state of grace » l.s. mpreg

twelve

"You don't have to come, Louis, it's okay."

"But I want to."

Harry rolls his eyes, sitting down on the edge of the bed so Louis can help him with his shoes. He had to admit that he couldn't bend down that far a few weeks ago. "I wouldn't even be going if my Mum wasn't making me."

"You don't wanna show me off?" Louis pouts a little, slipping Harry's Converse on him. Harry giggles, letting Louis help him stand up. He leans forward to peck Louis' lips, leaving Louis with a big smile.

"I always do," Harry assures. "But, being honest, the women in my family can be kind of...nasty."

"What?!" Louis scoffs. "No way."

"My Mum is an exception," Harry shrugs, smiling sheepishly. "They don't like that I'm married so young, or that I'm pregnant, and I don't want them to take it out on you."

"Harry," Louis laughs a little, grabbing Harry's hand and squeezing it. "I'll be fine, baby. I'm a big boy, I can handle it."

Harry sighs, shaking his head. "Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you."

♛

"Papa looks sad, Daddy."

Louis sighs a little, pulling Harry's toast out of the toaster. "Um. Yeah, baby. He is a little sad."

"Why?"

Louis turns around and squats down in front of Gracie so he's eye-level with her. "It's grown-up stuff, princess. I wish I could explain it to you, but I can't. The most important thing is that we try and cheer Papa up, yeah?"

"I'm gon' ask him to watch Frozen with me!" Gracie gasps. She's about to run off and ask him, but Louis wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her back gently.

"Okay, that's a good idea," Louis smiles wearily. "But Frozen's your favourite movie, yeah?" Gracie nods. "So if Papa's sad...?"

"We should watch Papa's favourite movie," Gracie grins, and Louis smiles back at her. "Papa likes Coco!"

"There you go," Louis gives her a high-five. He'll have to tell Harry about how he saved him from watching Frozen again. "I'm gonna finish Papa's toast, m'kay? I'll join you in a mo'."

"Okay!" Gracie smiles, running out of the kitchen towards the stairs. Louis doesn't even bother to tell her not to run–it's no use, and he's too tired. He doesn't think he's slept more than four hours over the past three days.

He grabs Harry's toast and brings it upstairs, finding him and Gracie curled up under the covers. Gracie looks up and Louis and smiles. "We're gonna watch Coco, Daddy!"

"Woah," Louis raises his eyebrows, giving Harry a small grin. "Wonder who's idea that was."

Harry smiles back at him wearily, taking the toast. "Thank you, L," He says softly. "You gonna join us?"

"Of course," Louis plops down on the bed, resting his elbow on Gracie's head and making her giggle. "'S not a party until Daddy shows up, right?"

"Right," Gracie beams up at him. He only melts a little. "I'm gon' go get my blankie."

"Hurry up, I wanna start it," Louis whines, and Gracie giggles as she climbs off the bed to run off to her bedroom. Louis looks over to Harry, who hasn't taken a bite of his toast yet. "How you feeling?"

Harry sighs. "I don't know," He admits softly. "A little better, I think. Not great."

Louis leans over and kisses his cheek, and Harry smiles wearily. "Whatever you need, I got you, okay?" He assures. Harry tightens his lips, looking down at his toast.