Louis is still adamant on the fact that they don't need a marriage counsellor. He did, however, promise Harry he'd do this for him, and the last thing he would want to do right now is upset him.

So, that's why he's here, on a plush couch in a tiny office that smells like Christmas trees and soap. Harry is on the other end of the couch. They were able to squeeze them in for an appointment a few days after Louis called, and Harry had put on real clothes for the first time in a while.

"So," The woman, Miriam, starts. She's younger than Louis had expected, but still older than him, wearing a hijab and a long, flowy skirt. "Why did you decide to come here?"

Louis tries to think of an answer, but Harry beats him to it. "We fight a lot," He admits softly, arms crossed over his chest.

"I don't know if I'd call it a lot," Louis speaks up, as if downplaying it will make this easier. Miriam raises her eyebrows. "I mean. I guess it's...kind of often."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it wasn't your idea to come here," Miriam smiles at him warmly. Louis sighs a little shakes his head. "It's okay. Most people aren't accustomed to the idea at first. But, you know, every marriage is save-able. You just need two people who really want to work hard for it. So, if you're not willing to work hard, then maybe you shouldn't be here at all."

That was blunt. Louis blinks at her. "N-No. I can work hard."

"Good," Miriam smiles. "So tell me about your marriage. How long have you been together?"

"Um, we've been together for seven years," Louis clears his throat, looking over to Harry, who's eyes are glued to his lap. "We've been married for six."

"Wow," Miriam nods, seemingly writing it down. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you two look young. How old were you when you got married?"

"Uh, I was eighteen," Harry says it quietly, like he's scared of being judged. "And Louis was twenty."

"Any children?" Miriam asks.

"We have a five year old," Louis can't help but grin as he says it. "Gracie. She's turning six in October."

"Gracie," Miriam smiles brightly. "What a lovely name! So, you were quite young when you had her as well. Now, did one of you carry her, or is she adopted...?"

"Um, I carried her," Harry says shyly, cheeks flushing.

"Got it," Miriam nods. "So, you were pregnant with her when you were eighteen?" Harry nods. "And how was that? Being so young, I mean, that must've been hard, yeah?"

"Yeah," Harry admits softly. "I was in law school and everything."

"So, okay," Miriam leans back in her big desk chair, her expression soft and warm as she looks at Harry. "You were eighteen, you had just started school, you were married, and you were pregnant?" Harry nods. "Wow."

"But we didn't have any problems back then," Louis speaks up, and Miriam's eyes shift over to him. "I mean, we were fine. Stressed, yeah, but we never fought or anything."

"Were you in school too?" Miriam asks. Louis frowns.

"Um, no," He admits. "I was working."

"Full time?" Miriam raises her eyebrows, and Louis nods. "You two are hard-working people. I like that. I can tell we're going to get along just fine," She writes something down on her notepad. "So when did these problems start?"

"A few years ago," Louis says. "I don't know what happened. We just started arguing more."

"Arguing about what?" Miriam asks.

"Louis doesn't like that I work a lot," Harry says. Louis clenches his jaw a little.

"I don't like when he spends more time at work than at home," Louis says calmly. "I just think he works a little too much."

"Do you think you work too much?" Miriam asks Harry. Harry looks down at his lap again, pulling at a loose thread in his sweater.

"I didn't used to," He admits softly. "I always kind of thought Louis was overreacting. And then I...um. Recently. I had a miscarriage. And the doctor said it could've been stress."

"I'm so sorry," Miriam says softly. "That must've been really difficult for you."

"I..." Harry exhales shakily. "I feel like it was all my fault. I was just so overwhelmed at work. I didn't take it seriously until it...it killed our baby."

"I don't think that," Louis assures Miriam, his voice wavering a little as well. "I don't think it's his fault."

"Of course it's not his fault," Miriam says. "Harry, love," Harry looks up at her, eyes watery. "It's not your fault. These things just happen."

"I just feel so bad," Harry whispers. "We were doing really well for a bit there, and then this happened and I was so scared that this would ruin everything. I don't wanna get a divorce."

"Have you talked about getting a divorce before?" Miriam asks gently.

"We've mentioned it a few times," Louis admits softly. "Mostly during arguments."

"Ah," Miriam nods.

"Do you think we should get one?" Harry asks sheepishly.

"No, no, of course not," Miriam assures. "I told you, every marriage is saveable. Since this is the intro session, though, we're running out of time. I'm going to give you some homework, though."

"Homework?" Louis whines.

"You said you were willing to work," Miriam reminds with a smile. "We're going to try some role-play."

"I like this homework," Louis smirks. Harry sends him a glare. Miriam laughs a little.

"Not that kind of role-play," She shakes her head. "I think we need to start at the beginning of your marriage. So, I want you both to write about it in the other's perspective. So, Louis, you're going to write from Harry's perspective, when he was in school, and pregnant, and Harry, you're going to write from Louis' perspective when he was working."

"I-I'm not a writer," Louis wrinkles his nose.

"It can even just be bullet points," Miriam assures. "Do it, and then bring it in with you for your next appointment."

They finish up, and Harry and Louis set up another appointment for the next week before going out to the car. Once they're both inside, Harry grabs Louis' face and kisses him. After a moment they lean back, Harry saying "Thank you," softly.

♛

"Are you okay? You've been quiet ever since we got home."

Louis sighs a little, looking away from the toaster oven, where Gracie's (and his) dinosaur chicken nuggets are cooking. "I was kind of hoping we'd go, and you'd realise how ridiculous it is, and how much we don't need it," He admits, shaking his head. "But...I realised how much we really do need it."

Harry nods thoughtfully. "So you're admitting I was right?" He teases. Louis makes a face at him, and Harry giggles.

Gracie runs into the kitchen, a blanket wrapped around her. "You cold, G?" Harry furrows his eyebrows.

"I'm a superhero," She squeaks. "It's my cape."

"What're your powers?" Louis asks seriously.

"Um," Gracie taps her index finger against her chin. "I...can fly."

"Oh, that's right," Louis grins, lifting Gracie up sideways and spinning her around, making her laugh. "Super Gracie can fly, how could I forget?"

The toaster oven goes off, and Gracie is put back on the ground, leaving her tumbling to the floor on her bum. Louis fishes the nuggets out of the toaster with a spatula, glancing over at the fond look on Harry's face.