I Get To Love You || l.s

chapter 13

“Yes you are… you’re Papa’s princess, aren’t you?” Harry mumbled down at his sleepy daughter, watching her suck sleepily from her bottle. Quinn had been in their lives for four weeks now, and it felt like they had a bit of routine down by now. When she was done, the bottle drained as always, Harry sat her up a little on his thigh, cupping her chin with his hand and began rubbing her back slowly, bringing up her wind. “Come on baba, do a big burp for Papa?”

He kept rubbing in small circles, patting gently in between until she let out a little burp, a dribble of milk trickling down her chin that Harry caught with the muslin cloth he was never without, lifting her gently and kissing her full lips. Anne had shown him photos of himself as a baby where his lips looked exactly the same, and Louis had loved it, proclaiming that as babies, they would have been so twins, so alike. Now she was winded, Harry laid down gently on the sofa, bringing his baby onto his chest as she wriggled a little, her head against the soft cotton of his t-shirt. The telly played quietly in the background but Harry was off in his own little world, staring down at the downy hair on top of his daughter’s head, stroking it gently, her smell surrounding him. She smelt of the baby fabric softener Louis had used when he washed her babygro’s last night, the milk she’d just drunk and the baby shampoo they used on her hair.

“You’re so perfect, you know that? I love being your papa,” he murmured as the door opened, and his boyfriend walked in, grinning when he saw Harry curled up on the sofa with their daughter on his chest. “And look who’s home! It’s Daddy! He’s back from work!”

Harry’s belly fluttered as Louis pulled his scrub top over his head, leaving him bare chested as he walked over to the pair of them, gently lifting Quinn up and into his arms, her tiny body cradled against his own. Harry felt so happy as Louis kissed the top of her head before he sat down next to Harry, smiling softly at him.

“You two had a good day?” he asked as Harry sat up, kissing Louis quickly. “Has my little angel been a good girl?”

“Of course she has, she’s my baby girl, aren’t you?” Harry asked, tickling her chin. “Nah, we’ve been good. She’s fed lots, pooped lots and slept lots.”

“Ah, sounds a lot like me on a day off,” Louis quipped, making Harry cackle, Quinn jumping at the loud burst of noise, whimpering. Harry reached forward to grab her dummy from the table, and rubbed it across her lips, the baby girl soon parting her lips and sucking eagerly, her eyes fluttering shut again. Her palm was pressed against Louis’ chest, over his 78 tattoo, and Harry grabbed his phone, snapping a quick picture before she could move. “How are you feeling?”

“Yeah, I’m alright. Managed to get a shower while she slept in her bouncy chair, so I felt a bit more human after that. Oh, and the doctors rang, I have to go for my six week check in two weeks time. Will you come with me?”

“Of course, you don’t even need to ask,” Louis said. Harry took Louis’ hand in his own, needing a point of contact with his boyfriend. Louis had gone back to work just two days ago, but Harry missed him terribly. He was coping with being home alone with their daughter just fine, but he missed adult company and conversation, given Quinn did nothing but cry at the moment. Harry already couldn’t wait for her to find her voice. “You take her, I’ll go and rustle up some dinner.”

“No, you’ve been at work-”

“And you’ve been with our baby girl. Let me look after you, Harold,” Louis said as he expertly transferred Quinn back to her papa, smiling at the two of them cosied up again. “We could have that casserole Mum brought round the other day? I could heat it up?”