"here," louis places a mug on the coffee table and then leaned to kiss harry's head. "you alright, lovey?"

harry broke his trance from his lap and reached out for the lad. he pulled louis onto him, holding a tight grip around the boy as he placed a soft kiss to his shoulder.

"i think i'm okay," harry said against his shirt. "kinda tired."

louis pouts and tucked a stray curl behind the man's ear. "you wanna go take a nap with me, then?"

harry shook his head. "no time for sleeps. 's baby's birthday today."

"our little girl is one already," louis croons, "i can't believe it."

"don't remind me," harry groans. "i feel old."

"you? i grew her inside of me for eight months!"

"she was in my balls for god knows how long!"

"oh my god. we are not having this discussion right now." louis presses his forehead against his fiancé's shoulder, laughing. "i hate you."

harry snorts and gives him a squeeze. "we gotta set everything up soon."

nodding, louis shifts in his seat on harry's lap. "surprise party for a child who doesn't even realize what's going on."

"as long as there's cake, she will be happy."

louis hums in agreement and checks the time on harry's phone that's seated on the table and looks back at him. "we have a free hour."

"are you thinking what i'm thinking?"

louis smirks and darts up the stairs, tugging his shirt off in the process.

—-

zayn and harry occupied themselves by trying to hang up all of the decorations, so niall dragged louis into the downstairs bathroom with a bag in his hands and a panicked expression on his face.

"i don't know what to do," he says, then throws the bag across the bathroom. it lands in the tub.

louis wraps his hand around niall's wrist and turns him around so they're face to face. "i need you to breathe, first. then, you're just gonna pee."

"oh my god, oh my god," niall chants softly and louis feels for him because what the fuck. "okay. i bought eight."

"eight?"

"well, yeah, you said you needed one too, right?"

louis looks behind niall and stares at the plastic bag for a moment before nodding. "just to be sure, yeah. but eight?"

"i didn't know!" niall shrieks and he leans against the sink, putting his head in his hands. "fuck me."

"looks like zayn already did that, love." louis pats his arm and grabs the bag from the bathtub. he pulls out two boxes, handing one to niall and keeping one for himself.

poor niall has been having some minor symptoms like hot flashes and stomach cramps and lately they've been finding out that carriers have become more and more common, so louis recommended he get a pregnancy test just to be sure. if niall isn't pregnant, then they need to check his appendix or gallbladder. he could even just have a urinary tract infection (quit drinking all the fucking soda, niall).

louis really didn't need a pregnancy test but he told niall to get him one anyways so he wouldn't feel like an oddball.

niall opens the box with shaking hands and fumbles with the package inside, staring at the stick in his hand like it's about to tell his life legacy. "okay."

"we have twenty minutes until baby gets here, we need to hurry," louis says softly. "i'm gonna step outside so you can take yours, then i'll take mine."

"no, stay," niall pleads. "just, don't watch me pee."

louis chuckles and turns to face the door so niall can do his business. once he finishes, he sets the test on the plastic wrapper it came in and swapped spots so louis could take his test too. louis sets his on the other side of the bathroom and they wash their hands before niall sets a ten minute timer.

"i'm gonna go check on our hubbies," louis kisses the back of niall's head. "don't panic. it's gonna be okay."

he steps out of the bathroom and finds harry taping the last end of the birthday banner on the wall, purple sparkly party hat on top of his head and zayn's sporting a green party hat, feeding joker a piece of cheese from the snack platter.

louis walks up behind harry and slaps his bottom before running into the living room. footsteps chase behind him and he ducks behind the couch, giggling.

harry kneels on the couch and looks behind it, seeing louis curled up with his arms over his head. "fucker."

giggles continued to erupt from the boy on the floor and harry pulls him up. "that wasn't nice."

louis shrugs and gives him a kiss to make up for it. he climbs back over the couch and manages to get the rest of the decorations up in time for trisha to walk in with raven on her hip.

"da!" she shrieks at the sight of her parents. "da! dadada!"

"baby!" harry beams and takes her from her grandmother, hoisting her in the air before swooping her down and back up. "hello my favorite girl!"

raven's giggles fill his ears and she goes for his party hat, intrigued, so zayn grabs the tiny pink hat they found at the store and places it on her head.

trisha greets the boys with cheek kisses before she looks around the room. "where's my blondie?"

louis purses his lips and holds up a finger before walking down the hallway to the bathroom. he can hear what sounds like sniffles and he opens the door to see niall sitting on the floor, head leaned back against the wall, a waterfall of tears rolling down his face.

"hey, hey," louis crooned and kneels in front of him. he glances at the test on the floor and wipes niall's tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "nialler, honey."

"i'm okay," niall croaks. "'m okay."

"i know you are," louis continues to console him. he stands and sits on the edge of the tub, checking his test, and sighs. "are you gonna be able to contain yourself?"

"yeah, just...gimme a minute," niall nods. "i need some air."

"well come on, then," louis stands. he tosses his test and the box in the trash. "trisha was asking for you."

niall nods and follows him out, wiping his face once more and he sneaks out of the house onto the front porch. louis backtracks into the kitchen, where his fiancé is spinning their one year old around in the kitchen while singing happy birthday to her. he pulls his phone out and takes a photo of the sight.

"nialler okay?" harry looks over his shoulder at louis.

the smaller man takes a deep breath and grabs raven from him, kissing her cheek. "he's alright. just not feeling too hot."

harry nods and leans against the counter.

jay shows up about half an hour later, bringing in three trips of presents. half of them are raven's birthday presents, some her christmas presents, and then christmas presents for harry and louis as well but they aren't to be opened until christmas day. so she and louis stash the holiday gifts in the hallway closet in case raven gets curious and tries to open them too.

it's good to see his mum, he missed her quite a bit and they do keep in contact as much as possible but with the new changes in their life, it's been hard. he can't really discuss those matters with her, not anymore, so they don't talk about it at all. they just talk about the baby, if louis is gonna have another baby, and when the wedding is going to be.

some of the other members of conquest drop by to give harry presents for the baby and wish her a happy birthday, and one of them asks if louis' mum is single. which makes louis give him the evil eye, tell him he will sick raven on him and then accepts the hug from the lad when he tells him he's only joking. then jay butts in and says she needs a date night.

"mum," louis groans.

"your friend seems nice!" she laughs. "i'm sure james wouldn't mind it."

"go eat a fucking cupcake," louis waves her off with a laugh and weaves between the party goers.

by six everyone's crowding around the kitchen, raven strapped in her high chair and a little smash cake in front of her on the tray. there's one single candle lit in the center of it, her dads crouched down on either side of her as they all sing happy birthday and louis beats harry to blowing out the candle.

harry plucks the candle from the cake with a pout, ignoring louis' triumphant grin, and looks down at their child. "your dad's an ass."

"ass," raven sticks her hand in the cake and grabs a handful of it. louis snorts and hides his laugh behind his hand while harry covers his mouth, wide eyed. whoops. first cuss word milestone?

cupcakes are passed around the group and after everyone chills out, they get the baby cleaned up to open presents. she's seated on louis' lap while harry helps her rip wrapping paper apart and she takes a very keen interest in whatever lights up.

louis sits on the floor in front of harry and holds raven's little hands while she stands up. she bounces in excitement, releases louis' fingers and takes wobbly steps toward her other father.

harry's eyes widen and he drops her new toy on his lap, reaching his hands out for her.

louis bites his lip as he watches raven successfully cross over to harry and throws his arms up. "we got a walker!"

harry cheers, and rounds of clapping erupt as well while the gang member holds his daughter to his chest and peppers her face with kisses.

first birthday, success.

—-

niall holds raven on his lap while zayn, harry and louis put everything away. leftover snacks and cupcakes go in the refrigerator, toys go in the bedroom and trash gets tossed in spare trash bags to be taken out. the baby was due for a bath so niall gave her one to calm her down and he talked to her, just making small conversation while he washed her little brown curls and played with her bath toys.

now they're snuggled up on the couch, tucked under a blanket while niall rubs soothing circles in her back and pats it here and there. she's sleepy, but hasn't tried to fight her sleep yet which is good.

"you're gonna need all the practice you can get," louis says from the doorway. he leans against it, crossing his ankles and stuffs his hands in the pockets of his joggers. "you're so good with her, i think you'll be just fine."

niall looks down at the baby on his chest and smiles softly. "yeah, i think i'll be alright."

"fatherhood is one hell of an experience," louis hums. "good days and bad days. just make sure you're getting all the sleep you can now because once that baby is here, you can kiss your midday naps goodbye."

chuckling, the blonde haired man shrugs. "it'll be worth it. what was yours?"

"negative."

"bummer, we could've been baby bros."

raven squirms on niall's lap and turns her face the other way, yawning, and sits up when she sees louis. "dada."

"hello little bird," louis cooed. "you ready for night night?" he walks toward the couch and picks her up, kissing her cheek. "c'mon, sweets. let's go say goodnight to everyone."

niall says goodnight to her and hands over her moo, ruffling her hair and curls back up on the couch when louis walks away.

there's soft chatter in the kitchen and then louis' taking raven upstairs. he's gone for maybe ten minutes before he creeps back downstairs, tugging one of harry's hoodies over his head and climbing on the couch beside niall.

zayn and harry come back inside and louis can already tell they're stoned by the way zayn's laughing and his hunched posture. zayn stops at the entrance of the living room and opens his arms out for his lover, who wiggles out from underneath louis and into his embrace.

"sorry you're still feeling shitty, lovey," he murmured. "do you wanna go to the clinic?"

niall shakes his head. "i know what's wrong, 'm okay."

"what's wrong with ya?"

louis looks up at harry and pulls him down onto the couch, wrapping his limbs around the man and clinging onto him. "surprise in three...two...-"

"i'm pregnant."

"one," louis hums.

zayn steps back and looks down at niall's stomach, back at his face, and repeats about a good four times before throwing his arms around niall's shoulders to pull him back into his chest.

"my baby's having a baby," he squeaks.

"your baby," niall corrects. "your baby's having your baby."

zayn sniffles against niall's hair and squeezes him. "oh my god."

"oh my god," harry repeats. "there's gonna be two little demons running around here, i need another blunt."

louis smacks his arm and scoffs. "my baby is not a demon. you're sleeping on the couch for that one."

harry only pouts at him and louis quirks an eyebrow with a look that says 'try me.'

"okay, okay," zayn takes a deep breath and he sits on the recliner, pulling niall down with him. "this is big news."

"niall literally bawled his eyes out over this, i already know," louis says. "he'll be fine. i can answer all the questions he has and you can ask harry about...i dunno, not-pregnant dad things."

zayn nods and wraps an arm around niall's middle, gently placing his other hand on the boy's stomach. niall only leans against him and looks down, biting his lip.

"i hope there's four," harry says.

"fuck you, harry."

—-

so sorry for the lack of updates! i've moved into my apartment & ive been working, plus ive been sick ): everythings all coolio now though!

thoughts on ziall baby?! im pretty sure i said once before that this would not happen but here it is (((((((: love love love it