Rae should have known something seemed a bit off when she was leaving Ronan for the night. Should have paid attention to the little envelop Ronan pulled from under his pillow and shoved into the back of her pocket. However, she was listening to Olivia's very animated story about how she conned Liam and Zyan into playing Princess Fairytale with her. Laughing when Olivia said she made Zayn wear her plastic, glittery tiara. So, she barely registered feeling a little hand slip into her pocket, not giving it a second thought.

She should've known something was strange again when she arrived home, with how the front porch lights were already on just as the sun was setting. She knew her mother wouldn't be home, obviously, since she just left her. Not of her own choice, since her mother practically forced Rae to go home after insisting that she'd stay the night with Ronan instead. When she made to get out of her car, leaning over to grab her bag, something crinkled in her pocket. She forgot Ronan put something there, so she pulls it out, pausing from closing the car door mid way. It's not just a piece of paper in the envelop, not with the sound it makes when she crinkles it again. It feel a littler thicker, she can feel the slight outline of a square. Rae opens the unsealed flap, pulling out the envelops contains, well, just a single item.

A polaroid. It's a polaroid picture of a digital clock, bright red numbers shining 8:30. Confused, Rae checks the time on her phone, sees that it's nearly eight now. She finally closes the door, making her way up the two steps to her front door, still staring at the picture. When she looks up from getting her keys, she's met with another polaroid, this one a picture of a nice outfit.

Rae raises her eyebrow in a silent question, because what? What does an outfit, clearly taken from a fashion magazine, have anything to do with the first time stamp picture. She pulls the polaroid from the tape on the door, then opens it after unlocking. She cautiously makes her way inside, hoping it isn't Kari playing a prank on her, just to jump out and scare her.

It's when she's toeing off her shoes and passes the kitchen does she stop again, doubling back. There's a third polaroid taped to the frame of the kitchen wall; this one being a picture of food. Rae actually chuckles, because the food is of one of the frozen dinners in the ice box; clearly someone has been, or is in her house. However, the feeling of being jumped at fades away as she slowly begins to cotton on, curiosity now spiking.

Rae searches for other pictures in the kitchen but finds none. So she's got three pictures in her hand; time, an outfit, and food. Rae thinks for a moment, beginning to piece together the pictures as she makes her way upstairs, but stops again because she has this feeling there's another clue.

She turns out to be right, pulling off the fourth picture from the banister, this one being a photo of her own camera. Which makes her frown a bit. She did leave her camera home for once, wanting to focus all her time with her mum and Ronan, off duty from snapping picture for the newletters. So how would someone, a certain someone, know her camera stayed behind. Soon, Rae can't stop the slow smile creeping it's way across her lips, clearly coming to terms that this wasn't done alone. She shakes her head in amusement, finally making her way to her room, with the door closed and another picture plastered to the front.

This one is a little harder to make out, so Rae has to squint and lean closer. It's a bit more abstract and the lighting isn't very good, and the quality of polaroid cameras aren't the best. It takes her a few moments to figure out what the object is, and when she does, that little smile is now full blown. The abstract picture is the London Eye, taken from a distance, with the nights lights shinning around it. Containing her excitement for just a little longer, Rae takes the picture to add to the collection in her hand and opens her door. Rae finds her sixth and final clue, sitting on her bed and it's so much more than small pictures can ever be.

Louis is sitting there, looking slightly on side of nervous, a tentative smile on his lips, and beautiful orange flowers in his hand. Her camera is placed next to him on the bed, still neatly placed in the bag he'd gotten for her birthday. Their eyes meet, but they both stay silent, and Rae lets the warmth she's feeling bloom from her chest and spread through her body at the sight of him. Louis looks really good, is the thing. He's wearing a nice, but casual, blazer over what looks like a band t-shirt, dark skinny jeans, with the bottoms rolled up so Rae can see his tattoos on his ankles, before they meet his Vans shoes.

Her heart skips a beat unexpectedly when Rae see's just how blue Louis' eyes look against the fading sunset's light and the fairy lights in her room. She's sure the colorful flowers just add to it, and her fingers twitch for her camera. Louis raises his eyebrows in amusement, probably because the silence has stretchered a bit and all Rae's done is stare openly. Finally, Rae blinks and says the first thought that comes to mind.

"Did you break into my house just to tell me you're taking me on a date?"

Louis perks up, mirth dancing in his eyes. "You figured it out!"

Rae only nods, because when Louis shifted, her eyes caught the flowers in his hands again. "Are those Tiger Lilies?"

Louis glances down at the flowers for a moment, then stands to give them to Rae. "They are. And before you ask, your lovely mother was very willing to help me."

Rae hides her smile in the flowers, accidentally pressing her nose against the anthers of a flower, which marks her skin with some pollen. Louis chuckles when she pulls away, stepping closer and gently wiping off the pollen on her nose with his thumb.

"They're gorgeous, Louis." Rae says softly. "You didn't have to get me flowers though. You could've just asked me to go out."

Louis shrugs like it wasn't a hassle. "You deserve better than just a simple ask, Raelyn. Wait, are you saying yes then?"

"Obviously." Rae rolls her eyes playfully. "Just let me change, yeah?"

Louis nods, hesitating for a moment, his hand lingering along the side of her face. Then he blinks himself back into focus and steps back, taking the flowers back from Rae. He tells her to take her time, there's no rush. She thanks him, then turns to her closet after Louis leaves her room, shutting the door behind him. If her heart picks up it's pace a little quicker after she hears the door close, she ignores it, and just stares blankly at her closet.

The thing is she hasn't been on a date for years, and suddenly can't remember what nice clothing is. Nice, weather appropriate, clothing. Quickly, Rae turns again, plugs her phone to the charger, then pulls up a contact. She twirls a piece of her hair around her finger while she waits for an answer. The second the ringing stops, Rae is firing off.

"So I got home to these polaroid clues taped along me house, and then Louis is just sitting on me bed, with these beautiful Tiger Lilies in his hands. Bloody Tiger Lilies like he just somehow knew they're me favourite- which is probably what he meant by me mum helping him. But he's just sitting there looking quite dashing, like David Beckham dashing, handsome, like- just sitting there and the pictures were clues to a date. Louis is taking me on a date and I have no idea what the hell I should wear! You wear clothes to a date right!?"

Rae takes a deep breath after that, waiting once again for the laughter on the other side of the line to subside. She's breathing a little harder now, pushing her hair back from her face, and facing her closet once more.

"A classy date, yes. Clothes are usually required. But first," Kari finally answers, "you need to take a breath and calm down."

"I can't even remember my last date, Kari. What do I wear? Why'd he ask me? He stole my polaroid camera, broke into my house, bought flowers. He thought this through and I can't even remember when I got this boot. Why's it just one boot, where'd the other boot go? Kari!"

"Oh my god," Kari mutters, clear amusement in her voice. "Alright. Rae. Listen. Breathe first. Good? Good. Now, it's still a bit chilly out, so either that one maroon jumper dress-"

"It's red-"

"Maroon, same bloody thing. That's a light dress. I'm sure you got it from there, yeah?"

Rae nods, despite Kari clearly not seeing it. "Alright. I think I got it now. I'm just...I think I'm nervous. He makes me nervous."

"Because you like him, a lot, by the sounds of it. He obviously likes you, Rae. He didn't do all that for nothing. Now go enjoy yourself, have fun. I'm hanging up now and turning off my phone."

"But-" Rae protests.

"It's Louis, Rae."

For some reason, that statement finally calms her. So Kari hangs up with a few more encouraging words. Rae grabs a few more pieces of clothing, inhales deeply once more, then prepares for her date.

***

Rae's glaring at him, he can feel it. Can feel her eyes narrowing, can imagine how the different colours of blue in her eyes shine against the city lights. Louis clears his throat, tightening his grip on the wheel before stopping at a traffic light. He's trying to not turn his head, trying to keep strong and not give in to the pull Raelyn's gaze has on him. He fails. He looks over, and the moment he does, he sees her expression break. Just a quick pull of the corner of her mouth quirking upwards into a smile. Louis blinks and it's gone; back into the pretend scowl she's insisting on keeping.

"I didn't know it was going to rain." Louis states, smiling as sweetly as he can.

"How long have you lived in England? How didn't you know it was going to rain?" Rae counters, the upward pull of her mouth coming back.

"How didn't you?" Louis watches her rub her lips together, possibly hiding a smile.

"Touche. You know I honestly don't care, yeah?" She smiles completely this time.

He internally sighs in relief. "I know. Still hungry?"

Rae's eyes brighten, nodding excitedly. The light turns green a few moments later, so Louis has to return his attention to the road, rather than the girl bouncing excitedly in her seat. He drives to Jasper's first, ignoring Rae as she laughs heartily, teasing him about ordering food from her work. He just shrugs, says you can't beat better diner food than Jasper's. Rae agrees, a fond look expressing her face.

After he takes her to Luna's, he makes sure she promises to stay in the car while he runs in to pick up an order he called in. Rae actually slides down in her seat, but takes out her camera. When Louis returns, Rae's aiming the camera at the sky through the window she rolled down. She pulls it back in when Louis starts the car, and has to playfully smack her hand when she reaches for the brown bag, but makes up for it by handing her the cup of coffee's he got her.

When they pull up as close as Louis can get to the Eye, Rae frowns, shooting him a confused look. She stays quite though, following Louis after he opens her door. Stays quite until she recognises Louis' personal bodyguard standing at the entrance of the Eye. Louis stops when she does, watching while she glances around and comes to a conclusion.

"You realize it's closed right?" Rae questions, still looking around and seeing no other tourist or people in general besides a few workers.

"I'd hope, otherwise the extra pay I gave would go to waste." He informs, ignoring when her mouth falls open in surprise.

Louis greets Alberto, then leaves Rae in his capable hands for the next two minutes while he chats with the manager, Anna, of the London Eye. He makes sure to express his appreciation, shaking her hand, and if he happens to sign a quick autograph for her daughter, he doesn't mind. As Anna instructs the few workers to prepare the attraction, Louis glances around out of habit. He doesn't think anyone's caught on to what he's been planning, but he's still wary of being spotted; especially in the recent events he's accidentally put Rae and her family in.

Rae, who is currently making Alberto laugh, and Louis feels nothing but fondness for her. Fondness, love, it's completely and absolutely not the same thing. Someone clears their throat behind him, startling Louis back into his plan. He turns his attention to the worker, John, who gestures to the open doors of the pod hovering above the water. Right.

While Rae's distracted, Louis makes sure the inside of the pod is all set up, placing the bags of food on the bench inside. He shakes John's hand, sincerely thanks him and the few others who had to work overtime for this, and if he tips the man generously, no one really has to know.

"Louis!" Louis gives his attention to Alberto, eyebrows raised in his usual 'I didn't do it' expression whenever he's called by him. "You treat this lovely lady well, you hear?" Alberto says, pointing a (non) threatening finger his way. "I'll be waiting down here."

Louis's expression falls; of course she'd be able to wrap his six foot 3 bodyguard around her finger. Then watches as Rae chuckles into her hand before giving Alberto a rather long hug. It's when she's finally next to Louis, does she beam at him. It only last until he takes her hand to help her onto the pod, does she looks a little apprehensive.

"Here's the thing," Rae starts, hesitating when Louis tries to guide her onto the pod first. "I've only ever been on this once. I was quite young then, so I may be little reluctant to be suspended in the air in a glass bubble."

Louis can't help but chuckle. He makes up for it by gently tucking her hair behind her ear, fingers lingering. He plays with her hair for a moment, then leans forward, placing a light kiss on her temple, and whispers in her ear.

"It'll be alright. I won't anything happen to you." He pulls back, but not before he hears Rae's breath hitch in her throat. Her eyes are shinning bright; excitement, nerves, and what he thinks looks a lot like trust. Just to clarify. "Do you trust me?"

"Always." Rae answers immediately.

Smiling, Louis gets on first, right arm stretched out behind him, fingers still entwined with Rae's. He gives a gentle tug, squeezing her hand, then Rae follows slowly. Once she's inside the pod, the doors closing behind her, she grips tight to his hand; even tighter when they begin to move. She turns her body in towards Louis' own, hiding her face in his neck.

"Shuddup." She mutters as he laughs. His response is another gentle kiss to her head.

***
"Would you stop that!?" Rae scolds, reaching out, only for her fingers to barely graze the lapels of his blazer.

They been slowly rotating on the Eye for the past half hour, eating and chatting idly. The Eye makes it to the top, halting it's spinning for now. The night lights of London makes a beautiful and breathtaking backdrop, a little hazy from the rain still falling, and Louis is resting his back against the glass pod. He smiles wickedly, leaning more weight against the glass. He has the nerve to pop the last of his croissant in his mouth, just to spite her. Rae counters by throwing a blueberry from her danish at his forehead.

"Louis, please. You're going to give me an aneurysm." This time Rae's nerves coat her voice.

"Sorry." He chuckles, allows Rae to reach forward again, grabbing his arm and tugging him towards her. His back is off the glass of the pod, but Rae looks a little more pale than before.

"S'only dangerous if you lean against the doors."

"I don't care. Don't do that again." She throws another blueberry, harder this time. It hits his cheek. "Bloody menace. I bet you gave your mum about fifty heart attacks a day when you were young."

"Sixty." Louis beams. He drops his smile when Rae nervously tugs at her hair. "Okay, sorry. I won't do it again."

"Extremely high heights sort of terrifies me. I'd rather not have to scrape you off the pavement before tour, thanks."

Right. Tour. He knows she says it from the rumors she's heard; read. Louis has yet to tell her they're true; has yet to tell her he leaves Monday. He's pulled from his thought when he feels another small fruit hit his nose. For someone who seems as nervous as she does at the moment, her aim is spot on. He picks up the small blueberry that fell between his legs, flicking his wrist as he throws it back at her. Rae just catches it. As quick as the flash of her camera, or the lightening that races across the sky, she caught it that fast. Then throws it back, at him. He's rather impressed.

Louis laughs. "Would you stop that?"

"I hate blueberries." Rae states. "Why ruin my strawberry danish with blueberries."

Louis can't help but roll his eyes playfully. They fall on her camera bag a few feet away, so he abruptly crawls over to it, carefully opening and picking up her camera. Instead of crawling back, he stands up, readies the camera and snaps a picture of Rae; who pulls a silly face just in time. He sticks his tongue out at her, waits for her to finish the last of her danish, then holds his hand out again.

"Up you get, love." He smiles down at her, pulling her up once she takes his hand. He hands over the camera, and he's a little surprised when Rae leans in to place a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispers, then slowly, apprehensively steps closer to the glass.

Louis spends the next fifteen minutes just watching Rae move around the pod. He's pulled out his phone, setting up spotify for some soft background noise, accepting when Rae steals it from him to play A Fine Frenzy. He leans his arm back on the bench, a little mesmerized with the way Rae photographs; how she bends to get certain angles, how she braves her fear and actually steps on the bottom rail for another angle.

How she can focus her camera out just enough for one object to come out sharper than the rest. The way she's able to capture the raindrops on the outside of the glass, glittering against the London city lights, and how she points her camera subtly to the right of Louis. He's not sure if she's snapping a photo of the opposite side of the city, or him. It's when he finally speaks does she tend to freeze up.

"How's Ronan been?" He questions, keeping his voice soft. Once Rae recovers herself, she snaps one more picture, then sits next to Louis.
"He's...doing." Is her response.

So, Louis nudges her elbow with his, silently, reminding her that he's here for her. Has been there for her since they've met. Rae just offers a little sad smile that makes his stomach twist anxiously.

"Erm, well," Rae sets her camera down, shifting closer to Louis. "They've been wanting to start him on a new type of chemotherapy. But it's so new, so no one is really sure the success rate of it. Chemo already exhausts him, and he's been getting more and more tired. Sometimes it takes longer for him to wake up, to come around and remember where he is. Or who we..who we are."

As she was speaking, her hand began twitching, and when it finally made it's way to her chest, Louis took hold of it. Squeezing her hand firmly. Now that she's paused, he plays with her fingers, traces his own finger along the shapes of her rings, of her tattoos on her wrist. He waits patiently, pressing his knee to hers, and locking his ankle with her own. Rae squeezes his fingers, as if she's reminding herself that he's there; literally right next to her, and continues.

"It's getting a little harder, I won't lie. I think mum knows it, feels it because she took the whole day off today, and tonight. She's spending the night with Ronan, and it makes me...makes me. I can't help to think that maybe shes got this bad feeling so she wants to spend as much time with him before he-"

"Raelyn, no." Louis cuts her off sharply. "Don't do that to yourself. Don't think like that. You- okay, breathe, deep breath." He has to pull her to his chest, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and waits for her to calm herself. Thankfully, it doesn't take very long. "If you keep thinking like that you'll give yourself a horrible panic attack and Harry might not be around with his inhaler again. Then what?"

That prompts a laugh from Rae. "He'd be so put off."

"He would." Louis agrees. "Don't start giving up, because it sure as hell doesn't sound like Ronan is. He's a fighter, that one."

Rae nods and just- she just snuggles closer to him. Burying her face in his chest, her breath puffing warmly against his shirt. "I won't."

They sit there quietly, listening to the rain fall against the glass, and the soothing croon of the lyrics from the songs playing on the phone. They stay like that for a while; Louis holding Rae close to him, like he's the only thing keeping her together, suddenly realises that he has been keeping her together for some time now. Keeps her grounded when her mind starts to doubt herself, doubt her brother, the doctors. When it starts to spiral into a dark place and believes her nightmares.

He suddenly, stubbornly, doesn't want to leave her here as he jets off to Paris. He wants to stay and comfort her, remind her to breathe when she can't. To chase those nightmares way and replace them with encouraging words, but he can't. He has to tell her he won't be able to do so for the next two weeks. He's so close to doing it. He needs to tell her. So he opens his mouth to speak, but closes it when Rae seems to be thinking along the same lines to say something as well.

"Have I ever truly thanked you?" Rae asks, her face still resting against his chest. As if the steady beat of his heart is soothing her. "Like properly thanked you for everything you've done for me? And the other lads. For everything."

"You know you don't need to thank me- us." Louis tells her.

Rae shifts finally, pulling herself away to sit up. "I know. But I am."

Then she leans in, and for the first time, she initiates the kiss. Just a soft press of her lips against his and he revels in it for a moment, before wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her just a bit closer. He moves his lips with hers slowly, trying to convey everything he feels for her through this kiss, doesn't feel the need to rush through it.

So he just holds her securely, sneaks his free hand slowly up her arm, resting against the side of her neck, thumbing along her pulse there. He spends a bit just feeling how fast her pulse is racing against his finger, before sliding his hand up a little more. His fingers slipping through her dark hair, his thumb tracing along her cheek, slowly swiping back and forth.
Rae seems restless with her own hands; moving from Louis' wrists, to the lapels of his blazer. She finally rests one hand on his chest, as if she's trying to see if his heart rate matches hers. Her other hand is still going, feeling the stubble along his jawline with her fingers, to playing with the ends of his hair that he vaguely thinks he should cut. That is, until Rae keeps playing with his hair, and thinks, maybe not.

She makes a small, surprised noise when Louis braves it enough to trace her bottom lip with his tongue, like it tickles and the feeling caught her off guard. She becomes a little more pliant, allowing him to shift her around a little until he's able to support her waist as he lays her back against the bench.

Louis has one knee on the cushioned seat between hers, and one toe on the floor, heel up in the air with his toes on the ground. It's the only way that won't automatically crush her with his own body weight, but he doesn't mind his position much. Especially when he traces the roof of her mouth with his tongue, and prompts a giggle out of her. It makes him smile in returns, both smiling a little too much for anything but the press of their lips together. Until Rae pulls him back again, and the playful atmosphere suddenly turns more passionate.

Louis' heart is pounding, his blood flowing warmly through his body, but he just thinks it's due to the girl he's currently snogging, and doesn't ever want to let go. He has the abrupt urge to tell her he loves her. To confess he has fallen completely in love with her and he's not quite sure when that happened, but it did. He loves the colour of her eyes, the meaningful tattoos she has inked on her skin forever. Loves the way she laughs, how she sometimes covers her mouth with her hand.

He's in love with her passion, how she throws all of herself into her photography. Tries to convey the way she feels through her photos because that's the only way she seems to truly express herself. Loves the love she has for her brother, for her small family, how she will literally do anything to help; takes on their own emotions and ignore hers. How she so easily became friends with his mates, band mates, brothers. He loves when she get a little annoyed, a little angry at him when he pushes her. Loves that she doesn't hold back anymore when she's with him.

The words are in the back of his throat, making their way to the tip of his tongue, and he's about to pull away, break their kiss and tell her, when the wheel suddenly lurches a little. The abrupt movement cause Louis' foot to slip, therefore making him tip sideways, falls off of Rae and onto the floor. The pod moves, the Eye beginning it's rotation once again, and Louis mentally curses the horrid timing because of course. He wants to apologise, but he can't,
because Rae is full on laughing.

Louis just looks over at her from his spot on the floor. She's laughing so hard she's holding her stomach with her arms, her eyes squeezed shut and mouth open in a gleeful laugh. Louis didn't think it was that funny, but if it makes Rae this excitable, this open and seemingly carefree for a moment, he'll take it. Watch her laugh every minute of everyday.

"Your face!" Rae squeals, literally squeals outs between her laugh. "Oh my god!"

Louis sits up, chuckling now because Rae has started laughing a little harder. Then, he reaches out and pushes her over the over side of the bench. She lands with a thud. It's silent for a split moment, before she starts laughing again. Louis just falls backwards onto the floor and laughs as well.

"I hate you." Rae chuckles from the other side, absolutely no heat behind her words.

"Mence." Louis says in response.

Somehow, he's hit with a flying blueberry- again, after he thought they were all gone- and sees Rae pop up before he's momentarily blinded by the flash of her camera.

***

Driving on the way back to Rae's house, she can't stop giggling every now and then, and Louis is just so enamored. She was still laughing when they were safely back on the ground, laughing when Alberto gave them a questionable look. Laughed so hard when he playfully threatened to dropkick Louis to the ground if he did anything wrong to her, that she was doubled over in fits. He doesn't know who's worse about puns; her or Harry. However, her hand hasn't left Louis's since he pulled her away and got in the car.

When they pull up to her house, it's dark and her mother's car isn't there. He remembers she's staying the night at the hospital, and offers Rae if she's like some company. She agrees, and ends up making cups of tea for the both of them while watching a movie. Pitch Perfect is what Rae settles on first, signing along to each song and laughing and quoting the movie. Louis watches her more than he watches the movie. Her head is resting against his shoulder again and they catch another movie on the telly.

When Rae is laying on his shoulder and falls asleep, so does his right arm, and he wants so bad to move it. It's tingling and it's numb, but she just looks so peaceful, so beautiful and calm that he just can't wake her up. He wants to stay, maybe shift a little so they're both lying on the sofa, and wake up with her in the morning, but he can't.

He's got to get up early for a meeting about promotion and whatever else he's not too concerned about at the moment. Louis gently and carefully, after waiting for the movie to finish despite his now noddle arm, slips it out from under Rae's head. He slowly lays her down, grabs the blanket on the back of the couch and covers her. He makes sure she's all nice and snuggled up, then finds a sticky note in the kitchen.

He jots down a few words, and sticks it to her bag on the coffee table. If he takes out his own phone and snaps a quick picture of her sleeping, no one has to know. Louis leans down, kisses her forehead once, lingering just a little because she smells like rain and tea, and still the ever present coconut. He leaves through the backyard, with the door that locks before closing, and gets in his car.

Louis promptly ignores the nagging little fact that he never did tell her he's in love with her. He leaves in two days

*********************************************************************************************************

Notes

AN: I snuck a country song lyric in there :D