Forced Family 3

T W E L V E

"Daddy's going to love hearing about how good you're being," Harry coos peering into the stroller as he pushes it from behind.

Louis shifts in his groggy state, he groans softly feeling the sunbeam onto his cheeks, the plastic from his pacifier hitting the corners of his mouth as he inhales bringing it closer. 

Pushing the rubber part from his mouth, Louis shakes his head trying to steady his vision seeing the sidewalk underneath his feet, he knew he was in a stroller, and that Harry had mentioned the two going out that day; but he didn't remember falling asleep. 

It was a week before Annika's surprise birthday party that Louis had fallen out of headspace, and while he had felt at ease, it was a sudden jolt of displacement that made the boy re-think his life choices. 

He kept quiet about his distaste for his current predicament until he heard Harry and Zayn planning the party for Annika with Liam and Niall. He had been pretending to be asleep on his Papa's lap, a skill the boy had mastered, while listening to the four adults poke fun at the idea of fooling the girl into thinking the day was her birthday.

Supposedly it wasn't for the next couple of months.

Louis remembers reading a part in Liam's book where he mentioned it only took two days for him to lose track of time. He would have to agree with that fact because if it weren't for the fact he had mostly free roam of the house and got to see a calendar, Louis wouldn't know the day or month.

It was a horrifying thought, to rely solely on someone for all of your information from the outside world. Really put Louis into the perspective of delusion and disassociation.

 Pushing Louis into a coffee shop, Harry brings the boy into his arms with a kiss on the cheek, "Papa and Lou Lou's day," he coos tapping the end of Louis' nose, the boy remaining emotionless. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell if the parents knew just how out of headspace he truly was. Louis figured they knew a little as Zayn grew a little colder with him recently after Annika's birthday stunt, but unlike before they weren't scaring him to return. 

Instead, the two parents continued acting as if Louis was in headspace.

The lad truly didn't know which was better or worse.

"What should we get daddy?" Harry asks to begin to sway with the boy, he combs his hands through Louis' hair beginning to pat his backside soothingly, "My sweet, sweet, boy," tears prick Louis' eyes at the coddling, it was during this time of loss in his place, that he felt guilt.

Guilt that he had suddenly woke up and disturbed what seemed to be a happy family.

Louis remembers when Harry and Zayn were in jail and that all he wanted was his family back. He had it all back, why now, why all of a sudden did that thought terrify him?

What more did he want? If, this truly is what he ever wanted.

Without an answer, Harry decided on two coffees with a couple of croissants, little did Louis know that the two were meeting Zayn to go on a weekend trip together. The parents had begun planning it the day of Annika's party when everything came to a blow. 

It was time, Harry thought, the two hadn't gone on a vacation since they'd been released from prison, and clearly, Louis was ready for new scenery. 

Returning Louis to his stroller, Harry kneels down securing him in smiling gently at the boy that held the same lost expression he'd had for weeks. The Papa assumed when he first awoke, he'd slip right back in, this proving false the more resistant Louis become to certain things.