5+1 - l.s

chapter seven: Romance Ensues

Come morning, Mia is still sick. Louis takes the day off to keep her company. Harry apparently chooses to do the same, because he volunteers to watch Mia while Louis takes Kieran to school, and then it's just the three of them at home, presumably all day long.

Harry has made Mia a little bed on the couch, and she is sucking away at a popsicle as she watches the same DVD from last night in the living room. Her cheeks are flushed and she's still a little feverish, but it's been a while since she last got sick, so R going to consider it progress. He can tell she still doesn't feel good, going by how she doesn't want to move from the couch, and she's turned away any and every food and drink except for the popsicles.

She's winding back down into one of her spells of sleep after Louis has managed to talk her into some more ibuprofen for the fever, humming the song playing on the show as she drifts off. Nearby, Harry has made himself comfortable on the armchair. Louis sighs as he exits the kitchen.

“She hasn't eaten in almost a day, now.” He observes aloud, and Harry nods. “Maybe it's time to get her into the doctor.”

“She's fine in here with me.” Harry points out. “Call the doctor and see what they say. I'll go with you guys if she needs to go.”

Harry has made himself and Louis inseparable, and if he's being completely honest, Louis doesn't mind it. He's long-since accepted that he liked having him around, and considering that Mia is probably going to be doing the exact same thing she's doing right now in that doctor's office, he could probably use the extra company.

Contrary to that idea, however, the doctor tells Louis for now to just focus on keeping Mia hydrated—that an appointment won't be necessary unless she starts showing other symptoms or starts vomiting again. Louis isn't crazy about that answer, though, and it shows when he walks into the living room once more scratching the back of his head.

Apparently, Harry picks up on his nervousness right away. “Well?”

“Doctor says there isn't much they can do any better than we can do here.” Louis  answers, shooting his daughter a concerned look. “He suggested Pedialyte.”

“I'll go get some.” Harry answers so quickly that Louis' heart warms and it generates a feeling that makes him wonder if he's going to start puking, too.

And Harry does. He comes back with a few different colored bottles of the stuff and some canned soup, and he makes her a sippy cup of the super sweet drink almost immediately upon arrival. All Louis can do is to watch with amazement as Harry does so. He doesn't wake the sleeping Mia to make her drink right away—just places the cup in her arms right alongside Techno.

Louis wonders how concerned about his daughter Harry himself is.

Either way, Mia is fast asleep, so once he's finished, Louis isn't surprised to see Harry enter the kitchen alongside him. He watches as the taller man moves to fix himself a drink. There's a silence, before Harry clears his throat and speaks up.

“She's gonna be fine, Lou.” He reassures, before taking a swig of lemonade. “She's probably just got a bug.”

That obvious, huh? Louis nods. “I know. It's just...” He scratches the back of his head. “This is the first time Mia's been sick like this. I can handle the colds and all, but when Kieran got like this, Ryan was usually the one takin' care of him...” He almost feels guilty, and after seeing Mia look so tired and needy, he kind of wishes he had been there for Kieran, too. “I don't know how he did it.”

Harry shrugs and leans against the sink. “I don't know shit about your husband aside from what you've told me, but I'm sure he just...y'know, did it. You don't go into something like this knowing exactly what the fuck to do. Sometimes, you gotta screw the pooch a little before you figure your shit out.” Harry cracks his neck as he scoots closer and gives Louis a small nudge. An attempt at reassurance, Louis guesses.

“He didn't know what he was doing at first, either. I didn't know him, but I can guaran-damn-tee he didn't just come out of the womb knowing what to do when his kid started puking.”

Louis cracks a small smile. “Well, they did give him one of those 'What to Do When Your Child is Sick' books before he left the hospital.”

Harry shoves him. “Smartass.”

It's the grin afterward that does it. Louis looks up at Harry just in time to see one of those big smirks the man wears all the fucking time, but with something else. A weight, or a knowledge, or even a warmth. Louis can't exactly place it, but it hits him so hard that it knocks away any reservations he might have thought he had at one point. He takes a step, moving to stand in front of the much taller Harry, and snatches the lemonade from his hand.

Harry is here to stay. He's been here to stay even when he'd shown up the first time. He's a pain in the ass, but he's so, so important to this family. Mia adores him, and he's growing on Kieran, and Louis needs him. Louis loves him.

He takes a drink of Harry's lemonade, and then sets the glass on the counter. He allows himself just barely enough time to swallow the liquid, before he's got a hand on the back of Harry's neck and is pulling him down for a kiss.