Chapter Text
Over the next couple of weeks, Louis and Harry happily kept their secret. They shared long conversations when the kids were sleeping, small touches or hand holding whenever they were close and the kids were otherwise occupied, knowing smiles across the table at meal times, and many pecks or small kisses goodbye or goodnight.
Things were going extremely well for them. They weren’t ready to tell their friends or the kids yet, but they made the most of the time they did have together. Louis had been really impressed at how much Harry had stepped up in caring for both kids. He had been learning so quickly, just like any parent does on a daily basis.
One night after Harry had put the kids to bed and read Mia four stories, he found Louis folding laundry.
“Lou, you don’t have to fold my laundry, love,” Harry said in his slow drawl.
“I don’t mind. I do everyone else’s anyway so why not yours too.”
“That’s my underwear though.” Harry quickly went over and snatched them out of Louis’ hand.
Louis smirked over his shoulder at Harry. “I know.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.
“You little shit.” Harry called out as he dropped the underwear in his hands and tickled Louis until he managed to squirm away from him.
“You’re gonna make me pee, Haz.” Louis was still laughing as he ran out of the room and down the hall to get away from Harry.
“I’m coming for you and I will get you.”
“What are you going to do with me if you catch me?” Louis asked from behind Harry’s closed bedroom door.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Harry giggled. “Did you just say if? I will have you know that I will catch you.”
After closing the bedroom door Louis ran around the bed and crouched on the other side so Harry wouldn’t be able to see him immediately.
“Louis, you’re just as bad as the kids. I know you’re hiding behind my bed.” Harry stated as he slowly walked across his room and around his bed.
When Louis heard Harry’s footsteps getting really close, he stood up. “Please Hazza, no more tickles.”
Louis held his hands up in front of himself to try and stop Harry from getting closer. It didn’t actually do anything though because Harry walked right over to Louis and grabbed hold of him by his waist. Harry picked him up and put him over his shoulder, smacking his ass just enough to make a satisfying sound and carried Louis out of the room and down the hall.
“Where are you taking me? Put me down.” Louis squealed when they reached the bottom of the stairs and were out of earshot of the kids.
“Just remember, you asked for it, Lou.” Harry said as he gently tossed Louis onto the couch.
Louis laughed as he landed on his back. “Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“Kiss me?” Louis asked softly.
Before Louis could take another breath, Harry was laying down on top of him. “I thought you’d never asked.”
Harry connected their lips and for the first time they shared a real kiss. Louis closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the softness of Harry’s lips. He felt Harry’s hands grip his cheeks, holding him.
Louis moved his hands around Harry’s body, letting them settle on his back. It was as though everything around them stilled and the only sound that could be heard was the smacking of their lips. Louis heard Harry let out a moan, this prompted Louis to open his mouth in hopes Harry would take his cue. He did and he quickly slipped his tongue inside Louis’s mouth before Louis made circles with his tongue around Harry’s.
Harry’s tongue felt so soft and warm against his own. Louis gripped tighter around Harry’s back, stopping his hands from wandering down to Harry’s ass. He had the urge to feel it, squeeze it even but didn’t want to push things too far too soon. Instead, he concentrated on how good it felt to kiss him.
Louis couldn’t help but feel how well they seemed to meld together. How gentle Harry was and how his hands softly ran through Louis’ hair as their tongues continued to lick into each other’s mouths.
The two men were so caught up in each other that they didn’t hear the front door open and Liam and Zayn come bounding into the room.
“Shit… fuck.” They heard Zayn’s voice.
“We’re sorry, we’ll leave.” Liam said as he tried to drag Zayn back out of the house.
Harry was quick to jump off of Louis and stand on his feet. Louis just sat up and grinned at Liam after he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Hey, no it’s all good,” Harry started awkwardly. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Look, we’re really sorry we interrupted. We had no idea you guys were like…” Zayn paused and made a motion between Harry and Louis.
“We wanted to keep things private, between us for awhile until we figured it out.” Louis quickly filled the briefly silent air.
“Lou, you tell me everything. You know I wouldn’t have written about it or sold the story,” Liam looked hurt.
“Zee, help us out…” Harry started pleading. “You know what it can be like when the media finds out. We just wanted to have something for us for awhile.”
“I know, Harry and I understand.” Zayn smiled and gave Harry a pat on the back. “So you guys are now officially…” Zayn pauses midway through.
“Dating, boyfriends?” Louis offered as suggestions. “Yes, we are BUT we don’t want anyone to know, especially the kids.”
“Fair enough.” Liam said.
“Fucking,” Zayn spoke up. “I was going to say fucking.”
Liam giggled while Harry and Louis both gasped.
“No.” Both Harry and Louis said at once, both equally as offended.
“Well you have at least once,” Zayn egged them on.
“You don’t know that.” Harry put his hands on his hips in defence.
“Actually,” Liam put on his smartass attitude. “Eddie tells us you did!”
“He also told us that Harry liked it,” Zayn managed to say through laughing.
“Fuck off, the both of you. I don’t know why you came over but you can both promptly let yourself out the same way you got in.” Louis jumped before it could go any further. “Get out of our house.”
Harry was quick to go stand beside where Louis was now pointing in the direction of the door and wrapped his arms around him. “Our?” he questioned. “You said our house, Lou!” Harry sounded so happy.
He showed how happy that made Louis by leaning in and kissing him again. This time it was harder and more passionate.
“That’s our cue, Zee,” Louis heard Liam say as he heard their footsteps leave the room.
As soon as he heard the front door close, he pulled slightly away from Harry. “That was so embarrassing, Haz.”
Harry giggled and placed another tiny kiss to Louis lips. “Come on, babe, how about we go get some sleep. Our munchkins will be up before we know it and I have a day full of meetings tomorrow.”
***
The next day, Louis woke up in such a great mood. He shared a lovely breakfast with his family of four followed by some playtime.
Just after lunch Harry apologized that he had the day full of meetings about decisions and deadlines for upcoming projects. Louis made sure he didn’t leave without a kiss.
As soon as Harry had left, Louis decided he wanted to do something special for Harry and settled on making a nice dinner for the two of them to enjoy together after the kids went to bed.
He spent nap time prepping for the meal, stuffing mozzarella inside the chicken and wrapping it with parma ham. He decided the mash could wait for later and ended up cleaning the house a little.
Mia was the first to wake so she helped Louis make apple crisp for their dessert. When Eddie woke up just a little later, the three went outside to play.
Louis held onto Eddie’s hands as he slowly took a few steps toward his sister. Mia running around the backyard chasing a neighbourhood squirrel and giggling loudly.
Eddie babbled away, as he usually did. Louis listened contently and agreed or asked for more details during the brief pauses.
Soon enough, Louis’ back started aching so he set his son down on his bum and started walking toward Mia. That’s when Louis heard one of the best things he had ever heard.
“Dada!” Eddie yelled.
“Oh my goodness, my little man,” Louis said quickly going back over to his son. “Yeah, that’s me Dada. Can you say it again?”
“Dada,” Eddie said again.
Louis quickly pulled out his phone and called Harry, at the off chance he would pick up, he didn’t. Disappointed, Louis opened the camera and started recording a video as he encouraged Eddie to say it again.
“Dada,” Eddie said once more.
“That’s my boy. I love you so much, little man.” Louis gave his son a kiss as he stopped the video and put his phone away again.
***
Once Louis finally put both kids to bed that night, he went back down to the kitchen to finish preparing the meal he had carefully put together to surprise Harry.
He picked up his phone to see if he’d missed a call or a text while he was with the kids but he didn’t. He put his phone back on the counter and pulled two plates and two wine glasses out of the cupboard.
The table looked perfect, he dished two plates out and set them on the table beside two glasses of wine. He had even set out a candle to light when Harry got home, to add an extra flare of romance.
Even though he still hadn’t heard from Harry, Louis sat in a chair, staring out the window as he waited for Harry to get home.
It was already later than Harry had thought he’d be home but Louis was sure Harry wouldn’t be too much longer.
Louis sat, staring out the window for so long he ended up falling asleep.
The next thing Louis knew, he was being jostled awake by Harry.
“Hey, babe,” Harry said softly. “I am so sorry I’m late, especially after you went to all this trouble for what looks like a great meal.”
“Whatever.” Louis said, rather unimpressed that he hadn’t been made aware that Harry was running late.
“Not whatever, Lou. I am sorry. It looks like you didn’t eat, were you waiting for me?”
“Course, I don’t make nice romantic meals to eat alone,” Louis snapped back as he stood from his chair.
“Crap, I guess I should have called to say I was going to be late. I didn’t even look at my phone for most of the day.”
“Well that is obvious.” Louis spat with frustration and anger. “Oh yeah, here.”
Louis opened his phone and brought up the video from earlier and tossed it to Harry then walked out of the room.
“I’m going to bed,” was all that Louis said.
Louis made a stop in the bathroom to relieve himself, brush his teeth, and wash his face before heading to his room. He had only pulled off his shirt when there was a knock on his bedroom door.
“Yeah?” Louis called.
“Please, can I come in?” Harry said very quietly.
“Yeah.”
Harry opened the door and walked across the room so he was standing in front of Louis. Harry put his hands on Louis’ waist and gently turned his body so they were facing each other.
“I know I messed up, Lou,” Harry started. “I am so sorry about dinner, it looks amazing and I’m starving so I hope you’ll come down and eat with me. I am also so sorry I didn’t answer so I could hear Eddie’s first words. That actually makes me sad.”
“Me too,” was all Louis could think of to say.
“Come back downstairs and eat with me, Lou. I’ll heat it up for us.” Harry looked like he was begging.
“Fine but only because I’m starving.” Louis agreed while protesting at the same time.
Harry picked a nice shirt out of Louis closet and threw it to him to put on before leaving the room.
By the time Louis was back downstairs, Harry had reheated their food and lit the candle that was still on the table.
Neither one spoke as they ate, both hungry enough to quickly devour the food on their plates.
“That was so good, Lou. Makes me even more sorry I wasn’t here while it was still hot the first time,” Harry said rubbing his stomach.
“Serves you right,” Louis smiled. “But thank you.”
“Let me make it up to you, please Lou?” Harry pleaded.
“What do you have in mind?” Louis sat up straighter in his chair, not knowing where Harry’s brain was taking them.
Just then there was a brief knock on the door before it opened.
“We’re here, stop making out because we are coming in,” a familiar voice was heard just before Liam and Zayn walked into the room.
“That was fast.” Harry smiled as he stood up to greet their friends.
“What are you both doing here?” Louis questioned.
Harry grabbed a hold of Louis’ hand. “Come on, let’s go dancing.”
Louis followed as Harry guided him through the front door and to a waiting car. Once they were inside, Harry told Louis he was taking him to a club to have some fun. Harry told Louis that he just wanted Louis to have a good time, that was it.
“You know, Harry, the last time you took me out just to have a good time we ended up back at my place making Eddie.”
***
It was late when they got home that night, Harry practically holding Louis up.
“Hazza,” Louis stumbled drunkenly through his words. “I can’t remember now what I started off the night upset with you, can you remind me?”
“No, I certainly will not,” Harry laughed.
Louis was given strict instructions to go to Harry’s room as quietly as he could because Harry had to use the bathroom. The problem, however, was that Louis didn’t trust himself to walk down the hall and not fall over or bang into the wall. He thought it best if he got down on his hands and knees and crawled.
Halfway down the hall Louis had thought he must look like a cat crawling down the hall like this so he started to purr. By the time he made it into Harry’s room, Harry was right behind him.
Harry stopped inside the room and shut the door behind himself.
“Lou,” Harry said quietly. “What the hell are you doing?”
Louis remained a cat and crawled over to Harry, rubbing his body against Harry’s legs.
“Get up, Louis.”
“Cat’s can’t talk, Harry, don’t be silly.” Louis sat on his feet, watching as Harry threw his arms up in the air.
“Alright, if you’re a cat then you get to sleep on the floor,” Harry said as he took his shirt off, pulled down his pants and threw his clothes into the hamper.
“I’m not sleeping on the bloody floor, Harold, don’t be ridiculous,” Louis huffed as he made his way to the bed and crawled up, finally laying his head on a pillow.
As Louis lay there, he felt the bed dip beside him and Harry appeared.
“Lift your hips.” Harry patted the sides of Louis’ waist.
Once Harry had Louis in his boxers, he made a move to lay down beside Louis.
“That’s it?”
“What’s it, Lou?”
“You’re just going to leave me in my boxers?”
“Yes, now go to sleep, Louis.”
Louis rolled on his side, facing Harry. “I will not simply go to sleep, Harold. You’ve got me drunk and nearly naked in your bed. This is the part where you take advantage and have your way with me.” Louis did his very best serious face.
Harry laughed, “I’m not going to have my way with you, Louis. Don’t you remember what happened last time we were drunk and had sex?”
“We have the most beautiful son to show for it.” Louis was very proud of his response.
“Exactly, now go to sleep.”
“Fine.” Louis huffed as he lay back down. “I am horny though and almost hard . Guess I’ll just take care of myself.”
With that said, Louis reached one of his hands into his boxers and wrapped a hand around himself. He looked sideways at Harry and when he didn’t see any movement he started stroking up and down. Nothing was happening as quick as Louis had wanted it to, so he stroked faster.
“Louis Tomlinson, that is so rude and makes things very awkward when you masturbate while sharing a bed with someone. Stop it right now,” Harry demanded. “Besides, you’re likely too drunk to get it up anyway.”
“Whatever, Harold.” Louis gave up in defeat and rolled onto his side, away from Harry.
Soon enough, Louis could hear Harry’s breath even out and he knew Harry was asleep. Louis gave up all fight and closed his eyes, falling asleep as well.
***
Harry
“Good morning, beautiful,” Harry softly whispered in Louis’ ear.
He placed gentle kisses down Louis’ neck and across the back of his shoulder. Softly moving his hands around Louis’ body and pulling him toward himself.
“Stop yelling, my head is pounding,” Louis grumbled as he started stirring from his sleep.
Harry patiently waited quietly until Louis rolled onto his back and opened his eyes.
“I love waking up next to you, Lou. You should sleep here every night,” Harry suggested.
“I’m sorry, H, I can’t function right now. I’ve got a hangover.”
“I’m sure you do,” Harry quietly giggled as he got out of bed.
Harry pulled on some joggers and a hoodie, walking back over to the bed and pulling the duvet back over Louis. He bent down and placed a kiss to Louis’ temple.
“You sleep, my love, I’ll bring you water and Advil before letting Liam and Zayn go home. You should sleep it off for a couple hours and I’ll take care of the kids.”
“You sure? I can push through it,” Louis started as he sat up in bed.
“No, Lou,” Harry placed a gentle hand on Louis’ shoulder to stop him from getting up. “They’re my kids too and, as your boyfriend, I want to take care of you. That means you are staying in bed and getting some rest without feeling guilty.”
Harry heard Louis sigh before he laid back down and closed his eyes.
Harry closed the bedroom door shut after delivering Advil and a bottle of water to the bedside table.
He easily followed the sound of giggling to the table where he found his friends and his children just sitting down to eat breakfast.
“Morning, Harry,” Mia shouted with joy.
“Hazza, we didn’t think we’d see you for another few hours. You boys have a good time?” Zayn asked, handing Eddie his plate of cut up pancakes and fruit.
“Uh, yeah, we had a great time. Louis had a bit too much fun and I told him to stay in bed.” Harry grabbed a plate for himself and took a seat.
“You’re a bad influence on him, Harry. I couldn’t get him to go out with me since he had Mia.” Liam pokes Harry with his fork.
“I’m just more fun than you is all. Actually, I wanted to let you know that you boys are good to go after you’re done breakfast. I can handle these two on my own.” Harry began eating his breakfast.
“Look at you, Daddio,” Zayn teased.
“Nope, that Harry,” Mia paused for a moment and scrunched up her face like she was thinking. “Daddy says my brother’s gonna call Harry Papa… I already had a Papa but he leaved.”
“You are so right, smarty pants.” Liam gives Mia a big grin.
Liam and Zayn left right after breakfast was over. Mia helped Harry clear the table and washed up a few dishes while Eddie happily played in his high chair.
“Thank you for helping me do the dishes, Mia.” Harry gave Mia a quick hug.
“Harry, you play Eddie and me?” Mia tilted her head as she asked.
“I’d love to,” he lifted Eddie out of his chair. “Would you like to go for a walk together, let daddy sleep for a bit?”
“Okay,” was all Mia said before running to the front door to find her shoes.
As they were getting ready, Harry called for one of his bodyguards to accompany them. He wasn’t willing to risk something happening to the kids.
They returned home a while later with shopping bags. Harry took the kids to the store to buy some craft supplies.
“Harry, we paint, please?” Mia excitedly threw her coat on the ground.
“Just as soon as you pick up your coat. Your Daddy doesn’t like it when you leave it on the floor like that.”
Mia was quick to pick up her coat and put it away.
First, Harry set Eddie up at the table beside him with paper and a few crayons. He then opened the new paints and handed Mia a brush for each colour.
They happily painted and chatted about favourite colours and foods. They even spoke about what letter everyone’s names start with.
Eddie started to grow fussy and Harry knew he’d had enough.
“I’m just going to get your brother ready for a nap, Mia. You stay here and keep painting, okay?” Harry told her.
“I have another paper first?” she asked as Harry got up from the table.
Mia settled with a brand new piece of paper and Harry made his way to Eddie’s room. Harry sang softly as he changed Eddie’s smelly diaper and put him in his crib.
“You have a good nap, my little man. Papa loves you so much,” Harry blew him a kiss as he left the room.
Back downstairs Mia had completely filled the paper with paint. He could easily tell she was done because she had started carrying the leftover paint to the sink.
“Careful there, let me help you,” Harry jogged to help Mia clean up their crafting mess.
As soon as everything was clean once again, Mia asked Harry if they could talk on the couch.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Harry questioned.
“I ask you something?” Mia looked unsure, playing with her hands just as her dad often did.
“You can always ask me anything, Mia,” Harry tried to reassure her.
“You my Harry, right?”
“Yes.”
“You Eddie’s Papa?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Mia stopped for a moment and Harry sat, just watching her. He gave her the time she needed to collect her thoughts and say what she wanted.
“Why you not my Papa too?”
“Well,” Harry wasn’t sure how he should answer that question, “You already have a Papa, love.”
“But he lefted and you are a better Papa for Eddie. I want you to be my Papa too,” she looked up at Harry with the biggest blue eyes that were just like her Daddy’s.
“Ahhh,” Harry was speechless and could feel the tears threatening to fall. “I would love to be your Papa, you can call me Papa if you want, hun.”
Mia smiled the biggest smile and leaped into Harry’s arms. Before their hug was over Harry could hear a sniffle coming from the stairs. He turned his head to find Louis standing at the bottom of the stairs with tears in his eyes too.