Just One Little Favour

Eight

The rest of yesterday went fine. Louis pretty much kept himself to himself unless directed to personally.

It's another early rise and he's grumpy.

Very, very grumpy.

Not only is the fact that the time has only just gone past seven in the morning making his blood simmer, but the fact that he barely could sleep last night has put a toll on his mood.

He could hear snoring all night, and he doesn't know if it was Harry, or someone from the treehouse over.

He stabs his fork into his pancake, using his teeth to scrape it off the prongs, syrup blanketing his tongue nicely.

"We were thinking of the bike ride today," Anne says after swallowing her scrambled eggs. "Would that be okay?"

Louis nods, looking over to Joe. "That'll be alright, won't it, Skimbleshanks?"

Joey nods, raising his fork in the air before diving it into his own pancake. "I like bike rides!"

"Can he ride without stabilisers?" Robin asks, taking a sip of coffee.

Louis looks to Joe, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment. "Think so. Sort of."

Robin hums. "That's good, then!"

They finish up their breakfast, Louis takes Joey's hand and walks with him out the dining hall and into the warm spring air.

The trees rustle, budding leaves bright with the kiss of the sun, blossom petals flitting to the floor like floral snow.

"Uncle Loulou," Joey says, looking up to Louis, eye squinted in the sun.

Louis pulls the sunglasses from within his stripe top, onto Joey's nose. "Yes, Joey?"

"Can I ride the bike with no stabilisers? Daddy stopped teaching me and last time I fall off!"

Louis waves him off. "You'll be fine, love. I'll teach you, yeah?"

Joey's smile widens. "Thanks Uncle Loulou!" He hugs Louis' thigh.

Louis grins. "Don't forget I'm called dad when we are with Harry's family." He winks at him.

Joe purses his lips, nodding slowly. "Oh. I forgot. Thanks, daddy."

Louis swings Joe in the air slightly, making him screech with a laugh.

Down the path, they find the bike hut, filled with bikes of all sizes and colours.

"Right, Joseph, I'm thinking this bike would suit best," Harry says, bringing out a small black bike with pink handles and a pink flower decor on the saddle.

Joseph groans, pointing at it. "But that's a girl's bike. I'm a boy!" He pats his chest to make further of a point.

Harry gasps, a little mockingly, Louis notes, placing his hand against his heart. "Joseph! Pink is my favourite colour. Who told you it was only for girls?"

"Daddy did," he says, nose in the air.

Gemma looks up then, looking at Louis with a funny look. Louis' eyes widen, looking down at Joe.

"And when did daddy say this?" He asks, glancing up to Harry who has a frown on his face.

"When I wanted the pink bottle instead of the blue for school."

Louis' jaw sets, he crouches down to his eye level, brushing his hair back from his eyes. "Love, I don't think h- I meant that." He swallows. "Certain colours aren't just for boys or just for girls, they're for everyone, okay?"