Louis and Harry can't keep their hands off each other.

They were touchy before, yeah, but now it's constant. They have sleepovers more often than not, with Louis falling asleep spooning Harry. Louis brings Harry lunch all the time, and all of Harry's students love him.

Louis is sitting across from him at some ice cream place, their legs entwined under the table and Harry's left hand holding Louis' right. They're there because Louis needed a coverup as to why they had to leave the house, actually, because the baby shower is today, and he figured since Harry was craving ice cream anyways it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"She's not behaving very well today," Harry huffs, dropping his spoon and narrowing his eyes down at his belly. Louis' trying not to smile, because he knows the baby is probably making Harry uncomfortable, but he's too goddamn endearing.

"What's the matter?" Louis asks, giving Harry's hand a squeeze.

"She's kicking me right in my ribs," Harry mumbles, pouting before picking his spoon up again and starting to eat. Louis can only guess she kicks again, because Harry frowns and looks down to his tummy again. "That's not very polite, Beverly Rue."

"She just wants some attention," Louis defends, smiling innocently when Harry shoots him a glare.

"She's not bruising your ribs, now is she?" He argues, and Louis sighs as Harry takes another bite of his ice cream.

"Suppose you got me there, babe," Louis shrugs in defeat, and Harry smiles smugly.

♛

Harry is genuinely oblivious as to what's happening up until the moment Louis tells him it's a baby shower.

They hold it at this pretty nice restaurant with a large room in the back for parties. Harry's ultimately confused, but Louis just ignores his string of questions as he leads him into the restaurant and towards the back.

Everyone yells surprise when Harry comes in, and there's a video camera taping him, and his cheeks feel warm as he looks around the room. His family and some of his friends are there, and so are some people he's never seen before.

"W-What's going on?" Harry breathes, Louis' hand on the small of his back.

"'S a baby shower, love," Louis giggles, and Harry's face seems to relax at the sound. "For you. Me and some of the girls down at Buzzfeed planned it. Surprise?"

Harry's confused expression slowly melts into a grin, dimples deep as he turns to Louis and hugs him. By now some of the guests have gone back to the conversations they had been having before Harry came, and Harry's burying his rosy face into the crook of Louis' neck.

"Thank you, Lou," Harry mumbles into Louis' warm skin. Louis kisses the top of Harry's head, and when he glances to the right he sees his mother and sister both raising their eyebrows at him amusedly. Louis rolls his eyes and gives them a look before Harry stands up straight and separates from him.

"Do you...do you think you'd be okay meeting my Mum and my sisters?" Louis asks, grabbing onto Harry's hand and squeezing it. "You don't have to right now, if you don't want to, but they're here and I think they're expecting me to introduce you."

Harry's eyes widen slightly, but he gives Louis a small smile. "Um, yeah, I'm cool with that," He nods, and Louis smiles back at him, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Harry's forehead. Harry's cheeks turn pink again, and his grin becomes bigger.

"Achoo!"

Louis turns around and sees Doris running up to him. He leans down and scoops her up, kissing her cheek as she giggles. "Achoo, achoo, hi," Doris squeaks, rubbing her hand against the scruff along Louis' jaw. Louis laughs, kissing her cheek again before turning to Harry.

"Can you say hello to Harry, D?" Louis asks with a grin, bouncing the toddler on his hip. Doris' eyes go immediately to Harry's belly, of course.

"Y-You havin' a baby?" Doris asks curiously, and both Louis and Harry giggle.

"He's having my baby, Doris," Louis explains, and Harry watches him adoringly. "Now that you're done being rude, can you say hello to Harry?"

"Hullo, Harry," Doris waves, and Harry waves back with another giggle. Doris has got these adorable little red curls sitting on top of her head, and bright blue eyes that look a lot like Louis'.

"This is my little sister," Louis introduces with a smile. "The youngest one. The others are probably around here somewhere."

"Achoo!"

"And there's my brother," Louis chuckles when Ernest runs toward him. "Hey, mate, how're you?"

"I-I got my hairs cutted," Ernest says, pointing to the blonde mop of hair on top of his head. Louis reaches down and ruffles it, and Ernest giggles.

"It looks good, buddy," Louis laughs. "Can you say hello to Harry?"

"H-Hello," Ernest greets, suddenly shy as he steps behind Louis' leg. Harry grins and gives the little boy a wave, and Louis sets Doris down. Ernest's eyes land on Harry's stomach like Doris' had, and he squints. "Why's your belly so big?"

"Such rude children," Louis chastises while Harry stifles his laughter.

"He's havin' a baby, Ernie," Doris says smugly, happy she knew something her brother didn't. "Achoo's baby is in his belly."

"No," Ernie scoffs suspiciously. "H-How'd Achoo's baby get in Harry's belly?"

Louis looks at Harry and grins weakly, and Harry's giggling at the two four year olds. "Lou!" He hears from behind him, Harry looks over Louis' shoulder to see a girl with bright yellow hair grinning at Louis. Louis smiles and turns to her, and they fist-bump and high-five in a handshake sort of fashion.

"Lots, how's uni?" Louis asks the girl, stepping backwards so he's standing next to Harry as to not exclude him.

"'S good," Lottie answers, but her eyes are now on Harry. "Is this the bloke you've been gushing about over the phone?"

"Oi," Louis whines, and Harry can't help but giggle. "Y've got to stop exposing me, Lots. But, yes, Harry, this is my sister Lottie."

"'S very nice to meet you," Lottie holds her hand out towards Harry, who takes it and shakes it with a small smile. "I've heard lots and lots about you."

Louis just rolls his eyes while Harry giggles again. "Nice to meet you too," He gives her a shy smile as Louis puts his hand on the small of Harry's back.

"Louis' sent me the sonograms from the past few appointments, baby's healthy, right?" Lottie asks, giving Harry and Louis a kind smile. Harry likes her already. He wonders if all the Tomlinson's are this lovely.

"Very healthy," Harry confirms with a nod, and Louis hums.

"Very active as well," Louis points out, casually resting his hand to the left of Harry's navel. Harry just sighs and nods again, and when Louis looks over to Lottie she's giving him a smug smile, eyebrows raised.

"I raise you for twenty-nine years, and your poor mother doesn't even get a hello?" Jay teases as she approaches the three of them, giving Harry a warm smile and shaking her head. "And you don't even introduce me to the boy pregnant with your baby? Honestly, Lou."

"You didn't even give me a chance!" Louis defends, his hand still on Harry's stomach. "Hello, Mum. This is Harry, the boy pregnant with my baby. Harry, this is my mum."

"Very nice to meet you, love," Jay says, bringing Harry in for a hug. She's a very kind-looking woman, maybe a bit younger than Harry would have expected. "I've heard so much about you."

"Mum," Louis whines, sighing softly as Harry just laughs quietly.

"Very nice to meet you too," Harry says as they separate. Jay's eyes shift down to Harry's bump, and her grin widens.

"Can I-?" She questions, holding her hand out towards his tummy. Harry loves her, and he loves that she asked, unlike many people who just touch him without asking.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Harry nods, and Jay rests her hand on the curve of his stomach where Louis had his hand a few moments before. Louis now has hand on Harry's back–Harry's surrounded by Tomlinson. He really doesn't mind that much.

"I feel, I wanna feel," Doris decides, feeling excluded, and running up next to Jay, standing on her tiptoes to try and reach Harry's tummy.

"Doris Deakin, we always ask people before we touch them, don't we?" Jay reminds in a more authoritative voice, and Doris frowns and takes her hand off of Harry's belly quickly.

"Harry, can I may I please touch your belly?" Doris asks. Harry just grins and squats down in front of her, Louis putting a worried hand on his shoulder. Harry knows he doesn't like it when he bends down, because it makes his back ache (more than it already does) if he does it for too long.

"Of course, yeah, here," Harry offers his hand out to Doris, who takes it shyly and lets him guide her little hand to the side of his stomach. "You might feel the baby kicking."

It's as if Beverly heard him, because she sends a kick directly to where Harry's holding Doris' hand. Doris squeals, and Harry laughs. "Why's the baby kickin' you? The baby's bein' mean?"

"No," Harry laughs. "No, it's good that she's kicking. It means she's stretching her legs so she can use them when she's born."

"Oh," Doris hums.

"It's a she?!" Lottie gasps. Harry bites his lip and looks up at Louis, who's sighing. Whoops.

"Sorry," He giggles sheepishly. Louis just sighs again and helps Harry stand up, keeping his hand on Harry's side, near his waist, and he can't help but smile adoringly.

"Just don't tell anyone. Don't even know why you're surprised, Lots," Louis points out, eyes scanning the room for all his little sisters. "'S in the genes, probably."

Lottie and Jay laugh while Doris runs off once she spots Ernest near the food table. "I was convinced it was a boy," Lottie says exasperatedly. Louis chuckles and looks at his mum.

"I knew it was a girl," Jay grins, and Lottie rolls her eyes. "I've always gone by old wives tales, and they've always worked for me."

"You sound a bit batty, Mum," Louis teases, and Jay gives him a look.

"Wives tales?" Harry questions, and Jay nods.

"Like," She twists her mouth. "If you're carrying low, it's supposed to be a boy. You're carrying high."

"She's full of it, Hazza," Louis assures, but Harry looks convinced enough.

"You can also tell you're having a girl if the dad gains some sympathy weight," Jay teases, eyes going to Louis' middle. Louis gapes at her before wrapping his arms around himself, making Harry and Lottie laugh.

"I have not!" Louis huffs. Harry and Lottie just keep laughing, making Louis pout.

♛

"Hey, Harry, I'm Devyn," A girl with short bleached hair walks up to him. She's very tall, with very long legs, and she holds her hand out towards Harry to shake. "I work with Louis, I'm part of Ladylike."

"Oh, yeah, hello," Harry shakes her hand and smiles at her. "'S so nice of you to do this, thank you so much."

"Of course," Devyn giggles. "We love Louis, he's a great guy. Anyways, I was wondering if I could just take a quick video to you talking about the baby shower?"

"Uh, yeah, of course," Harry says, smiling sheepishly. "Do you just want me to stand here?"

"Yup, that's perfect," Devyn says, holding up a camera like she's about to take a selfie. She clicks a button, and immediately starts to speak in a very animated way. "So, Harry, what do you think? Best baby shower ever?"

"Oh, definitely," Harry nods, trying his best to look into the camera. He thinks that's what you're supposed to do. "'S lovely, you girls did a wonderful job."

"Now, how far along are you?" Devyn asks, and Harry twists his mouths.

"Um, about seven months?" Harry guesses. "The due date is in early January."

"How is that? Has it gotten worse, or are the hard months over?" Devyn asks.

"The early months were the worst, I had terrible morning sickness," Harry recalls while rolling his eyes, and Devyn chuckles. "Right now it's going alright."

"And I'm sure Louis has been very helpful," Devyn says.

"Oh, yeah, he's lovely," Harry grins. Devyn stops recording and thanks Harry, and holy fuck, his feet hurt. He needs to sit down. He makes his way over to a table no one is sitting at and sits down, pouring himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the table.

"Been here for forty minutes and haven't even said hello to your big sister," Gemma plops down in the chair next to Harry, shaking her head. "Disrespectful."

"I think being as big as a house is a good enough excuse," Harry says before taking a sip of his water, and Gemma just hums.

"You look really good, though," Gemma points out, resting her elbow on the table before placing her chin in her hand. "Pregnancy glow's a real thing, I guess."

"'S probably sweat," Harry mumbles, and Gemma can't help but laugh. Her eyes scan the room, landing on where Louis is chatting it up with some relative of his.

"He's cute," She mentions, looking Louis up and down carefully. Harry can't help but smile, fond as Louis gives the woman he's talking to a charming smile.

"He's fit," Harry corrects, taking another sip of his water.

"So, you two," Gemma bites her bottom and looks back to Harry. "Are you, like, a couple, or...?"

"Um," Harry looks down at his bump, and then back to Louis, and sighs. "I...don't think we're there yet. We're kind of just, like, together. Not really dating."

Gemma raises an eyebrow. "How long has this been going on?"

"He, uh," Harry blushes, and Gemma smirks. "He kissed me a few weeks ago."

"Ah," Gemma's smirk grows, glancing back at Louis, who's now talking to some blonde guy holding a beer (Harry didn't even know there were beers here?). "Does he treat you well?"

"Of course he does," Harry scoffs, resting his hand on his stomach. "Wouldn't be with him if he didn't."

"Can't believe you got knocked up by someone who works at Buzzfeed," Gemma continues, shaking her head. "Do you know how long I've been waiting to get with Chantel Houston?"

"I'm pretty sure she's taken," Harry points out.

"Just talking to her is enough sexual gratification for me," Gemma sighs wistfully, and Harry wrinkles his nose. Just as he's about to tell Gemma that's a T.M.I, someone plops down on the other side of him.

"Looks like you're running out of water, love," Louis points out, sliding a bottle of water Harry's way. Harry smiles, taking the bottle and leaning over to kiss Louis' cheek in gratitude.

"Lou, this is my sister, Gemma," Harry introduces. Louis flushes, not having noticed Gemma sitting there beforehand, and holds his hand out to her quickly.

"Pleasure to meet you," Louis says, and Gemma takes his hand and shakes it.

"Likewise," She nods before setting her hand back in her lap. "'M just going to cut right to the chase–hurt my brother and I will hurt you."

"Gem," Harry sighs exasperatedly.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Louis says with a grin. "How you feeling, babe, doing alright?"

"Yeah," Harry hums, and Louis rests his hand on the curve of Harry's bump, where it usually seems to gravitate towards. "Little tired. Baby isn't, though."

"Never is," Louis laughs, and Harry nods.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Gemma, in fact, interrupts. "But would you happen to know where I could find Chantel Houston?"

Harry rolls his eyes while Louis furrows his eyebrows. "Um, I think I saw her standing by the food?" He guesses. Gemma salutes him before standing up and making her way towards the food. "Should I ask what that was about?"

"No," Harry replies, and Louis just nods.

"Your Mum hunted me down and introduced herself," Louis mentions. "Has anyone ever told you that you two are–"

"The exact same person?" Harry finishes, and Louis laughs. "Yeah, all the time."

"Oh, good, 's not just me," Louis nods again, and Harry giggles. "Forgot to mention, you don't have to open your presents in front of everyone. I figured you'd hate that."

"God bless you," Harry sighs gratefully, making Louis chuckle.

♛

"Lou, look at these!" Harry gasps, pulling out a pair of tiny black Converse. Louis looks up from where he's making a list of who got them what (Harry wants to make thank you cards). Harry's sitting on the floor, although Louis protested, while Louis himself sits on the sofa and types all the names and gifts on the notes app.

Louis' face softens when he seems them, Harry grinning. "They're so small," He mutters before writing down that Lottie had gotten them baby Converse. He knew Lottie would get the coolest gifts, she had already given him a tiny Donny Rovers jersey last time she saw him.

"They're tiny," Harry giggles, holding them up to his belly. Louis can't help but smile, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Can't believe she's going to be so little. I hope she stays little forever."

Louis chuckles. "I wish she would," He agrees, and Harry just smiles. Louis loves seeing him so happy.

"This one's from your mum," He says, pulling a tiny baby grow out of the bag. Louis' eyes widen when he sees it.

"That was mine when I was a baby," He laughs, looking at the little striped baby grow in Harry's hands. "I can't believe she saved that."

"'S so cute," Harry says softly. "Can we take her home from the hospital in this?"

"Whatever you want, love," Louis chuckles. "Bet Beverly will wear it better than I did."

"I'm asking Jay for a picture of you in it," Harry insists, neatly folding the baby grow and placing it among the others. Louis shakes his head.

"She'll probably send you twelve," Louis replies, and Harry starts to laugh, stopping short and huffing.

"Bev didn't like that very much," He sighs softly, sounding like he almost wants to be mad at her, but he can't be. "She doesn't seem to like anything these days."

"Moody, like you," Louis teases. Harry sticks his tongue out at him. "Hope she doesn't come out this grumpy."

"Yeah," Harry hums, looking at the piles of baby clothes and little stuffed animals and such they had opened. "We got a lot of stuff."

"Yes we did," Louis smiles. "That's not even all we need."

"What else do we need?" Harry furrows his eyebrows.

"Well, a cot, for one," Louis twists his mouth. "Maybe a changing table. Lots and lots of bottles and lots and lots of nappies."

Harry's eyes widen slowly in realisation. "Lou, what're we going to do?" He asks. "We don't live together."

Shit. He's got a point. Louis frowns, biting his bottom lip. "Um, I don't know," He admits, glancing over at Harry. "Bit too early to move in together, yeah?"

"Bit too early to have a baby together too," Harry giggles. Louis finds himself smiling fondly, shaking his head.

"You got me there, babe," He admits. "I don't even have a spare room in me flat. Was just going to put a cot in me bedroom for her."

Harry looks down at the floor, poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue. "Maybe you should move in," He says, and Louis raises his eyebrows. "I mean, 's not like we don't basically live together. We can make the guest room into a nursery, and you and I can sleep together."

Sleeping together every night sounds like heaven if Louis' being honest. Living with Harry, getting to wake up with him every morning and go to sleep with him every night, sounds like a dream. Coming home from work to find Harry on the sofa with the baby, the thought of it makes him feel warm.

"Yes," Louis says, maybe a little too enthusiastically, and Harry laughs. "Yes, that sounds good. What'll we do about Ozzy and Lola, though?"

"Lola likes dogs," Harry giggles fondly, and Louis' face softens at the sound. "My friend Taylor used to bring her dog over all the time, and they got along."

"Taylor..." Louis furrows his eyebrows. "Oh, Taylor, blonde hair, red lipstick?"

"That's her," Harry nods. "Bet she hunted you down and gave you a long chat about how it you break my heart she'll make sure your willy will be unusable?"

"Her exact words, yeah," Louis laughs.

"'S okay, I got the same chat from Bebe," Harry mentions. "Maybe not as aggressive as T's, but more or less the same thing."

"Bebe's protective," Louis laughs. "She texted me afterwards, though. Said she loved you and you were the sweetest person she's ever met."

"She was nice," Harry giggles. "And pretty. I liked her. How do you know her?"

"Um," Louis clears his throat. "We uh, dated. For, like, a really short period of time."

"Really?" Harry asks, folding a red and white striped baby grow. He doesn't seem angry, though. Just surprised. "I guess I could see it, yeah. How'd you two meet?"

"She sings, and I saw her perform at some bar in the states," Louis explains. "Was before you and I met. But I bought her a drink, and we dated for a few months before we decided we'd probably be better off as friends."

"Oh," Harry nods. "She's...she's really pretty."

"Are you okay?" Louis asks, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't mean to upset you, you asked so I thought it was okay."

"No, no, it's just," Harry shrugs. "You went from Bebe to me. Kind of a downgrade."

"What are you talking about?" Louis asks, and he can't help but laugh a little.

"She's gorgeous, first of all," Harry points out. "And really funny, and nice. And fit. I just–I don't know."

"You're literally all of those things," Louis points out. "More so than Bebe, actually. And 'm not just saying that. You're gorgeous, and the sweetest person I've ever met, and holy shit are you fucking fit."

Harry's cheeks turn absolutely red, and Louis laughs. "You look cute in your glasses," Harry mumbles with a huge grin, and Louis laughs again.

"Well, thank you," He chuckles. "'M sorry you didn't get to meet Daisy and Phoebe, they went on a holiday with their friend. They're mad they missed it, though."

"I can't wait to meet them," Harry says with a smile. "What about your other sister, there's seven of you, right? Five girls, two boys?"

"Oh, um, yeah," Louis nods. "Fiz doesn't come around too often. She's eighteen, you know how that is."

Harry can tell there's something more there. He slowly stands up and walks over to the couch, plopping down next to Louis and leaning against him. Louis sighs softly and wraps his arm around Harry's shoulder.

"I worry about her," He admits softly. "She's started smoking. Which I know she got from me, yeah, but I tried to quit before the girls could catch on."

"You used to smoke?" Harry asks quietly.

"Yeah," Louis exhales slowly. "It was stupid of me to take up, I quit a few years ago. So did Lottie. My mum was happy. But Félicité is picking up all these bad habits, and she's so young, H."

"I'm so sorry, Lou," Harry whispers.

"My mum won't talk to her about it, she doesn't know what to say," Louis explains. "Her and Fizzy get into fights all the time, and she's afraid if she confronts her then Fizzy will just drive away and never come back. I can't say anything to her, she won't listen to me."

Harry leans up and kisses Louis' cheek. Louis sighs slowly and tightens his grip on Harry, giving him a tired smile. "Think I'm ready for bed," He mumbles, and Harry giggles.

"Me too," He says quietly. Louis presses a kiss to Harry's forehead before slowly helping him off the couch, grinning at the piles of baby things on the floor.