C H A P T E R    T W E N T Y

Touchdowns and Twins

❄●❄

                  A SHRILL BUZZING rang out somewhere in Louis' flat, and though it was dulled, he startled awake, shoved on his glasses, and reached for his phone immediately. But the noise hadn't come from there. Groaning, he ran his hands over his face a few times, thinking he must have imagined it until the buzzing went off again. This time, in his consciousness, he was able to recognize it.

                  He quickly hurried out of bed and unlocked the main door for his mum. It'd take her less than a minute to reach his flat, so he scurried back into his bedroom and yanked on the closest pair of bottoms he could find that weren't boxers (which ended up being his favorite dark gray Adidas sweatpants). He darted into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and then he wet his fingers to comb through his hair but quickly gave up when he saw that it was useless. He tugged on a maroon beanie instead just in time for the knocking on his door.

                  "Hi, Mum," he greeted Jay with a smile as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Sorry 'bout that. Me alarm didn't go off."

                  Doris was all bundled up in mismatched winter clothes in Jay's right arm, her little ginger curls peeking out from underneath her hat. She stared at Louis with wide eyes and parted lips while Ernie clung to Jay's free hand, the exact same look on his face.

                  "No worries," Jay said. "We made it alright, didn't we?" she asked Doris, nudging the toddler enough to get her to look away from Louis for a second. "Will you take her, love? I can't feel my elbow anymore."

                  Louis took his baby sister, who immediately began whimpering for her mother. "Hey, none of that," he told her gently. "None of that. Look, where are the kitties? Do you see them?"

                  He'd turned around where he knew Dashing and Charming were both napping on the sofa. Doris quieted once she spotted them, and because Ernie waddled off from Jay toward them, Doris squirmed until she was put down so that she could follow her brother.

                  Jay breathed a sigh and reached for the diaper bag sat on the floor in the hallway behind her. She handed it to Louis and then stepped inside. He shut the door behind her.

                  "Want something to drink?" Louis asked. "I've got lemonade, water, tea, hot chocolate, milk...Corona."

                  "Have you already got a pot on? Otherwise water's fine."

                  "I can put one on. Are you staying a while?"

                  "No, no. Water's fine, bub. Dan's waiting for me outside," Jay waved a hand, following him into the kitchen.

                  Louis grabbed her a water bottle from the fridge and handed it over, reaching beneath his glasses to rub the sleep out of his right eye. "Tell him hello for me, will you?"

                  "I will. So, how are things? How's Lottie doing with her job?"

                  The twins could be heard making toddler noises in the other room, and occasionally Dashing or Charming would let out a meow indicating that they might be getting harassed, but Louis knew that if the twins were hurting them badly enough, the cats would scamper off. He wasn't too worried, and they were champs anyway. This isn't the first time they've dealt with D and E.

                  "Things are well," Louis said, and though his answer is the same every time his mum asks that question, he thought he might have genuinely meant it this time, for the first time in so, so long. He folded his arms across his bare chest and leaned back against the counter. "Met Lot's boyfriend last night, and he's decent I suppose. She doesn't say much about work, but she hasn't been complaining and she pays half the rent like she promised she would, so she's getting money somewhere. I assume it's fine."

                  Jay laughed. "Well, let's hope it's coming from the job. Which is what, again? Where is she working?"

                  "I think she's working at some beauty salon nearby? She's a receptionist or something like that, I don't know."

                  "Suits her," Jay nodded. "And you're really doing well? You don't call as often anymore."

                  One of the twins let out a little scream, giving Louis a bit more time to think about how he wanted to explain himself while his mum poked her head through the doorway to the living room to see what was wrong. It appeared to be nothing, and she returned, still waiting.

                  "I really am well, yeah," he insisted. "Work's been work, but it's alright. The lads and I have finally been recording somewhat, and we've got new material thanks to our new friend who...who has a way with words, I guess you could say."

                  "New friend?" Jay asked. "As in, new member of the band, or...?"

                  "No, just a new friend." He lifted a shoulder casually. "He hangs around and writes with us, but he's... Well, he's more like a mascot than an actual member."

                  "A mascot? All right."

                  "And I'm sorry about not calling as often," Louis added quickly, glad he derailed that train. "We've just been doing a lot of writing. It'd be cool to maybe start releasing stuff early next year, so it's kind of been taking up most of my free time. I'll try to remember to call more often. Once a weekend, maybe?"

                  Jay smiled her motherly smile, and Louis sort of felt bad for lying about what he's been doing when he wasn't at work, but he figured that if he hesitated for even a second telling her about Harry, then it could wait until a more proper time. Besides, he and Harry weren't really anything yet. If he told her now and then managed to screw everything up like he was constantly worried he would, it'd make the aftermath that much worse. He just got her to stop bringing up...him.

                  "Don't worry about it, love," she said, reaching to touch his upper arm comfortingly. "As long as you're doing fine, I'm fine. I can always call you too."

                  "You can," he acknowledged, returning her smile with his signature tight-lipped one, especially because he knew how much she loved that one. "Why's it always got to be on me, eh?"

                  "Because I birthed you and raised you and spent lots of money on you, Lou. That's why."

                  Chuckling, Louis followed Jay back out into the living room where she went to tell the twins goodbye. After they gave her willing, distracted hugs and returned their attentions to Dashing and Charming, she began reminding Louis of how many times a day they needed to eat, what they ate, and when they napped. She told him not to forget to bathe them and what to do if they wouldn't sleep at night, which Doris occasionally struggled with apparently, and Louis tried to convince her that he was perfectly capable of this and would be fine considering he helped her raise four other girls before these twins were even born.

                  "Not to mention, Lot will be home soon," he added, holding open the door for her. "Better get going now before Dan gets impatient."

                  Jay leaned forward and pecked his cheek. "Yeah, yeah. Tell your sister I'll see her when I pick these little monsters up. Call if you need anything."

                  "Will do. Have fun. Tell whatever-her-name-is happy birthday for me."

                  "Leah, babe."

                  "Leah, then. Tell Leah happy birthday for me. Is she the one who spilled cereal milk on my head that one time?"

                  Jay stepped out into the hall. "That was Ellie."

                  Ellie. "Right, right. Alright, see you soon."

                  His mum waved and turned away, and Louis shut the door behind her. With a sigh and a silent prayer that Lottie return home soon, he spun around to face his little siblings, who were still both clad in their winter gear. Ernie met Louis' gaze with Charming's tail clutched in his little fist. Doris continued trying to touch her nose to Dashing's.

                  Louis pressed his lips together. It's been so long since he's seen them. Did they even know who he was? He hoped so.

                  "Okay, let's get rid of some of those layers and get you both settled, yes?"

❄●❄

                  WHEN LOTTIE FINALLY got home, Louis was elbows deep in bath suds. D and E weren't really due for a bath until tomorrow, but they managed to find the cats' litter box while Louis was going through the diaper bag in the kitchen and, well. Needless to say, after he finished cleaning up their mess, he'd probably need a bath himself.

                  "Lottie," he called after hearing his front door open and shut, resting his chin on his upper arm. Doris tugged on his outstretched hand, giggling and wanting him to continue with the little game he'd been playing with the two of them. He pretended he wasn't already exhausted and smiled playfully at her, poking his Peter Pan Funko Pop out of the suds and said, "Boo!" before dipping it below and out of sight once more. Every time he did that he tried not to cringe over how this must be damaging his beloved dolls. He wished Jay would have packed them some bath toys.

                  With a delighted squeal, Doris clapped her hands down over the spot Louis had just had the doll, splashing water everywhere. He blinked it out of his eyes. "Lottie," he tried again.

                  He was watching Ernie absentmindedly admire his Groot Funko Pop when the blonde in question finally appeared in the doorway. "Sorry, I had bleach all over the shirt I was wearing. Just wanted to change quickly," she told him a little breathlessly. When she spotted their siblings, her face lit up and she quickly squatted beside Louis. "Hi, guys," she said in a voice Louis assumed she reserved for young children or babies. "Wow, look at you. Your hair is so long," she turned to Ernie.

                  "I beg you to keep them occupied in here while I clean up their mess," Louis sighed.

                  "What'd they do?" She already took the Peter Pan doll from him and was capturing Doris' attention with it.

                  "Decided it'd be fun to pretend the cats' litter box was a sandbox."

                  "Yikes. I've got them, yeah. Have you washed their hair yet?"

                  Louis pulled his arms out of the tub and started to towel dry them. "Rinsed the litter and shit out of it, but otherwise no."

                  "Language around the little ears."

                  "Right."

                  Nearly an hour later, Louis had the twins' mess cleaned up and Lottie had the twins cleaned up. Louis was so grateful that it was their naptime now that he could have thrown a party. Of course, Jay had warned him that they weren't the easiest to put down lately, but he was sure he would figure out something.

                  His first attempt involved some cartoons that Lottie managed to find after channel surfing for five minutes. She laid on the sofa with Doris tucked up beneath the blanket Jay had packed for her, and Louis sat on his chair with Ernie sprawled out on his lap beneath his own blanket. This quickly proved to be faulty as they were both too into the show Lottie had put on.

                  So Louis suggested she change it to the news. This would be torture for Louis as well, but if it put them to sleep, so be it. Only it didn't, because it didn't seem to matter what was on the telly; they were going to watch it faithfully.

                  "Maybe we should just shut it off?" Lottie suggested after a while. "Tommy's little cousin is two, and he can only nap if the telly's off and there's hardly any other noise."

                  Louis shrugged. "Go for it. Something's got to work eventually."

                  The worst part was feeling like he was going to pass out any minute himself. If he did that, he'd have no way of making sure the other two would nap, and then he'd lose track of time and who knows when he'd wake up to feed them... He couldn't fall asleep. At least not until they were, and especially not unless he knew for sure Lottie would wake him when nap time was over.

                  Sitting in dead silence wasn't helping them sleep at all, though. Ernie even sat himself up and began touching Louis' jaw where his stubble was pricklier than soft. This seemed to fascinate the little boy. Louis frowned and wracked his brain. What could he do to put them to sleep?

                  With one last idea, Louis stood, pulling Ernie up into his arms. Lottie glanced at him. "Bring Doris into my room," he told her.

                  The twins were set side by side on Louis' bed, and while Lottie arranged the blankets so that they could lay down, Louis rummaged around in his closet. He couldn't find what he was looking for on the floor or leaning up against the wall anywhere, so he checked the top shelf.

                  Ah, there it was.

                  He didn't usually use his keyboard when he wrote with the lads. It was old and he hasn't gotten around to replacing it with a better one yet, but for right now, it would have to work. Lottie watched him, her hands on her hips, as he plugged the old thing in and sat on the end of his bed with it in his lap. He made sure that his back faced the twins, who were laying there patiently like they were about to receive a treat or something. Maybe they were actually tired. Maybe this would actually work.

                  Louis turned the keyboard on and struggled for a second keeping it steady. He had to slide backwards a bit and sit cross-legged on the bed before it'd stop wobbling, but he finally got it steady. He motioned with his head for Lottie to leave, and once he was alone with the twins, he started to play a soft piano rendition of "Falling Slowly" from Once.

                  And it did the trick like he hoped it would. When he finished the song, he peeked over his shoulder to find Doris and Ernie sounder asleep than he's probably ever been. He was almost jealous.

                  He carefully lowered the keyboard onto the floor and then allowed himself to curl up right there at the end of the bed. Lottie would surely wake him up after so long, or the twins would. Besides, if he didn't nap as well, he'd be useless the rest of the day. He was already positive of this.

                  God, he could smell himself. His arms smelled like bath soap, but whenever he moved he could smell cat litter and something sugary. Maybe he had marshmallow on him somewhere from the snack he'd given D and E earlier. He didn't know. He didn't care right now, really. But he made a mental note to revisit this issue when he woke up. He might not have much spare time to shower until later tonight, but putting a shirt on drenched with enough cologne could probably mask the rancid odor.

                  Whatever. Later. He'd deal with this later.

❄●❄

                  LOUIS WAS CERTAIN that he was awake when he felt one of the twins dragging their tiny fingers gently across his bare back. He didn't want to be awake yet, though, so he refused to acknowledge whichever one it was. Besides, it was kind of cute, he figured. And he was comfortable. He wanted to see how long he could get away with this.

                  The quiet sound of Lottie's giggle could be heard somewhere near the doorway, and then there were also some muffled whispers. Louis wondered for a second if she was talking to whichever twin wasn't drawing pictures on his back before he remembered that he had been expecting company this afternoon.

                  "They're tiring him out," he heard Lottie whisper, clearly amused, followed by some more that he couldn't make out. Then she added, "Should we wake him?"

                  "Nah." That was unmistakably Harry's hushed, husky whisper. Louis struggled not to shift or crack open an eye. "He looks so... Let's leave him for now. Are the noodles ready?"

                  "Yeah. It's all ready."

                  "Kitty!" the twin sharing the bed with Louis suddenly shouted.

                  Even if he had been solidly asleep, there is no way he wouldn't have reacted to that. Harry and Lottie began shushing who Louis thought might be Doris, but it didn't matter, because Louis had startled so badly that his eyes flew open and his heart felt like it was trying to claw its way out of his chest. He was groggy though, and after that initial shock, his blinking was already slowing, his eyelids heavier than they were even before the nap.

                  He was going to sleep well tonight, that was for sure. He did not remember the other four girls tiring him out this badly when they were this young. Was it because he was older now or something? Jesus Christ.

                  With a groan, he rolled onto his back carefully, making sure not to crush his baby sister. He stretched his arms out and then folded them beneath his head while Doris climbed onto chest. She wore a proud smile, like she'd garnered the exact response from Louis that she'd wanted when she screamed about one of the cats entering the room. She propped her elbows on either side of his sternum and rested her chin in her palms to beam at him.

                  Although he was still exhausted as hell, he couldn't help the achingly large grin that spread on his own face. They were definitely little menaces, the both of them, but God they were cute and God had Louis missed them.

                  "Hello, there," he said to her.

                  Her response was to lift a foot in the air and then let it tap his thigh once it returned to where it had been.

                  "I hope you had a perfect nap. Yeah." She began to giggle, so he went on. "I hope all of your energy is restored now that Harry is here. I hope you plan to terrorize him even more than you terrorized me all morning. Yeah, you."

                  She reached forward to poke his nose, so he pretended to bite at her fingers. Her answering squeal had him giggling himself as he heaved her up and onto his lap once he sat up, legs draping off the end of the bed.

                  Lottie wasn't in the doorway any longer, but Harry had lingered, and he was watching Louis and Doris with a look on his face that Louis had never seen before. His expression was almost pained, though he looked pleased to be feeling that way. It made no sense whatsoever to Louis' dazed and disoriented mind, so he decided instead to relish in how good Harry looked today. Especially at the sight of Ernie beside him, a hand clinging onto what wrinkles he could find in the creases of Harry's black jeans.

                  Fuck, Louis thought. I was not prepared for that. He swallowed thickly.

                  "Hi," he said to Harry, letting Doris slide off his lap once she began to squirm. She approached her brother, slowing the closer she got, and then she cutely pecked him on the cheek. Immediately after, Ernie began screaming happily and they both tottered off into the living room, probably to find Lottie or the other cat.

                  It took Harry a beat too long to respond, but he cleared his throat and eventually did. "Sleep well?"

                  Louis shrugged a shoulder and then began rubbing his upper arm, yawning at the mention of his nap. "Alright. Not long enough. How was work?"

                  "Fine. A bit longer than I'd planned; someone was late. But it's whatever."

                  Smiling, Louis stood and closed his eyes as he stretched his arms out again. Being curled up on the end of a bed isn't exactly the comfiest position for a grown – albeit slightly small – man. When he opened his eyes again, Harry wore than same pained expression.

                  Then Louis remembered he wasn't wearing a shirt. And also that he smelled like ass and now probably looked like it too. "Oh, um," he mumbled, his eyes flying around the room frantically in search of a discarded T-shirt in plain sight. Of course, there wasn't one. He pulled open a drawer beneath his bed and found one in there.

                  Harry cleared his throat again. "Are you hungry? Lot and I made Mac and Cheese. She said Doris and Ernie would be able to eat that, so..."

                  "Yeah, yeah," Louis said once he'd gotten the T-shirt on. "That'll be great for them. And honestly I have no idea if I'm hungry or not, but I don't care."

                  He followed Harry out of his room, through the living room and to the kitchen where Lottie stood between both twins sat on stools at the island. She'd gotten them both small bowls and was attempting to feed a little forkful to Ernie, who wasn't having it. Doris, on the other hand, was feeding herself and doing it quite well. Louis was actually impressed. He didn't know they could feed themselves already.

                  "Come on, Ernie," Lottie frowned at him. "If you don't eat, no treats later."

                  He let out an unintelligible whine, pressing his lips firmly together and turning his head away from the noodles. His hair had been pulled back into a rubberband at the top of his head, likely to keep it out of the food, and his shirt had been removed. Louis remembered Jay telling him that Ernie was an absurdly messy eater, and this must be common knowledge for Lottie, who put the fork back into the bowl and pushed it away from the fussy toddler.

                  "No treats then," she told him. "Doris can have them all."

                  Of course, this only caused Ernie to whine even more. Louis raised a brow as he fetched himself and Harry bowls from the cupboard. "Wow. Wonder who he gets that from."

                  "Mum says you."

                  "Me? As much as I hate admitting it, I've hardly been around him enough to influence him."

                  Lottie smiled and nodded at Doris as she continued eating her food and Ernie continued to hurt everyone's eardrums. "She said that's exactly how you were when you were their age."

                  Beside him, Harry bumped the sides of their arms together. "Doesn't surprise me."

                  Louis rolled his eyes but bumped him back. "Mum lies, Lot. News flash."

                  "Not about you, she doesn't."

                  "Because I'm her favorite."

                  Once Ernie began tugging on her hair, Lottie finally returned to offering him forkfuls of food and he allowed it this time. "You wish."

                  Childishly, Louis stuck his tongue out at her. He filled his bowl with Mac and Cheese and then angled his body away from his siblings and toward Harry to further play the part, his bottom lip dripping off his face in a pout. Harry smiled down at him, clearly fond, and Louis hoped he wasn't blushing because of it, otherwise his entire performance would be ruined.

                  "You can be my favorite?" Harry offered once his own bowl was filled with food.

                  Louis dramatically sighed and let his eyes drift away from the beautiful poet's dimpled face, pretending to be deep in thought. After a long enough moment, he returned to facing Lottie and the twins so that he could lean back into Harry's side. He said, "Guess that'll have to do."

                  Harry, of course, accommodated him immediately by holding an arm open for Louis to fit under. That was the arm that held his bowl of noodles, though, so he ended up wrapping it around Louis' waist in order to continue eating. Louis can't say that he'd expected that necessarily, but he wasn't going to protest.

                  Everyone proceeded to eat in mostly silence apart from the occasional word or noise from the little ones. Louis even forgot to worry that Harry might smell the cat litter on him – he was too comfortable. Ernie was eating without putting up a fight, Doris was almost finished, and Lottie was handling them both like a pro. Things were finally peaceful.

                  Then Lottie said, "You two look like smug parents watching your babysitter take care of your kids before you've even gone. Assholes."

                  Harry began snickering, but Louis quipped, "Language around the little ears, Lot."

                  After a glance at both twins to make sure they weren't paying attention to her, she flipped her brother off. He laughed, tipping his head back and letting it rest on Harry's shoulder for a second before detangling himself to rinse his bowl in the sink. Harry handed him his own, and Louis took it and rinsed it without question. When he was finished with that, he booted Lottie out of her spot between the two toddlers.

                  "Finish eating and take a break. Nap or shower or do whatever. Thanks for helping," he told her, and he knew his sincerity was a really abrupt shift in attitude, but Lottie didn't seem to think twice about it. She took her bowl and grabbed a lemonade from the fridge and snuck off into the living room.

                  Harry got a wash cloth and wet it and leaned across the island to wipe Doris' cheesy fingers. Louis realized that her bowl was totally empty.

                  "I think if either of them take after me, it's definitely this little champ," Louis said, tracing a particularly spectacular little ginger ringlet at the nape of Doris' neck. "Minus the hair, of course."

                  "Yeah, she gets that from me," Harry nodded solemnly before his emotionless lips dissolved into a crooked smile.

                  Louis rolled his eyes. "Of course."

                  "No, but seriously," Harry continued, "Ernie is definitely a mini you. One hundred percent."

                  "He's a little menace, is what he is. They both are, of course, but he's shown his true colors. Haven't you?"

                  Ernie just blinked at his big brother.

                  "Right, well. More?" Louis asked him. "Or are you finished?"

                  "Treece?" the boy asked. "Treece?"

                  "Treats later. Are you finished with this?" Louis held up the bowl and fork. "Done? Or more?"

                  Ernie's brow furrowed and he shook his head. "No. Treece. No."

                  "Done, then." Louis took the wash cloth from Harry, who was helping Doris off the stool now, and cleaned up the mess all over Ernie's face. He had no clue how it'd gotten all over like that when Doris' biggest issue was with her hands, but whatever. Toddlers will be toddlers.

                  Ernie continued to repeat the word treece even after Louis set him on the ground. He didn't stop until Charming appeared in the kitchen doorway, his tail straight up in the air and curling slightly just at the tip. He looked like he'd just woken from a nap, but the twins were quick to make use of his company.

                  Louis began wiping the island down with the wash cloth. He was still tired, but he was happier now that Harry was here, and if they could find a way to tire D and E out as quickly as possible, maybe a little bit of the night could be spent solely enjoying Harry's company yet. He knew it was a little awful to want that so much when he never gets to see his youngest siblings, but damn. He needs to build up to full weekends or something. Start with small doses – maybe short visits once in a while – and then progress to entire weekend sleepovers.

                  He'd make an effort to see them more often, he decided in that moment to make himself feel better. After this, he'd make it a goal to visit home at least once or twice a month. That way he'd make up for any lost time this weekend.

                  Harry was smiling at Louis now, waiting patiently for him to finish cleaning the island top, but Louis was so aware of the attention that he he didn't bother to do as well a job as he probably should have. Whether the island was completely clean or not, he tossed the wash cloth across the kitchen and into the sink and then met Harry's gaze.

                  "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

                  Harry tilted his head. "I considered it."

                  "Yeah?"

                  "Not now. When you were asleep, which is creepy, I know. That's why I didn't."

                  "Why would you want to take a picture of that? I just finished cleaning up cat litter and shit – there's no way I was much of a sight. Unless you were going to turn it into a viral internet meme, in which case I'd understand."

                  Harry rolled his eyes and took a step toward Louis, who was still trapped between the two stools. "Actually, you looked like a kitten all curled up the way you were. Innocent and nice and soft. You might as well have been purring."

                  A slight shiver ran up Louis' spine and manifested in his stomach. "Are you saying I'm not always innocent, nice, and soft?"

                  Not in a hurry to respond, Harry reached forward and brushed Louis' fringe out from beneath his glasses. His face looked so soft, Louis thought. I want to touch it.

                  Louis realized that he doesn't know if he's ever touched Harry's face the way that Harry sometimes touches his. It felt like a really intimate thing for him to do despite the casual way that Harry seemed to do it to him, and that was always what held Louis back. He had no idea why it seemed like a bigger deal for him to do it. All he had to do was reach up and brush a curl off his forehead and back into place, or slide his thumb along the shape of Harry's cheekbone. His own cheekbones were Harry's favorite thing to touch; he wondered if he'd understand why once he touched Harry's.

                  He decided to allow himself to try this time. It might be some huge deal, but so be it. Maybe it was just a big deal to him anyway and Harry wouldn't think anything more of it than he thought when he touched Louis' face. Regardless, Louis didn't care enough because Harry's face looked so soft today and it was right there and he was going to touch it, goddammit.

                  He lifted a hand and swallowed his nerves. Harry's eyes never left his, though he must be aware of what was hopefully about to happen. Louis was moving slower than he would have liked to, but after a long moment his hand was at least halfway raised to Harry's face.

                  And then he was hesitating. It took him too long to get this far and Harry probably thought it was weird now. Shit. He couldn't do it. Later. He'd have to try again late–

                  Harry's hand wrapped around Louis' wrist slowly and raised it the rest of the way himself. When Louis' fingertips made contact with Harry's cheekbone, Harry's hand spread on top of Louis' and held it where it was, cupping the side of Harry's face.

                  Louis felt himself take a sharp intake of breath in surprise. That shiver that manifested in his stomach began celebrating Guy Fawkes Night, and it was made all the worse because Harry's gaze was relentless. He was looking at Louis like he's discovered Atlantis, and if Louis wasn't so desperate to make the most of this very second, he'd have melted into a puddle at Harry's feet long ago.

                  His heart was everywhere in his body. He felt it in the hand on Harry's face, in his head, in his unstable ankles, enjoying the bonfire party in his stomach. Everywhere. He wondered if Harry could feel it as well.

                  Bravely, Louis slid his hand from beneath Harry's and into Harry's hair. He reached up with his other hand then to brush away that curl on his forehead that Louis had noticed before, and once it was where it belonged, he slid that hand into Harry's hair as well. With both hands stuck in the poet's mane, Louis actually allowed himself a breathless laugh.

                  Harry's smile grew in response as he began playing with the bottom hem of Louis' T-shirt. And really, Louis knew that this was probably a little awkward, the way they were just standing there staring at each other like that...with Louis' hands in his hair and Harry touching the bottom of his shirt, but...Louis didn't really care. It felt big for him. He didn't know why, but it was important. It felt important.

                  And he didn't think Harry minded. In fact, Harry was clearly enjoying this. So much so that Louis laughed again, and it didn't ruin the moment because it was still part of the moment. All of this was. He wasn't nervous anymore, and he didn't feel weird about anything. It was all still important.

                  Shaking his head, he dropped his hands from Harry's hair to his colorful, printed top and used it as leverage to bury his face in Harry's shoulder, hiding his blush and his shit-eating grin. He felt Harry's body shake as he chuckled, dragging a lazy hand up Louis' back to rest for a second just below his right shoulder blade before Louis stepped away, still shaking his head.

                  "You're unbelievable," he teased, turning to make sure the twins were still playing with Charming.

                  "Me?" Harry laughed.

                  "Stop distracting me. I'm supposed to be babysitting."

                  Still giggling, Harry reached for Louis again, but the small, lithe man was able to dance around one of the stools and out of the way, fighting every atom that made up his body from letting Harry catch him. He picked up Charming from where the poor cat was trapped between Doris and Ernie on the floor and darted into the living room, knowing very well that he'd be followed by the twins and the person who just made his body want to alter its atomic makeup.

                  He didn't care who reached him first.