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Louis’ morning had already been exhausting. He woke up to a still whiny Harry who refused to be anywhere but close to Louis and started a fuss every time Louis tried to do something where he couldn’t have his arms occupied with carrying his boy.
They were currently in their crib, Harry laying across Louis’ lap and slowly suckling his bottle while looking up at Louis. Tear stains still present on his cheeks and his eyes red rimmed.
Louis cooed to him quietly, whispering soft words while caressing Harry’s hair making him purr.
Louis still had no clue what happened to Harry that made him drop this hard. He had to wait until Harry came a bit up more until he would ask him. He knew Harry’d be startled if Louis would get him up know especially when he felt this little and overwhelmed already.
Regressing was exhausting for Harry so Louis didn’t want to add up to the stress his boy already had.
He gave Harry a peck on his forehead, making Harry smile around the bottle. “You’re my good boy aren’t you?” He spoke softly at him. The younger boy mumbled something which louis couldn’t understand because of the bottle.
He was happy that Harry was more talkative today, since he hardly spoke anything yesterday.
Harry pushed the bottle out of his mouth with his tongue telling Louis he didn’t want anymore.
“Look Baby it’s not much left. You can drink the rest.” Louis shook the bottle, showing to Harry that there wasn’t much more than a quarter left to the bottle.
Harry pouted but took the bottle back into his mouth anyway. Louis smiled at him, waiting patiently for Harry to finish the rest.
“‘M gonna have to ask Zee if he can pick some food for us up.” He said to no one in particular when Harry was done, walking with him back into the kitchen. Harry thankfully ate his mashed bananas this morning, leaving Louis less worried with what he should feed his baby.
“Zee?” Harry repeated head peeking up from where it was settled on Louis’ shoulder.
“Yeah baby, Zee. We need some food and he and Liam can pick something up for us. I’ll just tell him you’re really sick and I’m feeling not so well either.”
Their friends didn’t know of their... thing. Louis and Harry came to the conclusion that it’s best if they didn’t know. Not because they would judge them, Louis was sure that once everything was thoroughly explained that they’d be cool with it but Harry didn’t feel comfortable with them knowing or them even being around when he was in his headspace.
“Daddy no,” Harry whined when Louis tried to set him down on their sofa making Louis sigh. “Just a few moments Haz. Lemme just call Zayn and then we’ll watch a movie or something alright?” Louis grabbed Harry’s arms that were wrapped around his neck and untangled himself from the grip the younger boy had on him.
“There you go, now hush it’s just a few moments.” Louis spoke when he saw that Harry started to whimper. “Be good and stay here.” Louis took Harry’s stuffed bear that was laying behind him and gave it to Harry, the younger boy grabbing it with a scowl on his face that didn’t look as intimidating with a pacifier in his mouth as Harry probably thought it was.
Louis gave Harry one last look before stepping out of the living room into the hall were he quickly called Zayn. Louis tried his best to make his voice sound nasal so that Zayn would believe him. It was a quick call, Zayn immediately agreeing and just asking louis to send him a shopping list.
“Thanks mate, I owe you one.”
“You’re welcome. Tell Haz to get well soon.”
“Will do Zee. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Louis turned around and opened the door to their living room which was ajar. He closed his phone and looked up again, expecting to see Harry on the sofa. He wasn’t though.
“Wha- Baby!” Louis catchend Harry who stumbled or rather was falling straight into his arms. Harry had basically little to zero control over his legs when he was in his headspace especially in such a young one.
“Haz I told you to stay on the sofa.” Louis scolded, putting Harry on his waist who was full on crying now. He rocked him slightly and hushed him while walking out of their living room and back to their crib.
“Daddy ‘s gone.” Harry cried, tugging his head in the crook of Louis neck.
“Wasn’t gone baby. I told you I needed to talk to Zayn and I also told you to wait for me. Didn’t I?” Harry rubbed his nose against Louis throat, his sobs quieting down. Louis hummed, knowing that Harry knew that Louis was right.
“Thought so Baby. We’re gonna cuddle now and you try to rest a bit a’right” Louis gently put Harry down on the bed before climbing in with him, the younger boy immediately climbing on top of him.
Louis didn’t mind, of course he didn’t he just had a lot to do and knew it would be hard to get Harry off of him later. He let him though, knowing that skin contact helped Harry fall asleep easier.
“Sing please Daddy?” Harry asked shyly, a small blush forming on his cheeks and he hid his face in louis chest. “Want me to sing? What do you want baby?”
“Sun.” Harry answered after some time of contemplating his options.
Louis put a hand in Harry’s hair, caressing it and stroking over his back with the other before quietly starting to sing you are my sunshine.
Harry loved Louis’ voice, was obsessed with it. Something the older boy never understood because he didn’t think of himself as a singer but Harry loved to hear it and who was louis to deny his boy a thing.
His singing was just barely over a whisper, voice husky and scratchy and in the end he just hummed the notes to the song, feeling Harry’s body go more pliant and his breaths deepening.
Louis waited for another 5 minutes until he was sure that Harry really was asleep before he peeled the younger boy off himself and stood up from the bed.
He put up the railing they had installed and set up the baby phone before immediately starting to clean their flat and shit like that Louis had to do.
Halfway through Zayn called him, telling him that him and Liam were bringing up their groceries. Louis quickly shut the door to their crib and hid the baby monitor and everything else that was indicating what they were doing. He also made sure to look ‘sick’ messing up his hair and trying to look tired and exhausted.
“You look awful.” Zayn commented making louis roll his eyes because he wasn’t really sick so fuck Zayn.
“Yeah you better stay outside. Harry’s also sleeping right now so...” Louis trailed off and Zayn agreed, putting down the groceries in front of the door belfry waving goodbye. “Text me if you need anything and take care.”
Louie nodded and grabbed the groceries bags, making quick work of unpacking them. Once he was done with everything he glanced at his phone clock, telling him that an hour had went by. Louis quickly mad himself cereal, eating them as fast as possible before going to wake Harry up.
He laid down next to him, knowing that Harry thought Louis didn’t leave his side the whole time.
“Baby wake up.” Louis pampered Harry’s face with kisses and stroke his bag. It took a few minutes until Harry blinked his eyes open, letting out a big yawn before smiling up at Louis and making grabby hands at him.
“Yeah c’mere.” Louis helped Harry climb on him again, putting his arms around his boy who pressed himself close to Louis.
“Did you sleep well?” He asked into the curly hair, placing a kiss on top of it.
Harry hummed, nodding his head against Louis chest. “I’m glad baby.”
“Daddy?” Harry looked up at Louis, dimples showing that Louis poked. Harry giggled at him, grinning wider. “Wanna watch a movie please.”
“Yeah baby? What do you want to watch?” Louis smiled at him, stroking the few strands of hair that have fallen into Harry’s face away.
“Dunno.” He mumbled, furrowing his brows.
“Well, you can think of one while I braid your hair back. Is that okay baby?” Harry nodded, already thinking of what they could watch.
Louis grabbed the hairbrush and hair ties before gently combing through Harry’s hair, untangling it as carefully as possible. Once he was done he started to braid the hair into two braids. Louis kissed the top of Harry’s hair once he was done and put him on his waist again.
Harry babbled the whole time about different movies, everything slurred together but Louis tried his best to answer him and listen to what he was saying. He was relieved to see Harry happier and chattier than the day before and noticed how his headspace slowly grew older.
“Gonna change your nappie quickly Okay bubs?” Louis spoke, putting away the hairbrush and taking the supplies needed to change Harry. Harry didn’t reply, just furrowed his eyebrows and whining a bit in discomfort when Louis cleaned him around his privates. Louis thought it was cute how Harry still got shy when it came to that. They’ve done this for a while, have been together for even longer so really, Louis has seen everything already and there really wasn’t a thing Harry and him haven’t experienced yet. But his boy still got shy at a simple nappy change. It was endearing.
“Did you decide what you want to watch?” Louis asked while walking them into the kitchen to prepare some snacks. He put Harry down on the counter, waiting a few seconds to make sure he would hold himself up before starting with heating up oat milk for the bottle.
Then, he proceeded to cut up bananas, apples and grapes and lastly chose some raisin cookies to go finish the snack plate.
“Can we please watch Nemo?”
“Course we can baby. Good choice.” Louis finished of Harry’s bottle and filled a sippy cup with juice and water.
“Okay, I’ve got everything prepared.” Louis brought Harry back to the sofa, sitting him down before quickly gambling all their food and some blankets. He quickly builded them a nest, having become quiet good at doing it fast but still good and then got him and Harry into a comfortable position.
He put on the movie and started to feed Harry the bottle, Harry’s eyes trained on the tv. He drank slowly, being distracted by the happenings in the movie but louis didn’t mind, it just meant he had to be a bit more careful so that Harry wouldn’t choke on the bottle or on the drink itself.
When the bottle was finished, Louis grabbed the plate with the food, having already ate something from it, he now helped Harry eating it.
At the end of the movie, the plate was finished and Louis was on the edge of falling asleep, the day before and the stressful morning catching up to him.
He felt a finger poking into his cheek, making him open his eyes and trying to blink away the tiredness.
“Hi daddy.” Harry spoke softly, looking up at Louis through his eyelashes.
“Hi baby.” He answered, suppressing a yawn. It was just 3 pm, meaning Louis had to wait until Harry would fall asleep at night. He couldn’t nap now, not wanting Harry to be by himself and not liking the idea of his baby not being watched and cared for.
“Can we watch another movie?” Harry asked, big eyes pleadingly looking up at Louis. “Sure we can. You already know which one?”
Harry nodded, “‘ristocats.”
Louis quickly put the movie on, thankful that he just had to relax.
How could it have been otherwise, Louis fell asleep.
It happened relatively at the beginning of the movie, his eyes drooping heavily until he completely fell asleep. His arms tightly around Harry who was laying atop of him.
He was awoken by Harry squirming on top of him.
“Baby what’re you doing?” He asks, eyes still closed. He slowly opened them, seeing Harry still struggling to get up from him. Louis loosened his grip around him, allowing Harry to sit up on his lap.
“s’warm.” Harry grumbled, making Louis chuckle at his boy.
“Okay we’re gonna put you in something that isn’t as warm. And then I’ll start on dinner.” Louis explained, sitting up he stretched himself before placing a kiss on Harry’s nose and on his pacifier. “Let’s go then.”
Louis pulled out a light pink T-shirt with strawberry print on it and white leggings, making quick work of getting Harry into the clothes before replacing the green pacifier with a white one with a strawberry. It was a weird habit, really but both Louis and Harry loved it when Harry’s outfit matched by 100 percent, meaning they had quite the collection of pacifiers or bibs.
“Beautiful Princess.” Louis smiled, taking Harry with him to the kitchen. He put him down in his chair and started to prepare dinner, deciding on Mac and cheese with some vegetables.
Harry watched him the whole time babbling happily away.
“There you go baby.” Louis put a plate down in front of Harry as well as cutlery and tied a bib around him. “Want me to feed you?” Louis asks, waiting for Harry’s answer.
Somedays, when Harry was in a more toddler like headspace he loved to be as independent as possible while still being pampered, meaning he also wanted to eat himself and sometimes when he was feeling younger he happily let Louis feed him.
Today seemed the latter to be the case, Harry nodding and opening his mouth as soon Louis scooped some food on the spoon.
He fed Harry his whole plate, talking to him as well as praising his boy once he was finished.
Louis took some wet wipes once Harry was done, cleaning him up and pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“Bubs can you wait for me to eat dinner? And then it’s bath time.” Harry nodded and Louis scooped his own plate with food before sitting down next to Harry and eating it quickly. Harry watched him, as if Louis was doing the most interesting thing in the world. Louis loved his boy endlessly.
Once Louis was finished, he grabbed their plates and put them in the sink to clean later. He put Harry on his hip and walked with him to their ensuite. He was quick to prepare a bath and turned then to Harry who was sitting on the floor next to him, playing with his pacifier.
“Okay bubs, ready?” Louis smiled at him when Harry held up his arms, he undressed him first though and helped him in the tub after.
“Daddy too?” Harry asked, tugging on his shirt. “Sure I can come in too.” Harry loved bath time. Loved the attention he was getting and loved it when Louis washed his hair and massaged his scalp. He loved it even more when Louis was with him in the tub though. Could stay hours tugged against Louis chest having his hair played with and soft kisses pressed against his neck and shoulder.
No matter the headspace he was in, bathing with Louis was one of his favourite activities.
Louis undressed himself as well before he stepped in behind Harry, pulling him into his chest. Harry’s head immediately fell back on his shoulder, making Louis let out a chuckle and press a kiss against his forehead.
They stayed like that for a while, Louis murmuring soft things to Harry and Harry being completely mesmerised by the husky voice.
When the water got colder Louis started to wash Harry, taking time on his curls, having Harry pliantly against his body basically purring at the contact. Once the shampoo was washed out Louis washed his head and body before continuing with Harry’s body, taking once again more time on his boy.
He got them both safely out of the tub and quickly wrapped Harry up in his frog towel that they used the day before. He pulled it hier Harry’s head, kissing the tip of his nose before grabbing his own.
He dried himself of and wrapped the towel around his hip before grabbing Harry who was looking very content and sleepy. He made a quick stop in their bedroom, scurrying into some clothes before bringing Harry to his room.
He put a nappy in Harry, distracting him with giving him a stuffed animal and applied rash cream. After that he laid Harry down on the bed and started to look for clothes for his boy.
He settled with a thin baby blue onesie that had a soft pink cloud on the front. Louis loved it. He continued with pink fluffy socks and ended it with a soft pink pacifier that he eased into Harry’s mouth, the younger boy getting tired with every moment passing by.
He helped Harry scooting back on the bad and easily complied when Harry puckered his lips, asking for a kiss. Louis kissed the top of his pacifier and stroked a few wet stray curls out of Harry’s face.
“M gonna prepare soy bottle baby boy. And then we can snuggle in bed and watch a movie til sky fall asleep alright?” He explained, leaving the room once Harry gave him a nod. He hurried preparing the bottle, knowing that Harry didn’t like to be alone too long especially when he felt tired.
He put on Peter Pan for them, putting the tone down that it was just quiet background noise so that Harry would actually fall asleep. Though Louis suspected that it wouldn’t take his boy long since his eyes were already starting to get droopy and his hands moved up to rub at them while letting out a big yawn.
Harry was curled up in bed, his favourite stuff he pressed to his side and he lazily smiled at Louis when he entered the room.
Louis helped Harry adjust himself so that he was laying sideways over his lap, his head safely tugged into the crook of Louis elbow.
He eased the bottle into Harry’s mouth, who’s small eyes where trained on the movie playing.
Louis watched Harry and played with his hair. He really was his everything.
