hold in an eyeroll, he really does. He hands out roses to Carlson, Brad, Mitchell, and Lee next. Only one final rose left. Matt, Stanley, Rafeal, Casey, and Jessie all stand there staring at Louis expectantly, the wheels turning as they realize they’re probably going home.

Foster steps forward, gesturing to the rose. “This is the final rose.”

Louis picks up the rose, sighing deeply and taking one last look at each face. You could cut the tension with a knife, most of the men irritated with Louis and the other half giving Harry daggers every few minutes. Louis closes his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.

“Stanley.”

Stanley steps forward, taking his own relieved breath. “Fuck, I was scared.”

Louis smiles. “Do you accept this rose, Stanley?”

“Of course.”

Louis pins the rose to his lapel, Stanley stepping back into place. Foster steps forward, clapping his hands together. “Matt, Rafeal, Casey, Jessie, you did not receive a rose. Say your goodbyes, it’s time to head home.”

Louis hugs each of them as they leave, apologizing to Matt and wishing him well with the pole-dancing before he goes.

“Just, can you tell me one thing?” Matt sighs, Louis nodding. “Would I have been able to change your mind if we had some alone time tonight?”

Louis bites his lip, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.”

Matt nods. “Good luck, Louis.”

He heads for the door, leaving Louis with his fifteen men. Louis grabs his glass of wine, standing in the middle of all of them. “It’s only going to continue to get intense from here and I really am so happy to have you all here with me. Let’s make this next week amazing because… We’re heading to Lake Tahoe!”

The men all cheer as they clink their glasses together. They all chat excitedly, Louis taking a few more sips before taking it to the kitchen. He’s ready to head to his hotel room for the night, exhausted from all the tense stares and annoyed tones.

He pops his head into the living room before he leaves, waving at the men still lingering. “Night boys, see you.”

The men chorus a goodbye back, Louis heading out to his limo to go home.

When he arrives back to his hotel, he strips out of his suit, grabbing a set of his more luxurious pajamas because he needs some pampering tonight. He slips into one of his silk thongs, the fabric slipping easily over his hairless skin. He grabs the matching silky pajamas, sliding on the shorts and buttoning the shirt up, trying to ignore the intrusive thoughts about Harry. His cock perks, Louis huffing as he brushes his teeth, pressing his hips into the counter.

He does his skincare routine, heading back out to the bedroom to put lotion on his shaved legs and his hands. It smells like warm amber and toffee, his hands smoothing over the silky skin.

There’s a knock at his door, Louis pausing to look at it confusedly. He tiptoes over, looking through the peephole at the unknown presence.

Harry’s standing on the other side of the door, bouncing on his toes and gnawing on his lip. Louis laughs, opening the door. “What the hell are you doing?”

Harry’s eyes widen at the sight of Louis, skimpy silky pajamas and soft, shaved legs. “Oh my god. What are you wearing?”

Louis glances down, smirking at Harry cheekily. “What? You don’t like it?”

Harry shakes his head. “I hate it. Let’s take it off.”

Louis laughs, squealing when Harry steps inside and scoops him up, carrying him over to the bed. He drops Louis on it, kneeing up onto the bed to follow him to the pillows.

Their lips join in a hot, wet kiss. Louis moans, pulling Harry closer. He’s still in his blue button down and plaid pants, Louis tugging the shirt out of his pants and unbuttoning it the rest of the way. “You looked so fucking good tonight.”

Harry chuckles, nipping at Louis’ lip. “I could tell you loved it.”

Louis whines, pushing Harry’s shirt off his shoulders and sliding his hands down his firm chest. Harry licks into Louis’ mouth, sliding his hands down his soft thighs. “Do you shave all the time?”

“Would it be bad if I did?” Louis whispers, kissing down Harry’s neck so he doesn’t have to look at his face.

Harry groans, “No, baby. I fucking love it, such a soft, smooth boy for me.”

Louis whines, joining their lips in a sloppy kiss, their tongues sliding together and lips slick with spit. Harry squeezes Louis’ thighs, grinding forward and groaning at the feel of their hard cocks rubbing through the fabric. “Want you, baby. I couldn’t sit at that mansion knowing you’re here alone, you’ve got me fucked up.”

Harry unbuttons Louis’ silky top, sliding his thumbs over his small nipples. Louis moans, arching into the touch. “Want you, I can’t stop thinking about you, about your cock.”

“My cock?” Harry smirks, leaning down to spit on Louis’ nipple, using his fingers to pinch and roll it as he sucks on the other. Louis gasps, whimpering at the stimulation. “Want me to get my cock out for you, baby?”

Louis nods, tugging on Harry’s hair roughly. “Wanna suck you, been thinking about it for days.”

Harry groans and sits up, popping the button on his pants. He lays down on the bed, Louis hopping up to tug his pants down, moaning when he sees Harry’s gone commando. “Did you just know I was going to need your cock tonight or…?”

Harry laughs, shaking his head, “I don’t like underwear. I never wear it.”

Louis whines pitifully, leaning down to nuzzle at his pubic hair, his hand wrapped around the base of his cock. Harry cups Louis’ cheek, dragging his thumb over his lower lip before burying his fingers in his hair. “Suck, baby.”

Louis obeys, poking his tongue out to lick at the tip of his cock, moaning at the taste. He’s pretty sure Harry has some sort of spell on him because he’s never been this turned on by the way a man tastes, smells. His cock is rock hard in his silky thong, his insides burning like lava. He wants to climb Harry at every opportunity, ready to go at any point all night. He feels incredibly satisfied from the moment he sucks Harry down, the sight of his clenching abs driving Louis up the wall.

He bobs his head slowly, teasingly, savoring the taste of him. Harry uses his grip on Louis’ hair to bob his head faster, groaning loudly and dropping his head back on the pillow. “Fuck, Louis.”

Louis moans around his cock, cupping his balls and rolling them as he lets Harry control him. He hollows his cheeks, sucking harder on each pull, his tongue digging into the underside of Harry’s thick cock. It’s fucking huge, thick and long and fucking perfect. Louis’ pretty sure his brain is in overdrive, short circuiting from the tight grip on his hair.

Harry tugs Louis back down on his cock, flattening his hand on the back of his head to hold him there. “Take it, baby. That’s such a good boy, look at you.”

Louis chokes, gagging on his cock, swallowing and trying to adjust to Harry’s huge length down his throat. He’s high off the lack of control, his fingers tingling and his cock begging for attention. He’s desperate to please, his stomach clenching with need every time Harry calls him a good boy.

Harry pulls him back up, holding the sides of Louis’ face, bringing his feet flat on the bed and thrusting up into his open mouth. He hooks his fingers into both of Louis’ cheeks, holding his mouth open and fucking his hips up relentlessly. Louis drools all over his cock, spit running down his chin and pooling in Harry’s pubes. “Fuck, yeah, fuck! Look so good, baby.”

Louis gags, tears rolling down his cheeks as he lets Harry use his mouth.

Harry groans loudly, pulling his cock out and pushing Louis back. “Need to get inside of you, need to prep you, baby.”

Louis dives head first into the pillows, arching his back so that his ass is propped up. Harry chuckles behind him, grabbing a pillow and shoving it under his hips.

“Lube, baby?”

“Top drawer of the nightstand.”

Harry’s shuffling through the drawer, Louis trying to take a few deep breaths to calm himself. A condom is tossed by his head, Harry leaning up to press a kiss to Louis’ cheek. “Good?”

“All good.” Louis smiles, wrapping his arms around the pillow and nuzzling it. Harry sits back on his haunches, sliding his hands down Louis’ backside and groping his ass. He jiggles it before digging his fingers into the waistband and pulling the silky shorts down, only to reveal the thong underneath.

Harry groans, tugging the shorts off the rest of the way, running his fingers underneath the string of the thong. “Gorgeous, baby.”

Louis gasps as Harry spreads his cheeks, a tongue sliding over the string of his thong. “Oh fuck.”

Harry groans, licking flat stripes over Louis’ hole, over and over. “Taste amazing, baby. You’re so smooth, my pretty boy with his pretty hole.”

Louis whimpers, pushing his hips back to grind against Harry’s mouth. Harry groans, squeezing Louis’ hips roughly and nipping at his rim before sitting back and grabbing the lube. He squirts some onto his fingers, rubbing them over Louis’ hole, smirking at his whines. “So desperate for me, baby.”

“Please,” Louis whines, “Just want you inside me.”

“Patience, Louis,” Harry mumbles, slapping Louis’ ass roughly. He tugs Louis’ thong down and off, tossing it to the side and presses a finger to Louis’ rim, sinking it in slowly.

Louis pushes back against Harry’s finger, moaning loudly, “Another, please.”

“Mm,” Harry hums appreciatively. “Such a polite boy.” He sinks a second finger into Louis’ hole, pumping them slowly and widening them to stretch his rim. Louis groans, the stretch burning in all the right ways, his cock leaking against the pillow under his hips.

Harry presses a third finger inside of Louis, leaning down to lick at his rim, sliding his tongue inside of his hole. He fucks his tongue in with his fingers, groaning loudly. Louis sobs, digging his knees into the bed and fucking his hips back onto Harry’s tongue and fingers. “Fuck!”

Harry groans, fingers curling to drag over Louis’ prostate, rubbing quick circles over the spot. Louis screams, kicking his leg out and arching his back, “Oh fuck! Harry!”

Louis can feel his orgasm building, his thighs shaking. “Fuck, fuck! I’m gonna come, oh!”

He spills onto the pillow under his hips, his entire body shaking. Harry groans, licking over his hole a few more times before sitting up, grabbing the condom from next to Louis’ head. He rolls it onto his thick cock, rubbing it over Louis’ hole. “Ready for me, baby?”

Louis whimpers, nodding his head and looking over his shoulder at Harry. “Please. Want you, sir.”

Harry groans at the title, looking down as he stretches Louis with his cock, his hands sliding up his sides. “Gorgeous, baby.”

Louis moans, arching his back and reaching underneath himself to jerk himself back to full hardness. Harry sinks into him inch by inch, bottoming out and laying down on top of Louis, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. “Fuck, you feel so good, Louis.”

His cock is heavy inside of Louis, so thick his hole is burning from the stretch despite having three fingers and an orgasm already. Louis takes a few deep breaths, clenching and unclenching around Harry’s cock. “Fuck, you’re so big, H,” Louis whimpers.

Harry groans, burying his face in the other side of Louis’ neck, shuddering out, “Fuck.”

“Move, please,” Louis says breathily, the weight of Harry on top of him making him dizzy. “Fuck me, sir.”

Harry groans, biting at Louis’ shoulder as he pulls back and sinks into him roughly, setting a slow but hard pace. Each thrust punches the air out of Louis’ lungs, his fingers fisting the sheets below him. “Oh fuck! Please!”

Harry grunts, his arm tightening around Louis’ shoulders as he thrusts with as much force as he can muster. He shifts his hips, nailing Louis’ prostate on the first try, making him scream and arch his back. “That what you need, baby? How’s that feel?”

Louis sobs, his body shaking as Harry thrusts. He pinches at Louis’ nipples, groaning when he clenches tightly around his cock. “Answer me.”

Louis gasps below him, sobbing out, “So good! Feels so good, sir!”

Harry chuckles. “Good boy.” He speeds up his thrusts, hitting Louis’ prostate on every push, his cock twitching inside of him. He fists Louis’ hair, turning his head into his armpit, pushing his face into it.

Louis moans, licking over the hair, the smell and the taste driving him wild. Harry’s sweating profusely, his skin salty and the last dregs of his cologne and deodorant hanging on. He can barely breathe the more Harry smothers him with his pit, his thrusts brutal and everything he needs.

He’s going to come again, his cock twitching underneath him and his thighs beginning to shake. He moans loudly, Harry wrapping the fingers of his other hand around his throat, squeezing gently. Louis screams when he releases, his cock kicking and spilling, a fire burning through his veins as he comes buckets onto the pillow.

Harry let’s him go, Louis gasping for air, only to beg for his cum, “Please! Fill me, sir. Want you to come in me, I’m a good boy.”

“That’s right, baby.” Harry groans, thrusts sloppy. “My good boy.”

“Please, want you to come for me, H. Want your cum.”

Harry grunts loudly, biting at Louis’ shoulder as he buries his cock inside of him and spills into the condom, hips twitching and fingers digging into his sides.

He pulls out slowly, both of them shaking post orgasm. Louis sits up, tossing the pillow to the side and collapsing into the sheets. “Fuck.”

Harry chuckles, slapping Louis’ ass playfully. Louis lays on his belly, trying to catch his breath as Harry tosses the condom and brings a rag over to wipe down his body. He rolls Louis onto his back after cleaning the lube from between his cheeks, dragging the rag over his cock and belly to clean off the cum. He tosses it to the side, climbing into bed and pulling Louis closer, pressing his lips to his forehead.

Louis smiles, draping a leg over his waist and nuzzling his jaw. “Hey.”

“Hi, baby.” Harry wraps his arms tightly around Louis’ waist, holding him close.

“So, that was some of the best sex I’ve ever had,” Louis admits, sliding his hand down Harry’s chest to rest on his firm stomach.

Harry nods, Louis looking up to see a serious look on his face. “What?”

Harry sighs, looking down at Louis lovingly. “Can I tell you something that’s absolutely terrifying?”

Louis nods slowly, not sure where he’s going with this. “Yeah, go ahead.”

Harry swallows, taking a deep breath. “I’m falling in love with you, and I just don’t know how you can be so sure so quick, but I know this is meant to be. You and me.”

Louis’ eyes widen, his heart hammering in his chest as the words sink in. He immediately rolls on top of Harry, pressing their lips together and trying to translate his emotions into the kiss. They lick into each other’s mouths, Harry pulling back when he feels the tears rolling down Louis’ cheeks. “Baby…”

“This is breaking all the rules, Harry, so might as well break this one too, but I feel the same way.”

Harry’s smile is blinding and he rolls Louis onto his back, pressing kisses all over his face. Louis can’t help his giddy giggles, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck, his heart bursting with happiness. This is what he wants and it’s everything he needs for the rest of forever.

When they wake the next morning, Harry reluctantly gets dressed, but he has to go back to the mansion and pack before they head to Lake Tahoe, and hopefully before any of the men wake up. Louis lays in bed and watches him get dressed, his bottom lip poked out in a pout. “I don’t want you to go.”

Harry smiles, his shirt still unbuttoned as he leans down and kisses Louis sweetly. “You’ll see me sometime this week, baby.”

“Wanna spend all my time with you.”

Harry shrugs, winking at Louis. “What’s stopping you?”

Louis huffs, sitting up and stretching, still naked. Harry’s eyes are glued to his body, groaning quietly, “You’re gonna kill me.”

Louis giggles as he gets out of bed, spotting his thong on the floor, an idea immediately popping into his head. He bends to pick it up, laughing when Harry’s finger swipes over his loose hole, sinking into it as Louis stands and turns to wrap his arms around his waist. “I don’t think your finger belongs there, sir.”

“On the contrary.” Harry laughs, looking down as Louis tucks his thong into his pocket. “What’s this?”

“Keep ’em for me.” Louis bites his lip.

Harry groans, slipping a second finger beside his first and pumping them slowly. “Maybe I can stay.”

Louis moans, arching his back before reaching back and tugging them out of his hole, taking three big steps back. “You need to go pack, H.”

“But this is so much more fun,” Harry whines, pouting.

“Go on loverboy, this is your only chance before I refuse to let you leave the bed. Ever.” Louis starts pushing Harry towards the door, opening it completely naked and trying to shove him out.

“That can be arranged, baby.” Harry laughs, Louis slamming the door in his face before he drags him back inside and sinks to his knees. Another time.

Chapter Text

Harry sneaks into the mansion, trying his best to not wake any of the other men as he heads up the stairs to his room. He opens the door to find Carlson awake and packing his bag. Carlson takes one look at Harry, raising his eyebrows. “Where’ve you been?”

“Just went for a walk.”

“Last night? In the middle of the night?” Carlson scoffs. “Man, I’m not stupid.”

Harry sighs, tugging his shirt off and pulling on a t-shirt. “Listen, I don’t need to explain.”

“No, I guess not.” Carlson shakes his head, shoving a shoe into his bag. “Do us a favor though, give us a chance at least.”

Harry furrows his brows, turning to face him. “Why the hell would I do that? I’m here for Louis, to fall in love, I’m not here to coddle your and all the other men’s feelings. I’m not going to apologize for doing everything I can to be the man on one knee at the end of this.”

Carlson rolls his eyes. “I wasn’t telling you to back off him, just give us the time we deserve too. You can’t fucking hog him just because you feel like it and then sneak off in the middle of the night to have some more.”

Harry yanks the thong out of his pocket and tosses it on his bed, trying not to look too smug at the shocked look on Carlson’s face. He doesn’t say another word, just turns to finish packing and stands to leave the room. Boyce is just waking up as Harry yanks on some sweatpants, tucking the thong into his pocket. “Morning, man.”

“Morning.”

He sits alone on the bus to Lake Tahoe, Carlson sending him daggers the entire trip. He ignores them, putting his headphones in and trying to take a nap. The entire seven hour trip is tense, the men clearly still pissed off about last night. Harry isn’t sure when he falls asleep but when he wakes up, AJ slides into the seat beside him. “Is it true?”

“What?” Harry grumbles, confused and still half-asleep. “Is what true?”

“You fucked Louis and you have his thong as a trophy?”

Harry’s head snaps to Carlson, his brow furrowed. Carlson is staring at him with cold eyes, Mitchell sat beside him with the same look on his face. Bastards.

He turns back to AJ, shoving him out of the seat. “It’s not your business.”

“That’s against the rules, you’re not supposed to fuck him outside of the fantasy suite. You can both be sent home for this,” AJ says matter of factly.

Harry shrugs. “We’re going home together at the end anyways, if they want to send us home now that’s fine with me.”

AJ huffs, stomping back to his original seat. The men in the seat in front of Harry glance back at him, clearly irritated with him. Whatever.

When they pull up to the lake house they’ll be staying in, all the men cheer, pumping their fists. They run off the bus and head up to the rooms, Harry asking Boyce if he can room with him. He agrees, clearly oblivious to the tension and the rumors.

The men get up early the next morning, Harry heading downstairs to the kitchen to fix something for breakfast when the doorbell rings. Stanley heads for the door, opening it and shouting to the house, “Date card is here!”

Harry practically chokes as he runs to the living room, plopping down on the couch as cameras are set up to film the date card reveal. They all sit and wait in agony, Stanley standing before them with the card in hand. He waits for his cue, finally ripping into the envelope and pulling out the card.

“Boyce, let’s just keep swimming. Love, Louis.”

The men all clap, slapping Boyce on the back as he goes to get ready. Harry purses his lips, picking at a loose thread on the couch.

“Guess Louis decided you had enough time,” Stanley mutters, tossing the card to him. “You may think it’s over cause you have his panties, but Louis’ had his tongue down plenty of other men’s throats the last two weeks.”

The men scatter quickly, Harry rolling his eyes at Stanley. “Don’t be jealous because I’ve fucked him and you haven’t even kissed him.”

“Not jealous.” Stanley smirks. “Just being real with you, something you wouldn’t know anything about.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Harry demands, immediately shutting up when the doorbell rings and Louis steps inside. Harry shakes his head, going straight over to Louis and giving him a kiss on the cheek. The rest of the men roll their eyes, Louis looking a little caught off guard himself. Boyce comes downstairs and they leave, the men waving them off but Harry goes upstairs, heading for his room and locking the door behind him.

He lays down on the bed and stares at the ceiling above him, trying to relax by shutting his eyes and concentrating on the only thing that can make him feel better. Louis.

He thinks of him laughing, sweet and loud, his smile brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the most exquisite music. He thinks of his hands on Harry, how gentle he is. Louis in those silky pajamas, his smooth legs on display as he spreads them for Harry. Louis’ panties burn a hole in his pocket, Harry reaching in to pull them out and play with them. He runs them between his fingers, twisting and untwisting them before finally plopping them on his face, over his nose. The smell of Louis’ lotion permeates his nose, his cock perking up in his sweats.

He slides his hand down his body, palming himself over his sweats and reaching up to hold the panties over his nose, inhaling the smell of Louis.

He pulls his cock out, fisting himself slowly as he snorts the panties. His cock kicks as he remembers the taste of his boy, the sounds he makes as Harry takes him apart. He licks over the patch of precum from Louis’ dick, the taste intoxicating. He wants more, wishes so bad he could go to Louis right now and bend him over in front of everyone. His fingers tingle as he jerks himself faster, groaning loudly without thinking, his mind too caught up in his thoughts to worry about the other men in the house.

He yanks the panties from his face and drags them down to wrap around his leaking cock. He jerks his dick through the panties, groaning at the drag of the silky fabric, soaking through with his own precum. He closes his eyes and pictures Louis on top of him, grinding his silk covered ass against Harry’s cock, moaning for more and begging to be wrecked.

Harry grunts as he thumbs the head of his cock, twisting his fist as his orgasm burns at the base of his spine, his abs clenching and his back arching.

“Fuck, Louis!” Harry groans, spilling into the panties, cum making his fist click and ruining the panties still wrapped around his cock. “Fuck.”

He lays there for a minute before grabbing a towel to wipe himself down, tossing the cum-soaked panties near his suitcase. He lays back down on the bed, trying to figure out how he’s going to be able to do this for another seven weeks.

--

Harry ignores Boyce when he comes in late, pretending to already be asleep. Anything to pretend like he can’t smell Louis on him, anything to pretend like he’s the only one.

He wakes up the next morning to the doorbell being rung and Vance shouting about the date card being there. Harry tries to burrow under the blankets, hoping beyond hope that he isn’t on that card and he’s been given the second one-on-one this week. Boyce shakes his shoulder as he heads out. “Date card's here, time to get up.”

Harry peels himself out of bed, ignoring the shit eating grin on Boyce’s face. He heads downstairs to lounge on the couch, hoodie pulled up around his chin until they’re ready to film. He tries to look somewhat interested as Vance reads out the names one by one.

“Ren, Harry, George, Aaron, AJ, Tim, Vance, Carlson, Brad, Reshawn, Stanley, Lee, and Mitchell. Let’s get booze-y. Love, Louis.”

Harry purses his lips, trying to sort out the disappointed twist in his stomach as the rest of the men get moving, most of them disappearing to get ready for the date. Terrell, the only man left, is going on the one-on-one date, and he’s clearly happy about it considering he’s shouting through the house and clapping his hands obnoxiously. Harry eventually gets up, heading upstairs to get changed, sliding on a patterned button-up and some loose trousers, grabbing his filthy white vans. He heads downstairs, a loud foghorn startling all the men, everyone looking out the windows, spotting a large boat docked out back.

“What the fuck.” Ren laughs, everyone heading outside to see Louis standing at the end of the dock with his hands clasped in front of his body. They go running down the dock, Terrell and Boyce following closely to see what the other men are about to go do.

“Good morning boys.” Louis beams. “How about we do a little day drinking?”

The side of the ship reads The Tiki Cruise and it’s very clearly a booze cruise, a huge bar spanning the entire top deck of the pontoon. The men all cheer, clapping their hands as they head onboard, Harry hanging back so he can walk with Louis.

Louis smiles when he sees him, instantly brightening Harry’s mood. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi, H.” Louis reaches his arms out, hugging Harry tightly, their own private moment before turning to head onboard with the rest of the boys.

They spend the morning and early afternoon drinking, Louis bouncing from boy to boy and having chats. Harry waits his turn, trying his best to be patient. A DJ plays some music, a few of the men drunk enough to get up and dance as they cruise through South Lake Tahoe. Louis eventually crosses that threshold, making his way over to Harry and shaking his hips. “Come dance with me, pouty.”

Harry can’t help it, when Louis’ around he can’t help the huge smile and butterflies that send him wild. He takes his hand, letting Louis drag him out to the dance floor, some random party song blasting as Louis turns around to grind back on him, shaking his ass and trying his best to cheer Harry up.

Harry chuckles, holding Louis’ hips and pulling him closer. “You’re so drunk, baby.”

“Why aren’t you?” Louis questions, turning around to wrap his arms around Harry’s neck. “Why aren’t you having fun?”

Harry shrugs. “Just a little in my head today, I think.”

Louis nods, eyes clear even though he’s sloshed. “Do you want to go talk?”

Harry sighs, glancing around the boat. “No, we can talk tonight, how’s that?”

Louis smiles, tangling his fingers in Harry’s curls and pulling him into a kiss. They makeout on the dancefloor for everyone to see, Harry pulling back to nuzzle Louis’ neck as they grind.

As the afternoon starts to crawl into early evening, Louis grabs a microphone and calls the men together. “So, now that we’re all good and drunk.” Louis giggles, making Harry a little nervous as he watches him sway. “We’re going to do… a roast!”

All the men laugh, Harry snorting and shaking his head, leaning over to Aaron and Ren. “This oughta be good.”

Aaron gives him a look. “You know they’re gonna use this to attack you, right?”

Harry nods. “I figured. I can deal with it, I’m here for Louis and Louis alone.”

Ren nods in agreeance, taking the paper that’s handed to him. A producer passes a piece of paper and a pen to Harry. “Write on this and then you’re going to recite it in front of everyone.”

The men all take seats, spreading out to work on their individual pieces. Louis floats through the boat, trying to get a feel of each of their roasts, and eventually sliding in next to Harry. “How’re you feeling now?”

“Good, baby.” Harry smiles, leaning over to kiss him. “Thanks for checking on me. How’re you feeling?”

Louis hums sweetly, leaning his head on Harry’s shoulder. “So happy.”

Harry chuckles, turning his head to kiss Louis again, licking into his mouth and tasting the multiple mixed drinks he’s had. Rum and fruity slush, it’s sickeningly sweet and Harry can’t get enough. Louis giggles into the kiss, pushing him back, but he can’t get enough either because he leans back in to press three pecks in quick succession on his lips. “Write me something good, H.”

He gets up and heads to the next man, always leaving Harry wanting more.

The producers call time, the men coming back together with their finished jokes. Clare, the main producer, starts giving directions, “Foster Donnell is getting onboard as we speak, and he’s going to introduce you one by one. You’ll read out your jokes, and then you’ll go sit down and let the next guy go. At the end Foster will speak again and then we’ll wrap up here and head up the dock to an outdoor cocktail party.”

The men all nod in confirmation, Foster Donnell appearing before them to stand at the podium. George, Aaron, and AJ go first, their roasts relatively mild, most of the men laughing in solidarity.

“Next up, we have the spectacular, the extremely handsome, Ren!” Foster smiles, shaking his hand as they swap places.

Ren takes to the podium, clearing his throat and smiling at the crowd of men.

“Carlson belongs on the show Big Mouth, because he’s always spewing some bullshit about someone in the house,” he begins, the men all chuckling and Carlson rolling his eyes, glancing at Harry. Ren smiles, chuckling to himself as he gets ready to read his next joke like he can’t help himself. “I can’t wait for the day Lee and Mitchell get kicked off, maybe then they can finally start their rendition of Brokeback Mountain.”

Harry chokes on his drink, all the men howling with laughter, Lee and Mitchell going beet red. Louis gasps, turning in his chair to look at them. “Wait, really?!”

Lee shakes his head, glancing at Mitchell shyly, who just closes his eyes with a smile on his face. “No, not really.”

Ren heads back to his seat, Tim, Vance, Carlson, and Brad going after him.

Foster gets up to announce the next roaster after Brad, “Next up we have the charming, Harry!”

Louis claps wildly, the rest of the men half-assing it as Harry heads up to the podium with his jokes.

He makes a big show of opening his paper, flapping it open and clearing his throat several times before delivering his first joke. “George looks like the boy from Stuart Little, which makes sense once you meet him and realize he’s definitely got a basement full of rats.”

Louis cackles in the crowd, George shaking his head and chuckling. “Thanks man.”

Harry giggles. “No problem. What’s one thing you don’t know about Carlson? Nothing because he doesn’t shut up.”

The crowd oos, Carlson shaking his head, that’s two digs about him running his mouth, maybe he’ll learn his lesson. Harry heads back to his seat, Foster standing to announce the next man. “We’re going to have the incredible Stanley next!”

Stanley heads up to the podium, smiling at the crowd mischievously. Harry notices a few extra camera men shuffle in, pointing their cameras at Harry. “What’s the difference between Harry and a clown? Nothing.”

The men all howl with laughter, Mitchell slapping his legs obnoxiously. Louis furrows his brow, glancing at Harry over his shoulder. Harry’s a good sport, he can take it, so he just chuckles, refusing to dignify him with a reaction.

Stanley chuckles to himself, glancing at Carlson before delivering his next joke, if you can even call it that. “There’s nothing worse than a green eyed monster, Harry knows this well. Think it’s time to take pity on him, Louis, send the little monster home.”

Harry chuckles, raising his eyebrows at Mitchell when he reaches out to shove his shoulder. Stanley heads back to his seat and Reshawn and Lee go after him, giving relatively funny digs targeting George, Mitchell, and Boyce.

Mitchell is last to go, Harry pursing his lips as the cameras, once again, are pointed at his face to get his reaction. Hope America gets a good laugh at his expense.

“Harry, where do I begin? You’re like the boa constrictor on The Jungle Book and soon Louis will snap out of your spell.” Harry just smiles, shrugging his shoulder and glancing at Ren who’s not laughing anymore either. Louis’ practically turned in his seat to see both Mitchell and Harry, concern written all over his face. It’s whatever—it’s a roast, it’s supposed to sting a little—until Mitchell delivers his next “joke”. “It’s only a matter of time before Louis figures out that you see him as just another notch in the bedpost, that charm doesn’t last forever.”

Harry rises out of his chair, Ren and Reshawn standing to hold him back.

“That was completely out of line dude.” Reshawn shakes his head. “That’s not your business.”

“It is when he’s throwing it around that he fucked him. Doesn’t that piss you off?” Carlson huffs, standing out of his chair.

Harry drops his head back in frustration, tugging at his hair. “I never fucking told you I did! You made your own assumptions and told the entire house!”

Louis’ face is beet red, looking between the men as they argue. Harry shakes his head. “I’m not here to argue with you. You’re wasting my time and you need to get your fucking priorities straight. Stop worrying about me and what I’m doing and worry about building your own relationship. You asked for me to cut you and all the other men in the house a break and give you a chance, here’s some advice instead. Keep your head in your own corner.”

Harry stands up and heads to the dock, leaving the rest of the men behind.

He grabs his whiskey at the bar, waiting for the cocktail party to start, watching the sun set over South Lake Tahoe. A few men shuffle up the dock and onto the patio, trickling in little by little, Louis finally arriving with the producers.

Louis’ handed a glass of wine and he holds it up, the men all gathering around. “Today has been a little chaotic, to say the least, but I’m really glad you’re all here tonight. Let’s have a good night.”

They clink their glasses together, Louis immediately grabbing Harry’s hand. “C’mon, we need to talk.”

They head down onto the beach, walking away from the cocktail party.

“What was that all about, Harry?” Louis sighs, glancing at him as they walk.

Harry shakes his head, still fuming, “When I got home the other morning, Carlson was already awake. He saw that I was still wearing my clothes from the night before and when I got changed I tossed the panties on the bed and he saw them. Then he basically told the entire house and they had a problem with me already so it’s exasperated.”

Louis nods, twining their fingers together. “Why do they already have a problem with you?”

Harry shrugs. “From the first night they’ve had an issue, but I think they hate that I’m always stealing you away. Carlson told me to give them all a chance the other day and I basically said no because I’m here to spend time with you and fall in love with you, not stand off to the side so someone else has a ‘chance’.”

“That’s so ridiculous.” Louis huffs, rolling his eyes. “If I didn’t want your attention I would be turning you down and giving time to other men. It’s not like you’re forcing me to spend time with you.”

Harry chuckles. “Yeah. It pisses me off the most that Carlson went and told the entire house that we had sex. He has no fucking clue what went on.”

“Well.” Louis giggles. “I mean we did have sex and I’m not going to deny that. I like you, you like me, we’re attracted to each other. Nothing wrong with that, they’re just jealous.”

Harry nods. “I’m glad it doesn’t bother you, I just didn’t want them telling everyone like that. It’s not their business what you do with anyone besides them.”

“I agree.” Louis smiles, stopping to wrap his arms around Harry’s neck. “Now, enough of that.”

Harry leans down to press their lips together, kissing him with slow, wet sucks. Their mouths massage each other, Harry’s hands digging into Louis’ sides tightly. His heart is pounding in his chest, so beyond grateful that Louis understands and isn’t upset with him. He’s falling harder for Louis every day, wishing so badly that this moment could last for the rest of time. He can’t wait to be on one knee, proposing forever to his boy, in seven short weeks.

They head back up to the patio, Harry kissing the back of Louis’ hand and offering to get him another glass of wine. Reshawn steps up with a glass of wine in his hand for Louis. “Mind if I steal him for a bit?”

Harry nods, patting his shoulder. “Sure, man. Thanks for earlier.”

“You’re welcome.” Reshawn smiles, patting Harry’s shoulder back.

Reshawn and Louis head down the beach, out of sight. Harry gets himself another drink and heads to sit with Ren, Aaron, and George, ignoring the group of assholes on the other side of the patio. When Louis finally returns after about an hour, he’s alone, Reshawn nowhere to be seen. He takes a seat between Harry and Ren, taking a deep, shaky breath and waving the other men over. “Can you all come over here?”

Everyone takes their seats, every single man noticing the absence of Reshawn.

“So Reshawn and I had a long conversation. He’s been really struggling with his feelings and where his heart is in this process. He misses his daughter, obviously, and although he wants to be here, with us, a huge part of his heart is missing not being with her. It’s making this whole process really hard on him, so he’s made the decision to go home.”

The men all exchange shocked looks, Harry reaching up to rub Louis’ back soothingly.

“This has been a hard decision for him, but I’m glad he’s making the right decision for himself. I’ve had a great day today, but I’m exhausted and I’m sure you all are too”—he reaches out and grabs the group date rose—“I want you all to know that by digging into other relationships, you’re not going to take ours anywhere. Please just focus on me and not what other people are doing or what I am doing with other people, because you’re not only wasting your time but you’re wasting mine. With that said… Harry, will you accept this rose?”

Harry nods, turning so that Louis can pin it to his lapel. He leans forward to hug Louis tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Louis stands up, giving hugs to each of the men, Harry standing off to the side. Just before he leaves, Louis turns and heads back to wrap his arms around Harry’s neck, hugging him once more. “Bye, H.”

“Bye, baby. Sweet dreams.”

Louis smiles at him, tears in his eyes but a fond look on his face. “Sweet dreams.”

The men head back to the mansion on a bus, Harry heading straight upstairs to bed, avoiding anyone and everyone.

--

Harry’s lying on the couch watching some random show when the doorbell rings. He gets up, knowing it’s Terrell’s date card and heads to the front door, opening it and grabbing it off the little table set up for it. He calls the men together, everyone shuffling into the living room. Harry waits for the production team to finish setting up, Terrell practically bouncing in his seat as he waits for his card to be read out.

Clare points at Harry, giving him his cue to go.

“Terrell, let’s dive in headfirst. Love, Louis.”

The men all shove and squeeze Terrell as he gets up to grab the card from Harry, reading over it himself as he chews on his lips.

Harry smiles at him, patting his shoulder. “You deserve it man, have fun.”

Lee and Mitchell snicker beside him, knocking their shoulders into Harry’s. “You don’t have to be fake for the cameras, worried Louis will see the real you?”

Harry rolls his eyes, taking a seat on the couch beside Boyce, giving the two the finger when they turn to head off together like the Grady Twins. Freaks.

Boyce leans over, flicking Harry’s cheek. “Don’t let them get under your skin. You know why you’re here, you know you meant what you said to Terrell.”

Harry nods, smiling thankfully at Boyce, turning to lay his head in his lap. Boyce just chuckles, threading his fingers through Harry’s curls and pulling them apart one by one, his hair getting frizzier by the moment.

--

Harry combs his fingers through his hair, taking one final look at himself in the mirror. He’s wearing his loose, dark brown pants and a plaid blazer, a sheer, white button up underneath, unbuttoned down to his naval like always. His white vans poke out underneath his pants, the pink shoelaces covered in coffee he spilled on it a few months ago. He nods at his reflection, turning to head downstairs to join the rest of the men for the cocktail party, his red rose pinned to the lapel of his blazer, matching Boyce and Terrell.

When Louis arrives, the camera crew race around, Harry standing off to the side with Boyce and Aaron. Louis smiles at them, holding his hands behind his back as he waits. Stanley hands Louis his glass of wine, the producers giving Louis the cue to begin.

“This week has been incredibly difficult. With Reshawn leaving early and a few bumps, I’ve had a lot to unpack. Tonight is going to be really important for a few of you and I think we should all commit to making it a good night. Cheers.”

The men come together to clink their glasses, Louis disappearing with Vance to talk. Harry is going to make a point tonight to back off a little, let Louis make his decisions and give the men a chance to dig their own hole. He’s sitting with Boyce in the kitchen, sipping their drinks and discussing the prospects for the NFL season coming up, when Louis and Stanley come back inside, both clearly fuming. Louis stomps off in the direction of Mitchell, waving him over and heading back outside. Harry glances at Boyce with raised eyebrows, turning back to see Lee storming after the two. Harry doesn’t even blink. He stands to follow them, but Boyce grabs his arm. “Harry, just leave it.”

Harry purses his lips, sitting back down and taking a swig of whiskey. “I don’t like that.”

“Louis’ a big boy, the producers wouldn’t let anything happen to him either.”

Harry nods, looking back down at his glass.

When Lee returns, he tosses a glass at the wall, storming through the mansion on a tirade. Harry stands when Louis walks back in with Mitchell, his arms crossed and face red with anger. Mitchell’s yelling at him, Stanley standing to join in, and honestly, Harry won’t watch this bullshit happen. He immediately gets between Louis and the men. “Back off.”

Stanley scoffs. “Fuck off, take your own advice and mind your own business.”

Harry laughs, Lee turning back up to join Stanley and Mitchell. “You’re so fucking pathetic, all three of you. You’re so pissed off and for what? Because he’s his own person that makes his own decisions?”

Mitchell scoffs. “Just take your whore upstairs and fuck him again.”

Harry’s head explodes. Like, actually explodes. His blood pressure spikes immediately, mind blanking red and eyes clearing to focus on Mitchell alone. His arm pulls back, only to shoot forward with the blinding force of all of his anger, disappointment, and rage, punching the cunt right in the nose. A sickening yet satisfying crack sounds through the room on impact, blood spraying on his shirt. Mitchell immediately swings for Harry, missing when Harry ducks, Stanley and Lee lunging for him immediately. Louis and producers step in before they can make contact, producers yanking the three back and away from Harry, all three of them kicking and screaming. Louis shoves Harry back with hands on his chest, tears rolling down his cheeks and his eyes wide. “Harry!”

Harry immediately turns to walk, getting himself—getting Louis—away from the situation as quickly as possible. Louis shoves him out of the room and into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind them, Harry fisting his hair as he tries to cool off. “Fuck, I’m so sorry Lou.”

Louis shakes his head, grabbing Harry’s bloody hand out of his hair. “You didn’t break it, did you?”

Harry flexes his fingers, shaking his head. “No, just fucking sore already. It’s gonna be a bitch tomorrow.”

Louis grabs a rag, wetting it under the faucet and starts to wipe at his knuckles, blood and raw skin hanging off of them. Harry cringes, gritting his teeth as Louis cleans his hand up. Tears are still rolling down his cheeks and Harry reaches forward with his other hand, wiping them away with his thumb. “I’m so sorry he said that, baby.”

Louis shrugs, shaking his head. “I’ve been called worse in my twenty-eight years.”

“But you don’t deserve to be treated that way, not by anyone, but especially not by those three assholes.”

“No, you’re right, but H, I don’t need you punching every person that says something mean. I appreciate it, I do, but you’ve gotta keep your cool. Don’t sink to their level, okay?”

Harry nods, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry.”

Louis smiles half-heartedly. “I know you are.” He wraps his arms around Harry’s neck, pecking his lips twice before burying his face in his neck. “Just don’t do it again, you fucking scared me. I was worried they were gonna jump on you.”

Harry chuckles, wrapping Louis up tightly in his arms. “They wish.”

Louis leans back to smile up at Harry, scrunching his nose cutely. “Gimme another kiss, then we need to go back out there.”

Harry leans down and kisses Louis passionately, his head spinning with adrenaline and the taste of his boy. His hand aches, but he’s not even registering it as he sucks a slow, wet kiss against his mouth. Harry pulls back to press a few more pecks to his lips before letting him go completely. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way.”

Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes playfully. “That’s right, Styles. You need to kiss my ass now.”

“I can do that.” Harry chuckles filthily. Louis groans, shoving his shoulder back as he opens the door and heads back down the hall. Harry notes the sway in his hips as he walks, giggling at how cute he is.

When they walk into the living room, the men are all standing around tensely. Stanley, Lee, and Mitchell stand off to the side on their own, scowls on each of their faces.

“So, tonight I’m supposed to send three men home. I was supposed to do the rose ceremony like usual, but honestly, I don’t feel like going through the rest of the cocktail party and standing up there acting like this is hard for me. So in an effort to save all of us some time, Lee, Mitchell, Stanley, please leave the mansion. The rest of you will receive a rose if you choose to accept it.”

The men all nod, the three men being escorted out of the mansion together. Harry sighs, leaning his head back against the wall as everyone moves around him.

Clare steps up next to him, smiling at him pityingly. “Mind coming to do an interview real quick?”

“Sure.” Harry sighs, following her down the hall and to the interview room.

He takes a seat, a set medic member coming over to wrap his hand for him real quick before they begin his interview.

Clare takes a seat, Tom turning on the camera. “What happened tonight, Harry?”

“I think tonight was just an explosion of emotions. There’s been tension growing in the house, and clearly it hit its peak tonight. I’m not sure what was said to Louis, but when I saw them come inside and they were talking to him that way, I couldn’t sit around and watch that.” Harry shrugs. “So I stepped in and Mitchell said something extremely out of line so I hit him. I shouldn’t have done it but I’m not going to stand for someone talking to anyone that way, but especially not Louis.”

“Why do you think the men had such an issue with you?”

Harry laughs. “I think the men had an issue with me because it’s evident that Louis has feelings for me and wants to spend time with me. At the end of the day, I’m here for Louis and Louis alone. I don’t care what anyone else is doing, I don’t care what they’re thinking about me. I’m falling in love with Louis, and that’s the only important thing to me.”

Clare nods. “And how do you think everything's going with Louis?”

“My feelings grow for Louis every day, he’s everything to me already and we’re only in the second week. I’m falling for him and I’m confident that Louis feels the same way.”

The door to the interview room opens, Louis stepping inside. “Sorry.” He giggles at Clare. “Almost done?”

Clare sighs. “I guess we are.”

Tom leaves the camera rolling, Louis going over to sit on Harry’s lap. “Wondered where you went.”

“Came to give Clare some footage of me babbling about you.”

Louis giggles, grabbing Harry’s hand and kissing his knuckles. “Feeling okay?”

“I’m good, baby. Don’t worry. How are you feeling?”

Louis sighs, humming softly. “So much better now that those assholes are gone.”

Harry smiles, cupping Louis’ cheek. “Proud of you.”

Louis leans down to kiss Harry slowly, sucking his bottom lip and curling his fingers into his hair. “I have to head back to my hotel in a minute, but wanted to say goodbye.”

“Okay, baby. Thank you for coming to find me before you left.” Harry bumps their noses together, squeezing Louis’ hip.

Louis nods, giving him one last kiss before standing up. Harry holds his hand as they head to the front door, most of the men still hanging around the house. Louis turns to kiss him one final time, whispering against his lips, “See you next week, H.”

“See you.”

Chapter Text

Harry wakes the next morning to Boyce shaking his shoulder. “Foster is downstairs, says he has an announcement.”

Harry’s stomach turns as his thoughts immediately go to Louis. What happened? Where’s Louis? Is he safe?

He gets up and tugs on some sweats, heading downstairs and joining the rest of the men in the living room. Foster is standing up front in his signature suit, hands clasped in front of his body. He doesn’t look stressed or concerned, so Harry takes that as a good sign.

Producers give Foster the go ahead. “Good morning, gentlemen. Are you enjoying your time in South Lake Tahoe?”

The men all nod, Terrell hooting and fist pumping and making everyone laugh. The house is a little more somber this morning with the previous evening’s events and Reshawn leaving earlier in the week. It’s a lot to digest, especially on a TV show with very little alone time.

“Well, I hope none of you are too attached because we’re going to pack up today and head to our next location.”

The men all erupt in conversation, clapping and shouting, excitement bubbling in the room.

“We’re heading to… Oslo, Norway!” Foster beams as the group of men shout their excitement, jumping and clapping, giving each other high fives and laughing as Terrell throws Boyce over his shoulder and carries him around the room.

“Pack up boys! We leave in a few hours!” Foster laughs when Terrell tries to pick him up next, dodging his hands and turning to run down the hall, Terrell hot on his heels. Harry chuckles, standing up to head back upstairs to pack, scratching his bare stomach as he goes. When he gets to the bottom of the stairs, Carlson’s waiting for him.

“Hey man, can I talk to you?”

Harry purses his lips. “Why?”

“I wanted to apologize for telling everyone about you and Louis. It wasn’t my business and I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

Harry nods, glancing down the hall before looking back at Carlson. “You’re right, you should’ve. What’s done is done, though, and I would prefer you keep your focus on your own relationship and not on mine, or anyone else’s for that matter.”

Carlson nods, reaching a hand out. “Forgive me?”

Harry rolls his eyes, shaking his hand. “I forgive you.”

He heads upstairs to pack his bags, folding his clothes neatly and zipping up the suitcases. He finds the ruined thong in a pile of dirty clothes and he carries them downstairs to wash with his stuff, tossing them into the washer. When his clothes are finished he packs them in his suitcase, thong included, and takes his luggage downstairs.

The flight to Oslo is relatively smooth, only one little bump in the form of too many airplane bottles of alcohol for Vance. Harry and Boyce have to hold him as they depart the plane, carrying him through the airport to the baggage claim. They take a bus through the city centre to their hotel, all the men pressing their faces to the window in awe. Harry’s never been outside of the US, except a Caribbean cruise he went on with his fraternity brothers his junior year of college. He doesn’t remember much, if he’s honest, spent the entire time drunk off his face.

He takes in the sights of old buildings and a huge tower over the town in the shape of a ski jump. It’s beautiful and Harry can’t wait to get to explore it, hopefully with Louis by his side.

When they get to the hotel, it’s fucking massive, all of the men still sharing rooms but this time, they’re sharing a penthouse. The living room is bigger than Harry’s one bedroom apartment in Phoenix, his jaw on the floor from the moment he steps in the front door. Boyce, Ren, Harry, and Terrell claim one of the rooms, Boyce and Harry tossing their suitcases down and heading to go check out the rest of the hotel suite.

“Who do you think’s gonna get the one-on-one’s this week?”

Harry shrugs, glancing at Boyce. “I don’t know. Who do you think?”

Boyce hums thoughtfully. “George hasn’t had one yet, so I would say him because he seems to have a connection with Louis too. The second one, maybe AJ?”

“AJ? Really?” Harry chuckles, glancing at Boyce.

Boyce giggles, shrugging his shoulders. “I mean he’s still here, isn’t he?”

Harry nods. “Fair enough.”

The next morning there’s a knock at the hotel room door, Boyce going to answer it. He picks up the date card and carries it inside, Harry grabbing his glass of water and heading for the couch to listen to the announcement of the first one-on-one of the week. He silently hopes it’s him, but he has a weird feeling about it after the last rose ceremony, like something is off.

Boyce waits for the producers to give him his cue, tapping the envelope against his palm. Clare runs around trying to get the right angles for the reactions. She points to Boyce once she’s done. “Go ahead, Boyce.”

Boyce tears into the card, clearly hoping it’s his name on the card too.

“George, are you ready for the jump? Love, Louis.”

George beams on the other side of the couch, Harry feeling the pit in his stomach grow. He’s not seen Louis since the rose ceremony, and he can’t place why, but the longer he’s away from him the more worried he feels.

George goes to get ready for his date, Harry lounging on the couch and watching some random news show with Terrell and Vance. A knock at the door an hour later catches their attention, Vance jumping up to grab the door.

Harry sits up when he hears Vance say, “Hey Louis.” Trying to adjust his shirt and make sure his hair isn’t too frizzy and out of place, reclipping it up. As Louis steps into the living room, Harry stands up from his spot, joining the rest of the men as they greet him. George steps out of his room, pulling Louis into a tight hug. Harry tries to edge around the group to make eye contact with him, but Louis doesn’t even look for him, just takes George’s hand and heads out.

Harry’s stomach turns with anxiety, fear that he’s upset Louis crawling up his throat and threatening to rip his tongue out. He takes a few deep breaths as he stares at the shut door, the rest of the men already off to do their own things. He picks at a loose string from his sweats, turning to head back into his room to take a nap—or rather, to toss and turn for the rest of the day until he hears George come back—bile rising at the thought of Louis kissing, falling in love, considering someone else… all because Harry made a mistake.

--

Harry wakes the next morning feeling just as shitty and just as sick as he did the night before when he fell into a restless slumber. His heart aches, the kind that makes your throat feel thick and your stomach churn with the constant loop of your mind.

Harry gets up with Boyce, Ren, and Terrell, all of them cooking breakfast together for the rest of the men, or rather, attempting to cook. Terrell burns the eggs and Ren spills the syrup, Harry dropping the pancake batter all over the counter. It’s a mess, really.

Vance and Carlson come out of their rooms, confused looks on their faces. “What… happened?”

Harry’s holding his stomach as he laughs, Boyce shaking his head as he attempts to clean up the mess they’ve made, mumbling fondly, “A disaster.”

A knock at the door catches their attention, Ren going to answer the door and finding a date card waiting for him. He brings it into the kitchen. “Date card, boys.”

Ren continues through to the living room, everyone following him and the rest of the men getting up to come listen as it’s read aloud. Harry crosses his fingers, hoping that his name isn’t on the card so he can get the second one-on-one this week. Producers run around as the men stare, Ren waiting patiently for the go ahead to read out the names on the card.

As soon as Clare points at him, Ren rips open the envelope.

“AJ, Terrell, Boyce, Tim, Carlson, Vance, Brad, Ren, and Harry, are you ready for a rollercoaster of emotions? Love, Louis.”

Harry feels his stomach plummet at his name being called. Another week, another group date. Aaron gets the one-on-one, his excitement evident as he waggles his eyebrows at Brad. Harry can feel himself sinking further into the couch, the chatter around him fading out and his brain going fuzzy. He feels nauseous, like he’s drowning in emotion.

He gets up, heading for his room to get ready but instead diving head first into the pillows, shutting his eyes—shutting out the world for just a few minutes. He can hear Boyce, Ren, and Terrell getting ready, but he needs a few moments to collect his head.

Once the door shuts and the room empties so that he’s finally alone, Harry gets up. He changes out of his sweats and into some jeans and a t-shirt, sliding on a nice jacket over the top. He hears when Louis arrives, all the men saying hi and exchanging niceties. Harry takes a few breaths before opening the door to enter the living room. His eyes catch onto Louis immediately, his beautiful smile and bright eyes smiling at Ren.

Harry tries to get close to Louis, but he isn’t taking the bait, turning to smile at Terrell and have a conversation. They head to the elevator, waiting with Boyce and Tim while the rest ride down together. Boyce glances at Harry, a look of pity on his face. “Don’t worry.”

Harry glances at Boyce, raising his eyebrow. “What?”

“He’s had eyes for you from day one, just let him have the space he needs and he’ll come back around.” Boyce smiles, patting Harry’s shoulder.

Harry doesn’t have a response. He isn’t here to give Louis space, he’s here to fall in love and get married. If Louis isn’t interested anymore, if he’s upset him, he wants to know. He needs Louis to communicate with him, to allow him to know all the cards in the deck so he can make his next move.

They take a bus out of the city, wilderness surrounding them the further they go. A few turns and they pass through the gates of the TusenFryd Amusement Park.

The men all cheer as they enter the parking lot, Terrell hooting at the front of the bus and punching the air.

Harry sighs, not the biggest fan of rollercoasters but he’s going to try to make the best of this date and attempt to get some time to speak to Louis. They exit the bus and head into the park, Terrell and Louis leading the pack arm in arm. Louis’ giggling, covering his mouth with his hand and radiating happiness, and Harry can’t help the flutter in his stomach at the sight.

Harry tries to squeeze into line with Louis, only to be cut off by Vance and pushed back to stand with Tim. The first roller coaster is massive, adding to the sickness in Harry’s stomach with each rise and fall of the car. Vance glances at him as they come to a stop. “You okay?”

Harry shakes his head, pretty sure his face is as green as he feels. He exits the ride quickly, trying to catch up with Louis.

Much of the afternoon is spent the same way, Harry trying to ride with Louis and getting shoved aside, or with his head in his hands on a bench while the rest of the men enjoy themselves. He rides over and over, sticking to Vance’s side after coming to the realization that there’s no chance he’s going to get to spend time with Louis on this date. He plans to pull him aside at the cocktail party tonight instead to try to get to the bottom of the icy tension between them, his heart in his throat when he thinks about Louis sending him home as a result of his actions.

He climbs the final ride with Vance, Louis far ahead hanging off Ren’s arm and flirting heavily. Honestly, Harry thinks this is the second worst day he’s had so far—his frustration palpable and clearly making everyone uncomfortable. Vance has tried, bless him, to make him laugh and smile, but Harry’s just not in the mood today. He gives a grim smile at his jokes and avoids conversation during walks between rides, not even enjoying the park. He’s here to fall in love with Louis, not ride rollercoasters with Vance and make small talk about his business. It sucks.

The men get changed in the park bathrooms, slipping into their suits and fixing their hair in the mirrors. Harry runs his fingers through his curls, snagging a few on his rings as he takes one final look in the mirror. Ren pats Harry’s back as he walks by, smiling at his reflection. “You look good, man.”

Harry nods, glancing at him to thank him before following him down to the pavilion at the base of one of the rollercoasters. Fairy lights decorate the structure, Louis greeting them as they walk up. Drinks are handed out by the crew, Louis standing at the front to give his speech for the cameras.

“Today was so much fun, and I wanted you all to know that I do appreciate each of you. I want you all here and I want to continue to develop these relationships and see where it takes us. With that said, I’d like to propose a toast to tonight.”

The men all hold their glasses up, smiling as they chorus, “Cheers!”

Harry stands to grab Louis, but for what seems like the hundredth time today, another man is one step ahead of him, this time Terrell being the one sweeping ahead and stealing Louis away. Harry sits back down on the bench, sighing as he sips his whiskey. He waits a few minutes with the idea of giving them some time, but when he glances around to notice no one has gone to interrupt them yet, he can’t control himself any longer. He itches; his need to see Louis and talk things out with him sitting like a constant infestation of bugs under his skin, the butterflies that flutter in his stomach prettily when around Louis turning on him, swarming and burrowing to make a home in Harry’s heart instead. He stands up immediately, heading down to the producers to ask where they’ve gone. He’s pointed in the direction of the teacups, spotting them kissing passionately. Harry clears his throat, leaning against the low wall of the ride and smiling at Louis awkwardly when they look up at him. “Can I speak to you?”

Louis nods, squeezing Terrell’s arm as he exits the teacup and following Harry as he leads him to a grassy patch near one of the rollercoasters. They lay out in the grass, Louis reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers. “I missed you today.”

“Did you?” Harry smiles, squeezing Louis’ hand. “I spent the entire day trying to ride with you but I just couldn’t catch you.”

Louis pouts his lip out, glancing over at Harry. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Harry feels lighter already. “I actually wanted to talk to you about—”

“Louis, can I steal you?” AJ smiles, walking up the grass to take Louis’ hand and help him up.

Harry’s left fishmouthing at their retreating backs, Louis turning to smile at him sadly. That went well.

He stands and heads back to the pavilion, taking a seat on the bench and sipping his whiskey. He’s being miserable and he knows it's not cute, but he can’t fucking help it. He spends the rest of the evening drinking, watching man after man walk off from the group to take some quiet time with Louis. Harry doesn’t move again. Not for lack of want, but he hopes… he hopes Louis will come to him, like he has done so many times before. He sits and prays Louis will come find him, to whisk him away, to tell him that everything is okay between them and he’s still falling in love with Harry, too. It doesn’t happen. His head is fuzzy from the alcohol when Louis returns with Ren and takes a seat beside him, smiling at the rest of the men. “This night has been absolutely incredible and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I appreciate each of you for what you’ve shared with me tonight and I can’t tell you enough how much it means to me. With that being said”—Louis reaches for the rose—“Ren, will you accept this rose?”

Ren smiles, nodding as he stands. “Of course, gorgeous.”

Louis giggles as he pins it to his lapel, Ren leaning down to kiss him sweetly. Harry stares at them, the alcohol in his system making the emotion in the pit of his belly start to spill over. He feels tears spring to his eyes, his throat burning as he tries to swallow it down. Fuck.

They ride back to the hotel, Harry snagging a seat alone and leaning his head against the window, hoping the cool night will soothe his agonizing thoughts. Tears roll down his cheeks as they enter the city, his stomach churning with self-pity and misery.

Harry lays in bed the next morning as Aaron’s date card arrives, claiming he feels ill. Boyce feels his forehead, eyes full of worry. “You do feel warm, Harry. Do you need to get checked out by a doctor?”

Harry shakes his head, burying his face in his pillow and mumbling, “I’m okay.”

When Louis arrives, Harry can hear the commotion, all the men saying hello. Aaron’s hello is the loudest, the sound of their banter echoing through the hotel room as they leave, door shutting behind them.

Harry lays in bed the entire day, Boyce and Ren checking on him every couple hours to see if he needs anything, only to be told no and sent away. His stomach turns as he thinks about what Aaron and Louis must be doing right now. When he returns, Harry hears a few of the men ask him how the date went, the beginning of his answer going unheard to Harry as Boyce slips into their room and into bed. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Harry grumbles, plopping a pillow over his head so he can’t hear Aaron’s giddy story telling. “Just sick.”

--

Just like that, the week is over and the men are heading to the cocktail party. Harry’s fixed his attitude, determined to get some time with Louis and get to the bottom of the uncomfortable vibes he’s been feeling.

When they arrive, they grab their drinks and chat casually, waiting for Louis to appear. Producers scramble as they set up cameras, Louis slipping into the room looking stunning as always. Harry tries to make eye contact with him, staring for an unreasonable amount of time until they lock gazes. Harry smiles, dragging his eyes over his body. Louis’ smile doesn’t meet his eyes, his nod polite before he turns to Clare to be given direction.

Louis turns to the group of men, waving them over as the cameras finish their adjustments. “Good evening, boys.”

“Good evening,” the men parrot back.

“This week has been so much fun, I’ve been so happy to spend more time with a few of you. I definitely feel like some relationships are growing and I’m so excited to spend more time with you all tonight and in the next few weeks.” Louis glances at each of them with a smile on his face. “So let’s cheers to tonight and have some fun.”

They clink their glasses together, everyone taking a sip and subconsciously taking a step toward Louis. Carlson beats them all, stealing Louis away from the crowd.

Harry sits back for the first half hour, enjoying himself and nursing a whiskey. It’s not until Boyce slips away to speak to Louis that he gets his nerve up to go looking for him. When he finds Louis, he’s sitting with AJ and having what looks to be a good conversation. Harry knocks on the doorframe to announce his presence, smiling politely. “Can I borrow you, Louis?”

Louis glances at Harry, then back at AJ. “Actually, Harry, do you mind waiting a few minutes? I’ll come get you once we’re done.”

Harry feels a sour taste fill his mouth, nodding and turning to head back to get another whiskey. The embarrassment of a denial claws at his insides, his face burning as he takes a seat in defeat. Men come and go as Louis speaks to them one at a time, his heart sinking with each moment that passes. When Foster arrives and Louis hasn’t come to find him, he realizes he never intended to. Fuck. I’m going home.

Louis comes into the room, smiling at each of them. “Obviously this gets harder and harder each week. I’ve tried to spend as much time as I could with each of you this week, and I appreciate you all sharing your time with me. I’ll see you all in a few minutes.”

Harry follows the men into the next room, their risers set up and producers standing by to direct them where to stand. Clare guides him to the back, sliding him behind Boyce and Ren.

They don’t wait long before Louis and Foster step into the room. Foster steps forward. “Gentlemen, we have six roses tonight. George, Ren, and Aaron, you already have roses so you are safe for tonight.” Foster pats Louis’ back. “When you’re ready.”

Louis steps up to the podium, picking up the first rose, twirling it a few times before looking up at the men. “Terrell.”

Terrell smiles, stepping forward. Louis smooths his hand down his lapel, batting his eyelashes up at him. “Terrell, do you accept this rose?”

“I do.” Terrell smiles, the rose getting pinned to his lapel. He leans down to hug Louis tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He steps back into place, Louis grabbing the next rose.

“AJ.” Louis smiles, AJ stepping forward. “Do you accept this rose?”

“Yes.” Louis pins the rose to his lapel, hugging him and giggling at whatever AJ whispers in his ear.

Once AJ is back in his place, Louis picks up the third rose, three left sitting on the podium. “Boyce.”

Boyce accepts his rose, kissing Louis’ cheek before going back to his place, Ren patting his back. Harry can feel his stomach in his ass, his heart pounding in his chest as he feels his chances of staying drop. He’s really going to go home after what happened last week with no chance to explain or make it up to Louis.

“Tim.”

Louis pins the rose to his lapel, giving him a hug before he heads back to his spot, picking up the next rose. “Vance.”

As Louis pins the rose to Vance’s lapel, Foster Donnell steps back into the room. Vance returns to his spot and Foster steps forward. “Gentlemen, this is the final rose.”

Harry takes a deep breath, Carlson and Brad surely feeling the same way he does right now. He knows he’s going home, and he’s fucking devastated.

Louis picks up the final rose, pursing his lips as he glances at the men then back down at it. “Fuck.”

Harry feels his heart plummett, his eyes welling up as Louis swallows and looks back up at the men. “Harry.”

Harry practically falls over his feet stepping down and forward to stand in front of Louis. His heart pounds in his chest, he's sweating profusely.

“Harry, will you accept this rose?”

“Of course, baby. Yes. Yes, please.” Harry says sincerely, hands shaking as Louis pins his rose to his lapel. He leans down to hug Louis, the feeling of his boy in his arms setting a calm in him immediately. This is how it’s meant to be, Harry thinks to himself. The feeling does little to ease his mind, though, worry still coursing through his veins, the butterflies attempting to escape his stomach once again.

When Harry returns to his spot, Foster clasps his hands together. “Carlson, Brad, you did not receive a rose tonight. Say your goodbyes, it’s time to go home.”

Carlson and Brad hug each of the men before turning to hug Louis goodbye. Harry glances at Boyce, both of them blowing out a deep breath. “That was a lot.”

Boyce nods. “I knew it would be you, though.”

“I didn’t.” Harry sighs.

The feeling of weight being lifted off his shoulders doesn’t last long, the warmth of Louis’ hug fading fast and the icy tension rising quicker than Harry can catch his breath.

Louis holds up his glass, smiling at the nine men left. “I’m so happy to be here with each of you. We’ve got a great week planned and I’m so excited for what’s to come because… we’re heading to Copenhagen!”

The men all cheer, clinking their glasses together and laughing as Terrell spills his champagne all over in his excitement. Louis giggles, taking a sip of his drink. “I’m going to head out, I have to get packing, but I’ll see you all soon.”

Louis waves as he leaves, hugging them each quickly before heading out. One more blast of warmth before the cold envelopes Harry once again.

Harry watches his retreating back, the agony returning.

Chapter Text

When Louis arrives in Copenhagen, he gets pulled straight into a meeting with the producers to plan out this week's dates. Clare has her computer open, the rest of the producers sitting around a table, clearly ready to pounce if Louis even looks like he’s going to disagree with their advice.

His stomach aches as he thinks of how this meeting went last week, the blame for the fight and the drama from the week before being placed on him completely. He knew he was favoring Harry a little but didn’t realize that he was alienating the rest of the men. Little seeds of doubt had started to sprout, the nagging reminder that everyone has told him Harry’s not who he thinks he is. Clare wasn’t happy after she found out about the rendezvous after the rose ceremony, her face turning bright red as she told him how inappropriate his behavior has been this entire series.

Clare glances at him over her laptop. “You have two one-on-ones and a group date to designate. Who are you thinking for the one-on-ones? I suggest picking someone you already feel a connection with for one.”

Louis hums thoughtfully, trying to pick two of the nine men. “So for the first one-on-one, let’s do AJ. He’s been really sweet this week.”

Clare gives him a look, rolling her eyes and typing AJ into her computer. “Okay, pick your other one-on-one then the rest will go on the group date.”

Louis sighs, mind wandering immediately to Harry. He didn’t spend any time with him last week, his heart breaking during the cocktail party when he had to tell him no. His feelings for Harry are so strong, but he wonders if he does really see a different person when they’re together. Is Harry someone else with the men in the house?

Clare gives Louis another look, sighing when she realizes why he’s hesitating. “I know you let things cool off last week, and that’s good. I think the men are feeling less alienated and are excited about their relationship with you again. I still would let things cool off, pick someone you have that connection with but give that relationship another week. He’ll understand.”

Louis bites his lip, glancing down at his hands that he’s twisting anxiously. His heart begs for him not to make this decision, but his head is screaming that it’s the right one. “Ren?”

“Ren it is, Louis.”

Louis’ stomach rolls with guilt, his heart feeling like it’s shattering when he thinks about Harry’s face when the date cards are read out. He’s scared though. He’s terrified that Stanley, Mitchell, and Lee were right all along, that the producers are steering him in the direction of others for his own sake.

He’s scared that the man he’s given his heart to is not the man he thought.

--

When Louis arrives at the men’s hotel to get AJ for their date, he immediately notices the absence of Harry and Boyce. He glances around the room in search of them, only to be interrupted by AJ, “Hi, Louis.”

“Hi.” Louis smiles. “You ready?”

AJ nods, taking Louis’ hand and following him out of the hotel room. They ride down the elevator, AJ cornering Louis to give him a sweet kiss. “I’m so glad I get to spend the day with you, I’ve been waiting so long.”

Louis smiles, squeezing AJ’s bicep. “You’ve been so patient, I appreciate it so much. I’m excited for what we have planned today.”

AJ smiles, kissing Louis’ lips once more before the doors ding and slide open. The hotel sits right next to the canal and they walk hand in hand down the sidewalk, taking in the sights of locals milling around for their daily errands, boats carrying loads of people passing by. Louis squeezes AJ’s hand, smiling up at him. “I love it here.”

“I do too, I came here a few years ago and I’ve been wanting to come back. It’s so nice to be here, with you.” AJ kisses the back of Louis’ hand, his smile sincere and warm. He is really cute, Louis finds him attractive, he’s just not sure if there’s much of a spark. His decision to bring AJ on this date is to explore this relationship and see if he really feels something here.

Louis leads them down to a canal boat, glancing back at AJ. “This okay?”

“Riding a boat down the canal with the most amazing man? It’s definitely okay.” AJ laughs. “Is it just us?”

“Sure is.” Louis smiles, the producers greeting the captain of the boat and setting up their cameras. AJ steps into the boat, holding his hand out to help Louis in, his hands resting comfortably on his hips. Louis giggles breathily, patting his chest. “Very smooth.”

When the captain of the boat starts the engines and they begin their journey down the canal, AJ wraps his arm around Louis’ shoulders. “I’m so happy I’m here with you.”

“I am too.” Louis feels happy to be here, sure, but he’s just not feeling the spark he feels with other men. He’s struggling to talk to him, struggling to feel any sort of intimate feelings with AJ.

When the ride ends, there are plans to go to the Tivoli Gardens, but Louis pulls Clare to the side and asks if they can just end it here, head to the dinner that’s been planned for them. He’s struggling to get through even an hour alone with AJ, and to be frank, his guilt has made its return. He knows that if Harry were here today, like he should be, he wouldn’t want this day to end.

Clare takes pity on him, allowing them to go take the rest of the afternoon to get dressed and relax. Louis goes straight back to his hotel, crawling under the sheets and desperately trying to stop the constant loop of his head.

He naps for half an hour before dragging himself out of the bed, turning on the shower so it’s boiling hot. Standing under the spray, the water burns as it rolls down his body. He focuses on the sting of the pain, his skin reddening with each moment he stands there. He wants to go to the hotel and beg for Harry to forget the last week. He slips out of the shower and gets dressed, mentally preparing himself to go to this dinner.

He climbs into the car waiting for him downstairs, the ride to the restaurant to meet AJ passing quicker than Louis would’ve liked. Before he knows it, he’s there and being led out onto the patio, cameras set up and a rose sitting on the table. AJ immediately comes over to give him a kiss. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you, so do you.” Louis smiles, AJ pulling out his chair for him to take a seat. “I really enjoyed today, I’m glad I got to spend some time with you.”

AJ beams. “I did, too. I’ve wanted to spend this time with you for so long.”

Louis listens as AJ talks about his family and his job, how much he wants to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of his life. He’s such a nice guy but Louis’ mind is so far away.

“How do you feel about living in Los Angeles, if we’re the ones getting engaged at the end of this?”

Louis blinks, AJ’s words not sinking in for a second. “What?”

“If we get engaged, are you okay with living in LA?”

Louis bites his lip, glancing at the rose sitting on the table. “AJ, I’m going to be honest with you.”

AJ nods, leaning forward with a smile on his face. “Okay, yes please.”

“I don’t feel much of a spark here, and I do enjoy your company, but I don’t see this going much further than what today has been.”

AJ raises his eyebrows, his smile slipping off his face. “Okay…”

“I just want you to know, I do appreciate all the time you’ve spent here and getting to know me. You’re an amazing man and I know someone is out there for you, but it’s just not me.”

AJ nods. “I see.”

“I’m so sorry.” Louis sighs, both of them standing. Louis gives him a hug, AJ shaking his head.

“Don’t be sorry, Louis. You’re being honest and I’m so grateful.” AJ pulls back, a small smile on his face.

“Can I walk you out?” Louis smiles back, taking AJ’s hand and heading out to the front of the restaurant where his car waits. AJ hugs Louis once more before climbing inside and heading to the airport where he’ll meet the producers with his bags, and fly home.

When Louis gets back to his hotel room, he feels a bit lighter knowing he’s not leading AJ on. It was a spur of the moment decision to send AJ home then and there—but the flurry of constant emotion, both good and bad, overwhelms him. This is one less thing to worry about. One less emotion to cloud his mind and taint his thoughts. Unfortunately the relief he feels of sending AJ home only intensifies the ache in his chest—the wish he could’ve spent the day with Harry instead, not wasted a day on a man he sent home anyways.

--

Louis arrives at the hotel the next morning, the nine men all relaxing in the living room of the penthouse. “Hello, boys!”

The men all greet Louis one by one, standing to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Harry’s hug is tight, longing, and it makes Louis’ chest burn. When he pulls back Harry smiles at him, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. He’s upset, and Louis knows it’s his fault.

They ride the bus to Superkilen Park, Louis leading the men to the sports center. He turns to face the men, smiling at them excitedly. “Today we’re going… rock climbing!”

The men all cheer, a few of them high-fiving and clapping. Terrell leads the pack as he loops arm in arm with Louis, heading straight into the rock climbing park. Each of the men partner off, Louis spotting Harry and Boyce hooking up their ropes together to spot each other. Harry goes first, Boyce laughing at his commentary and cheering as he scales the wall quickly. Terrell hooks their ropes together, smiling down at him sweetly. “Ready to climb, cutie?”

“Born ready.” Louis giggles.

Terrell pats his helmet. “Get going then.”

Louis glances up at the wall, trying to get a handle on each of the “rocks”. He climbs slowly, Terrell cheering him on from below, louder than all the other men in the building and a million times more enthusiastic.

When he gets to the top, Terrell starts chanting his name, fist pumping with one hand and holding tightly onto Louis’ rope with the other. He repels down the wall, landing on his feet gracefully just as Terrell scoops him up to spin him around and around and around.

He laughs so hard his belly aches, his heart pounding in his chest and his lungs burning. He feels happy, excited to be here, until he’s set back on his feet and spots Harry with Boyce. He’s smiling at Boyce cheekily, teasing him and tugging on his climbing belt. Louis feels a pang of jealousy, his stomach turning and making him feel uneasy. He wants to go over there and grab Harry’s hand so he’ll direct that smile at Louis, he wants to kiss him and make sure he’s the only one on Harry’s mind all the time. Instead, he takes a deep breath, Terrell grabbing his attention again by squeezing his hand in his own. “You ready for me to climb?”

Louis smiles up at him, nodding with a soft giggle. “Go ahead.”

“Don’t drop me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, T.”

He laughs as Terrell prances over to the wall, climbing it with more gumption than strictly necessary. It’s fucking cute and Louis can’t help his fondness.

They climb a few of the walls together, the producers grabbing Louis’ attention when he repels down after his third climb. He unclips and heads over to Clare. “What’s up?”

“After everyone’s done with their current climb we’re going to do a race.”

“Do they win time?”

“No, just bragging rights.” Clare laughs, writing something down on her notebook.

Louis spreads the word to each man holding the ropes of the climbers, Boyce being last. “When Harry comes down, we’re all going to get together and do a race.”

Boyce nods, smiling at Louis sweetly. “Okay, sounds good.”

Louis waits for everyone to have their feet flat on the ground before announcing the race. “Alright boys, we’re going to do a little competition. We’re going to do a speed race and whoever gets to the top first wins.”

Louis can see the wheels turning in the boys heads, all of them hooking up and ready to go in a minute flat. Clare hands Louis a bullhorn, explaining to the men the rules of the race.

The men line up, Louis dragging his eyes over the bulky shoulders of each one, spending a little extra time soaking up the thick muscle of Harry’s back before moving on. “On your mark, get set, go!” Louis blares the bullhorn, the men immediately launching themselves at the wall and climbing.

Louis cheers them on from the ground, Harry and Terrell neck and neck. Harry climbs half the wall in seconds, his arms flexing as he pulls himself up one rock at a time. Just as Terrell starts to close the gap and take the lead, his hand slips and he’s left dangling on the wall. Louis gasps, watching worriedly until he can readjust his hold and start climbing again. By then Harry’s at the top, ringing the bell with a massive smile on his face.

Louis can’t help the pride that balloons in his chest, the excitement he feels for Harry as he repels down. He skips over to hug Harry tightly, the feeling of his arms around him making him feel whole again. Like he’s where he belongs.

He pulls back quickly when his head reminds him of the reasons why he shouldn’t be hugging Harry so tightly. Harry’s smile drops when Louis jumps back like he’s just been burned, his small nod of acceptance heartbreaking.

Clare clears her throat. “I think that’s good. You all should go get ready for the cocktail party.”

When the men regroup for the cocktail party, they stand together under a tent, couches and tables all grouped together around heaters, the night chill making it necessary. Louis holds his glass up, smiling at his boys. “Today was a lot of fun and I think we all needed some time to focus on something else for awhile. Hopefully tonight is just as fun.”

The men all clink their glasses together. “Cheers!”

Terrell and Harry step forward, both of them locking eyes and then looking down at Louis expectantly. Louis glances between them, Terrell grabbing his hand. “C’mon, need to speak to you.”

Louis glances at Harry sadly before heading off with Terrell. They walk down to a set of bench swings, Terrell plopping down in one and laughing when the whole set shakes dangerously. “Fuck.”

“Terrell, breaking swings isn’t in the fucking budget.” Louis laughs, lying down and laying his legs across Terrell’s lap. The sky above them is clear, stars just visible over the city lights. “Did you have fun today?”

“So much fun.” Terrell smiles, rubbing his hands over Louis’ legs. “Did you?”

Louis nods. “How’re you feeling? Are you happy with where our relationship stands currently?”

Terrell hums, glancing over at Louis, eyes searching his face. “I’m actually so happy with where we are. I love getting to know you more and more, and I really feel myself falling for you.”

Louis sits up, his legs still draped over Terrell’s lap. “You are?”

Terrell smiles softly. “I am. I’m really falling in love with you.”

Louis bites his lip, cupping Terrell’s cheek. “It’s so good to hear that.”

Terrell chuckles, pulling Louis closer and pressing their lips together. They kiss soft and sweet, Louis’ mind spinning as he tries to gauge his own feelings. Is he falling for Terrell too?

“Louis?”

Louis looks up at the sound of his name. “Hi, Aaron.”

“Can I borrow you?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles, squeezing Terrell’s chin before standing and following Aaron.

They sit together by a fire pit, Louis smiling sweetly at Aaron. “Did you have a good day?”

“I did, missed you though.” Aaron smiles, leaning over to wrap his arm around Louis. “I would’ve loved to have some of your attention.”

“I’m so sorry,” Louis sighs, “I try to give everyone equal attention on these dates but it’s hard.”

Aaron nods understandingly. “I can’t imagine. Did you at least have fun?”

“I did! I enjoyed watching you all scale that wall.”

Aaron chuckles, flexing his arm like he doesn’t even realize it. “I bet you did.”

Louis shoves him, rolling his eyes. “You’re so annoying.”

“Don’t be upset because I called you out for your love of muscular men.”

Louis huffs, leaning into Aaron’s space. “How ’bout you hush and just kiss me.”

Aaron smirks, tugging Louis closer by his hips and kissing him roughly. Their lips massage and press against each other with intent, Aaron’s hands roaming his sides. “You’re incredible, Louis.”

Louis’ mind wanders as Aaron kisses him, his thoughts trailing off to Harry, Terrell, the other men he’s developed feelings for. Aaron’s attractive, sure, but his personality falls flat beyond his ego. When they pull back, Louis smiles at him. “I should probably get going, I’ve gotta try to get time with everyone.”

Aaron nods, his smile a little dull. “Yeah. Thanks for spending time with me, Louis.”

Louis gets up, heading back for the tent and coming across George. “Hi, stranger.”

“Hi, Lou. Can I pull you away?”

Louis glances around and sarcastically asks, “From all my suitors?”

“Exactly.” George laughs, reaching out a hand, “C’mon.”

They head to a set of monkey bars, Louis jumping up to grab the first one and swinging to grab the second one. “So did you have fun today?”

“I did”—George smiles, holding his hands out to make sure Louis doesn’t fall—“did you?”

Louis glances down at George, swiping his toe at his outstretched hand. “I did.”

“How have you been feeling lately? You’ve seemed a bit off?”

“What do you mean?” Louis furrows his brows, wrapping his legs around George’s waist and letting go of the monkey bars. George laughs, catching him and holding him up with his hands on Louis’ lower back.

“You just seem a little far away since we went on our date last week.”

Louis wraps his arms around George’s neck, smiling sweetly at him. “I’m one hundred percent okay, don’t worry.” The lie rolls off his tongue easily, the mental turmoil in his head making it hard to breathe, and no set of strong arms around his waist dulls the ache in his chest.

When he returns to the tent with George, he takes a seat on one of the couches, the men gathering around. “So we’ve had an incredible day and evening, and I thank you all for spending time with me and going on this journey with me. Everything you all have shared with me over the last five weeks has meant the world to me and I definitely see a future at the end of this. With that being said…” Louis reaches forward to pick up the rose. “Terrell, will you accept this rose?”

Terrell smiles brightly, standing for Louis to pin the rose to his lapel. He leans down to kiss Louis’ cheek, “Thank you, Lou.”

Louis smiles, honestly happy to be giving Terrell the rose. He tries to ignore the aching fissure in his heart and the burning eyes on his back, but it’s hard when he knows the one he belongs to is the one he’s trying the hardest to stay away from.

--

Louis wakes the next morning feeling numb, his heart no longer aching and stomach no longer churning. He gets ready for his date with Ren quickly, having lain in bed wallowing for way too long, brushing his fingers through his hair and tugging on his perfectly scuffed vans. He rushes down to the limo that takes him to the hotel, Louis heading up to the room and knocking on the door.

When the door swings open it’s Harry, clad in just his boxer briefs and some socks. “Oh.”

“Oh, hi,” Louis breathes, his eyes dragging over Harry’s body. Fuck.

Just as his eyes lock with Harry’s again, Ren slips between them, patting his peck chummily. “Hi, Lou.”

Louis smiles at him. “Hi, Ren.”

“You ready?” Ren reaches his hand out, Louis taking it and following him. “Let’s go.”

The door slams behind them as they head to the elevator and Louis jumps, turning to glance back at the door. The elevator dings and they step inside, Ren’s hand still tightly held in Louis’. He leans his head on Ren’s shoulder, feeling safe and relaxed with him. Ren glances down at him, his thumb brushing over the back of Louis’ hand. “You okay?”

Louis tilts his head to smile up at him, nodding. “I am.”

Ren returns his sweet smile, leaning down to kiss Louis slowly. Their tongues brush, Ren cupping his chin as their lips slide together, Louis sinking into the kiss with a quiet moan. Ren’s hands slide down Louis’ sides, dragging him from against his side to between his legs. Louis wraps his arms around Ren’s neck, the kiss becoming even more heated.

Ding.

The doors slide open to the lobby, Louis and Ren pulling apart quickly. Ren chuckles, taking Louis’ hand and leading him out to the car waiting for them.

As soon as the door is shut behind them, Ren is back on Louis, his hand cupping his cheek and his lips pressing kisses to his neck. “You look so gorgeous today, Louis.”

Louis blushes, his neck hot as he sinks into Ren’s strong arms. “Thank you.”

Ren pulls back to flash his stunning smile at Louis, pulling him closer and pressing their lips together for more.

When they pull up to the venue for their date, Louis has to peel Ren’s hands off his thighs with a breathy giggle. “We’re here.”

“Let’s stay here.”

“No.” Louis squeals, smacking his hands away and shoving the door open, practically falling out of the car. “C’mon, handsy.”

Ren chuckles, wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist as they walk towards the large building. “What’re we doing?”

“We… are going to the Opera.” Louis beams at Ren over his shoulder, squeezing the hands around his waist as he says flamboyantly with his eyelashes fluttering, “But first, we must get dressed.”

A shopping center stands before them, Louis giddy about getting to go shopping. They head into one of the stores, a designer neither of them know. Ren’s jaw drops as he glances around the store. “This is incredible.”

Louis giggles, grabbing one of the silky shirts on the first rack he sees, spinning around with it pressed up against his front. “I’m so happy.”

Ren giggles, running his fingers over the various fabrics surrounding them. A worker steps forward, smiling at them both. “Welcome, my name is Taylor.”

He shakes each of their hands before leading the way to a private changing room, a few chairs lining the edges of the room and two stalls with a curtain. Suits are hung on a rack, lots of beautiful materials presented neatly for them. Louis drags his fingers over each suit and silky top, fingering each of the ties laid out for them. “Wow.”

He picks a suit off the rack, handing it to Ren with a big smile. “You first.”

Ren takes the suit from Louis, dropping his left eyelid into a wink before turning to go change. Louis drags one of the wooden armchairs into the middle of the room, crossing his legs primly while he waits for his man.

When Ren pulls the curtain back, Louis gasps, “Wow.”

He looks incredible, as always, but there’s something about the cut of this particular suit that just does something for him. The navy blue trousers hug his thighs and his bulge perfectly, his button up crisp white and left undone at the top, and his suit jacket hugging his muscular, broad shoulders. It’s the kind of visual he sees in his dreams late at night when he’s alone.

Ren chuckles, smoothing his hands down his thighs. “Gorgeous, are you with me?”

Louis blinks a few times to clear his head, looking up at Ren in awe. “It’s so good.”

Ren nods, dragging his eyes over Louis’ body. “Your turn.”

Louis stands quickly, glancing at the rack of clothes before turning back to Ren and shoving him back until he’s sitting. “I have a better idea. This date’s a little boring so far, don’t you think?”

“Um.” Ren glances at producers. “I wouldn’t say boring, no.”

Louis giggles, grabbing Ren’s chin and his attention. “Let’s spice it up, shall we?”

Louis stands and grabs two of the ties from the rack, kneeling between Ren’s knees. He grabs one of his hands and ties it to the arm of the chair, sliding his fingers under the restraints to make sure they aren’t too tight. Ren watches him with scrunched eyebrows. “Tying me up to watch you try on suits, gorgeous?”

“Maybe it’s what’s under the suit that’s important.”

Ren stares as Louis ties up the second wrist. “I’m confused.”

Louis shrugs a shoulder, standing to disappear back into the showroom briefly. “You’ll see.”

When Louis returns he’s got his arms full of garments, turning his back to Ren as he rushes over to the changing room and yanks the curtain shut. Ren chuckles, leaning back in the chair to wait patiently while Louis does his thing.

When Louis yanks the curtain back again, it’s Ren’s turn to gasp. Louis’ dressed in a full lingerie set, the color a fiery red. “What d’ya think, Renny?”

“Wow.” Ren shakes his head, a flush climbing his neck and spreading over his face. “Are those—?”

“Panties?” Louis smiles cheekily, turning and playing with the waistband. “A thong, actually. I think it makes my ass look good.”

“Everything makes your ass look good,” Ren mumbles. “You’re really going to leave me tied up while you prance around in lingerie?”

“Yep.” Louis pops the p, stepping forward slowly until he’s straddling Ren’s thigh, leaning down to brush their lips together. “You can look, but no touching until the fantasy suite.”

Ren groans, biting Louis’ lower lip and swiping his tongue over the sting. “So I’m getting a fantasy suite date?”

Louis pops back up, turning to go back into the changing room. He glances over his shoulder as he raises an arm to tug the curtain shut. “If you’re lucky.” Then he’s out of sight once again.

Another set lays out before Louis, a garter belt and a corset in a soft pink, it’s beautiful and delicate, much like himself. He slips the thong on, snapping the waistband into place before grabbing the corset and fastening it. He calls an attendant in to cinch it tight, his little waist accentuated stunningly and perfectly, before sliding on the garter belt and the soft lace thigh highs and clipping them to the belt, turning to take a look in the mirror. His cock is starting to fill, small and achy in the little thong. He turns to tug the curtain back, Ren dropping his head back in a groan.

“You’re trying to kill me.”

Louis’ struggling to breathe and he’s not sure if it’s the tension or the corset, but suddenly the attitude slips from his grasp and all he wants is to fall to his knees. Ren rolls his neck, eyeing Louis curiously. “You look gorgeous. Why don’t you c’mere?”

Louis rolls his lips together, taking the few steps so their knees are brushing. He’s not even thinking about the cameras surrounding them, probably catching their hard cocks and Louis’ glassy eyes to broadcast to America. “Do you like it?”

“You know…” Ren’s smirk twitches, his tongue poking out to lick his lower lip quickly, like he’s desperate to taste. “I love the set and the way it looks on you, but what I’m really enjoying right now is the way it's affecting you.”

Louis tries to school his expression, poking out his lips confusedly. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ren nods cockily, eye contact so intense it’s raising goosebumps across Louis’ skin. “If my hands weren’t tied right now you’d know exactly what I mean.”

Louis swallows, his stomach churning with arousal and nerves. Ren’s started making Louis so fucking nervous lately and he’s not sure why. “It’s a good thing I tied you down then, I guess.”

Ren’s smirk grows, a twinkle in his eyes. “I don’t think you believe those words that just came out of your mouth, Louis.”

His words are so firm, the use of Louis’ own name sending sparks down his spine and making his knees weak. The power behind his tone makes Louis crave to please. He stutters out a breath, clenching his hands into fists as he takes another step forward to straddle Ren’s thigh. He’s at a loss for words, so instead he grinds down onto the muscular thigh and buries his face into Ren’s neck. He moans quietly, his fingers digging into Ren’s biceps.

“You’re being a very bad boy,” Ren whispers, the sound of fabric ripping making Louis’ nerves ignite sharply. Louis stands quickly, out of Ren’s reach. He winks at Ren, trying to seem like he has it together. He doesn’t.

Louis turns and heads back into the dressing room, swiping a black suit with subtle threads of glittery silver from off the rack on his way. He slides the suit on over the delicate set, his cock begging for attention as he adjusts it in the thong before zipping up and buttoning his pants. When he steps out of the dressing room he grabs the other two ties off the rack, Ren watching his every move. “You gonna untie me, gorgeous?”

“Maybe. Are you going to keep your hands to yourself?”

“Mm,” Ren hums. “The attitude has returned.”

Louis rolls his eyes, kneeling down to untie each of Ren’s wrists. He hands over one of the ties. “This one suits you.”

Ren helps Louis with his tie, his hands still shaky from the little show he put on that clearly backfired.

When they arrive at the opera, Ren has Louis’ hand grasped tightly in his own. They’re led up to a private box above the crowd, tucked away and cozy. Two armchairs and a large, soft-looking couch give a direct view of the stage, curtains giving even more privacy if pulled too. Louis raises his eyebrows as he looks around. “Wow.”

“It’s nice.” Ren looks just as impressed.

They’re directed to sit in the armchairs, cameras mounted on the balcony to film their conversations and reactions. Clare explains that once the lights go down the cameras will capture the light from the stage reflecting off their faces, but that they must stay in the armchairs for perfect footage. Louis and Ren nod, taking their seats as the lights flicker to cue that the show is about to begin.

The producers leave, Ren reaching over and taking Louis’ hand in his. “Have you been to the opera before?”

Louis shakes his head. “I think it’s beautiful, though. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

“That’s one of the nice things about this experience”—Ren smiles, looking over at Louis dreamily—“you get to do things you may have never done, all while falling in love.”

Louis smiles at Ren. “You trying to tell me something, Ren?”

Ren takes a deep breath, the lights going down and the stage lights coming up. “Louis, I’m falling in love with you.”

Louis launches himself at Ren on the first chord of the music, their lips locking as the woman on stage begins her song. He’s halfway out of his chair and halfway in Ren’s lap, arms wrapped around his neck. “So good to hear that, Ren. You have no idea.”

Ren chuckles, hands holding Louis steady as he kisses him breathless. He drags Louis closer, into his lap fully and mumbling against his mouth, “C’mere, gorgeous.”

Louis whines, fingers playing with the curls at the base of his neck. He’s speechless and needy, the tension of today finally boiling over and making him desperate. Ren licks into his mouth, hands squeezing Louis’ ass roughly. “Are you still wearing the set?”

Louis moans, nodding his head as Ren roughly bites his lip.

“Fuck,” Ren groans. “You’re so good.”

Louis’ eyes roll back in his head, grinding their groins together. He gasps at the feeling of the lace dragging over his sensitive cockhead. He whimpers into Ren’s mouth, “Ren, please.”

Ren wraps Louis’ legs around his waist and stands. Louis' mind briefly worries about going over the balcony, but Ren turns and takes the few steps it takes to drop him on his back on the couch before he can give it any more thought. He tugs the curtains shut to give them privacy from the cameras as well as the crowd, and crawls over him, sucking a deep bruise into his neck as the sounds of the opera fade into the back of Louis’ mind.

Later that night when Louis gives Ren the rose, he’s still speechless and breathy. It’s a mess, but Ren accepts and kisses him deeply, pouring his emotions into it and filling every crevice of Louis’ soul.

--

Louis wakes the next morning with an uneasy feeling. He’s got a bad feeling that something is about to go very, very wrong. He can’t place his finger on what it could be and why he feels this way, but when he sits down for breakfast he finds it hard to eat from his anxiety. He lazes around, trying to think of anything but his uneasy stomach and the tingle in his fingers.

When the evening starts to approach, Louis takes a shower and dries his hair. He slips into a suit, making sure he looks absolutely perfect for his boys tonight. He wants to sit down and have a conversation with a few of them and discuss his own feelings, creating a mental list of what he wants to accomplish at the cocktail party.

The limo comes to pick him up, driving him to the mansion and dropping him at the front door. From the moment he steps through the front door, the vibe is all wrong. The men are silent and Ren is sitting off on his own. When Louis locks eyes with Harry, his face is blood red and his jaw is clenched in anger. Fuck.

Harry stands calmly, slowly, and heads straight for Louis. “Can I speak to you for a moment? Before this starts?”

The lack of emotion in Harry’s voice is terrifying and he nods quickly, turning to follow him down the hall and out onto the patio. “Harry, what’s going on?”

Harry’s back muscles clench through his crisp white button up. “What a loaded question, Louis.” He turns around quickly, Louis stumbling back a few steps in shock. “How ’bout you tell me what’s going on, hm?”

Harry’s tone is demanding and full of anger, the calm rage that passes over his eyes makes Louis’ blood run cold. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Harry swallows roughly, squeezing his eyes shut as he says through his teeth, “Louis. Please stop fucking with my head.”

Louis shakes his head, his own anger starting to brew under the surface. “Fucking with your head?!”

“Yes!” Harry yells. “You fuck with my head! You tell me you have feelings, that you’re falling in love with me, then you won’t even fucking look at me!”

“I have to give the other men attention in the house! I’m here to fall in love and find my husband, that means everyone needs a fair chance!”

“So what about my fair chance, Louis?!” Harry’s voice is shaking with emotion, his hands tugging on his hair. “I haven’t seen or had a real conversation with you in weeks!”

“It’s been two weeks, Harry.” Louis rolls his eyes.

“Two weeks here is like two months, Louis, and you know it. The fact that you know exactly how long it’s been tells me you’re doing it on purpose, too.” Harry huffs. “So what did I do wrong? What happened?”

“Nothing! You didn’t do anything wrong!” Louis yells. “Nothing happened!”

Harry scoffs, shaking his head. “So what then? It was all a lie? You never really felt the same way that I did, that I do?!”

“Of course I do!” Louis can feel his own emotions starting to boil over, his frustration making his voice shake. “Harry, I feel the same way as you!”

Harry shakes his head. “You’ve got a really fucking funny way of showing it. You’ve ignored me for two weeks, I apparently did nothing wrong, but you’re holding back.”

“I’m not holding back, Harry. I’m trying to give the other men in the house their chance.” Louis huffs, crossing his arms. “It can’t be all about you the entire time.”

“Says who?!” Harry demands. “When did you fucking care about the rules? We’ve been breaking rules from the first night because we had a spark, Louis! I know you only had eyes for me for the first few weeks and now you avoid me like I’m a fucking parasite!”

“Harry, if you can’t get out of your own head enough to let me work through this process, then I’m not sure you truly love me.”

Harry stumbles back like Louis’ words have shot him in the chest. “Of course I love you and I want you to work through the process, but you can’t just ignore me for weeks and expect me not to be mad.”

“And I am working through it and you have had plenty of time. Are you even here for me or just for some sort of pissing competition?!”

“I’m here for you, Louis! Not once have I brought up the other men cause I don’t give a fuck about them! I care about you, I’m here for you! I want to spend time with you and not feel ignored and avoided!”

“If you can’t handle it just go home!” Louis screams. “I have to do this! I have to give everyone a fair chance!”

“Is that what you want?” Harry asks, looking down at his feet. “Was that the plan all along? You realized you didn’t actually have feelings so you ignored me hoping I’d get the picture?”

“No!” Louis chokes, shaking his head. “No, Harry. I would never do that, I just. There’s so much going on in my head and—”

“Louis, you haven’t shown any interest in me in weeks!” Harry screams, the anger back as tears pour down his cheeks. “You’re too busy fucking around with all the other guys!”

That ignites a fire in Louis’ veins. “You’re a fucking dick! I’m not your property, Harry! I can do what I want, when I want, with who I want!”

“Yeah, well, you’ve made that abundantly clear, Louis!” Harry screams, the veins in his neck straining and the flush of his cheeks returning. “You’re just keeping me around for convenience because you know how I feel and that I’ll do anything for you and that’s not fucking fair to me!”

“You have no idea what’s going on in my head, Harry! Don’t jump to conclusions and then try to put words in my mouth!” Louis shoves at Harry’s shoulder. “I don’t use people like you clearly do!”

Harry laughs, nodding his head. “I get it. So that’s how you see me then? Stanley and Lee and Mitchell all got to you? Convinced you?”

“Maybe they did.” Louis raises his eyebrows, crossing his arms. “Maybe I was wrong about you. You’re just here to add another notch to your belt.”

Harry scoffs, shaking his head. “Wow. Okay.”

He turns to head back inside, Louis running after him. “Where the fuck are you going?!”

“Home.”

Louis stops dead in his tracks, dropping his arms. “What?”

Harry doesn’t answer, just heads inside. Clare walks up to Louis, typing quickly on her phone. “What are you thinking?”

“We can’t let him leave.” Louis crumbles, his chin wobbling and tears filling his eyes. “We can’t.”

Clare gives him a sympathetic look. “We can’t stop him from leaving, Louis. It’s okay, it’s all a part of the process.”

“No, it’s not!” Louis sobs, tears spilling over and his hands shaking. “I love him!”

Clare hugs him close, rubbing his back gently. “It’s okay, Louis. You’re okay. We’ll talk to him, don’t worry.”

She leads him inside and has him sit at the table, the sounds of producers running around distant while Louis’ head races.

When Harry comes out of his room with his bags, Louis jumps up and follows him down to the lobby. “Harry! Harry, please! Wait, Harry!”

“Louis, please, just let me go. I was a fool for letting myself fall in love with you.”

Louis sobs, shaking his head and trying to tug on Harry’s hand as they walk through the lobby and out to the waiting car. “No! No, you weren’t! I love you, Harry, please don’t go!”

Harry tugs his hands away. “No, you don’t. And that’s okay. I hope you find what you’re looking for, Louis.”

Harry climbs into the car and shuts the door, only for Louis to yank the door open again. “Please!”

“Louis, stop!” Harry huffs, his eyes cold as he watches producers drag Louis away from the car so he can slam the door shut again.

Louis watches as he drives away, watches until the tail lights aren’t visible anymore. His stomach is in his throat and he feels like he’s going to be sick, choking on his tears and his heart shattering in his chest.

“What do you want to do, Louis?” Clare asks quietly, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. “We need to make a plan for when you’re ready to go back inside.”

Louis sniffles, reaching up to wipe his tears on his suit jacket sleeve. “Let’s just do the rose ceremony. I can’t do a cocktail party and all that shit. I just want to go home.”

Clare nods and unwraps her arms, shooting off a few texts and demands to the people around them. Louis’ ushered into makeup and hair to clean up his tears and cover the red splotches all over his cheeks and neck. He sits silently as they fix his sleeves and get him a new crisp shirt to put on that isn’t covered in tear stains.

When he steps into the room, the men are lined up side by side, a tray of roses laid out for him.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” Foster Donnell greets the men. “We have three roses. Ren and Terrell, you already have a rose so you are safe until next week. Louis, when you’re ready.”

Louis steps forward, picking up the first rose on the tray. He takes a grounding breath to try to hold back the tears threatening to spill over once again. He glances at each man before mumbling, “Boyce.”

Boyce smiles, stepping forward.

“Boyce, do you accept this rose?”

He nods. “Of course, Lou.”

Louis pins the rose to his lapel and accepts the warm hug from Boyce, making it short and sweet so he doesn’t start crying again. He needs to get through this and go home, he can do it.

He picks up the next rose, twirling it a few times. “Aaron.”

Aaron follows suit, stepping forward and accepting his rose. He gives Louis a warm hug just like Boyce, rubbing his back gently before turning back to stand in line.

Foster steps forward, gesturing to the tray. “Gentlemen, this is the final rose. If after this rose, you have not received one, say your goodbyes and please leave.”

Louis picks up the final rose and looks up at the men. “George.”

George steps forward, smiling sympathetically down at Louis.

“George, will you accept this rose?”

“Yes, please.”

Louis pins the rose to George’s lapel and accepts his hug, as well. Tim and Vance sigh when George takes his place back in line, turning to hug the other men before coming forward to say goodbye to Louis.

Tim’s first, kissing his cheek. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Thank you.”

When Vance steps forward he’s teary eyed and it tugs on Louis’ heartstrings. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be. They’re happy tears. I’m so happy for you and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

“Thank you.” Louis smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. They embrace briefly, then Vance follows Tim out of the penthouse. Louis takes a deep breath, opening his eyes to see the five men staring back at him. He’s supposed to give a toast now, show his excitement for next week, but Louis turns and heads straight for the door.

Producers rush after him, Louis heading down to the lobby and outside. Clare stumbles after him. “Where are you going?”

“I’m ready to go.”

“Louis, you need to come upstairs and give a toast.”

“No.” Louis turns on her, mustering up the most stern look he can. “I’m going home. Right now.”

She huffs, rolling her eyes. “He isn’t worth all this. You’ve got plenty of nice men upstairs, I don’t understand your issue.”

Louis scoffs, turning back around and crossing his arms. “Just get me a fucking car.”

When he gets back to his hotel room he strips out of his suit and let’s it puddle on the ground, not bothering to wash the tear tracks off of his face, knowing there’s no use; not when they’ll only be replaced by fresh ones. He dives under his sheets completely nude to match his heart. Stripped of everything, he falls into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Chapter Text

When Louis wakes up the next morning, his eyes are swollen and dry, and his stomach is in knots. He’s trying to work out whether the night before was a dream or if it really happened. If Harry really left.

He stares at the walls as if they aren’t real, like he’s going to blink and be back in his hotel in California the morning after his date with Harry. Flashes of memories intrude his mind — Harry’s smile, his laugh, the warmth he radiates that Louis can no longer feel. Louis wants to press his fingers into the hard skin of his chest, feel Harry’s soft lips on his cheek, listen to the calming way he breathes in his sleep.

It isn’t fair.

It isn’t fair that he only got to experience Harry at complete peace once, it isn’t fair that he only got to hold his hand a few times. Harry’s supposed to be it for him, he’s known that from night one. He’s known that what he and Harry had is something special, something you don’t experience every day.

It wasn’t even about the time they spent or the things they said, it was the feeling Louis got when he was around — that deep, all encompassing feeling of being complete. He aches for that feeling now, has for over a week as he tried to avoid Harry to please others.

He wonders where they went wrong, but honestly, he knows where he went wrong. He’s always been a people pleaser, always wanted to do what was best for everyone, not just himself. When Clare let him in on the fact that all the rest of the men felt excluded and unwanted, the guilt set in. He never wants anyone to feel that way, but he especially doesn’t want the men who have taken time out of their lives to come spend it with him to feel that way.

He felt horrible when she explained that Aaron was considering going home because he felt like Louis didn’t care to get to know anyone else. He thinks about the rest of the men and how they must’ve felt this entire time. He thinks of Ren, who was brutally honest when he asked if he felt the same way. How uncomfortable and frustrating it was to try to get to know Louis, only to constantly come second to Harry. How upsetting it was to want time with Louis, only to get rejected and ditched whenever Harry was near.

Worst of all, he thinks of Stanley and Mitchell and Lee, who sat down with Louis and explained why they were not impressed with Harry and why he was all wrong for him, only for Louis to throw it back in their faces and send them home. Maybe Louis should have listened to them, maybe that’s why it was so easy to take that step back from Harry.

The truth all along was that Harry didn’t care for Louis, not at all. He was just here to get his five minutes of fame, to add another notch to his bedpost. He had asked Clare how she felt after the first week he distanced himself from Harry, only to get a sympathetic smile in return. He hadn’t heard the rumors about Harry and Boyce until Clare told him. The whispers of their ‘secret chats’ and how there’s hardly any space between them, how Harry spends time every morning making Boyce breakfast in bed and snuggles up close to him to watch TV. It all added up to what the other men had said that night Harry had ‘defended’ Louis’ honor.

The rose tinted glasses Louis had worn all this time had come off but he still couldn’t shake the feeling he got when Harry was around. He still envisioned him at the end of this, on one knee ready to marry Louis. He dreamed of him, years from now, giving Louis a kiss before he left for work. He dreamed of their farm of kids, all five of them with big blue eyes and a smile just like their Daddy.

Maybe that’s where Louis went wrong. He can’t figure out what’s reality and what isn’t — what was real between them and what fairytales Louis created in his head. He should’ve asked Harry, asked for the truth. He wouldn’t be lying here with a hole in his chest if he had just been honest about his concerns.

The hollow feeling in his throat grows, tears starting to form in his eyes. He chokes out a sob, his entire body seizing up as the anger and sadness rips through him. He wants to scream, he wants to hit something, he wants to get on a plane and fly home to Harry.

He wants answers to all the questions he never asked, he wants to know if he’s a fool or if what he feels is really real. Does Harry feel it too, or did he lie about that? He wants to know why Harry gave up so quickly and why it was so easy for him. He wants to know if he’ll ever feel okay, ever feel whole again.

He’s drowning in tears, his sobs choking him as he turns onto his belly and screams into the pillow. He fists the sheets and knees up into the fetal position, the physical pain of having his heart ripped out and carried onto a flight back to Phoenix, Arizona destroying him from the inside out.

He wallows in his misery, tears ebbing and flowing like tide on the shore. He spends the day curled up in his bed, throat sore from screaming in frustration and agony. He naps after each wave of horror, his body exhausted from the constant punching reminder that Harry’s gone. He’s really gone.

When Louis stirs that evening it’s to a pounding at the door. His stomach drops to his ass, his silly mind hoping it’s Harry on the other side, only to be disappointed when it swings open to reveal Clare. He’s still not dressed, a sheet wrapped loosely around his body.

“God, you look terrible.” She widens her eyes, “Are you packed yet? We leave in an hour.”

Louis groans, he completely forgot they were flying to Geneva this evening. He turns and immediately starts grabbing socks and underwear and other random articles of clothing to shove in his suitcase.

“Louis, are you okay?”

Louis huffs, grabbing a stray shoe from under the desk. “No, Clare, I’m not fucking okay.”

“Okay… well will you be okay?”

Louis turns on his heel, tears already starting to form and drip down his cheeks. “Do I look like I’m going to be okay, Clare?! I’m heartbroken and I’m hurt and I just need you to leave me alone.”

“Alright.” She raises her hands in surrender, “Well, I’ll be back in an hour to get you.”

Louis turns back to look out the window, chewing on his cuticles as she leaves. He drags his fingers up through his hair, the sheet dropping from around his shoulders and revealing the raw skin of his chest, a gaping hole where his heart once belonged.

--

Louis spends his first night in Geneva in bed, curled up tight with trash TV playing in the background. His tears ran out hours ago, and have now been replaced by some dry heaving and a chill running through his veins.

He tries to focus on getting himself together, knowing he needs to sit down with Clare and plan out this week's dates. He’s getting down to the wire, only five men left, and he can’t afford to spend the last four weeks of this experience heartbroken over a man who gave up.

When he finally gets himself out of bed to meet Clare the next morning, she greets him with the same horror as the night before. “Louis, sweetheart, you need to get some concealer and a shower.”

Louis rolls his eyes, sitting down across from her, “Please can we just get this over with quickly.”

She huffs, “Not if you’re going to act like this. Do you want to go home? Would that please you?”

Louis feels the guilt pang, realizing how ungrateful he sounds. He cowers under her icy gaze, “I’m sorry.”

She hands him a paper with a list of dates on them, “Put the names beside the dates and then go take a shower.”

Louis looks down at the list of dates, his chest aching painfully when he realizes he just wants to do all of these with Harry. He swallows down the lump forming in his throat, grabbing the pen and scribbling out the names beside each date. Three one on ones and a two on one. He’s not looking forward to the two on one, both of the men fighting for his attention all day only to send one home in the evening at dinner. It’s always uncomfortable when he watches it on TV and he can’t imagine it will be any better experiencing it first hand.

Once he’s finished, he heads upstairs to shower, trying desperately to make himself look presentable for the date he’s going to endure this afternoon. He picked Boyce, purely for selfish reasons that pertain to his current heartbreak. If he can’t get answers from Harry, he’ll get them from Boyce.

When he arrives to pick Boyce up for their date, he’s already waiting outside the hotel and bouncing on his toes excitedly. It only annoys Louis, really, he can’t find it in himself to be endeared when he’s ready to question the man until he gets answers.

The cameras film their greeting, Louis hugging Boyce and smiling at him as genuine as he can. “You ready?”

“I’m ready, cutie.” Boyce beams, squeezing Louis tightly and tangling their fingers together. They head into town, hands swinging as they walk together. “What are we doing?”

“You’ll see.” Louis smiles, cutting straight to the chase, “So I have a few questions.”

“Go for it.” Boyce smiles, completely unfazed.

“I’ve heard a few rumors,” Louis begins, untangling his fingers and stopping to turn and face Boyce, “and I just want to clear it all up.”

“Okay…” Boyce replies, clearly wary of what Louis is about to say.

“Did you and Harry sleep together?”

“What?” Boyce asks, confused and caught like a deer in the headlights. “Like in the same bed?”

“No,” Louis huffs, “Like sex. Did you and Harry have sex?”

Boyce shakes his head, panic in his eyes, “No, oh fuck, no, never.” He waves his hands around like he’s trying to cut the tension in the air on his own. “No, Louis. I would never do that to you, Harry would never have done that to you.”

Louis stares at him for a moment, “What do you mean?”

Boyce shakes his head fondly with a sympathetic smile, looking down at his feet before locking eyes with Louis once again. “Harry only had eyes for you, Louis. He was here to marry you.”

Louis gnaws on his bottom lip, looking down the street as he tries to hold back the emotions that rise like bile in his throat. “Okay, then that’s good. We can move forward.”

Boyce nods, reaching up to cup Louis’ jaw gently. “You okay? I should have asked.”

Louis looks back at Boyce, nodding slowly. “I’m okay. Let’s go.”

When they get to the town square, two bikes await them. Boyce smiles at Louis, “Bikes?”

“We’re going to ride around the town, enjoy the sights. What do you think?”

Boyce nods, “I think it’s perfect.”

They climb onto their bikes, riding through the town square and heading for the outskirts of town. They ride through the streets, stopping to look at all the beautiful buildings, Boyce taking a few pictures of Louis outside a few murals.

They pedal leisurely, Boyce reaching across the space between them to hold Louis’ hand. “You look beautiful today.”

Louis blushes, giggling when Boyce almost wrecks his bike staring at him.

They cycle past Lake Geneva, the sun bouncing off the Swiss Alps in the distance. It’s breathtaking, and honestly Louis wants to enjoy it, he does, but it’s so hard to put his feelings aside. He thinks about what Harry might think of this view, what stupid jokes he’d be making right now.

“Louis?” Boyce laughs, weaving towards Louis’ bike, “You good?”

Louis nods, smiling at Boyce as best as he can. “All good. Ready to head back to town square?”

“Sure, sweetheart.” Boyce takes the lead, guiding them back into town. He checks on Louis every few minutes, his eyes concerned. Louis feels guilty about it, but he’s beyond thankful that Boyce is at least understanding and doesn’t push.

When they arrive at dinner, Boyce pulls Louis’ chair out for him like a gentleman. He smiles at Louis as he takes his seat, his eyes kind and hopeful. “Did you enjoy today?”

Louis wrings his hands in his lap, nodding slowly. “I did, actually. I’ve obviously had one of the worst weeks so far and this helped so much.”

“I feel the same way. Harry leaving hurt a lot more than I thought it would. I hadn’t realized how close I was to him and how much I relied on him until he was gone,” he swallows, clearing his throat, “platonically, obviously. I just don’t talk to any of the other men, really. Ren is nice, but I mostly keep to myself now.”

“I’m sorry.”

Boyce shakes his head quickly, “No, not your fault, Louis. I’m just saying, I understand being upset. I’m right there with you.”

Louis nods, trying his best not to roll his eyes. He understands what Boyce is trying to do, but he doesn’t really want to hear it right now. In fact, he doesn’t want to talk about Harry at all. “So, where do you stand at this point in the show?”

Boyce sighs, glancing down at Louis’ wringing hands, “I mean, I definitely feel like I haven’t had as much opportunity to spend time with you and get to know you, but I do have very strong feelings for you. I love spending time with you and I want to keep working at this, learning about you and continuing to fall for you.”

Louis smiles sweetly at him, “Falling for me?”

Boyce nods, “Falling for you.”

Louis hums, leaning forward to peck Boyce’s lips gently. “Good to know.”

Boyce reaches forward to grab Louis’ hands, squeezing them, “I know you’re going through a lot mentally, and I know it’s hard, but I’m here for you.”

Louis nods, squeezing Boyce’s hands back, “I appreciate that.”

He leans over to grab the rose sitting on the platter on the table, twirling it in his hand before sighing, “I had a really good time today and I really appreciate you being so… gentle and understanding with me.”

Boyce smiles sweetly, his hand dropping to rub soothingly at Louis’ thigh.

“So with that said, Boyce, will you accept this rose? So we can continue to learn about each other?”

“Yes,” Boyce nods, “of course.”

Louis pins the rose to Boyce’s sweater, leaning forward to press their lips together once more, whispering, “Thank you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Boyce cups Louis’ chin, sucking a deeper kiss against his lips.

When Louis gets back to his hotel he dives head first into the pillows, trying his best to ignore the guilt churning in his belly. He wonders about what Harry is doing, if he’s thinking of him too.

--

Louis wakes the next morning beyond ready to see Ren. The comfort he finds in his arms is the closest he can get to what he really desires right now and he can’t wait to bask in his attention for a few hours.

When he pulls up in front of the hotel and sees Ren, he can’t help but clamber out of the limo and launch himself into his arms. He finds comfort in the soft laugh and tight embrace, the ache in his chest subsiding just slightly. “Hi.”

“Hi, gorgeous.” Ren whispers into his hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of Louis’ head. “Missed you.”

“I missed you so much.” Louis sighs, breathing in the calming scent of Ren’s cologne. “I’m so excited for this date. We’re gonna have so much fun.”

Ren pulls back to beam down at Louis, “I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else. I’m so glad to see you excited.”

Louis tries not to think about what he means, just smiles up at him as brightly as he can. Ren takes Louis’ hand and brings his knuckles up to his lips. “You ready?”

“So ready.” Louis giggles, pulling his hand back when Ren nips at his knuckles. “Let’s go.”

They climb back into the limo, Louis curling into Ren’s side as they head for their destination. Ren holds Louis close, calming and warm. “Can’t wait to see what you think about what we’re doing.”

“Why? Are we doing something crazy like sky-diving?”

“Not exactly,” Louis giggles, smiling up at Ren mischievously, “You’ll see.”

Ren hums suspiciously, tickling Louis’ side in a sneak attack. Louis squeals, shoving at Ren’s fingers and trying to crawl across the seats of the limo to get away. Ren grabs him tighter, wrapping him up in a bear hug. “No, no. You’re not going anywhere, gorgeous. I want to hold you.”

Louis giggles, his stomach erupting in butterflies. God, this man.

When they arrive, Ren gasps at the sight of a helicopter waiting for them. “What are we doing? Why did I need snow boots for a helicopter ride?”

Louis shrugs cutely, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the car and towards the helicopter. “You’ll like it, I promise.”

Ren chuckles, following closely and helping Louis up into the helicopter.

When they take off, Louis stares in awe at the views. Switzerland is one of the most beautiful places he’s ever been, Lake Geneva glittering below them and the sun bouncing off the high peaks of the Swiss Alps. It’s breathtaking, and Louis feels incredibly lucky.

Ren laughs over the microphone, hooting and squeezing his arms around Louis as best as he can strapped into their seats. “Wow! Look at that, gorgeous!”

“It’s so incredible.”

Ren hums softly, “Almost as incredible as you.”

Louis rolls his eyes at how cliche it is, but he can’t ignore the flip flop of his belly at the compliment. He needed this today, he needed to feel some normalcy in a relationship. Here, now, with Ren, he feels like he can maybe get out on the other side of this relatively unbroken. Maybe even engaged.

When they land somewhere in the Swiss Alps, Louis and Ren are given two heavy coats to protect them against the bitter cold. The snow is to their ankles, Louis trudging through it and following Ren. A dog sled awaits them, the dogs barking and shifting from foot to foot in excitement. Ren shakes his head, “Holy shit.”

Louis giggles, turning to face him, “Seem fun?”

Ren nods, smiling down at Louis excitedly, “This is awesome, gorgeous.”

Louis nods his head once happily, turning to greet the musher. They get packed into the sled, Ren sitting with his legs spread so Louis can sit between them. Blankets are tucked around them, Ren wrapping his arms tightly around Louis’ waist and nuzzling his face into his neck.

The musher asks quickly if they’re ready and with a small nod of Louis’ head they’re barrelling toward the trailhead. Louis squeals at the speed, his stomach in his ass as they bump along the trail, frigid wind blowing in his face contrasting with the warmth of Ren’s body against his. He’s thankful for his beanie and sunglasses, thank fuck he thought to grab them before he left his hotel room.

Ren’s hands slide under his jacket and up under his shirt, resting on his belly as he holds Louis close. “This is so incredible, holy shit.”

Louis giggles, leaning his head back on Ren’s shoulder to smile up at him. Ren’s eyes are wide and awestruck, a childlike spark at what he’s experiencing. “This is the best date ever.”

Louis feels satisfied at the admission, biting his wind-chapped lip as they take a sharp turn. It’s fucking wild.

As they rise over a peak in the sled, Louis and Ren both gasp, the incredible view of Lake Geneva perfect from the top of the Swiss Alps, a bright sunburst dancing off the water. It’s the most beautiful sight Louis’ ever seen and he knows this moment is something he won’t ever forget.

The dogs are barking loudly, Louis smiling at them doing their job so well. They’re so happy to be tugging them along, the lead dog guiding them effortlessly through the trail and back to the cabins. Louis squeezes Ren’s hands, leaning his head back onto his shoulder once again and melting into his touch. Ren tightens his hold, kissing Louis’ cheek and humming contentedly.

As they arrive back to the basecamp, they’re unwrapped and helped out of the sled where a hot chocolate and a warm fire waits for them. Louis takes the blanket with him, wrapping it around his shoulders as he sits on the log and cups his hands around the warm mug. Ren sits beside him, their ankles linked together. “So I think we should live somewhere we can do our own dogsledding. When we get married we can have all the babies and huskies.”

Louis snorts, glancing at Ren in shock, “You liked it that much?”

“I loved it!” Ren giggles, “Don’t you want that, baby? A million babies and dogs. That’d be so fun!”

Louis sips on his hot chocolate, shaking his head. “You’re so cute. Of course I want that.”

Ren hums, wrapping his arm around Louis, “Can’t wait to make you my little housewife, Louis.”

Louis digs an elbow into Ren’s ribs, giggling at his groan. He tries to ignore the sick feeling mixing with the butterflies in his belly. He wants to be happy, to love that this man is excited to start their life together, but god he can’t stop thinking about what would be different if Harry was here. He misses him.

It’s as they’re sitting together at dinner, hands joined on top of the table, that Louis realizes he could be satisfied with Ren. He knows how Ren feels, knows that he would provide for Louis and always give him what he wants, he would be safe. Ren may not be Harry and he may not be able to always give him what he needs, but he’s so close. He could be happy, couldn’t he?

“I want you to know how much it means to me that you’ve been so patient with me.” Louis smiles, squeezing Ren’s hand, “I really love how much we grow in this relationship every day, and I appreciate you so much.”

Ren leans forward to kiss Louis sweetly, cupping his cheek with his other hand and whispering against his lips, “Of course, gorgeous.”

Louis smiles, trying his best to stay here, stay in the moment. Ren presses his lips against Louis’, this time sliding his tongue into his mouth and deepening the kiss. Louis moans quietly, melting into the touch and dragging his hand down Ren’s chest. “Love when you kiss me.”

“I love you.” Ren whispers, catching Louis completely off guard. Of course, he knew Ren felt this way, but to hear it is something he may never get used to. It sounds different than he thought it would.

Louis considers saying it back but he feels it isn’t right when Harry’s face enters his mind immediately. Instead, he leans forward and kisses Ren once more, trying his best to get across his feelings. He is falling for Ren, he has been for a few weeks now, but he’s just not in a place to say he loves him tonight.

Ren, the angel he is, doesn’t say anything about it, but Louis still sees the worry in his eyes when they separate. Louis smiles, trying to reassure him. “What was your favorite part of today?”

“Honestly–” Ren sighs, chewing on his lip for a moment, “–honestly, I think it was riding in the dog sled with you in my arms. It was freezing and terrifying, but holding you so close I felt like I had a purpose, to protect you and keep you warm. I never thought I’d feel the way that I do with you.”

Louis pokes his lower lip out in a pout, his eyes soft. “Ren. That’s so sweet.”

“I’m telling you, Louis, I’m beyond gone for you.” Ren laughs at himself, cheeks pink. “Just want you to be happy and feel safe with me.”

“I am,” Louis smiles. “I do.”

Ren beams at that, Louis’ stomach fluttering when he cups his face and presses their lips together once again. “Good.”

Ren leans back again, his smile blinding, “Are you excited to meet my family next week?”

It’s kind of unbelievable that next week is hometown dates. He gets to go to meet four men’s families and spend time with them. It adds a whole new level to these relationships and to be completely honest, Louis isn’t fully sure he’s ready to take that step yet. That’s the hardest part of this process that Louis didn’t expect, the speed of the development of these relationships. He had always seen previous Bachelorettes and Bachelors discuss this, but it isn’t real until you’re in that position. The momentum continues to catch Louis off-guard, and while he’s trying his best, it’s still shocking when he’s reminded.

Ren’s smile starts to slip from his face, worry bleeding into his features once again, “Louis?”

“Sorry,” Louis shakes his head, “sorry, yes. I am so, so excited to meet your family. Who all will I be meeting again?”

“My parents and my sister,” Ren smiles, “And my dog, Indigo.”

“I can’t wait. Do you think they’ll like me?”

Ren nods quickly, “They’re going to love you, gorgeous.”

This tugs on Louis’ heartstrings for many reasons. It’s bittersweet, really. Louis bites his lip, glancing back down at his hands before turning and grabbing the rose sat on the platter of the table.

“I think it goes without saying that you’re getting this.” Louis giggles, “But Ren, I’ve loved every minute of today and you’ve made me feel so safe. You’ve helped take my mind off things and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for you. Will you accept this rose?”

“Of course, Louis.” Ren nods, his beautiful smile making Louis’ stomach flutter.

Louis pins his rose to his maroon blazer, leaning in to kiss Ren once it’s in place. They kiss until producers start cleaning up, Ren pulling Louis’ chair closer and practically tugging him into his lap.

Louis drags his fingers through Ren’s hair and moans at the feel of his tongue against his own. “Ren.”

“Gorgeous.” Ren breathes, his hands dragging down over Louis’ arms.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being here. For loving me.” Louis whispers, feeling his emotions start to take over once again.

Ren shakes his head, pulling back to look at Louis worriedly. “Of course, Louis. Of course I would love you, you’re amazing.”

Louis somehow collects himself, his fingers digging into Ren’s biceps to ground himself. “I think it’s time for me to go home.”

“Okay,” Ren nods, standing and helping Louis up out of his own chair, keeping his arm tightly around his waist. “Let’s go, Lou.”

The limo drops Louis off at his hotel, Ren walking him up to his room to make sure he’s okay. Louis turns when they get to the door, whispering quietly, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, gorgeous. I’ll see you next week, okay?”

Louis nods, leaning forward to nuzzle Ren’s chest, hugging him tightly. “See you next week.”

Ren kisses Louis’ cheek sweetly before turning to head for the elevator, Louis sliding his keycard into the door and shutting it gently behind him. He leans his head back against it, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that penetrates his veins the moment he’s alone again. He wants to know when this pain will end, and if it’s going to make it impossible for him to continue for the next four weeks.

--

Louis is in desperate need for some fun and some laughter, and Terrell is just the man for that. He wakes in a much sunnier mood, excited to just have a carefree day. He gets dressed quickly, heading down to the car waiting for him.

It’s gorgeous and has an open top, the sunny day perfect to ride around the town in it. Terrell’s smile can be seen down the street, bright and excited and so kind. He pulls up in front of him, immediately climbing out of the car to give him a hug. Terrell squeezes him tight, making a groaning noise, “Hi, cutie.”

“Hi.” Louis giggles, already feeling the excitement start to bubble at the surface. Terrell’s energy is contagious, he’s always ready to have fun and it’s so hard not to smile around him.

Louis hands over the keys, Terrell’s smile growing, if that’s even possible. “Think you can handle it?”

“Oh, I can handle it.” Terrell laughs, almost maniacally. He climbs into the driver's seat and starts the engine, Louis climbing into the passenger’s seat and gives Terrell a look.

“Don’t kill me, please.”

Terrell gasps in faux-horror, “I would never.”

Louis can’t help the wide smile that feels permanent on his face when he’s around Terrell, he’s well and truly one of the greatest men Louis’ ever met.

The producers set up a GPS in the car, typing in the address of their destination and explaining how they’re going to film them. They point out the various cameras mounted in the car and hand Louis the walkie talkie so they can stay in constant communication as they drive.

They head deep into the countryside, rolling hills and beautiful vineyards on either side as they drive. It’s beautiful and Louis can’t quite get over all the amazing views of Switzerland. Halfway through the drive, Terrell manages to find a radio station playing the top 40, some song filled with sexual innuendos comparing the body to fruit playing. Of course Terrell knows all the words and of course he screams them loudly, making Louis cry with laughter.

The winding roads seem to go on forever and for the first time in days, Louis feels pure joy. He laughs and he screams and he plays, Terrell bringing it out of him and reminding him that it won’t always be like this. He’s going to be happy again, and if he wants to, he can choose to be happy with Terrell. The way the rest of this journey goes is up to Louis and no one can take that away from him.

They pull into a gated entrance, rows and rows of grape vines lining the driveway up a large hill to a beautiful house. Louis’ eyes widen as he takes it all in, “Wow.”

Terrell chuckles, reaching over to squeeze Louis’ thigh. “What, are we wine-tasting today?”

“No.” Louis smirks, “Something else, but involving wine.”

“Hm,” Terrell hums. “Tease.”

Louis scoffs playfully, climbing out of the car as soon as they stop and turning to look out over the vineyard. “Holy shit, this is incredible.”

“Should we get a vineyard when we get married?” Terrell wraps his arms around Louis’ shoulders, pressing his lips to the side of his head. “Can have all the wine your heart desires.”

Louis glances back at him and smiles, the feeling of Terrell towering over him and holding him close so comforting. “Where would we live?”

“California, duh.” Terrell chuckles, “Let our kids run through the grape vines.”

“Hm.” Louis smiles, “Yeah.”

They’re introduced to the team member that’s going to be guiding them, leading them inside the large barn on the other side of the house. There’s multiple sheets of paper laid out along with various grapes, glasses of wine, and other snacks. The team member, introduced as Eric, spreads his arms out in display, “Today, we’ll be making your very own personal label wine.”

Louis smiles widely at Terrell, who is clearly very excited by the smile on his own face.

The team member starts guiding them through each step of the process, having them taste each selection of grapes and pick their extra notes of flavor.

Terrell chooses to have orange blossom in their moscato, whereas Louis leans more towards the peach flavors, both of them combining to make a sweet, fruity wine. They sip on the testers and eat more cheese and nuts than strictly necessary, but it’s incredibly fun. Terrell feeds Louis grapes like the royalty he is and maybe Louis sucks the juice off his fingers even though it’s not needed. Terrell shakes his head at Louis, “You’re too much.”

After their label has been finalized, they have to come up with a name, and spend a short time passing various ideas back and forth before they decide to make it a couple name.

“Terrouis?” Terrell offers, Louis scoffing and shaking his head.

“That’s ugly. Louirell?”

“No.” Terrell scrunches his nose, “Lourrell?”

“Hm.” Louis hums, it sounds better than the others and there’s only so many ways to combine Terrell and Louis. “Okay. Lourrell.”

Eric nods, writing it down on their card and explaining the process of how the grapes are crushed and developed over time. “The entire process takes about a year and then you can come back and taste it. We’ll keep the barrel and you can order bottles from it whenever you want.”

Terrell smiles down at Louis, squeezing his hip, “So in a year we can come back and taste our wine.”

It’s exciting, and Louis can see them in a year coming to taste their wine together. It’s just that simple with Terrell.

Eric leads them outside once again to some big tubs, Louis peaking over the edge to see grapes and juice. It dawns on him what they’re about to do and he can’t help but burst out laughing, Terrell looking at him confusedly before taking a look over the edge as well. “Oh fuck.”

“Now you’re going to have a grape crushing contest.”

Louis doubles over with laughter, trying to regain composure so he can take his shoes and socks off. They each climb into their tub of grapes, Terrell making disgusted noises, “This is the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life!”

Louis giggles at his dramatics, turning to face Eric for their countdown. “I feel like this is unfair because he’s got fuckin’ skis and my feet are so tiny!”

Eric chuckles, “Actually it’s beneficial because your feet will be more precise.”

“Unfair advantage!” Terrell yells, groaning in disgust when a grape squelches between his toes.

“On three boys,” Eric laughs, “One… two… three!”

Louis and Terrell start stomping wildly, grapes and juice spraying all over their clothes and spilling over the edges of the tubs. Louis screams with laughter, the feeling so disgusting but he’s having so much fun. He leans down to scoop up some of the squashed grapes and throws them at Terrell, howling when it hits him square in the chest. Terrell shakes his head, “Oh, you’re done, Tomlinson.”

Terrell climbs out of his tub and jumps into Louis’, tackling him down into the grapes and smushing them into his face. Louis screams, wrapping his legs around Terrell’s waist and holding onto him like a sloth, dragging him down with him. Terrell screams when grapes get squished against his own face, “You little shit!”

“Let me go!” Louis squeals through his laughter, belly aching from it. “Unhand me!”

They roll around in the grapes together, Terrell clearly having the upperhand when it comes to grape wrestling. Louis’ scrappy, but that just means he can give Terrell a run for his money, not that he can ever win.

Terrell laughs when Louis squirms out of his hold, smushing more grapes into his hair. “You’ll never win!”

Louis regrets his words, though, because next thing he knows he’s pinned under Terrell and covered in grapes. “No!”

“I win!” Terrell cheers, pumping his fist in the air while his other hand traps both of Louis’ wrists to the bottom of the tub. “What’s my prize? A kiss?”

Louis rolls his eyes but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t desperately want to kiss Terrell too. He pokes his lips out, smiling when Terrell leans down and kisses him. He licks into Louis’ mouth, moaning quietly and sucking on his tongue. Louis isn’t sure how much time passes before Terrell pulls back, smiling cheekily, “Mm, tastes like grapes.”

Louis scoffs, Eric and the producers all laughing at them from behind the cameras. Terrell lets Louis up, both of them absolutely covered from head to toe in smushed grapes and juice. It’s disgusting, but Louis can’t help but giggle.

Clare rolls her eyes when they step out of the tubs, dripping grape juice all over the ground. “Eric will show you to the showers, get changed and we’ll get the dinner together.”

After they shower and remove any traces of crushed grapes, they dress in nicer clothes and head out to film their dinner.

They take a seat at the table, Terrell popping the cork on the bottle of Moscato that’s been picked for them. He pours them each a glass, smiling at Louis sweetly.

“I’m so glad I’m here.”

Louis blushes, taking a sip of his wine. “Are you happy with how things are progressing between us?”

“Very.” Terrell smiles, laying his hand on top of Louis’ on the table, “It’s always been easy for us, I think. We have fun and it’s never forced. I just love spending time with you.”

“I feel the same way,” Louis smiles, leaning forward to kiss Terrell sweetly. “I have so much fun with you.”

“You know it’s more than that for me, right?” Terrell’s demeanor turning serious, “I’m falling for you, Louis. In fact, I think I’m in love with you.”

“Are you?” Louis whispers, tears starting to form in his eyes again. It’s like suddenly it hits him again, the emotions of this week. He hates it. He wants to be here, present with these men who are all in love with him. He just can’t fucking get out of his head for more than a few hours.

“I am, Louis. I’m so in love with you. I think about you all the time, your smile and your laugh. It’s the best sound I’ve ever heard. I dream about you, Louis.”

“Terrell.” Louis whispers, glancing down at their hands. Tears roll down his cheeks and Louis doesn’t even notice until Terrell’s wiping them away.

“I know you’re struggling and it’s a lot right now, but I’m here for you, Louis. I want to be someone you can lean on while you work through this.”

Louis sniffles, leaning into Terrell’s gentle touch. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You do.” Terrell says firmly, shaking his head, “You deserve to be loved and cared for. To be treated with compassion.”

Louis swallows around the lump in his throat, “Thank you.”

“Of course, Lou.” Terrell smiles sweetly, leaning forward to kiss Louis softly. “Just want to be here for you.”

Louis leans back, glancing at the rose on the tray. He reaches forward to grab it, twisting it in his hands, “Terrell, today was much needed for both of us. We needed this time together and I needed some fun. Your words mean so much to me and I genuinely can’t wait to see where we can take this. So, Terrell, will you accept this rose?”

“Yes, of course.” Terrell beams, that cheeky smile back. “Is that my prize after defeating you in grape wrestling?”

Louis rolls his eyes, sticking him with the pin for the rose by ‘accident’. Terrell gasps in horror, waiting until Louis has it pinned to his shirt to tickle his side. “Little shit.”

“Hm,” Louis hums like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. “I’m an angel.”

Terrell and all the producers scoff, Louis turning to face them in faux-anger. “Hey!”

Everyone laughs, Louis smiling at the sight of Terrell with his head thrown back and his hands clapping. He could do this. He can do this.

--

Louis has well and truly had enough emotional distress this week, and a two on one date is only the cherry on top.

George and Aaron are slated for this date and while the concept of it sounds fun, he knows that the tension on these dates is always painful. He knows he’s about to spend the afternoon trying to give equal attention and deciding which man he wants to keep. It’s important too because next week is hometowns and he wants to feel ready for that next step in the relationship.

When he shows up for their date, George and Aaron are standing together awkwardly. He laughs quietly to himself before getting out of the car. “Ready boys?”

Both of them smile as they follow with a “Yes!” Louis waves them over, both of them climbing into the car so they can head for their destination.

As they pull up, the men give Louis confused looks. George laughs as they step out of the car, the scent in the air revealing. “What are we doing?”

“This is Favarger Chocolate Factory, we’re going to do a factory tour and eat a shit ton of chocolate!”

Aaron starts laughing, high fiving Louis. “Yes! Best date ever!”

Louis tries not to snort, acutely aware at how awkward this is. They head inside and get introduced to their guide, Paolo. They follow him from room to room, listening as the history is explained.

They eat their body weight in chocolate, Louis’ in heaven as he holds a warm cup of hot chocolate, laughing as George makes a weird face when he eats a piece of chocolate he isn’t fond of. “Okay?”

“That one is awful, don’t try it.” George chuckles, Aaron avoiding it and moving on to the next tester.

Louis needs to make a decision between Aaron and George and honestly it could go either way. He isn’t particularly excited about either of them, just a mediocre relationship up to this point, but he does want to work out which of the two he has more feelings for.

He finds George sweet and he definitely cares a lot for Louis, always doting on him and asking him how he’s feeling, but the attraction isn’t there. Aaron, on the other hand, is definitely attractive, but lacks the vulnerability and genuineness that George has.

Louis bounces back and forth as the afternoon progresses, eventually settling on George as his choice. At least with George he can have good conversations, with Aaron it all falls flat.

As they head back to the hotel the men are staying at, Louis twiddles his thumbs, ready for this day to be over with. Louis, George and Aaron are led into one of the suites, a large room with a loft. Louis’ given a glass of wine to toast to the night, all of them standing around the coffee table as the producers set up.

Once they’re ready, Louis raises his glass, ready to give his toast, only to notice the atmosphere has changed drastically.

Confusion is written all over Aaron and George’s faces, Louis looking just as confused before he realizes they’re looking over his shoulder. He turns to see what they’re looking at, only to have his breath knocked out.

“Louis,” Harry whispers, looking fucking awful.

As he should.

“Harry,” Louis shakes his head, fighting the urge to run into his arms and beg him to never leave again. “What’re you doing here?”

“Can we talk? In private?” Harry’s bloodshot eyes are desperate, hands shaking at his sides.

Louis glances over his shoulder at Aaron and George, both of them looking irritated. He could say no, tell Harry to fuck off because he left. He can’t take that back now.

Louis’ weak though, and he really wants to know what Harry has to say. So he nods, leading them up the stairs to the loft above. They take a seat on the couch, cameras following them and setting up around them. Louis shifts uncomfortably, chewing on his lower lip while he waits for them to get the cue to begin.

Clare gives him a thumbs up, clearly unhappy with the fact that Harry’s shown up. Louis turns back to Harry, giving him a cold look before raising an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Louis, I fucked up.” Harry begins, looking down at his hands, “I fucked up so badly, I’m so sorry.”

Louis scoffs, looking off to the side, “Is that all you have to say? You’re wasting my time.”

“No,” Harry huffs, “baby, just listen to me, please.”

“Don’t call me baby.” Louis snaps, seeing red suddenly. He’s been devastated for days, wallowing in agony, but right here with Harry in front of him, he’s pissed. “You left, Harry. Why are you here?”

“I’m here because I’m in love with you, Louis! I made a fucking mistake leaving, I let my emotions and jealousy take over and I fucking left! I should have never done it, but I’m not completely at fault here either.”

Louis scoffs, “How is any of this my fault?”

“You were ignoring me! You had to know how upsetting that was to me and how frustrating it was to watch everyone else get attention and reassurance only to be continually brushed off by you!” Harry yells, his anger spiking along with Louis’. “I wanted to believe you felt the same way as me but the more you ignored me the more I convinced myself I was alone.”

“You should have asked! Instead, you just gave up like I wasn’t important to you!”

“Well it’s incredibly confusing to be told you’re the most important man in the room for weeks only to be ignored and made to feel like you don’t even exist!” Harry huffs, his face red and the vein in his neck bulging. “I’ve never felt so fucking small, Louis!”

Louis rolls his eyes, “The world doesn’t revolve around you, Harry.”

“No, it doesn’t, but it’s also human decency to communicate with others. You should have told me you weren’t feeling it anymore and I would have been fucking heart-broken, but I would’ve backed off and gone home. But instead you tortured me, gave me false hope and broke my fucking heart anyway.”

Louis can feel Harry’s words tug at his heartstrings, horrified that he can ever think he did that. “Harry, no. I was never not feeling it anymore. I was terrified because I felt so much for you so quickly and then I was told all kinds of stuff that made me doubt you, it was never as simple as that.”

“Like what? Like the bullshit Stanley and Lee and Mitchell spewed?!”

“Some of it,” Louis admits, not his finest hour. “But there’s been a lot more to it than just what they said. I’ve had others come to me and tell me things you’ve done and said that just haven’t sat right with me.”

“So you come speak to me, Louis! You can’t just assume they’re the truth and leave me in the cold! I would’ve cleared the air weeks ago had you told me you had those concerns!”

“I know! It wasn’t that simple, though!”

“What was it you were told? I would love to know what these assholes said to make you doubt me.”

“It’s not important.” Louis huffs.

“Clearly it is!”

Louis shakes his head in annoyance, “No, it doesn’t because you fucking left, Harry. You gave up. Why does it fucking matter to you now?”

“Because I want to know! I deserve to know what was said about me, Louis! Right here, right now, not in a few months when they air it on TV for all of America to see!”

Louis swallows, trying his best to hold back from bursting into tears at the fact that Harry only came back to ask what was said and not to ask for him back.

“Fine.” He shakes his head. “I heard that you had come for the fame and to add another notch to your bedpost.”

Harry scoffs, shaking his head, “Unbelievable. I was never here for fame, I was here for you and you alone, Louis.”

“I heard that you fucked Boyce. Does that sound like you’re here for me and me alone?”

“What?!” Harry shrieks, practically jumping out of his skin. “I would never! He was my friend!”

“I know that now! I don’t know what goes on in the fucking house so hearing that one made me laugh at first, but then I saw how close you were and it started to eat at me.”

“Why didn’t you ask?!”

“Because how am I supposed to ask you if you’re fucking other people in the house?! How am I supposed to pluck up the courage to ask you something like that when I’m so terrified of the answer?!”

“That’s fucking rich coming from you.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Louis’ eyebrows scrunch together, confused beyond belief.

“Did you have fun on your date with Ren?” Harry asks in a calm, cold tone.

“What?” Louis shakes his head, not understanding what Harry’s alluding to.

“I know you fucked Ren at the Opera.” Harry raises his eyebrows in judgement.

“I did what?!” Louis gasps, “I did not! Who told you that? Did Ren tell you that?!”

“He didn’t have to. The whole fucking house knew about it, I was last to know funnily enough. He didn’t deny it either, just shook his head and left the room.”

“Dickheads.” Louis shakes his head, “You’re all fucking dickheads! You have no right to judge me for who I have sex with!”

“Then you don’t have a fucking right to be upset with me!”

“You’re such a fucking asshole! I never had sex with Ren, does that make your ridiculous ego feel better?! You’re the only one who got to fuck me and that hasn’t fucking changed! Do you feel better now?!”

Harry’s jaw ticks, his eyes blazing in anger. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Is this what you came for then?!” Louis screams, standing as his emotions boil over, tears rolling down his cheeks, “To embarrass me?! To ask for the rumors and embarrass me in front of everyone?! To hear that you’re the only one I can think of? Have been able to think of since the moment you stepped out of the limo? Is that what you want?”

“No, actually, I came to tell you that I’m in love with you!” Harry stands, his hands shaking and his red face twitching in anger, “I came to tell you that I made a fucking mistake and that I should have never left, should’ve never doubted you! I came to tell you that I’m sorry and I was hoping you would feel the same way! I want you, Louis! If all of the rumors were true about you I would still want you because I love you! You’re the only one I want and I’ve never felt this way about anyone!”

The tears don’t stop and Louis chokes on a sob, squeezing his eyes shut as he fists his hands by his sides. “Harry.”

“I want to come back, Louis.” Harry sobs, his bottom lip wobbling. “I want to make this work, baby, please give me another chance.”

Louis swallows around a shaky breath, “Harry…”

“Please, baby.” Harry begs, raw emotion in his voice making it shake. “I love you.”

Louis whimpers, looking down at the ground before looking back up into Harry’s eyes. “How do I know you’re not just going to leave again?”

Harry sniffles, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a box.

Louis gasps when he realizes, Harry opening it to reveal a beautiful silver band encrusted with diamonds. “Harry, what?”

“I won’t leave again. Not unless you ask me to because you’re one hundred percent done with me. I bought this for you, for when I propose at the end of this. If you’ll have me.”

Louis looks down at the ring, then back at Harry, “Harry… it’s beautiful, but I need more than that. I need your word, because without it that ring means nothing.”

Harry nods, “I want to stay. I love you, Louis, and I’ll do anything to stay, to make you happy, to be the one at the end of this that gets to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I’m here for the long run, no matter how hard it gets.”

Louis sniffles, weighing his heart over his head. “Okay.”

Harry sighs happily, launching forward and wrapping Louis in the tightest hug he’s ever felt. It’s the most amazing hug he’s had, the feeling of being whole once again is all consuming. Louis drags his hands down Harry’s firm back, never more grateful to touch him. “Fuck.”

“Missed you so much, baby.” Harry whispers, pressing kisses into his hair. “Never leaving again, never ever.”

“Please, don’t.” Louis whimpers, pulling back to pout his lips out for a kiss. Harry smiles at him and it’s, god, it’s everything. Harry leans down and kisses Louis softly, gentle pecks before deepening it.

He slides his tongue along Louis’ lower lip, easing the stinging there from how much he’s gnawed on it anxiously over the last week. He licks into Louis’ mouth, sucking softly with each kiss. Harry pulls back to kiss Louis’ jaw sweetly. “My beautiful boy.”

“Harry.” Louis whimpers, dragging his nails down Harry’s firm chest.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Harry whispers, wrapping his arms so tightly around Louis he can hold either elbow. He nuzzles into Louis’ neck, pressing kisses to his collarbones. “Missed the taste of you.”

Louis drops his head back, fisting Harry’s shirt. “Harry, please. Want you.”

Harry groans, sliding his hands down to Louis’ hips and taking a few steps back before sitting on the couch. He tugs Louis into his lap, hands sliding under his shirt and slipping it up and off. Louis tugs on Harry’s shirt until they’re bare chest to bare chest, leaning down to nip at his jaw. The feeling of Harry’s rough hands against his soft skin is intoxicating and he never wants it to end.

Harry pulls back to wave the producers and cameras downstairs before diving back in, sliding their lips together and groping Louis’ ass. “Gonna give my baby what he wants.”

Louis moans into Harry’s mouth, digging his nails into his shoulders. Harry unbuttons Louis’ jeans, sliding them down and helping him stand to get them off to reveal his pretty pink thong. Harry chuckles, shaking his head, “God, you’re so beautiful, Louis.”

Louis bites his lip, blushing at the compliment. He climbs back onto Harry’s lap, leaning down to kiss him. Their tongues slide and Harry jiggles Louis’ ass in his hands, tugging the string to the side and spitting onto his fingers. He rubs at Louis’ hole, slicking it up so he can sink a single finger in. Louis hisses at the stretch, a burning making his skin break out in goosebumps. “Fuck, H.”

“Breathe, baby.” Harry groans, twisting Louis around so he’s laid across his lap. Louis nuzzles into the couch cushion, gasping and looking over his shoulder when he feels slick slide between his cheeks. Harry spits on his hole again, pumping his finger and sliding a second in beside it. “Look at you. You take my fingers so well.”

Louis moans, reaching up to stuff his own fingers in his mouth to keep quiet. He gets through a few more pumps before Harry realizes, reaching up to tug his fingers out of his mouth and pinning his hand behind his back, “Wanna hear you, baby. Tell everyone how good I make you feel.”

Louis moans, arching his back obscenely. Harry groans, sliding a third finger in beside the other two and screwing them in roughly to hear Louis scream. He twists them to the left to fuck into Louis’ prostate, nailing it on the first try and making Louis gasp, “Oh!”

After Harry’s satisfied with how much he’s stretched Louis’ hole he pats his ass cheekily, “Up, baby.”

Louis sits up in his lap, straddling his hips. He unbuttons Harry’s pants, cupping his thick cock before pulling it out and moaning at the sight. “Missed your cock.”

Harry smirks up at Louis, “He missed you.”

Louis rolls his eyes, “Don’t make me regret this.”

Harry chuckles, spitting into his palm and coating his cock with it. “You’ll forget all about it in just a second.”

He tags Louis closer by his hips, holding onto his cock as he presses into him. Louis winces at the thick girth sinking into him inch by inch. He buries his face in Harry’s neck and whimpers desperately, clenching around him as he bottoms out. “Harry, oh god.”

“Shh, baby. Breathe for me.”

Louis sucks a dark bruise into Harry’s throat as he adjusts, pulling back when he finally feels like he can move. He rolls his hips to test it, moaning at the slight twinge from how tight he is. “Oh!”

“That’s it, baby.” Harry groans, guiding Louis’ hips up before dragging him back down onto his cock roughly. “Take it like the good boy you are.”

Louis drops his head back and moans, bouncing up and down, up and down on Harry’s huge cock. “Feels so good,”

Harry groans loudly, staring where he can see his cock disappear inside of Louis. “Look at you, baby. You take my cock so well, fucking beautiful.”

Louis sobs, bouncing faster and moaning at the sounds of their skin slapping loudly in the suite. He knows George and Aaron and anyone else downstairs can hear them, but he doesn’t care anymore. Not when he’s got Harry fucking him senseless.

His breath is knocked out of his body for the second time that night as he’s lifted off Harry’s cock and shoved face first into the couch, his ass being raised high into the air. “Fuck, you’re so gorgeous, baby.”

Louis whines into the couch cushion, nuzzling it and surely fucking up his hair. Harry pushes inside, fucking into him roughly with a tight grip on his hips.

Louis clenches tightly, begging for Harry to go as deep as he can. He raises one hand to press over his belly, the feeling of Harry’s cock making it bulge on each thrust so overwhelming. He arches his back deeper, satisfied with the deep groan Harry makes at the sight. He just wants to please him, obey him.

“Did he make you feel like this, baby?” Harry groans, thrusting harder, “Or is it just me who can make you feel this good.”

Louis sobs, fisting his hair as Harry destroys his hole, “You! Only you!”

“That’s it, baby. Such a good boy for me.” Harry groans, covering Louis’ body with his own. Louis clenches tightly, the thick length of Harry’s cock making him dizzy. “Scream my name, Louis.”

Louis’ cock jerks in his panties, his eyes rolling back as he screams, “Harry!”

Harry groans, slapping Louis’ ass, “Louder. Tell everyone who makes you feel this good.”

Louis’ throat feels raw as he screams, “Harry! Harry! Oh god!”

Harry’s thrusts speed up, his hand reaching around to rub over Louis’ cock through his thong. “Gonna ruin your panties for me, baby?”

“Yes!” Louis screams, grinding down into his palm and back onto his cock, “Oh, H!”

Harry groans loudly, his thrusts getting sloppy as he toes the edge. “Fucking come for me, baby. Ruin these panties for me. Show me what a good boy you are for only me.”

Louis screams, his entire body shaking as his cock kicks in his thong, Harry palming it roughly. He spills his load as Harry thrusts harder, deeper. Louis whines loudly, “Breed me, H. Ruin my hole.”

Harry bites at his shoulder as he spills inside of Louis, coating his insides with his seed. Louis comes for what seems like forever, a new spurt getting fucked out of him with each thrust of Harry’s hips. He whimpers pitifully as Harry pulls out, immediately begging him to put it back. “Not ready for you to pull out.”

“Okay, baby.” Harry whispers, kissing his head. “Can’t stay inside you forever, but I’ll wait a moment.”

Louis nods, clenching by accident and giggling at the deep groan rattling in Harry’s chest. “Sorry.”

“Keep doing that and I’ll fuck you again.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?”

Harry chuckles, nipping at Louis’ earlobe. “Depends on how much of a brat you’re being.”

Louis giggles, finally allowing Harry to pull out and clean them up. His thong is ruined, cum stained and soaked with spit. He tugs his jeans back on, tucking his cock without his pretty panties, he’s only a little sad until he sees the smile on Harry’s face when he tucks them into his pocket.

When he turns around Harry’s redressed, smiling at Louis happily. “I missed you so much.”

Louis beams at him, falling into his arms and whispering against his lips, “I missed you.”

Louis attempts to fix his hair as they descend down into the main area, the mussed front of it tangled and ratty from being fucked into the couch. He turns the corner, George and Aaron both still sitting on the couch, clearly uncomfortable after overhearing, well, everything.

Louis clears his throat as he sits between them, Harry sliding into the only other empty space beside Aaron. “So, Harry has asked to come back because he felt he made a mistake by leaving. Normally, I wouldn’t allow this, but what Harry and I have is so special and I’m not willing to let it go. With that said”—Louis reaches forward to grab the rose from the platter on the table—“I’m going to be giving this rose to Harry, if he’ll accept.”

Harry nods, standing and stepping forward so that Louis can pin the rose to his wrinkled shirt. “Thank you, baby.”

Louis smiles at him, patting his stomach through his shirt before turning to face George and Aaron. “I’m sorry, guys.”

Aaron’s first to stand, clearly irritated. “Yeah, thanks.”

He turns and leaves without a goodbye, leaving Louis staring after him. “Wow, okay.”

George shakes his head, standing quickly. “You’ve just wasted so much of our time, Louis. It’s really not okay. I’m happy for you Louis, but have some courtesy.”

He turns to leave, Louis turning to look at Harry. “I feel like that’s incredibly unfair of them to say.”

“They’re just upset right now, Louis. It’ll be okay.”

Louis nods, leaning his head against Harry’s chest. “It’s not like I’m doing it intentionally. I’m just trying to go through this process and find my person.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re doing your best and that’s what matters.”

“Yeah.” Louis sighs, “Let’s just enjoy the rest of the night.”

They spend the rest of the evening curled up together on the couch, Harry whispering to Louis how amazing he is. “I’ve missed you so much, all week. I was miserable.”

“I was too,” Louis smiles sadly, “I couldn’t even get out of bed the first few days.”

“Baby.” Harry pouts his lip out, pulling Louis closer and kissing him sweetly, “I’m so sorry. I should’ve never left.”

Louis nods, nuzzling into his chest. “You’re here now.”

When the car comes to pick Louis up to take him back to his hotel, he struggles to leave Harry’s side. He’s worried he’ll wake up tomorrow and today wouldn’t have happened. He kisses Harry goodbye, hugging him tightly, “Please stay.”

“I’m here for good, baby. I’ll see you in Phoenix, okay?”

“Okay.”

Harry walks Louis out to his car, giving him one last kiss before holding the door for him. Louis turns as he drives off, watching until Harry disappears. Only a few days and he’ll be back in his arms.

Louis goes to bed happy but terrified, the prospect of what the next few weeks could mean. Boyce, Ren, Terrell, and Harry are all in love with him and want to start their lives with him and Louis can see a future, he’s just not sure which man is the right choice. His head and heart are in a constant battle and he isn’t sure which is right and which is wrong.

Hometowns should provide some clarity — or at least, Louis hopes it will.

Chapter Text

Harry wakes up in his apartment in Phoenix, Arizona, ready to show Louis around his hometown and introduce him to his family. This week is about a fresh start and he’s so ready to take their relationship to the next step. He’s giddy from the moment he wakes; he’s planned an amazing day for them, can’t wait to show Louis all his favorite things to do, and he knows his family will love Louis.

He drives out of town, heading for the desert to see his boy. As he pulls up, there’s cameras set up already and two ATV’s waiting for them. Harry climbs out of his car, clapping his hands together in excitement. “Yes!”

The producers all smile and wave Harry over, explaining what trail they’re going to ride and how the filming process will work. Just as they’re ending their speal, another car rolls up. Producers scrambling to get the cameras rolling, Harry bouncing on his toes with excitement of seeing his boy again.

The door opens to the car and Louis steps out looking effortlessly beautiful. “Hi!”

“Hi, baby!” Harry beams, opening his arms wide. “C’mere.”

Louis takes off running, barrelling into his arms at full speed causing Harry to lose his footing and topple back into the sand. Harry lands on his back hard, Louis’ elbow digging into his ribs as he squeals with laughter.

Harry helps Louis up, both of them covered in sand and giggling non-stop. “Okay, so should I be expecting you to body slam me every time you see me now?”

“Yes.” Louis bites his lip around his giggles, “Gotta keep you on your toes.”

“Noted.” Harry chuckles as he leans down to kiss Louis, “Are you ready for today?”

“So ready.” Louis’ smile is blinding, he’s fucking glowing.

“Good, cause we’re going to ride ATV’s through the desert.”

Louis gives Harry a wild look, clearly excited, “Oh, you’re gonna eat my dust, Styles.”

“You gonna dry hump me on the ATV this time too?”

Louis rolls his eyes, marching off to get his helmet, his hips swaying dramatically. I’ll take that as a yes.

They’re fitted for their helmets, Louis knocking them together as he trash talks. “You’re over, Styles. You must love staring at my ass to wanna race again.”

Harry chuckles, shaking his head, “You talk such a big game for a boy so whimpery when the time comes to perform for me.”

Louis stutters over his thoughts, completely caught off guard by Harry’s words. “I—”

“Ready to ride, baby?”

“Yes,” Louis whispers, Harry smirking at how docile he goes when called out.

Harry tangles their fingers together, leading him over to the ATV’s. Louis climbs on his, Harry admiring the way his thighs look straddling the seat. He tries to compose himself, going over to climb onto his own ATV. They’re given a lesson on how to drive them, Louis having a rough start but quickly picking it up. Harry’s been riding ATV’s in the desert since he was tall enough to reach the handlebars so he doesn’t need the lesson, itching to get his hand on the clutch and take off.

Once Louis has the hang of it, they line up at a pseudo starting line. Harry revs his engine a few times, winking at Louis cheekily as a producer counts them down.

“Three… two… one!”

They speed off, Harry launching forward and barrelling out into the open desert. His ATV is riding at full speed, sand flying as he races down the trail. He can hear Louis screaming behind him, glancing over his shoulder to see his boy hot on his tail. He squeezes the clutch, lurching forward and laughing as he hears Louis curse behind him.

He takes a turn on the trail, laughing as he widens the gap between him and Louis.

Taking off down the trail, Harry slows down on the next turn to try to let Louis catch back up. Just as he manages to gain, however, Louis squeezes the clutch and takes off ahead. Harry chuckles, shaking his head as he chases after him. How it should be, honestly.

Louis’ confidence is one of the most attractive things about him — the way he carries himself and the way he barrels forward and asks questions later. Harry’s insanely attracted to him, chasing after him has been one of the best things he’s ever done, and he never wants to stop.

They near the end of the trail, Louis nearing the pseudo finish line and Harry beaming as he watches him fly over it. Harry exits the trail just behind him, throwing the brake on and shutting off the engine, jumping off the ATV and ripping his helmet off. Louis’ already there, helmet on the ground so he can launch himself into Harry’s arms, kissing him and giggling wildly. “That was so much fun!”

“I knew you’d love it.” Harry fonds over Louis, kissing him once, twice, three times and spinning him around, “Wanna go again?”

“Yes!” Louis screams, jumping down and picking his helmet off the ground, Harry slapping his ass just to see that cheeky smile of his. Louis runs over to his ATV, climbing on and starting the engine again.

Louis kicks his ass this time for real, and maybe they spend half an hour making out when Louis pulls off the trail at a random point to drag Harry through the trees, and Harry definitely can’t get enough of watching his boy run wild on his turf. It’s intoxicating and Harry is so in love with Louis.

A large bouquet of flowers is waiting for them when they step out of the car in front of Harry’s mom’s house, Louis taking them from the producer that was evidently keeping them safe for him.

“A little overboard, baby?” Harry chuckles, the bouquet practically the size of Louis himself.

“I want your mom to like me! I had to pick the prettiest, largest bouquet.”

They walk up the front path, Louis taking it all in. “It’s beautiful, H.”

“It is.” Harry smiles, “I loved growing up here.”

Harry knocks on the front door, giddy to see his family and introduce Louis. The door swings open, his mom’s bright face welcoming them. “Harry!”

She throws her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly. “Look at you! I missed you!”

Harry laughs, hugging his mom tightly, “I missed you. Mom, this is Louis.”

Caroline throws her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “So glad to meet you, Louis!”

“So happy to meet you, Ms. Styles.” Louis smiles politely, hugging her tightly.

“Come in! Come in!” She waves them inside, all of them heading inside to the living room.

Harry’s sister is already sat, looking effortlessly cool like she always does. “Louis, this is my sister, Lauren.”

Louis smiles kindly at her, opening his arms wide, “It’s so nice to meet you.”

Lauren smiles fondly because nobody can resist Louis’ cuteness, “Of course you’re a hugger, you’re in love with my brother.”

Louis giggles, nodding into her shoulder. “Correct.”

Harry sees Caroline cover her mouth, giving him the sweetest look. It’s heartwarming watching Louis interact with his two favorite people in the world.

They all take a seat on the couches, Louis snuggling under Harry’s arm and smiling up at him happily. He’s comfortable here, Harry can tell, and that means the world to him. He kisses Louis’ head, rubbing his shoulder warmly.

Caroline shakes her head at the two of them, “You two are so cute together.”

“Thank you.” Louis blushes, leaning his head on Harry’s shoulder. Something’s shifting between them right here, right now. He knows Louis is it for him but fuck.

“Have you two had fun? What have you been up to?”

Louis glances up at Harry, smiling at him cheekily. “Well, it’s definitely been a wild ride the last few weeks, but it’s been amazing.”

“A wild ride how?” Lauren asks, squinting her eyes suspiciously.

Harry takes a deep breath, “Well, I sort of left for a week and then went back.”

Caroline and Lauren exchange confused looks, “What?”

“I self-eliminated, but realized I made a mistake and went back.”

“Why did you self-eliminate?” Caroline questions, clearly concerned.

Harry sighs, looking down at Louis, “We just had some miscommunication issues but it’s been fixed.”

Caroline stands, smiling at Louis, “Do you wanna go chat?”

“Sure.” Louis smiles, standing and following her out onto the patio, leaving Harry and Lauren alone.

“What do you think?”

“I think he’s nice.” Lauren smiles, shrugging her shoulder. “This miscommunication thing… what was that about?”

Harry sighs, “It was a lot at the time, but it was really just drama. Rumors and bullshit, you know?”

“I mean… “ Lauren scrunches her eyebrows together, “Don’t you think that’s a little concerning?”

“It is.” Harry nods, “But at the end of the day it was miscommunication and we’ve discussed it. I’m confident that it’ll be the last of the issues.”

“Okay.” Lauren nods, “Well in that case I think he’s great. He seems very sweet.”

“He is.” Harry positively beams, “And he’s hilarious. I just know you’ll get along so well.”

“I look forward to it.” Lauren smiles back, Harry’s excitement contagious, “I’m happy for you, little brother.”

“Thank you.” Harry crosses the living room to dive onto the couch and hug her tightly, Lauren groaning in annoyance.

When Caroline and Louis come back in, Harry is wrestling Lauren on the couch, or rather attempting to. Lauren has Harry pinned really.

“Kids,” Caroline giggles, Louis shaking his head fondly at the two. “Lauren, go speak to Louis, please. I want to speak to your brother.”

Lauren climbs off of Harry’s head, following Louis out onto the porch with quiet giggles.

Harry climbs off the couch, fixing his hair and following his mom down the hall and into his childhood room, both of them taking a seat on his bed. “So, what do you think?”

Caroline takes a deep breath, smiling at him in that familiar way she always does, “He’s wonderful, Harry. He’s so sweet and he’s perfect for you.”

Harry smiles, “He is, yeah.”

“Do you see yourself getting married to him at the end of this?” Caroline asks.

“I do, I actually already have a ring.” Harry giggles, pulling the box he’s decided to keep with him at all times out of his pocket, opening the lid to show his mom.

“Oh my god, Harry!” She squeals, holding his hand to look at the ring. “Oh my god!”

“I love him, mom. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted and needed.”

She has tears in her eyes, her excitement for him radiating, “I’m so happy for you, Harry. I know just from speaking to him that he loves you just as much as you do.”

Harry feels confident in her words, both of them standing to head back out to the living room.

Harry hugs his sister and his mom goodbye, smiling when she whispers, “Bring him home, baby.”

“Will do.”

Harry walks Louis out to his car, so happy with the way the night has gone. This boy means the world to him, and his place that feels most like home feels even better with Louis there. The car is idling, waiting for Louis to climb in and head off to the next town to meet another family, but Harry isn’t thinking about that. He’s thinking about how amazingly Louis fits in with his mom and his sister, how amazing it would be to have Louis here, in his town, starting their life together. In just a few weeks he could have that, he could have Louis to himself finally.

Louis turns as he approaches the car, smiling up at Harry. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“Of course, baby.” Harry smiles, leaning down to kiss him sweetly, “Did you like them?”

Louis scoffs, “Are you kidding? I love them!”

Harry chuckles, cupping Louis’ cheek affectionately, “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll see you in a few days, and then next week I have some fun things planned for us.”

Harry chuckles, wrapping his arms around Louis tightly, “I can’t wait, baby. Stay safe, okay?”

“I will.” Louis whispers, kissing Harry once more before climbing into the car, giving him one last smile, “Goodnight.”

“Night.” Harry shuts the door, tapping it a few times before it drives off.

Harry watches as the car turns at the stop sign at the end of the street, taking a few deep breaths. He knows Louis is going to meet other men’s families, he has feelings for other men, but Harry is stubbornly confident in their relationship. Louis is it for Harry, he’s his forever.

--

Harry is shockingly nervous when he lands in Los Angeles, only hours to go until he needs to be at the rose ceremony.

His family adored Louis, which he predicted, but it wouldn’t be the first time he was blindsided by him. He feels like the date went relatively well, his boy fitting right in and feeling like he belongs there. Louis feels like home, and he prays that the feeling is mutual.

When he arrives at the rose ceremony, the other three men are apparently just arriving as well, their cars pulling up in sync with one another. They walk through the small park and stand in the pavilion together, Boyce passing Harry a small smile while they wait.

The tension is palpable, Harry’s anxiety running high as he fiddles with his jacket. They’re only made to wait a few minutes before Foster Donnell walks up, a huge smile on his face. “Good evening, gentlemen. I hope you’ve all had a great week at home, showing Louis around and spending time with your families.”

The men all nod, Harry swallowing as he realizes that all four of them probably feel rather confident. It could be anyone going home at this point.

“Louis has three roses to hand out, we’re getting down to the final weeks. I suggest each of you really focus on your relationship and your future with Louis. With that said”—Foster gestures off to the side, Louis stepping forward—“Louis, the floor is yours.”

“Thank you, Foster.” Louis smiles, shaking his hand before stepping forward. He looks breathtaking, dressed in his navy, tightly fitted suit. His long hair is swept out of his eyes in the messy yet effortless way he always has it. His smile is blinding, and Harry has to fight his instincts to stumble forward and kiss him. It makes his heart jump, seeing him happy, and he wants nothing more than to bathe in his light forever. “Hi boys.”

The men all echo back, “Hello.”

“It’s been incredible meeting all your families, I feel like the luckiest man in the world. You’re all such amazing men and I can’t thank you enough for inviting me into your homes.”

Louis takes a deep breath, Harry itching to reach out and comfort him. He picks up the first rose, twisting it in his hands a few times. “Terrell.”

Terrell smiles, stepping forward and accepting his rose. He’s much quieter today, clearly taking this seriously. Louis picks up the next rose, smiling sweetly as he says, “Harry.”

Harry beams, sure his face is going to split in half from his smile. He steps forward, Louis blushing under his gaze, “Harry, will you accept this rose?”

“Yes.” Harry bites his lip to try to contain his smile, his dimples carving out his cheeks. God, he’s so gone for Louis.

Louis pins the rose to his lapel, patting Harry’s chest cutely. Harry leans down to hug him, whispering in his ear, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Louis whispers, eyes twinkling when Harry pulls back. He returns to his place between Terrell and Boyce, high on life.

Foster steps forward, gesturing to the tray, “Gentlemen, this is the final rose.”

The tension in the room spikes, Harry knowing it’s either Ren or Boyce. Louis picks up the rose, glancing from each of their faces before looking back down at the rose. He’s clearly fighting with himself and it’s hard to watch. He takes a few more moments before looking up, “Ren.”

Ren steps forward and accepts his rose with a hug, returning back to his place. Foster steps forward, smiling sadly at Boyce. “Boyce, you have not received a rose. It’s time to say your goodbyes and head home.”

Boyce immediately turns to Harry, pulling him in close and hugging him tightly. It’s hard to say goodbye, Boyce is his friend —the only person in the house that was loyal and kind to him, no matter the circumstances. He knows they’ll still be friends when this is all said and done.

Boyce hugs Ren and Terrell next, finally turning to hug Louis. They exchange a few words, Louis smiling at him sweetly as he leads him away from the group and to a car.

Glasses of champagne are handed out, Louis taking his glass when he returns.

“I’m so glad to be here with you three. I see my husband in this group and I can’t wait to spend the next two weeks with you all in… Spain!”

The men cheer, Terrell pumping his fist and making the group laugh hysterically.

Louis giggles, shaking his head, “We’re going to have an amazing time and in just two short weeks, this will all be over.”

It hits Harry then, the realization that in two weeks, he’s going to propose to Louis. He knows he’ll be the lucky man at the end of this, engaged to the love of his life.

“With that said, let’s cheers to the final weeks of this journey.”

The men raise their glasses, chorusing together, “Cheers!”

Chapter Text

Arriving in Spain feels like a dream and Harry can’t quite believe he’s going to be getting engaged to Louis in a place as beautiful as this. This is the final step, the final destination, this is where he’ll ask Louis to be his forever.

Harry, Ren, and Terrell have their own hotel rooms this go round, each of them getting a room key when they arrive. It’s beautiful, luxurious and large, not a bad place to spend the next two weeks while he’s falling deeper and more madly in love with Louis.

Harry steps out onto the balcony of his hotel room, taking in the views of La Rioja. The mountains are breathtaking and the fields are endless, the second most beautiful view in the world. Louis is first, obviously.

He goes to bed that night giddy and vibrating with excitement, ready to spend an amazing week with the love of his life.

The next morning Harry gets up and orders himself breakfast, room service being one of the greatest perks of staying in a hotel on The Bachelor. It’s wheeled in a few minutes later, tea piping hot and waffles smelling delicious. He has a tray of fruit all to himself and he can’t help but make up little tunes for each of the choices. Watermelons, kiwi, cherries, strawberries, among the variety.

Another knock at the door takes Harry’s attention away from his breakfast and he stands to go open it. A date card waits for him on the tray, Harry picking it up and ripping it open.

“Harry, let’s ride into the sunset. Love, Louis.”

Harry beams down at the card, this is it. He eats his breakfast quickly before running and getting dressed for his date, tugging on his blue jeans and a t-shirt, layering with a flannel shirt. He runs his fingers through his hair and musses it up before grabbing his room key and wallet and heading downstairs.

When he arrives and steps out of the car, he’s welcomed by the sight of Louis backdropped by the Spanish countryside. He looks ethereal, blue eyes standing out against the lush greenery and endless vineyards. His tan is flawless, golden just like the sun above. He’s glowing and Harry’s so in love.

He stumbles over his feet as he rushes over to Louis, scooping him up and spinning him around. “Hi, baby!”

Louis squeals, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck, “Hi!”

Harry presses kisses all over his face and nuzzles into his neck, “Missed you so much.”

“Missed you,” Louis giggles, wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist, “what a greeting!”

Harry sets Louis down, glancing over his shoulder, “Are those horses?”

“They are,” Louis beams, turning to look at them in awe. “Aren’t they gorgeous?”

Harry tries to mask his terror, the two horses pawing the dirt and swishing their tails menacingly. He’s never ridden a horse, and for good reason. He’s terrified of them.

Louis glances at him over his shoulder when he doesn’t answer, “H? Are you okay?”

Harry coughs nervously, “Yeah, they’re gorgeous.”

“What’s wrong?”

Harry chews on his lip, swallowing roughly, “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

“You’ll love it,” Louis smiles, grabbing his hand tightly. “I promise.”

“Um—” Harry let’s out a shaky breath, “It’s not just that. I haven’t ridden one because I’m scared of them.”

“You’re scared of them?” Louis questions, clearly shocked at his admission.

Harry huffs, wringing his hands together, “Yes.”

Louis stares at him for a second, eyes searching.

Then he bursts out laughing.

“Don’t!” Harry gasps, eyes wide and serious.

“Oh, c’mon.” Louis giggles, “You’re going to be fine. Horses aren’t scary, I promise.”

“Louis,” Harry whispers, anxiously watching as Louis goes over to the first horse to pet its nose.

“Gorgeous boy, you’re just a gentle giant huh?” Louis smiles sweetly at the horse, “Much like Harry over there. Gentle but massive.”

Harry scoffs, fondness and fear making his stomach turn. He begrudgingly follows Louis’ lead, inching over to the horses until he’s directly behind his boy. Louis reaches down to grab his hand, placing it on the horse’s nose. “See? Not scary.”

“Not scary.” Harry repeats, petting the horse slowly. He swallows roughly, trying to not jump every time the tail swishes, “Are we really riding them?”

Louis giggles, nodding. “It’ll be okay. You might even like it.”

Harry nods. “Okay.”

The workers get the horses saddled up and Harry watches as Louis mounts his ride smoothly, looking like he’s at home in a saddle. “Fuck.”

“C’mon, cowboy,” Louis giggles with a wink. “Get on your stallion and come get your maiden.”

Harry listens as the worker tells him to place his foot in the stirrup and push up so he can swing his leg over the horse. It takes a few tries but as soon as he’s seated in the saddle, he tries to not panic. “Holy shit.”

Louis cheers, smiling so wide. “A born cowboy.”

“Yeehaw!” Harry giggles.

After being walked through the basics of how to ride a horse, they head off down the trail. It’s not scary, actually — it’s relaxing, and Harry is really enjoying himself. It could be the fact that he’s with Louis, or it could be the fact that this isn’t as bad as he thought it would be, but he’s loving it. They wander through the vineyards, over hills and down through low valleys in the Spanish countryside. It’s breathtaking and Harry’s struggling to decide which view to look at more; Louis or the vineyards.

They stop off on one hill with a particularly spectacular view, both of them tying their horses off so they can wrap their arms around each other. Harry kisses Louis’ head as they look out over the vineyard, Louis whispering so he doesn’t break their bubble, “This is perfect.”

“You’re perfect.” Harry smiles, “I think this is my favorite date.”

“Even though you shit yourself earlier?” Louis teases, tickling Harry’s ribs gently.

He’s always so gentle — small, dainty moves to contrast with the sharp bite of his tongue. Louis keeps him on his toes and he adores that. There’s not one thing that Harry doesn’t desperately love about him.

“Yeah. Anything with you is perfect.”

Louis smiles, burying his face in Harry’s chest. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Harry lifts Louis’ chin, kissing him passionately. He pours every ounce of love he can into the kiss, squeezing Louis tightly to his chest, “I never want to let you go.”

“Then don’t.” Louis whispers, pressing their lips together again.

They ride back to the stables together and return their horses, Harry taking Louis’ hand as they head down to the main house of the vineyard for dinner.

The table is laid out for them, the fantasy suite card waiting on the small tray in the center of the table. Harry pulls Louis’ chair out, smiling at him sweetly and leaning down to kiss his cheek. “Love you.”

Louis giggles and turns his head to press their lips together, “Love you.”

Harry takes his own seat, his cheeks aching with how wide his smile is. “Can you believe we’re here?”

Louis sighs thoughtfully, “Yes. It’s been wild and time has flown, but I’ve spent every minute in the moment. So to be here, week eight, so close to the end. I can believe I’m here, yeah. I’m ready.”

Harry stares at Louis in awe, his heart feeling like it might explode. Louis is everything, his entire world, and he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life loving him. He wants to make Louis happy, make the sweet giggle spill from his lips. He wants to watch him light up around their babies, watch his eyes well up from happiness as their kids take their first steps. He wants to grow old with Louis and kiss the deep smile lines next to his eyes as he slips into the unknown. He wants a lifetime with Louis — and even that wouldn’t be enough.

For the second time today, Louis gives him a puzzled look for taking too long to answer. “You in there?”

“I’m so in love with you, Louis.” Harry whispers, shaking his head in awe. He wants to see the way Louis’ face melts for him every day for the rest of his life. This is his person.

“I’m in love with you, Harry.” Louis smiles, reaching forward to tangle their fingers together. “Where’d you go?”

“Just thinking about how I want to be with you forever and have a million gorgeous babies.” Harry smiles, lifting their hands to kiss Louis’ knuckles. “I can’t wait to grow old with you.”

Louis drops his head back with a tooth-rotting grin on his face. “I’ll never get over you saying that.”

“My little barefoot and pregnant baby.” Harry giggles, teasing Louis.

“You say a million kids, but what’s your real number?”

“Three and three.” Harry replies without hesitation.

“Six?” Louis gasps, “God, you do want to keep me pregnant and barefoot.”

“You know it, baby.” Harry laughs, “I just want a big family. I’ve always dreamt of it.”

“Me too.” Louis nods, “I love babies and I can’t wait to have my own. How long would you want to wait? What’s your perfect timeline?”

Harry hums, trying to piece it together. “Well, get engaged next week.”

Louis giggles, “Of course.”

“Then get married in a year and a half, that gives us plenty of time to plan and have time in the real world together. Then babies after maybe six months?”

“That’s quick.” Louis raises his eyebrows.

“I know, but I’m so ready.” Harry shrugs, “Then have a baby every few years until we feel like our family is complete. Then continue to spend the rest of my life worshipping you, raising our babies, and growing old with you.”

Louis shakes his head, glancing down at his lap as he sniffles. When he looks up, tears are sliding down his cherry pink cheeks, “Harry, I love you so much.”

“I love you, baby.” Harry smiles, leaning forward to wipe his cheeks. “My beautiful boy.”

Louis turns, picking up the card from the tray. He bites his lip excitedly, “You know what this is?”

“I do.” Harry chuckles, “Are you going to give it to me?”

“Hm.” Louis pretends to think deeply, “I don’t know, you’ve had an awful lot of alone time over the last eight weeks.”

“Baby.”

Louis rolls his eyes and hands it over, “You’re no fun.”

“You’re a brat.” Harry mumbles, ripping open the card and pulling it out. “Louis and Harry, welcome to La Rioja, Spain. I hope you enjoyed your ride through the beautiful vineyards. Should you choose to forgo your individual rooms, please use this key to stay as a couple in the fantasy suite.”

“What do you think?” Louis asks, actually looking nervous about Harry’s answer. How he could ever think Harry would say no is preposterous, truly.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea.” Harry says enthusiastically, making Louis erupt in laughter, matching his energy.

“Fantastic! Let’s go, lover!” Louis yells obnoxiously, grabbing his hand and dragging him off-camera.

The producers roll their eyes at them, starting to clean up their equipment. Clare leads them to a car to take them to their hotel, their fantasy suite waiting.

When they arrive, cameras are set up to gather some quick film of them. The fantasy suite means alone time for the evening until the following morning, but they ‘just want a quick few moments to use on the show’. Louis gives Harry the key before wrapping his arms around his waist, resting his head on his firm chest.

Harry inserts the key, pushing the door open, his eyes widening when he sees the room. A large sitting area with a TV mounted over a fireplace welcomes them, followed by a bedroom with a large bed covered in flower petals. It’s stunning and Harry can’t wait to spend some more time alone with his boy. The bathroom is equally as beautiful, a huge tub the focus piece at the center of it all. Harry’s got about a million ideas of what to do tonight, wanting to make the most of their not-filmed, completely uninterrupted alone time.

They take a quick tour of the hotel room before settling on the couch together. The cameras film them as they chat together, hands intertwined.

“So in a week, you’re going to get on one knee?”

“I am.” Harry confirms, squeezing Louis’ hand tightly. “And I can’t wait.”

Louis shakes his head, “God, neither can I.”

Louis climbs into Harry’s lap, kissing him deeply. Harry slides his hands down Louis’ sides, ignoring the sounds of the cameramen shuffling around them. He focuses on the taste of Louis, the way he whimpers when Harry licks into his mouth, the feeling of his compact curves under his hands. When he resurfaces, they’re alone.

“Do you wanna take a bath?” Harry smiles, desperate to get in that tub and get Louis naked.

“Is that even a question?” Louis giggles, hopping up and dragging Harry to the bathroom. They pick their bubble bath and bath salts together, Harry starting the water. They help each other put on face masks, Louis smearing Harry’s gently. “You look gorgeous.”

Harry chuckles, rubbing mask down the bridge of Louis’ button nose. “That’s you, baby, love the way you look with stuff on your face.”

When they sink into the fragrant, warm water, Harry reaches up to pull Louis into his chest, kissing his bare shoulders. A bottle of wine sits next to the tub, Louis forgoing the glasses and popping the cork. He takes a long swig from the bottle, leaning back into Harry’s chest and sinking further down into the water. “This is perfect.”

“It is.” Harry agrees, his hands gliding over Louis’ slick skin. “You’re perfect.”

Louis hums happily, “When you think about when we get married, what do you envision?”

Harry thinks for a few seconds, flashes of them in matching black tuxes, Louis gazing up at him lovingly with the ring that burns a hole in his pocket daily on his finger. He envisions forever, lots of babies and a lifetime of making Louis smile. He wants nothing more than to make his boy happy. “I envision a beautiful wedding, intimate and simple, but only the best for you. Matching tuxedos, our friends and family all together. Honestly, anything will be perfect as long as I get to marry you.”

Louis sighs happily, “I agree. I think a smaller wedding would be perfect, nothing too extravagant.”

“Have you thought anymore about what you want to do about living together?”

“I have,” Louis takes another swig from the bottle of wine, Harry reaching forward and taking it from him to take a drink. “I think… I think Phoenix is a good choice.”

“Yeah?” Harry sits up a little straighter, setting the bottle down on the floor next to the tub, “You liked it enough to move there?”

“It’s beautiful.” Louis twists to make eye contact, smiling wide. “It felt very at home when I was there with you. Honestly, anywhere with you is going to feel like home.”

Harry sighs happily, so beyond grateful that Louis wants to move to Phoenix and live with him. “You just made my whole night.”

Louis giggles, leaning forward to kiss him sweetly. “I love you.”

“I love you, baby.” Harry slides his hands over Louis’ slick, golden skin, “I could stay here forever.”

Louis nods, whispering against Harry’s lips, “Me too.”

Harry sucks on Louis’ lower lip, kissing him deep and thorough as his hands wander. “Baby…”

“Want you.” Louis whispers, opening his mouth to let Harry take what he wants.

“I got you.” Harry sucks one last kiss from Louis’ mouth. He helps Louis up out of the water, slapping his ass playfully when he steps out of the tub. Harry follows suit, stepping out onto the bath mat and immediately wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist. He tosses Louis over his shoulder, smiling fondly at the loud squeals.

“Harry!” Louis kicks his feet.

Harry catches Louis’ ankle just in time to avoid a tragedy. “Careful, baby. If you want me, best not to kick me in the dick.”

“Just trying to bring you down a peg,” Louis teases, reaching down to pinch Harry’s flat ass.

“Baby.” Harry tosses Louis on the bed, “My ego is way too big for a kick in the jewels to bring me down a peg. It’ll just mean you won’t get fucked, which we both know hurts you just as much as it hurts me.”

The playful light leaves Louis’ eyes and a glazed over look takes its place, yet he still has enough left in him to whisper back, “You’re wasting time.”

Harry shakes his head, chuckling quietly before diving down to kiss him. He knees up onto the bed, pinning Louis’ wrists above his head as he takes what’s his. He licks into Louis’ gaping mouth and grinds their hips together. Their cocks slide between them, just on the right side of dry that it makes them both groan wontanly.

Louis wraps his little legs around Harry’s waist, arching his back seductively, “Please.”

Harry brushes their noses together, “Patience, baby. I’m gonna take you apart piece by piece.”

Louis whimpers, breathing already shaky as Harry kisses down his chest. “H.”

“Shh.” Harry smirks, “or am I gonna have to gag you with your panties?”

Louis’ cock twitches against Harry’s hip, sending sparks up Harry’s spine. “Fuck, you like that then?”

Louis swallows hard, nodding his head. Harry squeezes Louis’ wrists, trying to signal for him to keep them there. “Keep your hands there.”

He stands and picks through their abandoned clothes on the bathroom floor to find the red thong he caught an eyeful of earlier when Louis stripped.

He hustles back to Louis, still laid out with his arms in the same spot. “Good boy.”

Louis preens under the attention, cheeks going a soft pink and his eyes glistening in the low light of the bedroom. Harry tucks a thumb into Louis’ mouth, smirking as he feels his soft tongue slide across it. Louis sucks, fluttering his eyelashes when Harry pulls it out to slide two fingers into his mouth instead.

He fucks them in shallowly once, twice, before shoving them to the back of his throat. Louis gags, fingers twisting above his head as he tries to regain his composure and suck. Harry chuckles, using the two fingers to open Louis’ mouth wide. He balls up the panties in one hand and shoves them past Louis’ lips, his own cock aching desperately at the sight.

Harry kisses down Louis’ chest, down his belly, and drops a kiss to his leaking, angry cockhead. “Be right back, little guy.”

Louis kicks his foot out indignantly, Harry catching his ankle and pressing a kiss to the sharp bone. He noses past Louis’ balls, sucking one into his mouth and smirking at the satisfied noises coming from his boy. He slides his hands under Louis’ ass, squeezing each cheek and spreading them so that he can get his mouth on his hole.

Harry slides his tongue between Louis’ cheeks, dragging it over his hole and circling it with a pointed tongue. He pulls back to spit and watches as it drips down onto the sheets before diving back in, flattening his tongue and licking over and over and over again. Louis’ whimpering above him, his back arching and his legs resting comfortably over Harry’s broad shoulders. He’s fucking beautiful and Harry can’t believe he’s lucky enough to be here with him.

Harry sits up and reaches over to tug the bedside drawer open, assuming condoms and lube might be waiting for them. He’s correct. He grabs the lube and tosses a condom onto the bed, flicking open the cap and slicking up his fingers. “Okay, baby?”

Louis nods, his beautiful blue eyes locked on Harry. He’s flushed down to his chest, his cock drooling desperately on his little belly. Harry shakes his head, breathless, “You look beautiful.”

Harry keeps his eyes on his boy as he rubs his fingers over Louis’ hole, pushing the first in and pumping it slowly before sliding in the second and thrusting them slowly, stretching Louis for his cock. He moans at the breach, squeezing his eyes shut and squirming at the burn. Harry kisses the insides of his silky thighs, sucking bruises into the golden skin.

As he kisses up Louis’ thighs, his tongue drags over the crease where his groin meets before tracing his tongue up the length of Louis’ cock, groaning at the taste of his precum. Louis whines above him, Harry sucking him down slowly as he slides a third finger inside. He pumps his fingers as he bobs his head, Louis’ moans growing in volume until they’re replaced with gags as he chokes on the panties. Harry pulls off with a pop, smirking up at his boy, “Fuck, baby. Feels that good?”

Louis nods, tears starting to drip down his cheeks.

“Such a good boy, think you deserve a treat, hm?”

Louis nods, clenching around Harry’s thick fingers. Harry pulls them out slowly, groaning at the sight of Louis’ rim stretched around them. “Look at you, baby. Tiny little thing and you’re gonna take my cock.”

Louis whimpers loudly, begging around his own pantiesn for Harry.

Harry squeezes his cock, pumping it as he reaches over to grab a pillow for Louis’ hips. He slides it under them and places one knee on the bed, rubbing his cockhead over Louis’ red, stretched rim and tapping the tip against his hole a few times before pushing in slowly.

He groans at the tight grip on his cock, Harry feeding Louis’ desperate hole. He slides his hands down Louis’ thighs, wrapping them around his waist as he bottoms out. He reaches up to tug the spit covered panties out of Louis’ mouth, leaning down to kiss him. “Okay, baby?”

“Yes,” Louis moans, clenching hungrily around Harry’s cock. “Thank you.”

“Mm,” Harry groans, “Such a good boy for me.”

He pulls out slowly before thrusting roughly, sending Louis up the bed. Louis gasps, “Oh god!”

Harry chuckles, tugging Louis’ hips back down to the edge of the bed, squeezing them tightly as he pulls out and thrusts back in just as rough. Louis sobs, his hands dropping to his sides and fisting the sheets. Harry immediately stops, grabbing each wrist and pinning them above his head. “Don’t disobey, Louis.”

“Yes, sir,” Louis hiccups, clenching tightly. Harry squeezes Louis’ hips tightly, resuming his brutal thrusts and changing his angle each time. He tilts his hips to the left and keeps his eyes on Louis’ face, thrusting once, twice, and on the third time he hits his prostate.

Louis screams in pleasure, “Harry! Oh!”

Harry groans, dragging his fingers over the goosebumps on Louis’ skin, his belly burning with arousal. “Fuck, baby. You feel so good.”

Tears are rolling down Louis’ cheeks as he gasps for air, Harry slapping his thigh. “My gorgeous boy.”

Louis smiles up at him, love radiating from his soul. Harry thrusts into his prostate again, high off the reaction from Louis. He leans forward to kiss him, nipping at his lower lip as he thrusts faster. Louis noses down his neck, dragging it over his shoulder to nuzzle at Harry’s armpit.

Harry chuckles, knowing exactly what his boy wants. He raises his arm over Louis’ head and smothers him with his armpit, “That what you need, baby?”

Louis whimpers, licking at the damp hair there as Harry thrusts roughly. It’s not something Harry’s used to — in fact he’s sure he’s never had a boy so desperate, so excited by his armpit, of all things. He hitches Louis’ thigh up higher, groaning when he feels Louis suck a hickey into the crease of his chest and shoulder. “Fuck, baby.”

He pulls back and drops his hand to Louis’ throat, squeezing gently as he thrusts. He uses his neck like a handle, pulling Louis down onto his cock by his grip. Louis has tears rolling down his cheeks, his lip swollen and bitten red, so irresistible that Harry has to lean down and kiss him.

“H...” Louis gasps against his lips, “I love you.”

“I love you.” Harry groans, thrusting faster and groaning loudly, “Fuck, baby.”

“I’m close.” Louis whispers, squeezing his eyes shut and sobbing, “Oh. god!”

“That’s it, baby,” Harry groans, keeping his brutal pace. “Gonna make you come, wanna make you feel this good forever. Gonna make you scream my name till the end of time.”

“Harry!” Louis indulges him, screaming as he fists his own hair, arching his back as he dangles over the edge.

“Come for me, baby.”

Louis’ cock kicks against Harry’s hip and his hole clenches so tight Harry whites out. He groans as he spills into Louis, shaking and muscles clenching with each roll of arousal deep in his stomach. He opens his eyes to a blissed out Louis painted in his own cum. “Fuck.”

Louis takes a few deep breaths, “Jesus, Harry. You were already the best sex I’ve ever had and you had to outdo yourself. I think I just saw the stars.”

Harry laughs loudly, burying his face in Louis’ neck. “Good. Only gonna keep making it the best you’ve ever had.”

“I have no doubt.” Louis giggles, kissing his cheek. “Now get out of my hole.”

Harry chuckles, standing up and sliding out of Louis, watching his cum drip out of him. “I meant to use a condom since we just bathed but… oh well.”

Louis scoffs, “You’re a liar.”

Harry chuckles, scooping up some of the cum and shoving it back inside, plugging Louis with his thumb. “I swear on my favorite YSL boots.”

Louis scoffs, shoving Harry back so he can go rinse off. “I expect a pair of YSL boots, sugar daddy.”

“I’ll order you every color.” Harry cleans himself off before diving into the bed and climbing under the sheets, humming with content. “And these sheets. We need these.”

Louis climbs in bed after he showers quickly, shivering as he curls up in Harry’s arms. “These are nice, what brand are they?”

“I’ll check in the morning.” Harry mumbles, almost instantly falling asleep on top of Louis.

When Harry wakes the next morning it’s to his boy in his arms snoring quietly. He smiles fondly down at Louis, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “My beautiful Louis.”

Louis stirs slowly, blinking dazedly up at Harry. “Hi.”

“Hi, baby.” Harry smiles, kissing him softly. Louis hums sweetly, bumping their noses before turning over in his arms and scooting back until they’re pressed together head to toe. Harry nuzzles Louis’ neck, sliding his hand down his side and feeling his curves. Louis arches his back, pressing his ass into Harry’s morning wood.

Harry takes that as his cue and slides his hand over Louis’ hips and between their bodies, tucking two fingers inside of his hole. “Good morning.”

Louis scoffs, clenching around his fingers, “Good morning.”

He pumps his fingers a few times before replacing them with his cock, pressing in slowly as Louis gasps. “Yes.”

Harry smiles, pressing kisses to Louis’ soft shoulder. “That’s what you want, baby?”

“Mhm.” Louis moans, pushing back until Harry bottoms out. He laces his fingers with Harry’s, “Want to make this last.”

Harry doesn’t dwell too much on that even though it makes his stomach uneasy. Instead, he thrusts slowly, kissing Louis’ shoulder and neck. Louis moans quietly, still soft and sleepy as he whispers, “Oh, god.”

His fingers find their way back down to Louis’ hole, feeling where he’s sliding into him smoothly. He’s tight and hot, clenching desperately with each move of Harry’s hips.

He wiggles a finger in beside his cock, groaning at how much tighter Louis feels, his dick twitching as he hears Louis weakly whimpering for more.

“More, baby?” Harry groans, trying to fit a second finger in beside the first. He can feel the way he’s stretching his boy and it’s intoxicating, the sounds Louis’ making spurring him on. “My little whore, always wanting more.”

“Yessir.” Louis sobs, his ass bouncing back on Harry’s cock. “Want it all, want everything you’ll give me, please.”

“You look so beautiful.” Harry whispers in awe, feeling a need to mark Louis as his. It dawns on him that Louis is gonna have to get up and go after this. He has another date to get to, another fantasy suite.

He swallows down the jealousy and pulls out, rolling Louis onto his back and pushing back in. He thrusts slowly, watching how each inch of his cock affects Louis. “Whose hole is this, baby?”

“Yours.” Louis whimpers, arching desperately as his cock drools desperately against his hip. “It’s all yours, Harry.”

“That’s right.” Harry groans, leaning down to suck marks into Louis’ neck, biting and nipping at his collarbones. “Mine. You’re mine.”

“Yours.” Louis sobs, wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist and dragging his nails down his back.

Harry bites Louis’ neck a little too rough, tasting metallic blood as he sucks. Louis gasps loudly, shaking in Harry’s hands as he comes apart. He spurts over his belly, sobbing quietly and clenching unbearably tight around Harry’s cock. He pulls out slowly, wrapping his hand around his cock and pumping his fist. He groans loudly as he takes in his work, blood bubbling where his tooth punctured his skin. Hickeys are decorated all over his neck and chest, screaming that he belongs to Harry and only Harry.

Louis opens his eyes, looking up at Harry lovingly. “Come on me, H. Mark me.”

Harry groans loudly, the sparks shooting up his spine and exploding in his stomach, his cock shooting in his fist. He paints Louis in his cum, getting some on his face and the hickeys — branding him as taken.

“I love you.” Harry whispers, dropping down and kissing him, “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis whispers.

They lay there for a few minutes, just listening to each other breathe. Louis starts shifting eventually, sliding out from underneath Harry and sitting up. Harry sighs, rubbing Louis’ back from where he’s laid. “I don’t want you to go.”

Louis glances over his shoulder, a somber look on his face. “I know.”

Harry sighs, squeezing his hip gently just before Louis stands to go clean up. When he comes out of the bathroom he’s dressed and definitely doesn’t look like he just came, if not for the hickeys and bite on his neck.

“Fuck, baby.” Harry giggles, “Those are so dark.”

Louis gives him a look, “Don’t act surprised. You did it on purpose.”

“You liked it.” Harry smirks.

Louis huffs, kneeing onto the bed to press a kiss to Harry’s lips. “I did.”

“Stay.”

“Harry.” Louis sighs.

Harry knows it’s not fair, but he has to ask. “Are you going to have sex with him?”

Louis buries his face in Harry’s neck, “You don’t need to know the answer to that. Focus on us, H.”

“I know.” Harry sighs, “I’m sorry.”

“I love you.” Louis whispers, pulling back and pressing one last kiss to his lips.

“I love you too.” Harry smiles as much as he can. “See you.”

“See you.” Louis smiles, flicking his nipple playfully. He heads for the door, sparing one last glance over his shoulder before leaving.

--

When Harry steps out of the shower to get ready for the rose ceremony, he can feel the nerves vibrating through his veins. His heart is in his throat and his fingertips are tingling, his belly rolling with anxiety. He drags his fingers through his wet hair, “Fuck.”

After drying his hair, he gets dressed in his crisp, white button up. His black suit is pressed perfectly and fits like a glove. He slides it on, checking his reflection to make sure he looks nice, ready.

Arriving at the rose ceremony doesn’t ease his nerves in the slightest, Terrell and Ren looking just as nervous as him. “Hi, guys.”

“Hi, H.” Terrell smiles, shaking his hand. They stand in line together, Ren sharing a private, kind smile with Harry. It’s evident that neither of them have any clue the way this will go but each of them are hoping to have a rose, to last to next week and get the chance to ask Louis for his hand in marriage.

When Louis arrives, he steps out of the car and each of the three men gasp quietly. He’s breathtaking, and after this week, Harry can’t wrap his head around the feelings he has about Louis. His stomach rips open as his butterflies are set free, heart racing in his chest as it screams out for Louis.

As Louis steps up to the podium, two roses sat on a platter on top of it, he smiles sweetly at the three men.

Louis takes a deep breath to ground himself, “This week has been beyond incredible. I’ve had some amazing conversations with each of you and honestly, each of you are so special to me. You’re such kind men and I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re here, sacrificing your time, to get to know me, I appreciate you all so much.”

Harry smiles at Louis, dimples carving out his cheeks the moment he catches his eye. God, I love you.

Louis picks up the first rose, biting his lip before saying, “Harry.”

Harry feels like the world just fell off his shoulders, his chest exhaling a relieved sigh. He steps forward, his smile never faltering as Louis’ beautiful eyes twinkle up at him. “Harry, will you accept this rose?”

“You know I will, baby.” Harry giggles, watching as Louis’ little fingers pin the rose to his lapel. He leans down to kiss his cheek and give him a tight hug, whispering to him, “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis whispers back, kissing his cheek as he pulls back. Harry turns and goes back to his place in line, his cheeks aching with how wide he’s smiling.

Louis picks up the final rose, closing his eyes for a moment. It could go either way and Harry knows Louis is probably struggling. Both Ren and Terrell are great men, but only one can stay.

When Louis opens his eyes again it’s to breathe out a quiet, “Ren.”

Harry glances at Terrell out of the corner of his eye, watching as his smile drops immediately, the heartbreak seeping into his features. He feels for him, he does, but he feels a sick satisfaction that he’s going as well, just like he has during every rose ceremony he’s been a part of.

Louis pins the rose to Ren’s lapel and he returns to his spot in line. Harry immediately turning to hug Terrell, “Good luck, man. Can’t wait to see you on the outside.”

“Just stay true to you, H.” Terrell smiles, patting his back and returning the strong hug, “You two belong together.”

Terrell pulls back to hug Ren goodbye before turning to take Louis’ hand, both of them heading over to the car idling to take him away. They hug briefly, having a quiet conversation before he climbs in the car and drives away. Louis stands and watches the car disappear down the hill before turning to walk back to Ren and Harry.

He takes the glass of champagne that’s handed to him, smiling at the two men. “This week is the most important of this entire journey. I’m going to be asking some hard questions and you’ll get to meet my family.”—Louis beams at them, clearly excited about that—“I want this week to be so much fun but I need you both to promise me you’ll be open and honest with me. Can we agree to do that?”

Ren and Harry nod, both mumbling, “Of course.”

“Good. Let’s make this a great week. Cheers, boys.”

All three of them clink their glasses and take a sip. Louis gives each of them a kiss on the cheek, Harry squeezing him extra tight. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow, H. Get ready to turn the charm on.” Louis giggles, clearly buzzing to introduce Harry to his family.

“I’m always charming, baby.” Harry dimples, winking at him cheekily.

“Hm.” Louis squints his eyes playfully. “I wouldn’t say that.”

Harry sticks his tongue out at Louis, reaching his fingers out to tickle him sneakily. Louis dances out of his reach and says goodbye, waving at them both as he heads to his car and gets inside.

Harry spends his entire ride home — well, let’s be honest, the entire night — wondering what the hard questions Louis wants to ask are. He can be patient and understanding, honest and open, but he hopes beyond hope that Louis isn’t having doubts about him.

The ring burns a hole in his pocket, the fact that he will be on one knee at the end of this week nerve wracking to say the least. Please pick me, please say yes.

Chapter Text

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I’m Foster Donnell and I’m your host. Tonight we’re going to rehash some of the season’s most memorable arguments, discuss the many teary goodbyes, and we’ll sit down with Louis to ask him a few questions about how he’s feeling since the show ended. This is the Men Tell All.”

As the camera zooms out, twenty-eight men are sat together in rows, the studio audience cheering.

“Reshawn, how are you?” Foster smiles, his hands clasped together in his lap as he leans in like he’s waiting for some juicy details.

“I’m good, I’m good.” Reshawn returns his smile.

“How has life been since you left the show? Is your daughter happy you’re home?”

“It’s been good! She was thrilled to see me and I missed her so much.”

“So you don’t regret leaving?”

Reshawn sighs, “You know, I did think about that while I was watching the show back, but I’ve decided that I don’t. I think if I had stayed, with the way shit hit the fan, I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with that relationship.”

“So what do you mean by that? Is that directed at Louis or someone else?” Foster asks, playing it up for the camera as he uses his hands to talk.

“No,” Reshawn shakes his head, “I don’t agree with everything Louis did, but I mean the childish way the rest of the men acted. I’m just glad I left when I did because that just looked like a nightmare. It was immature, there’s no other way to describe it.”

“Do you think Harry was childish?” Foster assumes.

“I think Harry was defending Louis. I would’ve done the same thing if that had been said in front of me.”

“So you think the rest of the men were childish, specifically Mitchell, Stanley, and Lee?” Foster points to each of the men as he says their names, a sly smile on his face as he knows this is going to kick up the drama.

“One hundred percent. They were acting like the trash that they are.”

Stanley scoffs, shaking his head, “You’re talking about this like your time wasn’t wasted when Louis was busy being Harry’s lapdog?”

“Man, shut up.” Reshawn laughs, shaking his head. “You made yourself look like a fucking idiot on national television by attacking Louis like that for… what? Not paying attention to you? You, Mitchell, and Lee all went on a witch hunt for Harry and spent all your time trying to destroy their relationship. Louis didn’t waste your time, you did.”

“I did not go on a witch hunt.” Lee laughs, “That’s fucking ridiculous.”

“You did!” Reshawn shakes his head, “You made up lies and rumors to destroy his character, you bought into all that bullshit and stirred up all that drama. You’re childish and you should be embarrassed.”

“What do you think, Mitchell?” Foster leans forward, stirring the pot for the show.

“I think it needed to be said at the time and obviously Louis broke out of whatever spell Harry had him under for the time being. He’s clearly back under it, which is pretty pathetic, but whatever.”

Reshawn shakes his head, a sarcastic smile on his face.

“Do you disagree?” Foster raises an eyebrow.

“I think it was disgusting that he slut shamed Louis. There’s no excuse and it was wrong and you owe him an apology.”

“I don’t owe him shit.” Mitchell scoffs, “He wasted so much of my time and I stand by my words. The way he sent George and Aaron home makes that obvious.”

George shakes his head, “Don’t bring me into this. I wasn’t happy with the way I was sent home, but I would never shame someone for having sex with someone. Louis is nothing but sincere, you all wasted his time if anything.”

Aaron nods his head, agreeing with George.

“I won’t apologize.” Mitchell shrugs. Lee and Stanley clap, but the rest of the audience boos, shaking their heads in anger.

“Okay, back to you Reshawn and your departure. Was it hard to leave?”

“It was. It was a hard decision.” Reshawn sighs, “I missed my daughter but I felt something with Louis. To give that up, it was hard.”

“Did you think that what happened later that night would happen? Did you feel that tension?”

Reshawn scoffs, “You know, I was doing me. I was caught up in my feelings and focused on my relationship, I wasn’t worried about anyone else. Obviously the roast was tense and everyone was attacking Harry, but I didn’t realize the seriousness of it all.”

Foster nods, “Well, I think it’s safe to say you dodged a bullet.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Reshawn shakes his head, “I think Louis is worth all that bullshit and he didn’t deserve to be treated that way, neither him nor Harry did. I didn’t dodge a bullet.”

“Right,” Foster nods. “Well it’s been a pleasure, Reshawn.”

“Thank you.”

Reshawn goes back to his seat, Foster sending the show to a commercial break. As the show resets, Carlson is called to the hot seat. He sits across from Foster, smiling nervously.

Foster smiles into the camera, “Welcome back to the Men Tell All, we’ve got Carlson here to continue where we left off. As you may recall, he was the one who initially started the drama. Carlson, how did you feel about that situation as it happened?”

“I was angry.” Carlson shrugs, “I was angry and I didn’t deal with it well. I didn’t mean to set off the bomb that occurred, but clearly I got caught up in that tension and was worried about other relationships and not my own.”

“Was Harry right in what he said to you?”

“He was, I needed to stay in my lane. When we spoke after everything went down, I apologized and he forgave me. I was embarrassed, really.”

“A lot of people said you were in the right because you shed light on an unfair situation.” Foster raises an eyebrow, trying to dig up drama.

“I think... while it did need to be addressed that Louis was spending so much time with Harry and all the sneaking out and extra time, I didn’t handle it correctly. I should have gone to Harry and Louis and explained my worries in an adult manner rather than spreading it through the house and using my anger as a catalyst.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Of course I do. It was horrible at the time and I felt awful for it, watching it back was ten times worse.”

“So you would change your actions if you could go back?” Foster asks.

“Definitely. I definitely would,” Carlson sighs. “I didn’t expect the other men to react the way they did but I knew there was tension and frankly, it wasn’t their OR my business.”

Foster nods. “Well thank you for sharing. We’re going to take a break, next we’re going to sit down with Louis for the first time since the show aired. What will he say to the men sitting here?”

As the stage is reset for Louis to come out, Carlson goes back to his seat.

Foster brings the show back from commercial break. “Welcome back to the Men Tell All. So far we’ve discussed the drama that stemmed from Harry and Louis’ relationship, as well as the departure of Reshawn. We’re going to bring Louis out and get his thoughts, as well as discuss some of the other heartbreaking departures on the show. Ladies and gentlemen, Louis Tomlinson.”

The audience cheers as Louis walks out, smiling sweetly as he waves at the audience. He shakes Foster’s hand as he steps onto the stage, plopping down into the hot seat.

“Louis, great to see you again.”

“I’m happy to be here.” Louis beams, lacing his fingers in his lap.

“It’s been a rollercoaster these last few weeks, seeing all the drama back, what are your thoughts?”

Louis sighs, trying to recall the speech he has rehearsed in his head. “I think a lot of what I witnessed was hurtful. There was more going on behind the scenes than any of us knew. To see Clare, someone who I trusted and assumed was doing her best to make this an amazing experience for me, treat me the way that she did… it was hurtful. She started the rumor about Ren and I, knowing that we never had sex. She was pulling the strings with Stanley, Lee, and Mitchell’s tempers, she was trying to make good TV and she didn’t care about who she was hurting.”

“With Clare, did you ever wonder that she might be pulling the strings so obviously off camera?”

“I didn’t.” Louis shrugs, “I try to see the best in everyone and I thought that she was a great friend and she was trying to help me but in reality, she was trying to put roadblocks in the way of my happiness. Drama happens naturally when you have that many men together and you have something as fragile as feelings and love on the line, she didn’t need to start rumors and stir the pot. I especially didn’t appreciate her starting the rumor about Ren and I.”

“So you and Ren didn’t have sex at the opera?” Foster laughs, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

“No, we did not have sex at the opera.”

“You said that she was pulling the strings with some of the tempers in the house. Do you forgive Stanley, Lee, and Mitchell after seeing it play out?”

“You know…” Louis starts, shaking his head, “I’ll forgive for my own inner peace. I do think Clare stirred the pot, but they’re accountable for their words and their actions. They never once handled that in a healthy or adult manner, they were childish and abusive and it was frightening for me.”

Stanley butts in on the conversation, “You can’t say we weren’t valid. You were literally sitting in Harry’s lap from the word go and you never gave time to anyone.”

“In what world does that give you a right to pull me aside and tell me that expressing my sexuality is wrong? You pulled me aside to tell me that the way I expressed my feelings in my own relationships was wrong, which was none of your business ever.” Louis counts on his fingers as he lists Stanley’s infractions, “You told me that having sex this early in the quote ‘competition’ was wrong and pathetic, you told me that I needed to reevaluate my morals. You flat out lied about Harry and told me he was sleeping with Boyce! Why the hell would I give you the time of day after speaking to me that way?”

“You weren’t listening!”

“I don’t have to when you disrespect me! Then you tell me that Mitchell has been agreeing with you and that he called me a brat and planned to tell everyone that I was only here to make money? You, all three of you, were so far out of line!”

Lee shakes his head, Mitchell jumping in, “I never said any of that and I tried to explain.”

“You said it.” Louis laughs, shaking his head. “Don’t lie.”

“I said the brat thing but I never said I was going to tell anyone you were here to make money and the fact that you accused me of it is really unfair.”

Louis turns to Foster, shaking his head, “This is what I mean. This he-said-she-said bullshit is a mindfuck and I was beyond over it that night. Then for Mitchell to storm in the house and throw a glass and gang up on Harry... it was disgusting. Harry and I did nothing to deserve the way we were treated by Clare, Mitchell, Stanley, Lee, anyone of those bastards.”

Louis’ hot now, his face red as he tries to control his temper. He would love to say more but he’s over this topic. Just as Lee pipes up to defend himself, Louis snaps at Foster, “Let’s move on, please.”

Foster nods, looking over to the camera, “I think this is the perfect time for a commercial, actually. We’ll be back with more after the break.”

Louis stands up to grab a glass of water, trying his best to cool off before he’s due back up on stage. Deep breaths, Louis.

When they return from the commercial break, Foster promises to go easier on him. Bullshit.

“So on the date that Harry came back after self-eliminating, we saw you send George and Aaron home on a pretty brutal two-on-one date. What was it that made the decision so simple for you?”

Louis sighs, trying to find the best way to word this. “To be completely honest, Harry and I have had that instant spark and with George and Aaron, I wasn’t feeling it. I tried so hard with each of them because they are great men, and I do sincerely apologize for the way it went down, but I don’t regret the decision to send them home.”

“If I could say…” Aaron starts, clearing his throat, “I think what was most uncomfortable about it wasn’t the fact that you sent us home. I think we both understood and agreed it was best, but the fact that Harry came back and you immediately went to the loft with him and spent… a lot of time with him. It was uncomfortable sitting down there with producers while that went down. Again, I’m not shaming, in fact I applaud you, but it just wasn’t nice to let us sit down there during all that.”

Louis nods, “I agree. It wasn’t nice and I should’ve paused and came down to explain and then done whatever afterwards. I apologize for the way it went down, I do. I think you’re amazing men and I was so grateful for your time and I’m grateful for your friendship now.”

“So you’re friends?” Foster questions.

“Of course.” Louis smiles, “With a few exceptions, I consider these men great friends and I adore them all.”

“That’s great that you can have that, I know you broke some hearts here. Last week, we actually saw you break Terrell’s heart.”

Louis sighs, nodding his head sadly.

“Terrell, how about you come join Louis in the hot seat?” Foster offers, motioning for him to join. Terrell stands as the audience erupts in cheers, heading down to the stage, and Louis stands to hug him tightly. They take their seats together, Louis smiling at him sweetly.

“Terrell, we saw you leave the show last week. How hard was that for you?”

Terrell clears his throat, pursing his lips as he thinks for a moment. “It was tough, I truly was falling in love with Louis and to be sent home after we’d just spent the night together discussing what we discussed, it was hard.”

“What did you discuss?”

“That’s between Louis and I.” Terrell smiles, dodging Foster’s thirst for drama.

“We saw a touching moment when you hugged the other men, you told Harry to continue being himself. What did you mean by that?”

Terrell nods, “Yeah, uh, Harry is one of the most amazing men out there and his feelings for Louis are overwhelming. I think when I said that I was really just trying to get it across that he needs to just keep his head on. If he stays true to himself and keeps his head on, he could have the man of his dreams. I don’t want him to take that for granted, so I just wanted to remind him.”

Foster nods, “And Louis, how hard was it to send Terrell home and what went into that decision?”

“I think it was just down to what my heart said. My feelings for the two other men standing there were so strong and my feelings for Terrell just weren’t getting there. I adore him and he’s an amazing friend, we have a lot of fun together, but at the end of the day it was just hard for me to fully get there with Terrell. It was hard though, like I said he’s a great friend so it was so difficult for me to let him go.”

Terrell smiles at Louis, patting his leg gently.

“Thank you, Terrell.” Foster smiles, “We’re going to take a break, after, we’re going to talk to Boyce and ask some final questions.”

The break begins and Terrell leans over to hug Louis tightly, kissing his cheek. “Good to see you. You look amazing.”

“Good to see you, T.” Louis rubs his back soothingly.

Terrell heads back to his seat, Foster coming back out to welcome America back from the commercial break.

“Louis, welcome back. We just spoke to Terrell, but that’s not the only heartbreak we saw on the show. This heartbreak was a little different because there were rumors in the house that this man slept with one of your final two. Did this influence your decision?”

“No, never. As you saw, I addressed it during one of our dates and the rumor was false, which I knew anyway, so no it never influenced my decisions.”

“Let’s bring Boyce down and get his thoughts on it.”

The audience cheers as Boyce comes down, hugging Louis tightly before taking his seat.

“How hard was it to hear the rumors and then be sent home by Louis after being questioned about them?”

“I mean, it was hard to be sent home regardless of the rumors. I had feelings for Louis and I was crushed. The rumors were never something that I worried about during that moment. I knew Louis was doing what he felt was best and that was okay with me.”

“So the rumors didn’t bother you?” Foster prods.

“I didn’t say that. They bothered me, of course, Harry is one of my best friends and to have relationships be tarnished by some children was pretty difficult. It was hard to watch back, I didn’t know what I was getting into and I was really naive to it.”

“Do you have regrets?”

“No, never. I just think going forward I’ll watch my back a little closer.”

Louis shakes his head, “And that’s a shame.”

“What do you mean?” Foster questions.

“I think it’s a shame you have to watch your back so closely because you’re worried about who’s standing behind you with a knife. Boyce is nothing but kind and he never deserved to have his character questioned by those three.”

Stanley shakes his head, choosing to keep his mouth shut for once.

“Do you have any parting words for Louis?” Foster asks sincerely.

“I think just— just that you’re an amazing man, Louis. You were true to yourself and you’re right, it is a shame. I know you feel that way too after this, with Clare and the rumors and the entire season. You didn’t deserve any of that and I wish you nothing but happiness in the future.”

“Thank you.” Louis smiles sweetly, “You too, Boyce.”

They embrace before Boyce goes back to his seat, Louis turning to face Foster again.

“So, Louis…” Foster smiles, “Is there anything you regret from the show or anything else you want to address?”

Louis shrugs, “I think I just want to address that what you see on the show is just a fraction of what happens. These relationships develop off camera and they develop fast. Those intense emotions and those intense conversations so soon, that’s an extraordinary situation. When you’re in those moments, you’re just trying to process those emotions and you have seconds. I think I just want to remind people to be compassionate for every angle.”

“These next two weeks, anything you wanna say?”

Louis giggles, shrugging his shoulders. “Lips are sealed.”

“Are you engaged?”

Louis rolls his lips together, smiling cheekily, “You’ll have to watch and see!”

Foster laughs, “Well we wish you well. Thank you for joining us, Louis.”

“Thank you.”

As the show closes, Foster says goodnight to America. “Next week, we have the shocking season finale, you won’t want to miss it. Goodnight.”

Chapter Text

Louis wakes up giddy to see his family. He’s happy, truly, an all consuming happiness capturing his soul. Harry is everything he wants and needs, and today he gets to introduce him to his family. Ren is another incredible man and he’s so excited to introduce him to his family, although at this point he’s fairly confident in who he’s going to choose.

It's been so long since he’s seen his family and he misses them. His mom and his sister mean the world to him and to finally hug them again has Louis on cloud nine.

So not only does he get to see his family today, he gets to extend it by one with Harry. He just knows they’re going to love Harry just as Harry’s family loved him. It’s a special moment, watching the man of your dreams connect with your family. He’s buzzing with excitement, smiling the entire morning as he gets ready and eats his breakfast.

When he gets to the hotel to pick up Harry, his cheeks are aching and his stomach is bursting with butterflies. His man is standing at the entrance waiting for him, a wide smile to match Louis’ on his face. He looks gorgeous.

Louis jumps out to give him a hug, Harry squeezing him tightly and whispering in his ear. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi. You ready?”

Harry nods excitedly, refusing to let go of Louis as he walks over to the car and opens the door, “Let’s go meet your gorgeous family, baby.”

Louis giggles, finally being released so he can climb in the car. Harry slides in next to him, wrapping his arm tightly around Louis and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Do you think they’re going to like me?”

“They’re going to love you.” Louis beams, laying his head on Harry’s shoulder. He’s so excited to see his mom and his sister for the first time in weeks and the fact that Harry gets to meet them too, it’s honestly a dream. He glances up at Harry, smiling happily at him, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Harry leans down and kisses him sweetly.

“I love you,” Louis whispers, nuzzling his neck.

“I love you.” Harry presses his lips to Louis’ temple, “My favorite boy.”

“Your only boy.” Louis corrects with a raised brow.

“My only person, the only one for me,” Harry smiles, tapping the end of Louis’ button nose. “Love of my life.”

Louis pokes his lip out fondly, “Love of your life?”

Harry nods, kissing Louis’ pouty lower lip, “Love of my life, Louis.”

Louis giggles giddily, squeezing his eyes shut. “Fuck.”

When they arrive at the hotel, they head up to the room Louis’ family is staying in.

When the door swings open, Louis can feel the tears start.

“Louis!” His mom yells, throwing her arms around his neck. Louis laughs wetly, hugging his mom tightly.

“Hi, mom,” Louis sniffles. “Missed you.”

“I missed you, baby.” She giggles, “Is this him?!”

Louis pulls back to introduce Harry. “Mom, this is Harry. Harry, this is my mom, Penelope.”

Harry hugs her tightly, “So nice to meet you.”

“So nice to meet you!” Penelope giggles, kissing his cheek, “Come in, come in.”

They head into the seating area of the hotel suite, Louis spotting his sister lounging on the couch. “Millie!”

Louis dives onto the couch to hug her, Millie giggling, “I missed you!”

Louis pulls back to point at Harry, “Look!”

Millie stands and hugs Harry, “So nice to meet you.”

“So nice to meet you.” Harry smiles at Louis over her shoulder. He looks so happy to be here and Louis is over the moon.

They take their seats together, Louis sitting with Harry on the couch tucked under his arm.

Penelope smiles fondly at them, “So, tell me how everything’s gone. How’s the journey been?”

Louis smiles, glancing at Harry. “It’s been amazing, honestly. We’ve had a few bumps but overall, I’m just so happy.”

“That’s amazing, baby.” Penelope smiles, “Are you ready to come home?”

“I am.” Louis sighs, “I miss everyone.”

“They miss you. Are you discussing what you’re going to do after this?” Penelope turns to Harry, “Have you discussed the future together?”

Harry nods, glancing at Louis, “Yeah, so. We’ve discussed Louis moving down to Phoenix and moving in with me after this is all said and done. I want nothing more than to make Louis happy and to propose to him.”

Penelope purses her lips, “He’s moving to Phoenix if he chooses you?”

Louis smiles, nodding his head, “Yeah, I think that’s something I want and Harry would move too but… I don’t know, I think I’d love living there. It’s an adventure.”

Millie nods her head, “I mean I think mom and I would prefer you stay close to home, but I understand wanting to run off with whoever.”

Louis scrunches his eyebrows together, confused by her attitude. “I’m not running off with whoever, if I were to get engaged to Harry then we would be one step closer to getting married and having kids. I’ve made this decision to agree to move there.”

“Okay,” Millie shrugs, throwing her long hair over her shoulder. “Tell us more about these bumps in the road then. What’s happened?”

Louis sighs, nervous to explain this. He wants them to have the full story though, to make an educated decision on who they believe he should get engaged to.

“We had some drama the first six weeks, lots of rumors and fights and issues all around.”

“What rumors?” Penelope questions.

Louis glances at Harry, “That Harry was sleeping with another man in the house, that he was just here for fame or for another notch on his belt… there was a lot of drama in the house.”

Penelope squints her eyes, glancing between Harry and Louis, “Okay, so why were these rumors being spread? Do you just not get along with other men very well, Harry?”

Louis butts in, shaking his head, “The rumors were spread because of an isolated group who weren’t happy with the amount of time I spent with Harry. I had my blinders on the first few weeks and really only spent time with Harry if he was around and it made them mad.”

“Okay…” Penelope hesitates, “So what changed? You sent them home, obviously, but this doesn’t feel like the full story.”

“Well if you’d let me finish,” Louis huffs. “After I sent that group home, we had some miscommunication and I was trying to distance myself to be fair to the rest of the men—”

Harry clears his throat, shifting in his seat and removing his arm from around Louis’ shoulders. He’s tense and honestly, this is not going how he imagined at all.

“Harry felt left out in the cold during that period, so he left.”

Millie gives them an incredulous look, “What?”

Harry shakes his head, “I didn’t just leave. I tried to speak to Louis multiple times and he wasn’t hearing me out, so I didn’t see a point in continuing to pursue this if he wasn’t willing.”

“How does that work?” Millie asks, attitude thick, “You didn’t like that he was giving attention to others so you left?”

“No.” Harry huffs in frustration, “I left because we tried to talk it out and it wasn’t working and in the moment, I was really upset and I didn’t feel like we were on the same page.”

“What page is that?” Millie squints, looking so much like Penelope sitting beside her.

“I was deeply in love with Louis at that point and after being left in the cold for two weeks and essentially being told I was being overbearing when I tried to explain my feelings to Louis, I felt like we weren’t on the same page. I wanted nothing more than to explain and work through it, but the way Louis reacted made me feel like he didn’t love me.”

Millie gives Louis a look, clearly not sold. “Okay… so what changed? Why are you sitting here?”

“I came back as soon as I could — basically as soon as I left I regretted it and begged to come back. The producers made me wait a week and think about it, which was good because it really helped me work through those emotions. I came back at the end of week six and asked for Louis to forgive me for leaving and asked to stay.”

“Mhm…” Millie nods, “And you worked through those issues you had?”

Louis feels the tension ignite, Harry going stiff beside him.

“Well… no,” Harry mumbles, “we haven’t really had time.”

Penelope scoffs, shaking her head. This is not how Louis thought this was going to go.

“What did you do when you talked it out when you came back then?” Millie questions.

Harry clears his throat, glancing at Louis for help.

“We had sex.” Louis huffs, rolling his eyes at how tough Millie is being.

Millie rolls her eyes back, “So you apologized for coming back and had sex. Why didn’t you take that time to discuss your own issues before just jumping back in? What if you don’t like the answers Louis provides you when you do talk about it?”

“I mean,”—Louis can see the wheels turning in Harry’s head as he tries to save this conversation— “I love Louis. I wouldn’t have come back if, at the end of the day, I wasn’t willing to work through it. If I don’t like the answers Louis gives me, we’ll work through it.”

“So you’re not going to just up and leave?” Millie asks with an accusatory tone.

“No.” Harry stands his ground, glancing at Louis lovingly, “Never. I love your brother with every part of me and I’m never going to leave again.”

Louis smiles sweetly, his heart is hammering and he feels sick, honestly. “I love you.”

Harry leans in and kisses him gently.

“Can I borrow you, Harry?” Millie stands and Louis can’t imagine what else she has to say after the third degree she just pulled.

Harry nods, standing to follow her out onto the hotel balcony and leaving Louis with his mom.

Penelope moves to sit next to him, squeezing his leg. “So, how’re you feeling?”

“I just…” Louis sighs, “what the hell was all that?”

Penelope shrugs, glancing over to where Millie and Harry exited. “You know your sister is protective.”

“I know, but she jumped down his throat and it was so uncalled for.”

“We just want the best for you, Louis”—Penelope gives him a look—“we love you.”

“That’s not the best way to show it, Mom.” Louis shakes his head, “You all need to apologize.”

Penelope nods, “Okay. Do you feel okay, though, sweetheart?”

“I feel fine.” Louis nods, “I think I’m just overwhelmed. This is the end, I have to make a huge decision.”

“You do. How’re you leaning?”

“Harry. He’s just— he stepped out of the limo and I felt that instant spark. I actually said I think I just met my husband after he went inside.”

“You did?” Penelope asks in shock, “It was that instant?”

“Yes,” Louis nods, “it was instant, that’s why I was so hooked on him those first few weeks.”

“What was the deal with that? What’s changed?”

Louis sighs, “You know, I was glued to him the first three weeks and then I was advised to take a step back so I could give myself space and give the other men time, so I basically ignored him for two weeks. It wasn’t fair to him, but it did give me time to get to know the other men. I definitely developed feelings for others, but when Harry came back I just had that spark back.”

“So you don’t feel that spark with anyone else?”

Louis shrugs, “I think I have a spark with Ren, but it’s not as overwhelming as my spark with Harry.”

“Do you think it’s just the attraction that you feel? Maybe that love isn’t more than skin deep?”

“No, no.” Louis shakes his head, “No, I love every piece of him. He’s such an amazing man. He has a beautiful heart, Mom. You would love him if you sat down with him outside of this bubble.”

“Without your sister grilling him?” Penelope giggles, Louis rolling his eyes.

Harry and Millie step back inside then, Penelope smiling at them. “Harry, do you want to talk with me? You can go out with Millie, sweetheart.”

Louis stands, only stopping on his way out to give Harry another kiss. Millie’s giving him an unimpressed look, her eyebrows raised.

Louis takes a seat out on the balcony with her, “What the hell was that?”

“What?” Millie shrugs, “I’m just making sure he’s right for you.”

“Were you nice to him out here or was it the third degree again?”

“I just asked him what his intentions are here and if you’ve discussed your future.”

Louis squints his eyes at Lottie, “I don’t like the way you spoke to him, I think you need to apologize.”

“I think you need to realize we’re trying to make sure you’re treated how you deserve.”

“And that’s fine, but Harry leaving isn’t something to attack him for. It was hurtful, but he apologized. It’s not your business from there.”

Millie rolls her eyes and shakes her head, “You’re so ridiculous.”

“No, you are. Please, just apologize. This isn’t the way to start off that relationship and I really do think you’ll like him outside of this.”

Millie sighs, “Fine.”

When they head inside, Millie does apologize to Harry, but the tension never settles.

Louis walks him down to the car waiting to take him back to his hotel, their hands swinging as they stand together on the sidewalk.

“Well…” Harry smiles awkwardly, “That went well.”

Louis scoffs, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, I understand why they’re doing it.”

Louis nods, glancing down at his feet, “I just don’t want you to think this is what it’ll always be like. They’ll warm up to you, I promise.”

Harry lifts Louis’ chin, his smile warm and comforting. “Hey… I love you. I want your family to love me, obviously, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I’m not going anywhere.”

Louis smiles, “Gimme a kiss.”

Harry leans down to press their lips together gently. They kiss and hold each other close, Harry pinching Louis’ ass jokingly as they pull away. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Louis giggles, pinching Harry’s nipple through his button up. “See you soon?”

“See you soon, baby.” Harry nods, kissing his forehead before opening the car door and getting in.

He shuts the door and the car drives off, Louis watching as he heads down the main street before turning out of sight.

Louis goes back up to the hotel room to spend more time with his family, nervous as he opens the door and heads back into the room.

His mom and sister are sitting together on the couch, heads together and talking quickly.

“I’m back, stop gossiping.”

Penelope giggles, smiling at him. “No gossip, just comparing notes before we discuss.”

“Oh boy,” Louis sighs, taking his seat across from them. “Please go easy on him, he means a lot to me.”

“We’re just being straight with you, sweetheart.” Penelope shakes her head, “We just want the best for you.”

“The best for me isn’t giving my boyfriend the third degree just because we’ve had a few issues.”

“A few.” Millie laughs, shaking her head, “Louis, he is not right for you.”

“Why?” Louis huffs, shaking his head. “I don’t understand why you two aren’t seeing what I’m seeing.”

“Because we aren’t wearing rose-tinted glasses, Louis.” Penelope says, “I’m sorry but you’re not seeing him clearly like the rest of us are.”

“You’re wrong,” Louis shakes his head.

“Louis, he’s a loser.” Millie crosses her arms, “He left you once and he’ll do it again.”

“He won’t. He’s said he won’t. He got me a ring.”

“So did your dad.” Penelope points out. “And he left us, just like Harry will.”

“Mom,” Louis shakes his head, begging her to understand. “He’s not like dad. He’s so amazing and if you would just give him a chance.”

“Sweetheart, I’m sure he’s nice but I don’t think he’s ready; nor is he right for you. You need a man ready to settle down and have kids and start your life together, not a boy who’s going to leave the moment shit gets hard.”

“He is a man!” Louis pleads, “He wants all the things I want, he encourages me, he wants babies and wants to move in and get married.”

“Maybe he thinks that.” Penelope shrugs, “But I don’t see maturity. Not in the way he handled the situation with you, with the men, any of it.”

“This is ridiculous.” Louis shakes his head, standing up and heading straight for the balcony. He’s over this conversation and he honestly can’t believe his mom and sister could be so harsh on someone he loves. He slams the door shut and sits down, dropping his head in his hands.

It’s not fair. He was supposed to bring Harry here and have his family fall in love with him just like Louis did. Instead, they tore him apart and refused to even listen to him. He’s in love with Harry and he’s almost positive he’s the one, but he’d be lying if he didn’t say his family are getting to him.

The door opens behind him and his mom sits next to him. “Sweetheart.”

Louis sighs, looking up at her. “I love him.”

“I know.” Penelope nods, “I’m just not sure he’s right for you, Louis.”

“I just don’t understand.”

“Honey, you know your sister and I just want to look out for you. Everything we’ve learned about him, the vibes we got, it all made both of us feel like he isn’t the one for you. You can do what you want, we’re going to support you, but I would think about that before you choose.”

Louis sighs, dropping his head back against the chair, “Why is this so hard?”

“What’s your heart telling you, Louis?”

“I don’t even know anymore, mom. I just want to go home.”

“You can choose to go home and not pick, you know,” Penelope suggests.

“I know, but I’m in love and I really feel like my husband is here.”

“Then you need to do what you need to do, baby. That’s down to you, I’m just suggesting you keep in mind what your family thinks and what everyone else seems to think as well. Maybe he’s not who you think he is.”

Louis shakes his head, “This is unbelievable. I really thought you’d love him.”

“I spoke with him and he’s nice, sweetheart, but I don’t think he’s your husband.”

Louis feels his frustration peak, “Okay, mom! I get it!”

“Okay.” Penelope shrugs, “I’m just being honest with you.”

Louis stands to go back inside, Millie still sat in the same place. “Louis,”

“I know! I know you don’t think he’s the one for me and I know you hate me. I know, Millie!”

“Louis, I don’t hate him.”

“Oh whatever, Millie. You ate him alive when all he tried to do was explain the situation.”

“No, he made excuses for himself. You deserve better and you know you do but you’re letting this man walk all over you! What happened to you?!”

“Nothing happened to me! I love him and I think you’re being harsh!”

“He’s arrogant and he thinks he can walk all over you, jerk you around! That’s not fair on you.”

“He loves me,” Louis shakes his head. “You’re wrong.”

“He’s going to leave you, Louis.”

“God, I just love your positivity and encouragement, Millie!” Louis laughs frustratedly.

Penelope comes back inside and takes a seat beside Millie, both of them giving Louis a concerned look. “We just want to be honest with you, sweetheart.”

“Okay, you can do that without being this negative and discouraging!”

“We clearly aren’t going to get anywhere with this conversation tonight because you’re on the defense for Harry. Let’s just enjoy the night we have together and then tomorrow we’ll meet your other man and then we can have a serious discussion.”

“You’ll probably hate Ren too at this point,” Louis huffs. “I think I just want to go back to my hotel, I’m tired.”

“Louis…” Penelope sighs, “Don’t go home upset over this.”

Louis rounds on his mom, “Are you joking?! You’re going to tell me you hate Harry and don’t think he’s right for me, mess with my head more after all I’ve been through, and then tell me not be upset over this!”

“I just mean stay and spend time with us to get your mind off this. Then go home and rest and we can meet Ren tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to, mom! I need to go home and think because this is so important! I’m taking this seriously — and you and Millie not liking Harry, I need to digest that!”

“It doesn’t have to change things, Louis. It’s your decision.”

“But you know your opinion means the world to me, so why wouldn’t it change things?!”

“I would’ve thought you’d want us to be honest rather than pretend we like someone.” Penelope shrugs, “Our fault, it won’t happen again.”

Louis shakes his head, “I’m done.”

He turns and heads for the door, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Millie and Penelope don’t respond before Louis slams the door, his heart in his throat as he heads to the elevator. He spends the entire car ride home replaying their words in his head. Suddenly he’s back to where he was a few weeks ago, wondering what everyone else sees in Harry that he doesn’t. Is his mom right about the rose-tinted glasses? What if he gets hurt again?

The tears start and he can’t breathe, the bile rising as he thinks about Harry not loving him as much as he loves him. He wants Harry, wants to marry him and have babies and live happily ever after. He wants his family to love Harry and be happy for him; but instead his family doesn’t believe Harry’s right for him, that he’s just going to get hurt again.

He’s terrified for the rest of the week.

When he gets back to his hotel room, he climbs into his bed and breaks down. Sobs wrack through his body and he hates it. This is supposed to be an amazing, fun week but instead, he’s left with a sickly feeling in his belly and tears streaming down his cheeks.

--

Louis wakes the next morning still feeling insanely sick. His stomach churns as he gets ready, nervous to take Ren to meet his mom and his sister after the disaster of the day before. He doesn’t understand how his family can dislike someone he loves so much over a relationship bump they’ve had.

At the end of the day, Louis just wants to know that his family will support him no matter what and to have them be so against Harry is a hard pill to swallow. He doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life having to convince his mom and his sister that Harry deserves him.

He heads to the hotel to pick Ren up, feeling his heart ache when he sees him waiting out front with a huge smile on his face. He wants to be excited but he just feels confused.

He gets out of the car to give Ren a hug, smushing his face into his firm chest. Despite the weight that stays sitting heavily in his chest, the feeling of safety envelops him. “Hi.”

“Hi, darling,” Ren whispers into his hair, kissing his head gently. “I’m so excited about today.”

“Me too.” Louis pulls back to smile up at Ren. He feels sick.

They head to the hotel where his family is staying, Ren glued to his side. He keeps squeezing Louis’ hips or his hand, pressing his lips to his cheek or his forehead. He knows Ren is just trying to be comforting, obviously privy to the fact that Louis isn’t feeling good.

As the door swings open, his mom and Millie are standing together with big smiles. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi, mom.” Louis hugs her tightly. Penelope rubs his back soothingly, “Mom, this Ren.”

Louis pulls back and gestures to Ren, “Ren, this is my mom, Penelope.”

Ren immediately dives into her open arms, smiling wide. “It’s so nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you!” Penelope giggles, squeezing Ren tightly. Louis turns to hug his sister, kissing her cheek.

He introduces Millie to Ren, smiling when he hugs her tightly like he’s known her his whole life. They head into the living room and take their seats, Louis smiling at Ren when he places his arm over his shoulders.

“So how are you feeling, Ren? Have you enjoyed the journey so far?” Millie smiles kindly at him.

“I have. I’ve enjoyed every second.”

“And where are you from? What’s the plan for the future?”

“Well, I’m from Upstate New York, but hopefully I’ll be moving out to California soon”—Ren smiles down at Louis—“I’m a teacher so I would need to find a job and finish out my school year in New York, but then I’d be free to go wherever.”

“Well that’s amazing,” Penelope smiles, clearly loving Ren. “We want our boy to stay close to home so that’s very comforting.”

“I would go wherever he wants.” Ren smiles, “Louis’ everything I’ve wanted for so long and I can’t wait to cherish him for the rest of my life.”

Millie positively melts, giving Louis a fond smile. “You’re so sweet.”

“What are your thoughts on the drama that’s happened in the house?” Penelope questions, raising her eyebrows.

“I personally haven’t been that involved in it bar one rumor, but I’ve mostly kept to myself. I’m here for Louis and I’m not interested in everything that’s gone on.”

“What was the rumor?” Millie questions.

Ren chuckles, glancing down at Louis, “Uh…”

Louis rolls his eyes, “Someone told someone in the house that Ren and I slept together at the opera but it didn’t happen.”

Penelope splutters, “Who would say that?”

“I don’t know,” Louis sighs. “It upset some people so it became drama but it wasn’t true.”

“That’s good you’ve stayed out of the drama.” Millie nods in approval, smiling at Louis like she’s impressed. It eases some of his worry, clearly his mom and sister like Ren so far.

They chat together, Ren breaking off to chat with his mom and his sister one at a time. When he returns from the chat with Millie, he slides back into his seat, wrapping his arms around Louis tightly. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis smiles, letting Ren kiss him sweetly, “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Ren says sincerely. “I love your family.”

Louis smiles fondly, it is really amazing that he seems to fit right in. He wonders if this is how it’s supposed to feel, but then he’s reminded of the pit in his stomach and… no. This isn’t how he’s supposed to feel right now.

He walks Ren out to his car, gives him a gentle kiss before waving goodbye as he drives away. He knows who his family are going to want him to pick, knows they won’t even give Harry the time of day after Ren. It’s heart wrenching but his mind is telling him that maybe this is how it’s supposed to be, maybe this is his sign.

He goes back upstairs and sits on the couch across from his mom and sister, “Okay, you’ve met them both. What are your thoughts?”

“Louis…” Penelope smiles, “Sweetheart, we love him.”

Louis smiles, glad to know his family loves one of the men he’s chosen. “Really?”

“So much,” Millie agrees. “I think he’s perfect for you. He clearly adores you.”

“He does,” Louis confirms. “I just struggle a lot with him.”

“Why’s that?” Penelope questions.

“I think he’s almost too perfect.” Louis admits for the first time out loud. He’s had the thought that maybe Ren is just too good to be true, but he’s never said it to anyone.

“That’s even better,” Millie laughs. “He’s so perfect, he really seems like such a nice man and so good to you. He didn’t get involved in the drama so he’s clearly mature. He wants to go wherever you want, wants to get married and have kids. What could be wrong with him?”

Louis sighs, “Nothing.”

“You should pick him, Louis. He’s amazing.” Penelope smiles fondly.

“And gorgeous, Louis! He’s so hot.” Millie giggles, her cheeks flushing just at the thought of him.

Louis giggles, “He is pretty hot.”

“Why do you seem hesitant about him?” Penelope questions.

“Just, like I said, he’s too perfect. I’m just not sure I’m fully there with him like I am with Harry.”

“I don’t think it’s even a question between Ren and Harry, personally.” Millie shrugs, Penelope nodding in agreement, “Ren is clearly the best choice for you.”

Louis purses his lips, “I just don’t understand.”

“I think you’re blinded by your attraction to him, Louis.” Millie shrugs, “I think that chemistry is important but not as important as all the other aspects. Ren has it all.”

“Yeah.” Louis sighs, he isn’t sure why but he’s just not convinced. He knows Ren might be the better choice logically, but his heart doesn’t care about logic. His heart is begging for Harry but his head is telling him he’s wrong, that Ren is the right choice. He’s never been so confused in his life, and this is one of the biggest decisions he’ll ever make.

--

Louis wakes the next morning with a pit in his stomach, the anxiety of this final week hitting him hard. He has his final date with Harry today and he’s terrified. Nothing this week has gone the way he wanted and he’s so lost.

He hopes these final dates will give him some clarity, some sort of guidance so he knows what the right decision is. He’s aching inside, like he’s going to fall apart any moment. Getting ready to go meet Harry, he tries to ground himself and clear his head so he can absorb every moment he gets to spend with him. He doesn’t want to be upset and anxious the entire date, especially not with what they have planned.

He goes to pick up Harry from his hotel, heartache easing when he sees his big smile. He feels so comfortable with him, it’s almost jarring when he steps out of the car and feels a wave of calm wash over him. It’s instant, the relaxation he feels, and all he wants is to crawl into Harry’s arms and pretend the world doesn’t exist.

He does dive into his arms, snuggling into his chest to soak up his warmth. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, baby,” Harry chuckles, his chest vibrating with his words. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Louis nods, “Better now.”

“Good.” Harry kisses the crown of his head, squeezing him tightly.

When Louis goes to pull away Harry squeezes him tighter, “Just a few more seconds.”

Louis smiles fondly, shutting his eyes as he melts into his arms. “As long as you want, H.”

“Never let you go if you tell me that.” Harry finally pulls back, pressing his lips to Louis’. “I love you.”

Louis giggles, cheeks flushing. “C’mon, date time.”

“Date time,” Harry confirms, climbing into the car behind Louis. “What’re we doing?”

“You ask every time but you know good and well I’m not going to say.”

“Worth a shot.” Harry chuckles, wrapping his arm around Louis’ shoulders.

They head out to the La Rioja countryside, Harry looking out the window as they drive. “We’re not riding horses again, are we?”

“No,” Louis giggles, leaning his head on Harry’s shoulder.

When they arrive, Harry’s more than shocked when he steps out of the car to see a hot air balloon waiting for them. “Holy shit, you’re kidding!”

“You scared, big boy?”

“Hell no.” Harry smirks, “Are you, baby?”

“Not at all.” Louis gives him a devilish smile, taking off toward the balloon with Harry chasing him, as it should be.

They’re given instructions to how everything works, as well as a few safety precautions they must keep in mind while in the air. They climb into the basket with their balloon pilot, Louis clinging to Harry’s arm as they start to ascend. “Oh my god.”

Harry giggles, “Are you sure you’re not scared, baby?”

“I’m not…” Louis lies, glancing up at Harry and feeling that sense of calm wash over him, “I’m not when I’m with you.”

He means it, he really does. With Harry he feels safe and cared for, like he can do anything and he’ll always be behind him cheering him on. He’s terrified always, especially on a journey as emotionally taxing as The Bachelor, but when he and Harry are together it doesn’t feel as scary. It feels right, like fate brought them together.

He doesn’t understand why his head is all kinds of messed up, why this isn’t an obvious choice for him. He knows what his heart wants, he knows he and Harry are so good together; but they also can bring out the worst in each other and that scares Louis.

High above the clouds though, with the green vineyards and the mountains in the distance, Louis can pretend none of that matters. He can pretend the world below doesn’t exist and it’s just them and these breathtaking views. Louis turns in Harry’s arms and kisses him, humming happily as they float high above La Rioja.

Harry rubs Louis’ back gently, kissing him slowly and thoroughly. He pulls back minutely to whisper, “I love you, Louis.”

They kiss for a few more moments before the pilot brings out the champagne, pouring them each a glass. They watch as the green vineyards pass them by, fields upon fields of gorgeous land tinted orange as the sun sets. Spanish villas stand tall at the top of hills overlooking their land, proud and sure. It’s a life Louis dreams of, a prosperous one full of love and lots of wine.

“Can we own a vineyard, H?” Louis smiles, only half kidding.

“We can own anything you want, baby.” Harry returns his smile, squeezing him close as they sip their champagne, “I’ll give you anything you ask, anything that makes you happy.”

Louis’ stomach flips at that, how sure and ready Harry is to just give him the world. He’s known it, of course, but right now it means something else to Louis. This could be his future, these could be the arms he’s held in forever, but would it last forever or crumble before his very eyes?

As they descend back to earth, the rolling feeling in Louis’ belly returns, the anxiety making his fingers numb. What the fuck am I going to do?

When they land, Harry helps Louis out of the basket with a sweet kiss. “You look beautiful today, by the way. I don’t think I’ve told you yet.”

“Thank you,” Louis smiles, heart pounding so hard in his chest he’s starting to feel faint.

They take the car down to one of the vineyards, Louis in desperate need of a glass of wine or four. The sun has set fully, dark overtaking the light, and Louis can feel his mood shift drastically. He needs to talk with Harry and get some clarity, get some of this uneasiness out of his head on the table. He doesn’t want to keep up his pattern of miscommunication, he wants to talk it out with Harry in a mature way.

When they sit down to dinner, the table is decorated beautifully. Glasses and a bottle of wine are waiting for them, Louis immediately handing it to Harry so he’ll open it. “I need this.”

Harry chuckles, smiling at Louis like his whole world revolves around him. “Of course, baby.”

He pours Louis a glass before pouring one for himself, both of them clinking their glasses together, “To us.”

“To us.” Louis smiles, taking a sip from his glass.

Harry smiles at him sweetly, “So… I have something for you.”

“Oh?” Louis giggles, watching as Harry stands to go get something from inside. He carries out a wrapped present, a pretty bow placed on top. “What’s this?”

“This is a present I’ve been working on, I wanted to share it with you now on our final date of this journey.”

Louis takes the present, unwrapping it to reveal a photo book filled with pictures of them together over the last nine weeks. “Oh my god.”

“I figured this is just the start and there’s plenty more spaces so we can continue to fill it after we leave here.” Harry smiles sweetly, his heart on his sleeve.

“Oh, Harry.” Louis giggles, smiling at Harry, “I love it. Thank you so much.”

Each picture is so sweet, documenting their relationship from the start to just the other day when they were riding horses together. “It’s so sweet, H, I love it.”

Louis leans over to kiss Harry sweetly, beaming and feeling so giddy. It makes the fact that Louis has to talk to Harry about how he’s feeling so much worse. He takes a sip of his wine to try to calm his nerves. A sip turns into a few sips turns into a big gulp. Harry raises his eyebrows, “You okay?”

Louis nods, taking one more gulp before setting his glass down. “Sorry,” He can see the wary look in Harry’s eyes, clearly suspecting something. “I just need a little liquid courage to get this out.”

Harry sets his glass down, “You’re scaring me, baby.”

“Sorry, just—” Louis huffs, “okay, so I just need to discuss some things with you because I’m really struggling with my head right now.”

Harry nods, “Okay.”

“So obviously the meeting with my family didn’t go well.” Louis begins, closing his eyes to get the next part out, “and I’m just not sure where that leaves us because they mean everything to me.”

Silence.

Louis opens his eyes to see the worst thing he’s ever seen. Harry’s crying.

“H…”

He purses his lips, sniffling to try to hold back. “You’re still having doubts.”

“I wouldn’t say doubts.”

“What would you call it then?” Harry asks incredulously, the look in his eyes wild.

Louis scrambles for another word but he can’t come up with anything. “I just want to make the right decision.”

“The right decision is me, Louis! I can’t believe we’re sitting here having this conversation.” Harry shakes his head as tears drip down his cheeks, “I guess I should just be glad you’re not fucking ignoring me this time and speaking to me about this.”

Louis’ heart aches, “That’s a low blow.”

“Is it? Because we never fucking talked about it. I apologized for leaving and for hurting you and I meant it, I didn’t dig up my feelings because I figured we’d discuss it but we’ve not. Your sister had a point, we need to get it all out on the table before I get down on one knee at the end of the week.”

“I wasn’t avoiding it if that’s what you think,” Louis sniffles, tears forming in his own eyes.

“Maybe you weren’t,” Harry shrugs, “but it’s not fucking okay to leave me out in the cold like you did and continue to.”

“I haven’t done that anymore.” Louis shakes his head.

“You did when you didn’t encourage me to discuss my feelings and how you hurt me too. Neither one of us were blameless four weeks ago and you fucking know that.”

“I don’t think I’m blameless, Harry. I fucking apologized for not speaking to you.”

Harry shakes his head, frustration tainting his usually calming presence, “You’re fucking unbelievable.”

“I wanted to speak to you, you know I did, but I had been told not to and I was fed lies. We learned that when you came back and we both are guilty of listening to rumors.”

“You chose to believe some of the nastiest rumors that were spread, Louis. That’s different.”

“You believed I had sex with Ren just because I had sex with you!”

“Don’t fucking say his name.” Harry’s temper sparks, his voice shaking with anger, “Please, don’t fucking do that right now. I’m sorry I believed it, it was so wrong of me. I should’ve never believed it and I won’t give you excuses.”

Louis huffs, dragging his fingers through his fringe, “Harry, I just. I shouldn’t have done what I did either, I should’ve come to you, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. I never meant to hurt you and I really, really didn’t want you to leave. I know you had to do what was best for you, but I was still so crazy about you even though I didn’t know what to do. I should’ve never treated you that way though, no matter what anyone said.”

Harry nods, wiping at the tears on his cheeks. “I accept your apology.”

Louis wipes at his eyes, knows he looks pitiful right now, “I just don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.”

“I think you need to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and wants, Louis.” Harry sighs, “I know you want everyone to be happy but this is about you.”

“I know it is,” Louis sighs.

“Your family, the other men, the fucking world, they don’t matter because they aren’t living with your choice — they aren’t starting a life with your choice.”

“I just don’t want to spend the rest of my life mediating stuff between the love of my life and my family.”

“If that’s a dealbreaker for you, Louis, then that’s what it is. I think I could win over your family if I had more time, they were being protective and I understand that.”

“You just don’t understand how this affects me,” Louis huffs.

“Maybe I don’t, but I stand by what I said. You need to make a choice based on your own feelings, stop overthinking it.”

“It’s not that easy Harry!” Louis’ frustration is mounting and his tears start rolling down his cheeks at a higher speed. He hiccups over his sobs, hands shaking in his lap, “I’m hurting people! This is so, so hard for me!”

“Look,” Harry sighs, “baby, I can’t make this decision for you. I can’t tell you what’s the best choice for you and it kills me to see you like this and not be able to sort it for you.”

Louis crumbles and Harry takes his hands, rubbing them gently between his. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis cries, desperate to get him to understand the magnitude of his feelings. He wants Harry to understand that even though he’s struggling with his decision, his love for him is earth shattering strong.

Once he’s calmed down, their dinner is over and it’s time to go back to their hotels. Louis hates to leave it on that note, but he wanted to be honest with Harry so that he’s not blindsided in a few days. The car takes them to Harry’s hotel and idles out front as they sit in silence together.

Louis sniffles, looking down at his hands and trying to get his thoughts straight. “I’m so fucking scared, Harry.”

“You need to sort your head out, Louis. I can’t do that for you and I can’t make you choose me. This is your decision, though, Louis, not your mom’s or your sister’s or the producers. You have the control.” Harry squeezes his thigh gently before climbing out of the car, “I love you.”

Louis feels his heart shatter, the strange sense of being triggered by Harry leaving sending him over the edge. He drops his head into his hands, sobbing loudly. Harry climbs back in the car to hold him close, rubbing his back gently as the sobs wrack his body. “I’m sorry.”

“I know, baby,” Harry whispers. “It’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry, I love you.” Louis’ shaking in his arms, turning to bury his face in Harry’s neck. His tears soak through Harry’s shirt, “I wish this was as easy as it should be.”

Harry presses a kiss to his hair. “I’m sorry I put pressure on you. You know I’m always going to want the best for you and if that’s not me, it’s not me. I understand, I want you to be happy.”

Louis wishes so badly he could say Harry’s it, that he’s sure, but he isn’t. He has no fucking clue what he’s doing.

Harry gives him one more kiss on the cheek, his thumbs sweeping over Louis’ face to clear his tears. “I’ll see you, baby.”

Louis nods, lip wobbling as Harry tells him he loves him before slipping out of the car and into the hotel.

It’s devastating and Louis wishes he knew where to even start with sorting out his thoughts and feelings.

--

Louis still feels devastated when he wakes up the next morning. He’s never felt more uneasy and unsure of his decisions than he does right now. He gets ready to go see Ren, taking a longer shower than necessary to try to ease the tension in his shoulders.

When he pulls up in front of the hotel, Ren is standing outside waiting for him with a big smile on his face. He climbs in and tugs Louis close to give him a kiss. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Louis whispers, kissing him again and deepening it. “Missed you.”

“I missed you, sweetheart. Fun day ahead?”

Louis nods, “I think you’ll like it. You can watch me shake my hips.”

Ren groans, squeezing Louis tightly, “My favorite.”

Louis giggles, shoving at his shoulder playfully. “We know.”

They head thirty minutes out of town into Calle de San Juan and they spend the entire time kissing languidly, hands roaming the familiar paths they’ve created over the last nine weeks. Ren hums happily, whispering against Louis’ lips, “I wanna do this forever.”

Louis nips at Ren’s lower lip, seeing the restaurant they’re going to out of the corner of his eye. Saved by the bell. “We’re here.”

“Bummer.” Ren sighs as the car comes to a stop. He climbs out of the car and holds the door for Louis, holding out his hand to help him climb out, “This looks promising.”

Louis giggles, knowing Ren loves any date that he gets to try new foods. They enter the restaurant, Tastavin, and are led to their seats where wine glasses are lined up for them. “I figured we started our first date with a wine tasting, why not have our last date of this journey doing a wine tasting.”

Ren kisses his cheek sweetly, “I love that, sweetheart. Thank you.”

Their first glass of wine is poured and they clink their glasses together, Ren’s smile never wavering, “To the last of this adventure, to the start of forever.”

Louis pouts his lower lip out at the sweet words, “You’re so amazing.”

“That’s all you, sweetheart.” Ren smiles, taking a sip from his glass.

Their server brings out tapas and another bottle of wine for them to taste. They sip and eat, Ren practically orgasming at the authentic Spanish food. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten, oh my god.”

Louis giggles, watching him as he takes bite after bite. He finds himself slipping back into his own head, trying to figure out what’s missing here. Everything about Ren is perfect, he’s so easy to get along with and he genuinely cares for Louis.

Why does he feel like this isn’t enough?

He lets his mind wonder as he samples wine after wine after wine, trying to pinpoint what it is that he can’t get past in his heart. His head, his family, the producers, fuck probably all of America are on board with Louis picking Ren, so why is heart so against it?

He’s only pulled out of his thoughts when Ren takes the glass of wine from him so he can take his hand. He leads Louis out onto the dancefloor, a band playing flamenco music on stage. Ren takes his hips, both of them slipping into rhythm with the music. They dance together, moving like they’re one. It’s calming, something Louis can slip into and get out of his mind for a bit while they move across the floor in sync. Ren twirls Louis a few times, smiling at him fondly.

It’s hard.

Louis wants to give in, he really does, but it just doesn’t feel right, not like it does with Harry. It’s easy, sure, but his heart isn’t in it. He’s not sure it could ever be.

Ren kisses him as the band closes out their set, holding him close. “I love you, Louis.”

Louis slides his hands up Ren’s firm chest, smiling up at him sweetly. His heart hurts, because even if it won’t ever get there with him, he wonders if he could still make a life with him.

They head out into the city hand in hand after dinner but Louis is far, far away. They stroll slowly, Ren pointing out different buildings he finds pretty. He wants to feel content, happy, but he just can’t get out of his head to enjoy this final time with Ren.

“Where are you, sweetheart?” Ren whispers, sweeping Louis’ fringe out of his eyes, “You seem so far away.”

“I’m just struggling.” Louis sighs, looking down at his feet, “I just don’t know what to do.”

“About what?”

Louis looks up at Ren teary eyed, and the light goes off for him.

“You still don’t know who you’re gonna choose, huh?” Ren whispers.

Louis shakes his head, welling up again. “I’m so confused.”

He’s so tired of crying. He’s over it and he’s over feeling sick and he’s over this entire fucking show. He just wants it to be over now.

“A lot of pressure, I’m sure.” Ren grimaces, “Look, Louis, I know you don’t want to hurt anyone, but this is your choice.”

“I know but it’s not that easy, Ren.” Louis sighs, “I wish it was that simple but I can’t just make a choice without considering every angle.”

“Louis, listen.” Ren shakes his head, “I understand you want everyone to be happy, I get it, but you’ve gotta stop.”

Louis scrunches his eyebrows in confusion because Ren’s never spoke to him with this tone. “What?”

“You’re playing yourself. You’ve made up your mind, Louis, so follow your heart and pick who you see you want. If it’s me, Harry will understand just like I’ll understand if it’s Harry.”

“You make it sound so easy, Ren! You have no idea what this feels like right now.”

“Stop fighting yourself!” Ren laughs, exasperated with Louis, “You’re fighting it and I can see it! Just give in to what you want and all of this pressure and heartache you’re causing yourself will go away.”

Louis’ crying now, tears rolling down his cheeks as he splutters, lost for words.

“If you don’t make the right decision, Louis, it’s not going to end in a fairytale. You’ll end up right where you started.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of!” Louis whimpers.

“Then make the decision that your heart is begging you to make, you can never go wrong with that.”

Louis sobs, rubbing his hands over his face. “I hate this.”

Ren pulls Louis close, letting him cry into his chest. “I love you. I just want to see you happy, Louis.”

They stand in the streets of Calle de San Juan until Louis can catch his breath, still shaking in Ren’s arms as they climb into the car to head back to their hotels. Ren gives him one more kiss, deep and thorough, before climbing out of the car and heading inside.

Louis cries the whole ride back to his hotel room, trying to give in, to let himself have what he wants. If he can just figure out what that is.

--

Louis wakes feeling beyond sick to his stomach. He’s nauseous and terrified, but today is the day and there’s no escaping the inevitable. He lays in bed, wondering if he’s even ready to be making this decision. Is he ready to get married? Are either of these men right for him? What if this was all a big mistake?

His heart is in his throat, making it hard to breathe. He isn’t sure how he’s supposed to break a man’s heart and get engaged to another all in the next eight hours.

He has time before he needs to get ready, so he cooks himself some breakfast and makes himself a cup of tea before going to sit on his hotel balcony. It’s warm today, the sun rising slowly as he tries to force himself to eat, his appetite zilch with the overwhelming nerves plaguing his mind.

Louis never expected to wake up on this day so lost. When he started this journey, he pictured this day as something magical and amazing. This was supposed to be one of the best days of his life, the day he gets engaged to the love of his life. Instead, he’s fought with both of his choices in the last forty-eight hours and he’s never felt more confused. His head is a scramble of emotions, fighting each side.

He tries to make a pros and cons list for each man in his head, trying to figure out which one is right for him, but it doesn’t work because they’re both so amazing.

Ren is honestly perfect all around. He struggles to get past a roadblock in his heart, but his head is fully onboard with him. His family likes him, he’s always respectful and loving, he’s ready to get married and have kids. He checks all the boxes Louis’ always had on his list. He’s fun and sweet and he clearly adores Louis. He’s perfect for Louis and he knows it, he’s the most logical choice.

On the other hand, Harry is everything. He’s fun and he’s kind and he wants the world for Louis. He’d do anything just to make him happy and honestly, the passion there is unreal. He’s been desperately obsessed with Harry since the moment he met him and the sparks they have are overwhelming. Harry also scares him, though. He doesn’t want to get hurt and he’s worried that Harry might not be ready to get married and have kids. On top of that, his family is strongly against him and, well, that’s so important to Louis. He hopes that if he did choose Harry, his family would come around, but that isn’t a given.

The more Louis thinks about it, the more he goes over it in his head, the more confused he gets. He just wants it to be simple, he doesn’t want to break anyone’s heart, but he has no choice because he’s here now. He loves them both so much and he really has no idea what to do.

Before he knows it, it’s noon and he needs to start getting ready to go meet Ren and Harry. His suit is laid out for him, a beautiful navy blue that hugs his curves perfectly. He looks amazing in it, of course, but when he puts it on it feels like it’s trying to suffocate him.

He fixes his hair in the mirror, trying to give himself a pep talk. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.

There’s a limo waiting to take him to a beautiful hillside overlooking all of La Rioja and when he arrives, Foster Donnell is waiting for him.

“Welcome, Louis.”

“Hi, Foster.” Louis smiles, trying to not hurl on his shoes. He gives him a hug quickly before putting a good distance between them.

“Are you ready for this?”

“No.” Louis sighs, starting to shake. Oh god.

“Well, today’s the day, Louis. The limos will be here soon, do you think you can do this?”

Louis takes a few deep breaths before nodding his head.

“Okay, go ahead and head up there, the first limo will be here soon.”

Louis’ hands are shaking as he waits for the first man to arrive. He just might get sick, feeling hot and cold all over. He’s pouring sweat even though it’s cool with the sun beginning to set behind him. He still doesn’t know what he’s going to do, his head scrambled and his heart screaming in agony. He’s never been so drained and keyed up in his life.

The first limo pulls up, reminiscent of the first night all those weeks ago. The door opens and Louis’ trying to calm down as his heart pounds out of his chest. He’s gonna be sick.

Ren steps out of the limo looking breathtaking. He smiles at the man holding his door before turning to head up the path towards Louis.

As he approaches, he smiles at Louis sweetly. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Louis returns his smile as he reaches out to hold Ren’s hands. “How’re you feeling?”

“Nervous.” Ren laughs, he takes a few deep breaths before beginning. “Louis, when I signed up I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t expect to meet… the most beautiful, kind, inspiring man I’ve ever met. You’re such an amazing person and you make me want to be a better person.”

Louis can feel his stomach twist at his words.

“I never expected to fall in love, even though that’s the entire point of the show. The more I got to know you, the deeper I got, and to be here now… I feel so grateful. I want to make you happy, Louis.”

Louis’ stomach jerks when Ren starts to kneel, immediately grabbing his wrists. “Ren.”

Ren looks up at him, the realization dawning on him. “It’s not me.”

Louis’ lip wobbles, he feels like the worst person in the world. “It’s not, I’m so sorry.”

“Okay, I understand. Can I ask why?”

Tears are rolling down Louis’ cheeks but he doesn’t reach up to wipe them away, trying to gather his thoughts so he can give Ren some closure. His mouth is so fucking dry suddenly and he swallows a few times before saying, “There’s something missing here. I can’t figure out what it is, but I can’t get there with you because of it.”

“Was it something I did?” Ren asks, tears starting to escape his own eyes.

“No,” Louis shakes his head, “no, you did everything so perfectly and I truly, truly thought we could get there eventually but…”

“But you couldn’t.” Ren nods, “Okay.”

“I’m so sorry.” Louis sniffles, his heart aching for him. He wants to reach out and give him a hug but he knows that might be too much right now.

“You don’t need to be sorry, Louis,” Ren smiles sadly. “I told you yesterday, I understand. I just want you to be happy.”

“Thank you,” Louis whispers. Ren immediately pulls Louis into his arms, hugging him tightly. They sway back and forth for a few moments, just embracing these last few seconds before Louis has to send him home. This is goodbye.

When Ren pulls back, they tangle their fingers together and head back down the hill to the waiting limo. Ren turns to face him, reaching up to wipe the tears from Louis’ cheeks. “I really, really want you to be happy. I wish you both nothing but love, okay?”

Louis wants to scream, this man is so fucking kind. He can’t even be petty for two seconds, goddamn.

Ren gives him one last hug and a kiss on the cheek before climbing into the limo.

As Ren’s limo pulls away, Louis feels weight off his shoulders. He’s not sure if he’s making the right decision, but he does feel relieved that he isn’t leading Ren on. He turns to head back up the hill, trying to digest what he’s just done.

He hopes he’s made the right decision, his hands shaking as he waits for Harry’s limo.

When it finally pulls up and comes to a stop, Louis can’t breathe.

The door opens and a heeled boot can be seen first, then Harry stands up out of the limo and shakes Foster’s hand. Oh my god.

When he looks up the hill and locks eyes with him, Louis loses it. It takes forever for Harry to climb the stupid fucking hill and Louis’ bawling his eyes out already.

Harry gives him a concerned look, clearly getting the wrong idea. “Baby…”

“Harry,” Louis whimpers, launching himself into his strong arms.

“Is…” Harry trails off, “Is it not me?”

Louis sobs into his neck, squeezing him so tight, “It’s always been you, H.”

Harry stands still for a second, clearly shocked at Louis’ words. He automatically does what’s natural to him and starts rubbing Louis’ back soothingly, evidently trying to give him a moment to calm down. When Louis does finally pull back, Harry’s crying too.

“Fuck, how am I supposed to get through this after you’ve said that.” Harry chuckles, trying to wipe his eyes discreetly.

He knows he made the right decision. This is his husband and he’s known it in his heart since night one, there’s no doubt about it. Louis whispers, “You can do it.”

They go back to their marks, Harry rubbing his thumbs over the backs of Louis’ hands. “Louis, I don’t even know where to begin. You’ve changed my life in the span of nine weeks. You’ve shown me what it’s like to truly love someone, through it all. I realized in week six that I had never been in love before because I never would have gone through what I did to be with you. All of our ups and downs are worth it knowing that I get to stand here and do this right now, in fact, they’re irrelevant.”

Louis chokes on a sob, trying to keep it together but failing. Harry’s got tears rolling down his cheeks, but he still looks so incredibly poised.

“I have discovered so much about myself while falling in love with you. You’re such a beautiful person and sometimes I just catch myself sitting back and watching you, enjoying the view and soaking up every word you share, everything you do.” Harry smiles, winking as Louis giggles, “I knew the first night that you were it for me. The moment I stepped out of the limo, I felt the sparks and I knew. You’re a challenge I will gladly choose every single day. I want to wake up to this sweet smile, kiss these gorgeous lips, make you laugh every single day. I want to have babies with you and watch them grow up and have their own babies. I want to grow old with you.”

Harry starts to kneel, digging in his pocket to bring out the ring box Louis had seen three weeks ago. “I want it all with you. So Louis, will you marry me?”

He opens the box to reveal his gorgeous ring, Louis dropping his head back because he’s so overwhelmed. “Oh my god.”

“That’s not a yes.” Harry giggles.

“Yes!” Louis exclaims, diving down into Harry’s arms. He kisses every inch of his face, Harry laughing loudly as he tries to pull back so he can slide the ring onto Louis’ finger, “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m so glad you like it baby,” Harry whispers, giving him a sweet kiss. He wraps him up in his arms and stands, Louis just barely touching the ground with his tiptoes.

Louis looks down at the ring he got a preview of a few weeks ago, gorgeous and shining on his finger now. It’s perfect, this is perfect. He has everything he could ever need right here. He squeezes Harry tightly, giggling into his neck. “Holy shit.”

“We just got engaged.”

“Yes we did.” Louis feels like he might explode from excitement, “Oh wait!”

He pulls back and immediately goes over to the podium where one single rose lays. He grabs it, spinning to face his fiancé, “Harry, will you accept this rose?”

“Absolutely.” Harry beams, Louis pinning it to his lapel one last time, “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis smiles up at him, feeling the butterflies bat their wings ferociously. Fuck.

They’re given a bottle of champagne by a producer, Harry and Louis standing together to pop it. “One… two… three!”

It sprays all over the ground, Harry turning it on Louis and spraying him as he squeals, “Harry!’

Harry’s laugh feels like it’s the only sound in the world, sending Louis’ heart rate sky high.

Louis holds the glasses as Harry pours the champagne, “We’re engaged.”

“That’s right, baby,” Harry smirks, one dimple carving out his cheek. “Stuck with me now.”

“Exactly how it should be.”—Louis hands Harry his glass—“Cheers to us.”

“To us,” Harry agrees, clinking their glasses together and taking a sip. They can’t stop smiling at each other like kids, their cheeks aching and their hearts pounding in their chests. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Louis smiles, slipping under his arm to mold himself to Harry’s side. He tilts his chin up and purses his lips, Harry leaning down to kiss him once, twice, three times. “Let’s go home, yeah?”

“I’m already home.”

Chapter Text

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I’m your host, Foster Donnell, and tonight we’re going to sit down to chat with Ren, watch some behind the scenes footage, and… we’re going to see the happy couple for the first time since that day in La Rioja, Spain. This is After the Final Rose.”

The camera pans out, showing the studio audience and Foster standing amongst them. He takes the steps down to the main stage, the cameras following him as he greets the crowd. “We’re so glad you’re tuning in tonight, we have a lot to cover so let’s get started. First, we’re going to bring out Ren.”

The audience cheers as Ren steps out, heading for the stage to shake Foster’s hand. “Great to see you, man.”

“Great to see you,” Foster smiles, gesturing for the couch. “Have a seat.”

Ren sits, smiling at the audience as they continue to cheer.

“Seems like you’re a fan favorite.”

Ren laughs, shaking his head. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well, you had an amazing journey on the show,” Foster begins. “Let’s talk about your departure. How hard was it to say goodbye to Louis that day?”

Ren nods, “It was really difficult. I was really hurt and I didn’t want to leave, frankly I felt really lost, but I was honest that day. I understood and I just wanted Louis to be happy. If it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me.”

“Did you feel any sense of closure based on what Louis told you?”

“Not exactly, but I don’t think he had even worked it out to be able to give me closure then.”

Foster nods solemnly, playing it up for the camera, “Did you have any idea that Louis wasn’t going to pick you?”

Ren gives him a weird look, “I mean, clearly not. I wouldn’t have been proposing if I thought Louis would say no.”

“Do you still love him?” Foster questions, an eyebrow raised.

“A part of me is always going to love Louis but I’m not in love with him anymore, no.”

“Do you think you’re ready to see him again?” Foster asks, excited to stir the pot.

“I am.” Ren nods.

Foster smiles, standing, “Let’s welcome Louis Tomlinson, everyone.”

Ren stands as the audience cheers, Louis coming out from backstage and heading over to Foster. He shakes his hand before stepping over to give Ren a hug, squeezing him tightly. “Hi.”

“Hi, gorgeous.”

They take their seats on the couch, Louis smiling at Ren kindly. “How are you?”

“I’m good, how are you?”

“I’m good,” Louis nods, turning his attention to Foster. “Good to see you, Foster.”

“Good to see you.” Foster laughs, “Taking you back to that day in La Rioja, how hard was it sending Ren home?”

Louis sighs, glancing at Ren, “You know, it was really hard. I didn’t know what I was going to do until literally that moment, so saying goodbye… I care for Ren and didn’t want to hurt him.”

“You mentioned on that day that something was missing but you didn’t know what. Have you figured it out?”

Louis purses his lips, “You know, I’ve thought about it, and I think I’ve decided it was the passion.”

Foster raises his eyebrows.

“And not sexual passion before you go there, I mean emotional passion. We always agreed on everything and we never had any issues, and while that might sound ideal and might work for some, it just wasn’t for me.”

Foster nods, glancing at Ren, “What do you say about that?”

“I would agree.” Ren nods, “I’ve had a lot of time to think about our relationship too and I definitely noticed that. We lacked that energy.”

“Exactly,” Louis nods.

“Ren,” Foster smiles mischievously, “I’ve heard you’re dating.”

“I am.” Ren smiles, “I’m dating someone named Frankie and it’s going really well.”

“That’s great!” Louis smiles, “I’m so, so happy for you.”

“Thank you, thank you.” Ren smiles, clearly smitten. He’s gotten fucking hearts in his eyes, it’s endearing.

“Do you have any final words for Ren?” Foster asks Louis, “Or for Louis, Ren?”

“I just wish you nothing but happiness,” Louis smiles, “With life, your boy, everything.”

“Girl.”

“What?”

“Frankie’s a girl.”

“Oh! Well I wish you well with your girl, then.” Louis giggles, “You always said you just always wanted me to be happy and I feel the same way. I just want you to be happy, Ren.”

“Thank you. I wish you the best, too.” Ren leans over to hug Louis tightly, kissing his cheek.

“Louis, you stay right there because we want to keep speaking to you. Ren, it was great having you back. I wish you well, man.” Foster smiles, sending the show to a break. Ren stands and heads backstage, Louis staying put while the stage resets.

When they return from the commercial break, Louis’ lounging on the couch. Fosters smiles at the camera, “Welcome back, we’ve got Louis here to talk about his experience. How did you feel about it overall?”

“You know, I had a lot of hard moments and there were some days where I just felt like giving up and going home. I kept wondering what the hell I was doing there, but in the end, it was worth it. I was stressed out and overwhelmed the entire time, but I think I grew a lot and I learned so much about myself and relationships and I wouldn’t change any of it.”

“So,” Foster smiles, inching forward in his chair. “Are you still with Harry?”

Louis smiles, raising his hand to show his ring, “We are very much still together, yes.”

“Let’s bring him out.” Foster claps.

The audience cheers, Harry peeking out from backstage before stepping out fully. Louis giggles, shaking his head at his fiancé.

Harry shakes Foster’s hand before tackling Louis on the couch and giving him a big kiss. “Missed you.”

Louis rolls his eyes, pushing Harry back only to attach himself to his side. They’re clingy, sue them.

“What have you two been doing since the show ended?” Foster smiles fondly.

“This,” Harry says seriously, smiling down at Louis. “Literally just soaking up every minute and cuddling as often as possible.”

“We have a little montage of some of our favorite moments from your journey.”

“Oh boy.” Louis cringes, both of them looking up at the screen as it begins.

Footage from the season rolls, Harry stepping out of his limo and Louis saying he thinks he’s just met his husband. Louis and Harry making out in a pantry, running an obstacle course together and rolling in the mud. Louis kicking Harry’s ass when they drove race cars, Harry sneaking out to Louis’ hotel after the rose ceremony. They show the roast and a clip of Louis speaking to producers.

“I just don’t appreciate them attacking my fiancé.”

Louis giggles, Harry laughing loudly beside him on the couch, “Oh my god.”

They show a few clips from week four and five, limited because their interactions were slim those weeks. They show week six when Louis sees Harry again for the first time, the shock on his face mixed with the hearts in his eyes.

They show Louis meeting Harry’s family and vice versa. They show their horseback riding date and their final date in the hot air balloon. By the end, Louis’ teary eyed, reminded of how much he adores Harry.

As the montage ends, Foster smiles at them both. “Your love story is definitely one of the best we’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you.” Harry smiles, “I love watching it back, that was actually so fun for me.”

Louis rolls his eyes, “He just liked counting all the times he made me blush.”

Foster raises his eyebrows, “Do we have a total?”

“We do, just shown on the actual show it’s 39 times,” Harry laughs.

“Wow!” Foster plays it up for the camera, the audience cheering. “That’s almost as many times as you had sex in semi-public places on the show.”

Louis’ cheeks burn, Harry giggling beside him. “Almost.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Louis shakes his head, “We didn’t have semi-public sex that many times.”

Foster and Harry chuckle, Louis shaking his head.

“On a serious note,” Foster begins, “one of the biggest obstacles we witnessed was that your family didn’t approve of Harry. Has that been resolved?”

“It has.” Louis nods, “They love him now, I just think they were worried and being protective. They apologized as soon as we got back and we spent about a week at my family home and now I’m pretty sure my sister is obsessed with Harry.”

“That’s great!” Foster smiles, “I’m so happy for you both. I’m sure that eases both of your minds.”

Harry nods, “Yeah, I think family is incredibly important to us both so we wanted that resolved.”

“Do you have a wedding date decided on yet?”

Louis glances at Harry, “I think we’re aiming for next summer but it’s not set in stone yet.”

Harry nods, smiling fondly at Louis.

“Well, congratulations, we’re so glad you two are together.”

“Thank you for having us,” Harry smiles, Louis tucked into his side. “We’re so grateful for this journey and everyone who’s supported us.”

“And we can’t wait to continue to watch your journey.” Foster turns to the camera, “That concludes season twenty-six of The Bachelor. Thank you for watching, stay safe and goodnight.”