C H A P T E R   T H I R T Y S E V E N

Gifts and Gatherings

14 days til' Christmas

❄●❄

An elf and a scrooge – two separate worlds, two separate hearts, side by side on the seat of a train: The elf sleeps, lips in a pout poised to drip off his peaceful face. The world doesn't hurt him here. The scrooge watches while he waits for their destination to arrive in a flurry of dancing white and crisp London cold. Mischief sparkles with the blue in his eyes. He slips his free hand – the one not tangled with a larger one in his lap – into the elf's jacket pocket and pulls out a cell phone that isn't his.

❄●❄

HARRY COULD BARELY contain his glee on their way up the floors to Louis' flat, so he knew the human a few steps ahead of him couldn't be faring any better. If Harry could see energy, he would see it crackling off Louis' skin. It'd look like those small firework sticks Americans take pictures with during their summers.

They'd dropped Robert off at the hotel first and made sure he would settle in fine. Harry grabbed a change of clothes so that he could spend the night here. After all that's happened, he wasn't sure when he'd be able to bear being apart from Louis again. He still had the day off tomorrow, but he's taking Robert shopping and reacquainting him with the London he left long ago. And then he'll be making his grand return to caroling practice to see how much progress everyone's made in his absence.

But he didn't want to think about any of that right now. Right now, he and Louis were standing outside Louis' door, and Louis was smiling in a way that was familiar to Harry now but still unfamiliar in this setting. So while Louis fumbled with his key, Harry ducked and kissed the top of his cheekbone.

And then the door was open. Lottie, Tommy, and Fizzy were lounging on the sofa, and Harry couldn't help himself. He gently shouldered past Louis and hurried into the living room where Lottie met him halfway, and he wrapped her into a hug.

"How was your trip?" she was asking when they pulled apart. God, Harry was so happy to see her.

As Fizzy approached, he pulled her into a hug as well. "Better than I ever dreamed it would be."

"Your mum?"

To his own surprise, Harry had almost forgotten that's why they'd gone in the first place. "Much better."

Louis was standing with them now, and the hugs started all over again. Harry went to shake Tommy's hand, to pet Dashing, who was lounging on the chair, and then finally took his jacket off and hung it up in the closet by the front door.

While Louis continued reuniting with his sisters and Tommy, who finally stood to join them all, Harry snuck into the kitchen for a water bottle and nearly had a heart attack when he was confronted with not only all the lads, but Ella and Olivia as well.

The lads all shouted "Harry!" in unison, but Ella was the first to throw herself at him.

While he embraced his coworker, he stared at the others over her shoulder. He knew his mouth had opened and closed too many times, that he probably looked like a ridiculous fish, but he couldn't believe they were all here. How had they known when he and Louis were coming home? The lads probably heard it from Louis, but Ella and Olivia? What?

"Harry!" Ella said, putting her hands on either side of his face when she stepped out of his embrace. "I've missed this face around that blasted restaurant. I'm so happy you're home."

Home. And it was, wasn't it?

The entire counter was filled with pizzas that remained untouched, waiting for the last of their little party to arrive, he figured. What even was this? Had Louis planned the whole thing? Had Lottie? Zayn, maybe? Harry didn't know, couldn't fathom much besides all the faces of the people he loved in this city all in one flat. All there to see him and Louis.

Instead of a water, Liam handed Harry a beer and then gripped his upper arm. "Good to see you, mate." His warm, crinkly-eyed smile had Harry grinning back, larger than before. He couldn't help it. He was so happy.

Louis poked his head through the doorway at that moment, a knowing smile on his face already, and Harry stared at him. He'd done it.

What a little shit.

"Louis," Harry said, gesturing with a hand for his love to join him. When he did, Harry angled them towards Ella and Olivia before Louis could greet the others. "These are my friends from the hotel, Ella and Olivia. Ladies, this is Louis, the bane of my existence."

Louis dramatically scoffed at that. "That's the thanks I get for all this? Nice." He reached for their hands one by one. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm sorry you're stuck with him so often. Perhaps you'd like to join my support group?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but it was undeniable: he already loved this human more than he had yesterday.

"What do you think we've been doing during those caroling practices while he's been gone?" Ella said, and Olivia nodded along in character beside her.

Louis was pleased by that response, Harry could see. And before he turned away to say hello to the others, he squeezed the spot above Harry's hip bone discreetly – but not discreetly enough. Ella had seen, and when Harry met her gaze again, she flashed him a quick thumbs-up.

The pizzas were cut and more beer was had. Everyone relocated into the living room even though there was hardly enough sitting room and most of them ended up on the floor. Nobody seemed to mind.

There was so much Harry wanted to talk about with everyone, but so little he could actually say. Louis appeared to feel the same way, so they stuck to stories about his mum, Gem, and Ed. They tried describing the North Pole in a way that wasn't necessarily lying but wouldn't give anything away, not that Harry figured anyone would suspect where they'd actually gone. Lottie and Fizzy asked Harry more about Gemma, and he decided he hoped they'd get to meet her someday.

When Ella and Olivia left, Niall pulled his guitar out of god knows where – probably Louis' room – and began plucking at it the way Ed sometimes does. It was casual and aimless; occasionally he hummed along, as did Liam or even Louis, but mostly he just provided soft background noise. Fizzy was falling asleep on the sofa and Lottie had disappeared into the kitchen only to return with a coffee pitcher of peppermint hot chocolate and enough mugs for anyone who wanted one.

She handed Harry one and filled it. The warm chocolatey-peppermint scent had him placing a hand over his heart and saying, "I missed being waited on."

On the floor, Louis curled against his side, looking happy and like he never wanted the night to end, but sleepy all the same. Harry had slept on the train and he wasn't sure if Louis managed to, but he felt the same. In fact, he thought this night might rival even the time he and Louis first met.

Fizzy, Lottie, and Tommy trickled out next. Harry thought nothing of it, for Lottie sleeps at Tommy's all the time, until he spotted her winking at Louis before departing. Harry's face felt hot after that.

Thankfully either nobody noticed or everyone was kind enough not to say anything. The lads hung around for another half hour or so before Zayn – ever the sensible and perceptive friend – declared it was late and they should let Harry and Louis rest after their long trip (though, of course, they couldn't possibly know just how long it really was).

Finally, at nearly one in the morning, they were alone. Dashing and Charming aside.

Louis had followed the others to the door when they left, and now he turned and held a hand out for Harry to pull himself up. He couldn't stop the yawn that escaped him once vertical, and Louis chuckled.

"You're telling me," he said.

Harry brought their mugs into the kitchen, which was kind of a mess. But they could deal with it tomorrow. Or Harry would, anyway. Louis had papers upon papers to start grading.

On his way from the kitchen to Louis' bedroom door, Harry flipped off all the lights. Darkness fell around him, but Louis had turned on his bedside lamp and now waited for Harry in his bedroom doorway, a silhouette against the hazy, warm-toned glow behind him.

When Harry reached him, Louis was smiling. "Welcome home?"

"I can't believe you set that up."

He followed Louis into the room and shut the door all but a crack, like usual. A cat-sized crack.

Louis was pulling sweats and his toothbrush out of the suitcase someone – probably Lottie – had brought in here at some point. "I never did such a thing."

"Oh? Lottie just happens to enjoy the company of our friends? Including Ella and Olivia?" Harry asked as he pulled his sweater off, then his T-shirt.

Louis shrugged a shoulder as he passed Harry. "She's a social butterfly, what can I say?"

When he slipped out of the room, Harry shook his head, unable to stop smiling. It was almost embarrassing. Louis played his role so well when they had teasing conversations like this, but Harry couldn't fucking control the muscles in his face. Not when he was this happy.

Louis returned in his glasses, smelling like his toothpaste, and looking even softer than usual, drowning a little in the sweats and T-shirt he liked to sleep in. Harry took his turn in the bathroom next, grateful Lottie hadn't touched his toothbrush he kept here. He noticed she'd cleaned up and reorganized a few things elsewhere in Louis' flat, but his toothbrush thankfully remained.

Once back in Louis's room, Harry finally kicked off his jeans. Louis pretended to busy himself with cleaning his glasses while Harry stripped, but Harry didn't miss the faint splash of pink across his cheekbones.

In just his briefs, Harry fell very ungracefully onto the bed, and Louis conspiratorially joined him. "It really wasn't me."

"It definitely was."

He rolled onto his side, almost on top of Louis, and threw a leg over Louis' in order to keep him in place. He used a hand to turn Louis' face towards his, and then he kissed him like he's wanted to for hours.

They did this for a while, and though Harry has never had this particular experience, he assumed this was just like in the movies, how they made out like teenagers. Eventually Louis pushed him onto his back so that he could crawl over him, straddle him with his knees, and continue kissing him in this position.

Harry could barely breathe, but he couldn't honestly care less if he never knew oxygen again. He wrapped his arms around Louis' waist and pulled his body flesh against Harry's, and every point of contact sent white-hot flashes down Harry's spine, his toes. He was afraid to open his eyes, because as it was, he was seeing stars and they were beautiful.

And then the way Louis' body began to move on top of his felt like a grooving rock song; the stars turned into flashing spotlights. Harry rolled them, switched their positions, and Louis gasped at how quickly and efficiently he'd managed the feat. If Louis wanted to play this game, then Harry would play it. He moved his body against Louis' the way Louis had been doing to him moments ago.

Louis' fingers flexed against Harry's scalp, clung to his curls. Harry decided to give them both a chance to breathe a little, started kissing Louis' jaw, his neck, instead.

Suddenly, Louis' hands weren't in Harry's hair anymore. He tucked them beneath Harry's, ran them down the sides of his torso, and then they rested at Harry's hips, the waistband of his briefs. If his pupils weren't already dilated, Harry was certain they were now.

So he rolled over, landed on his back beside Louis and tried to catch his breath. After a second, he glanced at Louis, who's chest rose and fell in time with his own. He was pouting.

Harry felt his swollen lips crack into a lazy smile. "We should wait. It's so late, Lou. We both have things to do tomorrow."

Louis rolled onto his side, propped his head up with his elbow and splayed a hand over Harry's chest where his heart pounded beneath his ribcage. "Must we?"

"Must we what?" Harry asked, fighting to ignore the way his body reacted to Louis' closer proximity, his touch. "Wait? Or do things tomorrow?"

"Both."

Harry touched a finger to the dip underneath Louis' chin and used it to pull his face closer so that he could kiss him again. An easy kiss that didn't steal their breath away again before they could finish catching it. "Yes, we must."

Louis sighed and reached for the lamp switch. "Tease."

When the dark engulfed them, they crawled up to their pillows. Both on their sides, Harry knew they faced each other, but his eyes hadn't adjusted to the complete blackness of the room yet and he couldn't see him. But he reached for Louis' face anyway.

"Ow," Louis chuckled when Harry poked him in the eye.

"Sorry," Harry giggled. He'd meant to run his fingers through his hair. "Tell me. How did you get Ella and Olivia here? I gotta know."

He felt Louis shrug. "I stole your phone while you slept on the train."

"Ah."

The bed shifted a little, and then Harry felt lips against his forehead. When they were gone, Louis said softly, "Goodnight."

"Love you," was all Harry could say in response.

"Love you more."

❄●❄

ROBERT HADN'T FORGOTTEN much about the city he once called home.

Harry took him shopping for a lighter jacket, as he'd come with one fit for the North Pole cold, not the London cold – which was far milder. The heavier coat was too warm, just like Harry's own had been. Luckily, he'd had a little sprite of a human hanging around who had use for it.

After fetching some other essentials for his hotel room and wardrobe, they got lunch and then stopped at Gibson's for drinks. Molly was happy to see Harry after so long and asked how Louis was, clearly in an effort to see if they were still together, why both had been absent for so long. Harry didn't give in to the gossip, but he assured her all was well and that they'd be in together later.

He got Louis' favorite tea in a to-go cup and parted ways with Robert from there. On his way back to Louis', Ella and Olivia called him during their break at the restaurant to tell him they couldn't stop talking about how hot Louis was and how funny he was and how wonderful he was.

"I told you," Harry said. "I told you you'd want him for yourself."

"I should have listened," Ella conceded.

"Well, I regret to inform you that he's still taken."

The teasing continued for much of his walk, and he was happy they had liked him. He knew a part of Ella had always been unsure about whether Louis and Harry were even compatible, but it appeared those concerns of hers were long gone. She had nothing but glowing reviews.

When he returned to the flat, he found Louis hunched over a pile of papers at the kitchen island, glasses slid too far down his nose and hair a mess, like he'd stuck his fingers into it for too long. He set the tea down beside Louis' empty glass of what once must have been water and bent to kiss him hello on his forehead.

He had about an hour before he needed to leave for carol practice, so he helped Louis grade the easier assignments. And since his classes had had substitute teachers while he was away, most of the assignments were easy ones.

And then caroling practice goes without a hitch. Everyone sounded better than he remembered, and everyone had shown up. They all seemed happy to have him back, but it was clear Ella had done an excellent job in his absence. They only ran through every number once, and then they did a little party planning: How they would rearrange the room; What was going to go where; What they could hang decorations on and what they couldn't.

Harry left feeling more confident about the whole thing than ever. The party was two weeks away still, and they were ready.

❄●❄

LOUIS WAITED FOR him at the counter inside Gibson's where he stood chatting with Molly. Harry greeted him, again, with a kiss. Behind the counter, Molly made a gagging sound.

Harry winked at her. "You asked how we were doing."

She handed him his hot chocolate. "I didn't need a visual aid." But she looked happy to see them both again.

They relocated to Louis' black sofa, and Harry was relieved to have a moment with him where neither of them had work to do. He sighed gratefully as he settled into the cushions. "Did you finish?"

"Not even close," Louis snorted. "But I made a nice dent. It'll do. How was practice?"

"Incredible. They've done so well, gotten so much better. It's going to be perfect."

Louis was nodding, looking like something was on the tip of his tongue but he didn't want to say it just yet. Harry decided not press. He'd spit it out eventually.

Instead, Louis said, "Your friends are nice. I didn't get to say so last night."

At this, Harry rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Don't worry, they feel the same about you."

"I'd be concerned if they didn't. I was on my best behavior."

"Your best behavior was asking them to join your Harry support group?"

Louis finished sipping his tea, and then over the edge of his mug, he said solemnly, "Of course."

Shaking his head, Harry reached for Louis' bag and pulled their notebook out of it. He set it on the table in front of them, flipped open to a random, empty page. "Okay. What have you got?"

"What have you got?"

Harry pursed his lips and thought. Then he hummed.

Louis nodded along, his eyes flickering away, gaze turning into a vacant stare towards the glass windows lining the diner. Harry started his tune over again, and halfway through the second time, Louis reached for the pen and wrote three lines.

Harry took it and read through them, humming along. "What about this?" he asked, scratching out one of Louis' word choices in the third line and replacing it with something else.

Louis looked and nodded. "That's good. Here," he took the notebook again and wrote another two lines, still humming Harry's tune. But it had changed, had become a little longer. "This good?"

And so it went. They each had one refill of their drinks before they packed up and headed over to Liam's place.

It felt like nothing had changed since before they left for the North Pole even though everything had. Everything had. But here they were again, hand in hand on their way to Liam's flat, a notebook filled with new material tucked into Louis' bag. They'd gone about their days mostly separated until Gibson's, and now they'll spend the evening with their friends. When they go home, Lottie will be there. It was the same routine, yet Harry felt inside him that something had been altered. He just didn't know what.

"Lads," Liam greeted them at the door, "it's good to have you back."

Louis tossed his jacket over Liam's arm, and Harry gently set his there as well. "Thanks, mate."

Liam waved a hand. "Food's in the kitchen. Beer's in the fridge. You know. The usual."

It certainly was the usual.

Zayn sat in his spot on the sofa, and normally Louis sat beside him, but a second beer sat on the coffee table beside his, so Louis hesitated. Then he left enough room for someone else between them. Harry squeezed onto his other side.

"Zayn," Louis said in greeting. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Fancy indeed," Zayn agreed.

Harry settled back, let an arm stretch out on the back of the sofa behind Louis. He tipped his head back and rested it against the cushion.

"Beer?" Niall called from the kitchen just as Liam reappeared from putting their jackets wherever he always puts them.

"No thanks," Harry called back as Louis said, "Sure."

Liam fell into the spot between Louis and Zayn. Harry sat up straight at this. That had been a small spot. He tried to lean forward and glance over inconspicuously – surely Liam and Zayn had to be pressed together pretty tightly. Louis was practically half in Harry's lap the way it was.

And they were. Thigh to thigh, shoulder to shoulder, technically. Zayn had already been sitting with his arm outstretched along the back of the sofa, just as Harry's was. Liam's shoulder and arm, therefore, fit perfectly in the space where Zayn's once was.

Though Harry was trying to be discreet, Louis was outright gaping. Harry elbowed him.

Niall brought Louis' beer then, thankfully. They could discuss this possibly new development later.

Other than that, the night wore on how Harry expected it would. They presented the work they'd accomplished at Gibson's, worked on it together, all five of them, for a while, and then the others played the two songs they'd been working on while Harry and Louis were away. They didn't eat, but they drank a little, and Louis teased everyone and everyone fondly took it without incident. Liam and Zayn flirted a little, which had Louis practically vibrating where he sat on the floor whenever it happened. Mostly, everything was still the same. Everything except Louis' eyes.

They were definitely different, Harry noticed. Unburdened. Weightless. He thought they were lighter in color, even. They were bright and often they were hard to see in full, because Louis rarely stopped smiling long enough to open them all the way.

Harry felt that way too. Now that everything was out in the open between them and they didn't have to hide anything from each other, it was like the weight that had been sitting on his chest, his shoulders, was gone. They couldn't tell their friends a thing, but he felt free all the same.

They left Liam's early enough to have a late dinner with Lottie and Tommy. She'd gone grocery shopping while they were out, and when they got home, she had bread and various sandwich makings scattered all over the counter. She'd cleaned up the mess from the night before that both Harry and Louis had still forgotten to, and Louis pecked her on the cheek for it.

"Gross," she complained, a familiar Tomlinson quirk to her lips as she wiped it away.

The four of them made their sandwiches, and Harry decided this was a better dinner than the Chinese food Niall had ordered at Liam's. He was glad he hadn't eaten there.

When they were sitting around the island and a few bites in, Lottie coughed. "Lou,"

"Yeah?" he asked, mouth half full still.

Lottie looked positively terrified of whatever she was about to say, and Harry couldn't help himself. He tensed and readied to reach for Louis' hand under the table.

"I'm sorry to ask again so soon after you're back," she began, flexing her manicured fingers over the tabletop. "But we really have to figure out winter break plans. Mum's been asking."

Harry kept his hand to himself and raised his sandwich to his mouth, glancing Louis' way to see how he'd respond. This was the first time anything holiday-related has come up since they've been home, and though Louis seemed better in every way that counted in the North Pole, Harry had no idea how that would translate here.

Louis wiped his fingers on his napkin and reached for his glass of water. "Well. What if we celebrate here first. Harry's party is Christmas Eve anyway. And then, I don't know, on the 27th or something we can head to mum's and stay for New Years."

Lottie was staring at her brother with the same terrified expression she'd worn as she asked her question a moment ago. Louis was wiping his lips with his napkin now, clearly waiting for her to agree or disagree. Harry flicked his gaze over to her, but she didn't appear capable of saying anything, so before the silence could scare Louis into doubting himself, Harry cleared his throat.

"I think that's a good plan, personally."

"Yeah," Tommy nodded. "That way we can have dinner with my family on Christmas day," he said to Lottie, who finally seemed to shake herself out of it.

"Right," she said. "Okay. Great. I'll let Mum know."

After they were finished eating, Louis and Tommy relocated to the living room to play whatever videogame it is they play together. Harry began putting away the sandwich makings, and Lottie gathered the dishes to the sink. She started washing, and then he started drying, and that's when Lottie asked, "What on earth happened while you guys were gone?"

He knew exactly what she was asking, but he said anyway, "What do you mean?"

"Why didn't he bite my head off just then?"

Harry tried not to smile. "People change."

He didn't want to make too big of a deal out of it, but he was secretly happy she noticed the positive change. He was happy the change had followed them back to London in general.

"Maybe we can celebrate his birthday this year then. What do you think he wants? For Christmas as well? I haven't had to gift shop for him in years. Do you think he'll give me ideas if I ask?"

Harry glances over his shoulder towards the living room. Through the doorway, he could see the back of Louis' head over the top of the chair.

He chewed on his lip. Everything was going so well, and Harry thought Louis would receive any gift well enough, but it might be too soon. He didn't want to push him. He's already made so much progress that Harry can't imagine he's ready to take every single step just yet.

Still...what if he was? Harry didn't want to hold him back either. If he was ready to embrace Christmas and his own birthday, then who was Harry to try and stop everyone else from helping Louis along?

It was just that Louis spent years hating this time of year, and he just discovered most of what he believed to be true wasn't. Louis might be superhuman in Harry's eyes, the strongest, bravest person Harry knew, but even he had his limits. Harry wouldn't push him, and he wouldn't let anyone else push him either. They could do gifts next year.