Chapter Text
It’s nearly midnight and Louis cannot sleep.
He’s sprawled out on his back on the sofa in the living room with a blanket pulled up to his chin while an episode of The Wiggles plays on the telly. Harry’s sat in the reclining chair next to him with Gia cheerfully bouncing up and down on his lap. They’re both babbling nonsensically at each other, she’s only five months old but she’s already chatty and as it turns out she loves to sing. Every time a jingle comes on the radio when they’re in the car or a song comes on that she’s heard before Gia sings along in her own little language and more often than not Harry joins her.
Gia is such a delight, she’s still such a happy baby and she’s growing so fast. Louis can’t even begin to start thinking about going back to work, just the idea of not spending every waking hour with his baby girl and little Becks is horrifying to him. He places a hand on his bump and rubs gently, he’s in his third trimester and he’s already gone into false labor twice, Louis thinks Becks is just as excited to be around Gia as he is and is trying to rush the process.
They eventually calm down over there on the chair and Louis reaches for the remote to mute the tv. It was a lazy Sunday for the lot of them and after the nice group nap they all took together earlier curled up in bed Gia has been energized all night, she even burbled her way through her dinner of pureed bananas and formula which was surprising because she usually takes her feedings very seriously. She finally looks tired now, ready to drop at any second and Harry stands, hip cocked out while she droops her head on his shoulder.
“Are you tired now, Bean?” he asks her, thumb under her chin where she’s drooling on his shirt. “Time for bed?”
Gia lets out a small yawn and reaches her arms up around his neck. She says something discernible, it sounds agreeable enough, and Harry nods before he turns to Louis. “I’m going to go put her to sleep, alright?”
“I’ll come with you,” Louis stands, albeit wobbly and Harry leads him with one hand on the center of his back, the other holding Gia up until they get to her nursery where he places her down on the changing table. Louis sits in the rocking chair near her crib and flicks on the night light he bought her after realizing a month after they brought her home that she didn't much enjoy sleeping in the dark.
Harry hums quietly as he slips on her nightie and Gia tries to join him but its mostly breathy little huffs as she tries to hang in there and fights off sleep to sing with her aba. Louis laughs to himself because that’s his daughter alright, stubborn as ever even in a nearly unconscious state. Once Harry gets her tucked in and turns her mobile on, even though she’s already out like a light, he helps Louis up out of the chair and into their room.
Louis doesn't hate all the extra assistance per se, but he misses the days he could walk around on his own without being in constant danger of falling over and hurting himself and/or Becks. He’s big, bigger than Harry got even. Louis was sure at one point that he was having twins, it runs in the family, but as it turns out he’s not. There’s just one big happy baby inside of him and they’re not sure if its a boy or girl yet, they’re waiting to find out, but at least this time they’ve already decided on a name beforehand.
Since Louis is so keen on the nickname Becks they’ve decided on Rebecca for a girl and just straight out Beck for a boy. Louis was really reaching for Beckham but Harry is a giant toddler who is jealous of Louis’ obsession with super hot footie players and he was having none of that.
“What are you thinking about?” Harry asks him as he changes into his pajama bottoms. Louis’ been in a pair of trackies and a ratty shirt all day so he just climbs into bed underneath the covers.
“I think Becks is ready to come out.” He rubs idly at his belly through the sheets. “I don’t see why we need to keep my baby waiting.”
Harry flicks off the light and settles down next to him, his nose pressed to Louis’ cheek while he interlocks their fingers over their baby bump. “It’s only a little under a month left. I think you two can wait a little bit longer.”
Louis pouts even though Harry can’t see him. “I want my baby, and I want him now.” He says petulantly.
“Him?” Harry sounds surprised. “What makes you think we’ve got a little boy on our hands.”
“Daddy knows best.” Louis says with a stifled yawn before repositioning himself so he’s not on his side and falling asleep.
-
As it turns out Louis does in fact know best, although that comes as no surprise to him.
The doctors make him wait it out until his planned due date, even though he goes into false labor once more before that and all but demands they take that baby out of him much to his dismay. He gives birth to a beautiful baby boy that they of course call, Beck. He’s nine pounds at birth which explains so much especially when Gia was only seven and Louis is just glad to finally have his baby in his arms rather than in his stomach.
When he comes to Harry’s got Beck in his arms wrapped up in one of the soft yellow blankets they brought from home. He’s humming something faintly familiar, probably a childrens song and Gia is nowhere to be seen.
“Where is my baby?” Louis says, voice scratchy and sleep laden. He tries to sit up but his attempt is fruitless as he slumps back down. This feeling reminds him a lot of his uni days, waking up hungover and irritable after getting trashed the night before.
Harry looks up at the sound of Louis voice, a great big grin on his face. He shuffles over to help Louis sit up with one hand before sitting down on the edge of the bed next to him. “He’s right here,” Harry coos to Beck.
“No, my other baby.” Louis clarifies, but holds his arms out to collect Beck anyway. “My baby girl, you know. She’s about six months old, big blue eyes, looks a lot like you actually.”
“Ah, I think I’ve seen her.” Harry nods, “About this tall? Short chubby legs and curly brown hair, yeah?” He stands and walks over to the door. “She’s got a distinct laugh. One that sounds a lot like, this.” The door swings open and in walks Zayn holding a giggling Gia.
“You found her!” Louis shrieks. “You found my baby girl, however can I repay you?”
“I can think of three different way, actually.” Harry waggles his eyebrows suggestively and Louis waves him off.
“Not you. I’ve just had your child Harry for christsake, I need time to recover. I’m talking to Zayn.”
“Hi Louis,” Zayn says and hands Gia to Harry before coming over to sit with him. Liam and Niall both pile in and Liam grabs Gia from Harry before he can even register it and stands at the edge of his hospital bed.
“This one’s got grey eyes.” Niall says matter of factly and Louis holds Beck closer to him.
“His name is Beck,” he tells them and is met with eyerolls and a bout of chuckles. “Beck, these are your uncles. They’re all awful and mean to me so wee on them whenever you want. Okay?”
Gia is squirming in Liam’s arms and he sits her down on the bed beside him with a careful hand on her back so she doesn’t topple over. He’s looking at Louis all teary eyes and Louis has not got time for this. If Liam starts crying, Harry will probably start and he’ll most definitely start crying and he doesn’t want to go down that road.
“The most perfect gift you will ever receive.” Liam mumbles, voice watery and Harry claps a hand on his back rubbing in small circles his eyes looking glassy too.
“None of that.” Louis says sternly. “Shut up right now or I will kick you all out of this room.”
“What did we do?” Niall asks, appalled look on his face. He scoops Gia up in his arms. “If we go, she comes with us.”
“Unhand my baby you ruffian.” Louis looks to Harry for help. “Are you just going to let him kidnap your daughter like that?”
“Oh come off it Lou.” Zayn takes Gia from Niall and plops her back in Louis’ lap. Where she belongs thank you very much.
She climbs her way up to a standing position with a hand clutched in Louis’ hospital gown for leverage and looks down at her little brother. Louis can see them all watching silently, looking as weepy as ever while Gia babbles incoherently at Beck. She’s bouncing up and down and probably singing a song and its so cute, Louis’ vision gets all blurry with unshed tears and he’s just about to kick them all out before he starts crying, for real this time, when Gia’s free hand comes up and slaps Beck dead in the face and he starts wailing. His crying triggers her crying and Louis’ wiping his own tears away while Niall cackles on the bed next to him, Harry takes Gia and Zayn ushers them all out of the room.
-
The first time Gia says either of their names and means it Louis nearly collapses.
He’s pacing back and forth in the living room feeding Beck from a bottle because he’ll only eat if they’re in motion which Louis needs to figure out how to stop that and Gia is on a blanket on the floor in front of him. She’s sitting up on her own, which is a thing she can do in short bursts now that she’s eight months old along with crawling, and she’s gnawing on the ear of a stuffed animal. Louis thinks it used to be a dog, but he can hardly tell now.
She looks up at him from where her attention was previously settled on the telly and reaches her arms up like she does when she wants to be picked up. “Da!” Gia shouts and Louis has to stop and do a double take. She’s been talking non stop, saying things that only make sense to her that sound a lot like something that could be actual English words, but this...
This is different. Gia is looking up right at him with her arms outstretched and she repeats herself before toppling over to her side and rolling onto her belly. Beck is wiggling around his arms, upset from the disruption and Louis starts walking again to appease him. She is quietly following him with her eyes and Louis’ watching her too. It’s like a stand off, who is going to break first?
Of course Louis is the first one to break. He finishes feeding Beck and burps him before placing him on the blanket next to his sister and sitting on the couch opposite them. “Come on Gi,” he encourages her, “say it again.”
Gia has a look in her eye that only Louis himself could reciprocate and she blinks. “Da…” she tries and Louis jumps up from his seat clapping. “Da!” She reaches for him again and Louis scoops her up with one hand, the other fumbling for his phone in his back pocket. “Da!” She screeches and pats at his chest.
Harry’s barely answered the when Louis’ finally rang him and he starts shouting. “She did it Haz, she talked! For the first time, our little girl!” He’s loud and so is Gia and it's a wonder Harry can even hear him because he’s sure all his words are jumbled together and he sounds like Gia now.
“That’s great Lou-” Harry starts to say but Louis cuts him off.
“No, listen- I mean, I love you but shh listen.” He puts the phone on speaker and holds it up Gia at a safe slobber resistant distance. “Ok Gi, its your time to shine now.”
“DA!” She says once bright and loud and starts giggling before she breaks out in a long, “dadadadada-” and Louis starts howling.
“You hear that?” He yells into the phone. “Our little Sprout.”
“It’s amazing,” Harry says sounding awed. “I wish I was there though.”
“Okay, I’m going to hang up right now and record it for you okay I love you bye.” He hangs up before Harry can reply and puts Gia back on the blanket before thumbing open his camera. “Alright now Gi, round two let’s go.”
-
When Gia turns one Louis finds out he has to start going back to work and nearly quits his job before Harry intervenes. Every moment not spent at home with his babies is spent worrying about them and he’s sure his students know it as well. He doesn’t regret choosing to be a primary teacher, he loves what he does for a living, but going from being with his kids nonstop for six months to only at night and weekends is one of the single hardest things he’s ever had to do.
He sends constant texts to their baby sitter, Eleanor, a pretty brunette he’s known since his days at Uni and dare he say the reason why he and Harry are together today. He calls her during every break for the first month he’s back at work until she stops answering him altogether. “We’re fine, Lou.” She answers the phone, voice exasperated when he calls her during lunch. “You know I love you, but if you call here one more time I will personally come up there and tell your boss that you’re on the phone during school hours.”
‘Good’ he thinks to himself, ‘maybe then I’ll get sacked and can stay home all day.’
“I know what you’re thinking,” she sighs and he can hear her rolling her eyes, “and getting fired is an awful idea. Just be glad you’ve got someone like me who can work from home and watch your kids while you and Harry are out.” She’s known him too long, clearly.
Louis unpacks the lunch Harry had made for him that morning. It’s a bag full of various fruits and a sandwich and Louis just wants this health food kick to end. “I know, I just miss them is all.”
“And I’m sure they miss you too, Gia’s well on her way to walking I see.” Eleanor says and Louis can hear her in the back singing along to something probably on the telly.
“She is.” Louis croons and smiles into his bologna sandwich. He’s been up all night for the past week with Gia helping her take those few wobbly steps before she ultimate flumps down onto the ground until she tires herself out and they head off to bed. “Have you seen Beck? He’s scooching around now too.”
“That he is.” Eleanor giggles. “He’s got your bum I must say. Scooching around on that little bottom all day has to put some wear and tear on it, but he’s a trooper.”
He’s just about to peel open his orange when the bell rings signalling that lunch is over and he has to go collect his pupils. “Alright, I’ve got to go, but I promise I won’t call you anymore. I trust you.”
“I’d hope so,” she tells him. “I’m doing this for free you know?”
“I thought you were doing it out of the kindness of your heart.” Louis packs up the remainder of his lunch and brushes the bread crumbs off his cardigan.
“Yeah that too. I love you and Harry too much.” Eleanor says just as the second bell rings and Louis rushes out of the door with a final goodbye before hanging up.
“Love you too I’ve got to go now though bye!”
When Louis finally gets home after seeing his last student off and picking up after the arts and crafts mess they made he’s greeted with a barrage of “Daddy’s home!” from Harry, “Dada!” from Gia and just a general loud wailing sound from Beck who he scoops up into his arms when he scoots, his prefered method of moving around unlike Gia who crawls everywhere, over to meet him at the door.
Harry’s helping Gia stumble over on shaky feet and bends down to press a kiss that Louis can’t help but lean into to the corner of Louis’ mouth until Beck starts complaining, squished between them and he has to pull away.
“Aba! Up!” Gia demands and Harry obliges, he hauls her up onto his shoulders where she plants two chubby hands into his hair.
“What time did you get here?” Louis follows Harry into the kitchen where he’s making something on the stove that looks a lot like gallons of baby food. Although nowadays everything looks like baby food to Louis.
“Not too long ago, about half three.” Harry tells him and Louis’ glad at least one of them gets home early-ish. Even if that means he had to switch shifts and now does the morning show with Grimmy. “You just missed El.”
“I‘ll catch her next time.” Louis shrugs and puts Beck down into his high chair. “How was the show today? I wasn’t able to tune in on my way to work this morning, I had a parent teacher conference over the phone for a bloody seven year old, can you believe it?”
“I don’t Lou, I was pretty wild as a seven year old. I had already kissed all the girls in my year, and some of the boys too.” Harry says stirring the pot on the stove.
“Harry Styles you absolute hoe.” Louis pokes at Harry’s side until he turns around to face him. Gia’s giggling and drooling all over his head, but he doesn’t seem to mind, there seems to be baby spit all over the place nowadays anyway. “My kids aren’t sluts like you apparently were anyway.”
“But ‘m not like that anymore.” Harry pouts, bottom lip jut out pink and wet and Louis wants to bite it.
“Harry,” Louis steps forward and kisses him again. He pulls them back so they’re away from the stove and Gia starts giggling when he spins them around. It heats up quickly when Harry gets his big warm hands underneath his shirt and slides them around until he’s tucking his fingers underneath the waistband of Louis’ boxers.
Louis steps back at that. He’s aware of how fast they're moving and how close their children are to seeing something he’d not be proud of. He grabs Gia off of Harry’s shoulder and occupies her attention to help himself calm down. “Just tell me about your day,” he says and Harry nods, shuffling back over to check on dinner.
“Um well. It was pretty normal I guess?” Harry shrugs, trying to discreetly adjust himself in his jeans. “Kesha came in today, that was fun. Did you know she dropped the dollar sign from her name?”
“No I didn’t.” Louis shakes his head and he can’t help but laugh to himself. Harry is dead boring to be on the breakfast show. He talks too slow and thinks too long and that kind of thing was okay when he was appeasing the late night crowd, but now he’s the first thing people hear in the morning; Louis’ sure of it wasn’t for Nick and their amazing albeit annoying dynamic when they’re on air together Harry’d have been canned already.
It’s obvious that the charge between them isn’t going anywhere and Louis wants it just as bad as Harry does. He promises him if they can make it through the rest of the night and put the kids to bed without any interruptions that he’d blow him in return and it works.
All up until when they’re actually in bed and Harry tugs on his hair a lot like Gia would and that’s not what he wants to be thinking about right now. He begs Louis to let him fuck him and of course Louis’ always ready to get fucked. They haven’t properly done it since he had Beck all those months ago and he comes before Harry does, grinding down onto his dick until they’re both sweaty and panting between the sheets.
It only takes a little over a month for Louis to realize it this time. It’s a Saturday morning when he wakes up with the sheets cold and abandoned next to him. He rolls over to sit up and he feels like he’s just caught his death. He stumbles out into the living room where Gia is standing on her own clutching onto the table for support while Sesame Street plays idly on the telly.
Harry walks out from the kitchen with Beck in his arms and looks surprised when he sees him. “It’s about time you woke up its half past noon.” He tells him with a kiss pressed to his forehead. “Are you alright?” He asks when he pulls away and replaces his lips with the back of his hand on Louis’ head. “You look ill.”
“Harry,” Louis clutches at his stomach and walks them over to the couch where he flops down dramatically gaining himself Gia’s attention. She turns around and toddles over to the couch before climbing up and making a nest on his chest. He grabs her under her arms so she doesn’t roll off when he scooches up to let Harry and Beck sit too when he places a hand on Harry’s leg. “I think I‘m pregnant.”