Harry's POV

Harry walked back to the motel that night with a spring in his step. 2 days, in just 2 days he'd be free from this mess.

He hadn't seen his apartment yet but Lisa had shown him some pictures that Liam's father had sent her of the apartment and from what he could see of it, it was lovely. Besides he didn't have much of a choice anyway, anything could be better than the dungeon was staying in currently.

The next morning, he decided to go to a furniture shop in the heart of the city. He had a few hours to spare before work and Lisa had told him that the apartment was unfurnished.
He thought he might as well buy something cute like a 'home' sign or something as it was going to be his living place for quite some time.

The store was huge and Harry was worried he'd get hopelessly lost amidst the large couches, tables and aisles of furniture.

Slowly he made his way inside, looking for something small but significant that could mark the place as his.

After wandering around for what seemed like hours, Harry had still not found what he wanted and it was getting dangerously close to his work time.

He was just going to give up and decided that he'd come sometime later when something caught his eye..

It was a large, beautiful blue anchor which had the words "home" inscribed at the bottom in swirly, cursive writing. Harry was instantly drawn to it.

He walked up to it and picked it up, admiring how beautiful it was and tried to take it to the register, when he felt a tug on the anchor and turned around.

His green eyes met a pair of beautiful blue ones and his breath hitched.

The person was holding a nautical rope in their hand, which was attached to the anchor but Harry hadn't realised that they were attached, hence the tug on his anchor when he tried to move.

Harry let his eyes roam the person's face, brilliant blue eyes, feathery hair, sharp cheekbones and beautiful, perfectly chiseled lips...

***

Louis' POV

Louis walked into the huge furniture shop, feeling very small and vulnerable amidst the giant place . He wanted something for his new apartment and since he had nothing important to do with his life anyway he thought he'd check out this place. He didn't want to show up to his apartment empty handed and let his roommate furnish everything. No. The place must have a "Louis" touch to it.

After a while his feet began to hurt and he began getting pretty frustrated. That's when he saw it.. a nautical rope and an anchor.

Louis had always loved nautical symbols and as a child, his room had been decorated with ships, compasses and ropes and anchors. This was the perfect "Louis" touch to his new house he thought to himself, in such a daze that he didn't even notice that someone else was walking towards the same thing.

He picked up the rope first, marvelling at how beautifully the threads were twisted together when he suddenly felt the rope slipping away from his grasp.

Alarmed, he clung on the rope with heightened intensity, refusing to let go of it, he didn't care who else wanted it,he'd stand there the entire day and hold on to it in 'tug-of-war' style if he had to.

He looked up and saw a tall figure with curly hair and the greenest eyes he and ever seen, standing in front of him holding the anchor.

***

"Excuse me, I was here first" Louis said not sure whether to be polite or not.

"I'm sorry but I don't think you were, I clearly remember being the first to pick it up" Harry sweetly replied.

"No it was me!!"

"No it wasn't"

"Look, I don't have the time to argue, I have to get to work soon"

"Yeah well I have to get to work too" Harry said, being assertive. He was tired of being pushed around. He wanted the anchor, he would have it.

"I just got a new apartment, I need this more than you" said Louis, refusing to let go.

"Guess what? I'm here shopping for my new apartment too, so try a different excuse" Harry replied.

For some while, neither of them spoke, silently gazing at each other, studying the others face, wondering which of them would give up first.

Louis suddenly yelled, "it's mine!!"

Harry replied calmly, "No its not and stop making a fuss you're disturbing all the busy people here."

Meanwhile a salesman walked over wondering what all the fuss was about.

He gathered what he could from both Harry and Louis trying to speak at once, explaining why they each needed it more than the other.

He tried to quieten them down but without any success . "What's it with grown men acting like kids these days" he mumbled to himself and walked away.

When the salesman came back with an identical anchor-rope set in his hand, the two were intensely staring at each other, still holding the anchor and rope between them.

The salesman walked over to Louis and silently handed him the new piece, rolling his eyes.

Louis and Harry looked at each other in surprise, mouths open, eyes wide and then suddenly, burst out laughing together at their foolishness..

The salesman gave them one last exasperated glance before walking away, a small smile creeping into his face as well.

Louis and Harry each billed their anchors and departed from the shop, going their own seperate ways, thinking this was probably the last time they'd see each other...

Author's Note
OMG I was so nervous about this chapter. Their meeting. The chapter you guys have been waiting for. So many expectations.. I hope I met them all. I didn't want to make a huge deal out of their meeting because they start off as friends and I didn't want the whole love at first sight concept so this was a particularly difficult chapter to write. Please let me know how it was xx
Happy reading :)