The Importance of Saying I Love You

Harry gave a heavy sigh as he pushed open the door of his flat and stepped inside. He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto the floor, knowing it drove Louis up the wall when he left his things lying around. He also decided to carelessly kick off his shoes and leave them wherever they landed, just for dramatic effect. Slowly, he lifted his green eyes from the floor and met those of the other boy in the room.

Instantly he knew that Louis was upset. It was one of those things that couldn't be explained about their relationship, he supposed. They always knew when the other was unhappy, almost as if they could feel it in the air.

At first, Harry couldn't tell if it was anger or sadness that had brought the frown onto Louis' face, but once he saw the blue eyes in front of him fill with tears, he had his answer. He curled his hands into fists and almost kept walking toward his bedroom, but stopped whenever Louis slowly spoke his name.

"Where have you been?" Louis asked, so quietly that he was almost whispering. "Please don't lie either. You and I both know you're a terrible liar."

Harry sighed again and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. "I haven't been anywhere, alright? I've just been walking around all day trying to clear all this shit out of my head."

He watched as Louis let his eyes drop, hurt covering his expression. "I don't understand what's going on, Harry. I know there's something you're not telling me."

"God dammit!" Harry shouted, causing his boyfriend to jump from the sudden increase in volume. "There's nothing going on except for sometimes I need to get out of the house. Sometimes I just need to think."

Louis stood from his seat on the couch and stepped closer to Harry. "Is it really that bad to be here with me? Have you already decided that you don't want to be with me, simply because I'm a guy?"

Harry's entire body stiffened as he folded his arms across his chest. "That would be your first thought, wouldn't it? You never stop to think that maybe it's something you've done."

"What?" Louis questioned, a shocked expression covering his face. "What are you talking about, Harry? I really don't know of anything that I've done that's so bad that you avoid me like the plague, constantly leave and never say where you're going, and never even act like you're my boyfriend anymore!"

Now it was Harry's turn to look upset. He looked away from the other boy, his cheeks suddenly turning red from embarrassment. "Why don't you ever tell me that you love me?"

The room grew insanely quiet, with neither of the boys daring to move. Louis thought to himself that he'd never before seen Harry look so hurt and mentally kicked himself, hating that he was the one to bring that look to his face.

It was no secret that Louis was protective. From their first days together on the X Factor, the younger boy had seemingly naturally gravitated toward him, and with the attraction mutual, Louis couldn't help but constantly hover and make sure he was okay all the time. Harry had looked and acted so innocent at the time, making Louis' heart melt every time they were near each other.

And now, as he looked at the pained expression on Harry's face, he realized he had failed at protecting him, not from others, but from himself.

"Harry," Louis sighed, finally reaching out for his boyfriend. He linked their fingers together and pulled Harry's body toward his own, trying desperately to get him to make eye contact. "I'm so sorry, alright? I didn't realize what I was doing, or how much it was hurting you. Babe, why didn't you just say something?''

"Because you treat me like a child, Lou. You're always so concerned that I'm going to freak out about dating a boy. Don't you get that if I didn't want to be with you, I wouldn't be? I'm almost eighteen, and you have to start treating me like it."

Louis pushed his hand into the thick, dark curls that he adored more than anything. "It does worry me sometimes, I'll admit that. Before me, you hadn't even done anything more than kiss a girl, and sometimes I get scared that you are going to change your mind about me. You're young, Harry, and I don't want you to ever feel like I'm pushing you into this relationship."

Harry swatted Louis' hand away with a groan and a roll of his eyes. "I don't feel like that! Why can't you just trust me?"

Sighing, Louis slipped his arms around Harry's thin waist and locked eyes with him. For the first time, he really saw the change in Harry. He was no longer the baby faced kid that he had met on the X Factor just a little while back. He was becoming a man, and one who knew what he wanted.

"Because, Harry, I do love you. I love you so much that it scares the hell out of me sometimes. I honestly don't know what I would do with myself if I ever lost you." He leaned in and pressed his lips against the throat of the younger boy, smiling as Harry tilted his head back and sighed heavily.

"Let's promise each other something, okay?" Harry said quietly, his breath hitching in his throat as Louis continued to place kisses all over his neck. "Every day, no matter how angry we get at each other, no matter what we're feeling, we'll always say 'I love you' at least once."

Louis buried his face in Harry's neck and nodded slowly, tightening his grip around the other boys middle. Harry shook his head, unsatisfied with this answer. "Say it, Louis. I need you to promise me."

Louis pulled back just enough so he was able to look into the green eyes in front of him. "I promise. And we'll start right now, yeah? I love you."

Harry bit his lip when he felt a smile begin to tug at the corners of his mouth. "I love you, too."