Daddy Cool *larry au* (mpreg)

Ten

Sixty-four missed calls. One hundred and seven texts. Twenty-three emails. Fuck, Louis even writes him a letter.

But Harry just shuts him out. He doesn't know what to say to Louis. He doesn't know what to do.

The girls have noticed a shift in Harry's mood as well. They keep asking him what's wrong and what happened, but he assures them he's fine.

"Here's your lunch girls," Harry says, setting the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches down on the table. Emily smiles, letting out a quiet "Thank you." She doesn't want to say anything about how the crusts aren't cut off because she knows her Papa is upset.

Katie, however, doesn't understand that concept. "Papa! Crusts!" She whines, slamming her tiny hand against the wooden tabletop. Harry's eyes widen in realisation.

"Sorry," He mumbles, taking Katie's sandwich back. He can feel his eyes sting with tears–he feels like he can't do anything right recently.

He cuts the crusts off the sandwich and gives it back to Katie, excusing himself before he walks upstairs and into his bedroom.

Harry makes sure to shut the door behind him, sitting down on his bed and putting his head in his hands. He instantly starts crying, tears he's been holding in for so long finally making an escape.

Shit, he's so sick of this. He's sick of Louis and his feelings and not being able to talk to people about his problems. He hates this.

He just sobs into his hands, not even caring about the volume of his strangled cries as his back heaves with each breath. He doesn't even think of the girls until he hears a small knock on his door, followed by a small "Papa?"

Harry doesn't say anything. He doesn't know what to say, his girls have never seen him cry before (besides Katie, but she was a baby, so that doesn't really count). He just sits there and waits until Emily comes in on her own, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Are you okay, Papa?" Emily asks quietly, gripping the door tightly with her little fingers. Harry just nods, though he's sniffling and has tears running down his cheeks.

"I'm fine, love," He says. His voice shakes and his lip trembles with every word. "Go eat your lunch."

Emily–for once–doesn't obey Harry's orders. Instead she walks over to him and loops her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. And, fuck, how could Harry reject that?

He hugs her back, her little hands rubbing his back the same way he rubs hers when she's crying. Katie toddles in a moment later, a stuffed dog in her hands as she runs up to Harry and gives it to him. "Take," Is all she says, setting the dog next to Harry.

Harry chuckles at that, wiping his eyes and picking up the dog. "Thank you, Katie." He says, holding one of his arms out. Katie practically jumps toward him, both girls hugging him tightly as he sniffles.

"No sad, Papa," Katie says, leaning back so she can see Harry's face and poking his chest. Harry laughs at that, kissing Katie's forehead with the biggest smile he's possessed in a long time.

"I could never be sad when I'm with you, Bug," He says, tickling Katie's stomach and making her giggle.

♛

"Can you make her a bottle for me?" Harry asked weakly, wincing as Emily let out a loud cry. Louis nodded groggily, almost as tired as Harry. He trudged to the kitchen and grabbed the formula out of the fridge before grabbing one of the bottles off the counter.

He made Emily's bottle and walked back into the lounge only to find Harry sleeping on the couch, Emily laying on his chest. She was not crying anymore, instead making soft whimpers and fisting at Harry's shirt.

Louis smiled before walking over and picking Emily up, cradling her in his arm. He used the other to bring the bottle to Emily's lips, watching her full lips wrap around the tip.

"There you go, love," Louis said softly, looking over to Harry. This is the most Harry's slept in months, he guesses, so he decided to leave the room in case Emily's whimpers wake him.

"Good job," Louis mock gasped, opening his mouth wide and making a surprised face. Emily smiled at that, making Louis smile back. "You're doing so good, gorgeous."

♛

"When are we going to see Daddy again?" Katie asks. Harry immediately feels his heart get caught in his throat, his eyes threatening to shed tears.

"Um," Harry clears his throat as he tucks Katie in, handing her her stuffed rabbit. "I don't know, bug. Soon."

It's almost always soon. Although, that seems to be dying down as Louis shows more and more support.

Katie accepts the answer, nodding and hugging her rabbit. "Okay," She lets out a little yawn, resembling a kitten. Just like Louis. "I love you, Papa."

Harry smiles and leans down, kissing her on the forehead. "I love you too, Katie," He pats her leg before walking toward the door, shutting the lamp off and making sure the nightlight is working. He closes the door behind him, leaving it open a crack so there's light from the hallway peaking through.

Harry walks back downstairs to Emily sitting on the couch in her pyjamas. She's watching the telly with a stuffed bear underneath her arm.

"Hi, lovey," Harry greets softly, leaning over the back of the couch and kissing the top of her head. Emily gives him a wave, engrossed in the show she was watching.

Harry walks to the kitchen, his phone starting to ring as soon as he enters. He twists his mouth and picks it up, seeing it's Louis.

He can't do it anymore.

Harry takes his phone and rushes toward the washroom, shutting the door behind him before answering his phone.

"Oh my god, Harry?"

"Hi," Harry whispers, and it's breathy and quiet and it makes Louis let out a high pitched laugh.

"Fuck, this is great. Yes, hi, how are you? Are you doing good? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you hydrated?"

Harry giggles. "Yes."

"Good. Now, why have you been ignoring me?"

Harry's breath hitches. "Louis, shit," He sighs. "You know I can't handle stuff like this."

"But it's me, H. You've known me for, like, twenty years."

"Yes. But I've known you mostly for ditching your boyfriend and children and pretending you're straight."

"Goddamnit, Harry," Louis' voice sounds shaky. Harry feels bad. "I want to prove it to you, but I can't make you feel any different if you don't talk to me!"

"There's nothing you can do to make me feel any different!" Harry says, voice shakier than Louis'.

It's Louis' turn to hang up on Harry.

thoughts???