Work Text:
His palms are sweaty, heart racing. He knows this will only work if they actually win the award.
He looks around the table at the other lads. Liam, a wall of strength and nervousness and calm all in one. Niall, a ball of tension and barely suppressed energy. Zayn, a mask of serene calmness held firmly in place, hiding a well of anxiety. And Louis, lovely lovely Louis, who has no idea of the million and one thoughts racing through Harry's mind at that very moment.
When their name are read out as the winners of whatever award they'd been nominated for the only thing Harry feels is relief and, if it's possible, even more nervousness. Louis remains mercifully unaware of his inner turmoil and for that Harry is immensely thankful.
Climbing up the steps to the stage, accepting the award, it's all a bit of a blur to Harry, hardly noticed or paid any attention to. He glances at the faces of the other lads as Louis talks, thanking the fans and management and their families. At the small, reassuring smiles that Zayn, Liam and Niall give him his nervousness ebbs and he gives them a small nod. He can do this.
The other three members of the band take a few steps back, leaving Louis and Harry at centre stage.
Months earlier when he'd first caught Louis looking at wedding rings in the window of a jewellery shop he'd known he needed to do something, anything. An idea had taken root, a crazy, brilliant idea. When he'd told the the other lads what he was planning (minus Louis of course, he wanted this to be a surprise) they had all agreed that it was a stupid idea that went against everything they'd agreed with management, that could potentially ruin their careers and that he should do it anyway because he and Lou deserved to be happy.
So with their help he went out and bought a ring. He sat down with both his mum and Lou's and told them his madcap plan. When he eventually got around to informing management about his plans he did so with Niall, Zayn and Liam at his back and resolve in his heart. He told them of his plans rather than making the mistake of asking. They didn't take it well but he gave them no choice in the matter.
He wanted everyone to see how much he loved Louis and vice versa. The biggest awards show in the world seemed like the perfect place to do it. When he'd gotten into contact with the organisers of the event and explained what he intended to do if the band should win in the categories that they'd been nominated in, they'd been more than happy to offer any help they could give.
He'd sworn everyone involved, the lads, management, even their mums, to complete secrecy.
Louis was still talking as Harry approached him, falling silent as Harry reaches out and takes the microphone out of his hands. They both look into each others eyes, silent. Harry looks away and then speaks slowly, carefully, into the microphone.
"I have something very important to say and I would like it if the crowd would remain quite until I've finished speaking." He addressed both the audience and Louis, begging him with his expressive green eyes not to interrupt what he had to say until he had finished.
"What are you doing?" Louis hissed at Harry, questions in his eyes.
"Just trust me." Was the reply.
"Louis, I know you've never really understood any of my, the serious tattoos or the silly, my "hi" tattoo especially but I thought it was time that I explained. All of my tattoos, even the silly ones, tell a story and the "hi" tattoo was the beginning of ours. It was the first thing you ever said to me." As the words were spoken whispers had broken out in the audience below. All eyes were on the stage.
"Because with that one word, within only minutes of knowing you I'd fallen in love with this bright, beautiful boy who's asked me for my autograph in a bathroom at X Factor boot camp after you walked in in me me throwing up out of nervousness." At his words an expression of unadulterated panic flashed in Louis' pretty blue eyes.
''And I know we haven't always had it easy having to hide what we are. And I know it breaks your heart every time you see another article or tweet commenting on how close we are because we could never just come out and say it. Say that we were in love. That we are in love.'' Tears had gathered in Louis' eyes, threatening to spill over long lashes and down tan cheeks.
"But we've always worked through it because I've loved you since the first time I saw you and I think, I hope, that I always will. So I only have one thing to ask you." He pulls a small velvet jewellery box out of his suit pocket dropping to one knee as he does so. He opens the box to reveal a ring.
"Will you marry me?"
Complete silence. The entire venue, filled with hundreds, thousands, of people is completely silent. Not a sound is made.
And then a sob, quiet at first in the cavernous room and then louder. There are tears streaming downs louis' beautiful face.
"Yes." A whisper.
"Yes?" It comes out as a question.
"Yes, yes of course I will." It's almost a shout. Harry leaps from the ground and throws his arms around Louis, laughing almost hysterically. The audience goes wild, screams filling the room as Harry pulls back from the tight embrace to slip the simple gold band he'd chosen onto the ring finger of Louis' left hand.
The crowd is still going crazy and they only get wilder as Louis pulls Harry into a kiss. They kiss for what seems like a lifetime but what in reality must only be a few seconds. As they pull away from each other the other lads rush over, pulling the both of them into bone crushing hugs. Congratulations are rained down on them as Liam whispers how proud he is of them into Harry's ear.
Through all of this all Louis and Harry can do is grin at each other.
The End