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The sun is barely starting to set when Louis takes his mark outside the manor. It still feels surreal, being here in the Cotswolds, beautiful Charingworth Manor looming behind him. It serves as the perfect romantic setting for these first few days, the moments when Louis will hopefully meet his future husband or wife.Louis tries to stop his hands from shaking as the cameras zoom in on him and action is called, the show’s host approaching Louis from the drive. Steve Aoki, the newest host, grins at Louis. Both of them are decked out in perfectly tailored black suits, Steve reaching out a hand to shake with Louis. Steve looks down at their hands and notes, “You’re shaking.”Laughing nervously, Louis replies, “Bit of an important day, don’t you think?”“True, very true,” Steve nods. “How are you feeling? What’s on your mind?”Louis looks unsure, but puts on a brave face as he says, “I’m nervous, yeah. But excited. I have no idea what to expect, all I know is that this is huge.”“At the other end of this, you’ll be engaged,” Steve reminds him. “How does that make you feel?”“I mean, I’m buzzing. I’ve always wanted to settle down with someone, start the rest of my life, you know? It’s just never worked out until now,” Louis says. “I hope it works out, at least.”Steve claps Louis on the shoulder and says, “We’re all hoping for the best for you, Louis. Are you ready to meet the twenty-four men and women who are here just for you?”Louis gulps, the sound practically audible, and Steve gives a warm smile to Louis. Nodding, Louis responds, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”“Great,” grins Steve as a limo pulls in the drive. “Here’s the first group now. Good luck. I’ll see you inside in a little bit.”It’d actually be more like hours before Louis would see Steve again, but that was all a technicality, really. For the viewers, it wouldn't take long at all. Louis takes a deep breath, standing strong with his legs shoulder-width apart and his hands clasped in front of him, and fixes his attention on the first car full of people.Unlike the American version of the show, there are no big fancy, show-stopping greetings. Everyone gets out of the limo, introduces themselves to Louis, and goes inside. The men are handsome, the girls are gorgeous, and Louis hopes more than anything that he can remember the names of each and everyone of these people. He wants to give everyone a fair shot - he doesn’t want to find out at the end of everything that he’d made a mistake and sent the wrong person home early on.The real excitement begins when Louis walks into the lounge, smiling around at everyone who is now nursing a cocktail of their choice, to calm their nerves. “Welcome, everyone,” Louis says to them, his own drink in hand. “I’m so happy you’re all here. This is going to be a really interesting experience for everyone, I think, so… let’s get to it, yeah? Cheers to a great cocktail party.” He holds up his glass in a toast to the room and then the cocktail party begins.Since it’s their very first party and everyone is on equal ground, Louis lets someone ask him for some one on one time instead of choosing somebody himself. He doesn’t want to let on about any favoritism, mostly because at this point he doesn’t have favourites. He doesn’t know anyone.A beautiful blonde woman in a sparkling yellow and pink dress stands up first, a glass of wine in hand, and asks, “Louis, can I steal you first?”Her thick accent catches his attention, and he smiles as he offers her a hand. Cursing himself for already forgetting her name, Louis leads her out to the garden. “I’m Perrie,” she says with a little giggle.Chuckling nervously, Louis says, “Thanks.”“You look a bit overwhelmed there,” she offers. “So I thought I’d help.”He glances over at her as they step into the moonlight and sit down on a cushioned bench. “Thanks for that,” he replies. He keeps his hand in hers as they sit, and he asks, “So, tell me about yourself?”“Well, my name is Perrie,” she repeats, smirking as she does. Louis honest to goodness laughs. He likes her sense of humour. “I work in South Shields where I grew up. I’m a singer at a jazz club.” She takes a sip of her wine and says, “Nothing too flashy, but I’m doing what I love.”“I thought jazz clubs were all kinds of flashy,” Louis responds, looking bemused. Perrie rolls her eyes. “That’s great that you’re doing what you love, though,” Louis offers. “Have you always liked to sing?”Perrie nods. “I’ve been singing my whole life, really. Couldn’t imagine doing anything other than that,” she explains. “Even auditioned for the X-Factor once upon a time. But it didn’t work out, and that’s okay.” Perrie takes a sip of her wine. “D’you like music?”Louis watches her closely, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand where their hands lay clasped on his leg. “Yeah, I do actually. I did a few musicals when I was younger, but once I got into my education course I sort of lost the music focus,” he explains. “It’s -”“Excuse me, could I interrupt?”Louis looks up to see another woman, a brunette with a modest dress with a high collar, the skirt ending around her knees. She stood out from the rest because she wasn’t wearing a gown, and Louis could appreciate that. She was simplistic in her dressing, almost like she preferred comfort over all else, just like Louis. “Absolutely,” Perrie says politely, a smile on her face. Louis commends her; he’d probably be rather frustrated if he were her, though this is all part of the process. “It was lovely meeting you,” she says, facing Louis one last time. She gives his hand a little squeeze and then stands so the new girl can take her place.The new girl’s name is Sophie, and she’s quite smart. She teaches acting, which Louis appreciates, both because it must be very hard to get into a career like that, but also because she specifically trains primary school aged children, which is also the same age group Louis teaches. Sophie is gorgeous, though a bit soft-spoken, and Louis finds that he’s lost track of time with her before someone comes to interrupt again.This time it’s a man, and he’s quite tall. He has long hair and he’s wearing the silliest floral suit Louis has ever seen. He remembered when this lad got out of the limo, that he’d nearly scoffed at him, but then the man flashed a charming smile, and - Harry , that was his name. Louis remembered now, thanks to the suit, though he’s assuming that was all part of Harry’s plan when he’d put on the suit to begin with. He’s gracious to Sophie and lets her say goodbye to Louis, and then rather than sitting down, Harry offers a hand to him.Walking. A clever way to evade people who want to take over and have more time with him. Louis takes Harry’s hand and stands, watching as Harry’s free hand deftly combs his long hair out of his eyes. “Hi,” Harry says. “Walk with me?”Louis nods and follows Harry down the walk in the backyard, which leads around the building. It’s astonishing to Louis that he’s already forgotten the cameras swirling around them, catching every moment, every word, every possible thing he does. He doesn’t know what will make it on TV but he hopes he doesn’t do something to make all of England despise him.“How are you doing tonight?” Harry asks as Louis opens his mouth to ask the very same question.Surprised that he’s being asked how he’s doing, Louis says, “I’m… good. A bit overwhelmed, if I’m being honest. But that’s all part of the deal.” He smiles at Harry and asks, “What about you?”“Really great. I’m glad to be here,” Harry replies. He’s so charming, Louis has to remind himself to stop staring. He pauses for a moment and says, “I feel like there’s so much we could be talking about, or that like, I should be telling you or asking you, but… I’m not going to.”Confused, Louis glances up at Harry. “Why not?” he asks. That seems like the opposite of what they’re supposed to do.Smirking as though he’s discovered the answer to the universe and everything in it and he can’t wait to share it with Louis, Harry replies, “Well, let’s be honest. You won’t remember, will you?” Louis hesitates, glancing to the ground and wondering if he should be offended, but Harry explains, “Like… there’s a lot going on tonight. You’re meeting twenty-four people. I don’t know a single person who could remember everything they learn from that many people in one night. Do you?”Louis considers it for a moment, and he quirks an eyebrow as he looks back up at Harry. “I guess you have a point,” he concedes.“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” Harry offers. “And I won’t be mad if you ask me again later. If that’s what you want. I just thought we could spend our time relaxing.”“And evading the others,” Louis points out, because he saw through Harry’s whole scheme.Harry grins, and those dimples and the sparkle in his eyes really do something to Louis. “You noticed, huh?”Louis laughs. “You seem like a dangerous one,” he comments. “I’ve got to keep my eye on you.”Smirking, Harry asks, “Does that mean you’ll keep me around for a while?”Louis’s stomach twists - Harry is far more of a flirt than Louis expected - but he really can’t be surprised. Many people have come here knowing exactly what they want, and willing to do whatever it takes to get that. Harry seems very confident in what he wants and how he’s going to get it, and Louis commends him for that. It’s brave.Somebody seems to have caught onto Harry’s plan, though, because someone approaches them at the side of the house, in the shadows. Louis jumps a little bit, but Harry looks unsurprised. “There you are!” she says with a smile. “Can I steal him?” she asks, aiming her gaze at Harry now.“Sure,” Harry nods. He looks pleased with himself, anyway. He’s built up the intrigue, and flirted just enough that he’s sure Louis will keep him for at least another week. Harry steps away, letting this new, smaller girl take his place. “I’m Camila,” she says, her dark eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “It’s so nice to meet you.”“You as well,” he responds. Her accent gives away that she’s American, so Louis asks, “Where are you from?”He’s curious why some of these Americans were cast, and what they’re doing way out here; Louis has no intentions of moving out of the UK, at the very least, though he’d prefer to stay in his own country if he can manage. And he's pretty sure he told the casting agents that, too. “Virginia,” she says. “I’ve been looking at schools out here, and then decided to audition on a whim, and… here I am.” She’s glowing, her dark brown hair and crimson lips a stark contrast to her smooth, fair skin.Camila is sweet, though a bit young at twenty-two, though she insists she’s not the youngest here. She’s just a waitress right now, with big dreams to become a pastry chef one day. She wants to study from some of the finest chefs in the world, and what better place to start doing that than Europe, she figures.They’re interrupted shortly after by a gentleman with hair that must be as long as Harry’s, but with facial hair nice and smooth and trimmed to match. His name is Avan, and Louis would be lying if he said that Avan wasn’t exactly his type. Scruffy, with his hair in a bun and his dark eyes looking just a bit brooding in the moonlight. Louis’s heart skips a beat as their hands meet and he can’t even remember what they talked about as they looped back to the garden, he was so busy looking at Avan’s face.Another man with the same devastatingly handsome traits interrupts next, though once they’re hand in hand and walking along the path, words seem to fail both of them. His name is Zayn, and Louis can’t stop glancing over, noticing his long eyelashes and the slight pout of his lips. He also has a ton of tattoos, which intrigues Louis. He has many of his own, and wonders if there were any stories behind Zayn’s.Up next comes a string of rather timid brunette women whose names were Eleanor, Briana, Danielle, Selena, and Lauren, though Louis couldn’t put a face to a name at this point in the process. Hopefully the group dates will help him tell them apart and really start working on relationships with each of them individually.After that group there’s a string of beefy men - Zac, Taron, Liam - who are all incredibly handsome, too. Louis found his imagination drifting to the thought of what it would feel like, wrapped up in their strong arms. He’s pretty sure Zac even caught him staring - or daydreaming - he wasn’t sure which he looked like more.Next comes a man named Matthew, whose appearance caught Louis’s attention just as it had when he’d first stepped out of the limo. He has dark hair and fair skin, but his eyes are what catches his attention the most. His eyes are light green, or a hazel - Louis finds it hard to tell because the man is six bloody inches taller than him - all Louis knows for sure is that they were strikingly coloured compared to the rest of him, and his smile is the most handsome Louis has ever seen.They had a good laugh, snorting over the fact that at the mini-bar inside, where there was actually a bartender and everything, he’d asked for a “good” beer and gotten Stella Artois. Both of them agreed it was basically beer-flavored water and snorted over it. “There are some pretty good breweries out on the east coast,” Matthew offers as Louis laughs off their jokes.“Is that where you’re from?” Louis wonders.“Yeah,” Matthew nods. “I run a startup out of my parents’ guest room,” he chuckles. “I’d like to get out of there one day.”Louis looks up at Matthew, intrigued, and has a million things he wants to ask. They reach the bench where Louis had originally started, and just as Louis is about to start with the questions, they’re interrupted. “I’ll see you inside,” Matthew says, trying to pretend like there’s not a rose on the line when they see Louis inside next.He leans down to wrap an arm around Louis’s waist in a warm embrace, and then goes inside.“Got a thing for the tall ones?”The man who interrupts them is tall, but not quite as tall as Matthew, and he’s got a knowing smirk on his face that quite honestly rubs Louis the wrong way. He doesn’t want to start this out by disliking someone, but he can’t fight the feeling that maybe this is the season’s “villain.” He hopes not. From the start, Louis had been hoping for a relatively drama-free season.“And you are?” Louis asks, a slight hint of irritation in his voice.The man puts a hand to his heart and says, “That stings. Don’t you remember? I was the first person you met.”There’s a vague memory of that, for Louis, but meeting everyone straight out of the limo had mostly been a blur. He genuinely doesn’t remember the man’s name, and frowns a bit as he sits down on the bench. The man sits next to him and says, “Ay, it’s a joke, I know you’ve met a ton of people. I’m Nick.” He smiles, nudging Louis’s side, and watches him closely.“Louis,” replies Louis, forgetting that they’re on a show that’s centered around him.Nick chuckles a little, but blessedly doesn’t point out that he already knew his name. “What is it you do, Nick?” Louis asks.“Marketing,” Nick replies. “And before you laugh, you should know that I do the cool kind, with social media and online shops and stuff. Not the stuffy old-person kind.”“I heard you were the old man in the house, though,” Louis banters, and he has a playful smile on his lips.The earlier hiccup seems to have passed now in exchange for a witty back and forth. It’s slightly irritating for Louis, but he figures that’s because they’re inching upon midnight, and it’s getting later and later into the night. He also knows he’s still got hours of filming ahead, between meeting the rest - he’d wager he’s only met about half the people so far - and then handing out the first impression rose.“Oi!” Nick exclaims. “I’m not that old!”“Oldest here,” Louis points out.“At least I’m not the eighteen year old,” Nick points out. “No offense, love, but he seems a bit young for you.”Louis has a coy smile on his lips. “I’ll be the judge of that.”“Talking about me?”Louis looks up to see a guy who yes, looks young, but is also incredibly fit. His mouth suddenly a bit dry, Louis snaps his mouth shut where he’d been gaping and swallows hard. Nick looks between the two, amused, and stands. “I’ll let you two have your time, then,” he says, sensing that it’s about time to walk away, that his time is up. He thinks he’s been just pesky enough to secure another week in the manor.Louis stands and gives Nick a hug, and then turns to this new guy. “Shawn,” the guy says, skipping a handshake in favor of giving Louis a hug. He’s tall, just like Matthew, and Louis feels a whole mix of confusion knowing that this lad who is so much taller than him is actually far younger than him. “And he wasn’t lying, I’m only eighteen.”“You look older,” Louis says.Grinning, Shawn takes Louis’s hand and sits down where Nick had been just a few moments earlier. “I don’t hear that often, so thanks,” he grins.For only eighteen, he’s incredibly cocky, and Louis finds it pretty attractive. He’s got more confidence than a lot of people, and he’s the youngest - either he’s genuinely that confident or he’s trying to compensate for something. Either way, his jokes and his jibes have Louis laughing and smiling, and he doesn’t end up taking any issue with the fact that Shawn is about to enter his second year in college, and he’ll be studying abroad in England. It’s nice to know he’ll be around, and could stick around if he wanted.A few more guys interrupt, but are pretty aggressive about it so Louis only ends up with a couple minutes with each of them - one named Logan, another named Jack - and then they’re interrupted by a platinum blonde woman that at first glance, Louis wasn’t sure was entirely his type. She’s sweet, though, and the minute they start talking Louis is intrigued.Her name’s Bebe, and they spend their entire time talking about their jobs, bonding over teaching. Louis is massively impressed by her and her tough Brooklyn attitude, and the stories she tells about fighting for a music program in an underfunded school, working with kids who most teachers don’t even expect to graduate.A few more women interrupt - a couple of English girls named Daisy and Kaya, as well as a Hungarian woman named Barbara. She was another who made Louis laugh until his stomach hurt, telling stories of all the less-than-intelligent models she’s encountered while doing some commercial photoshoots.They get plenty of time together before Louis is interrupted by an incredibly handsome bespectacled man. Louis has a soft spot for the intelligent types, though he’d never admit it out loud. This man, though - Louis would never forget him.He came out of the first limo looking incredibly handsome in a well-tailored navy blue suit, a marbled brown pocket square that perfectly matched his tortoise shell glasses. It was an interesting combination, not one Louis would ever think of, but it was intentional enough that he’d noticed it. He was Irish, which Louis had picked up on right away, and now he was back with his infectious laughter, asking if Louis was ready for bed yet - “And I don’t mean that in a sexual way!” he’d laughed after he heard the words that he’d blurted out without thinking.His name was Niall, and Louis was drawn to him right from the start. Niall held a dark pint in his hand, the frothy head of it marking along the glass as he’d taken more and more sips of beer. The hand that’s not holding his beer is resting along the back of the bench, behind Louis, Niall’s whole body angled to him as they chat.They don’t talk about much of anything substantial. They complain about being tired, with Niall telling Louis the time was nigh on two in the morning. Niall offers Louis a sip of his beer, Louis’s gin and tonic long gone now, but Louis makes a face after a tiny sip. Dark beers have never been his thing.Just when Louis is about to start asking Niall what he does, where he lives, and all the important things, Steve wanders up to them. He looks fresh-faced and far more awake than Louis is, and if Louis had to guess, he’d say that Steve just got to take a nap for a few hours while Louis sat up trying his very best to stay attentive to everyone.“Hey gentlemen, can I interrupt?” Steve asks.Louis nods, and Niall gives him a hug before he takes Steve’s entrance as his cue to leave. The two of them stand out in the garden, cameras fixed upon them, as Steve asks, “How did it go? How are you feeling?”“I think tonight went really well,” Louis responds. “There are a lot of people here but I had a really great time starting out this process with them.” He tries to stifle a yawn, but fails.Steve chuckles. “We’ve got one more thing to do tonight, and then you can rest. Have you given any thought yet to who you’re going to give the first impression rose?” he asks.Louis lets out a whistle and his eyebrows raise as he shakes his head. “I’m going to need a few minutes. There are a lot of deserving people in there,” he says.Nodding, Steve pats Louis’s back and says, “Take your time. Let me know if you need any help talking it through.”Louis nods, and the cameras are then switched off. One of the writers on crew walks over to Louis and immediately pulls him aside to talk through the process anyway. He gets most of the decision making abilities, but at the same time, he’s also supposed to follow their rules to make for good TV. It’s nice though, getting to spill his thoughts and opinions and every emotion he’s feeling with a neutral party. He could talk it through with Steve, and probably will eventually, but Steve knows the contestants better than this writer does, because he gets to socialize with them while the others are out getting one on one time with Louis.In the end, he agrees on who to give the first impression rose to, and then walks into the house where everyone is lined up neatly in two rows in the lounge, waiting for him. “Hello everyone,” Louis says, greeting them with a nervous smile on his face. “Thanks for a really fantastic first night. You’ve all been absolutely amazing and I still can’t quite believe I’m here with you all.” He reaches over to a table where there’s a rose - one single rose. “I only have one first impression rose, though. And I want to give it to someone who I think I connected with on a deeper level today than what most of us could accomplish. And that’s fine. We have time. But this person… I know in my heart that I want to get to know them better and keep them around another week. So…” Louis looks up and scans his eyes over the group in front of him. Twenty-four very worried, very hopeful men and women. “Bebe. Will you accept this rose?”Her eyes go wide and Louis watches most of the group visibly deflate. She’s standing off to the edge, and it takes her a moment to come to her senses and walk towards Louis, beaming from ear to ear. “Yeah, absolutely,” she smiles.Louis hands her the rose, and she takes it happily before reaching her arms around his shoulders to give him a big hug. She goes back to her spot in line with everyone else, and Louis smiles at them all.“Now it’s time to go back to our rooms and rest.” He smirks and adds with a hint of mischief, “The first date card should be arriving shortly.”And with that, he leaves the room.--After getting a substantial amount of sleep to make up for the all-nighter the cast had pulled to film the first meetings, Louis happily sips his tea whilst looking out the window of his top floor bedroom. The view is breathtaking, of the hills and cottages of the Cotswolds, sheep roaming in the fields. He’s still in shock that he’s even on this journey at all, that he’d been chosen for this, and that so far, there are twenty-four amazing candidates in this house with him, vying for a chance with him.Today is the first big group date, and Louis is incredibly excited for it. He’d said right away during casting that this would be the perfect group date, and he’d insisted upon it from the very start. He watches out the window as a car leaves the drive, a limo taking eleven men and women from downstairs to their destination, with Louis riding separately to greet them.The weather couldn’t be more perfect, which is surprising to Louis since it always seems to rain when he wants a good kick about. Luck is on his side, and the sun is shining down on them as they stand in the middle of a football pitch, decked out in athletic gear, waiting for him. Louis walks up in a full kit, some sponsorship from the show on the front of his jersey, and he grins at the group as he approaches.“Good morning everyone!” he shouts.The group greets him in a cacophony, and Louis can’t stop smiling. The pressure hasn’t quite hit him yet, nor does it seem to have hit the rest of them, either. In this group date are eleven men and women, all of whom Louis had a great time with during their first night. “Today we’re playing the absolute greatest sport ever - football,” he grins. “Anyone ever played before?”Timidly, down at the end of the line, Briana holds her hand up, but not very high. It wavers around her shoulder, like she doesn’t want to draw too much attention to herself. Louis notices, though, and he makes a mental note to watch her as the day goes on. Predictably, a few of the guys - Matthew, Logan, and Jack - raise their hands as well.“Alright, so, we’re going to split up into two teams of six,” he says. Noticing the confusion on a few faces, he grins a little wider and says, “Yep, I’m playing. And I can’t wait .”The group cheers for him and after a moment, Louis says, “Alright, so, let’s do Briana, Sophie, Selena, Nick, Jack, and Matthew on one team,” they split off to one side, “and that leaves me with Eleanor, Perrie, Daisy, Logan, and Zayn.”Louis’s team gets red jerseys to match the kit he’s wearing,and the other team puts on blue jerseys. His team cheers louder than the other, quite excited that they get to be on his team, but as it turns out, the other team gets to be physical with him more.Like when Louis has the football and makes a breakaway for the blue team’s goal where Sophie is serving as goalie. Briana, one of the only people who confessed to having played before, is proving to be amazing competition for Louis, keeping up with him and stealing the ball more than once, causing Louis to have to try to steal it back before running back to the goal.Louis scores once, but the other team scores twice, and Logan scores one more for the red team. Everyone is out of breath and sweaty, and those who aren't are clearly conveying to Louis that football isn't their strong suit, like Selena and Eleanor. Zayn is an interesting phenomenon, because he looks so casual, like he's not really trying, but he's actually brilliant at the game. Yet again, Louis is incredibly intrigued by Zayn and the cloud of mystery that always seems to surround him.Steve is their referee, and now that it's a tie game, he gathers everyone at the center of the pitch. “Okay everyone, we’re going to end this sudden-death style. Next goal wins,” he explains. “Red versus blue - let's do this. Everyone ready?”All players in various states of exhaustion nod, and Louis can't wipe the smile from his face. He stands with hands on his hips, a headband keeping his hair out of his face, and looks around at everyone. “Okay. Let's go!” he exclaims.Steve blows the whistle and the football game resumes, Louis going for the ball right away. Briana is there to fight him for it, and they quarrel back and forth with it in the center of the pitch before she makes a breakaway for the red team’s goalposts. Louis chases after her and another teammate - he can't tell who - swoops in at her other side to try to help out.Everything happens at once, feet kicking at the ball, arms flailing whilst trying not to get a penalty called, and suddenly Briana is going down. Whoever the other player is backs off, giving her space, but it's too late. She's tumbling down and Louis is tripping over her, falling right over her and onto the ground.Steve blows the whistle and everyone crowds around them. Louis climbs off of Briana and she rolls over, one hand clutching the other. There's a thin stripe of red down her hand and Louis gets up on his knees, his full attention on her, his hands reaching out for hers. The entire time, she's quiet, letting her ponytail and loose wisps of hair fall in her face. A closer inspection tells Louis that she's broken one of her perfectly manicured nails - she's a cosmetologist, he recalls - and the split is so low that it's torn the skin of her finger and caused blood to flow. “What luck, getting a hand injury in a game where you're not supposed to use your hands,” Louis jokes softly, more to her than anyone else.She lets out a soft chuckle and Louis takes the rag that one of the medics is offering Briana. “Here we go,” he says, wrapping it around her injured finger. “Let's get off the pitch, yeah? Let them finish the last point?”“You can play,” she insists, though Louis can hardly hear her, she’s so softspoken.“Nah, it wouldn't be even teams. Or fair,” he says. “I'd rather watch this last one anyway.” Louis puts an arm around Briana’s waist, the other still firmly holding the cloth on her injured hand, and helps her up. “There we go. Let's sit on the bench.”Briana goes quietly, and Steve imparts the news to everyone else. Louis sits on the bench with Briana, glancing between the game and her hand as a medic clips off the rest of the damaged nail and wraps it up with gauze. The whole time, she looks down, and her shyness is so obvious to Louis. He keeps his main focus on her, and rubs her back as she's patched up. Louis sweeps her hair out of the way so he can look at her properly, and she glances over in slight surprise. “Feeling any better?” he asks.“A little, yeah,” she nods.  “That’s going to take a while to grow back,” she says, lamenting the fact that her nail is now half the length it used to be.Out on the field, the other players are distracted, noticing that after the injury, Briana got some special one on one time, and that’s not very fair. Matthew uses that moment to score the final goal, and the blue team wins. Louis’s team has been defeated.Steve blows the final whistle and everyone rushes over to the bench where Louis and Briana are sitting rather close together. She even has a smile on her face now, though nobody knows quite what he’s said to make her look so happy. “Good game you guys,” Steve says, approaching.“Yeah, thanks for a great game,” Louis says, looking up at everyone. He and Briana stand, Briana moving to the side with the other players so everyone is facing Louis. “Now I think it’s time to get washed up and get to that cocktail party, yeah?”Group dates get a special cocktail party where Louis will get a chance to talk to everyone on the date alone, and then he’ll give out a rose to one special person who caught his attention the most during the date. When he’s pulled to the side as the rest of the groups move off to the locker rooms, he answers a few questions for the cameras. “Yeah, I think it was an incredibly successful afternoon,” he says. “There wasn’t a dull moment. We’ve got a lot of good football players here, which I honestly wasn’t expecting, and I’m really just glad that nobody got seriously hurt. Briana’s broken nail looked sick though, but she was really a great sport about it and that really impressed me. I don’t even know who got in our way and started the tumble but she didn’t point fingers once and… yeah, she really impressed me today, which is great, because she’s so quiet. I feel like she maybe hasn’t gotten all the opportunity to chat with me that maybe she would’ve liked. I know I was glad for the extra few minutes alone with her, to get to know her better.”He pulls his headband out of his hair, and some wisps stick to the damp sweat on his forehead. Hands on his hips, Louis answers the next question with, “I guess tonight more than anything I’m just hoping I can start to get more of an idea of everyone’s personalities, and just like… what they’re like. Time isn’t on our side in all this, is it?” He smiles and says, “It’s a good group, though. The cocktail party is going to be fun.”Louis gets driven away from the football pitch to a private hotel where the cocktail party will take place later that day. Unlike all the contestants who have to get ready with their own skills, Louis has a crew who chooses the best clothes for the occasion, and even has somebody who was hired specifically to do his hair and makeup, a woman named Lou Teasdale.She’s clever, and they have a good laugh behind the scenes as Louis relaxes and gets ready for another eventful night. This time he’s only got to make time for eleven people, rather than twenty-four, so the task sounds far less daunting than it did the first night. He’s also excited to see everyone all dressed up.When he walks out onto the rooftop garden to greet everyone, they cheer for him, and he grabs a drink from the bartender and toasts to everyone. He hates giving the cheesy, scripted toasts, but it’s all worth it. Once he gets that done and over with, it’s time for some one on one conversations. Louis starts this time, asking, “Zayn, can I steal you away first?”Zayn has been on Louis’s mind since they’d first met; he’s exactly his type, with the scruff and the tattoos and Louis would be lying if he hadn’t found himself staring at the perfect pout of Zayn’s lips at least once. Zayn looks a little surprised at being chosen by Louis first, but nods and stands up to walk with him to a private area of the garden. They sit on a wicker bench by a small, crackling fire in a posh looking coffee table. It’s warm and cozy and private, and they sit down together, feet propped up on the coffee table. “So… what can I do for you?” Zayn asks awkwardly.Louis chuckles and says, “Dunno. Just wanted to chat. Get to know you.”Glancing over nervously, Zayn asks, “What do you want to know?”It’s clear that getting Zayn to open up isn’t going to be as easy as asking “tell me about yourself,” so Louis racks his brain for deeper questions. It’s difficult, because he probably uses the same questions with everyone, since he’s meeting so many new people.“What do you do?” Louis asks.“I’m an archivist,” Zayn says simply. Louis looks a little confused, so Zayn continues, “Basically, I work in a historical library and I’m in charge of the preservation and organization of old or ancient documents. Right now we’re working through a bunch of immigration papers from… oh, I dunno. Centuries ago. They’re really fragile and in some cases need repairs. So like, I do that, too. And sometimes we digitize them to make the documents accessible online, to prevent people from having to actually handle them. Which is great, because they’re so fragile, so we protect the documents and make sure more people can see them.” He takes a deep breath. “Sorry. That’s really detailed and super nerdy. My sister likes to remind me of that.”Louis smiles. “I think it’s great,” he says. “I didn’t even know that was a thing, but it sounds like it’s a really great job for you.” Louis pauses. “I can tell you care a lot about it. Even if your sister says it’s nerdy.” Raising an eyebrow, Louis asks, “Is it just you and your sister?”“I’ve got three sisters, actually,” Zayn replies. “One older, two younger.”“The only boy,” Louis says, and nods. “I know how that feels. I was the only boy until about three years ago.”Zayn glances over. “What happened three years ago?”“My mum had more kids,” Louis explains. “She was pretty young when I was born, so,” he shrugs. “I’ve got six siblings in all. I’m the eldest.”“D’you like it?” Zayn wonders.“What? Having a big family?” Louis clarifies. Zayn nods, and Louis sits up a little as he says, “Yeah. I mean, I’ve always wanted a big family, always known I’d want kids someday. It’s just part of how I grew up and stuff. The age gap between me and the littlest twins is a bit much, but at the same time… I think it’s for the better.”Zayn’s about to ask why Louis thinks it’s for the better, but they’re interrupted by Jack, who asks if he can have some time alone with Louis. Zayn nods, and he moves out of the way to let Jack have a turn with him.The conversation with Jack is nice; Louis asks him about his job and where he lives, and what brings him to the UK. Working in international law, he’s often overseas, and could easily train to be an attorney anywhere the world takes him. His firm has a partner office in London that he’s been working out of lately, and that compelled him to give it a go. It’s interesting, the sort of opportunities that can open up for people, and Louis finds himself hanging off of every word Jack says. He’s got a rather handsome, lopsided smile, and Louis stares as he speaks.With a coy smirk, Jack asks, “Everything alright?”Louis smiles and nods, “Yeah. Why?”“You’re staring,” Jack says. “I don’t have food on my face, do I?”Laughing, Louis shakes his head and says, “No, nothing on your face.”“Then what are you staring at?” Jack asks playfully. Louis feels his cheeks grow hot and that gives him away right away. “Do you think I’m cute ?” Jack asks in a singsong voice.“Oh shut up,” Louis says, rolling his eyes and laughing. He nudges Jack, who nudges him back, and it’s a lighthearted moment. Louis likes those moments the best; they help him forget just how big of a deal this whole process really is.Jack scoops his arm around Louis’s waist and says, “Hey, no, it’s okay. You’re not too bad looking yourself.” He winks.Louis bursts out laughing, and he scoots closer to Jack, enjoying the moment. He ends up laying his head on Jack’s shoulder as they sit there, their laughter quieting until they’re sitting in silence, nothing but the crackling of the fire as soundtrack to their moment. It’s nice and comfortable, and Louis hopes they’re not interrupted, at least not for a few more minutes.Sure enough, someone walks up, and Louis tries his best to school his features so he doesn’t look too disappointed. When Selena asks if she can interrupt, Louis feels Jack place a kiss atop his head before he stands up.Selena holds out her hand, and Louis catches on that she’d like to walk, or move somewhere else. He clasps her hand and they walk through the garden, over to the glass balcony that faces out over the part of London their hotel is in - Louis isn’t actually sure where they are, he just knows he enjoys the view. They talk about travel and about work, what they like about it and what they don’t, and it’s nice, though Louis still can’t get a handle on whether Selena plans to move to London or if she’s expecting him to move back to the states with her. It feels too early to ask, but he wonders how long it’ll be until that question comes up between them.They’re interrupted by Sophie, and then Daisy, and both girls are sweet but the conversation seems very surface-level. He has difficulty getting a good sense of who they are and what they’re looking for, even after talking about anything from work to the weather. It also doesn’t help that now they’re really in cocktail party mode, with people impatiently interrupting after only a few minutes.A young woman named Eleanor interrupts next, and Louis would be lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued by her from the very start. Even though he knows next to nothing about her, she’s got gorgeous brown hair and her eyes sparkle when she smiles; he’d noticed that about her when she’d first stepped out of the limo in her beautiful white dress. She was timid, but not quite to the extreme that Briana was, and she wasn’t afraid to interrupt someone else.“Hello there,” Louis says, offering her his hand. She takes it delicately and she smiles again, that same sparkling smile he remembers from the night they met. “Walk with me?”Eleanor nods, and they walk together along the perimeter of the garden, pausing when they get to a swinging bench near a floral arch. The entire garden is decorated in the most romantic colors and flowers possible, and though it’s a bit cheesy, it really does do wonders to set the scene. She sits down with Louis and he puts his arm along the back of the bench, angling towards her to really talk with her.Tonight she’s in a gold dress, something sparkling but more understated than her striking white dress from the night they first met. She oh so gently rests her hand on his thigh, and it’s easy like this, physically sharing a space with Eleanor. Louis asks her what she does - she works in politics, which he hadn’t been expecting - and takes a moment to let her words sink in. “So education is important to you?” he asks her.“Yes, very,” she nods. “I mean, not necessarily with degrees and such, because I know they’re quite expensive for some people.” Louis wonders if she was one of those people. “Being informed, though. And making smart decisions. Not falling into this one track mindset and believing anything that will support your point of view… and ignoring the rest. That’s really important.”“Like, brainwashing? Scientology?”She laughs, and Louis keeps his attention fixed on her. They’re extreme examples, sure, but they’re right, and she nods. “Sort of like that, yeah. There are so many cult tactics in politics, and in the media… yeah. I don’t know. I could go on and on about it but it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like I can do anything to stop it.”Louis tilts his head to catch her gaze after it had fallen to her lap. “Nah, I think it’s brilliant, love. And you’ve got a really great point,” he insists. “Just got to get more people hearing it, is all. Right?”She nods, and a relieved smile crosses her face. She shivers, and Louis takes off his suit jacket right away. It’s such a cliche move, and maybe she’d planned it or maybe she hadn’t, but Louis gives her his jacket so she can warm up. He’s still in a button down shirt and tie, and he’s fairly certain what he’s still wearing provides more warmth than her dress ever would. “You sound incredibly brilliant,” he says. “I’d love to get to pick your brain more.”Smiling again, she nods. “Well… that’s up to you. But anytime you want to, you know where to find me,” she says, reminding him of the process, of the rules, of who gets a say in whether they’ll see each other again next week.Louis knows he can’t say anything more on that, so instead he asks, “Can I walk you back to the group?”It feels about time to find more people to talk to; it’s been dark outside for quite some time and they won’t want to be hanging around waiting for too long. Eleanor nods, and they stand together, Louis holding Eleanor’s hand the whole way back to the main seating area where the other ten are gathered. Eleanor hands Louis back his jacket, opting instead for one of the many blankets draped across the garden furniture, and he drapes it over his arm as he looks around at the group. “Briana, could I steal you away for a moment?” he asks.He’d been wanting to speak to her since the match, partially because he wanted to make sure she was okay, but also because they really didn’t get to talk about much of anything while the football match finished. There were too many people around.She’s got goosebumps on her skin so Louis strategically takes her to the same bench where he’d taken Zayn, sitting by the fire. He offers her his jacket, as well, and she smiles gratefully as she wraps it around her shoulders. They sit together, Louis sitting close to her to warm her up a little more that way. “How’s your finger feeling?” he asks.Glancing down, he can see that she’s downgraded the massive wrap of gauze for a simple clear plaster, trying to draw less attention to it. That seemed to be how she did most things. She flew under the radar and was quiet, but could run with the best of them. “It’s better,” she says. “Doesn’t hurt anymore.”“You were so impressive out there today, though,” he says, hoping to encourage her. Maybe she’ll even speak up a bit more. She smiles at his compliment, and they lock eyes. He smiles back and says, “I mean it! You really pushed me. Like, you were probably the best player out there on that field.”“Thanks,” she says, looking down shyly.Louis pushes her curls out of her face, tucking them behind her ear, and he asks, “Are you always this shy?”Briana laughs softly and nods. “Yeah. I mean. I just hate attention? Especially if it’s for something bad, or embarrassing, like today.” She shrugs and says, “I don’t know why I do it, it’s just always how I’ve been.”She may have started out shy, but Louis feels triumphant for helping her break out of her shell a little already. Briana has started forming friendships with some of the others in the process, Louis has picked up on that already, and he just hopes they can start to form something together, too. “What do you like to do for fun?”Briana’s expression brightens at that, and she says, “Well… I like spending time with my little brother Austin. We go to the zoo and stuff. Typical family things, I guess.”“Is he much younger than you?” Louis asks.“Sort of, yeah. Ten years,” she replies. “He’s great, though. My half-brother, technically, but…” she shrugs. “He’s family. That’s all that matters.”Nodding, Louis says, “I get what you mean. Technically speaking, all my siblings are half-siblings.”They talk a little more about their families, their parents and stepparents and siblings, and neither are sure of how much time has passed since they started. They’re interrupted a short time later by Logan, so their time comes rather abruptly to a close. Louis reaches out and wraps her up in a big hug, and she’s beaming from ear to ear as she walks away, his jacket still draped around her shoulders. He doesn’t mind, much, seeing as he’s warm enough without it.Logan sits down next, and the two of them mostly talk about how they grew up. Logan was born and raised in California, and he followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and went into a medical field. Rather than taking the same track as them, he chose to study physical therapy, and now that’s what he does in Beverly Hills. Louis laughs when Logan name drops a few times, and they have a good conversation. It’s enjoyable, but Louis finds himself thinking that there’s less of a spark that he might’ve been hoping for.Louis has a good laugh with Perrie when she interrupts, joking about whether Louis remembered her name (this time, he did) and then chatting mostly music. Louis decides to put her on the spot and asks her to sing to him; he didn’t even think about the repercussions, if people heard her singing to him and got jealous that she was pulling out tricks they didn’t have. A few people genuinely grumbled about it back at the seating area, but Louis was entranced by her from the very first note.Her singing voice was impressive; she was a strong singer, soulful and expressive, and he could have listened to a whole album of just her. “I have some great background singers back home,” she says. “They harmonize with me so well, and I’ve tried to push for them to be more featured singers, maybe have us become a group or something, but the club owner is really hesitant,” she explains. “Anyway. We may just do it for fun. Maybe give X-Factor a go again.”“That’s brilliant,” Louis says, nodding in encouragement. “You should definitely do it.”Perrie smiles at that, and it’s clear the two of them have made some sort of connection already. Nick interrupts for a few moments, mostly to make a jibe about wishing Louis would share his jacket, to warm him up. Louis quirks an eyebrow, and Nick says, “What? They’ve got a bit of a competitive edge there with that, don’t you think?”“I’m being a gentleman,” Louis says. “You should try it.”Nick snorts into his drink, and whilst Louis might want to be irritated, he laughs as well. This thing they have - it’s insane. It’s unlike anything he’d been expecting out of the process. The two seem to have more of a love-hate thing than a genuine spark, which is equal parts terrifying and intriguing. Louis isn’t sure which route it will end up taking - more of the hate one, or the love one. At this point, it’s overwhelming for Louis to think about love at all; he’s still got so many people here in the process, in his life, and wrapping his head around falling in love is a bit intimidating.Matthew interrupts at the end, and Louis has completely lost track of who he’s spent time with but he’s pretty sure that if Matthew isn’t the last person, he’s one of the last and the night will be wrapping up soon.The two walk together, and the scene is pretty quiet. Louis is exhausted, and Matthew seems like the strong, silent type. They stand at the railing, looking out at the city, and Louis glances over his shoulder as Matthew stands behind him, arms on either side of Louis’s waist to grab the railing in front of him. Louis rests his hands on Matthew’s and is hyper-aware of their six inch height difference again.Matthew smells good, and he’s so quiet tonight, and Louis isn’t sure what to make of the situation. “Just so you know, I’m not ignoring you,” Matthew says. Louis smiles; it’s almost as though he were reading his mind. “It’s late, and I think we’re both tired.”“I’m always tired, “Louis replies.Matthew chuckles, and Louis can feel it before he hears it, their bodies pressed together, his back to Matthew’s front. “Just… enjoy the view,” he says.Louis is quiet as he looks out at the city, and after a moment he looks down at the slightest hint of movement; Matthew is moving his hands to cover Louis’s. “What if this is your last chance for conversation?” Louis asks softly.“Is it?” Matthew asks. Louis doesn’t answer - he can’t answer. “I like to think I’ve made enough of an impression to stay at least one more week.”He’s confident, and usually that’d be off putting for Louis, but god only knows it becomes sexy when it comes from someone as attractive as Matthew. Louis chuckles a little, and shakes his head, and he obviously can’t give anything away, but Matthew’s right. He’s been impressive, and he’d snagged Louis’s attention from the very start.They stand together like that for a few minutes longer, and then look over their shoulders when they hear footsteps. It’s Steve, asking Louis to come back and hand out the group date rose. Louis and Matthew walk back, and when he gets to the seating area, he reaches out for the lone rose that was sitting on the table. The table is littered with empty glasses and empty plates; the rose was the lone speck of color left at the end of the night.Holding the rose gently, rolling it in his fingers, Louis looks around at the eleven men and women he’d just spent the entire day with. He can think of many people he’d like to give the rose to, the ones who’d blown him away with conversation or humor or strength, but he has to choose just one tonight.He takes a deep breath, and after gazing down at the rose for at least a solid minute, he looks back up at the group. “I genuinely wish I could give out more roses tonight, because I’ve had such an amazing time tonight. You’ve all been absolutely fantastic,” Louis says. “But… I’ve got this rose to hand out, and it’s the only one. I want to give it to someone whose honesty and bravery really impressed me today. So… Briana. Will you accept this rose?”Briana looks up, her mouth dropped open in surprise. Her cheeks are red, though Louis can’t decide whether she’s warmed up with his jacket or she’s embarrassed that all eyes are on her. She smiles, when she realizes she’s being watched, and she stands to walk over to Louis. “Yes, I will,” she responds.Louis wraps her up in a warm embrace, and it lasts a few moments. He closes his eyes, blocking out the saddened or downtrodden looks on the others’ faces. Briana really deserves the rose, and Louis will stand by his decision.After that, they all say goodbye, giving Louis hugs in turn before the night ends.As the contestants file out, Louis gives one more interview to the camera. “Yeah, it was a really amazing first date,” he says. “I couldn’t believe how hard they all tried at that football game, and tonight everyone was really honest and open. It’s going to take a lot for the second group date to top that one, but I’m excited to see if they can.” He’s grinning from ear to ear and he nods as he says, “Yeah. I think somewhere in this group of twenty-four there’s my future husband or wife. I can feel it. I’ve got a really good feeling about this.”In his head as he’s walking out, Louis thinks to himself that he can only hope that good feeling and optimism stick around for the whole process.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

While the first group date was happening, another date card was delivered to the manor, this time with only one name on it. Harry’s. So now a day later, he sits in the dining area of Charingworth Manor with a few other early risers - Niall, Liam, and Avan - and sips his tea as he waits for Louis to pick him up for their one on one date. He’s buzzing, having the opportunity to get a whole day of one on one time with Louis, at not having to share him with anyone, all day. “Make the most of it,” Avan warns with a grin that says he’s only half joking. “Next group date, we’re killing it.”

Liam and Niall laugh and nod in agreement, but Harry isn’t worried. He was charming his first night in the manor, and he knows that he can switch on the charm for the entire one on one date, as well. Louis is an amazing guy, from what Harry’s gathered so far, and Harry’s excited to start progressing to the next level, to get to the front of the pack and hopefully fall in love.

Louis wanders in about fifteen minutes later than Harry had been told to be ready, and he smiles at the small group that’s gathered in the dining area. “Hello everyone,” Louis says, beaming. He looks as excited as Harry feels, which Harry takes as a good sign. “I’ve come to fetch Harry for our date today. Mind if I steal him away?”

“I mean…” Avan trails off jokingly.

Harry nudges him, and then stands to join Louis, who’s offering his hand to Harry. They hold hands the entire way out of the manor, and out into the car that’s waiting out front. Once seated inside, Louis says, “I should’ve asked you before, probably, but how d’you feel about animals?”

Grinning, Harry says, “Love them.”

Louis smiles back, and as the sun rises over the horizon, they ride through the hills, the silence a warm and calming presence around them. He lays his head on Harry’s shoulder, and Harry lays his head atop Louis’s, the two of them feeling rather relaxed and at peace already. It’s a slow, quiet start to the date, but they’re both incredibly content with it.

After about half an hour, they pull up outside a large, industrial-looking building. There’s a sign out front with the name of the animal shelter, and the small village the shelter is in seems to be slowly peeking itself to life in the morning. “So… I should sort of preface this whole thing by saying that when I can, I volunteer,” Louis explains. “If I made enough, I’d donate to charities, but I’m on a teacher’s salary so instead I donate my time. Back in Doncaster I help out at the hospital, and I walk dogs for the local shelter quite a bit. So I thought we could do a little volunteering out here, at this pet shelter. What d’you think?”

Harry had been so attentive as Louis spoke, and his smile is warm and genuine as he responds, “Sounds brilliant.”

It doesn’t surprise Harry at all that Louis is so selfless and so aware of his surroundings and those who may have it worse than he does. Harry finds it quite attractive that Louis does things like volunteer and help his community; it shows what kind of a person he is, how much he stays in tune to everything and everyone around him.

“Alright then, let’s go,” Louis says, climbing out of the car and holding out his hand for Harry to join him. As Harry climbs out, Louis looks down and for the first time gets a good view of Harry’s outfit - or at least, his choice of shoe. “Sparkling boots?” Louis asks curiously.

Harry grins like he knows exactly how ridiculous that is, and he says, “Yeah. My sister convinced me to get them when we found them brand new at a charity shop. I know they’re a bit eccentric but they’ve grown on me.”

Compared to Harry’s plain black skinny jeans and his plain white tee shirt, they certainly make a statement, and Louis just laughs and shakes his head as he says, “You know, I barely know you, but something tells me this isn’t surprising at all.”

Chuckling, Harry says, “I think they’re rather understated. Black, just a hint of shine…”

“Just a hint,” Louis snorts. “Better hope you don’t step in dog poo when we’re outside playing with the animals.”

Harry full-on laughs and says, “Well, that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

It’s clear from the very start that Harry is unpredictable and eccentric, someone truly unique. He’s unlike anyone Louis has ever met before. Once they get into the shelter, they’re greeted by the volunteer coordinator, a woman named Tracy. She gives them a tour of the building - the room full of dogs, the room full of cats, the area where they keep smaller pets like hamsters and guinea pigs and the lot - and then they get to work.

Louis and Harry use teamwork to carry around a bucket of pet food and give out the correct measurements to each animal in the kennel. They feed the dogs first, and then the cats, and Harry can’t resist asking Tracy, “When do we get to play with them?”

“Soon,” Tracy promises. “Once they’ve all gotten their breakfast.”

Louis is impressed with how quickly Harry immerses himself in the job, taking care to greet each animal by the name posted on their kennel, and petting each one atop the head before he pours their food into their dish. Clearly, Harry’s got a big heart. Plus, seeing Harry enjoy something that Louis enjoys makes Louis feel optimistic about their relationship and where it could go from here.

Once the food has been given out to all the animals, Louis and Harry sit with Tracy in the staff room for a moment, talking over the rest of their day. “The cats usually take their time eating and doing their business before they like some human attention, so I’d suggest spending some time with the dogs,” she advises. “We can let up to five dogs out into the garden at a time, let them poo and play and run off some of the energy that’s been building up. So, if you guys are up for it, we’ll just put them in rotation and let you two play with them outside. Sound good?”

“Yeah absolutely,” Louis nods.

Beaming, Harry adds, “Sounds amazing.”

Tracy leads the two of them out to the garden, which is a huge yard decked out with plenty of dog toys, water dishes, and a couple of benches for sitting and petting the dogs. “We’ll start small,” Tracy says, opening the door in the side of the building to let out a few dogs that another staff member rounded up.

Out the door rush five dogs, all smaller breeds, who run right to Harry and Louis like it’s their mission in life. Louis kneels down to greet them and Harry follows suit. Before they know it, they’ve got a pile of dogs around them, and they’re sat in the damp grass petting them.

The entire morning is filled with the same joy, seeing the dogs’ faces light up when they realize there are people outside to play with them, and that they’re going to get some one on one love and affection from a person. It’s a shame, Harry thinks, that these incredibly loving dogs don’t have homes, and it hits him a little deeper the kinds of things Louis recognizes and does everything in his power to correct. These dogs are so innocent, but were dealt a rather sad hand, and Louis tries to combat that. His desire to make life better for others genuinely impresses Harry, and he thinks that he could see himself volunteering like this a lot more often - with Louis or without - in the future now that he’s seen what an astonishing effect it can have.

The two of them play monkey in the middle with a couple of the dogs, and run around chasing the really energetic ones, and while they’re getting a little sweaty and smelly, the dogs are happy. That’s what matters most. Tracy lets out the last group of dogs, five larger breed dogs who don’t run out quite as fast as the dogs they’d played with previously. “These are our old guys,” Tracy explains. “Some have been here quite a while,” she says, patting the white and brown pitbull next to her on the head. “They’re aged ten years or older, so they’re getting towards the end of their life span. We try to make them as happy as possible… lots of belly rubs, a few extra treats here and there. It’s a shame it’s so hard to find the old ones homes. Everyone just wants puppies.”

Harry frowns as he looks down at the old dogs, including the pitbull, whose breed has a bad rap for absolutely no reason. Louis is already crouched down to pet a golden retriever, and she licks his face appreciatively as he scratches behind her ear. “Good girl,” he coos, smiling at her.

Following suit, Harry kneels down to pet the other dogs standing near him, giving them the attention he, Louis, and Tracy all know they deserve. The dogs have far less energy, but even more love and adoration for them, if that’s even possible. Louis and Harry slowly stand and make their way to the bench where a couple dogs leap up to sit next to them, heads in their laps, and a few more lie down at their feet. It seems these dogs are happy to just have someone to cuddle up next to; they’d be such low-maintenance pets, Harry wonders why on earth nobody would care to adopt them.

“Are you having fun?” Louis asks, grateful for the opportunity to take a breath and have a chat. It’s fun caring for the dogs but he also wants to make sure Harry knows he’s still got Louis’s full attention, all day.

“This is amazing,” Harry responds. “I had no idea there were so many pets who needed homes, or someone to play with… d’you really do this all the time?”

Louis nods. “I try to go at least once a month, but sometimes with school that’s difficult. Teaching is a lot of work.”

“More than you expected?”

“It’s probably awful to admit, but yeah,” Louis nods. “It’s really rewarding work, though. Seeing those kids succeed. Maybe that’s why I like being at the shelters. I like seeing the dogs so happy, too. Even if it’s just for a few hours.”

Harry’s gaze stays trained on Louis, and for a moment he’s rendered speechless by just how selfless Louis is. He’d always heard of people like Louis, of course, the ones who give and give and give and rarely get the same amount of care and appreciation in return. “I think it’s really great that you do this,” Harry says. “I mean… it’s so fun, and it makes such a difference.” He hesitates, not sure if it’ll sound like he’s trying too hard to suck up, but then decides to confess, “I think no matter how this goes, I’m going to start doing the same when this is all over.”

That puts a smile on Louis’s face like Harry wouldn’t have expected, and his heart soars knowing he’s made Louis that happy. “That’s really great,” Louis responds.

They’re quiet for a moment, one of the dogs shifting around down by their feet, draping their chin over Harry’s sparkling boot. “You said earlier you volunteer at a hospital as well,” Harry mentions. “Any particular reason you chose a hospital too?”

Louis knew this conversation would be coming eventually, and Harry is so kind and gentle about bringing up the subject, even if he doesn’t know the full story, so Louis feels it’s important to just be honest and tell him everything. So, he takes a deep breath and scoots a little closer to Harry, for comfort and for encouragement. Harry rests a hand on Louis’s thigh in silent support, waiting patiently for an answer.

“Well,” Louis begins slowly. He reaches down to rest his hand on Harry’s and says, “I lost my mum last December,” he pauses; it’s August now - he can’t believe it’s already been nearly a year. “She had leukemia. I never volunteered at the hospital before that, but… whenever I’d go visit her, I’d walk past the other rooms in the ward, the kids and the teenagers who were struggling with something so terrible. And… they’re so weak, sometimes. They’re fighting so hard. And you know, with cancer… it can be sudden, or it can take its time. And when it takes its time, other people’s lives have to go on. You can’t just put everything on hold for years. So they don’t get many visitors. The kids… their parents still have to work and if they’ve got other siblings they need attention too…”

Harry turns over his hand underneath Louis’s, lacing their fingers together. He’s quiet, a solid comfort at Louis’s side. He lets Louis get it all off of his chest before he says anything else. “And my mum, whenever we were having a bad day - like, before her diagnosis, even - she’d just say, ‘let’s go make someone happy today’ and like… once I saw how lonely those kids were, I just knew that was what I should do.” Louis’s voice softens when he says, “And when you find out someone you love dearly is terminal, you have a lot of bad days. A lot of waking up and wondering if they’ll still be there to talk to. So most days, I’d pop in to see her, and then I’d visit a kid in the ward. I did that for months. Nearly the entire time she was admitted.”

Softly, Harry says, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” He leans in and presses a gentle kiss to Louis’s forehead. “It’s a beautiful story, though. Honestly. You could’ve spent all that time with your mum but you shared it with everyone there and I bet it made so many people happy. Your mum, and those kids.”

Louis nods, looking down at their hands. The dog who was resting his head on Louis’s thigh seems to have picked up on the fact that Louis is getting emotional, so he sits up and nudges Louis’s shoulder with his head, for comfort. Louis wraps his free arm around the dog, who nuzzles in close, and Harry smiles as he says, “That dog’s got the right idea.”

He releases Louis’s hand in favor of wrapping an arm around him, and he smiles as he says, “You’re so incredibly strong. I can’t imagine facing the things you have, and for you to come out on the other side so selfless and kind, like you are?” Harry dips his head down to try to catch Louis’s gaze. He does, and he smiles warmly at Louis as he says, “I’m very impressed.”

Louis laughs, a bit self-deprecatingly, and says, “I thought

you

were the one who was supposed to be impressing

me

.”

Chuckling, Harry says, “It can go both ways. I think what you do is really great, though, Louis. You’re genuinely one of a kind.”

Between Harry’s cheesy compliment and the dog nudging Louis to cheer him up, Louis can’t fight a massive grin that threatens to spread across his face. This is what Louis’s mum would want for him, of that he’s sure. Happiness and love and a life full of making others happy. That’s what she’d taught him. That’s what he was always going to push for, to make time for in his life. And knowing that Harry fully supported a life like that made such a difference for Louis, going forward in this process.

They lighten up the moment by going into the room of cats, where more than five are allowed to wander around. Sharing space, they’re all used to each other, so they don’t get as territorial as cats who are raised in a home by themselves. They take to Harry much better than they take to Louis, which causes both of them to laugh. Most of the time when they both go for a cat, one runs away from Louis and the other runs directly to Harry. Neither are quite sure what it is, but it makes for an entertaining afternoon.

After donating a substantial amount of their day to the animal shelter, Harry and Louis say goodbye to the animals, to Tracy, and to the staff, and then go back out to their car. The sky is overcast, but there’s no rain predicted for the afternoon, so Louis is sure the next part of the date will go off without a hitch as well.

Rather than having a fancy, formal date, Louis has chosen to have a picnic in one of the nearby parks. It’s a beautiful park with lots of large trees, which form a beautiful canopy over the trail that leads back to the gazebo where they’ll be having their dinner. He hasn’t told Harry any of this, of course, but Harry is rather good natured as he sits next to Louis in the car, takes his hand, and looks as though he’d go anywhere in the world if Louis asked him to. That’s the sort of trust Louis is looking for in a relationship, and he likes knowing that he and Harry share that.

When they reach the park, Harry smiles, and he climbs out of his side of the car before Louis gets a chance to even open his door. Harry holds out his hand and helps Louis out, being a perfect gentleman the whole time. “This place is gorgeous,” Harry says in awe.

Really, anywhere in the Cotswolds will be gorgeous, if you ask Louis, so he’s not surprised Harry thinks so. It’s the perfect romantic setting for their date, and it’s going to be a calm, serene location where they can have a deep conversation and hopefully keep progressing their relationship. Louis had been instantly drawn to Harry from the very start, and he wants to keep that momentum going. He’s afraid of the contestants losing interest in him as the process wears on, so he wants to make himself as permanent in their lives as possible.

Their fingers lace together again, and Louis knows there’s crew on the other side of the park setting up the picnic so it will be ready when they arrive. Harry and Louis walk slowly along the park path in the meantime, the sounds of birds and bugs around them as the soundtrack to their moment. It’s incredibly calm, which Louis appreciates, especially after the chaos of lots of excitable animals earlier that day.

Harry lets the silence linger over them for a few moments before he asks, “Did you always want to teach?”

Louis smiles at the question, and looks bashfully down at the ground for a minute before he looks up and over at Harry. “Yeah, I did actually,” he nods. “I used to play school when I was a kid, make my little sisters be my pupils. I’d tell them what to read, how to do maths… they hated me for it but mum always encouraged me.” Louis pauses for a beat. “I hated school for a while there, because I’d get made fun of for some stupid reason or another. I’ve tried to forget what they said about me, because if I think about it, I start to believe it. But.” He takes a deep breath. “Anyway, mum told me I just had to keep pressing on. That I had to keep going, and get into college, and a good university, and… here I am.” Louis smiles. “I’ve been teaching permanently for two years now. It’s weird taking a year off for this, but… after losing my mum, I decided I didn’t want to waste any more time. Life is short. I was sort of walking that line of being a workaholic. So… yeah. Here I am.”

Realizing that he’s never asked Harry what he does for a living, Louis decides this would be the opportune time to ask. “What is it you do? I’m sorry I haven’t asked you that yet,” Louis says.

Harry’s smile is warm, and his expression understanding, as he says, “It’s fine. There’s a lot we could talk about. Besides, I shut down the whole

let’s have an important conversation

thing on our first night.” Still smiling, Harry says, “I’m a uni student. I’m working on my law degree right now.”

“Really? Another lawyer?”

“Well, Jack’s fully licensed, and I’m not… yet. But yes, another one,” Harry says. “Only I’ve got the edge because I’m going to be licensed in the same country as you.” He winks, knowing that he’s currently toeing the line between confident and rude. Louis might hate that Harry’s slightly putting down Jack for his own benefit.

If he’s offended, he doesn’t let on, and rather laughs at Harry’s comment. “True enough,” he nods. “Why law?”

Harry shrugs. “It seemed the easiest route to take considering I was interested in so many different things. Besides, my mum and sister say I’m incredibly charming which could help me in court,” he says. “I’m not so sure

that

part is true, but the field has always interested me.”

“Huh,” Louis says, a little surprised by the answer. “I suppose the world needs people like you, since there are tons out there like me who know they’ll never be clever enough for that.”

Harry gives Louis’s hand a little squeeze and says, “Stop that. You could do it if you put your mind to it. Besides, I’d argue that teaching is much harder. It’s different every day, and you have to deal with children which isn’t for everyone.”

“Is it for you?” Louis wonders. A love of children is very important to him.

“I mean, of course. I love children,” Harry replies. Louis lets out the nervous breath he’d been holding. “It’s just, not everyone does. So the world needs people like

you

who will put up with them for the greater part of a day.”

Laughing, Louis nods and says, “I suppose you’ve got a point there. Very persuasive.” He eyes Harry coyly, through the corners of his eyes, and says, “I can tell you’ll be a good lawyer.”

Harry’s smile widens and he’s about to say something else when he feels a big, fat raindrop fall right on his nose. He blinks, surprised, and looks down at Louis. With no warning whatsoever, the rain starts to fall. It pours down in buckets, the raindrops prickling a bit where they hit their bare skin. Ducking their heads down, Louis and Harry rush to the gazebo, but it’s too late. Both of them are soaked through to the bone.

“Should’ve known the rain wouldn’t hold off,” Louis grumbles as he shivers, pacing around by the picnic table.

Someone from the crew is rushing over with towels, but it really is too late. Neither of them brought a change of clothes. Harry’s white tee shirt is clinging to his skin, and when Louis glances up to make sure Harry’s been wrapped up with a warm towel, too, his eyes catch on the tattoos shining through the sheer white fabric. He licks his lips and Harry tries not to smirk too cockily as he realizes. “Like what you see?” he asks.

Louis rolls his eyes, because that’s one of the most cliche lines he’s ever heard. But at the same time -

yes

, he thinks -

yes

, he definitely likes what he sees.

Both of them have got towels around their shoulders, their hair floppy and damp, sticking to their foreheads and in Harry’s case, his cheeks. Louis reaches up to push the hair out of Harry’s face, and when their eyes meet, Harry smiles. The entire moment slows down and Louis hears crew members frantically switching on cameras to catch what’s about to happen.

Louis drifts his thumb over one of Harry’s dimples, and his gaze is drawn from Harry’s eyes down to his lips. Harry’s just a couple inches taller but it’s enough to make Louis feel small, in the best way. Harry’s large, warm hands are encircling Louis’s waist and they just stand there for a moment, drinking each other in. Louis is about to step up on his tiptoes when Harry leans down instead, closing the distance between them, connecting their lips tenderly.

The kiss is short, chaste, but enough to knock the wind out of both of them. When Harry pulls back for air, he hears Louis gasp, hears that already his breath is a bit labored. Their breath mixes between them, and Louis feels much warmer already, under Harry’s touch. Slowly, Louis tips his mouth up to meet Harry’s once more, and he doesn’t even notice the cameras all around them. Harry doesn’t, either, and it’s the most curious thing because usually he’s hyper-aware of them.

When the second kiss breaks, their eyes open, and Harry is right there, smiling that charming, relaxed smile at Louis. Louis grins back, and he slides his hands down Harry’s very toned chest, to hook his arms around Harry’s waist instead, for warmth. Louis knows his cheeks are hot and flushed, but he’s also got goosebumps on his arms. The rain is still pouring around them, and the temperature of the air has cooled considerably since the rain began.

Louis and Harry stand there for a few moments, holding each other, until Louis is handed a jacket. He reluctantly steps away from Harry so he can shrug it on and sit down at the table, across from where Harry has been seated with a jacket of his own.

They share a few embarrassed smiles between them before they get to eat, and Louis finds that even with a mouth full of crisps, Harry is ridiculously charming. Louis laughs and laughs, and he’s glad they don’t film them eating because it takes some of the pressure off. Kissing Harry had been intense, and Louis didn’t quite know how to switch back to playful for the cameras without looking like he regretted the kiss.

Fresh plates of food replace the empty plates that were sat in front of them, and Louis rolls his eyes to himself. The wasteful things this show does to make everything look like perfection. Now, Louis and Harry are just meant to sit and chat, and refrain from eating the food that’s sitting out in front of them because it will be too loud on the microphones.

Harry is stuffed anyway, but he’s also aware that now there’s a rose on the table, and Louis still has the option to

not

give him the rose. Harry would like to think he’s earned it, and he’s fairly confident Louis has enjoyed their date today, but until he has the rose in his hand, Harry is going to be nervous about it.

Louis doesn’t waste any time once the cameras are rolling again. “So,” he begins, looking at Harry, smirking a little as Harry squirms impatiently in his seat. Harry isn’t exactly subtle about his glances down at the rose.

“So,” Harry echoes, eager to get a move-on.

“Did you have fun today?” Louis asks, deciding to draw it out a little more, to make Harry squirm.

Harry uses his hand to comb his hair back and out of his face, and he nods, “Yeah, I did. And I didn’t even ruin my boots!”

Louis glances under the table and then laughs, shaking his head. “Pity,” he teases.

“Hey!” Harry protests.

Smirking, Louis says, “Yeah, no, I had a good time, too, though,” he gets back to the task at hand, to the “serious” conversation they’re supposed to be having.

“Thank you for trusting me,” Harry says, growing serious as well. “I know it must be very difficult to talk about your mum, after you lost her so recently. So… I feel really lucky you trusted me with that and like… let yourself be vulnerable so soon.”

Louis nods, and he studies Harry for a moment. “Something about you makes you easy to trust,” Louis replies.

Harry feels a slight smile at his lips, but he can’t yet decide whether the conversation is going well or not. Finally, Louis reaches out for the rose. “Well… I suppose I shouldn’t draw this out any longer,” he says. “Today was huge for us, I feel like. We had fun, and we hit that next level.”

“Yeah,” Harry agrees. He really feels that, too.

“So, Harry,” Louis begins, looking down at the rose. He pauses, and Harry wants to squirm

so badly

, but he sits still. When Louis looks up again, Harry is so relieved to hear him ask, “Will you accept this rose?”

Harry breaks out into the brightest smile he’s worn all day. “Yeah, of course,” he replies. Louis hands Harry the rose, and Harry takes it quickly. He then stands up and coaxes Louis to do the same, so he can draw him into a hug. “Thank you.” He looks down into Louis’s eyes and dips in for a quick kiss, still smiling from ear to ear.

Louis finds himself wishing he didn’t have to say goodbye to Harry so soon, but manages anyway. Now he’s got to prepare for his second group date of the week - one that could go really well, or could end in disaster. He’s not yet sure which is the more likely option.

--

Louis walks into the dining room the next morning, smiling as he sees the entire group of twenty-four men and women hanging out together. As far as he can tell, there’s no drama yet, no bad blood or anger, and he’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible. “Hey everyone,” Louis says, walking into the room.

He wanders over to the table full of food and makes himself a cup of tea. Nobody really knows what’s going on, because there’s supposed to be another group date, and it’s very likely

not

at the manor. Louis ignores the looks of confusion and makes himself a cuppa, fighting a smile as he notices some people whispering.

“What’s the matter guys?” he asks, looking around with amusement. He notices the odd look on Liam’s face, like he’s concentrating really hard on figuring out what’s going on. “Oh,” Louis laughs. “The group date?” He shrugs. “I suppose we could go on that, if you still want to.”

“Of course we still want to!” shouts Lauren excitedly.

“Alright then.” He puts the lid on his cup of tea and says, “C’mon guys, the limo’s out front.” Grinning, Louis walks out the door, expecting the other eleven to follow.

The entire day is going to be about having fun and being goofy, so he wanted to start out with that right away. One by one they climb into the limo, several people clamor to sit next to Louis. In the end, Louis sits along the back of the limo with Shawn on one side and Danielle on the other.

Right from the start, Danielle is sweet and funny and flirty, asking Louis if she can sit by him before she takes her place. Her hand rests on his leg and she makes sure to include everyone in the conversation as Louis asks them what they’ve been up to in the manor whilst he’s been out on dates with the others.

“The girls have been getting all dressed up,” Zac says.

Louis looks around at the girls, who all have flawless hair and painted nails. He points at Kaya’s hands and says, “I hope you don’t mind getting those scuffed up.”

“Ooh, a hint!” Barbara says excitedly.

Shrugging, Louis says, “I don’t think you’ll figure it out.”

“Tell us!” Camila pleads.

“Nope,” Louis shakes his head, smirking.

They don’t have to pressure him much longer because within a few minutes, the limo pulls to a stop and the driver opens the door. Louis gestures to the rest of them to get out, and he ends up being the last person out of the limo. “So… what do you think?” he asks, gesturing to the building they’re standing in front of.

Louis is goofy, and he likes to have a good time and not take himself too serious, so bowling seems like the perfect date. They can bowl, have some greasy pizzas, get some pints, and really just have a good time. The group cheers, and they follow Louis inside. It’s empty except for them, rented out just for this group date.

Up on the screens in the center of the line of bowling lanes are two lists of names: the two teams that will be bowling, six on one and six on the other. “We’re doing tournament style,” Louis explains as they approach the lanes. “We’re doing a few rounds… top three from each team are going into the second round, and the winner of

that

gets a special prize at the end. So. Get your game face on and let’s go!”

The teams are already split up, with Barbara, Camila, Danielle, Shawn, Zac, and Liam on one team and Lauren, Kaya, Avan, Taron, Niall, and Louis on the other. “Let me just check something quick,” Niall says as he walks to their lane.

He quickly scoots in front of Louis and taps the screen, opening up his name and the preferences underneath it. “Oi, no cheating! No bumpers!” Louis says, nudging Niall.

Niall laughs, booming and infectious, and says, “I’m not cheating! I’m gonna change it to left-handed.”

“Why’s it matter if they think you’re a lefty or righty?” Louis asks.

Niall shrugs and says, “Dunno, but I’m proud of it! I’m changing it to left handed!”

“Are you?” Louis wonders. “A lefty, I mean?”

Again, Niall laughs, and he says, “Yeah, I am.”

“Huh. I had no idea,” Louis comments.

“You just met me!” Niall says, nudging Louis again before pressing

save

on screen and rushing over to get a good bowling ball, where the other ten are clamoring for the same.

“Oi!” Louis shouts again, rushing over to grab one for himself, too. While they’re over there, they get bowling shoes, too, and it’s a flurry of changing and rolling a few trial balls before the tournament starts.

It’s chaos once they get going; nobody is really amazing at the game, but they’re all laughing and having fun. Louis stays on his feet, lingering between the two lanes, making sure he’s chatting with everyone, not just the people on his team.

Louis gets distracted easily, so his team has to step in quite often when it’s his turn to bowl. Avan takes this upon himself most of the time, often in the subtlest of ways. He combs his fingers down Louis’s arm, or grasps his hand, and each and every time Louis flushes pink because Avan’s touch sends a shiver down his spine.

It doesn’t take long for the others to catch on to what he’s doing, but Louis doesn’t let that distract them. He loves the little touches - they’re one of his favorite ways to show affection - so he’s glowing in all the attention. Before long, the last frame is done and it’s time to see who makes it onto the second round.

Louis laughs as he shakes his head and says, “Well, no surprise there that I came in last. I’m a

terrible

bowler. Absolutely awful.” He looks between the boards and says, “Alright, so it’s Zac, Shawn, Barbara, Niall, Avan, and Kaya who have to battle it out for the final prize!” There are cheers, and looks of nervousness. “But!” Louis shouts. “Before then, we’re going to get some pizzas and some pints and relax. Take some of the pressure off.”

A waitress carries over a tray covered in pints of beer, and behind her are more waitresses with pizzas that they set along the tables behind the two lanes the group was bowling in. Louis steps in and hands everything out, making sure each and every person this date with him gets something before he ever worries about himself. Beers in hand, Louis holds his pint up in toast and they all join him. “To an absolutely fantastic second round, and an amazing date,” he says.

Beer is spilled as they toast, and Louis takes a big gulp of his beer before moving on to his massive slice of pizza. Everyone is happy and laughing, and Louis is glad that they had the chance to form friendships in the manor with each other while he’s been out on dates; he wants everyone to get something out of this process, whether it ends up being love with him, or friendship with their castmates. Either way, he just hopes everyone walks away without any regrets. That’s all he could ask of them.

Round two starts shortly after the food is handed out, with the bowlers in the second round going up to bowl between bites of pizza. Louis takes care to cheer for them and encourage them, while at the same time chatting with the people who didn’t quite make it as far in the tournament.

At the table, Liam takes a moment with Louis, to ask him how he’s doing. “I’m great, thanks, yeah,” Louis nods, still surprised whenever anyone asks him how

he’s

doing. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yeah,” Liam nods, and then takes a big gulp of his beer. “I made a right fool of myself out there but it’s about the fun, yeah?”

“Exactly,” Louis nods. “You don’t need to be perfect at it.”

Liam laughs, his eyes going crinkly at the corners, and he tips his head back he’s laughing so hard. “Well, see, babe, that’s just it. I have a bad habit of trying to be perfect at everything. Like, literally everything. It’s awful,” he says. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist.”

“Does that carry over to like, home and work and stuff?” Louis wonders. He’s a messy guy; Louis wants to feel out the situation, see if life after the show would mean the two would clash. Louis hasn’t been able to become a neater person no matter how hard he tries.

“I mean, it

should

for work,” Liam says jovially, a bit amused by the question. “I’m an airplane mechanic. Don’t want anyone soaring into the sea because I missed something on the plane.” He shakes his head and says, “I’m not OCD or anything. I just expect a lot of myself. That’s what my mum says, anyway. And that I’m too hard on myself. But… it’s a hard habit to break.”

Louis nods along, and he finds Liam’s confession more precious now, and definitely something sweet. Liam just wants to be good, and that’s all Louis has ever wanted to do, too. “Yeah, I can understand that,” Louis says. “I would hope there’s a perfectionist fixing up the planes I fly in.”

One of the things Louis appreciates most of all about Liam is that he wears his expressions right out there for everyone to see. It’s clear when he’s happy, or confused, or sad, or any emotion, really. Louis likes knowing what’s going on in Liam’s head; it helps him get a read on whether there’s potential for the two of them or not. So far, it seems like there is.

“So can I ask what this fancy prize is that I’ve missed out on?” Liam asks, trying to sound casual about it.

Louis bursts out laughing. “That’s slick, Leemo. Very slick,” he says. “Points for trying, but no. I’m not telling what the prize is until someone has won.”

The game is only in the sixth frame, but there’s a clear front-runner. Shawn has managed to accumulate over one hundred points this round - he’s at a staggering 112 - with Kaya behind him with seventy-two, and the other four behind from there. Louis cheers for all of them again, trying to encourage the others not to give up, but by the tenth frame, it’s clear who the winner is.

“Shawn! Oh my god! That was sick,” Louis says, wandering over to him and giving him a big hug.

After a full afternoon full of socializing between all the contestants and Louis, it’s time for the group date to start winding down. “I bet you’re wondering what you’re big prize will be,” Louis says.

All he has to say is

prize

and the group quieted down, nothing but the loud 90’s rock music blaring around them in the bowling alley. “Your prize…” Louis trails off. “Is that the rest of the night, I’m all yours. You’ve just won some one on one time with me. The rest of you… I really did have an amazing time. I hope you had fun, because that’s what this was about. I’ll be seeing you all at the rose ceremony in a few hours.” Shawn looks elated while the rest look a little discouraged. “Come on, bring it in,” Louis says, holding his hands out to the others. “Wipe those frowns off your faces, come on. Give us a hug.”

One by one, Louis gives each contestant a hug and as he does, Steve approaches, coming into view of the cameras. “Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, Shawn has just turned this date into a one on one with his win,” he explains. “Now, while I understand why you may be discouraged, let me remind you that the rules of a one on one date will now apply. Louis can either choose to give him a rose, or send him home. It’s one or the other, there are no other options. Take comfort knowing you’ve at least made it to tonight.”

Steve’s words don’t seem to comfort anyone at all, though the tension in the room does lessen a little. “Alright, for the ten of you, it’s time to go back to the manor. Shawn and Louis… have a great one on one. We’ll see you back at the manor tonight for the rose ceremony,” he says.

Then, after all the goodbyes have finished, Steve leads the ten other men and women out to the limo and back to the manor. Louis turns to Shawn with a grin on his face and asks, “So… how are you feeling?”

“Are you kidding me?” Shawn asks, grinning from ear to ear. “I just got a one on one with you. I’m basically having the best day ever.”

Louis smiles, Shawn’s enthusiasm infectious, and he takes his hand as he asks, “Well, in that case, want to get out of here?”

“Let’s do it.”

The cameras switch off and the two of them take off their bowling shoes, sliding back into the shoes they’d come to the bowling alley in. Then, Louis leads Shawn out of the bowling alley and they walk down the sidewalk, a park in the distance. Their height difference seems especially obvious now, and Louis would be lying if he said he didn’t love it. He’s managed to forget that Shawn is as young as he is - they’ve got seven years between them - and now it’s just the two of them.

“So… you’re still in school, right?” Louis asks. “What do you want to do when you’ve finished?”

Shawn nods and hesitates a minute before he says, “I’m not sure. I’m studying music right now. I’ve taken some classes more about the business side of it, which is interesting. Like management and production.”

“You think you’d give that a go?” Louis asks.

“Maybe,” Shawn replies. “I mean… I really want to perform. But I’ll take what I can get if it means I can stay in the industry.”

Louis listens intently, walking closer to Shawn on the sidewalk as a chill settles into the air. It’s refreshing, hearing Shawn talk so optimistically about the future, even though usually things never work out quite the way you hope they will. On the other hand, Shawn speaks with a naivety that makes it glaringly obvious that they’re so far apart in age. Louis doesn’t want to eliminate anyone so rashly, though, so he’s going to push any worries aside and see whether they can progress on their mini one on one.

“I think it’s great that you’re so passionate about what you do,” Louis says, leading Shawn off the path and over to a bench by a creek. “That’ll go a long way to helping you get there.”

“You think I can?”

Louis looks up at Shawn, and keeps their gaze locked as they sit down, and he replies, “I think so long as you work hard, you’ll at least end up somewhere you’re satisfied with. Maybe it’s not where you thought you’d be, but... “ Louis shrugs. “I mean, I didn’t think I’d be teaching primary school, but here I am. I swore I’d work with teens, or maybe just coach football or something…” He looks up at Shawn. “I feel like it all worked out for the best, though. Like I’m where I’m meant to be.”

Shawn nods and says, “I think I can do it. I feel like I can.”

Though it’s a loaded question, Louis can’t hold back. Almost like banter, he blurts out, “Do you think you can do it while you’re married?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Shawn didn’t think, didn’t hesitate at all. He said outright that he thought he could do it. Louis has done the school thing, though, and he’d tried to date during it, too. And he’d failed. It’s hard, and chasing dreams as big as Shawn’s would be quite difficult with a spouse.

The whole situation feels unlike anything Louis thought he’d experience. He’s giving advice, he’s listening to big dreams and endless optimism. Shawn is incredibly attractive and Louis knows this, but relationships are so much more than that. Taking a deep breath, Louis confesses, “I’m not so sure.”

That makes Shawn hesitate, and Louis knows where this is going. He’d wanted to give Shawn a fair shot even though he was so much younger, but they’re in very different places in life - and in the world. Shawn just has his one year of studying in England, and then he’s got to go back to America. As much as Louis wants to be idealistic about this whole process and believe that they could do it, he’s find it difficult to picture it working out.

Neither of them says anything for a minute, and Louis’s thoughts race in his head. Does he do this? Does he give Shawn one more chance? Their conversation was good, it’s not like Shawn said anything to offend, it’s just… “Shawn, you’re an amazing man. You really are. And you’re going to go far,” Louis says softly. “But I think, as nice as it might sound to have a spouse by your side as you try to reach this massive dream you’ve got… I don’t think that person is going to be me. This part of your life is huge, and it’s so important, and I don’t want to hold you back. You clearly care about these dreams of yours

so much

.”

Slowly, Shawn lets the words settle over him and eventually, he nods. “Okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” Louis whispers, reaching over for Shawn’s hand.

Shrugging, Shawn says, “You’re probably right.”

He looks over at Louis, who looks incredibly apologetic. It’s the first week and already Louis is feeling doubts about people, but worse than that, he’s doubting his own decisions. But this… it feels right. “You’re going to make that dream of yours happen, and you’re going to fall in love, and all of this will just be some distant memory. Okay?” Louis offers.

Shawn nods and takes a deep breath. “Let’s go back to the car, yeah?” Louis suggests, standing up and taking Shawn’s hand to lead him back to the car, so he can gather his things and go home.

They’re quiet, and Louis’s chest is tight, his head swimming with self-doubt, but more than all of that he’s just hoping Shawn will be okay. Breakups in his teen years were some of the worst Louis can recall. He’d never want to relive them, and here Shawn is, living one on national television.

Louis reaches out for a hug, and Shawn returns it, all the while keeping his eyes trained down on the ground. “Safe travels,” Louis says softly.

Without a word, Shawn climbs into the car and Louis shuts the door for him. He waves as the car pulls away, and stands there for a moment, thinking over everything that just happened. A few moments later, Steve approaches Louis on the sidewalk. “How are you doing?” he asks.

“That was hard,” Louis sighs.

“What happened? It looked like everything was going great.”

Steve lets Louis take his time answering, but finally Louis says, “He’s got big dreams, and he’s young and… I didn’t want to stand in the way of that. He needs to do those things without worrying about dating or getting married. It wasn’t going to work.” Louis hesitates and then adds, “It’s August. He’ll have term starting soon, and he can’t put school on hold, either. He may think he wants to, but I don’t want him to regret anything one day.”

Nodding, Steve says, “That’s understandable. How are you feeling going into the first rose ceremony tonight?”

Louis groans. Steve grins, “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

--

After so many opportunities for interaction during the first meetings and the first dates, the group is jumping right into the rose ceremony that night. It’s the first major one, not just lining up in hopes of getting the first impression rose, and Louis feels like he’s going to be sick as he walks into that room and sees twenty-three very hopeful individuals. Two already have roses - Bebe and Harry - so they look considerably more relaxed. Louis takes his mark next to a pedestal where only eighteen roses lay. He still has to send three more people home.

Louis takes a shaky breath, braces himself, and jumps right in. “I just want to thank you all for an amazing first week. I could not have asked for a more amazing start to this journey, and that’s all thanks to you lot. So… I appreciate it. I wish I could have more time with all of you and see where things may lead, but tonight, I need to say goodbye to three of you,” he says. After another deep breath, Louis says, “Let’s begin.”

Niall… Barbara… Matthew… Zayn...

The more names Louis calls, the more sickly Louis feels. Each name makes the other contestants - the ones whose names haven’t yet been called - look even more nauseated. It’s tough already, and they’re only in the first week of all this.

Avan… Liam… Danielle… Perrie...

Through all the anxiety, the most rewarding part of the process for Louis is seeing the joy on their faces when their names are called. Knowing he put that smile there, that he caused that happiness, makes everything feel a little more worth it.

Eleanor… Jack… Sophie… Camila…

Now there are nine people left, and only six more roses. Louis feels his heart race a little faster, and he has to be reminded by the crew to slow down, to go through each name one by one, make sure they can get good footage of everyone and their roses.

Taron… Lauren... Briana… Zac… Nick…

This is it. One more rose, four more people. Louis knows that he could have a good time with anyone who still stands before him, hoping for a rose. But he’s got to make the tough decisions, to start eliminating now because they’re working with limited time. After taking a huge breath, Louis calls the very last name.

“Kaya.”

She looks quite relieved, and walks forward to accept the rose. Louis smiles at her, gives her a hug, and after a moment, Steve steps in. “To those of you who did not receive a rose, I’m sorry, but you will need to pack your things and leave tonight. Please, say your goodbyes,”

Louis says goodbye to each of the three of them in turn, first Logan, then Selena, and then Daisy. The guilt Louis feels, upsetting these people like this, is terrible. He can’t comprehend doing this once he’s formed deeper bonds with people as the weeks progress. It’s a daunting thought, but his hope is that at the end of this, he’ll find a life partner.

Once the three who were eliminated leave the room, Louis picks up a glass of champagne as they’re passed around to everyone. “Thank you all for an amazing first week,” Louis says, smiling at those who remain. “We have one more week left here in England, so let’s make the most of it. Cheers!”

They all toast together, and Louis feels optimistic; this group of twenty people he has surrounding him leave him hopeful that he’s going to fall in love, and soon.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After a relaxing weekend of no filming, it’s time to jump back into more dates, and Louis couldn’t be more excited. He’s chosen some really great stuff for this week, and he’s also very confident in his choices for this week’s

two

one on one dates - though they don’t know there will be that many, yet. But first - the smaller group date.

Being in England, the weather often doesn’t cooperate and provide the setting that might be ideal for romantic dates - like

sunlight

- so Louis has come up with some indoor dates for the very rainy week that lies ahead. As much as it might be fun to get caught in the rain a la a scene from the Notebook, he doesn’t want to do that every day this week. So, Louis waits in a pub in the heart of London, waiting for the eight men and women he’s chosen for this first date to arrive.

He hears them as soon as they do, the camera crew already inside and waiting. Louis has been sipping on a pint as he waits, his drink half gone already. He stands to greet everyone when they walk in, giving each and every one of them a hug. The pub has been rented out for the day just for filming, which means they can be as loud as they’d like, and just have a good time and let loose. “Hey everyone!” Louis says, giving each a warm hug and a smile.

As the greetings die down, Louis spots a waitress going around taking drink orders for the group. Everyone seems game to spend time in a pub and orders a beer, even though it’s just past noon. There are snacks out on the table - pretzels, crisps, nuts - and two tables with four seats each. Up front, Louis’s beer and a few sheets of paper wait for him. Steve is there, too, newly arrived from escorting the group to the pub, and everything is ready.

“So, I thought since it’s raining outside, we could have some fun indoors instead,” he says, “The pub is one of my favorite places to hang out and just chat and catch up with people, and I’ve been known to go for pints on a date or two, as well.” The waitress pops in, handing out beers, and Louis says, “Because I like a good pub outing, I’ve also learned on which nights each pub in my hometown have trivia. I’m not a genius, but even when I don’t win, I have a blast at trivia, so I thought we could give it a go here.”

The group cheers, and Louis lets their noise die down for a moment before he says, “You’ve split yourselves up into teams - one at each table,” he gestures to where the eight of them have taken spots without knowing they’d put themselves into teams, “And I’m going to be leading the trivia game. Steve’s going to help me keep score, and at the end, there will be a prize for the winners.”

Louis looks between the tables; on his left sit Taron, Sophie, Niall, and Avan, and to his right sit the other team of Zac, Eleanor, Danielle, and Liam. Louis doesn’t know everyone super well yet, but he thinks the teams are pretty evenly matched.

All the technology for buzzers and everything has been set up by the crew, and Louis says, “We’re going to rotate through the first eight questions, so each of you gets one. The last two are going to be group effort. Everybody ready?” Louis asks.

The groups cheer, and Louis grins. “Okay, who’s first up?” he asks.

Taron and Liam raise their hands, and the game begins. “Alright,” Louis grins. “Your category is food. What is the national dish of Scotland?”

Hands fly, but Taron hits the buzzer first and the red light bulb in the middle of their table lights up. “Haggis!” he exclaims.

“Correct! One point for the red team!” Louis says, cheering with their entire table.

The buzzer gets passed along, and Louis smiles. This will be an interesting match-up: Sophie versus Eleanor. Two

very

intelligent women. “Question two: the category is magic. Name the four houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - in alphabetical order,” he says.

Eleanor is quick on the buzzer and recites quite calmly, “Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.”

“One point for the blue team! We’re up to a tie already. This is getting intense!” Louis laughs, fanning himself playfully. “Okay - moving right along. Category three is music.”

Niall sits up straighter in his chair, his hand over the buzzer, and Danielle looks incredibly focused. Louis begins very slowly, drawing out the tension. “What musical instrument,” he begins. He glances between Niall and Danielle, smirking, “did Sherlock Holmes play?”

Danielle hits the buzzer immediately and shouts, “Violin!”

Niall growls out of frustration for his own forgetfulness, and Louis cheers with the blue team as they’re awarded another point on the big scorecard on the table in front of Steve. “This is seriously so tense,” Steve says, feeling the vibe in the room and how competitive both groups are for a chance at whatever the prize is. After the last group date Louis did, they’re sure the prize will afford them something extra with Louis, which they all want.

“Question four. The category is US Presidents.” Louis looks between the two tables. The people at the buzzer are Avan and Zac - one American, one Canadian. The timing for this one is probably ideal, and he’s curious to see who’ll get this one. “In what state was Barack Obama born?”

Both hesitate, but Zac eventually hits the buzzer first. “Hawaii,” he guesses.

“Correct!” Louis exclaims. “That’s three points for the blue team, one point for the red team. Come on red team! You can do this!”

The red team looks a bit discouraged, but they’re ready for this. “Question five,” Louis says, eyeing Taron and Liam. They’re up again, the buzzer having been rotated through everybody once already. “The category here is English History.” An Englishman versus a Welshman - this should be interesting. “Who was the first Tudor monarch in England?”

Liam gets the buzzer first, but barely, and says, “Henry the eighth.”

Louis is about to say yes, but hesitates as he squints down at the paper in front of him. “I’m sorry, Liam, but that’s incorrect,” Louis says, frowning in sympathy. Then, he turns to Taron and asks, “D’you want to steal?”

“Yeah, please,” Taron nods. “It’s Henry the seventh.”

“That’s correct! One Roman numeral too many there, Liam. Sorry about that,” Louis says sympathetically. A point is added to the red team’s side and the tension grows; one more correct answer by the red team and the game will be tied again.

“Sophie versus Eleanor for question six,” Louis says. “This is going to be a good one.” He grins wickedly and says, “The category is science.” Both women look very self-assured and brace themselves for the question. “What is the first element on the periodic table?”

Hands fly for the buzzer but the blue bulb lights up. “Sophie?” Louis asks.

“Hydrogen.”

She looks calm and triumphant and the red team is awarded the point. “Tie game again!” Louis cheers. “This is so good you guys. I’m

so

impressed. Are you ready for more?” Louis orders another pint and notices that a few others do too, and then smiles as he says, “Category seven is geography. Who’s up?” It’s Niall versus Danielle, and they sit up straighter, ready for a faceoff. “Canada is made up of how many provinces?”

Niall beats Danielle to the buzzer this time and shouts, “Ten!”

Louis hadn’t known that before the question, but clearly the others did. He’s correct, and another point goes to the red team. “Wow, red team, you’ve come from behind

really

well,” Louis says, grinning. “I’m impressed. One question left before we get to the group ones. The category is literature.”

It’s Avan versus Zac for this one, and Louis wishes he could remember what they said they did for careers, to see if maybe one has a totally coincidental advantage. He knows there are quite a few students in the group of men and women he’s dating.

“War and Peace, originally published in 1869, is a novel written by which Russian author?”

Avan hits the buzzer right away and shouts, “Tolstoy!”

“Correct!”

The red team shouts louder than they have all day, cheering at the come-from-behind jump into the lead. With only a few questions left, they feel confident that they’ve got the game in the bag. Steve sets the points so the groups can see them. Red team: 5, Blue team: 3.

“Okay, so, for these last few questions you can collaborate with your team. First step is to pick a leader. They’ll try to buzz in first once I give you the category. Then, both teams will have a chance to discuss the question I give you, once we’ve buzzed to see who gets to answer first. The team who buzzed first gets to answer. If they get it wrong, the other team can steal. If both teams get it wrong, we go back to the first ones to guess until somebody gets it. If you guess correctly on the first try, you win two points. Any guess after that will only be worth one point. Whoever guesses correctly has a chance at the bonus question. The bonus question can also be stolen, but each team only gets one guess. Any questions?”

There are a lot of instructions, so there’s some confusion on their faces, but nobody asks anything. “It’s easier once you’re playing,” Steve reassures them. “Just follow Louis’s lead.”

Louis nods and says, “First, everyone choose who you want on buzzer. Pick someone fast.”

There’s some whispering amongst each team, and in the end, it’s Taron versus Zac on the buzzers.

“Alright, now, whoever buzzes in first after I tell you the category gets to guess first. Okay?” Nods from both teams signal to Louis that he can proceed, so he says slowly and clearly, “The category is theatre.”

Zac buzzes in first, which means the blue team gets to make a guess first. “Alright. Now. I’m going to give you the question, and you and your team have one minute to come up with your answer. When you’re ready, turn and face me. Everyone understand?” More nods. “Alright. Here’s your question: Which Broadway show holds the record for being the most nominated production in Tony Awards history?”

Both groups lean in to whisper amongst themselves. Louis takes a big gulp of his pint and looks over at Steve, who as a spectator seems to be having a lot of fun. He’s also in charge of the time, so Louis and Steve watch as the clock ticks down. “Time’s up,” Steve says after a minute.

Louis faces the blue team and asks, “What’s your answer?”

Zac grins and says, confidently, “

Hamilton

.”

“That’s correct! Blue team gets two points, and the game is all tied up again!” Steve adds the points. “Now, if you can guess the bonus question correctly, you get another point. You’ll have thirty seconds to come up with your answer for this. Ready?” The team nods. “Which Broadway show has

won

the most Tonys in Tony awards history?”

The question casts doubt into the faces of the red team, and Louis notices out of the corner of his eye that Taron groans and sits back in his chair. He totally knows the answer. After thirty seconds, Steve shouts that time is up and Louis awaits the blue team’s answer. Zac looks far less confident this time as he says, “Is it also

Hamilton

?”

“I’m sorry, that’s incorrect,” Louis says. “Red team, would you like to steal?”

The red team looks between themselves and Niall shrugs, “Sure.”

Steve sets the timer, giving the red team a chance to talk amongst themselves to come up with an answer. When their time is up, Sophie looks at Louis and says, rather unsurely, “Is it

The Book of Mormon

?”

Wincing, Louis shakes his head. “That’s incorrect,” he says. “The answer is actually

The Producers

. They were nominated for fewer awards than

Hamilton

, but won more. Good guesses, you guys!”

The loss seems to put a look of optimism back on the red team’s faces, and Louis says, “Alright. It’s still a tie game.” He laughs a little; the tension in the room is absolutely insane. “Next group question. Get ready to buzz in. The category is Sports.”

Taron beats Zac to the buzzer this time, so the red team gets a chance at answering the question first. “Okay. I’m going to give you the question and you’ll have one minute to talk it over before giving me your answer. Ready?” The red team nods. “Before their win in 2016, when was the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series?”

Danielle, from the blue team, squirms in her seat and mouths to her team,

I know this! I know this!

- Louis has forgotten where some of these people came from but he’d wager a guess that Danielle is from Chicago, based on her reaction.

When the full minute is up, Louis says, “Red team? I need your answer.”

The entire team looks unsure, but Taron gives their answer anyway: “1929?”

“Sorry, that is incorrect,” Louis says. “For one point - does the blue team want to steal?”

“Yes!” Zac shouts.

“The answer is 1908!” Danielle says, like she was going to burst if she held it in for one more second.

Louis laughs and says, “Yes! That’s correct!”

The blue team jumps and cheers, Eleanor hugging Danielle happily, and Louis lets them have their moment. “No way. That long?” Niall asks from the other table.

“It’s true,” Louis says, showing the piece of paper he was reading off of. “It says right here, 1908. It took them from then until 2016 to win another one!”

Danielle opens her mouth to say something else, but Louis cuts her off. “Before you give us more Cubs facts,” she closes her mouth, smiling because that’s

exactly

what she’d been about to do, and allows Louis to continue. “The bonus question. Are you ready?”

“So ready,” Eleanor says excitedly.

“The Chicago Cubs have won the World Series only one other time, besides 1908 and 2016. In what year was that third World Series win?” Louis asks.

He doesn’t even have to give the team a chance to answer, because Danielle has the answer for them already. “1907,” she says proudly. “I

knew

this baseball stuff would come in handy! My brother told me it’d never impress a guy, but here I am.” Danielle shrugs, still beaming with pride that she’s won the game for her team.

“Well, that’s it, that’s the answer,” Louis says, smiling at how adorable Danielle is, and how proud she is that she’d been able to be the one to help the team win. “Blue team wins! Good game everyone. That was incredible.”

“What’s the prize?” Danielle asks excitedly.

Louis walks over to the blue team and puts his arms around Eleanor and Danielle’s shoulders, and he says, “You four get some extra time with me at the cocktail party, just the four of you.” The blue team cheers excitedly, happy for some extra time with Louis, to try to get ahead in the competition.

Looking around at the group, Louis feels like so far, they’ve had a good time, and that he can’t wait for more time with all of them. “Okay, so, let’s all get ready - I’ll see the four of you,” he says, looking at the blue team, “first. And then the rest of you will join for the rest of the night. And then… the rose.” He wiggles his eyebrows and then steps away. “See you guys in a bit!”

Everybody files out of the pub, Louis in a separate car but everyone heading to a nearby hotel to change clothes and get ready for the group date cocktail party. The group seems to be in good spirits, especially the blue team. Sophie gets ready on her own, even though she’s sharing a room with Danielle and Eleanor, choosing to stay with her sensible style and wear a simple dress, her hair up in a neat bun. Eleanor and Danielle sit on the other side of the room, curling each other’s hair, touching up each other’s nails, and helping with makeup. They don’t plan on wasting any efforts in their attempt to win favor with Louis.

Eleanor and Danielle leave the room first, for their extra time with Louis, and gather in the hotel’s garden with Liam and Zac to wait for Louis’s arrival. As they wait, they snack on hors d’ouvres and sip some cocktails.

Louis arrives, beaming, a few moments later, and for such a formal event, Louis has chosen an interesting outfit. Usually the Bachelor is always in a suit, head to toe, but Louis looks like he’d only gotten about halfway through that mission. He’s wearing nice trousers and shoes, but up top he’s wearing a tee shirt, some artistic pattern screen printed on the front. His fringe is swooped over his forehead and he looks incredibly handsome, and there’s pure joy in his smile as he spots them waiting for him. “Hello everyone,” he says, “You look amazing.”

“Yeah, you do too,” Zac says, speaking for all of them.

“We’ve got a little bit before the rest get here and have a chance to interrupt, so shall we get to it?” Louis asks. The four dates nod in agreement, and before anyone can steal, Louis asks, “Danielle, would you fancy going for a little walk with me?”

Louis holds out his hand and Danielle beams as she takes it, standing up and using her free hand to hold up her black dress so she doesn’t trip over it as she skirts away from the patio table they’d been seated at. Once free, she lets go of her dress but keeps holding Louis’s hand, still smiling. It’s been a much better day than she could have ever hoped for, and it’s not over yet.

Danielle lets Louis lead her to a bench in the garden, and they sit down together with a blanket over their laps. “You were so impressive today,” Louis tells her right away, angling towards her to give her his full attention.

She shrugs casually and says, “What can I say? I love baseball.”

“Did you play at all?” Louis asks.

“Softball, a bit. In high school. I was pretty good. I hated that we couldn’t just play baseball like the boys, though,” she confesses. Danielle looks up at Louis and says, “I mostly like going to games, though. I’ve grown up with the Cubs.”

Smiling, Louis says, “That’s great. I can’t say I’ve ever been to a baseball game but that probably makes sense, since it’s the great American pastime or whatever.”

Danielle laughs and says, “Well one day maybe I can take you to one. Show you what it’s all about. But absolutely no cheering for the White Sox or the Cardinals.”

“Are those the big rivalries?” Louis asks.

“Yes,” Danielle says, a hint of seriousness in her voice. “My dad insists we have reason to hate the Brewers now, too, but that’s something new that I haven’t gotten into. And besides, he gets fired up over everything.”

“Yeah, you mentioned your brother, too. Said something like the baseball stuff you knew would never impress a guy?” Louis says. He laughs and tells her, “He was wrong.”

“I’m going to tell him you said that,” Danielle says. “He swore I’d never meet a guy who liked how much I knew about baseball. Ever.”

Louis laughs brightly; he can tell that Danielle has a close relationship with her family as she talks more and more about their conversations and the interests they share. “Tell me more about your family,” he prompts. “You sound like you’re really close with them.”

“Yeah, I am,” Danielle says with a fond smile. “My family and I all live in Chicago. My dad works in wealth management, and my mom owns the clothing boutique I work at. She helps me with some stuff but recently she’s stepped down, so I’m manager and she’s assistant manager. But really we do the work together, more like we’re co-managers, if that makes sense.” Danielle tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Then there’s my younger brother Johnny, who’s in his last year of college this fall.”

“That’s really great. Do you like what you do, with your mom?” Louis asks.

“It’s fun,” Danielle says. “Since it’s a boutique, and we got a really great building to run it from, it’s been doing pretty well. I like getting to choose what we sell, that’s probably the best part.”

Louis keeps his gaze focused on Danielle; she clearly cares about what she does, because her face lights up and she’s animated and excited. “That’s really great,” Louis says, encouraging her with a smile.

“What’s your favorite part about teaching?” she asks, turning the tables to talk about Louis and his career.

“Oh man,” Louis says with a laugh. “There’s so much!” He thinks about it for a moment, Danielle calmly watching him and waiting for an answer. She drops her hand to his leg as he thinks, scooting a little closer in the chill of the night breeze. “I guess probably just seeing the kids learn to love school. Some of them come in and they’re like, determined to hate it, mostly because they’ve got older brothers and sisters who groan about it. So when I can make it fun, that’s really a great feeling. Because like, I wish I’d had teachers like that, who wanted to make school fun for me. So I want to be that person for them.”

“Awwww,” Danielle coos. “That’s so sweet.”

Louis blushes a little, and he asks, “Yeah? You think so?”

“Yeah, of course,” Danielle nods.

She opens her mouth to say something else, but as is typical for cocktail parties, they’re interrupted. This time, it’s Liam. Liam takes the spot on the bench where Danielle had been sitting, and Louis smiles at him warmly as he greets him. “How are you doing? Enjoying yourself so far?” Louis asks.

Nodding, Liam says, “Yeah I am, thanks. It’s been so great so far.”

He smiles, but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes the way Louis would hope. Concerned, Louis tips his head to the side and asks, “What’s on your mind? Anything I can help with?”

“Everything’s fine, honestly,” Liam insists. “There’s just… something I want to talk to you about. Something really important that I think I should mention now, before things get too intense. Just so like… you know. And you’re aware.”

“Of course, you can tell me anything,” Louis insists, draping his arm along the back of the bench and turning to Liam to give him his full attention.

Liam nods and looks down at his lap, and then back up at Louis. “Well, there are two major things, actually,” Liam begins. “First - I used to be engaged.”

That’s a lot more than Louis was expecting to hear, and it takes him a moment to wrap his head around it before he prompts Liam to explain by asking, “What happened?”

“Well, from the start, she was older than me. My mum was nervous about it but I’d never met someone quite like Cheryl, and she made me so, so happy, so my sisters and dad really encouraged me to be with her and see what would happen,” Liam says. “Eventually my mum warmed up to her, too. And it was great.” Liam hesitates, and he reaches over for his cocktail to take a sip before he continues.

“We were both working, and she was really focused on her career. Still is, honestly,” Liam says. “And then she found out she was pregnant.” He glances up at Louis, who’s kept a calm, neutral expression the whole time. When Louis doesn’t prompt for more, Liam explains, “When we got the news, I went out and got a ring and proposed. She said yes. So… she’s like, trying to get ahead in her career and handle the pregnancy and try to figure out how we’re going to afford a baby and a wedding, and as we were trying to work through all that… well, there are only two ways a relationship can go: you either get closer, or you drift apart. We drifted apart.”

Louis frowns and rubs Liam’s shoulder, hoping to comfort him a little. This conversation is clearly difficult for him, and Louis doesn’t want to rush him through any of it. Finally, Liam explains a little more. “She had our son in March. His name’s Bear, and… god, he’s brilliant. I’ve always wanted to be a dad, so like, I’m so excited about all this,” he looks up at Louis, a small smile on his face. That makes Louis smile, too. “He’s with Cheryl right now - usually we try to do as much as we can to make things even, like one week at my place, one week at hers, stuff like that… it’s hard, but I’d do anything for him. And the fact that I even get him as much as I do feels sort of like a miracle to me.”

Liam sighs heavily and looks around before he makes eye contact with Louis again. “Anyway… I just wanted you to know. I come with baggage, and it’d be difficult for me to move too far away from London because I need to keep Bear in my life. I don’t want to be that dad who runs off, for whatever reason,” Liam says. “Aside from this, I’ve never been away from him for more than a week ever, in his life.”

Louis smiles, albeit a bit sadly, and he says, “Thank you so much for trusting me with this. I know sometimes it’s not easy to talk about the past, or failed relationships, so… it means a lot to me.” Liam nods. “I want you to know that throughout this whole thing, with everyone, I’m always going to be one hundred percent honest. I’m not going to keep you here unless I feel like we have a shot at this, because I don’t want to keep any of you away from your families any longer than necessary. I won’t string you along and make you lose time with your son.”

Nervously, almost as though he thinks this is Louis’s introduction to dumping him, Liam glances up and just nods. Their eyes stay locked and neither speaks for a moment, until finally Louis says quietly, “I’m really glad you’re here, Liam. You’ve got such a big heart, and I’m always going to respect a person who will do anything they can for their family.” His smile grows and he says, “Bear is a very lucky little lad, having you as a father. I can tell.”

Relief floods Liam’s face and he reaches out to hug Louis, genuinely relieved that everything is okay, and that they’re still together. At least for a few more days. “Thank you,” Liam says softly, so pleased with how the conversation went.

Zac interrupts them as they pull out of the hug, and Liam smiles once again, relieved, before walking back to the table where the other four dates have now joined them, as well. “That was a long one on one time,” Eleanor observes with a coy smile on her face.

Shrugging, Liam says, “Had to have an important conversation.”

He’s pulled aside for an interview after that, where someone offscreen asks Liam things about how the conversation went. “I think it went really well, yeah,” Liam nods, looking into the camera. “I mean, that conversation could have gone so many different ways, but I’m just really relieved that he’s open to dating someone with kids and an ex who will always be in the picture. Jealousy can be an awful thing and for some people, it’s easier to just avoid the situation entirely. But I don’t think Louis’s like that. He wouldn’t do that to me.”

Smiling a little, Liam continues, “I’m just relieved that he can see how important it is for me to only be away from Bear as long as necessary. If it gets to a point where he can’t see us working out, I feel better knowing he’ll tell me right away, so I can get back home to Bear. I can tell he really values family. Which… really, that makes him even more appealing as a life partner.”

Liam still looks happy as he walks back to the group, where Avan is walking away in hopes of snagging Louis for some one on one time. Zac looks to be slightly irritated at the interruption, but does as he’s supposed to and bows out so Avan can have some time alone with Louis. “Hey,” Louis smiles, inviting Avan to sit next to him.

Instead of sitting down, Avan offers out his hand to Louis. “I’ve got something else in mind. Come on,” he says.

He laces their fingers together and leads Louis through the garden to a small pool that’s out in the yard. Avan grins and Louis says, “We can’t swim in the middle of a cocktail party.”

Avan sits down at the edge of the pool and pulls off his loafers and his socks. “Come on,” he coaxes. “Trust me.”

Louis sits down, eyeing Avan with skepticism, but follows suit. He unties his shoes and slides them off, no socks in the way for him to worry about. Avan’s rolling up his trousers to his knees and Louis copies, even though he’s going to look ridiculous later with wrinkly trousers. Avan dips his feet in the pool, hanging them off over the edge as they sit together, and Louis copies him. “Feels nice, doesn’t it?” Avan asks.

Louis smiles and nods. “Yeah, it really does.”

He’s constantly intrigued by these men and women - somehow they always manage to surprise him, even when he’s certain that there’s nothing left to surprise him with. He’s learning so much about them, even by the little things they say and do, like Danielle’s love of baseball, or Briana’s soccer skills, or Avan’s urge to break the rules a little bit and stray from a traditional cocktail party moment.

Avan takes Louis’s hand, urging him closer, until they’re shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, and the pool is twinkling in the moonlight. “You’re an interesting guy, Avan,” Louis says. “This, and being so good at trivia earlier… and keeping me on task at bowling.” He turns to look at Avan, bemused.

“You noticed that?” Avan laughs.

Their eyes meet, and Louis nods. “Of course I noticed. I notice a lot of things, actually. I think you liked having the excuse to touch,” he says.

Avan wiggles his eyebrows, and Louis nudges him playfully. “In all honesty, though,” Louis says, “I really do think you’re incredibly impressive. But you’re also still quite a mystery to me.”

“So let’s change that,” Avan replies.

“Okay.”

The conversation back and forth is so easy, and it’s charged with an intensity - Louis can’t really name it, but it’s there. It’s something tangible in the air, in the way they touch each other and hold each other’s gaze.

Louis gets lost in Avan’s eyes for a moment, and Avan just keeps the gaze, enjoying this undivided attention from Louis. They’re sitting so close, and they’re holding hands, and Louis feels an electricity from him that isn’t there with everyone yet. Finally, Louis remembers that they only have limited time tonight, so he asks, “Tell me about yourself. What do you do? Where do you live?”

“Well…” Avan begins. “I’m from Vancouver, and right now I’ve been living there while going to school. I’m a PhD candidate in the history department,” he explains. He glances over at Louis and says, “I know - I bet you’re thinking,

why is he here? He’s from a different country…

or something like that, right?” Louis would be lying if said no, so he nods. “I’m spending my second year overseas, primarily in England. My doctoral dissertation is about social customs and women’s rights in the Tudor period, with an interest in Anne Boleyn specifically. So I’ll be in England for at least a year, and if I want to continue research into the British monarchies and social customs… I’ll need to be over here eventually, anyway. So really, it makes more sense for me to look for love here than in Canada…” he smirks a little at that.

Louis smiles and shakes his head, “You sound

so

smart. I’m a teacher and I don’t even know what to say to that. You’re brilliant. Really brilliant.”

Avan blushes just the slightest, and Louis definitely catches on. “I appreciate that. My parents sort of think it’s a pointless career track, but I love it,” he says. “I’d be fine living paycheck to paycheck for the rest of forever if it meant getting to do something that I love.”

Louis beams at that. “I completely agree,” he says.

“So I have a chance?” Avan asks hopefully.

Louis chuckles and rolls his eyes. “Looks like it, doesn’t it? You’re still here, after all…”

Avan leans in a little, bumping his nose against Louis’s. “Hmm…” he whispers. “I wish you could tell me more than that.”

“I can give you something else?” Louis suggests playfully.

“Oh yeah?” Avan whispers.

This is going to look incredibly cheesy when it airs on TV, Louis knows, but he goes through with it anyway, the flirty banter as they lean so close he can feel Avan’s lips moving when he’s speaking. Instead of replying, Louis leans in and connects their lips, smiling into it as he feels Avan wrap an arm around his waist.

They’re still sitting there by the pool, legs dangling in the water, but all Louis can focus on is Avan, and his lips, and the scent of his cologne surrounding him, and it’s magical. Amazing. It steals his breath away and wipes his mind blank and it’s astonishing and a little terrifying to Louis how Avan can have this effect on him. He doesn’t even think about the fact that he’s felt the same thing with other people, so far. The physical connection is there, and Louis feels so sure that they could have the emotional connection, too.

Instead of being interrupted by another cast member, they’re interrupted by a member of crew, who tells them to get their things back on and go back to the group. The cameras switch on as Louis and Avan dry off their legs and put their shoes back on, and Avan gives Louis one more tender kiss before they walk back to the group, for Louis to have one on one time with someone else, now.

Louis feels guilty as he walks in and notices that a few people look annoyed; they must have been gone for longer than he thought. There are still four more people who need time with him, but only one hour left before they’re scheduled to film him giving out the rose. The producers keep them to a time limit to prevent the filming hours from going on forever.

Sophie asks Louis if she can have time with him next. Louis feels incredibly guilty that as they discuss future plans, because he’s only half listening, his mind still back at the pool with Avan. They talk about how Sophie would rather be acting, or some sort of TV personality, rather than just an acting coach, and Louis politely continues the conversation until Taron interrupts him.

He and Taron chat next, and then he and Eleanor, and at the end of the night - like always - Niall swoops in. “You’re exhausted,” Niall observes, noticing the way Louis tries to hide a yawn.

“I’ve had so many pints today. It makes me

so

sleepy,” Louis whines.

Niall laughs. “One of these times I’ve got to snag you first. You’ll be awake for me,” he teases. “At least I know you’re not yawning out of boredom of me or something.”

“No, never,” Louis insists, reaching out for Niall’s hand.

“I’m joking with you, Lou,” Niall says, chuckling a little at how earnest and gentle Louis is being with him. He senses that Louis is apologetic for always being so tired, and he says, “Next time we see each other, I’ll bring you a coffee. Wake you up, and then we can chat.”

“That actually sounds

amazing

,” Louis says. “I’d love that.”

Just mere seconds later, Steve walks in to tell them that cocktail party time is over, and Louis needs to hand out the group date rose. Louis barely had two or three minutes with Niall. He feels bad, that Niall always gets when he’s tired, or at the end of the night when there’s no time left.

So, walking back to the group, Louis rethinks his entire plan for the night, who he was going to give the rose to. As the cameras are being set up, Steve asks, “How was your night?”

Louis smiles and says, “It was absolutely amazing.”

“Do you know who’s getting the rose tonight?”

Louis sighs heavily. “I thought I did,” he says. “I really did. And then the night went on and… I’ve sort of second-guessed myself.”

“Well, just a couple more minutes and then it’s rose time,” Steve says. “You think you’ll know by then?”

Nodding, Louis says, “Yeah, I will. I’m good.”

He takes a deep breath and looks up as someone calls him over to the set. The eight men and women from this first group date are standing in two neat rows, watching him approach. Louis takes his mark and holds the rose in his hands. “Hey everyone,” he says. He offers them a smile, even though he’s nervous, and says, “Today was a really great step towards something more, with so many of you. I really want you to know that I appreciate everyone putting themselves out there and opening up to me. Not everyone has an easy story. So, thank you all, so much.”

Louis laughs a little self-deprecatingly and says, “The downside to everyone opening up and moving further with me is that it makes deciding who gets the group date rose much harder for me.” They all laugh, just a little. “This rose is going to someone with endless patience and a great sense of humor. Someone I maybe haven’t gotten to know as well as I’d like, yet, but someone who I’m confident deserves more time here.” Louis looks among the eight men and women standing in front of him before he says, “Niall, will you accept this rose?”

Niall grins, his whole face lighting up with happiness, and he steps forward to take the rose. “Yeah, of course. Thank you,” he says, reaching out to take the rose and then give Louis a big bear hug.

Louis melts into the hug and he knows just by the gesture that he’s made the right decision. Up until his time with Niall, Louis had planned on giving the rose to Avan, because he’d been so impressed by their conversation and so frustrated that they’d been interrupted. But then… Niall was so charming and really flexible with how short his time was cut, and he couldn’t help it. He knew he had to give the rose to Niall. He deserved the validation.

With that, the night ends, and Louis gives everyone a hug goodbye before they’re all brought back to the manor. The long group date day is over, and Louis still has a chance to get plenty of sleep before he picks Barbara up the next day after lunch for their one on one date. Theirs is the first of two one on one dates this week, and Louis cannot wait to get to know her better.

--

Nobody had been more surprised than Barbara when she’d been given the one on one. As far as anybody knows, it’s the only one on one date of the week. She feels incredibly lucky, and she’s curious what the date will entail. After reading the date card, she’d been given further instructions about how to prepare: she was told to wear a dress and dress shoes that are comfortable to walk in. Having done many, many auditions for runway shows (none of which she’d managed to secure, unfortunately), she could walk in any pair of heels she wanted.

So, she stood in the large foyer of Charingworth Manor wearing some sensible heels, a knee length burgundy A-line dress fitted around her thin frame perfectly with a black sash. She has her hair in curls, pinned over her shoulder, and she feels more beautiful than she ever has for a modeling shoot because she’s dressed like this for a date. She feels romantic and sexy and she hopes she impresses Louis during their date.

Louis walks in a few moments later looking incredibly handsome in all black from head to toe. He wears a black button down shirt tucked into black trousers, the sleeves on his shirt rolled up to his elbows, showing off his tattoos. His hair is combed back just so, and Barbara’s heart races when she sees him. “Hi there,” she smiles, reaching out for a hug, to greet him.

Louis hugs her warmly and Louis stands on his tiptoes, saying playfully, “Oh no! You wore heels!”

They’re the same height without heels, so for the entire date, Louis will be out with a woman taller than him. He’s a little sensitive about his height, but not enough for it to be a dealbreaker when he’s dating someone. “You look amazing, love, honestly,” he says, stepping out of the hug to take a good look at her. When their eyes meet, he asks, “Are you ready for today?”

“So ready,” she smiles.

Her accent is cute, and Louis finds it to be one of the many attractive things about Barbara. He barely knows her yet, but he appreciates that she’s sweet and kind and has never once looked disappointed or upset when she doesn’t get a rose, or pulled away first for one on one time. She takes her time and has patience and uses just the right amount of ambition to get time with Louis.

Overall, he’s sure that they could be something, if they just had more time, so that’s why he’d given her the rose and decided to take her on this particular date. He leads her out to the front drive where a limo waits for them. Louis lets Barbara in first, and then slides in next to her. It may only be one o’clock in the afternoon but they’re drinking champagne anyway, because they’re in a limo and on a romantic date, and when in Rome and all that.

Louis passes her a glass and then takes one for himself and smiles brightly as he says, “To us.”

“To us,” Barbara smiles back.

They each take a sip, and then Barbara looks to Louis and says, “Thank you so much for choosing me for this date. I don’t know what we’re doing but that’s

so

okay. I’m really excited just to spend time with you.”

“Thank you,” Louis smiles. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and says, “You’re going to love today, I think. Plenty of chances for romance.”

“I like the sound of that,” Barbara smiles back.

She glances out the window as they ride through the countryside, her curiosity piqued as the limo pulls up outside a castle. “Are we seriously spending the day at a castle?” Barbara asks excitedly.

“Yep,” Louis nods, so happy to see that she’s excited about it. When the door to the limo opens, they climb out and look around. “Welcome to Sudeley Castle. We’ll be spending the entire day here, just you and me.”

He slides an arm around Barbara’s waist and she excitedly hugs him and presses a kiss on his cheek. “This is amazing, thank you so much,” she says.

“Shall we go inside?” he asks.

“Yes please,” Barbara smiles, sliding her hand down his arm and linking their fingers.

Hand in hand, Louis and Barbara walk into the castle where Steve is already waiting to greet them. Louis already knows what’s going to happen, but he lets Steve explain a little bit of it. “Welcome to Sudeley Castle, you guys. This place has been around for centuries. There’s

so much

history in these walls. And now, you guys get to have your first one on one date together here, in this beautiful, romantic castle,” Steve says. “Right this way,” he gestures to a large set of French doors, “you will find a dance instructor, where the two of you will get to learn some traditional dances and get to know each other a little better.” Grinning, Steve says, “I’ll leave you to it. Have a wonderful day.”

“I love dancing,” Barbara smiles, wrapping her arm through Louis’s as they walk into the ballroom.

“I might make a total bollocks of myself, but I’m going to try,” Louis says. “The most I’ve ever danced was in

Grease

when I was a teenager.”

Barbara laughs at that and says, “You will be great. Just make sure you lead!”

“Of course I’ll lead!” Louis protests.

They walk into the ballroom where there is, in fact, someone waiting to teach them to dance together. She’s warm and kind when she greets them, promising to start them with something relatively easy before teaching them a style that’s a little more difficult.

Louis and Barbara laugh their way through the steps to the waltz at first, tripping over toes until finally they catch on. Barbara is good natured about it whenever Louis gets caught up in his head, or trips over his feet, or when he steps on her toes. She laughs it off each and every time, and Louis is so grateful for it.

They take a break after learning to waltz, sitting down on the terrace for some more champagne and some biscuits brought in for snacking. When they’ve finished, they go back inside for more lessons, feeling rejuvenated. “Alright, now, for the more romantic dance style of the two I’m teaching you today: tango,” the instructor says. She wiggles her eyebrows and Louis looks a little nervous.

“I think I can do this,” he says, unsure of himself.

“You’ll be great,” Barbara promises with a smile.

“You have to get close,” the instructor tells them.

Barbara’s cheeks are still a bit pink from dancing, but she thinks she’s going to be more than happy to get close to Louis. That’s what she’s been hoping for all day, ever since she found out they’d be dancing.

Louis wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close to him. Smiling, Barbara moves closer and loses her breath for a moment. “Hi,” Louis breathes.

“Hi,” Barbara says in reply.

Suddenly, they’re more focused, eyes locked, hyper-aware of all the dance moves they’re being instructed to do. This style of dance is definitely more intimate than the waltz, and Louis and Barbara both get caught up in it.

They dance for what feels like forever, until they’re breathless and a bit sweaty and their feet are sore from dancing so much. The music plays in the ballroom around them but their feet stop when they reach the end of the ballroom. Their eyes lock and Barbara bites her lip bashfully. She knows what she wants, but she doesn’t want to be too forward.

Their noses bump and Louis wonders if this is the right moment, if this is too cliche. Oh so softly, Barbara asks, “Can I kiss you?”

That’s all the cue Louis needs to do exactly what had been on his mind. He leans in, slowly connecting their lips, letting the moment slow down after such a charged afternoon of dancing. Still pressed body to body, Barbara melts into the kiss, her arms wrapping around Louis’s shoulders. The entire day has been like a dream, like something she’d seen in a fairy tale but never imagined she’d get to live and experience.

After dancing, they’re given some water and then one of the historians for the castle gives them an in-depth tour, explaining the history and grandeur of the castle. It’s interesting for both of them, and by the time they’re done, they are more than ready for the part of the date that will require them to sit around for hours on end: their dinner.

“They’ll feed us first, and then they’ll put fresh food in front of us while we talk,” Louis explains, the cameras off for a moment as they sit at the table, waiting for their food.

“It seems so silly,” Barbara confesses.

Louis laughs earnestly and says, “You’re telling me. Whatever it takes to make that TV magic though, right?”

Nodding, Barbara agrees, “I guess so!”

They’re given their dinner shortly after, something special made by the chefs of the castle, and the two of them eat quickly, famished after a long afternoon of dancing and laughter. When they finish, their glasses of wine are topped off and it’s time for the cameras to roll again.

“So, tell me more about yourself,” Louis prompts. “When was the last time you dated someone?”

It’s one of the many questions he was fed by the producers and writers, suggestions for how to keep the relationships and conversations progressing, and they’d specifically asked him to ask Barbara about her dating history.

Barbara’s smile grows sad as she hears the question, and it takes her a moment to form her response. Louis is patient, his hand covering hers where it sits on the table. He doesn’t pressure her, because he can only imagine it’s a difficult story, given her pause.

Finally, after many moments of nervous silence, she explains, “It was close to a year ago now that we broke up.” She smiles sadly again, and glances up at Louis. He twists their hands on the table so their fingers are entwined, and squeezes her hand in encouragement. Barbara looks down at their hands and says, “It’s so stupid for me to still be upset about it, but I am.”

“It’s alright,” Louis insists. “Everyone moves on in their own time.”

Barbara sighs and says, “I was very happy with him. I met him when I first moved to London, four years ago. He was my neighbor. I’d just moved in with another model. He and I got together shortly after that; he’d always invite me over, give me English lessons, we’d make dinner together. And then it just sort of happened. And it was amazing. I thought we were getting serious, and I really thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with him.”

Frowning, Louis asks, “What happened?”

“He was sleeping with my roommate almost the whole time. Whenever I was out for modeling jobs,” she explains. “I had no idea. I wasted three years of my life on him, and he’d cheated on me for over two of them,” Barbara uses her free hand to dab at her eye. She wasn’t crying, but the memories ached and made her eyes water with the recollections. “I broke up with him and moved in with some other friends. They told me to get back out into dating so, here I am.”

Looking up at Louis, Barbara puts on her best brave face, her smile looking just the slightest bit pained. “I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Louis says with a frown. He releases her hand to rub her back, trying to comfort her. “I can’t imagine how much that must have hurt.” Their eyes meet and he says, “I’m really glad you’re here though, giving it another go.”

“Me too,” she says softly. Louis notices offhandedly that as she got emotional, her accent grew just a little thicker. “I’m having such a great time.”

Louis smiles, leaning in so they’re forehead to forehead. “I’m so glad,” he whispers.

They both lean in this time, lips meeting softly, Barbara letting Louis’s care and adoration push away all the sadness. When they break for air, Louis reaches out across the table with his free hand to grab the rose. “Barbara… I know without a doubt in my mind that we’re not finished yet,” he says confidently, keeping eye contact with her. He wants her to know that he means this. “So, will you accept this rose?”

Her eyes still sparkling with some unshed tears, Barbara beams happily and nods, her beautiful curls bouncing on her shoulders. “I would love to,” she replies, reaching up to take the rose.

“Thank you,” Louis smiles, leaning in.

She kisses him again, and they spend a few more moments like that, wrapped up in each other and the high of having been on such an amazing date, before the cameras switch off and the night is over. Louis and Barbara get to ride back to the Manor together, but they’re so tired that they spend most of the ride sitting side by side, holding hands, slowly drifting in and out of attentiveness. Barbara’s head rests on Louis’s shoulder, and they’re both barely awake by the time they reach the manor. “Thank you,” she whispers again as Louis gives her a hug goodbye.

“Of course,” Louis replies, rubbing her back and smiling at her as she steps away, to go up to her room.

Louis sighs. The date had gone so well, but so far all of them had - how on earth was he going to come up with three people to send home this week?

--

Louis meets ten of the men and women in a nearby town for the next group date, excited to see what will come out of the challenge he’s prepared for them. When the date card had been read, everyone had been surprised to hear that there was still a name that hadn’t been called - Matthew. Meaning there was a second one on one date that week, which nobody had been expecting. Matthew looked the most surprised of all.

The other ten - Nick, Jack, Perrie, Camila, Lauren, Harry, Briana, Zayn, Bebe, and Kaya - meet him at a nearby school. They’re in the cooking department, where the room has several kitchens set up so groups can all cook at the same time. Everyone is fairly certain they know what this challenge will be. Louis walks into the room to meet them, grinning from ear to ear. “Welcome everyone,” he says as they cheer upon his entrance. “Thank you all for coming out here today. As you can see, we’re going to be in the kitchen. Because food is the way to my heart.” There’s laughter at the mention of such a cliche.

“It’s also a challenge,” Louis adds, bringing the room to abrupt silence. “What’s going to happen is this - you will be paired off, and you’ll need to make a main dish and a dessert. You’ve got cookbooks at your stations, so you get to choose the menu as a duo.” Grinning, he says, “I will not be in here. You’re going to cook, and then your food will be presented to me. Don’t worry - we’ll all get plenty of time together after this. But, I wanted to see what kind of skills you all had in the kitchen.” Laughing, he says, “Don’t look so panicked. I’m also pretty good in the kitchen, so this isn’t going to make or break your chances with me, I promise. And you’ll all get to spend time with me after this, I promise.”

Louis smirks, waving at the group, and says, “See you guys later.”

They’re paired off by someone in the crew and Louis waits out in the dining area with Steve and some of the crew. He’s made good friends with a lot of them, and appreciates that he has a group of friends amongst everyone he’s dating. It helps him to feel less alienated, since he knows that the men and women here get to make friends with each other and have those sounding boards for their thoughts and emotions.

The limited amount of time passes and before Louis knows it, he’s going back into the kitchen where food is lined up, divided into five teams. “Hmm,” he says, looking down at all the food. It looks pretty good, for the most part. He spots breakfast down at the end and grins. He loves a good breakfast for dinner. “It looks amazing, guys. I can’t wait to try it all. And Steve here is going to try it with me, so the food doesn’t go to waste.”

Louis sits down at the table and takes the first plate of food. It’s a hearty roast dinner, and he takes a bite voraciously with some greens. “Well, this one I have to give kudos to, because the greens go really well with it. And I

hate

greens,” he laughs. He feels pressure all of a sudden, not knowing who made what. And what the groups don’t know yet is that the top two dishes are going to get some extra time with him at the end of the night. Extra time seems to be a trend with the writers this week.

The dessert is a brownie with ice cream and caramel sauce, and Louis takes a big bite. “The caramel tastes a bit odd, but the brownie is incredibly rich. I really like it,” Louis comments. He grins and says, “I feel like Paul Hollywood like this, judging your baking. I sound like I’m some expert but really, I just like eating.”

There’s some laughter to that, and then the mood grows sombre as he continues to move down the line, saying what he likes and doesn’t like about each dish. The brioche French toast at the end of the line, with fresh berries and a spiced butter, is Louis’s favorite dish of the day. He wants to eat the whole plate of it, and has to hold himself back. It’s made even better by the fact that their dessert is a lemon sorbet, something nice and crisp after a main course so sweet.

“Alright, so, my favorite dish of the day was this one,” Louis says, pointing to the half-eaten French toast plate.

Somewhere in the back of the group of ten there’s a whoop, and Louis gets to see who made it. Louis isn’t surprised in the least to learn that Nick and Harry had been the ones to make that plate, and he watches coyly as they step to the side, looking triumphant. “The second favorite I had out of all of them was…” he looks between the plates and says, “I have to choose the roast with the brownie. Roast always reminds me of being back home, the whole family sat around the table… I can’t resist.”

Grinning, Jack and Briana step forward, and Louis looks pleasantly surprised. Not because of who made the dish, but rather because they seemed like such an unlikely pair if he had to look at them separately. “Congratulations,” Louis says to them.

Facing the group as a whole, Louis says, “The cocktail party will be in a couple of hours at a beautiful venue nearby. Between now and then, I will be spending a little extra time with these four, taking them somewhere special. I really appreciate all of you being so cooperative and open to such an unconventional date. I really do hope you’ve had a good time this morning,” Louis looks and sounds so earnest, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. “With that being said, I will see you six at the cocktail party in a little bit.”

Steve ushers out the other six: Perrie, Camila, Lauren, Zayn, Bebe, and Kaya. That leaves Louis with the four winners, and he grins at them and says, “Alright you four. We’re going to a popup festival nearby. I think it’s going to be an absolute blast. There’s one specific thing there that we’re going to be doing when I’m not stuffing my face with candy floss.” They all laugh at that. “Now let’s go!”

They walk out the door and it’s rather nice that the festival is nearby, so they can just walk there. Sure enough, in the car park outside an old abandoned industrial building, there’s a small festival with food carts and a huge roller skating rink set up, floor panels and all to make for smooth skating.

Louis leads them up to the cart where they can each get a pair of rollerskates, and then it’s time to skate. “Oh god, I don’t think I’m quite coordinated enough for this,” Nick says, standing up on the skates.

“It’ll be worse on the rink,” Louis laughs. “Much smoother than the pavement.” Upon second thought, Louis adds, “Please nobody get hurt.”

Briana is sitting next to him on a bench, putting on her skates, and Louis leans over to whisper to her, “Especially, you love. You’ve already been hurt on one date. No more of that.”

She laughs, and he reaches over for her hand to inspect the fingernail. “It’s getting better,” she says. “I’m fine.”

Louis kisses her hand and says, “No falling today!”

“I’ll try,” she insists.

Louis stands and offers his hand to Briana, helping her up. She

is

the only female on the date, after all, and Louis prides himself on being a perfect gentleman whilst on a date. “Come on everyone,” he says, opening the gate so they can get onto the skating track.

It’s smooth linoleum, like the skating rinks of the nineties, and Louis flails his arms just a little before he gains his bearings and feels confident enough to propel himself forward. “There we go,” he grins, looking out at the others.

Briana caught on almost instantly, and Louis finds himself constantly amazed by all the things she’s so good at. He can’t imagine there being anything she’s not good at, aside from maybe speaking up in a crowd. But even that just adds to her charm and her appeal and makes Louis want to spend extra attention on her.

Looking over his shoulder, Louis spots Nick and Harry, who are flailing and holding each other up rather pathetically. “Oi!” he shouts, skating across the track, to where Nick and Harry are struggling to stay upright. “Need some help there?”

“I’m trying!” Harry wails, laughing hysterically.

He and Nick are holding on to each other and the wall to keep themselves on their feet and Louis would be lying if he said he wasn’t the tiniest bit jealous. The two seemed quite close. “Let’s just take it slow, yeah?” Louis says, holding out his hands to them.

“I need one of those kiddie walkers,” Nick says, pointing off to the side. “Don’t they make them in adult size?”

“We should know how to do this by now,” Harry snorts in reply.

Louis takes a deep breath and for a moment, wonders if they’d even heard him. Thankfully, they both let go of the wall (and more importantly, each other) to each take hold of one of Louis’s hands. They seem fairly steady now, so Louis wonders briefly if they’d just been doing it for attention, as a ploy to get more time with him. When he talks them through propelling themselves forward however, he realizes that they genuinely aren’t that good at skating, Nick in particular, because he nearly falls, flailing his arms and by extension, Louis’s arm.

“Oi, just like, try to stand still,” Louis says, hoping to find a way to keep Nick from completely falling on his face without sending Harry flying in the process.

Nick manages to steady himself again, with the help of Louis’s hand and the wall, and it’s all a bit of a disaster. “Just, stand tall. You look sort of like you’re trying to lean forward or bend over. That’s part of the problem,” Louis instructs. “Stand tall.”

“You do like tall,” Nick observes.

Louis’s cheeks redden and he doesn’t know what to say to that. The vibe of the moment is so strange, Nick flirting whilst also trying not to fall on his arse. It’s not a combination Louis ever expected to encounter on a date. Slightly irritated, Louis asks, “Just… try, okay?”

“I am,” Nick says, terse in his response.

Harry takes that moment to interfere, to diffuse the situation, and Louis is grateful. He’s not so much frustrated with Nick, as he is with the fact that this date isn’t quite going the way he’d hoped. Briana and Jack are soaring around the rink easily, and part of Louis wants to go cruise around with them, but he has to remember that he’s here for all four of them. And thankfully, Harry decides to ask, “Louis, can you show us a lap? Maybe I just need to see someone do it.”

Louis nods and slides his hands out of Nick and Harry’s. He soars ahead and around the track so easily, not even thinking twice as he does it. Harry watches with a big smile on his face, and Nick clings to the wall as he watches, and Louis lets the breeze in his hair put a smile back on his face as he skates so freely. As he’s skating along the opposite side of the track, Nick nearly falls again, and Harry laughs, trying to help him up. Harry gets dragged right down with him. “Just keep skating!” Nick insists.

“Go have fun!” Harry says, waving Louis along.

Jack looks around to get a sense of the situation and sees Louis glancing back at Nick and Harry, unsure. Clearly the date isn’t going the way he’d hoped, based upon the forced smile on his face. “Hey,” Jack says, turning around and skating backwards slowly, letting Louis catch up to him. He holds out his hands and Louis takes them. “You good?” he asks.

“Yeah, definitely,” Louis nods, trying to brush off the rocky start to the date. He should have known that at least one person in the group might not be able to skate; he just hadn’t imagined one of them would be quite as curt and short with him as Nick was. It sort of hurt, but Louis doesn’t want to get rid of him before it’s time - just as he felt last week, the two of them could go either way, towards love or towards hate.

Jack rubs his thumbs on the back of Louis’s hands and guides him around the track, smiling as they skate together, facing one another. “You’re really good at this,” Louis observes.

Jack tries to look modest about it, and he shakes his head. “Nah. I just do this often.”

“Really?” Louis asks, surprised. “I don’t know many attorneys who skate around in their free time.”

Laughing, Jack says, “Well, okay, so I rollerblade more than I rollerskate but it’s almost the same thing. When it’s nice out, sometimes I’ll rollerblade to the gym or sometimes I’ll go to the office like that. Our firm has showers so people can bike or walk or whatever. It’s really awesome.”

“I can’t imagine a workplace like that,” Louis laughs, still skating along in tandem with Jack. “Sounds really cool, though.”

“Think you can do a spin?” Jack asks, changing the topic rather suddenly.

Louis hesitates for a minute, and then says, “Yeah, I… I’ll try.”

“Just skate around me,” Jack instructs, grinning. He lets go of one of Louis’s hands, and then helps him propel around him with the other hand.

Louis does it, though he gets a bit shaky having to change directions so quickly. When he’s facing forward again, his whole face lights up. “You did it!” Jack cheers. “That was awesome.”

“Haven’t you done that before?” Louis asks, surprised. Jack just smirks and shakes his head. “What - how did you know I wasn’t going to fall on my arse?”

“I didn’t,” Jack laughs. “But you tried it. So thanks. Now I know it works.”

Louis playfully smacks Jack on the shoulder and skates towards the gate with him. Nick and Harry have abandoned skating altogether, opting instead to share a stick of candy floss and laugh over who knows what. Louis’s eyes linger on them, and they notice - Harry before Nick. He waves, and soon both men are waving. “That spin was awesome!” Harry shouts.

Nick gives a thumbs up to it, and Louis’s tension sinks away again. “I think they’ve got the right idea. I’m going to go grab some cotton candy -” he scoffs and shakes his head, “candy floss,” he mocks. Louis rolls his eyes and looks playful yet again. “You want any?”

“Sure, grab me some. I’m going to skate with Briana and then we’ll meet you over there. Sound good?” he says. Jack nods and skates away, and Louis takes that opportunity to speed over to Briana, where she’s bopping along to the music, happily skating on her own.

“Hey you,” Louis says coyly, skating up alongside her.

She looks over, pure joy on her face from being so free out in the bright sunlight that afternoon. “Hi,” she replies.

Louis offers her his hand and she takes it, threading their fingers together. “Are you having fun?” he asks.

“So much fun,” she says. “My best friend and I used to skate all the time. Well, I’m sure we still will, one day, but…” Briana trails off.

“Look, Briana…” Louis doesn’t want her to regret coming all the way out here in hopes of finding love that will pull her away from her loved ones permanently.

“I don’t regret being here,” she says, speaking in a voice louder than he’s ever heard her speak before. Briana is clearly confident in the decisions she’s made, leaving her family behind and looking into the opportunity of living in London, should she win this whole thing and find love with Louis. “I want to be here. I promise.”

Smiling, Louis nods, “Okay. I just want you to be sure.”

“I’m so sure,” she insists. Briana squeezes his hand a little, and then says, “By the way… I know I never told you this so you’d never have had a clue, but… I actually don’t like going by Briana.” She hesitates for a moment before she says, “My family calls me Bria.”

“Bria,” Louis echoes. He smiles as he studies her, puts the new name to her in his head, and after a moment he nods. “That’s cute. Suits you better, I think.”

“Thanks,” she smiles. “I think so, too.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Louis says. “If I ever slip up, please correct me, okay?” He pauses as she nods, and then says, “And thanks for telling me, by the way. I’m glad you didn’t just let me go on with it forever.”

Briana laughs and says, “Don’t worry about it. Sometimes I never say anything at all. It’s not always worth it.”

“It’s worth it here?”

“Well, yeah,” she nods. Louis is picking up on the fact that once she’s comfortable around a person, she opens up a lot and no longer seems so bashful and shy. “I like being here. I like you.”

Her confession puts a massive smile on Louis’s face and he says, “Well, thank you for saying that. Really.” Louis skates a little closer to her and says, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

They share a smile, still skating, and only slow down and get distracted when Jack shouts some gibberish at them. He’s waving around some sticks of candy floss to get their attention, Nick and Harry laughing hysterically behind him. “Jack got us a snack. Come with me?”

Briana nods and follows him off the skating rink. They change out of the skates quickly, eager to get to their snack. Briana takes the stick and Louis steals from everyone else’s, trying to make everyone feel included once more. It seems to be working, because they end up talking as a group about pets; who has them, who doesn’t, who’s a dog person, who’s a cat person. By the time the crew tells them it’s time to go, Louis feels like he’s in a good place with all four of them.

They’re taken back to the manor to get ready, and then a limo picks everyone up to take them to the cocktail party. Louis is already at the beautiful marquee set up specifically for this cocktail party, waiting for them. The marquee is decorated in flowers and looks incredibly romantic. There’s a small fire surrounded by a few sofas, some partitions here and there to provide some romantic spots to sit and chat. Louis sits with Steve by the fire, looking handsome as ever in a navy blue suit with a red pocket square. His hair is messy, but on purpose, and he looks rather relaxed. “How are you feeling, going into tonight?”

“Well,” Louis confesses, taking a deep breath. “I’m honestly a little nervous, but I think it’ll be okay.”

“Why nervous? Just the process, or something else?” Steve asks.

“It’s just that, I think some of the people didn’t enjoy the date today. I always feel bad having a group date within a group date, and like, then there’s the fact that the bonus time was an activity that not everybody was good at, so they sat out while I skated around with the others,” Louis explains. “Group dates are hard.”

“They are,” Steve nods in agreement. “But hey, on the bright side, tonight you get time with everyone, regardless of what they can and cannot do. I feel like it’s going to be good for you, getting to just have some one on one time with each of them.”

“Yeah,” Louis nods in agreement. “I just… don’t want anyone to feel like I’m trying to exclude them. I’m really not.”

“Well, tonight is your opportunity to show them that,” Steve says. They watch the limo pull up outside the marquee and he stands up to say, “Best of luck tonight, Louis.”

Louis nods, thanking Steve, and then stands up to greet the ten men and women joining him for that evening’s party.

Steve was right about one thing; the cocktail party is an amazing opportunity to give time to people who might, for whatever reason, feel like they didn’t get enough. He gets to talk dreams and ambitions with Camila, and ask Zayn about some of his tattoos, and he and Bebe spend a little time off on the side of the marquee singing songs together. She even harmonizes him as he sings the melody and it makes Louis feel electric, like the night has turned around and everything is better now.

Throughout the group date, Louis notices glances between Nick and Harry, little playful touches and inside jokes, and he feels a bitterness inside him that he hadn’t expected to feel. These people are supposed to be here for

him

, not

each other

, and jealousy flares inside of him.

Louis wants to confront them, but doesn’t want to look like a fool on TV. They’re probably just close friends, and he has nothing to worry about.

But that doesn’t stop Louis from worrying.

By the end of the night, when he’s being urged to give out the group date rose, Louis has to take a moment off on his own. He paces along the side of the marquee, feeling very conflicted about who deserves the rose the most.

In the end, Louis stands in front of ten very deserving men and women. “Tonight… it got even harder for me to choose who should get this group date rose. It’s difficult, because I think everyone here is deserving of this sort of validation. You’re all so special to me in different ways,” Louis says, taking a deep breath. “The reality of the situation though, is that I only have one rose to give out, and I apologize for drawing my decision out so much. I know it must make you very anxious, waiting for me to make up my mind.”

Louis reaches out to pick up the rose from the table sitting in front of all the sofas. Everyone watches him with anticipation and eagerness, and Louis has to look down at the ground and avoid everyone’s eyes as he prepares to say who gets the rose. After one more deep breath, and with zero explanation, Louis says, “Jack… will you accept this rose?”

Jack looks up in surprise and stands, walking towards Louis. Louis looks up at Jack and smiles warmly, hoping that Jack will accept. Louis’s smile grows when Jack does, in fact, nod and accept the rose, and leans down to hug Louis before he takes the rose from him. “Thank you,” Jack whispers.

“Of course. Thank

you

,” Louis replies.

They smile at each other as Jack pulls out of the hug, and then he sits back down. Louis faces everyone and says, “Thanks again for a really wonderful day. I will see you all in a couple of days, for the rose ceremony. Have a good night.”

He blows a kiss to the group and then turns to leave, taking his own private vehicle back to the manor where the others will be transported to shortly, after doing some interviews to talk about their day.

On the ride home, Louis finds himself wondering whether he’s going to be able to come up with three people to send home at the rose ceremony; so far, he can’t imagine saying goodbye to more people - and it’s still so early in the process. Dreading the thought of more eliminations, Louis closes his eyes and tries to think instead about his one on one with Matthew the next day, and what wonderful things could come of that.

--

Matthew still can’t believe he got a one on one, even as he walks out the front doors to see Louis sitting in a rather posh black convertible, the top down, his hair blowing in the breeze. He’s got sunglasses on his face and looks laid back in jeans and a black tee shirt. Matthew grins; this date feels surreal already. He also appreciates how ordinary it feels, in a show prided on its extraordinary dates.

Louis waves as Matthew walks to the car and climbs into the passenger’s seat, and when he climbs in, Louis greets him with a warm, “Hey love, how are you doing?”

“Good,” smiles Matthew. “This is amazing.”

“It’s not even the best part,” Louis smiles. “I really think you’re going to enjoy today. It’ll just take a bit to get there. About thirty minutes or so. Is that alright?”

Looking both amused and curious, Matthew nods and says, “Yeah, definitely. Let’s go.”

Louis takes off, driving with the stick shift perfectly. Matthew keeps glancing over as Louis does it, and about halfway to their destination, Louis notices. “What, never seen anyone drive stick before?” he asks.

“No, not really,” Matthew laughs. “I mean, I always sort of knew what it looked like. But they’re not very common in the States.”

“So I’ve heard,” Louis says, bemused. “I could teach you, after this. If you’re not too drunk, that is.”

“Drunk?” Matthew asks. Realization dawns on his face. “So we’re drinking. Good to know.”

Louis wags his finger at Matthew and says, “Not

just

drinking. We are doing

so much more

thank drinking.”

Matthew wiggles his eyebrows, because he knows what drinking can lead to, but knows that they won’t be going there tonight. He does, though, hope that they’ll kiss. He even said so in his interview before the date.

When the car pulls up outside their destination, Matthew looks quite excited. Louis grins over at him and says, “We’ve got the place to ourselves. We get a tour and a tasting.”

They were at a brewery; somewhere small, somewhat new, but a brewery nonetheless. After one of their first conversations being about beer, Matthew isn’t surprised. “Hopefully this’ll be better than that Stella,” he jokes.

“I’ve been assured that it is,” Louis replies. “Never had their stuff but some crew members say it’s really good.”

They climb out of the car together and as they do, Matthew says, “I can’t wait.”

Louis walks around the car to take hold of Matthew’s hand and lead him inside. He feels a little out of sorts, being smaller than Matthew and taking the lead, but he also finds that he likes the feeling. They’re one of those unexpected couples, and that does something to Louis.

They walk in together, and they’re greeted warmly by the brewmaster of the Cotswold Brew Company. They’re given a tour of the building, and in the process they’re taught how beer is made. They get to see unfiltered beer, the various piles of supplies, the massive fermenters… it’s fascinating, and Louis couldn’t think of anyone better to share this with than Matthew.

At the end of the tour, they take a seat at a table and the brewmasters bring over a flight of beers for them to try. The tray holds four small glasses, each with a sample of some of their flavors. With it comes a menu, so they can read what the titles and flavors are. “Alright, you ready?” Louis asks excitedly, looking up across the table at him.

“Yeah,” Matthew smiles and nods. “I haven’t done this in forever.”

“Alright, so, this one,” Louis says, picking up the glass at his far left, a medium gold beer with a slight head at the top. “It’s the lager… pretty standard.” He takes a sip and then passes the glass to Matthew.

The flavor is just

beer

as far as Louis could describe it. “Not bad,” he says, shrugging.

“I like it,” Matthew replies.

Louis takes another sip, giving it one more taste, and says, “I think this is one I could drink often. It’s not too much of… anything really. You know?”

Matthew nods. “Yeah, I get what you mean.” He reaches for the next one in line on the tray. “What’s this one?”

“That’s the cider,” Louis says. “Should taste like sparkling apple juice.”

Louis watches as Matthew takes a sip. He shrugs and says, “Can’t imagine really drinking this much. It’s good, but… not beer.”

Laughing, Louis takes the small glass from him, a jolt of electricity shooting through him as their fingers brush. Louis’s eyes linger on Matthew’s long, slender fingers as he takes a gulp of the cider. Once he swallows, he says, “This sheet here says it has the same alcohol content as the lager we had. Interesting.”

“Yeah, usually they’re lower in alcohol content over in the States,” Matthew says. “There are a few but they’re not very common.”

“I’d say they’re more common here,” Louis says. He looks down at the sheet again, to see what comes next.

They taste several more varieties - a wheat beer, a few more lagers of varying darknesses - and last on the list is an IPA. Matthew laughs. “My sister loves these, but I have yet to find one I like,” he explains. “Hops are not my favorite. I don’t like my beers bitter.”

“Want me to try it first, tell you how hoppy it is?” Louis offers.

“Please,” Matthew nods.

Louis takes a gulp, enough to give him a decent taste and warn Matthew about how hoppy it is. “Actually, it’s pretty smooth,” Louis says. “Not the hoppiest IPA I’ve ever had. I mean, it’s bitter, but not unbearably so.” He offers the glass to Matthew. “Give it a try.”

“We shouldn’t have saved this until last,” Matthew laughs. “If I don’t like it, what will I wash it down with?”

Laughing, Louis stands up and says to Matthew, “Be right back.” He walks up to one of the brewmasters and asks if they can get another small glass of the wheat beer, the one Matthew had liked the most. When he comes back, he sets it down on the table in front of Matthew and says, “There, something to wash it down with.”

Matthew laughs, his cheeks just the slightest bit red. “You blushing?” Louis asks playfully.

With his free hand, Matthew touches one of his cheeks. “No, this happens when I drink,” he says.

“Uh huh,” Louis teases disbelievingly.

Rolling his eyes, Matthew tries to fight a laugh. He doesn’t often tease and flirt quite so much; usually he’s more of the physical sort when he dates, rather than verbal, but this is something new and exciting and he enjoys it a lot more than he expected to after first meeting Louis. “Fine, maybe it’s both. We’ll never know,” he says finally.

“I’m sure we could find out,” Louis says flirtatiously. “Make it a little experiment.”

“Science was never my strong suit,” Matthew jokes.

Louis snorts, doubling over in laughter. He likes Matthew’s wit, his quick comebacks. It makes for interesting conversation. There’s never a dull moment with Matthew. “Now you’re just putting off trying that,” Louis says, pointing to the glass of IPA Matthew is still holding.

“Nope, I’m not,” Matthew shakes his head, a small smile still playing on his lips.

“Oh come on, I said it’s not that bad! Take a sip!” Louis insists.

Matthew eyes Louis, bemused, but finally brings the glass to his lips. As soon as he takes a sip, he makes a face and sets the glass down. He coughs a little, as he swallows it down. “Not that bad? You big liar!” Matthew exclaims.

Laughing, Louis hands him the glass of wheat beer to wash it down. “Wow, you really don’t like hoppy beers, do you?” he asks.

“Absolutely not,” Matthew replies. He hands the glass to Louis and says, “You can have the rest.”

“I’m pretty sure you spit in it,” Louis laughs.

“So?” Matthew replies.

Louis raises an eyebrow and decides to just drink the rest of it anyway. “Mm, delicious,” he says with a grin.

Matthew rolls his eyes and takes a drink of the wheat beer, the flavor much better than the IPA. “I swear I’m not a wimp when I drink,” he insists.

“Oh, I know,” Louis nods, looking playful again. He sets down the empty glass from the IPA and says, “We’ve had a pretty decent amount of beer.”

“Not

that

much,” Matthew counters.

“We can have more,” Louis offers. “I was actually thinking we could go to a pub not far from here, get some burgers for dinner - something American, remind you of home a little - and hang out. Play pool or darts or something.”

A smile spreads across Matthew’s face and he says, “Well, okay, but only if you’re fine with me kicking your ass at pool. I’m pretty good.”

Louis bursts out laughing. “We’ll see,” he replies playfully. “Shall we go find out who’s better?”

Matthew holds out his hand for Louis to take, and the two of them leave the brewery, laughing and arguing about who will be the better pool player. Louis is still fine to drive, so they get back in the convertible and he taps in the coordinates in the sat nav. They cruise through the English countryside, smiling and laughing, the wind in their hair, until they reach a little pub where there’s a few cameras set up to film their arrival.

When they arrive, Louis parks the car and hands the keys to someone on crew, and walks around to the other side to take Matthew’s hand once more. “Get a good look at this place,” Louis says jokingly, gesturing to the building. “This is where you will get your arse kicked at pool.”

“Arse. That’s cute,” Matthew laughs.

They walk in, and Louis goes right to the bar, grabbing some menus and ordering them each a pint of the lager on tap. He carries everything back to the pool table and hands one of the pints to Matthew. “To us,” he says with a smile.

“To us,” Matthew echoes.

They take a drink, and then Matthew nods to Louis to start the game as he looks over the menu. Once Louis breaks, they each lean on their pool cues, looking at the way the pool balls were spread out over the table. Nothing went into the pockets when Louis broke to start the game, so Louis says, “I’ll take stripes, you take solids.”

Matthew nods and grins, leaning down to take a shot at getting a ball in the hole as Louis sips his pint. This is fun, laid back even, and for a minute Louis forgets he was under a ton of pressure to meet someone and fall in love. For a moment, he feels like a normal guy again.

Matthew gets three balls in before Louis has a chance to shoot again, and he gets distracted by the way Matthew’s deft fingers handle his pool cue, and then lean it against the pool table before he grabs his pint for another sip. Noticing Louis’s gaze, Matthew raises an eyebrow as he sips his beer.

Louis swallows, his mouth dry, and looks around to see if anyone noticed him get lost to his thoughts. Nobody had except Matthew, apparently. Regaining composure, Louis leans over to take a shot again, and this time sinks a ball into the corner pocket.

“You keep staring at me,” Matthew comments, walking up behind him as Louis tries to line up another shot.

“Do not,” Louis protests, his cheeks turning pink.

Matthew drifts his fingers over Louis’s hip and laughs. “Do too.”

Louis misses hitting the cue ball entirely, and he hisses in frustration. “You sabotaged me!” he said, standing up to face Matthew.

Matthew was closer than Louis was expecting, because he nearly runs right into him as he tries to walk to him. Matthew laughs, and even though it’d be the perfect moment to kiss him, he instead just grabs the menu off the side of the pool table and slaps it against Louis’s chest. “Choose what you want so I can go order for us,” he says, looking down at Louis, smirking.

When they stand this close, Louis feels even shorter, having to look straight up to make eye contact with Matthew. After a few more moments of staring, Louis glances down at the menu. “What’ll it be?” Matthew asks.

“Just get me a cheeseburger,” Louis says. “That’ll do just fine.”

“With fries?” Matthew asks.

“Sure, I’ll have

chips

,” Louis responds, smirking.

Matthew laughs and rolls his eyes and walks over to the bar. Louis watches, skirting along the edge of the pool table, trying not so subtly to sink the ball that he’d tried to hit earlier, but missed. “I see you,” Matthew calls, holding up a hand to his side, towards Louis, even though he’s not looking at Louis directly at all.

Louis laughs, rolls his eyes, and goes back to take another drink of his pint. When Matthew returns, Louis looks up at him and says, “You’re a spoilsport.”

“You can’t cheat,” Matthew reminds him. “I want to win this fair and square.” He picks up his pool cue again, drifting his fingers over the length of it, eyeing Louis as he notices yet again that Louis is staring. He snaps his fingers to snap Louis out of it, bemused. “You stare a lot,” he comments.

Then, Matthew leans over and tries to take a shot. It bounces off the side and into a pocket perfectly. “Lucky shot,” Louis says, following as Matthew lines up another shot. He wanders along behind him, trying the very trick Matthew used on him of drifting his fingers over his hip, but it has no effect.

After making another shot, Matthew steps back to face Louis. He didn’t sink any balls in the pockets, but he made it difficult for Louis to be able to get one now. “Can’t get me that easily,” Matthew smirks, wandering over to take a sip of his own pint.

They go back and forth like that, the game neck and neck, until finally one of them sinks the last of theirs. Matthew is smirking as he realizes he’s one good shot away from winning. The only balls left on the table are the cue ball, eight ball, and one of Louis’s striped ones. “I’m so going to win this,” Matthew laughs, leaning over the table and lining up the cue perfectly in his hands.

Louis has tried not to be quite so obvious about his staring, but he’d be a liar if he said the sight wasn’t a little mouthwatering. He’s so slender, and he’s perfectly in control of his entire body. Louis can tell he’s going to make the shot, so at the last minute he stands at Matthew’s side and leans over, his lips drifting close to his ear. He’s awkwardly draped over the table because Matthew is so damn tall, and he whispers, “Don’t miss this.”

His lips graze Matthew’s earlobe and sure enough, he misses the shot. With a slight cackle, Louis leans back, looking triumphant. “Now we’re even.”

“Even, huh?” Matthew asks flirtatiously, stepping closer to Louis. He sets his pool cue against the side of the table as he fixes his full attention on Louis.

They stand toe to toe, Louis craning his neck to look up into his eyes. Matthew reaches down to take hold of Louis’s hands, his fingers dancing slowly over his wrists, his fingers, drawing Louis’s attention to his hands, the very thing he clearly loves most. Their fingers thread together, and Matthew leans down, halfway, ready to kiss Louis but also taking it slow.

Louis is about to stand on his tiptoes to close the distance when the waitress clears her throat beside them. Matthew slides his hands away from Louis and Louis settles down on his tiptoes, looking down at the floor. Matthew laughs nervously and puts his hand on the small of Louis’s back. “C’mon, let’s go eat,” he says with a smile.

Slightly disappointed that yet again, the perfect moment for a kiss had passed them by, Louis goes over to the table. Their pints are refilled, and there are two plates with burgers and chips on the table.

They sit together and eat their dinner, Louis’s disappointment quickly fading as he chats with Matthew between bites. Matthew talks more about home, about his family, and his business, and the best place in Brooklyn to get burgers. After several beers, the Brooklyn accent had started to emerge, too, and Louis definitely loves it. “Maybe I could take you there one day,” Matthew says, talking about his favorite burger joint. “But really, if I took you for food anywhere, it’d have to be pizza. There’s no better place to get pizza than New York.”

Louis laughs and says, “I feel like Danielle would disagree with you.”

Matthew nods and says with amusement, “She has. We got pizza one night at the house and we argued about it for at least a solid five minutes.”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Who won?”

“I did,” Matthew replies triumphantly. “I had Bebe on my side. We outnumbered her.”

Louis takes a bite of another chip and says, “I’m getting the vibe here that you like winning. And maybe you’re used to it, too.”

Matthew smirks and shrugs. “Maybe.”

“So why haven’t you kissed me yet?” Louis asks, rather bluntly.

Matthew looks a little surprised at the bluntness of Louis’s question, and counters it with another one. “Have any of the others?”

“Yeah, a few have,” Louis nods.

“Hmm,” Matthew replies. “It’s gotta be perfect, though. The right moment. Not just out of desperation. It’s got to be after plenty of buildup, and anticipation, and…” Matthew gets up from the table and rushes over to the pool table. Before Louis can even register what’s happening, Matthew’s lining up his shot and sinking the eight ball in the corner pocket. He’s just won the game.

“No fair!” Louis says, leaping up from the table just a little too late.

“How about a kiss as my prize?” Matthew smirks.

Louis rolls his eyes. “You are ridiculous. That wasn’t even fair!” he protests.

Matthew laughs and leans over just a little, so he can wrap his arm fully around Louis’s waist. Their size difference is so obvious all of a sudden, and Louis’s breath catches in his throat. He can’t think of any words to say, even though he so badly wants to, but thankfully he doesn’t have to. Matthew finally,

finally

leans in to bump noses, and pulls up just slightly around his waist to prompt Louis to stand on his tiptoes.

Louis is pliant in Matthew’s touch, doing exactly as he wants. He stands on his tip toes, arms wrapping around Matthew’s broad shoulders, his breath stolen yet again. The kiss is perfect, wiping Louis’s head clean of all thoughts except that this moment, this kiss, is more perfect than he’d ever imagined - and he’d definitely imagined it. From the first moment they met, Louis hadn’t been able to get Matthew off his mind. Judging by how intoxicating the kiss is, he’s never going to be able to forget this.

When the kiss breaks, their noses bump again, and Louis feels Matthew smiling before he sees it. “Thanks for the prize,” Matthew smiles.

“That was a lot more than just a prize,” Louis whispers.

“How romantic,” Matthew teases.

Rather than shooting back with some witty comeback, Louis just leans up to kiss him again, this time with a little more intensity than last time. It’s the hottest kiss Louis has had the entire show - maybe even in his life. They forget the cameras, the pressure, the competition, and Louis only breaks for air when his lungs are screaming at him, unable to hold off any longer.

When Louis pulls away for air, he’s flushed, his cheeks as pink as Matthew’s, and he looks up into his eyes for a moment before realizing where they are and what’s going on. Reluctantly, he slides away from him, going over to the table to pick up the rose. “So… how about this for a prize instead?” Louis asks, walking back over to Matthew, where he still stands by the pool table. “I don’t think I even need to give you an explanation why I want to give this to you. So Matthew, will you accept this rose?”

Grinning, Matthew nods and takes the rose from Louis, using his other hand to wrap around his shoulders and pull him in for a kiss. Louis’s arms wrap around Matthew’s waist, and he’s standing on his tiptoes yet again. He can’t wipe the smile off his face as they walk back out to the car park, their date regrettably winding down to its end.

They’ve had too much to drink to drive home themselves, so someone from the crew drives them, Louis and Matthew sitting in the backseat instead, Louis’s head on Matthew’s shoulder. The wind feels good on their flushed faces, from the beer and from the kissing. When they get back to the manor and need to part ways, they share a lazy hug, their exhaustion and sleepiness catching up with them at last.

“Thanks for tonight,” Matthew says, seeming a little more stoic than he had earlier. Maybe it’s his front, to project an air of coolness, to give his competitors a false sense of security that he’s not a real threat. Either way, Louis finds the switch oddly attractive.

Smiling, Louis nods and says, “I should be the one thanking you. See you soon.”

“Yeah, see you soon,” Matthew nods, pressing a kiss to Louis’s forehead before going up to his room.

Louis takes a moment to breathe and think about how that night had gone. It was better than he could have ever imagined, and it seems impossible that anything could top that. That night, Louis sleeps incredibly well, his dreams drifting back to the night he’d just had, all anxiety about the rose ceremony the next night completely erased from his mind.

--

Walking into the cocktail party, Louis feels optimistic. He doesn’t see any conflicts on the horizon, and has fully convinced himself that whatever is going on with Harry and Nick, it’s friendship, and he needs to be more trusting. He also knows he tends to think the worst of himself, to find ways to sabotage himself, and thinks this is no different. So, as he walks into the garden once more to find the twenty men and women here for him - the twenty that must be narrowed down to seventeen tonight - Louis has an open mind and a smile on his face. He’s ready for anything.

Out in the garden, everyone is gathered, wearing their very best. Four people are wearing roses - the men, on their lapels and the women, a corsage on their wrist. It’s much easier than carrying around a rose all night, leading up to the ceremony. Louis knows without a doubt that he gave roses to the right people this week; Niall, Barbara, Jack, and Matthew all deserve that validation. Louis feels something growing with them, and he can only hope that something sparks with others as well, because he knows it could with just a little more time.

“Welcome everyone,” Louis says, holding his drink in his hands as he faces the group. “I want to thank you all for an amazing week here, and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. I’m looking forward to more time with everyone tonight so with that, let’s start the party.” He holds up his glass, and the others follow suit.

Right away, someone is asking him for some one on one time. It’s Harry. He wears that charming, dimpled smile and this time, a bright pink suit that looks untailored and vintage. Louis hasn’t decided yet whether he thinks Harry looks good or bad in the suit.

They link hands and walk across the garden to the bench swing, sat underneath a floral arch. When they sit down, Louis looks up at Harry, and he hopes this time with Harry will dispel all of the not so friendly thoughts Louis has been having lately, questioning what’s going on with Harry and Nick. And he also hopes he doesn’t have to bring that up - rather, he hopes reconnecting with Harry will reassure him.

“Hi there,” Louis says with a smile.

“Hey,” Harry responds. He combs his hair out of his face and crosses his legs, angling towards Louis. “How are you doing tonight?”

“I’m good,” Louis nods. “Really great. I had so much fun this week.”

Harry’s smile is warm and earnest; Louis can tell just from one glance that even if they’re not close, Harry still genuinely wishes the best from him and wants to try for something with him. His eyes sparkle and he says, “That’s great to hear. I can’t imagine how stressful it might be for you. I think you’re managing it really well.”

Louis shrugs and says with a smile, “It’s easy to do when everyone else seems to be having fun. So far, I haven’t heard of any drama. Other than an argument over which kind of pizza is better, Chicago style or New York style.”

Harry laughs, knowing exactly what Louis is referring to. “God, that was hilarious,” Harry says. “Everyone knows

my

pizza is the best. Homemade and everything.”

“D’you cook a lot then?” Louis asks, switching the subject. “I mean, you say your pizza is the best, and you won the cooking competition earlier…”

“I worked in a bakery before uni,” Harry said. “So that’s part of it. I got the French toast recipe from there, actually.” He tucks a strand of hair behind his ear. “It’s always been my hobby though, the cooking and the baking. My mum and I do it all the time.”

Louis smiles. “That’s lovely. Do you still?”

“Yeah,” Harry nods. “My family is pretty close.”

“Tell me more about them,” Louis prompts. He loves hearing these men and women talk about their families. It’s one of the best ways he’s found to get to know them; he can often tell how much of a family person they are, and he likes knowing what their support system is like, and guessing as to what their childhoods were like.

“Well, there’s my mum, and my sister, and we’re the main ones,” Harry says. He frowns a little and says, “I recently lost my stepdad. He was there for me all throughout uni, when I got really discouraged. I felt like I couldn’t do it at times, especially when I started law school.” Harry takes a deep breath. “I almost didn’t come here, except I knew I had to, because he’d been the one to tell me I should in the first place.”

Louis reaches over for Harry’s hand and holds it gently, rubbing his thumb along the back of Harry’s hand comfortingly. “I’m so sorry. Can I ask when you lost him?” Louis asks softly.

“Erm… just a couple weeks before I left for here, actually,” Harry frowns. “Worst time of my life, honestly.”

Nodding, Louis says, “I know how you feel,” Harry glances up; his friends have said that a lot, but with Louis, it’s different. Harry knows that Louis really

does

know how he feels. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I think you’re really strong for pushing through that grief to come here. And… you’re always so happy, and positive, and… I had no idea you had this sadness in you.”

“Well, now you do,” Harry says softly. He offers Louis a small smile as he turns to him, draping his arm around Louis’s shoulders. He takes a deep breath and says, “No pity, though. I’m doing better now, it’s sort of sunk in finally. And I’m really having a good time here with you.”

“Good,” Louis nods with a smile. “I’m really glad to hear that.”

Hesitantly, Harry leans in, their noses bumping before he places a gentle kiss on Louis’s lips. It’s slow, Harry taking his time stealing Louis’s breath before he leans away and asks, “Has anyone else done that yet?”

Louis swallows and has to take a moment to find his voice before he asks, “What, kissed me?” Harry nods. “A few.”

Harry smiles. “Only a few? That’s good,” he says proudly. “It means I’ve still in the lead.”

Louis doesn’t really know what to say to that; he doesn’t want to tell people too much about the others, for fear of starting drama. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to think of anything, because Perrie interrupts with a bright smile, asking if she can have a moment with Louis. Harry bows out gracefully, letting Perrie take his place on the swing. “Hi,” Louis says, reaching out for her hand right away as she takes a seat.

“Hello,” she responds, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his cheek.

Louis wraps an arm around her shoulder and she leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder. It’s nice, sitting so close and cozy with Perrie, especially in the brisk night air. “How are you doing?” Louis asks her.

“Oh, alright,” she replies, sounding casual but her words implying anything but that. Louis is about to ask what’s going on, but she explains right away for him. “I’ve missed you these past few days, is all. I feel like we haven’t gotten much time.”

“It’s a good thing you snagged some now, then,” Louis replies, bemused.

“Exactly,” she smiles.

Perrie shifts, turning a bit more towards Louis, and she drapes her legs over his. He drops his hand to her leg, rubbing soft circles through the silken fabric, against her thigh. “What’s on your mind?” he wonders.

She’s smiling sweetly as they sit there together, entangled on the bench. “Tell me more about yourself,” she says softly. “We’ve talked about work, but what about the rest? I want to know about your family, your pets… everything.”

Louis smiles. He likes this sort of conversation. Louis holds her, sharing his warmth with her in the cool night breeze, and tells her all about his family - his six siblings, his stepdad, his mum. Perrie is so calm and non-judgmental, Louis doesn’t have a single problem telling her about losing his mum. She curls a little closer to him as he talks about it, but it feels so nice getting to open up to someone again. Perrie is so sweet and kind, and she presses another kiss to his cheek as she says, “I’m so sorry, love. That sounds awful.”

“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” he confesses.

“I can’t imagine,” Perrie replies. She looks down at his hand on her lap and covers it with her own. She smiles a little as she says, “Thank you for trusting me.”

“Absolutely,” Louis nods. “You’re a really amazing woman, Perrie. I’m glad you’re here.”

She looks up at him, confidence clear on her face now that he’s told her how he feels about her so far. “I’m happy I’m here, too,” she nods.

Very slowly, Louis leans in and connects their lips, melting into a tender kiss with her. Perrie seems a little taken aback by it, but after a moment she reaches up to rest her hand on his cheek. They share just one soft kiss before they pull away, both of them hearing footsteps approaching.

It’s the unmistakeable sound of heels on pavement, and both Louis and Perrie look up to see that they’re being interrupted by Kaya. Perrie leaves graciously, letting Kaya step in and have her moment with Louis. They talk about London, mostly - Kaya going on about how she feels like two different people sometimes, which Louis finds intriguing. On the one hand, she’s a stock broker, and often has to be dressed to the nines and working strict hours, lots of things going on behind the scenes that she can’t talk about. But then outside of work, she likes to dress down, go out to the cinema or for some fish and chips, very laid back like.

“And which sort of person are you looking to be with one day?” Louis asks curiously. He feels he very clearly fits into one of the two categories, but wants Kaya’s take on it.

She smiles and says, “I get enough of the stuffy suit and tie stuff at work, thank you very much.” Louis bursts out laughing at her blunt answer. “I’d much rather have someone fun to spend time with.”

“That’s fair,” Louis agrees, nodding. “I can understand that.” He pauses and then asks, “So what would your dream date be, then?”

She considers it for a moment, and then says finally, “Probably jetting off to Paris or Amsterdam for a long weekend. Just… disappearing for a few days, unplugging - like, no technology. Just us. I think that sounds like a dream.”

Louis had never considered a date like that to be an option, but he supposes that being with a stock broker might make that a much more viable date choice. And as he thinks about it - disappearing for a few days, just him and his partner - it sounds quite appealing. He tells Kaya as much, too. She smiles, and Louis likes seeing this new adventurous side of her; before today, he’d hardly known much about her at all.

They’re interrupted after that, and Louis has some great conversations with several more women, all in a row - Camila, Lauren, Bebe, Danielle - and he’s laughed so much with all of them that his abs are hurting just the slightest because of it.

Zayn interrupts next, and Louis has to admit that it’s a pleasant surprise, seeing him there. They’d had a great chat last time, and Louis was quickly realizing he had a thing for the silent types. “Hey,” Louis says, offering Zayn his hand.

Zayn takes it and sits down next to Louis, unable to fight the smile threatening to cross his features. “What?” Louis asks. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Yeah, actually, you do,” Zayn laughs.

Confused, Louis asks, “But I haven’t eaten anything in a while…”

Still laughing, Zayn says, “You’ve got lipstick on. Must’ve been kissing someone with dark red lipstick.”

Louis frantically wipes at his lips, wondering why nobody else had told him or how long it had been there; it was likely from Perrie, as he hadn’t kissed anyone after her, so it’d been there a while. Zayn reaches out to wipe at the corner of Louis’s mouth, and that slows things down a lot. Louis glances down at Zayn’s hand, and swallows hard as he wipes away the last of the lipstick. Louis laughs nervously, and Zayn says, “There, you should be good now.”

Louis looks gratefully at Zayn and nods. “Thanks. That’s embarrassing,” he mutters. “It’s been there for a while too.”

Zayn looks amused and says, “At least with me you wouldn’t have to worry about walking around with lipstick on your face.”

He certainly has a point there. Louis nods and says, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Looking coyly up at Zayn, Louis wonders if that’ll happen at all. During their last one on one time, they’d gotten distracted by talking about each other’s tattoos, so Louis hadn’t gotten a chance yet to kiss Zayn. He’d thought about it though, with Zayn’s slight pout, and the way his lips always look redder than most guys’, because he chews on them when he’s nervous.

They’re leaning in, but just as they’re about to kiss, someone interrupts them. Louis takes a deep breath and looks up; it’s Liam, looking only the slightest bit guilty for interrupting. Zayn is the first one to speak, greeting Liam with a soft, “Hey.”

“Sorry, could I interrupt?” Liam wonders.

He’s so earnest and polite, nobody has really had the urge to be mean to Liam. Not that it appears they’ve had the urge to be mean to anyone; Louis wonders if things are going

too

smoothly, that the lack of drama so far is a foreshadowing of things to come.

Liam and Zayn switch out places, Zayn sending one last half-smile to Louis as he walks away. When Louis turns back to face Liam, he notices that he’s carrying something in his hands. “What have you got there?” Louis asks curiously.

Liam’s cheeks turn pink and he takes a deep breath before he says, “Well, I brought them just in case, but like… they’re photos. Of Bear. I don’t have many, yet, but if you wanted to see…”

Louis’s whole face lights up and he says, “I’d love to see. I’ll bet he’s adorable.”

“You have no idea,” Liam responds, shuffling through his pile of photos. “You can’t really see him in this one, but it’s from the day he was born,” he hands Louis a photo of the two of them, Liam clutching Bear delicately to his chest, the only things visible on Bear are his onesie and his dark tufts of hair. Louis looks at it quietly, reverently, and he smiles at how protective Liam looks. “This was when he turned a month old,” Liam says, holding out another photo. It’s the two of them sitting on a sofa together, Bear holding onto Liam’s fingers, both of them in Adidas outfits, presumably watching the telly. Bear’s big brown eyes are wide open, and he’s got some drool on his chin, and even though most of Liam’s face is cut out of the picture, what Louis can see shows him that Liam’s beaming from ear to ear.

Liam shows him a few more photos, mostly just of Bear, but a few of the both of them. One is actually of his ex, Cheryl, but only her hair and her shoulder can be seen. “Sorry, I didn’t want to like, drag her into this, but this photo… I couldn’t resist,” Liam explains awkwardly. “It was the first day he smiled at me. He just kept smiling and smiling…” the memory puts a big smile on Liam’s face, and Louis feels his chest tighten; the adoration Liam has for his child does things to Louis - things Louis isn’t sure he could ever put into words.

He feels reassurance, and confidence, that Liam could be a family man

with

him, because he’s already one

without

him. Liam seems a natural dad, so proud of the littlest accomplishments, his mind on both his child’s happiness but also on his own, not prioritizing one over the other, but trying hard to create a natural balance instead. “I’m so glad you showed me these photos, Liam,” Louis says finally, a bit taken aback by the sweet gesture.

He smiles up at Liam, who’s beaming from ear to ear. “I bet you miss him a lot,” Louis adds.

“I do,” Liam nods. “But like I said before… I know why I’m here and I know that in the long run, this could be a really great opportunity and a chance to give Bear even more than I’m able to give him right now.” He smiles and says, “Besides, he’s not even going to remember all this.”

“Do you miss being home to see all the milestones?” Louis wonders softly.

Liam shrugs. “He’s going to have milestones his whole life,” he explains, “And besides, we have technology. Cheryl’s said she’ll film as much as she can for me, so I can see it.” He looks into Louis’s eyes and says, “I’m not going to regret being here. I really care about you, Louis.”

Louis smiles, believing every word Liam says. He’s not the natural charmer like Harry, but rather, Liam’s so earnest it’s hard to believe he’d ever say a disingenuous word in his life. Louis whispers softly, “I know, I believe you.”

“Good,” Liam smiles.

He dips in and plants a gentle kiss on Louis’s lips, not even thinking twice about it. He’s wanted to do that for ages now, and it’s just the smallest of kisses, enough to catch Louis’s attention, to make sure he’s remembered for at least another week, to give them more opportunities to be together and have conversations.

Shortly thereafter, they’re interrupted by Taron, and then Sophie, and then Matthew. Louis enjoys talking to all of them - though admittedly, this time around, he and Matthew didn’t do much talking at all. Still buzzing from the high of a tremendous date, they spent most of the night wrapped up in each other’s arms.

Behind them, someone clears their throat, and Louis and Matthew slowly pull out of the kiss. “I think I’m being interrupted,” Matthew says with a smirk. “I’ll see you in there.”

He stands up, Louis just nodding in reply. Matthew leaves, and out of the shadows around the corner comes Eleanor, looking as elegant as ever in a dusty rose colored gown with a slit in it that goes all the way up to her upper thigh. Louis whistles in approval and she smiles bashfully. “C’mere love, I’ve missed you,” he says, ever the charmer.

“Have you now?” she teases playfully.

Eleanor chooses to sit on his lap, rather than on the bench next to him, but Louis has no complaints about that. As they sit together, her hand plays gently in the hair at the nape of his neck, their conversation hushed and quiet as they talk about music festivals, and dancing, and their families. Louis finds Eleanor so intriguing, especially because from looking at her, he’d assume she was in a field related to entertainment or fashion, not in politics. Something about that really

works

for him, in a way he’d never anticipated, and he can’t seem to get enough time with her.

Eleanor is interrupted by Barbara after what feels like only a couple of minutes, and then Jack interrupts Barbara in return. It could be coincidence, or it could not, but Briana interrupts after that, saying hi to both Louis and Jack, and giving Jack a hug goodbye as he leaves. When she sits down next to Louis, he asks curiously, “What was that about?”

Her curls fall in her face as she smiles and looks down. He notices in the soft lantern light that her cheeks are pink. “I’m not cheating, I promise,” she says softly.

“Oh, no, no, that’s not what I meant,” Louis amends quickly. He smiles. “I want you guys to make friends and hang out when I’m away. Is that what you guys are?”

“Yeah,” she nods. “Ever since that group date, we’ve been talking more.”

“Oh?” Louis asks, curious. “About anything in particular?”

“Well, yes, and no,” she shrugs. Briana glances over quickly and then her eyes fall back down to her lap. Louis reaches over to take her hand, to help her get that confidence back. She takes a deep breath. “Well, it all started because we were talking about Nick and Harry. And then that sort of evolved into us talking about everything.”

“Can I ask what you guys had to say about Nick and Harry?” Louis asks hesitantly.

Briana doesn’t say anything at first. When she finally does speak up, she says, “We just thought it was unfair to you that they spent more time together than with you. They’re here for

you

. We all are.”

“It really only helps you in the end, though, right? If they do that?” Louis offers.

Briana shrugs. “I guess. But the way they were acting, I could tell it was bothering you, and so could Jack. It was stupid. They should have at least tried more,” she says. Her voice is a little rougher, like she’s almost

angry

at their behavior. “Jack and I just agreed that we don’t want

you

to get hurt.”

Louis smiles, rubbing a hand up and down her back comfortingly. “Thank you. That means a lot to me,” he says warmly. “Don’t worry too much about them though, okay? Just be here, and enjoy the friendships in the house, and spend some time with me.”

“I know,” she nods. “I do. I like spending time with you. So much.”

“Yeah?” Louis asks, a smile on his face.

“Yeah,” she nods. “So much that it almost scares me.”

Louis is quiet for a moment before he takes her hand once more and asks, “What are you afraid of?”

“What everyone’s afraid of,” she says vaguely, shrugging and avoiding his eyes once more. “Rejection. Getting hurt.”

Louis frowns. “I’m going to do my best not to hurt you,” he reassures her.

“But in the end, it’s pretty likely that you will,” she reminds him. “You only get one person, in the end. Each of us… our odds are pretty small. But… I know that you’ll try to take the sting off. You’re a really nice guy like that.” Briana looks up and smiles at him, though there’s a sadness in her eyes that Louis knows he’s not going to be able to get rid of.

“Just… try not to think about that part of it,” he suggests. Louis leans in, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Just enjoy the here and now. The two of us, alone, getting to know each other more and more each week.”

She nods, wrapping an arm around his waist to hug him as they sit there together on the bench. “I know. I’ll try,” she promises.

Louis smiles, feeling like he’s at least diffused a little of her anxiety about the situation. He knows that nobody in the manor is having an easy go of things, knowing there’s a chance every week that they’ll be sent home. Briana handles herself so well, though, and she usually projects an air of self-assurance behind all the initial shyness. Louis is glad she was vulnerable and opened up about her worries and fears. It makes him feel closer to her, like he knows her a little bit better now than he did just hours before.

Louis knows he hasn’t spoken to everyone yet, but Steve interrupts to say that it’s time to start the rose ceremony. As they’re getting the cast ready, Louis is off to the side, doing a few interviews. Some of the other men and women are, too, and Louis manages to hear Avan talking about how nervous he is, going into this rose ceremony, because he didn’t get a chance to talk to Louis at all tonight. He’s not the only one, and Louis noticed that straight away.

At this point in the game, his decisions for sending people home are still in the basic phase of decision making. Meaning, he’s sending people home whose name he can’t remember, or who haven’t made much of an impression on him at all, yet. In fact, when looking at the list, a few names stand out and Louis genuinely doesn’t remember a single moment with them yet - they haven’t tried, or they haven’t stayed for very long, or they haven’t made a point of catching his attention.

When the cast is lined up, Louis walks into the room, looking at the twenty men and women standing in front of him. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” Steve says, beginning the rose ceremony that night. “This week, four of you received roses during dates. Congratulations to Niall, Barbara, Jack, and Matthew. You four have secured your spots for next week.” Those four look relieved, and Louis smiles at that look on their faces, knowing he’d given them that reassurance and validation already. “Unfortunately,” Steve continues, “We can’t bring everyone with us into next week. Louis will be handing out thirteen more roses. That means that three of you are going home tonight. So, without further ado, Louis… if you would.”

Steve steps back, gesturing to the pedestal next to Louis where thirteen roses lay, waiting to be handed out. Louis takes a deep breath. He feels more confident this week than he did last week, and he hasn’t yet decided if that’s a good or bad thing.

Perrie… Briana… Avan… Liam…

Louis takes a deep breath. He still feels uneasy about the situation with Nick and Harry, particularly because other people in the group have now picked up on it and noticed that they’re spending an awful lot of time together. There’s more tension with Nick, but when it comes down to it, Louis really wants to try to understand what’s going on, by talking to both of them.

Nick… Harry… Eleanor… Bebe…

His hands shake as he picks up more roses, the tension in the room enough to shake Louis’s confidence just a bit. There are some incredible, deserving men and women that are still around, that Louis can’t wait to get to know. But there are some that he’s confident, at this point, that he will have no connection with even if they stay longer.

Danielle… Kaya… Zayn… Camila…

Four very nervous people stand in front of him, and Louis isn’t sure that everyone who stands, waiting for a rose, will have a connection with him. But there’s one person he felt a little bit of something for, someone deserving of one more chance.

“Lauren.”

She swallows hard, looking shocked that she’d been given the rose. She steps forward and gives Louis a hug before accepting the rose from him. He rubs her back and she goes to stand with the rest of the group. Steve steps in again, and he says to the group, “If you did not get a rose, you will need to say your goodbyes, gather your things, and go home. So sorry to see you go, you three.” He looks to three men and women - Taron, Sophie, and Zac - who look disappointed more than anything else, at the way the night went.

Louis gives each a hug, and they all stay rather quiet as they leave the room. Once the mood in the room has shifted a little, glasses of champagne handed out, Louis gathers everyone around him. “Now - I don’t know about you, but as pretty as this countryside is, I could really use a change of scenery,” he says with a grin. “Everyone, pack your bags. We’re going to see some beautiful mountains in Banff in Alberta, Canada!”

The group cheers, and they all toast their champagne, and together with seventeen men and women, Louis enjoys the rest of his night, feeling secure in his decisions and ready for another week of this process. So far, it’s been amazing, and he can’t wait to see what comes next.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Getting from London to Banff takes longer than many of them expected - a ten hour flight to Vancouver, followed by another two hour flight to Calgary, followed by a hour’s drive up into the mountains. They arrive at the beautiful Fairmont hotel, a looming behemoth of a castle built into the Rocky Mountains. Even after many, many hours of travel, the seventeen men and women gaze with amazement at the massive structure where they’ll be staying for a week.Nobody knows how soon they’ll get to see Louis, but the adventure of being in a new country, in a hotel in a mountain , has them distracted. Louis traveled on a flight earlier that day, so he was already at the hotel, in a beautiful corner suite, sleeping off some of the jet lag.When the others arrive, they do the same thing, after being grouped off to hotel suites together. As soon as he settles in his things, Jack wanders down the hallway to the room where Briana, Eleanor, and Danielle are staying. He has no desire to hang around his room, where Nick and Harry are dancing around, buzzing after sleeping the entire flight to Canada. They’re wide awake, and he needs quiet. He also needs to complain to Briana about those two again.Jack is vaguely aware of Kaya’s gaze on him from where she stands in the hallway as he disappears into the room where some of the other girls are staying. It’ll probably look terrible to the others, especially with his growing friendship with Briana, but certain people in this process are starting to drive him insane and he needs the reprieve.Briana smiles when he walks in, and Eleanor and Danielle don’t seem to think anything of Jack joining them so soon. They end up sitting around together in their sweats, the fireplace on for ambiance more than anything, snacking on Goldfish crackers and discussing Nick and Harry together.“They took the double bed for themselves,” Jack says. “I shouldn’t be surprised but like… it’s so annoying, you know? They don’t stop.”“Do you think Louis has noticed yet?” Danielle wonders, looking concerned.“We know he has,” Briana speaks up. She’s gotten more comfortable speaking around these two women, and feels as though they’re her friends, just as Jack is. “During that group date where the four of us got extra time with him it was so obvious.”Jack runs a hand through his hair and says, “It took everything we had to cheer him up after that. He just kept looking at them, like he was wondering what he did wrong.”Eleanor frowns, her heart hurting for Louis. “That’s terrible,” she says. “And… is it just me, or does it seem like there’s no spark there with Nick anyway?”“I can’t see it,” Danielle agrees.“It’s like a love-hate thing,” Jack observes. “Pretty sure it’s hate, though.”Briana nods in agreement, and hesitates before she says, “I’ve been thinking about saying something to Louis. But I don’t want to start anything.”“He should know, though,” Danielle points out. “He deserves to know if things are going on between people.”“We don’t know if there’s anything going on, though,” Eleanor argues. “I think they’ve just got a really close friendship at this point. I haven’t seen them do anything beyond that.”The room is quiet for a minute, and the women turn to look at Jack. It takes him a moment, but when he realizes they’re all staring at him, he sits up a little straighter. “What?” he asks.“You have to keep an eye on them,” Danielle says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re staying in the same room as them, so it’s way easier for you than anyone else here.”“But what if it doesn’t go well? What if I tell him, but they twist everything and suddenly I’m going home and they’re not?” Jack asks, his worry clear on his face. “It’s happened before on this show.”“It’ll be fine,” Briana insists. “We’ll back you up. And I’m sure others would, too. We can’t be the only ones who’ve noticed.”Jack still looks unsure, but doesn’t have another chance to argue his point because there’s a knock on the door, interrupting them. It’s someone from the crew, asking them all to go into a room down the hall to read the first date card.The largest room is a suite at the opposite end of the hall where all the men except Jack, Nick, and Harry are staying. Twelve of them file in to join the five men whose room it is, and sit down in the lounge as the cameras set up. Liam’s been chosen to read the date card once it comes, and when the cameras are rolling, he stands in front of them all and reads it:“Camila. Bebe. Jack. Kaya. Perrie. Lauren. Eleanor. Avan.” He looks up at everyone in the room and then back down at the card. “Things are about to get a little rocky. Love, Louis.”There are lots of raised eyebrows at the card, and a few guesses thrown out as well. Nobody truly knows what to expect, but they are told to be ready to go the next day in shorts and shirts that they’ll want to wear to the cocktail party. Whatever they’re doing before that, there isn’t any clue given to them in their attire instructions.Louis greets them in the lobby of the hotel, a big grin on his face. “Hey guys,” he smiles, looking around at all of them. He’s greeted with cheers from everyone, a few going in for hugs. Avan lets the hug linger for a moment, and presses a kiss to Louis’s temple. Louis smiles coyly up at Avan before he steps back to get a good look at everyone. “Welcome to Banff! What do you all think?”More cheers, and Louis’s smile grows. “Well, I hope you’re all ready for a really crazy day. We’re about to take a little drive, and when we get there, you’ll see what we’re going to do,” he grins. “Everybody is good with water, right? Swimming and all that?” Everyone nods, and Louis grins. “Alright then. Let’s go!”They drive further into the wilderness, the nine of them together in a large van. They stop at a little shack near a stream of water, and everyone climbs out. “So, I bet you’re all wondering what we’ll be doing today,” Louis grins as everyone stands around him, the sound of the rapids whooshing behind him. “If you haven’t figured it out yet - we’re going whitewater rafting!”There are some cheers, though a few people look nervous - Camila especially. Louis glances over his shoulder and says, “First step is we’re going to go inside, get outfitted, watch a safety video and all that, and then, we can raft!”Together, the group enters the cabin on the grounds and sits on benches in a room, watching a video on how to swim if they fall out of the raft, and how to hold the paddles, and how to stay put in the boat over some particularly wicked bumps. Then, an instructor joins them and teaches them some basic vocabulary they’ll need to know as they go through the rapids. The instructor will be at the front, rafting with them, guiding them through the course so nobody gets hurt.Once they’ve finished with all the instructions, the group goes to the outfitting desk and gets everything they’ll need to wear for rafting. The outfits make everyone there look a bit silly - wet suits, jackets, river shoes, flotation devices, helmets - but they’ll be safe, and in the end, Louis likes a person who doesn’t mind looking a bit silly for the sake of fun.Camila still looks freaked out, and so as she’s standing off to the side, Louis approaches and asks, “You doing alright?”“Yeah,” she nods. She tries to put on a brave face but her dark eyes betray her; she’s scared, and he can tell. “Just… never done this before.”“It’ll be fine,” Louis insists. “Just remember what they taught us in there and you’ll have an awesome time.”She still doesn’t look so sure, but doesn’t say anything. Louis notices that people have varying degrees of excitement and nervousness, but at least they all seem game to give it a try. Jack and Avan seem the most enthusiastic, laughing together over by the banks of the river. Avan’s long hair is a bit of a mess, since the helmet doesn’t allow for him to put his hair back in a ponytail. A few strands fall haphazardly all around his head, and they try to tuck them away but little wisps keep tickling his face. “Just - take the helmet off for a minute,” Jack says.Even taking it off and trying to push all his hair out of his face doesn’t seem to work, thanks to static electricity. Louis smirks and takes this opportunity to help him out. He grabs a cup from next to the water dispenser in front of the cabin, next to a sign that says Help yourself! Stay hydrated! He wanders over to the water, kneels down to scoop up some water, and then approaches Avan from behind. Jack sees what’s happening, so he keeps hold of Avan’s helmet for him, and in seconds, Avan is shouting in surprise because Louis is pouring cold water over his head. “There,” Louis says triumphantly. “That should help keep the hair out of your face.”Avan turns around, looking incredulous, and for a moment just stares at Louis. Then, he bursts out laughing, joining Louis and Jack, and puts his helmet on. Just as Louis promised, the hair is out of his face. Louis reaches out for Avan, giving him a hug for being such a good sport, and Louis notices the faint trace of jealousy in Jack’s eyes.Once everyone is ready to go, the rafting instructor gathers them all together by a raft and they climb in together. They’re given paddles, a reminder on the correct terminology for rafting, and final safety reminders. Camila sits at the front of the raft near the instructor, clutching her paddle loosely, her shoulders looking defeated. He really hopes that once they get going, she cheers up.Louis is sitting in the back, Jack to one side and Avan to the other, and from this vantage point he can watch everyone. With their paddles ready to go, the raft starts down the river. Louis lets out a whoop of excitement as the boat soars through the easy part of the river, rapids not too far away in the distance. He’s trying to focus on a lot - paying attention to his dates and making sure he follows the correct commands whilst rafting.Water splashes up around them, and he hears Bebe’s unmistakeable shout as she celebrates not accidentally falling overboard when they went over a bump. Some of the girls look so tiny Louis is surprised they haven’t been tossed off the boat yet, but they’re all trying hard. The rapids get more intense further down the track, and Louis nearly falls over Avan’s lap trying to steady himself after a surprisingly large bump.Aside from the instructions every so often from their guide, most of the sound in the raft is laughter and cheering, especially after they go over an especially fun bump in the river. By this point everyone’s pretty soaked in river water, and a bit chilled, but the adrenaline of soaring over the rapids has almost everyone in a good mood, and Louis is incredibly happy to have been the cause of that joy.Louis is genuinely worn out when they reach the end of the rapids, the instructor helping them all climb off the raft downstream. “What’d you guys think?” Louis asks, taking off his helmet and shaking out his wet hair.There’s some cheers, and some laughter, and off to the side he hears Perrie say, “I could do that again!”“D’you want to?” Louis asks.More cheers, from almost everyone in the group. He notices Camila off to the side, quieter and not speaking. She’d even been laughing at one point in the raft! Louis feels bad that maybe she’s not enjoying herself as much as the others, but he doesn’t want to let one person drag down the whole date. That’s the challenge with group dates, and it’s one he hasn’t really encountered to this degree before. The instructor says that if they hop in some of the carts next to the river, they can be brought back up the hill to do a second run. “Shall we do it?” Louis asks the group excitedly.They seem to be in agreement, so they climb into vehicles and get ready to go up the rocky path back to the start of the rapids. “You having fun?” Louis asks Eleanor, who’d sat down next to him in the cart.“Yeah,” she nods, smiling. “I’ve never done this before. It’s a bit scary, but I’m having fun.”She looks over at Louis, and she seems genuine, but Louis still wants to make sure she’s doing alright. “Scary good, right?” he asks.Eleanor nods, eyes sparkling. “Yeah, scary good,” she insists. “I’ll have a few bruises at the party tonight though, I’m sure.”“Think we all will, if I’m being honest,” Louis says. He holds up his hand, showing his knuckles where one had gotten a bit scraped up as they climbed out of the raft.“Oh no! You’re bleeding!” she says, reaching over for his hand.Louis smiles. “Just a little scrape. Feels a bit bruised and I reckon that’s what’s gonna hurt more, in the end,” he says.Eleanor shakes her head and says, “You don’t have to be so tough all the time.”Bemused, Louis says, “I’ll be tough while I can. Inevitably, things are going to get intense here and I’ll get stressed out and doubt myself and that’s when the tears will fall. So, enjoy my tough side while you can.”Cooing in sympathy, Eleanor wraps her arm through his and lays her head on his shoulder. “Aww,” she says softly. “I don’t want you to cry.”“I’m getting so attached,” he confesses.Eleanor holds him a little tighter, cozying up to him in the cart, and says, “It’ll all work out in the end, though. You’re going to fall in love and get a happily ever after.”Louis smiles and nods. “I hope so.”“Me too, love,” she agrees. “Even if it’s not with me. I just want you to end up with the right person.”Louis looks over at Eleanor, wondering what she means by the right person , but doesn’t have a chance to ask because they’re arriving back at the top of the rapids. Another group is there, getting ready to go down the track, so while they’re starting to make their way into the water and down the rapids, Louis and his dates have some granola bars and water next to the cabin where they’d done training. Naturally, everyone circles around Louis, and they have a good time talking about their first trek down, and a few point out some pretty wicked bruises they got.The second time down is even more fun than the first, because they’ve got more of a hang of it than they did the first time. Louis was disappointed when he noticed Camila stayed on shore, opting to go into the cabin and read than go down the rapids with them again, but he wasn’t going to let that ruin the date. If she didn’t value the short amounts of time she got to spend with him, Louis wasn’t going to worry about it. There were people here who were making an effort, even if they were getting all banged up in the process, just as Louis was.The rapids are still unforgiving and bumpy and exciting, but nobody falls out, and Louis considers that a massive victory. At the end, everyone is feeling chilled and damp and ready to call it a day on the slopes. “Alright guys, if we can manage a trip back to the hotel, we can get dried up and warm up around a bonfire out on their patio for our cocktail party. How does that sound?” Louis says as they file into their van for a ride back to the hotel. “Bundle up. It’s going to be cold outside tonight.”He sits in the back again, so he can talk to everyone, and it’s nice, getting to share this new, exciting experience with them. Never in his life had Louis been whitewater rafting, and now he knew he loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat. From the sound of it, so would most of the people on the date with him.When they arrive back at the hotel, everyone goes upstairs to start getting ready. Still in his damp clothes, Louis stands in front of a camera to answer a few questions. “I mean, I think it was a pretty good day overall,” he reflects. “A few people clearly weren’t into it, but mostly everyone seemed to be.” Sighing, he says, “I don’t blame them one bit for not being into it. I just wish they’d been better sports about it, or talked to me about it. Communication in a relationship is so important. Just tell me you’re not having fun or why you’d like to sit out. Don’t just disappear.” He shrugs. “I don’t think it’s grounds for sending anyone home, necessarily. But I’m definitely going to mention it tonight. Talk about it. Explain to them why it bothered me, and try to get their thoughts on it.”His smile reappears, though, when he says, “I think tonight’s cocktail party is going to be really fun, though. We can warm up by the fire, make s’mores - one of my favorite snacks - and just talk. Enjoy ourselves. Hopefully keep these relationships progressing. I have to say goodbye to three people this week and what better way to figure out who those people will be than by just talking to everyone and getting a feel for where they’re at.”Once that interview is done, Louis goes up to his room to have a warm shower and get changed. He puts on some blue jeans and a cozy light gray jumper, letting his fringe fall across his forehead. Before he goes downstairs to the cocktail party, Louis looks at his reflection in the mirror. Even weeks after starting the process, Louis still feels overwhelmed, like this whole experience is surreal and one day he’s going to wake up and it’s just a dream.He fixes his fringe a little, the sleeves of his sweater half-covering his hands, and he feels much warmer and cozier than he had before. He’s got on some gray Adidas, too, and even though these aren’t his clothes - the show bought him a new wardrobe - he likes how he looks. He feels confident about himself, and what he’s doing here. And he hopes that by the end of this, he’ll be in love. It feels like it could happen here, but it hasn’t yet… but Louis is hopeful. There’s a spark with several people so far, with potential for more.Slowly, Louis walks downstairs to the patio where there’s a fire blazing, cameras set up, and eight men and women sitting around the fire sipping various drinks. “Hey everyone,” he says, his voice soft, his smile sparkling.He’s greeted with hellos and waves and smiles, and every single time, their kindness makes his heart swell with pride and happiness. Louis really does feel immeasurably lucky here with these men and women. Louis takes a drink from the bar and holds it up to the rest of them. “Here’s to a fantastic cocktail party,” he says.The view behind them is astonishing, all snow-capped mountains and pink and purple skies tinted by the sunset. It feels like an absolute dream. Rather than letting anyone pull him aside first, Louis asks, “Camila, can we talk for a minute?”She doesn’t smile, doesn’t look optimistic at all, but nods and stands to walk over to Louis. They go off for a walk along the terrace of the building. There’s a little cove with a bench and lanterns, and Louis sits with her there, bracing himself for this talk. It’s going to be tough, he’s already prepared for that, he just doesn’t want to end the night on this note, so he thought he’d chat with Camila first.“Hey, so, how are you doing?” he asks curiously.He takes a sip of his drink as Camila takes a deep breath. “I’m good,” she says, though she doesn’t sound it.Louis frowns. “Really?” he asks. “It didn’t seem like it today, so I wanted to check in. See what’s on your mind. If you need anything from me.”“No,” she shakes her head. “It was just really scary. I gave it a try, but I didn’t… I didn’t like it.” She looks up, slightly apologetic, and confesses, “So, rather than bringing you all down, I hung back the second time.”“Well, here’s the thing,” Louis says, easing into the conversation. “I wish you’d come talk to me. We had time between rafting rides. If you’d just… told me how you were feeling. What you were thinking. That would have been nice.”Camila nods. “You’re right,” she admits. She sounds genuine, which Louis appreciates, and she adds, “I should have done that. I’m sorry. You just looked like you were having a really good time. I didn’t want to ruin that.”“You wouldn’t have ruined that,” Louis insists. “I just think that communication is really important. We need that.”Camila nods, but doesn’t say much more on the topic of their afternoon and her flighty behavior. Louis frowns, wishing there was more he could say. Instead, he just asked her about what she’d been reading while the rest of them were rafting.Louis is filled with relief when someone comes to interrupt them. He feels the slightest hint of guilt at this, but that guilt is quickly wiped away by the huge hug and sweet, gentle kiss he receives from Avan as greeting. “Hey,” Louis smiles.He likes how comfortable things are with Avan, how unconventional Avan tends to be when they’re together. Last time they’d put their feet in the pool rather than sitting around like Louis had done with the others, and now this time, he said hello with a kiss. Louis could definitely get used to this. They sit together in the same alcove that Louis had been in with Camila, but the mood of the space is completely different. Avan is smiling, and he looks refreshed and happy, his hair tied back in a bun, wisps of hair framing his face. “Your hair has a mind of its own,” Louis laughs, trying to tuck some strands behind his ears.“Well, don’t dump water on my head this time, deal?” Avan jokes.“Oh, fine,” Louis laughs. “Spoilsport.”“I have to say though,” Avan says, turning a bit serious, “I like my long hair. If it’s a dealbreaker…”Laughing, Louis shakes his head. “No, I like it. Promise,” he says. “I’d never ask you to change.”Avan rests his arm around Louis as they sit together on the bench, fingers falling at Louis’s hip, and he smiles warmly. “Well, I’d never ask you to change, either,” he says, leaning in a little, bumping their noses.“Good,” Louis replies, his voice softer now, as the moment grows more serious. “Glad we’re on the same page with that.”“Me too,” Avan agrees, his voice just above a whisper.Louis dips in for a kiss, and he honestly can’t believe how good it feels every time their lips meet. Avan is one of a kind; he’s handsome, a bit mysterious, definitely playful. Louis reaches up with one hand to hold Avan’s cheek, his wisps of hair dancing over Louis’s fingers. He thinks he could get used to this, being close and calm and quiet with Avan.When Avan pulls away for a breath, and to look in Louis’s eyes, he smiles. “I will never get tired of that,” Avan confesses, cheeks flushed.“Me either,” Louis replies. He licks his lips, and then bites his lower lip as he considers stealing another kiss, but before he has a chance, Avan leans away, looking over Louis’s shoulder.Louis turns around to see who it is, and nods with a smile to Eleanor as she approaches. “Sorry, could I interrupt?” she says politely, holding her glass of wine in hand.“Yeah, of course,” Avan says, standing up.Louis stands, too, and decides it’s time to walk around a little; everyone knows where he is, and he likes finding new places to spend time with these people, and draw out his time by changing it up, sort of like a game of hide and seek. He’d barely gotten any time at all with Avan, and probably because people knew where to find him.He takes Eleanor’s hand and they start walking along the terrace of the hotel, away from where the group is seated together. “So, how are you doing?” Louis asks.“Good, good,” she nods, a smile on her face. She’s wearing an adorable red jumper and some black jeans and boots, and Louis notices that in this outfit, she’s a bit taller than him. She looks gorgeous in anything, too. He’s not superficial by any means, but he can appreciate the care and attention Eleanor puts towards herself and her appearance. She always looks amazing. “I’ve got a few bruises,” she adds, “But it was well worth it.”Louis smiles. “I’m glad you think so. I underestimated the number of bruises that sort of activity could give us,” he confesses. He glances over at Eleanor and takes a deep breath. He’s glad she’d been the one to steal him next, because he’s wanted to talk to her ever since their earlier conversation.He tries to be casual as he leads her into the lobby of the hotel and over towards a seating area with several plush couches covered in very old floral upholstery. They sit down together, Eleanor leaning into Louis’s arms, and after a moment, he says, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something, ever since our conversation earlier today. I hope you don’t mind.”“Not at all,” Eleanor replies. “Ask away.” She takes a sip of her wine, not a doubt in her mind that whatever he asks will be easy for her to answer.“Well, you’d mentioned earlier that you want me to end up with the right person, even if it wasn’t you,” he says, drawing upon their last conversation. “I was just wondering, like… is there any particular reason you feel so strongly about that? Do you think anyone here would be the wrong person for me?”He’d been thinking about it all afternoon, ever since she’d said it. Louis didn’t think that she had bad intentions when she spoke, he just wanted to know her rationale behind it. “Erm, well,” she begins. She takes another sip of her wine and sits up, so she can face him properly. She wasn’t expecting such a tough question, but has no problem answering it and staying totally honest with Louis. “If I’m being honest, I think some of us have noticed that a few people maybe aren’t giving you the attention and time of day that you deserve.” She looks up into Louis’s eyes and says, pleadingly, “I really don’t want to start any sort of drama. That’s not what this is about.”Louis shakes his head. “No, no, not at all,” he insists. “I wouldn’t think that of you.”Eleanor frowns for a moment, mulling over the words in her head before she speaks them out loud. “It’s just that I think a few people here are rather wrapped up in each other,” she says. “Not necessarily in a romantic way, but… there’s talk. That they ignore you in favor of each other on group dates, for example.”Louis doesn’t even have to ask; he knows exactly who Eleanor is talking about. He nods and says, “I appreciate your honesty.” Looking into her eyes, he sees the hesitancy there, the worry that maybe she’s said too much or ruined her own chances - exactly what Jack had been worried about earlier. “I’m not going to ask who you’re talking about, because I think I already know. But I appreciate you looking out for me. It means a lot to me.”Eleanor nods. She smiles, albeit a bit sadly, and tilts her head to the side. She reaches out to pick a ball of fuzz off of Louis’s jumper and says, “Well, I’m here for you. You know that.” She crosses one leg over the other and consciously tries to brighten her mood again. “Enough about them,” she says. “I’m here for us.”Her openness and honesty makes Louis feel much better, moving forward, and he’s happy to get back into conversations with Eleanor about the two of them, rather than other people in the competition. They talk about their futures, what Eleanor hopes to do one day. Louis isn’t really sure what there is for her to do in terms of promotions and career goals, but he loves listening to her talk. She’s clearly passionate about politics and taking care of fellow humans and looking out for the little guys. Louis could listen to her talk about these sorts of things day in and day out.Eventually they’re interrupted, and Louis manages to have some sort conversations with Lauren and Bebe, and when Perrie interrupts Bebe, Louis takes that opportunity to move again, to make his location hidden so he gets longer time with people again. Perrie happily takes his hand, and they walk through the foyer of the massive hotel, and up the stairs to a second floor balcony overlooking the Rocky Mountains. The view is breathtaking, and Perrie takes a moment to soak it all in before having a conversation with Louis.She looks radiant in a pastel pink jumper dress, knee high black boots on as well. Perrie always looks stunning, and Louis finds himself massively intrigued by her. She’s one of the few people here who had show business dreams and has really been pushing to make them a reality. At least she was making a living off of singing - something she was incredibly talented at - and Louis wondered where she wanted to take it from there.Sitting together on a massive sofa looking out at the breathtaking mountain view, Louis wraps an arm around her shoulders and asks, “So, Perrie, how are you doing today, love?”She smiles up at him brightly and says, “Amazing, thanks. You?”“A little tired after a busy morning, but good,” he nods.“Oh god, yeah, that’s probably the most active I’ve been in weeks. Months, maybe!” Perrie confesses. She’s always so bright and cheery, her bright blue eyes sparkling with happiness. Louis wonders if that’s her natural state, or if he has that sort of effect on her. He supposes it’s probably a combination of the two.Louis rubs her shoulder and says, “Well, hopefully you’re not too exhausted.”“Nah, I’ll be fine,” she insists. “It was so much fun. I’d never imagined myself ever doing something like that but it was amazing.”“Would you do it again?”Nodding, Perrie says, “Now that I know it’s not nearly as scary as it looks, yeah! Definitely!”He kisses her temple gently and says, “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Really.” They’re quiet for a moment, settling into this picturesque situation they’ve found themselves in. It feels so surreal, like a dream. After a moment, Louis prompts, “Tell me what you want to do one day. What are your dreams?”Perrie smiles and lays her head on his shoulder as she says, “My whole career path has been dreaming,” she chuckles lightly. “That’s what show business is. But I suppose, if I had to really decide what the end goal is, I’d probably say being a performer. Being on a big stage, with my girls, singing our own songs in front of our own fans. Not just me, with them backing me up, in a club that people go to because they’re old and it’s what they’ve done since before I was born.”“You’re really close with those girls, aren’t you?” Louis asks. Perrie just nods, smiling at the thought of them. “D’you miss them?”“Oh, loads,” she says. “They get to sing since I’m away from the club, though, so I’m glad I could give them the chance to do that. They’re so amazing and talented.”“Tell me more about them,” Louis prompts.He loves hearing people talk about the people and things that make them happy. They radiate that joy and it makes him happier and makes him feel much closer to them. That’s something priceless that he enjoys far more than big, extravagant dates that he won’t possibly be able to live up to after the show concludes.Perrie talks on and on about her best friends - Jesy, Jade, and Leigh-Anne - and Louis closes his eyes and smiles, enjoying just hearing her voice, her enthusiasm. Her accent reminds him desperately of England, of his family and friends, and he vaguely thinks that Perrie would fit right in with everyone he knows and cares about. She’s just a joy to be around, and he doesn’t register how much time passes as Perrie talks.Louis has never outright said it to anyone, but one of his favorite things to do is just listen to others. Observe them, see what they’re like. Listen to what they’re passionate about. That’s how he likes to get to know them. This moment with Perrie, with the view and the stories and the smiles - that’s the best sort of day for him.They’re eventually interrupted, but Louis feels like he and Perrie had plenty of time, and a great chat. She gives him a soft kiss goodbye and bows out gracefully so Kaya can have a turn. Well, as gracefully as possible considering she’d just kissed him in front of someone else, sort of like she was marking her territory.He and Kaya chat for a little bit, but Jack interrupts shortly after.Jack - the guy who from the very start had caught Louis’s eye just based upon his appearance. But Louis wanted to get to know him more, learn more about him and what he did when he wasn’t working as an attorney.Jack whistles, impressed, as he looks out on the view of the Rockies from the second floor of the hotel. He’s wearing a button down shirt and a puffy vest, and he looks like he belongs outdoors, in rustic places like this. “Hey,” Louis says, standing up to give him a proper hug. “Good to see you.”“Hi,” Jack replies, giving Louis a big bear hug, a big smile on his face.They sit down together, hands meeting between them, fingers entwined. “How are you doing?”“Great,” Jack nods. “Thanks for that rose last week.”Louis looks over at Jack, happiness on his face, and says, “Well, it was the least I could do considering everything you did to keep spirits up on the date.” Jack had been the one who not only skated in to the rescue when Louis was upset about Nick and Harry, but he’s also been making an effort to get to know others, like Briana, and give them a companion in this place. “I noticed you and Briana have a good friendship going. I’m glad.”“Yeah, she’s great,” Jack nods. “It’s nice having someone to talk to. Her and Eleanor and Danielle are probably who I’m closest to, among the group of us here for you.”“Really?” Louis asks. He’s intrigued by that combination, and asks, “None of the lads?”Jack shrugs. “I mean, I talk to them. I don’t exclude anyone, by any means. The girls just seem more genuine, overall,” he says.Louis raises an eyebrow and wonders if he should ask about what he’s been noticing amongst everyone. “So do you think there are some people who aren’t genuine?”It’s a difficult question for Jack to answer because he wants to be honest with Louis but he also doesn’t want to throw anyone under the bus. “Honestly? Yeah. I do.”Louis is quiet for a moment. He looks down at their hands and asks, “Are you willing to tell me who?”Jack takes a deep breath. He really, so badly, wants to tell Louis who’s been bothering him, who probably doesn’t deserve to stay, but he can’t bring himself to do it. “At this point, no,” Jack says, frowning. Louis looks up, surprised at Jack’s answer, and neither of them speaks for a moment. Finally, Jack explains, “It’s just that… it’s only been three weeks. I’ve just met all these people, same as you. I’ve got some opinions on people, and there’s some stuff I’ve noticed, but I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus. And I don’t know fully who each of these people are. It’s just that I’m starting to see things.”Nodding, Louis says softly, “I can respect that.”Jack reaches out, cupping Louis’s cheek in his palm, and says, “I promise, though. If it ever gets to the point that I think you or your feelings are in real danger, I’ll say something. I don’t want to see you hurting.”Louis’s blue eyes meet Jack’s brown and he looks incredibly relieved to hear that. “Thank you,” Louis whispers.“Of course,” Jack nods. “I’m here for you . And I’m always going to look out for you.”That puts a smile on Louis’s face. Just to drive his point home and make sure Louis understands just how much Jack is already growing attached, he leans in, closing the space between them. Their lips meet in a tender kiss, and Louis breathes into it, hands catching the front of Jack’s vest to pull him just a little closer.Jack’s kiss wipes all the worry and fear from Louis’s mind, instead making him feel optimistic about the process and where they’re going as a couple. He doesn’t think about any disingenuous people. Instead, Louis just thinks about Jack, and how sweet and rugged and protective he is, and how honest he is even if his answer might upset Louis.When he leans away and looks into Jack’s eyes, he knows what they have is real and genuine. He knows that Jack is someone he can trust. That comfort settles deep in Louis’s chest, warming him from the inside out. He smiles at Jack, who reaches out for a hug. He gives Louis one last peck on the lips before they part and stand up. “We should be going back to the group,” Louis says softly.He reaches down to take hold of Jack’s hand again, walking down the stairs together, slowly. They enjoy their last few moments together before they find the rest of the group on the back patio. There’s a rose on a pedestal and Louis takes his place next to it as Jack joins the other seven.“Well… today was definitely an interesting day. I’ve learned so much about you guys, and I feel like we’re making great progress,” Louis says. He sounds so exhausted at this point in the day, but he’s almost done. He smiles up at the group and says, “I’ve just got one rose to hand out today, and when I was thinking about who to give it to, I want to give it to somebody who’s not afraid to tell me what’s on their mind, good or bad. All of you have been so honest and open with me, but this person… they go above and beyond.” Louis takes a breath and reaches over for the rose. “So…” he looks up at everyone. “Eleanor, will you accept this rose?”She smiles, surprise clear on her face, and walks up to Louis, nodding. “Yes, thank you,” she smiles, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a big hug.Louis smiles into her shoulder and enjoys the moment before she pulls away to take the rose. After that, she takes a seat again, and Louis waves to everyone. “Thanks for a wonderful date. I’ll see you all soon,” he says.And with that, he turns to walk upstairs, a lot on his mind. He had some pretty heavy conversations with people this week, which was a new thing for him. Now he’s just got to figure out how to push those thoughts away so he can enjoy an amazing one on one with Niall the next day.--Louis is a little surprised that he manages to get a full night’s sleep, and he happily wakes up the next morning ready for a one on one with Niall.From the very first moment they met, Louis felt something towards Niall. The initial lust has died down, but Niall is an intriguing guy, Louis has gathered from the few conversations they’ve had. He’s incredibly handsome, especially when he wears glasses, and he’s smart. Louis has a weak spot for intelligent men and women. Niall’s settled into his career and ready for the future; Louis loves knowing that the schooling and growing up is out of his system, that together they’re two adults ready to settle down and start the next chapter of their lives.They meet in the foyer of the hotel, Louis waiting and watching expectantly up the massive staircase for him. Niall comes out a few minutes after the cameras turn on, and he’s wearing a button down and some jeans and nice boots, and he looks incredibly handsome. He’s not wearing glasses today, but that’s by design; they’re about to do more outdoors activities - even though Louis is a little sore from whitewater rafting the day before - and the last thing they need is for Niall to lose his glasses in a river.“Hey there,” Niall smiles, reaching out right away for a hug.Louis wraps him up in a warm hug and says with a smile on his face, “Hi. You look amazing.”“You do, too,” Niall nods. He leans away to get a good look at Louis and wants desperately to ask what they’ve got on the agenda for the day, but he likes surprises.Louis hesitates for a minute, wondering if Niall’s going to ask, but smirks when Niall doesn’t. He takes Niall’s hand and wanders over to a waiting area in the front of the hotel, smiling. They stop in front of a little coffee stand where Louis says, “I promised we’d have coffee on our date. So I wouldn’t be so tired, like every other time we’ve seen each other.”Niall laughs, bright and bubbly, and wraps an arm around Louis’s waist as they step up to the counter. “That’s sweet,” Niall says. He wasn’t actually expecting Louis to follow through - when they could do such extravagant things as this show allows for, why would they just get a coffee?Niall orders himself a cappuccino, and Louis gets a latte, and they wait as the barista makes their drinks for them. “Thank you,” Niall says with a smile.Louis beams over at him, nodding. “I promised,” he replies simply.They get their coffees a few minutes later, steaming in the paper travel cups, and Louis is rather pleased with himself for impressing Niall from the start. They each take a sip, and then Louis excitedly asks, “Alright, shall we be off?”“Yeah,” Niall grins. The anticipation since he got the date card the day before has been driving him absolutely mad, but he knows this is all going to be worth it. He can’t imagine what sorts of things they can do somewhere as beautiful as Banff - all he knows is that he’s finally getting time with Louis and he doesn’t want to waste a second of it.They go out to a Jeep that will be taking them to where they need to go. There’s a driver behind the wheel, a cameraman in the passenger seat, and the two of them climb into the back. Niall reaches over to put his hand on Louis’s thigh right away, possessively, and Louis would be lying if he said it didn’t give his heart a little jolt of excitement and happiness. Louis places his hand over Niall’s and smiles at him as the Jeep pulls away from the hotel, and they sip their coffees on the way to their destination.There are a few different things Louis hopes will happen with Niall today, all of which he’d confessed in an interview earlier. He hopes to get to know him better - his dreams, his goals, where he sees himself one day, and to get a feel for whether they’ll truly be compatible as a couple.When they arrive at their first destination, Louis watches Niall excitedly watch out the window. They’re still in the forest, but as soon as the door opens Niall can hear the whooshing of a river. “Is this why I had to pack some swim clothes?” Niall asks.Louis just nudges Niall out of the Jeep and says, “Well, you’re in my way, I’ll tell you when we’re out!”Laughing, Niall climbs out of the Jeep and Louis follows. They stand on the ground next to a shop and an inlet to a river, and Louis takes Niall’s hand right away. “Yes. We’re going in that river. Sort of,” he says. Niall looks over, an eyebrow raised, and Louis continues, “We’re going canoeing. Ever been before?”“Just once,” Niall says. “Nowhere this beautiful, though.”“And not with someone as amazing as me, I’m sure,” Louis teases playfully.He winks, and Niall’s cheeks turn pink as he laughs a little louder. They go into the cabin with their things, and along with their swim trunks, they change into swim shirts provided by the people teaching them to canoe. They’re also given helmets and life vests and paddles, and a short lesson on how to canoe together.There will be a coach near them in the water, to be sure they don’t get lost or stuck or caught in a bad rapid, but for the most part, it’ll just be the two of them. Louis feels so silly, having a camera attached to his helmet, but the go-pro will get some extra footage for the show that should be interesting to watch after the fact. Niall keeps bouncing around as they stand, waiting to get into the boat. “Excited?” Louis asks, bemused.“Very,” Niall nods. He leans in to press a kiss to the corner of Louis’s mouth, and with a smile he says, “Thank you for this. Best date ever.”“Yeah?” Louis asks. “I’ve never done this before.”“You’ll love it,” Niall insists. “I’ll be in the back seat, talking you through it. Easy.”Louis feels a flood of relief at that, and he leans in to kiss Niall fully, smiling as he does. Yet again, Louis finds himself drawn to Niall, only this time for a reason he’s been drawn to others in the past - because they’re protective, reassuring. Louis feels both like he’s in charge and yet also totally cared for by the other person. It’s an interesting feeling that he hadn’t anticipated when he’d started the process, but he really, really loves it. “Thank you,” Louis whispers to Niall before they separate to climb into the canoe.Once seated, their coach talks them through getting started, and they head out on the water. Louis laughs, arms up in the air as he cheers at the rush of being free in the water. Niall’s laughing behind him, clearly having a good time, and starts to talk Louis through rowing and navigating the waters.It’s amazing, how fast time seems to fly as Niall and Louis head out on the river, enjoying each other’s company and the thrill of canoeing through the Rocky Mountains. Louis honestly had never imagined ever being able to travel to such a beautiful place, and for such an amazing reason. Choosing Niall for this date had been the best decision Louis made so far this week, of that he’s certain.Niall’s laugh is infectious and he’s a natural in the outdoors. Louis knows that between rafting the day before, and canoeing that day, he’s going to be sore the rest of the week. Luckily, things should be pretty low key after this.The adrenaline is pumping through his veins, though, and Louis can’t resist letting out a whoop of excitement as they soar through the waters, paddling themselves around. Niall has taken charge of the whole thing, and nothing makes Louis feel more safe and secure than that. By the time they’re rowing ashore, Louis has completely lost track of time, but as he soon discovers, it’s past lunch time and the growl in his stomach says it’s time to eat.Someone on crew has brought them sandwiches and crisps, a quick snack to have between filming. They’re damp from the river and worn out from all the paddling through the current, but Louis wouldn’t trade a single moment of their morning for anything. They sit together, huddled under a blanket laughing and sharing bites of their food, enjoying a few private moments together.Once they’ve eaten something, Niall and Louis put on some jackets, still wearing their swim shorts, and ride in the Jeep. “We’re going further away?” Niall asks, bemused.“You noticed,” Louis observes, surprised by how astute Niall is, even in this new location.Niall shrugs, trying to stay nonchalant, and says, “I’m good with directions.”“Yeah, we’re going further away,” Louis replies with a grin. “It’s going to be so worth it, I promise.”Laughing, Niall says, “I’ve got no doubt about that.”Louis watches Niall as he gazes out the window, the trees and mountains passing them by yet staying an ever-looming presence just in the distance. This whole place is beautiful beyond belief; Louis still feels ridiculously lucky to be able to have this experience and share it with so many amazing people. The Jeep drives uphill over rocky roadways and Louis starts explaining to Niall, “We’re actually going to the highest elevation hot spring in Canada. We’ve got it booked up just for ourselves. So we can sit outside, take in the view… relax.”“That’s just what we need after working our asses off canoeing all morning,” Niall says in agreement.Louis smiles and says, “Well, if you need a massage…”“Please. You’re the one who’ll need one,” Niall points out. “Rafting yesterday and now canoeing today? Your shoulders and back must be killing you.”He doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but yeah, Niall is right. Louis is incredibly sore, especially in his upper body. “Well, I never say no to a good back massage,” is all he says, and Niall smirks in response.When they pull into the car park of the hot springs resort, they’re moving slower than they were when they’d first climbed out of the canoe. Neither are hurt, but a lot of their energy was spent that morning, so they’re looking forward to some nice relaxation time in the resort.This time they can just get in the water without jackets or shirts or any of that - they get in with nothing but their swim shorts on. Louis tries not to stare too much; he’s not really sure what he’d been expecting to see when he’d looked at Niall, but what he does see makes his mouth go dry. Niall’s got a thicker build than Louis was expecting, with broad shoulders and a fair amount of hair on his chest. He looks rugged like this, his hair messed up from when he’d taken his shirt off, his cheeks a bit pink from being in the sun earlier that day.Louis steps into the hot spring, watching Niall as he relaxes in a seat built into the edge of the pool. He licks his lips and walks across the water to Niall. Niall’s eyes aren’t focusing on any one spot, Louis notices right away. Instead, Niall seems to be eyeing up Louis’s various tattoos. He smiles when Louis steps right up in front of him, though, and pays him his full attention. “Hi there,” Louis says softly, smiling with a coy look in his eyes.“Hey,” Niall replies, reaching out for Louis’s hips, to pull him closer.As he pulls him closer, he also turns him around, jumping right into that back massage he’d promised him. Louis closes his eyes and has to bite hard on his lower lip to keep from making any embarrassing noises. It’s not even that he wants to hide those sounds for Niall; it’s more that Louis doesn’t want that sort of thing making its way onto the telly. He’s well aware that his family is going to watch this, and he’s sure his friends will as well. The last thing he wants to do is embarrass himself.Niall’s fingers are deft and nimble, his thumb pressing against knots in Louis’s back with a near-expert touch. The warm water helps Louis relax, too, and before he knows it he’s going pliant under Niall’s hands. “How’s that feeling?” Niall asks so softly the microphones barely pick it up.“Better,” Louis replies, eyes still closed, a blissful smile on his lips.“Good,” Niall replies.He gently slides his hands down Louis’s back, signifying that he’s done for now, and Louis slowly turns around to face Niall in the water. His lower lip is bright red from biting down on it, and Niall mutters under his breath, “Christ, Lou…”Louis smiles coyly, looking up at Niall through his eyelashes, and then scoots forward a little, wrapping his arms around Niall’s shoulders. Niall confidently takes hold of Louis’s hips, pulling him closer until Louis is straddling his lap in the pool. Without another moment of hesitation, Louis leans down and kisses Niall.The moment is sexy and intimate in a way that Louis hasn’t yet shared with anyone else. It makes his heart race in his chest and all he can think about is how amazing Niall is, how much closer he wants to get to him - how much he wants this. Niall traces a hand up Louis’s spine, keeping him close as they kiss, chest to chest, breaths caught between kisses. They’ve completely forgotten about the cameras and all the people surrounding them, watching them, making sure they get moments that are made for TV.One day, Louis will likely be embarrassed that he got so intimate with someone on camera, but that day is far away. All he cares about in that moment is getting closer to Niall, getting lost in his kisses and his touch.They kiss until their lips ache with it, their breath completely gone. When Louis pulls out of the kiss, he looks into Niall’s eyes and smiles. His lips are red and bruised but he looks indescribably happy, and Niall’s gazing back at him the same way. “God, you’re amazing,” Niall mutters.Louis smiles; he likes that when he’s overwhelmed, Niall says whatever’s on his mind. He appreciates the affirmation, the clear sense of what’s going on in Niall’s head when they’re together. “You are, too,” Louis whispers.They take a moment to catch their breath and gaze into each other’s eyes, arms still around the other, Louis still straddling Niall’s lap. As the moment cools down, Louis slides off of Niall’s lap and lets the crew urge them on to what part of filming is next. Louis hands a glass of champagne to Niall and keeps one for himself, and sits as close to him as possible under the warmth of the water. “Did you have a good time today?” Louis asks hopefully.“It was amazing,” Niall gushes, a massive smile on his face. “Couldn’t have asked for a better first date with you, honestly.”Again, Niall’s honesty blows Louis away, and his cheeks turn even redder than they already were. “I’m really glad to hear that,” Louis says happily. “I really enjoyed spending more time with you and getting to know you.” He leans in to steal a gentle kiss before he says, “You’re such an amazing man.”Niall smiles and drapes an arm around Louis’s shoulders. Louis takes the rose from the edge of the pool and hands it to Niall right away. “I want you to have this rose,” Louis says. “You’re so honest and open and I just… I had such a great time with you today. So.” He takes a breath to say the infamous line: “Niall, will you accept this rose?”“Yeah, of course,” Niall says, setting his glass of champagne on the edge of the pool so he can take the rose. Once he’s got it, he leans in to kiss Louis, slow and sweet.There’s pure joy on both of their faces as their evening comes to a close, and both are incredibly reluctant to get out of the hot spring as the cameras start to shut off for the day. Unfortunately, they have to climb out, and the two of them take their time washing up and changing back into proper clothes before getting into the Jeep that will take them back to their hotel. Thankfully, the drive takes a little bit of time, so the two of them can sit together in the back seat, curled up in each other’s arms. “At least you waited until the date was done to get sleepy,” Niall chuckles.“Yeah,” Louis nods, laying his head on Niall’s shoulder and resting his hand on his thigh.It’s comfortable like this, sitting wrapped up in each other in the back of a car. Louis wonders how many more times he’ll get to have moments like this with Niall, and finds himself worrying about how many more people are going to start having this sort of effect on him. If Louis starts to get this wrapped up in everyone, he’s sure that’ll start causing tears for both his dates and himself.Filled with a million mixed emotions, Louis gives Niall a soft kiss goodnight and waves to him as he walks upstairs. Louis stays downstairs for a few more minutes before going up as well, ready for a full night’s sleep before the final date of the week: a group date that Louis was actually starting to dread.--With a terrible thunderstorm raging outside, Louis and the writers have to sit down and figure out an alternative to the original plan for the second group date. All the arrangements had already been made for a gondola ride and some time in a pool and hot tub together, but the thunderstorm was bad, and had potential to get worse, so the showrunners wanted to keep everyone indoors and safe at the hotel resort they were staying at.That’s how Louis ended up standing at the front of the dining hall, eight men and women sitting in front of him, looking confused. There were stacks of board games, and a fire lit at the fireplace behind Louis, and everything felt a little underwhelming. “Alright guys, so we sort of had to adjust our plans a little, but I swear, it’s still going to be an amazing group date,” Louis says, hoping that he sounds optimistic enough to keep everyone else in good spirits. “There are storms predicted for most of the afternoon and evening, so we can’t go outside like I’d hoped we could. Instead, we’re going to play some games and have some snacks and drinks and just enjoy each other’s company.”Louis smiles fondly and says, “If I’m being honest, this is more of the kinds of dates I’d have at home, the simple kind that we could squeeze into a busy schedule. Because I’ll be honest - during the school year, my free time is rather diminished.” There’s a bit of laughter at that, and Louis walks over to the drink cart that’s standing next to a pillar near the fireplace. “Now, to get started, let me make you each a drink. Come on up,” he says with a smile.So Louis starts the afternoon out by making them cocktails - he’s a bit sloppy, but the bartender who’d come in to help them talks him through everything until everyone has something in hand. Thankfully, the women - Briana, Barbara, and Danielle - had all opted for wine, as did Harry.Nick had a gin and tonic, as did Liam, and Zayn asked for a beer. When Matthew walks up and asks for a beer, Louis smirks and grabs one off the second shelf. “I think you’ll find this one to your liking,” Louis teases, cracking it open and pouring it into a glass.He hands it to Matthew, who happened to sneak a glance at the bottle as Louis was opening it. “I hope you poured this for yourself. You know how I get with IPA’s,” he smiles.“Darn,” Louis jokes. “And here I thought I could fool you.”“Not a second time, nope,” Matthew laughs.Louis grabs another bottle from the shelf - this time, it’s a lager, something more to Matthew’s tastes - and pours it into a glass for him. Looking around, there are two tables with games going. One is Jenga, which is fun, but rather short lived, and the other is Monopoly. Louis laughs deviously and nods to Matthew, “Alright, come on mister businessman. Let’s go play Monopoly.”“Aren’t you afraid you’ll make enemies with that game?” Matthew laughs as they walk to the larger table where most of the group is gathered around.“Oi! You two!” Louis shouts to Harry and Nick, who are the two people sitting around the Jenga stack. “Come join us! The game says up to eight players!”“There’s nine of us, though,” Liam says, pointing to the box.Louis smiles. Ever the rule follower, that Liam. “We’ll use…” he digs in his pocket and pulls out a coin. He smacks it down on the board and says, “ this as a token for the ninth person.”“I don’t think it’s supposed to work that way,” Liam says, unsure.“Oh come on, Liam. Let’s have some fun! Break the rules a little. See what happens when you have more players than areas in which to have a Monopoly,” he grins deviously. “I should warn you now… yes, I’m here for love, but I have no mercy when I’m playing this game.”A few people ooh and ahh in amusement at Louis’s voracity for the game, and Liam tries to ignore the nagging feeling he has in his head and just deals out for nine players. Louis’s eyes linger on Nick and Harry, who wander over to the board together. Had they really planned on being off on their own for a game, just the two of them? After they’d just done their own thing on the group date last week?Louis was starting to feel more of a hesitation with those two, but again chalked it up to nerves and paranoia. He still worried that he was making the wrong decisions in this process. Shortly after the game begins, Nick goes bankrupt. He clearly wasn’t trying at all in the process. Instead, he ends up teaming up with Harry. At first Louis doesn’t even notice, because he’s too busy trying to bargain with someone for some real estate, but after a couple more people go bankrupt and someone lists off everyone who’s out of the game, Louis does a double take. “Wait, Nick’s out?” Louis asks dumbly.“Yeah, has been for a while now,” Harry laughs, amused both that Nick is out and Louis is just noticing.”“So it’s Nick, Liam, Briana, and Zayn who are out so far?” Louis asks.Matthew nods and says dutifully, “Yep. Liam’s going to stay banker, though.”They’re all playing at the end of a rather long dining table at the hotel, and Louis looks around at the group; everyone, even those eliminated, seem to be having a good time. Briana is sitting cross legged on the table facing the board, and everyone else is in chairs around the end of the table. Nick and Harry are sitting at the end of the table, facing Briana, and Louis glances at them with an odd look in his eye before turning back to the game at hand.After a few more rounds, Harry’s out, and he and Nick quickly disappear to play more games. “You guys can go play something else too, if you want,” Louis says to the others who are out.“I want to watch,” Briana says with a smile. It’s the loudest he’s heard her all day. “This is fun.”Things are getting competitive now that people are being bankrupted and bought out. “Yeah, and I’m the banker. Can’t give up that job!” Liam says proudly, handing out two hundred dollars to Matthew, who just passed “GO.”Zayn doesn’t say a word, but also makes no indication that he’d like to leave, so the game continues on. Louis tries not to get too upset that Nick and Harry disappeared to do their own thing, because he understands getting bored with a game once you’re out and everyone else is still carrying on. However, they’re laughing and having such a good time, Louis can’t help but feel the slightest bit left out.Danielle and Briana look at each other, noticing where Louis’s attention seems to have been focused, and so in an effort to boost Louis’s spirits, Danielle sells him Pennsylvania Avenue so he can have the full range of three green properties on the board. Louis excitedly takes ownership of them and places houses on them, and within two rounds, landing on the very space she’d just sold him has Danielle going bankrupt and out of the game. She sits on the edge of the table next to Briana, watching as the game gets more exciting.Louis was right when he said he was a ruthless Monopoly player. The game was down to just three, now - Barbara, Matthew, and Louis - and it was getting intense. All three of them played with voracity and a fire that was comparable to Louis.In the end, it came down to Matthew and Louis, and Louis’s hotels on the entire stretch of board between “Go to Jail” and “GO” had Matthew going bankrupt. He couldn’t catch a break, landing on the green spaces, and then the blue - all of the most expensive places to land.Louis cheered, glad for the reprieve from his thoughts of Nick and Harry. As Zayn and Liam cleaned up the Monopoly board and put it away, Louis looked around the room. The game had kept everyone’s attention except for those two, and after a couple of beers throughout the game, Louis felt confident enough in himself to approach Nick and Harry.They were sitting on a sofa by the fire, and Louis knew he had all eyes on him as he walked over to them. “Hey you two,” he says, trying not to sound too judgmental and upset. “Can we talk?”“Yeah, of course,” Harry says amicably. Louis gets the feeling he hasn’t the slightest clue what the conversation could be about.“You want him first, or me?” Nick asks.Louis frowns. “I wanted to talk to both of you, actually,” Louis replies. “Together.”“Oh,” Nick says dumbly. “Sure. Of course. Where at?”“Here is fine.”It’s clear that Louis is upset based on his tone of voice, and everyone is a bit surprised that he’s chosen to have this conversation out in the open where everyone else in the room can hear them. He sits on the ottoman, facing the two of them, and points between them. Rather bluntly, he asks, “What’s going on here?”Harry looks genuinely confused, and Nick just glances between Harry and Louis for a moment, speechless. “Erm…” he trails off.“What do you mean?” Harry asks.Louis frowns. “Last week on the group date and tonight during this date, you’ve spent more time with each other than you have with me,” Louis says. “Not to mention, I’ve heard you spend all your time together outside of filming, as well. So I’m asking what’s going on. What are you two?”“We’re just friends, Louis,” Harry says instantly, looking rather alarmed that he seems to have upset Louis. “Everyone’s been making friends, and Nick is well funny, and it helps to laugh, to take the pressure and stress off, you know?”Louis turns to Nick and asks, “Is that true?”Nick hesitates for just a moment before he nods. Something about his answer, though, leaves Louis feeling suspicious. After a moment of awkward silence in the room, Louis nods and says, “Alright then. Nick, how about a little one on one time?”Louis ignores the looks that the other people on the date are sharing between themselves, knowing full well that they’ve been observing the behavior between Nick and Harry as well. The reason Louis wants to talk to Nick, though, is that he had a wildly different reaction to the questions Louis asked than Harry did. Louis wants to get to the bottom of this, to move beyond the drama going on behind the scenes and get back into a more enjoyable process.Nick and Louis leave the dining hall and walk towards the foyer of the hotel, to sit in one of the fancy sofas. Nick sits facing Louis, looking a bit nervous, and Louis doesn’t hesitate. “Harry says you two are just friends,” Louis states. “But you didn’t say a word. What was that all about?”Nick is quiet for a moment before he replies, “Harry and I really are just friends.”Louis raises an eyebrow. “Why don’t I believe you?” he asks.Combing a hair through his quiff, Nick sighs and hesitates for a moment. “Because we don’t act like that. I get where you’re coming from Louis, I do. But honestly, we’re not lying,” Nick says.“ Harry’s not lying,” Louis clarifies. “You didn’t say a word.” Nick is quiet, and Louis crosses his arms as he says, “I get the feeling that Harry sees you two as just friends, but that maybe you don’t. Given what I’ve seen between you two the past couple of weeks, I’d say that at this point, you’ve got more feelings for Harry than you do for me. Is that right?”The room is dead silent, no other hotel guests around, none of the crew moving, just Louis and Nick sitting facing each other, Nick’s eyes trained on the floor while Louis’s hard gaze watches him. Nobody filming had expected quite that sort of accusation, though the thought hadn’t really occurred to Louis until their conversation just a few moments ago. After a pause that lasts far too long, Nick finally sighs and says, “Yeah.”He looks up at Louis, whose hardened gaze has now melted into sadness. He’s not even trying to mask his emotions; he wants Nick to know the effect he’s having on him, the good and the bad. “It wasn’t anything you did,” Nick insists. “I just… we don’t have that spark, you know? But I wanted to just wait and see, just a little longer, and then I got closer with Harry, and…”“Please stop.”Louis looks absolutely defeated. Nick desperately wants to say more, to apologize, to try to make it better, but he can’t bring himself to say another word. Louis told him to stop, so he will. Nick is quiet, waiting with a sick feeling in his stomach for whatever Louis decides to say next.“I think you should go.”Louis doesn’t hang around to say goodbye, doesn’t even say another word. He just gets up and walks back into the dining hall where seven other very deserving men and women are waiting for him. Louis has a deep frown etched into his features as he walks in, and he’d be remiss if he didn’t acknowledge that Harry was sitting rather nervously over in the corner.“Alright guys,” Louis says fiercely. “I’ve just sent Nick home. His intentions, as several of you predicted, weren’t where they should be.” He takes a deep breath and tries to push the tension away. None of these people deserve to see his angry side. “I want to thank you all for a great game tonight, and for being so supportive and protective. It really means so much to me. If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip a cocktail party and just hand out the rose now,” Louis says, his voice cracking just the slightest.None of them know it, but Louis is blaming himself for the whole thing with Nick and Harry. If he’d just been a little more interesting, or friendly, or known how to take a joke better, maybe Nick wouldn’t have lost interest in him so soon. He’s exhausted, and he’s known for a few hours now who he wants to give the rose to, and even though this group deserves a full date, Louis knows that his company isn’t going to be any fun after what’s just happened.He takes the rose from the table and faces the group, who are all now sitting in furniture by the fire. “I apologize for rushing through tonight, and not having a fancier date set up,” he says. “Weather and drama hasn’t been on our side tonight, but I want you to know that I value each and every one of you, and what we have, and the conversations we’ve had so far. Please don’t take me ending the party early as a comment on you. Tonight I’m just… in desperate need of some time alone, with my thoughts. To sort of wrap my head around all of this before our cocktail party tomorrow.”“We understand,” Matthew says warmly.“Yeah, Take all the time you need,” Liam adds.Louis feels the faintest trace of a smile on his face at their undying support, and already feels a little bit better. He takes a deep breath and looks down at the rose he’s holding. Without another moment’s hesitation, he says, “Danielle, will you accept this rose?”He doesn’t want to explain, doesn’t want to draw things out any more, and hopes that he can make it up to them at the cocktail party the next day when he’s in a better headspace. She smiles at him so sweetly, Louis feels comforted just by that alone. Danielle wraps him up in a warm hug, letting it linger. “I’d love to,” she whispers to him. She leans back and looks into his eyes, hoping that he understands that she’s here for him, one hundred percent.Louis smiles back at her and hands her the rose, glad to know that even though he’s made the decision to send someone home, he was able to end the date on a high note by putting that smile on Danielle’s face.Once she takes her seat again, Louis holds out his arms and says, “Come on, let’s have some proper goodbyes before we all head up to bed.”He does his best to give a bright smile, and one by one each of them walks up to give Louis a hug goodnight. Harry looks incredibly apologetic, but they both seem to agree that it’s been too stressful of a day to have any sort of productive conversation now. Harry instead resolves to chat with Louis at the cocktail party the next night, to make sure they talk about what just happened.Matthew purposely waits as long as he can, and ends up second to last in line. He gives Louis a kiss on his temple and says, “I’m sorry you didn’t have a good night.” He leans back to look into his eyes and asks, “Anything I can do to make it better?”Smiling sadly, Louis shakes his head. “Just need a good hot shower and some quiet time. I’ll be good as new tomorrow,” he reassures him.Matthew looks disbelieving, but nods and steps away, giving Briana her chance to say goodbye before the date is officially done. The two of them stand alone in the dining hall for a moment, Briana watching Louis closely. She steps forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders, leaning her forehead against his. “I’m sorry he hurt you,” Briana says softly. “You don’t need to talk about it. I’m just so sorry he put you through this.”“Thanks,” Louis replies softly.“It’ll be okay,” she insists. “Tomorrow at the cocktail party I’m sure we’ll all remind you of how happy you can be.”Louis leans back to look in her eyes, so grateful for her endless optimism. He smiles a little, and she leans in, placing the softest, most delicate of kisses on his mouth. When she pulls away, she smiles back, and neither of them say a word for a moment, the silence so serene and comforting for them.Someone from crew tells them to wrap it up and go, so Louis pulls Briana in for one last hug and says, “Goodnight. Sleep well.”“You too,” she replies, before reluctantly stepping away and leaving the room.Louis is brought over to a camera for some interviews before he goes to bed, and he knows he’s going to look like shit in them when they air because that’s exactly how he feels. Even though he had no control over who Nick would develop feelings for, it still hurts, because Louis has tried so hard from the very start to give everyone a chance. Even when he didn’t feel that spark right away, Louis kept Nick in hopes that he was reading those signals wrong, because he really wanted to believe that he was a good guy and that there was something they could share.Unfortunately, in the end Nick’s feelings developed for Harry more than they did for Louis, and there was nothing he could do at that point. Plus, Louis was developing a connection with Harry. He didn’t want to worry about losing both of them, so it seemed the better solution to just say goodbye to Nick instead.Louis crawls into bed with a lot on his mind, and it takes him quite a while to fall asleep. He hopes that the next day at the cocktail party, he can gain a little more clarity and start figuring out who the other two people he’s sending home will be that week. He dreads the next day more than he’s dreaded any other day so far in the process.--Louis feels a bit ill, walking into the cocktail party the next day. They’re in a ballroom in the hotel that’s all set up with flowers, partitions, sofas, chairs, and a patio so Louis can sneak away and have plenty of time with everyone. He’s incredibly nervous for what lay ahead. He’s got some ideas for who he might send home, but no official decision has been made yet. He wants to see how the night goes.He’d considered sending Harry home, just to avoid those tough feelings all together, but the fact of the matter is, Nick had been more in the wrong than Harry, and Louis had such an amazing time with Harry on their one on one that first week. He was eye catching and charming and Louis didn’t want to say goodbye to him yet.Bracing himself for a difficult night, Louis stands in front of the sixteen remaining men and women in this process. Everyone has drinks in hand, and Louis is grateful for the one in his own hand that he holds up in toast. Alcohol has helped take the sting off, helped make him feel a little less pessimistic. He keeps remembering the great moments he’s had with everyone here, and knows that somehow, he’s going to feel better at the end of the night than he does at the start.He makes the toast, and right away he’s stolen away by Matthew, who takes his hand and walks him to the opposite side of the room, away from everyone. They sit on a sofa together, hidden away from view, and right away Matthew holds out his arm. Louis curls up against him and takes a deep breath, letting his presence cheer him up. “Feeling any better than last night?” Matthew asks.Louis shrugs noncommittally. He’s not really sure how he’s feeling. “I’m glad to be here with you,” Louis says instead, hoping Matthew doesn’t take his lack of answer as a lack of interest.Matthew rubs his thumb up and down Louis’s arm, trying his very best to comfort him in any way possible. He cranes his neck to look down at Louis and asks, “What can I do to make it better?”Louis looks up at Matthew, so relieved for his support and his effort. “I’m good, I promise,” he says with a small smile. He sits up a bit, scooting close enough so he can give him a kiss. “Tell me something I don’t know about you yet.”Matthew’s quiet for a minute, considering his request, until finally he says, “Okay… I’ve been told by the others here that this is weird, but I’ve never thought anything of it. So. Here we go.” He takes a breath. “I’ve never owned a car. Nobody in my family has, for as long as I can remember.”Louis looks up at him oddly, and Matthew just explains, “We all live in New York. There’s no reason to have a car there, at least in my opinion. I can either walk or take the subway wherever I want to go. If we need to go further my family just rents a car. It’s cheaper, in the end.”Amused, Louis studies Matthew for a minute and asks, “Are you lying?”“No! I swear I’m not lying!” he insists, grinning. “My family just doesn’t own cars. We know how to drive, we just don’t own them because it’s expensive in New York.”“Huh,” Louis says, genuinely surprised by that news. “Well, you silly Americans drive on the wrong side of the road, anyway.”Matthew bursts out laughing at that, and he asks, “Okay, now it’s your turn. What about you? Tell me something I don’t know about you yet.”Louis considers for a moment. He can’t always remember what he’s opened up about yet, and to whom, with a few exceptions. When a memory hits him suddenly, Louis snickers and says, “When I was in secondary school, one of my mates asked me what I look for in a girl. I said I like girls who eat carrots, like as a joke. I didn’t know what to say to that, as I hadn’t even really sorted out how I felt about anyone.” Louis snorts again and says, “I got carrots as gifts for years . I thought I was being funny, but I came to regret that one.”Matthew snorts, he’s laughing so hard, and for a moment Louis forgets all about the night before. He’s only thinking about good memories, and laughing with Matthew, and it’s almost like the bad stuff never even happened. Louis is so grateful for his efforts, and he wraps an arm around his torso, burrowing in against him to hug him in thanks. When he looks up, Matthew swoops right in with a kiss, and Louis forgets he’d ever been tense to begin with.Reluctantly, Louis pulls away, sensing they’ll be interrupted soon. Sure enough, there’s Harry, begging for some time alone with Louis. Louis tries to stay optimistic as he says goodbye to Matthew and invites Harry to sit next to him. He doesn’t cuddle up to him the way he had been with Matthew, but he’s keeping an open mind and he’s ready to have a conversation with Harry, no matter how difficult it gets.Louis has spent a lot of his day considering just how much he should tell Harry about the conversation he’d had with Nick. Cleary, Harry feels guilty that Nick is gone and Louis went through that, and may not fully understand all of the gears in the machine that eventually resulted in Nick’s elimination. “I’m so sorry about yesterday,” Harry says before Louis can even say hello.Louis is quiet, letting Harry speak more if he wants to, before he chimes back in. Harry takes a deep breath and says, “I didn’t realize how it would look to you. I’ve seen so many friendships form and I didn’t realize that ours was different, and I should have. And I’m sorry.”When Louis is sure that Harry has said his piece, he takes that opportunity to explain. “Harry, there was only so much you could do,” Louis says softly. He lets the words settle on him before he continues, “When I sat and talked to Nick, especially after you’d said you were just friends, it sort of hit me. And I confronted him about it.”“About what?”Louis is quiet, studying Harry, trying to figure out if he really was that oblivious. For as charming as Harry is, he’d missed some pretty big signals. However, Harry’s here to fall in love with Louis, so it makes sense that he wouldn’t pick up on it. “Nick was falling harder for you than he was for me, Harry,” Louis explains.When it hits Harry, his eyes go wide, and he chews on his lower lip, avoiding Louis’s eyes. He hadn’t realized, Louis can tell just by the look in his eyes. He’s frowning and his brow is furrowed and obviously Harry’s working through the situation in his head, so Louis lets him have peace. After a few moments, Harry looks up, locking eyes with Louis, and he shakes his head as he says, “I had no idea. Honestly.”Nodding, Louis says, “I know.” He reaches out for Harry’s hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “I know, and that’s why Nick left but you’re still here.”Harry seems to be rendered speechless at this point, and Louis lets him continue to process the news. After a few moments, Louis gives Harry’s hand another little squeeze to catch his attention again. “I don’t blame you for what happened,” Louis insists. “But I wanted you to know the full situation so you could understand why I kept you here.”Nodding, Harry says very softly, “Thank you. I appreciate that.”Many of the other men and women from the second group date steal him away to ask him how he’s doing, and Louis is incredibly grateful for all the support he gets from them. In fact, Louis has such a great time talking to everyone during the cocktail party that he completely forgets what was bothering so much in the first place. It wasn’t one specific person or one specific thing they said, but he feels better, just as he knew he would.So, when everyone is lined up and hoping for roses, Louis actually has a smile on his face again. He sees Eleanor, Danielle, and Niall off to the side with their roses from the dates, and there are thirteen people standing together, hoping to receive one. The pedestal to Louis’s left holds only eleven, and he takes a deep breath before he addresses the group.“First of all, I want to thank you all for being so great tonight. I came into the evening sort of worried, because as most of you know by now, last night was rough. I sent Nick home, and it was a difficult situation,” he explains. “But being here with all of you has put me in much better spirits, though I regrettably have to say goodbye to two more people tonight.”“So, without any further ado, let’s get to it, shall we?” Louis asks.He takes a deep breath and reaches over for a rose, and one by one takes a rose and calls out names.Perrie… Jack… Avan…Each week the looks of nerves and worry become more intense on the faces of everyone waiting to get a rose, and the looks of relief are even stronger. Louis understands the feeling; he gets tense giving out the roses even if he knows who is going to get them before they do.Briana… Matthew… Liam…More looks of relief, coupled with more looks of fear. Harry’s looking especially nervous, combing his hair back and trying his very best not to betray too many emotions. Camila looks resigned, almost as though she expects to be sent home. After her behavior in the group date, Louis would be remiss if he said he hadn’t considered it.Barbara… Zayn… Bebe… Kaya…It’s down to Camila, Lauren, and Harry now, and Louis reads each of their emotions before he even reaches over for the last rose. He knows it’s cruel, drawing it out and leaving the people until the end that he has, but he’d been told to do it by one of the higher-ups in the production crew, and he didn’t want to mess with them.Louis takes a deep breath and prepares to say the line one last time that night.“Harry.” He looks up at Harry, who looks so relieved he could cry. “Will you accept this rose?”Harry steps towards Louis looking so incredibly grateful for another opportunity to be here with Louis and show him how much he cares. He wraps Louis into a hug, and things feel like they’re on the mend with the two of them.Once Harry goes back to his spot, Steve steps forward to address the people who did not get roses. “Camila, Lauren, thank you so much for your participation. Please say your goodbyes before you leave the hotel,” he instructs.Lauren steps forward first and gives Louis a hug goodbye. Louis hadn’t gotten very close with her, but he knew that she was a really great girl, and undoubtedly she’d find love somewhere else. Camila was also sweet, but her attitude had rubbed him the wrong way on the last group date and there were people here who were putting in a lot more effort and deserved to stay.After giving her a hug goodbye as well, Camila and Lauren are ushered out of the room and flutes of champagne are passed around to the fourteen people who remain in the process for another week. Louis holds up his glass and says, “Thank you all for an amazing night. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive group of men and women to meet in this process.”They toast, and after a moment, Louis looks mischievous and says, “Oh, and by the way, you guys should pack. We’re spending next week in the nearby city of Calgary, so we’ll be leaving this place tomorrow.”He looks quite excited about it, and the group is encouraged to cheer for the cameras. Filming that night ends in all laughters and smile as Louis is surrounded by fourteen men and women whom he’s gotten to know so well over the past few weeks, and who he’ll only grow closer to in the weeks to come. He’s filled with a renewed energy and excitement for the process, and can’t wait to see what a week in Calgary has in store for them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It’s a short trip from Banff to Calgary, which Louis appreciates. There’s no jet lag, no time difference, no desperate need for sleep. He’s grateful for this, because he’s got four dates this week instead of three, so a lot more to do and inevitably a lot more emotions to work through now that things are getting serious. This week he’ll be sending two more people home, which means he’ll have half as many men and women remaining than he started with. The thought is a daunting one but so far, Louis feels as though he’s made the right decisions, even if they were tough ones.

Calgary is a beautiful city, and at the start of September, the temperatures and weather are perfect. He has a lot of outdoor activities planned, but a few good indoor surprises as well. He’ll be starting the week off with a group date, and the six men and women joining him on that will have inevitably gotten the card already.

He’s excited for what they’ll be doing because it’s stuff he’s always wanted to experience, and now he’ll get to share it with all of them. Louis waits at Olympic Park, a massive grin on his face, watching for the limo that will be delivering six men and women to him for a date.

One of the major things he hopes to learn during the date is whether there’s anything still sparking between himself and Harry. He purposefully chose him for the first date of the week to give Harry a chance to show what he can be like in a group, but away from Nick. Their one on one was so easy, but they also didn’t have any interruptions. This will be different, but Louis also hopes it will go well.

In addition to Harry, Louis will be joined by Danielle, Bebe, Briana, Kaya, and Niall. Together, the seven of them are going to do some adventure activities at Olympic Park, where the 1988 winter olympics were held. There’s tons to do there in summertime, and Louis plans to take full advantage of that. He stands at the gates, smiling as the car pulls up the drive.

Seeing his dates when they arrive gets more exciting with every group date because he’s growing closer to these people and getting to know them on a more intimate level than he used to. It makes him feel confident about the process, as well as these people.

One by one they climb out of the limo, greeting him with enthusiastic hugs and in a few cases, kisses. Once all the excitement of seeing each other again has died down a little, Louis gestures behind him and says, “Welcome to Olympic Park! This is where the winter olympics were held in 1988, and even though we’re here in the summertime, we’re going to do a ton of crazy, exciting stuff while we’re here. Are you guys ready?”

Cheers from the group tell him that yes, everyone is ready, so he leads them further into the park where there’s someone waiting to teach them how to do the activity. “Alright guys. Has anyone ever been on a zipline before?” Louis asks, facing the group.

Everyone in the group shakes their head no, and Louis grins. “Me either, but we get to learn together. We’re going to be starting the day off with a zipline course,” he explains. “We’re going to do a training run, and then a line that gives us a wicked view and the fastest zipline ride

ever

, and then we’re going up eight storeys for a drop back down to here, where we’re starting.” He’d spent all morning memorizing the lines he’d been asked to say, both to promo the park and to make sure everyone got all the details.

Louis is relieved that all six of his dates seem to like the idea today, and hopes that throughout the course, they’ll all continue having fun and not duck out like previous contestants have done.

They start the process by getting outfitted with gear - harnesses and helmets - and Louis stands with the rest as they’re walked through how to do it. Up at the top of the first landing, Louis straps in first, to demonstrate for the rest of them, and so he can catch each person who comes down the line after him.

The first zipline is the easiest; it’s meant to be, in order to teach people how to zipline and get them used to the feeling before doing the more extreme rides. Everyone makes it through that just fine, and then it’s time to prepare for the second one. They start ninety meters up with a fantastic view of Calgary’s skyline, and they’re warned that this zipline is the fastest - they’ll easily go over one hundred kilometers per hour. Danielle makes a little bit of a face at that, so Louis smiles and says, “It’ll all be fine, love. I’ll go first, and I’ll catch you at the end.”

Louis does go first, and as he’s zipping down the line, they hear him shout in joy and adrenaline. It’s the best feeling, the wind rushing past him, nothing underneath him, the massive city and mountains and everything else in nature making him feel so tiny in comparison. When he gets to the end of the line, someone’s there to help him onto the platform. Grinning, Louis watches as someone starts to come into view. He can’t tell who it is at first, but as they get closer he sees that it’s Bebe. He smiles and reaches out to take her hand when she gets to the platform. She’s got pink cheeks and her eyes are wide, but she’s smiling so he figures she had a good time.

Louis catches Harry next, and then Kaya, and as Niall gets to the platform he sticks his arms and legs out and latches onto Louis like a koala. He hears a little admonition from the staff member at the stand with them, but neither listen. They’re both safe, and Louis’s laughing hysterically at the way Niall grabbed him and held him for a moment. It was adorable, and Louis had flashbacks of their date in the hot spring, as well.

Danielle comes down the line next, and when Louis asks what she thought, she says, “It’s not as scary as it sounds!”

It’s fast, but not too tall, and that’s part of what probably made it less scary. Heights - now those are what will probably affect a person or two, Louis reckons. The last person to go down the zipline is Briana, and she’s laughing and waving as she spots Louis at the platform waiting. He expertly takes her hand and pulls her forward onto the platform. As she’s being disconnected from the line, she wraps her arms around his shoulder, still laughing and smiling, adrenaline coursing through her veins. “Having a good time?” Louis asks her.

“Yes, such a good time,” she nods. “I never thought I’d ever do something like that.”

“Ah, and we’re not done yet,” Louis says with a grin. “Now… up eight storeys!”

There’s a massive winding staircase up to the last line, and one by one they trudge up, fewer people looking out at their surroundings as they do. Louis has no problem with heights, not like most people, so he tries to watch out to make sure anyone who might be afraid gets comfort from him. As it turns out, Briana is the least fond of heights, and she keeps hold on his hand the whole way up the stairs. At the last flight, he nearly has to drag her up because she looked over the ledge when Harry pointed something out.

The staircase is safe, nobody is going to fall to their death, but it’s still scary to her, and she keeps a tight grip on Louis’s hand. “You going to be alright if I go first again, to catch everyone?” he asks her.

She nods, but doesn’t release his hand. She’s using her other hand to cling to a railing, and her eyes are trained on the ground. Frowning, Louis foregoes the zipline for a moment to face Briana fully, using his free hand to cup her cheek and tip her head up so she’s looking him in the eyes. “Are you going to be alright to do this?” he asks. “If you’re scared, I can walk you back down.”

Laughing nervously, she says, “I’m not sure I could get my legs to work for something like that.”

Louis smiles at her and asks, “You want to go down on the zipline?”

“I’m here,” she offers. “I made it up here. I just… won’t look at first.”

Louis had been expecting a little fear over the heights thing, so he’s not upset at all. More than anything, he’s concerned that Briana will get a little more freaked out and he won’t be here to help her. Danielle gently nudges her way into the conversation by patting Briana’s back. “Want to hold my hand while we wait?” she asks. “I can stay with you when he goes.”

Briana looks up at Danielle and takes a moment to process her words and consider her offer. “If you’ll be alright with Danielle, I’ll go. But if you need me, Bria, I’m here,” Louis says.

She gives Louis the best smile she can muster and says, “You go. I’ll meet you down there.”

He waits a few more moments before accepting that she meant it, she’ll be fine. Louis then takes his place at the zipline, and only screams a little when he takes off. It’s a really steep drop, and before he knows it, he’s soaring through trees and watching the city and mountains fly past him. His heart is racing and he’s grinning like a fool, and Louis can’t imagine a more fun way to spend such a beautiful day.

At the bottom of the line, there are cameras waiting, and before anyone up top is allowed to go down, he has to do an interview. When asked how things are going so far, Louis beams as he says, “Really, really well, I think! Obviously y’know we haven’t had much of a chance for conversation yet, but we’re trying new things and everyone is being so great about it, even if they’re scared.”

When asked to give more details about that, Louis just shakes his head and says, “Bria is constantly amazing me, honestly. She’s so incredibly brave. She got injured on a date and brushed it off like it was nothing, and she’s been so sweet and supportive, and just now she went up eight storeys on a staircase even though she was scared! I’m just so impressed with her. And like, I’m gonna be right here waiting to catch her when she goes down that line because I know how massive it is that she’s doing it at all.”

The last question they ask is if they think Briana is in the lead in the running to win his heart. “I mean, I don’t think there’s a clear leader at this point. I think there’s people I’m close to and sort of starting to relate to on a deeper level, and others who we’re still walking the line between friends and more than friends. Once we get to the party tonight I think it’s going to really help me figure out who’s on which side of that line. But I think Bria’s definitely one I’m starting to have that deeper connection with, among a few others.”

Once again, Louis has absolutely no idea who’s going to come down the zipline first. As it turns out, because of her fear up at the top, Briana is sent down the zipline next. Thankfully, she’s got a much more relaxed and happy expression on her face than she did when Louis had left her last. As promised, he catches her, holding her around her waist and cheering as she makes it to the bottom. “You did it!” he says happily.

Briana clings to him for a moment, a little shocked that she’d managed to push through all of that fear. “I’m really proud of you,” Louis adds; he really hopes Briana knows that he sees how hard she’s trying and how genuinely she’s trying, as well.

She smiles up at him, her blue eyes sparkling, and they hug one more time before Louis’s attention is snatched away by Kaya, the next person zipping down the line.

Just as before, Louis catches everyone, with Danielle coming down the line last. She trips just the slightest, her shoe hitting the edge of the platform rather than landing so she can pull herself further forward. Louis scrambles to grab her hand and she awkwardly stumbles just the slightest. Louis pulls her towards him though, and manages to get her onto the platform safe and sound. She’s flushed, and a bit freaked out, but Louis just smiles. “I’ve got you,” he reassures her.

She’s got an arm around his shoulders and she’s still standing at the edge of the platform, but his heroic move still makes her heart race. Danielle leans in and gives him the smallest of kisses before she says cutely, “Thanks!”

Once they’re all safely on the platform and ready to go, cameras start to take down and they take off their harnesses and helmets. Filming that took the better part of a day, thanks largely in part to the fact that it took ages to get the cameras up on the platforms. It’s been a rewarding day, though, and Louis thinks that everyone on the group date looks a little more relaxed now, after breezing through the air without a care in the world. The sun is getting low in the sky, and all of them file into the same car that brought them to the park, to take them to a hotel downtown where they’re all instructed to change into fancy clothes for an incredibly impressive dinner in a nearby building.

Nobody is expecting to walk into The Bow, Calgary’s massive curved skyscraper, for dinner. There are a few floors in the building that are purely gardens, and that night, the group will be filming in the highest-level garden floor, with a magnificent view of the city at dusk.

Louis arrives first, looking handsome in a black suit with a mahogany tie. His hair is combed back perfectly, and he looks more relaxed than he’s felt in days. He feels it, too, because rather than being nervous about what will happen that night, he feels confident. These people here with him all make him happy, and he knows them all at varying degrees, so the conversations should be much more varied than they tend to be at the beginning of the process.

It is, after all, now a month into the process. As always, Louis’s dates look stunning all dressed up, and Louis takes note that today Harry has chosen to dress rather “normal,” compared to how he usually does. His suit isn’t patterned, or brightly colored - it’s just black. Louis wonders why exactly that is, and he intends to ask Harry about it when they get their one on one time. Bebe is wearing a sexy red gown, and Briana looks stunning in pastel pink. All of the women look amazing, and Louis’s mouth goes a bit dry when he sees Niall in a light grey suit, glasses on his face for the evening.

Every single one of them makes Louis’s jaw drop and he can’t believe this is his life right now. They dine, cameras off, all laughing and joking about nothing in particular. A lot of topics are banned during dinner, including anything that might advance a relationship beyond what the others have. Nothing about future plans, or dating, or exes. Just… silly things like TV shows and movies and surface level stuff that they might share with anyone.

After dinner, it’s time for the cocktail party, and Louis’s hands are sweating just a little. He happily takes a glass of whiskey on the rocks, to calm his nerves, and wonders whether tonight will clarify things for him, or make him even more confused about who to keep and who he’s got to send home.

The evening starts out with Kaya asking Louis for some one on one time, and they go off to a part of the garden near an indoor waterfall to sit and chat. Louis hasn’t gotten many opportunities to talk with Kaya, so he’s looking forward to a few minutes with her. They chat mostly about Louis’s family this time, with Kaya chiming in every so often with similarities or differences to her own family. Louis casually slides into the conversation a very important question, “Do you see yourself having children one day?”

Kaya is quiet as she considers it for a moment. “I think I’d like to, yes,” she says finally. “Obviously there are things I’d like to do more, like settle in and live with my partner, then have the wedding, and then consider children from there, but I think one or two would be really nice.”

Louis nods; he agrees, for the most part, with everything that Kaya is saying. However, he would like a larger family, but knows that the number of kids a person wants isn’t really a conversation that’s necessary to have at this point in the game. He doesn’t have to come up with something else to say because at that moment, in walks Danielle, smiling from ear to ear and asking very politely if she can interrupt.

Kaya nods and stands up, and Danielle offers her hand to Louis, signaling that she’d like to keep walking. She looks stunning in her floor length black dress, and Louis is very much looking forward to some time alone with her. As they begin to walk through the gardens, Louis looks over and says, “I wanted to tell you today how impressed I was earlier. You were so supportive of Bria when she was freaked out on that zipline. Especially since I was supposed to go first - I just wanted to thank you for that, as well.”

“She’s a really nice girl,” Danielle says, and by the look on her face and tone of her voice Louis can tell that she’s not being sarcastic. Danielle seems like such a genuine girl, and clearly that kindness extends to more people in this process than just Louis. “I was happy to help her.”

Louis smiles and says, “You’re a really great person.”

“I try to be,” Danielle replies.

They’re quiet for a moment, and then come to a clearing where there’s a blanket on the ground and fresh drinks set up for them. Louis helps Danielle take a seat, and then joins her. She leans in to give him another soft kiss, just like earlier that day, her lips lingering over his for a moment. Louis smiles at the belated greeting, and he leans towards her as they sit together on the blanket. There’s a question Louis has been wanting to ask her ever since they talked about her career, but he’s been trying to figure out if it was worth it yet, asking such a serious question. After a month, it seems like the right time, so he hesitantly asks, “So… one day… do you think you’d ever leave that shop you work at with your mum? It sounds like you love it so much, but…”

Danielle hesitates for a moment, her voice soft, and she finishes his sentence for him, “But you would rather not leave your teaching job in England.”

Louis looks over and nods. They’re both quiet, and he says, “I wouldn’t ask unless I thought I could see us reaching big decisions like that one day. And I just… I need to know if that’s something you’re open to.”

She smiles and looks down at her lap for a minute. “I love my job,” she begins. “And I love my mother.” She pauses again, choosing her words very carefully. “But the thing is… I’ve had this job since I was sixteen. And I helped behind the scenes, before that. My mom opened the place when I was thirteen. It’s just sort of been assumed that I’d step in and take over, just like I’ve done.” She takes hold of Louis’s hand and says, “I didn’t come here just to try to get out of the shop. But I do like that by chasing this dream of mine - to get married and start a family - it’ll also let me chase some other dreams I have.” She smiles and laughs at her long-winded explanation before saying, “So I guess, long story short - yes, I could leave that job. I

want

to leave that job, when the time is right.”

She looks up at Louis, who looks like he’s just received the best news of the night. He has a lot of questions on his mind, but the answer she gave makes him so happy, because he knows that they could work then, in the end. If it came down to Danielle as the person Louis most wanted to propose to. Rather than praising her decision to be willing to move, Louis asks one of the many questions on his mind. “So, what are some of your other dreams?”

Before Danielle can answer, they’re interrupted by Harry. Danielle laughs and leans in to give Louis a kiss on the cheek and a hug goodbye. “I’ll tell you next cocktail party, how’s that?” she smiles.

“Deal,” Louis replies.

He stands up and offers his hand to Danielle to help her up, since she’s wearing a gown and doesn’t want to damage it. Louis then waves goodbye to her before turning his full attention to Harry. “Hey there,” he smiles.

Harry wraps his arms around Louis’s waist in a warm hug and replies, “Hi, Louis.”

Louis’s hands rest on Harry’s biceps and he looks up into his eyes to ask, “Where to? We can sit here, walk around…”

Smiling, Harry shrugs. “Walk around? See if we can find another spot we like?”

“Sure,” Louis nods.

They step away from each other and Harry reaches out for Louis’s hand right away. There’s a bit of an awkward tension between the two of them, but Louis hopes that with some good one on one time, they’ll be able to break that and get back to where they were on their first date. Louis had felt so ecstatic after that, like he was on cloud nine, and he was optimistic that he and Harry could get that back.

Harry leads them to a bench that faces a wall of windows looking out on the city. They sit together, and Louis right away says, “You look great tonight. You’ve strayed from your usual look, though.”

“I have?” Harry asks, confused.

“Yeah,” Louis nods. “Every other time I’ve seen you, I think you’ve been in some sort of crazy suit - like your floral one, or there was a bright pink one? And today you’ve just gone with black.”

Harry laughs and says, “Well… I guess I just felt like blending in a little more tonight.”

Confused, Louis looks over and asks, “Really? That seems so unlike you.”

Shrugging off Louis’s comment, Harry says, “We just… so much stuff has gone down and I know some people blame me for what happened even if I know you don’t. So rather than standing out and giving them more to talk about, I wanted to just lie low. I can only handle so much whispering.”

Right away Louis is concerned after he hears what Harry’s saying about what’s been happening to him. He had no idea that there were people who had any ill feelings towards Harry as a result of what happened with Nick. As much as Louis wanted to ask questions, the more important thing at hand was reassuring Harry and the rest could wait until later. Perhaps at the main cocktail party, Louis could bring it up.

“Well, don’t focus on them,” Louis says softly. “Just focus on us, and our relationship, and where we’re going. Because I meant what I said after I sent Nick home. You and I aren’t done here. That first date we had, there was a spark. You felt it too, right?”

“Yeah,” Harry nods. “That day was the best day I’ve had here so far.”

Louis smiles at Harry and looks into his eyes, letting the silence calm Harry just a bit. Harry is so attentive and so sweet, and Louis can’t resist leaning in and stealing a little kiss from him. It’s slow and soft and so unlike the heated kisses they shared in the gazebo that first night.

When he pulls away for air, Louis looks into Harry’s eyes and smiles at him. “Just keep your chin up, look for the good people,” Louis reassures Harry. “It’s okay to have friends in this process. That thing with Nick is an isolated incident. Everything will be fine. Be open to making new friends, and stay open to us, and you’re going to be just fine.”

Harry kisses Louis again, so overwhelmed by his kindness, and pulls away just when he hears footsteps approaching. Louis is grateful that on group dates with fewer people, he’s not interrupted as frequently. Having more time with everyone is such a relief and he feels like he actually gets the opportunity to know them better.

Most of Louis’s conversation with Bebe, and then Briana after that, is about conquering fears. Ziplining had been scary for both of them, but they’d pushed through and in the end, thanked Louis for an amazing time. Niall is the last to get one on one time with Louis, and they sit together gazing out at the city for a few moments in silence before Louis asks, “D’you want to stay in Ireland? Like, after this?”

Niall chuckles; Louis was rather blunt about his question, with no lead-up or explanation as to his thoughts. It’s been on Louis’s mind a lot now, especially with certain men and women who remained, so he couldn’t resist asking. “I think if I stayed in the United Kingdom, I’d be happy. Obviously I love my family and would like to see them, but I could still do that pretty easily from anywhere in the UK,” he replies confidently. “I’m in accounting - every city has that.”

Louis laughs and says, “Yeah, but then you’d have to support other football teams.”

“Oi! No way,” Niall shakes his head. “Derby all the way.”

Louis snorts. “Nope. I’m definitely going to need to teach you about the

good

football clubs if you end up in England,” he replies.

They laugh and banter about football until Steve comes in to interrupt, telling them that it’s time for Louis to hand out the first rose of the week to one lucky person on the group date. Louis and Niall walk back to the center of the garden where everyone is seated together around a coffee table where there are empty drink glasses littered around a little tray with one red rose on it.

Louis picks up the rose and the room goes quiet, everyone waiting to see if it’s their name that will be called. They have varying levels of confidence, and Louis can see it written on all of their faces. “Thank you all so much for such a fantastic day,” he begins. That puts smiles on a few more faces. “As the weeks go on, these decisions get a lot harder. I want you all to know that if I don’t give you a rose tonight, it’s not because I don’t like you. I’m forming attachments and relationships to everyone here. Today, this rose goes to someone who really stood out to me as an incredibly brave and open-minded individual. They blew me away with their attitude and I just really want to use this rose as a way to acknowledge that and say thank you. So.” Louis smiles. “Bria,” she looks up, surprised. “Will you accept this rose?”

Her cheeks turn red as all eyes are on her, and she smiles, standing up to walk over to Louis and take the rose, looking so incredibly happy. He gives her a big, warm hug and kisses her on the cheek. “Thank you,” she smiles, taking the rose from him.

“Of course, love. You deserve it,” he whispers in reply.

Once Briana takes her seat again, Louis waves to the group and they say their final goodbyes. On his ride back to the hotel that night, Louis can’t stop thinking about the events of the night, and where his relationships are with each of the individuals. He’s got different feelings for each person, though he’s struggling to put into words what the differences are.

Louis does his best to push those thoughts away, choosing instead to focus on being excited and optimistic about some one on one time with Jack the next day. Handsome, rugged Jack. Louis cannot wait.

--

The next day, Louis is incredibly eager to get going on the date that he has planned. He’ll be spending the full day alone with Jack, and it feels like a long time coming. From the very first day they met, Jack had caught Louis’s attention. He’s got a nice bit of scruff, and he’s rugged and strong, and his smile… Louis would be lying if he said that Jack’s smile didn’t make his heart beat just a little faster. He’d purposely chosen an outdoorsy date because he loved how at home Jack looked in nature, which Louis had gathered as best he could from the dates they’d had so far.

So, that’s how Louis finds himself sitting in a Jeep outside the hotel where everyone was staying, waiting in the driver’s seat for Jack to come out and join him. The back of the Jeep holds their hiking packs and any other outdoor things they might need for a day in a national park.

Jack is grinning as he climbs into the Jeep, and Louis can’t resist leaning in to steal a kiss as greeting. They’d shared a kiss once, but nothing as heated as Louis has had with others. He’s hoping that today he can see if there’s a next step for the two of them, if there’s a future that lay ahead for them. “So, where to?” Jack asks excitedly.

“What, you think I’m gonna tell you?” Louis teases playfully. “You’re going to love it.”

Jack laughs and reaches over to crank up the radio. It’s not often that they get to jam out to music and just enjoy each other’s company, so he’s going to take advantage. Louis sings along to one in particular and Jack’s smile grows. “You’re a great singer,” he says when the song ends.

Louis’s cheeks turn red and he keeps his eyes focused on the road and fights a smile. “You think so?” he asks.

“Yeah, definitely,” Jack nods. “Really good.”

Louis sort of laughs off the compliment, like he doesn’t believe that he’s actually got a decent singing voice, and says, “Well.. thanks. I bet you’re better, though.”

Bursting out laughing, Jack shakes his head and says, “Not a chance. Though I bet we could harmonize pretty well.”

Louis keeps following the navigation, and before he knows it, they’re parked in the car park outside a massive wooded area. He can hear a stream somewhere, though they can’t see it. He didn’t press on about the singing because he didn’t think they’d ever agree; but harmonizing is something that might be fun someday, in the comfort of a home where nobody else could hear. Louis used to be much more confident about his singing - these days, it’s more of a private thing. But with Jack, he couldn’t resist.

Their packs are already stuffed with everything they’ll need for the day - water, food, first aid and the like - and each of them takes one. “Okay, so I’m a little out of shape,” Louis starts to explain, “But we’re going to take a hike in the park and have a picnic. We’ll get a chance to watch the sunset, all of that romantic stuff.”

Jack grins. “My favorite things. Good choice,” he says.

“That was my goal. Pick something we could enjoy together,” Louis says.

“Do you hike often?” Jack asks as they take off on the trail.

As they walk, Louis clicks the key fob until the Jeep honks, signaling it’s locked. He drops the keys in his pocket and shrugs, “Not regularly. Mostly because I get so busy with work, or it’s really hard to find someone to go with me.”

“You will never have that problem with me,” Jack replies. “I hike so much, I’d probably go a few times without you as well. Nothing against you, but…”

Louis laughs. “You’re so confident,” he says. “I like it.” As they trudge up the hill, he adds, “I wouldn’t mind that at all. Sounds fun. Not that there’s really rugged stuff like this in England. Some hills are pretty intense but none near me.”

Jack looks over at Louis and asks, “Yeah, we come from pretty different places, don’t we?”

The words settle over them, and for a moment they just take in the sounds of nature before Louis says, “Our careers certainly aren’t working in our favor.”

“We could both be licensed in the other’s country though, right?” Jack asks. “I mean, I think a semester or two, or maybe just some studying and an exam, and I’d be able to practice law over there.”

Shrugging, Louis nods and says, “Yeah, I think it’d be about the same for me. Just an exam, I believe.”

“So we could do it?” Jack asks.

They’re certainly talking idealistically; getting re-licensed in a new country probably cost a bit, and would take time for studying and such, but the thought doesn’t scare Louis as much as it had before the process had started. With the people he’s reached this level with, it feels like a natural step to start talking about these sorts of things and seriously considering them. “Yeah, we could,” Louis nods, smiling over at Jack.

They turn past a tree and start heading along a path that points them towards the picnic area. Louis can smell the pine trees surrounding them, and he can’t hear the water running anymore but that’s no matter; the view is still amazing even in the middle of the woods. He’s sweaty and his hair is sticking to his forehead but Jack is there by his side looking the same - though he looks much more handsome this way, Louis thinks.

Louis glances over at Jack again, watching him so masterfully navigate the trails, and he’s so focused on Jack that he doesn’t look down at his feet. They reach a particularly dirty part of path, and it’s covered in mounds of pine needles. Before Louis knows it, he’s falling to the ground, his feet slipping out from underneath him. He tumbles down, his head hitting the rocky ground with a small thud. “Oh fuck!” Louis shouts as he goes down.

Jack reaches over, fumbling to catch him, but he’s not fast enough. Instead, he kneels down next to Louis on the ground, reaching out for him gingerly.

Louis winces and looks up at Jack, and he tries to laugh it off like it’s nothing. “Are you okay?” Jack asks worriedly. “Did you hit your head?”

“Just a little, not a big deal,” Louis insists, doing his best to awkwardly sit up with his pack on his back. He looks up at Jack, who looks incredibly alarmed, and says, “Really, just… help me up. Not to worry.”

Jack slowly helps Louis to his feet, but rather than letting him wander around right away, he cups his cheeks and looks into his eyes. Louis laughs a little, asking, “What are you doing?”

A smile plays on Jack’s lips and he says, “Making sure you don’t have a concussion.”

“I’m fine!”

Jack’s fingers dart over Louis’s temple, and then down over the shell of his ear, and he holds them out to show Louis the little bit of blood. “You hit your head enough to scrape it up,” Jack says. “I’m going to worry a little.”

Louis wants to roll his eyes, but Jack’s care is honestly so endearing he can’t bring himself to do it. “Let’s get to the picnic area and then you can dote on me all you want,” Louis replies.

“We’re walking slow,” Jack says. He holds out his hand and says, “You’re going to hold my hand, too.”

Bemused, Louis slides his hand into Jack’s and replies, “We could’ve been doing that anyway.”

As it turns out, it’s not far to the picnic area where they’re going, and rather than settling in the main area, they find a little alcove with a fire pit, some camping chair set up by the crew no doubt, and a breathtaking view down the hill. Jack has Louis take a seat right away, and he rifles around in their packs to see what they have. He sets aside the food he finds and goes right for the first aid kit. “Jack, please relax,” Louis says softly. “It was just a little spill, I’m going to be just fine.”

Jack smiles and says, “I believe you. But I still think you need to clean up the scrapes.”

“Okay, I will,” Louis nods.

“With what mirror?” Jack counters. He’s smirking, and Louis realizes now that this is more of a practicality thing than him being genuinely worried. Though if Louis is being honest, he really does like the extra attention. Being protected - it’s a feeling Louis enjoys more than he might admit.

“Alright, then,” Louis says finally, smiling warmly at Jack. He relaxes and tries not to wince too much as Jack takes a cleansing wipe to the small scrapes on Louis’s ear and temple. Jack covers them with bandages as well, but they’re small and he’ll be able to take them off by tonight. “D’you feel better now?” Louis wonders.

Chuckling, Jack replies, “I should be asking you the same thing.”

Louis takes a moment to really get a good look at him; Jack’s kneeling on the ground in front of the chair, wearing his hiking gear, looking incredibly handsome. He’s got his scruff and his hair’s a little messy, and even though they got a little sweaty on the hike, the whole moment seems perfect and like the best sort of date for the two of them. Louis smiles and leans in, resting his arms on his legs so he can reach Jack and give him a slow kiss. “Thanks for taking care of me,” he whispers against Jack’s lips.

Jack smiles and presses into the kiss, reaching up to cup the side of Louis’s face that didn’t get scraped up. “Anytime,” he whispers back. He pulls out of the kiss and adds, “In fact, I’m not done yet. But not because you’re all banged up. I just really want to make you something to eat, is that alright?”

Grinning, Louis says, “That will

always

be alright with me.”

Jack takes that opportunity to go back to their packs, and he pulls out some water bottles for them, taking one for himself and handing the other to Louis, and then gets to work on the fire. It’s still light out, but the faint traces of sunlight are starting to disappear beyond the horizon. Before long, they’ll be sitting and watching the sunset together and Louis is already anticipating that - sharing that moment with Jack will be a dream.

Louis doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he’s staring as he watches Jack in his element, starting the fire and then sorting through their food. Over the fire he puts down a grill and a pan and Louis can’t tell exactly what he’s cooking, but he’s glad they sent crew people up with stuff too, because there’s way more food than they carried themselves.

Before he knows it, Jack is beckoning him towards the fire. He’s got some camping dishes and everything, and he hands Louis a bowl of nachos. “Not what I was expecting for a campfire meal but I will take it,” Louis grins.

“I make the best campfire nachos in the world! What are you talking about?” Jack laughs.

He defiantly takes a bite of them, and waits for Louis to give them a try as well. Louis closes his eyes as he takes a bite, the flavor so amazing. “This is so good,” Louis moans.

Jack smiles proudly and says, “Told you so.”

They sit together near the fire, eating their nachos and drinking some Coronas, and Louis forgets for a moment that this is all being filmed for a TV show. It feels like a genuine date, with someone he cares about, and that speaks volumes for him. From where they’re set up, they have a perfect view of the setting sun, and Jack starts cleaning up the mess from dinner as Louis finishes his food.

Their little campsite is calm and quiet, and once he’s finished, Jack sits on the massive oversized camping chair, flannel blanket in hand. “C’mere,” he says, urging Louis to join him.

Louis walks over and lets himself be pulled right into Jack’s lap. Jack covers them with a blanket and they sit there together, the sky growing to darker shades of navy blue with each passing moment. Louis lays his head against Jack’s and their hands meet between them, fingers threading lazily together.

Very quietly, Louis asks, “What’s your favorite thing about being outdoors?” He isn’t usually this quiet, but the moment is so serene that he feels like speaking any louder is going to disrupt such a perfect moment they’ve found.

Jack lets out one little burst of laughter and says, “Well now, I just like the feeling. But when I first started, it really helped me like, mentally?” He takes a breath. “School wasn’t easy for me, and I didn’t exactly pick the easiest career path. But I knew this was what I wanted to do because I think the justice system needs more honest people. And I can help push for that change. But I’d get so stressed, and my anxiety would be terrible, and I’d sort of shut down.”

Louis curls just a little closer to Jack, trying to provide him comfort. He hadn’t realized the story would be such a deep one, though Louis is grateful to be able to learn even more about Jack. Quietly, Jack continues, “I went to a counselor during undergrad, who told me that I should try to find something that will help me combat those feelings. Being a broke college kid, I tried to find something cheap, and this was it.”

Louis takes a moment to let it all sink in, his thumb rubbing little comforting circles on the back of Jack’s hand.. “Has the anxiety gotten any better?” Louis asks gently.

Jack nods, and he says, “Being done with school helps. I don’t have to juggle as much.”

“And in this whole process?” Louis presses.

This time Jack hesitates. The answer isn’t as easy for him, and he knows that if he’s one hundred percent honest with Louis, it may hurt Louis’s feelings. But honesty is the most important thing for Jack, so he says, “I won’t lie… it gets hard once in awhile. But mostly, I have it under control. And unlike in school, there are people here who get it. In school everyone seemed to find it easy to handle everything, and I didn’t. But here, there are other people who get stressed or anxious or worried and we talk through it together.”

Louis smiles. “So you have a support system here,” he echoes.

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “And when I don’t have them, I have you, and being with you is… I’m happier when I’m with you. Happier than I can remember being in a long time.”

Louis leans back and guide’s Jack’s face so they can look at each other. Louis can’t fight the smile on his face, and between the scene and their conversation and Louis’s physical attraction to Jack, it’s impossible for him to fully put into words everything he’s feeling. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to Jack’s lips. As he pulls away, he whispers, “You make me happy, too. Thank you for trusting me.”

He knows it couldn’t have been easy for Jack to be so open about his anxiety, and it says a lot that he’s willing to trust Louis with that sort of information. Jack pulls Louis into a deeper kiss, something that he hopes will convey to Louis just how much he’s falling for him. He wouldn’t call it love yet, but it’s toeing that line, and Jack is simultaneously terrified and ecstatic to see what comes next for them.

They kiss for a little while in the light of the moon and the fire pit, but the fire is dying out and they’re getting cold in the chilly September air. Louis breaks the kiss, his fingers freezing where he still cups Jack’s face in his hand, and he smiles at him for a moment before remembering that they have one more thing they need to do on this date.

Reluctantly, Louis climbs off of Jack’s lap and walks over to their packs. He reaches into his bag and finds a thick plastic tube, and inside is a perfect rose, undamaged even after Louis fell on the path earlier and partially landed on his bag. He walks over to Jack with the rose and smiles coyly as he goes back to the chair. “Jack, tonight was… beyond words,” he says as he approaches. Louis stops in front of the chair, extending the flower out to Jack. “Will you accept this rose?”

“Absolutely,” Jack grins, standing up to wrap Louis in a warm hug. He kisses him as thanks, and looks down at the rose fondly. There are so many words at the tip of his tongue but he can’t find himself to say anything yet, not about how he’s feeling. It’s too early, he thinks, to do something like that.

They take each other’s hands as the fire crackles out to nothing, and start walking back down the trail, ready to go home and rest. Louis feels silly doing this, because they’ve left a whole mess behind them, but the crews are going to clean that up and what they want more is a romantic shot of Jack and Louis walking away from their romantic campsite, hand in hand.

The walk down feels like it takes forever, and Louis yawns multiple times before they reach the Jeep. Grinning, he pulls the keys out of his pocket and says, “Let’s go sleep.”

He drives them back to the hotel, reluctant to end his evening with Jack but very happy that they progressed as much as they did. It gives Louis optimism for the future, for the two of them, and Jack’s goodnight kiss helps Louis to fall asleep right away. He doesn’t stress about the rest of the week, or what dates he still has - Louis just thinks about how happy he is, in this moment, and that’s such a beautiful feeling.

--

Louis wakes bright and early the next morning, eager to get the day started. He’s got another one on one this week, and he chose to share it with Perrie. Looking through some things to do in Calgary, he knew exactly what he had to do, and with whom. The day is going to be massively exciting, and Louis finds himself sitting around, ready to go

too early

. That never happens, especially in such an exhausting process, but today he finds himself sipping his tea, waiting until someone tells him he’s allowed to go down to the car to the place where he’ll be meeting Perrie.

Louis stands in the bright morning sunlight outside the National Music Centre in Calgary, beaming from ear to ear. He’s got all black on today - skinny jeans and a semi-sheer black tee - and his favorite pair of black Vans. They’d bought him new ones so he wouldn’t look bad on TV, but they’re close enough to his favorite old pair that he’ll take them. Besides, he knows that of the two of them, Perrie is the one who’s going to blow him away. She always looks amazing whenever Louis gets to see her.

Sure enough, when she climbs out of the car and greets him on the pavement outside the building, she’s breathtaking. Her outfit is simple, like his - high-waisted light wash jeans and a black crop top tee shirt - but the smile on her face makes her glow and Louis loves seeing everyone in a more “normal” outfit, rather than the gowns they wear for rose ceremonies and cocktail parties. Her hair is in gentle curls and she’s got on bright red lipstick. Louis hugs her right away, and she says with a laugh, “It’s smudge-proof today!”

Zayn must have told Perrie that he’d caught Louis with her lipstick on his lips, and Louis sort of appreciates the effort she went through to find lipstick that wouldn’t transfer to his lips. He also feels a sort of thrill that she’s so confident he’s going to kiss her again today. He laughs and says, “Not to worry, love. How are you today?”

“Amazing,” she says, still beaming from ear to ear. “I cannot wait for today.”

Louis gestures to the building behind him and says, “This is where we’ll be today. What do you think?”

“You know how I feel about music,” Perrie replies.

Louis slides his hand into Perrie’s and says, “You’ve got no idea, love. Shall we go in?”

When they first walk into the music centre, they’re greeted by one of the employees, who gives them a short tour of the place, pointing out all the historical instruments, records, and other artifacts they have in their museum. Then, the employee grins and opens a door clearly marked “STUDIO BELL, EMPLOYEES ONLY” - and Louis leads Perrie through.

Perrie gazes around at the massive area they’ve entered, including a room with some microphones separated by a windowed wall with soundboards on the other side. “What’s this?” she asks eagerly.

Louis grins and wraps an arm around her waist, pointing to the recording studio. “This is what we’re doing today. We’re going to sing. And record,” Louis says.

Perrie’s eyes go wide, and her smile disappears as her mouth drops into a shocked

oh

. Louis just grins wider and says, “I want to sing a song with you, but… you get to sing a few by yourself, too.” He doesn’t even mention that there’s another surprise waiting for her at the end of that.

“Louis,” Perrie mutters, absolutely speechless.

She wraps him up into a massive hug and for a moment, Louis wonders if she’s crying into his shoulder. When she leans away, she dabs under her eyes, but there are no tear tracks on her face. “Y’alright, love?” he asks, worried.

“Yeah, more than alright,” she nods. Perrie takes a deep breath and says, “This is just… such a dream come true. I never thought I’d ever see the inside of a recording studio.”

Louis smiles at her warmly and says, “When we’re all done today, we get copies of the songs. So you can send them off as demos to all kinds of labels and venues. You are meant for

so much more

than your jazz club. And with me or without me, you’ve got to chase those dreams. Alright?”

There’s a look in her eye that says she’d rather be doing it with her girls back home, but she nods, grateful for the support from Louis. She nods, and they go into the studio to start practicing a track that Louis picked out for them, along with the writer of the show since they’d have to work out copyright and such.

Combining Louis’s smooth tenor and Perrie’s strong belt, they record a cover of “Just Give Me A Reason” that is arguably better than the version done by P!nk and Nate Ruess. When they sit in the studio, sipping water and listening back to the track they recorded, Perrie starts to grin again. It’s so surreal, hearing their voices recorded and played back, so professionally, too, and even Louis has to admit that his voice sounds pretty good in combination with hers. “Do I get a copy of this, too?” she asks hopefully.

“Yeah, of course,” Louis nods. “I’m taking one, too. We sound so good - you especially.”

“We should duet more often,” Perrie jokes, wiggling her eyebrows at the double meaning behind what she’s said.

Louis bursts out laughing and shakes his head at her. He loves when she gets so playful like this; it’s just a joy to be around her. She’s clearly having an amazing time on the date, and she’s never lied about things when she was or wasn’t feeling something on a date. Perrie’s an open book, and that puts Louis at ease, too.

“Now it’s your turn,” Louis says, standing and walking towards her. He kisses her on the temple and says, “I’ll be out here. If I disappear, it’s only for a second, okay? You record some songs for yourself and have fun.”

Perrie beams up at him and says, “This whole day is a dream come true. Thank you, Louis.”

“You’re welcome,” he smiles, and leaves the recording room.

Louis stands and watches from his place behind the guy at the switchboard, nodding his head along and listening with a smile on his face as Perrie gets so into the music, the other covers she’s singing and recording.

After a couple of songs, Louis feels someone tap him on the shoulder. He grins, and waves at Perrie for a moment. She stops recording, and he says, “I’ve got another surprise for you, love. Be right back.”

She steps out into the area by the switchboard, but she’s told to wait there. Louis peeks out the door, not letting her see what’s coming. When he stands back, holding the door open, in walk three women. The realization on Perrie’s face when they walk into the room makes Louis’s heart soar, and Perrie truly does cry a little at the sight of them. She rushes up to them - her girls from South Shields, the one she wants to perform with - and they nearly tip over onto the floor in their flurry to hug her and each other.

When the hug finally breaks apart, Perrie looks at Leigh, Jade, and Jesy and asks, “What are you guys doing here?”

“Your boyfriend here told us that you guys were doing some recording today, and that you really wanted to record stuff with us,” Jesy says.

“Just like we’ve talked about back home,” Jade adds.

Perrie nods, and she looks over their shoulders at Louis, who stands proudly to the side, watching the whole exchange. Perrie looks back at the girls and asks, “You came all this way?”

“To make demos and to see you and meet your boyfriend? Of course,” Jesy laughs.

Perrie beckons Louis over to them and slides an arm around his waist. She hugs him tightly and says, “This is Louis. He’s basically the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”

Leigh smiles and says, “Clearly.”

Perrie looks over at Louis and asks, “This is really happening? I get to record with them?”

Nodding, Louis says, “Yeah, but you lot need a name if you’re going to record as a group. Have you thought about it yet?”

“Yeah,” Jade nods. “Perrie did, actually. Came up with the name, I mean.”

“And?” Louis prompts.

“Little Mix,” Perrie replies.

Louis grins and says, “It’s cute. I like it.”

“Not that we need your approval, but,” Jesy says with a laugh. “Thank you.”

Jesy clearly speaks her mind anytime she feels like it, and Louis can respect that in a person. He can tell she’s joking around with him, and mostly he’s just glad he could make this happen for them. Even if he hadn’t gotten along with Perrie’s friends - though he’s incredibly relieved that he

does

- he’d want to make this happen for her. Having these endless resources on hand for the show is nice, because he can help make others’ dreams come true as he tries to make his own come true as well.

Louis lets them go into the studio and get started; it’ll take a while for them to record a few songs, and there’s still a dinner at the end of this for Louis and Perrie to spend some time alone together. He doesn’t mind how long it takes, or the fact that he doesn’t get to spend time with Perrie in the traditional sense while she records for her friends, because her smile never leaves her face. Her eyes sparkle and Louis just knows that no matter how things go for the two of them, he’s made the right decision with this date. Perrie is clearly in her element when she’s singing.

Once Little Mix has got three songs recorded, they conclude their time in the studio. Perrie shares some teary-eyed goodbyes with the girls, and they each give Louis a hug goodbye, too. Perrie then wraps Louis up in a massive hug, burying her face in his shoulder, and says, “This was the best date I could have ever imagined. I can’t thank you enough.”

Louis wraps his arms tightly around her and says, “Oh hush. No need to thank me. I’m just really glad you had a good time.”

“The best,” she replies.

She looks up at him and gives him a kiss, and Louis melts into it for a moment, totally distracted. He’s meant to be ushering her out so they can have a fancy date to conclude the night, but he’s instead standing in the studio, kissing her. When he slowly pulls away, he smiles at her and says, “We’re not done yet.” He’s reluctant to step away from her but also really wants to get ready for the night, to get to sit down and chat with her and have a deep conversation.

They leave the music centre and studio, thanking everyone as they do, and then they’re ushered away in the same car to a hotel downtown where their outfits for the night are waiting in separate rooms for them. Louis feels so silly and wasteful, using hotel rooms just for a few hours, but it’s all for the sake of TV magic. He’s probably never going to get used to that part.

Dressed in nice trousers, a tee shirt, and a blazer, Louis meets Perrie in the hotel restaurant, overlooking Calgary’s skyline, and waits for her to meet him there. She walks in a few moments later in a gorgeous strapless olive green dress. Her hair is down, though straightened this time,  but she looks just as beautiful as she had earlier that day.

Louis greets her with a hug and kiss, and takes her hand to help her sit down at the table. Once he sits next to her, they toast to each other and then the night begins. They eat and have new food set out in front of them - that old trick to make sure no eating sounds are picked up by the microphones - and then they really get a chance to chat.

Louis angles himself towards Perrie as they start to chat, his arm draping along the back of her chair. She’s got her legs crossed, a glass of wine in one hand, and she’s only looked at the rose on the table once. The rest of the time, she’s kept her eyes focused on Louis; she cares so much about him and hopes her body language helps convey that.

Thanks to some prompting by the writers, Louis knows exactly what to ask Perrie to get the conversation started. “So, tell me about your past relationships,” Louis asks. “When was the last time you dated someone?”

Perrie doesn’t frown, but the way she hesitates tells Louis that her last relationship didn’t end very well. He doesn’t pressure her to speak right away, and rather waits for her to find the right words and explain in her own time. “Well, I was with him for a long time,” she explains. “Five years, actually.”

“Wow,” Louis says, impressed by that.

“We met in college, when we first started,” she explains further, “We were seventeen, and at first I thought it was too good to be true. He was the most handsome guy at school, and he picked

me

, this nerdy girl who split her time between singing and watching films and the telly with her friends.” She smiles fondly at the memory, but the sadness quickly returns to her eyes. “He started to get weird and distant in the last year or so, and I tried to tell myself it was just that we were busy, and we had different careers so it was harder to find time to hang out.”

Perrie takes a deep breath and says, “We made plans for our five year anniversary, and by this point I knew that it was going to either be an amazing date where we rekindled what we had, or it was going to end in a breakup.” She hesitates. “He never showed up. I haven’t seen him since the time before that date - he never showed, never returned any of my texts.”

Louis reaches over to take Perrie’s wine glass and set it on the table. He then holds her hands with his and frowns. He can tell there’s still a bit more she wants to say. Her lower lip trembles just the slightest but she puts herself together enough to say, “That was a year ago. He reappeared on Facebook about six months ago, engaged to some girl, and they’ve got a baby.” Perrie dabs under her eyes with her finger, and she takes a deep breath, looking at the ceiling to try to keep the tears from falling. “The worst part is that she looks just like me, but prettier. Skinnier. Even after a baby.”

There are no words that Louis could possibly say to make things better for Perrie, and he knows this. Frowning deeply, he releases her hands in favor of pulling her in for a hug. She hugs him back but tries her very hardest not to cry. She doesn’t want to shed any more tears over him. “I’m so sorry he did that to you, Perrie,” Louis says softly, patting her back and leaning away to look into her eyes. “You deserve way more than he would ever have been able to give you. And someone far more honest.”

Perrie blinks a few times, her eyes glassy, and smiles the smallest of smiles at Louis. “Thank you,” she says softly.

“Can I tell you something?” Louis asks. Perrie nods and watches him quietly, curious as to what he’s going to say. “Sometimes

I’m

not even sure I deserve someone as amazing as you.”

She blushes and looks down at her lap shyly. “Oh hush,” she responds.

“I mean it,” Louis insists. He takes her hand again, and looks at her even if she’s too shy to look him in the eye. “You are so strong, and so talented, and honestly you could have anyone in the world you wanted.” It hits him that he might sound like he’s about to break up with her, so he adds, “I feel so lucky that you are here, and I will never take you for granted the way he did.”

Louis releases Perrie’s hand so he can reach over and take the rose off of the table and hold it in his hands. “Honestly Perrie, you’re an extraordinary woman, and I’d love to have some more time with you,” Louis continues. He offers her the rose and asks, “So Perrie, will you accept this rose?”

Her cheeks are pink from the compliments and emotions and everything else happening that night, but she looks happy again, like back in the studio. Louis feels triumphant, and his heart does a little leap when she nods and takes the rose, smiling as she says, “Yes.”

Louis pulls her into a tender kiss and feels Perrie smiling against his lips. It feels like the perfect conclusion to the perfect day, and Louis feels so good knowing that whether they work out in the end or not, she’s going to have more tools to try to make her dreams come true, having recorded those songs with her girls.

The date ends shortly after that, with Louis and Perrie walking back to the car that will take them to their hotel. Louis is tired, but not in a way that makes him dread the next day. Rather, he’s looking forward to the last group date of the week and where the journey will take them next. It’s a new country after this last group date and cocktail party, and that’s massive. That means they’re one step closer to the end of the process where Louis will hopefully be engaged to the man or woman that he falls in love with.

He and Perrie share one last gentle kiss goodnight when they arrive at their hotel, and she goes up to her room first. After an interview explaining that he’s feeling rejuvenated and ready for more dates, rather than anxious about drama or anything else, Louis goes up to his room and goes to sleep, excited to see where the next date takes him on this crazy journey.

--

One of Louis’s favorite things in the world is getting to act like a giant child. Growing up with lots of siblings, it had come naturally to him, and he’s never really shaken the habit - and has no intention of doing so. It’s only fitting then that he plans a date for the second group date of the week that includes acting like giant children and having a good time.

He waits outside the front gates of the Calgary Zoo, ready to have a great day with six men and women before they go to a beautiful park nearby for a cocktail party to round out their date. When the car pulls up, Louis’s dates get out one by one, and he’s so excited to spend the day with them. Avan is first out, and he walks right up to Louis to wrap him up in a hug. He kisses his forehead and winks, almost like a promise for later, before stepping out of the way for Liam, who’s also eager to greet Louis.

As close as they’d gotten in the first few weeks, Louis feels like he and Liam are drifting apart a little, so he’s looking forward to a chance to get closer with him on this date. Zayn is the next in line, and Louis is feeling like he’s in a similar situation with Zayn. Those two are going to be the ones getting a little extra attention from Louis, because he wants to really make sure that if there’s still a spark there with either of them, that they keep progressing.

Barbara is glowing as she wraps him up in a hug, and they unabashedly share a kiss as greeting. She looks adorable in a floral sundress, and she says something, but guiltily Louis cannot figure out what it was through her thick accent. Eleanor swoops in next, quiet but still standing out in her own little way, with her tight jeans and blouse and eyes sparkling with mirth. She looks so happy to be there anytime she’s around Louis, and he loves that about her.

Matthew is the last to say hello, and he takes that as an opportunity to take his time pulling Louis against him, embracing him and kissing the top of his head just because he can. Louis’s cheeks are a little pink and he looks up, standing on his tiptoes for a real kiss before he steps back to face them all and explain their day, even if it’s pretty self explanatory. At the end of the day, he still has to make good TV.

“So, one of my favorite things to do is go to the zoo, especially if I have my younger siblings with me,” Louis explains. “The littlest ones love it, but honestly a zoo is a place for all ages, right?” There are a few nods before he says, “We’re going to go in and walk around together, see some cool interactive exhibits,

and

I have a few special things we’re going to do before we head to our cocktail party in Central Park.”

Every city seems to have a Central Park these days, including Calgary. It’s nothing like the real thing in New York City, but it’ll be a gorgeous setting for their cocktail party. “Are we ready to go in?” Louis asks, grinning. The group cheers, and Louis cheers with them before leading the way through the gates and into the zoo.

Right away on their left is a penguin exhibit, and it’s an adorable thing to be greeted with upon first entrance to the park. This one isn’t interactive, but they stand in a small group, cameras watching, as they point out some penguins who are waddling around or being extra silly.

Barbara is standing closest to Louis at this point, and she hooks her arm through his as she points out a penguin who’s about to slide down some ice and into the pool of water. They both laugh as the little guy soars into the water and towards the glass wall where they’re standing. He does a showy swoosh right by the window near them, and both Louis and Barbara smile at how cute the penguin is.

She’s just as enthralled as they walk down the pathway to a massive otter pool. The otters are splashing around and making noises, playing in the water. There’s a crowd of people watching, and Louis and his dates line up to watch at the fence so the show gets some good shots of them watching. Louis can tell that some of them are itching to come in and steal his attention, but Barbara still has her arm innocently hooked through Louis’s as they walk.

“Are you having fun?” Louis asks her as they leave the Canadian Wilds portion of the park and walk across a bridge to the Destination Africa section.

“So much fun,” she smiles, glancing over at Louis as they walk across the bridge.

Louis feels eyes on them but ignores them; he wants Barbara to have his full attention. “What are you thinking about?” he wonders.

It’s an odd question, but he’d been encouraged to start asking people that, to get more of their internal feelings about what’s been on their mind during the process. It could either reveal some insecurities, or it could open them up to taking the relationship further. “Well,” Barbara hums as they walk. “I see a lot of families here…” she shrugs. “It’d be so fun to take kids to the zoo, show them the animals. See the look on their faces when they get to see them up close.”

Louis hears the hesitation in her voice, and wonders if maybe she thinks that by voicing these thoughts, she’s coming off as crazy. He certainly hopes she doesn’t feel that way, and tries to encourage her to open up about these thoughts by saying, “That would be so fun. I know when I took my little brother and sister the first time, they cried a bit, but by the end they didn’t want to leave. And their faces lit up anytime they saw an animal they recognized.”

Barbara smiles and says, “It sounds like you’re very good with kids.”

“I like to think I am,” Louis says, not wanting to sound too egotistical. “Are you?”

“I mean, I like them,” Barbara replies. She quiets a little and says, “I’ve never really been around a baby more than just like, passing on the sidewalk or in the shops.”

“That’s alright,” Louis nods. “Everybody sort of goes at their own pace, you know?”

She looks over at him, slight worry on her face, and says, “I want them, though. Kids. One day.”

It’s sweet, that she’s thinking ahead, acknowledging that Louis will want kids. Knowing her thoughts on it really helps Louis, because he still doesn’t know how everyone here feels about children. If there’s one thing that he’d consider a deal breaker, it’d be if a person didn’t want kids. He can’t imagine a life where he doesn’t have at least a couple children of his own, running around, making him feel a little more fulfilled than he would otherwise. “That’s great,” he says to her, smiling to ease her nerves. “I do too. At least two.”

Barbara smiles. “That sounds lovely,” she responds.

As they approach their next stop, Louis steps away from Barbara to address the group as a whole. “Welcome to the lemur playground,” Louis says with a grin. “We get to play here a while, with the animals.”

Everyone appears to be excited about that, and after getting a few instructions from the zookeeper, they walk in. It’s a bit odd, playing on a playset with zoo animals, but everyone gets into it rather quickly. Louis doesn’t even know where to start, and instead looks around to see if anyone seems to be off on the sidelines, not enjoying themselves.

Instead, he spots Zayn with a lemur on his shoulder, and they’re just sort of hanging out on a bench near the playset. Louis more than anything wishes he could get a photo, and slowly walks over so he doesn’t spook the lemur. “Hey,” Louis says as he approaches.

“Hey,” Zayn responds.

“You’ve made a friend, I see,” Louis says, bemused.

Zayn glances up at the lemur, and then over at Louis. “Yeah, guess I have. It wasn’t on purpose,” he says. “The guy - or girl, I dunno - just sort of sat on me once I took a seat.”

“Didn’t you want to play around?” Louis wonders.

Laughing, Zayn looks down at his shoe and says, “I was just gonna tie my shoe before I went up there. Then he sat down and… well, this is pretty sick. I’m gonna enjoy it while I can.”

Louis kneels down on the ground in front of Zayn, shaking his head as he laughs, and ties Zayn’s shoe for him. “There. That way if he makes you go play, you can just run,” Louis says.

“Y’didn’t tie them together, did you?” Zayn wonders.

This time Louis barks with laughter and shakes his head. “Nah, none of that,” he says. “Though now that you mention it, I sort of wish I had.”

Zayn rolls his eyes, but he’s got a smile on his face. Louis very hesitantly sits down next to Zayn because he doesn’t want to scare away the lemur. He doesn’t. In fact, the lemur doesn’t even move when someone from the film crew walks over with a camera and asks for a picture. Louis leans in towards Zayn, a hand on his leg, and they smile for the camera. A few photos of them are snapped and then the photographer walks away, looking down at the screen at the shots they’d just gotten. “Well, it’s official now,” Louis says, “You’re probably going to be in one of the main promo photos for the episode.”

Louis has been posing for them all season long, but as far as he can recall, aside from a massive group photo, Zayn hasn’t been in any. Louis feels a little anxious about where he sits with Zayn, because when they’re together, they have a good time, but they don’t have as great of a spark as Louis has with others. However, Louis feels like with just some extra little push, they can be that great together. So far, the zoo date hasn’t disappointed.

They decide when they see a lemur playing with poo that it’s time to leave the enclosure, because that’s a mess that nobody wants to risk dealing with. Louis laughs the whole time they leave, because Avan had been the one to spot it and he was still gagging a little as they left. “Y’alright there?” Louis asks as they step out of the playground.

“Yeah, great,” Avan chokes out.

Bemused, Louis asks, “Low tolerance for gross things?”

Avan doesn’t answer, but gratefully takes a drink of the water being offered to him by Liam. After a few gulps he says, “I don’t know why that grossed me out so much but it did.”

“Ah, just wait until you have kids,” Louis says casually, looking amused. He’s more than once had to deal with a disgusting poo mess because the diaper didn’t hold or wasn’t on right or something.

Avan looks a little more green in the face and takes another drink of water. Louis lets everyone make sure they didn’t make a mess of themselves in the lemur playground, and lets Avan try to calm his stomach, before they go to the next location. Eleanor finds his side as they’re walking this time, and she takes his hand without saying a word.

Louis looks over at her and smiles, saying to her softly, “You look amazing today.”

“Thanks,” Eleanor replies, blushing.

“Who knew political staff could wear more than just a blazer or a good pantsuit,” Louis jokes.

Eleanor shakes her head and laughs, clearly just fine with the jibes. “I happen to think that if I were to change careers, it’d definitely have to be to fashion. Blogging or something,” she says. “I thought about it, but I really wanted something dependable right out of uni. Just to make sure I could handle any loans and get a decent place.”

“That’s smart,” Louis says. “Very pragmatic.” He pauses before he asks, “Is that something you think you’d like to do one day? Switch careers?”

Eleanor nods and says, “Probably. Politics was interesting in theory but the more I work in it, the more I realize that as a woman, and as someone as young as I am, it’s very unlikely that I’ll be able to make a difference, anyway.” She takes a breath. “The way I see it, at this point, the best way I can think of to make a change is to empower women. Sort of, like - teach them how great they can be. To look past the boxes we try to put them in, like with beauty standards and jobs and such.”

“And you want to do that through fashion?” Louis asks.

“Yeah,” Eleanor nods. “I think it’s possible. Clothing for career women, for average sizes, not just the sizes we’re told are ideal. I know I come from a place where people probably won’t take me seriously - I’m skinny, I’m white, my parents are pretty well off - but I figure that if I can use what I have to help people who

don’t

have, I’m doing something alright.”

“That’s incredible, El,” Louis replies, reverence in his voice. “That sounds like quite a challenge, too.”

She shrugs and says, “I’m up for it. And honestly, like…” she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and confesses, “It’s a lot of learning. A lot of trying to like, set aside what I think I know and learn about others. And learning is one of my favorite things. I know I’m going to screw up and probably hurt people without meaning to, but I don’t know… I just want to make a difference, somehow.”

Louis pauses, the rest of the group still walking ahead of them, not even realizing that he and Eleanor have stopped. He turns to face her with a warm smile on his face and says, “You’re going to do amazing. Honestly. And I think what you want to do is really incredible and really selfless. More people ought to be like you.”

Eleanor blushes and shakes her head. “Nah. There are people out there currently doing

way

more than me,” she says. “I just want to be a part of it all.”

Smiling, Louis reaches out to put a hand on her hip. He kisses her gently, and then steps away. “You’re honestly so incredible,” Louis insists. “You’re the kind of woman I’d want my little sisters to look up to, you know that?”

“Louis…” Eleanor blushes.

Louis is about to say something else, but Liam approaches and says, “Hey, we thought we’d lost you guys!”

Louis and Eleanor look over at him, and he seems oblivious to what he’s just interrupted. Either that, or it was his intention to look oblivious and he’s a very good actor. Either way, Louis, understands that he’s got to try to keep it fair, so he says to Liam, “We just stopped for a mo’, to look at something, it’s all good.”

Taking her hand again, Louis leads Eleanor back to the group. They round a corner and come to their next stop, a giraffe enclosure that’s half indoor and half outdoor. It’s a nice day out, so the massive doors separating the two areas are wide open, giving the animals even more space to roam free and explore. A zookeeper greets them, a basket of food by their feet, and a few giraffes are standing nearby in interest.

“Alright, who’s going to feed some giraffes with me?” Louis asks.

A giraffe steps up, and when a large animal approaches, everyone’s first instinct is to step away. Everyone does except for Liam, and Louis takes that as a sign. “C’mon, Liam, come feed them with me,” Louis says, holding out his hand.

Liam steps forward, up to the gate with Louis, and each of them takes a piece of lettuce. “Now just hold it out and wait for them,” the zookeeper instructs. “When they take hold of it, just let go, or else you’ll end up with a sticky tongue on your hand. And don’t worry, they don’t bite.”

What appears to be a mother giraffe and her baby come up to the gate. The mother takes food from Liam, and Louis lowers his hand just a little for the baby. The baby is far more hesitant, but eventually takes the lettuce from Louis’s hand. Eleanor and Barbara coo at the sight, the baby giraffe clearly drawn to Louis. “C’mon, who’s next?” Louis asks.

Matthew steps forward, and he stands behind Louis at the fence as they watch the giraffes wandering around. He clearly likes this, standing behind Louis and pointing out their six inch height difference. Matthew takes a piece of lettuce and holds it out, and rather coincidentally the tallest giraffe in the enclosure comes forward to take the food from him.

One by one, Louis encourages the others to come forward to feed the giraffes. Everyone does it at least once, but by the end, Liam and Louis are the ones who take a few moments to feed them multiple pieces of lettuce.

They only decide to leave once they’ve run out of lettuce in the basket, which is fine by Louis. The day has gone on for quite a while, and they still have to go back to a hotel and get ready for the cocktail party that evening. Plus, he needs time to think. Everyone has been so cooperative on the date that Louis has no idea who should get the rose.

As he’s sitting in his hotel room getting ready for the cocktail party with the six men and women from the group date, Louis talks with his hairstylist Lou, who doesn’t really have useful advice for him. It’s a lot of

follow your heart

and

who do you have the most fun with?

and it leaves Louis feeling a little nervous for the night. Now that he’s growing so attached to everyone, it’s hard for him to imagine narrowing it down further.

This time, the others are at the park before Louis. He walks in and they all greet him with smiles and hugs, and he’s grateful to have them to ease his nerves a little. Matthew is the first to steal him away, and they walk hand in hand throughout the meticulously kept gardens alone. “Did you have a good time today?” Louis asks hopefully.

“Yeah,” Matthew nods. “It was fun. This place is cool, too,” he adds. “It’s not the

real

Central Park, but it’ll do,” he laughs.

Louis laughs with him and says, “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been to New York.”

“Really?” Matthew asks.

“Really,” Louis nods. “I mean, it’s across the ocean for one thing, and… I dunno, I was never in those fancy school groups who got to travel all the time.”

“Is it somewhere you’d like to go one day?”

Louis smiles wistfully and says, “Of course. I’d love to just… be the most stereotypical tourist in the world. Go to things like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty and do the whole horse-drawn carriage in Central Park thing.”

Matthew grins at Louis and says, “Well maybe we’ll get to. One day, I want to take you all around the city, show you the best spots.”

Louis can’t give away too much about how he’s feeling or what will happen in the process as it continues on, but he settles upon a nod and a smile as he says, “That sounds really nice.”

The two of them stop at a fountain, and in the fountain there are some coins that are glistening in the moonlight. Matthew fumbles around in his pocket and pulls out a couple of coins. He hands one to Louis and then keeps one for himself. “Make a wish,” he says.

It feels so cheesy and romantic, but at the same time, it’s sort of fun, just closing his eyes and holding the coin in one hand, Matthew’s hand in the other, and making a wish. Then, after he hears the little

plink!

of Matthew’s coin landing in the fountain, Louis tosses his in as well. “What’d you wish for?” Matthew asks.

“I can’t tell now, can I?” Louis replies, smirking. “If I do, it won’t come true.”

They laugh together, and are about to continue walking away when someone speaks up. “Louis?”

Louis spins around to see who it is, and he’s met with the sight of Avan looking dashing as ever in a button down, sweater vest, and trousers. “Can I steal you away?” Avan asks.

Matthew looks a little annoyed, but he did get some time with Louis, so with a hug and a small kiss, Louis says goodbye to Matthew and follows Avan away from the fountain. They wait until they’re out of Matthew’s sight before Avan stops them on the sidewalk so they can hug and properly greet each other. Avan steals a playful kiss, keeping an arm wrapped around Louis’s waist, and there’s mischief clear on his face.

“What’s going on?” Louis asks, really curious as to what’s got Avan looking so happy.

“How d’you feel about breaking rules?” Avan wonders. It’s not

really

breaking the rules since he’s already talked to one of the writers about it and they approved his idea - and they did all the rest of the arrangements - but it’s still something Louis knows nothing about.

“I’m totally fine with it, why?” Louis wonders. He cannot for the life of him figure out what’s going on. There’s only so much they can get away with while filming.

Avan takes Louis’s hand and leads him through the park, grinning from ear to ear as Louis watches curiously. He hears music in the distance, and soon a marquee comes into sight, lit up with warm colored fairy lights and lots and lots of tulle. “It’s a wedding,” Avan says, pointing to the marquee.

“It is,” Louis nods.

He looks at Avan curiously, an eyebrow arched, and Avan explains, “We’re going to crash it. Just for a dance or two.”

Louis’s eyes go wide and he stares for a minute, and then glances over at the wedding and then back to Avan. The pieces start to click in his head, that Avan got all of this approved and went through with it just for some extra alone time with him, and Louis has to applaud his tenacity.

When they walk inside the marquee, they’re greeted right away by the bride and groom. Louis wonders what they really think of this, but they must not mind if they’ve agreed to let filming happen here. Avan takes Louis’s hand and grins, walking backwards as he bops to the music a little bit, leading Louis to the dance floor with him.

As devious as the plan might seem, Louis doesn’t mind. He loves the thrill of it all, disappearing from the rest of the crowd and dancing with Avan in the middle of a dance floor full of strangers. Louis follows Avan to the dance floor and hooks an arm around his shoulders, scooting closer. Avan grins, slotting their legs together so Louis is practically straddling his thigh, and they dance together to the hip hop beat blasting through the speakers. Avan’s grip around Louis’s waist is firm and protective, and they dance so close that Louis feels himself blushing furiously.

It’s an amazing feeling, though, and he gets lost in it, smiling and leaning his forehead against Avan’s. They grind together for a song or two, Louis’s breath growing more labored as they get so caught up in what they’re doing. It takes a moment for him to gather his composure when the song switches to something slow, a sweet love ballad for all the lovebirds at the party.

Louis clears his throat to try to regain a little composure, but he knows he’s failing spectacularly. Avan looks at Louis, rather proud of himself and how much he’s managed to get Louis to let his walls down and unwind. He keeps his arm hooked around Louis’s waist, and takes his other hand to hold between them, against his chest.

Louis feels how fast Avan’s heart is beating, probably from the dancing, but he likes to tell himself it’s also because Avan likes being around him like this. The mood switched from hot and intense to slow and romantic at the drop of a hat, and Louis is catching up to the situation as best he can. He smiles at Avan as they dance, reveling in the feeling of excitement and joy that can only come from being at a wedding.

Avan leans their foreheads together as they dance, turning in small circles on the dance floor, and Louis just breathes in the moment, remembering it, smiling about it. “Thanks for this,” Louis says finally.

Smiling, Avan nods and says, “Yeah, of course. Anything for you.”

Louis looks up at him, touched by the sentiment, and leans in for a kiss. He can’t resist. After this whole evening, just the two of them, Louis starts to feel like maybe he’s falling for Avan more than he’d originally thought. He’s much more than a pretty, scruffy face. There’s a man behind all that which Louis wishes he knew more about. And maybe it’s partially his own fault, having never given him a one on one, at least so far.

He desperately tries to slow his thoughts so he doesn’t ruin what are probably the last moments of their time alone before they have to go back to the group. When the song comes to a close, Louis follows Avan over to the bride and groom, to thank them for allowing them to crash their wedding reception for a little while.

As they’re walking back, Louis can hear some frustrated voices complaining about Avan being unfair, and taking Louis away for more time so the rest don’t get any. Avan’s smile falls, but he doesn’t look sorry about it. Louis doesn’t blame him. He does, however, start to feel a little bad about the fact that the rest of the men and women on the date that night have been sitting around waiting. Or worse, they’ve walked around the park in search of him, but had no luck.

When they approach the group, it awkwardly turns quiet and people look at Louis in varying degrees of anger and frustration. Louis takes a breath and says, “I’m sorry we’ve run out of time for one on one moments tonight. It’s really tough to fit everyone in, and sometimes the time just gets away from you. I want you all to know that between today at the zoo and here tonight, I feel like we’ve all made progress, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Louis desperately wishes he could take more time with the others, but this is what the writers wanted - tension, drama, anger. And they got it. Louis reaches down to grab the rose off of the table. This is another instance where he’d been told who should get the rose, to help write a better storyline for the show. It’s probably a step too far, considering how the rest of the night went, but it’s part of his contract, having to compromise sometimes.

So, after he takes a deep breath, Louis says, “Avan, will you accept this rose?”

The other five visibly deflate and are displeased, and Louis feels a lump forming in his throat. Avan smiles and walks up to get the rose, though his smile fades a little as he notices the reactions of the others, and how those are affecting Louis. He nods and says, “Yes, thank you.”

Louis hands Avan the flower and gives him a hug, and can’t find any other words to say. He desperately looks around at the cameras, his mind suddenly blanking on what he’s supposed to say. After someone comes up to whisper in his ear, Louis says, his voice a bit weak, “That’s all for tonight then, I suppose. I’ll see you all at the rose ceremony tomorrow.”

And with that, Louis turns and leaves. He knows that he’s not innocent in all of this, and that for the most part, he has control over what happens, but every now and then the writers tell him what to do and he has no choice but to do it. Giving Avan that rose was what painted a target on his back, Louis is sure of it. He feels so guilty, he’s not sure how much sleep he’s going to get that night.

--

Going into the next evening, Louis feels ill. He might actually be sick, or he’s worried himself sick, but either way it doesn’t look like the evening is going to go well. He’s wearing a navy blue suit and his skin is paler than usual. He takes a deep breath, ready as he’ll ever be to face fourteen men and women, ten of whom are going to be vying for the remaining eight roses.

Louis takes a deep breath and walks into Lougheed House, bracing himself for what lay ahead. He really does feel a bit ill, so he sticks to water as he walks through the house and back to the gardens. When he sees everyone, he puts on his best smile and approaches, waving to say hello. A few people look a little surprised or concerned, but Louis brushes it off. He just wants to have a good time tonight and hopefully put some people at ease, to try to break through the tension.

He holds up his glass of water, prompting the others to raise their glasses of whatever drink they chose that evening, and they toast to a good night. Thankfully, it seems to be just nerves, because as soon as Eleanor sweeps Louis away to have a chat, he relaxes and doesn’t feel like he’s about to vomit all over the flowers in the garden. She keeps the conversation light, hinting a little at her disappointment the night before without ever once blaming Louis.

“I wanted to thank you,” she says softly, looking down at their hands where they lay entwined between them. “Yesterday you said something to me that really blew me away and I wanted you to know how much it meant to me. Hearing you say that you’d hope for a role model like me for your sisters… that’s such a compliment, Louis. So thank you.”

Louis smiles at her and leans in so they’re forehead to forehead. “Of course. I meant every word,” he says softly. “You’re an extraordinary woman. That’s the kind of women I want my sisters to be. And especially now that we’ve lost our mum, it’s really important to me.”

“Oh Louis, you lost your mum?” Eleanor coos softly. She knows his youngest siblings are quite young, so she can only imagine that it was somewhat recently. “I’m so sorry.”

He takes a deep breath before responding. “Thank you,” he says softly. “Yeah, it was… December. So, less than a year. Really puts things in perspective for a person.”

Eleanor leans back so she can look him in the eye when she says, “You are the strongest person I have ever met.”

That puts a smile on Louis’s face, and he leans in to kiss her. “You’re so lovely,” he tells her. “I appreciate you saying that.”

“I mean every word,” she insists. “Just as you think so highly of me, I think highly of you.”

Louis chuckles. “What a match,” he says.

Eleanor kisses him again softly before pulling away, hearing footsteps approaching. She’s gotten good at that, because she likes to be able to end their time on her terms, rather than being interrupted and not being able to finish a thought. Shen she looks up, it’s Harry, and she bows out gracefully to let him have a turn.

Louis stands up to greet Harry with a hug and a smile, and Harry looks as tense as he did during the group date. That puts a look of concern on Louis’s face, and he asks, “What’s going on?”

Harry sits down and shakes his head. “I’m fine, honestly,” Harry insists. “Things are tense out there, so I had to get away. You’re a breath of fresh air around here.”

Tense.

Louis has a pretty idea why everyone is that way, but he hates that it happened and wishes he could make it better. “What can I do to fix it?” he asks.

Just the question alone puts a smile on Harry’s face, and he replies, “Just… don’t pick favorites, okay?”

Louis is taken aback by the bluntness with which Harry answered. He wasn’t really expecting to hear that from him, so when he does, he just sort of sits there for a moment. “Can I ask where this is coming from?” Louis asks.

“We all heard about last night, is all,” Harry says softly. “You and Avan disappeared for like an hour, at least. According to the people who were there last night. Even if people aren’t saying it, they’re upset. I wasn’t there so I didn’t miss out on anything, but they did, and it’s not really fair.” Harry’s frowning, and he says, “I know you have a lot of relationships to juggle but just don’t forget that you’ve still got how many people here. Twelve? Fourteen?”

Harry’s words are delivered so gently, and he means well, so Louis really can’t get upset. After all, he asked what was going on. “Is that why everyone seems so off tonight?” Louis wonders.

“Well, yeah,” Harry shrugs. “People are telling Avan he’s selfish, and I really can’t blame them. It sounds like he was. And they still think I’m not being genuine with you, so I’m sure when they find out I’ve told you all of this, that’ll only get worse, but that’s just it - I want to be

so

honest and genuine with you. I want you to know that I’m here for us. For you.” Harry reaches over to take Louis’s hand and he says softly, “I want to fall in love.”

Louis is quiet as he tries to process the information, everything Harry is telling him about the group and how they’re feeling. He doesn’t exactly know how to address all the accusations and frustrations, he just knows his side of the story. But the thing with his role is that Louis has to stay out of the drama as much as possible… which means he has to be more diplomatic than he usually would be.

“I hear what you’re saying, Harry, and I understand the frustration,” Louis says, choosing his words very carefully. “I want you to know that I understand, okay? And I can talk to people about judging others if you want.” He takes a deep breath, and Harry shakes his head. “Avan stole some extra time and that comes off as unfair, I understand that. But… everyone has had the opportunity. When I’m around, my time can be stolen away by people. I’m not saying everybody has to do the same thing back to him, but… if you see an opportunity, take it.”

Louis looks up into Harry’s eyes and he says, “I don’t want this to be an experience people walk away from saying they regretted it or that it was more trouble than it was worth. But I also cannot possibly make everyone happy every day. It’s impossible. Some days are going to be difficult.” Louis gives Harry’s hand a squeeze and looks down for a moment. “Just… keep your chin up and keep talking to me about how you’re feeling and keep finding moments to spend with me. And if you do, we’re going to be just fine. We’ll do as well as we possibly can.”

Louis is trying

so

hard to be diplomatic about everything, and he really hopes that he doesn’t make matters worse with everything he’s said. He really wants Harry to know that he’s here, and he’s available, and he wants to continue to grow and develop these relationships and feelings to see where they go. Harry gives Louis a sad half-smile, and that’s the best it seems he’s going to get from Harry that night because in that moment, they’re interrupted by Niall.

Louis gives Harry a big hug and plants a kiss on the corner of his mouth as they say goodbye. Niall sits down next to Louis, and he can sense the tension in the air even as Harry walks away. He rubs Louis’s back and lets a moment of silence settle over them. After a few minutes, he asks, “How are you? Everything alright?”

With a groan, Louis leans forward and buries his face in the crook of Niall’s neck. Niall wraps his arms around Louis and rubs his back, not asking any questions. After the heaviest sigh Niall has ever heard, Louis leans away and says, “I knew the happy was too good to be true. I hear there’s drama between you guys and it’s all my fault.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Niall insists. “Nothing you need to be worried about.” Louis looks unsure. Niall smiles and offers, “Honestly, if there were something really bad going on, I’d tell you. People are sore about Avan getting extra time but it’s all part of this, right? So like, the best thing to do is just get over it and make time with you.”

“And Harry?” Louis presses. “People are still giving him a hard time, aren’t they?”

Niall shrugs and says noncommittally, “Again, people are just holding onto things they shouldn’t be. A few people don’t think he’s as genuine as he should be. But again. Time to just move on, yeah?”

Louis huffs and says, “If only it were that easy.”

“Alright, turn around,” Niall says finally, his words firm. He presses as Louis’s shoulder, urging him to turn around. “Blazer off, let’s go.” He tugs the blazer off of Louis’s shoulders and sets it aside. Louis is confused for a few seconds until Niall’s deft fingers start kneading at the many knots in his back. “You’ve got to relax. You need to put your focus on being with us, not the drama.”

Niall leans in and Louis can feel his breath on the shell of his ear as he kneads into his shoulders, trying to work through the knots. “Just breathe and try to forget all the stuff you’re worrying about,” Niall says softly into Louis’s ear.

Louis turns his head just the slightest and Niall gets distracted, his hands pausing where they are as Louis tilts his head back. Niall leans over his shoulder to connect their lips, slow and soft. The position is awkward so it doesn’t last long; Louis opts to turn back to face Niall, reaching up to slide his hand across the nape of Niall’s neck, fingers dancing through the short hair there as they kiss. Sure enough, between the massage and the kiss, Louis quickly starts to forget about all the tension he was holding inside. Niall breaks the kiss to smile, muttering against Louis’s lips, “There you go.”

Smiling, Louis steals one more kiss before he leans away to look into Niall’s eyes. “Just focus on all the good stuff happening and all the people you’re kissing,” Niall teases. “Leave the drama to the people involved in it. You’ve got nothing to do with any of it.”

Louis smiles and nods, grateful for someone as sweet as Niall, who’s willing to pull him out of his own head to get him back on task and focusing on all the good. “Thanks,” Louis says softly.

“Anytime,” Niall insists, and the look in his eye says

don’t you forget that

.

He offers Louis his hand, so they can go back to the group in the garden and Louis can grab someone else to have a conversation with. Louis and Bebe chat next, and she’s interrupted by Barbara. After Louis gets a significant amount of time to chat with Barbara, Liam wanders into the room where Louis and Barbara were having a conversation. He asks if he can interrupt, and Barbara gracefully says goodbye to let Liam have his time.

“Hey Li,” Louis says with a smile, greeting him with a hug.

Liam smiles and plants a kiss on Louis’s lips before they sit down. He’s glad to finally have some time with Louis, especially because things didn’t go as he’d hoped. He didn’t get any time with Louis at all. When they sit down, Louis props himself up close to Liam, arm across the back of the sofa. “How are you?” Louis asks.

He’s trying to be enthusiastic and attentive - though he usually is - because he knows that Liam is one of the people who could be (and deserves to be) upset about the way the night before went. Liam just smiles and nods before he says, “I’m good. Really good. It’s been quite a week.”

“Yeah,” Louis says. He doesn’t know where Liam is going with this.

“So,” Liam replies quickly, still smiling. He looks at Louis rather excitedly and says, “They let me call Cheryl once a week, to check in and see how Bear is doing and stuff. This week - I got to see a video and everything!”

Liam’s enthusiasm is contagious, and Louis can’t help beaming as well as he asks, “What happened?”

“He’s learned to roll over,” Liam says with a grin. “And like, he’s been propping himself up on his front hands for a while now but I guess he’s started doing this thing called creeping? So he pulls himself forward along the floor, too. He’s almost crawling!”

Liam looks so incredibly proud and Louis can tell that Liam cares a lot about his son. “That’s so amazing, Liam,” Louis says with a massive smile on his face. “It’s crazy how fast they grow up, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Liam nods. He pauses for a minute and asks, “How old are your youngest siblings again?”

“They’re three right now,” Louis says. “I remember stuff like this from them and the other kids too, especially Daisy and Phoebe, but like… I can’t imagine how much better it feels when it’s your

kid

.” Wistfully, Louis says, “I cannot wait to be a dad. Honestly.”

Liam beams as he says, “It’s probably the greatest thing to ever happen to me.” He pauses a beat. “I mean, no offense, meeting you and being here with you is really amazing too, but nothing will ever compare to raising Bear and watching all his milestones.”

“Nah, no offense taken,” Louis insists. “I get it. Really.”

The click of high heels on the floor clue them into the fact that someone is approaching, and Kaya politely interrupts them for some time with Louis. The two chat for a while, mostly about travel, which Louis doesn’t have anything to contribute to other than a massive list of places he’d like to go. They’re interrupted by Jack, who spends half his time making sure Louis’s scrapes are healing well, before Louis gets some time with Zayn.

He’s wanted to talk to Zayn more ever since they had the conversation at the lemur playground the day before. Even though they hadn’t said much to each other, Louis found himself filled with questions he wanted to ask him. Zayn was clearly a guy who didn’t like too much attention drawn to him, but Louis wanted to know why. Zayn was also the most difficult to read when it came to emotions and situations and why exactly he was here for this process.

Grateful for the chance to finally ask these questions, Louis offers Zayn his hand and takes him upstairs to a private room where they’ll hopefully get a little extra time to just chat and see where things are going. Louis is really optimistic about Zayn; he feels like they could be amazing together.

The two of them sit down and Louis kicks his feet up on the coffee table, just like he had during their first one on one conversation. Being with Zayn was different, though Louis was still trying to understand what that meant. “So… how was your day?” Louis asks.

“Oh, fine,” Zayn says. “Not gonna lie, last night was a little disappointing, but it is what it is.”

Louis chuckles. “Quoting my tattoos, how charming,” he says.

Zayn grins and rolls his eyes. “Alright, let’s see it then,” he prompts.

Louis sits upright on the sofa. He certainly hadn’t been planning this, but he finds it oddly liberating and rebellious to take off his tie and unbutton his shirt so he could show off the scrawl of text across his chest. “Nice,” Zayn says. He’s not wearing a tie, but he unbuttons his shirt and shows off his own chest piece. “I want to fill it out more, but this is what I’ve got so far.”

Louis reaches out, his fingers drifting over the red press of lips tattooed over his sternum. “We still haven’t kissed,” Louis says offhandedly. He mentally berates himself; he’d wanted to talk, but here he was, falling prey to Zayn’s appearance and the physical attraction he felt to him.

That makes Zayn laugh, and he sits back, buttoning up a few buttons on his shirt. Thankfully, Zayn says, “Yeah, we can do that if you want,” rather than just giving in.

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to?” he asks. A few weeks ago, Zayn had been about to kiss him, but someone interrupted them.

“I do, yeah,” Zayn confesses. “But… I’ll be honest, my parents only thought I did this to get laid. Sort of want to prove them wrong.”

Zayn’s explanation is surprisingly endearing, but also causes Louis to wonder a little about Zayn’s relationship with his parents. “Did they not want you to do this or something?” Louis wonders.

“I mean, basically,” Zayn shrugs. “They thought it was dumb, especially because… well…” Zayn sighs. “I’ve never really been all that big into dating. Or being in the spotlight. Or being noticed at all.”

There’s a lot for Louis to absorb there, and he takes a moment before he asks, “Why

did

you decide to come here?”

“Easy,” Zayn says. “I’ve lived the same place my whole life. I’m not going to find someone to be with there because they’re all people I’ve known forever. This seemed like a good chance to meet people outside the bubble I grew up in.”

“Did you ever date men while you were there?” Louis asks, wondering if that’s what this is about.

“Yeah,” Zayn nods, “Men and women both. That’s not what their issue was. More than anything they just thought the show was trash, just drinking and sex, but it’s not.”

Louis is hesitant before he asks, “So they don’t support you being here?”

Zayn shakes his head. “Nah. My sisters are pretty cool with it but my parents don’t like it.”

There are a lot of things Louis could ask or say and he has to carefully work through his thoughts before he says something. This feels like a precarious subject and he doesn’t want to misstep. “Are you happy with your decision to come here anyway?”

Zayn glances over at Louis and smiles. He nods and says softly, “Yeah. I am. It’s really great. You’re great.”

Even though Zayn’s fairly soft spoken and doesn’t say much, Louis can feel that behind the words, he’s genuine. Louis leans in towards Zayn, smiling, and says, “As long as you want to be here and you think it’s worth it, then I fully support it.”

There’s a sparkle in Zayn’s eyes that never used to be there. He looks so happy, and Louis loves being able to just be this close to him, alone with him, and look into his eyes. Zayn reaches out and pulls Louis in for a kiss. It’s a long time coming - weeks, that they’ve both been thinking about this - and Zayn does not disappoint. Louis’s breath catches in his throat, and he’s surprised by the strength Zayn has, and the heat and passion poured into the kiss.

Louis reaches out for whatever he can find to hold onto, and ends up holding a fistful of Zayn’s partially unbuttoned shirt in his hands. They kiss until their lungs scream at them for air, and even though they didn’t cover much of substance in their conversation - not as much as Louis has with others, at least - he feels good about how they’ve progressed and where they’re going. It feels like there’s the beginnings of a spark.

Louis doesn’t think anything could pull him down from the high of kissing Zayn, and he happily faces the rest of the evening, even after Zayn says goodbye, leaving Louis alone in the room they’d been occupying, nothing but him and his thoughts. He sits there for a few moments, enthralled, finding himself wishing for more. Zayn sure knows how to make Louis beg for it, it seems like.

A few moments later, someone must send in another date, because Louis is saying hi to Danielle and the two are settling in to talk. She brings them back to their last conversation, where Louis had been asking her what her own dreams are, since she’d talked about wanting to leave the family business. “Well, remember how I said I played softball?” she says. “I’d like to go back to school. I’d do some sort of physical training program, maybe nutrition too, and I want to coach. I want to get back into the game and work with kids and get them loving the sport as much as I do.”

She’s beaming the whole time she talks about it, and Louis can tell that Danielle really cares about what she does and is passionate about this change in career. He hopes that whether with him or someone else, she goes for it. It’s clear just by the way she lights up that this sort of job would excite her much more than working a retail clothing shop with her mother.

Louis gets some time after that with Avan, who has no regrets at all about the night before. He doesn’t apologize, he doesn’t name anybody who might be giving him trouble, and tries to avoid the subject when he can. When Louis asked him why he was avoiding it, Avan just smiled. “I don’t want to spend our time talking about what we’ve already done,” he says. He sounds genuine, but at this point Louis wonders just a little if he should believe him. “I want to just keep looking ahead, you know? Talk about things we don’t know about each other, or want to do one day. We’ve got such limited time, I don’t want to waste it.”

His reasoning makes sense though, and Louis can definitely understand it. Avan definitely comes off as an academic, even just in the way he approaches situations and conflicts: he focuses on what he knows and what he can control. As much as he wishes Avan would at least talk about the situation a little, Louis likes being able to stay away from the drama and enjoy his company and his kisses.

Matthew interrupts Louis and Avan for some one on one time where the two of them wander downstairs hand in hand. They walk into the dimly lit parlor of the old house and sit together on an old sofa, Louis leaning into Matthew’s embrace. It’s warm and cozy and Louis can’t stop smiling as they sit there. They don’t say much of anything, but Louis sort of likes that. When he’s not being incredibly flirty, Matthew comes off as the strong silent type, which Louis immensely enjoys.

After that, Louis gets some one on one time with Briana before Perrie interrupts. She looks like she’s anxious, or has something on her mind, so Louis keeps an arm around her, rubbing her back in hopes of soothing her. “Everything alright, love?” Louis asks.

“Yeah,” she nods, though he can tell she’s nervous about something.

“It’s just me,” he tells her, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “You can talk to me about anything.”

“I know,” Perrie says.

She’s so quiet, it has Louis really nervous that something bad is about to happen. He briefly wonders if her friends didn’t actually like him or approve of him, so this is her trying to break up with him. It’s still a possibility, being broken up with on this show. He’s not the only one who gets to decide when a relationship is over.

“Louis, after our date the other day,” Perrie begins slowly. Her heart is racing in her chest, but she knows without a doubt what her feelings are, and that she needs to say this. “I’ve never felt so happy or so cared about. Nobody has ever been quite as attentive as you,” she says. When she looks up at him, her blue eyes are intense and focused. “I need to tell you before the rose ceremony - because I need you to know where I stand. And - if it’s too much, too fast, that’s fine. I understand. But… I can’t bottle it up anymore.”

“You can tell me anything, Perrie. I promise,” Louis says to her softly, reaching around to hold both of her hands in his.

Her voice trembles just the slightest as she says, “Louis, I’m falling in love with you. I feel it. It’s there. It’s… scary, but… it’s how I feel.” When she looks up at him again, she looks so fearful yet so sure of herself. “So - now you know.”

“Perrie,” Louis mutters softly. The words hit him hard; he hadn’t expected to hear them this soon but after the date they had, after the conversations they’ve shared, it makes sense. He can see exactly why she’s started falling when she has, and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t make him feel like he was on cloud nine. “Thank you for telling me,” he whispers. He leans in to kiss her softly and then says, “You don’t ever have to be afraid to tell me how you feel, okay? Not ever.”

She nods, and already she seems a little more relaxed. Louis can’t really tell her how he’s feeling in return - and he certainly can’t use the word

love

- but he hopes that through his gentle touches and the kisses he peppers on her lips that she understands he appreciates her honesty. That even if he hasn’t said it out loud, he does have strong feelings for her in return.

Steve interrupts them next, telling Louis that it’s time to get everything set up for the rose ceremony.

The two of them walk out into the drawing room where cameras are setting up and there’s a pedestal, as always, that holds the roses for that evening. Four people already have them - Briana, Jack, Perrie, and Avan - and ten people do not. Louis can only give roses to eight of them, and he’s got to make his decision.

He takes his mark and the last few people file in after doing interviews with various cameramen. Louis’s hands tremble just slightly as he picks up the roses and starts to say the names of people he’d like to keep around for another week.

Danielle… Zayn… Eleanor… Barbara...

Of all the weeks to tell him how she felt, Perrie had picked the perfect one. She already had a rose, so she wasn’t at risk of being sent home this week. Not that Louis would send her home for telling him how she feels - he appreciates when these men and women open up to him and tell him what’s on their mind. It makes decisions like these much easier.

Matthew… Niall… Harry…

Though there seems to be a lot of drama and unfinished business between some of the men and women who are there for Louis - especially Harry - Louis hopes that with a little more time, everyone can move beyond the bad blood and into better friendships and relationships. He also hopes it means they can get back to dating and progressing their relationship. Louis feels like he hasn’t had a solid conversation with Harry in a while.

There’s one more rose in his hands, and three people standing before him, hoping for a rose. Louis takes a deep breath and announces the last person who will be staying another week.

“Liam.”

Liam lets out a sigh of relief and walks up to Louis. He smiles at him, and Louis smiles back as he asks, “Will you accept this rose?”

“Yeah,” Liam nods, pulling Louis into a big, warm hug. He kisses him on the cheek and then goes back to stand in formation with the other fourteen.

When Louis sees the sadness on the faces of Bebe and Kaya, it hits him again that each week this gets more and more difficult. Steve encourages them to say their goodbyes and get ready to go home, and Louis gives them each a big hug and well wishes before they’re whisked out of the room to go gather their things and leave.

Standing in the drawing room of the historic Lougheed House, Louis toasts to the remaining twelve men and women and grins. “Alright, we’ve been quite far north for the past couple of weeks, so now it’s time to escape to the south just as the cool fall air starts to creep in,” he says excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to go to this next place, so I’m really excited to share it with you all. Next week, we’re going to Mexico!”

The group cheers, and Louis forgets for a moment all the stress and fear and worry he’d been feeling earlier in the night. Things are getting so much more intense with the remaining twelve, and he doesn’t want to hurt a single one of them.

As everyone sips their champagne before the night ends, Louis notices Perrie off to the side. She still looks a bit nervous after their earlier conversation, and he really hopes he can put her at ease before they travel that weekend. “Cheers,” he says as he approaches, holding out his champagne. His glass is almost empty, but hers looks untouched. She smiles and touches their flutes of champagne together for a moment. “I just wanted to tell you, in case it helps any…” Louis says softly. “If you hadn’t had a rose before you told me that, I would have given you one tonight. I really appreciate how you opened up and shared that with me even when it was bloody terrifying.”

She laughs nervously, and Louis takes a step closer. “I mean it, love. You’re brave, and you’re honest, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for here,” he says encouragingly. “So thank you. And chin up. We’re going to Mexico and we’re going to have an amazing time. Right?”

Perrie looks up at him, and he looks so happy and eager and he’s being so sweet that she can’t help but do her best to push away her worries and smile. That seems to brighten Louis’s expression as well, and he leans in to give her one last kiss.

Once he finishes his champagne, he’s whisked away to a car that will take him to the hotel first, so he can pack and go to Mexico before the rest of them. He gets to arrive early to see all the date locations and get settled in, as well as to do some filming with the scenery as backdrop. There’s a lot of extra little things he has to do as the Bachelor, but he doesn’t mind most of the time. He’s grateful for the extra time to mull over how he’s feeling for everyone, to consider what lay ahead, who he wants to take on one on ones, and who he’s got to consider saying goodbye to next.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One of the best things about flying from Canada to Mexico is that there’s no jet lag, unlike when they flew over to North America from England. The trip takes a long time, predictably, but it’s not nearly as exhausting. After eleven hours of travel, the twelve men and women are met with not one, but two vehicles outside the airport. One is a shuttle bus and the other is a large SUV. They’re not used to being greeted like this, so they stand together at the curb at the airport, confused.

There are cameras rolling, too, and a few start whispering between themselves to try to figure out what’s going on. The drivers of each are standing near their vehicle, signs in hand with names on them. Inside the SUV is another camera, and hesitantly, the people start loading into their respective vehicles.

Everyone is sleepy and worn out from traveling, and have no idea when Louis flew over, if he even has yet. People have messy hair, they’re wearing their glasses, and overall they look exactly like they’ve been traveling almost a full day. Inside the SUV, cameras focus in on the six men and women who have no idea that they’re currently on their way to their group date with Louis.

Eleanor, Danielle, Briana, Liam, Niall, and Jack are in the shuttle bus headed right for the hotel where they’ll be staying in Tulum, Mexico. Meanwhile, the rest of them ride through the hills of Mexico, trying to figure out where they’re going because they leave the city almost right away.

After about an hour, the SUV comes to a stop at the end of a rocky path lined with trees. There are more cameras, but no explanation. Avan looks out the window, confused. “I don’t even see Louis,” he says.

The driver opens the door, signaling to them that it’s time to get out of the car. They have no idea what’s going on, but they can hear the driver unloading their bags from the trunk so they start to climb out and look around. “Are we…?” Harry trails off, glancing around. “There’s no hotel here. Erm - excuse me? Par -,” he sighs, frowning. “I only know French.”

They slowly file out of the car, and once their bags are out and they’re off to the side, the driver gets in and speeds away. Standing there on the gravel, surrounded by their bags, there are six very confused men and women with no idea where they are in Mexico.

A couple minutes later, they hear footsteps on the gravel, and their heads all snap towards the sound. Sure enough, it’s Louis walking down the path, grinning like mad. “Hey guys,” he smiles.

Zayn adjusts his glasses on his face and Avan combs his hand through his hair, wishing like hell that he’d showered before they left. He’d been too lazy to, saying he’d shower when they landed in Mexico instead. Now his hair is all greasy and gross when it looks an awful lot like they’re about to start a group date.

“Oh, don’t look so scared!” Louis says, amused. “It’s just a campsite. What do you think?”

Perrie has a hand to her heart and she looks so relieved, the fear ebbing away now that she knows what they’re doing. She’d been so freaked out, being left in the middle of somewhere so unfamiliar. Being here now, with Louis, she feels much more at ease. Even having Barbara by her side, swearing that it’s going to be alright and that there

has

to be a reason they’re here in the middle of nowhere with cameramen.

“Welcome to Mexico!” Louis says, letting out a whoop of excitement. “Everyone ready to get to the campsite?”

The six of them gather their bags and follow Louis, bumbling their way down the rocky paths as their suitcases fall over and refuse to stay upright as they walk. When they finally reach the campsite, everyone is sweaty and exhausted, the sun beating down on them. “Alright, chin up,” Louis says, noticing how worn out some people look. He never stops smiling as he says optimistically, “At least we didn’t have to set up the tents.”

There are four tents circled around a fire pit - three empty ones, and one piled high with stuff that they can only imagine belongs to Louis. It looks a mess, like he’s been there for days. “Alright, so, everyone looks sort of half-awake, so I think we need to do something to spice things up. Enjoy the sunlight. We’re in Mexico!” Louis grins. He looks so excited, standing there in his Vans and his denim shorts and a silly Spiderman tee shirt. His hair’s a mess and he’s not all dressed up and the moment

should

be perfect. There’s a weird mood around them, and Louis just wants more people smiling and having fun. “Everyone get your bathing suits on. We’re going for a swim.”

Louis climbs into his tent and zips it shut without another word. He knows that things were weird during their week in Calgary, but they’re in a new country, halfway through the process, and he really wants to keep the drama at bay. He’s had enough of it, and he doesn’t want that weighing on his mind when he’s got to really start working through these feelings he has because the process is getting much more serious.

Perrie and Barbara take a tent together, and Zayn and Matthew take one, leaving Harry and Avan with the tent next to Louis’s. Louis is the first finished, and he waits for them by the fire pit wearing nothing but his shoes and some swim trunks. It’s hot out, even as autumn approaches, and swimming in the Caribbean Sea is going to feel so good.

One by one the other six file out, and Louis really wants to get things back on track. He smiles at them and tries not to stare too much as he says, “Alright, shall we go?”

It’s not very far to the beach, the beautiful white sanded beach with turquoise water that goes on for miles, out to the horizon, as far as they can see. The sunlight is streaming down on them, sparkling off the water. For Louis, it’s perfect. He’s always wanted to be somewhere this tropical, this beautiful. He kicks off his shoes on the beach and wanders into the surf, turning around to face them. “Alright, come on,” he shouts, beckoning them towards him. “Let’s go!” The girls kick off their sandals and are the first to go in the water.

Perrie shrieks because it’s cold, but she’s close enough that Louis can grab her hand and pull her into the water. It splashes up her thighs, and then over her belly, and she giggles as Louis scoops an arm around her waist and pulls her into the water. He dunks them, and she sputters as they stand up again in the water. “Louis!” she protests.

“What?” he asks, laughing. He’s still holding her around her waist, and she looks up at him, laughing. He’s dripping wet and his fringe is in his eyes but he looks so undeniably happy.

“What do you mean,

what

?” Perrie teases. “You just dunked me underwater! No warning or anything!”

Louis leans in for a kiss, and Perrie cups his cheek as she lets him steal a few kisses as they stand in the ocean together. “You liked it. Admit it,” he teases.

Playfully, she hits his chest and laughs with him. He kisses her again, and then gently lets go of her to face the other five. “Come on! In the water!” he shouts.

Zayn looks apprehensive, standing there in the sand as Harry and Matthew start walking into the water. Louis notices and wonders what’s up, so he starts walking through the water and back to shore. Louis quirks an eyebrow and asks, “Everything okay?”

“I’m good, yeah,” Zayn says. He doesn’t make a move to go towards the water.

Louis holds out his hand to Zayn and says, “Come on. The water feels great.”

“No dunking,” Zayn bargains, and toes off his sneakers.

Raising an eyebrow, Louis teases, “No fun.”

“I’m serious.”

Louis can hear something in Zayn’s voice - something that sounds a lot like fear or anger - so he backs off. “Okay,” he nods. He’s completely serious as he says it. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

This time Louis frowns, and he takes a step closer to Zayn. “Talk to me,” he presses. “Tell me what’s going on.”

He can tell there’s something really bugging Zayn, so rather than trying to get him to go out in the water, Louis sits down on the towel next to Zayn. The others are preoccupied anyway, in waist-deep water hitting an inflatable ball around. There are squeals of laughter as they hang out, so Louis doesn’t feel bad taking a moment with Zayn.

Sitting on the blanket, Louis pats the sand next to him until Zayn catches the hint and sits down. Even if he doesn’t get in the water all night, Louis still feels like the date was a success because he got to see Zayn shirtless; it’s a lovely sight. But unlike earlier, Louis’s focus is entirely on Zayn’s emotions, and what’s going on in his mind. “Talk to me, please.”

Louis sort of hates that he’s got to urge Zayn to open up like this, after so long. He’d thought they’d worked past this. He’s trying to be open to relationships with all of them, but after a while the effort becomes exhausting. Thankfully, Zayn finally opens his mouth and says something. “I can’t swim,” he confesses.

Louis is quiet for a moment. He hadn’t even considered that as an option, and he should have. He feels foolish, and frowns as he shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought -,”

“It’s fine,” Zayn replies. “Not a big deal.” He leans his elbows against his knees, squinting in the sunlight as he looks out at the ocean. “It’s a nice view, anyway.”

Gently, Louis leans over and bumps against Zayn. “I really am sorry. I had no idea, and then I went and pressured you…”

“C’mon,” Zayn says. He holds out his hand to Louis.

Confused, Louis looks over at Zayn and takes his hand. They stand together and Zayn starts walking towards the water. His grip tightens a little on Louis’s hand, but they walk into the water. Zayn goes in until the water’s up to his thighs and stays there. This he can handle. The other five seem to notice, and they move the game closer to they can play back and forth that way.

Zayn starts to get into it, staying in the shallowest part, with Matt standing opposite Zayn in the water, since he’s the tallest. He gets hold of the inflatable ball and holds it up, smirking, trying to decide who to toss it to next. “Oi! Over here!” Louis shouts.

Matt holds the ball above his head and taunts, “Come get it then.”

Avan rolls his eyes because that is such a cliche thing to say, but Louis goes for it. He’d take any excuse to be close to any of them, and Matt went for it. “Alright then,” Louis says, walking towards Matt. He trudges through the water, and Matt - rather unfairly - starts stepping further back.

Louis jumps and tries to bump the ball out of Matt’s hands, but he knows he doesn’t stand a chance. The man is too bloody tall. Matt laughs and catches Louis, but still doesn’t give him the ball. Harry’s stepping in, looking determined like he’s going to steal the beach ball for Louis, so Matt throws it desperately towards shore and then grabs hold of Louis and falls backwards. Louis falls in the water with him, on top of him, and sputters a little when they resurface. The water is deeper out there, and Louis can’t touch the bottom. “Unfair,” Louis laughs, wrapping an arm around Matt’s shoulders. “The water’s too deep.”

“Or you’re just short,” Matt laughs. He leans in to give Louis a kiss, to wipe that affronted look off of his face.

As they’re kissing, the beach ball soars towards them and smacks them in the head, right between them. Unamused, Louis looks around to try to figure out who did it. Fingers point at each other and Louis just rolls his eyes, laughing a little. “Alright, alright,” Louis says. He glances up at the sun in the sky, as it makes its final approach towards the horizon, and says, “Let’s head back before one of us gets seriously injured by that damn ball.”

Zayn eagerly starts walking toward land, and soon they’re all standing around, drying off with towels, sand stuck to their feet. They carry their shoes as they walk up the beach and back to the gravel path where they’ll need to put their shoes back on. As they walk, Louis makes a point to approach Zayn and ask, “Did you have fun? Was that alright?”

With a small smile on his face, Zayn nods and says, “Yeah, it was good.”

“I’m glad,” Louis nods, feeling much better knowing that the situation wasn’t too uncomfortable for him.

They walk back to the campsite and Louis gets to work on starting a fire while the others change. Once the fire is lit, Louis shivers a little so he decides it’s time to change. As he’s doing that, Matthew and Zayn start setting up the campsite with chairs around the fire. They dig through the coolers to see what kind of food is available, and Matt takes the lead on making dinner.

It’s all typical camping fare - hot dogs, corn on the cob - so it’s pretty easy to make. Plus, Matt likes to cook and he hasn’t gotten to for a while, so he wants to take this opportunity while he can. It helps that it means Louis will get to see his skill, too. Zayn rummages around for some dishes and finds paper plates buried away at the bottom of a box the crew provided them.

Avan helps himself to a beer and passes out some drinks to everyone, and all six are gathered around the fire when Louis emerges looking incredibly cosy in some denim shorts and a Vans hoodie that looks to be at least two sizes too big for him. His hands get lost in the sleeves and his hair is an absolute mess, but he looks so content. “Ooh, who’s making dinner?” Louis asks.

“That’d be me,” Matt replies, holding up one of the fire pokers to wave at Louis. He starts putting hot dogs on the fire poker, the corn already cooking in tin foil on the coals, and keeps working on the food. “Avan’s got drinks.”

Avan holds up a couple of beer options to Louis. He takes the Corona and happily drinks down a healthy amount to start. After they eat the meal that Matt made for them, it naturally shifts into one on one time with each of the men and women on the camping trip. Barbara is the first to ask Louis for some one on one time, so they disappear off on a walk through some nearby trails.

She feels like already this date is a massive improvement from past ones, because he can see parts of her that the show doesn’t necessarily allow for. She’s wearing yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt, her damp hair up in a messy ponytail. She’s got no makeup on, and she’s wearing plain old sneakers. This is her home look, her comfortable look, the one he’d encounter far more often than the dressed up version she brings with on most dates. Seeing each other in such an

average

situation makes her feel like they’re reaching a deeper level than they have in the past. As they walk, Louis holds her hand and keeps glancing over at her until finally he asks, “What do you think of Mexico so far?”

“It’s amazing,” she smiles, looking around. “The beach and the ocean… it was such a gorgeous view. I still cannot believe I’m here.”

Louis nods and says fondly, “I know the feeling. It’s been a month and I still haven’t wrapped my head around all this.”

Barbara walks a little closer to him as the sun begins to set and she says, “Thank you for those phone calls before we left, by the way.”

She’s referring to the afternoon before their flight to Mexico, when everyone had been hanging out in the hotel conference room, eating some food and passing around a cell phone that would allow them each to make one ten minute phone call. Usually the men and women competing are cut off from the world, from their families, but Louis didn’t agree with that. Liam was the exception to the rule, because of Bear, but when it came down to it, Louis was a family man. He also thought that everyone should get to call someone important to them. It’d been a month with no contact, and they all deserved it, especially now that tensions were high.

The caveat to the whole thing was that they’d had to sit in the same room, so they were monitored both by people on the crew for the show, but also by their peers. They couldn’t sit and bash someone else, unless of course they didn’t mind that person hearing the whole thing. Louis hadn’t been told whether they’d actually get to have these calls, all he knew was that he’d pushed for it, because he wanted people to keep those connections to their families. “I’m glad to hear you got to make those calls,” he replies. “I know this is a really long time to be away from your families.” Barbara nods, and Louis asks, “Who did you call?”

“My mother,” she says with a smile. “We talked for a little bit, and then I got a chance to say hi to my sister.”

“What about your dad?” Louis wonders.

Barbara shrugs. “He doesn’t really understand. I tried to explain but in Hungary we do not have this show. We used to, my mom says, but my dad never watched it,” she explains. “He thinks it’s silly. So I talked to my mother and sister instead.”

Louis nods along as she speaks and after a moment, he asks, “So, if you were to bring me home to meet them… do you think he’d be there?”

She laughs a little. “Yes, of course,” she says. “I’m his baby girl. He’d be there because I’d ask him to be. And my mother would tell him to be. He just may not be as friendly.” Barbara looks up at Louis sadly and says, “I’m sorry I can’t really change his mind. I did try. And my sister is still trying for me.”

“I understand,” Louis says. “This is a different way to date than most people are used to. Parents, especially… they don’t always get it.” Louis tilts his head to the side and asks, “Do you think it’s all worth it?”

“Yes, of course,” Barbara nods. She stumbles over a branch and Louis steadies her. “Thanks,” she says, embarrassed.

“Anytime,” Louis replies. He watches her closely to be sure she won’t trip again, and then asks, “Tell me about the rest of your family. Are you the youngest, then?”

Barbara smiles and nods again. “Yes. My older sister’s name is Anita, and then there is my mom and my dad,” she explains. “Anita is an accountant. She lives in Switzerland now. But she says if you come meet my family she’s going to be there.”

That puts a smile on Louis’s face, and he says, “You two must be close, then.”

“Very,” Barbara nods. “She’s my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her. She encouraged me to do this, you know. After my last boyfriend. She said I needed to do something crazy and new and forget all about him.”

“Was she right? Did it help?”

“Yes,” she nods. She looks quite happy about that fact, too.

Louis stops on the trail; he can hear the crackling of the fire. They’re close to the campsite, having made the rounds around a path. Barbara hopes that she’s opened up enough to save herself for another week. She really cares about Louis and she’s already started thinking about what could happen if she got to take him home to meet her family. She smiles up at him, and feels more at ease when he leans in for a slow, gentle kiss.

Barbara wraps her arms around his waist and smiles as they kiss, so happy to be here with Louis. She’s made it further than she thought she would, so it all feels quite like an accomplishment. However, there’s still a fear nestled deep inside her that she’s going to be sent home. She’s noticed that he’s made better connections with some other people there. In fact, the week before she was quite shocked that she hadn’t been sent home, because she thought everyone had done better with him than she had.

She wasn’t going to take any time with Louis for granted, so she enjoyed slow, tender kisses in the woods with him for as long as she could before they were interrupted by Harry. Barbara gave Louis one last smile in goodbye before she wandered back to the fire, leaving Harry and Louis alone in the woods.

“Hey, Harry,” Louis says with a smile. He wraps his arms around Harry’s waist and greets him with a massive hug.

Harry happily hugs him back, though he’s felt conflicted for weeks now. Ever since finding out about Nick’s feelings for him, Harry’s been distracted. He’s not been the most genuine with people in the competition. Louis is the only person who’s seen Harry at his most genuine, as who he truly is. Other than perhaps Nick, that is. Because when he’d been spending time with Nick, Harry had been happier than he could remember being since he started this process, other than his one on one date with Louis.

That’s part of where the conflict comes from. The feelings are so similar, and even though Harry likes having time with Louis during dates like this, little private moments, it’s not quite the same. They can’t just sit around playing Go Fish or some other stupid game to pass the time while Louis dates other people. It’s not the same as with Nick. And now that he knows the sort of feelings Nick had harbored for him, Harry can’t stop thinking about it - about the possibilities.

He’s been torn for weeks, and he’s tried to draw less attention to himself while he works through the emotions. Louis is receptive, though, and he’s bound to pick up on things eventually. So, Harry puts on his best smile and leans in to steal a kiss as they say hello. “How are you? How was the trip?” Louis asks.

“I’m good. The trip was long, but it’s so gorgeous here,” Harry says, taking Louis’s hand. They start to walk along the trail, but stop pretty early on to sit on one of the benches along the path.

It’s awkward for a moment as Louis tries to figure out what he wants to ask Harry. As much as he’d like to address the drama from weeks previous, to see if things have gotten better between them, since he knew Harry was feeling pretty isolated for a while. However, Louis really wants to ignore the negativity so instead he asks, “How are you feeling about all of this? Still doing alright?”

Harry smiles and nods. “Yeah. I mean,” he laughs, “Another one on one date would be amazing, but I’m working with what I’ve got.”

If asked, Louis is pretty sure most men and women here would say that. “Well, I wish I could take you all out one by one,” Louis replies. “We just make due with what we’ve got, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Harry nods. “I’ve never been camping before, so this is great.”

“Really?” Louis asks, surprised. “Well, hopefully it doesn’t disappoint. The meal earlier was really good, wasn’t it?”

Harry shrugs. He likes to think he’s a good cook too, and would have liked the opportunity to make them something. Cooking has always been a good way to take his mind off of things, as well, and these days he seems to constantly be in search of some sort of distraction. “Yeah,” Harry replies politely. “I miss cooking.”

Raising an eyebrow, Louis asks, “You cook?”

“I love to. I won that challenge, remember?” he asks. “Me and Nick. The French toast.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Louis nods, smiling. His smile droops a bit when he hears Nick’s name, but neither of them say any more on that subject. Instead, Louis asks, “Do you cook a lot at home?”

Nodding, Harry says, “As much as I can, yeah. I try to, at least. Sometimes when I’ve got too much studying to do, I just make a cup of noodles or something. But usually I try to make a good roast for my flatmates on Sundays or something.”

“Nice,” Louis nods. “You live with flatmates then? In London?”

“No, I’m in Manchester, actually. I go to the University of Manchester, and I’ve taken a leave this year but next year I’ll finish my final year and have my degree,” Harry explains. “Then I’ll be done with school forever.” He smiles at the thought.

“Manchester is an amazing city,” Louis says enthusiastically. “I really wish I went there more often, because it’s got such a great vibe, you know? And there’s a football museum I want to see. Every time I go, I never get around to it.” He’s gushing, so he pauses and takes a breath, holding back a little. “I can see why you’d like it there. You

do

like it there, right?”

“I love it,” Harry smiles. “You don’t have to back off. Tell me what you’ve done there. Wouldn’t it be mad if we’d crossed paths in Manchester and never even knew about it?”

The thought is an interesting one; it’d be so strange if they’d crossed paths and not realized it, obviously because they didn’t meet until this process. Louis talks about the places he’s been in Manchester and the things he’s done, though there’s no overlap in times they were both there. Harry’s a little disappointed by that; as it turns out, they’d both had tickets to the same Script concert in Manchester back in 2009, but at the last minute Louis didn’t go because his twin sisters Daisy and Phoebe were sick and his mum needed help taking care of them.

They’re interrupted then by Zayn, who happily asks if he can have some time with Louis. He’s felt a little threatened by Harry lately, but he’s also had a bit of a problem with him. He can’t read him is the problem, so Zayn gets defensive of Louis and wonders if Harry should even still be here. Zayn feels a slight satisfaction, getting to cut Harry’s time off like this, and hardly says two words to Harry after he says goodbye to Louis and starts to walk back to the campsite. “Hey,” Louis smiles to Zayn.

He waits to see what Zayn wants to do, whether he wants to sit down or walk around. Zayn holds out his hand to Louis and Louis gets his answer. They start to walk together through the woods, and they’re quiet for a bit. “What’s on your mind?” Louis asks.

Zayn isn’t sure what exactly he should say, if anything. He doesn’t want to add to drama or come off as clingy, but he does have some concerns. “Dunno. It’s stressful, sometimes I get stuck in my thoughts. It’s nothing against you, I promise,” Zayn begins.

“No, don’t apologize,” Louis insists. “Anything I can help with?”

Zayn huffs out a laugh and says, “Doubtful. It’s just the stress of this all. I get really caught up thinking about how you’re doing with everyone else. Wondering why I’m here sometimes.”

Louis hesitates, but decides to ask the question on the tip of his tongue. “What do you mean?” Louis wonders.

“It’s stupid,” Zayn warns right away. He knows that compared to some other people here, he’s not doing very well and his own personality is the reason why. He gets awkward around new people, and here he is in a huge group of them, cut off from everything familiar. “I just see you with some of the others and it’s like, really clear that you’re further in this whole thing with them than you are with me.”

Louis’s heart beats a little faster with worry as he walks hand in hand with Zayn, listening attentively. He doesn’t like where this conversation is going. “Well… what do you want to do about that?” Louis asks.

He pauses on the trail to turn and look at Zayn, who’s avoiding his eyes. “I fuckin’ want you, Lou,” Zayn blurts out. He sighs. “But I think that I need time this whole process isn’t going to give us, and that maybe I need to bow out.”

Louis frowns. “Are you sure?” he asks. It sounds an awful lot like Zayn is giving up, and he’d hate for Zayn to decide that and then regret it in a few hours.

“No,” Zayn says simply. He looks up at Louis and looks so conflicted, so torn, that it breaks Louis’s heart a little.

Reaching down for his hands, Louis gathers his thoughts and takes a deep breath. “How about this. You… think about it. A little longer. Sleep on it, maybe,” he says, almost desperately. “You could just be exhausted from all the travel. We can talk about it in the morning.”

Zayn nods. He’ll agree to that, if only to let Louis think about it too, and wrap his mind around it. Zayn’s pretty sure that at this point, his best move would be to leave, because there are some other deserving men and women. Even though it clearly bothers Louis, he’s kind and warm to Zayn anyway, and wraps him up in a massive hug before asking if he can walk him back to the campsite.

They walk in silence, and it settles over Zayn that since they can’t even make conversation happen here, it’s probably the best decision for them both. He’ll do it on Louis’s terms though, to give him the closure he probably needs. Besides, they’re camping in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. It’d be dramatic to leave as soon as he arrived.

Perrie snags some time with Louis as soon as he gets back to the campsite, so Zayn sits down by the campfire and gratefully takes the beer Avan offers him. He drinks half of it down in one gulp. Matt looks at him with concern and asks, “Is everything okay?”

Zayn shrugs noncommittally and says, “I’m thinking about leaving, actually.”

The other four share looks between them - expressions somewhere between shock and confusion - and it takes a few moments before someone speaks up. “Why?” Harry asks.

“I just feel like… I’ve been coasting,” Zayn explains. He avoids their eyes. Instead, he keeps his gaze trained on the bonfire in front of them as the sun sets around them. It’s already getting dark. He likes that. It makes it easier for him to hide and stay quiet. “Today when we were out in the ocean it was painfully obvious how much closer he is with basically everyone here except me. So I’ve gotta quit stealing his time.”

“You’re just going to give up?” Barbara asks, sounding sad.

Again, Zayn shrugs. He takes a sip of his beer and says, “Look, we’re here because we care about Louis, right?” They all nod. “Well, I care about him, too. But the amount that he cares for me in return isn’t the same as it is with you guys. I need more time to fall for someone than I thought I did. So if I really care about him, I should back off and let him actually find love. Pretty sure at this point I’m just standing in his way.”

“That’s not true,” Matt says, trying to be supportive.

“Nah, mate, it is,” Zayn replies instantly. He looks up at Matt and says, “Half the time we can’t even think of things to talk about. So trust me, it’s better that I go.”

Harry’s frowning, fingers playing with his lower lip as he asks, “Did you tell Louis that? Does he know?”

Nodding, Zayn explains, “He told me to think on it overnight. That I should tell him what I decide in the morning.”

“It sounds like he doesn’t want you to go,” Barbara says. “If he’s begging you to reconsider.”

Zayn sighs. It’s clear that he’s thought about this a lot, and as he sits there quietly, it dawns on the other four that Zayn’s already made up his mind. He’s only staying the night to placate Louis and give him time to process before he has to say goodbye. “Well… it’ll suck to see you go, but I can’t lie to you, man, it’ll be nice having a little bit better chances with him,” Avan says.

“Hey. That’s not what he needs to hear,” Harry admonishes.

There’s a slight tension there, clearly. Zayn ignores it though, and instead says to Avan, “I know. And that’s what you all deserve. Because you all have better chances with him than I do.”

When Perrie comes back, Matt decides to go steal some time with Louis, leaving everyone to fill in Perrie on the turn of events. Barbara is the most passionate about convincing Zayn to stay. “He gave you a rose for a reason!” she says. “I’m sure he cares much more about you than you think.”

“It’s so easy to get inside your own head during all of this,” Avan adds.

Zayn quiets, though, and doesn’t respond to many of their arguments. If he’s being totally honest, he doesn’t feel as much for Louis as he’d hoped he would either, but Zayn fears harsh retaliation if he says

that

out loud. “I think we ought to just let it go,” Perrie says to the group, sensing Zayn’s discomfort. “Instead of moping or trying to change Zayn’s mind, let’s make the best of it, shall we?”

She wanders over to the coolers of food and pulls out a few packages of food: the ingredients for s’mores. She starts handing them out, and Zayn actually engages more with the group again, now that they’ve changed topics to something more comfortable for him. He’s secure in his decision and now just wants the group to respect that.

In the middle of making their treats, Matt and Louis return, and Louis wanders over to grab some for himself. “Avan, we can have some one on one time, but before we do that I

need

one of these,” he says, spearing a marshmallow on a stick.

“Fine with me,” Avan says.

With a grin, Matt puts one hand on Louis’s hip and pulls Louis into his lap. They sit close to the fire, roasting marshmallows together, and while it’s probably not right to flaunt what they have in front of the rest, Matt likes the current situation. He likes that Louis is smaller than him and fits on his lap or in his arms so well. Louis doesn’t fight it, either.

He does, however, laugh maniacally when he drops marshmallow on the front of Matt’s shorts. Nobody else knows what Louis’s howling laughter is about, though, except for Matt who just looks down at the mess, trying to fight his own laughter. “What is it?” Perrie asks.

Louis stands up and points at Matt’s lap, still laughing. His eyes are wet, he’s laughing so hard, and he barely manages to explain through his peals of laughter, “Looks like spunk on the front of his shorts!”

Perrie snorts with laughter too, and before long all seven of them are laughing. Even Zayn, which is a surprise to a few of them considering how morose he’d looked earlier. “Thanks,” Matt says, trying to wipe off the drop of marshmallow with his fingers. All it does is smudge and make it worse, and eventually he gives up trying to fix it entirely.

Louis’s laughter takes forever to die down, but it’s all in good fun, and Matt finds it more amusing than anything. After the laughter has died down, Avan is itching for some alone time with Louis and decides to stir the pot a little. “Can we talk in your tent?” he asks.

Louis raises an eyebrow, but nods, letting Avan bend the rules just a little. People will be able to overhear their conversation, anyway, so it’s actually

less

private than going for a walk. Louis leads Avan to the tent and they disappear inside, leaving several people sitting around, highly annoyed.

Inside the tent, Louis asks, “What is it? Everything alright?”

With a smile, Avan nods. “Yeah, everything’s good. I just wanted to be somewhere private. And warm.”

Louis scoots up to Avan and leans against him as they sit together on his air mattress. “Warm enough for you?”

“Yeah,” he smiles.

“So what’s on your mind?” Louis asks. He can only assume that Avan asked for some private time in the way he did because he had something he wanted to talk about.

Avan takes a deep breath, and he tries to keep his voice low so maybe over the crackle of the fire, the others won’t hear him. He sighs and says, “Okay look, I don’t want to start anything, but I know I will anyway because this is…” he pauses. “Something happened when we got our phone calls before we left, and I think you should know about it.”

Confused, Louis asks, “What is it?”

“Okay so like, most of us called our families, right? Or like, a best friend or something,” Avan begins, and Louis nods. “Well, Harry called Nick.”

Avan feels a little bad for saying it without really leading up to it at all, but he didn’t know what else to do. There’s no nice way to say that Harry spent his phone call talking to someone who nearly cost him a place in this competition. A person who had feelings for him and was eliminated because of it.

Louis doesn’t say anything, and Avan doesn’t pressure him for an answer. Avan just rubs Louis’s back and tries to be supportive because he knows that the news couldn’t be easy for him to hear. After everything - the second chances, the insistence that he really does like Louis and want to be with him - he decides to use his call to talk to Nick. The man who had feelings for Harry, too.

“Thank you for telling me,” Louis says softly. “That’s… good to know.”

“I didn’t hear much of what he was saying, but they were talking and laughing,” Avan says. He bites his tongue and doesn’t say what was on the tip of his tongue:

he looked like he was happier than when he’s with you

.

“I’m so sorry,” Avan adds, looking genuinely apologetic. While he might have had slightly selfish reasons for saying something, more than anything he just wanted to protect Louis’s heart in all of this.

“Nothing for you to apologize for, is there?” Louis says, looking up at Avan. He puts on his best smile, though there’s still sadness in his eyes. “I’m glad you said something.”

Avan leans in and slowly kisses Louis, hoping that through the kiss, Louis can see that he’s starting to fall for him, that he genuinely cares about him. “I would never do that to you,” Avan whispers.

Louis nods ever so slightly and kisses Avan again. Breathlessly, he says, “I know. I trust you.”

Even though Avan knew that going into this conversation he could damage his own chances by throwing Harry under the bus, he knew that they had a strong enough connection that he’d probably be fine. And hearing that Louis trusts him? That does wonders for Avan’s confidence both in himself and their relationship.

After a few more moments of slow, tender kisses, the two of them separate and walk out to the fire. It’s dwindling down to a few small flames, and Louis glances up at the sky before he says, “I’d hoped we could do some stargazing but it looks like some clouds have rolled in. If it rains, don’t panic - the tents are brand new and waterproof.” He chuckles and says, “It’s highly likely that it’s going to rain. It’s rainy season here right now.” Louis pauses again, trying his very best to hide the fact that he’s been disappointed all over again. “So - I think I’m going to call it a night. In the morning, we’ll have some breakfast, I’ll hand out the rose, and we’ll go join the rest of them at the resort. Sound good?”

The six men and women around the fire nod and voice their agreement, and as Louis climbs into his tent, they start cleaning up. Everyone’s being pretty quiet as they do, and after securing the food where it can’t be eaten by wildlife, they climb into their tents. Harry lays quietly in his spot next to Avan, thinking over his next move. He’d heard their entire conversation, even if Avan tried to be stealthy and keep it quiet. Rather than confronting Avan, Harry is filled with the urge to confront Louis instead.

When he’s sure that Avan is asleep, Harry slowly unzips the door to their tent and climbs out. Little does he know, several of the others are still awake, including Louis who can’t stop his thoughts from wandering and keeping him awake. Harry zips his tent closed again and tiptoes to Louis’s, gently unzipping it to give Louis plenty of warning that someone is there. Louis’s hand flies to the zipper, unsure of what’s on the other side, but when he sees Harry’s face peering at him in the moonlight, he relaxes. “Hi,” Louis whispers.

“Hi,” Harry whispers back. “Can I come in?”

Against his better judgment, Louis nods and lets Harry in, zipping the tent closed behind him. Harry crawls in to lay down next to Louis, still thinking through his final moves in his head. Does he try to debunk what Avan said? Defend himself? Or does he pretend he has no idea they had that conversation and instead show Louis just how much he cares for him? Even though Harry doesn’t know exactly what his feelings are towards Nick, he knows that he has feelings for Louis, that he’s falling for him. “Hi,” Harry whispers again, lying down on the air mattress next to Louis.

“Hi,” Louis replies. He looks nervous.

Harry frowns because he knows that’s his fault. He also knows full well that there’s plenty he could do about it, but he doesn’t want to come off as making excuses. Talking about how he’s feeling right now sounds so difficult, so unbearable. Instead he’d really just like to show Louis how he’s feeling. Harry cups Louis’s cheek in his hand and leans in, lips barely brushing against Louis’s as he asks, “Can I?”

Louis smiles ever so slightly before he leans in, capturing Harry’s lips in a kiss. He knows this is wrong, but they’ve still got mics on and presumably there’s a camera around somewhere because there

always

is, especially on an overnight group date which until now had been unheard of on the show. They’re going to get caught by someone, but Louis can’t bring himself to care. In the process of all of this, he’s gotten to kiss many of the contestants, but he’s also had to hold back. Here in this moment, with Harry, he can let go a little.

So let go he does. The two of them lay there together kissing, Louis hooking a leg over one of Harry’s to pull himself impossibly closer. The kiss deepens, Harry’s fingers tangling in Louis’s hair as he memorizes every sound that tumbles out of Louis’s mouth, every little thing he does as they kiss. Louis likes to have his lower lip bitten, just a little, and Harry feels triumphant for making this discovery.

They kiss for what feels like ages, until they’re both panting for breath, bodies completely intertwined, lips dark red and bruised. Harry smiles at Louis, who smiles back. “Louis…” Harry trails off, his whisper so quiet the editors later will hardly be able to hear what he says, and they’ll need to use screencaps as well. “I’m falling in love with you. I wanted you to know that.”

The words steal the breath from Louis’s chest and he feels even more conflicted. That conflict and confusion is covered up by his joy at hearing those words, though, and he leans in to kiss Harry one last time that evening. He smiles at him, just a little, and wants to say so much but can’t find the words.

Reluctantly, Harry peels himself away from Louis and climbs back towards the zipper on the tent. “I’ll see you in the morning, Lou,” he whispers.

Harry tiptoes back into his own tent and lies down, thinking he’s pulled off the whole thing without Avan noticing. Harry rolls onto his side and closes his eyes, ready for sleep. Just as he’s drifting off, he hears Avan whisper, “I can’t believe you’re toying with Louis’s emotions like this.”

His words settle over Harry, leaving him feeling a bit ill. Is that what they think of him? That he’s toying with Louis? That he’s going to hurt him? Suddenly feeling a lot less content, Harry drifts off into a fitful sleep.

In the morning, Harry is the last one to wake. When he climbs out of the tent, everyone else is sitting around the fire except for Zayn. He must’ve left that morning, decided for real this time that he and Louis were over.

Louis greets Harry with a smile, but the other four - their gazes are all mixtures of anger and disappointment and Harry doesn’t quite know how to handle that. He’s not used to so many people disliking him. All he’d done was exactly as Louis suggested - when he sees an opportunity for time alone, take it. So take it he did.

The whole morning is tense, everyone eating their breakfast in silence. Once Louis finishes his, he says, “So, before we go meet the rest of them at the resort, I have a rose to hand out.”

He pulls a rose from his tent and faces five men and women who all want the rose so badly. Taking a deep breath, Louis says, “This date was all about letting loose and having fun and just embracing this journey. I brought us somewhere so laid back, so disconnected, so that we could get to know each other better. For some, like Zayn, this was the end. But for others… we got to a new level and I really appreciate that. I wish I could give everyone roses right here, right now. But that’s not how this works.”

After a pause, Louis says, “This rose goes to a person who is always rolling with the punches, and always looking out for those around them even when they have no reason to. They’re kind and warm and always manage to brighten my day. So… Perrie.” She looks up, blue eyes filled with surprise. “Will you accept this rose?”

She smiles brightly, disbelief on her face as she walks from her chair to Louis to wrap him up in a big hug. “I would love to,” she replies. “Thank you.”

Louis leans in to kiss her, letting the kiss linger for a moment before he pulls away. Perrie takes a seat and Louis still stands, facing the rest. “Thank you all for a great time camping,” he says. “There are going to be two more dates this week, so how about we pack up and head to the resort?”

He’s sure that everyone, including himself, are ready for a shower. With the help of crew members, the group gets the campsite packed up in record time, and everyone climbs into an SUV that will take them to the beachside resort where the other six are currently sitting.

They’re eating their breakfast together in a kitchenette when there’s a knock on the door. Jack goes to answer it, and receives a date card to read out loud to the group. Standing facing the other five, he reads, “Eleanor.” He pauses to let people wonder if she’s got the one on one or just the first name on the group date card. After a few seconds, he reads the rest: “Let’s take the plunge. Love, Louis.”

With more on the line with each coming week, it’s completely understandable that a few would be disappointed that Eleanor got the one on one over them. However, Eleanor has been patiently waiting for weeks, and she can’t fight the smile on her face. She finally gets some one on one time with Louis, and she can’t wait to see what happens for the two of them in Mexico.

--

As soon as the campers from the first group date get to the resort, the group of now five contestants fill in the others on what happened. Eleanor sits calmly in her white sheer sundress, a beautiful red strappy bikini underneath, ready for her date. She likes that she has time to catch up on all the gossip before she goes, though. She hadn’t been expecting to only see five people come back. If Louis is saying goodbye to people like this at this point in the process, Eleanor feels like maybe she has better chances than she’d originally thought.

Plus, having a one on one date means that not only can she cheer him up, but she can progress their relationship at the same time. Being around Louis makes her happier every day, and she can’t imagine how she’d handle it if she, too, were sent home this week. She’s so invested in it now that it’s hard to imagine a life without Louis in it.

Perrie tells Zayn’s story best, giving him just the right amount of sympathy without making it a pity party, explaining how he’d felt the others were just further along with Louis than he was, and he didn’t want to stand in the way of that. Avan mentions that they camped out overnight and that he heard

somebody

sneak into Louis’s tent, but he doesn’t name who. Sure enough, when the discussion ends and people disperse, quite a few people approach Avan, asking him to name names.

Eleanor avoids that drama though, focusing instead on Louis as soon as he walks in the door. Everyone stops their conversations to cheer and say hello, but Eleanor is the only one who gets to get up and walk over to him, to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She’s glowing with happiness before they even leave on the date and that makes Louis incredibly happy. He feels like he chose the right person.

She happily takes his hand and follows him out the door. It had been cloudy when they’d arrived at the resort the day before, but the sky has cleared up and now they’re about to spend a day outside under the bright sunlight and she couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. She can only assume they’ll be outside, given where they are, but aside from that she has no idea what they’re doing. “Thank you for choosing me,” she says as they climb into the back of a taxi cab. “I’m so excited for the day.”

“Of course,” Louis says with a smile. “I’ve been looking forward to this date for days. You’re going to love it.”

Eleanor takes his hand and leans against him in the car, crossing one leg over the other. He looks so incredibly handsome, wearing some khaki shorts with a white tee shirt and navy blue jacket. His hair is combed back perfectly, and he’s got a pair of aviator sunglasses on that match hers. She feels a silly leap in her gut at that; it’s a little thing, but they have it in common.

They get out of the taxi at a pier where there’s a sparkling white boat with three people in it, already waiting for them. They join the cameraman, guide, and captain of the boat to sail out onto the sea. “Where are we going?” Eleanor asks excitedly.

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear daintily, but it just flies out again with the wind. She gives up, instead just turning to Louis to fix her attention on him. Her interest is piqued now, and she can’t wait to see what they’re doing that day. They approach a small area gated off with some buoys, and Louis instructs Eleanor to take off her sundress, because they’re going to jump in the water here. The guide in the boat hands them each a life vest, and they put them on with their swim clothes.

Standing on the edge of the boat, Eleanor grips Louis’s hand. “On the count of three, let’s jump!” he shouts.

Eleanor holds his hand and lets out a little shriek before they count down and jump in together. Once they’ve got their bearings and spotted their guide again, they swim over to him. He’s sitting on the shore of a small man-made island, and he smiles at them kindly before he says, “Welcome to Delphinus. Today I’m going to teach you how to swim with and interact with a dolphin. How does that sound?”

Eleanor’s whole face lights up and she looks over at Louis. “Really?” she asks. He nods, grinning like mad. “I’ve always wanted to swim with dolphins.”

When she was younger, she’d been obsessed with dolphins, so swimming with them in Mexico with the man of her dreams was a dream come true - more, even. She’d never have imagined a scenario so perfect. The guide talks them through basic rules and things they should know, and then they swim over to where there’s a dolphin, ready and waiting to meet them.

Louis swims near Eleanor, letting her have the limelight as they first learn how to hug the dolphin, and then kiss the dolphin. She’s on cloud nine the entire time, grinning so much that her face starts to hurt. She can’t help it, though. Everything about this date - the dolphins, being there with Louis, the perfect weather - she feels like it’s all a dream and that she’s going to wake up any second.

Louis’s favorite part is dancing with the dolphin, where he and Eleanor hold hands, and then each of them holds the fin of a dolphin, and they swim around in a little circle. The dolphin lets out a squeak of happiness, and Eleanor claps happily when they’re done. She reaches out to pat the dolphin, and Louis feels an immense sense of pride and accomplishment at having created such a meaningful date for her.

At the end, they regretfully learn how to say goodbye and swim away from the dolphin. The dolphin goes over to rest and have a snack, and Louis and Eleanor climb back onto the boat to dry off in the sunlight. They relax together on the front deck, foregoing their dry clothes in favor of just lying around in their bathing suits. “I’m guessing you had a good time today?” Louis asks her.

“Oh my goodness, yes. Absolutely,” Eleanor says. She curls up against him and adds, “That made the child in me

very

happy.”

“Yeah?” Louis prompts.

“Yeah,” Eleanor nods. “I was obsessed with dolphins when I was younger. They were on all my notebooks and folders. Even my trapper keeper.”

She laughs at that, and Louis glances over, eyeing her up. “You know, somehow, that doesn’t surprise me at all,” he says.

“Are you judging me?” Eleanor asks playfully.

“Not at all,” Louis replies. He rolls towards her, fingertips playing over her hips. “I think it’s cute.”

She drapes an arm over her eyes and groans. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Hey,” Louis says, coaxing her arm away from her face. He smiles at her as he leans in and kisses her. “I like learning about younger you. I want to know everything about you, El.”

She rolls towards him and buries her face in his shoulder. “I was an embarrassing kid.”

“I bet you weren’t,” Louis says. “I liked some things I’m maybe not proud of when I was younger, too, but it’s just part of who we were.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenges him. She’s got a playful glint in his eye and loves having unlimited time to just get to know Louis better. He’s so sweet and kind with her, even when she’s embarrassed about her past. “Tell me something about you. Something embarrassing.”

Louis snorts. “I once wore a football as a hat, and thought it was cool, so…” he trails off.

Eleanor just stares at him because there’s no way that’s actually true. “Wait, what?” she asks. Something about how ridiculous it sounds makes her think that he’s not actually telling the truth.

“I mean it,” he says. “I thought I was

so cool

because I’d learned how to cut into a football. Like, because my mum had let me near a sharp enough object for that. And my mates… we were so dumb. We thought it was cool. I think I even wore it to school until my teachers made me take it off.”

Just the mental image of someone wearing a football as a hat has Eleanor giggling, but imagining it on Louis, this put-together goofy man she’s met and started falling for in this process? It’s just too funny, and Louis lets her laugh about it. “I told you,” he says, trying not to laugh along with her.

She leans up on her elbow, facing him on the deck of the boat, and says, “Hmm, maybe that’s a deal breaker.

“Yeah right,” he laughs, pinching her cheek playfully.

“Yeah, right,” she echoes. Eleanor leans in to kiss him gently and says, “You’re quite charming.”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Most charming man you’ve ever met?” he asks, digging for compliments.

“Charming in a good way, yes,” she nods. Eleanor doesn’t want to say anything else about that, because if she were hard pressed to explain herself, she might spill her thoughts that maybe one or two men left in the competition aren’t charming in what she’d consider a good way. They come off as being disingenuous and she doesn’t like that. “I care about you

so much

, Louis,” she adds, smiling at him.

Louis leans in to kiss Eleanor softly, and he says with a smile, “That’s what I love to hear. It makes me

so

happy.”

Smiling brightly at each other, the two lay back on the deck of the boat and take in some more rays of sunlight as the boat takes them to their next destination. They arrive midday, after snacking on some finger sandwiches on deck of the boat. They’ve pulled on their clothes again, and once on shore, Louis leads Eleanor through what looks like a tropical rainforest until they reach their destination.

“Is this a resort?” Eleanor asks, surprised.

Louis smiles and nods. “Yeah. Is that alright? Thought we could get a nice couple’s massage, hang out in a hot tub, watch the sun set,” he says.

Eleanor couldn’t have imagined a more perfect ending to her day, and Louis is so romantic and sweet that waiting this long for a one on one was well worth it for her. She nods, her voice soft and tender as she says, “That sounds amazing. I can’t wait.”

They walk into a seaside hut first, where two massage tables are set up and waiting for them. The hour long massage puts both of them into such a relaxed state they find it difficult to find words as they walk away, hand in hand. The cameras are switched off at this point, allowing them to have some dinner before they shoot the final part of the day, champagne in a hot tub as they watch the sun set.

A hot tub is bubbling and ready for them as they walk into one of the private villas reserved just for them. “Louis, this whole day has been so amazing,” Eleanor says softly as they step into the hot tub.

The bubbles feel good on their sun-kissed, nothing but the sea on the horizon as their view. The setting sun casts orange and red rays out from the horizon, shooting up into the sky, reflecting off of a few sparse clouds. It all feels like a dream, like something Eleanor would only see in a film. “I’m glad to hear that,” he replies, reaching over for the champagne that’s chilling in a bucket of ice next to the hot tub. He pops the top on it and pours them each a glass.

Under the warmth of the water, they scoot towards each other, Louis sitting on a bench and Eleanor on his lap. They face away from the villa, looking out at the endless expanse of ocean before them. Eleanor’s heart races in her chest, still in disbelief that this is her life, at least for now. Maybe one day they could take a vacation like this again. Their honeymoon, maybe. Eleanor could see that, a future with Louis. The thought scares her but also fills her with a serenity, a calmness that she’s never had when facing any other relationship.

“What are you thinking?”

Louis’s question pulls Eleanor from her thoughts and she looks over, a little surprised at first. She’s grateful for it though, because without his question she might not have the courage to voice her feelings otherwise. “Us,” she says in a singsong voice.

That makes Louis smile and he prompts, “Tell me more.”

“Well,” she begins. “I was looking out at this view, the ocean… and I couldn’t help but think about how I could see myself coming here again, on a holiday. With you. Maybe a honeymoon, maybe just for fun…” Eleanor takes a deep breath and confesses, “I’m starting to see this future with you in my head, and it’s a little scary, and I don’t know, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself in this and falling too fast, but… Louis, I really do think I love you. And as scary as it is, thinking about a future I’m not even certain will be mine… I love it. I love thinking about what we could have.”

Louis reaches up to push a strand of hair out of her face and tilts her head so she’s looking at him, smiling as he does. “I think that you shouldn’t be scared,” he says softly. “Just… dive in head first. You’re so brave, and you’re here with me right now because we have something.”

Eleanor smiles, albeit a bit sadly. She’s quiet for a moment, ruminating in her thoughts before she says, “I know we do. That’s why I think I love you. But there’s always going to be that fear that in the end, it won’t be me that you’re getting down on one knee for. Try as I might, I can’t get that out of my head.”

Nodding, Louis says, “I know, love. I understand.” He leans in for a soft kiss and asks, “You

think

you love me, or you

do

?” It’s an incredibly important distinction to make, and Louis really needs to know which it is.

Eleanor drapes an arm around Louis’s shoulder and presses in for another kiss, one much more heated this time. She feels her heart hammering in her chest and knows that this moment is going to be crucial for them. “I love you, Louis,” Eleanor confesses softly.

Beaming, Louis pulls Eleanor into a heated kiss, wishing like hell he could tell her anything of substance in return. While he may not quite be at that point yet, he does have strong feelings for Eleanor, and it’s a comfort knowing that they’re not one-sided. “Best thing I’ve heard all day,” he whispers against her lips. It’s the best he can do, and thankfully it puts a smile on her face.

They share a few more heated kisses in the hot tub as the sun sets over the horizon, reflecting beautifully over the ocean, and when they’re breathless and tired and well kissed, Louis leads Eleanor out of the hot tub. They put on robes from the villa and walk inside to where a rose lay on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Louis sits down and Eleanor follows, sitting close to him. Their knees bump as Louis reaches out for the rose and he smiles coyly as he holds it out to Eleanor. “Words can’t even express all the reasons why you deserve this rose,” he begins, “So I’m just going to cut to the chase.” Eleanor giggles, and Louis holds out the rose to her. “Eleanor, will you accept this rose?”

Eleanor reaches out to kiss him happily, smiling against his lips as she holds him at the nape of his neck gently, so content in their little bubble of happy, away from the rest of the group. “Yes,” she smiles into the kiss.

“Wicked,” Louis replies, sliding an arm around her waist to pull her impossibly closer.

They kiss a little longer and then the cameras are switched off. It’s time for them to go back to the resort and have a good night’s rest. The remaining five received their date card earlier that day, informing Danielle, Briana, Liam, Niall, and Jack that they’d be getting a group date with Louis the next day.

Once back at the resort, Eleanor sits with the rest of the girls in their suite at the resort, still flushed from the date she had with Louis. They press her for details and she tells them a little, like where they went and (most of) what she did. She leaves out all the kissing, and decides to keep to herself that she told Louis she loves him, as well.

She doesn’t know where the others are at with Louis, and she prefers to keep it that way. Everything feels so good and she’s just so content that she fears opening up to the competition too much will have her turning out like Zayn - getting in her own head, fearful that she’s in last place.

--

The five members of the group date gather in the morning to go meet Louis wherever their group date is taking place. There’s an SUV waiting for them, and Danielle, Briana, and Jack sit in the back together, with Liam and Niall in the middle row. Up front there’s a driver and a cameraman. Going into this date, everyone feels pretty nervous. They know that some drama went down on the other group date, and on top of that, Zayn left during a date so they know that nobody’s place is secure.

Mexico is beautiful though, and Jack says, when prompted by the cameraman to get a good clip of it, “We just have to go into today and have fun and appreciate where we are and who we’re with. Hopefully that’ll show Louis that we’re here for him, not the drama.”

The others nod in agreement, and they try to press away all the anxious thoughts as they climb out of the SUV and greet Louis outside the massive gates to the Parque Dos Ojos where apparently they’re spending the day. Equipped for the day with bathing suits under shorts and tank tops, plus sunglasses, sunscreen, and hiking shoes, everyone has a pretty good idea of what they’ll be doing that day.

“Hey everybody,” Louis says with a grin. He greets them each with hugs, Jack approaching last and letting his hug linger, fingers drifting over Louis’s hip as they stand gathered at the entrance to the park. “How are you all today?”

It’s another beautiful day in Mexico, and the whole group feels really lucky to be spending their time with Louis, trying to fall in love. They answer him with smiles, and after a moment, Louis says, “Well, we’ve got a lot to do today, so let’s get to it, yeah?”

They take off on the trail, walking into the park and up into the jungle. It’s warm, the sun beating down on them, but most of them wore hats and there’s a decent amount of canopy from all the trees too. The humidity is the worst part, but Louis keeps encouraging them along, reminding them that this sweating and hard work is going to be very worth it.

The group walks deeper and deeper into the jungle until finally they come to a clearing. Waiting there is an instructor sitting with bags of snorkeling equipment, and Louis grins as he says, “Welcome to Two Eyes Cenote. We’re going to go through that tunnel,” he points next to the instructor, “to an underground pond where we’ll get to go snorkeling together. I hear it’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Louis leads the group to the instructor, who gives them a lesson on how to use snorkeling equipment and what they’ll be doing once they go into the cenote. Between both dates, Louis appreciates that he’ll get to swim with everyone. It’s not that he

needs

to see everyone in a bathing suit, because relationships are far more than just looks, but he does enjoy swimming and knows that it’s fairly intimate, being close with people and seeing them with so little clothing on. Plus, then he can show off all his tattoos - though he’s surprised that so few people have asked about them.

Once they’re ready, they leave their clothing up on the rocks above ground and make their way into the cenote, flippers and snorkels in hand. Once they reach the water they gear up and the instructor goes in first, to show them how it’s done. Louis is the first to copy, closely followed by Jack. Jack was the only one in the group who said he’d done it before, and Louis wasn’t surprised by that in the least.

As the instructor circles back around to help the others get used to their equipment and how snorkeling works, Jack takes advantage of his time alone with Louis. They swim the length of the cenote and pause against a wall. The water is clear and sparkling and blue, little trickles of light coming in through the rocky ceiling above them. They both take off their snorkels and Jack sidles in closer to Louis, smiling. “This is great,” he says to Louis.

“I wasn’t surprised at all when you said you’d done this before,” Louis comments.

That makes Jack laugh, and he slides an arm around Louis’s waist to pull him closer in the water. They stand chest to chest, the water at the edge of the cenote splashing up around their chests. Louis’s hands rest on his biceps and Jack shrugs nonchalantly. “What can I say? I like being outdoors.”

“What else do you like?” Louis asks coyly. He looks up at Jack through his eyelashes for a moment, and then tilts his chin up to really catch his gaze.

“You,” Jack replies smoothly.

Louis lets out a burst of laughter and slides his arms around Jack’s shoulders. “Do you now?” he asks.

Jack nods, looking rather pleased with himself for his answer, and leans in for a kiss. Louis loses himself in Jack’s touch for a moment, heart racing. They’re interrupted by a massive splash, followed by Niall peeking up from the water timidly, laughing and saying, “Oops!”

In a playful act of retaliation, Louis splashes Niall in return, and puts his snorkeling gear back on so he can join the rest of his dates who are now confidently swimming around in the water. When Louis goes underwater he locks eyes with Danielle right away. Her eyes light up with happiness and she waves enthusiastically underwater. He waves back, and then turns in the water to look for more people.

Nobody else manages to steal Louis for one on one time during their time snorkeling, though it doesn’t seem to put a damper on their day at all. This group of five people generally gets along really well, which Louis is just realizing now, though he greatly appreciates it. Once their hour of snorkeling is up, Louis leads them back up to where their things are lying out on the rocks. Along with their dry clothes, someone has brought them snacks and - like usual on the show - drinks. He passes things out to everyone and they sit out on the rocks and foliage, drying off in the warm Mexico sunlight.

“Hope you guys don’t mind, I thought we could use this time for our one on ones. Tomorrow is going to be a long day - our cocktail party is actually going to happen in the morning, with the rose ceremony tomorrow afternoon,” Louis explains. “So, with that said,” he holds up his Corona and says, “Cheers to an amazing afternoon with you lot.”

Louis couldn’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than lounging around in bathing suits in the bright sunlight down in Mexico. He happily lets Danielle take his hand and lead him away for some one on one time.

Danielle has been hoping to spend more time with Louis for a while now. She’s grown so attached to him over the course of five weeks, and she wants to keep that going. He makes her so happy, and lately she’s been spending a lot of time thinking about what her future might look like as she chases her coaching dreams. Considering a move abroad is the hardest part, but for love, she could do it. She thinks so, at least. She’d miss her family a lot though, and of course going to games and seeing her friends that she grew up with. She imagines Louis would want to stay nearer to his family though, since he’s got such a large one. Sitting down under a shady patch of palm trees, Danielle sits close to Louis and smiles at him before she gives him a small kiss on the cheek as hello.

“Ah, hey, come back,” Louis says playfully, reaching over to put a hand on her leg.

Danielle looks over at him and smiles as Louis leans in for a proper kiss on the lips. “There, that’s better,” he replies.

Now that he’s gotten first kisses out of the way with everyone here, it’s nice. He can casually just kiss them when he says hello, or whenever he feels like, really. He’s a physical guy, even though what matters most to him in a relationship is personality. Showing affection is one of Louis’s favorite things to do in a relationship, because it’s one thing he knows without a doubt that he’s good at. Hugs, kisses, little touches, holding hands… it’s natural to him, and he appreciates someone who embraces that and rolls with it, with him.

“You seem very happy today,” Danielle observes.

Still beaming, Louis asks, “Yeah, d’you think so?”

She nods. “I’m glad,” she tells him. “With all the…

shit

that’s going on,” she says, hesitating before cursing because there are cameras rolling and she doesn’t actually remember the rules about that. “I wish it weren’t happening, though. I want you to be happy.”

Louis wraps an arm around her waist and leans in, nuzzling at her neck. “I

am

happy, love. Don’t you worry,” he says. “Besides, I knew drama would happen. It’s to be expected.” Louis kisses along her jaw saying, “We just,” kiss, “have to have dates,” kiss, “like this,” kiss, “to make up for it.”

Danielle turns and captures his lips in a kiss, laughing as Louis gets so playful with her. “Watch it. You might make me fall in love with you,” she warns.

Louis wraps his arms a little tighter around her and leans back to look in her eyes. “Would that be a bad thing?” he asks.

“No,” she says, barely shaking her head. “I want to. I feel like I’m starting to fall.”

Curiously, Louis asks, “What’s holding you back?”

Shrugging, she says, “Fear, maybe? The unknown? I mean, I’m assuming if it’s me at the end of this with a ring on my finger, I’d be preparing to move to England, right?”

The tone of the conversation shifts from playful to serious, and Louis sits up so he can look her in the eye and give her his full attention. “I suppose we haven’t talked about that yet, have we?” he says.

“Not yet,” she says, “But we should. Things are growing really serious and… I know that neither of us wants our heart broken. It’s best we know what we’re looking for at the end of all this, right? Our dream future?”

Louis nods and says, “Are you always this responsible?”

“Not usually,” Danielle says. “I mean, sometimes, sure, but I try to be more laid back. Not so uptight. But this is huge. This is our future.”

“It is,” Louis agrees. He rubs her back and asks, “Is moving to England something you could see yourself doing?”

“I could,” she replies. She hesitates though, before she says, “I’d miss a lot of things I’m used to having - groups of friends nearby, my family just across town…”

“Cubs games,” Louis finishes for her.

Danielle laughs and says, “Yeah. Cubs games.” She takes a breath. “But I’d do it. For love. For you. My family is older, and they love to travel. They’d love the excuse. And your family is younger, aren’t they? You’re the oldest, right? And the little ones are quite young?”

Louis nods. “Yeah. They’re young. I’d leave them if I needed to,” he says softly, looking down.

She tips her head down to catch his gaze. Smiling, she says, “I know you would. But they’re important to you, and traveling with kids would be difficult for your parents.”

“For my step-dad.”

Danielle looks at Louis for a moment, confused. “What about your mom?” she asks.

Louis looks down at his lap again and says, “She passed away in December.”

“Like, this past December?” Danielle asks, surprised. That’s so recently. When Louis nods, she frowns and curls closer to him, nuzzling close. “I’m so sorry, Louis. So sorry. I had no idea.”

Louis swallows past the lump in his throat and looks up at her. She wants to help him so much, but doesn’t know how. She presses a kiss to his temple and he says, “I’m doing alright. Better. It’s not easy, but…”

“I can’t imagine,” Danielle replies.

She reaches over to turn Louis’s face, bringing them eye to eye. “If it’s me,” she says softly. “I want to move to England with you. I want to hear all about her.”

I’d make sure the kids knew as much as they could about their grandmother…

Danielle keeps that last bit to herself.

Louis smiles, albeit a bit sadly, and says, “I know you would, love. That means the world to me.”

They share another kiss, something gentle and slow, and when they pull away, someone clears their throat to get their attention.

It’s Niall, looking a little timid, but Danielle graciously smiles at him and says, “He’s all yours.” She gives Louis one last big, loving hug, and then reluctantly steps away from him. She leaves a space on the rocks next to Louis, and Niall takes a seat right away. “Heya. Everything alright?” Niall asks.

“Yeah,” Louis nods. “Just fine.”

Niall frowns. He knows that something’s up; he just hopes it’s not more drama because he’s had enough of that for a lifetime. Niall will comfort Louis no matter what, and cheer him up, but he’d rather spend his time other ways - like building a relationship with him instead. “You can trust me,” Niall reminds Louis. He kisses his temple and leans in to whisper in Louis’s ear.

Back with the rest of the group, Liam watches Louis, the way he curves in so easily against the others, smiles at whatever it is Niall whispers to him. He wants that. He’s desperate for that. He does his best to be patient, letting Niall have time with him. After what feels like an eternity, someone from the film crew walks over to Liam and encourages him to go steal some time with Louis.

He walks over, taking a deep breath as he does. Louis spots him right away, and there’s a flash of something in his eyes when he sees Liam. Liam’s got no idea what it is, can’t fathom that it might be his six pack and his smooth chest, a few tattoos showing on display. Louis smiles at Liam as he sits down next to him, and leans in for a kiss.

Where she’s sitting over by a picnic basket, Danielle leans over to Briana to say, “I can’t imagine who he’s going to send home this week. He seems so close with everyone that’s left.”

“I was shocked that he sent Zayn home,” Briana replies.

“Well, Zayn sort of sent himself home,” Danielle reminds her. “But I see what you mean. Louis didn’t seem all that upset about it.”

Briana observes Louis and Liam talking, serious expressions on their faces. “Maybe he just doesn’t show it. He seems like that kind of person - someone who hides how he feels because he’d rather make sure everyone around him is alright,” she suggests.

Danielle hums and nods; she can see that. Louis

is

an incredibly selfless guy. It seems entirely likely that he’d push back his own feelings for the sake of everyone else - and he shouldn’t bottle them up. “Are you going to go steal him?” Danielle asks.

Shaking her head, Briana says, “Not yet. I want to go last.”

“How come?” Danielle asks, confused.

Briana is quiet for a moment. Eventually, she just shrugs and says, “No particular reason, I suppose. I just like being last. Nobody interrupts me.”

Danielle laughs, and has no idea that there’s far more to it than that. Briana likes going last because she sees the way she puts a smile on Louis’s face, the way he lights up around her, grows softer at the edges, more tender. She wants him to end the date on a good note, because just like she and Danielle talked about, Louis puts others before himself. All she wants to do is put him first, just for a little bit.

Jack steals Louis from Liam, and she lets them have their time before deciding to wander over. She pulled on her shorts but still hasn’t put on her top, opting instead to just wander around in shorts and a bikini top. She smiles politely as she approaches Louis and Jack, and Jack gives her an odd look that she can’t read as they trade places.

“Hey Bria,” Louis says softly as she takes a seat next to him.

“Hi,” she says, leaning in for a kiss. Their lips linger as the kiss ends, and Briana gently lays her head on his shoulder. “How are you?” she asks him.

No matter how many times she asks that, it still seems to surprise Louis. She finds it incredibly endearing, but also a bit sad. He does so much for everyone else, but deserves attention and care, too. “I’m good,” he nods. “Been a bit of an odd week but I think it’s rounding out okay here at the end. Are you having a good time?”

“Yeah,” she says softly. “This place reminds me of home.”

“Of California?” Louis asks.

Briana hums and nods. She misses home, but she also still feels deep in her heart that she’s meant to be here, with Louis, and that what she’s doing is the right thing for her. “You’d like it, I think. If you like being here,” Briana tells him. “Lots of sunlight. Lots of places to go hiking or swimming. It’s beautiful.”

“It sounds amazing,” Louis replies. “I’ve never been. The places we’ve gone for this show… it’s the farthest I’ve ever been from home.”

“Really?” she asks in surprise.

“Yep,” Louis says, and Briana hears a hint of sadness in his voice.

She sits up to look at him and asks, “Where would you go on your dream vacation?”

Louis chuckles a bit at that. “Aren’t I supposed to be asking

you

the tough questions?”

Brianna rolls her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. She doesn’t speak, because she wants Louis to answer her, for real. She’s curious where he’s always dreamed of going, things he’s dreamed of doing.

“Well, I suppose…” he trails off. “I never really thought of places I’d like to go just for me, because I’ve just always figured at least a sibling or two into the equation. Places like Disneyland Paris, or somewhere with a fantastic zoo for the little ones.”

“I want to know where you’d go - just you. Maybe you and me. Or you and whoever you fall in love with,” Briana says, not a hint of malice when she talks about Louis possibly falling in love with someone else.

Louis looks over, studying Briana with an odd look of surprise on his face. Briana doesn’t know what it means. She likes challenging him though, likes making him think about himself and his own desires for once. He should do that more often. It might even help him make decisions in this process.

“Greece.”

Briana tilts her head to the side curiously. She didn’t know quite what to expect but whatever it was, Greece wasn’t it.

“I’ve always wanted to go see the islands in Greece. The blue water and white shores. Have Greek food, see the ruins,” Louis trails off. His voice is soft, a hint of wistfulness showing through, like he thinks a vacation like that could never happen for him in real life. “I want to see all the history and like… feel it.”

“Feel it?”

“Yeah,” Louis nods. He tries to put it into words, “I mean like… you know that feeling when you’re somewhere huge, or somewhere really important, and you just stand there and think to yourself…

compared to everything that’s happened here, or how big this is, I’m so insignificant

? Like, you sort of step outside yourself and just think about everything else and what’s happened and how tiny your problems are compared to stuff like this.” He’s rambling and not sure he makes sense, so he pauses to look up at Briana. “I don’t know what I’m talking about. Sorry.”

She smiles fondly at him and says, “You make total sense, stop that. You clearly know what you’re talking about.” Briana rests a hand on his leg and rubs comforting little circles with her thumb. She smiles as she thinks about it and says, “I think that’s the coolest reason I’ve ever heard for wanting to go somewhere. Most people just say

oh this place looks beautiful I want to go there

and that’s it.”

Louis smiles at her, and Briana’s quiet for a moment. She really wants to make Louis feel special, or give him some sort of reassurance, because every now and then on days just like this he lets his vulnerability show. He reveals the stuff he’s unsure about, or knocks himself down a peg just because he thinks he should. Like when he was talking about traveling to Greece, and thought he sounded silly.

Smiling, Briana says, “I think you’d like Greece a lot.” She leans in to lay her head on his shoulder again and says, “The gyros are unlike anything you’ve had anywhere else, and… that feeling you were talking about… it’s everywhere, there. Especially at the Parthenon. It’s much bigger than you think.”

“You’ve been there?” Louis asks.

“Yeah,” Briana replies softly. “My mom and I went when I was a teenager. Just the two of us, a little after Austin was born. She’d just gotten remarried and had a kid and I guess I wasn’t adjusting as well as she’d hoped, so the two of us went on a vacation alone.”

“Before she remarried… was it just you two?” Louis wonders.

“Basically,” Briana replies simply.

Hesitantly, Louis prompts, “What about your dad?”

“My dad is in contact, sort of,” Briana replies. “He works in the oil industry, out in the Dakotas. He and my mom were only married about three years. They divorced when I was really little. I have his last name but my mom changed hers back when it happened, but I don’t know why. He took this job in the Dakotas and never looked back. He’ll send me gifts on birthdays and holidays and one time I went out to visit him, but… it was weird. He cares, but in a distant sort of way. It’s easier for him to show he cares by sending money and gifts and calling once in awhile.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

Briana chuckles a little. “Yeah, he does,” she says. “He wishes me luck and says it’s probably best if I just have you meet my mom and stepdad, if it comes to that.”

Louis is quiet, and Briana wonders if maybe she shouldn’t have said that, or it’s a dealbreaker. She knows that Louis is big on family - is it too much, having her dad so far away, and a stepfather in his place? Just as a big knot of worry begins to form in her stomach, Louis says, “If you bring me home to meet your family during hometowns week, I want to meet the people most important to you, whoever that is.” He pauses. “I know what it’s like to be raised by a stepdad. That’s… basically what my whole life was. My dad only magically cared about me once I was on this show and people knew my name. And I don’t even have his last name.”

Briana looks over, and her eyes lock with Louis’s. “Family isn’t just blood,” he says finally. Briana smiles at that, and he adds, “Family is who you choose to surround yourself with and love you and who you care about in return. So… if that’s your stepdad and your mum, that’s great. If that’s them plus a Skype call to your dad, that’s good too. It’d be entirely up to you.”

Smiling, Briana leans in and gives him a kiss. “Thank you,” she whispers.

Most families are complicated these days, but she’s grateful that Louis is so understanding of that anyway. If there’s one thing Briana’s had to deal with the past few years, it’s that her friends have shockingly average home lives with a mom, a dad, and usually just one sibling. The average American household. And then there was her. It sounds like she and Louis have that stepparent thing in common, which is quite a relief to her because she’d been assuming that, on a show for love, average relationships and marriages were the norm. Traditional families. Or that maybe Louis was looking to fold himself into a family like that. Thankfully, he seems open to anything.

After that, there’s someone from the crew who interrupts and tells Louis it’s time for him to hand out the group date rose. The five men and women on the date stand facing Louis all in various states of dress after swimming and drying off under the sun. Louis holds a rose in hand, and looks like he’s buried deep in thought.

“This gets harder every week,” he begins. Louis looks between the five of them and they all try not to fidget nervously. “This week I want to give this rose to someone who manages to surprise me every week, and who I cannot wait to share more time in Mexico with them.” Louis takes a deep breath and says, “Niall.” Niall’s expression lights up. He hadn’t been expecting to hear his name, but he’s ecstatic now that he has. “Will you accept this rose?”

Smiling, Niall walks to Louis and nods, “Yeah, thank you.” He wraps his arms around Louis’s waist and gives him a big hug, so thrilled that he’s gotten the rose. The cocktail party and rose ceremony the next day are going to be so much easier now that he doesn’t have to worry about what will happen to him.

He goes back to stand at his mark with the other five, and Louis says goodbye to them for the cameras. Once that’s done, they start packing up their things and getting dressed again so they can go back to the resort. The sun is setting as they drive back, and everyone is tired and quiet in the SUV.

Once at the resort, they disappear into their separate rooms to talk about the day, and to slowly fill themselves with apprehension as they consider what in the world is going to happen the next day at the cocktail party and rose ceremony.

--

Dressed to the nines, eleven men and women sit together on furniture set out on a beach. It feels silly, but with the cameras on and some artful editing it will hopefully look like more than a living room set plopped in the middle of a beach. There’s a breeze that’s just strong enough to mess up any hope the girls had of their hair looking nice rather than strewn about, and there’s a thick tension in the air between everyone. Rose ceremonies are never easy.

Steve approaches them once the cameras are turned on, and he greets them with a smile. His hair is all over the place, but it makes the girls feel a little more normal. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to a very unconventional rose ceremony,” Steve begins. “We are mixing things up a little, since we are staying another week in Mexico after this rose ceremony.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Here’s how the day is going to go down. You will all get to have some one on one time with Louis while we host a cocktail party here on the beach. By the time the rose ceremony is complete, we will only have nine of you remaining. We already know that the three who are safe are Niall, Eleanor, and Perrie. The rest of you have to compete for the other six roses. After that, we will hold the rose ceremony and say goodbye to Louis. Tonight, you will get a date card for the first date of week six.”

This time when Steve pauses, Eleanor can see something in his eyes and she doesn’t like what it is. There’s a flash of mischief, maybe a little regret, and all she knows for sure is that something bad is going to happen. Sure enough, Steve continues by saying, “Week six will consist of only two dates. A group date, and a two on one.” Many of the contestants look alarmed, and Steve lets the cameramen get some shots of the expressions before he says, “For those of you who may be unfamiliar, a two on one is an intense date. Louis will have one rose to hand out. Whoever does not secure a rose on the two on one date is immediately sent home. You do not want to be the person who doesn’t get a rose on a two on one.” Grinning, he says, “Tonight, you will find out who is going on that date. But for now -,” he smiles and gestures behind him, “Enjoy some time with Louis. I will see you all soon.”

Steve walks away, leaving them behind to dwell upon their thoughts. Avan is the first to ask Louis for some one on one time, and he and Louis walk away along the shore. Perrie is snuggled up to Briana’s side, smiling at her and insisting that she’s going to be just fine this week. “Two more people are going home tonight,” Briana says, feeling a touch of despair. “I thought with Zayn gone that meant only one more person was going home tonight.”

“They’re doing this for the drama,” Jack says, trying to reassure her. He’s nervous too, though, because unlike Perrie, he hasn’t got a rose. He doesn’t know if he’s safe or not. “To make us worry. See? Cameras everywhere.”

That’s the thing about being on a reality show, though - cameras everywhere. Briana nods and tries to think on the positive side. She’s usually so good at it, but something about losing Louis has her feeling incredibly vulnerable and insecure. Liam is sitting opposite them, feeling just as nervous. Only where Briana sits around hoping for the best and worrying herself sick, Liam acts on it. He stands up and walks over to Louis. Louis and Avan are locked in a heated kiss when Liam clears his throat and asks, “Can I interrupt?”

Louis looks up, and Avan turns around to see who it is that’s interrupting him. He takes a deep breath and brazenly wipes his hand against his lips at the soft sheen of saliva from their kissing. “Sure,” Avan says. He turns back to Louis and leans in for another kiss before reluctantly peeling himself away and going back to the group.

Liam sits down, feeling incredibly nervous all of a sudden. He’s been insecure about their relationship for a few weeks now, and after seeing how heated Louis is with Avan, and noticing the little things Louis shares with the others that the two of them don’t have - it leaves Liam filled with doubts. “Liam, how are you?” Louis asks.

“I’m…” Liam pauses. He’s about to say

good

, but he doesn’t want to lie. “I’ve been better,” he settles on.

Louis nods. “I’m glad you came to talk to me,” he says seriously. He watches Liam closely and asks, “What’s going on? What’s on your mind?”

“Us,” Liam says simply. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us and what we’re doing and…” Louis is quiet, patient. He lets Liam work his way through his thoughts. With massive disappointment on his face, Liam says, “I need to know what you think of us, Louis. Because I feel like maybe we’re falling behind.”

Frowning, Louis thinks it over. He’s so quiet that for a moment Liam fears he hasn’t even been heard. He feels silly, being this needy and asking Louis for more of his emotions spelled out, when it’s probably been shown to him this whole time. But the fact of the matter is, every day Liam spends here hoping for Louis’s heart, that’s one more day he doesn’t spend watching the most pivotal years of his son’s life. And he’s got to figure out what’s more important. At the beginning it was clear, but now he’s not so sure.

Looking very serious, Louis nods and says, “I understand where you’re coming from.” He takes a deep breath and says, “I’ll be honest, I’ve been thinking about that same thing lately.”

“And?” Liam asks, his voice tense. Louis reaches over to take hold of Liam’s hand. As he’s trying to carefully choose his words, Liam worriedly says, “I… I’m sorry for springing this on you. It’s just that, with Bear…”

“I know,” Louis says. He doesn’t even need Liam to finish that thought. Liam’s heart is pounding hard in his chest and he can’t figure out what exactly Louis is going to say. All he knows is that based upon the expression on his face, it’s not going to be good.

“Liam,” Louis starts. “You are an extraordinary man. You’re warm and strong and noble and…” he trails off. “And it’s no secret to anyone here that I would love to have a family one day. The sooner the better. So it’s almost ideal that you’ve got little Bear, and you’ve already started down that path.”

“But,” Liam sighs.

Nodding, Louis softly says, “But.” He takes a deep breath. “I think you’re right. I think somewhere in the middle of everything we started coasting, and now I’m further along with many others here, and…” Louis looks up at Liam, and he looks so apologetic that Liam can’t find it in him to hold a single ounce of anger or frustration. All he feels is pure, raw sadness. Louis finishes, his voice breaking at the end, “I don’t want to keep you from Bear any longer. Because… I don’t think that you and I…”

He chokes on his words and Liam knows what Louis was going to say, so he puts an arm around Louis’s shoulders and says, “You don’t have to say it. It’s okay. I know.”

Liam’s surprised that somehow out of all of this, he ended up being the one comforting Louis rather than the other way around. Going into this, it had felt like things might end completely the opposite way after breaking it off. Liam doesn’t understand why Louis is so bothered, when he’s clearly so attached to others that he’d send him home, until Louis speaks again.

“I’m so sorry I kept you away from your family,” Louis says. “I hope you don’t… resent me or anything. Because you missed things by being away.”

Louis’s words break Liam’s heart a little more than it already had been, and he replies gently, “I would never resent you. Meeting you and being here taught me how to get back out there and be vulnerable and date… even if we didn’t work out it still helped me in a way that will one day help Bear, too.”

Louis looks up, and he locks gaze with Liam. “I am so sorry,” he says softly. “You’re an amazing man, Liam. Honestly. I’m so glad I met you.”

Smiling sadly, Liam leans in and kisses Louis gently, one last time. “I’m glad we met, too,” Liam whispers.

They’re quiet for a moment, holding each other under the cloudy Mexico skies. “D’you want me to walk you out?” Louis asks quietly.

“I… as nice as that sounds, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Liam says. He presses his fingers to his eyes, trying to push away all the emotions threatening to show on his face and embarrass him on television.

“Oh,” Louis replies.

He looks down at his lap as Liam stands up, but when Liam doesn’t start to walk away, Louis looks up in confusion. Liam’s offering out his hand one last time, and when Louis stands to his feet, Liam wraps him up in a big, warm hug. The hug lasts quite a while, Liam taking in the moment, whispering well-wishes in Louis’s ear because no matter what happens, he knows that Louis deserves to fall in love and have a wonderful life with whomever he chooses. Louis has never come this close to crying over letting go of someone during this process, so it’s strange for him. He doesn’t like the feeling of being this vulnerable on national television.

Eventually, ever so reluctantly, Liam peels himself away from Louis and walks away, trudging through the sand to meet the rest of the group where they’re sipping on cocktails. One look at the expression on Liam’s face has them all concerned. “What happened?” Danielle asks.

Liam swipes at his nose with the back of his hand and blinks a few times before he says, “I’m uh… going home.”

Perrie’s eyes widen and Harry stands right away to give Liam a hug, to comfort him. Most of the group is focused on Liam, asking him what happened and trying to comfort him, but Matthew slinks away from the group knowing that Louis probably needs someone, too.

It takes him a few moments to find Louis but when he does, it’s a heartbreaking sight. He’s sitting on a blanket by the ocean, a little bit of sand strewn about. He’s got his arms propped up on his knees and his face buried in his hands. Louis sniffles, and in an instant Matt is sitting down next to him. “Hey, it’s alright,” he whispers, putting an arm around Louis’s shoulders.

Louis nods. He knows it’s going to be alright in the end, but that doesn’t mean it feels that way. Louis curls up against Matt and tries his very best to push away all the sadness that he’s feeling. He’s attached to everyone, at this point, and saying goodbye isn’t easy. “What can I do?” Matt asks helplessly.

Matt’s so torn in situations like these, because more than anything he just wants to make Louis happy, to cheer him up and put a smile back on his face. Louis’s happiness matters so much to him. But on the other side of that, he’s not sure that being there for Louis when he needs comfort is going to get him far in this. Ever since their first date in England, Matt’s been developing deeper feelings for Louis, but their previous few one on one moments were purely Matt comforting Louis. They didn’t talk, they didn’t really go deeper. He’s worried that they’re getting stagnant and he’s going to lose his place.

“Distract me,” Louis pleads.

“Okay,” Matt nods. He thinks for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. He could just talk about himself, try to further what they have while cheering Louis up, but he can’t think of a single interesting thing about himself that would brighten Louis’s mood. Then he realizes - maybe Louis just needs to talk about something

he

cares about. “Tell me about your siblings. Your sisters and your brother.”

Louis pauses for a moment, like he’s surprised by the question, and then launches into story after story of his sisters and his brother. Matthew listens intently, and he can hear in Louis’s voice the way his mood shifts. When they’re interrupted by Jack, Louis is sitting up straighter, and smiling a little as he talks about his family. “Hey, can I cut in here?” Jack asks politely.

Louis glances up, not realizing how much time had passed. He hardly heard Matt speak at all during their time together, but he’d done as he asked and distracted Louis. As they share a goodbye hug, Louis whispers, “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Matt nods.

Even though he’d managed to get to know Louis better and to cheer him up, Matt still feels downtrodden and a bit discouraged after their exchange. Louis still doesn’t know anything new about him, and that’s been the theme for several weeks now. He’s incredibly worried as he walks back to the group, and happily takes a fresh cocktail when it’s offered to him. “Everything alright?” Danielle asks as Matt takes a seat next to her.

“I mean, could be better, but… could be worse, I guess,” Matt replies. He takes a sip of his cocktail and looks around.

There are some darker clouds rolling in, which can’t be a good sign. Rain might cut the entire process short. After their conversation, Matt is considering trying to steal a little more time with Louis, even though he knows that could paint a massive target on his back. Most of the group still seems distracted with Avan and Harry and their odd little tension, so he might be able to get away with it.

“What happened?” Danielle asks.

So Matt explains. He tells her where they’re at, and how much they

haven’t

done during their one on one time. “It’s like… I want him to be happy. We all do, right? So I try to do that. But then we get interrupted and our time is up and he knows nothing more about me. Eventually he’s gonna realize that and then I’m gone,” Matt says simply.

He takes another drink, and then Danielle calmly takes it away from him. “Getting drunk right now isn’t going to help matters any,” she reminds him softly.

Matthew looks at Danielle oddly, wondering why she’s so concerned about such a thing. It’d be to her advantage to let him drink and get caught up in his own insecurities. “You’re right,” he sighs. Danielle offers Matt her glass of water and he takes it gratefully. He swigs half the glass in one gulp and says, “Sorry. I…”

“It’s fine,” she insists. “Every week this gets harder on everyone.”

“Aren’t you worried?” he asks.

They watch Harry disappear to go steal Louis away from Jack, eyes lingering on the sight as Danielle replies, “Of course I am.”

“Why aren’t you doing anything about it?” he wonders.

She shrugs. Matt turns to look at her and she confesses, “I’m not sure there’s anything I

can

do. If Louis let Liam go that soon into the evening, he’s probably already got his mind made up.”

Matt slouches on the sofa and says, “You should still go have time with him, though.”

Nodding, Danielle says, “Oh, yes, I know. I’m not giving

that

up. I just try not to think about the stakes while I’m sitting here with everyone.”

“Easier said than done.”

The two laugh, albeit a bit nervously, and hang out as they watch the shadows down the beach of Harry and Louis, having a conversation. Just as Briana stands up to make her way over to Louis, big fat drops of water start to fall from the sky. Perrie shrieks in surprise at the feeling of the cold droplets, and quickly, everyone who’s out on the beach makes a run for the vans they arrived in, even Harry and Louis.

Harry and Louis are laughing, saying getting caught in the rain is just their one on one date thing, or something like that, which doesn’t do anything to calm anyone else’s nerves. The group is ushered into the two vans they arrived in as cameramen desperately try to cover their equipment. Initially, the lead crew member says they’ll wait until the rain passes, but when it doesn’t let up after a solid twenty minutes, the plan changes. They’re going back to the resort where they’ll set up the rose ceremony in a community room. The cocktail party is officially over.

The ride back to the resort is quiet, and when they arrive, Louis is pulled off for an interview while the rest stand around a table of food, snacking and waiting until the cameras are set up in whatever room of the resort the producers managed to secure. Steve meets them by the food to tell them it’s time to line up for the rose ceremony, and once everyone is in their places and Louis takes his place next to the pedestal of roses, it’s time to go. “Good afternoon everyone,” Steve says. “As most of you know, Liam was sent home during the cocktail party today. There are still six roses up for grabs, which means one more person will be sent home tonight. Louis, whenever you’re ready.”

Steve gestures to Louis and the roses and steps out of the shot. Standing there, they face Louis with apprehension and worry. Three of them - Danielle, Briana, and Barbara - did not get one on one time with Louis during the cocktail party because of the rain, and do not have roses. They are the most concerned for themselves. With each name that’s called during the rose ceremony, their worry grows.

Avan… Jack… Danielle…

One of the women can breathe easy, but Briana and Barbara are still worried. This week especially, the three men and women who secured roses during the dates are relieved that they don’t have to worry. Perrie, Eleanor, and Niall can rest easy knowing they’ve made it to week six.

Harry… Briana…

It comes down to Matthew and Barbara, and if the look on Louis’s face says anything, it’s that he had a very difficult time deciding who would be going home. Matthew wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Barbara got the rose over him, because she’s probably made much more progress with Louis in the past couple of weeks. Little does he know, Barbara is in the same place as Matthew; they haven’t progressed much lately, and that leaves her feeling incredibly concerned. Both feel like they’re ready to be sick when Louis picks up the last rose and takes a breath.

“Matthew.”

He lets out a breath of air and looks shocked. Walking towards Louis, he tries his very best to smile as he takes the rose. He doesn’t even hear Louis deliver the usual line, he just hugs him and feels so incredibly lucky to have one more chance to make this work.

When he turns around, he spots Barbara encircled in the arms of the other women who remain. Steve tells her to say her goodbyes, and she’s so graceful and dignified even as she lets tears well in her eyes and she hugs everyone around her. Once she’s given hugs to the other contestants, she sadly walks up to Louis.

He looks so reluctant to let her go, and doesn’t offer an explanation. Barbara doesn’t ask for one. She gives him a big hug and gracefully takes his hand as they walk out together. Louis leads her to the car waiting outside that will take her to the airport, and before he opens the door for her, he wraps her up in another hug. “Thank you for everything,” she says softly.

“I’ll miss you,” Louis replies. He looks about as sad as she feels, her whole chest aching.

Barbara can’t form words to reply, and when Louis realizes this, he opens the door to the car so Barbara can climb in. Once she sits down, there are cameras in her face and someone prompting her to talk about her thoughts on what just happened.

“I’m not surprised,” she responds, dabbing at her eyes. She sniffles and says, “He is closer with the others and that’s okay. I want him to be happy.”

They press her to talk about how she feels, and all she can say is, “I don’t think I did anything wrong. I don’t think it’s looks or personality. I think right now the others just have had more time with him and that’s how it goes.”

She doesn’t say anything self-deprecating, no matter how much they fish for it when interviewing her, though she does break down into tears as the car turns a corner and the resort disappears behind them.

Back at the resort, Louis goes inside, but doesn’t return to the room where everyone else is standing. Instead, he goes up to his room.

The remaining nine contestants are on equal ground again, and Steve walks in with a date card in hand. “This card here will tell you about the first date of the week,” he instructs. “Remember, this week there will only be two: a group date, and a two on one.”

And you do not want the two on one

.

The rest of his sentence is unspoken but echoes in their heads as Steve slowly opens the card. He looks up at the group, taking his time, before he begins to read, “Bria.” Pause. “Danielle.” Pause.

If there are no more names, that puts those two on the group date. After a lengthy pause, Steve continues to read, “Jack. Niall. Perrie. Matthew. Eleanor.” He looks around at the group as they do the calculations in their head, to figure out whose names were

not

on the card. “Let’s take our love to new heights. Love, Louis.”

Rather than figuring out the clue on the date card and what they could possibly be doing for the group date, they’re all looking around. It doesn’t take long for them to realize who is going on the two on one. The people with the most drama surrounding them are facing the most high stakes date of the entire process - Avan and Harry - and nobody can even begin to guess who will come out with a rose in the end.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The tension in the room is thick as seven men and women sit around the resort in Mexico, waiting for their group date to begin. While each of them is incredibly relieved to have not been chosen for the two on one the night before, they can’t escape the tension between Harry and Avan. Harry is bitter at Avan for stealing Louis away to that wedding, and for telling people that Harry snuck into Louis’s tent when they were camping. Avan still thinks Harry is being disingenuous and that he’s probably more in love with Nick than he is with Louis. It’s a mess, and the other seven have to try desperately to escape it all.

When Louis shows up just after lunch to take his dates out for a group date in Mexico, he looks refreshed and well slept. They had at least a solid fourteen hours between the conclusion of the rose ceremony and the start of the group date, and Louis very likely slept for most of those. “Hello everyone!” he says with a smile on his face.

Harry and Avan are purposely not included on the greeting, even though sometimes Louis greets the full group when collecting only a few people for a date. Nobody wants to risk someone putting a damper on Louis’s mood, the producers included.

They greet Louis in a flurry of hugs, kisses, and smiles, and Louis cannot wait to get started on this date. He leads them out to a limo, which will be taking them to the separate resort where they’ll be spending their day. It’s another beautiful day now that the rains have passed. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and as they approach, the white sand and turquoise water calls to them. It looks like an amazing spot to spend the day.

“Alright, we’re doing a couple different things here today, but I think we’re all going to have a good time, and experience the best Mexico has to offer,” Louis says with a wink. What that wink means, none of them can guess, but whatever it is, they’re ready for it.

Once inside the park, the men and women follow Louis to their first location. They go up some wooden stairs and further yet, under the unrelenting sunlight, squinting and gazing around curiously. “Are we there yet?” Jack asks, much to everyone else’s amusement.

Up at the top, Louis grins. He takes off his shirt and stands in his swim trunks. “I know we did a bunch of swimming last week but I couldn’t resist doing a little more this week. It’s just too beautiful, and we’re in Mexico! Anywhere further north is just too cold now,” he says. “You lot wore your bathing suits, right?”

They all nod, and Louis waves his arms haphazardly until they catch the hint and start to take their clothes off. It doesn’t take long before they’re all just standing in their bathing suits. “We’re going to be here for a bit this morning,” Louis says, gesturing around him.

There are palm trees, and beautiful clear turquoise water about five meters below them, but up on the ledge there’s not actually anything to do. Confused, Niall asks, “What exactly are we meant to be doing?”

Louis grins maniacally and says simply, “Cliffdiving.”

The others pad over to the edge of the rocks they’re standing on, and they gaze down at the water below. “It’s all ours for the afternoon,” Louis says, “We can chat, and sunbathe, and jump… I want to jump with each of you, for sure.”

Matt leans over the furthest, and Louis playfully taps his shoulder. Matt looks at Louis incredulously, amusement on his face, and says, “That’s how it’s going to be, is it? You’re really going to push me in?”

Louis holds out his hand and playfully avoids the question by asking, “Jump with me?”

“Well, you could have just asked in the first place,” Matt jokes.

He takes Louis’s hand and steps a little closer to him. Matt threads their fingers together in hopes that it means they won’t be separated once they plunge into the water. Louis crouches down and says, “On the count of three, ready? One… two…”

“Three!” they shout together, before launching off the edge of the rocks and down towards the water below.

They hit the water with a massive splash, Louis using his free hand to plug his nose. When they reemerge at the surface, they’re still holding hands, and Matt kicks his legs a little harder as he reaches out to hold Louis. The water is deep but they tread water together and keep their heads above the surface as Matt wraps an arm around Louis’s waist. They’re pressed together in the water, body against body, and Louis loses his breath for a moment as he looks up at Matt.

Matt’s eyelashes are so long, and his eyes such a striking color. He’d noticed it when they first met, but for a while there Matt fell to the back of the pack and Louis saw less of him. Or Matt came looking for him less. Through all the drama, Louis rather guiltily realizes that he has no recollection of the two of them during those weeks.

Noticing that Louis is staring, Matt raises an eyebrow and asks, “Do you like what you see?” He leans in close, their noses bumping, Matt doing most of the work now to keep them above water.

Louis’s throat has gone dry and he nods, but before he lets Matt close the distance between their mouths, Louis whispers, “I’m sorry.”

Matt’s stomach sinks and he leans away. He doesn’t know why Louis is apologizing but it doesn’t sound good. “No, no,” Louis says quickly, noticing how alarmed Matt suddenly looks. “I just mean… with all this drama, I’ve sort of been ignoring some of you and I shouldn’t have been. Or, taking you for granted. So I wanted to say I’m sorry, and I see you and I know you’re here. I haven’t forgotten about you.”

The sentiment is sweet, and it puts some of Matt’s worries from last week at ease. “Thank you,” Matt says softly. He doesn’t point out that they’ve talked plenty, but it was mostly just Matt comforting Louis after all the drama. “I appreciate that,” he adds. “I know it’s been a difficult few weeks so I didn’t want to pile on or get needy or something like that.”

Louis smiles coyly and says, “How sweet of you.”

Matt leans in and gently presses their lips together, kissing Louis with a tenderness and familiarity that wasn’t there when they first met. What used to be a heated exchange has become more familiar. It felt more permanent than their kisses did during their one on one date. When Louis pulls away for air, he whispers, “Promise we’ll have some alone time tonight during the cocktail party?”

Grinning, Matt says somewhat sarcastically, “Is that even a question?” They both laugh. “Of course I promise.”

Louis gives Matt a peck on the lips and then swims towards the shore. There’s a path of stairs leading back up to the ledge they’d been on, and Matt follows behind him, shaking the water out of his hair the best he can. Louis looks over his shoulder as they go, taking in the sight of a very handsome, very wet Matthew in all his glory. The smirk on Matt’s face when they reach the ledge tells Louis that he noticed the staring, and didn’t mind one bit.

Louis’s eyes linger over Matt’s chest one last time before he looks around at the rest of the group who are all out on the rocks sipping drinks from coconuts and having a good time. “Alright, who’s next?” Louis asks, holding out his arms, waiting for someone to join him.

“I’ll give it a try,” Briana says, looking a bit nervous. She puts a smile on her face though, and walks up to Louis.

He grins brightly at her and wraps his arms around her waist in a hug. “Heights?” he asks softly as she embraces him and nods into his shoulder.

As they hug, Louis’s hands rub up over the bare skin of her back as she stands there in nothing but her bikini. She’s confident about herself though, and she’s even tied her long hair back in a ponytail so he can see her full face for probably the first time in this entire process. “You look amazing,” he tells her softly.

Her cheeks turn pinker than they already were thanks to the sun, and she covers her face with one hand. “Thanks,” she says. “You do, too. I like these tattoos. This one especially,” she leans back to rub her fingers over the script that says

it is what it is

.

Louis kisses her and smiles, “That’s my favorite one, too.” He whispers, “Just hold my hand and don’t let go. You’re going to love this, I promise.”

He knows that Briana is afraid of heights so he doesn’t pressure her to go to the edge right away. Louis holds her hand and can feel her grip tightening as they reach the ledge. Briana’s heart feels like it’s going to pound from her chest, both from all the sweet things Louis has been saying and doing, but also because she’s up high and a little scared. His grip is tight, but not too much so, and Louis is patient with her as they step closer to the ledge.

He stands safe at her side and she walks up slowly until her toes curl over the edge of the rocks. Briana looks down at the water and says, “Oh, my god. I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can!” Louis encourages her. “I know you can!”

Briana’s cheeks turn pink and she looks over her shoulder. Several people look ready to step in if she backs off. But she’s falling for Louis so hard that she wouldn’t let anything possibly affect her chances - even her own fears. She doesn’t want to give those people a chance to overshadow her. Briana takes a deep breath and squeezes Louis’s hand. “Now! Before I chicken out!” she says with nervous laughter.

“Ready?” Louis asks.

Briana nods. They crouch down together and launch off the edge of the rocks towards the turquoise water below. She screams as they soar through the air, Louis’s legs kicking underneath him. Briana covers her face with her hand as they plunge into the water.

When they resurface, Louis is right there by Briana’s side, since their hands disconnected when they hit the water. She’s laughing and she has a little mascara dripping down her cheek, but she’s smiling and Louis couldn’t ask for more. “See? It was worth it, wasn’t it?” he asks happily.

Briana pushes her hair out of her face and reaches out for him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Yeah,” she says softly with a smile.

He leans in to give her a kiss, one hand pushing a few more damp strands away from her face. “Are you happy?” he asks.

“Yes,” she nods. Now Briana’s beaming, not even worried about holding back or hiding anything. “This is a dream.”

She’s completely enveloped in Louis’s arms, and they make their way to an area of the water where their feet can touch the ground. Briana cannot believe that she’s this close with Louis, that they have such a connection, and that Louis seems to feel it, too. Usually with guys she can’t hold their interest, or they don’t work out in the end. But with Louis things have changed completely. “Not a dream, love,” Louis says softly. He knows now that he’s being a bit cheesy, but he quite likes it. “This is all real.”

Briana kisses him softly and her heart thrums in her chest. She feels happier than she’s felt in months - years, even. And it’s all thanks to Louis. She takes a deep breath as she leans away and looks into his eyes. Her deft fingers push his wet fringe out of his face and she smiles, stealing one more kiss before she says, “They’re probably wondering where we are.”

Louis laughs. “You’re too nice sometimes, you know that?” he says. “Be a little cutthroat. You’ve got as much of a right to steal up all my time as the rest of them.”

Blushing, Briana nuzzles against Louis, feeling a little shy. She’s never one to aggressively stake a claim to anything, ever. She stands up for herself if she really, really has to, but usually she doesn’t need to. This is the hardest she’s ever really had to work for anything. “Well…” she trails off.

“C’mere,” Louis says, sliding a hand around the back of her neck, underneath her wet hair. His fingers tangle in her brunette locks and he guides her gently until they’re eye to eye. “Kiss me.”

Briana totally melts under his touch, at his demand, and happily leans in for another kiss. This one is a little more heated, different from anything they’ve ever shared before. Briana feels herself completely falling for him, especially when he’s so sweet and gentle and patient with her. It’s the scariest feeling in the world, being so vulnerable and open for someone, but with Louis she feels like she can fall. She feels like maybe this is where she can finally say she’s falling in love.

“Are you guys drowning down there?”

A woman’s voice - Briana’s pretty sure it’s Perrie but with the accent she thinks it could be Eleanor, too - shouts at them from the edge of the rocks. Louis looks up and laughs. “We’re fine! Just having a moment!”

Briana’s whole face turns red because now everyone knows what they were doing. “It’s alright,” Louis says, a little amused at how he’d accidentally embarrassed Briana. He kisses her on the tip of her nose and says, “Let’s go back up. Have more of those… what were the drinks?”

“Pina coladas,” Briana says.

“Yes, those,” Louis replies. “We’ll have a drink, and I’ll jump with some others, and then I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Briana nods and lets Louis go ahead of her on the stairs. By the time she makes her way to where she’s set out her towel with the others, Louis is already jumping off the rocks with Perrie.

The person who surprises him the most during cliffdiving is actually Jack, because he does a flip off the side of the rocks - a full somersault in the air - before diving into the water. He made Louis jump first and everything, so Louis could watch from the water as Jack showed off his moves.

Up on the ledge there’s undoubtedly somebody grumbling about Jack being a showoff, but Louis can’t hear them and neither can Jack. They stay in the water, sitting on the stairs at the bottom of the path, chatting. Jack is confident and sure of his relationship with Louis; he feels like there’s something there. It helps that most of the activities they’ve done so far are things Jack had an interest in even before the show, things like hiking and rafting. Though now Jack will have to add cliffdiving to his list because he’s having a fantastic time.

Louis gets his wish and does at least one jump with each person. He also enjoys watching from the ledge as the others jump - like when the girls all leap hand in hand. Louis likes that one because he knows someone is taking a photo for them to keep later, and he also likes knowing they’ve gotten friends out of this whole process, even if they don’t get him.

After a while they decide to join Louis on the rocks under the sun, drying off with a pina colada in a carved out coconut. “Don’t drink too much, though,” Louis warns. “We’ve got a special cocktail waiting for us at our next stop… and it’s strong.”

He looks absolutely mischievous, and for many the anticipation is just too much. They end up packing up their things even before they’ve fully dried off, and Louis leads the seven men and women back down through the park. They stay within the main gates though, and wander over to a pier where there’s a boat waiting for them to take them on a coastal boat tour. The boat will go along the edge of the Yucatan Peninsula and past Cozumel. It’ll take up most of their afternoon, but it’ll be a beautiful view that Louis can’t wait to share with everyone.

Once they load onto the boat, Louis brings them around to the front where there are sofas circled around a long table with two massive mugs - both are bigger than a human head, for sure. “So, these are our drinks for the afternoon,” Louis says, gesturing to them. “They’re a Mexican specialty called Cantaritos de Amatitán,” he grins wider, “And each of them has a full bottle of tequila in it.”

Jack lets out an impressed whistle. “So, rather than doing a toast, let’s each take a big drink before we get this party going!” Louis says excitedly.

He’s clearly in the mood to party during this date. Parties and drinking are something he does more than he should probably admit, but he really enjoys that sort of thing and wants to be with someone who can let loose and have a good time and enjoy the same sort of stuff he does. They don’t have to join him every time but he’d quite like a night out with his partner like this every now and again.They circle around each of the two massive mugs of cocktails, everyone with a straw.

Louis takes the first sip, and he closes his eyes at the taste. It’s amazing - citrusy, tangy, and of course, there’s the tequila. He takes another sip for good measure - he’d like to get a buzz going, but not be too drunk to get closer and spend some quality time with the men and women on his group date - especially since this is where they’re spending the rest of it.

They can take in the sights, have more to drink, and sneak away for some one on one time as well. The boat is big enough to afford everyone with some privacy, which Louis likes. He’s also warned everyone that they won’t dock until the two massive cocktails are gone - though that’s his own rule, not the show’s rule.

Louis takes one last large gulp before he lets himself be pulled away for more one on one time. He goes with Niall, leaving the other six men and women to hang out on the deck of the boat together.

Eleanor pulls a sundress on over her strawberry red bikini. She puts some sunglasses on her face, too, and reclines back in one of the deck chairs. “That is a

strong

cocktail,” Jack comments as he watches Briana take another sip.

“It’s good,” she says, “I like it.”

“I mean, I do too,” Jack agrees. He laughs and says, “I’d keep drinking but I’m sort of afraid I’ll make a fool of myself in front of Louis later if I do.”

Briana puts on a pouty face and says, “Drink with me! It’ll be fun.”

Jack leans in, but before he takes a drink he says, “Well, Eleanor has to join us, too, then!”

Eleanor slides her sunglasses halfway down the bridge of her nose to look between the two of them. Briana and Jack are both smiling wide and it’s Mexico, and it’s hot out… and she can’t say no. Eleanor sits up and scoots to the end of her deck chair. “Alright, but just a few sips,” she says.

The three of them lean down and each take a straw. Between conversations about any old thing that comes to mind, they keep taking sips. Danielle joins them shortly after they get going, and after even more one on one time with Louis, Perrie joins in as well with Louis on her heels.

He looks down at the group and how much they’ve had to drink from one of the mugs. Louis looks incredibly impressed, and makes the people who haven’t been drinking - mostly the lads, Niall and Matthew - join him at the much fuller cup and have a few drinks there. They sip a lot more than is probably wise, but it puts a smile on Louis’s face, so that’s what matters most.

It’s the strangest date and one on one time they’ve had yet, but quite a few of them suppose it has something to do with the serious two on one date looming on the horizon for Louis. That might even be fueling his need for such strong alcoholic drinks, and in such abundance, too.

Jack starts to feel the tequila hitting him hard, but it gives him enough of a burst of confidence to ask Louis if he can have some time with him, away from the rest on the boat. Happily Louis obliges, taking Jack’s hand and walking with him to the opposite side of the boat. Louis brazenly stares for a few moments as Jack walks ahead of him, taking in the sight of his lean, muscular back and how well his bum fills out his swim trunks.

Swaying a little as they sit down, Louis thinks that perhaps he’s had a little too much to drink. He takes a deep breath and feels Jack’s hand on the small of his back, steadying him. “You good?” Jack asks.

Louis nods. “Little tipsy, but that’s alright, yeah?” he replies.

Jack laughs and nods. “Yeah. That seems to be the goal today, isn’t it?” he asks. Louis’s bright blue eyes look up at Jack, analyzing him for a moment. When he doesn’t respond, Jack very bravely asks, “Is it because of the two on one coming up? Are you worried about that?”

Louis’s smile falls, but he doesn’t edge away from Jack and he certainly doesn’t mince words as he says, “Yeah. They’ve both been sort of irritating me and I feel like they’re each two different people: the person they are around you guys and they person they are around me. I’m scared as fuck about what’ll happen tomorrow.”

Jack cups Louis’s cheek and does his very best to calm Louis. It’s the least he can do, having confronted the very thing making Louis worry himself drunk. “It’s alright,” Jack insists. “I’m sure you’re going to make the right decision for you, whatever it is.”

“What do

you

think of them?” Louis asks bluntly.

That makes Jack hesitate. As much as he’d like to say his honest opinion, he casually brushes it off as he says, “I think that they both have redeeming qualities and they both have their shortcomings. But that doesn’t mean I should have any sort of say in what you decide.”

“Spoken like a true lawyer,” Louis says.

There’s no malice in his voice, though Jack does catch a hint of disappointment in Louis’s expression. The moment is silent and Jack let’s his hand fall from Louis’s face to his lap, thumb tracing gentle circles into his thigh. “Speaking of my job,” Jack says softly. “When we got those phone calls before we came to Mexico, I called my parents. I guess the law firm I work for was trying to get a hold of me and called them. They want to transfer me to New York.”

“Oh.”

Jack looks over at Louis and gets nervous all over again. This could change everything. It could change nothing. But if Jack wants to make the move to New York, then it doesn’t really make sense for them to be together because the natural solution for the two of them was for Jack to move to

England

. Louis takes a deep breath and follows up his incredibly short answer with, “Do you want to?”

Shrugging, Jack replies, “I’m thinking about it. It depends on a lot.”

“Like?” Louis prompts.

When he drinks, Louis is much less hesitant, Jack notices. He’s not afraid to say what he thinks or what he feels, or to ask the difficult questions. He will put someone on the spot and he will get the answers he wants. In this sort of situation where time is of the essence, Jack is actually quite thankful. “Like us,” Jack says. “If four weeks from now you’re getting down on one knee and proposing to me, I won’t take the job in New York. I’ll study and get certified to practice in England that will be that.” He’s quiet for a moment and Louis looks at Jack, a little awestruck. “I can’t give them my decision until all is said and done here, anyway, so…”

Louis nods. He’s still quiet - too quiet - and Jack wonders for a brief moment if he broke Louis or something silly like that.

“You’d really do that?” Louis asks, his voice soft, reverent almost.

Jack nods. “Yes. I know how much family means to you. Mine is old enough and more than willing to travel, and you want to be close to yours. So I would do it in a heartbeat,” he says simply.

Louis smiles at the sound of that, and at the thought as well. He imagines Jack in one of his many work suits, dressed to the nines, hair coiffed just right, walking down Oxford Street or around Kensington, looking posh and handsome but being

all Louis’s

. “That sounds amazing,” Louis whispers.

Jack leans in, and there’s clearly tequila on both of their breaths, but he’s so focused on Louis’s look of awe and happiness that nothing else matters. Jack cups Louis’s cheek again and whispers, “I want that to be me, with you, at the end. Not just because being in England is a dream, but more importantly, I want it to be me because I’m falling in love with you, Louis.”

Jack had meant to save that until later, maybe for another week, but he can’t help but let the alcohol push the confession from him sooner than he’d planned. He’s been feeling strong feelings -

love

feelings - for a while now, but was trying to plan the perfect time to tell Louis. A tequila-induced confession isn’t the most romantic, but it does feel right, and that’s what matters most to Jack.

He closes the distance between them, kissing Louis gently. Louis’s hand catches on Jack’s waist and pulls him closer as they sit on a bench at the back of the boat, the breeze whipping through their hair as the boat soars further along the Mexican coast. It feels so perfect, being here in Jack’s arms, under his protective touch. Louis can feel in their kiss and in Jack’s touch that the love is there. He knows it, and he’s not surprised by it. He loves it and it makes Louis’s heart threaten to pound right out of his chest.

Louis’s knuckles turn white, he pulls Jack so close with such strength. They’re completely lost in each other, hands and arms wandering as the kiss deepens, that they don’t notice at first when they’re interrupted. It’s someone from the crew, telling them to break it up because someone wants to come and interrupt. Louis thinks vaguely that if this were Avan and Harry’s date, nobody would have done that. They would have wanted the drama of one finding the other in such a heated moment with Louis.

But these people are free of that drama storyline, and while Louis is sorry anyone got mixed up in it at all, he’s glad it’s these people who can avoid it. Not that they’re not strong enough; Louis just thinks they’ve been more genuine and earned a bit of relaxation.

Jack pulls away and reaches out, his thumb brushing over the pout of Louis’s lower lip to wipe away a stray bit of saliva. Louis looks down at Jack’s hand and swallows hard, trying to regain his composure. Jack smiles and presses a soft kiss to Louis’s temple. “See you in a bit?” he asks.

Louis nods, speechless, and lets Eleanor interrupt the moment. She looks timid, a bit unsurprised, and Louis knows right away that his goal is to put a smile back on her face. “Hey love,” he says, reaching out for her.

Eleanor sits down next to him and leans into his embrace, her own slender arms wrapping around his waist. She kisses his jaw and leans away to look into his eyes. “Having a good time?” Louis asks. She nods and hiccups a little. Louis laughs, “Having a bit to drink?”

“Just like you asked,” she says, cheeks a little flushed.

Louis looks at Eleanor and he’s a little surprised. It’s not that he thought she was uptight, necessarily, but he’s surprised she’s let go as much as she has. “You’re adorable like this, y’know that?” Louis says.

Eleanor’s cheeks are flushed, and she’s being a little more open, far less reserved, than she usually is. She shrugs and says, “You wanted us to have a good time and have some drinks. I’m just following your lead, that’s all.”

“Are you having a good time?” Louis wonders.

Eleanor nods, a smile on her lips. “I am, yes.”  She senses just like the others that this drinking and very casual date is probably a result of all the fears and anxiety Louis feels about the upcoming two on one date. So, deciding to take a risk, Eleanor asks, “Do you want to talk about how you’re feeling?”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “What d’you mean?”

His speech isn’t slurred but he’s getting there, and Eleanor can tell that he’s like a dam about to burst. With the right question, he won’t hold back, and then that means there’s a chance that he’ll open up and talk about everything that’s bothering him. “I mean,” she clarifies. “This date today… don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with you no matter what we’re doing. But this boat, the alcohol… you’re trying to cope with what’s coming, aren’t you?”

Louis has never thought any of the men and women here were dumb, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for someone to confront him head-on about what they’re doing. He sits in silent shock for a moment, wondering what to say. Eleanor is quiet, patient. She doesn’t pressure him or make him talk right away. She just reaches down to hold his hand, crossing her legs and adjusting her sunglasses on her face.

Eventually, Louis replies, “I’m fucking terrified.”

Nodding, Eleanor says, “I know. You’re a really nice guy, Louis. You never want to hurt anyone so knowing that on this date you’re going to have to do that… it’s getting to you.”

“It is,” Louis concedes. “It’s not

just

that date though. It’s everything that’s coming. You know I care about you, and we have something special,” Louis says, “and I have that with several people here. And… I just keep thinking about how I’ll have to say goodbye to two more people after this two on one date… this week… I dunno how I’m going to handle it, love.”

Eleanor frowns and reaches out, sliding an arm around his shoulders. “It’s okay,” she whispers, giving Louis a little kiss on his temple. “This isn’t meant to be easy. Isn’t that what they always say about love? It’s worth fighting for, something like that?” Louis looks up into her eyes. “So you just have to fight for it. Push away all these other instincts you have to not hurt people or disappoint them. Because you’re going to. I can’t lie to you about that.”

Louis sighs heavily and reaches over to pull Eleanor into his lap. She’s taller than him, like this, and Louis for a moment thinks she doesn’t like that. But then she’s leaning down, pressing her lips to his, and Louis’s worries start to melt away. The kiss isn’t heated, or too long, but it’s enough. When she leans away and tips their foreheads together, she whispers, “You’re going to be alright, Louis. You just need to follow your heart.”

As much as she wants to say

I love you

, like she did last week, she doesn’t want to throw that term around lightly. Eleanor also doesn’t want to put more pressure on Louis than he’s already feeling, because it’s clearly getting to him and starting to take its toll. “You are such an amazing woman, Eleanor,” Louis says softly.

His voice is reverent, and the look in his eyes is so raw and honest and tender that it makes her whole chest feel tightened, constricted. Louis is one-hundred percent honest and open. He doesn’t try to hide behind anything or put up a front that he’s somebody he’s not. She’s so impressed by him each and every time they get to be together, and it’d be a dream come true to be his wife one day, she’s sure of that. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I have to say though, you’re a more amazing man. I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”

Louis smiles at her and rubs her back where they sit together. The spray from the ocean as the boat soars around Catalina island splashes up at them, surprising them and calling them out of their little reverie. Eleanor shrieks, which makes Louis laugh, and everything feels a little better. Even if Eleanor didn’t get Louis to fully open up and talk about how he’s feeling, it seems she put him at ease which was half the battle. She’s proud for accomplishing that, knowing she’s the one who put the smile back on his face.

Louis urges her off his lap and takes her hand; they walk back to the rest of the group where there’s still a about a quarter of the cocktails left, though the group is making good progress on them. Louis leans in for a big sip from the fuller of the two cups, and then looks around.

He nearly jumps out of his skin when someone sneaks up behind him and asks, “Can we go for a walk?”

Louis spins around on his heel to see Matthew standing behind him, skin sun-kissed from being outdoors almost the entire time they’ve been in Mexico. A few strands of hair are falling down in his face and he’s got a smile on his face that makes Louis’s heart pound in his chest. “Yeah, of course,” Louis nods.

He lets Matt take his hand and they walk into the boat and down into the living quarters where there’s a sofa and some cameras set up, music playing softly in the background. For Louis, it’s a relief to get out of the sun. His skin feels hot, like he got sunburned even after applying sunscreen, and hopes he doesn’t look too much like a lobster for the rest of the process. Louis naturally sidles up close to Matt, and the indoors is so quiet compared to out on deck even with the music playing that Louis’s ears sort of buzz with it.

Matt leans down for a kiss before he says, “I kept my promise.”

Louis laughs and nods, “I had no doubts.”

Louis makes a move to sit down on the sofa, but Matt pulls on his hand and says, “Uh uh, not yet.”

His fingertips dance around Louis’s where their hands are outstretched, and Louis’s eyes hover a bit too long on Matt’s hands before he draws them up to look him in the eyes, confused.

“I want to dance with you,” Matt says simply.

Louis looks taken aback by that, and he doesn’t have anything to say in response. Rather, he steps towards Matt, feeling a little silly now since they’re just in swim shorts and tank tops but dancing as though they’re at a fancy party. The song is mellow and slow, and Louis is pretty sure this entire scene was set up for them on purpose. But he doesn’t mind. Louis will never mind being wrapped up in Matt’s arms, even if it makes him feel small in comparison to Matt’s build and height.

Matt’s large hand covers Louis’s smaller one, his other hand splayed across Louis’s back, pulling him close. They’re barefoot and keep bumping toes, but it’s nice to stand close and dance like this. Louis feels completely surrounded by Matt whenever they’re together. He forgets anything else that’s happening. And Matt - he can’t describe how he feels when he’s with Louis because it’s unlike anything he’s ever felt before. Louis is kind and warm and selfless and he’s always so focused on everyone around him that Matt likes being able to swoop in and make sure someone is looking after Louis.

Louis rests his forehead against Matt’s cheek as they dance, because it’s about as much as he can do without craning his neck to lay his head on his shoulder. He likes it though, because it’s something he can’t share with anyone else. Nobody is quite as tall as Matt, and Louis would be remiss if he didn’t confess to being at least a little turned on by their height difference and all the new feelings it was making Louis realize.

When the song winds down to a close, Louis reluctantly leans away to lead Matt to the sofa. They sit down together, Louis easily tucking his legs underneath him on the cushions and curling into Matt’s side. Matt smiles and kisses Louis’s forehead as they settle in together. They feel the buzz of the tequila and the adrenaline rush they got from dancing together, and Louis needs a moment to catch his breath and gather his thoughts.

Matt is quiet - he’s good at that, being quiet when Louis needs to think - and waits for Louis to lead the conversation. “How have you been?” Louis asks finally. He sounds a bit guilty as he says, “I’m sorry I wasn’t as focused as I should have been these past few weeks. I have no excuse.”

Kindly, Matt smiles and says, “I understand. This whole process is a beast that nobody is really prepared to tackle.”

Louis chuckles. “You’ve got that right,” he says. Matt slides his arm a little further around Louis’s waist, pulling him closer, and Louis asks, “What’s been on your mind lately?”

“Lots of things,” Matt confesses like it’s the easiest answer in the world. It’s not easy topics of course, but he knows what he’s been thinking about - he couldn’t cover that up if he tried. “There are some pretty important weeks ahead.”

Louis nods; he’s well aware of that fact, but appreciates that others have picked up on it too, that they’re preparing for the tough decisions and big moments that are to come in the next few weeks, like hometown dates and settling down and deciding whether they’re really serious about this marriage thing. “Tell me what you’ve been thinking,” Louis prompts.

Matt laughs a little and says, “That’s a loaded question.”

“We’ve got time,” Louis reminds him.

“Not as much as we’d like, I’m sure,” Matt counters easily. “So, I’ve been a bit stressed. I feel sort of like I fell to the back of the pack these past few weeks,” he says, and when he notices that Louis is about to defend himself, he lifts one finger and presses it to Louis’s lips. “You don’t need to explain. I know that’s just part of this process. We can’t escape that.” Louis swallows hard and feels torn - he wants to explain himself but he’s also

very

distracted by Matt holding a finger to his lips to stop him from speaking. It might be the tequila talking, but something about that makes Louis’s heart beat a little faster.

“More importantly,” Matt continues, and once he’s sure Louis isn’t going to chime in, he lowers his finger. He needs to get his thoughts out because he doesn’t want to risk having to hold them in another week. “I’ve been thinking about you. And my family.”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes,” Matt nods. “I think they’d love you. And I keep thinking about bringing you home to them and introducing you and showing you around New York and it’s like… I get so excited and so happy thinking about it that I’d probably burst if I ever got the chance to do that for real.”

Louis is blown away by Matt’s words. He hasn’t really talked about hometowns with anyone yet, and while in concept people have said that their families would like Louis, he’s used to hearing that. It’s Matt saying he’s thought about what he’d do, what he’d say, if the situation were to arise… that surprises Louis. He loves that Matt has thought ahead. He smiles and asks, “What’s your family like?”

Matt smiles. “Well, they all live in New York except my older sister. She’s out in LA. She’s got some smaller acting roles but she’s really trying to break out and do some bigger things. Acting is her

thing

. She loves it,” he explains. “Her name is Alexandra. And then there’s my parents. My parents are both lawyers - my mom Christina works for a private firm and my dad Richard works for the city. He’s a prosecutor now, but he did some work in counterterrorism with the mayor after 9/11.”

Louis’s eyes go wide and all he can think to say is, “Wow.”

Chuckling, Matt nods and says, “Yeah. He wasn’t home much when that was all happening, but it’s all good now. He sort of gave up that stuff when Bloomberg left office, went back to just being a prosecutor for the city, dealing with the NYPD, that sort of thing.”

“So it’s the four of you?”

Shaking his head, Matt laughs and says, “Nah, I have a little sister, too, but she’s really quiet, hardly ever around, that sort of thing. She’s an artist. Lives with some of her friends in some old industrial apartment complex out in Bushwick. She’s really talented but like I said, super quiet. Doesn’t talk much. And so when I talk about my family I feel like I accidentally just make her the quiet one there, too, like when I mention her last and stuff.”

“And what’s her name?”

“Catharine,” Matt replies. “Everyone said before I even came out here that we’d all get together if you came out for a date though, to meet them. They’d all want to be there, support us, that sort of thing. Plus, between you and me, my mom really wants to make a big family dinner again. She used to do it all the time.”

Louis smiles; he likes the sound of that, a really maternal type woman who looks out for her family. “She sounds like someone my mum would have loved,” Louis says softly.

“I’ll bet she was,” Matt agrees. After a pause, he prompts, “Tell me about your mom.” He’s heard from others that Louis lost his mom recently, so he doesn’t ask about her passing specifically. He does want to know what she was like, though.

Louis closes his eyes and let the memories wash over him for a moment. “She was an incredible woman,” Louis says softly. He nestles in closer to Matt and goes on and on with stories of his mum - how she’d raised him herself at just 18, and then when she got remarried and had more siblings, and how close Louis was with her, his whole life. He gets so caught up in telling stories about her that when he blinks a few tears down his cheeks, he doesn’t even notice. “When she got the diagnosis and gave me a call, I was at my mate’s wedding. Talk about confusing emotions there. Celebrating my mate’s best day of his life and I get a call that my mum’s life was quickly about to end. Like… I don’t even know how I processed that.”

Matt rubs his hand up and down Louis’s arm, trying desperately to comfort him. When he looks down and sees that Louis’s cheeks are damp, he wipes at the tear tracks with his thumb. “I miss her like hell but I also wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her,” Louis explains softly. “She told me to do it. To audition, I mean. And then when she passed she told me that she was gonna make sure I found love. Dunno how… dunno if I even believe in that heaven stuff. But I know she’s looking out for me, so.”

Matt kisses the top of Louis’s head and says, “She sounds like an extraordinary woman.”

“She was,” Louis says. He sniffles and wipes at his face. “God, I’m sorry. Here we were getting all romantic and I go and turn into a blubbering mess.”

On the bright side, Louis realizes, at least he’s crying for a good reason rather than over dumping someone. He hadn’t wanted his first tears on the telly - or any, for that matter - to be because of the process. He didn’t want people to think he wasn’t strong. But this - this is different. This, he knows he deserves to cry over.

“Don’t apologize, please,” Matt insists. He pushes Louis’s hands away from where he’s wiping rather roughly at his face. “It’s okay. Thank you for telling me all of this.”

Louis smiles sadly and looks up at Matt. “She would’ve really liked you,” he says softly. “She would’ve

loved

you.”

Something about Louis’s statement is so personal, so private, that it astonishes Matt and renders him speechless. Hearing about her is one thing, but hearing that Louis knows so confidently that she would’ve liked him - that does something for Matt. It reassures him that what he and Louis have is real, and it’s worth fighting for, even when things get confusing or frustrating.

“Louis…” Matt trails off. He knows he should say something, but doesn’t know what.

Louis leans in to press a kiss to Matt’s lips. He thinks about how Matt and his mum would have laughed and had a good time chatting out in the garden, or cooking together, or playing with the kids at the park down the road. Louis feels his heart ache as he thinks about how badly he wants to introduce them to each other, but will never have that chance.

When Matt pulls out of the kiss, he looks into Louis’s eyes and says softly, “You’re making me fall in love with you, you know.”

Louis smiles brightly, his happiness rivaling Matt’s. “Good,” Louis says in reply, before leaning in for another kiss.

They kiss lazily, the alcohol from the massive cocktails earlier making their movements lethargic and slow. They’re tender with each other, a little gentle, even, at Matt thinks that he’d be content with just this.

After a few more moments, they’re prompted to go up to the main deck with everyone else on the boat. The sun is starting to set in the distance and Louis wishes he could have more time with everyone. However, the night is quickly winding down, with the boat tour also coming to a conclusion soon.

The two massive cocktails are nearly empty, meaning they’ve all had far more alcohol than they probably should have. Louis stands facing the rest as they set up for the rose ceremony, but before they can get to the part where he hands out the rose and they dock the boat to call it a night, Briana rushes off to the edge of the boat, the nearest empty space.

She tries her best to hide before she doubles over and vomits the contents of her alcohol-filled stomach into the sea. Her whole face is red from embarrassment. She knew she’d gone a little bit too far but never thought she’d get so bad she’d be sick in front of the cameras. Louis rushes over, and he very sternly tells them to turn the cameras off.

Sensing how important that is for Louis, the others step in and try to block the cameras from getting to Louis and Briana, who stand up at the front of the boat. Briana’s still leaning over the edge, her brown hair blowing in the breeze as she avoids looking back for fear of being filmed. “Hey, hey it’s okay,” Louis says gently, patting her back. “I’ve got you, we’re blocking off the cameras the best we can.”

Inevitably there will be some sort of footage, and at the very least a recording of their conversation, but it’s better than the alternative of cameras up in her face, in the way. “I’m so embarrassed,” Briana groans.

Her voice is hoarse and Louis’s gut twists unpleasantly. “This is my fault,” he says softly. “I never should have brought that much to drink. We didn’t

have

to finish them, even though I said we did” he chuckles a little when Briana snorts in amusement. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she says softly. “I should’ve known my limit.”

“This show pushes you past your limits, we all know that,” Louis counters. “You alright? Need to be sick again?”

He’s not entirely sure why she hasn’t come back from leaning over the edge of the boat. “I’m…” she takes a deep breath. He notices when she responds that she’s slurring her speech quite a bit. “I’m good, I think. Just gotta sit down. Breathe. This breeze is nice…”

Louis helps her sit down on the deck of the boat and he keeps rubbing her back as they sit there together. Briana buries her face in her hands to try to keep the cameras from getting a good view of her, because as they can see, they’re trying to film past the human wall built by the other six on the date with them.

“I’m such an idiot,” Briana mutters.

Louis scoots closer to her and says, “No, you’re good. It’s fine. We’ve all had a lot to drink tonight, it’s okay.”

She lays her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. “You’re so nice,” she says softly.

Louis looks down at her and notices that she’s quite out of it, probably close to passing out if he’d had to wager a guess. He holds her and lets the breeze wash over her. After a moment, Briana reaches over to put her hand on his leg. “Louis, I love you so much,” she muses. Louis wonders if she even knows what she’s saying at this point. “I’ve fallen in love with you but I don’t know if you’ve fallen in love with me, too, and it’s scary. So scary. Especially when I think you love some of them more, and I’m just so scared… I don’t wanna have my heart broken…”

She trails off sleepily, and Louis takes a deep breath. There’s a lot to unpack in what she’s said - a lot of very important statements. “Hey, shh, it’s okay,” Louis says softly. “I care a lot about you. But what’s most important right now is if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” she says in a singsong voice.

“You think you can handle sitting with the rest while I hand out the rose, quick?” Louis asks hesitantly.

Nodding, Briana says, “Yeah, I can.”

“Alright, love. Let’s get up, then,” Louis stands and takes her hands, helping her to her feet.

Briana stumbles a little, but she smiles and looks into Louis’s eyes. Her gaze is a little glassy and unfocused, but she’s clearly giving him her full attention. “Thanks for taking care of me,” she slurs.

“Of course, Bria. Anytime,” he says, sliding an arm around her waist.

They walk slowly back to the group, and Danielle steps in to help Briana take a seat on the furniture by the empty cocktail cups that they’d started hours and hours ago. Louis takes a rose from someone on crew and says, “Alright, we’re about to dock, so I apologize for rushing this but we’ve got to, at this point.”

Louis smiles as he looks at the group and says, “I hope you’ve all had a great time today. I think we’ve done plenty of crazy things down here in Mexico, and I’m so glad I got to share this all with you lot. So… thank you.” He looks at the group and says, “I don’t want to draw this out too much, because I think we’ve all had plenty to drink and we’re ready for bed. So… Eleanor,” he says, pausing to look at her. She stands as Louis asks, “Will you accept this rose?”

Eleanor smiles brightly and nods. She feels incredibly special for getting a rose - it means she’s just one more week of dates away from a rose that will hopefully secure her a place in hometown dates week. She’d love to take him home to her family; she’s sure they’d all adore Louis.

The boat starts to dock so Louis doesn’t get the opportunity to say much of a formal goodbye to everyone. He does, however, loop an arm around Briana’s waist and makes sure she gets into the car safely, so she can go back to the resort and sleep it off. Danielle promises to keep an eye on Briana and make sure she gets plenty of water and rest once they get back to the resort.

Louis is pleased that he’s had just enough alcohol to not worry too much about the date that lay ahead of him. He’s incredibly nervous for it, but knows that there’s no escaping it now. The next morning he’ll be meeting Avan and Harry for the dreaded two on one, and there’s nothing he can do to avoid it now.

--

The tension is thick in the air when Louis goes to the resort to pick up Avan and Harry for the two on one date. It’s no secret to anybody that Avan and Harry don’t really get along. Harry tried, at first, because he likes to give everyone a chance, but when Avan kept insisting that Harry wasn’t being genuine, he gave up. He didn’t want to put all that effort and energy into something that clearly wasn’t going to work.

The men and their jealousy is something that Louis hadn’t been expecting, though now that it’s happening, he’s not surprised in the least. For Louis, the most challenging thing about the day is that he likes both Harry and Avan for different reasons, but every so often gets irritated with them for focusing on all the things they don’t agree on. If they’d just put that aside and focus on their relationships with Louis, everything would be fine.

Plus, Louis would be lying if he said he never thought about whether Harry had feelings for Nick in return. He saw how the two of them were around each other, and that wasn’t a one-sided thing. He’d wanted to ask earlier, when they were camping, but he didn’t. Harry was so sweet, and he’d been so honest and vulnerable, but now Louis needed to know. Before the date even started, Louis knew that he needed to confront Harry about that.

But he also needed to confront Avan. He needed to know why Avan felt so threatened, and so compelled to focus on Harry so much when their relationship was on the line because of it. There’s a lot that needs to happen on the two on one date, and Louis feels knots in his stomach as the date begins.

He walks into the resort and to the room where the nine remaining men and women are having breakfast together in various states of disarray. Avan and Harry are put together and ready to go, but the seven from the group date the previous day look tired, maybe a little hungover too. Briana looks surprisingly good considering she’d been so drunk she got sick, and Louis is pleased to see that she’s doing alright.

“Alright, lads. Ready?” Louis asks, looking between Avan and Harry.

Avan smiles and combs his hair back. Harry fumbles with his own hair and Louis is struck by how much

alike

these two men are, even if they don’t like each other. Their hair is long, they dress rather eccentrically, they wear too many rings on their hands, and they’ve got big, warm eyes that make Louis feel totally cared for just through their gaze.

With a stomach full of butterflies, Louis leaves the resort with Avan and Harry. He goes out to a Jeep parked in front of the building and climbs in the driver’s seat. There’s a cameraman in the passenger seat and the two men climb into the back. The whole Jeep is open, a big rugged thing with no roof and sparkling red paint.

Louis tears out of the driveway and towards their destination, having fun going over bumps and watching Harry and Avan bounce around and laugh when the ride jostles them more than they’re used to. Louis drives fast, messing up all of their hair right away. He loves this sort of thing, though, riding in nice cars, speeding around and having a good time. It helps him forget the pressure that he’s going to be facing as the day continues on.

When they get to the archaeological park, Louis parks the car and climbs out, gesturing around them. “Welcome to the Mayan ruins of Tulum,” he says. “This place is… old. Really old.”

Avan puts on a proud smile and says, “The oldest ruins here date back to around 500 AD.”

Confused, Harry asks, “How do you know that?”

“There’s a library in the resort,” Avan shrugs. “What else was I going to do yesterday?”

They could have spent time together, hanging out like most people do when they’re not out on dates, but with the animosity between the two of them, that wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Avan found the room in the resort with a bunch of books about the history of Quintana Roo, the area where they’re staying, and all the things to do in the area. “They had novels,” Harry says.

“But I like history,” Avan replies.

Louis feels at a loss for words and doesn’t really know why these two insist on making everything a competition. They’re not like this when they’re apart. When they’re having one on one time with Louis, he’s never seen this side of either of them.

“We’re going to go for a little hike,” Louis says as they are greeted by a tour guide. “Once we get a little deeper into the park, we can have some one on one time, me with each of you, and we can just… see where everything goes. Alright?” Louis looks at them both desperately and says, “Just please, let’s be civil?”

That’s not something he ever thought he’d need to beg them for, but as it turns out, it’s necessary, and even though it’s him asking, he’s not sure they’ll listen. Most people here would do anything Louis asked, either because they cared for him or it would better their chances - or both.

The tour guide walks them through the ruins of the Tulum area of Mexico, where they’ve been staying, and explains the history behind it all. There are palaces and paintings, worn down by centuries of weather and wear, but still standing and still as breathtaking as they day they were built. The history is astonishing and all three men just listen intently as they’re given the tour.

Everything is breathtaking, from the massive buildings to the views of the ocean and the beaches nearby, and Louis lets himself get lost in the beauty and the history of the area, rather than the drama that is inevitably going to happen between Avan and Harry eventually. Thankfully, they seem engrossed in the tour as well.

When they’re brought back to the front of the ruins where there are some chairs and a small table set up for them with drinks and snacks, Louis’s stomach drops. He takes a glass of wine when it’s handed to him and sips gingerly at it, begging for some sort of courage to come from it. “Louis, could I steal you away?” Avan asks almost instantly upon arrival at their table and chairs.

Harry takes a deep breath and sits down, nodding to Louis to go have his time with Avan. Louis takes Avan’s hand and they walk together through the park of Mayan ruins. Eventually, the come to a balcony with a wicker bench and pillows, a view overlooking the white sands and beautiful turquoise sea. They sit down together, Avan reaching down to hold Louis’s hand. “So what do you think?” Louis asks.

“This place is amazing,” Avan says. “It’s fascinating, especially after I read a book about all of this yesterday.”

“That’s quite a coincidence,” Louis replies, amused.

Avan laughs and takes the credit for that, even if he maybe shouldn’t. The book was strategically placed out on the table when someone on the crew told him about the library; he wouldn’t be surprised if they’d done that on purpose. Since he didn’t know for sure, he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he preens a little under the compliment and says, “What can I say? I like to read.”

“That’s great,” Louis says. “I can’t say I do much reading but when I do, it’s fine.”

“What do you like to read?”

Shrugging, Louis says, “Mostly fantasy. But like I said, I don’t read much.”

Avan nods. He reads all sorts of things but it’s clear that reading isn’t exactly a common interest of theirs. After a few moments, Louis asks, “How are you feeling about us?”

After a deep breath, Avan says, “I mean, I feel good. I think we’re in a good place.”

“Tell me more,” Louis prompts.

Avan is quiet for a moment as he considers the best way to approach the conversation. “Like, when things are tense, for example. I feel like you’re pretty open about your feelings, and if you need something, I’m there. And when we’re together, it’s great. We have that chemistry, you know?” Avan says.

Nodding, Louis says, “I won’t lie. That kiss we had by the pool, back at the start? That was nice. Probably one of the most memorable things I’ve experienced in this process.”

“See?” Avan says with a smile.

Deciding to give Avan a cruel little test, he asks, “So, do you think you’re better for me than Harry is?”

Avan is clearly taken aback by the question, if the expression on his face is anything to go by. He takes a while to gather his thoughts but when he does, he says, “I mean, that’s not a very fair question.”

“You’ve been acting like it, though,” Louis says simply. He keeps a close eye on Avan and says, “To me, at least, you come across as thinking you’re better than Harry. In general, and for me.”

“Well, to be fair, we’re all supposed to sort of have this idea of being the best one for

you

,” Avan argues. “But as for the rest of it…” he takes a deep breath, knowing that he sounds quite defensive. “I think that I’m more genuine, at least. I’m here for you. For us. I’m not getting distracted by past competitors or what other people think of me. I want you to have a good time, and I want us to get closer.”

All things considered, it’s a pretty diplomatic answer. Louis can’t fault Avan for that, even if he thinks Avan’s being a little too hard on Harry. “Can I ask why you think Harry’s not being genuine?”

“He called Nick,” Avan says instantly. “It’s not fair to you, that he’s even considering Nick as someone to talk to. Especially as things get so serious.” He pauses. “Look - I know Harry is a good guy. He’s charming, and he’s kind to everyone. But that doesn’t roll with me. I think it’s a bit much sometimes. And that may just be my personality and it doesn’t mix well with his.” Avan shrugs. “But the fact of the matter is, I can tell that every other person here has you as the number one thought in their mind. But I can’t say with confidence whether Harry does, too.”

Louis nods. He hears what Avan is saying, and he understands where he’s coming from. Louis has similar concerns about what Harry’s connection to Nick is now that he knows he’s been in contact since Nick left. However, there’s still some opinions Louis has, and he’s tired of biting them back. “I appreciate your honesty, and you telling me that,” Louis says. He tries to choose his words carefully as he says, “Your concerns are valid, and I’m listening, I promise. I do, however, think you’re being just a tad bit harsh. Harry is trying. He tries

so hard

to be a good person, even when he missteps.

Especially

when he missteps. I’ve seen him change parts of who he is to try to appease everyone here, especially you.”

With a firm gaze, Louis locks eyes with Avan and says, “I’m not saying you can’t worry or think that there’s something up. You’re entitled to that. But there’s a difference between that and being outright mean. Which… I need to be honest, here. You’re sort of being mean to him in a way that bothers me. It’s not right.”

In terms of drama, Louis knows all he’s doing is piling on, making things worse for Avan and Harry and working it through. But he also really needs Avan to know what’s bothering him and what’s on his mind.

“I know you’re a good guy and I know we have chemistry,” Louis continues. “I don’t take that for granted. Some of the best moments I’ve had in this journey have been with you. But it’s really hard for me to have those memories with you and then see and hear you being so harsh with Harry. It’s okay to not like him, just… can’t you be indifferent towards him instead?”

Avan is quiet. He’s just been put in his place by Louis and he knows it. But it doesn’t hit him until Louis is so blunt with him that his own personal biases and opinions about Harry could honestly be interfering with his relationship - and it’s not Harry’s fault one bit. It’s Avan’s stubbornness, and his tendency to intensely dislike someone and act on those negative feelings rather than brush them off. Nodding, he says, “You’re right. And I’m sorry.”

“I know we’re in a bubble here and you can’t always behave the way you used to because tensions are high and the setting is different,” Louis says. “You can’t vent to your parents or siblings or friends. All you have are these people here.” He looks at Avan with empathy and says, “I get that. But I just want you to be aware of where I’m at with this right now. What I’m seeing and what I think should be done. Just… brush it off. Turn to someone else. Stop taking it out on Harry. He’s only going to be who he

is

, and he can’t change that. He shouldn’t change that. And he’s trying to, and it’s a shame.”

Nodding, Avan says, “I agree. I’m so sorry, Louis.”

There’s silence for a moment and Louis can’t think of anything else to say other than, “I’m not the one who needs an apology.”

Avan looks up at Louis, who emanates stubbornness. It doesn’t take a genius for Avan to figure out what Louis is getting at. Avan needs to go back and apologize to Harry, and now.

He leans in to give Louis a kiss and says, “I’ll see you soon, then.”

Louis presses into the kiss, savoring it for a moment. When Avan says he’s going to go apologize, Louis feels relieved. He’s wanted them to clear the air for weeks now. He nods and waves at Avan, who walks down to the area where Harry is sitting and sipping slowly on a glass of white wine.

Harry doesn’t say anything, doesn’t know what to make of the fact that Avan is returning alone. “Where’s Louis?” he asks, foregoing a greeting that presumably Avan won’t even return.

“He sent me down here to talk to you,” Avan replies.

Harry’s stomach twists uncomfortably. That doesn’t sound good at all. Avan takes a seat next to Harry and grabs his glass of red wine from the table. He drinks a rather large portion of it before he says, “I owe you an apology. For being harsh, and a little judgmental.”

Raising an eyebrow, Harry asks, “Oh?”

“Look, I’m going to be honest here. I don’t think you’re a good match for Louis. I think if I had to put money on it, I’d bet that you have more feelings for Nick than you do for Louis,” Avan says simply. “But, you’re here, and Louis sees something in you even if I don’t. And what it comes down to is I respect Louis, and his opinions, and what he thinks. And I know I’ve been a bit harsh.”

Harry scoffs.

“Right, okay, yeah, really harsh,” Avan concedes. “I’m sorry I’ve made you uncomfortable or made you feel like you couldn’t be yourself.” Harry can’t quite read Avan, get a measure on whether he’s being genuine or not. However, he’s sure this is the best he’s going to get so he doesn’t worry too much about how authentic the apology is. “From now on I’m going to keep my opinions to myself, and not take any of my frustrations out on you.”

Harry really wants to put the past behind them, so he gives up trying to read Avan and figure out exactly where he’s coming from with this and how much he means it. Instead, he nods and says, “Thanks. I appreciate that.” It was a pretty backhanded apology anyway, but he’ll take it.

The

from now on

bit is a little unnecessary since one of them is going home today, for sure, but the thought is there and that’s what matters. Harry reaches out to shake hands with Avan, and once they shake, they take their glasses of wine and sit back. The air is awkward now, with neither of them knowing what to say. Avan was about to go back to Louis to chat with him, but the crew told him to stay where he was.

Instead, they were going to send Harry to go have a conversation with Louis, at the same balcony where Avan and Louis had been sitting previously.

The overlook is beautiful, and Harry smiles and says, “Wow,” as soon as he catches sight of the view.

Louis turns around when he sees Harry, a little surprised that he’s coming up to see him so soon. He’d expected Harry and Avan’s conversation to take a little longer. When Harry sits down next to him, he leans in for a kiss with Louis right away, and Louis struggles to bite back the question on the tip of his tongue. He does, though, because he doesn’t want to interrupt when Harry is being so sweet with him. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Louis says instead.

Harry hums in agreement as they settle in together, Louis nestled against Harry’s side, the two of them looking out at the ocean tide, soaring up onto the white sands below. The sun is beaming down on them and it’s another beautiful day. It feels odd, compared to the tension and anxiety bubbling up inside Louis.

Finally, it feels like the right moment to ask, “How did it go?”

“With Avan?” Harry asks. He’s not surprised in the least that Louis is asking - he’s probably the one who sent Avan to apologize in the first place. “It was good,” Harry lies. It was mediocre at best, if he had to be honest, but at this point he can gloss over some things. It’ll help both himself and Avan in the end. “He said his piece and I think it’ll be fine, now.”

“Good, good,” Louis nods. He’s quiet for a moment, thinking everything over.

Usually he skirts around the tough conversations, or he talks it through with someone in his family, but he can’t do that here. No, here he’s got to jump in head first and ask the difficult questions before he loses his nerve. So, after only a moment’s hesitation, Louis asks, “D’you have any feelings for Nick?”

Harry grows tense and Louis can tell right away that there’s something going on in Harry’s head that until this moment, he’d been able to push aside. But now that Louis figured it out, something’s going to go amiss. Harry feels the dread bubbling in his stomach. He’d tried to push those thoughts of Nick out of his mind because he has the same sort of thoughts and feelings for Louis. He hasn’t been lying throughout this process, and he needs Louis to know that. The problem is, though, that he’s been so caught off guard that he doesn’t know how to form any of these thoughts or feelings into coherent sentences.

Louis sits up, sensing right away that something is off, and Harry chews on his lower lip as he feels Louis’s eyes watching him intently. Harry takes a deep breath and finally speaks, though Louis isn’t sure he’s ready for what Harry has to say.

“I have feelings for you, Louis,” Harry begins.

“That’s not what I-,”

Harry holds up a hand, interrupting Louis so he can finish his thoughts. “I also have feelings for Nick, you’re right. But… I haven’t lied to you once. Not during this entire process, I swear,” Harry insists.

I thought you were here for

me, Louis thinks to himself. He’d never say that out loud though, because it sounds so selfish. His stomach sinks as he listens to Harry explain himself, not feeling one ounce better even if Harry’s trying to lessen the blow of the confession.

“After you told me why you let go of Nick but kept me, I couldn’t get the thought of him out of my head. And I hated that. And when I called him a few weeks ago - I just needed to know the full story from him. I wanted closure. I wanted to tell him off and never speak to him again but I just - I couldn’t. That’s not what happened.”

“You fell for him,” Louis realizes quietly.

He remembers being told by one of the others that when he was on the phone with Nick, Harry’s whole face was lit up, that he was happier than they’d ever seen him before. Louis wanted to believe it wasn’t true, and knowing Harry went into it hoping for the opposite result, it was hard to hear. Louis feels a bit sick after the confession.

“I’m falling for you too, Louis. I am. Honestly,” Harry insists. He reaches over for Louis’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I promise. I haven’t lied to you about anything I feel for you. Remember the spark? We still have that.”

While Harry is right, there is that spark, it’s hard to see it in the shadow of these confirmed feelings Harry has for Nick. Louis takes a deep breath and nods, not wanting to dump Harry on the spot even if it

is

his first instinct. “Thank you for being honest with me,” Louis says finally.

Harry watches Louis with concern on his face, wondering if this is the end of the line for him. He wouldn’t be surprised if it is, considering everything he’s said and done up to this point. “D’you mind going back to the camp?” Louis asks softly. “I just need some time alone. To think. Figure out what to do.”

Quietly, Harry nods and stands up. He leans in to press a soft kiss to Louis’s temple and then walks away, leaving Louis alone with his thoughts. When Harry gets back to the camp where Avan is sitting and waiting, there’s a rose on the table and Avan looks apprehensive. Harry looks no better.

They sit in silence for what feels like forever, cameras taping their every move, every awkward shift and side eye as they wait for Louis to return. Neither of them knows what to expect; their conversations with Louis didn’t go very well. It’s hard to fathom leaving, but it’s hard to imagine staying after the tough conversations they had.

When Louis finally comes back, the sun is already starting to set and Louis’s eyes look red, like he’d shed a tear or two as he talked it through with the writers.

Louis comes to a stop at the table and picks up the rose. He faces both men, heart hammering violently in his chest. He knows what his instincts are telling him to do. He’s talked this through with the writers and knows what his options are. After a deep breath and an agonizing pause, Louis finally speaks.

“So. We all know how this date goes. One of you gets a rose, one of you goes home,” Louis begins. His voice sounds flat, like he’s absolutely wiped out with exhaustion. He probably is. He looks down at the rose in his hands and says, “Today we all had some difficult conversations and had to face a lot of things about ourselves that maybe we weren’t ready for. But the fact of the matter is, this stuff is out there, and we’re aware of it, and we have to figure out where to go from here.”

For Harry and Avan, that means two completely different things. They’re alike though, in that they’ve had to face things about themselves that maybe they were trying to deny - Avan’s animosity towards Harry, and Harry’s feelings towards Nick. After another painful pause, Louis continues.

“Because of the conversations today, and the way things are going with the seven men and women waiting for me back at the resort, I’ve had to really think about what I want to do with this rose. Who is most deserving of it.” Louis pauses and squishes his eyes shut. “When it comes down to it, I don’t think I can give out this rose today.”

He looks up at Harry and Avan, both of whom look both hurt and confused. “I’m sorry. I just… I can’t see us getting past these hurdles. They’re different for each of you, but they’re still there, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to give this rose to one of you when there are others who quite frankly deserve it more.” Louis sniffles. “You are both incredible men. I have no doubt about that. You make me feel incredible and so cared for, but you also have a lot of other things going on in your lives and in your heads that I can’t stand in the middle of anymore. I’ll go mad.”

Louis shakes his head and says, “So, unfortunately, that means today I’m going to be saying goodbye to you both.”

He looks up at the sky and blinks a few times, trying to stop the tears. He feels terrible, saying goodbye to both Harry and Avan. It’s a massive twist, not something either man could have predicted, but Louis just couldn’t imagine giving this rose to one of them when there were so many other more deserving candidates at the resort, who had nothing but Louis’s happiness and love on the mind. No animosity, no frustration, no other men and women. Just Louis.

Reluctantly, Avan and Harry take a few moments to say goodbye to Louis. They both look hurt, and Louis isn’t surprised in the least. Harry blinks a few tears down his cheeks, not even bothering to try to hide them the way Louis is. They both wish Louis well, but in the end, neither of them say much to Louis. What else is there to say?

Louis’s whole heart feels heavy as he walks out of the archaeological park to drive back to the resort alone. There’s a cameraman who takes video of it, Louis blinking away tears as he speeds through the rocky back roads of the Yucatan Peninsula, back to the resort where seven men and women are about to find out that their chances of making it to week seven have just gotten a little better.

Avan and Harry sit quietly on the beach, also being filmed as they try to come to grips with the fact that both of them were just dumped, at the same time, partially because of how they treated each other. It’s embarrassing.

In the end, Louis knows what he did was right, though. He knows that there were more deserving candidates for the roses than he had there on the date with him. He couldn’t stand saying goodbye to someone at this point in the process when he was more inclined to send someone else home, instead.

With a heavy heart, Louis goes up to his room, a lot on his mind. He still has to say goodbye to one more person during the rose ceremony the next night, and he cannot fathom who that one person will be. The task seems impossible at this point in the process, and not even a glass of whiskey and a good night’s sleep can mend the heavy feeling settling over him as the night wears on.

The group of men and women still at the resort look up when the doors to their lounge open. Anytime someone goes on a date, they put their suitcases by the door just in case they’re sent home. Everyone remaining has been watching with bated breath to see which suitcase is taken, to indicate who is getting sent home.

Eyes go wide and looks of shock cross their faces as

both

suitcases are taken from the room. “No way,” Niall says nervously.

“He wouldn’t, would he?” Perrie asks, sounding just as nervous.

“He just did, apparently,” Danielle adds.

Niall is chewing on a hangnail, looking nervously at the empty space next to the door where Harry and Avan’s suitcases used to be. “It must have been bad,” Jack says.

“Poor Louis,” Eleanor adds. “I hope he’s doing alright.”

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow at the cocktail party,” Jack replies.

But now that there’s a new twist, none of them are sure of what’s to come. One more person still needs to be sent home this week, but they have no idea who it will be or how Louis will make the decision. If he was willing to send both people home on a two on one, he may not be in a good place. Now nobody knows what to expect the next night at the cocktail party and rose ceremony… not even Louis.

--

When the group gathers together in a private villa in Mexico, there’s ridiculous tension in the room. Seven men and women are dressed to the nines for the party, ready for some one on one time with Louis, to see what’s going on with his head, how they can help him, and further their relationships with him. Several of them have been going over in their heads what they want to say to him or talk to him about, and many put in a little extra effort when getting ready.

This next week is the last one before hometowns, and it matters now more than ever whether they make progress with Louis each week. The pressure is getting to them, with many losing their appetites when preparing for the night ahead.

The group sits around the furniture in the lounge of the private villa, sipping glasses of wine. Briana sips on water, still not ready to drink again after she went a little crazy on that boat cruise during the group date. They wait anxiously, the clock ticking on.

Finally, they hear footsteps approaching. When they look up at the doorway, it’s not Louis who greets them, but rather it’s Steve. He’s wearing a nice suit but his lips are pursed tight, like he’s about to deliver bad news. As it turns out, he is.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Steve begins. He looks around at each of them before he says, “You all have heard by now that both Harry and Avan were sent home during their two on one date with Louis yesterday. However, one more person still needs to be sent home this week before you all move on to your next destination.”

Steve pauses, and nobody speaks. They’re hanging from his every word, wondering what’s coming. “As you can see, Louis isn’t here yet. He’s still working through his thoughts and emotions from yesterday, and in the process has really tried to make progress on working through his feelings for the rest of you, too,” Steve says. “He has asked if we can skip the cocktail party tonight and go right into the rose ceremony. I reminded him that he has done this already for a group date, but never for a full rose ceremony. However, I decided to grant his request. There will be no cocktail party tonight.”

The seven men and women sitting together in the villa exchange worried glances. “Louis has had a very difficult week, and I respect his decision to complete the process and move on to greener pastures,” Steve smirks a little at that, like there’s a hidden meaning to it or something. “So, in light of this announcement, we’re going to have you all line up and get ready for the rose ceremony. Best of luck to you all.”

Jack coughs, trying to break the tension a bit as they stand up and line up where they’re instructed to be. It doesn’t work though, not when all seven of them think about the fact that one more person is going home, and they can’t figure out who. It’s also disheartening, because nobody had the chance to sit and talk to Louis and make an impression on him one last time this week.

Briana is especially nervous, knowing that Louis’s last memory with her this week was when she was drunk and muttering about how much she loves him. She’d needed to talk to him about that, to apologize for getting so out of hand, but to tell him that she meant what she said. Now she could be sent home for what she did, and has no way to save herself.

They stand, shoulder to shoulder and nervous as hell, waiting for the cameras to get set, the lighting to be perfect, and for Louis to arrive. It feels like an eternity before he’s walking into the room. Eleanor stands at the very end of the line, holding her rose, but everybody else stands empty handed and full of hope that they’ll make it another week with Louis.

When Louis stands facing them, next to a pedestal with only five roses remaining on it, he takes a moment first to speak to everyone. “I want to thank you all for your understanding,” he says. His voice is soft, and he sounds a bit defeated as he addresses them. “It’s been a tough couple of days but I’m really looking forward to what lays head. It’s really difficult to send people home at this point, and I want you all to know that no matter what happens, I’ve really enjoyed our time together, and appreciated how open and honest you’ve been with me. It means the world to me.”

Taking a deep breath, Louis reaches over for a rose to start the rose ceremony. He feels sick even as he hands out roses, because he knows what’s coming and who will be sent home.

Jack… Briana…

Louis tries not to notice the way everyone is fidgeting nervously where they stand, trying not to look to disappointed when their name isn’t called. He hates putting them through that, but knows it’s all part of the process, part of the deal.

Danielle… Matthew…

Niall and Perrie stand nervously, shoulder to shoulder, giving Louis their full attention. There’s only one rose left, but two of them. Seconds before Louis says the next name, Perrie closes her eyes and looks down at the ground.

“Niall.”

Danielle’s jaw literally drops and right away, Eleanor wraps Perrie up in a big hug. Louis gives Niall the rose and when he looks over, he sees Perrie dabbing at her eyes. She says her goodbyes with the others first, leaving Louis to stand awkwardly on his own. When she finally makes her way over to him, Louis can tell that she’s trying her very hardest not to cry, but it’s futile.

As soon as Louis wraps her up in a hug, Perrie lets go, crying soft tears into his suit jacket. “I’m so sorry, love,” Louis whispers.

“I know,” she nods. Perrie takes a deep breath and wipes under her eyes as she stands up to look him in the eyes. Louis feels his heart breaking a little at the look of sadness on her face. “I just want you to find happiness,” she says through her tears.

“I want that for you, too,” Louis says kindly, choking on his words. “Can I walk you out?”

Perrie nods, and she hooks her arm through his as they leave the villa and walk to the front drive where there’s a car waiting for her. “You’ve made a dream come true for me,” Perrie says softly. “Just… think about that.”

“

I’m

supposed to be the one comforting

you

,” Louis says, fighting some laughter.

Perrie snorts and Louis can’t hold back the laughter anymore. He’s so relieved that the mood has lightened a little. It’s still heartbreaking, saying goodbye to Perrie, but he’s so pleased that they’re ending their time together on a good note. She leans in and presses a kiss on his cheek and climbs into the car before another wave of tears threatens to fall. Louis shuts the car door and waves as the car drives away, oblivious to just how hard Perrie starts to cry as the car pulls away.

When he goes back inside, the six remaining men and women wrap him up in a massive group hug. Louis closes his eyes and wraps his arms around whomever is closest to him. He lets himself be comforted and a smile makes its way onto his face. This adoration, this attention, is why he’s doing this. To find someone to marry and fall in love with. And with the remaining six, he thinks he could do just that.

Louis steps away a moment later to look at them, not fighting his smile. He’s sad about saying goodbye to Perrie but he wants them to know just what sort of effect they have on him. “So, I thought I should let you all know,” he begins. “We’ll be leaving Mexico tomorrow. I really wanted a stereotypical fall experience, so we’ll be spending the start of October in Vermont. So, after we say goodbye tonight, the next time you’ll see me will be in Vermont next week, for the first date of the week. You’ll get a card shortly after you arrive.”

Slowly, Louis steps away from the group and waves goodbye, feeling emotionally exhausted but ready for Vermont. Hopefully a new location will clear Louis’s head and help him through the weeks that lay ahead.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Arriving in Vermont feels like a dream. It’s early October, and unlike in Mexico, the cool air has started to creep in. The trees are gorgeous warm hues as the leaves change in preparation for winter. There are little farms and cabins dotting the hills as they fly over, and when they land and take a bus out into the country where they’ll be staying in a bed and breakfast for the week, the six remaining men and women can’t stop staring at the gorgeous scenery surrounding them.

Louis is waiting outside the bed and breakfast when they arrive, a quaint little home that looks to be at least a hundred years old, adorned with flowers out front and an array of autumnal decorations like pumpkins and haystacks and a few cloth ghosts. It’s kitschy but gives the place its charm. Louis looks so pleased to be there, too, standing in his light wash denim jeans and a gorgeous dark grey knit jumper. He’s grinning like mad, and it’s a relief to see him in a better mood than he was last time they saw him.

As they climb out of the car, they greet Louis with hugs and kisses, six men and women full of hopes that they’ll make it another week to bring him home to their families. Niall is the first to greet Louis, and Jack edges in quickly after that. Everyone wants to be memorable, is the thing, and it’s becoming more and more clear who’s ahead of the others. Eleanor sweetly takes her turn hugging Louis and planting a kiss on his cheek, and Danielle doesn’t hesitate to throw her arms around his shoulders, greeting him with an excited squeal.

Matthew takes a turn, thinking to himself as he hugs Louis that he’s got to find more excuses for them to cuddle up together in the week ahead. Last but certainly not least comes Briana, who still has last week on the brain and her foolish behavior on the boat. She knows what she said and how she behaved and wonders if Louis remembers or will want to talk about it. He doesn’t hint at it as he says hello and asks her how she’s doing, and Briana is relieved by that.

“Welcome to Vermont, everybody,” Louis says as they all stand to face him on the front lawn of the bed and breakfast. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” The group nods and hums their approval. “Well, this week is going to be a little different than you may be used to. Just like last week. And - thank you again for your understanding with that. It was a very rough week. But Mexico is behind us and I’m

so

ready to fall in love in Vermont.”

More cheers from the group ring out, though most are forced at the insistence of the writers. Inside, each of the six remaining men and women are worried sick that they won’t make it. They’ve already come so far, and now Vermont is going to be the pivotal week. Whoever secures a rose this week is guaranteed the chance to take Louis home to meet their family. None are feeling particularly confident now that Louis has said the week will be different than they’re expected.

“Nobody said I’d be a conventional bachelor,” Louis says with a laugh. He takes a breath and grows serious as he says, “This week will have three one on one dates and a group date. There will not be a rose ceremony, again. The one on ones will come first, and if a rose does not go out on that date, it will be saved for the group date. At the end of the week, four of you will have roses, and that means we’re ready for the biggest step yet: meeting your families.” Louis takes that moment to look between the six men and women before him. “I thought that since there are so many dates, we could get started this afternoon, if that’s alright with you lot?” Louis asks, and of course everyone agrees and nods their approval. “Okay. Great. Well, Danielle, get inside and get dressed for the date, then,” Louis says with a smile. She’s standing in yoga pants and a hoodie, her go-to travel gear.

Danielle’s eyes light up and she looks so thrilled to be the first one on one date of the week. She rushes inside to get changed, and Louis walks inside with the other five to say hello to the owners of the bed and breakfast and thank them for their hospitality. When Danielle walks in about thirty minutes later with fresh curls in her hair, makeup on her face, and the cutest outfit he’s ever seen, Louis grins. Danielle’s got on some dark skinny jeans and a cute grey jumper with some simple black high heeled boots. “You look great, love,” Louis says.

“Thank you,” Danielle smiles. She wraps her arms around his shoulders again and beams widely at him.

“Ready to go?” Louis asks, to which Danielle only nods.

He slides an arm around her waist and she waves to the other five as they walk out the door. Once they get outside, Louis turns to wrap both of his arms around her waist and pull her into a kiss. She bends her knees, kicking up her feet as Louis holds her and kisses her. It’s a moment made for TV but at the same time, it’s one of Danielle’s favorite things, being held and kissed and treated like the only woman who matters to Louis.

She’s so pleased to get this date, because she’s never had a one on one with Louis before. Everyone else has aside from her and Briana, and it felt like an incredibly important week in which to be chosen. Thankfully, she was, and Danielle doesn’t plan on wasting a single second of her time with Louis.

A new car is out front, this time an SUV that has a driver who ushers them into the back seat when they finally break from their romantic kiss on the front porch of the bed and breakfast. Louis sits close to Danielle’s side, an arm around her shoulders. She rests her hand on his leg and lays a head on his shoulder as they drive. “Are you excited?” Louis asks.

“Yes, incredibly,” Danielle beams. “I’ve been waiting for a one on one.”

“Perfect timing then, isn’t it?” Louis replies.

Danielle looks up at him and kisses him on the cheek. “Yes, absolutely perfect,” she replies. Then, with a playful look in her eye, she asks, “Any chance you’ll tell me what we’re doing?”

“Not a one,” Louis laughs. “But nice try.”

Laughing, Danielle lays her head back on Louis’s shoulder and rides with him in content silence. When the car comes to a stop, they look out the window to see a stable out to the left with horses grazing. “Horseback riding?” Danielle asks excitedly.

“Yep,” Louis nods. “Have you done this before?”

“Just once,” she explains. “I went to a horseback riding camp once when I was younger. It was fun, but I hated having to go a state away for a really good camp.”

“Where’d you have to go?” Louis wonders.

Danielle climbs out of the car before she says, “We had to drive over to Wisconsin. They have overnight ones there that I really wanted to go to when I was eight. That was my ‘obsessed with horses’ age.”

“Ah, yeah, I remember that phase. My little sisters were really into horses about the same age as you were,” Louis says. “They’ve outgrown it.”

“Well, I have too,” Danielle says, “But I’m really excited for this. It’s been a long time since I last rode a horse.”

Louis laughs and says, “I’ve never done it, but always wanted to.”

Danielle takes Louis’s hand as they walk towards the entrance to the barn where more cameras are set up. “Well, I’ll teach you,” she says with a warm smile.

As it turns out, the person waiting for them in the barn is also going to teach them. First they’re talked through everything, like saddles and riding and how to get the horses to follow their commands. Then, they get to go into the stables and meet the horses. Danielle clearly remembers it all, and she’s gentle and sweet with every horse they find.

Then it’s time to go for a ride. Danielle stands next to the horse as Louis tries to get up on its back. It takes a couple of tries for him to successfully swing his leg over and get situated, but as he tries, the horse is very patient with him. It’s an older horse, a gorgeous stallion named Brownie. “Not a very tough name, is it?” Louis asks jokingly.

“Careful, he’ll hear you,” Danielle warns with a playful smile on her face.

The owner of the stable says with a grin, “We get that all the time. It’s what happens when you let children name animals. There’s a dog running around here named Cupcake, too.”

“Mmm, desserts,” Danielle says with a grin. “I like these names.”

“I’ll tell her you said that,” says the owner. He then leads over a white mare with light brown spots for Danielle to ride. “This one here is Vanilla.”

Danielle mounts the horse expertly in one swift move and says, “I like these dessert names, but they’re making me so hungry!”

All three of them laugh at that, and the owner mounts his own stallion to lead them out onto the path he’s forged on the grounds over the past few years. Louis takes up the rear of the group, making each move slowly and deliberately so as to not upset the horse. He’s not entirely comfortable yet, but as they start out with a nice slow walk, Louis starts to get a hang of it. The feeling becomes more familiar, and at the instruction of the owner, Louis follows the right commands and instructs the horse to move a little faster, with everyone else. Now they’re trotting along the path, which moves just a little faster than the walk. Louis needs to acclimate to that all over again, but this seems to be their steady speed.

Danielle hangs back to line up with Louis on the path. She smiles at him and asks, “Are you having fun?”

“This is fantastic,” Louis says. “I never realized it was so involved.”

“There’s more to it than meets the eye, yeah,” Danielle agrees. “I’ve missed it.”

“It doesn’t look like you took time off from it at all,” Louis comments.

Danielle laughs a little and says, “It’s sort of like riding a bike. You may not do it as much as you used to, but when you get going, it all comes back to you.”

The scenery around the paths are gorgeous, orange and yellow and red trees peppering amongst the green ones on the trails. The owner trots ahead of them, giving them space, and Louis feels so relaxed out in the middle of nowhere in Vermont. He’d never considered this as a place he’d like to visit but now that he’s there, he’s loving it.

Danielle glances over at Louis and asks, “What are you thinking about?” She’s not used to Louis being so caught up in his head, so quiet.

“It’s just… this place. It’s gorgeous. I’d never even thought about traveling here.”

Bemused, Danielle says, “But I thought you planned

all

our dates?”

She winks at Louis, who laughs and shakes his head. “You’re ridiculous. Of course I do. But I planned on doing this in, I don’t know… the south? That was the only place I could think of to ride horses.”

“The south?” Danielle asks, confused.

“Yeah. The Kentucky Derby,” Louis argues.

“Oh right!” Danielle laughs. “I mean, there are farms everywhere. Horses everywhere. America’s pretty widespread and everyone does everything, basically.”

Nodding, Louis says, “You’re right about that, definitely.”

“You’ll be visiting America a lot in the future,” Danielle comments. She doesn’t mean anything bad by it, but it’s definitely true. Louis looks at her oddly, so she explains, “Well, four of the six of us are Americans. That’s all I mean.”

“Oh,” Louis says. He hadn’t really thought about it at all; he’s been looking at who the people are and what kind of chemistry they have. “I didn’t even notice, but you’re totally right.”

They both laugh, and the rest of the ride Louis thinks about what a future like that would look like. Going back to America, even just once a year, could grow expensive. And that’s not even counting how much it would cost to fly once they have children. It’s something Louis really has to consider, more than he has in the past. She makes a very good point and Louis recognizes now that he’s going to have to take into consideration what each of these people would be leaving behind if they went to England to live with him. Who would they leave behind? Could their families make the trip to visit

them

?

Danielle can tell pretty easily that what she said only made Louis think

more

, not

less

, but she tries not to be too hard on herself for the rest of their time horseback riding. She enjoys herself, and reaches over whenever Louis looks like he needs it, and she’s grateful that he’s in better spirits when they get back to the stables.

Part of her wonders if that’s it, they’re done, because she’s never been on one of these before. Thankfully, it’s not the only thing they’re doing. Louis takes her hand and leads her across the stable’s lawn until they’re standing in front of a horse-drawn carriage. Louis offers her his hand to help her in, and he joins her. His arm wraps around her shoulders again, and she smiles at him as they settle in together on the carriage.

“This is romantic,” she says, sounding quite pleased.

Louis kisses her temple and says, “Of course. This is all about love, after all.”

While Danielle has confessed that she’s falling in love with Louis, she isn’t quite to the level of saying

I love you

yet. However, she feels like with this romantic date, she could see herself saying it in the future. She can picture herself introducing Louis to her family, at the very least. There’s a blanket for them to drape over themselves, and Danielle crosses her legs and scoots in closer to Louis as the chill in the air settles over them.

As the carriage takes off, Danielle finds herself wondering if it’s time to mention that she’s thought about introducing Louis to her family, what that would mean and how that would go. As it turns out, she doesn’t have to worry much more because Louis does his best to hedge into the conversation. “So… we’ve got hometowns coming up next week. What are your thoughts on that?” he asks.

Danielle smiles. “I mean, obviously I’d love for me to be one of the people who get to show you where I grew up,” she says. “You know how I feel about you, and that’s not changing. I’m falling for you. I’m serious about you and I and what we’re doing and what we could have.” Danielle threads her fingers through Louis’s as they snuggle up on the carriage ride.

“Do you think you’d want your parents to meet me?” he asks. As confident as he’s trying to sound, there is that hint of hesitation, of worry, and it breaks Danielle’s heart.

“Absolutely,” she says. “My parents and my brother, and honestly maybe even my grandparents,” Danielle says with a bright smile. “They’d all love you.”

“You’ve thought about it?”

Danielle nuzzles up to Louis and kisses his jaw. “Of course I have.” He turns to look at her and she kisses him softly on the lips. “They’ll adore you. Anyone who makes me happy, they’ll love.”

“I make you happy?” Louis asks.

Danielle wonders if he’s always been looking for that kind of validation, just a simple

you make me happy

, and how many times she could have said it but didn’t because she didn’t want to sound crazy. She nods now, and says, “You always know how to make my day a bit brighter. Even on your most difficult days.”

Louis smiles at that, and he knows that when Danielle says things like that, she’s being genuine. “So, you want to take me home to meet your family?” Louis asks.

“Yes,” Danielle nods, totally confident in her answer. “I want you to meet them, all of them, and I want them to see how happy you make me.”

“What else do you want to do?” Louis asks.

“Well,” Danielle trails off. She’s thought about it, but doesn’t want to come across as being too eager. “We’d be in Chicago, so there’s definitely plenty to do. I’d like to take you to a Cubs game. I think they’re playing a series for the playoffs or something. They’ve done pretty well this year.” She pauses to think about it a little more, to gather her thoughts. “I also want to go to Millenium Park, take one of those photos of our reflections in the giant bean. Oh god, and it’d be a dream if we could see Hamilton, but that’s impossible to get tickets to…” she pauses to think for a moment. “Maybe the ferris wheel at Navy Pier, or a boat tour along the canals. We can give the finger to Trump Towers.” She giggles.

Louis barks with laughter at her last suggestion, and he says, “I like how much you’ve thought about this. Makes me feel rather special.”

“You

are

special,” she points out.

Louis leans in to kiss her again, blushing from the compliment. “You are too, love,” Louis whispers. “You make me so happy.”

They share another slow, intimate kiss, Danielle’s cheeks pink both from the compliment and the brisk cold wind blowing through the area. She snuggles up closer to Louis, who wraps his arms warmly around her. “What else have you been thinking about, since clearly you’ve had a lot on your mind?” Louis asks.

Danielle hums. She doesn’t want to come on too strong but she’s very sure of herself when she says she swears to always tell Louis the truth. “Honestly?” she asks. Louis nods, and Danielle says softly, “The future.”

The mood turns pensive and slow, and Louis takes his time responding. “That’s a fairly broad topic,” he says. “What about the future?”

Danielle shrugs. She looks out at the sun setting over the horizon of beautifully colored trees, and she plays with Louis’s hand in hers a little as she says, “What I want. What I’m looking for, I mean…” She hesitates.

What I want

sounds so selfish, so pretentious.

“So what is it you want?” Louis asks. It’s best for them to be clear and upfront about it, and he’s curious to see if their goals line up.

“A big family,” she says finally. “A big house, lots of little ones running around, maybe a dog or two.” Danielle has no idea what Louis wants, considering he came from a big family. Maybe because of that, he doesn’t want one for himself. Danielle, though - she grew up with a brother and her parents and always wished she had a few more people around to hang out with and spend time with.

“How big of a family?” Louis asks. He’s a little hesitant, because he can’t figure out if big means six kids, or nineteen like that crazy family on television.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Danielle says. “Depends on when I can get started, I suppose. Probably four or five at least. Nothing out of control.”

Louis chuckles. “Five can get pretty out of control,” he tells her. He kisses her forehead and says, “That sounds amazing. I loved growing up in a big family.”

“You did?” she asks, her smile brightening already.

“Yeah,” Louis nods. “I love all my siblings, and growing up it was so fun. I think it all depends on parents, but I have no doubt in my mind that you’d manage it perfectly.”

“Thanks,” Danielle says with a coy grin. “I think we could do it.”

Louis looks down at Danielle, who’s gazing up at him with a dreamy look in her eyes.

We

. That word tells him so much, even if she hasn’t vocalized her emotions as much as some of the others. It makes his heart race, gives him confidence in what they have. “Yeah,” he nods in agreement. “I think we could.”

Thinking about having a large family with Danielle is nice. Louis can see it, though not as clearly as he can maybe see it with a few others. The thought is there, though, and he likes knowing that the two of them are on the same page and could see the same things in their future.

When the carriage ride comes to an end back at the stables, Louis hops out of the carriage first and offers his hand to Danielle, to help her down. There’s a bunch of lighting set up to set the scene, and to combat the fact that the sun is already behind the trees. It’s chilly outside but Danielle is a good sport about it. By one of the lanterns hanging in the yard there’s a pedestal with a rose on it. Louis smiles as he picks it up.

“Danielle,” Louis begins, walking over to her. She looks up at him, full of hope, and smiles at him. “Today was absolutely fantastic. I feel like we got to know each other on a deeper level, and really figured out if we had the sort of compatibility that I’m hoping for in a partner. So I want to thank you for being open and honest with me about everything we discussed today. It means so much to me.”

She nods and says softly, “Of course.”

Louis smiles at her and holds out the rose. “I feel like, after talking today, I’m really confident that we aren’t done yet. And if you’d accept this rose, I would feel honored to have the chance to meet your family and take that next step,” he says. “So, that being said… Danielle, would you accept this rose?”

“Absolutely,” she says, beaming bright. Her eyes sparkle and she hugs him the same way she did when they started their date. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and kicks her legs up in joy. She can’t believe that she’s done it, that she and Louis have made it to this point. She kisses him softly and when he sets her down, she takes the rose and says to him, “I can’t wait to show you around Chicago and introduce you to my family. It’s going to be amazing.”

Beaming, Louis says, “I can’t wait.”

Danielle hugs Louis again, so pleased with the outcome of their date. She hadn’t expected when they’d landed at the airport that she’d have such an exciting day, but now that they’re here and this has all happened, she wouldn’t have wanted things to go any differently.

The two of them climb back into the SUV that brought them to the ranch, sitting quietly together in the backseat. They’re exhausted, Danielle more so than Louis since Louis arrived in Vermont the night before. Every so often she’ll look over at him and they’ll share tender, playful kisses, all the way until they reach the bed and breakfast.

Louis gives Danielle a full, long kiss goodnight, letting his mouth linger over hers as she whispers, “Goodnight, Louis.”

“Goodnight, love,” he whispers in reply.

Reluctantly, she peels herself away from Louis, rose in hand. He waves as she turns to look at him and close the door, and once she does that, she feels a little knot in her stomach at the thought of walking inside.

Just as predicted, the other five are sitting around the living room at the bed and breakfast, watching a film together. When they see the rose in her hands, their expressions are difficult to read. Danielle getting a rose means there are only three more to hand out to the five men and women sitting around the living room.

Nobody speaks for a moment and Danielle awkwardly takes a seat in an armchair. She doesn’t really know what to say to them. Finally, someone speaks. Eleanor puts on her warmest smile and says, “Congratulations, Danielle. That’s so fantastic. You must be excited!”

“I am, yeah,” Danielle nods, smiling again. She tries not to smile too big or bright though, for fear of offending the others.

She can sense the nervousness amongst the others now, but has no words of wisdom for them. She doesn’t really know what to say. Going into the date, she hadn’t really done one particular thing or had the express goal of getting a rose. More than anything, her goal had been to communicate to Louis how she was feeling and what had been on her mind recently.

Finally, she decides to change the topic and asks, “So, do we know who gets the next date?”

Nobody has to say anything, because four sets of eyes all turn to look at the same person: Briana. “Oh that’s so great!” Danielle says cheerfully. “It’s going to be amazing. Vermont is

gorgeous

.”

“I know,” Briana says, not bothering to fight her smile. “I’m really excited for it.”

There’s tension clear in the air, but they decide not to address it, instead choosing to turn back to watching Harry Potter until the night has gone on long enough and it’s time for bed.

---

Of all the dates he planned for this week in Vermont, the one on one with Briana is the one Louis had the most say in, and is the most excited for. While he enjoys spending time with all of the men and women remaining, he’s had this slightly mischievous date idea in mind for awhile - he just had to find the right person for it.

Before the sun crosses the horizon the next morning, Louis walks into the bed and breakfast, grinning like a fool. He wanders down the hallway to the last door on the left, the bedroom he was told he could find Briana in. Sure enough, when he peeks through the door, there she is. She’s curled up under the blankets, her hair a mess, her mouth slightly drooped open as she sleeps. Louis takes in the sight of her sleeping form for a moment before he walks over to the bed and kneels down next to it.

Very gently, Louis reaches out and jostles her shoulder. “Bria,” he says softly. “Bria, love, wake up.”

She groans and rolls from her side onto her back, a hand covering her eyes. She’s not sure what’s going on; there’s no way that’s Louis talking to her, right? “Bria,” Louis repeats, the smile clear in his voice as she lays there, trying to tell herself this isn’t possible - he wouldn’t be in her room in the middle of the night, would he?”

Deciding that she’s awake enough for this now, Louis switches on the lamp on her bedside table and stands, perching on the edge of the bed. He angles to face her and shakes her shoulder again. “Hey,” he says, seeing her blinking and trying to adjust to the light. “Morning, love. It’s time to get up for our date.”

“What?” she asks. When they’d read the date card the night before, it said to be ready for the date after breakfast. So why was Louis in her room when it was still dark out? “What time is it?” Briana asks, her voice hoarse and groggy from sleep.

“Four thirty,” Louis says with a huge grin on his face.

Briana rolls towards Louis, burying her face in the pillow. “Why are we up so early?” she groans.

“For our date,” Louis replies with a grin. He’s clearly wide awake and loving her slight disorientation. He’d wanted to do this to

somebody

during this process, and Briana seemed like the perfect candidate. “Now get up! The car leaves at five and I’d quite like you with me when I go on this date.”

Briana laughs into the pillows. “And if I’m not?”

“Well then I’m going to have a spectacularly romantic date with myself,” Louis teases.

She drops her hand from her eyes and looks up at Louis, and the sight of her makes his heart melt. She looks so innocent, so fresh, so

young

without makeup or fancy clothes on. She’s in a plain old tee shirt and her hair’s a mess and quite frankly, Louis has never seen her quite so beautiful.

When she sits up, Louis is satisfied that she’s awake now, and he leans in to give her a kiss on the forehead. “Meet you downstairs. We leave at five - don’t be late!” he tells her.

She hums to acknowledge him, and then Louis leaves the room to let her get ready for the day. When she comes downstairs twenty minutes later, Briana looks far more put together, the way Louis is used to seeing her on dates. She’s wearing tight light-wash jeans and a fluffy pale pink jumper. Her hair is in dark curls over her shoulders, like always, and she’s got just a bit of makeup on. “Hey,” Louis says, leaning in for a proper kiss.

Briana melts into it, smiling as she takes his hand. She’d worn her flattest pair of sneakers, to try to be even shorter than him since they were around the same height. “So what’s this date that you woke me up before the sun for?” she asks curiously.

Louis laughs and says, “Well, that I can’t tell you. But I

can

say that there’s coffee waiting for us out in the car, to have on our drive to where we’re going.”

“Are we going far?” she asks as they walk out the doors.

Louis opens the door for her and follows her into the back seat of the SUV. “It’s about a half hour drive to where we’re going,” he explains. “We just need to be there during the sunrise. Trust me on this.”

Briana laughs and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Louis hands her a cup of Starbucks and keeps one for himself. “You like being mysterious, don’t you?” she asks before taking a sip of her coffee.

“Love it. Especially because you look adorable when you’re confused,” Louis replies.

Briana rolls her eyes and crosses one leg over the other in the back seat of the SUV. Louis is warm and cozy, and she’s still feeling rather groggy so she enjoys the comfortable silence with him. Louis isn’t usually an early riser, he’d just made the exception for this date, so he enjoys the quiet as well. They yawn and sip their coffee during the whole ride, and Louis notices how easy it is to do nothing with Briana. Sometimes he thinks

that’s

the true test of a relationship: not how you function together when you’re doing an activity, but rather how you function together when you’re not doing anything.

It’s easy, being around Briana. She’s sweet and warm and gentle, and he enjoys that they can sit here in silence, sipping their coffee and watching through the darkness as the trees and farms of the Vermont countryside pass them by. When they reach their destination, Briana perks up a little, peeking out the windows to try to get a good look at what’s out there.

It’s dark so it’s hard to see, but she thinks she spots something in the middle of a field - but why they’d be there before the sun comes out is beyond her. “C’mon, love,” Louis says, taking her hand. He can see colors starting to form on the horizon in the distance, which means the sun isn’t far behind it.

Briana follows curiously, walking through the brisk early morning air towards the field where she’d spotted whatever the massive dark shadows were earlier. As they walk closer, she realizes that what she saw is the massive inflating form of a hot air balloon. “Okay, so,” Louis says as he notices the slight look of alarm on her face, “I know you don’t like heights all that much, but I promise you, this is going to be so worth it. You can do it. Do you trust me?”

Staring at the hot air balloon and the endless expanse of fields and trees that the balloon could disastrously plummet into, Briana hesitates for a moment. But when she looks up at Louis and how earnest he is, and that smile on his face, and the way his eyes sparkle and make her feel so

loved

, Briana nods without a second thought. “I trust you,” she says softly.

She holds his hand a little tighter as they approach the balloon where it’s inflated and ready for them. Louis helps her up the steps and into the basket, and then follows her in. Briana’s right there, reaching out for him, not because she’s scared but because she knows she’s going to be in a very short period of time and would very much like him there to cling to.

Louis may or may not have planned that bit, but she doesn’t need to know that. Though if she did, she wouldn’t mind one bit.

Louis gently walks her to the edge of the basket, which stops just below her chest. That’s actually a big relief for her, because she’d been assuming it would end at her waist and she could just accidentally fall out if she lost balance. Louis steps up behind her, slotting his feet outside of hers and wrapping his arms around her waist. They’re pressed back to front and she closes her eyes for a moment, trying to memorize everything that’s happening.

He smells so good, and he’s warm and gentle and such a comfort when she’s about to face a massive fear of hers. Briana sometimes feels like she could burst with all the love she feels for Louis. And speaking of love, she still needs to talk to him about that, her little blabbering that she did whilst drunk on the boat in Mexico. They haven’t addressed it since, but she puts it to the back of her mind for now. They’re having such a beautiful moment that she can’t imagine disrupting it with that.

Briana shrieks a little as the balloon is lifted off the ground and suddenly everything feels a little less stable. She can’t really describe the feeling, but it feels like falling, but she’s not. Louis’s arms slide a little further around her and he hooks his chin over her shoulder. “You’re alright, love,” he whispers.

After he whispers to her, the guy running the balloon for them lights the flame to add more air to the balloon so they can’t speak - it’s too loud. Briana just takes in the moment instead, choosing to cling to Louis and try her very hardest to keep her eyes open as the ground disappears further below them and the trees and farms and animals all look smaller, second by second. Louis doesn’t let go of Briana for a second, knowing that she’s a little freaked out by everything.

By the time they reach the right altitude and the flames stop, the sun has started to peek out over the horizon. They face the view of bright pinks and yellows and oranges, and Briana’s heart feels like it’s about to burst from her chest, partially from fear but partially too from love. Louis leans over her shoulder to press a kiss on her cheek, and Briana laughs nervously. “It’s beautiful,” she says softly, looking out at the view.

“It is, isn’t it?” Louis replies, his voice just as soft, almost as though they fear that speaking any louder will wake everyone else sleeping through such a beautiful sight.

Briana’s hands tremble just the slightest, but she lets go of the railing to cover Louis’s hands where they hold her hips. “I feel like this is all a dream,” she confesses.

Louis smiles and says, “I know. But it’s not. This is real, Bria. We’re here, and it’s fucking amazing.”

She chuckles at how his sweet and tender comments seem to somehow mesh so well with his cursing. Only someone like Louis could manage something like that, she’s sure of it. Briana’s quiet again, the sight taking her breath away and rendering her speechless. She can’t fathom a single word to describe how she’s feeling or what she’s seeing.

It’s only when Louis speaks again that Briana is pulled back to reality and has to try to put words to what she’s feeling. “What’s on your mind, love?” Louis prompts.

Briana turns in Louis’s arms and they take a few moments to get the right position in the basket so the cameras get a good view of them, both of them with a side to the edge of the basket, face to face. Their arms stay wrapped around each other’s waists and Briana is grateful for the extra time to try to gather her thoughts into something coherent. “I just…” she trails off. Briana looks down at her feet and closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath and says, “My heart feels so full. It’s hard to describe.”

Louis smiles and asks, “Yeah?”

Briana nods, going quiet again. Louis lets her take her time as the sun rises behind them. Nothing about this moment could ruin it, not even the anticipation Louis feels as he waits for Briana to talk more, to explain a little more how she’s feeling.

“I meant what I said on the boat, even though I’m sorry I was so wasted when I first said it,” Briana blurts out finally. Her cheeks are red and she avoids his eyes as she says, “I love you, Louis. So much.”

Louis’s gaze turns tender and he wraps Briana up into a massive, warm hug. He rubs her back and says, “You don’t need to be sorry for anything.”

“I wanted it to be more special than that,” Briana says. She hesitates before she says, “Drinking that much was stupid of me. I know my limits but I didn’t stop.”

“Hush, Bria,” Louis whispers. He kisses her temple and rubs her back a little more as he says, “I never judged you one bit for that. Besides, now we’ve got that ‘holding your hair back as you vom’ thing out of the way. Every relationship needs that, right?”

Briana snorts and shakes her head as she buries her face in his shoulder, embarrassed. “I’m glad you told me then, and I’m glad you said it again today,” Louis tells her seriously. “It’s so important that I know what you’re feeling and thinking about us. So thank you.”

Slowly, Briana looks up at Louis. Her cheeks are still flushed and her eyes look just the slightest bit glassy. Louis cups the side of her face, rubbing his thumb tenderly over the apple of her cheek as he smiles at her. His touch is gentle and slow as he leans in, connecting their lips in a tender kiss. He feels Briana grip his jumper in her fists, stepping just a bit closer to him, and she responds to the kiss slowly and sweetly. Everything about Briana is slow and sweet and gentle and Louis loves it. He feels so special each and every time he’s with her and that’s something remarkable for him.

They kiss for who knows how long as the sun rises behind them, the cameramen so pleased with all the footage they’re getting of Louis and Briana kissing, the sunrise as the backdrop to their moment. Louis planned out this entire date and knew from the start how romantic it was going to be, but even after all that preparation he’s still blown away by the amount of love he feels when he’s around Briana.

Louis doesn’t properly register his surroundings again until the sun is well over the horizon and their mouths are red and well kissed. Briana smiles bashfully, ducking her head down like she always does. Louis grins and pulls her into another hug. “I love you,” Briana says into his jumper as they look out at the sunrise and the beautiful autumn Vermont morning.

Louis groans and wishes he could tell her something in response. If he’s being honest, he’s pretty sure he loves her too, but he’s not fully sure because he feels quite strongly for others here, too. Louis finally settles on something by saying, “You’re an amazing woman, Bria. I’m so glad we’ve met.”

It’s the best he can do given the situation and the rules, and Briana knows it. She smiles into his jumper and replies, “Me too.”

She’ll take as much as she can get and hope like hell that she gets a rose at the end of the date. There’s still a chance that she won’t and as much as she’d like to think she’s going to get a rose because their chemistry is unmistakable, nothing is for sure. He could decide at the end of everything that he’s closer than the others - which is entirely possible, because she doesn’t know what they have - though she’s not sure she can handle that at this point.

The fear of getting her heart broken is a terrifying thought, but she does her very best to ignore those thoughts and just focus on what she knows, and that’s how she feels for Louis. She’s one hundred percent sure at this point that she’s fallen in love with Louis, and for as terrifying as that thought is, she’s happy, in the end, at having realized it. Because realizing it means she’s embracing it, and losing herself in these moments, and she couldn’t have asked for anything better to happen to her in this process.

Briana is a little disappointed when they land the hot air balloon because she doesn’t know how much is left and whether she’s going to be saying goodbye to Louis that afternoon. Up in the air, things were heavenly - no worries, nothing. Just the two of them.

She can see out on the field where they landed, there’s a picnic set up for the two of them on a blanket, complete with fruit, crackers, and of course, wine. Louis takes her hand and leads her over to the space that was set up just for them. They sit down together and settle in, a glass of wine in each of their hands.

“So what did you think of the hot air balloon?” Louis asks curiously.

Briana glances over and says, “Once we were up there, it wasn’t so bad. It’s just a scary feeling at first.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Louis nods. “I felt it too. Like once we were off the ground? It’s like, we moved a little and the basket would shake a lot and that was fucking scary.”

Again, Louis’s cursing manages to sound adorable rather than crass, and it makes Briana laugh. She nods, agreeing with him about those feelings, and says, “Thank you for taking me out here to do this today. It was amazing.”

“Of course, love,” Louis replies. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and they lean towards each other for a kiss.

There are a lot of things Louis wants to ask, and for a moment he grapples with what to ask first until he finally just starts with, “So… we should probably talk about the future.”

“Yeah,” Briana nods. She looks over at Louis nervously; she takes a sip to try to quell her nerves.

“How do you feel about England?” he asks, trying to broach the subject.

She chuckles a little and says, “Subtle. I like it.” Louis snorts, but stays quiet to let Briana answer. “I’d do it for love,” she says. Louis raises an eyebrow. “I told you I love you, so…” she trails off playfully.

Louis laughs and says, “Clever way to answer.”

“I thought so,” Briana smiles.

“Okay, so you’re willing to move to England,” Louis starts, “But how would your family feel about that?”

Briana is a little surprised at how thoughtful Louis is being, and how many aspects of this he’s thought about. Granted, he’s got a lot of Americans still left in the process, so it may not be all for her sake, but she’s grateful that he’s asking these questions to make sure he doesn’t upset any family dynamics. Nodding, she says, “That’s fair. I talked with my mom about it a little, when we learned more about you, before this whole thing started. My parents have always supported me in whatever I do. They’d obviously miss me, but they wouldn’t be upset.”

“Would they be happy?” Louis counters.

“Of course,” Briana nods. “They’re happy if I’m happy. And

you

make me happy, Louis. Obviously we’d be far away and time zones would really complicate things, but my family travels often, so it’s not as though they couldn’t afford to visit. And… we live in such a digital age, we can always Skype or FaceTime or something. I’ll be able to keep in touch with them and it’ll be a learning experience, for sure, but it’d be so worth it. I already think about what I’d do if I had to say goodbye to you and it’s so scary, because I’m so attached to you, and I love you so much. Those feelings are real and genuine and give me faith in what we have and what I’d face if I moved a country away from the rest of my family.”

Louis smiles at her; he’s never heard her speak so much at one go, ever. Now feels like the perfect moment for something he’s been itching to do since about five minutes into their date, so Louis reaches out for the rose and takes a breath. “Well, I can’t promise you’ll never have to say goodbye to me, but I can promise you at least one more week, if you’ll have me,” Louis says, offering her the rose. “You are an absolutely amazing woman, Bria. I’d really like to meet your family and to keep exploring this, to see what we could be. So… Bria, would you accept this rose?”

Briana’s heart skips a beat and she feels breathless. It’s such a relief, knowing that Louis feels the same as she does, and she nods right away. “Yes, please,” Briana stammers. She leans in to kiss Louis. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family. You’re going to love them and I just know they’ll adore you, too.”

Louis beams and nods, “I know, love. I can’t wait to meet them, either.”

They kiss again, and even though it’s barely past the lunch hour, their date concludes. Briana holds Louis’s hand and rests against his side in the SUV on the drive back to the bed and breakfast. She gives him little kisses throughout the entire drive, the smile never leaving her face. She’s ecstatic for the chance to introduce Louis to the people most important in her life, and at the thought that maybe he reciprocates all the overwhelming, amazing emotions she feels for him.

After they share a long, tender kiss as goodbye, Briana reluctantly steps out of the SUV and approaches the bed and breakfast. She waves out the doorway at Louis as the car pulls away, and then turns to walk into the lounge where the other five are sitting. Danielle already has a rose, and she remembers that feeling of

oh no, my chances are worse now

that she felt last night. She’s about to do that to four other people.

Nervously, she walks into the lounge to greet them, a rose in her hands. They notice the rose before her, it seems like, and she swallows past the lump in her throat, unsure of what to say. “Congratulations,” Danielle says warmly, a smile on her face.

Briana sits down next to her on the sofa, her heart beating fast with worry and fear that someone will lash out at her or something. She likes to think that everyone in this process is kind and nice, but she saw firsthand that someone as kind as Harry can still have a dark side, like he did towards Avan.

In the end, the group decides to not even acknowledge the rose, choosing instead to do a Disney movie marathon for the rest of the evening.

Halfway through Hercules, just after they’ve stuffed their faces on a homemade casserole made by the owners of the bed and breakfast, the next date card arrives. It’s either going to be a one on one or the group date, but either way it’s not going to do anything to settle the remaining four’s nerves.

Briana takes the card and stands in front of the others. She pulls the card delicately from its envelope and reads it over once in her head before she reads it out loud. “Matthew,” she pauses heavily for dramatic effect. After she’s sure everyone is hanging on her every word, she finishes, “Let’s take our relationship to new heights. Love, Louis.”

Matthew is the first person to get a second one on one during this process, and he feels incredibly lucky to have that additional opportunity to get closer to Louis, to show him how he feels and how much he cares.

Matthew goes to bed nervous but excited for his date the next day, and Danielle and Briana rest easily knowing they’ve made it another week. Jack, Eleanor, and Niall, however, find themselves restlessly trying and failing to sleep, because only one of the three of them will make it through to hometowns week, and the other two are about to face the end of the line.

---

Matt doesn’t need to wake up as early as Briana did for her date the day before, but he does have to be up with the sun, ready to go by nine o’clock that morning. Louis is out front in a car when Matt steps outside, and they both beam at the sight of the other. Matt looks handsome as ever in his plaid shirt and blue jeans, a cozy navy blue jumper over his plaid shirt. Louis is wearing a jumper as well, a plain white button-down underneath and some tight black jeans on his legs. His fringe is soft and swooping across his forehead, and he stares a little as he takes in the sight of Matthew.

He’s let his scruff grow out a little, maybe because it suits the look they’re all sporting during autumn in Vermont, but maybe because that’s how he prefers things to be. “Hey there,” Louis says, his eyes crinkling, he smiles so wide.

Matthew leans in and scoops an arm around Louis’s waist to give him a massive hug in greeting. “Hey,” Matt says, dipping his head over to kiss Louis on his cheek. “How are you? You look great.”

“Thanks,” Louis replies. “You do too.” He steps back to look up into Matt’s eyes and says, “I’m great; very excited for today.”

“That makes two of us,” Matt says with a grin.

Louis takes his hand and leads him over to the SUV that he’s been using all week. They climb in and sit together, a cup of coffee waiting in the car for each of them. Matt’s natural instinct is to put his arm around Louis’s shoulder as they ride, and Louis can’t say he’s complaining. He loves cozying up to Matt’s side, to his warmth, and just enjoying the peace and quiet the car can provide.

The car ride isn’t going to be too long, but it’s enough to have Matt’s curiosity piqued the whole time. “Any hints for me about what we’re doing today?” he ventures to ask.

“Nope,” Louis replies, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Nothing?” Matt asks, looking down at Louis with an over-exaggerated pout on his face.

Louis chuckles. “Nothing.”

Slowly, like he’s teasing Louis, Matt leans in to kiss Louis, hot and slow. He feels Louis lean forward when he tries to pull away, making it obvious the fact that he wants to keep going. Laughing, Matt asks in a whisper, “How about now? Any hints?”

Louis breathes, and he desperately wants to give it away, but knows it’ll be better if he doesn’t. “Nope,” he says.

“You hesitated,” Matt whispers.

Louis wants to say something smart or clever, but he can’t think of a single goddamn thing to say because Matt is right there in his space, smelling amazing and being such a tease. Louis can’t even bring himself to open his eyes, because they’re so close, and he finds himself desperately wanting more. Matt leans in and presses another tantalizingly slow kiss to Louis’s lips. “You’re sure you can’t tell me anything?” he pleads.

Swallowing hard, Louis’s voice cracks just the slightest as he responds, “It’s a secret.”

Matt chuckles; he has to commend Louis. Usually with this game, people give in to Matt much faster. Not that he’s been with anyone recently, but last time he was…

The car pulls up to a stop and Matt slowly looks away from Louis, but only after he’s memorized the way his cheeks are flushed and he’s biting his lip, and his pupils are blown wide as he looks up at Matt. Matt looks out the window over Louis’s shoulder and asks, “An airplane hangar? What are we doing here?”

Louis chuckles. “What else would we be doing at an airplane hangar?” he opens the door and climbs out, gesturing down the tarmac where there’s a biplane with stairs to the small cabin and a pilot waiting for them, helmets in hand.

“We’re riding in that?” Matt asks, taking in the sight of the rather small airplane.

Louis takes Matt’s hand and says, “Yeah, we are. You scared?”

“Nope,” Matt chuckles. “Will I fit?”

“Yeah, you will,” Louis responds easily. He’d already asked, knowing the space can sometimes be confined in these smaller airplanes.

Matt looks pleasantly surprised by how easily Louis was able to answer that question, and he has a lopsided smile on his face as they walk towards the biplane. The pilot introduces himself and gives them helmets, explaining to them how the earphones and microphones will work, so they can hear each other over the motor. Louis puts on the helmet first, and Matt stares at him for a moment with a look of adoration in his eyes. “What?” Louis asks, catching Matt as he stares.

“You look adorable,” Matt says with a grin.

“Excuse you,” Louis says, a little flustered by being called

adorable

, of all things. “I’m

handsome

. I think that’s the adjective you were looking for. Adorable is reserved for things that are small and cute.”

“You

are

small and cute,” Matt argues. “So really, I picked the right word. I promise.”

Louis’s cheeks turn pink, and he holds out the helmet to Matt, reaching up to put it on his head for him. Louis can’t ignore the fact that he has to go up on his tiptoes just a tiny little bit, so he can reach. “There. You look handsome,” Louis says. “Notice how I used the

right

adjective.”

Matt rolls his eyes and snorts in laughter. “You won’t be singing that tune about your height later today,” he says.

Louis raises an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks.

Deciding to be a little mysterious himself, Matt replies, “I guess you’re just going to have to wait and see.”

Incredulously, Louis playfully smacks Matt’s arm, to which Matt responds by pulling Louis into his arms for a somewhat awkward hug, considering they’re wearing bulky helmets for flying.

The pilot gives them a few more instructions, and then they climb into the pit of the biplane, Matt first, followed by Louis. As he climbs in, Louis holds Matt’s hand to steady himself, and once they’re all buckled in, Louis decides rather pleasantly that he likes how close they have to sit in this thing. “You excited?” Louis asks.

“Not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous, but I think it’s gonna be fun,” Matt replies. “I’ve never done this before. And I don’t usually get the window seats in airplanes so now I can finally see what everyone else gets to see.”

The engines start up and Louis takes a minute to figure out his helmet. When he does, he asks, “Why don’t you sit in the window seats?”

“I’m too tall,” Matt responds. “Have you seen how small some of those planes can be? I’ve hit my head enough times to learn my lesson. Aisle seats or bust.”

Louis laughs; he’s never had that problem nor considered it as a potential problem for anyone else. It all makes sense, of course, and he replies, “Can’t say I’ve ever had that kind of struggle.”

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky,” Matt responds. “When we fly together, you get the window seat. Every time.”

That makes Louis laugh even more, though he has to admit, he likes that Matt talks about their future with such certainty, saying things like

when

rather than

if

. It’s like he’s already figured Louis into the little pockets of his life like travel or his family. That means so much to Louis, knowing that Matt is thinking about these kinds of things and feels so confident about what they have now and what they could have in the future.

Louis reaches over for Matt’s hand as the plane starts to rather unsteadily rocket down the runway. He squeezes onto Matt’s hand and lets out a little whoop of excitement as the plane takes off, the ground growing smaller beneath them. It’s chilly, up in the airplane, but that’s why they’d bundled up. Plus, Louis can scoot closer to Matt where they sit together behind the pilot.

Matt has such joy and excitement on his face as he looks out the sides of the biplane, down at the trees and fields and mountains of Vermont beneath them. “What do you think?” Louis asks, feeling rather accomplished that he’s helped put that look on Matt’s face.

“Holy shit,” Matt says, laughing.

“Yeah,” Louis nods. He grins and says, “I know exactly what you mean.”

The plane soars over the sleepy fields of Vermont, the colors of the trees dotting the fields beautifully. Louis feels like he’s on top of the world, like he and Matthew are the only two people on earth and that he’s won the lottery, being here with him. As the plane flies around, Louis and Matt point out various sights to each other - a corn field chopped into a maze for the Halloween holiday, cute little houses dotting the fields, red barns that look straight out of a storybook.

Louis points out some mountains, the peaks of them already sprinkled with some snow, and he briefly thinks to himself that if he moved to America with Matt, maybe this would be a good place to settle. Not that he’d particularly like to leave his family behind, and his teaching job he worked so hard for, but if he had to… here, or near here, would be the perfect place to start.

“You’re quiet,” Matt comments after a few minutes of nothing but the hum of the motors between them.

“I’m just… looking,” Louis says softly.

Matt hardly hears him, even with the microphone, but he manages to catch what Louis says. He gently asks, “You’re thinking about something. What is it?”

Louis looks over the edge at everything flying by beneath them, the breathtaking sights of clouds reflected on lakes and rivers, horses grazing in the fields. “I just… it’s beautiful. Could you imagine living here one day?” he says finally.

Matt smiles. “It’s a gorgeous place, that’s for sure,” he nods, looking around at all the sights Louis is taking in. He can see why living somewhere like this would appeal to Louis. It’s cozy, homey, the perfect place to raise children. “I thought you wanted to stay in England?”

“I do,” Louis says noncommittally. He knows what he wants, but it’s also nice to dream. “But if I ever had to come to the States for whatever reason… because y’know, things can change… this is such a perfect place to be.”

“It is,” Matt nods. He watches Louis curiously, wishing he knew more of what was on his mind. “Y’know, it could happen,” he offers. “If we ended up here in the states… I love Brooklyn. I was born and raised there and yeah, I’m really attached to it, but there are better places to start a family. I’d move anywhere.”

Louis looks over at Matt and he’s got a look in his eyes that’s almost what he’d call surprised. It’s like he’s seeing Matt in a whole new light, knowing how open he is to whatever the future brings. “That’s good to know,” Louis says.

Matt smiles warmly and nods. “Everything I do for work, I do from my laptop, and can do from literally anywhere. I’m all in, Louis. For you, for us… wherever that takes us,” Matt says, making sure Louis knows, one-hundred percent, how committed Matt is to him. “I love you, Louis, and I’m good with whatever crazy adventure this process takes us on.”

Louis’s heart melts at Matt’s sweet confession, how gentle he is and how honest he is. Even with the uncertainty of the next few weeks, Matt talks like it’s going to be the two of them in the end. He’s not shaken by the presence of anyone else; his focus is commendable and Louis’s heart races every time he’s with Matt. “That’s… Matt, you’re incredible,” Louis responds.

Rather than trying to come up with the right words to say, Matt pushes his microphone out of the way, and then does the same to Louis’s. Instead of speaking, he leans in and gently presses his lips to Louis’s. He pours every ounce of emotion he has into the kiss, showing Louis that he meant every word he said, about love and about the future.

Louis loses all comprehension of where they are as soon as their lips meet. All he can think about in that moment is

MattMattMatt

and how warm and gentle and handsome he is. How loved he feels whenever he’s around him. Words could never express how much it all means to Louis, knowing that Matt is all in, that he has been from the start.

They break for air when the plane starts to dip and descend back towards the hangar. Louis can’t believe they’ve been up in the air for over an hour now; it feels like it’s been mere minutes, but it’s not surprising in the least because time always seems to fly by when he’s with Matt.

When the plane lands, Louis feels a little wobbly, having been up in the air and so completely engrossed in Matt. Now that there’s steady ground beneath them again, Louis just wants to reach out for Matt to give him the massive hug he’s been wanting to give him ever since he said those three words that made Louis’s world stop for a moment.

Matt chuckles, a little surprised when Louis wraps him up in a hug right away, but it’s nice. It’s always nice to have Louis in his arms, and Matt will probably always think so. “Thanks for the airplane ride,” Matt says softly. “It was amazing.”

“You’re amazing,” Louis responds. He looks up at Matt and grins. He steps up on his tiptoes again, and is grateful when Matt leans in to close the distance so they can kiss again.

They share a few sweet, playful kisses out on the tarmac before going back to the SUV, which will take them to the last part of their day. It’s a little sad for Louis to think about, the fact that his date with Matt is already half over. It feels like things just got started.

Louis holds Matt’s hand in the car, so content even as they just switch on a CD and sing along to old Green Day songs because it’s what the driver had on hand. The next destination isn’t too far, and Louis is excited about what’s to come. They pull up outside a cute little cottage home, complete with pumpkins out front, a yard full of yellow and orange and red leaves, and smoke coming from the chimney. “What’s this?” Matt asks.

They climb out of the car and Louis smiles. “We’re going to make some dinner for ourselves here,” he says. “I thought it’d be nice. We’ll be helping the owners with whatever’s on the menu… it’s a small bed and breakfast, just a couple of rooms.”

Matt loves how common these bed and breakfast places are; they’re cute and traditional and if he’s being honest, gear him up for moving to a small town in England. If he wins, of course. Without a ring on his hand, none of this matters, but he’s going to treasure all the moments he shares with Louis while he still has the opportunity to be with him.

They walk through the front doors of the home and are greeted right away by an adorable elderly couple. They can already smell something baking, but Louis can’t quite pinpoint what. Matt thinks whatever it is, his grandmother has made something like it. The elderly couple are named Walt and Mary, and they’re very hospitable right from the start. They ask Matt and Louis to kick off their shoes by the door, but then lead them on a small tour of the house and the yard. “You’re welcome to anything and everything, dears,” Marry tells them.

“Thank you,” Louis says warmly, smiling so his eyes crinkle at the corner.

“Thanks, that’s so kind of you,” Matt adds.

Walt sits down in the living room in his recliner, an old black and white movie playing on the screen. Louis turns to Mary and asks, “I hear we get to help you with dinner tonight?”

“Yes, you do!” she says with a pleased smile. “I just took the pie out of the oven but we’ll be ready to put in the bread once it has one last good knead.” Mary looks to Matt and says to Louis, “I think your boyfriend here would be the perfect one for that.”

“Anything you need,” Matt says kindly.

Louis leads Matt by the hand into the cozy kitchen where Mary clearly spends a lot of time. It smells amazing, and sure enough there’s an apple pie cooling on the tabletop nearby. She has a ball of bread dough in a covered bowl, and she takes off the plastic wrap to hand it to Matt. She hands him a jar of flour and as he’s rolling up his sleeves, she says, “Just knead it as hard as you can for about five minutes and then we’ll mold it into the right shape and bake that. It should be ready by dinner.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Matt says, smiling at her.

Louis leans against the counter and watches as Matt sprinkles out some flour on the countertop. Then, he starts to work at the dough, kneading it with long, deft fingers. Louis stares unabashedly, because at this point he knows Matt’s caught him enough to realize he’s easily distracted by his hands. “Don’t drool on the bread,” Matt teases, quiet enough so only Louis can hear.

Louis’s cheeks turn red but rather than trying to deny it, he just says, “I’m just supervising, that’s all.”

Laughing, Matt glances over as he kneads. Every once in awhile he looks over at Louis, who continues to stare, until Mary steps in and says, “Time’s up! Thank you so much. I’m just not as strong as I used to be, so kneading bread is something I save for when I have strong young men around to help me.”

Now it’s Matt’s turn to blush, and he says, “I’m happy to help, ma’am.”

“Oh, please, call me Mary,” she says. “No need for formalities in this home.”

Mary holds out a pan and says, “Just lay it down right here, a nice little oval on the tray. I’ll put it in to bake and we can get started on the stew.”

Matt does as he’s asked and as she puts the bread in the oven, he washes his hands in the sink. Louis swallows hard, trying to regain his composure after staring at Matt’s hands and letting his imagination get away from him. He’s not sure how that’s going to show up on the show once it’s edited together, but hopefully he doesn’t get too much criticism for so brazenly staring.

The next step puts both Matt and Louis to work, chopping vegetables and potatoes and beef for the stew. It’ll be a warm, hearty meal, and Louis can’t wait for it. He hasn’t had a proper stew in ages.

It doesn’t take long with three of them preparing the ingredients, so once they’re finished, Mary pours them each some warm cider from the stovetop and sends them out to the porch swing to have a nice chat before dinner. “She’s a sweet lady,” Matt says as the two of them walk outside to the bench suspended from hooks on the back porch. There’s a blanket sitting on it, waiting for the two of them, and a beautiful view of a lake surrounded by all the colorful trees, a few mountain peaks in the distance.

“She is,” Louis nods. “And this is a beautiful view.”

“Hmm, I suppose now you have the chance to notice. Now that you’re not staring at my

hands

,” Matt teases, sitting down in the swing.

He sets his mug aside so he can fan out the blanket so it covers both of them. “Excuse you!” Louis laughs, his cheeks bright red. He takes a seat on the bench next to Matthew and lets himself be covered up by him. “I can’t help it.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Matt says. “It’s nice to know what gets you going.”

Louis looks up at Matt, a little surprised by what he’s implying, but certainly not offended. He hasn’t exactly kept it a secret that he’s incredibly attracted to him. Their playfulness falls to the wayside a little as they cozy up to each other and sip their warm apple cider. Softly, Louis asks, “Have you ever brought anyone home to meet your family before?”

He knows already that Matt’s whole family will be there, ready to meet him, if he gets this rose. But Louis wonders if he’s the only one, or if they’ve met someone Matt’s dating before. And more than that, Louis is curious if Matt has ever been in a serious relationship. If he hasn’t, that might change things a bit. After a pause, Matt nods and says, “Yeah. Just one other person.”

“Tell me about them,” Louis prompts.

“Well… there’s not much to tell, really,” Matt says noncommittally. There’s a

lot

to tell, actually, but it’s not a very complicated story in the end. It’s easy to summarize, so he does. “When I was in college, I met this woman. She was amazing. We got together in our junior year. I fell for her pretty hard.”

About as hard as I fell for you

, Matt decides not to add. He looks down at Louis, who has his eyes closed, his head on Matt’s shoulder, as he listens. Matt prefers it that way; he doesn’t feel judged at all.

“Anyway, so we graduated, lived together, all of that jazz,” Matt says. “She got a job as a writer in New York, which is huge. Like, that doesn’t happen so easily, usually. But she’s good. She’s talented. One of the best journalists out there, if you ask me.” He’s quiet for a moment, realizing he’s gushing to his boyfriend about his ex. That’s not a good idea, based on his experience. “Anyway, so, she was getting all these assignments to go to movie premieres and music festivals and interviews in other locations. She was never home. It got to the point where she realized she was paying most of the rent on an apartment that she was never at. And that we never saw each other. She’d met my parents a ton before that - she came to family Christmas one year and everything. Like, they loved her. I loved her. But she had to pursue what she loved. I kept telling her I’d support her and I’d be there for her, and I didn’t really think anything of it, you know, because we were in love.”

Matt takes a moment to sip at his cider, feeling the way Louis’s hand gently rubs calming circles into his leg as he listens quietly. He looks down at Louis and kisses the top of his head before he finishes his story. “Anyway, so she said she was going to pursue her writing, which was great. I was totally on board. And then she just sort of comes out and says she wants to do it alone. And that if I wanted to support her, I could, but she wanted me to do it as her friend, not her boyfriend,” he finishes. “In retrospect I totally see how that breakup was coming. But in the moment, after being with her for six whole years? I was blindsided. A fucking wreck.”

He sighs. “So, she sold her apartment and moved to California. That’s where most of her assignments were, so it made sense,” Matt says. “I was still just working on this startup with a few buddies of mine, so I didn’t have a whole ton of income. So I moved back to my parents’ place and tried not to feel too lame, living with my parents in my late twenties. Now the business took off and I’m doing great financially, but… I sort of just wanted to do this, see where it took me, before I committed to real estate in New York.”

Sensing that the story has come to an end, Louis looks up at Matt. He’s got a tender, empathetic smile on his face, and he says to Matt, “I’m sorry she put you through that. It sounds rough.”

“It was,” Matt nods. “But I’m glad I ended up here in the end.”

“Me too,” Louis says with a smile. “Do you still keep in touch with her?”

Matt shakes his head. “Nah. Not really. Every once in awhile I’ll send her a message on Twitter or something, when I read an article of hers that I really liked. But we deleted each other’s phone numbers. That was like a weird mutual thing we did when we moved out of the apartment.”

“How long ago did all of that happen?” Louis wonders. Matt seems so open to a relationship, to falling in love, but Louis wants to be one hundred percent sure he’s not a rebound.

“We broke up two years ago, now,” Matt says. “It’s still a sucky story but I’ve been over it for a while. Like I said, in hindsight it was totally obvious it was coming.” He smiles and adds, “Besides, it means I ended up here, with you, so it’s really win-win in the end.”

Louis bursts out laughing at that. As much as he’d like to keep talking with Matthew, they’re interrupted by Mary, who informs them that dinner is ready. They eat together with Mary and Walt, laughing over nothing and talking about all the beautiful things to do in Vermont. Even though they don’t have time after this to spend more time here, Louis tries his best to remember everything because even if he doesn’t come here with Matt, he’d very much like to visit Vermont again. It feels like home, without actually being home, and it’s something beautiful Louis wasn’t expecting to discover in this process.

After dinner, Louis takes Matt out into the front yard where there’s a car waiting. Matt’s heart is pounding, because he still hasn’t been given a rose, and usually Louis hands out roses during dinner. Thankfully, there’s one on the porch, sitting on a little table by the stairs to the front drive, and Louis reaches out for it. Louis smiles up at Matt and asks, “Did you think I’d forgotten about this or something?”

He looks mischievous, like he knew exactly what he was doing by saving the rose until the very last second. Matt doesn’t answer, though the nervousness on his face edges away into a smile. He won’t be fully happy until he has that rose in his hands, though.

Louis reaches out to hug Matt and says, “Relax. I want you to have this. I want to meet your family and to see what happens next week in New York, for the two of us.”

Matt gives Louis a huge bear hug, a smile on his face. “Gimme that,” he says, reaching out for the rose.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Louis teases, holding the rose away from Matt. “I have to ask you if you’ll accept it, first.”

“I’ll accept it,” Matt says, taking advantage of his long limbs to take hold of the rose.

They both hold onto it for a moment, and Louis can’t fight a grin. He loves being around Matt, getting so playful with him. “Alright, alright, we can break the rules just this once,” Louis laughs.

“Thanks,” Matt smiles.

Louis lets go of the rose, and Matt takes it in his hand before he wraps both of his arms around Louis’s waist. He leans down and connects their lips sweetly. “I can’t wait to show you around New York,” Matt whispers against Louis’s mouth before kissing him again.

They share a slow, tender kiss in the moonlight before they’re interrupted by the crew telling them it’s time to go back to the bed and breakfast. Louis follows Matt into the car and happily lays his head on his shoulder for the ride back. They’re tired after a long day, so the drive is quiet, but their hands stay clasped together and every once in awhile, Louis will glance over at Matt, just because he can. Because he likes to know that this man is all in, and he’s here for him, and what they have is special.

When the car pulls up outside the bed and breakfast, Louis is nearly asleep. He kisses Matt’s shoulder, the closest thing he can find, and Matt chuckles before dipping in to give Louis a peck on the lips. “Goodnight, love,” Louis whispers.

“See you in New York,” Matt replies happily.

---

The pressure is on for the remaining three men and women who are on the group date. There are three of them, but only one rose left for Louis to hand out. They all want the opportunity to take Louis home to their families, but only one of them will get that massive honor. Eleanor, Jack, and Niall dress in their best warm fall clothes and gather in the living room of the bed and breakfast with the three who already have roses. It’s cold outside, and cloudy, but they’re still going on this date with the plan to make the best of it and hopefully be the one to secure a rose.

The ones who already have roses sit comfortably, trying to offer advice and optimism for those less confident about their chances. It’s futile, though, because as the process wears on, the anxiety gets worse, and now it’s really becoming important to make a good impression and convey to Louis just how much they care.

Louis wanders into the bed and breakfast as the group is finishing their lunches, a massive smile on his face. He’s nervous, as well, because he cares for everyone here and dreads having to send not one but two more people home, but he wants to have a good day. Louis wants everybody to leave this experience saying they’re glad they did it, even if it hurts. He doesn’t want them to look back with resentment. So, he’s going to put on his best smile and make his best effort to show them a good time.

He greets them all with warm hugs and a bright smile, telling them that they’re going to love what he’s got planned for the day. “Everyone ready to go?” he asks.

The three men and women joining him on the date nod and follow him out the door. Instead of the SUV he’s used for the past few one on one dates, it’s a tractor with a trailer behind it, filled with hay bales. “We’re going to be taking this to our date,” Louis says with a grin. He opens the gate on the trailer to let everyone climb in, and he follows at the rear of the line. “As you can maybe guess, our date is going to be autumn themed. But it’s going to be great, I promise.”

“We’ve got no doubts,” Jack replies with a smile.

The tractor pulls out of the yard and proceeds down the road a little ways until they reach a gravel road. Eleanor scoots closer to Louis’s side, feeling a little bit like she’s going to wobble right out the edge of the trailer as it goes over bumps. Louis holds onto her and they’re quiet, the rumble of the tractor engine loud enough to drown out their voices if they’d wanted to talk.

It doesn’t take long for them to reach their destination, a large farm with a few cars parked out in an empty field. There’s a pumpkin patch, a big red barn, and the very corn stalks Louis had spotted the day before, carved out in a massive maze. Beyond the barn are acres worth of trees and Louis cannot wait to show the group everything this farm has to offer them that afternoon.

Even though it’s cloudy and a bit windy, it’s still going to be a good day, of that Louis is sure. He climbs out of the trailer first, once it parks, and then offers his hand to each of his dates as he helps them climb out. Once on the ground, Louis says, “Welcome to Johnson Farm. It’s this fantastic family owned place where there’s tons of fall activities to do. We’re going to do a few of them today. There’s apple picking, and plenty of apple-themed foods to eat, and a corn maze, and a pumpkin patch… and we can do as much of it as you guys want.” All three smile, and Louis asks, “So, what’s first?”

“Apple picking sounds nice,” Eleanor says. “Can we eat them once we pick them?”

Nodding, Louis says, “Yeah, we can. If we bring them in the shop over there, they’ll dip them in caramel for us too, if we want.”

“That sounds delicious,” Jack says.

“Yeah, I vote for that one,” Niall adds.

“Alright. Apple picking it is. Let’s go!” Louis says with a smile. He leads them up the hill and behind the barn, to the rows and rows of apple trees. At the gateway to the apple orchard, someone stands and hands out maps to the different apple varieties. Looking down at them, Eleanor says, “I don’t recognize most of these.”

“Varieties are different over here, for the most part,” Jack explains. “Based on what you start with and what you breed and all that.”

“Breeding?” Niall asks.

“Yep. Grafting apple trees together is surprisingly easy,” Jack says. “We did it in one of my biology classes in undergrad but when one of my group members took home the tree, it sort of died.”

“So what kind do you guys want?” Louis asks, looking over Eleanor’s shoulder to look at the list.

Eleanor points down the way. “I like Braeburn.”

“I’m going to grab a Gala apple,” Jack says, pointing down the way.

Niall looks over the list and says, “Dunno. Granny Smith is a good way to go. A classic.” He laughs. “None of that Red Delicious shite. It’s not delicious at all.”

“You are right about that, that’s for sure,” Louis nods in agreement. “I’ll go with you.”

The two of them walk down the way until they find the row of Granny Smith apples. As they walk, Niall and Louis get a chance to talk for the first time in what feels like forever. Niall is grateful for the chance to have some alone time with Louis, and he reaches over for his hand right away. “So, Nialler,” Louis says, affectionately using the nickname. “Tell me what’s on your mind?”

“Well,” Niall starts, walking along the row of apple trees slowly, taking his time and enjoying Louis’s company. “Hometowns, obviously. Kind of important.”

“Yeah, they are,” Louis agrees. “Who would I be meeting if I went back to Ireland with you?”

Niall glances over and smiles; thinking about the week ahead as though he was going to get the rose helped put him at ease. “Well, it’d be an interesting visit, that’s for sure,” Niall explains. “My parents are divorced and seeing other people now. But they can be civil of course. Would be for this. They promised.” He chuckles a little and says, “Then there’s my older brother, and he’s married with a kid so they’d be there, too. That’s it, though.”

“That sounds great,” Louis says with a smile. He picks a particular green apple off the tree and hands it to Niall. “D’you think they’d like me?”

“Oh yeah,” Niall nods. He sounds so confident as he says it, too. “You’d all get along, definitely.”

Louis glances over and asks, “Have you brought anyone home to them before?”

Niall seems a little nervous at that; he hesitates before he says, “Erm, no actually. I haven’t.”

“So I’d be the first?” Louis asks. “Ever?”

Shrugging, Niall says, “Well, to be honest, I don’t date much. I get nervous and don’t put myself out there as much as I probably should. This process… pushes me to step outside my comfort zone. So it’s all really new, yeah.” Niall glances over at Louis and asks, “Is that... bad?”

“No, not bad,” Louis says, shaking his head. He plucks another apple from the tree and then says, “Just surprising. You’re so… charming. Confident. I had no idea you hadn’t seriously dated before.”

“Well, it’s not exactly something I’m proud of, closing myself off like that,” Niall says. “Plus, Mullingar’s small. I sort of… took my time? Coming out and all that. So between that and not really being brave enough to actually go out and meet people…”

“So have you ever dated before?” Louis wonders.

Niall heaves a heavy sigh and takes a moment to figure out how he wants to phrase this. “I… sort of. Nothing lengthy. Not like some others here, I know that. But it doesn’t mean I’m not ready for this.”

“Have you been in a serious relationship at all?”

Niall glances over nervously before he says, “Not really, no.”

Louis doesn’t want to make snap judgments or rush to conclusions, but it does raise a few red flags when Niall says he’s never been in a serious relationship. It’s not impossible for a person’s first love to be their only love. Louis isn’t discounting that at all. It does make him wonder, though, whether this is the right decision for the two of them. Niall learning how to go out and put himself out there and date is incredibly valuable, but is he really ready to settle down and get married?

Louis wants to say more, to talk about this some more, but before he has the chance, Jack finds them and approaches with a big grin on his face. “Look at this! It’s perfect,” he says, holding up an apple. It has the perfect stem with one little leaf on it. It looks like something straight out of a children’s book or something.

“Well, now you can’t eat it,” Louis laughs. “If you do, you’ll ruin it.”

Jack bursts out laughing and says, “Oh, I’ll eat it alright. It looks too good to waste.”

The three of them laugh together, until they’re interrupted by Eleanor’s melodic voice asking, “Having a party without me?”

Louis reaches out for her, to give her a hug, and says, “Not at all, love. We were just about to come looking for you. Have you got your apple?” Eleanor holds it up. “Alright, let’s go get these made into caramel apples, yeah?”

Louis leads the way back down the hill and towards the barn. The family turned the barn into a shop, complete with a little bakery in the corner. It’s quaint and adorable, and Louis leads his dates up to the counter where their apples are speared on a stick, dipped in a vat of caramel, and then they can each choose if they want to put some other topping on it as well. Louis chooses chocolate chips, as does Jack, and Eleanor asks for peanuts. Niall takes his plain, and together the four of them go sit down together at a table in the shop.

Niall is the first to finish his apple, and when he does, he goes off to get an apple cider. He comes back with two cups, and hands the other to Louis. Jack and Eleanor hadn’t really wanted some anyway, but it does seem like a bit of a passive aggressive mood. Niall’s such a nice guy though, so they don’t really know how to handle it.

They decide to just brush it off, and once they’ve all finished their snacks, Louis grins and says, “Alright, so, while we’re here we

have

to do the corn maze.”

“I’ve never done one before,” Eleanor confesses.

Louis grins. “It works exactly how you think it would - you have to get through the maze. There aren’t any prizes or anything, but it’ll be fun,” he says.

“Does one of us get to go with you?” Jack wonders.

Laughing, Louis shakes his head. “That wouldn’t be fair!” he says. “No, we’re all going through. But if you run into me… that’s a different story.”

Louis winks at the group before he leads them out to the start of the corn maze. It takes a few minutes to do the behind the scenes stuff - the camera’s aren’t quite set up yet. So, Louis stands with the rest, telling stupid jokes and generally just messing about and having a good time without doing anything that the cameramen will need to actually film.

Once everything is set up, Louis looks mischievously at the group and says, “Catch me if you can!” Then he sprints off into the corn maze, leaving the other three to try to catch up.

Louis has a few seconds of a head start so by the time the other three step into the maze, they can’t see him. They hear rustling, but it’s windy, so it might be the corn or it might be Louis, running ahead. At the first fork in the maze, Eleanor and Niall go one way while Jack goes the other. They’re all thankful that it’s still bright out; if it were dark, the maze would be much scarier.

Eleanor and Niall split off not long after, so all four are in their own places in the maze. Somewhere ahead of them, they can all hear Louis’s laughter. None of them can figure out how to get to him, though, but they keep persisting. Jack hears someone behind him and wonders for a moment if he’s managed to pass Louis somehow. As he’s looking over his shoulder, Jack doesn’t pay attention to where he’s going.

He’s tumbling to the ground before he even knows what’s happening. When he looks up to try to look around - and hopes he didn’t just run into a particularly thick stalk of corn - Jack blushes furiously. Of course, with his luck, he just ran into Louis. Now, it would be a good thing if he didn’t feel so silly, Louis laughing so hard he’s doubling over. “Why do we do this around each other so much?” Louis asks through bouts of laughter.

He holds out his hand to Jack and helps pull him up to his feet. Jack brushes off, some piece of hay and corn stalk still stuck to his flannel shirt and puffy vest. Louis chuckles and reaches up to pull a piece of hay out of Jack’s hair. His laughter has subsided, and now he looks a little concerned as he asks, “You alright, love?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Jack nods. “Just startled me.”

“Well, you startled me, too, so I guess we’re even,” Louis responds, bemused.

Smirking, Jack asks, “So what do I get now that I found you?”

Louis holds out his hand. “You get to finish this maze with me. But there are no guarantees that I won’t make a joke about you falling for me,” Louis responds playfully as Jack takes his hand.

Nodding, Jack says, “Okay, that’s fair. I deserve that.” He pauses for a beat and then adds, “Besides, you already know I’m falling for you.”

Grinning, Louis leans in and kisses him, so pleased to hear him say those words all over again. “C’mon,” he says softly. “Let’s finish this maze.”

Jack groans and slides an arm around Louis’s waist, pressing in for another kiss. “Do we have to?” he whines. “We’re nice and hidden here. They can’t steal you away from me.”

Louis grabs onto Jack’s arm as he kisses him hotly, losing himself for a moment when he realizes that they

are

alone, and they

are

hidden from the others. They have a moment of privacy - aside from the cameras of course - and that’s a lovely thought.

The two kiss for a few moments, forgetting all about the maze or the others on the date, until Louis hears Eleanor’s laugh and is pulled out of his reverie with Jack. “We’ve got to keep going,” Louis whispers.

His lips are red and well kissed, a bit of scruff burn by his mouth, and even though he’s reluctant to keep going when he’d rather be kissing Jack, they’ve got to keep moving if they want to win. Louis may be in the process for love, he’s also incredibly competitive, just like when the group played Monopoly back in Banff. He refuses to finish the maze in anything other than first place.

Jack holds on tight to Louis’s hand and follows him through the maze. Sure enough, they’re the first to emerge, and they didn’t take a single wrong turn the whole way. “How did you do that?” Jack asks, amazed at Louis’s sense of direction and intuition.

Chuckling, Louis says, “It’s easy. Look at the ground. The path with the most tread is the path that leads to the exit. Basically if there was grass, it wasn’t worth walking. Pretty obvious.”

Even though Jack has ever thought Louis was dumb, by any means, he’s surprised by how perceptive he is. It makes Jack wonder how many things have happened, or been said, that Louis picked up on even if the contestants didn’t realize. How much does he notice? Clearly, he notices much more than they all expected.

Jack likes that about Louis, though. It makes him more alluring, more interesting. Louis keeps his intelligence hidden behind his scruffy face and his messy hair, behind his skate shoes and tough guy exterior. But he’s just as smart as any of the people wearing their intelligence like a badge, touting jobs in “smart” careers. That’s the thing though - Jack may be an attorney, but Louis works twice as hard as a teacher. Not just for the recognition of just how much work he does, but he’s constantly on the ball, changing each day with the needs and demands of his bosses

and

his students.

He must start to stare at Louis as he gets lost in thought, because when he tunes back in to the situation at hand, Louis looks quite amused as he looks at Jack. “What’cha thinking?” Louis asks in a sing-song voice.

“Just…” Jack trails off. He smiles and releases Louis’s hand to wrap his arm around his waist instead. “You’re a smart guy. I like that.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Louis jokes.

Jack leans in for one more peck on the lips before he says, “No, not a doubt in my mind.” He tickles Louis’s waist, getting him to squirm closer. Louis tries to escape Jack’s tickling, and after a few seconds, manages to sprint away. He turns around and holds out his arms, tempting Jack to catch up to him. Jack does a little jog to catch up, and their hands meet between them. Just a minute later, they’re interrupted by Niall and Eleanor, who managed to separate and then find each other again in the maze before they emerged.

“I’m the winner!” Jack jokes.

Eleanor and Niall chuckle, Eleanor rolling her eyes, and Louis makes sure to give conciliatory hugs to Eleanor and Niall for finishing, even if they didn’t come out first, with him. “Alright, you lot, let’s go get some food. The sun’s already starting to set,” Louis says.

“We just ate,” Eleanor whines.

“I’m always hungry,” Niall chimes in.

Louis gestures to all of them to follow him. “There’s lots over here. You can grab a cider or something if you’re not hungry,” Louis says. “They’ve got chicken apple brats, I guess. I’ve never had one, but according to the owners, they’re known for them here.”

“Good thing I like apples,” Jack says jokingly. “Otherwise this date might not be going so well.”

When they reach the main area, they’re not the only ones there. As the sun sets, groups of people looking all about the same age as them - probably by design - wander around with food and drinks. There’s a bonfire going in the middle of the open area in front of the barn, and over to one side there’s a stage where a band is setting up, preparing to play some live music.

The four of them go through the line grabbing food - Eleanor chooses to get some cider and a donut to snack on while the guys get rather large amounts of food on their plates. They sit on some log benches by the bonfire. Eleanor takes a spot right next to Louis, taking advantage of the fact that Niall and Jack are both rather chivalrous and she’s the only girl. The guys are too polite to try to cut in between Eleanor and Louis as they sit thigh to thigh on the bench.

“How’s your donut?” Louis asks as he chews on a mouthful of his brat.

Eleanor snorts and hands him a napkin as a piece of food falls out of his mouth. “Clearly not as good as your dinner,” she jokes.

Louis takes the napkin and wipes at his face. “I’m just so hungry,” he says. He swallows his food and looks sheepishly at Eleanor.

“You’re supposed to be wooing us,” she reminds him with a smile on her face.

“Thought I’d done that already,” Louis says, taking another bite of his brat.

He takes a smaller bite this time, and doesn’t try to talk while he’s eating, so at least that’s an improvement. Niall stuffs his face about as gracefully as Louis does, but Jack takes his time. Eleanor slowly breaks off pieces of her donut to eat, and in the end she’s the last one eating, even after Jack, because the guys were so hungry.

Eleanor takes in the moment, enjoying the warmth coming from the fire, and from Louis where he’s sitting next to her. She really wants to have some one on one time with him, but before she has a chance to ask, Jack is stepping in to ask Louis for a little time alone.

Hand in hand, Jack and Louis walk over to a bench and cover up with a blanket. Jack puts his arm around Louis’s shoulder and he leans in for a kiss. Louis hums into the kiss and when he pulls away to look into Jack’s eyes, he asks, “Having a good time, love?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “This is like, one of my favorite places ever.”

“Vermont?”

“Well, not specifically,” Jack laughs. “Outdoors. Nature. Especially in the fall.”

“Well, I knew

that

,” Louis laughs. “It’s been pretty clear since the start. And when you dress like this? All rugged? Yeah, very obvious.”

Jack looks down at his flannel and his vest, and he playfully rubs a hand over his scruff. “You like this look?” he asks.

Louis rolls his eyes and doesn’t bother answering with words. Instead, he leans in for a kiss. Being around Jack so much that day, Louis has definitely had the chance to explore whether they have a future together. It’s going to be a tough decision, at the end of the night, because he only has one rose for three dates. But he appreciates that Jack is putting it all out there and being open and flirtatious, and he’s not going to take that for granted.

“Talk to me,” Louis says softly. “Tell me what taking me home to your family would be like.”

Jack smiles and nuzzles up to Louis, leaning their foreheads together. “You’d get to meet everyone,” he says softly. “Mom, dad, sister, two brothers…”Jack trails off. “You could see where I grew up, where I went to school. I want to show you that. Michigan is beautiful in the fall, just like it is here.”

Louis smiles and leans in to steal a kiss. “Sounds amazing,” he whispers. He hesitates before he asks, “Would your parents like me?”

“Oh absolutely,” Jack says, without hesitation. “I should probably warn you, though…” Jack leans back and looks into Louis’s eyes. Louis’s smile fades just a little, because he can’t tell what’s going to happen, or whether the warning will be good or bad. “My family can be sort of… intimidating.”

Louis quirks up an eyebrow and asks, “What does that mean?”

“I mean… my mother is a speech pathologist, my dad’s a doctor, my older brother’s finishing up his residency in Minnesota, my older sister is a lawyer, you know what I do, and my younger brother started med school a couple months ago,” Jack explains, letting out a nervous laugh at the end. “So… we’re a little…”

“Smart. You’re very smart,” Louis says. Jack is quiet. He doesn’t really know what else to say. After a moment, Louis asks, “Has anyone else met your family?”

Slowly, his smile totally gone, Jack nods and says, “Yes.”

Louis reaches over and rests his hand on Jack’s leg. He can tell that whatever story is coming, it’s a tough one. “Tell me about that,” Louis prompts.

Jack is quiet again. “Not much to say, really,” he finally decides to say. “My last relationship… we were good. We were close. We’d even talked about marriage a few times.” Louis watches Jack closely. He’s a little surprised to hear that Jack had been talking about marriage with someone else. On the one hand, it’s good, because he knows that Jack is already ready for marriage. But on the other hand… the way things are going, if this story goes where Louis thinks it will, Jack’s family is the reason why that relationship ended.

“Well,” Jack continues finally. He takes a deep breath. “I brought her home and I thought it went pretty well. Sometimes it’s hard to get my family sort of out of their little bubbles, their little world of coworkers and networks and the cold hard facts, but I didn’t see that at the time. They were grilling her on like, what her parents do, what she does, all of that.” Jack sighs. “She never said it outright, but after she met them, our relationship was different. Within two months, she’d dumped me.”

“Because of your parents?” Louis asks softly.

Shrugging, Jack says, “I don’t know. Like I said, she never really gave me a reason. Never said it was them, at least. She just said

I don’t see a future with you

and that was it. We were done.” He hesitates. “She’d never say it outright because she knows how much my family means to me, but I think they were a major reason why she broke up with me. So… yes, I want to take you home to them. I want them to see how important you are to me. I want to show you the place where I came into my own and like, became who I am. But I also want to warn you that my family is pretty intimidating and if that’s too much, too soon… I get that. And I won’t be hurt by that.”

Louis frowns and rubs his hand gently on Jack’s leg, to try to relax him, if only just a little bit. “I appreciate the warning,” Louis says finally. “And I’m so sorry she put you through that, made you think that. We can’t change our families, and that’s just a fact. We need to embrace the families we become a part of and if a person can’t do that, then they’re not meant to be.” Louis knows he’s talking like a fool, but he means it. Looking into Jack’s eyes, he says, “I appreciate the warning, but I would never send a person home because of something like that.” Louis leans in and presses a soft kiss to Jack’s mouth. “It’ll be alright, love.”

“Whatever you choose, I just want you to be happy, okay?” Jack says.

Nodding, Louis says, “I know. I appreciate that

so much

, Jack. I do.”

Smiling, Jack leans in for another kiss. As much as he’d like to sit here and take up all of Louis’s time, he knows that he’s said all he wanted to say before the night ends. As the band starts to play their set, Louis takes Jack’s hand and leads him back to the bonfire where Niall and Eleanor sit. Jack takes a seat next to Niall, and Louis reaches out a hand to Eleanor. “Come with me?” he asks.

“Of course,” she says with a smile.

Eleanor takes Louis’s hand and walks with him over towards where the band is playing. Rather than going over to talk somewhere, Louis takes advantage of the slow-tempo music they’re playing to wrap his arms around her waist and start dancing with her. Eleanor smiles, following Louis’s lead. She slides her arms around his shoulders and they lean in close, foreheads touching. Eleanor’s curls tickle Louis’s nose just the slightest, so Louis reaches up to push them behind her ears.

Looking into his eyes, Eleanor says with a smile, “You look so happy.”

“I am,” Louis nods, beaming back at her.

“That’s great,” she replies, but she can’t think of anything else to say. She’s got so much on her mind, but the words are hard to grapple with. All she can think of is how much she cares about Louis and how much she wants him to be happy, to stay happy.

“What’s on your mind, love?” Louis asks.

“So much,” she replies. “Just… no matter what decisions you have to make, do it for your own happiness, okay?”

Louis smiles, albeit a bit sadly, because she sounds so resigned. Leaning in for a kiss, Louis takes his time, holding her close, rubbing her back, and kissing her until they’re breathless. They sway in the moonlight, to the music, and the moment feels perfect. When Louis pulls away, he looks into Eleanor’s eyes and he sees a flash of sadness, and he doesn’t know what to do with that.

His heart sinks a little, because her fear and sadness and worry bring him back down off of this high he’s been feeling. Jack gave him some tough love by telling him how intimidating his family can be and that he’s got to be prepared for that, and Eleanor wants so badly for Louis to be happy that she’s getting in her own way when she’s got one on one time with him. And then Niall, sweet Niall, who’s never had a serious relationship before. Louis has so much to think about, and as the night winds down he has to face all of this information he’s been given and hope that he makes the right choice.

After a couple of songs, one of the writers walk over with a crew member to gather them together so Louis can hand out the final rose. As he walks back, Louis notices a few cameras up, interviewing the three men and women he’s on this date with. It’s difficult to think about saying goodbye to any of them, and now he’s got to say goodbye to two.

Louis genuinely feels like he’s about to be ill as he takes the rose in hand and turns around to face Eleanor, Jack, and Niall. His hands tremble and his voice cracks just the slightest as he begins to speak to them. “I know I say this every week, but as time goes on, this gets more and more difficult. Saying goodbye isn’t easy. I have such special connections with all of you and as much as I wish I didn’t have to say goodbye, I have to. To two of you.” Louis takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as he gathers his composure.

“This rose signifies wanting to take the next step. The person who accepts this rose is going to be taking me home to meet their family, and that’s a huge step,” Louis says. “For both of us.” He looks at the three very nervous men and women standing before them. Each has a reason to stay. Each has a reason to go. Louis has to weigh the options and hope that he makes the right decision.

After a tedious pause, Louis finally speaks again. “Jack.”

Niall looks down, wincing. He’d been expecting that, but it still hurts like hell, having to say goodbye when he was getting so excited about their potential future. Eleanor’s expression doesn’t change. She swallows hard and keeps staring forward, though instead of watching Louis, she looks just over his shoulder, blinking a little faster to try not to cry.

Jack walks towards Louis looking incredibly shocked, and he wraps Louis up in a massive, warm hug. “Will you accept this rose?” Louis asks.

Nodding, Jack takes the rose and kisses Louis softly. “Yes,” he nods. “Yes, absolutely.”

Jack rubs Louis’s back and squeezes him a little tighter, sensing that he’s desperately in need of comfort. When Jack pulls out of the hug, Louis notices that Eleanor and Niall both look heartbroken, and he needs to try to change that, even though he knows he won’t be able to considering he’s just broken things off with them.

He approaches them and gives them each a hug, savoring the last moments they have together. Louis opens his mouth to say something to Eleanor, but before he can say anything, she shakes her head and says, “Please don’t apologize.” She looks at Louis sadly and says, “You’re going to be so happy with one of the people who are left. I just know it.” She smiles at him, but the sadness never fades, and Louis leans in for one more hug.

When he turns to Niall, he can tell that Niall is upset, too. Louis gives him a hug, as well, and he has so much he wants to say but can’t figure out where to start. “I second what she said,” Niall whispers. “You’re gonna be so happy and that’s what matters most.”

“I’m sorry, Niall,” Louis whispers back.

Niall shakes his head and leans back to look into Louis’s eyes. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine,” he insists. “You go fall in love.”

Stepping back, Louis looks between Niall and Eleanor and feels incredibly emotional. “You both are amazing. I wish you all the best,” he says softly.

Niall nods to Jack, who’s standing behind Louis, and says, “Go get him.”

Louis takes a deep breath and really wishes he had more to say to comfort Eleanor and Niall, but they’re right. Louis has to keep moving forward because he doesn’t have much time left. He looks over his shoulder and sees Jack, standing there looking handsome as ever, hands tucked in his pockets as he awkwardly waits to see if he gets any more time with Louis.

Louis walks over to him and melts into a hug, nestling his head into the crook of Jack’s neck. He takes a deep breath and tries so hard to push away all the sadness. Every week is going to be difficult but he knows he just has to remember that it’s all going to be worth it in the end. Jack rubs Louis’s back and holds him close, understanding that even though it’s a happy moment for him, it’s not for Louis.

After a few more moments, Louis leans back to look up at Jack. Jack presses into a kiss and then whispers, “I’m so excited to take you home with me.”

Louis smiles at the thought and nods, “I’m excited to see where you grew up, and get to meet everyone.”

“Should we go? Get you a good night’s sleep?” Jack suggests.

Louis is so grateful for Jack and how kind and sweet he is, looking out for Louis and his well-being. He nods, and hand in hand they walk over to a car that will take them back to where they’re staying. A separate car has already taken Eleanor and Niall, where they’ll be driven directly to the airport to be sent home.

It’s easier, on the drive back, because Louis can curl up with Jack and forget about the sadness and smile with him as they sit sleepily in the back of an SUV, singing along with the radio. It reminds Louis of their one on one date when they sang along and harmonized on their way to the park, and that reminds Louis of how good they are together. Of the moments they’ve shared and how good they can be together.

Even though this goodbye was particularly painful, Louis is confident that he’s made the right choice in choosing the four men and women for hometowns week. He can’t wait to see all the corners of America and everything these four hometown dates will have in store for him. The thought of sending more people home terrifies him, but there’s a thrill in him at the same time because he knows after this week that he’s falling in love, and he can’t wait.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It feels so surreal for Louis, being at this stage in the process when it feels like just yesterday he was meeting everyone for the first time. He’s about to meet the first of four families in this process, and to face the reality that he has to say goodbye to another person. Louis tries to refocus, though, his mind going instead to the fact that he was in America and he was about to meet four men and women on his journey from East coast to West coast.

First up was Matthew, in New York City, and Louis had no idea how he was going to navigate this place. Thankfully, he didn’t have to go far without Matt, who could show Louis all over the city he’s so proud of.

It’s an overcast day, but Louis has learned since this journey started that getting caught in the rain isn’t really all that bad for a couple. It can lead to some romantic, albeit a bit cold, moments together. Plus, Matt was so tall he could probably lean in just a bit and Louis would be shielded from the rain.

The rain seems to be holding off, at least for now, and Louis tears his gaze away from the sky above as he climbs out of the cab. Cameras direct him where to go as they get plenty of long shots of him walking through the city, and that’s when Louis spots him.

Matt is standing on the Brooklyn bridge, looking handsome as ever in his dark denim jeans and a pink button down shirt, rolled up at the sleeves. He’s still sporting the scruff that accumulated as the weeks have gone on, and he’s grinning from ear to ear. Louis’s smile widens and his heart starts to race, and he can’t be patient anymore. Louis breaks into a run and launches himself at Matt for a massive hug to say hello.

Matt’s arms circle warmly around Louis as he catches him, laughter filling Louis’s ears. “Hey,” Matt says happily. “Miss me?”

“Yes,” Louis replies. He looks up at Matt and stands up on his tiptoes, a silent plea for a kiss. Matt happily obliges.

When the kiss breaks, Matt looks down at Louis and says proudly, “Welcome to Brooklyn.”

Louis lays his head against Matt’s chest as he hugs him and says, “I’m so excited to be here. I can see why you love it.”

“It’s dirty,” Matt replies, testing him.

“Yes, well, so’s England, and I still love it there,” Louis responds expertly.

He looks up at Matt, who looks incredibly pleased with his answer. Matt rubs Louis’s back and says with a grin, “I’ve got a date planned today that I think you’re really going to like. Y’know, since I get to be the one who plans them this time.”

“I can’t wait,” Louis responds, so happy to have a week where he doesn’t have to worry about any of it - even though at least half the dates weren’t even planned by him to begin with.

“Here’s your first big touristy thing, by the way,” Matt says, gesturing behind him. He lets go of Louis to grab something off the ground and when he stands up, Louis realizes what it is. “We’re going to use a selfie stick to take a photo in front of the Brooklyn Bridge.”

Louis snorts. That’s probably the most touristy thing he could have ever come up with. “As long as I get a copy,” Louis replies.

“Well duh,” Matt laughs, holding up the phone to take the photo.

They take a good smiling one, but then Louis decides when Matt goes for another photo to pull a stupid face, one of his cross-eyed tongue-out things. It’s one of the best photos Louis has ever taken, he’s pretty sure. After that, Matt takes Louis’s hand and starts to lead him down the sidewalks of New York.

It’s dirty and there’s a smell that Louis can’t really describe, but he loves it. Especially the fact that unlike in other places where they’ve gone, nobody stares at a camera crew going down the sidewalk. Well, except for a few obvious tourists. But a significantly smaller portion of passersby actually care.

“Right down there is where I grew up,” Matt says, pointing down a nondescript street full of brownstones. “When I was a teenager we moved to where they’re at now, when dad got his big promotion. He had to start paying attention more to where he was living, because of the stuff he was doing with the city and the government and stuff, y’know?”

Louis nods, recalling that Matt’s dad worked with counterterrorism efforts after 9/11, so it made sense that they’d need to be somewhere more secure. Or at least, that’s the type of place Louis is assuming they moved into; he hasn’t actually seen where they live yet. “It’s nice out here,” Louis comments as they walk casually through town.

He’d never be able to wander around Doncaster like this, hand in hand with another man. It’s refreshing and makes Louis feel at home in the city. Louis looks around with wide eyes as they wander through Brooklyn, and Matt takes his time even though his long legs are used to walking faster. He wants Louis to really take it in and enjoy his day in New York.

They round a corner and that’s when Louis realizes where they’re going. A massive grin spreads across his face and he says, “You really weren’t kidding, were you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Matt says, looking anywhere but across the street at the brewery they were approaching.

“When you said you have better breweries in N- wait! The light is red!” Louis tugs on Matt’s hand, but loses the battle and ends up jay walking at a do not cross light.

Matt just leads Louis across the streets fearlessly, laughing a little. “C’mon, nobody actually follows those,” he says. “I thought you were a rule breaker?”

“I am!” Louis protests.

Matt chuckles and says, “Not as much as I thought you were.”

Louis tries his hardest not to laugh as he says, “I just don’t want to get hit by a car.”

“Babe, there are no cars coming down this street,” Matt says, gesturing to the empty patch of concrete. “We’re fine. Everyone does it.”

Louis playfully huffs but from the look on his face, Matt knows that he’s not actually angry. He did, however, successfully distract him from talking about where they’re going until they get there. Matt opens the door for Louis so they can walk into the Brooklyn Brewery, where they’ll be spending the first half of their day.

Right away they’re brought to a small, industrial-looking room with a few taps, some tables, and some chairs. They’re shown to their seats and given some menus, and that’s when Matt decides to explain. “So, like I said, we’ve got some decent breweries here, too. And I wanted to take us to one, since beer is just sort of our thing,” he says with a chuckle.

“This is amazing,” Louis replies.

“We’re gonna do a beer tasting, but you’ve also gotta have some good New York style pizza. I already talked it through with Danielle. We’re gonna take you to pizza in each of our cities and you have to choose which city makes the better pizza,” Matt says, pointing at Louis playfully. “And you can’t lie. We’ll be comparing answers.”

Louis laughs and shakes his head. “I dunno why you lot are so concerned about this. I love

all

pizza,” he says.

“But there

is

a superior kind,” Matt reminds Louis.

“Just get me some beer,” Louis laughs, nudging his foot against Matt’s leg under the table.

“Alright, we’re gonna do a flight, do some tasting, and then when we find ones we want, we’re gonna order some pints. Deal?” Matt says, looking down at the menu.

Louis nods, giving the menu a quick glance over. He’s a little overwhelmed by it, especially considering most of the beers here are nearly double the alcohol content that the ones they had in England were. “What ones do you want?” Louis asks, still looking over the menu.

“Well, we get to choose five,” Matt says, “We can always just get another flight after this if we want, if we don’t like any of the first ones.” He sets down the menu and leans over to point to something on Louis’s. “This one here is good. That’s my go-to whenever I come here with my friends.”

Brooklyn Pilsner

it says, and Louis nods. “Yeah, that one sounds good. Let’s get that one,” he replies. He’s still looking over the menu, grappling to find a few so he doesn’t sound totally stupid. “Alright, and we know that we don’t like IPAs.”

“We? I think you mean

me

,” Matt laughs. “But thanks for making me feel less like a picky drinker. I appreciate that.”

Louis laughs and finally tears his eyes away from the menu to look Matt in the eyes. “I’m here for you,” he says jokingly in reply. “Don’t worry.”

“Alright, let me help you out here,” Matt says, looking over more of the menu. “They do good beer here, so there’s really nothing bad, other than the IPAs,” Matt adds. “Let’s get the lager and the saison, those are good…” he trails off.

“Which saison? There’s two,” Louis says, pointing at the menu.

Matt looks down at his, not realizing there were two. When he sees, he just shrugs and asks, “Both?”

“Sounds good to me,” Louis nods in agreement. He reads over the menu one more time and says, “Look, I know you don’t like them, but like half the choices here are IPAs. We need to get at least one. Please?”

Matt chuckles and says, “Alright, just for you. You’ve convinced me.”

Louis preens and sits up rather proudly, even though it hadn’t been that hard to change Matt’s mind. “Alright then. Let’s order.”

Matt puts in their order, adding Louis’s IPA, the summer ale, to the selection of five. Once he’s done that, he puts in an order for a classic New York pepperoni pizza, and they’re ready to go. “So what do you think of New York so far?” Matt asks.

“It’s great,” Louis gushes, clearly so happy to be there. “I got to the states yesterday but slept a ton to try to get on the right sleep schedule, so today was the first time I’ve left the hotel.”

“I’m sorry the weather isn’t better,” Matt says. “When it’s sunny, this place is even more of a dream.”

Louis looks across the table at Matt for a moment, studying him with a small smile on his face. “You really like it here, don’t you?”

“Love it,” Matt nods.

Curiously, and because he’s sure if he doesn’t ask, someone from Matt’s family will, he wonders, “So if you love it so much here, how come you’re so willing to move to England for me?”

Matt nods, and he takes a moment to figure out how to phrase his answer in his head. As he does, the bartender brings them their flight of beers and explains what order they’re in. Neither of them touch the drinks though - not yet, at least. Finally, Matt says, “Alright, so yes, it’s true. I’m super attached to Brooklyn. I love it here.” He reaches across the table for Louis’s hand and says, “But like, I’d much rather have a spouse and a family, you know? Like, one is important to me but the other is like… this void in my life. This massive gap that isn’t gonna be filled by just sitting around on my ass hoping someone comes to me. Sometimes it’s one of those things you just gotta go after, you know?”

Louis smiles. He nods and says, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“In the end, I’m gonna do whatever makes me happiest. And you make me so damn happy, so moving to England would honestly be no big deal,” Matt says simply.

That puts a blush on Louis’s cheeks and he takes a moment to actually say something in reply. When he does, he coyly replies, “Well, you make me happy, too. So that’s good to hear.”

Matt smiles and takes one of the small sample glasses off their tray and hands one to Louis. Then he takes one for himself and holds his glass up in toast. “That’s great, then,” Matt says happily. “To making each other happy.”

“Cheers,” Louis says with a smile.

He taps his glass to Matt’s and then takes a sip. Matt raises an eyebrow as he watches Louis taste it. “I know this is the IPA, don't worry,” Louis laughs, savoring the taste. “It’s good. You should try it.” Louis holds out the glass to Matt, who eyes it warily for a minute before Louis says, “It’s not as bad as the one we had last time.”

That makes Matt’s heart flutter just a little -

last time

. They’ve been dating for a solid two months now, and it genuinely feels like they’ve been making progress the entire time, and like it’s been far more than just two months. It’s refreshing, and a comfort, and it leaves Matt feeling confident that this afternoon with his family is going to go well.

He takes the glass and hesitantly sips the IPA, not really sure what to expect. Pleasantly surprised, he hands the glass back to Louis and says, “You’re right. It’s not as bad as the one last time.”

Laughing, Louis finishes for him, “But you still don’t like it.”

Matt points at Louis and winks playfully. “Exactly.”

Louis laughs a little more as he takes a sip and finishes off the sample glass. Matt offers his glass to Louis, and together they sample every item on the tray until they decide what beer each of them will get a full pint of. Louis chooses the IPA, and Matt goes for the lager.

Their pints come at the same time as their pizza, and Louis looks down at it hungrily. “You gotta eat it right, too,” Matt says. “You know how?”

Louis laughs and says, “Your pizza is so… involved.” Louis rolls his eyes and picks up a slice that takes two hands to hold and is probably bigger than his face.

Matt takes a slice and says, “Oh stop, it’s easy. See?” He picks up a slice and folds it in half expertly.

“Your hands are massive! Of course it’s easy for you!” Louis protests, laughing as he nearly drops his slice on the table.

He manages to fold it in half, and there’s a little grease on his hands as he does, but when he leans in for a bite it’s totally worth it. “Yeah, but you love them,” Matt teases. He winks at Louis, who is about to protest, and says, “Don’t even deny it. I’ve caught you staring more times than you want me to mention.”

Louis’s cheeks are red, but he brushes it off like it’s nothing. “I like what I like,” he says simply, taking another bite of pizza.

They eat their slices in silence, and once Matt wipes off his hands and reaches out for another, he asks, “So, what do you think? Delicious, or what?”

“It’s my favorite so far,” Louis says, “But I’m going to Chicago later this week so things could change.”

“Things aren’t gonna change,” Matt says confidently, a lopsided smile on his face. He takes another bite of pizza, and Louis consciously tries not to stare at his hands as he does so.

They eat their pizza and drink their beers, and as they sit together, stuffed full of pizza and sipping on new pints, Louis leans back in his chair to look at Matt. He knows what comes after this, and he’s nervous as hell but also knows that with Matt, it’ll go well. Matt’s a good guy and always manages to make Louis feel at home and comfortable, wherever they are. “So, tell me who I’m meeting today,” Louis says.

Matt finishes taking a big gulp of his beer and sets it down before he says, “Alright, so, you’re meeting my parents, obviously. Plus my sisters. I’ve got two - Cat and Alex. My cousin Chloe’s in town with her nephew so they’ll be there, too. I think you’ll like them. Chloe actually lives in Virginia with her husband and he couldn’t get away from work but those two are up here and it’s gonna be a good time. My nephew Jayden… he’s adorable.”

“How old is he?” Louis asks with interest. He loves kids, after all.

“Two,” Matt says. “Cat says he’s kind of a nightmare right now but I don’t believe it. The kid is always really good for me.”

Louis laughs. “Yeah, kids are like that. I’m excited to meet them.”

Matt holds up his beer and says, “Well, once we finish these, we can go.”

Louis quirks an eyebrow, looking between their pints. They’re both half done and Louis is competitive, after all. He lifts his glass, trying to figure out if Matt knows where he’s going with this. Clearly he does, because Matt lifts his own glass and starts to bring it to his lips. “I’m gonna win,” Louis says mischievously.

Matt looks Louis square in the eyes, glass at his lips, and merely says, “Ha.”

He starts to drink, and Louis frantically tips his glass back to drink as well. He

needs

to win. It’s an itch under his skin whenever he does anything where there can be a loser and winner. He feels a little beer slide down his cheek onto his shirt, and he sputters just a little, but he thinks he just might win.

They finish around the same time, but Matt sets his glass down first, and rules are rules. He’s won. Louis whines and Matt sits up a little taller, proud of himself for being able to chug a beer faster than his boyfriend. “Hmm, should I tell your mum that bit? That on our romantic date this morning you beat me in a beer chugging contest?” Louis jokes.

“She would not be surprised in the least,” Matt replies. He laughs and says, “Nah, this means we gotta walk to my parents’ house, sober up a bit.”

“I’m not drunk!” Louis protests.

“I’m not either, but our breath reeks of beer, babe,” Matt laughs. “We should at least try to pretend we’re upstanding gentlemen on such an important day. Especially you.”

Louis snorts with laughter; he likes this unabashed, open side of Matt. His sarcasm and wit and the fact that he’s always got a response for everything keeps Louis on his toes.

Matt takes hold of Louis’s hand again, and Louis glances around to try to gather his bearings. “How do you know where you are in this place?” Louis asks as they take the long way to Matt’s parent’s house, to sober up and have a few breath mints given to them by the crew.

“It’s pretty obvious,” Matt says. “I mean, I’ve lived in this city for twenty-nine years. It’s obvious to me. You start to notice little things like landmarks or familiar faces.” He shrugs. “If you ever get lost though, ask a cop. That’s what they’re there for.”

Louis snorts with laughter. “Seriously?” he asks.

Matt laughs and says, “I know you think I’m lying but I’m really not. They’re honestly the best people to ask for directions.”

“They’ve also probably got better things to be doing than giving people directions,” Louis jokes.

Glancing over at Louis, Matt says, “You’ve got a lot to learn about being a New Yorker. But I think you can do it.”

He smiles at Louis, who blushes and smiles back. “I mean, I handle myself alright in London, so I’m sure I could handle New York,” he replies.

Matt reaches over and wraps his arm around Louis’s waist. “Yeah, I think you can handle it here, too,” Matt says. “And I don’t say that to just anyone.”

Louis looks pleased with that answer, and leans in a little closer to Matt as they walk. On the way, they find a little market on the corner with a bunch of flowers for sale. “We should get some,” Louis says. “I shouldn’t show up empty handed. Would your mom like them?” He pokes around at a few different bouquets, trying to find the perfect one.

“I don’t think my mom has gotten flowers in a while,” Matt replies. “She’d love them.”

Louis settles on an understated bunch with white, pink, and yellow flowers, and after he pays for them, he tells Matt, “Okay. I think I’m ready. I’m a little nervous, but I’m ready.”

Matt smiles at Louis and says, “Relax. They’re gonna love you, and I love you, so really, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

They only go down two more blocks before Matt stops them in front of a massive, shining residential tower, all silver walls and shiny glass windows, a garden up on one of the higher levels. “Is this it?” Louis asks in awe.

Nodding, Matt says, “Yep. Come on in.”

They walk through the front doors and Matt waves cordially at the man sitting at the reception desk. “A doorman?” Louis whispers as they get in the elevator.

Again, Matt nods and says, “Yep.”

He seems a bit tense, and when Louis looks over at him, he reaches over for his hand and says, “Don’t worry. Parents love me.”

Matt looks over, a smile playing on his lips. He’s nervous for nothing, and he knows this, because his family is amazing and they support him in everything he does. When they get to the right floor, the doors open to a hallway with only two doors - for the two massive apartments on the top floor.

They walk towards apartment 21B and Matt opens the door. As soon as the door swings open, he’s met with cheers of happiness and excitement. He’s got a smile on his face on instinct, but inside Louis is nervous as hell. Matt ushers Louis in and closes the door behind them, getting lost in the flurry of people.

“Louis, this is my mom, Christina,” Matt says to Louis, who’s already wrapped up in her embrace. Louis hands her the flowers and then looks around, trying to remember what Matt is saying. He goes down the list, introducing everyone, and Louis is sure he’s not going to remember the names, but he’s going to try. The last person walks up - his sister Alex - and he says, “Believe it or not, she’s my

older

sister.”

“Hey, enough with the height jokes,” Alex says dryly.

Louis laughs and reaches out to hug her. “He’s obsessed with his height,” he says.

Cat stands off to the side, arms crossed and amusement on her face as she asks, “Is he, now?”

“Cat…” Matt warns.

Laughing, Cat says, “Oh relax.” She turns to Louis and says, “Wanna have a chat?”

Louis isn’t so sure it’s supposed to happen quite so soon, but he likes being a little unconventional. “Sure,” Louis says, and then looks around at the rest as he asks, “If you all don’t mind?”

“Go right ahead,” Alex says.

“Please, make yourself at home,” adds Matt’s father, Richard.

Cat nods her head and leads Louis down the hallway. Along the way, he gazes at all the photos hanging on the walls and smiles. Matt was so adorable as a kid, and even when he was a lanky teenager he still had that bright, charming smile on his face. Louis follows Cat into what looks like an art studio, rather than a bedroom. “It’s where I used to sleep when I still lived here,” she explains. “I mostly do my art here now, when I get annoyed with my roommates.”

“Sweet,” Louis nods. He looks around at the art on the walls and says, “You’re very talented.”

“As much as I’d love to talk about my art,” she says bluntly. “We need to talk about my brother.”

When Louis turns around to look at Cat, she’s got her arms crossed and there’s a hardness to her gaze that tells Louis it’s time to get serious and have this conversation. “Alright, sure. What should we talk about?” he asks.

They sit down on the old dorm chairs she has against a wall in her room and she starts in on him right away. “So… you guys in love or something?”

Louis chuckles a little. “I can only say so much, but I am very attracted to him. I would say I’m falling, yes,” Louis says honestly. He looks over at Cat and says, “He’s been amazing throughout this whole process. He’s very supportive.”

“He’d do a lot for a person he cares about,” Cat agrees.

“I can tell,” Louis nods. “It’s admirable.”

“Can you see yourself getting married to him, though?” she presses.

Louis nods. “I could, yes. I really could.”

“But you still love three other people,” Cat finishes for him.

Louis purses his lips and nods, not really sure what exactly she wants to hear. He chooses his words carefully before he says, “I wouldn’t say love. But I would say, I do care deeply about them.” Cat looks skeptical, so Louis continues, “Look - I know how this all comes across. Two months of dating, a couple more weeks until an engagement, and most people assume it’s not going to work out. I get that. Nobody is saying your skepticism isn’t valid.” Louis takes a deep breath. “When it comes down to it, though, Matt makes me incredibly happy, and I like to think that I do the same for him. And whether it works out or it doesn’t, isn’t it worth it to have something like that, even if just for a little while?”

Slowly, Cat nods. “I suppose,” she shrugs. “Who’d move where? You know he lives with our parents, right?”

Louis chuckles. “I know. He seems eager to leave,” he says. “He said he’d come to England.”

“Really? Mister ‘Brooklyn Born and Raised’ is willing to leave?” she asks, shocked. “Wow, he must really like you.”

Louis snorts. “Tell me more about him. He’s predictable?”

“Oh,

so

predictable. And super sarcastic,” Cat says. She gets up and wanders over to one of the bookshelves. She pulls out a box of photos and carries it over. “I took the liberty of picking out all of the best embarrassing childhood photos for you,” she adds. “So you can see what a boring dork he is while I tell you how much of a boring dork he is.”

Louis laughs brightly and says, “Please, tell me everything.”

“Well…” Cat says with a mischievous grin.

As Cat launches into a discussion with Louis about Matt and his past and all of the embarrassing details, Matt sits out in the living room with the rest of his family, Jadyen sitting happily on Matt’s lap. “So, how are you doing?” asks his father, Richard.

“Good,” Matt says with a huge grin on his face. “Really good. Louis is great.”

“He seems like a very nice man,” his mother Christina adds. “Do you get a lot of time with him?”

Matt nods and says, “Yeah, every week. It’s been amazing. We’ve gone to Mexico, Canada… we spent a week in Vermont and it was gorgeous.”

“I’ve been trying to get you guys to come with us out there for vacations,” Christina says. “You never listen to me.”

Laughing, Matt says, “Okay, I believe you now. Seriously, it’s great.”

“Will you guys go there often?” Robert wonders.

Matt’s quiet for a moment and his answer sort of settles over everyone without him having to say a word. When they realize what it means, his cousin Chloe asks softly, “Are you sure you want to move that far?”

“I mean, I can’t be hanging around here forever,” Matt says simply. His parents nod at that, rather enthusiastically. “What it boils down to is this: he’s got a special license to teach in England that he can’t use over here. I work from my computer on an app that operates remotely in major cities around the US. Honestly, it’s good for the relationship and could turn into a good business move if the app keeps building up steam. Expand it to London, a few other major cities. But like, it also really makes sense because that’s where his family is.”

“

We’re

here,” Alex argues.

“You’re all adults, though,” Matt says. “Louis is the oldest. He’s got siblings that are three years old right now. He’s got a total of six siblings, all living with his step-dad because they lost their mom last year, and... “ he adjusts his watch on his wrist and says, “It’s important that he stays there if he’s got the option. And I’m honestly up for whatever. I could probably use a little adventure if Cat’s harassment is any indication of how boring I am.”

Matt sees his dad sitting stone-faced, and his mom nodding along as he speaks. “I think the biggest thing here is that you’re happy,” Chloe says gently, trying to ease everyone into the idea of Matt moving to a different country for love. “That’s what we want most.”

“And I

am

happy,” Matt says firmly. “Very happy.”

His whole face lights up as he watches Louis walk into the room, and that’s when his family figures it out. Louis’s gaze changes as he sees Matt with a child on his lap; something twists in his gut and he finds himself desperate for that sight to never end. Louis has always known he wants kids, this is true, but seeing Matt with children… that lights a fire in Louis, shows him even more of the future that he’d already been imagining having with Matt. “Hey,” Matt says with a bright smile.

“Hi,” Louis responds. He takes a seat next to Matt and asks, “I should tell you this now. I have a favorite Daddario and I don’t know if it’s you anymore…”

“Sorry, big bro,” Cat says, bemused.

Matt pretends to look appalled, but it’s a fair assessment. Cat’s always been the coolest of all the siblings, ever since they were kids. After Louis and Cat re-join the group, Matt’s dad and cousin Chloe go into the kitchen; they’re the ones who are going to make dinner, which surprises Louis a little, though he should know better than to expect stereotypes by now.

That leaves Louis in the living room with a toddler, all the Daddario siblings, and Matt’s mom. It turns into a casual conversation about Louis’s family as Matt and Louis sit on the floor, playing trucks with little Jayden. When he fusses, Matt expertly holds him, standing up to pat his back and show him all the fun stuff in the city out the window of the massive penthouse apartment they’re all in together. Louis stands and walks over to join them once Jayden has quieted down, smiling fondly at Matt as he approaches. “You’re really good with him,” Louis says softly. He reaches out to pat Jayden’s soft brown hair out of his face and says, “You’re going to make a great dad one day.”

Matt’s cheeks turn the slightest bit red at that, and he finds himself saying, “I can’t wait, honestly.”

“Really?” Louis asks, his voice full of hopefulness.

Matt nods. “Yeah,” he says softly. “I know it’s like, not something a ton of dudes say? But it’s true. I’ve always wanted kids of my own.”

Louis leans in, standing on his tiptoes to give Matt a kiss. “Glad we’re on the same page with that.”

During dinner, Matt’s family asks a few other questions about their relationship, but for the most part people just try to get to know Louis for who he is, not thinking or worrying about the process or the fact that Louis is still dating three other people. Louis is grateful for it, because it means that they’re considering him as a person, rather than him just as a fling or something like that. They seem to be taking the entire process seriously, which leaves Louis feeling as though the whole family really does welcome him with open arms, should he choose Matthew in the end.

At the end of the night, after warm hugs goodbye, Matt walks Louis down to the front door where there’s a taxi waiting to take him off to his next location, to the next date. They stand on the sidewalk near the taxi, Matt with his arms around Louis, a big dopey smile on his face. Louis can’t stop beaming either, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he looks up at Matt with so much joy.

“Thank you for today,” Louis says softly. “It was amazing. All of it. Honestly. Your family is so great.”

“They loved you,” Matt replies, looking very proud of that fact. “Pretty sure they love you more than me at this point, so congrats on that.” He laughs, and Louis steals another kiss.

“Not sure that’s possible, love,” Louis whispers. “Cat was pretty protective over you. She’s a good one.”

“Cat’s just nosy.”

Louis laughs, burying his face in Matt’s shoulder. When he looks up at him again, Matt leans in for a kiss, taking it slower this time. He’s realizing now that this is the last time he’ll see Louis until they’re all in LA together, waiting for Louis to hand out the roses. This is his last chance to try to secure his place with Louis in the weeks to come.

Matt slides a hand gently over Louis’s cheek and cups the back of his neck, breathing into the kiss. “I love you,” he whispers, feeling more confident about saying it now that he’s already done it once. “Thank you for today. I couldn’t have asked for a better time.”

Louis leans back and smiles up at Matt, his hands resting gently on his biceps. “Thank you. Your family really is amazing,” Louis says softly. He steals one more kiss and then whispers, “I’ll see you in a few days, alright?”

Matt nods, trying to forget just how much is going to happen in those few days. But Matthew trusts Louis and trusts his judgment, and knows that if for whatever reason he doesn’t get a rose, Louis has a very good reason for it and will tell him, if he asks. He’s not going to think too much about that, though. Instead he’s going to enjoy a few more days with his parents before flying out to LA for the next rose ceremony.

As they reluctantly part, Matt opens the door to the taxi and closes the door, leaning through the open taxi window to steal one more kiss from Louis before the car pulls away, leaving Matt standing by the curb, hands tucked in his pockets and a dopey smile on his face.

---

Louis catches a late evening flight after his date with Matt, flying directly to Detroit, Michigan so he can sleep and meet Jack just after noon the following day. They’re going to be spending time together in Ann Arbor, where Jack grew up, and Louis would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous. Usually he’s fine when he’s meeting parents because he knows they like him and usually he likes them, too. But Jack’s family sounds incredibly intimidating, and Louis doesn’t know how it’s going to go.

He decides to go into the day with as much optimism and open-mindedness as possible, especially because he gets to spend time with Jack before they go to his parents’ house. He doesn’t know where the cab is taking him, but when it pulls over to the curb on a university campus, Louis spots Jack right away. Jack looks handsome, as he always does, standing in the middle of the quad surrounded by gold and orange leaved trees wearing a flannel button down shirt, one lone strand of hair hanging down over his forehead.

Louis climbs out and adjusts the sleeves of his jumper before he walks to Jack, reaching out for a hug right away. “Hey there,” Jack says warmly, holding Louis tight.

“Hi,” Louis says happily. He looks up at Jack and leans in for a kiss to say hello.

“Welcome to Michigan.”

The sky is completely clear, not a single cloud above them, and although there was a chill in the air, Louis couldn’t have hoped for a more warm welcome in Michigan. “It’s gorgeous here,” Louis gushes. “You grew up here?”

“Born and raised,” Jack echoes, just as Louis had heard Matt say the day before.

Louis gazes around and asks, “Is this your uni, as well?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. He looks around the grounds and says, “This is the University of Michigan. My whole family has gone to school here… or is, still. My little brother is in the med school.”

Louis looks up at Jack and asks, “Is there a story behind that, everyone going here?”

Shrugging, Jack says, “Sort of. My parents met here. We’ve come here as a family for alumni events, sports games, theatre performances… it’s just something we grew up with and always sort of knew we’d want to do. When my older brother Jason considered going to Wisconsin, it was this huge scandal.” Louis chuckles a little, as does Jack. “Michigan gave him a better scholarship though so he ended up here in the end. And once we started here we just sort of loved it and wanted to stay.”

“So you’ve all done your undergrad and post grad here?” Louis asks.

He can’t imagine having one place that serves as a legacy like that; it makes everything feel a little more intense. If this school and this city is so important to the Falahee family, what will they think of Jack if he leaves? What will they think of Louis if he pulls any future kids away from a place so rich with family history and memories?

Jack nods as he responds, “Yeah. It helps that we’re a legacy family. The school recognizes that and grants tuition discounts. That’s a big reason why I decided to go here. I really wanted to aim high, see if I could get into Stanford for law school. My parents to this day don’t know this, but I actually applied and got in. But at the time, my grandpa - my mom’s dad, who also went here, actually - was really sick and I didn’t want to leave him, so I just stayed here for law school. Never looked back.”

“Was he okay?” Louis asks softly.

Jack looks a little sad as he says, “Then, yes. But he passed away about six months after that.”

“I’m sorry,” Louis says, sliding his hand into Jack’s.

“Thanks,” Jack says. “He was old, he had some on and off heart troubles. Obviously we never want to say goodbye to people, but it’s just one of those cases where it was time, you know?”

Nodding, Louis says, “Yeah, I do.”

Loss is never easy, but at least in Jack’s instance, he’d had many years to grapple with the idea of losing his grandparents. Louis knew the feeling because when he’d lost his gran, things had been the same way, but with his mum… that was tough. It didn’t feel like time. He’d been expecting decades more time with her.

Louis gets lost in his thoughts and it takes a few moments of Jack watching him and letting him have peace with his thoughts before either of them speaks. “So what are we going to do today?” Louis asks, his voice gentle.

Jack kisses Louis on the temple and says, “I’m going to show you a little bit of Ann Arbor, and then we’re going to go to my house, so you can meet the family.”

As they start to walk through campus, the scenery absolutely gorgeous and providing the perfect backdrop for the cameras to catch, Louis asks, “Who will I be meeting today?”

“The immediate family,” Jack says. “So, my dad Mike and my mom Denise will be there, obviously,” he explains. “And all of my siblings, too.”

“You have several, right?” Louis asks. “Three, I think you said?”

Nodding, Jack explains, “Yeah, so, I have one little brother. His name is Michael, he’s still in med school here at the U. And then I have an older brother, too, named Jason. He’s bringing his fiancee Michaela as well.”

Louis thinks about it for a moment and tries to commit the names to memory. “Okay. Mike, Denise, Michael, Jason, and Michaela,” he echoes.

Jack laughs and nods. “Yep. And then the oldest of the siblings is my sister Rebecca. She’s bringing her husband Andy and their new baby Kennedy.”

Louis’s whole face lights up. “A new baby?” he asks with a smile.

“Sort of new. Mostly new. New compared to everyone else you’ll be meeting,” Jack says with amusement. “She’s four months old.”

“Wow, very new,” Louis says, clearly thrilled at the prospect of being around a little baby. “So… you must have come to do this just shortly after she was born, then, huh?”

Jack nods. “I’ve seen her twice so far, ever,” he explains. “So… this is huge. Bringing you home to meet her.”

“She’s going to love me,” Louis gloats. Jack laughs, but then Louis grows serious and says, “Honestly, though, thank you. It means a lot to me that we get to take this step.”

Jack is grinning when he turns to look at Louis, and he says, “It means a lot to me that you chose me. I’m glad these feelings aren’t one sided.”

From the very start, he’d been worried about that. After his last relationship, Jack had been worried that this would end just as badly. He still feels slight fear, knowing that he could still go home. In fact, it might even hurt more if he’s sent home after bringing Louis to meet the family, because that’s exactly how his last serious relationship ended, too.

Jack knows that Louis is honest and kind, and that he’s going to tell him exactly what’s on his mind as they go through this, for the most part. Obviously he can’t speak to whether he’s feeling any feelings of love, but everything else, Louis will tell him. Jack rests a little easier at night, knowing this.

Campus is beautiful as they walk deeper into the grounds, Jack pointing out special places as they go. He points out where he lived on campus, or the buildings where he had his law school classes, or where he’d go to see his best friend perform in his theatre shows. He points out the place his dad proposed to his mom, and the place on the alumni path where their family has an engraved brick with their names and grad years on it. Louis can hear in Jack’s voice just how much he cares about this place. There are so many memories, Louis is sure he’s only hearing about a select few. He wonders how willing Jack would actually be to leave all of these memories behind.

They cross over a busy road and keep walking a little more, until Jack leads Louis into a quaint little coffee shop. “What would you like?” Jack asks, pointing up at the menu.

“Erm, just a latte?” Louis says, giving the menu a quick once-over.

Jack walks up to the counter and says, “Two lattes, please.”

He pays for their coffees and Louis slides an arm around Jack’s waist, smiling as he says, “Thanks, love.”

Jack nods and they step aside to wait for their coffee. As they do, they look out the front windows of the little shop, looking at all the people walking by on the sidewalk. One woman in particular catches Louis’s eye, because her behavior is a little odd. She’s walking slowly, her dark brown hair falling in curls over her shoulders. When she glances into the shop windows, she stops, and Louis really gets a good look at her features. She looks confused, and then realization dawns on her face. Louis feels Jack tense in his touch as the girl turns and walks into the shop.

Up close she’s even more gorgeous, and Louis realizes very quickly that she’s walking right towards them. Her deep brown skin is flawless and she smiles at them warmly; Louis wonders if this is the best friend Jack was talking about earlier. “Sadie,” Jack says, looking quite surprised.

“Jack,” she smiles. “Good to see you.”

“Yeah…” Jack says, a look of shock on his face. “You too.”

She chuckles a little, and the way she’s acting so cool and calm with all the cameras focused on them gives away the fact that this was most likely orchestrated by the writers. Louis has no idea who Sadie is, but clearly they share something major in their past, based upon Jack’s reaction.

“Is this a new boyfriend?” she asks warmly.

Sadie is clearly a very friendly woman, and Louis holds out his hand as he says, “I’m Louis. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You as well,” Sadie replies, reaching out to shake his hand.

Jack clears his throat and says, “Louis, this is my ex I was telling you about. Sadie.”

She looks at Louis, nothing but kindness in her gaze, and says, “Jack’s a wonderful guy, really.”

Jack looks sheepish and he looks over at the counter to see if their drinks are done yet. “You want to go wait for our coffees? I can chat with Sadie for a few moments, it’s alright,” Louis says, trying to reassure Jack that everything is okay, that there’s nothing to worry about.

Swallowing hard around the lump in his throat, Jack nods and walks back over to the counter. Sadie sits down at the counter bar in the window of the shop, and Louis sits down next to her. “I didn’t mean to shock him like that,” she says. “I really just want to see him happy.”

“Yeah, me as well,” Louis nods. “That’s all I could ask for.”

“What brings you two to Ann Arbor? You don’t sound like you’re from around here,” Sadie says.

Louis is pretty sure she knows exactly why he’s here, but he indulges her anyway. “I’m meeting his family today,” Louis says. “A big step.”

“Yes, it is,” Sadie agrees.

“Do you have any advice?” Louis asks.

Sadie chuckles knowingly. “Just… keep an open mind,” she says. “They come across as very intimidating, but they mean well.”

She sounds like she has no problem at all with them, so Louis can’t help but wonder, “So what went wrong?”

“Oh, with our relationship?” Sadie asks. Louis nods. “It didn’t end just because of his family, but I won’t lie. They were part of the reason why I called it off.” Louis is quiet and lets her explain. “They come on very strong, is all. And they have big goals and ideas in mind for what future generations will be like. That’s just what comes with such a traditional family like theirs. His parents have a lot of family

things

, like going to school here, or what they’d like their future grandchildren to study in school… there’s a certain image they like their family to uphold.”

Louis nods along as she speaks, and when she’s finished, she asks, “So, what ultimately led you to… say goodbye to him?”

Sadie takes a breath and says, “Well, I guess it was just the fact that I knew that I was going to let them down. I’m artistic, I’m not into fitting the mold of anything. It wasn’t race or anything, they’re not traditional like

that

or anything. But they do have these specific ideas of family in mind that I wouldn’t be able to uphold. I’d never expect kids to go into the medical field or the law field because their grandparents and aunts and uncles did. Or for them to go to the U because it’s a family tradition. I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to stick around here. That was the biggest thing, I think. I needed to go out and find myself and explore. I’d known Jack since high school. We were on and off and not serious back then, and in college we really hit it off.”

Jack approaches and she brightens her smile. “Anyway, it was great to run into you,” she says to Jack, glancing over at Louis and then back to him. “I wish you all the best. He’s a great guy.”

“It was great to meet you,” Louis says politely, realizing that their conversation has abruptly come to an end.

Even though it was a short conversation, it was a meaningful one, and it gave Louis a lot to think about. Jack gives Sadie a hug goodbye, and she hugs Louis as well, and as quickly as she arrived, she’s leaving. Louis turns to Jack and takes the coffee that he’s offering to him. “Thanks,” he says with a smile.

“What’d she say?” Jack asks Louis.

Shaking his head, he says, “Not much. A little about your family, but nothing you need to worry about.”

Jack looks uneasy, so Louis says, “I mean it. She told me a little about how her first meeting with them went, talked to me about why she called things off. And it hasn’t changed my opinion of you at all. I promise.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jack asks, “Really?”

Jack’s wincing a little, but Louis’s warm smile never fades. Louis nods and says, “Yes, really. You have nothing to worry about.”

The last thing Louis needs is for Jack to stress about what Sadie had said and whether it would affect Louis’s opinions of the day. “Please,” Louis says softly, wrapping his arm around Jack’s waist. “Smile. Everything is fine, and today is going to be amazing.”

Jack still looks a little nervous, but eventually he nods and says, “I trust you.”

Beaming, Louis says, “Great. I’m glad.” He leans in for a kiss and asks, “What else will we be seeing today?”

Jack brightens a little as he says, “We’re going to the Kerrytown Market. When I was a kid my family would come out here every Saturday like clockwork during the spring and summer. Sometimes the fall, but then school would get in the way.”

“Sounds great,” Louis says. “Lead the way.”

He lets go of Jack’s waist in favor of holding his hand, and they walk out of the coffee shop, drinks still in hand. It’s a brisk fall day, but it’s beautiful and Louis can’t wait to see what the rest of the day brings. So far, it’s been surprising and enjoyable.

The market is gorgeous, all red brick buildings and white awnings covering tables of homemade jams, pastries, and fresh produce. There’s not too much of a crowd on a Tuesday afternoon, which Louis likes a lot. They can take their time and not have too many people gawking at them from the sidewalk.

They wander through the market, stopping off at booths along the way. Louis takes a particular interest in a stall selling homemade scones and orders himself one and gestures for Jack to order something, too. Louis pays for their snacks and they walk further down the sidewalk carrying their scones and drinking their lattes.

“I should get your mom something,” Louis says. “I don’t want to show up empty handed.”

Jack smiles. “I have the perfect thing. Come here,” he says, leading him over to another stall at the market. It’s covered in jars of homemade jam, many varieties of which Louis has never seen before. “She loves these, especially this kind right here.” He hands the jar to Louis, who looks it over.

“Rhubarb jam with lime and ginger?” Louis asks. “Can’t say I’ve ever heard of this.”

“It’s really good,” Jack says.

The person at the booth scoops a little bit from a sample jar onto a piece of bread and hands it to him to try. Louis isn’t sure what he’s expecting, but the slightly tangy, flavorful jam is actually quite delicious. “It’s great,” he gushes. “Is this really her favorite?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “You should get her some. And some of those flowers over there. She always puts fresh flowers out in the dining room, especially for special occasions.”

Louis follows Jack down the sidewalk to a stall full of freshly picked flowers. He chooses a bouquet that is full of brightly colored flowers and with their gifts in hand, Jack leads Louis to a hired car that’s going to take them to his parents house. On the drive, Jack points out more important places around Ann Arbor where he spent time as a teenager. He points out his high school, the park where he broke his arm, everything that tells Louis a little bit more about him.

They pull up outside a massive home, a towering place that exudes grandeur from the door to the windows to the perfectly manicured lawn. It’s huge, and Louis swallows hard, feeling nervous all over again. Jack studies Louis and gives him a moment to gather his thoughts and regain his composure. “Are we ready?” Louis asks, a slight waver in his voice.

“Let’s go,” Jack says, taking Louis’s free hand in his own to lead him through the front door.

As soon as they walk in, they’re greeted with the sound of footsteps and people approaching. The house is as opulent in the interior as it is on the exterior, with high ceilings, bright windows, and the finest furniture Louis has ever seen. This family clearly has money, though Louis would have never guessed just based on what he’d learned from Jack in the past couple of months.

Jack’s expression brightens when he sees his family, and Louis loses track of who he’s hugging because everyone appears all in a flurry. For being intimidating, they sure do give a warm welcome, and Louis feels all his anxieties ease away as he’s around the people who mean the most to Jack. Louis does notice when he’s introduced to Jack’s mom Denise, and he gives her the flowers and jam before hugging her. She thanks him profusely and goes into the kitchen right away to put the flowers in a vase.

“Louis, please come in,” says Jack’s father Mike, leading the whole group to the brightly lit two-story living room, with views of the hallway for the upper level, and windows that stretch from floor to ceiling. It’s a breathtaking view.

Louis takes a seat on the love seat next to Jack and reaches over instinctively to hold his hand. Jack clutches his hand and the two of them seem to share their nervousness. “Thank you all for having me,” Louis says politely. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you,” Mike nods. “We are proud of it. And we’re very happy to meet you.”

Rebecca, Jack’s oldest sibling, says, “We could hardly believe it when he said he’d be bringing you home to meet us.” She cradles her sleeping four month old daughter in her arms and smiles warmly at Louis.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Louis asks curiously.

“Jack never brings people home. Especially not men,” says one of Jack’s brothers - Jason, Louis thinks his name is. Or Michael. It’s one of the two. The older one.

“Jason -,” Jack tries to protest.

Louis makes a mental note. Michael is the brother who looks like Jack’s identical twin, and Jason is the other one. He’s going to struggle with names all day, he’s pretty sure. A bit surprised, Louis asks, “He doesn’t?”

“He’s only brought one girl home, ever,” Rebecca explains. “She was so sweet. We really liked her.”

Mike nods and says, “She was a good girl. Very polite. She was also a bit reckless, though.”

“Dad,” Jack protests.

“Be nice, dad,” Rebecca chides. “She had a nose ring. That’s not reckless. That’s self-expression.”

Mike looks like he holds heavy disagreement about what a nose ring means, but he bites his tongue, especially as his wife walks into the room and sits down next to him. “So, Louis, tell us about yourself,” says his mother Denise with a big smile on her face. She looks so happy to have guests and Louis feels a little more at ease with her in the room.

Louis launches into a story about himself and what he does and what his family is like, and everyone listens attentively as he does. Every so often Jack will chime in with something that Louis told him in one of his dates that Louis doesn’t mention, usually a little detail that really stuck in his mind as memorable about Louis.

When he finishes, Jason asks, “So, you’re going to move here, then?”

Louis is quiet, hesitating with his mouth dropped open like he was going to speak but the words are all gone. He looks over at Jack, who looks just as lost for a moment before he says, “I was actually planning to move out there. We thought that would be best.”

Louis notices the way Jack’s parents go stiff, and he fears what conversation lay ahead. Thankfully, the tense silence is interrupted by the baby starting to cry, and Rebecca excuses herself. “Louis, would you mind helping me for a moment?” she asks.

She’s not subtle at all, but Louis is grateful for the reprieve. He walks out of the room on her heels, leaving Jack to face his family and discuss their future plans without him. Louis takes a deep breath once he’s out of the room and glances worriedly over his shoulder, back at Jack. “Don’t pay any attention to them,” Rebecca says softly as she juggles a bottle in one hand and a baby in the other.

Louis turns back to face her, and when he sees that she has her hands full, he reaches out. “Here, let me help,” he says, taking the bottle into his hands.

He warms it in the microwave, taking care to ensure it’s not too warm and not too cold. When he hands it to Rebecca, she has a smile on her face. “You’re good with this sort of thing,” she observes.

Shrugging, Louis says, “I’m the eldest of seven. The youngest ones are just three. I know my way around a bottle and a baby.”

“Is this something you want? Children?” she asks, already knowing the answer.

Louis nods and says, “Absolutely. I’ve always known I wanted a family of my own. Always. It’s just something I grew up with and something I’ve never really wanted to lose.”

“You’ve got strong family ties,” Rebecca observes. Louis nods. She’s quiet a moment before she says, “So you can see why it’s important to us to have Jack stick around a little closer to home, can’t you?”

Louis swallows hard and nods again. “I do understand. Really,” he says. “But… if the move is something

Jack

wants, there’s nothing any of us can do to stop him.”

She looks slightly sad as she says, “He’d do anything for love. And between you and me, I think he’d be happier if he had a relationship with someone and kept them as far from us as possible.”

Louis doesn’t speak to that because while he knows it’s true, it’d be rude to say so. What he can’t stop thinking about though is that if Rebecca, and probably more of the children, understand that their family is overbearing and stifling, why they don’t do anything to change it. “We’re proud of our traditions and the life we’ve made here in Ann Arbor. Everyone knows us. Everyone expects to see us around,” she says, and Louis finds himself a little put off by what she’s saying. “That includes Jack.”

“He wants to be his own man, from what I’ve gathered,” Louis says.

“From what you’ve gathered,” Rebecca says. Louis hesitates. What he’d thought would be a relaxing, warm reprieve has turned into a tough grilling session. “How much do you really know him?”

Louis looks up at her with a hardness in her gaze to try to warn her that he can be tough and stubborn, too. “I know plenty,” Louis says. “Things he hasn’t even told you lot. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel close enough to him to take this step.”

“You have to understand where we’re coming from, though,” Rebecca argues.

Louis nods. “I think I understand perfectly. You have an image to uphold, and Jack leaving could disrupt that. And your family traditions.”

Something about the look on Rebecca’s face - amusement, mixed with a bit of joy at irking Louis, maybe - has Louis itching to leave. He knows he shouldn’t, though, so he stays put and tries to keep his temper under control. “But it’s more than that,” she adds. “What if he takes off for England with you and things don’t work out? He shouldn’t move countries for a two month relationship. That’s madness. Clearly in the case of you two, a Transatlantic relationship seems more trouble than it’s worth.”

The baby fusses again, and Louis couldn’t be more grateful for that baby’s ability to sense a difficult situation. He feels at a loss for words. Jack’s family is so stubborn, so stuck in their ways, and it makes it difficult for Louis to reconcile that with the amazing times he’s had with Jack so far on their journey in the show. He takes a deep breath and says, “I should get back in there.”

Bemused, Rebecca says, “Good luck.”

Louis must look a little sick when he approaches the living room, because Jack stands and walks to him before Louis even gets a chance to sit down. They walk down the hallway, away from everyone, and out into the garden. Jack looks so uneasy and worried, and Louis can’t find it in him to wipe his emotions from his face. Not yet. The garden is cold and fittingly, some clouds have begun to roll in, but they sit together on the porch swing, Jack’s arm slung around Louis’s shoulders.

“What happened?” Jack asks worriedly.

Louis knows he should probably bite back his frustrations but he just can’t bring himself to do that. “Your sister is infuriating,” Louis says flatly.

Frowning, Jack asks, “What did she say?”

Swallowing hard, Louis wonders how to phrase it. Should he gloss it over? Be blunt? He’s not sure what’s best in this situation. This isn’t how he’d hoped this day would go. “Basically… she doesn’t think we’ll work,” Louis settles upon.

Jack is quiet, holding Louis as he tries to figure out where they go from here. Very softly, Jack whispers, “I want us to work.”

Louis nods and says, “I do, too. Honestly, I do.”

“I told you my family was a nightmare,” Jack says. “I’m sorry. I -,”

“Please, don’t apologize,” Louis insists. “You can’t help who your family are.”

Louis looks up at Jack, who seems to be about as devastated and hurt as Louis feels. They sit together on the swing in the backyard, Louis gently resting his head on Jack’s shoulder. Eventually, they hear the door to the porch open, and Louis closes his eyes in fear of what’s to come.

“Hey.”

Jack sighs and responds, “Hey.”

Louis opens his eyes and sees that it’s just Michael, the youngest child, the son closest in age to Jack and his nearly identical twin, they share so many of the same traits. “I’m sorry about them, Louis,” Michael says softly. “I know how bad they can be.”

“Thanks,” Louis replies. He’s done denying that Jack’s family is decent; they’re clearly not, at least to people who don’t fit their mold of what the family should look like.

“How bad is it in there?” Jack asks worriedly. Michael doesn’t speak. “I don’t want to know?” he asks. Michael shakes his head. Louis visibly deflates.

“Maybe we should just like… leave. The three of us. Go somewhere else,” Michael suggests.

Louis looks over at Jack, who seems to be considering it. Clearly, Michael is the good son, the one Jack is closest to, who holds the same values as him. He also seems to understand just how overbearing the family can be. “Yeah. We could just go to like, Bravo or something,” Jack suggests. He looks over at Louis and explains, “It’s this really nice Italian place downtown. I think you’d like it.”

Louis knows this is the most unconventional way to conduct a hometown date ever, but clearly the family already has their biases so it’d probably be best to just stick with the people who will give Jack and Louis’s relationship a chance. “Sure, let’s go,” Louis nods.

The three of them stand and walk off the porch, Jack’s hand finding Louis’s right away. They walk around the house, rather than going through, and all three of them climb into Michael’s shiny black BMW parked in the driveway. Louis and Jack sit in the backseat, hand in hand, very quiet, and they both find themselves hoping the rest of the day goes better than when Jack brought Louis home to his parents.

When they get to Bravo, the three of them quietly walk into the restaurant and are seated in a corner booth where the restaurant owners are willing to let cameras set up and film. The three of them order and that’s when Michael clears his throat and breaks the awkward silence. “So… Louis, you’re into my brother?”

Louis nods, and he notices that Michael doesn’t have the slightest bit of animosity on his face. “I am, yeah. He’s absolutely amazing,” Louis gushes. He looks over at Jack, takes his hand under the table, and says, “He’s so protective, and he’s really great and looking out for me when I get a little reckless or clumsy.”

“Oh?” Michael asks with interest.

Jack laughs at the memory and says, “This dork over here slipped on pine needles when we were on a hike. He manages to smack his head on the way down and we spend the rest of the night not doing too much because I don’t want him to pass out from a concussion that I didn’t pick up on.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Louis counters.

Jack just looks at Louis dryly, one eyebrow quirked. Michael is laughing as he watches the two of them interact. “So, Louis, I’ll be honest here,” Michael starts. He pauses as the waiter brings them each a glass of wine that will pair well with the dinners they order, and once the waiter is gone, he continues. “I’ve never seen Jack date another man before. I know he’s bisexual, because he’s told me, but this is all new to me. But I have to say - I can see it.” He glances at Jack and adds, “I’ve never seen you this comfortable with a significant other before.”

That sentiment makes Louis smile brightly, and he asks, “Is that so?”

Nodding, Michael continues, “It’s really great. I’ve watched Becca and Jason find the loves of their life and now I watch you guys and I think you finally have, too, Jack.”

Jack’s cheeks are pink and he says, “Stop it. You promised you wouldn’t embarrass me.”

Louis and Michael both laugh, and Louis nudges Jack, leaning a little closer to him. “I think it’s sweet. I’m glad to hear it,” Louis says.

Michael takes a sip of his wine and says, “I also have to say here that I think you should go for the big move. Honestly. Get away from this stress and this bullshit. It’s just a school and just a city and they care way too much about it.”

“But isn’t it like… a family tradition?” Louis asks worriedly.

Rolling his eyes, Michael says, “What good is a family tradition if it makes people miserable and keeps them from doing what they really want?”

Louis sips on his wine and asks, hesitating just the slightest, “Well, if that’s how you feel, how come you’ve followed the same path for school?”

“Tuition remission,” Michael says simply. “I get close to seventy-five percent of my tuition covered just for being a third generation legacy. And med school is expensive, so naturally I took advantage of saving the money.”

It’s not a bad plan, all things considered. Louis can definitely understand why they might do a thing like that. “Let me tell you where I’m at with all of this,” Michael says simply. “Make the move. Not just because I think it’ll make you happier in the long run, Jack, but also because if you do, then mom and dad will maybe be a bit more forgiving when I tell them that I’m in talks to do a residency in Colorado.”

Jack snorts with laughter and Louis decides he quite likes watching these brothers interact. They clearly understand each other better than their older siblings understand them. The bonds they have a priceless, and remind Louis a lot of himself and his closest sister in age, Lottie. When their food is delivered, they dig in, all the stress and anguish from earlier dissipated as they converse about anything and everything. Louis feels so comfortable around Michael; far more comfortable than he would have felt if he’d dined with Jack at his parents’ house.

Clearly the change in plans was good for all of them, because by the end of the night even Jack has a real smile back on his face. It puts Louis at ease, because he feels like they still made a big step forward even if Jack’s parents didn’t play as much of a role in it as they’d originally thought.

Michael offers to pay the bill so Jack and Louis can go outside and have a moment to say goodbye. There’s a car outside waiting for Louis, to take him somewhere else, and he feels a knot form in his stomach when he thinks about the fact that he’s got to say goodbye, that a whole day has passed and he doesn’t know what on earth to think of it because it was so different from what he’d expected.

“I’m so sorry about today,” Jack whispers as soon as they get outside, Louis held tight to him out on the sidewalk.

Louis is standing on his tiptoes, his arms around Jack’s shoulders, and he kisses his cheek as he leans away to look into his eyes. “Please, don’t be,” Louis says. “Your parents and older siblings have their concerns and that’s fair. But I feel

so

good about us, after this dinner with your brother.”

“Yeah?” Jack asks hopefully.

Smiling so brightly his eyes crinkle at the corners, Louis nods and says, “Yeah. It’s clear you both care a lot about each other and want each other to be happy. That means so much to me, especially since he seems to approve of us.”

“He does,” Jack nods.

Louis leans in for a slow, gentle kiss. He kisses Jack until he can’t breathe, until his lungs scream for air, for reprieve. When Louis pulls away, he doesn’t fight his smile as he gazes into Jack’s eyes. “I’ll see you soon,” Louis promises.

Jack steals another kiss. “I can’t wait,” he replies, beaming back at Louis.

Deep down, Jack really feels like he’s in love, and he desperately wants to say it to Louis, but the words get stuck and before he knows it, Louis is climbing into the car and waving through the window at Jack as the car pulls away from the curb. Jack stands there for a moment, watching the car disappear in the distance.

He’s pulled out of it when he feels a hand on his shoulder, and hears his brother saying, “C’mon, let’s go home.”

Nervously, Jack turns and follows Michael to his car, nervous to see what the last few days in Ann Arbor will bring before he goes out to LA for the next rose ceremony.

---

Louis doesn’t have to bother catching a flight to the next location, because Chicago isn’t actually that far from Ann Arbor. Instead, he takes his time getting up the next morning, does an interview or two, and then gets in a car with a few crew members and rides the whole way in the back seat, from Ann Arbor to Chicago. They go straight to the hotel where Louis lounges around all day, wondering what lies ahead.

He’s already been surprised in more ways than one by his hometown dates with Matt and Jack… he hadn’t expected many of the things that happened, but wasn’t going to let it dampen his mood. He was about to meet Danielle the next morning, in Chicago, another city he’d always dreamt of visiting. He couldn’t wait to see her and for her to show her around the city and give her a little glimpse into her life.

After a day of travel and relaxation, Louis gets a full night’s sleep and wakes up the next morning, rejuvenated and ready to see Danielle, meet her family, and figure out where their relationship will go next. He’s going to meet her in Millennium Park, near the massive bean that countless numbers of tourists have taken reflective photos in.

She’s standing there waiting for him, a bright smile on her face. Her hair is long and curly like always, and she’s wearing some skinny jeans and a Cubs jersey and she’s pretty sure he knows where they’ll be going on their date. Louis’s whole face lights up when he sees her, and they rush towards each other to hug in greeting. “I’ve missed you,” she says excitedly, giving a little squeal as they spin around.

“I’ve missed you too, love,” Louis says, setting her down so he can give her a kiss. He takes a step back to look at her, a smirk on his face. “I feel like I know what we’ll be doing today.”

Danielle winks at him and says, “Well, yes, but you can’t go wearing

that

.” She turns and slides her hand into his. “Come with me.”

She leads him down the sidewalk, pointing out some locations of note as they make their way through the city. “It’s a beautiful day for a ball game, too,” she says. “Not too hot, not too cold… and definitely sunny.”

“It’s a gorgeous city,” Louis says.

Danielle just smiles and leads him down the stairs to the train, which they’ll be taking up to Wrigley field. Louis just happily follows her, trusting that she knows where they’re going. Riding the tub is something he’s done quite a few times in London so this part feels familiar. The line goes above ground at some point, and before he knows it, Louis is following Danielle out onto a platform and down some stairs to be at the sidewalk and street level.

“Do you go around the city like this often?” he asks.

“All the time,” she smiles. “Our shop was back there,” she gestures over her shoulder. “Come this way. We’re going to get you some Cubs gear before the game.”

Danielle excitedly leads Louis down the sidewalk, wandering this area of the city like she owns it. It’s clear to Louis right from the very start that she’s familiar with this place and been here many times.

They queue up by the front doors and Louis shivers a little, realizing that he’d been a little too optimistic about the warmth of the sun. He’s wearing a tee shirt and the chill of the October wind is a bit much for him. Danielle slides her arm through his and huddles closer to him. “We’ll get you a hoodie, don’t worry,” she reassures him.

When they get to the gates, Danielle gives the attendant their tickets. They walk through the metal detectors and then Louis is faced with the hubbub and chaos of his very first major league baseball game. It’s a massive flurry of fans, and Louis makes sure that they don’t separate themselves from each other as they walk towards one of the shops. There are a few stands of sweatshirts out in the hallway leading to the shop’s entrance, and Danielle starts looking around for the perfect hoodie for Louis.

Louis finds one that he likes a little - a gray thing with a vintage logo on it - but when Danielle excitedly approaches with a hoodie in hand, Louis smiles and can’t resist. It’s red with blue sleeves, the word

Cubs

in cursive script in white sewn-on fabric across the front. “You’d look great in it!” she says excitedly.

Danielle holds up the hanger to Louis, and then goes back to find one size bigger before she says, “Okay, I think we’ve got it. You sure about this one?”

“I’m sure,” Louis nods. He’s cold, and he also thinks it’s one of the best options on the racks at this store.

It isn’t until they’re paying for the item and the name of it shows up on the register that Louis realizes Danielle’s chosen a women’s hoodie for him. As much as he’d like to protest and say he cannot buy it or wear it, he bites his tongue. Louis is well aware of the shape of his body, and the curves he’s got, and besides, it’ll keep him warm and it looks good. And nobody needs to know it’s a women’s cut.

Once they’ve paid, they walk out of the shop. Danielle pulls Louis towards one of the walls and reaches into the bag, disposing it in a nearby trash can along with the tags on the hoodie so Louis can put it on. He tugs it over his head, mussing up his hair, pulling it down over his torso. Sure enough, it’s a little tight around the waist, but for the most part it’s like any other hoodie he’s ever worn.

“You look great!” Danielle says excitedly. “What do you think?”

Louis smiles at her and says, “I think I fit in here, now.”

She leans in and gives him a gentle kiss. “You do. I think you look very handsome,” she says happily.

Glancing around at the crowds of people, Louis asks, “So, what’s next?”

“Next is we go to our seats. My brother is meeting us there and then after the game, we’re going to dinner with my parents, at their house,” Danielle explains. “Dad’s making his famous deep dish pizza.”

“Your dad cooks?”

“Yeah,” Danielle nods. “He grew up working for my grandfather, who used to own a pizza shop. He sold it when I was little but my dad was a cook there while he went to school and stuff. So he knows all the secrets. He makes it better than any place you’ll ever find around here.”

“That sounds amazing,” Louis says. “I can’t wait to try it.”

Giggling, Danielle says, “Yeah, so you can decide who makes pizza better: New York or Chicago.”

Louis feels a little stressed at having to decide. “I honestly… pizza is pizza!” he says. “You two are obsessed.” He’s not sure what he’ll say if either of them ask. Probably some sort of cop-out answer so he doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

“Speaking of food,” she says with a coy smile. “Do you want to grab some before we take our seats? They come around with drinks and snacks but there’s brats and hot dogs and hot wings and stuff.”

Nodding, Louis says, “Sure, show me the way.”

They queue up for some food, Danielle insisting they get a variety of things. She orders cheese curds, some hot wings, and two beers. “Woah,” Louis says, impressed.

“What?” Danielle asks casually. “I can eat.”

“Clearly,” Louis says, amused.

They have their hands full as they walk to their seats, and Danielle leads them to infield box seats right behind home base. It’s arguably the best seat in the house, and she’s grateful that the show runners went to these lengths to make Louis’s first Cubs game so fun. Wrigley Field is historic and gorgeous no matter where a person sits, but being in the front row in the box right behind home plate, right up in the action… it’s a dream. Danielle is so excited to share something like this with Louis.

“This is bloody amazing,” Louis says in awe.

He’s never had such good seats for a sports game, and he can’t wait for what this day will have in store for them. A few minutes after they sit down, they’re joined by someone who has the same bright sparkling eyes as Danielle, but with a very manly, scruffy face to accompany them. “Louis, meet Johnny,” Danielle says, gesturing over to her brother, who’s approaching to sit in the empty seat on Louis’s other side.

“Johnny, it’s nice to meet you,” Louis says. He offers his hand, but Johnny’s hands are full with his massive brat with all the toppings in one hand, and a beer in the other.

He takes a seat, laughing a little, and then reaches out to shake hands with Louis. “Nice to meet you, too,” he says. “I can’t believe she brought you here. She usually reserves these games for people she’s sure will appreciate them - not newbies.”

“Hey now!” Danielle protests. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it!”

Johnny laughs and says, “Relax, Dani. I was joking. I’m sure he will, too. Because you’re here.” He wiggles his eyebrows and Louis already feels a little more relaxed.

The teasing, joking relationship reminds Louis a lot of what he has with his own siblings, especially Lottie and the older twins, Daisy and Phoebe. They take jokes really well, just like Danielle and Johnny do. “So, Louis, how much do you know about the game of baseball?” Johnny asks before he takes a big gulp of beer.

Danielle offers out the container of cheese curds and Louis takes one. He studies it for a moment before he pops it in his mouth. As he chews, he says, “I know that if you get three strikes, you’re out.” Louis laughs a little and swallows his food. “And that there are nine innings, because that board up there says so.”

Johnny laughs and says, “Dani, I honestly thought not knowing baseball would be a dealbreaker for you.” He looks to Louis and says, “We’ll explain as we go. Basically…”

He launches into a brief run-down of the game but they’re interrupted by the announcer saying it’s time to stand for the national anthem and a ceremonial first pitch. Louis stands and follows everyone’s lead. He’s never been to a sporting event in the United States before, so it’s a learning experience for him.

Once the game gets going, he starts to catch on, and he laughs and cheers and eats and drinks with Danielle and Johnny as if he’s known them forever. He’s known Danielle longer, and he feels quite close with her, but Johnny is another thing entirely. Louis has never had trouble making friends, though, and he takes it as a good sign that not only is Johnny laughing and joking around with him, he’s also trying to make sure Louis understands the game and has a good time. He makes Louis feel welcome in Chicago, and that means a lot to him.

“We’re not going to get put on a kiss cam, are we?” Louis asks nervously during the break between the third and fourth innings.

Danielle laughs, “No. I haven’t seen them do that much, but they’re also usually pretty focused on the players. If we get another world series… I’m pretty sure everyone will implode if that happens.”

Louis chuckles, and he settles in a little closer to Danielle, resting his arm on the armrest, his fingers tracing little shapes into her thigh. Once she’s finished her beer, she sets it down and leans in towards Louis, and the two of them enjoy the warmth they get from each other as the game continues on.

During the seventh inning stretch, Danielle excuses herself to go to the restroom, leaving Louis and Johnny alone in the stands. Johnny flags someone down to buy a few more beers, and he hands one to Louis before taking a sip from his own. “So, Louis… you and my sister, huh?” he asks.

Louis chuckles. He knew this was coming, and he’s not surprised at all by the tone of Johnny’s words; he’s clearly protective of his older sister and Louis can’t blame him one bit. He nods and says in reply, “Yeah. Me and your sister.”

“You gonna get her out of here?” Johnny asks bluntly.

Louis looks at Johnny, a little flabbergasted by his question. Of all the things he could have asked, or that Louis was expecting him to ask, that wasn’t it. He’d been anticipating protectiveness, maybe even frustration at the fact that Danielle was planning to move to England if she had the ring on her finger at the end of all of this.

“Do you want me to?” Louis asks a little slowly, trying to figure out where Johnny is going with this.

Johnny nods and says, “Honestly? Yeah. I do.”

Louis is taken aback by his answer and must look it too, because Johnny looks super amused. “I don’t get it. Why do you want her to go to England with me?” Louis asks.

“Well first of all, if you make her happy, she should do anything it takes to be with you,” Johnny replies. “And second of all, I’ve always thought she settled here. She works with mom and she likes it, sure, but I don’t think she loves what she does. And I think if you two lived in England, she’d have to finally chase after these things she’s always wanted to do but never was really brave enough to do. You know?”

Nodding, Louis says, “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Johnny takes a sip of his beer and says, “I want her to do what

she

wants, not what our mom talked her into doing when she was a teenager. I don’t really think she’s happy here, and I also don’t want to see her live here the rest of her life.”

Curiously, Louis asks, “What about you?”

“I’m not sticking around after I graduate,” Johnny laughs. He says, “Honestly, I’m setting my sights on the pacific northwest, up by Seattle. Maybe Portland.”

“What do your parents think of that?” Louis wonders.

Johnny shrugs and says, “They’ll probably be disappointed at first, but I think when it comes down to it, they’re going to get used to the idea. Especially when they see how happy we are. Besides, they love to travel so they’ll get to do it more often, going to see us.”

Danielle wanders up right at that moment, abruptly ending the conversation. She smiles and asks, “What were you boys talking about?”

She sits down next to Louis and reaches over for his hand. Their fingers lace together and Louis smiles at her as Johnny replies, “I was just giving him the shovel talk, no big deal.”

“Johnny.”

Danielle looks disappointed, but Louis says, “He’s not that scary, don’t worry.”

Before she can get in any more admonitions at her brother, the game resumes with two innings to go. The Cubs tie up the game in the eighth inning and nobody manages to score after that, so the game goes into a tenth inning. Nobody scores again until the eleventh inning when someone from the Cubs hits an extraordinary home run. Danielle, Louis, and Johnny all stand and cheer, arms in the air. The whole stadium goes insane with screaming and cheering, so proud that the Cubs pulled off another win in the race for the World Series.

The mood in the stadium is insane as they make their way out, with everyone grinning and whooping for joy. Danielle keeps an arm threaded through Louis’s as they walk towards the exit, and Louis is grateful that they didn’t drive in this because he’s not so sure he’d be able to sit in a car for ages in all the traffic. They hop the red line again, this time heading to a station downtown where they transfer trains. Johnny travels with them the whole time, and when they get to the edge of town, there’s a car waiting for them.

The car is obviously hired for them by the show, and inside there’s even a bouquet of red and blue flowers for Louis to bring in for Danielle’s mom. When the car pulls up outside a gorgeous brownstone home, Louis stares for a moment before he climbs out. Danielle smiles knowingly at him, aware that this is a very big step they’re taking and that he needs to take it all in and take his time. Johnny plows right through the front doors and then waits in the entry for them to join him.

Louis smells the food and hears the excitement as they walk inside, and he loves how much like home Danielle’s parents’ house feels. He’s greeted right away by her mother Georganne, who gives him a huge hug and thanks him profusely for the festive flowers. “Very fitting,” she says with a smile as she walks to the kitchen to find a vase.

“We saw the win on TV. You guys were all right there behind them,” says their dad, John. “That was quite the win.”

“Louis, you looked so excited,” Georganne adds with a smile. “Are you a big baseball fan?”

Louis looks sheepish as he confesses, “That was my first one, actually.”

John waves a flour-covered finger at Louis as he says, “Our Dani here loves baseball. You keep going to games and watching them, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” Louis nods.

He watches as John tosses some pizza crust, and he thinks that Matt may have met his match in terms of pizza. Louis has always loved a nice homemade meal, and thinks that if John makes it, he may just prefer Chicago style over New York style pizza, in the end.

Georganne leads them into the living room where she’s recorded the game. She plays back the last home run where, just as they said, the three of them who were at the game literally leap out of their seats and cheer when the player hits the home run. Louis thinks he looks a bit stupid, with his hoodie riding up a bit to show his belly as he cheers, but then he watches back when Danielle reached over to hug him and give him a massive kiss of joy, and it doesn’t seem so stupid. The sight of that reaction makes Louis’s heart skip a little.

“So, Louis, tell us about yourself,” Georganne prompts, sitting down on a sofa facing Louis and Danielle.

“Not much to tell, I suppose,” Louis says modestly. Even though he may feel this way, he still launches into his personal story, talking about his family and his siblings and his job, and he reaches over for Danielle’s hand as he mentions sadly that his mom passed, so he’s been helping out a little more with his siblings.

Georganne looks heartbroken and says, “Oh, Louis, I’m so sorry to hear that.” She offers him a warm smile and says, “You sound like a wonderful big brother, though. Such a big heart.”

“Thank you,” Louis nods, looking very grateful that she recognizes that.

“Danielle,” Georganne says warmly. “Can you go help your dad and Johnny with dinner? Maybe make some lemonade? I’d like to have a little chat with Louis, here.”

Nodding, Danielle gives Louis’s hand a reassuring squeeze and then stands up to go into the kitchen. Louis feels nervous suddenly, even though he has no reason to be because Georganne has been so kind to him so far. “So, Louis,” Georganne starts. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good,” Louis nods. “It’s been a really exciting process so far. I’m really enjoying getting to know your daughter.”

Georganne smiles. “I’m glad to hear that,” she says in reply. She eyes him for a moment before asking, “Have you two talked about the future at all?”

“Quite a bit, actually,” Louis nods.

“So you’ve discussed living arrangements.”

Louis is quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how exactly she feels about this. Louis has a sneaking suspicion that, just like most other parents, the prospect of Danielle moving to another country for someone she’s known for just under three months seems a little insane. More than insane, actually. But Louis is also well aware that he and Danielle have had honest conversations about what’s best for themselves and their family so he wants to be totally honest with her. “We have, yes,” Louis nods. “Danielle would come with me to England.”

“And she’s told you she’s part owner of our store?” Georganne presses.

“Yes, she has,” Louis nods. “She talked about selling it to one of her cousins, someone you’d be comfortable working with and collaborating with.” He takes a deep breath and says, “She’s also talked to me about some other dreams she has that she might like to pursue after the move, and I fully support her in these. I want her to have things that help her make England her home.”

Georganne looks skeptical. “What about family?”

“Obviously, there’s no replacing you lot,” Louis says. “But given the ages of family members, and various things that have happened, we both thought it best to be closer geographically to mine. And I’m confident they’d help make her feel right at home.”

More worry crosses Georganne’s face as she asks, “What about grandchildren? When would I see them?”

“Well, to be quite honest,” Louis explains, “I can’t say they’d happen right away. We’d date before we’d worry about a wedding, and obviously children would come after that. We’re agreed on how we’d like our own little nuclear family to look one day, but obviously we wouldn’t try to cut anyone out of their lives. It would be a challenge, I grant you that, but technology these days is absolutely wonderful. And of course, you’d always be welcome to visit.”

Georganne is quiet and she studies Louis for a moment. He feels miniscule under her scrutinizing gaze but knows that she’s only looking out for Danielle’s best interests. “Georganne,” Louis says softly. “I want you to know that I am one-hundred percent a family man. I want to do my very best to make sure everyone is close, and gets to see each other. I’ll take care of your daughter and I won’t let your relationship with her go sour.”

“If you pick her, you mean.”

Louis looks up, and in walks Danielle’s father John, with Danielle and Johnny behind him with some lemonade and popcorn. They set the food down on the coffee table and John takes a seat next to his wife. Danielle takes her place close to Louis on the sofa opposite her parents, her hand finding his right away. Johnny sits in the recliner and looks a little amused at the others, who are having such a serious conversation.

“Yes,” Louis nods. “That is how it works.”

John points at his daughter and asks, “Do you love her?”

“Dad,” Danielle warns.

“It’s a fair question, it’s fine,” Louis insists.

He looks at Danielle, and then back at her father. Obviously he can’t speak to the word love because that’s not something he’s allowed to mention, not as the Bachelor. However, he does know how strongly he feels and that’s something he can very easily talk to her parents about.

“I care so much about her,” Louis says, smiling over at Danielle, drawing strength from her smile and her supportive touch. “Danielle is this constant source of positivity and support in my life and I would honestly not be here meeting you lot if I didn’t think what we had was real, and had potential to grow into something special and lifelong.”

Danielle gives his hand a little squeeze and Louis looks back at her father. “I can’t speak to feelings of love, but I can reassure you that I will do everything in my power to protect her, and to be completely honest with her about everything I’m feeling,” he says. “If I do decide to send her home for whatever reason, I’m going to be completely honest about it and I… we have a mutual trust that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

“Honestly, dad, he’s not going to hurt me,” Danielle insists.

“Even if he sends you home?” her dad counters.

“Yes, even if he sends me home,” she says firmly. “Because I know that if he does, it’s for a good reason, and all he and I want for each other is happiness. And if he feels happier with someone else, I’m going to respect that.”

“I respect that, too,” Johnny speaks up.

Louis looks from Danielle, to Johnny, and then back to Danielle’s parents. They’re nodding, and while their expressions still seem apprehensive, they appear to be more at ease with the situation. “Well, as long as my girl is taken care of,” John says finally.

Confidently, Louis says, “She will be.”

“I am, dad,” Danielle insists.

The room is quiet and everyone seems satisfied, so Johnny happily breaks the tension by saying, “Okay, I’m thirsty.”

“You had three beers at the game,” Danielle argues.

“And now I want lemonade,” Johnny replies, helping himself to a glass.

Georganne looks sternly at her son and says, “You should always offer to guests, first.”

Johnny snorts with laughter and looks up at Louis. “Look, I’ve been hanging out with this guy all day. He’s less of a guest and more like part of the family at this point,” he argues.

“Give him that glass of lemonade and

then

get your own,” his mother says.

Louis and Danielle are both laughing as Johnny looks like a bit like a dog with his tail between his legs. He hands the glass he’d poured over to Louis, who smugly smiles and says, “Thanks, mate.”

“See? Mate. We’re friends,” Johnny argues.

“You should still offer your friends refreshments before getting any for yourself,” Danielle says, her voice sickeningly sweet as she mocks her brother.

“I can’t believe you were going to serve yourself before me,” Louis teases.

Johnny looks at his family, harassed and surprised that Louis piled on, too. It makes Louis feel at home, knowing he can joke around with Danielle’s family and join in on the mocking and playful jibes. Being with Danielle and her family feels right, but Louis can’t honestly see himself living in Chicago with them. Overall, for so many different reasons, moving to England is the best option for them, and he feels more confident than ever in that decision.

The pizza is done shortly after they have their conversation, and the whole family gathers together to eat some homemade Chicago deep dish pizza. Louis makes an absolute mess of himself, and he

does

think it’s a little weird that the sauce goes on top, but for the most part he’s a big fan of it. He’s not sure he necessarily thinks it’s better than New York style, but he’s also not sure Danielle or Matthew will like that answer.

Louis feels so at home with the Campbell family that he finds it surprising when it’s already time to say goodbye and call it a night. They all gather in the foyer to the home, Louis giving hugs to everyone, even Danielle’s father. “It was great to meet you all. Thank you so much for having me,” he says earnestly.

“Anytime,” John says.

“See you soon,” Georganne adds.

Louis can tell they really want Louis to choose their daughter, even past all their trepidation at her moving countries to be with him. Danielle walks Louis out to the car waiting at the curb, and when they get to the car, she wraps her arms around his shoulders and smiles as she says, “That was amazing. Better than I expected.”

“What were you expecting?” Louis asks, bemused.

He holds her around her waist and snuggles closer to her in the chilly Chicago air. “Well, I at least expected them to be a little more angry about the moving thing,” she says.

Louis smiles and says, “Your mom and I talked at length about that. I don’t think you have anything to worry about there.”

“You convinced her it was okay?” Danielle asks.

Louis shrugs. “I dunno about that, but I did tell her that I was a family guy and knew all the best ways to be in touch across oceans. That sort of thing.”

Danielle leans back to smile at Louis. She steals a kiss and says, “I love you so much.”

Louis grins at that and presses another kiss to her lips. He’s always so happy when he’s with her; Danelle’s optimism and joy is always so incredibly contagious. “I’ll see you soon,” he says softly.

Reluctantly, Danielle lowers her arms and steps back so Louis can climb into the car and go to his hotel, or the airport, or wherever they were planning to have him go next. Louis waves to Danielle through the window as the car pulls away, and she feels incredibly optimistic about going into the next rose ceremony in Los Angeles in just a few short days.

---

Louis gets an entire day off to sleep in, gather his things, go to the airport, and fly to Los Angeles. It’s the longest he’s flown in a while, so it leaves him feeling just a little bit disoriented. He hangs around the hotel with some of the crew members, especially his stylist Lou. She’s got her daughter Lux with her for this, so at one point, Louis sends Lou and some other crew members down to the hotel bar, opting to stay in with Lux in his room, watching some movie they ordered on the telly. The two of them eat junk food and laugh along with the animated movie they chose, and by the time Lou comes back to fetch Lux for bedtime, both of them are fast asleep in bed.

It’s good, though, Louis thinks, because he feels far more rested and clear-headed than he did even just a day ago. So far he’s had some vastly different hometown dates, and he still has one more to go. At this point, he has no idea who he’s going to send home, because he has such a special relationship with everyone who remains.

Trying his best to push the anxiety of that decision away, Louis gets ready for a day with Briana in his hotel room. They’re meeting somewhere in the Art District, but that’s all Louis knows. He’s a little surprised by that, because he and Briana have never talked about art. He hadn’t known it was an interest of hers. It makes sense, though, based on her interest in cosmetology.

He arrives right on time, surprisingly. The traffic was somehow not that bad and Louis is grateful for it. When the car pulls up, he’s confused by the sight of a trailer, a ton of photography equipment, and Briana in high-waisted skinny jeans and a white crop top. When she spots him, her face lights up, and she rushes over to give him a hug. “Hi!” she says excitedly.

Louis catches her and doesn’t let her fall as they hug. She leans back for a kiss and Louis takes his time saying hello to her. It feels like it’s been entirely too long since they last saw each other and he’s really glad to be here with her now. Even though he doesn’t know what they’re going to be doing on their date, Louis doesn’t mind because at least he’s with her.

When they’ve finished saying hello, Louis looks around and asks, “So what are we doing today?”

Briana takes Louis’s hand and leads him into the trailer where there’s a rack of clothes and a full vanity area set up. “You get to help me work,” she says with a big smile.

“What?” Louis asks, clearly confused.

Briana looks so amused at Louis’s cluelessness and she seems to find some joy in being able to surprise him this much. She walks to the rack of clothes and rifles through it, smiling over her shoulder at Louis as she pulls out a shirt. As she holds it up to him, she tilts her head to the side, considering whether it’ll look good on him.

She decides it will, and then goes through the rack for some jeans for him to wear. “Well, every once in awhile I do styling for some photoshoots. Nothing major,” she says. “But when my friend from high school asked me if I knew anyone who could model for his shop, I thought you could do it.”

Louis’s eyes go wide. “Model?”

“He’s really nice, and I think you can do it!” she says eagerly. “Besides, you already did

some

modeling, for the promo stuff for this show. Come on, it’ll be fun!”

“What will you do?” Louis asks.

Briana’s whole face lights up as she says, “Style you. Make you look good.”

Louis knew that Briana was in cosmetology but had no idea that she did all of this styling stuff, too. He looks at the clothes she chose for him and then back up at her. “Alright,” he says, nodding and smiling. This means a lot to her, and he honestly thinks it’ll be fun. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll try my best.”

“You’ll be great,” Briana says happily. “Go change into that, and then come back here so we can do your hair.”

Louis does as he’s told and changes into the outfit. When he sits down at a chair near the vanity, Briana’s long fingers go to work right away, putting product in his hair and styling it just so. She smiles as she works, and Louis can definitely see that she loves what she does. Usually Briana is so timid, but when he’s with her here, seeing her do what she loves most, she glows. He recognizes right then and there that it’d be very important for her to be able to find work like this if she moved to England with him. He’d hate to see her settle or not do something like this because she was trying to please him.

“You’re really good at this,” Louis comments.

Briana laughs, airy and bright, and says, “Thanks.”

She turns his chair a little, satisfied with how his hair looks. Now she’s got a bit of makeup to apply before he goes and stands in front of a camera to take some photos of himself in this outfit. Briana walks outside with him, ready to step in and fix his hair or makeup if anything falls out of place.

It ends up being his face, rather than his hair, that requires most of her attention. He keeps sweating just a little bit, standing in the blinding Los Angeles sun as he stands next to a graffitied wall for some photos. Every so many photos, Briana ducks in with more powder foundation to make him look less shiny, and Louis apologizes to her many times for her having to go through all that trouble.

As it turns out, he’s a natural. Louis feels like an absolute fool, doing all these different poses, but once the photographer calls Louis over to look at the shots, he feels a little better about himself. Louis changes outfits at that point, and when he comes back out, Briana is there waiting next to a very tall, handsome man. “Louis! I want you to meet Dalton,” she says, gesturing to the man standing next to her. “He’s the shop owner, the one you’re taking these photos for.”

“Hey, nice to meet you, mate,” Louis says, holding out his hand.

They shake hands and at first Louis finds himself wondering what Briana and Dalton’s history is, given how close they are years later. But then he gets to work telling people what to do, and Louis starts to wonder if maybe Dalton isn’t gay. He doesn’t emulate stereotypes or anything, but Louis gets the vibe from him.

After modeling the second outfit, Louis and Briana go back in the trailer. Louis changes again and Briana does something new with his hair. “So how do you know Dalton, again?” Louis asks, to satisfy his curiosity.

“High school,” she says simply. “I was his beard, before having big dramatic coming out parties became normal.”

“Did he do that?” Louis asks.

“What? The coming out party?” Briana asks. She laughs brightly and says, “Yeah, he did. It’s not like he had anything to worry about, because I’m pretty sure

everyone

knew before he did, but I was there for him in the meantime.”

Louis looks at her through the mirror and asks, “So he’s an ex of yours?”

Shrugging, Briana says, “Sort of. If it even counts? It’s not like we did anything. I mean, we danced together at a formal in sophomore year but for the most part, I just let him call me his girlfriend for a few years until he felt comfortable enough being himself.”

Like typical Briana, she’s selfless and kind to everyone around her, putting their needs before her own. “That was nice of you,” he says.

She shrugs it off and says, “I don’t know. I just wanted him to be comfortable.”

“I know,” Louis nods. “But that’s really nice of you. You could have been out there, dating someone who had interest in you, as well, but you didn’t.”

Briana’s cheeks turn pink and she says, “Come on. Do I really seem like the type to be that outgoing?”

“You’re better at it than you think,” Louis says.

There’s a knock on the door to the trailer and without waiting for an answer, in walks Dalton. “Bria! You’re joining us for this next part!” he instructs.

“What?” she asks, shocked.

“Yep,” Dalton says firmly. “I want a few photos of couples for the shop, and you’re wearing bland enough clothes that you won’t distract from what Louis is wearing. So come on!”

Louis smiles at Briana, rather pleased that they’ll get to model together. He wasn’t expecting that, but it’s a pleasant surprise. Her cheeks are flushed and she doesn’t look very comfortable with that idea, but there’s nothing she can do about it now. “You’ll be great, love,” Louis says softly.

Briana nods and together they walk out of the trailer.

Dalton directs them through the whole scene, telling Briana where to put her hands, or Louis how to hold Briana, and even though it feels awkward and a little rushed, the product is much better than they expected. At the end, Louis and Briana get to look over the photographer’s shoulder at all the photos they got, and it’s clear that the two of them have chemistry together.

“We look great,” Louis tells Briana excitedly.

“

You

do,” she counters. Her hair is falling in her face again and Louis senses that she’s not used to being the center of attention quite so much.

Louis wraps an arm around Briana’s waist and says, “You look gorgeous in these shots, Bria. Seriously.

You

make

me

look good here.”

“He’s right,” Dalton says bluntly, and then looks at Louis, “You’re good, but she’s better.”

Louis’s cheeks turn a little red and he has trouble trying to decide whether Dalton is being insulting or offering some sort of backhanded compliment. “Did you have fun, at least?” Louis asks her.

She smiles at him and nods, and Louis says, “That’s what matters most, okay?”

The photographers are taking things down, so Louis says, “Why don’t I go get changed back into my outfit and then we go do whatever you’ve planned for after this, huh?”

Briana nods and follows him into the trailer to clean up her makeup and hairstyling products as Louis changes. When they’re all cleaned up and ready to go, Briana leads Louis to where she parked her car. “Okay, so, I thought rather than doing anything fancy for lunch, we could just go to my favorite place?” she suggests.

“Sounds great,” Louis says with a smile. “I’m all yours all day. You get to choose what we do.”

“I’m going to show you some of my favorite things here, and then we’re going to go to my house,” she explains.

Louis reaches over for Briana’s free hand to hold as they drive through town. They predictably get caught in traffic more than once, but Louis is loving this time alone with her. She plays music from her iPod which tells him more about her music tastes, and he gets to learn all of her favorite things while they’re out. “So, do you live with your parents?” Louis asks casually as Briana pulls into the drive through lane of an In ‘n Out Burger.

“Yeah,” she nods. “Cosmetology and random styling gigs don’t exactly pay the bills for rent in LA.”

Louis smiles and says, “Hey, I get it. That’s good, actually. Less that you’d have to worry about if you move to England. No pesky rental agreements in the way.”

“That’s true,” Briana says with a smile.

When it’s their turn to order, Louis just tells Briana to order two of whatever she’s having, and then they continue through the drive through. Louis stuffs his face with the burger and fries Briana ordered for them, and he’s a little surprised by how much food she can pack away, too. They sit in the car with their sunglasses on, the air conditioning blasting to keep them cool in the LA heat. “Oh god, I feel huge now,” Louis laughs, relaxing in his seat a little.

“We’re going to walk it off, don’t worry,” she smiles at him.

Louis is glad he wore a tee shirt and his cutoff jean shorts, because if they’re going to be outside, he’s probably going to sweat. They park at a beach, in one of the many parking lots available to them, and then Briana takes Louis’s hand to lead him out into the sand.

Briana takes off her sandals, and Louis kicks of his Vans, and he’s glad he decided to go without socks because walking through the sand barefoot is actually quite relaxing. They walk in the sand, right at the edge where the surf comes up and washes over their feet every so often, hands clasped between them, shoes dangling in their free hands.

“Bria, this place is gorgeous,” Louis says reverently.

“Isn’t it?” she says fondly.

Louis looks worriedly at her and asks, “Are you sure you want to leave?”

She swings their hands between them and looks down as she says, “There are things I’ll miss. That’s for sure. But… there are also things I won’t miss.”

“Like what?”

“Well,” Briana trails off, thinking about it for a moment. “I guess there’s a lot of fake people around here. I won’t miss that. And all of the fame and the people desperate for fame. That gets old, fast.” She looks around. “I don’t think I’ll miss the traffic, but there’s no escaping it anywhere, is there?”

“It’s not bad in Doncaster,” Louis comments.

Briana smiles at him. She’s really grateful that he’s so patient and warm and understanding. “I want to get away from the place I grew up in because I’m starting to feel like I settled,” she confesses. “I hear some of these other people talk about how they grew up somewhere, went somewhere else for school, and now work somewhere entirely different, and… I’ve always loved adventure and travel. And yet, somehow I ended up doing something with my life that doesn’t really take me on adventures like I’d hoped.”

She wanders through the sand a little closer to Louis and says, “I need to get out of my comfort zone and be a little more brave.” She looks up and smiles at Louis, “And to think that I could get to do that with you is a really nice thought.”

Louis pauses in the sand and turns to Briana, smiling at her. He’d known she had the desire to move, but now that he knows why, it all makes so much more sense. Louis lets go of her hand so he can wrap it around her waist, and he leans in for a kiss as he says, “Adventures with you sound amazing.”

Briana smiles and presses a few more short, playful kisses to Louis’s lips. “My parents are fully supportive of the move, by the way,” Briana says.

“Really?” Louis asks with slight surprise.

Nodding, she says, “Yeah. I’m really grateful.”

They resume what they were doing before, holding hands and walking through the surf, Briana explaining how when her mom was younger, she traveled a lot as she did some modeling. Louis wonders what Briana’s mom looks like and what her family life is like, now that he knows more about what happened in her past.

He’s completely unprepared to walk into Briana’s home, wine in hand as a gift, to see someone who looks more like Briana’s sister than her mother. She introduces herself as Tammi, gives Louis a big hug, and thanks him for the gift. Briana’s smiling off to the side, clearly pleased with how well things started out.

Briana’s stepdad Brett is there too, and greets Louis with a firm handshake and a look in his eye that says they’re going to have to chat later that maybe he’s got some skepticism about the process at hand.

Briana’s best friend Olivia is also there, eager to meet Louis. She gives him a massive hug and almost doesn’t let him finish introducing himself to others in her haste to get some one on one time to chat with him.

The last person to meet is Briana’s ten year old brother Austin, who isn’t nearly as shy as Briana is. He shakes Louis’s hand like he’s a grown up, and he warns Louis right away not to hurt his sister. Louis laughs and replies, “Don’t you worry. I want her to be happy just as much as you do.”

“Okay,” Olivia says with a smile. “Now we

really

need to talk.”

She’s being nice, but Louis can also get the sense that she’s wildly overprotective of Briana and that this conversation is going to be incredibly tough. “Be nice,” Briana warns as Louis gets dragged outside to the patio by Olivia.

“I will be!” Olivia shouts back at them.

Louis is a little taken aback by how loud Olivia is in comparison to Briana. He wonders how they became such good friends, what with Briana being so averse to having attention drawn to her. It’s an interesting combination and Louis is intrigued to see the two of them interact later on in the afternoon, to really get a good idea of their friendship.

They sit together on some wicker furniture facing the backyard pool, and Louis doesn’t really know how to start the conversation. He decides to let Olivia make the first move, since she’s the one so adamant that they have this conversation to begin with. Sure enough, Olivia sits cross-legged on the bench and faces Louis with a hard look in her eyes.

“I’m not gonna lie - I didn’t actually think she’d make it this far.”

Of all the things Olivia could have led with, that was the last thing Louis expected to hear. He stares at her for a moment, trying to process what she said and formulate a response. Olivia finds Louis’s reaction amusing, and continues by explaining, “I was the one who nominated her for the show. And I thought that when she was cast, she’d just end up being so shy she wouldn’t really go far with you. So imagine my surprise when she asked me to be here to meet you on her hometown date.”

There’s a lot for Louis to process there, least of which is the fact that Olivia was the one who nominated Briana. Most people applied themselves, so it’s surprising to hear that Briana is on the show because Olivia saw something there.

“I wanted her to branch out and learn how to talk to new people,” Olivia explains.

“That makes sense,” Louis nods. “She’s incredibly shy.”

“She is,” Olivia agrees. She narrows her eyes at Louis and asks, “How did you crack her?”

Confused, Louis asks, “What do you mean?”

“I

mean

,” Olivia sighs. “Aside from me and her family, she’s not really comfortable around people. So how did you get her to open up and let you in and start taking this whole process so seriously?”

Louis smiles. He thinks back on everything the two of them did together, and he can’t really pinpoint any one moment that did it for them. Shrugging, he replies, “I dunno. Week after week I just kept making sure we had time together. She was intriguing to me right from the very start. And when she started to trust me with things like moments when she was scared, or upset… she’s always been incredibly genuine with me.”

“And you must have the patience of a saint to put up with her shyness,” Olivia adds.

“She’s not really like that around me anymore,” Louis says. “I see her get that way when we’re in public or around others, but when it’s just the two of us, it’s like there’s this whole other side of her that she lets me see and it’s incredible.”

Olivia smiles. “She’s like that with me, too.”

Louis can’t help but smile back as he says fondly, “Honestly when she lets me see that side of her, I just feel so much closer to her. And that’s why I’m here, meeting you and her family. Because I feel like I know her better than almost anyone else here. She’s let me see her when she’s scared, and upset, and drunk… all of that.”

“Bria got drunk!?” Olivia shrieks.

Louis shushes her and says, “It was my fault. We got these massive cocktails in Mexico… each one had a full bottle of tequila in it. I’m pretty sure the cup is bigger than her body.” Olivia’s eyes go wide and Louis says, “We got two of those and split it between like… eight people I think? It was bad.”

“Lots of drunkenness?”

Louis nods. “And a confession or two.”

Olivia’s eyes go wider still and she hesitates before she asks, “Did Bria…?”

“Yep,” Louis says. “She said it. And I could tell after it happened, like the morning after? I could tell it bugged her that the first time she said it, she wasn’t sober. But then she said it again and wanted me to be sure that I knew she meant it, and like… that was a really big moment for us. Because I could tell when we first met that she was really nervous about all of this.”

“She’s always nervous.”

“I know,” Louis nods. “But then she was less nervous around me and she really opened up, and… I’m probably talking in circles by now but I really, really care about her.”

Olivia smiles, satisfied with the conversation. “I can tell. And apparently she really, really cares about you, too,” she adds.

They’re interrupted at that moment by the patio door opening and the rest of the family filing out, hands full with snacks to put on the picnic table. Louis spots Briana right away and walks over to help her carry a rather heavy bowl of watermelon cubes. “Let me get that,” he says earnestly.

Briana looks up at him gratefully and they walk to the table together and sit down under the shade of the umbrella. Briana offers a glass of freshly pressed strawberry lemonade to him, saying, “My mom made it. It’s amazing, trust me.”

“Everything here is great, thank you,” Louis says to Briana and her family. “I really appreciate you having me. Your have a beautiful home.”

“We’re glad to finally meet you,” Tammi says with a warm smile.

Louis takes a sip of the strawberry lemonade and sure enough, it’s the best he’s ever tasted. He sits close to Briana at the table, reaching over to hold one of her hands in his own, to give her comfort and to keep close to her, enjoying her company. “You as well, thanks,” Louis says to the family.

“So tell us more about yourself,” Brett, Briana’s stepfather, prompts.

Nodding, Louis launches into his story for the fourth time, trying his very best to be just as detailed with the fourth rendition of it as he was for the first. He doesn’t want to short anyone on time, experience, or story. Everyone deserves an equal chance to get to know him and understand him. “You’ve been through so much,” Tammi says with empathy. “I never would have guessed. You’re just so positive and kind.”

Briana smiles and can’t bite her tongue. She has to tell them, “That’s one of the many things I love about him.”

“We can see why,” Tammi says with agreement.

“Louis was telling me about all your adventures around the world, Bria,” Olivia says with a smile. “It sounds like you’ve been having fun.”

Austin’s attention is caught and he asks, “Where have you gone?”

Briana starts to talk about all the different places they got to go, like Banff and Calgary and Vermont and Mexico. Olivia makes funny faces at Bria as she talks about Mexico, which makes her cheeks burn red and she looks down, hiding her face with her hair just the slightest. “Actually, one of my favorite trips with Bria was in Calgary,” Louis chimes in, to try to take some of the pressure off of her.

“Like, in Canada?” Olivia asks, shocked. “There’s nothing to do in Canada.”

“Yeah, Canada,” Louis nods. “It’s gorgeous up there, honestly. Especially near Banff, with all the mountains and stuff?”

“He’s right,” Bria chimes in. “It was so beautiful.”

Louis smiles at her and says, “So, we’re in Calgary, right? And we go to Olympic park, where they held the Olympics in like… 1988 I think? And we’re doing one of their summer zipline courses, and I didn’t even really think about it when I planned it. That like, someone could be afraid of heights.”

“Bria’s afraid of heights!” Austin says.

“She is,” Louis nods. He looks over at her and says, “And yet she climbed every set of stairs and flew across that zipline like it was nothing.” Briana looks shy, and he sees how red her cheeks are, but she’s preening from the compliments and can’t look away. “I was really impressed with her that day.”

Olivia and Tammi are smiling and say together, “Awww!”

Briana looks down again and Louis nudges her with a smile on his face. “She’s brilliant. Very strong, definitely very brave,” he says. “That’s why I’m so crazy about her.”

Brett looks at Louis through narrowed eyes and says, “But you’re still dating three others.”

That makes everyone’s smiles fade just a little, and Louis nods and says, “I know, sir. That’s true. But it doesn’t mean I care for Bria any less. I am really invested in our relationship,” he looks at Bria and smiles, “And I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

“Obviously, we’ll support you two in anything you decide to do,” Tammi says politely.

Brett still looks skeptical, but Austin chimes in before he can say anything else. “I think it’s awesome,” Austin says. “I’ve always wanted a brother!”

Louis laughs at that, and he says, “I know that feeling. I had to wait twenty-three years until I got a brother.”

“Seriously!?” Austin asks in disbelief.

“Seriously,” Louis nods. “He’s three now.”

“So how do you guys hang out?” Austin wonders.

Louis smiles and says, “Most of the time we play footb-

soccer

- in the yard, or we’ll sit and watch the telly or something.”

Austin starts to laugh and when Brett asks what’s going on, Austin says, “I just realized I’m closer to your brother’s age than you are!”

“It’s crazy, right?” Louis responds.

He clearly gets along well with kids, based off of how easily he can talk to Austin even though he barely knows the kid. Olivia keeps watching them oddly, but something in her expression says that she can see how they work together, how good they are for each other. Briana tames Louis, and Louis helps Briana branch out and try new things.

Shortly after their conversation at the picnic table, Brett invites Louis to help him grill some dinner. As he does that, the women sit at the table together to have a chat. “So… you like him,” Olivia says, smiling, a hint of teasing in her voice.

Briana blushes again and nods. “I told him I love him,” she confesses softly.

Olivia doesn’t look surprised, but Tammi’s eyebrows shoot up and she looks at Briana in disbelief. “Did you really?” she asks.

“Yeah,” Briana says softly as she nods.

“She was drunk in Mexico the first time she said it,” Olivia says with a wicked grin.

Tammi smiles at Briana and says, “Who knew you’d need alcohol to get you to open up.”

“Mom, it was awful,” Briana says, lamenting the whole situation. “Louis has been so nice about it, but… god, I drank so much, and I got sick, and he took care of me and then I told him I love him…” she shakes her head. “It was so bad.”

“But you said it again, right?” Olivia asks.

“Yes, of course.”

Tammi smiles brightly and reaches over to give Briana a hug. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m so happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world,” Tammi says.

“As much as I hate to say it, I think I like him,” Olivia says with a smile.

“Well, good, because I like him, too,” Briana replies. She looks coyly between the two of them and can’t fight her smile.

Louis makes her happier than she remembers ever feeling before, and something about him makes her feel more confident and more ready to take on the world. It’s a feeling that nobody else has ever given her and Briana really doesn’t want to lose it.

Louis, Austin, and Brett interrupt shortly after with some grilled food for them to eat, and together the six of them eat dinner, chatting about any old thing, all the seriousness of the ‘meet the family’ completely gone in favor of having a good time and laughing together.

Briana’s family is so carefree and so open-minded about everything, and it’s a family Louis can really see himself being a part of, and inviting into his own. He thinks Austin would get along well with pretty much all of his siblings, and he’s also aware that Olivia is part of the package, too. She’s a bit brash, but it’s all because she loves her best friend, and Louis can’t fault her for that.

When the night comes to an end, Louis and Briana walk out front in the setting Los Angeles sun. There’s a shiny black car waiting for him, to take him to the hotel where he’s staying, where everyone will be gathered the following day, ready for the rose ceremony. Briana wraps her arms around Louis’s waist and tucks in close to him, her head on his shoulder. Louis’s arms are protectively wrapped around her shoulders, and he smiles as he kisses the top of her head. “I had an amazing time today, Bria,” he says.

“Me too,” she replies, her voice soft but brimming with happiness.

She looks up at Louis, who smiles at her and says, “Your family is fantastic. I love how supportive they are of you.”

“Of

us

,” she corrects. Louis leans in to give her a kiss and when they part for air, Briana feels like her chest is going to burst from all the love she feels for this man. Going into the process, she never would have guessed she’d feel so strongly for someone after only eight weeks.

They gaze into each other’s eyes for a moment, Briana feeling bright and warm and like nothing could possibly bring her down. She wasn’t even thinking about the dreaded rose ceremony that lay ahead, where she could very well not receive a rose. All she can think about is how strong her feelings are for Louis, and how perfectly their day went. “I love you so much,” she says softly, before leaning in for another kiss.

Louis wishes like hell he could say

something

in return, like how he feels himself falling in love and feels that tightness in his chest that he’d been hoping for, the sign that he’s so far gone for someone that he can’t imagine saying go. He feels that with a few people, including Briana. But since he can’t vocalize that to her, he tries to show her instead, by cupping her face in his hand and kissing her deeper, taking his time with her, trying to make her feel as loved as she makes him feel.

When she leans away for air, she smiles up at him. It’s time to say goodbye now, as much as she’d prefer not to. Louis climbs into the car and waves to her as it pulls away from the curb, Briana waving after him, even as the car disappears around the corner and out of sight. When she goes back inside, she walks directly to her room where Olivia is waiting for her, to try to help her process some of what happened, and how she could possibly face the rose ceremony the next day with any optimism whatsoever. She likes to think it went well, but she has no idea how things went with the others - she’s not used to not being around them after a date.

It’s an odd night, but Briana does her best to find peace, and she and Olivia talk late into the night about the rose ceremony the next day and what everything that lay ahead could mean for Briana, and for their friendship.

---

Walking into the rose ceremony, Louis feels physically ill. It’s a feeling he’s got quite a lot now, when he goes into rose ceremonies, but with each week it gets more and more difficult. He cares about these people now - he’s falling for them, and now he’s taken the next step with them of meeting their families and seeing what may lie ahead if he proposes to them.

Louis talked a lot with the writers, with Steve, and with Lou about how to possibly proceed from here. He has to say goodbye to someone, and he doesn’t know who. Louis shares something special with each and every one of them, though the spark is a little bit indescribably different with each person.

When he walks into the room where Jack, Matthew, Briana, and Danielle are lined up, dressed to the nines and looking very serious (and a bit ill), Louis realizes that he’s not going to be able to keep it together tonight. He’d never wanted to shed a tear on television but tonight, saying goodbye to one of these extraordinary people, he will. He can feel it already.

His suit suddenly feels too tight, the Windsor knot around his neck just a little too tight, the buttons on his suit constricting his breathing like an old-fashioned corset. He doesn’t feel ready for this, doesn’t feel like he can say goodbye to someone. But he has to. That’s how this works.

Louis takes a deep breath and when the cameras start to roll, he begins his speech. “I want to thank you all for this crazy amazing week,” Louis says. “I’ve literally gone coast to coast and had an absolutely fantastic time meeting all of your families. Even with the ups and downs that might have brought, and the tough conversations… I feel like this week was good for all of us. So, thank you for taking that step with me.” He takes a deep breath and feels nervous all over again. “This is the most difficult week for me so far. I… I’m sorry, to the person that I have to send home. I feel such a connection with each of you that it’s honestly so difficult to even come to a decision. I want you all to know that I care deeply about you, and I will always be wishing for your success and happiness, no matter what happens.”

Louis feels his stomach twist so he swallows hard and closes his eyes while he takes a deep breath. Then, he takes a deep breath and reaches over for the first rose. His hands shake as he closes his eyes, reaffirming his choice in his head before he looks up and says, “Bria.”

She lets out a breath she’d been holding and takes hold of the front of her dress before she walks towards him. “Will you accept this rose?” Louis asks.

Smiling and nodding, Briana takes the rose and reaches out to give him a hug. “Yes,” she whispers, and hopes that with this hug, she can give him just a little strength to continue on with this process.

Once she takes her place in line with the other three, Louis reaches over for another rose. Everyone can clearly see the way his hands are trembling, and all four men and women want to rush over to give Louis a hug, to reassure him, to make him feel better. But this moment isn’t meant for that. This moment is when Louis is going to make the difficult decisions, and if he hurts someone, that’s just part of the process.

His voice cracks, but Louis says as strongly as possible, “Matt.”

Matt breaks out into a smile right away, and he walks over to Louis prepared to give him the biggest bear hug imaginable. “Will you accept this rose?” Louis asks.

“Absolutely,” Matt replies, taking the rose before he wraps Louis up in a hug.

Louis is so grateful for these men and women. He can feel just through their hugs and their kisses how much they love and support him, and how much they’ve invested of themselves into this process as well. It’s a wonderful feeling, and it’s part of why he’s managed to keep it together as much as he has during this particular rose ceremony.

But now, as Matt takes his place next to Briana and one rose lay on the pedestal to his left, Louis feels a little dizzy with it. He presses at the corners of his eyes and takes a deep breath, begging himself to keep it together as he does this.

Between Danielle and Jack, things had been very close. Louis obviously had a very different experience with each, but when it came down to it, he had to think about the entire journey, not just the hometown dates. He had to consider where they were at in their relationship, both himself and Danielle, and himself and Jack. He had to compare, and it was difficult, but he feels like he came to the right decision.

So, when Louis picks up the last rose, he takes one final deep breath and then speaks before he loses his courage.

“Jack.”

The emotions on Jack and Danielle’s faces are completely opposite; Danielle closes her eyes and looks down, her shoulders drooping, and Jack looks incredibly relieved. Louis gives Jack the best smile he can muster, but inside he feels like he’s just broken a little by putting Danielle through such a heartbreaking situation.

Jack approaches Louis, who asks with a tremor in his voice, “Will you accept this rose?”

“I would love to,” Jack says, taking the rose before pulling Louis into a warm hug.

They share a moment, just standing there, hugging, appreciating the fact that they get at least another week together. But then Louis lets go of Jack and looks over his shoulder at Danielle, who is trying her very hardest not to cry.

Louis walks over to her and takes her hands, but she still won’t look at him. “Can I walk you out?” Louis asks softly.

Danielle nods, and he takes her hand in his as they walk out of the room and through the hotel, to the front drive where there’s a car waiting for her. “Danielle, I’m so sorry…” Louis whispers.

“I know,” she nods. She looks up at him and there’s already streaks on her face from tears rolling down her cheeks. “You did what had to be done.”

Louis speaks a little more fiercely as he says, “I want you to know that I had an absolutely amazing time on our date. I had so much fun in Chicago. And I’m confident that with or without me, you’re going to chase all those dreams you told me about.”

She lets out a sad laugh, shaking her head. It’ll be possible, but much more difficult without the ability to move, to get away from her family. “I want you to be happy,” she says softly. She looks up at Louis, and frowns as she dabs at the wetness on his own cheek. He’s been trying so hard not to cry, that much is clear, but a few tears still found their way out of his eyes, and it breaks her heart. “Do they make you happy?”

“So much,” Louis says. “You do, too.”

“But not quite as much,” Danielle finishes for him. “It’s okay.”

Louis leans in and presses one last soft, tender kiss to her lips. As he closes his eyes, another tear streaks down his cheek, and he hopes to god the cameras didn’t catch that because he knows if they did, they’ll use it in the final edits and he’s never going to be able to live that down. He already hates that he gets so sensitive in front of the cameras.

When Danielle pulls away, she avoids his eyes and turns to climb into the car. Louis feels so much pain in his chest, watching her leave, knowing he isn’t going to see her anymore. What he has with the other three is so powerful, so amazing, and with Danielle… they just weren’t moving quite as fast. It wasn’t as much of an earth-shattering sort of love as he feels with the other three, and that’s what he’s trying to chase.

Louis takes a deep breath and walks back into the room to face the remaining three. Instead of battling for him, they all collectively wrap him up in a group hug, Louis surrounded by these amazing men and women he chose to keep around for another week. It feels surreal that this is it - he’s getting down to the final two weeks before he’s engaged.

After they share a hug and Louis puts a smile back on his face, he looks at them and says, “Well, we all know what this next week means…”

He has a mischievous look on his face, and nobody wants to say

sex

out loud even though it’s what they’re all thinking. The following week is fantasy suites, where each couple will have the option to spend time in a shared hotel room together, no cameras or microphones or anyone to interrupt them. It’s usually assumed that the privacy means the couples have sex, but there’s no way to confirm or deny it, and the people involved certainly don’t want to divulge that information, either.

After a pause full of anticipation and nervous laughter, Louis says, “We get to go to an exotic location, obviously.”

Jack, Briana, and Matt all laugh, and Louis loves seeing the look of excitement and slight relief on their faces as they catch on to his joke. Louis grins and says, “We’re leaving for the Philippines tomorrow, so please, pack up and get ready! I’ll see you all when we get there!”

They share one more group hug, and then the group parts ways, each person to their own hotel room for the night, to gather their things and get ready for another massively important week in this process. The second to last week, where everyone has to bring their A game or risk losing Louis before they’re ready for it. Someone will have to say goodbye, but nobody can fathom who will be next… not even Louis.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Arriving in the Philippines is mind-blowing for Louis, who has never been anywhere so tropical or exotic before in his life. The dates this week are very important, just like the previous weeks’ were, because they give Louis more of a glimpse into what life will be like with each person after the show ends.

The first person Louis gets to see is Jack, who endured a rather painful hometown date. His family was just as overwhelming as he’d said they would be, and it made for some awkward situations. They’d survived, though, and a difficult family didn’t deter Louis from pursuing a relationship with someone, especially not someone as warm and kind as Jack.

Louis meets Jack at a beautiful beach - one of many - on the island of Boracay. They get to have a date in this gorgeous place before they’ll have the opportunity to be completely alone - no cameras, no microphones, just them. There are things that kind of situation implies of course, but Louis is up for whatever his dates are comfortable with.

Louis stands on the beach in his cutoff denim shorts and a patterned tank top, his hair mussed up by the wind and his bare feet buried in the warm white sand. When he sees a car pull up in the car park up the hill, he smiles. Jack has arrived. After a quick interview for the cameras, Jack beams when he spots Louis and nearly falls on his face in his haste to go down the hill to greet Louis.

They share a warm embrace, Jack’s arms strong and protective around Louis’s waist. They sway back and forth and as they break apart, their lips meet in a sweet kiss. “Hey,” Louis smiles.

“Hi,” Jack replies, biting back a

thank you for keeping me

that threatens to tumble from his mouth. He couldn’t be more grateful he got to stay.

He looks so thrilled to have made it another week that even if Jack doesn’t say anything, Louis knows. Jack was understandably nervous, of course, what with the way his family had so blatantly expressed their reservations. But when it came down to it, Louis and Jack had a connection that could withstand a lot - including tough in-laws.

“What do you think of Boracay?” Louis asks.

Jack can’t stop smiling as he says, “It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe we’re here.”

Nodding, Louis agrees, “I can’t either. And if you think this looks gorgeous, just wait until our date. We’re going to get to see a whole lot more of the area. Are you ready?”

“Definitely,” Jack nods.

Louis takes Jack’s hand and walks a little ways down the beach where there’s a complicated rig set up and waiting for them. “No way,” Jack says when he sees it. He knows exactly what it is.

“What?” Louis asks. He wonders if he’s missed something and picked the wrong thing for them to do.

Luckily, Jack just smiles wider and says, “I have

always

wanted to go parasailing. This is going to be amazing!”

Relieved that he’s chosen the right activity for them, Louis takes Jack’s hand and leads him to the friendly locals who will be helping them with the parasailing. It’s a flurry, but in no time they’re strapped into the harness, a massive parachute behind them, and they’re on the back of a boat.

Louis’s heart races in his chest even before they get going. They’re told what to do if they want to stop before their time is up, and once they have their instructions, it’s time to go. The boat takes off, and the parachute takes them off the boat and up into the air.

Louis reaches over for one of Jack’s hands, and they cheer as they hold hands and soar through the air. It’s extraordinary, being up the air like this, the boat a tiny little thing below them, nothing but the sea and the beautiful island views out beyond them. It’s a massive adrenaline rush, and Jack couldn’t honestly think of anything better to do in a gorgeous place like this than do something crazy and exciting with Louis.

The time flies by and before Jack really notices, the man down on the boat is winding up the rope, bringing them back down to reality, away from the sky and the views and the feeling of being on top of the world. He looks over at Louis as they come down from the sky and leans in for a kiss, so thrilled that they just got to do something so exciting together, as a couple.

Even once they’re out of the sky, their hearts keep beating and it takes a few moments for them to catch their breath and feel like they’re back to normal. They sit happily as the boat goes back to shore and they’re released from the harnesses. If their hair wasn’t a mess before they went up, it certainly is now.

Safe on land and free from the rigging, Jack and Louis walk along a path towards a restaurant. They don’t recognize many of the items on the menu, but their server helps them choose something delicious.

It’s the first time either of them are really exploring the Filipino cuisine, and they both tried to branch out and try something new. When it arrives, Jack and Louis look at it, a little surprised that it is what the server says it is. “This doesn’t look like squid,” Louis comments.

“Does it taste like it?” Jack asks.

Louis reaches out for his plate and cuts a piece for himself. After he tries it, he nods and says, “No, it definitely tastes like it. I’ve just never seen it prepared this way before.”

Jack decides he needs to try it, too, and before long they’re both digging into their delicious dinner: grilled stuffed squid. There’s tomatoes and onions inside, and a delicious dipping sauce that neither of them has ever had before. It’s amazing, and if all the food tastes like this, Louis thinks he’s going to be in heaven this whole trip.

They take their time sipping cocktails, digesting their food and watching the sun set over the beach near the restaurant. It’s a breathtaking view, but Louis also knows what comes next. Louis reaches out to the center of the table for a card that’s been sitting there the whole time, though Jack hadn’t noticed it. Louis smiles and says, “Well… it’s been an absolutely amazing day. And… you know that here, during this week, we get to explore our relationship a little more, on our own. So, I’d like to give you this.”

Jack takes it, and he slowly opens it. Once he’s got the card open in front of him, he reads, “Louis and Jack - Welcome to the beautiful island of Boracay. I hope you are enjoying your stay. Should you choose to forego your individual rooms, please use this key to stay as a couple in the fantasy suite. - Steve Aoki.”

Louis watches Jack closely and asks, “So what do you think?”

Jack smiles and tries not to look too eager about what could happen that night. “I’d love to stay with you tonight,” he replies.

Louis beams, big and warm, his eyes crinkling at the corners like they do when he’s happiest. “Great,” he replies. “Should we go?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Jack replies.

They stand, now buzzing with nervous, excited energy. The car takes them to the private resort where they’ll be staying, just the two of them. It’s called the Henann Garden Resort, and the whole place shines with an opulence Louis has never seen before. The resort is massive, with rooms that lead directly to a pool, some that lead directly to a beach, and some with upper-floor views that are absolutely breathtaking. No matter what room they end up in, it’s going to be amazing, Louis is sure of it.

When they get out of the car once it’s parked out front, they hand over their microphones, get their room key, and walk into the resort, leaving behind the camera men and all the usual people who follow them around, having a say in the filming. They’re finally totally, completely alone.

Louis feels a nervous energy in him, and he nearly trips over his feet as they walk up the stairs. Their room is in the top corner - an executive suite - and he can’t wait to be in there with Jack, away from prying eyes.

This will be the first time they’re ever together without some sort of camera or watchful eye on them, and it has Jack feeling equal parts excited and nervous. What if they get behind closed doors and suddenly things change?

As it turns out, he doesn’t need to worry, because as soon as they walk through the door of the room and it clicks shut and locked behind them, Louis is reaching out for Jack, sliding his arms around his shoulders and leaning in for a slow kiss. “No pressure tonight, okay?” Louis whispers. He wants Jack to know that they don’t have to be physical just because they

can

.

Jack looks down into Louis’s eyes and it doesn’t take a genius to realize that it’d be impossible to keep his hands to himself tonight, even if he wanted to. Jack hasn’t waited this long for sex in a relationship since he was in high school, and he’s not so sure he wants to wait now. Jack quirks an eyebrow, not really saying anything, and he smirks.

It’s like they’re having a conversation without speaking at all, because once Louis licks his lips and presses his body flat against Jack’s, that’s it. Their lips crash together, Jack pressing Louis against the nearest, most convenient wall.

Louis groans and kisses back with all the strength he has, pulling on Jack’s biceps, trying to bring him impossibly closer. He ends up giving up on trying to get a good grip and instead starts to reach around for the hem of Jack’s shirt, to pull it up and over his head. It’s messy and a little uncoordinated, with Louis rather reluctant to stop kissing Jack, even if just for a few moments so he can take his shirt off.

Jack chuckles a little at how frantic Louis has suddenly gotten, and in one swift, rather coordinated move, he pulls Louis’s tank top off. They’re bare chested, a little sweaty already, and Jack’s got Louis pinned to the wall. He takes a breath of air and looks at Louis, pleased with how quickly he managed to get him to unravel. Louis’s eyes are dark and full of lust, his lips already dark red from kissing. Jack eyes a few spots of scruff burn on Louis’s clean shaven cheeks and it does things to him that he can’t explain.

Louis reaches out to pull Jack into another kiss, groaning as their lips crash together. It’s so messy and frantic, but there’s something ridiculously satisfying about finally being this close with Jack, this man that Louis has been physically attracted to from the very start. Louis’s hands slide down Jack’s bare, toned chest and catch on the waistband of his shorts. Louis hooks one finger in the waistband, and uses his other hand to slide down the front of Jack’s shorts, finally feeling the full effect he has on Jack.

When Jack groans, Louis smirks - well, as much as he can smirk while still kissing someone - and moves his hand away. For a minute Jack has the fleeting thought to call Louis a tease, but then Louis is unbuttoning Jack’s shorts and pushing those

and

his boxers down in one swift move.

Rather ungracefully, Jack kicks the last of his clothes to the side and is about to reach out to finish undressing Louis when Louis fully takes control, turning them so now Jack is the one pinned against the wall. Louis gives Jack a mischievous gaze as he pulls out of the kiss, and for a moment it lingers before Louis gets down on his knees. He looks up at Jack, who stares, open mouthed, in pure disbelief that this is actually happening.

He’d always thought the sex thing was just what people

assumed

happened in this place, but that really the couples weren’t there emotionally, or they wanted to talk about things they didn’t necessarily feel comfortable talking about in front of the cameras. But being in the situation, he couldn’t think of a single thing he wanted more than to be this close and intimate with Louis, knowing what would be coming next. Jack can’t overthink things anymore, though, because his brain is absolutely blank as soon as Louis puts his mouth on him, warm and wet.

Louis strokes what he can’t fit in his mouth, but Jack can’t help but stare at just how much Louis is able to take, and how good he is at it. He looks up, makes eye contact whenever Jack can bear to open his eyes through all the pleasure. Louis looks so ready for this, like he genuinely enjoys it, and the way he kneels on the ground even looks sexy to Jack. Louis doesn’t even realize that the way he’s kneeling is attractive; he just naturally curves his back, sticking his ass out as he leans in, sucking Jack off. For a brief second, Jack wishes that Louis had already taken the rest of his own clothes off, too.

He’s totally attentive to all of Jack’s little cues, like when he seems a little bored when Louis teases with his tongue, but pulls on his hair when Louis hollows his cheeks and takes him deep. Jack can’t keep up, his head spinning as Louis keeps going, working him over like he was born to do this. He’s got his hand tangled up in Louis’s hair, pulling just so when it’s especially good.

When he looks down and makes eye contact with Louis, he can’t stave it off any more. Jack pulls on Louis’s hair rather roughly, the abrupt warning all he gives before he comes, spilling into Louis’s mouth.

Louis can’t catch it all, but he doesn’t choke on it. Some drops fall from the corner of his mouth and down his chin, a few landing on the carpet between them. Louis looks like an absolute minx as he playfully kisses the tip before leaning back on his heels, looking up at Jack. He’s totally debauched, his hair a mess, his lips dark crimson, a little bit of come still on his chin. Jack can see that Louis is painfully hard against his shorts, and after his brain starts working again he reaches out for Louis and coaxes him off the floor.

Before Jack can do anything, Louis reaches out to pull Jack into a kiss. It’s hot and dirty, Louis’s tongue sharing the taste in his mouth with Jack, whether he likes it or not. Except, well… Jack likes it. A lot. More than he probably should.

When Jack pulls out of the kiss, he grins at Louis and says, “Take your clothes off.”

Louis wiggles his eyebrows, and for a moment Jack thinks Louis isn’t going to do it, but then he does. Louis takes his time because he can feel Jack’s hungry eyes on him, and he wants to draw this out, to tease, because that’s what he knows he’s good at. First Louis kicks off his shorts, and then takes his time with his underwear.

When he stands up fully naked, his clothes kicked to the side, he takes his time bringing his eyes up to meet Jack’s gaze. Louis licks his lips and looks ridiculously attractive, standing there naked in front of Jack, the two of them completely, wonderfully alone. Jack takes a step closer to Louis, who then takes a step closer to Jack.

Their lips meet again for a kiss, and things grow just as heated as they had been before, only this time Louis is filled with a whole new desperation. Jack can feel how hard Louis is, pressing against his leg, and he wonders how Louis would prefer to do this. He needs to know, because, well… he doesn’t want to make assumptions. So, ever so reluctantly, Jack pulls out of the kiss to look at Louis and ask, “What do you um… like best?”

Louis looks amused at how careful Jack is being about the subject. “You mean do I top or bottom?” Louis asks. Jack nods. “I like both. What about you?”

Jack laughs. “I like both.”

That makes Louis laugh again, and he says, “Well, I mean, I’ll definitely fuck you if you want, but not until you fuck me first.” Jack looks amused and a bit incredulous, but Louis continues, “I mean it! I’ve been thinking about it for

weeks

.”

Louis is so brazen about what he wants that Jack can hardly believe this is reality, not a dream. He’s so happy with the way things have been going since he started this process and got to know Louis, and now here he is, being bossed around in the bedroom by Louis… and Jack likes it. A lot. “Alright, fine. Good thing I came prepared,” Jack says, laughing as he walks over to his bags and rifles around in one of the pockets.

It’s common knowledge to most people on the show that the fantasy suites do

not

provide protection for their contestants. If they want to do this, they need to come prepared. Jack wanders back to the bed with lube and some condoms - more than one, Louis notices with a smile - and sets them on the bedside table.

“I wanna -,” Louis says, pointing to the wall again.

Jack’s eyes go wide and a smile spreads across his face. “Okay, we can,” Jack says. “I will definitely fuck you against a wall.” He grins as Louis’s cheeks pinken just a bit. “But first we gotta prep you, and I wanna do it right, so get over here. We can use the bed for a little bit.”

Louis pouts a little, but knows that Jack has a point. He crawls up on the bed on his hands and knees, feeling a little more exposed and vulnerable than he was expecting. A shiver shoots down his spine and Louis closes his eyes as he hears Jack pop the cap on the bottle of lube. His toes curl when he first feels Jack’s fingers on him, the cool gel a stark contrast to how warm Louis’s body is, how hot the room has become.

Jack is so gentle with him, which is a massive contrast to how they’d been just shortly before, when Louis had been shoved against the wall. Both ways of doing it have the same sort of effect on Louis - he gets ridiculously turned on and wants the other person even more than he already thought he did.

Under Jack’s touch, Louis feels taken care of and loved. That was probably Jack’s plan in the first place, but Louis appreciates it. He hasn’t done this in quite a while, so the care and gentleness that Jack is putting into prepping Louis is for the best, even if Louis is getting really impatient.

After a while, the edge is gone and rather than being a welcome slow-down, Louis just wants things to get fast and rough again. He feels ready - ready as he’ll ever be, anyway - and needs Jack in him. “I’m good, I’m good,” Louis pants, breathy and ridiculously turned on.

Jack chuckles and asks, “You sure? I can keep going…”

He crooks his fingers inside Louis and Louis lets out a cry of pleasure before he says, “N-no I mean it. I’m good. Come on.”

Louis is whining more than he’s speaking, desperate for more contact between their bodies, and to be able to face Jack again. Louis sighs with relief when he feels Jack’s fingers slip out of him, because that means he finally gets what he wants. Just when Louis is about to start begging for something - he’s not even sure what, at this point, because all he can think about is Jack being inside him - he’s got a hand around his wrist and Jack’s pulling him off the bed.

Jack’s being rough, but not too rough, and it makes Louis’s gut twist and a groan escape his lips. He loves being rough, and having others rough him up. Something about it is incredibly sexy to him. Jack smirks at Louis and gives him one more questioning glance, asking him without words if this way is still the way he wants it. Louis responds to that with a hard, rough kiss.

In seconds Louis is pressed against the wall, the coolness of the wall against his hot skin making him cry out just a little. Jack kisses Louis until they’re both breathless, and when he pulls away, he holds up a condom. He doesn’t give any instructions, just waits for Louis to catch the hint.

You do it

.

Louis takes it, his chest heaving with each breath after kissing so intensely with Jack, and gives him a few strokes before he rolls it on, buzzing with energy for what comes next. Louis fumbles just a bit, but after a few tries, he’s got the condom on Jack and he’s panting, ready for what’s next. He needs this. He wants it desperately. He wants Jack desperately.

Jack steps forward, sliding one hand up Louis’s thigh. Louis lifts his leg, letting Jack hook his arm under his knee, and feels Jack line himself up. Oh so slowly he starts to slide in, and Louis’s mouth drops open, his head rolled back against the wall. “Good?” Jack whispers.

Louis just nods in response.

Jack takes his time, letting Louis adjust to the stretch. He’s impossibly tight, and Jack watches Louis closely to make sure he doesn’t hurt him. Jack rolls his hips a little, easing out and then back in, and Louis lets out a soft whine. He forces his eyes open to look at Jack, and he licks his lips, fingernails digging into Jack’s shoulders. Jack smirks and presses Louis harder against the wall. As he does, he slides deeper into Louis, down to the hilt, drawing a low moan from Louis’s red, well-kissed lips.

Jack buries his face in Louis’s neck; he’s incredibly tight, and it blows Jack’s mind just how perfect this all feels. For as rough as they’re being, there’s still emotions there that Jack hasn’t felt with many other partners; he feels closer to Louis, like he knows him on a deeper level now, with their every vulnerability out there in the open. His heart is pounding hard against his ribcage and he needs to remember not to be too rough from the start. They’ve got to work up to it.

As Jack starts to roll his hips, Louis makes more noises; first breathy, soft moans, building up into louder whimpers with each thrust. He brings his other leg up, hooking it around Jack’s waist. Jack takes that as a signal to keep moving, hooking his other arm under Louis’s knee and thrusting harder now.

Louis’s moans fill the room, Jack letting out soft noises every so often as he tries to keep from being too rough. “C’mon, more,” Louis begs, one hand combing up into Jack’s messy hair. He gives Jack’s hair a little tug and says, “‘m not gonna break. Fuck me harder.”

Jack groans, thinking about what that means he can do to Louis. He leans in, biting down on Louis’s collarbone, sucking a little red mark there above the script he has tattooed into his skin. Louis cries out, tugging at Jack’s hair, whimpering like he wants more of that. Jack wants desperately to leave marks, but he’s determined to do exactly as Louis asks, to be rougher, to fuck him hard right there against the wall.

Breathing warmth against Louis’s neck, Jack holds him up, pressing him to the cool plaster of the hotel room wall, fucking into him without abandon. Louis’s head is spinning and he can’t focus on anything except how good Jack feels, how badly he needs release. He’s got one hand tangled in Jack’s hair, and his other carefully lets go of the wall to reach down to stroke himself where he’s hard and aching against his belly.

His skin is sticky warm, and he doesn’t think he could slip from the wall if he’d tried. Jack is pressing Louis so hard against the wall, and thrusting up into him, and Louis isn’t even really sure how they’re still upright because his head is spinning and he needs release desperately. Louis moans, and he wants to say Jack’s name, or to say

anything

coherent at all, but the only sounds managing to leave Louis’s lips are moans and whimpers.

Jack slows his thrusts, causing Louis to whine because he was

right there

and so close to coming. He’s needed it since he had Jack deep in his throat. Jack leans in and kisses Louis hard, hot and dirty and with far too much tongue. Louis pulls on his hair and whispers, “I need it. Please.”

“You need what?” Jack teases with a bit of laughter.

Their breath is hot between their mouths, just millimeters between them. Louis takes a moment for his eyes to focus, and he takes in the strong musculature of Jack’s arms, holding him up against the wall, and the sticky wet sheen of sweat on both of their skin. Jack’s hair is a fucking mess and Louis still has his fingers tangled in it. Yet he still wants to be stubborn, to tease back. Except his whole body feels like it’s on fire with how badly he wants to come, how badly he needs this. He can’t bite back his begging anymore. “I need to come, Jack,” Louis says, his voice a little higher in pitch than usual, and far more breathless. “Please, I need to come.”

There are a million things Jack wants to say, most of which sound like they’re straight out of a porn film, so instead he kisses Louis hard again, and just when it feels like Louis has given into the kiss, he pulls away and puts his focus into fucking Louis. Louis cries out, his back arching, and for a moment Jack wonders if he hurt him.

But then Louis is biting his lip and stroking himself, and Jack knows it was a good shout. It’s all good sounds with Louis, who keeps moaning and whimpering even as he tries to bite them back. “Let go,” Jack says, wishing he had a free hand to push Louis’s lip away from his teeth. “I want to hear you.”

Louis stops biting his lip and looks at Jack, his eyes dark, and he nods. Jack thrusts a little rougher, pinning Louis against the wall as much as he can. Louis’s hand strokes just a few times before his whole body is going tense, a low moan tumbling from his mouth as he spurts all over his hand and their stomachs. His head spins with it and for a few moments he forgets how to breathe.

Jack’s thrusts have slowed, but he hasn’t stopped, and clearly he still needs to come again. Louis isn’t sure he could go another round, though, not like that. He’d have to be laying down, and he’d definitely need a few minutes.

That doesn’t seem to bother Jack one bit. He gently slows his thrusts and looks into Louis’s eyes as the moment stills. “If I put you down, can you stand on your own?” he asks.

Louis laughs and rolls his eyes. “You’re not

that

good, Casanova,” Louis replies weakly.

Jack lets one of Louis’s legs down and feels Louis wobble a little, to which he replies, “Hmm… I might be.”

“Stop,” Louis groans, his voice a little hoarse.

Gently, Jack lets go of Louis’s other leg, and as Louis stands on his own, Jack steps back, leaving Louis feeling empty and worn out, still leaning against the wall. “Just… give me a few minutes, I promise I’ll…” Louis breathes.

But Jack is already sliding off the condom and stroking himself, stepping closer to Louis. “Gonna make me even more of a mess?” Louis asks, his voice breathy and full of interest.

He watches Jack jerk off right there in front of him, and Louis lets out a few soft moans just at the sight, to urge Jack along just a little. Louis glides a hand over Jack’s chest and toys with his nipple and in seconds, Jack’s spilling over his hand, dripping a little on himself and on Louis, a few more drops finding their way to the floor.

As Jack’s hand slows to a stop and he lets go of himself, the moment stills and the two of them come back down to reality. Their room is a mess, with clothes everywhere, a condom wrapper on the floor, the condom somewhere else entirely. They’ve both got come on their hands and on their stomachs, and Louis still isn’t sure he could walk without totally giving away what they’ve just done.

Louis steps closer to Jack, though, and leans in for a kiss. He takes care not to touch too much, to get the half-dried come all over Jack, but Jack doesn’t seem to have a care in the world about that as he slides his arms around Louis’s waist and kisses him with every ounce of love and adoration he could possibly hold in his body. This kiss is slow and tender, full of a love that they were too heated to share earlier. Jack mumbles an

I love you

against Louis’s lips but it gets lost as they kiss again, kiss more, kiss until they can’t breathe.

When Jack breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead to Louis’s and whispers, “I’ll run us a bath. We can clean up, and then how about a nap?”

“You mean sleep?” Louis laughs. It

is

the evening, after all.

“Whatever,” Jack rolls his eyes. “I lost track of time zones about three locations ago.”

Louis laughs a little more, and slowly limps his way into the bathroom with Jack. There are bath salts and a plenty large bath tub so they could bathe together, which Louis greatly appreciates. Jack does as promised and runs a nice warm bath for the two of them. He climbs in first, and Louis follows, resting between Jack’s legs, against his chest, in the water. It’s warm and relaxing, and Louis is grateful that Jack is there and seems to be in control because otherwise he’s not so sure he could stay awake.

Jack nuzzles Louis’s neck and holds him around his waist protectively. “I love you so much,” Jack whispers. He feels incredibly grateful to have even known Louis, and to now be in such a perfect place with him is an indescribable feeling. He’s not afraid to say that out loud anymore. Their evening together in Boracay was the first time Jack had ever said I love you, but he meant every word. He’s in love with Louis, and while it’s scary, it also fills Jack with a happiness he’s never known before.

Louis hums in response and cuddles up to Jack, his eyes drifting closed in the water. He vaguely registers when Jack washes him up under the water, taking every care not to get his face or hair wet. Louis is so exhausted, but feels closer to Jack in a way he hadn’t been expecting before this.

When they climb out of the bath and wander in fluffy robes to their massive bed, Louis can’t stop yawning. He can hardly keep his eyes open, and in the end, Jack helps Louis out of his robe and under the covers. Jack climbs in the other side of the bed, and even though he’d been hoping to talk to Louis a little bit more, he knows it’s too late for that now. They’ll have time in the morning, before the cameras come knocking, and that satisfies Jack.

Louis curls up in Jack’s arms, his face lying on Jack’s chest, and the two of them fall asleep in an instant.

When Louis wakes, the bed is empty but he can smell coffee before he even opens his eyes. Jack had used the coffee maker in the room, brewing himself a cup as he sits in his robe on the chair by the window. He’s sipping his cup of coffee, letting Louis take his time in waking up. When he hears the rustling of Louis in the blankets, Jack looks over. He smiles as soon as his eyes meet Louis’s.

Louis is an absolute mess, with his hair matted to half his face and some lines from the wrinkles in the pillows across his cheek. Jack has never felt more in love. “Morning,” Jack smiles. “Want some coffee?”

“Sounds great,”Louis replies hoarsely.

Jack leaves his cup of coffee on the side table before wandering over to the coffee maker to pour a cup for Louis. He brings it to him in bed, and Louis slowly sits up, wincing just the slightest as he does. “You okay?” Jack asks, looking a little worried.

“I’m good, I promise,” Louis insists. “It’s just been a while since I’ve done that.”

“I can’t say I’ve ever done it quite like that,” Jack says.

Louis smiles coyly and says, “Me either. Not sure anyone could live up to that.”

Jack tries not to look too saddened as he says, “I’m sure some people will try.”

“Hey,” Louis says, frowning. He reaches out for Jack and coaxes him to sit on the bed. Jack does, and he looks guiltily up at Louis. “Don’t compare yourself to them.”

That’s easy for Louis to say, even though Jack knows full well that that’s exactly what Louis is going to be doing before he makes his next big decision: he’s got to compare them. “What we did was perfect for

us

,” Louis continues. “That’s all we need to worry about. Alright?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “I’m sorry.”

Louis kindly takes Jack’s hand and gives it a little squeeze. “Don’t be,” he insists. “Last night was amazing. You make me so happy.”

Jack looks at Louis and smiles as he says, “You make me happy, too.”

“C’mere,” Louis pleads.

Jack leans in and presses a kiss to Louis’s lips, soft and lazy and slow. It feels like the perfect end to their alone time together. Sure enough, just moments later, there’s a knock on the door. Louis shrugs on his own robe and they reluctantly put on the microphones and let the cameras in. Together, Louis and Jack have a breakfast that’s brought up for them from room service, and they sip their coffees and eat their breakfast on the beautiful terrace overlooking the ocean. As they start to eat, Louis gently begins the conversation he’s wanted to have with Jack - one that unbeknownst to him, Jack planned on having with Louis as well. “So… that was an interesting hometown date,” Louis says, a little awkwardly.

Jack winces, then nods. It was painful, to say the least. Hesitantly, he says, “Yeah…”

“It’s not a bad thing,” Louis reminds him. Every family is different, and has different values. “We should talk about it, though.”

Nodding, Jack says, “I’m so sorry for how they treated you.” He’s trying not to gush apology after apology, but it’s difficult when all he wants to do is say sorry a million times. “It wasn’t right, and I begged them not to make a big deal of it because I’d already made my decision, but then…”

“Hey, Jack,” Louis says, interrupting him. He reaches across the table for Jack’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright. I’m not mad, I promise.”

Eyes focused on the table, he says, “I thought for sure you’d be sending me home after a date like that.”

Louis studies Jack for a moment. His heart aches for him, but he also feels a twist of something in his gut, something unpleasant, when he realizes Jack could genuinely see Louis doing something as awful as that. That’s how much they still had to get to know each other. After a long pause, Louis says, “In the end, what I based my decision on was the chemistry I had with each person. You and I… we have something here, Jack. And I know you feel that, too. I wasn’t going to give up so easily.”

Jack is quiet. He can tell there’s more that Louis isn’t saying, something else on the tip of his tongue. After a moment, Louis takes a breath and says, “We need to talk about what things would look like at the end of all this, though. If we were to get engaged.”

That draws Jack’s gaze up to meet Louis’s, and he’s quiet for a moment before he asks, “Like what?”

“Well… how would your family react if you moved? In theory it’s one thing, but in reality, it’s entirely another,” Louis says. “Would they disown you?” It’s sad to say it, but Louis could see everyone but Jack’s younger brother Michael doing something along those lines to lash out in retaliation.

“No, they wouldn’t,” Jack says, shaking his head. “They’d… cut me off. I mean, I make enough money. But they’d probably take my car back, since they bought it for me. Maybe shut off my emergency credit card. It’s stuff I can live without, and will have to when I move anyway, but…”

Louis is quiet. “Would they visit? Be involved in the lives of any children we might have?”

It’s a hard question, but a very important one for Louis. Family means so much to him, and he’d be lying if he said Jack’s answer wouldn’t carry a little bit of weight in the next rose ceremony. Jack hesitates, but finally says, “I mean, we won’t know until it happens. I think… if I had to make a guess… they wouldn’t try to avoid them, or not get to know them. I think when they got a little older they’d try to convince them to come to the states for school or something. I could see them offering to pay their way at boarding school or something, but only if it was in the US. Dumb things like that. They’d want to be in their lives, but…”

“They’d use the relationship as a tool,” Louis finishes for him.

Jack nods. He looks up slowly and says, “But, they also might not. I don’t know. Everything has gone according to their plan so far. I’m the outlier.”

Louis nods and says, “I understand.”

“I’m sorry they’re so difficult,” Jack repeats.

Louis gives Jack a small smile and says, “No more apologies, love. We can’t control our families any more than they can control us.”

The conversation feels settled, with a look of reassurance on Jack’s face now that they’ve discussed this, and it seems as though Louis is satisfied with his answers. He still seems happy. That gives Jack a confidence boost, and he feels better, facing the rest of the week.

After breakfast, the cameras get plenty of shots of the two of them being domestic together, working in tandem to pack, get dressed, and get everything together for the day ahead. This is the last time Louis is going to see Jack before the rose ceremony; he wants to make sure he says and does all the right things so Jack doesn’t worry all week.

They stand out on the sidewalk at the entrance to the hotel, arms around each other. Louis will be saying goodbye to Jack here, and Jack will spend the rest of the week enjoying the amenities at the hotel before the rose ceremony. Louis leans in for a kiss and whispers, “Thank you so much for last night. It was amazing.”

“It was,” Jack smiles. He tries not to say or do too much; he doesn’t want to give anything away for the cameras and the viewers.

“I feel closer to you, and that was what I was hoping for this week. So thank you,” Louis continues. “I couldn’t have asked for a better date for us this week.”

Jack just smiles in response, and he steals another kiss. “I’ll see you soon, alright?” Jack says. Louis nods and kisses him again. He can’t keep his hands to himself. He’s had Jack in every way possible, and he feels indescribably lucky. “I love you,” Jack reminds Louis as they separate.

Louis smiles and nods, before he steps towards the car and says, “You said that last night, too… and it means so much to me. Honestly. So thank you. I know I didn’t really say it last night...”

“It’s alright,” Jack says, a coy smile on his face. “You were tired.”

“I’m sorry,” Louis whispers.

Jack shrugs it off like it’s nothing and gives Louis a kiss before opening the door to the car. “I’ll see you soon,” Louis says, giving Jack one last big hug before their time is up.

Jack waves at Louis after he closes the car door, as the car drives out of the lot, down the street and out of sight. Louis watches over his shoulder out the window for as long as he can, but once the car turns the corner, that’s it. Louis tries not to think too hard about what lay ahead at the end of the week; instead, he’s got to focus on the fact that he’s about to have a date with similar possibilities with Matt in no less than twenty-four hours.

---

After a full day of resting, Louis is ready to jump right back into things in the Philippines. He’s got a date with Matthew, and he can’t wait to see him again. It feels like it’s been forever, even though the last rose ceremony was only a few days ago.

Louis is the first to arrive at their meeting place, and he stands outside of it, wondering what smart ass comment Matt will have when they meet up outside a McDonald’s. Louis is wearing swim shorts and a black tank top, and he’s got some aviator sunglasses on. He didn’t even bother with his hair, knowing full well that between the date and hopefully their night together, it’ll be a total mess anyway.

Matt shows up wearing khaki shorts and a button down navy blue shirt, with his hair just as messy. He’s scruffy, just like he was during their hometown date, but he clearly trimmed it up and tried to make himself look nice for the day. Louis smiles as soon as he sees him, and they share a long, warm hug on the sidewalk.

Laughing, Matt looks around and says, “If you wanted to go to McDonald’s, I could have taken you to one of the

thousands

of ones in New York. We could’ve even gone to the Times Square one, just to check another touristy thing off your list.”

Louis smacks Matt’s chest playfully and says, “You know I wouldn’t drag you out here for

McDonald’s

.”

Matt leans down to kiss the top of Louis’s head and says, “Yeah, I know. So what are we doing here, then?”

“It’s the meeting place for the boat we’re catching,” Louis says, pointing to a boat that’s waiting on shore. It’s long and narrow with a white awning and some camera crew already loaded into it.

Raising an eyebrow, Matt asks, “Are you gonna tell me where the boat is taking us?”

Louis looks mischievous and asks, “How many times are you going to ask if I

don’t

tell you?”

“At least a million.”

Louis laughs and takes Matt’s hand. “We’re island hopping,” is all he says. There’s certainly a lot of islands to see, but Louis keeps his mouth shut about the fact that they’ll also be doing a few other activities built into the island hopping tour. They get to have an authentic Filipino lunch buffet, plus there’s some chances to swim.

It’s a beautiful afternoon to be out on the sea, and Louis takes Matt’s hand as they walk further towards the boat. These locations they’ve been have been good to Matt; his skin is beautifully tanned, sun-kissed without being burnt like Louis’s cheeks and shoulders have been, and Louis finds it far too attractive when Matt stands tall next to him in his sunglasses. It’s a simple look, but it does so much to Louis.

When they reach the boat, they’re each given a bright orange life vest, and Louis feels a bit silly as he puts it on. He knows it’s for his own safety, but bright orange? Matt looks good in his, though, which is totally unfair. They climb in together and sit close, Matt smiling at Louis every time he looks at him. It makes Louis’s heart race.

Shortly after they take their seats, the boat leaves shore and starts to sail through the waters. They pass some tiny islands that look uninhabited, or something close to it, and others where people are swimming by the beach and having a great time. The day couldn’t have been more beautiful; there are blue skies overhead, not a cloud in sight, and water lapping up onto the beaches, bright turquoise onto the white sand like it’s all in a dream. Louis finds himself wondering if this place is even actually real, it’s so perfect.

The motor on the boat is a little loud, so Louis doesn’t get to talk to Matt much, but then the boat docks at an island for them to go explore and swim around in. The guide tells them they’re at Crystal Cove, and they can swim in the cove for a bit. The boat will leave in one hour, so they have time. Louis relies on the camera crew to tell them when to pack up and get ready to go, so he doesn’t have to keep track of the time. Inevitably, like it always happens with Matt, time will fly by.

The two of them leave their life vests in the boat and walk onto shore, sandals left abandoned in the boat as well. Matt holds Louis’s hand as they walk through the sand and towards the cove to their right, leading Louis around as if he knows the place. Louis honestly just feels like he’s in heaven, being somewhere so beautiful with Matt.

When they approach the cove, Matt looks over at Louis with a smile on his face. “What?” Louis asks. There’s something about his smile that seems a bit mischievous.

Matt unbuttons his shirt, noticing the way Louis swallows hard and stares, especially as he drops his shirt to the sand. Rather than waiting for Louis to take his tank top off, Matt reaches out and tugs upwards at the hem of Louis’s shirt. Submissively, Louis raises his arms up and lets Matt tug his shirt off of him. That sends a thrill through him and Louis knows that if this is how intense things are going to be for them out on the shore of this cove, he has no idea what is going to happen behind closed doors, away from all the cameras.

Sufficiently pleased with how much he’s managed to distract Louis, Matt decides it’s time to get in the water, so he takes Louis’s hand and not so smoothly topples over into the water, dragging Louis with him. The water is clear and blue and Matt can see Louis flailing around and standing on his tiptoes in the water as he resurfaces, his hair a mess, water dripping down his face. Matt’s laughing, his hair damp but the top of his head still dry. “What the hell?” Louis asks, laughing as he pushes his hair out of his face.

“You were staring,” Matt says simply, shrugging it off.

Louis playfully hits Matt’s chest, but then Matt’s got his arms around Louis’s waist and they’re laughing together and Louis is holding onto Matt’s shoulders as they walk a little further into the water, where Louis can’t reach anymore. With a strong arm around his waist, Matt holds onto Louis and leans in for a kiss.

Laughing into the kiss, Louis combs his hair into the damp hair at the nape of Matt’s neck. He leans away to look into Matt’s eyes, and he says, “You’re being a massive flirt.”

“You like it,” Matt replies with his winning lopsided smirk.

Louis shuts Matt up with a kiss, too prideful to admit it out loud. Matt walks them through the cove, to a more shallow area where they can sit down in the water, Louis on Matt’s lap. “We should probably talk. Be serious,” Louis says softly. He sees the boom mic hovering over them, picking up on all their conversation.

“Oh yeah?” Matt asks. “What should we talk about?”

He’s not opposed to having some sort of serious conversation with Louis, but he’s not really sure what else he can say at this point. Now he just has to be with Louis, to really get to know him and show him how much he cares. He’s got to convey the love he feels, because if he says it too much, he’s going to wear it out and then it won’t have any meaning.

“I dunno. The future. Something serious,” Louis says, shrugging it off.

Matt chuckles at Louis and leans in for a kiss. “What about the future?” Matt wonders.

Louis smiles and kisses Matt again. They keep peppering each other’s lips with kisses, enjoying the playfulness they can share while they’re cozy in the beautiful turquoise cove. Part of Louis really wants to just stay like this forever, but he knows they’ll have to fall back to reality eventually. Realizing that he can’t avoid this situation or conversation forever, Louis says, “I mean… what about kids? You said you want them one day, so… have you thought about how many?”

“Mmm, sort of,” Matt says. “The thing is, I never really wanted to decide on my own.” He rubs his hand up and down Louis’s back gently. “But like, at least two. Definitely at least two. Three is great, since I’ve got my sisters and we all get along pretty well most of the time.”

“Four? Five?” Louis asks with a playful smile.

Matt kisses the smirk off Louis’s face and says, “Shut up. I’d have as many as you wanted.”

“Really?” Louis asks, sounding rather pleased.

“We’re not doing that nineteen kids and counting crap, but yeah,” Matt says, sounding a little sarcastic as he does. “I think four sounds like a good number if you ask me. If you wanted to know my personal preference.”

Louis grins madly and says, “Four would be amazing.”

Matt rubs Louis’s back a little more and says, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though, okay?”

That makes Louis’s stomach drop a little, and he looks at Matt with worry. Matt’s expression has grown serious and he can tell Louis is confused by where he’s going with this. “I’m sorry. It’s just…” Matt starts. “There’s still two other people in this. I want to talk about this stuff with you and I want to know what our future could look like, but sometimes it’s hard. If I make too many plans, and just get my heart broken…”

“Matt…”

“Look… don’t let this ruin your day, okay?” Matt says. “I want to enjoy today. See what happens. But… you should know that for as much as I like to pretend I’m big and tough and unstoppable, I’m not.” He looks down at Louis, over his shoulders, notices the mark on his collarbone that’s inevitably from one of the other two, and brushes his thumb over it.

When Louis looks down at it, he realizes what Matt has seen and his cheeks turn red. He swallows around the lump in his throat and reaches a hand up to cover his collarbone. “Hey, don’t worry about it,” Matt says. He looks a little cocky as he says, “I’ll cover it up.”

Something about Matt’s promise makes Louis’s gut twist uncomfortably, thinking about the fact that Matt has to deal with all this jealousy bubbling up inside of him. He’s being so strong and diplomatic about it, but hearing the reminder that he’s still vulnerable and able to be broken has Louis reevaluating the entire situation.

He’d never thought of Matt that way before, as someone who could be broken and hurt. Louis admonishes himself for that, but knows that at this point, all he can do is try to reassure Matt and show him just how much he cares about him.

They share one more kiss before someone from the crew walks over and tells them that it’s time to get back on the boat and go on another ride to a new island. They walk over to the boat hand in hand, but neither says a word. They cruise around in the water with their life vests on, shirts abandoned over on the bench, and thankfully the easy conversation comes back as they soar through the water, pointing out sights and beaches and some animals.

When they reach the next island, there’s a buffet of food, and rather than dwelling on the serious conversation they had before, Matt and Louis smile and laugh and feed each other foods they don’t know the name of, or can’t identify. It’s fun, especially because the food is so delicious.

Once they’ve finished eating, Matt seems back to his brighter self, and Louis doesn’t hesitate at all to hand over a card with a coy look on his face. When Matt sees it, he pretends to set it aside and not want to look at it, but Louis rolls his eyes and smacks his arm playfully. Slowly, teasing Louis, he opens the card and reads it over in his head, drawing out the entire situation until Louis is squirming in his seat.

Matt bursts out laughing and reads the card out loud. “Louis and Matthew,” he begins, sounding a little sarcastic until he sees the look of admonishment on Louis’s face. “Welcome to the beautiful island of Boracay. I hope you are enjoying your stay. Should you choose to forego your individual rooms, please use this key to stay as a couple in the fantasy suite. - Steve Aoki.” Matt looks up at Louis and pretends to think about it. “I mean, I

guess

we could…” Louis looks affronted and then Matt says, “Okay, fine. Yes. I’d

love

to spend the night with you in a room. Alone.

Together.

”

Louis leans in and gives Matt a long, tender kiss. He’s so happy that Matt said yes, and that they’ll get to spend time together in the fantasy suite. There are certainly a lot of things that could happen, and a lot of things Louis hopes will happen, but he has no idea what the night will hold.

They’re buzzing as they sit in the boat next to each other, holding hands, Louis’s knee bouncing as they ride back to shore. He sees the sun starting to set in the distance, and once on shore, they put their shirts on as a slight chill settles in the air. Matt opens the door for Louis to get into their private car, which will take them to the resort where they’re staying together as a couple. Matt’s hand drapes over Louis’s thigh, covering much more of his leg than Louis had previously realized. Everything about Matt is bigger than Louis had noticed before, but now that they’re here, and Louis is pretty sure he knows what lies ahead, he can’t stop thinking about their size difference.

The resort they’re staying at is beautiful, a private villa on a beach with nothing but the sea as the view out their windows. They get a balcony and benches and all the luxury they could ask for, but as soon as they hand over their microphones and say goodbye to the cameramen, they don’t care about any of that. As soon as the door clicks behind them, Louis surges at Matt, trying desperately to pin him against the wall to kiss him, standing up on his tiptoes and nearly climbing Matt like a tree.

Matt slides his hands down Louis’s back and grips his ass, coaxing Louis to jump up and wrap his arms around his waist. That makes kissing much easier, now that their faces are a little closer to being level. They kiss frantically, messily, as Matt walks unsteadily into the room. All of his earlier anxieties are temporarily forgotten as he gets all wrapped up in Louis, ready to have a memorable evening with him, just in case it’s their last one together.

When they get to the bed, Matt leans over, dropping Louis onto the blankets. It’s uncoordinated and a little abrupt, and Louis bursts out laughing when he hits the blankets, letting go of Matt. They look into each other’s eyes for a moment between peals of laughter, and Matt already feels much better about what they have and where they’re going in all this. He’s so in love, and he wishes he could say it all day, every day, forever.

It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for Matt to unbutton his shirt again and shrug it off his shoulders. Taking a cue from Matt, Louis starts to unceremoniously kick off his shoes and undress himself. He doesn’t want to wait any longer. With Matt, it feels like this moment has been a long time coming.

The two of them are shamelessly naked after just a few more moments, and they pause for a beat, taking a few deep breaths. They want to take their time, not rush through this too much. Matt wants to appreciate every moment he can with Louis. He wants to make him completely unravel. He wants to be the most memorable, too.

Matt kneels on the edge of the bed and leans in to kiss Louis, pushing him back on the blankets. They’re a little uncoordinated with their limbs reaching out, trying to have the most contact possible, until finally they settle in, Louis happily surrounded by Matt. He’s warm and sexy and he’s got a hand knotted in Louis’s unruly hair, and their lips move together languidly. It’s perfect, and Louis thinks he could settle for this just this if he had to.

And then Matt starts to kiss down Louis’s body and he’s so,

so

glad he doesn’t have to settle for just kisses. Matt’s mouth is hot and warm and wet and leaves a trail down Louis’s chest that leaves him heaving shallow breaths. His pupils are blown and he can’t stop staring as Matt kisses lower and lower.

Louis groans when Matt’s mouth reaches his hip, when the bastard trails kisses off to the side, avoiding Louis where he wants desperately to be touched the most. “Tease,” Louis groans.

“Ha. Say that again in a couple minutes,” Matt says, almost like it’s a challenge.

He grabs Louis’s hips and guides him up, rolling him over so he’s on his hands and knees. Louis has only done this once before, and he became embarrassingly submissive as a result. He loved it, definitely, but he knows exactly what’s going to happen and how he’s going to react just before he feels Matt’s hands on him, spreading his cheeks so he can lean in.

Rimming was never something Louis really thought about when he was younger, not in the scope of something he’d ever actually like, at least. But then an old boyfriend talked him into it and Louis turned to putty, coming in an embarrassingly short amount of time. Ever since then, Louis has wished someone else would be into it, to do it to him, but never had he thought it would happen here, with someone as irresistible as Matt.

As Matt’s tongue works over his hole, Louis digs his fingers into the blankets, his toes curling, moans tumbling almost constantly from his mouth. He ducks his head down and cants his hips back, but he’s stopped by Matt’s strong hands, holding him in place. That just does even more things to Louis, unwinds him a little more, turns him on far more than he could’ve expected.

It’s not fair, how good Matt is at this, using his tongue and teasing and driving Louis wild. If Louis had the ability to form a coherent sentence, he might ask Matt where he learned all this. Instead, all Louis can do is moan and try to remember to breathe, and not pay too much attention to how cocky Matt sounds as he leans away once in awhile for breath, chuckling at Louis’s reaction.

Louis completely loses control when he feels Matt pressing a finger against his hole, seeing if he can fit it, teasing with little playful strokes between licks. Louis’s toes curl and he grows even more tense, and it’s clear to Matt that Louis isn’t going to last much longer. “Roll over,” Matt instructs, and Louis reluctantly does as he’s told.

He’s pretty sure this is it, they’re done with the rimming, but then Matt’s reaching out with one of his hands and starts to stroke Louis as he wraps an arm around one of Louis’s legs, draping it up over his shoulder as he leans in. He works Louis over with one hand, and teases his hole with his tongue, and in seconds Louis is breathless and can’t formulate words as he lets out a low moan and spills out over Matt’s hand and over his stomach. It’s almost too much for him, and after a few seconds he can’t fight the instinct to squirm away, just a little bit.

Matt chuckles as he leans back, giving Louis a few more strokes as he sits up and looks at the mess they’ve made. “Well that didn’t take long,” Matt teases.

Louis makes a move to kick playfully at Matt in retaliation, but he’s too exhausted to really make much of an impact. Matt leans in over Louis, kneeling between his legs, kissing him slowly. He wants to let Louis have a moment to gather himself a little, get ready for another round because they’re definitely not done yet.

Lazily, Matt trails kisses down Louis’s neck, taking care not to leave any marks that aren’t already there. When he reaches the hickey that someone else left on Louis’s collarbone, his teeth graze the mark and he sucks the skin darker, claiming Louis in the only way he really can at this point. Louis knows what Matt’s doing, and why, but he doesn’t stop him. Louis just knots his fingers in Matt’s hair and moans as he lets Matt mark him up.

Louis lets Matt have a few moments with that, his whole body tingling with the feeling of being marked up and claimed, but then he wants to move - he

needs

to move. “Your turn,” Louis whispers with a smile.

He scoots out from underneath Matt and wanders over to his bags. Matt sits up, leaning against the headboard as he watches Louis wander around their hotel room, his skin a little damp with sweat, a few drops of come still dotting his stomach. Louis is perfect, even with his silly, ridiculous tattoos. Matt can’t stop staring, even though he knows he should. Louis is just too beautiful.

Louis grabs a bottle of lube from his bags and the only condom he’d thought to bring. He never thought going into this that he’d be ready to get so close and intimate with so many people. He’d always thought the decisions and the distinctions between what he felt for everyone would be so much clearer. But he wants this, so badly, and he’s not going to waste his opportunity to share something so special and intimate with Matthew.

“Want help with that?” Matt offers. He holds out his hand and wiggles his eyebrows. Louis was going to prep himself so he could be ready faster, because he hates being teased when they’re so close to having sex, but then he remembers how obsessed he is with Matt’s hands and realizes Matt remembers that, too.

“As long as you sit right back there, like that, when I say I’m ready,” Louis replies.

Matt smirks. “Bossy.”

“Trust me,” Louis replies.

He knows what he wants, and he knows that he’s going to get it. “C’mere, Lou,” Matt says, taking the bottle of lube from Louis and then scooting around on the bed, kneeling facing Louis.

Louis climbs up on the bed, back on his hands and knees like he had been earlier, and he takes a deep breath. Matt’s long, nimble fingers have done things to Louis before - sent his mind to some of the dirtiest thoughts - but now that gets to become a reality and Louis has to try not to lose his composure too much, too fast.

Matt pours a little lube right over Louis’s hole, knowing it’d be cold and bring Louis abruptly back to the situation. He wants to get him out of his head, just help Louis relax and enjoy this. Matt hates that he keeps thinking to himself that this might be the last time they’re together as a couple. He wants to enjoy it and he wants Louis to enjoy it, too.

He takes his time easing in the full length of his finger, not really sure how much Louis can take or what he’s done already this week. They’ve been in Boracay for a few days now, and Matt’s not sure how many dates were had before his. As predicted, Louis completely falls apart around his fingers, especially when Matt decides to tease and see just how deep he can go. That makes Louis’s toes curl and the anticipation for what comes next just grows. Matt doesn’t like to brag too much, but he knows he’s a decent size and that he’s going to make Louis completely fall apart.

“I’m ready, I’m ready,” Louis pants when Matt crooks two fingers, brushing against where Louis is the most sensitive.

“You’ve only got two fingers, babe,” Matt says, bemused.

“I’m fine,” Louis insists.

Matt chuckles. “Trust me, Louis. You want one more.”

Louis looks back over his shoulder at Matt, and while he’s probably got a point, he’s getting

very

impatient. “Well hurry up, then!” Louis pleads breathlessly.

That only makes Matt wants to take his time even more, but when he sees the look of desperation on Louis’s face, he can’t hold back. Gently, Matt eases in a third finger, teasing with little thrusts of his hand. “Still obsessed with my hands?” Matt teases.

Louis groans and whispers, “Shut up.”

“I can go deeper,” Matt says with a smirk.

Another moan tumbles from Louis’s mouth and Matt does as he promised, sliding his fingers deeper, down to his knuckles. Louis lets out a little yelp as Matt curves his fingers, teasing Louis even more, and Matt asks, “You good?”

“Shut up,” Louis mumbles. “I’m ready, I’m good, c’mon…” He’s panting and he slides away, trying not to look too unraveled when he notices that Matt is completely composed and smirking with the most annoying look of satisfaction. To get his revenge, Louis throws the condom at Matt. It hits him square in the chest and they both laugh before Matt takes the hint and rolls it onto himself, watching Louis to see his reaction.

Louis licks his lips but otherwise tries to appear composed and in control. He pushes his fringe out of his eyes and turns around so he can straddle Matt’s lap. Matt leans against the headboard just as he had been before, and he watches with a far more serious look on his face, now that this is actually happening.

Louis’s hands are a bit clammy as he steadies himself on Matt’s shoulders. Oh so gently, Louis feels Matt line himself up, helping Louis with this next step. “Take your time,” Matt says softly. “It’s good. We’re good.”

Now that they’ve grown a little more serious, Louis doesn’t taunt or tease or insist that he knows what he’s doing, and that he’s fine. He listens to Matt, taking deep breaths as he sinks down, taking Matt slowly, inch by inch. He’s bigger than Louis is used to, and in this position, it changes things a little, too. Louis is naturally a little more tense like this. His eyes roll back as he feels increasingly more full, until he can’t take any more, at least not yet. “God you’re gorgeous,” Matt mutters.

He holds Louis around his waist, hands caressing gently up and down Louis’s back and chest and sides, soothing him, kissing his neck and shoulder blades and wherever he can reach. Words fail Louis completely, so he does all he can think of - he moves.

Louis rolls his hips slowly, starting to gain a rhythm, even if it’s tantalizing and not quite enough for Matt, not yet. He’s desperate for release, or satisfaction, but he wants Louis to take his time and not be hurt. Louis shudders as he moves, riding Matt, sinking a little slower with each careful bounce until he feels a little less like porcelain about to break.

The entire moment feels so perfect to Louis, and he leans forward, his forehead to Matt’s, and he wishes he could formulate any words at all to tell Matt how amazing this is, how much he cares for him - that he’s falling in love with him. Matt holds Louis around his waist protectively, easing Louis up and down in a rhythm that slowly grows in speed.

Desperate little moans and whimpers tumble from Louis’s lips as he rides Matt, slowly losing all worry that he’ll be hurt because he knows he won’t. Matt prepped him so well, and it all feels so good - too good, maybe - and Louis’s head spins. He steadies himself with an arm around Matt’s shoulders and gives him a lazy kiss, slowing down his rhythm to roll his hips and tease just a little before the desperation to come again is too much.

Louis leans in where he’s holding Matt around his shoulders and his lips brush the shell of Matt’s ear. Matt can hear each little pant and moan that falls from Louis’s lips, and he can tell what’s going to happen before Louis even has the chance to whisper out a warning. Louis’s body goes tense and he can’t keep the steady rhythm, so Matt takes advantage of his strength and moves Louis’s hips the best he can, keeping the movement going as Louis comes with a sharp cry, spurting between them.

Wrapped up in Matt’s arms, Louis trembles and shakes as he comes harder than he had before. His limbs feel like jelly and he’s acutely aware of the fact that Matt hasn’t come yet, but he doesn’t know what to say or do to rectify that yet. Louis is still trying to come back to reality, to form a coherent thought and hopefully get his limbs to cooperate again. “You’re fucking gorgeous, Louis,” Matt whispers, gently sliding a hand up and down Louis’s back.

Louis is curled up on Matt’s lap, Matt still buried deep inside him. He’s got his head lying on Matt’s shoulder and he’s not sure he could come again even if he wanted to. But Matt still hasn’t, and he needs to fix that somehow.

Ever so slowly, Louis climbs off of Matt’s lap, hissing a little at the sudden absence when he’s not filled up anymore. Matt’s skin is splotchy red and he’s sweaty and he’s incredibly hard against his stomach, aching for release. Matt doesn’t let his hands move away from Louis, even as Louis steadily lowers himself onto the floor next to the bed. Matt follows, making sure Louis is alright. “I’m alright,” Louis insists. His voice is hoarse again, and he looks up at Matt through dark eyes. “C’mere. Wanna make you come.”

And well - Matt won’t argue with that. He follows Louis to the edge of the bed and watches as Louis’s hands roll off the condom. He leans down to let a drop of spit fall onto the tip, and then Louis strokes a few times, pleased to see the way Matt’s eyes flutter closed and his head tips back. As much as Louis appreciates how willing Matt was to make him feel good, Louis wants to do the same for Matt in return.

He leans in and takes Matt into his mouth, moaning as soon as he feels the weight on his tongue. Louis has to stroke what he can’t fit into his mouth, but that doesn’t seem to bother Matt in the slightest. Matt’s hand finds Louis’s head and his fingers scrunch up in Louis’s hair, pulling just a bit when the pressure is a bit too much for him. Louis lets Matt’s hand guide him, and he works him over the best he can, with his tongue and his hand and his mouth.

Louis gets so wrapped up in it that he doesn’t know how long it takes, all he knows is that he’s vaguely surprised that, rather than coming in his mouth, Matt pulls Louis away in warning. Louis doesn’t scoot away. He closes his eyes and keeps stroking, listening to the way Matt gasps and moans, coming on Louis’s cheek and lips, some drops falling to his shoulder.

When Louis opens his eyes and sees the way Matt’s looking at him, he finds it very hard to bite back all the emotions that are threatening to come out, the things Louis really wishes he could vocalize, but can’t. It’s not how this process works, and it’s not fair to anyone if Louis says out loud just how much he’s falling for these people, especially Matt who just opened up earlier that day about how vulnerable he’s been feeling.

Louis glances down when he feels Matt’s thumb brushing through a drop of come on his shoulder. It’s right on his collarbone, over the hickey Jack had left, but then Matt made darker. When Louis looks back up at Matt, he smiles a little, and Matt smiles back. “Come here, Louis,” Matt says, reaching out to help Louis stand up and sit on the bed next to him.

Louis feels like a complete and total mess, especially compared to Matt who only has a few drops of come dried to his stomach. The moment feels still and calm and perfect, though, and he couldn’t ask for more. They share a slow, tender kiss, one that steals Louis’s breath and has his heart pounding hard against his rib cage. When the kiss breaks, Matt whispers, “Be right back,” and he reluctantly climbs off the bed to go into the en suite bathroom.

Matt emerges a few moments later with a wet cloth. He cleans Louis off, everywhere they made a mess of him, and then tosses the cloth aside in favor of curling up under the blankets with Louis. The entire night has been like a dream for Louis, who couldn’t have imagined a more perfect way to spend a night alone with Matt. He feels closer to him in a way that makes Louis question everything he thought he knew about this process. Having a night like this with two of the people remaining has Louis filled with slight fear for what the rest of the week will hold. He didn’t think he could feel so much for so many people, and yet here he is.

Louis gets so lost in his thoughts that he drifts off to sleep without saying another word to Matt. Exhausted and consumed by his own thoughts, Matt doesn’t seem to mind too much.

They wake early the next morning, long before the sun, to the sound of thunder and lightning and rain. The rain is pouring down on their private villa, coming down in sheets against the windows. Louis rolls towards Matt, having moved further away from him as they slept. He curls up against his side and smiles as Matt lazily holds Louis to his chest.

The storm seems to just be approaching, though, and Louis isn’t sure he’ll be able to get back to sleep again. Not with the way the thunder is getting louder, the storm moving right over where they’re staying. Matt looks down at Louis and kisses his forehead. His voice is thick and groggy as he says, “So much for sleeping in.”

He’d guess they only got about four or five hours of sleep, but it’s better than nothing. Besides, a few more moments alone with Louis, no cameras around, could be a good thing. Louis chuckles in reply and says, “We’ll just have to occupy ourselves in other ways, then.”

Matt kisses Louis’s temple and rolls away from him, climbing out of bed just for a second to grab something from his bags. When he climbs back into bed and under the covers, Louis realizes what it is. Matt’s gone and grabbed another condom, and fetched the bottle of lube. When their eyes meet, Matt raises his eyebrows in question. Louis just grins and nods.

But unlike the night before, all frantic limbs and desperation, that morning they take their time. Louis doesn’t need much prep from the night before, and they’re both still a little lazy from just waking up. Matt takes care of Louis, who lays on the bed, still worn out from the night before.

Matt kneels between Louis’s legs where he’s got them wantonly parted, ready for more. He rolls on a condom and leans in, covering Louis completely. They share a long, slow kiss, the blankets half draped over both of them, and then Matt gently presses into Louis.

The entire mood in the room has shifted, things now slowed down to a gentle, romantic pace. Louis’s moans are sinful and soft, and he holds onto Matt’s biceps, his legs around his waist. Matt rocks his hips slowly, drawing it out this time, watching every change on Louis’s face with each rock of his hips. They share lazy kisses, share the same breath, and it’s the most romantic thing Louis has ever shared with another person. This is special. This is something he hasn’t had with anyone else and he knows it.

He’s trembling and trying to stave off his orgasm as Matt takes care of him so delicately. He wants to share this, to come together and feel connected to Matt in a way that he’s desperate for, that he’s wanted for weeks.

As he rocks his hips a little faster, Matt kisses Louis and fumbles for his hand. Louis pulls away to look up at Matt, smiling at him, and he laces their fingers together. “I love you, Louis,” Matt whispers before kissing him again.

It takes every ounce of self control Louis has left to bite his tongue and not say something to seriously complicate the situation. The thunder rumbles loudly overhead to cut him off anyway, and instead Louis just whimpers and tries desperately hard not to come yet. Matt picks up on it, the way Louis has grown more tense and he’s so focused elsewhere. He thinks it’s sweet, that Louis wants to do this together, and he leans in for another kiss. “I’m so close, Louis,” Matt whispers.

“M-me too,” Louis breathes. His heart feels like it’s going to burst from his chest.

Just seconds later, Louis feels Matt’s hand on him, stroking in time with his thrusts, and Louis’s hands grip the blankets tightly as his back arches and he comes. Watching Louis unravel so completely under his touch makes Matt come too, and together they slowly still on the bed, the rain still pounding down on the rooftop overhead. It’s the perfect end to a perfect time alone together in the fantasy suite, and Louis couldn’t have asked for anything more.

They take their time finding their breath and separating their bodies, and even though they should probably get cleaned up, Louis would rather curl up against Matt’s side. They’re a total mess and Louis knows he needs a shower, but the moment is so still and wonderful and perfect. Louis tips his head up and kisses Matt’s jaw, and he watches Matt smile.

The storm seems to be fading, the thunder becoming more infrequent and the rain slowing it’s patter against the roof. “This has been perfect,” Louis whispers.

Matt chuckles and nods. “Yeah, it has,” he replies.

They lay in silence for a little longer, breathing together and enjoying the other’s company, until there’s a knock on the door and they’re stirred from their rest. “I’ll get it,” Louis says, standing up and grabbing the first piece of clothing he can find.

He pulls on his underwear and then Matt’s button up shirt from the day before. Louis wanders to the door, pretty certain that it’s the camera crew ready to set up again. They come into the room and Louis would be a little annoyed if they weren’t also carrying a tray of breakfast for Louis and Matt to share. Matt has put on his boxers as well, but stayed shirtless as he lays in bed. Louis waits by the door as the cameras set up and when they give him the okay to move, Louis carries the breakfast over to Matt and the filming has started again.

It’s a little depressing after such an amazing time alone, to have to let the cameras in again, but they’re so close to the end that Louis thinks he can manage. Louis climbs back into bed, fully aware that people will realize he’s wearing Matt’s shirt. It’s like a dress on him, but Louis loves it.

Matt and Louis talk about how happy they are, and they feed each other fruit and pastries, and they sip their coffee, and the morning feels perfect. It’s something Louis finds himself hoping to keep for weeks and months and years to come: this sense of contentment and happiness, with one of these men or women remaining.

The cameras get some shots of them getting ready for the day, taking turns showering and pulling on sweatpants and tee shirts but letting their hair stay a mess, exchanging kisses and little touches the whole time. They work so well in tandem, and Louis feels an ache in his chest when he has to walk to the door and say goodbye.

Matt puts on a brave face and smiles and says

I love you

for the cameras before Louis takes a deep breath and says, “I’ll see you at the rose ceremony.”

Matt has no idea where Louis is at with Jack and Briana now, or what’s going to happen in the days to come. Unlike earlier in the process when they’d all get to see each other and find out how things were going, now they’re all separated. They don’t know where anyone else is at with Louis and it’s terrifying. Matt would like to think he’s in the lead, but he’s got no clue. He could be blindsided the in the rose ceremony. And he’s still got to wait a few more days to find out.

He waves to Louis as he walks out of the room, a knot in his chest. Just as Louis says, this process gets more and more difficult with each passing week - for everyone, not just for Louis.

---

When Louis wakes up the next day, ready for his last date of the week, he tries to push away all foreboding feelings in favor of focusing on Briana and having a good time with her. Unfortunately, the rain hasn’t gone away, so Louis sits down bright and early that morning with a writer and the main crew member to talk about what they’re going to do instead. Louis wants to still go ahead with most of his plan, because Briana’s always been flexible, but there are a few things they need to change. The rain isn’t supposed to go away anytime soon, but Louis is determined not to let that dampen his date with Briana.

He can’t take her to the beach when it’s rainy and the surf is a bit too wild for swimming to be a good idea, so instead Louis is taking her to the Monaco Suites de Boracay where they’ll have the chance to stay as a couple later that evening, if Louis gives her the card and key. Briana doesn’t know this, though, and meets him out front of the main building.

Louis stands under an umbrella, looking handsome as ever in his shorts and button down shirt. It’s a bit more of a sophisticated look than he’s usually got, but he really wants to impress Briana and show her that he can be the mature man she seems to be looking to start a future with. As soon as Briana steps out of the car, her whole face brightens. She seems so happy to meet him, and Louis notices vaguely that her hair is a much more natural shade for her: blonde. She must have dyed it back at the end of her hometown visit or something. “Hey, love,” Louis says, reaching out an arm to give her a hug.

Briana ducks under his umbrella and smiles as she greets him with a big, warm hug. She leans in for a kiss, and her cheeks are a little red as she says, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” Louis responds. “I like the hair.”

“Thanks…” Briana trails off. “I had time before we flew out here, and I wanted to spend some time alone with Liv, so…”

Smiling, Louis says, “I think it’s great. She seems like a really great girl. Quite your opposite.”

“Yeah,” Briana agrees. “It’s sort of why we work, I think.”

Louis nods his agreement and then says, “I hope she liked me.”

“She does,” Briana says quickly. She looks at Louis, hoping he didn’t feel as though anyone from her family disliked him. Everyone thought he was a very charming guy, and fully supported Briana’s relationship with him. “Everyone adored you.”

That puts a big smile on Louis’s face, and he perks up a little. Turning them on the spot under the umbrella, Louis asks, “D’you want to know what we’re doing today?”

“Yeah,” she nods.

Louis leads her towards the building, and as they walk together, he explains, “I need to be honest. I’d planned on taking you to this really gorgeous beach, but with the rain, it just wasn’t going to happen. But that’s okay, because I think I’ve come up with an even better date for us.”

Briana reaches down to take hold of Louis’s hand and says, “I’m just happy to be here with you. I don’t need anything fancy.”

Louis smiles. “I know you don’t. But I still want to do something special for you.”

She looks down as she smiles shyly, and together the two of them walk into the Monaco Suites building where there is someone waiting to take them to the private resort spa. Before being on this show, going to a spa was never something Louis had ever considered doing. But now this would be the second time he went to a spa, and he was excited to get to just relax and push all the worries away with Briana.

A friendly staff members takes them to a gorgeous covered porch so they can still be outdoors, and they sit down in some chairs that recline far back. There’s a whole team of people there and Briana looks around curiously. “Deluxe spa treatment,” Louis says. “Facials, manicures, pedicures… with some massages thrown in there, I believe.”

Briana smiles. “It doesn’t sound like your type of thing,” she comments.

“I am into

anything

that lets me sit around on my arse and do nothing,” Louis laughs. “Is this okay?”

Briana wraps him up in a hug. “It’s great. I’ve never done something like this before.”

“Really?” Louis asks, a bit surprised.

“Not all at once, at least,” Briana says. She looks around and says, “It’ll be a day of firsts.”

Louis has no idea yet how loaded that statement is, but Briana confessed in an interview to the cameras earlier that she’s a bit scared for the fantasy suites, because she doesn’t know what Louis expects to happen behind closed doors. If it’s sex, she’s worried she won’t be able to live up to any expectations, because she’s never done it before. However, she

did

confess that she trusts Louis, and feels in her heart like she’s ready for a massive step like that with him. It all depends on where the night leads.

The two of them settle in on the chairs that are next to each other, the rain pitter-pattering on the roof above their heads and people pampering them like they’re royalty or something. Louis relaxes to the sound of the rain and when the manicures are done - Louis’s just to clean up his nails, Briana for a full paint and everything - they hold hands as they get pedicures and enjoy the calmness of the moment.

Both of them feel incredibly relaxed when the session ends an hour and a half later, and neither speaks as they stand up because the moment is so calm and serene. Louis hugs her right away, and she gives him a soft kiss as thanks. “I was thinking we could go get changed, and then there’s this private hot tub on the balcony too, we can watch the storm roll in,” Louis says, gesturing to a patch of incredibly angry clouds off in the distance.

Briana nods, and the two of them walk back inside the building to change. Louis is out first, and he waits by the hot tub for Briana. She walks out with her hair tied up and out of her face, a gorgeous white strappy bikini on. “You look amazing,” Louis says, greeting her with a hug and a kiss.

Her cheeks blush crimson and Louis finds it absolutely adorable how she never quite knows how to take a compliment. Louis presses the button to get the jets going and then takes Briana’s hand to lead her into the hot tub. They sit down together, facing away from the building to watch the storm.

Louis wraps his arm around Briana’s shoulders and they cozy closer together under the bubbling water from the jets. It’s still raining, and now they can safely watch the lightning from the porch, too, and it feels like the perfect moment. Someone brings them some champagne and they each take a sip before setting it a side, focusing on each other rather than the drinks. Briana has been incredibly cautious about what she drinks after what happened in Mexico.

“So,” Louis begins. “How are you feeling about everything? I mean, I felt like the hometown date went well.”

Briana smiles, “It was amazing. I’m so glad you got to meet my family. They all loved you.”

She speaks with such enthusiasm about the hometown date that Louis smiles and can’t bring himself to interrupt. He listens happily as she continues, “Austin especially likes you. And Olivia says you’re cute. She also says that you’re going to have to come out to LA in about a month, even if we don’t get engaged, because your face will be all over my friend’s shop.”

“Your friend is an interesting guy,” Louis says. He hadn’t been able to decide if he liked or disliked the guy.

“Well, he’s eccentric. A lot of people in LA are, honestly,” Briana says. “You were a really good sport about the modeling thing, though.”

Louis smiles and looks over at her. “I’m most excited to see the photos we took together,” Louis confesses. He’s quiet for a moment before he adds, “I can also tell you really like your job. And that you’re incredibly good at it. London has plenty of opportunities like that.”

Briana smiles and says, “That’s great.”

Thinking about moving away from her family is still difficult for Briana, but she knows that in the end it’ll all be worth it and they both have the support necessary to make a move like that easy. It’ll be the furthest away from her family she’ll have ever lived, and it’s a scary thought to wrap her head around. Louis makes Briana so happy, though, that she can’t imagine saying no should he decide to propose.

“Everything okay?” Louis asks, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple.

Briana nods, and she turns to look him in the eye. With a smile, she says, “I’m great. So happy.”

That pleases Louis, though he can tell she still has a lot on her mind. When the time is right, she’ll open up. Briana always does.

The rain slows and looks like it’s going to stop soon, so the two of them get out of the hot tub and change back into their dry clothes because Louis wants to try to make this next part of the date happen while the weather holds out. It’s something he’d wanted to do, rain or no rain.

Louis keeps an umbrella with him just in case, but thankfully the dark clouds surrounding them don’t seem to be dropping any rain on them. Briana is being an incredibly good sport about it all, as well, and Louis hopes he can show her how much he appreciates how flexible and kind she always seems to be.

It doesn’t take long for them to find a cute little shack type place selling the exact treat Louis had wanted to share with Briana. He definitely did his research on this, and he can’t wait to explain it to Briana and try it with her. “So, this stuff is called Halo-Halo. It’s a shaved ice dessert,” Louis explains, pointing to the menu. “There’s a lot of different layers to it, and they serve it in a glass, like that,” he gestures to a pair of teenagers already sitting at a table and eating the treat.

“There’s beans in it!” Briana says, laughing a little.

“I know,” Louis nods in agreement. “But they’re sweetened. And the shaved ice and coconut slices and stuff is supposed to be really good.” He looks over at her and asks, “D’you wanna try it with me?”

Nodding, Briana says, “Sure. I’ll try it.”

Louis walks to the counter to order, still holding Briana’s hand in his own, and he orders a dish for them to share. They sit down by a window and Louis hopes the dessert is as good as it looks. He scoops out a bite of it and offers the spoon to Briana, to give her the first taste. She looks bashful and a little scared, but once she takes a bite, her eyes go wide and she smiles. Before she even swallows, she points to the dessert as though she were trying to tell Louis to take a bite.

So, Louis does. He takes a taste of the halo-halo and then a huge smile crosses his face. Briana was right - it’s delicious. Louis doesn’t mind being an adventurous eater, but he finds himself curious about whether Briana is or not. “D’you do this often?” he asks, not being very specific at all.

Briana quirks an eyebrow and asks, “Do what? Go to the Philippines? Date men from foreign countries?” Louis looks incredulous at how playful she’s being and she covers her face with her hands. “No, I don’t.”

“I meant more like, do you try foods you’re not familiar with, but that works, too,” Louis laughs.

Briana keeps her face buried in her hands as she says, “No, I don’t do that either.”

“Then what

do

you do?” Louis wonders.

He’s learned a lot about Briana’s family and her personality, but in terms of what she does in her free time or when she’s not working, Louis still feels like he doesn’t really have an answer for that. He’s hoping this can be his chance to find out.

She shrugs and uncovers her face, and then takes a moment or two before she answers, “I go places with Liv. Like, to In ‘n’ Out burger or the movies, or the beach. We go to the beach a lot.”

“That’s all?” Louis asks. He finds it hard to believe that there isn’t more to it.

Ever so softly, Briana adds, “I like to read.”

There. Louis can picture that, actually - a neat white bookshelf filled with colorful book spines, Briana sitting on her bed, or in a comfy chair by the window, soaking up the sunlight and getting lost in a story. It’s a bit of a romanticized image, that’s for sure, but something about that particular activity suits Bria in a way he can’t really imagine it suiting anyone else.

“What kinds of books do you like?” Louis asks.

Briana groans a bit and picks up her own spoon to take a bite of food so she can prolong having to explain what she likes to read. Once she swallows, she admits, “Well, all those teen books that adults seem to mock. Like, John Green books, and all those.”

“Ones about love?”

“Sometimes,” Briana nods. “But there’s more than that. A lot of them are dystopian, and a lot are part of a series… a lot of them are movies now, too.”

“What’s your favorite?” Louis asks.

Briana laughs. “I have a lot. I should’ve just shown you my bookshelf when you were at my house,” she says. “I borrow books from the library but as soon as I find a book I love, I buy it. That’s how I remember what I like and what I don’t.”

“But what if you get a book you tried once and didn’t like?” Louis wonders. “Do you repeat them over and over again?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “But I try to give them all a second chance, at least. I have a little list in my phone of books I didn’t like, but it’s not very long. Most books have some redeeming qualities.”

Louis studies Briana, totally intrigued by this other side of her. “That is brilliant. Honestly,” Louis says. He smiles at her and says, “D’you read all the time then?”

Briana shrugs and tries to sound nonchalant as she says, “I try to read at least once a day. Usually before bed. Unless I’m exhausted, like when Liv and I get back from the club or something.”

“Or here?” Louis asks.

Briana smiles. “A few times. But aside from maybe tonight, or that night in Mexico, I’ve tried to read at least a chapter. I don’t want to forget the stories,” she says.

“How many books did you bring?” Louis wonders.

“Well,” Briana begins. “Have you ever watched Gilmore Girls?”

“I’ve seen a few,” Louis confesses. “My sisters like that show more than I do. But I’d probably know characters if you were talking about those.”

Briana considers it. “Well, you know Rory? The main character?” Louis nods. “I packed sort of like she did, when she was trying to pack for her backpacking trip with her mom. My bags were half full with clothes and essentials, half full with books. Roughly. I’ve asked some crew members to go out and buy me a couple books that were released while we were here, so I could keep up with the series.”

“Wow,” Louis says, clearly impressed. “I had no idea.”

Briana smiles and tries to brush it off like it’s nothing as she says, “They’re just books.”

“Hey, don’t do that,” Louis says in a gentle voice. “It’s something that’s clearly important to you. So I want to know about it.” He smiles and says, “You can always tell me about things you love.”

Briana smiles, and her heart feels like it’s going to burst from her chest at how sweet he’s being, and that’s when she realizes she’s got to be open and honest with Louis about something that’s been on her mind for days now.

“Um… I should tell you something,” she starts awkwardly.

She seems nervous, so Louis keeps a close eye on her and reaches over to take her hand. “What is it?” he asks. He hopes that it’s nothing too terrible; he hates thinking about either of them getting hurt at this point in the process.

“It’s just… about tonight,” Briana begins. “I know what this week implies. And what tonight could mean for us. Like… what people will assume we do behind closed doors.” She looks up at Louis, hoping he understands what she’s getting at without her having to say it, for it to be recorded and broadcast on television later.

Louis nods, and he says right away, “I have absolutely no expectations, alright? I would never ask you to do something like that if you weren’t comfortable with it.”

“It’s just… I would,” Briana says. She feels like she’s out of breath, and thinking and breathing is a little hard, but she wants to get this out in the open. “I just want you to know that I’ve never done it before. And if that changes anything for you… like inviting me to the fantasy suite, or giving me a rose at the end of the week… I’d understand. And I wouldn’t be angry with you.”

Louis looks a little alarmed, and he tries to wrap his mind around the fact that Briana is essentially saying that she’d understand if Louis wanted to break up with her, purely because she’s a virgin. He takes a deep breath and says, “I would never,

ever

break up with a person because of something like that.” He takes her hand and looks into her eyes, hoping to clearly convey his point here. “Bria… I’m with you because I care about you, and love being around you, and I can picture a future with you. How fast we go physically has nothing to do with that. And I would never, ever ask you to do something before you were ready.”

Briana takes a deep breath and looks up into Louis’s eyes. There’s a lump in her throat and she feels ridiculously nervous, but she wants Louis to know that she hears him, and she’s grateful for that. All she can really think to say out loud, though, is dumb and doesn’t cover that at all. “Thanks,” she breathes.

“Don’t thank me for that,” Louis says with a slight frown. “Any decent person would say the very same as me.”

Briana offers him a small smile and Louis keeps a close eye on Briana as they finish off the last few scoops of their dessert. When it’s gone, Louis reaches over to a white envelope by the napkins that Briana hadn’t noticed earlier. Louis holds it out to her and says, “Whether you’d told me what you did earlier or not, I was going to give you this.” Louis looks across the table at Briana with a smile and says, “I think you’re incredible, Bria. So, this is for you.”

Briana slowly takes the envelope, already knowing what it says. The implications are massive and Louis honestly isn’t sure what Briana’s reaction will be to the card. She opens it and then reads out loud, “Louis and Bria: Welcome to the beautiful island of Boracay. I hope you are enjoying your stay. Should you choose to forego your individual rooms, please use this key to stay as a couple in the fantasy suite. - Steve Aoki.”

Louis swears he can see her hands trembling just the slightest, but her voice sounds incredibly confident as she nods and says to him, “I would love to, Louis. I’m always happy to spend more time with you.”

Ecstatic that after their earlier conversation, she still chose to say yes, Louis leans over the table to give her a kiss. When he pulls away from the kiss, he smiles at her, and then they both realize at the same time that the rain has begun to barrel down from the sky once more. They laugh together, and Louis is very glad he brought the umbrella with him.

Together, under the umbrella, Briana and Louis walk from the little hut where they had their dessert, to the car waiting for them out on the street. Briana keeps hold of Louis’s hand and feels a little clammy, but Louis hopes that once they’re away from cameras and behind closed doors, he can help her push that anxiety aside so they can just focus on them and their relationship.

“We’re back,” Briana says, seeing that they’re once again outside the Monaco Suites.

“We are,” Louis nods. “But we get our own private room with a balcony facing the beach.”

“Is it a covered balcony?” Briana asks with amusement. “If it’s not, it may not do us any good.”

Louis barks out some laughter and shrugs. “Dunno, really.” He climbs out of the car and turns around to offer Briana his hand. “Wanna find out with me?”

Smiling brightly, she nods and takes his hand. “Sure,” she says, climbing out of the car and following Louis through the front entrance.

In the lobby of the hotel, they hand over their microphones, and the last shots the cameras get of them are the two of them walking down a hallway, and then into an elevator, which will take them up to their private top floor suite. They won’t be bothered for a full twelve hours, and Louis is buzzing with excitement.

Unlike with Matt and Jack, Louis has absolutely no idea what’s going to happen when he’s alone with Briana. It won’t be like with the others, of that he’s fairly confident. Briana doesn’t seem like the type to want to press him against the wall and kiss him. She’s quiet and gentle and sweet, and Louis knows that not everyone has been able to get so close with her. He feels so lucky, and won’t feel any less close with her than he does with the guys, even if they don’t have sex. Being alone in the fantasy suite with someone is far more than being physical, and Louis is sure Briana knows that.

When the door clicks behind them, Louis and Briana face each other and neither knows what to say at first. Briana smiles nervously, and Louis smiles back at her. “This is it,” he says, wandering into the room. He takes her hand to show her around, to the room, the little cozy living room section, and the balcony they get to share. “We’re all alone.”

“Yeah, we are,” Briana nods. She looks out the window and says, “It’s a covered balcony. Y’know, like we were wondering earlier.”

“So it is,” Louis nods. He looks over at Briana, and then spots a bottle of champagne and two glasses waiting for them on a side table. “D’you fancy a drink out on the balcony, watch the storm roll by?”

Briana smiles. “Sounds great. I’ll see if I can find us some snacks?”

“Sure,” Louis agrees.

He takes his time popping the cork on the champagne and as he pours them each a glass, Briana walks over and says, “I couldn’t find snacks, but I found a room service menu. They’ll make us pizza!”

Louis bursts out laughing. “I know we came all this way and should probably be adventurous, but god, a pepperoni pizza sounds bloody fantastic right about now.”

Briana nods and says excitedly, “I’ll go order it right now.”

This is the sort of thing that leaves Louis feeling confident about his relationship with Briana, even if it doesn’t get physical. They can laugh and eat junk food with champagne in the middle of a beautiful, exotic location. They can relate to each other and they get along famously. It leaves Louis feeling so settled and domestic and happy, even before the process has ended.

They change into pajamas as they wait for their pizza, occasionally taking a sip of champagne as they lounge around. Louis is wearing some sweatpants and an old tee shirt with a stain on the shoulder, and Briana’s got on shorts and a tank top. Louis vaguely notices that she’s gone without a bra underneath, but doesn’t stare or say a word about it. It’s not his place; but he appreciates that she’s that comfortable around him.

When the pizza arrives, they carry it out to the balcony where a spectacular lightning show is taking place over the ocean outside. Louis tops off their glasses of champagne and they sit together in the cool chill of the ocean breeze and the storm, watching the rain patter down on the beach and the ocean, the lightning flash and listening to the thunder rumble. It’s a gorgeous way to end the night, and Louis couldn’t have asked for anything better.

As they dig into their food, Louis watches Briana curiously. She doesn’t hold back; just like Louis, she takes a massive bite of pizza, not even worrying if a few drops of grease are sliding down her wrist. This is the kind of girl Louis would love to settle down with - someone just as willing to be messy and silly and enjoy junk food as he is.

The entire evening feels so perfect, and Louis can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it would be to have moments like this with Briana for the rest of forever. They eat until they’re stuffed, and their glasses of champagne are empty and the bottle is, too, and as the storm rolls into the distance, Louis reaches over for Briana’s hand. “Want to go back inside?” he asks softly.

Briana looks through the moonlight and swallows hard before she nods. “Yeah. Sounds great,” she nods.

They walk slowly inside, closing the door to the patio behind them. Louis turns to look at Briana and pulls on her hand, leading her closer to him until they’re close enough that he can wrap his arm around her waist. She ducks her head shyly, and her breath hitches when Louis’s nose bumps against her forehead. “Hey,” he whispers, releasing her hand to tip her chin up so they’re eye to eye. “It’s just me,” he reminds her.

Briana nods, and she relaxes just a little in his touch. “D’you want to get in bed?” Louis asks gently. “We don’t have to do anything.”

“Sure,” Briana nods.

Louis doesn’t let go of Briana’s hand as he walks towards the bed with her, and on the way he switches off all the lights except the lamps by the bed. They climb in together, and Briana’s chest starts to feel a little tighter, her heart pounding wildly.

Under the covers, the two of them roll to each other in bed, legs tangling together. Briana’s hair is a bit of a mess on the pillows but they’re smiling and filled with a nervous energy. Something about Louis from the very start has made Briana feel safe and comfortable in his arms. She’s absolutely, undeniably in love with him, and she’s told him that, but she also wants to show him.

Leaning in, Briana’s nose bumps Louis’s and then their lips meet, and the whole moment slows as their hearts beat wildly in their chests and time seems to stand still. Briana pulls away for air, leaning her forehead to Louis’s. She reaches up a hand to caress his cheek and after taking a deep breath, she whispers, “I love you so much, Louis.”

Louis smiles and leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to her mouth. He hears her, he does, and needs to be careful in how he replies. “I care about you a lot,” he whispers. “I’m so happy I’m here with you.”

Her whole expression brightens; that’s a lot for Louis to say without reservation, and it makes her feel incredibly happy with where they’re at. Trying to ignore the nervous twist in her gut, Briana takes a deep breath and whispers, “I want this… with you. I trust you.”

Her words settle on Louis and he has to lean back to really look into her eyes and make sure she means what she says. She’s so confident, though; the look on her face says she’s incredibly secure with her decision. Nodding, Louis whispers, “O-okay. If you change your mind, or it’s not good, just --”

“Louis -,”

“I mean it.” They’re both quiet for a moment, and then Louis adds, “I want it to be good for you. I don’t want you to regret anything.”

“I won’t,” Briana whispers. “I promise.”

She smiles at Louis, and it’s clear that they’re doing this, and it’s going to be special, and Louis will do anything he can to make sure that she doesn’t regret this. He sits up in bed for a moment so he can tug off his tee shirt and toss it aside. Briana watches him and licks her lips, one hand playing nervously with the hem of her tank top. Louis notices, and he reaches out to take hold of her hand. “Relax. It’s alright,” Louis whispers.

He rolls over and hooks a leg over one of hers. Their lips meet again, and Louis tries not to put all his weight on top of her as they kiss. Briana threads her fingers into his hair, one hand dropping to his hip. When he rolls his hips down, he can feel her fingernails pressing into his skin in a way that isn’t necessarily painful, but does send a thrill of

something

through him.

As they kiss, Louis finds himself constantly trying not to go too fast; with Briana, he wants to take his time and make it good for her. He doesn’t want her first time to be one she regrets; his was, and he’d never want to do that to another person.

Louis rolls his hips down against hers and this time a soft sound escapes her lips. Leaning away to get a good look at her, Louis sees that her cheeks are flushed and clearly, she’s enjoying herself.

Then, the situation comes back to him. Louis swallows hard and leans away, wiping his thumb over his lower lip at the bit of saliva there. Briana looks up with a little concern, but Louis takes her hand and smiles and says, “Everything is great, I promise.” She looks relieved, and Louis continues, “It’s just… if we’re going to do this, we’d be taking a risk.”

Raising an eyebrow, Briana asks, “What do you mean?”

“The show doesn’t provide any sort of protection,” Louis says, wincing a little out of awkwardness. “And like - I haven’t got any.”

Briana wonders if that’s because he used them all or if he didn’t bring any to start with, but decides she doesn’t want to know. Instead, she just smiles at him and says, “I think that if we’re careful we’ll be fine. I’ve been on birth control for years, now.”

Louis looks unsure and asks, “Will that be enough?”

“I think so,” she nods.

“I can always, like… pull out?” Louis suggests awkwardly.

It’s not his favorite conversation to have, but he wants to do this right. Briana nods and seems to be content enough with their solution. She reaches out to pull him into a kiss and Louis tries to push away any worries he might have. He knows he’s not the first Bachelor to be in this situation, and nobody else has walked away with a baby so it’s very unlikely he would.

Briana is good at distracting him, as well. She kisses him sweetly, playfully, in a way that pushes away any fears or worries Louis might have because he can tell just by the way they touch each other that Briana loves him and trusts him fully.

She slides her hands up his bare chest and around his waist, and Louis holds himself up with one hand so he can let his other hand freely touch her, as well. His hand drifts up her side, a hand cupping her breast, thumb drifting over where her nipple is perky against her tank top. Louis feels her shiver under his touch and he takes a deep breath before he leans back and looks down into her eyes. Oh so gently, he drifts his hands underneath her tank top and slowly pushes it up her body. Briana sits up just enough so they can toss it aside, and her cheeks turn red as she looks away and feels Louis’s eyes on her.

Some of her hair is long enough that it drifts over her shoulders and covers her breasts, but Louis can see enough, and he also knows just how vulnerable she feels and how new this all is for her. “You’re so beautiful, Bria,” Louis whispers as he leans in for a kiss.

Briana seems to curl in a little more on herself, her arms staying close to her sides as though she’s trying to hide her body, but Louis has seen her in a bikini, and that showed off almost as much. “It’s alright,” he whispers, sensing her nervousness. “It’s only me,” he whispers against her lips.

Somewhere between pizza and now, the rain picked up outside and it’s hammering a little harder on the roof of their private top-floor suite. Louis can tell that Briana’s nervousness about her body isn’t going away, though, so in an effort to help her feel more relaxed, he leans away to switch off both lamps - one on each side of the bed. When he returns to Briana and kisses her softly, she already feels more relaxed under his touch. As much as he’d love to look and admire her that way, her comfort is the most important thing to him, and he’s not going to push any boundaries.

Now Briana kisses with a slight sense of urgency, her heart thrumming in her chest and a little burst of confidence in her. Louis smiles when he picks up on it, and softly he starts kissing along her jaw. Her head drops back, her lips parted just the slightest, at the feeling of Louis’s lips in such sensitive places, his perfectly trimmed scruff scratching her up just the right amount. Louis kisses down her neck, pushing her hair out of the way.

Briana’s back arches up just a little at the feeling, and one of her hands reach up to comb through his hair, encouraging him to please, please continue. She hooks one of her legs around his waist and Louis really finds it difficult to keep it slow and to not jump right to the finale. Louis smiles at how much she seems to like this, but he doesn’t stop there.

Louis’s mouth continues to trail downwards, one hand teasing her breast with his hand, the other being teased by his mouth. He mouths down over the curve, tongue flicking out over the nipple, and he hears her gasp as he sees the goosebumps rise on her skin in the glow of light from the street lamps and occasional lightning from outside. Her milky white skin is flushed, he can tell just by the heat of her skin and what he saw in the lightning’s flash.

Clearly Briana is enjoying everything Louis is doing to her, but he can’t stop. He loves seeing how good he can make others feel, loves knowing how easily he can make them fall apart under his touch. Louis feels best in the bedroom when he’s making others feel amazing. He loves that Briana doesn’t hide even a fraction of how she’s feeling. Louis mouths even lower, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her flat stomach. Her breathing is shallow, her chest rising and falling frantically with each breath she takes. Louis feels it under his touch, and drifts one hand up her chest, between her breasts, to feel how hard her heart is pounding in her ribcage.

When he leans away, Briana’s looking down at him, a blissed-out smile on her face. Louis’s hands drift down her sides and he hooks his fingertips in the waistband of her shorts, never looking away, just in case she seems to change her mind. She’s not going to, though; not when the moment feels this beautiful, this perfect. Briana knows that Louis is going to take care of her, and she’s definitely going to let him.

He pulls her shorts down inch by inch over her silky soft legs. She pulls one leg away, leaving the shorts just draped around the other leg. Gently, Louis pulls them off, sliding his hands along her thigh, leaning in to press a scratchy, warm kiss to her inner thigh. He hears her shaky breath and tosses the shorts aside to lean in again, kissing further up her leg, to the wet heat he can feel through her panties.

Louis thinks he hears her whisper the word

please

, but he can’t be sure, and he doesn’t want to make her beg. Not this time, for her first time. Briana’s eyes are dropped closed, her hair a beautiful mess where it splays out over the pillows. The entire moment feels perfect, even if the best view Louis has is through the thin light from outside. Very, very gently, Louis tugs on her panties, sliding his hands along her legs as he slides the last piece of clothing away from her body. Her feet fall to the bed first, her legs bent but meeting at the knees, her self-consciousness drifting back into the moment.

Propping himself up a little higher on his knees, Louis gently eases her legs apart and keeps his gaze focused on her face. He smiles at Briana, who looks up at him with a smile of her own. She looks nervous, but Louis trusts that she’ll say stop if she doesn’t want this after all. When he leans in for a kiss she pours every emotion she can into it. Briana knows she’s in love with Louis, and there’s nobody she’d trust more to share this moment with.

Briana’s hand drift gently down Louis’s sides and rest on the waistband of his sweatpants as they kiss. It’s clear to Louis that Briana wants this and is ready, so with her help he pushes his own sweatpants and underwear down and off his body. They get lost somewhere in the mess of blankets but they’ll worry about that later. Now, Louis’s main concern is making sure Briana has an absolutely amazing first time.

They kiss, slowing things down to a rather lazy, gentle kiss as Louis slides a hand up her thigh. His fingers drift around and down between them and he can feel how warm and wet she is before he even fully touches her. Louis touches her gently, easing in one finger, then two, and Briana’s making soft noises against his lips as he does.

Feeling reassured that he won’t hurt her too much, Louis pulls his hand away and very slowly, much too slowly, lines himself up. Briana has gone a little tense now that she can feel what’s coming next, but Louis pauses everything he’s doing to lean away and look into her eyes. He smiles at her, and he kisses the tip of her nose to get her to smile, and Louis can see the way she relaxes under his touch once more.

Very gently, Louis starts to press forward with his hips. He hears Briana’s breath catch, but she never asks him to stop. Louis watches as her expressions change from surprised, to slight pain, to a look of concentration. “Are you alright, love?” Louis whispers.

Briana nods quickly, and then takes a deep breath. When she opens her eyes, Louis is watching her with such care and adoration that her heart flutters in her chest. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s a stretch, and she needs him to take it slow for just a moment or two so she can adjust.

Louis is the perfect gentleman, peppering gentle kisses along her jaw and down her neck as he shifts his hips just the slightest, nice and slow, letting her get used to it. Briana sighs and wraps her arms around his waist, letting her eyes flutter closed as she feels the discomfort edge away into something far more enjoyable. Louis drifts his kisses back to her lips and smiles as he sees the way she’s grown relaxed beneath him and seems to be enjoying it.

He rocks his hips a little more, pulling nearly all the way out before he gently presses back in. Briana sighs into his ear and Louis smiles, reaching around for her hand. She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer, and happily threads her fingers through his. Louis holds himself up with one hand and holds Briana’s hand with the other. Their lips occasionally meet in a kiss as Louis rocks his hips, increasing in speed ever so slightly each time to get her used to it.

When Briana starts to moan into his ear, Louis begins to lose himself in the moment, content that Briana is going to be alright, that she’s enjoying herself. She holds onto his hand and looks up at him, smiling. Every so often her head will tip back on the pillows, eyes drifting shut as her mouth drops open and she moans, and Louis loves it. He nuzzles at her neck, pressing little kisses as he moans with her.

Her heart thrums hard in her chest, and never before has she felt so in love. Louis feels connected to Briana in a really beautiful way; what they have is special and it’s unlike what Louis has experienced with Jack and Matt. Briana makes him feel stronger, braver, more mature.

And there, in that moment together in their private suite in the Philippines, they feel so connected with each other, so absolutely in love, that Louis knows he won’t be able to find words to describe this after the fact. But he won’t need to, because they’re the only two people who will ever know what happened on this night, and it’s a beautiful thing when they started their relationship so publicly.

When Briana arches her back off the bed and squeezes Louis’s hand, he kisses at her neck and tries not to suck too much of a mark into the skin there as he feels her body tense; he knows she’s close, and his toes start to curl as he feels himself coming close, too. “Louis, I -,” Briana gasps.

She breathes into his ear and squeezes his hand and he can’t hold back any longer. Briana’s toes curl and she moans into his ear, and Louis can feel her coming around him just seconds before his own orgasm hits. Vaguely he remembers to pull out, a little too late, and he gasps at the sudden separation.

They’re both a mess - sweaty and spent, drops of come on Briana’s thigh and hip. She pulls him into a romantic kiss, slow and loving and full of every emotion she could possibly feel. She could burst from it all, and knows she’ll never be able to fully express her emotions to Louis. Still, Briana wants to try, so as they both come down from everything, she moans softly and whispers, “I love you so much.”

Louis smiles and lazily leans in to give her a gentle kiss. Briana is an extraordinary woman, someone he never thought he’d be able to meet because he couldn’t imagine someone quite like her actually existing; she’s quiet but brave, and kind but not afraid to stick up for what’s right. She’s everything Louis could ask for in a partner.

The moment stills and brings them back to reality, a few rumbles of thunder in the distance as Louis gently pulls away from her. Briana’s legs close and she pulls them to her chest as she sits up, watching Louis for a moment as he wanders into the en suite and grabs a cloth. Feeling like she can trust him even more than she already did, Briana leans over and switches on the lamp closest to her side of the bed.

When Louis walks in, he notices what she’s done and feels all the more attracted to her because she’s not afraid to let him see her like this, naked and a mess on the bed. He leans in for a kiss, gently cupping her cheek in his hand, before offering her the cloth so she can get cleaned up. Briana fumbles around and finds her underwear, but can’t figure out where her tank top went to. Louis pulls his clothes from under the blankets and decides to only pull on his underwear and just sleep in those. Spotting Louis’s tee shirt, Briana pulls it on and chooses to just sleep in that. Louis looks so cozy under the blankets and she doesn’t want to be apart from him for any longer.

The storm outside is growing in intensity again, so she’s happy to curl up against him and let the storm rage on around them. Louis leans over her, pressing a kiss to her lips, and switches the lamp off again. As they’re drifting off to sleep, Briana whispers one last time, “I love you,” and Louis pulls her just a little bit closer.

When they wake in the morning, the whole world seems still. The storm has passed and sunlight streams in through the curtains. Louis and Briana are still curled up together in bed, Briana tucked in small next to Louis, in the crook of his arm. They’re cozy, and they only start to wake once they hear a knock on their door. As expected, it’s the cameramen, but the two of them decide to get dressed before letting them in. Briana doesn’t want things to look any certain way when the footage picks up again, and she’ll be much more comfortable if she doesn’t make people ask questions.

She decides to get in the shower while Louis gets dressed and answers the door. He lets the cameramen in while Briana washes up and gets herself comfortable enough to be in front of the cameras again. Louis orders them some room service, too, and the food arrives just as Briana is walking out of the bathroom. She’s got on some simple skinny jeans and a tank top, and she looks refreshed with just the tiniest bit of makeup on. Louis greets her with a hug and a kiss and hands her a cup of coffee before they sit down on the sofa in their room.

Cameras stay focused on them, but Louis doesn’t feel like they need to talk about anything. He and Briana - they’re good. They know where they stand with her family, and Louis knows that together, with cameras or without, they work together. He feels good about what they have as he goes into the rose ceremony and has to think about who he’s going to have to send home.

They share a breakfast of croissants and fruit and coffee together, smiling and talking about the storm the night before, and stuffing their faces with pizza out on the balcony, and Briana thinks they do a pretty good job of dispelling any rumors there might be that the two of them had sex behind closed doors. It’s not that she’s ashamed of what they did, because she’s not. She knows she made the right decision for herself. It’s just that Briana wants that part of her life to remain private, and she doesn’t want to risk getting any sort of bad reputation on this show.

When the time comes to part ways, Briana doesn’t even think about the rose ceremony or the fact that she may not get to stay after this. She doesn’t consider that Louis could have had a night just as spectacular with Jack or Matt; she can’t, at this point, if only for her sanity. Instead, she just puts on a big smile and wraps Louis up in a massive hug as they say their goodbyes.

Louis kisses Briana slowly, sweetly, hoping she understands that he genuinely cares about her. “I’ll see you soon, love,” Louis says to her as they say goodbye at the door.

Smiling, Briana nods and says, “Yes, soon.”

Wistfully, she watches Louis walk out the door and away from the hotel suite. She waves at him and he waves back before he turns a corner and disappears from sight, and that’s that. Briana takes a deep breath and wonders if she did enough to keep her in this, to make her way to the next week. It’s a scary thought, thinking that after everything, she might still be dumped.

Choosing to keep her thoughts focused on the positive, Briana thinks about all the amazing things that she and Louis have gotten to do and share as a couple, and she braces herself with those happy thoughts as she starts to get ready for the rose ceremony that will take place that evening, out on the beach in the Philippines.

---

Each week Louis goes into the rose ceremony saying that he’s not ready, that he’s making the hardest decision of his life, and yet each week things get even more challenging. After the fantasy suites, the time alone together with each individual remaining, Louis feels even more confused than he did before this. Saying goodbye to Danielle had been hard but now he has to say goodbye to yet another person and the thought breaks his heart.

They’re gathered out on a beautiful beach at sunset, but Louis feels anything but calm and serene in such a picturesque place. As Louis approaches the beach, he can see where three incredibly amazing individuals stand in the sand, waiting nervously for Louis to arrive. This week is massive - arguably even more important than the weeks leading up to this point. The two people who get roses this week will get to meet Louis’s family. They’ll get to meet the people most important to Louis and come one step closer to an engagement.

Steve walks with Louis to the set where Louis is definitely taking his time walking towards. He doesn’t know what to say or do; he feels incredibly overwhelmed with the task that lay ahead. Louis looks worriedly between all three of the people who remain, and he hopes that Steve will say something to break the tension.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the last rose ceremony of this journey,” Steve begins. “As you know, this week marks another important milestone. The two of you who receive roses this week will move on to the final week, where you will be introduced to Louis’s family. Receiving a rose this week signifies that he is ready to take that next step with you. After you meet his family, Louis will say goodbye to one of you and propose to the other. Whether you accept the proposal will be entirely up to you. But all this lays ahead in the next seven days, so it will be a very exciting, emotional time.”

Louis wrings his hands. The next few days are going to be so emotional he’s a little bit afraid. He knows he’s going to look a bit weak on television. “But to get there, Louis needs to hand out the final two roses,” Steve says, finishing his speech. He steps back and gestures to to the pedestal holding only two roses. “Louis, when you’re ready.”

Taking a deep breath, Louis nods and slowly reaches over for a rose. He picks it up and looks at it for a moment. He needs to stay confident in his decisions, even though his chest aches as he thinks about hurting someone. He scans his eyes over the three people standing in front of him: Jack, who has a less than perfect home life, but a massive heart and such adoration for Louis. Matt, who knows exactly what he wants and how Louis fits into those plans. Briana, who makes Louis feel like he’s on top of the world. Each of them brings something different and special to his life. He can’t imagine saying goodbye to any of them.

“Bria.”

Louis is confident in this decision; he knows that he wants to take this next step with her, and there wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that as he went into the rose ceremony. Briana is kind and sweet and generous and while she may be timid, she’s one of the strongest people Louis has ever met. He’s ready for her to meet his family, to see where this goes.

She holds her sparkling light blue gown and walks towards him in the sand. Briana’s smiling and has the greatest look of relief on her face. Louis holds out the rose and asks, “Will you accept this rose?”

Nodding, Briana takes the rose and wraps Louis up in a hug. “Thank you,” she whispers.

She looks so relaxed as she walks back to her place in line, between Jack and Matt. Meanwhile, those two men look incredibly worried and confused, and Louis feels his chest tighten uncomfortably as he looks between them. He’s talked this through with the writers, though, and he knows what the next step should be. Louis knows what needs to be done, and that the pain now will lead to much happiness on everyone’s part later.

With a trembling hand, Louis reaches over for the only other rose he’ll be handing out that afternoon. He takes a deep breath and tries to stop the ache in his stomach. He feels a bit dizzy, like he’s going to be sick, because of what he’s going to do.

“Matt.”

Jack’s whole frame deflates and he looks down at the ground as Matt steps forward towards Louis. He’s smiling, bright and dashing, and keeps his full focus on Louis as he asks, “Will you accept this rose?”

“Absolutely,” Matt replies.

Their fingers brush as Matt takes the rose, and Louis folds into a hug with him, his head on his shoulder. Matt is always a comfort - he has been from the start - but Louis still feels ill. He will until he gets a chance to talk to Jack.

When Matt goes back to stand with the other two, Steve reappears. “Jack, please take a moment to say your goodbyes,” he instructs.

Before he ever gives his attention to Louis, Jack turns to his side where Briana is watching him nervously. She can sense how difficult this was for him, and that friendship and protectiveness they formed between each other earlier in the process hasn’t gone away. Briana and Jack share a long hug there on the beach, Briana trying to impart as much comfort to Jack as she can.

They hug for a few moments and then Matt steps in to offer a hug as well. Louis waits patiently for his turn, and when Jack finally turns to face him, Louis’s chest aches. Jack looks devastated, but like he’s trying not to be, for Louis’s sake.

Louis reaches out for Jack and gives him a hug, and nobody says a word. Briana and Matt stand off to the side, watching while also trying to give them privacy for a moment alone. Very softly, Louis whispers, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Jack whispers. He blinks a few times as he leans back, to lock eyes with Louis. “I… I’m sure there’s an explanation but…”

“There is,” Louis insists. “I’m -,”

“No,” Jack shakes his head. He presses his fingertips to his eyes, trying to fight back tears. “I can’t handle the explanation right now. Soon. In a bit. Please.”

“How long?” Louis wonders.

Shaking his head again, Jack says, “I don’t know. Maybe the next time we see each other.”

Louis is quiet. There’s always a reunion show that’s filmed after the show airs on television, but that’s a whole six months away, and Louis isn’t sure they should wait quite so long. “Are you sure you want to wait that long?” Louis asks. He looks around and sees a car waiting up on the street by the beach, a bench nearby the car. “Why don’t we go and sit? Talk about it?”

“I can’t,” Jack says as he shakes his head.

That puts a massive frown on Louis’s face. He hadn’t expected this sort of reaction from Jack. He’s always been so understanding - and he is, in a way - but Louis had hoped to be able to explain himself, and it’s difficult for him to wrap his head around the fact that Jack isn’t ready for that yet.

“Can I walk you out, then?” Louis asks. He can’t say goodbye yet.

Jack sniffles and looks up at the sky, really trying to fight off his tears, but it’s so hard. Opening up to other people hasn’t always come easy to Jack, and at the start he had to work through a lot of anxiety he felt in order to really show Louis who he was and what they could share one day. He eventually nods and lets Louis take his hand.

Together they walk up the hill, Jack trying desperately to hold himself together in front of Louis. He’s not mad; he knows how this show works, what the process is, and that this was probably coming. He’s been bracing himself for this ever since the hometown date that most definitely did not go according to plan. But living through it is still difficult, no matter how much he tried to prepare for it, and Louis isn’t going to be able to provide comfort because he’s the reason Jack is hurting in the first place.

They reach the bench by the curb, next to where the fancy black car is waiting to take Jack to the airport, to send him back to Michigan where he’ll inevitably be greeted with a chorus of

I told you so’

s. He’s definitely going to have to take the job transfer to New York, Jack already knows - just so he can escape his family and their inevitable reactions.

Louis tries to lead Jack over, but Jack shakes his head and says, “I should really just go.”

When their eyes meet, Louis’s whole chest constricts painfully because he can see the wetness welling in Jack’s eyes and the way he’s trying so hard to stay strong and not break down right there in front of him. Louis holds out his open arms and Jack hugs him without reserve; this he knows, and this he can do. He can hug because then he doesn’t need to speak. He doesn’t have to risk saying something stupid or having a breakdown in front of Louis. “We’ll talk soon,” Louis says softly.

Jack doesn’t reply. He sniffles when they break apart, and Jack stares at the ground as Louis opens the car door for him, to help him in. There’s so much Louis wants to say - to tell Jack how extraordinary he is, and how much he wishes for his happiness - but he respects Jack when he says

no, not now,

and is sure he has a good reason for wanting to wait.

As the car pulls away from the curb, Jack turns away from the door and props his elbow up on the armrest, hiding his face. There’s a camera facing him, and one of the many interviewers ready to grill him with questions, but he’s exhausted from holding back tears. He lets a few fall down his cheeks as he takes a deep breath.

The interviewer asks him how he feels, and what he’s thinking, and Jack knows that talking about it is only going to make him cry more, and he hates crying. He’s a grown man, having a breakdown on television over being dumped - it’s humiliating. But he’s got to do his part and at least offer

some

explanation. “I love him,” Jack says simply. “I love him and I did everything in my power to show him that and try to prove that we could be a really great couple, but…” Jack shakes his head.

He has streaks of tears down his cheeks, and his eyelashes are long and wet as he blinks and looks up at a camera that’s aimed right at his face. “I think it was my family, honestly. Louis was such a good sport about it, but they’re a nightmare…” Jack shakes his head. “I’m glad my brother was there to try to fix things but in the end Louis probably felt really unwelcome and there’s nothing I could do about that.”

Jack wipes at his eyes and sighs. “I just want him to be happy. As much as it sucks that he won’t be happy with me… I just want him to do what’s best for him,” Jack says finally.

The interviewer asks him who he thinks Louis should choose, and Jack lets out a dry laugh. “That’s easy,” he says. “Briana.”

Back at the beach, Louis watches the car drive away and swallows around a lump in his throat. He’d had so much he wanted to say to Jack, so many things he’d wanted to tell him, explanations he’d wanted to give, reassurances that this hadn’t had anything to do with his family. Louis was sure that’s what Jack thought was happening. Instead, Jack was gone, and Louis had all these thoughts and emotions and words bottled up in him and now he had nowhere to put them.

He’s coaxed by a crew member to walk back to the beach, and Louis takes his time in doing so. Matt and Briana walk towards him and wrap him up in a hug right away, the three of them standing there together in the moonlight in the sand, sharing a warm embrace. Louis leans away first, and he laughs dryly as he sees someone offering them champagne. Of course the show wants them to celebrate, expects Louis to push away all his emotions and put on a smile so soon after breaking up with Jack.

But for the sake of television, he does, and he holds up his glass of champagne. “To one final week on this journey,” Louis says in toast. “I’m excited to take both of you with me to Amsterdam, where you’ll get to meet my family. They’re the most important people in my life, and it’s very important to me that you meet them and everyone gets along.” Matt and Briana toast with Louis and smile for the cameras as they sip their drinks.

Inside, though, all three are filled with a fear and apprehension unlike anything they’ve experienced so far. Whatever the next week holds, it’s going to be intense, and it’s either going to be the best week of the process, or the worst, and the uncertainty is difficult for everyone.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Louis feels countless butterflies in his stomach as he stands in a light gray knit jumper, hands covered by the ends of the sleeves, enjoying the beautiful autumn views in Amsterdam. It’s insane to think that this is the tenth and final week of his journey as The Bachelor, and that by the end of this week, he’ll hopefully be engaged. There are two very deserving people remaining, and Louis is both nervous and excited to introduce them to his family.

The first person he gets to see in Amsterdam is Briana, and as he stands on a bridge over the canals, he looks out for her. There are cameras already filming, and Louis knows that in a few moments she’s going to appear in one of the crowds and greet him.

Briana walks through the streets of Amsterdam, still shocked that she’s made it this far. She’s wearing skinny jeans and a striped pale blue and white sweater, thick soled white sneakers on her feet. Her hair is in curls over her shoulder and she’s absolutely glowing as she approaches Louis where he stands on one of the many canal bridges.

They smile at each other, eyes sparkling, hearts full of joy, and when she reaches Louis, she gives him a massive hug. “I missed you,” Louis whispers, even though he saw her just a few short days ago.

“I missed you, too,” Briana replies.

She leans back just enough so she can reach him to give him a kiss. Louis kisses her, sweet and slow, and when he pulls away, he says, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Briana blushes and bites back the words on the tip of her tongue. There’s honestly nowhere she’d rather be than right there next to Louis. “It’s going to be a big day,” she says instead, trying to quell the nervousness bubbling up inside her.

Louis nods. “It is, but you’ve got nothing to be nervous about,” he says, already knowing where her thoughts have gone. “My family is so lovely, and they’re going to adore you. You’ll fit right in.”

She gives him another hug, hoping to god that he’s right about that. She wants to make a good impression on them, and hopefully it’ll mean she’s meeting the very people who could become a part of her family, as well. Briana still doesn’t believe how she’s managed to get this far in the process, how she’s made such a connection with Louis in just a few short months.

“And until then?” she asks, gazing around at the beautiful city they’ve found.

Louis grins at her. “Until then, I thought we could grab some tea and then go for a walk, get some street food?” he suggests.

Briana nods and smiles, “That sounds wonderful.”

She still can’t believe she’s traveled to quite so many amazing places and spent so much alone time with Louis. It feels like a dream; when she’s done on the show, whether she’s with or without Louis, she’s not going to know how to live such a mundane life like what she did before the show.

Louis takes Briana’s hand and leads her down the sidewalk of the city. It’s a beautiful, sunny autumn day, and Louis couldn’t have asked for anything better. There’s a cafe not far from where they met up, so Louis leads her inside and teaches her how to make his favorite kind of tea. She likes it, and he cheers with joy before ordering one for her as well. Briana laughs and sips at the tea, and Louis likes being able to share one of his favorite drinks with her.

As they walk through the city, there’s a buzz around them, and Briana keeps glancing over at Louis like she can’t believe she’s here with him. It’s a beautiful day outside and they’re both glowing as they wander together. “We should get some food from a food stall,” Louis says. “Do any look good?”

They wander from one of the sidewalks and into a square buzzing with people. Briana steps a little closer to Louis, feeling a bit overwhelmed at the big city around them. She glances from stall to stall and shakes her head. “I don’t know,” she says. “I don’t know what these things are.”

Louis smiles. “Let’s walk around and look for something delicious,” he suggests.

She nods, and at his suggestion, Louis and Briana walk a little closer to the stalls, the smells of all the delicious foods floating towards them. They make a bit of a face when they walk past a stall selling herring, but just down the way, Briana spots a stall that looks promising. “What about that?” she says, pointing to a stall that looks to be selling little wafer cookies.

They look at what other people are eating as they approach, and when one person bites into the thin, round wafer, they see that it oozes something stuffed in the middle. “Is that caramel sauce?” Louis asks.

Someone eating the treat looks up and nods at them, and Louis thanks them. “So it’s like, a wafer cookie with caramel inside,” Louis observes.

“The sign says…” Briana hesitates before she tries to pronounce, “Stroopwafel?”

Louis and Briana laugh together because they have no idea if she’s pronounced it correctly, and it sounds a bit silly. He orders for them and hands over some money for the snacks, and together they take their snacks and tea over to one of the table set up in the square. They sit down next to each other and Louis’s hand falls to Briana’s leg as soon as he’s set his things on the table.

“So what do you think of Amsterdam so far?” Louis asks.

Briana smiles. “It’s gorgeous,” she says. “I’m a little nervous for today, but I’m really glad I’m here. I know that this has all been hard for you.”

Louis looks at Briana, both surprised and pleased by how thoughtful she is about the situation. Most people would only think about themselves but Louis feels lucky that he’s been able to meet a whole group of really selfless, kind individuals who care both about themselves and their competitors. “It is difficult, but in the end, this is going to be good for me,” Louis says. “And I know that even if the steps along the way feel painful for you lot, they’re going to pay off in the end. Teach you new things, somehow.”

“Yeah,” Briana nods. “I’m a different person than I was when we first met.”

Louis smiles, pleased by her statement. “You’re so brave,” he says. “I’ve always been impressed by that.”

Briana blushes and says, “I just… I guess when I’m around you, I don’t want to be scared or sit things out, that’s all.”

“That’s really incredible though, Bria,” Louis insists. “I’m really proud of you.”

She smiles at Louis and rolls her eyes a bit; she’s never been all that great at accepting praise. Louis catches on to that right away, so instead he holds up his stroopwafel and winks at her before he takes a bite. A bit of the caramel syrup drips down his chin, but he wipes it off and smiles as he chews on the treat. Briana decides to try hers, too, and has the same problem. They laugh together, and they must really love the snacks because in just a few minutes, they manage to finish them off.

When they’re done, they’ve got just the slightest bit of tea left, and as they sip their tea, Briana asks, “So, are all your siblings here?”

Louis glances over. He hasn’t told her about his family, and he probably should have at this point. “Yeah, all six of them,” he says with a smile. “Then there’s also both of my stepdads, and my grandfather.”

Briana can see a bit of sadness on Louis’s face, and she scoots a little closer to him as she asks, “Your mom’s father?”

“Yeah,” Louis nods. “He knows her better than anyone. It’s really important to me that he got to meet you. Plus, he’s been helping my stepdad loads with the kids while I’ve been away.”

“He must be an amazing guy,” Briana says, smiling.

“He is.” Louis looks over at Briana and sighs. “My family is a bit complicated, so I apologize for that. I adore them all, though, and it’s going to go great.”

Briana reaches for Louis’s hand and says, “I’m sure it’ll be amazing. I hope your sisters like me.”

“They’ll love you,” Louis reassures her.

She smiles, and a question comes to mind that she really wants to ask, but wonders if it’s inappropriate. Deciding to just go for it, because they have time, she asks, “What happened to your birth father?”

Louis’s expression drops, but he doesn’t look like he’s going to shy away from the question. He looks at Briana and he knows he can trust her, but talking about him has never been easy. After he takes a deep breath, Louis explains, “He and my mum were never married. They split about a week after I was born? Two weeks, maybe? And that was that. Never saw him again. Never even heard from him. Until a few weeks ago.”

Concerned, Briana asks, “What happened?”

“Well, he’d seen me on the telly,” Louis sighs. “He wanted to get back in touch.” He’s quiet when he confesses, “I think he wants to try to ride on whatever… fame or whatever he thinks I’m gonna get from this.”

It’s true; a lot of people seek fame by going on reality television, and quite often their family members try to ride on that fame as well. Many previous Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants have done just that. But Briana has known from the start that Louis was trying to take the entire process seriously, that he couldn’t care less about the fame. “That’s terrible,” she says softly. She couldn’t imagine someone trying to use someone else for fame. It broke her heart to know that Louis had someone like that in his life. “What did you say?”

“I told him to sod off,” Louis says with a dry laugh. “That if he didn’t want me for twenty-five years, I wasn’t gonna let him start caring now.”

Briana wants to smile, because that sounds like a very Louis-like reaction, but she knows it’s hard for him. After a small pause, she says, “I think you did the right thing. He doesn’t deserve to be able to know someone as amazing as you. Not after so many years of silence.”

Louis looks into Briana’s eyes and for a moment, he wonders whether he’s dreaming this because she’s being so genuinely sweet and understanding. “Thank you,” he whispers finally, before leaning in for a soft kiss.

The moment settles, and Louis feels much better about everything, especially having that reassurance from Briana that he hadn’t been too harsh, that he’d made the right call in telling his birth father to go away. Louis finishes off his tea and asks in a far cheerier voice, “How about we get going? Are you ready to meet everyone?”

“Yeah,” Briana nods, beaming.

She’s actually incredibly nervous to meet Louis’s whole family, but it’s the last major step before hopefully getting engaged, and she doesn’t want to waste her opportunity. She hopes that Louis’s sisters take a liking to her, and that his stepfathers and his grandfather approve of her, because she truly loves Louis and wants to spend her life with him.

Louis leads Briana to a car where they climb in and will be taken out of the city center, to a gorgeous home that the show rented for Louis’s family to stay in for a few days while they meet and host the two people remaining, that Louis needs to choose between. The home is massive and fits all members of Louis’s family comfortably, and there’s even a chef on hand to cook them the dinner they’ll all be eating together.

It puts butterflies in Louis’s stomach, thinking about the fact that he’s about to take another massive step with Briana, to introduce her to his family. When they arrive, his heart is pounding hard against his rib cage, and he almost feels ill for it all as he leads her up to the front door. Now Louis understands what Briana felt when she brought Louis home to meet her family. He hadn’t imagined it was quite this nerve-racking.

As soon as they walk through the doors, Briana gets a little overwhelmed because people rush over to say hello and introduce themselves. Louis is smiling brightly, his eyes crinkling at the corners and he can barely see, they’re closed so tightly from his bright smiling. Seeing Louis’s happiness puts Briana at ease, and she tries her very best to remember names she’s being told as people hug her and invite her in.

“Alright, alright, give her some air,” says an elderly gentleman at the back of the group. He’s got a small boy on his hip, who’s sucking his thumb and looking quite shy. “It’s lovely to meet you, Bria,” the man adds, looking quite jovial.

“Thanks,” Briana says softly. “It’s nice to meet you all, too.” She squeezes Louis’s hand and takes a little step closer to him. “I promise I’ll try to remember everyone’s names.”

“It’s alright,” smiles one of the teenage twins - Daisy or Phoebe. “There’s a lot of us.”

“D’you want to come in?” offers one of the men standing in the doorway.

Nodding, Briana replies, “Yeah, that’d be great.”

“I’ll grab some drinks,” Lottie offers, and goes with a young looking man to the kitchen.

Louis leads Briana to the lounge, where the two of them have a seat on a small sofa and the rest of the family sits around them on other pieces of furniture. The little ones get down to play, and Louis leans over to say, “Those two there are Ernest and Doris. The youngest ones. Their dad is Dan, right over there.” Louis points, and Dan waves kindly, a smile on his face. “And the man over there who was holding Ernie earlier is my granddad Leonard. My mum’s dad.”

Briana smiles at them, and then one by one Louis introduces everyone. Lottie and the guy who Briana assumes is Lottie’s boyfriend come out with a tray full of stemless wine glasses, some with red wine, others with white. Briana takes a cup of red wine and Louis takes a cup of white wine, and they pass them out to everyone old enough to be drinking. “Cheers to finally meeting everyone,” Louis says with a grin.

The group cheers, glasses clinking together, and as they settle in, Louis points everyone out again. The guy who helped Lottie with the drinks is in fact her boyfriend, Tommy, and Louis puts names to all the faces. Briana tries very hard to remember all the names - especially how to tell Daisy and Phoebe apart - and will hopefully remember the rest of the day.

After a few minutes of talking about what they did that morning and how the journey has been so far, Fizzy speaks up and asks, “Bria, can we go chat?”

Briana glances at Louis, and then nods to Fizzy and says, “Sure.”

They walk together out of the lounge and into a room down the hall. It’s a brightly lit office space, lots of natural light streaming in from the wall of windows opposite the sofa where they sit down. The wall behind Briana is lined with books; she sat there on purpose so she wouldn’t accidentally get distracted reading the spines of all the books in the room. Fizzy sits with her, and after a few moments, Fizzy speaks up. “You’re quiet,” she observes.

Briana’s face turns red and she fumbles with her glass of wine for a moment before she says, “I’m sorry. It’s just…”

“How you are?” Fizzy finishes for her. Briana nods. “It’s alright,” smiles Fizzy. “I’m sort of the same way. My siblings are all much better at talking to people than I am.”

“Mine too,” Briana agrees. She takes a deep breath and the room is quiet for a moment. “So… what do you want to know?”

Fizzy adjusts on the sofa, tucking her legs up underneath her. “I mean, there are all the cliche questions about whether you love him and what your future looks like and everything, but… I dunno. Tell me about you. Tell me what you love,” Fizzy prompts.

Briana shrugs. Her request is so easy and yet it’s really not. Briana isn’t good at talking about herself and making others see her as something amazing and spectacular. “There’s not much to say,” Briana confesses. She feels like honesty is the very best way to go with Fizzy. “I’m a cosmetologist, and I do some styling but it’s really hard to do that sort of work in Los Angeles. To get into it. Once you’re in, you’re gold.” Fizzy nods along as she listens. “I have my family, my best friend… we go to the beach, we go to clubs sometimes… I read in my spare time.” Briana reaches up to nervously twist one of her curls around her finger. “I’ve lived in LA my whole life, so this is all very new to me.”

“Traveling?” Fizzy asks.

“No,” Briana says, but then backtracks and says, “Sort of. My family mostly just travels within California. We went to Hawaii a couple of times, and my mom and I took a trip to Greece. It’s more of like… imagining a life outside of America. That’s a very new thing. I never thought it’d ever be a possibility.”

“And now it is,” Fizzy finishes for her. Briana nods. “Is that what you want?” Fizzy wonders. “To move to England?”

Briana smiles. “I’d do anything for Louis,” she admits. “And it’s not as though I can’t find my line of work out here. I may have to take a new test to get my license but for cosmetology that’s easy.”

“Without Louis, do you think you’d make a move like that?”

Briana doesn’t hesitate before she shakes her head. “No way,” she says simply. “It’s not that I don’t want to, I just never dreamed something like that for myself. When I was younger, I said when I moved out of my parents’ house, it’d be to like… Calbasas or something. Which isn’t that far from LA.” She laughs a bit at her naivety and then says, “Louis makes me feel like I can do stuff I don’t usually do, like face my fears and move halfway across the globe. I’ve never found someone like that before.”

Fizzy nods, though she has a few questions about the dynamic Briana and Louis seem to have in their relationship. She smiles at Briana and says, “Louis is honestly amazing. I can tell he makes you very happy.”

“He does,” Briana nods. She doesn’t have any hesitations about that; she knows she’s in love with Louis, and is confident in her feelings for him.

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

Again, Briana looks very self assured and confident in what she’s saying, and Fizzy can tell. It’s clear just how much of a connection Briana and Louis have, at least from talking to Briana. Being so level-headed, though, Fizzy definitely wants to talk to Louis and figure out what he’s thinking about the relationship.

They make a bit of small talk once Fizzy changes the subject to the books on the shelf behind Briana. They bond over their mutual love of reading, and then they’re told by crew members to go join the rest of the family. The hired chef has put together a massive meal for the whole family to sit and enjoy together.

Briana takes a seat next to Louis, who gives her a kiss on the cheek and asks her how she’s doing. Briana smiles and insists she’s doing great, though she’s grateful for the reprieve from one on one conversations. The lunch is amazing, even though Briana’s not quite sure of everything she’s eating.

They talk about Briana’s job, ask her about her family, and all the standard sorts of questions like that. Briana answers everything sweetly, and she’s only asked to speak up once, so it feels like a success for her.

As Louis helps his stepdad Mark clean up after dinner, they get a chance to talk privately. Briana is off talking to Daisy, Phoebe, and Lottie. Lottie’s boyfriend Tommy is helping to clean up as well, and together they mill around the dining room and kitchen whilst chatting. “So, you really like her, huh?” Tommy asks.

“Yeah, she’s great,” Louis nods. “She’s really sweet. What do you think of her?”

Louis glances over at Mark, who has been oddly quiet all day. “D’you want my honest opinion?” Mark asks.

He sets some glasses into the dishwasher and then faces Louis. Louis senses that something is up, so he sets the pile of plates down on the counter. “Yeah, please,” Louis nods.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think she’s a very sweet girl,” Mark begins. “It’s just that… she seems a bit…” he wrestles for the word. “Tame.”

Confused, Louis asks, “Tame?”

“I can see it,” Tommy agrees.

“Yeah, like, I always saw you with someone a bit more lively. Someone who could give you a run for your money,” Mark explains. “I want you to be happy and if she makes you happiest, obviously I support that. I’m always going to support you. But I just wonder if maybe -,”

“Regret it?” Louis asks darkly.

“No, not at all,” Mark insists. “I just… you need to think about life after this. She’s always lived in her safe little world in LA. And there’s nothing wrong with that, because you’ve done the very same thing in Donny and that really works for some people. But after all this travel, when all is said and done, what will life really be like?”

Tommy leans against the counter, standing between the two of them. “Is she gonna be able to adjust to that much? This all has been pretty temporary so far,” Tommy adds.

Louis frowns. “I think she can adjust. She’s really strong. Stronger than she appears,” Louis argues.

“It’s not that I don’t think she’s strong,” Mark says. “It’s just that I know

you

. And I know sometimes you need some excitement in your life, otherwise you get bored and do something stupid -,”

“...like those tattoos,” Tommy chimes in. Louis rolls his eyes.

“And I want you to think about how much of that she would be able to handle,” Mark finishes, ignoring Tommy’s little interjection. “How much excitement does she bring to your life, and how much excitement have you brought to hers?”

Louis frowns. He crosses his arms and rather than finishing his job of cleaning up, he hops up on the counter. There’s a knock in the doorframe behind them and Louis looks over his shoulder, trying not to look too dark-faced in fear that he’ll find Briana standing behind them. He really hopes it’s not her, if only because he doesn’t want to hear anyone speaking any concerns about her.

Thankfully, it’s Fizzy, who sees the sadness on Louis’s face right away. She wanders in and gives Louis a hug before she says, “I know you don’t want to hear it, but they have a point.”

That’s not what Louis wants to hear. Fizzy leads Louis over to the table, which has now been cleared, and the four of them sit down together for a chat. “I think she’s a lovely girl,” Fizzy says. “We’d be so happy to have her in the family. Please don’t doubt that.”

Louis looks disbelieving.

“It’s a big move you’re asking her to make,” Tommy says. “You’re sure she’s good with that?”

“She is,” Louis nods. “Ask her yourself. We’ve talked about all of this.”

Fizzy puts a hand on Louis’s shoulder and tries to get him to relax. Once he takes a breath, she says, “Look. She’s really great. I got along with her

so

well and I can’t tell you how much the other girls are getting on with her right now. She’d fit right in. And I know that you two would have a very happy life together.”

“So what’s the problem?” Louis asks.

“There’s no problem, per se,” Mark insists. “Honestly. We just want to be sure you’re happy in the future. We want you to pick the right person, just like you want.”

“So you don’t think that’s her?” Louis presses.

“Not at all,” Fizzy says, rather firmly. “We really like her. We do. We just want to be sure that neither of you are left wishing you’d done a little bit more or been a little more adventurous. Maybe after we meet the guy, we’ll change our tune. Maybe he’ll make it more obvious why you’re with Briana. I don’t know.”

“Either way,” Mark says, looking at Louis and waiting until they lock eyes before he adds, “We are going to love and support you and whomever you choose to be with, and will always be here for both of you.”

Louis feels a little better at that, and understands completely where their concerns are coming from. It’s true that sometimes he seeks more adventure and maybe Briana won’t give him that, but at the same time, they make each other better and stronger. Together, they both try new things and get more adventurous so maybe whatever Mark is worried about won’t even be an issue. It’ll take time to figure that out, though.

The four of them walk into the living room where Briana is sitting and smiling and laughing with Lottie, Daisy, and Phoebe. Doris and Ernest are lying down on a sofa near the window, napping with Leonard sitting between them. He joins in the conversation from time to time, but mostly leaves it to the girls. They even show her some photos of Louis’s mum, and tell her stories about how amazing Jay was.

Briana looks up and smiles at Louis as soon as he walks in, and he loves that look she gets on her face anytime he walks in. It makes it clear to him that she cares very much about him. Louis sits down with Tommy and Mark and the group chats a little more before it’s time for the day to end. Briana had an amazing time with everyone and says so in her own soft, timid way as she gives them hugs goodbye.

Louis can tell the day was very overwhelming for her, because Briana looks a little exhausted and worn out as they walk outside to the car that’s waiting for her. Louis gets to stay in this house with his family before he brings Matt over the next day, but Briana will be going back to the hotel she’s staying at in the city center.

They stand together in an embrace outside the car, and Briana looks into Louis’s eyes as they say their goodbye. Her eyes are a bit glassy, like she’s about to cry, and Louis leans in to try to kiss that sadness away. This is the last time they’ll see each other before the final rose ceremony. It makes Louis’s heart twist painfully but he knows this is the way the process works.

He has no idea how the next family date will go, or how he’s going to possibly make his decision. He cares deeply about both of them, and in this moment, he wants Briana to know just how much he cares. Louis leans in for a kiss and says, “My family adored you. Just like I said they would.”

They kiss again and Briana smiles, her arms draped over Louis’s shoulders. Her stomach is in knots and she smiles at him before saying, “I love you. Thank you for letting me meet them.”

“Oh of course,” Louis smiles. “I’m glad we got to do this today. It was amazing.”

Nodding, Briana says, “Yeah, it was.”

They share another kiss, this one more heated, and it lingers for a few moments. When Briana pulls away, she knows that this is it. This is the last moment they’ll see each other before the final rose ceremony, where he’ll either break up with her or propose to her. It’s difficult to think about, but it’s the reality of their situation.

“I’ll see you soon,” Louis says softly.

Briana nods, unable to find words anymore. It’s hard to step away knowing that this could be the last time they stand together as a couple, ever. She likes to think they have a stronger bond than that, though. Louis opens the door for her and helps her into the car, and then that’s it. Louis waves as the car pulls away, and he takes a deep breath, bracing himself for tomorrow.

--

Louis wakes up the next morning feeling quite nervous for what comes next. It’s the last date of the entire process, before he chooses who to propose to. It’s an important day, because he gets to introduce Matt to his family, and then ask his family for their advice in this final decision of the process. While they had their reservations about Briana, they still really liked her and thought she’d be a good fit for Louis. But they still had to meet Matt.

After getting ready in a pale blue jumper with too-long sleeves and a neckline that hangs just so over Louis’s collarbones, Louis gets into a cab that takes him into the city center to meet up with Matt and spend some time alone with him before they go back to the house so Matt can meet the family. They get caught in traffic so by the time Louis gets out of the car, Matt is already there and waiting.

Matt smiles brightly as soon as he sees Louis, and they beam as they wrap each other in a warm embrace. “Hey,” Louis says into Matt’s shoulder.

“Hi there,” Matt says. “You look amazing.” As he leans away from the hug, he puts a hand on Louis’s shoulder, his thumb brushing over the bare bit of collarbone Louis’s jumper shows off. “I think this is my favorite thing you’ve ever worn.”

“More than the fancy suits?” Louis asks.

“Definitely,” Matt nods.

Matt looks handsome as well, in his gray henley and black leather jacket. He looks strong and lean, and Louis is always a little caught by surprise at how intense Matt’s eyes are, and how lovely his smile is. Matt leans in for a kiss to pull Louis’s thoughts back to reality, and then he asks, “What are we doing today?”

“Well, I thought we could go for a walk, have a snack, and then go to the house?” Louis suggests. “Everyone’s really excited to meet you.”

“I’m excited to meet them, too,” Matt replies. “Especially the little ones.”

“Oh yeah?” Louis asks.

Matt nods. “Kids love me, and I love kids. It’s gonna be amazing.”

“Well,” Louis says as he slides his hand into Matt’s. They start walking through the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam, happily chatting and walking hand in hand. “Don’t be too upset if Ernest doesn’t take to you. He’s incredibly shy. I think Doris will warm up to you right away, though.”

Matt smiles. “It’s alright. I know every kid is different.”

Louis looks up at Matt and feels so grateful that he’s even had the opportunity to get to know him. Just like Briana, Matt makes Louis feel like he’s on top of the world. The relationship they have and the connection they share gives Louis so much happiness and confidence. He can’t imagine a life without either of them, which is going to make the final decision incredibly difficult for Louis.

“You wanna get some food?” Matt asks as they walk past a couple of food stalls. “I hear their fries are amazing here.”

“Sure,” Louis nods.

They walk up to a food stall selling cones of fries, and Matt orders one for them to share. It’s loaded with fries, and then topped with the Dutch’s signature fry topping: mayonnaise. Matt adds some ketchup on top as well, and then they continue on their walk, down a quieter sidewalk, along one of the canals. “So, I get to meet people today and that’s awesome, but I don’t get to meet your mom,” Matt says softly. “I was wondering… and you can say no if it’s too hard, that’s fine… would you tell me about her?”

Matt’s question takes Louis by surprise. Briana had learned a little about Jay the day before, but this was the first time anyone in this process had asked Louis to really open about his mom and to talk about her. Clearly, Matt wants to know every aspect of Louis’s family, even the people who aren’t with him any longer. Louis must pause longer than he thinks he does, because Matt is apologizing for his question when Louis fully returns to the situation. “No, Matt, it’s fine,” Louis insists. He gestures to a bench on a little bridge that crosses a canal, and the two of them sit down there together. “I would love to tell you about her.”

And so he does. Louis talks about how she’d been the only adult in his life for years, how she’d met Mark and only agreed to be with him after he was so willing to take Louis in as his own. He talks about all the special moments they shared, the cooking together in the kitchen, the inside jokes they shared, the way they spent every possible moment together after she’d been diagnosed. Louis tears up as he talks, but he doesn’t want to hide this side of himself from Matt. This is just a part of who he is, a part of his family, and he feels so incredibly floored that Matt wanted to know so much about her.

Matt wraps his arm around Louis’s shoulder and holds him to his torso as Louis talks, and when Louis finishes and takes a deep, shuddering breath, Matt lays his head atop Louis’s gently. “Thank you,” Matt whispers. “I’m sorry I never got to meet her. She sounds like an amazing woman.”

“She was,” Louis sighs. There’s pure sadness in his voice as he says it. “She would’ve loved you, I’m sure of it.”

That statement means so much to Matt, and he doesn’t quite have words to say in response. So instead, Matt kisses the top of Louis’s head and they sit in silence for a few moments.

Louis sits up a little straighter then, dabbing at his eyes to try to push that sadness away. This day is meant to be special and important, not one where he turns into a mopey mess. “When you meet my family… I have some photos. I’d love to show them to you,” Louis says softly.

“That’d be great,” Matt says, looking down into Louis’s eyes.

Louis smiles back, his eyes glossy and filled with just the slightest bit of sadness still. Matt presses a gentle kiss to Louis’s lips. “When do I get to meet them?” he asks.

Smiling, Louis says, “Whenever you want.”

“Should we go now?” he asks.

“Sure.”

They wander back to the square where there’s a car waiting for them, and for as much as Matt wants to be nervous, he just can’t be. This day is an exciting one, not a scary one. He’s done everything he can, at this point, to show Louis how he feels and what he sees in their future. Now all he can do is meet the people important to Louis, be himself, and hope that at the end of the week he’s the one with a ring on his finger.

When they arrive at the house, Matt feels butterflies in his stomach but he’s excited to get inside and meet everyone. “How are you feeling?” Louis asks as they walk to the door.

“Excited,” Matt smiles.

Louis seems surprised by that, but Matt’s confidence never falters. When they walk through the doors, they’re greeted with cheers and hugs, and as Louis listens and watches, he realizes that half of the chatter and cheering is actually Matt, responding happily to everyone who greets him. It makes Louis’s heart swell, and he can’t stop smiling as he watches Matt hug everyone and thank Louis’s stepdads and his grandfather for having him over that day.

Right away Matt manages to find the little ones, and he says hello to Ernest first, who is propped up on his father Dan’s hip. Ernest is shy and sucking his thumb again, but gives Matt the smallest of smiles. Doris is standing next to them, and she smiles brightly as Matt kneels down so he’s closer to eye level with her. “You must be Doris,” Matt says with a smile. She nods. “How are you, Doris?” he asks.

She beams at him and chews on a finger as she mumbles something unintelligible. “Give him a hug!” prompts one of the older twins - Daisy, Matt thinks.

Doris stops chewing on her fingers and reaches out right away to give Matt a hug. “Thank you,” Matt says to her as he wraps her up in a massive hug. “Can I lift you up?”

She nods, so he stands up with her still in his arms. Louis thinks he might’ve died and gone to heaven in that moment, seeing how great Matt was with his siblings. “Tommy’s got drinks in the lounge for us, if you lot want to come have a seat,” Lottie says from the doorway.

Just like the day before, there’s a tray of glasses of wine out on the table, and everyone helps themselves to whatever type of wine they’d prefer. Louis and Matt sit down on the smaller sofa, Doris on Matt’s lap, and right away they ask Matt how he’s liking Amsterdam, and what he thinks of the process so far.

Matt is so kind and warm and open with Louis’s family, and it makes Louis’s heart swell. He fits in so well that Louis is sort of wondering what the catch is going to be. Someone’s going to clash with him, or someone is going to notice something about him that’s a major red flag that Louis has overlooked. That has to be it. He can’t imagine that things could really be this perfect.

Lottie asks Matt if they can chat alone for a bit, so Louis coaxes Doris into his lap to give Matt the chance to get up and walk away. As Louis continues to tell his family about the adventures he’s had with Matt, Lottie and Matt walk out to the garden and have a seat at the picnic table. “So, you’re the lad my brother won’t shut up about,” Lottie says, bemused.

“Guess so,” Matt says, equally as amused.

Lottie takes a sip of her wine and studies him for a moment before she asks, “What do you do?”

“Well, I work for a startup in New York right now,” he explains. “I’m CFO, so I mainly deal behind the scenes with finance and marketing management and stuff. But essentially, we’re like one of those third party delivery services, but just for coffee in the New York area. We’ve got a guy relocating to Chicago to get it all set up there, and they thought maybe with my move - if I move - that I could get things rolling in London.”

There’s a lot in that explanation, but one thing that stands out to Lottie makes her a little worried. “Are you with my brother for a business move?” she asks.

“Oh god no,” Matt says, shaking his head. “I’d never do that. I honestly, like… I went into this thinking I’d either continue to work from home or I’d find a new job, if Louis and I ended up together and I moved out here. It’s not about the job. That’s just sort of a coincidence that we could expand in that way. No, I’m with Louis because he’s like -- this crazy awesome guy that I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lottie asks, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, like,” Matt starts, “I never actually thought this would work out so well for me. Or like, at all. I was really skeptical. But the minute Louis and I met, we hit things off, and it just rolled from there.”

“And you love him?”

“Yeah, I love him,” Matt echoes. “And I love the trust we have and like, how honest we can be with each other. Like earlier, before we came here? I ask him about your mom and I feel like it was a really big moment, because as he talked about her he got emotional and he didn’t feel the need to hide that from me. And like, anytime along the way I’ve known that I could be totally open with him, and I have been. Even when I was unhappy or upset about something.” Matt takes a breath. “That’s something I’ve been looking for. And it’s something all the best relationships I know have in common - they can be honest and open and vulnerable, anytime. No matter what.”

“You asked Louis about mum?” Lottie asks, her voice a little softer.

Matt tilts his head to the side and hopes he hasn’t upset Lottie. “Yeah,” he nods. “I told him he wasn’t obligated to say anything, if it was too hard. And I’m really sorry for your loss. It’s clear she was a really extraordinary woman.”

Lottie is quiet for a moment and takes a deep breath. She’s been looking at him with scrutiny in her eyes the entire time they’ve been out on the patio alone, and Matt has no idea what’s going to come out of her mouth next. “There’s something you should know about Louis,” she says. Matt freezes; he doesn’t know what to expect.

“He’s known for quite a while that he’s bisexual. Mum and I were the first two people he came out to,” she explains. “And ever since then he’s talked to me about his future and his hopes and his dreams. I don’t know what the dynamic is between the two of you, but I still want you to know this, just in case. Louis has always dreamt of being proposed to, if he were with a man. He’s never really been able to put into words

why

, but it’s just a dream of his.” Lottie pauses. “I know how the show works, and I know what the rules are, but… if you’re the one he proposes too, maybe… surprise him with one in return.”

Matt grins. “Thank you for telling me that,” he says. He can already imagine the look of surprise on Louis’s face if that were to happen. Coyly, he asks, “Is that you saying you would be okay if I married your brother?”

Lottie rolls her eyes and tries not to look too enthusiastic, but she nods and says, “I suppose it is, isn’t it?”

Matt laughs, and the tension in the room is gone. It feels like he made a good impression during that conversation, but it’s hard to know for sure. During hometown dates, people have to toe the line between having hard conversations but still being welcoming to the guest in their home. It leaves Matt wondering just where he stands with some people, and he has to accept that he may never know.

When they walk back into the house, Daisy, Phoebe, and Fizzy are putting the last of their lunch out on the table. The chef cooked again, just like they did the day before when Briana visited, and now everyone could sit down together to chat and get to know Matt better.

Ernest ends up sat across the table from Matt, and he eyes him every once in awhile as they eat. Every time he notices, Matt winks at Ernest but doesn’t say anything, letting the child warm up to him on his own terms. When lunch is done, Ernest surprises everyone by reaching over for Matt, to pull him into the lounge where he’s got some toys to play with. “Go ahead,” Louis nods. “I’ll help them clean up. I’ll be in soon.”

Matt smiles at Louis and gives his thigh a little squeeze before he gets up and follows Ernest into the lounge. Louis’s grandfather Leonard goes in shortly after, with Dan and Doris who also want to sit and play to stay out of the way of everyone who’s cleaning up.

“He’s so tall!” Phoebe gushes as soon as Matt is out of earshot.

“And his

eyes

!” Daisy chimes in.

Louis chuckles as he gathers up some plates and carries them to the kitchen. “They have a point,” Fizzy says. “He’s very attractive.”

“But so is Briana,” Louis counters. “So that doesn’t help.”

“You’d have such beautiful babies, though!” Phoebe adds.

Louis laughs, bright and loud, and says, “It doesn’t quite work that way, Pheebs.”

“Medicine is coming a long way,” Daisy argues. “Fizzy will find a way to make it happen.”

“I’m going into engineering, not biotechnology,” Fizzy replies simply. “If you want them to make babies together,

you

go to med school.”

Daisy gags and says, “No thank you.”

Phoebe scoots in close to Louis and says, “But any kids he has would be really gorgeous.”

“So would any that Briana has,” Louis reminds her. “I think they’re both very attractive. Your arguments aren’t helping me

at all

.”

Fizzy sets some silverware down on the counter and says, “I don’t envy you one bit, Lou. I can’t imagine having to say goodbye to one of them. You clearly care a lot about both.”

“So you see my problem,” Louis replies.

“Louis will figure it out,” Phoebe says in a singsong voice. “He always knows what to do, in the end.”

Louis gives her a massive hug, thankful that she has such faith in him when all he seems to do during this process is doubt and second-guess himself. After all is said and done, he knows he’ll be happy, but getting to that point is very difficult and so far, his family hasn’t been all that helpful.

They clean up a little more, and when they’re done, Louis goes into the lounge first, walking quietly so he doesn’t interrupt the conversation he can hear going on. The last thing he hears before someone notices him is his grandfather, who says to Matt in a very serious tone, “You take care of my baby’s boy, you hear?”

Matt nods and dutifully says, “Yes, sir. He’s in good hands.”

Louis smiles as he scuffs his shoes against the flooring as he enters the room, to let them know he has arrived. Matt is sitting on the floor, his legs sprawled out, Ernest sitting between them with some building blocks. “Hey, babe,” Matt says smoothly, not realizing Louis heard the last of their exchange.

“Hello,” Louis responds. He sits down on the floor near Ernest, facing Matt, and says, “I see you and my brother are getting along well.”

“He loves me,” Matt says proudly.

Ernest looks up at Louis and smiles brightly. He shows him one of his blocks, and Louis takes it so he can add it to the stack Ernest is making. Ernest piles another block on top of that, and for a moment Louis forgets that his whole family is there. Matt grabs one of the toy dinosaurs lying nearby and says, “Oh no! Godzilla is coming!” He makes a fake, animated roaring noise as he walks the dinosaur toward the tower.

With a squeal and a giggle, Ernest says, “Noooo!” He waves his hands at the dinosaur to try to stop him, and then before he knows it, the dinosaur is on the ground and Matt is tickling Ernest instead.

“He lied! It’s the tickle monster!”

“No!” Ernest laughs, rolling around on the floor and trying to squirm away from Matt’s hands.

Louis smiles as he watches, and he can picture Matt like this, with kids of his own. It’s such an amazing thing to think about, and Louis knows he’s got a dumb smile on his face as he watches the whole scene unfold. Doris chimes in next to try to walk the dinosaur towards the tower of blocks, but Ernest kicks it over before the dinosaur is much of a threat.

The moment is perfect and beautiful, and Louis feels his chest tighten as he thinks about what on earth he’s going to do at the end of this, when he has to make a decision.

As the sun begins to set in the backyard, Louis realizes this is it, it’s time to say goodbye to Matt. With his heart heavy as he thinks about the fact that he may never see these people ever again, Matt says goodbye to each and every person he met, thanking them for an amazing day getting to know them and getting closer to Louis. It really did feel perfect.

When he’s finished saying his thanks and goodbyes, Louis takes Matt’s hand and they walk slowly outside.

There’s a car waiting at the curb and Louis feels an ache in his chest when he sees the look of apprehension and fear on Matt’s face. He’d been so good inside, looked so confident and sure of himself, but now that they’re away from Louis’s family and Matt can really open up and be vulnerable, he’s not holding back. He’s scared of what is to come in the next couple of days. He’ll either be engaged, or broken hearted. And whatever he isn’t, Briana will be, and Matt wouldn’t wish that sort of pain upon either of them.

He wraps Louis up into a tight, warm hug, and he doesn’t want to let go. “I love you so much,” Matt whispers. He takes a deep breath and doesn’t release Louis, even as he leans away to look into his eyes. “Thank you for everything today.”

“No need to thank me,” Louis replies. “This was important to me, so thank you for being such a good sport about it. I know my family isn’t exactly… traditional.”

“But they are, though,” Matt insists. “Look - maybe in terms of marriages or fathers or whatever, they’re less than traditional, but when it comes down to it… your family is so full of love, and so close. That’s traditional.”

“Is that the kind of family you want?”

Matt smiles and replies without hesitation, “Absolutely.”

Louis smiles and reaches up. His hand rests gently at the nape of Matt’s neck. He pulls him down for a soft kiss and hopes that Matt understands that no matter what happens, he’s always been grateful for what they’ve shared. What Louis has with Matt and Briana is different for each person, and shakes him in different ways. They have different effects on him but somehow make him feel the same way. It’s complicated and confusing, and Louis wishes he could vocalize his feelings.

They share one last kiss and Louis says, “I’ll see you soon, love.”

Matt nods, and he tries his very best to keep his composure and not seem too sad as he says, “I’ll see you soon.”

Reluctantly, Matt steps away from Louis and into the car that’ll take him back to the hotel. It’s hard to ride away from Louis that night, because he knows there’s only a fifty-fifty chance that he’ll get to spend any more days like that with Louis or his family. This could be the end. For as confident as Matt would like to be, he’s aware of the reality of the situation, and what comes next.

He just has to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, and hope it all works out.

---

The next day, Louis is picked up by a private car, and he rides into the city center of Amsterdam with one of the writers and a crew member of the show. Today is another huge day. He’s going to be picking out a ring. It has to be filmed just right, because if they show what type of ring Louis chooses, it’ll give away who he’s proposing to. The rings will be very different, depending on who he chooses, and it doesn’t help that he still hasn’t decided who he’s going to propose to.

Louis gets a private shopping experience in the jewelry store, and the jeweler has already pulled several options to show him - some rings for men, and some for women. Louis looks them over and the whole time, he thinks out loud to the writer from the show who joined him in the shop.

As they talk about possibilities, Louis’s heart grows heavy as he thinks about saying goodbye to someone in just twenty-four hours. Right now Matt and Briana are out, pretending they’re not competitors, sightseeing together in Amsterdam. Louis’s family is packing up to go back to Doncaster.

And Louis is trying to choose a ring.

He thinks on it for hours, taking advice from the writer, from the jeweler, and thinking back to what his family told him about both Briana and Matthew. He has to weigh all his options but in the end, he feels just a little bit lighter knowing that he’s made his decision and he has a ring.

Louis walks out of the jeweler’s with a ring in his pocket and butterflies in his stomach. Tomorrow he’ll be breaking up with someone and proposing to someone, and all he can do now is hope that the person he proposes to says yes. He’d like to think that they well; the connection he has with both Briana and Matt is promising.

--

The next morning Louis wakes up feeling a bit sick. He’s got knots in his stomach because the day that lays ahead is going to be an absolute rollercoaster. On the one hand, he has to break up with someone that he really cares about. But on the other hand, he’s going to propose to the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

Louis’s hands are clammy the whole time he gets ready. He pulls on some skinny black trousers along with a pressed, crisp white button down. Louis tries not to let his hands shake too terribly as he ties his burgundy tie around his neck, but the fact of the matter is, he’s too nervous, especially with cameras on him as he gets ready. Louis’s stylist for the show, Lou, steps in to help him with his tie, and then leads him to a chair.

With a cape around his shoulders so none of the product or bits of makeup fall on his white shirt, Lou gets Louis ready for the day. He takes deep breaths and he’s sure he looks incredibly nervous for the cameras, which is exactly what they want. Once he’s done having his face and hair made up just right for the cameras, Louis finishes off his outfit. He pulls on some black socks with burgundy patterns on them, and some shiny leather Oxford shoes.

The last step is his suit jacket, which he manages to button on the first try, even with his clammy, trembling hands. On his way out the door, he reaches over to the side table and grabs the black velvet box. Inside that box is the ring he’s going to be giving away that day - and it’s a heavy weight on his heart and in his mind. Because that ring also signifies someone else’s heartbreak, and that’s difficult for Louis to think about.

There’s a whole set already prepared for them in the garden of the hotel they’re at in Amsterdam. Louis hands the ring to Steve, who keeps it in his pocket during this first part. Before he can propose, Louis needs to break up with someone.

Steve can stell that Louis is nervous, and he asks, “How are you feeling?”

“Erm - a bit of a mix right now, to be honest,” Louis replies. He feels the cameras on him, bearing in on his expressions and his fidgeting. He’s never noticed them or been quite so scared in front of the cameras before, at least not since week one.

“Well, this is the last hurdle. After this, it’s just love and your future,” Steve reminds him. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”

“I… yeah,” Louis nods. “I do. And… it’s going to be difficult, but I think in the end, it’s what’s best.”

“Well, Louis, best of luck to you,” Steve says. They share a hug, Steve giving Louis a few reassuring pats on the back. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Louis nods and takes a deep breath. He stands out on the garden patio, the romantic scene set. There are candles and dozens upon dozens of roses, all dotting the garden that faces a massive body of water. It’s a gorgeous setting for a very important day, all things considered.

He stands facing away from the doors, his heart pounding in his chest. Whoever walks in is going to have absolutely no idea whether they’re first or second, whether they get the goodbye or the ring. When Louis hears footsteps approaching, he feels his stomach twist uncomfortably. He puts on his best smile and turns around to greet them as they approach.

Briana looks absolutely stunning in her gown, as she approaches Louis with a big smile on her face. The bodice is strapless, covered in pearlescent gold sparkles. The bottom is flowy pink tulle, a slit on one side that shows her thin, tanned legs and the pink flats she’d worn, so she wouldn’t be too tall for Louis. Her hair is completely pulled out of her face, in a curly updo that shows off sparkling pearl earrings. She’s the picture of elegance.

Louis greets her with a hug, smiling as he says, “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Briana replies softly. Her cheeks are pink from the compliment and he can tell that she’s nervous, too.

The hug lingers, and when she leans away, Louis takes hold of Briana’s hands. They both take a deep breath and share a bout of nervous laughter before Louis begins to speak.

“Bria,” Louis begins. “The moment I met you, I knew you were an extraordinary woman. Some people see you and only notice that you’re shy, and reserved. But throughout this process you have opened up to me and shown me all these different sides of you, and because I know how reserved you are and how private you can be… I feel so incredibly lucky that you’ve allowed me to see the real you. Who you are, what you love… what you fear.”

Briana’s hands are shaking in Louis’s; she has no idea what’s to come, which way Louis is going to go with all of this.

“I’ve also noticed that for you, adventure still lies around the corner,” Louis says. He pauses. “You are meant for amazing things, Bria. Things outside of Los Angeles. I don’t know what they are, but you have so much passion for life. You see the good in everyone and everything, even when the world is completely falling apart. Your optimism is… I’m so envious of it. I wish everyone shared it. The world would be a much better place.”

Louis rubs the back of her hands with his thumbs as he says, “But - I don’t think that you’ll be able to reach that potential unless you’re able to explore. I just don’t think… I want you to…” Louis pauses. He’s stumbling over his words and can’t get his thoughts out. He’s just seen Briana’s smile drop to a blank expression, and he can tell that she’s figured out what’s happened. “I want you to explore the world, and who you are, and do amazing things… and I don’t think that can be done if you’re tied down to me out in England.”

Getting the words out feels like a relief, but also just makes his chest twist in pain. He doesn’t like this feeling, and he most certainly doesn’t like seeing the way Briana’s lower lip is quivering but she’s trying like hell to fight the tears. She doesn’t want to cry in front of him - and somehow that doesn’t surprise Louis in the least.

Briana nods and looks down, unable to find her voice, to say anything. She doesn’t let go of Louis’s hands, or make any moves to leave. She just stands there, letting his words settle over her, letting the silence drag on.

Louis very hesitantly releases her hands so he can hug her, and as he does, he says, “I care about you

so much

, Bria. And everything I’ve said to you, all the moments we’ve had… those have been one-hundred percent real. I have had the most amazing time with you.”

She nods into his shoulder, clinging to him as she continues to fight her tears. He rubs her back, bare where her dress doesn’t cover her up, and she’s ice cold. Considering she’s wearing a tank top dress in October in Amsterdam, it makes sense. He holds her a little closer, trying to share his warmth, and he whispers, “I am so,

so

sorry, Bria.”

But again, she doesn’t speak, and Louis can’t honestly expect her to. It’s a heartbreaking moment for her and she’s trying very hard not to break down in front of Louis. When he leans away, she’s looking down, and he can tell that she’s wishing her hair was down so she could hide behind it as they turn to walk out, Louis clutching her hand in his.

They don’t say a word as Louis walks her out to the front of the hotel, to the car that will take her away, to send her back to Los Angeles, heartbroken. Louis wonders if he’s going to hear another word from her after what he’s done, because he’s hurt her so much. It would be what he deserves, he thinks, but he wishes she’d say

something

.

At the curb, standing next to the open car door, Louis wraps her up in one last hug. Her lower lip is shaking a little more and her eyes are glassy, but she hasn’t shed a tear yet. Very softly, so softly that their microphones hardly pick it up, Briana whispers, “I’m going to miss you so much.”

God if that doesn’t break Louis’s heart, hearing her sound so vulnerable, so heartbroken, and to say such a sweet thing. “I’ll miss you, too,” he whispers.

Their hug lingers, but eventually Briana is the one who leans away first. She needs to get away, to be free to cry where Louis can’t see her. Briana knows that she’s going to completely break down and doesn’t want Louis to see, not when he’s got to keep it together to go in there and propose to Matt.

Neither of them say goodbye, because it’s too difficult to think about. Louis helps Briana into the car, and closes the door behind her. As the car pulls away, Louis watches, speechless, his heart aching.

Inside the car, once she’s sure Louis isn’t anywhere he can see her, Briana breaks down. She ignores the cameras that are focused on her and the concerned looks she’s getting from the cameraman up in the front seat. Someone is facing her, ready to ask her questions, but she can’t do it.

Briana lets the tears fall free, the cameras catching just the slightest glimpse of her as she starts to sob, before she leans over, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, her head buried against her knees. All the cameras can do now is capture the sounds of her broken sobs as they drive away, Briana left heartbroken in the car.

Back at the hotel, Louis has to take a moment to try to pull himself together, too. He has no idea how Briana has reacted, and he won’t until the show airs and he gets a chance to see it. Louis still has to blink back some tears, though, and as he does, Steve hesitantly approaches. When Louis spots him, he tries to regain his composure. He sniffles, and then dabs his fingers at his eyes, and he takes a deep breath before accepting another hug from Steve.

Steve steps away to get a good look at Louis and asks, “How are you feeling?”

“That was hard,” Louis says. He looks somber, and he takes a deep breath. “I really hope she’s alright. I…” he shakes his head.

“She’s in good hands,” Steve reassures Louis. “Right now, you’ve got to take a few deep breaths. You’re about to propose to the love of your life.”

Louis looks at Steve, almost as though he’d forgotten that’s what came next. He smiles, though he looks a little sad as he does, and adjusts his jacket. Steve holds out the ring box where a shining silver and titanium ring rests, waiting for Louis to propose to Matt.

He doesn’t know how much time he has, or whether Matt will even say yes, but the thought of getting this last step out of the way has Louis looking a bit more optimistic. Nodding, Louis smiles at Steve and says, “Yeah. Yeah I am.”

He feels ready, now. There’s still a weight of sadness on his heart from hurting Briana, but when he’d made his decision, Louis felt sure. When it came down to it, what really made up his mind was seeing them with his family. Briana fit, on the surface, but Matt… he dived in head first. He worked with Ernest until he trusted him, he joked around with the kids… he promised to take care of Louis, like Louis’s mum Jay would have wanted.

In the end, Matt felt just a little bit more long term, and that’s why Louis decided he was going to propose to Matt.

Louis stands in the garden of the hotel, the sun beginning to set over the beautiful expanse of sea that serves as the backdrop for the scene. He waits, now a little impatiently, for Matt to arrive. When he walks in, Louis’s mouth goes dry.

Instead of opting for a classic black suit, Matt went with a heathered gray suit, a white shirt and pale pink tie underneath the suit jacket. He’s wearing brown shoes and his hair is combed back and Louis knows as soon as he sees him that Matt is the one. Instead of feeling nervous or worried, Louis feels confident. This is how he’d hoped to feel, when it came down to this moment, when he set eyes upon his future fiance.

“Hi,” Matt says, putting on his best smile. Louis sees a little nervousness in his expression, though, and it shakes his confidence just a bit.

“Hello, love,” Louis replies, leaning into the hug.

They stand together, wrapped up in their embrace, until Louis leans back to look into Matt’s eyes. He still looks nervous, but there’s also something else in his eye that Louis can’t quite read. He doesn’t know what it’s about, but there’s something he doesn’t know; that can either be good or bad.

“Matt,” Louis begins. “From the very beginning, we’ve had chemistry. We both noticed it right away, I think.” He thinks back to their first date in England, at the brewery, and how casual yet how groundbreaking the whole thing had been. “You are unlike any man I’ve ever met, and -,”

“Louis, wait.”

Louis freezes, and it’s amazing how just those two words can make Louis’s confidence completely disappear. He stops talking, not sure of what to say or what comes next. It’s not normal for someone to interrupt the big speech that the Bachelor gives before the proposal, and Louis wonders if he’s been stopped because Matt doesn’t want this - that maybe he doesn’t feel the same way after all - something Louis has always feared would happen to him.

Louis doesn’t know what to say, so he just stays quiet, trying not to look too shocked, too hurt, when Matt starts to talk. “I’m pretty sure I know everything you were about to say, because I’m pretty sure I feel the same way. You’re like… way more amazing than I could have hoped for. You’re better than any man I’ve ever met, and dating you for these past ten weeks has been the best time of my life,” Matt says.

He can tell Louis is nervous, and he hates that he’s done it, but it’s all been for a very good reason, Matt is confident of that. “When I was with you and your family the other day, I had a talk with your sister Lottie, and she told me some pretty useful information,” Matt says. Looking a little cocky with a smirk on his face, he shuffles a hand around in his pocket.

By the time Louis realizes what’s going on, Matt is already down on one knee, holding open a black velvet box with a shining silver ring inside. “So, I figured since you’d talked to your sister about how you wanted a man to propose to you, it was the least I could do to interrupt your speech and give it a try,” Matt says. He looks so proud of himself, for shocking Louis like he has.

Louis is staring, wide-eyed, wondering how in the world the tables were turned on him. When he’d mentioned to Lottie that he wanted a man to propose to him, they were younger, by at least a few years. He was even pretty sure they’d been drinking, so he’d never in a million years thought that she’d actually remember, never mind tell Matt that Louis had said that. She wasn’t wrong, though - Louis had always dreamt of this sort of moment.

“So, Louis Tomlinson,” Matt says, looking incredibly pleased with himself for rendering Louis speechless. “Will you marry me?”

Louis’s first instinct is to just say yes and call it a day, but that’s not the sort of relationship he and Matt have. Louis has to keep Matt on his toes, just like Matt seems to be doing to Louis. So instead of just saying yes like he wants to, Louis groans and whines, “But I’d picked out a ring and everything!”

Matt laughs, and stubbornly, Louis gets down on one knee as well. He fumbles in his pocket until he finds the box, and then he opens it and holds it out, grinning at Matt as he asks, “Will

you,

Matthew Daddario, marry

me

?”

They’re both laughing by this point, and it’s definitely not the proposal any of the viewers were probably expecting, but it’s so fitting for Matt and Louis that nobody who knows them closely would be in the least bit surprised. “I will if you will,” Matt shrugs.

Louis bursts out laughing and says, “Well, I guess we’re getting married, then.”

“I guess so,” Matt replies casually.

Excitedly, Louis pulls the ring he’d bought out of the box and holds it out to Matt. He slides the ring onto Matt’s left hand and then holds out his left hand so Matt can give him his ring in return. Louis almost likes it better this way, with Matt interrupting and proposing with a ring, so Louis can show off to everyone that he’s engaged, just like Matt can.

And that’s when it really hits him, that this is it: he’s engaged. He’s getting married to Matt, and he can’t think of a single thing he wants more than to just tackle him to the ground and kiss him out of happiness.

Louis doesn’t, though, and controls himself as they stand up together and hug in the sunset in the garden in Amsterdam. Matt kisses Louis, hard but yet so full of love, and Louis’s heart feels like it’s going to burst. When they break away for air, they look into each other’s eyes, and the moment feels absolutely perfect. “I love you,” Matt says to Louis, so full of joy that they’re finally engaged.

And for the first time, but most definitely not the last, Louis gets to reply, “I love you, too.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The show opens to Steve Aoki standing on a stage, a sofa and an armchair behind him, angled towards a row of twelve chairs. They’re currently filled with twelve of the men and women who competed for Louis’s heart during this season of the Bachelor. A studio audience faces them and cheers as the cameras zoom in to Steve smiling and clapping along, thanking them for the applause.

When the crowd quiets, Steve says to the cameras, “Welcome to After the Final Rose, our reunion show where the men and women from Louis’s season can come together to hash out all the unfinished business they had from their season. They’ll also have the opportunity to confront Louis, to confront each other, and of course, we all get the opportunity to see where everyone is now, six months after the show finished filming.”

Grinning, Steve says, “We have a lot in store for you tonight, and only one hour to share it all in, so let’s get started.” The crowd applauds, and Steve gives them a moment before he says, “One of the very first heartbreaks of the season was with the youngest contestant, Shawn Mendes. Shawn is an aspiring musician and had big dreams from the very start. But those big dreams were a concern for Louis. Take a look.”

The group looks to a massive big screen near the stage, where Steve shows a replay of the very first breakup of the season.

--

Louis leads Shawn out of the bowling alley and they walk down the sidewalk, a park in the distance. Their height difference seems especially obvious now, and Louis would be lying if he said he didn’t love it. He’s managed to forget that Shawn is as young as he is - they’ve got seven years between them - and now it’s just the two of them.

“So… you’re still in school, right?” Louis asks. “What do you want to do when you’ve finished?”

Shawn nods and hesitates a minute before he says, “I’m not sure. I’m studying music right now. I’ve taken some classes more about the business side of it, which is interesting. Like management and production.”

“You think you’d give that a go?” Louis asks.

“Maybe,” Shawn replies. “I mean… I really want to perform. But I’ll take what I can get if it means I can stay in the industry.”

Louis listens intently, walking closer to Shawn on the sidewalk as a chill settles into the air. It’s refreshing, hearing Shawn talk so optimistically about the future, even though usually things never work out quite the way you hope they will. On the other hand, Shawn speaks with a naivety that makes it glaringly obvious that they’re so far apart in age. Louis doesn’t want to eliminate anyone so rashly, though, so he’s going to push any worries aside and see whether they can progress on their mini one on one.

“I think it’s great that you’re so passionate about what you do,” Louis says, leading Shawn off the path and over to a bench by a creek. “That’ll go a long way to helping you get there.”

“You think I can?”

Louis looks up at Shawn, and keeps their gaze locked as they sit down, and he replies, “I think so long as you work hard, you’ll at least end up somewhere you’re satisfied with. Maybe it’s not where you thought you’d be, but... “ Louis shrugs. “I mean, I didn’t think I’d be teaching primary school, but here I am. I swore I’d work with teens, or maybe just coach football or something…” He looks up at Shawn. “I feel like it all worked out for the best, though. Like I’m where I’m meant to be.”

Shawn nods and says, “I think I can do it. I feel like I can.”

Though it’s a loaded question, Louis can’t hold back. Almost like banter, he blurts out, “Do you think you can do it while you’re married?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Shawn didn’t think, didn’t hesitate at all. He said outright that he thought he could do it. Louis has done the school thing, though, and he’d tried to date during it, too. And he’d failed. It’s hard, and chasing dreams as big as Shawn’s would be quite difficult with a spouse.

The whole situation feels unlike anything Louis thought he’d experience. He’s giving advice, he’s listening to big dreams and endless optimism. Shawn is incredibly attractive and Louis knows this, but relationships are so much more than that. Taking a deep breath, Louis confesses, “I’m not so sure.”

That makes Shawn hesitate, and Louis knows where this is going. He’d wanted to give Shawn a fair shot even though he was so much younger, but they’re in very different places in life - and in the world. Shawn just has his one year of studying in England, and then he’s got to go back to America. As much as Louis wants to be idealistic about this whole process and believe that they could do it, he’s find it difficult to picture it working out.

Neither of them says anything for a minute, and Louis’s thoughts race in his head. Does he do this? Does he give Shawn one more chance? Their conversation was good, it’s not like Shawn said anything to offend, it’s just… “Shawn, you’re an amazing man. You really are. And you’re going to go far,” Louis says softly. “But I think, as nice as it might sound to have a spouse by your side as you try to reach this massive dream you’ve got… I don’t think that person is going to be me. This part of your life is huge, and it’s so important, and I don’t want to hold you back. You clearly care about these dreams of yours so much .”

Slowly, Shawn lets the words settle over him and eventually, he nods. “Okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” Louis whispers, reaching over for Shawn’s hand.

Shrugging, Shawn says, “You’re probably right.”

He looks over at Louis, who looks incredibly apologetic. It’s the first week and already Louis is feeling doubts about people, but worse than that, he’s doubting his own decisions. But this… it feels right. “You’re going to make that dream of yours happen, and you’re going to fall in love, and all of this will just be some distant memory. Okay?” Louis offers.

Shawn nods and takes a deep breath. “Let’s go back to the car, yeah?” Louis suggests, standing up and taking Shawn’s hand to lead him back to the car, so he can gather his things and go home.

--

The studio audience collectively lets out a sad

awwwww

as the cameras cut back to the live set where twelve people, including Shawn, are sitting together and watching it unfold. “Shawn, what is it like for you, watching that moment back?” Steve asks.

Shawn looks handsome in his dark jeans and a blazer, his hair combed back, and he looks much older than he had when the scene had been filmed, as well. “I’m gonna be honest with you… it’s not as painful now as it was then,” Shawn confesses.

“Tell us about that,” Steve prompts.

Shrugging, Shawn says, “He was right. Plain and simple. I have so much left ahead of me that I need to work on and focus on. I need to keep playing my music. I need to finish school. Then I think the rest of it will just fall into place.”

The audience applauds, and a few of the other men and women who dated Louis clap as well. Niall is sitting next to him in a checkered suit and black glasses, and he looks especially pleased as he claps for Shawn. “So, Shawn, any other big news to tell us about your music career?” Steve wonders.

“I mean, I’ve been doing some gigs around Ireland, actually,” he says with a coy smile. Shawn glances over at Niall and then turns back to Steve as he says, “I got into an international music course at the University of Dublin, and as it turns out, Niall here is a pretty great singer and guitarist himself.”

“Really?” Steve asks, looking surprised.

Niall laughs and shrugs it off as nothing. “Just a little hobby, in my free time,” he says.

“He’s really good. Don’t let him fool you,” Shawn says to everyone. “So we’ve been doing a bit of an indie rock duo thing around a few pubs in Dublin. Nothing massive or anything, but it’s a good time.”

The audience applauds, and Steve turns to Niall to ask, “So, is that what you’ve been up to since your end on the show?”

“Yeah,” Niall nods. “Just jumping back into work, doing some music stuff. We’ve even been trying to write some original songs, rather than just doing covers.”

Steve looks quite interested in that, and he asks, “Any songs about heartbreak?”

“We’ve covered one or two, but otherwise not really,” Shawn explains.

Niall nods along and looks a bit more serious as he says, “When it came down to it, we didn’t want to dwell on the heartbreak. Especially me, since I’d made it so much further so I think it hurt a little more when I got sent home.” Shawn nods in agreement as Niall says that. “So like, rather than trying to express those feelings and get them out in music, we wanted to use our music to focus on other stuff instead.”

“Fun things,” Shawn says, wiggling his eyebrows.

The crowd laughs, and Steve says, “Well, Niall and Shawn, we’re really glad to see you’re doing well in your life after Louis.” Shawn and Niall both nod, and they say thank you, though it’s mostly drowned out by the applause of the audience.

Steve turns to a camera and says, “When we come back from commercial break, we take a look at the biggest rivalry of the season. Stay tuned!”

When the show resumes after commercial break, Steve is sitting down in the armchair, with Avan and Harry on the sofa next to him. Cameras zoom on them right away, and Steve looks into one as he says, “This season, we saw a lot of conflict arise between Avan and Harry. While they both had Louis’s happiness at heart, they completely disagreed on how the other was acting during the process, and it all came to a boiling point at the end of this game-changing two on one date. Take a look.”

Everyone looks up at the television again, where a clip of the two on one date is shown.

--

All things considered, it’s a pretty diplomatic answer. Louis can’t fault Avan for that, even if he thinks Avan’s being a little too hard on Harry. “Can I ask why you think Harry’s not being genuine?”

“He called Nick,” Avan says instantly. “It’s not fair to you, that he’s even considering Nick as someone to talk to. Especially as things get so serious.” He pauses. “Look - I know Harry is a good guy. He’s charming, and he’s kind to everyone. But that doesn’t roll with me. I think it’s a bit much sometimes. And that may just be my personality and it doesn’t mix well with his.” Avan shrugs. “But the fact of the matter is, I can tell that every other person here has you as the number one thought in their mind. But I can’t say with confidence whether Harry does, too.”

Louis nods. He hears what Avan is saying, and he understands where he’s coming from. Louis has similar concerns about what Harry’s connection to Nick is now that he knows he’s been in contact since Nick left. However, there’s still some opinions Louis has, and he’s tired of biting them back. “I appreciate your honesty, and you telling me that,” Louis says. He tries to choose his words carefully as he says, “Your concerns are valid, and I’m listening, I promise. I do, however, think you’re being just a tad bit harsh. Harry is trying. He tries so hard to be a good person, even when he missteps. Especially when he missteps. I’ve seen him change parts of who he is to try to appease everyone here, especially you.”

With a firm gaze, Louis locks eyes with Avan and says, “I’m not saying you can’t worry or think that there’s something up. You’re entitled to that. But there’s a difference between that and being outright mean. Which… I need to be honest, here. You’re sort of being mean to him in a way that bothers me. It’s not right.”

In terms of drama, Louis knows all he’s doing is piling on, making things worse for Avan and Harry and working it through. But he also really needs Avan to know what’s bothering him and what’s on his mind.

“I know you’re a good guy and I know we have chemistry,” Louis continues. “I don’t take that for granted. Some of the best moments I’ve had in this journey have been with you. But it’s really hard for me to have those memories with you and then see and hear you being so harsh with Harry. It’s okay to not like him, just… can’t you be indifferent towards him instead?”

Avan is quiet. He’s just been put in his place by Louis and he knows it. But it doesn’t hit him until Louis is so blunt with him that his own personal biases and opinions about Harry could honestly be interfering with his relationship - and it’s not Harry’s fault one bit. It’s Avan’s stubbornness, and his tendency to intensely dislike someone and act on those negative feelings rather than brush them off. Nodding, he says, “You’re right. And I’m sorry.”

“I know we’re in a bubble here and you can’t always behave the way you used to because tensions are high and the setting is different,” Louis says. “You can’t vent to your parents or siblings or friends. All you have are these people here.” He looks at Avan with empathy and says, “I get that. But I just want you to be aware of where I’m at with this right now. What I’m seeing and what I think should be done. Just… brush it off. Turn to someone else. Stop taking it out on Harry. He’s only going to be who he is , and he can’t change that. He shouldn’t change that. And he’s trying to, and it’s a shame.”

Nodding, Avan says, “I agree. I’m so sorry, Louis.”

There’s silence for a moment and Louis can’t think of anything else to say other than, “I’m not the one who needs an apology.”

*

Usually he skirts around the tough conversations, or he talks it through with someone in his family, but he can’t do that here. No, here he’s got to jump in head first and ask the difficult questions before he loses his nerve. So, after only a moment’s hesitation, Louis asks, “D’you have any feelings for Nick?”

Harry grows tense and Louis can tell right away that there’s something going on in Harry’s head that until this moment, he’d been able to push aside. But now that Louis figured it out, something’s going to go amiss. Harry feels the dread bubbling in his stomach. He’d tried to push those thoughts of Nick out of his mind because he has the same sort of thoughts and feelings for Louis. He hasn’t been lying throughout this process, and he needs Louis to know that. The problem is, though, that he’s been so caught off guard that he doesn’t know how to form any of these thoughts or feelings into coherent sentences.

Louis sits up, sensing right away that something is off, and Harry chews on his lower lip as he feels Louis’s eyes watching him intently. Harry takes a deep breath and finally speaks, though Louis isn’t sure he’s ready for what Harry has to say.

“I have feelings for you, Louis,” Harry begins.

“That’s not what I-,”

Harry holds up a hand, interrupting Louis so he can finish his thoughts. “I also have feelings for Nick, you’re right. But… I haven’t lied to you once. Not during this entire process, I swear,” Harry insists.

I thought you were here for me, Louis thinks to himself. He’d never say that out loud though, because it sounds so selfish. His stomach sinks as he listens to Harry explain himself, not feeling one ounce better even if Harry’s trying to lessen the blow of the confession.

“After you told me why you let go of Nick but kept me, I couldn’t get the thought of him out of my head. And I hated that. And when I called him a few weeks ago - I just needed to know the full story from him. I wanted closure. I wanted to tell him off and never speak to him again but I just - I couldn’t. That’s not what happened.”

“You fell for him,” Louis realizes quietly.

He remembers being told by one of the others that when he was on the phone with Nick, Harry’s whole face was lit up, that he was happier than they’d ever seen him before. Louis wanted to believe it wasn’t true, and knowing Harry went into it hoping for the opposite result, it was hard to hear. Louis feels a bit sick after the confession.

“I’m falling for you too, Louis. I am. Honestly,” Harry insists. He reaches over for Louis’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I promise. I haven’t lied to you about anything I feel for you. Remember the spark? We still have that.”

While Harry is right, there is that spark, it’s hard to see it in the shadow of these confirmed feelings Harry has for Nick. Louis takes a deep breath and nods, not wanting to dump Harry on the spot even if it is his first instinct. “Thank you for being honest with me,” Louis says finally.

Harry watches Louis with concern on his face, wondering if this is the end of the line for him. He wouldn’t be surprised if it is, considering everything he’s said and done up to this point. “D’you mind going back to the camp?” Louis asks softly. “I just need some time alone. To think. Figure out what to do.”

*

When Louis finally comes back, the sun is already starting to set and Louis’s eyes look red, like he’d shed a tear or two as he talked it through with the writers.

Louis comes to a stop at the table and picks up the rose. He faces both men, heart hammering violently in his chest. He knows what his instincts are telling him to do. He’s talked this through with the writers and knows what his options are. After a deep breath and an agonizing pause, Louis finally speaks.

“So. We all know how this date goes. One of you gets a rose, one of you goes home,” Louis begins. His voice sounds flat, like he’s absolutely wiped out with exhaustion. He probably is. He looks down at the rose in his hands and says, “Today we all had some difficult conversations and had to face a lot of things about ourselves that maybe we weren’t ready for. But the fact of the matter is, this stuff is out there, and we’re aware of it, and we have to figure out where to go from here.”

For Harry and Avan, that means two completely different things. They’re alike though, in that they’ve had to face things about themselves that maybe they were trying to deny - Avan’s animosity towards Harry, and Harry’s feelings towards Nick. After another painful pause, Louis continues.

“Because of the conversations today, and the way things are going with the seven men and women waiting for me back at the resort, I’ve had to really think about what I want to do with this rose. Who is most deserving of it.” Louis pauses and squishes his eyes shut. “When it comes down to it, I don’t think I can give out this rose today.”

He looks up at Harry and Avan, both of whom look both hurt and confused. “I’m sorry. I just… I can’t see us getting past these hurdles. They’re different for each of you, but they’re still there, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to give this rose to one of you when there are others who quite frankly deserve it more.” Louis sniffles. “You are both incredible men. I have no doubt about that. You make me feel incredible and so cared for, but you also have a lot of other things going on in your lives and in your heads that I can’t stand in the middle of anymore. I’ll go mad.”

Louis shakes his head and says, “So, unfortunately, that means today I’m going to be saying goodbye to you both.”

He looks up at the sky and blinks a few times, trying to stop the tears. He feels terrible, saying goodbye to both Harry and Avan. It’s a massive twist, not something either man could have predicted, but Louis just couldn’t imagine giving this rose to one of them when there were so many other more deserving candidates at the resort, who had nothing but Louis’s happiness and love on the mind. No animosity, no frustration, no other men and women.

--

Harry and Avan are both frowning when the cameras pan to them, and they can hear the groans and grumbles from everyone behind them - the audience and the other contestants. Steve looks at them and lets them think for a moment before he says anything. “So - first of all, you guys look great, thanks for being here today,” Steve begins.

Avan and Harry nod; it had been part of their contract, after all, but it’s good to be able to come out and talk to people about what really happened.

“Obviously, that was a hard day for both of you,” Steve says. “What were your thoughts on that day? In that moment?”

Avan and Harry look at each other, and Harry is the first to speak. “I think what surprised me the most is just how even though we know it was hard for him to decide, he sounded so sure of himself,” Harry says.

“And looking back, I see it. I think in the moment I was sad, and then I was actually pretty angry, but now…” Avan trails off, shaking his head.

Steve looks between them for a moment and says, “Something a lot of viewers pointed out was that actually, you two had quite a bit in common, with your eccentricities. I mean - look at you now.”

Their hair is both long and a little ragged, and they’re both wearing unconventionally coloured suits - Harry’s is navy blue and mustard yellow, and Avan’s is a paisley print in purples and golds. Each of them is wearing at least half a dozen rings between both hands, and they are the picture of eccentricity.

“Yeah, we are a bit alike in that respect,” Harry agrees, looking a little amused.

Avan shrugs. “After the show, we actually ended up keeping in touch, especially now that I’m in England for my research. I wouldn’t say we’re best friends, but we shop together, and every once in awhile we get tea or something,” he says.

“Nobody else will shop with me,” Harry groans. “I can’t even get Nick to do it.”

Harry’s mention of Nick has the audience gasping, and that pushes Steve toward his next talking point with these two. He pauses for a moment and then begins, “So, Nick was obviously a point of contention for the two of you. You talk so casually now, but let’s look back at that. Avan, what bothered you so much about their friendship?”

Avan nods and takes a breath, considering his words before he says them. “I think - I mean, watching it back, there’s more to the story that I obviously didn’t know. Like how Harry was oblivious to the feelings and all that, because I honestly thought he knew and was just trying to brush it off and lie about it,” Avan says. “I also know my apology on the show wasn’t very genuine, but I have apologized after seeing the full thing, for not believing him and for being so mean about it. So - I’m putting that out there. We’ve talked it through, and we’re good.”

Harry nods, and Steve asks, “Is that true?”

“Yep,” Harry replies. “We’re good.”

Harry and Avan both smile at that, and then Avan continues his explanation. “What it came down to was that it looked like Harry was playing Louis. And maybe towards the end there he was a little, because he was entertaining the idea of Nick, but honestly, that’s a difficult situation to have been put in. I probably wouldn’t have handled it any better - I don’t know of anyone who could have.”

Steve looks to Harry and asks, “So, what happened with Nick once you left the show?”

“Well, we kept in touch, obviously,” Harry starts, referring to when he’d mentioned shopping with Nick earlier. “We’re not fully serious or anything, but we’ve gone on a few dates.” He looks over his shoulder at Nick, who’s smiling like a fool, and he says, “I think it’s a good start to something, though.”

Steve glances around at the group of people sitting near Nick, and he can see some displeased expressions. “I have to ask - what do the rest of you think of this?”

It’s really just his attempt to stir the pot and make this a dramatic reunion show, but that’s part of what makes for good ratings and a possible season renewal. It might be mean, but it’s part of the job. Thankfully, a few people take the bait.

“I personally love it,” Nick says, trying to laugh it off.

“Outside of the competition, I support it, too,” Avan says.

“Isn’t that a little hypocritical though?”

Danielle looks fired up where she sits at the end of the front row of six seats, next to Eleanor, who looks just as frustrated. “What do you mean?” Steve asks.

“I mean - Avan, you were so against Harry because he had feelings for Louis, and because he was entertaining the idea of having feelings for Nick, but now you’re like their biggest fan?” Danielle asks. “I don’t understand why you changed your mind. What happened was awful, and that’s the end of the story.”

“Louis was really hurt by what you guys did,” Bebe chimes in. “Even if you think it all worked out in the end, you still hurt him along the way and that was the last thing that should have happened in all of this.”

Harry turns to face everyone properly, and he says, “I’ve chatted with Louis backstage today. He even supports it.”

“Well now he does, because he’s a nice guy,” Eleanor chimes in. “But in the moment, when all of that was happening, we were constantly spending our one on one time with him to try to cheer him up after you ruined his mood, rather than getting to just have some carefree time with him. It wasn’t fair.”

“So because it wasn’t fair in the show, you don’t want him to have a happy ending outside of it?” Avan challenges.

The women are getting rather hyped up about the conversation, but Steve doesn’t make a move to try to intervene. “We’re saying that even though it all worked out in the end, it shouldn’t have happened at all,” Bebe says. “Harry, if you had those feelings - like honestly, any at all - you should have left. Because clearly you weren’t as in love with Louis as you claimed if you were thinking about Nick.”

“None of us had any doubts about our feelings, or who we felt them for,” Danielle adds. “You did, and you should have left way before Louis had to go through all that pain and frustration before he sent you home.”

“Aren’t we forgetting here that it all sort of boils down to Nick, though?” Steve chimes in. It’s stirring the pot some more, for sure, but Nick has been quite silent during the entire conversation.

“Well, sure, but Harry was oblivious to those feelings. It was once he knew that things got really out of control,” Nick defends.

“And who told Harry about those feelings?” Avan challenges them. “Louis.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Nick argues, laughing a little at how ridiculous the whole situation seems to be. “In the end we’re all happy! Just drop it!”

Danielle rolls her eyes and sits back in her chair, her arms crossed in front of her chest. “Danielle, you’re clearly upset about this,” Steve says, changing the subject of the conversation. “Tell us what’s going on in your head. Why does this bother you so much?”

She takes a deep breath and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “The thing that bothers me most about all of this is just the fact that none of you seem to be able to see where we’re coming from with this,” Danielle sighs. “Some really deserving people were sent home. People who were here one-hundred percent for Louis, when you weren’t.”

“I was,” Avan argues.

“Yes, but there are still two people here who weren’t. And one made it pretty far into the competition,” Danielle points out.

“Any other thoughts from the rest of you on the situation?” Steve prompts.

The group is quiet for a moment, most of them shaking their heads; the guys, especially, who just want to stay out of this. “I think what pissed me off the most about this was just that you guys are just talking about it now so casually,” Bebe says. “It sounds a lot like you don’t care what you put Louis through because in the end, you’re all happy. That’s shitty, and that’s what bugs me, personally.”

“Yeah, I’d agree with that,” Eleanor nods.

The group is silent again, and then Nick says, “Harry and I had a conversation with Louis - together - and not that it sounds like it’ll help much, but there’s no bad blood between any of us. Louis is happy for us, as is Avan, and that’s what’s most important.”

While the group still looks dissatisfied and a bit annoyed, Steve is getting signals from the show’s director that it’s time for another commercial break, so he turns to the camera and says as much. When the cameras are switched off, Steve has the contestants rearrange; Avan and Harry go back to their seats and the group gets settled for some more catching up.

The director counts them down and then the show returns from break, with Steve standing on the stage again, smiling. “Welcome back to After the Final Rose, the reunion show for the Bachelor. Coming up next we’ll be bringing Louis out to give him a chance to address the contestants, to let him and Jack finally have the conversation about their breakup that you’ve all been waiting to hear, and of course, to see what has happened to our bachelor and his fiance in the six months since the proposal happened. But first - let’s see where some of our other contestants are at.”

Steve turns to the group of twelve men and women sitting on stage in front of him. Obviously, Nick, Harry, Avan, Niall, and Shawn are there for the men, and Eleanor, Bebe, and Danielle are there, too. Along with those are some other fan favorites, like Zayn, Liam, Perrie, and Barbara. The top three are missing, all sitting backstage for their own personal introductions and on screen conversations with Louis - Matt about the proposal, and Jack and Briana about their heartbreaking endings on the show.

“I want to start here with Zayn, who won over the hearts of many of the show’s fans, even if he never really said much,” Steve says. “Zayn, thanks for being here.” Zayn nods and does a little wave; it’s clear he’s a little nervous, but he’s already shown his most vulnerable side on the show, so this should be a piece of cake. “Zayn, you were one of the only people in Bachelor history to walk out on a relationship, rather than waiting to not be given a rose. That was huge. Before we talk about it, let’s watch a clip of your last time with Louis.”

Zayn nods, and the group turns once again to the big screen to watch a flashback of Zayn’s time with Louis.

--

“Hey,” Louis smiles to Zayn.

He waits to see what Zayn wants to do, whether he wants to sit down or walk around. Zayn holds out his hand to Louis and Louis gets his answer. They start to walk together through the woods, and they’re quiet for a bit. “What’s on your mind?” Louis asks.

Zayn isn’t sure what exactly he should say, if anything. He doesn’t want to add to drama or come off as clingy, but he does have some concerns. “Dunno. It’s stressful, sometimes I get stuck in my thoughts. It’s nothing against you, I promise,” Zayn begins.

“No, don’t apologize,” Louis insists. “Anything I can help with?”

Zayn huffs out a laugh and says, “Doubtful. It’s just the stress of this all. I get really caught up thinking about how you’re doing with everyone else. Wondering why I’m here sometimes.”

Louis hesitates, but decides to ask the question on the tip of his tongue. “What do you mean?” Louis wonders.

“It’s stupid,” Zayn warns right away. He knows that compared to some other people here, he’s not doing very well and his own personality is the reason why. He gets awkward around new people, and here he is in a huge group of them, cut off from everything familiar. “I just see you with some of the others and it’s like, really clear that you’re further in this whole thing with them than you are with me.”

Louis’s heart beats a little faster with worry as he walks hand in hand with Zayn, listening attentively. He doesn’t like where this conversation is going. “Well… what do you want to do about that?” Louis asks.

He pauses on the trail to turn and look at Zayn, who’s avoiding his eyes. “I fuckin’ want you, Lou,” Zayn blurts out. He sighs. “But I think that I need time this whole process isn’t going to give us, and that maybe I need to bow out.”

Louis frowns. “Are you sure?” he asks. It sounds an awful lot like Zayn is giving up, and he’d hate for Zayn to decide that and then regret it in a few hours.

“No,” Zayn says simply. He looks up at Louis and looks so conflicted, so torn, that it breaks Louis’s heart a little.

Reaching down for his hands, Louis gathers his thoughts and takes a deep breath. “How about this. You… think about it. A little longer. Sleep on it, maybe,” he says, almost desperately. “You could just be exhausted from all the travel. We can talk about it in the morning.”

Zayn nods. He’ll agree to that, if only to let Louis think about it too, and wrap his mind around it. Zayn’s pretty sure that at this point, his best move would be to leave, because there are some other deserving men and women. Even though it clearly bothers Louis, he’s kind and warm to Zayn anyway, and wraps him up in a massive hug before asking if he can walk him back to the campsite.

They walk in silence, and it settles over Zayn that since they can’t even make conversation happen here, it’s probably the best decision for them both. He’ll do it on Louis’s terms though, to give him the closure he probably needs. Besides, they’re camping in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. It’d be dramatic to leave as soon as he arrived.

Perrie snags some time with Louis as soon as he gets back to the campsite, so Zayn sits down by the campfire and gratefully takes the beer Avan offers him. He drinks half of it down in one gulp. Matt looks at him with concern and asks, “Is everything okay?”

Zayn shrugs noncommittally and says, “I’m thinking about leaving, actually.”

The other four share looks between them - expressions somewhere between shock and confusion - and it takes a few moments before someone speaks up. “Why?” Harry asks.

“I just feel like… I’ve been coasting,” Zayn explains. He avoids their eyes. Instead, he keeps his gaze trained on the bonfire in front of them as the sun sets around them. It’s already getting dark. He likes that. It makes it easier for him to hide and stay quiet. “Today when we were out in the ocean it was painfully obvious how much closer he is with basically everyone here except me. So I’ve gotta quit stealing his time.”

“You’re just going to give up?” Barbara asks, sounding sad.

Again, Zayn shrugs. He takes a sip of his beer and says, “Look, we’re here because we care about Louis, right?” They all nod. “Well, I care about him, too. But the amount that he cares for me in return isn’t the same as it is with you guys. I need more time to fall for someone than I thought I did. So if I really care about him, I should back off and let him actually find love. Pretty sure at this point I’m just standing in his way.”

“That’s not true,” Matt says, trying to be supportive.

“Nah, mate, it is,” Zayn replies instantly. He looks up at Matt and says, “Half the time we can’t even think of things to talk about. So trust me, it’s better that I go.”

Harry’s frowning, fingers playing with his lower lip as he asks, “Did you tell Louis that? Does he know?”

Nodding, Zayn explains, “He told me to think on it overnight. That I should tell him what I decide in the morning.”

“It sounds like he doesn’t want you to go,” Barbara says. “If he’s begging you to reconsider.”

Zayn sighs. It’s clear that he’s thought about this a lot, and as he sits there quietly, it dawns on the other four that Zayn’s already made up his mind. He’s only staying the night to placate Louis and give him time to process before he has to say goodbye. “Well… it’ll suck to see you go, but I can’t lie to you, man, it’ll be nice having a little bit better chances with him,” Avan says.

“Hey. That’s not what he needs to hear,” Harry admonishes.

There’s a slight tension there, clearly. Zayn ignores it though, and instead says to Avan, “I know. And that’s what you all deserve. Because you all have better chances with him than I do.”

When Perrie comes back, Matt decides to go steal some time with Louis, leaving everyone to fill in Perrie on the turn of events. Barbara is the most passionate about convincing Zayn to stay. “He gave you a rose for a reason!” she says. “I’m sure he cares much more about you than you think.”

“It’s so easy to get inside your own head during all of this,” Avan adds.

Zayn quiets, though, and doesn’t respond to many of their arguments. If he’s being totally honest, he doesn’t feel as much for Louis as he’d hoped he would either, but Zayn fears harsh retaliation if he says that out loud. “I think we ought to just let it go,” Perrie says to the group, sensing Zayn’s discomfort. “Instead of moping or trying to change Zayn’s mind, let’s make the best of it, shall we?”

--

“That was the last time we ever saw you interact with or talk about Louis,” Steve says to Zayn, who nods again. “Tell us - what was that last night like? What did you feel, what did you think about?”

Zayn sighs and says, “I think… the hardest part was that I’d already made up my mind by that point. But I can’t always put my foot down, so I stayed. That… it was worse, doing that.”

“Staying overnight was worse?” Steve clarifies.

“Yeah,” Zayn nods. “Because I just kept thinking about how gutted he’d look when I told him in the morning that I was still going to leave. And I did, and it was hard.”

Steve listens intently to Zayn, and then explains, “You two both asked for privacy in that last conversation you shared, so we didn’t film it for the audience, but can you tell them how it went?”

“Sure. It was just… a breakup,” Zayn says. “It was hard, though. Because like I said, I thought about his reaction over and over again. I didn’t sleep much. And like, after all the stuff in the tents that he dealt with that night, waking up to me saying I was still going to leave really did a number on him.” Zayn is quiet for a moment and he said, “We didn’t actually want to separate. To say goodbye or whatever. But we both knew it was best.”

“That sounds really difficult,” Steve empathizes. “What happened when you went back to the UK?”

“I just got right back into work,” Zayn says. “I’d used up all my paid time off so I had to jump right back into everything so I wouldn’t fall behind on bills.”

“And what’s next for you?” Steve wonders.

Zayn smiles and says, “I knew you’d ask that. And honestly, I haven’t got an answer for you. I’ve got a new place, but I’m not really looking for anything in my love life right now. I figured I’d make sure I’m steady on my feet before I get into that sort of thing. And it’s good to know now that I’m not someone who can just jump in. I need time to really get into a relationship and build that trust.”

Steve claps for Zayn and the audience joins in. “Well, we’re glad to see you happy and healthy and doing well,” he says, to which Zayn nods and thanks him. “And speaking of future plans, we’re all incredibly curious as to what Danielle is up to now. Danielle - how are you doing?”

She smiles politely at Steve and says, “I’m good. Really good. You?”

“I’m great, thank you,” Steve nods. “Several times in this season you talked about your career, and how you had bigger and better plans for yourself. During your hometown date, we could see that your brother also really wanted you to get out of Chicago and make something of yourself, on your own. What are your feelings on all of that?”

Danielle crosses one leg over the other and adjusts her dress before she says, “Well, I mean, the biggest surprise was just how passionate my brother was about the whole situation. I’ve always known he thought I could do more, but I didn’t think he wanted me to do it

that

badly.”

“And are you pursuing anything beyond the boutique work you do now?” Steve wonders.

“I am,” Danielle says with a smile. The audience cheers before she even says what she’s doing. She laughs, her cheeks red, as the group cheers for her, and when it quiets down, she explains. “This spring when my brother graduates with his bachelor’s degree, he’s moving to Seattle for a job. He’s making me move with him.” She laughs and says, “So I decided to apply to school out there and I’ll be starting in the physical therapy program in the fall. I’ll be looking for some coaching jobs to take up while I’m out there, too.”

The crowd and the other contestants all applaud for her, and she very shyly covers her face and then uncovers it to say, “Thank you!”

It’s all a massive move and life change for her, but she knows it’s all going to be worth it. “It sounds like you’ve picked a really great path,” Steve says kindly.

Danielle nods and says, “I’m just really grateful that my brother wants to help me out with it, and that I’ve got these opportunities. I think it’s going to be really great.”

“Well, best of luck to you, Danielle,” Steve says, to which the crowd claps again. When the applause ends, Steve looks at the cameras and says, “After the commercial break, we’ll have Jack and Louis out here to talk about their breakup, their disastrous hometown, and what’s next for them. Stay tuned!”

During this commercial break, Louis and Jack come out and take a seat on the sofa. There isn’t much time, because it’s a shorter break, but they get all arranged and settled just in time. Applause marks the start of the show and then Steve starts to speak, to introduce Louis and Jack.

“Welcome back! We’re about to jump into a serious conversation between Louis and Jack. For those of you who may have missed it, Louis said goodbye to Jack in an emotional farewell after their week in fantasy suites in the Philippines. Jack ended their conversation by saying he didn’t want to know why Louis was breaking up with him - take a look,” Steve says.

He gestures to the big screen, where a flashback is played for the contestants and audience.

--

Louis reaches out for Jack and gives him a hug, and nobody says a word. Briana and Matt stand off to the side, watching while also trying to give them privacy for a moment alone. Very softly, Louis whispers, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Jack whispers. He blinks a few times as he leans back, to lock eyes with Louis. “I… I’m sure there’s an explanation but…”

“There is,” Louis insists. “I’m -,”

“No,” Jack shakes his head. He presses his fingertips to his eyes, trying to fight back tears. “I can’t handle the explanation right now. Soon. In a bit. Please.”

“How long?” Louis wonders.

Shaking his head again, Jack says, “I don’t know. Maybe the next time we see each other.”

Louis is quiet. There’s always a reunion show that’s filmed after the show airs on television, but that’s a whole six months away, and Louis isn’t sure they should wait quite so long. “Are you sure you want to wait that long?” Louis asks. He looks around and sees a car waiting up on the street by the beach, a bench nearby the car. “Why don’t we go and sit? Talk about it?”

“I can’t,” Jack says as he shakes his head.

That puts a massive frown on Louis’s face. He hadn’t expected this sort of reaction from Jack. He’s always been so understanding - and he is, in a way - but Louis had hoped to be able to explain himself, and it’s difficult for him to wrap his head around the fact that Jack isn’t ready for that yet.

“Can I walk you out, then?” Louis asks. He can’t say goodbye yet.

Jack sniffles and looks up at the sky, really trying to fight off his tears, but it’s so hard. Opening up to other people hasn’t always come easy to Jack, and at the start he had to work through a lot of anxiety he felt in order to really show Louis who he was and what they could share one day. He eventually nods and lets Louis take his hand.

Together they walk up the hill, Jack trying desperately to hold himself together in front of Louis. He’s not mad; he knows how this show works, what the process is, and that this was probably coming. He’s been bracing himself for this ever since the hometown date that most definitely did not go according to plan. But living through it is still difficult, no matter how much he tried to prepare for it, and Louis isn’t going to be able to provide comfort because he’s the reason Jack is hurting in the first place.

They reach the bench by the curb, next to where the fancy black car is waiting to take Jack to the airport, to send him back to Michigan where he’ll inevitably be greeted with a chorus of I told you so’s. He’s definitely going to have to take the job transfer to New York, Jack already knows - just so he can escape his family and their inevitable reactions.

Louis tries to lead Jack over, but Jack shakes his head and says, “I should really just go.”

When their eyes meet, Louis’s whole chest constricts painfully because he can see the wetness welling in Jack’s eyes and the way he’s trying so hard to stay strong and not break down right there in front of him. Louis holds out his open arms and Jack hugs him without reserve; this he knows, and this he can do. He can hug because then he doesn’t need to speak. He doesn’t have to risk saying something stupid or having a breakdown in front of Louis. “We’ll talk in a bit,” Louis says softly.

Jack doesn’t reply. He sniffles when they break apart, and Jack stares at the ground as Louis opens the car door for him, to help him in. There’s so much Louis wants to say - to tell Jack how extraordinary he is, and how much he wishes for his happiness - but he respects Jack when he says no, not now, and is sure he has a good reason for wanting to wait.

As the car pulls away from the curb, Jack turns away from the door and props his elbow up on the armrest, hiding his face. There’s a camera facing him, and one of the many interviewers ready to grill him with questions, but he’s exhausted from holding back tears. He lets a few fall down his cheeks as he takes a deep breath.

The interviewer asks him how he feels, and what he’s thinking, and Jack knows that talking about it is only going to make him cry more, and he hates crying. He’s a grown man, having a breakdown on television over being dumped - it’s humiliating. But he’s got to do his part and at least offer some explanation. “I love him,” Jack says simply. “I love him and I did everything in my power to show him that and try to prove that we could be a really great couple, but…” Jack shakes his head.

He has streaks of tears down his cheeks, and his eyelashes are long and wet as he blinks and looks up at a camera that’s aimed right at his face. “I think it was my family, honestly. Louis was such a good sport about it, but they’re a nightmare…” Jack shakes his head. “I’m glad my brother was there to try to fix things but in the end Louis probably felt really unwelcome and there’s nothing I could do about that.”

Jack wipes at his eyes and sighs. “I just want him to be happy. As much as it sucks that he won’t be happy with me… I just want him to do what’s best for him,” Jack says finally.

--

Louis looks saddened as the focus turns back to the live show, where Louis and Jack sit separately on the sofa. Steve is facing them and he asks, “Louis, what’s going through your mind right now?”

It takes a moment for Louis to gather his thoughts. “I mean, what it comes down to is just… it’s never easy to watch people be upset by decisions I make,” Louis says. “Every single week, it got more and more difficult. And I feel like I said that so much it started to lose its meaning, but it’s true. And that week was really hard because we didn’t get to talk it out before he left. And I know he had his reasons and I completely respect that, but at the same time… I hadn’t really gotten closure so when that relationship ended, it was especially hard for me.”

“And Jack? What about you?” Steve asks.

Jack takes a deep breath. He doesn’t know where to begin. “Obviously there’s a lot I could say about that,” he says. “I’d talked about my fears, and we all saw how much of a nightmare my family was during the hometown…” Jack glances at Louis, and then back to Steve. “I wasn’t surprised. But I needed time to come to terms with it before I could really talk about it, especially because this relationship was so much faster. I fell really hard, really fast. So I needed that time to take a step back, watch it as an outsider, and then I knew I’d be able to talk about it.”

Louis looks over at Jack, and Steve lets them have their own conversation. “How are you doing now?” he asks.

“Good,” Jack nods. Neither of them are smiling, but the conversation is civil. “I took the job I was telling you about, that offer I got in New York. I just found a place about a month ago and moved in.”

“Where in New York?” Louis wonders.

“Chelsea, out in Manhattan. Nice and close to work,” Jack explains. “It’s a nice place. I think it’ll be good for me, too. Far enough away from my family that I don’t feel stifled, but not so far that they think I’m going to completely abandon them and ruin the family name.”

Louis looks hesitant but says, “You know I didn’t break up with you because of them, right?”

Jack shrugs it off and says, “I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“But I didn’t,” Louis insists. “It had nothing to do with them. I like to think I’m charming and that we could’ve warmed them up to the idea. It was just - in the end, it was how fast I was falling, and for whom. And it wasn’t that I didn’t have feelings for you - I did. Everything I said to you, I meant it - it’s just that…”

“You feel more for them than you did with me,” Jack finishes.

Louis nods. Jack sighs and says, “I’m glad it wasn’t my family. Really. And as long as you’re happy with Matt, then I’m happy for you, and there’s no hard feelings.”

“I’m very happy,” Louis insists. “Are you?”

Jack nods noncommittally. “I’m getting there,” he says. “Once all the pieces fall into place, I think I’ll be able to get out there and start dating again.”

Louis smiles and says, “That’s great. Don’t be a stranger, alright?”

It’ll take time for Jack to work up to being able to see Louis and talk to him and befriend him, but he thinks he can get there, and it means a lot to him that Louis wants that for them. Louis leans over on the sofa to give Jack a hug, and after they have their moment, Steve chimes in again.

“Speaking of people who want to clear the air after their breakup - Barbara, would you join us down here please?” Steve asks. “Jack, go ahead and take one of those seats there that we’ve added, down at the end.”

Jack stands up and sure enough, at the end of the rows of seats for all the contestants in attendance, they’ve added one chair to the line of taller seats, and one to the line of lower ones. He sits in the back row, next to Shawn, and lets Barbara have her moment with Louis.

She takes a seat, a few inches away from Louis, though they share a smile as she settles in. “Barbara, how are you doing?” Steve asks.

“I’m pretty good,” she replies.

Barbara looks between Louis and Steve, and after a moment, Steve prompts, “You two had one of the more emotional breakups of the season. You started out with a really amazing first date on your one on one in England, but after that… Barbara, talk to us about what happened.”

“Well, I was falling,” she says. She turns to Louis and continues, “Anytime we were together, I was having so much fun. But I feel like it all… fizzled out or something. We never talked about it so I sort of assumed that you were just falling for others more than me, but I wanted to ask you what the reason was, why you dumped me.”

Louis frowns, because he can hear even months later that Barbara was incredibly invested in the process, and really developing feelings for him. “No I mean… I think you’ve got it right there,” Louis says. “Overall, Mexico was just a really difficult time for me. It’s hard to look back and think about the bright spots because there were so many bad things that happened. But I don’t think it was anything other than a case of me falling for others faster than I was falling with you.”

He looks reluctant to say those things, too, so he asks, “Are you doing alright now? I mean, is there anything I can do?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “I’m alright. I’m not dating right now, but I’m working a lot and it’s good. I’m having fun.”

“It’s always hard to say goodbye and I distinctly remember when we said goodbye,” Louis says. “It may not help to hear this, but sending you home was one of the most difficult ones of the entire season. Because I knew we had such an amazing start but somewhere along the way we started to move at different paces.”

Barbara nods, but she doesn’t look sad. Now, she appears to be at peace with how their relationship ended. “I’m not upset with you,” she says. “I’ve accepted everything, and I really just want you to be happy. So, congratulations to you and Matt for that.”

“Thank you,” Louis says, smiling a little.

“I had an amazing time with you during the process so thank you for choosing me for as long as you did,” Barbara finishes with a smile.

Louis smiles at her and reaches over to give her a hug. As they embrace, Steve stands up to look into the cameras again. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for another commercial break but don’t go anywhere! After the break we’ll get to see Bria and Matt for the first time since that very emotional finale. We’ll be right back.”

The audience applauds and the cameras switch off, and Louis gets a chance to say hello to a few more of the contestants. He finds out that Perrie and her friends were approached by a record label after hearing them record on the show, and that they’ll be going into London for some studio time in just ten days. Louis also gets a chance to talk to Liam, who points to the audience where a beautiful brunette woman named Sophia waves to them. She’s Liam’s new girlfriend, and she’s rather sportingly holding a toddler on her lap - Liam’s son Bear.

Louis makes Liam promise to let him hold bear after the show is finished, and Liam very proudly makes that promise. The commercial break starts to wind down to a close, so Louis has to go back to sit in the center of the sofa. He knows what comes next, and he’s incredibly nervous about it.

“Welcome back everybody!” Steve says to the cameras, still full of enthusiasm after filming for so long. “Thanks for tuning in. We’re talking to Louis and the contestants from his season of the Bachelor about their journey and thoughts throughout the season. We’ve gotten the chance to catch up with almost everyone here, but now is the moment that all of you have been waiting for. We’ve all seen the finale by now, but let’s refresh our memory on what went down during that final week for Bria and Matt.”

--

Briana looks absolutely stunning in her gown, as she approaches Louis with a big smile on her face. The bodice is strapless, covered in pearlescent gold sparkles. The bottom is flowy pink tulle, a slit on one side that shows her thin, tanned legs and the pink flats she’d worn, so she wouldn’t be too tall for Louis. Her hair is completely pulled out of her face, in a curly updo that shows off sparkling pearl earrings. She’s the picture of elegance.

Louis greets her with a hug, smiling as he says, “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Briana replies softly. Her cheeks are pink from the compliment and he can tell that she’s nervous, too.

The hug lingers, and when she leans away, Louis takes hold of Briana’s hands. They both take a deep breath and share a bout of nervous laughter before Louis begins to speak.

“Bria,” Louis begins. “The moment I met you, I knew you were an extraordinary woman. Some people see you and only notice that you’re shy, and reserved. But throughout this process you have opened up to me and shown me all these different sides of you, and because I know how reserved you are and how private you can be… I feel so incredibly lucky that you’ve allowed me to see the real you. Who you are, what you love… what you fear.”

Briana’s hands are shaking in Louis’s; she has no idea what’s to come, which way Louis is going to go with all of this.

“I’ve also noticed that for you, adventure still lies around the corner,” Louis says. He pauses. “You are meant for amazing things, Bria. Things outside of Los Angeles. I don’t know what they are, but you have so much passion for life. You see the good in everyone and everything, even when the world is completely falling apart. Your optimism is… I’m so envious of it. I wish everyone shared it. The world would be a much better place.”

Louis rubs the back of her hands with his thumbs as he says, “But - I don’t think that you’ll be able to reach that potential unless you’re able to explore. I just don’t think… I want you to…” Louis pauses. He’s stumbling over his words and can’t get his thoughts out. He’s just seen Briana’s smile drop to a blank expression, and he can tell that she’s figured out what’s happened. “I want you to explore the world, and who you are, and do amazing things… and I don’t think that can be done if you’re tied down to me out in England.”

Getting the words out feels like a relief, but also just makes his chest twist in pain. He doesn’t like this feeling, and he most certainly doesn’t like seeing the way Briana’s lower lip is quivering but she’s trying like hell to fight the tears. She doesn’t want to cry in front of him - and somehow that doesn’t surprise Louis in the least.

Briana nods and looks down, unable to find her voice, to say anything. She doesn’t let go of Louis’s hands, or make any moves to leave. She just stands there, letting his words settle over her, letting the silence drag on.

Louis very hesitantly releases her hands so he can hug her, and as he does, he says, “I care about you so much, Bria. And everything I’ve said to you, all the moments we’ve had… those have been one-hundred percent real. I have had the most amazing time with you.”

She nods into his shoulder, clinging to him as she continues to fight her tears. He rubs her back, bare where her dress doesn’t cover her up, and she’s ice cold. Considering she’s wearing a tank top dress in October in Amsterdam, it makes sense. He holds her a little closer, trying to share his warmth, and he whispers, “I am so, so sorry, Bria.”

But again, she doesn’t speak, and Louis can’t honestly expect her to. It’s a heartbreaking moment for her and she’s trying very hard not to break down in front of Louis. When he leans away, she’s looking down, and he can tell that she’s wishing her hair was down so she could hide behind it as they turn to walk out, Louis clutching her hand in his.

They don’t say a word as Louis walks her out to the front of the hotel, to the car that will take her away, to send her back to Los Angeles, heartbroken. Louis wonders if he’s going to hear another word from her after what he’s done, because he’s hurt her so much. It would be what he deserves, he thinks, but he wishes she’d say something.

At the curb, standing next to the open car door, Louis wraps her up in one last hug. Her lower lip is shaking a little more and her eyes are glassy, but she hasn’t shed a tear yet. Very softly, so softly that their microphones hardly pick it up, Briana whispers, “I’m going to miss you so much.”

God if that doesn’t break Louis’s heart, hearing her sound so vulnerable, so heartbroken, and to say such a sweet thing. “I’ll miss you, too,” he whispers.

Their hug lingers, but eventually Briana is the one who leans away first. She needs to get away, to be free to cry where Louis can’t see her. Briana knows that she’s going to completely break down and doesn’t want Louis to see, not when he’s got to keep it together to go in there and propose to Matt.

Neither of them say goodbye, because it’s too difficult to think about. Louis helps Briana into the car, and closes the door behind her. As the car pulls away, Louis watches, speechless, his heart aching.

Inside the car, once she’s sure Louis isn’t anywhere he can see her, Briana breaks down. She ignores the cameras that are focused on her and the concerned looks she’s getting from the cameraman up in the front seat. Someone is facing her, ready to ask her questions, but she can’t do it.

Briana lets the tears fall free, the cameras catching just the slightest glimpse of her as she starts to sob, before she leans over, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, her head buried against her knees. All the cameras can do now is capture the sounds of her broken sobs as they drive away, Briana left heartbroken in the car.

*

Louis stands in the garden of the hotel, the sun beginning to set over the beautiful expanse of sea that serves as the backdrop for the scene. He waits, now a little impatiently, for Matt to arrive. When he walks in, Louis’s mouth goes dry.

Instead of opting for a classic black suit, Matt went with a heathered gray suit, a white shirt and pale pink tie underneath the suit jacket. He’s wearing brown shoes and his hair is combed back and Louis knows as soon as he sees him that Matt is the one. Instead of feeling nervous or worried, Louis feels confident. This is how he’d hoped to feel, when it came down to this moment, when he set eyes upon his future fiance.

“Hi,” Matt says, putting on his best smile. Louis sees a little nervousness in his expression, though, and it shakes his confidence just a bit.

“Hello, love,” Louis replies, leaning into the hug.

They stand together, wrapped up in their embrace, until Louis leans back to look into Matt’s eyes. He still looks nervous, but there’s also something else in his eye that Louis can’t quite read. He doesn’t know what it’s about, but there’s something he doesn’t know; that can either be good or bad.

“Matt,” Louis begins. “From the very beginning, we’ve had chemistry. We both noticed it right away, I think.” He thinks back to their first date in England, at the brewery, and how casual yet how groundbreaking the whole thing had been. “You are unlike any man I’ve ever met, and -,”

“Louis, wait.”

Louis freezes, and it’s amazing how just those two words can make Louis’s confidence completely disappear. He stops talking, not sure of what to say or what comes next. It’s not normal for someone to interrupt the big speech that the Bachelor gives before the proposal, and Louis wonders if he’s been stopped because Matt doesn’t want this - that maybe he doesn’t feel the same way after all - something Louis has always feared would happen to him.

Louis doesn’t know what to say, so he just stays quiet, trying not to look too shocked, too hurt, when Matt starts to talk. “I’m pretty sure I know everything you were about to say, because I’m pretty sure I feel the same way. You’re like… way more amazing than I could have hoped for. You’re better than any man I’ve ever met, and dating you for these past ten weeks has been the best time of my life,” Matt says.

He can tell Louis is nervous, and he hates that he’s done it, but it’s all been for a very good reason, Matt is confident of that. “When I was with you and your family the other day, I had a talk with your sister Lottie, and she told me some pretty useful information,” Matt says. Looking a little cocky with a smirk on his face, he shuffles a hand around in his pocket.

By the time Louis realizes what’s going on, Matt is already down on one knee, holding open a black velvet box with a shining silver ring inside. “So, I figured since you’d talked to your sister about how you wanted a man to propose to you, it was the least I could do to interrupt your speech and give it a try,” Matt says. He looks so proud of himself, for shocking Louis like he has.

Louis is staring, wide-eyed, wondering how in the world the tables were turned on him. When he’d mentioned to Lottie that he wanted a man to propose to him, they were younger, by at least a few years. He was even pretty sure they’d been drinking, so he’d never in a million years thought that she’d actually remember, never mind tell Matt that Louis had said that. She wasn’t wrong, though - Louis had always dreamt of this sort of moment.

“So, Louis Tomlinson,” Matt says, looking incredibly pleased with himself for rendering Louis speechless. “Will you marry me?”

Louis’s first instinct is to just say yes and call it a day, but that’s not the sort of relationship he and Matt have. Louis has to keep Matt on his toes, just like Matt seems to be doing to Louis. So instead of just saying yes like he wants to, Louis groans and whines, “But I’d picked out a ring and everything!”

Matt laughs, and stubbornly, Louis gets down on one knee as well. He fumbles in his pocket until he finds the box, and then he opens it and holds it out, grinning at Matt as he asks, “Will you, Matthew Daddario, marry me?”

They’re both laughing by this point, and it’s definitely not the proposal any of the viewers were probably expecting, but it’s so fitting for Matt and Louis that nobody who knows them closely would be in the least bit surprised. “I will if you will,” Matt shrugs.

Louis bursts out laughing and says, “Well, I guess we’re getting married, then.”

“I guess so,” Matt replies casually.

--

The crowd cheers, but it’s clear that a few people in the audience who aren’t applauding were sympathetic towards Briana and wanted her to win. Even a few contestants seem to look more sad than happy. “Now, without further ado, I’d like to bring these two out - everyone, please give a round of applause for Matt and Bria,” Steve says.

Matt walks out first, waving to the crowd and at first, distracting them from the sight of Bria. He takes a seat on the far end of the couch, nearer to the contestants and further from Steve. Briana walks out in a short black dress, her long blonde hair in curls over her shoulders. From the front, she looks normal, but when she turns toward the sofa to take a seat, that’s when everyone notices, and they understand why so many contestants look confused - Briana has a very large, round bump on her front. She’s pregnant.

“So, congratulations all around, here!” Steve says, to both Briana and Matt. Matt is smiling, but Briana is clearly nervous. Louis rubs her back, and Briana hides a little behind her hair as she puts on her bravest smile.

“First of all, Bria, let’s chat,” Steve begins. “I think at this point we all know what happened in the fantasy suites. That must have been a huge decision for you to make, trusting Louis with that much.”

It was no secret after watching the episode where they spent time in the fantasy suites that Briana had been a virgin up until that point. She said so in an interview, and now that she was pregnant, people could put two and two together. “I was in love,” she says softly. “I trusted him completely and wanted to share that moment with him. And no matter what happens, I don’t regret a single moment of it.”

“Louis? What are your thoughts?” Steve asks.

“Well obviously we all know what happened, but it was completely a mutual agreement and we really did have a lovely night in,” Louis says. “We watched the storms out on the patio, drank champagne, had plenty of pizza.” He smiles at the memory, and Briana does, too. “Obviously the baby wasn’t planned, but we’re both going to love him no matter what.”

“Him? So it’s confirmed you’re having a boy?” Steve prompts.

“Yeah,” Briana nods, smiling. She has that glow in her eye that Louis has noticed in the months since filming wrapped, whenever she talks about the baby. She’s clearly excited to be a mum, no matter what others might think of her or their situation. “He’s due in July.”

“That is incredibly exciting. Congratulations!” Steve says, and the audience is prompted to cheer and applaud. Louis and Briana both smile, and Matt keeps his gaze on the two of them as he claps along with the audience.

Once the applause quiets down, Steve says, “I’m sure you guys can understand that this will raise a number of questions for the fans. I wanted to address those with you now. From what I’ve gathered, the three of you have discussed what the future holds now that there’s a child in the picture.” Louis, Briana, and Matt all nod. “First - Matt. What are your feelings on this?”

Matt nods and hesitates before he says, “I’ll admit that at first, I was a little scared. One of my first thoughts was - oh crap, now he’s gonna want to marry her instead. And like, he could change his mind. I wouldn’t have blamed him one bit if he’d wanted to do that. But then we talked about it, like really sat down and had some hard conversations. Louis and I are in love, and we’re engaged, and a baby isn’t gonna break that up.”

“So what’s next for you all, then? Geographically, this presents a bit of a problem,” Steve says.

“Well, not really,” Louis argues with a smile.

Briana smiles and looks over her shoulder at the group of contestants. “I’ve just found a roommate in New York, which is great,” she says.

“A roommate? And in New York?” Steve asks.

“Yeah,” Jack chimes in from the rows of chairs full of contestants. “See, I found this great apartment but it was a two bedroom place. So, Bria’s gonna move in with me for a while, get herself settled into New York. You know, like, working and stuff.”

“I have a lead at a really great studio, to do some styling,” Briana adds. “And yeah, I’ll be rooming with Jack, which is great because we know each other and I know he’s someone I can trust, which is really comforting to know, as I’m getting ready to move out of my parents’ place.”

Steve turns to Matt and Louis and asks, “What about you two? Is England still in the plans?”

Louis chuckles. “For as much as I worried about that - no, it’s not. Thankfully, this guy here already lives in New York,” he says, looking over at Matt, one hand patting his thigh.

“So all four of you will be living in New York and hanging out together?” Steve asks. “Maybe even parenting together?”

“Sounds like it,” Matt replies.

The audience applauds, as they’re prompted to do, and Briana, Matt, and Louis all sit on the sofa, smiling. As the noise dies down, Perrie asks, “So Bria, is there anything romantic between you and Jack?”

Briana’s cheeks turn red and she shakes her head. “I know it looks like that, but right now we’re really just roommates. As hard as it may sound to believe, since guys and girls don’t often live together,” she says. “I moved in about a week ago and so far, so good.”

“She’s a great roommate,” Jack chimes in, smirking a little as he says, “She’s very neat, very quiet. I think it’ll work out great if things stay that way.”

The audience laughs, because once the baby arrives, things won’t be neat or quiet anymore. Steve looks to Matt and Louis and asks, “So, you two, what are your plans now that you’re engaged

and

there’s a baby on the way?”

“Well,” Louis says, glancing at Matt. Their hands are clasped on Matt’s leg, and both look incredibly happy. “We were going to have a long engagement anyway, so things all worked out that way. For now I’m working on getting my teaching certification, and we moved into our own apartment a couple of months ago.”

“Where are you guys living?” Jack asks.

“We’re out in Brooklyn, of course,” Matt laughs. “Windsor Terrace area, near my parents.”

“Yeah, so we’re in our own flat out there, and Matt’s doing more with his business, and I’m looking for work, and… yeah, I think it’s all going to work out just fine,” Louis says. “It’s not your conventional family setup but mine has never been all that normal, so really… this is more ordinary than anything, for me.”

“But the engagement is still on?” Steve clarifies.

“Yes, definitely,” Matt says quickly.

Louis laughs and nods, “Absolutely.”

“And Briana, you’re alright with this?” Steve wonders.

Briana smiles, a bit surprised that she’s even being asked her opinion on their relationship. “Of course. I want Louis to be happy, just like I always have. And we’ll all be close so we can still co-parent, so things will be good for everyone involved.”

“Well, congratulations all around,” Steve says. He turns to the cameras and says, “Thank you everyone for tuning in to After the Final Rose, our Bachelor reunion live TV special. Keep an eye out in the next few weeks to find out who will be our next Bachelor or Bachelorette. In the meantime, follow our contestants on social media and watch the rest of their lives unfold. Until next time, I’m your host, Steve Aoki. Have a good night!”

He waves to the camera, and so does Louis and all the contestants out on stage. The applause echoes throughout the room, the cameras fade to black, and that’s that. Louis’s journey as the Bachelor has officially come to a close, and his life is far crazier and more interesting than he’d ever anticipated - and he can’t wait to see what happens next.