I Get To Love You || l.s

chapter 6

It had been ten days since Louis had arrived at Harry’s, and they’d broken the ice between them. Since then, they’d spent a fair bit of time together, getting to know each other, talking about their unborn baby, how things were going to go. All Harry knew was that the more time he spent with Louis, the less he wanted him to leave. Now, though, he was awake, the morning was relatively dark as October faded into November, and he was cocooned in his bed, warm and cosy.

“Morning, little one,” he murmured, rubbing his stomach. He was still yet to feel proper kicks, but the flutters of movement were becoming more prominent as the pregnancy continued. Louis was desperate to feel some kind of movement now, and Harry wished there was some way he could feel this too. Louis was always so happy for him when Harry gasped, feeling more movement, but it didn't stop Harry feeling slightly guilty Louis couldn’t join in with his excitement just yet. “Why do you always make me want to pee when I’m all warm and cosy, hmm?”

He reluctantly got out of bed, swinging his legs out into the cool air. The heating hadn’t clicked on yet, but Harry decided it was probably time to get that going. He didn't want to risk getting poorly while he was pregnant. He tiptoed down the hallway and used the toilet, groaning at his pale complexion in the mirror as he washed his hands, grabbing a headband to pull his hair out of his face, wondering if he should get a cut, when the doorbell rang. Harry frowned, wondering who would be calling at this hour, and he walked to the door, leaving on the security chain as he cracked it open.

“Let me in, Haz, it’s bloody freezing!” Louis said, and Harry grinned, closing the door enough to slide the chain across, and then he opened it fully, letting Louis in. He’d clearly come from a shift, in his scrubs, glasses perched on his nose. Harry shivered at the cold of gust of wind he brought in with him, and Louis just smiled, shrugging off his coat and hanging it on Harry’s coat rack like he’d been doing it for years, not just days. “How are you and my baby?”

“We’re good, Lou,” Harry smiled, quickly hugging Louis. That was another recent development between the pair. Harry had always been a hugger, and once he’d divulged that information to Louis, they’d decided hugging hello and goodbye was a perfectly acceptable thing for them to do. Harry loved it, loved how small Louis felt against his body, how his bump nestled against Louis’ firm stomach. He tried not to whine when Louis pulled away, bustling into Harry’s kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. “I’ll have one if you’re making them?”

“Sure, Haz,” Louis said, as Harry sat down on the sofa, pulling a blanket over his legs. It wasn’t long until Louis came in, balancing two cups of tea in his hands. “God, it was so busy at work again today.”

Harry listened intently as Louis started to talk about the various patients he’d seen that day, and he was proud of his job, how well he managed to run his department. It seemed so much more important than Harry’s job, he literally had life and death in his hands on some days, and Harry wasn’t sure how he coped with the pressure. Harry’s tea disappeared quickly, warming him inside, and he didn't miss how Louis sat next to him instead of over on the armchair where he usually sat.

Harry also loved how easily conversation between the two happened as well. He recounted what he’d done on set the day before, managing to shoot scenes before the skies opened and the rain pounded down, everyone barely getting somewhere dry before they got soaked. Harry had sat in his trailer until it had relented slightly, and he and Liam had run back to the car to bring him back home, his manager staying until the rain let up enough for him to get an Uber home, Harry now more than ready for bed given the late hour. It had been a fun evening with his manager, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d have enjoyed it more if it had been Louis with him, not Liam.