~L~

His ears were ringing. It couldn't be true, it couldn't be happening. He tried to convince himself. His conscience was not ready to accept that the man he loved with his entire existence was leaving.

How could Harry say that? How could he come to the conclusion that leaving was the only option? That ending what they had would fix everything? These past months everytime Louis had imagined his future, there was not a single glimpse in which Harry was absent. People might call him naïve, or young, or foolish, but he knew what he wanted. He knew what he would always want. And that was a life with Harry, however difficult it might be.

He wanted Harry to be by his side. If he was ready to fight for them, take extreme measures for them, then why was Harry not on the same page?

His thoughts were broken when Harry embraced him, he withdrew his gaze from the floor to the man kneeling in front of him.

"How could you?" He choked out, vision blurred from the stream of tears, "How could you even think of leaving me? You promised you would do anything to keep me happy. Then why are you trying to give me such pain?"

"I am trying to keep you happy, Louis," Harry wiped under his eyes and pressed their foreheads together, "I always want the best for you. Me leaving is the best option here. You have your whole life in front of you. You don't want to be stuck fighting your family and trying to be with me."

"I know what I want, and that's you. Please don't give up on us."

"I can't stay here, Lou, not after I have caused such pain to Eliott. I won't ever be able to forgive myself for hurting him, he showed me the right path and I betrayed him."

"You love me. How is that betrayal? Who I saw today was not my father, that was a man who hates to see two men in love," Louis cupped Harry's cheek, making the man look at him, trying to get Harry to see the truth. "Today, he did this to you. Tomorrow, I will be the one on the receiving end."

Harry's breath got caught in his chest, hands trembling as realisation dawned in his face. "No!" He gasped out, pulling Louis against himself, "No, no. I won't let him hurt you, I won't."

"Then take me with you. Let's build a life together away from here... please."

Harry's hold loosened around him and the man walked away, his mind deep in thought. He knew he had put Harry in a dilemma.

"That's a far-fetched dream, one in which you won't be happy," Harry was facing away from him, voice clogged with dejection.

"Stop telling me what will make me happy!" He marched toward him and turned Harry to face him, "I know what will make me happy. I am ready to face the ups and downs with you, to go through the good and bad days. I am not imaging a dream, I am imaging a life. A life where we will get mad with each other but we will know we can always rely on the other. Where we will take care of each other, where at the end of the day we will be happy because we will have each other. I know it will be rough at the beginning, but we'll make it work."

"What if you hate me someday? When you realise I took you away from your family, from your life here, what if you start hating me?" Harry voiced his insecurities.

"Harry," he breathed softly against the man's lips, "I am making this decision for myself. I want to go with you. I want you. Do you want me?"

Harry gulped and nodded, leaning closer to his lips, "I want you, now and forever."

Louis sealed their lips, a gentle caress at first and dissolving into deep emotions. Harry reciprocated just as desperately, as if relieved to know that he wasn't going to lose Louis anytime soon.

He pulled back when Harry winced, "I am sorry," he apologised again, tracing the dried blood on the man's lip. "I should have tried harder to stop him."

"Don't blame yourself," Harry kissed his finger, "It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either," he insisted.

"I'll try to accept that." Harry kissed him again despite the pain shooting through his whole face.

"Let's put some ointment on these," Louis tugged the man to follow him inside. He made Harry sit on the kitchen stool while he dug into the medical box for ointment and gauze pads.

"We'll have to leave before sunrise," Harry spoke then groaned in pain when Louis pressed the gauze against his forehead.

"Okay," he tried to keep the tremor out of his voice. It was scary to leave everything behind. He was not a fool to think that he could just forget this place. San Gimignano was his home, it was friendship and family, it was sunny beaches and lovely neighbours, it was pleasant childhood and carefree days, but it was also where he had found love, found his Harry. And that, that little information was enough to ease his worry. They could make it work.

"Here," he handed the bag of frozen peas to the man, "Put it on your eye, I'll get you some pain meds."

Harry was following his movements with a fond gaze and Louis couldn't help but blush at the love pouring through them.

"Take these," he filled a glass of water and placed it on the counter, "I'm going back to pack a bag before we leave."

Harry took his hand and ran his thumb along the inside of his wrist, "Don't take too long."

"I'll be back before you even know it," he left after placing a kiss at the corner of Harry's mouth.

-

Standing in his room it was surreal to think that he was leaving everything behind. Leaving behind all these memories, his mum, Mia... Mia would be disappointed that he did not even say goodbye. She had stuck with him through everything, they shared each detail amongst themselves. She was his best friend and she deserved a goodbye. He promised himself to write her a letter as soon as they found somewhere to stay.

And his mum, she would have accepted him, he knew she would have.

He looked at the packed bag by his feet, the open window calling him, Harry's smile asking him to go to him. Then his gaze fell on the photo frame, seven year old him laughing as he stood between his mum and dad, holding their hands and smiling bright at the camera.

He was giving it all up.

He picked up the frame and hugged it to his chest before unzipping his bag and keeping it safe with his other belongings.

He tore a piece of paper from the notebook and penned down a quick apology.

Mum,

I am sorry I left without a goodbye. But I couldn't bear to say it to you, and father would have never let me leave.

I love Harry, I love him more than my life and I know he does, too. It is my decision to leave and be happy with him.

I hope one day father accepts me for who I am and respects the man I love.

It is difficult to let go of this place, but at the same time it is necessary.

I'll stay in touch with you, and I hope you do, too.

Love, Louis.

~