Just One Little Favour

Ten

Louis settles Joey onto the kitchen counter, heart squeezing, feet numb from the cold. Harry goes upstairs at Louis' request to get Joey his spare blanket from his room, whilst Louis busies himself in making some hot chocolates. 

Joey sits there, legs dangling, nose pink, and tears still dribbling down his face. He hiccups, making his whole body jolt with the movement. Louis strokes Joe's hair back soothingly, giving him a kiss on the forehead. He fills up two small mugs with hot chocolate, wanting to see Harry's reaction when he gives him the tiny kid's cup which is practically one gulp-full of liquid inside. He then creates two larger ones, hiding one into the sink. The spoon tinkles the china when he taps at it, placing the spoon into the dishwasher.

Harry comes back downstairs with a fuzzy yellow throw, draping it around Joe's tiny body. He hands him the cream teddy that was on the bed, giving the child a reassuring smile.

"Your hot choc is there," Louis chimes, motioning with his head toward the small mug with a cartoon toad on the front, holding his rainbow mug in both hands. 

Harry's lips thin as he tries to contain a smile, taking the small cup into his large hand and giving it a slight slurp. "Thanks." He takes another sip and he's finished. "That was delicious."

Louis snorts, shaking his head and taking the flamingo mug from within the sink, handing the steaming drink to Harry. "Glad you took that well. Could've ended up in a tantrum that you wanted more." Louis looks at Joe as he speaks, stroking the hair on the nape of his neck whilst he takes a sip of chocolate.

There's a knock at the front door after the house alarm sounds, and Harry goes to answer it whilst Louis and Joe converse about if hot chocolate should have cinnamon in it or not, to give Joe time to put his mind off the scenario around him. Lottie stands there, tears staining her cheeks, with a just as concerned man standing behind her. 

She brushes past Harry, running to Joe and wrapping him into her embrace. "Jesus, Joseph! Never run away like that again!" 

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Louis growls, looking over Harry's shoulder toward Robert. 

Lottie glares at Louis. "Don't."

Louis shakes his head. "You cannot stand up for this prick, Lotts!"

"I am not doing this in front of Joseph!" Lottie yells back, palm against Joe's forehead, the other hand rubbing his blanket clad back. 

"Well I'm not waiting until next fucking year to have this conversation," Louis hisses back, clearly angry and concerned for both his sister and nephew.

Harry steps forward, popping his index finger in the air for their attention. "How about Joseph shows me the secret garden?" he suggests. 

Louis nods his head. "That's a great idea. Skimbleshanks, do you think we could let Harry in on our secret garden? Maybe he can be a railway cat too? You could show him the secret house," he whispers the last part with faux enthusiasm, eyes wide, and grin toothy. 

Joe nods, rubbing his eye tiredly. "Okay. Can we take our hot chocolates?"

Louis nods. "Course you can! H, you might want to take a blanket and torch." Louis rifles through his junk drawer, finding a small pocket torch. "Joe, can you show Harry where we keep all the big fuzzy blankets for our fort making?"

Joe's eyes light up and he holds his arms out for Harry. Harry hoists him onto his hip, taking both mugs into his other hand, turning around and listening to Joe's commands to take him upstairs. Louis smiles after them, finding it cute how Harry's hair tickles Joe's nose, resulting in the boy to brush the hair away from Harry's shoulder, and to itch the side of his nose with his palm.