"Which one is yours?"

"That one," Louis excitedly points through the window to the cot labelled 'Baby Tomlinson' , a huge grin on his face. Niall's eyes widen, mouth falling open slightly. Louis' getting a little emotional for the millionth time today. He's known Niall since before his voice even dropped, and now they're in the hospital because Louis' a dad. That's proper mental.

"Wow," Niall breathes. Louis' smile widens. "Lou, she's..."

"I know," Louis laughs a little. "'N I'm her dad. Isn't that fuckin' wild?"

"Yeah," Niall says quietly, eyes stuck on the baby. "She have a name yet?"

"No, not yet," Louis admits. Harry was in labor for more than a full twenty-four hours, they certainly had the time. Between having to get ice for his throbbing hand, Harry screaming and yelling at how much he hates him, and then sobbing and telling him he didn't mean any of it, they were a bit busy. "We'll probably figure that out once H wakes up from his nap."

"How's he doing?" Niall asks. Looking at all the cute babies in the nursery, Louis has to say his is the cutest. He may be a bit biased though. "Must be exhausted."

"Definitely," Louis nods. "He was incredible, though, mate! I never could have done that."

"My arse hurts just thinking about it," Niall shudders. Louis elbows him a little, but he laughs. "You're like...a real adult, Tommo. Spouse and a baby and everything."

"I know," Louis whispers. He's turning twenty-one in a few months, but he feels like a teenager. "Scary, innit?"

"You're not too shit at it, at least," Niall finally glances away from the baby, giving Louis a grin. He's being a little shit, but Louis can see in his shiny eyes that he's beyond happy for him. Louis' being an extra sap today, but he doesn't care. He reaches over and wraps Niall up into a hug. Niall hugs him back, but laughs a little. "This is gay, even for you."

Louis ignores him. "I love you, Nialler," He mumbles into Niall's shoulder. He hears Niall snicker, patting his back.

"I love you too, buddy," Niall replies. "'M so fuckin' proud of you."

♛

"Lou!"

Louis turns around, on his way to get coffee, when he sees Niall approaching him with a huge grin. Louis instantly feels warm, smiling back as Niall claps his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, sorry I didn't come yesterday, mate. Barb was feelin' ill."

"No worries," Louis assures. When Gracie was born, Niall was in the hospital waiting room with Louis' family. Now he's grown up, with a wife and a kid on the way and his own life. It makes Louis' smile widen. "Was just gonna grab some coffee, then we can go 'round to the nursery."

So, Louis and Niall walk down the corridor. Louis is exhausted, Miles had been crying all night, which made Willow cry, which in turn made him almost cry out of frustration. He feels deadweight.

"How's Harry doing?" Niall asks, hands in the pockets of his trousers.

"He's good," Louis nods, smile softening. "He had to get a c-section, did I tell you?"

"No," Niall's eyes widen. "Did he freak out?"

"Nah," Louis shakes his head. "Handled it like a champ, as always."

"He feel okay?" Niall asks.

"A little sore, I think, but," Louis shrugs. "The nurse said he was recovering pretty quickly, and he said, to her face, 'I'm built different.'"

Niall throws his head back and laughs, startling a nurse standing by. "What a lad," He chuckles. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Tommo."

"You should've seen him throwing ice at me because his labour was stalled," Louis mutters, rolling his eyes. Niall laughs again. "Such a diplomat, my boy is."

They get to the cafeteria, Louis approaching the coffee machine and grabbing a styrofoam cup. "I'd offer you one, but it tastes like literal toilet water. I'm just afraid if I don't have any I'll collapse."

"Hey, 'm probably gonna have to be drinking it in a few months anyways," Niall shrugs. Louis smiles at the prospect. "Might as well get used to it."

"Suit yourself," Louis gets Niall a cup and hands it to him before getting one for himself. Niall takes a sip before immediately spitting it back in.

"Holy shit," He wrinkles his nose.

"Told you," Louis laughs.

"You should've told me before I drove over, I would've brought you some," Niall shakes his head, staring down at the coffee.

"'S alright, we're going home later anyways," Louis shrugs. "Alright, nursery's that way."

Louis leads Niall back down the corridor, stopping in front of a window that shows all the babies in the nursery. Niall's face softens, and Louis lifts his hand to point out Miles and Willow. "That's them."

"They're tiny," Niall observes, voice quiet as if he'll startle them. Louis smiles fondly. "I can't believe you've got three of 'em."

"I know," Louis shakes his head. "Proper mental."

"Wish Barb could've come and seen them," Niall says, but his eyes are stuck on the two babies. Miles is sleeping, while Willow is blinking up at the ceiling, her eyes shifting around lazily. "She was still nauseous this mornin'."

"Usually gets better after a few weeks," Louis assures. "Harry's did, at least."

"Do they also hate you less for doing that to them after a few weeks?" Niall asks, grimacing a little.

"No," Louis shakes his head. "They never do. They throw ice at you because their labour is stalled and it's all your fault."

Niall laughs a little, looking back at the babies. He's quiet for a moment, seemingly stuck in his own thoughts before he says, "How am I ever going to take care of something that small?"

Louis gives him a small smile, but Niall's eyes don't shift from Miles and Willow. "They get bigger," He points out. Niall gives him a dull look, and Louis' smile widens. "You'll have Barb to keep you in line."

"Who even let me think it was a good idea to have a baby?" Niall's voice gets higher and more panicky as he speaks, eyebrows furrowed. "I'm a baby."

"You're twenty-six," Louis points out amusedly. Niall runs his hand over his face. "Nialler, I had my first when I was twenty. There was no one less qualified than me, but Gracie's turning out okay. A little loud, maybe."

"I dunno how you're so calm when you've got two of those you have to take home with you in a few hours," Niall says, shaking his head.

"I'm a little nervous," Louis admits, taking a sip of his coffee before giving Niall a soft smile. "But, I can't wait to take them home, and be with them all the time. That overrides the nervousness."

Niall turns his head towards Louis, and he stares at him for a moment before saying. "You look happy, mate," Louis smiles at him. "I noticed even, like, a few weeks ago."

"Yeah?" Louis nods. "I am."

"You 'n Harry deserve it, after the past few years you've had," Niall says. Maybe it's the lack of sleep making him emotional, but Louis' eyes water a bit. He turns and practically attacks Niall in a hug, hearing Niall laugh as he hugs him back. "This is soft, even for you."

"Shut up," Louis mumbles into his shoulder. Niall just holds him tighter.

♛

"How're we doing back there?"

"I don't think Will is liking the car ride," Harry reports, sticking his bottom lip out sympathetically. He reaches into the baby carrier and rests his hand on her middle. "'S okay, bub. We're almost home."

Louis smiles to himself. He glances at Harry in the rearview mirror, seeing him make a funny face at Willow. "You look very pretty back there, though."

Harry looks up, grinning. "Eyes on the road, Tomlinson."

"It's hard to look away from you for too long," Louis replies dramatically. Harry giggles, shaking his head and looking back down at Willow. "You feel okay?"

"Yeah," Harry sighs softly. "A little tired, 'n sore."

"You can take a nap when we get home," Louis offers, frowning in sympathy. He's incredibly tired, he can't even imagine how Harry is feeling.

"I'll be okay," Harry assures. "They'll probably be hungry anyways." The end of his sentence is drowned out from Miles starting to fuss. Harry sighs, shifting his attention from Willow to him. "What's the matter, love? We're gonna be home soon."

Miles doesn't care. He starts to wail. Louis holds back a groan as Harry desperately tries to comfort him inside the carrier. "Do you want me to pull over so you can take him out?" Louis practically yells over Miles' crying.

"No, it's okay," Harry replies, reaching into Miles' carrier and stroking his cheek gently. "It's okay, buddy, you're okay. We'll be home in a few minutes. Although if Daddy goes any slower he'll probably get pulled over."

Louis takes his hand off the wheel just long enough to flip Harry off. He doesn't want to drive too fast with the babies in the car. "You sound like Taylor. Sorry I'm a good driver, you two risk committing vehicular manslaughter every time you drive."

"Can we argue over who's a better driver when our son isn't having a fit?" Harry sighs, wrinkling his nose in Louis' direction. "Shh, you're okay, love."

As soon as Louis parks in their driveway, Harry unbuckles Miles and lifts him up. He stops crying almost immediately. Harry gapes at him. "Are you kidding me? That was all for attention?"

"He is a Tomlinson, after all," Louis smirks, unbuckling Willow's car seat to lift it up. "Want me to take him inside before I help you out?"

"No, I'll hold him," Harry insists, eyes still on Miles. "He'll start up again if I put him down."

"Okayyy," Louis lifts Willow's carrier, carefully taking it out of the car and holding it in his hand. "I'll be back."

Louis grabs one of the bags from the floor of the car as well, unlocking the door and carrying both of them inside. He smiles and shakes his head when he realises his mum had come over to tidied the lounge while they were gone.

"Okay, here we go," Louis takes Willow out of the baby carrier, placing her in a little baby swing next to the sofa. She blinks up at him, uninterested. "'Ve got to go get Papa and your brother, don't go anywhere!" He laughs at his own joke before stepping back out.

When he comes back Harry is still cradling Miles, who is staring up at him lazily, seemingly trying to focus on his face. Louis could cry looking at the two of them, but he tells himself it's just the sleep deprivation.

"Okay, c'mon, Papa," Louis nods, holding his hand out to help Harry out of the car. Harry giggles, taking his hand and slowly getting out, Miles still cradled in his free arm. He winces as soon he's standing, and Louis frowns. "You alright?"

"Mhm," Harry nods, sighing softly. "Just get me inside so I can sit on the couch and whine."

"Nothing out of the ordinary, then," Louis kisses Harry's cheek when he pouts, helping him to the house with a gentle hand on the small of his back.

He gets Harry and Miles inside, sitting Harry down with Miles still in his arms. "I'm gonna grab the rest of the bags, okay?" Louis says.

"Can you hand Will over to me first, please?" Harry asks.

"You want both of them?" Louis makes a face. "You sure?" Harry nods. Louis carefully takes Willow out of her swing, passing her into Harry's free arm. "Okay, I'll be right back. Don't miss me too much."

Harry giggles, and Louis leans down and kisses his forehead before he goes back outside. Harry looks down at the babies, both of them blinking around lazily.

"So? What do you think?" He asks softly, grinning. "You like it here?" Willow hiccups. He'll take that as a yes. "It's not usually this clean, just wait until your sister comes home from Nan's tomorrow. It'll look like a tornado hit."

Miles sneezes. "Well, bless you," Harry coos, giggling when he sees Miles must have scared himself with his own sneeze. He's quiet for a moment before saying, "I hope you guys like it here. You have the coolest Dad, and a pretty great big sister. You lucked out, I think," Louis walks in, duffel bags on both shoulders, and Harry's smile grows wider. 'N I did too."

"What was that, babe?" Louis asks, setting the bags down.

"Nothing," Harry assures, biting his bottom lip to contain his smile. "Come sit with us, we miss you."

Louis' face melts into a soft grin, walking over to the sofa and sitting next to Harry. "Wanna take one?" Harry offers. Louis nods, taking Miles from him and holding him against his chest. "We should enjoy the quiet while it lasts."

"I can't tell if you're talking about them or Gracie," Louis admits, smiling when Harry laughs. "'M sure she's driving my mother up a wall."

"She's always well-behaved when she's anyone but us," Harry points out, fixing the collar of the tiny baby grow Willow is wearing. "Jay did text me and tell me she will not stop talking about getting to come home and be with the babies."

Louis smiles at the prospect of Harry and his mother texting, leaning down and kissing Harry's shoulder. "We'll see if she's still saying that after they wake her up tomorrow night," Louis mutters. Harry giggles, and Louis looks back down at Miles, grinning when Miles blinks up at him, lips curling a little. "Hey, he's smiling at me."

"He's probably pooping," Harry mutters.

"What? No, he just did like an hour ago-" Louis stops when he smells it. "Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me. Alright, buddy, let's get this nappy changed."

"Language!" Harry chastises.

"Suck my diiick," Louis sings, giving Harry a cheeky smile when he glares at him.

i don't even rlly like this but i wanted to give u an update bc ily

also IM VACCINATED BESTIES 🥰🥰🥰 GET UR VACCINE IF U CAN