Edinburgh is for Lovers (l.s.)

epilogue i.

New Years Eve 1999

"Love, are you ready to go?" Louis called from the bedroom to where Harry was getting ready in the bathroom down the hall.

"Almost."

Louis chuckled and walked into the bathroom to find Harry fluffing his curls around, trying to get them to lay right.

"My hair's gotten too long, I think" Harry scrunched his nose in the mirror as a curl fell down across his face.

"It looks very handsome though." Louis smiled and rested his chin on Harry's shoulder.

"You don't think it's too much? I mean it's almost to my shoulders."

Louis shrugged to him in the mirror. "I think it's lovely. Reminds me of how long it got the first few years we were together."

Harry smile and turned to pull Louis against his chest. "Alright."
He kissed Louis' forehead. "Thank you."

"Of course, my darling."
Louis tucked a curl behind Harry's ear and laughed when Harry blushed.
Seventeen years after they'd met, nearly sixteen together, thousands of times tucking Harry's rogue curls behind his ears, and the blush on his cheeks was still ever present.

"Mm." Harry hummed and leaned into Louis' touch. "Okay, I suppose I'm ready then."

"Good." Louis kissed his cheek and pulled back.
"We've got to get going if we're going to catch the 5:30 to Glasgow."

"Somehow I feel like Connell and Graham would understand if we were a bit late."
Harry smirked and leaned in to kiss Louis' jaw.

"Harold." Louis laughed and ducked away from him, pulling Harry behind him and out of the bathroom.

"Alright, alright."
Harry wrapped his arms around Louis' waist and followed him to the living room, still trying to press little kisses to his neck and shoulders.

They'd been living in this house for over ten years, and neither had ever felt more at home. They'd had countless evenings with friends over, and even more nights spent alone together, letting their love fill every inch of their space. Louis had changed his teaching schedule to only teach the spring writing class, as he and Harry now spent every summer at their summer home by the sea in Cornwall. Sometimes Anne, Gemma and her husband, and their two kids would join them for a week on holiday.
They had a large room that they shared as an office in the summer house, with large French doors that opened out towards the porch with a view of the ocean. They spent mornings there, and then ventured down to the beach together in the afternoons when the weather was nice. Some days during the winter, they took the train together to H&L Publishing in city centre, only ten minutes from their house. Others, they'd spend writing from home.
Louis had published a total of five books since they'd met, each one more successful than the last. He now had his books in shops across Scotland, Ireland, and England, with a few shops in other countries requesting copies as well.
Harry had a full staff that he loved, and more than a dozen authors signed on under H&L Publishing, and he was honoured to publish Henry Garrick's last novel before he retired.
Connell and Graham had become some of their best friends, and they often came down to Edinburgh to spend time at Harry and Louis' home, staying in the large guest room if they didn't want to catch a late train home.
Harry and Louis took the train to Glasgow often, including tonight as they grabbed their jackets and shuffled out the door.

"Dinner is at 7:00." Louis checked his watch. "We're just meeting at Henry's yeah?"

Harry nodded. "Then we'll walk over to Waldron's with Connell and Graham around 9:00 or so."