Daddy

Chapter 10

"You're doing okay with the money that you're making right now, right? You can support yourself and the twins and buy stuff for them, right?" Harry asked, genuinely worried about the well-being of Louis and the children that had been given a home inside of Louis' ever expanding stomach. 

"They're fine, Harry. I'm making enough money to support them, even though I have help from Tyler. It's not just me supporting the three of us, remember?" Louis somewhat harshly reminded Harry. 

"Yeah, but I was just making sure. I can raise your pay if you need me to, I don't mind. I just want to make sure that you can get all of the things that you want for yourself and the twins now and in the future and as you're getting closer, it's making me more anxious and more aware of the needs of the three of you," Harry said, leaving Tyler out of the equation completely, not caring a bit. Louis didn't bother correcting him, because what was the point when Harry was just going to ignore it? 

Louis rubbed his kind of large belly and smiled at the kick he received from one of his babies, "Harry, I'm doing just fine. I'm making more now than I was before and I enjoy this job much more. You don't have to be concerned about me. I'm a big boy, I can handle myself."

"Even big boys need help sometimes, Lou, and I'm willing to help anytime that you need to help," Harry reminded him. 

"I know, but I'm okay. I pull my weight at the house with the money I get from this job and am able to get clothing for the three of us anytime I want depending on the store. I don't mind going to Goodwill when the money is a bit tighter around the house, just like I don't mind going to more expensive stores when I've got a bit more extra money left over. It's perfectly fine, Harry, I promise."

"I don't want my kids wearing Goodwill," Harry hadn't noticed his mistake when he'd said it, but after it had been released into the air, he'd realized he made not one, but two mistakes in one sentence without even trying. He didn't know why he was getting so aggravated with Louis being so nonchalant about the money situation, even though he didn't know about the income and outgo of money in Louis' household, nor was there anything wrong with going to Goodwill or anything... He was just aggravated. 

"There's absolutely no reason that I shouldn't shop at Goodwill. There's nothing wrong with Goodwill, Harry. Would you ever not hire someone because they got their outfit at Goodwill? I know you well enough to know that the answer to that is a big fat no, so don't even try to say yes. And they're not your kids. Hell, they're not even Tyler's kids. They're Liam's kids and nothing is going to change that. I'm glad that you decided that you wanted to be a father after you were an asshole to me. I'm so glad, Harry, believe me, you'll be a lovely father to kids of your own someday. However, I'm not raising them with you, so you don't deserve the right to call them your own in any way, shape, or form. Do you understand me?" Louis finished his little, angry rant with a halfway rhetorical question. 

Harry nodded, stunned into silence. 

"Good. I'm going to take an early lunch if that's okay with you," Louis said, though he was already picking up his jacket and standing up from his seat. 

"Alright, a thirty minute one or hour long one?" 

"I don't know, I'll be back when I'm back," Louis said and walked out, leaving Harry's office in complete silence. 

****

"I'm putting my two weeks in," Louis said three days later twenty minutes after he'd walked in. 

Harry sat in silence, staring at Louis, before clearing his throat and nodding, "If that's what you want, I can't stop you." 

"God, you're such an asshole," Louis scoffed, practically throwing himself into his usual chair.