Around July.

"Happy opening day, my baker boy." Louis pulled Harry in by the waist.

Harry grinned at him, cupping Louis's jaw and ducking his head in. Louis met his lips halfway, burying one hand in Harry's curls.

A dog barked and they pulled back, Harry giggling lightly as he crouched down to stroke Clifford. "Shush Cliff."

"Are you ready to open up your doors to the world?" Louis sat down at one of the tables.

"Absolutely. Clifford, will you behave?"

The curly dog just tilted his head with innocent eyes.

"You have to behave or you'll have to go home."

Clifford let out a whine and Louis laughed loudly. "You two are so similar."

Harry smiled, opening up his arms for one last hug from Louis before he opened the doors.

Louis obliged, pulling Harry down onto his lap. "I'm so proud of you." Louis told him, rocking him side to side slightly.

"God I love you."

"I love you darling."

Harry cuddled into Louis for a couple of minutes before someone knocked on the window. Harry lifted his head from Louis's shoulder, snorting at the sight of Barbara, Niall, Zayn and Liam.

They were all holding up mini flags with Harry's name on it, and small windmills with the bakery colours on it.

"Open up!" Barbara mouthed, "it says you open at 8 and it's 2 minutes past!"

"My, my Harry. How dare you?" Louis raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth dramatically.

"Shut up." He giggled, standing up and heading over to the door.

He unlocked it and Barbara immediately rushed to hug him. "I'm so proud of you Harry."

"Thank you." He flushed red, "thank you so much."

"We're all bloody proud of you." Liam added, Harry turning even redder.

"You know you've got a little queue out there?" Zayn motioned.

"What?"

"About 15 people or so."

"Oh my god, really?"

"Yep. So you better get serving."

Harry popped his head around the door, letting them know they could come in before making his way behind the counter.

Louis watched from his seat as Harry interacted with his customers, making jokes and laughing with them. People stood, pointing at each of the treats on display, trying to pick between them.

Harry had done wonderfully. Each thing he had made looked dainty and pretty, even the bread having had flowers baked into it.

After a while- with the customers seeming to keep coming- Louis made his way behind the counter. "I'm just gonna take Clifford for a walk, he's getting a but fidgety. I'll be back in a bit, alright sweetheart?"

"Okay, and look how many people I have here."

"Did I or did I not tell you that everyone loved you?"

"You did." Harry blushed.

"Exactly." Louis grinned, "see you later love."

"Bye darling." Harry waved.

Louis waved back, calling for Clifford. The two began walking around the island, Louis picking any pretty flowers he saw (as long as there were others of course) to give to Harry.

Clifford was helping by pulling up random tufts of grass and flinging his head so that they flew at Louis. Louis definitely (didn't) appreciate it.

Soon enough they reached the cove, and Louis sat down on a boulder, throwing a ball for Clifford.

The waves lapped at the sand gently, the water sparkling and blue. Overall, it looked incredibly inviting. Louis couldn't wait to go in the water for the first time that year, and he'd have Harry to enjoy it with him.

Although, as the weather got warmer Louis worried about Harry. Harry hadn't even worn shorts around Louis yet, so Louis wasn't sure if Harry would even want to come in the water with several people around.

The last thing Louis wanted was for Harry to feel on edge all summer. But he didn't want him to miss out either.

Just as Louis was thinking about how to make sure Harry wasn't uncomfortable, Clifford bounded into the water.

"Oh Clifford, you twat!" Louis groaned, "you're gonna stink now!"

Clifford ran out of the water and up to Louis, shaking all over him.

"Fucking hell mate!" Louis huffed, "I feed you, I give you water, I let you sleep in a nice warm house. I even keep my sexual jokes with Harry to a minimum when you're around. And whenever we end up fucking, I'll make sure you are downstairs. What did you do that for? What else can I do for you?"

Clifford just continued to pant, sticking his tongue out at Louis. Louis glared, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well I'm not going to be giving you a bath, you'll have to do it yourself. You're going to be all sandy as well. Oh, I'll get Zayn to do it. I'll bribe him or something."

"Get Zayn to do what?"

"Oh fuck, Zayn, you scared me." Louis turned around.

"Are you talking to yourself?"

"No, I'm talking to Clifford. And we've decided you're giving him a bath."

"Why do I have to?" He whined, sitting next to Louis and pulling out a cigarette.

"Because Clifford has decided you will. He says I do too much for him already."

"What, like make sure he's downstairs when you and Harry fuck?"

"Precisely. And I won't do the same with you unless you give him a bath."

"I hate you." Zayn blew out the smoke.

"You don't."

"I do. It's either get sandy and smelly or listen to you and Harry moaning."

"Clifford, hear that, he'll give you a bath."

"You owe me."

Louis grinned innocently, picking up Clifford's ball and throwing it again.

Zayn motioned to the bunch of flowers. "Did you pick them for Harry?"

"Yeah. He'll love them."

"You two are so cute. Bless."

"Do you happen to know how to make flower crowns?"

"Of course. Do you not?"

"No."

"What are they teaching children these days?" Zayn sighed.

"We're the same age."

"And you're incompetent. Which ones do you want in the flower crown?"

"Just the daisies, the rest is for a vase."

"Let me show you then." Zayn turned to face Louis, sitting cross-legged and letting his cigarette dangle from his lips.

The two sat face to face, Louis struggling to make a daisy chain but determined to learn so that he could make them for Harry whenever he pleased. Clifford amused himself, keeping his nose to the ground as he trotted around the beach.

"You're getting there." Zayn cheered, "Harry's gonna love you even more if that's possible."

"Thanks Zayn." Louis grinned, "love you."

"Love you too mate. If you wanna go see Harry I'll take Cliff back and give him a bath."

"You're the best." Louis leaned forward to hug him, "thank you. See you later Cliff, be a good boy for Zayn!"

//

"Harold. I have a surprise for you." Louis slipped behind the counter.

Harry handed a girl her pastry before turning to Louis.

"What's the surprise?"

Louis took his hands out from behind his back, brandishing the flower crown and the small bouquet.

"When did you learn to make flower crowns?" Harry gasped, bending down slightly. "Put it on me please."

"Just now." Louis chuckled, obliging. "Pretty."

"I really really love you." Harry sighed happily, leaning into Louis.