Edinburgh is for Lovers (l.s.)

xxiii.

The streets of Glasgow were dark, save for the golden glow of scattered streetlamps. Harry and Louis walked down the empty sidewalks back in the direction of their hotel.
A small, neon orange sign guided them to the door to the pub on the corner of Sauchiehall Street before the turn out of city center. They slipped inside the door of the crowded pub and pushed through the room until they found an open booth against the back wall. Louis slid into one side while Harry went to the bar to get them drinks. Harry walked back through the crowded room and placed their drinks on the table before sliding into the booth across from Louis.

"Thanks." Louis took a sip of his drink and leaned back against the vinyl cushion.

Harry nodded and took a sip of his own drink.

"That was fun. Thanks for bringing me." Louis grinned and rested his arm against the table.

"Of course. I'm glad you got to meet Henry." Harry smiled and set his drink down. "He likes you."

"Yeah?" Louis asked, raising an eyebrow. "What did you guys talk about while I was downstairs?"

"Of course." Harry chuckled. "What's not to like about you? And he just wanted to talk about, uh, us I suppose."

Louis looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I mean he, he asked about like if I was staying with you. And he knows about us I suppose. Very observational... or I'm just sickeningly obvious."

Louis smiled against the lip of his glass.

"He said I was... gentle, with you."

Louis set his glass down and looked up. "I like that you're gentle with me."

"I want to be." Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Not because I think you're delicate or-- yeah. Because I think you deserve gentle. And brave."

"Henry said you were brave?" Louis asked quietly.

"He said we both were. That we have to be. I told him I'll.. I'll always be brave for you."
Harry took another long sip of his drink.

"I want to be brave for you too."

"You are." Harry insisted.

Louis looked down at his drink, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the rim of his glass.

"Lou.." Harry whispered, barely audible over the steady thrum of voices and music.

Louis looked up and gave him a smile.

"What did Henry write in your book?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Oh. Uh.. you've got the book." Louis reminded him.

Harry pulled Louis' copy of Henry's book from his jacket and handed it to him. He watched as Louis flipped the cover open, his eyes widening at the words written there.

"He uh, he wrote Louis. Keep your strength and bravery. The adventure's just beginning. Best of luck with your writing. x Henry."

"See, he's only just met you and he can already tell you're brave." Harry smirked and took another sip of his drink.

Louis looked down at the words again. The adventure's just beginning. "That's nice of him."

The bar was too crowded to consider a second drink, so when their glasses emptied, Harry and Louis left the pub and stepped out into the night. The temperature had dropped slightly, and they walked a bit closer to each other through the empty side streets back to their hotel.

The room Harry had booked was on the third floor and had a window on the far wall that overlooked the city. The lights below them flickered in the late evening darkness. The heat rattled the radiator against the wall, but the room was warm and cozy.
Harry tugged his jacket off and slung it over the end of the bed before starting to undress.