Harry wakes up in the middle of the night, and he really has to wee.

It's a miracle he was even sleeping in the first place. The babies are making it incredibly hard to breathe, it's impossible to get comfortable, and they also seem to be the most active when he's trying to sleep. Troublemakers. He wonders where they possible could've gotten that from. He glances up at Louis, who's fast asleep.

The hormones are really hitting him, because looking up at Louis' face in the dull moonlight, he tears up a little. Louis' sleeping on his back, which he never used to do, but the only way Harry can get comfortable is if he basically uses Louis as a body pillow.

So, Louis' started sleeping on his back, so Harry can be comfortable. And it's so stupid, and not even really that grand of a gesture, but Harry's crying. Because Louis is so, so sweet, and there are a lot of husbands who probably wouldn't do that for their spouses. He clearly cares a lot about him, and Harry cares about him the same way. His heart could burst. And his bladder.

So now he has to wee, and he's weeping at how wonderful Louis is. He has his arm wrapped around Louis' torso, face pressed into his chest, and he sniffles. After a moment he feels Louis' hand reach up and hold his back, and then he starts to cry a little harder, because Louis already has enough trouble sleeping without his dumb, hormonal husband waking him up.

"Y'okay?" Louis mumbles, voice low and gravelly with sleep. It's really sexy. So now Harry is dumb, hormonal, and turned on. Wonderful.

"Mhm," Harry sniffles, squishing his cheek even further into Louis' chest. "I jus' love you."

He feels Louis' lips press the top of his head. "I love you too, pumpkin."

"I look like a pumpkin," Harry pouts. Louis laughs into his hair quietly, giving his waist a squeeze.

"You're a damn pretty one, then," Louis replies. Harry blinks the tears out of his eyes, and they drip down his face. Louis, a little more awake now, wipes some of the wetness from his cheeks. "Baby. What's the matter?"

"Y-You're sleeping on your back for me," Harry weeps, and he realises how ridiculous he must sound, but Louis would never tell him because he's so sweet and holy shit Harry needs to pull it together. "You're so nice to me. And all I do is cry."

"Hey," Louis soothes, reaching up and running his fingers through Harry's hair, extra curly and thick and shiny from the new influx of pregnancy hormones. "It's okay. You're okay, bub."

"And I really have to wee, but I don't want to because I have to sit down," Harry continues. "And I haven't even seen my own dick in three months." Louis lets out a laugh, and Harry can't help but giggle a little through his tears. Louis kisses the top of his head again before slowly sitting up.

"Alright, let's get you up," He sighs, helping Harry sit up as well, a gentle hand cradling his back. 

"I can go myself," Harry assures, sniffling, guilt flooding his thoughts all over again when he remembers he's woken Louis up. "You should go back to sleep."

"Hazza, I love you, but I'm afraid you're gonna stand up off the toilet and tip over," Louis says as he climbs off the bed. Harry scowls. Louis grabs Harry's hand, his other hand supporting Harry's back, and pulls him up off the bed. He wipes Harry's cheeks before pecking his lips. "You're gonna hate me for saying this."

"I could never hate you."

"I think Dr. Bajaj is going to put you on bed rest tomorrow."

"I hate you."

"Babe," Louis says gently, walking Harry out of the bedroom. Harry just makes a distasteful whining noise, and Louis rolls his eyes. "You know they're not going to want you to have them early."

"They're the one who said I'd probably be late!" Harry huffs. "I would love for them to come out. They'd be fine. And I'd be able to walk."

"They'd be fine, but they'd be really little," Louis reminds, voice soft, almost cautious, as he turns the washroom light on. "They need to finish growin' a bit more."

"I knowww," Harry sighs. This time when Louis has to be in the washroom while Harry wees, he doesn't complain (probably because there's a good chance of getting his head bitten off). He stands and waits patiently for Harry to finish before walking him back to bed.

Once they're in bed, and Louis' back to laying on his back (it's honestly not very comfortable), Harry leans up and presses a kiss to his neck. "I love you, L," He mumbles. Louis grins to himself. Harry makes sleeping on his back worth it.

♛

"Harold, just what do you think you're doing?"

Shit. He's been caught. Since Gracie is at Jay's and Louis was at work, he figured this would be the perfect time. Slowly turning his head to look at Louis, he grins sheepishly. "Um, cleaning?"

"Harry," Louis groans. Harry pouts. Louis walks over and hooks his arms under Harry's armpits, helping him stand up. "Christ's sake, you're like, a million weeks pregnant. Why on earth are you on your hands and knees scrubbing the washroom floor?"

"It's dirty," Harry whines, sounding a lot like Gracie in that moment. "Need to clean it before the babies come."

"Babes, they're probably not even coming for weeks," Louis reminds, smiling weakly when Harry leans his back into Louis' chest. He wraps an arm around his shoulders. "I'd rather clean the washroom floor for you than have you do it,"

"You won't clean it thoroughly."

"Excuse me?"

"I just need to do it," Harry huffs, looking back at Louis with pleading, shiny eyes. "Please, please, please-"

"For a lawyer, you're not very convincing," Louis takes the sponge out of Harry's hand, setting it down in the sink. Harry makes a pitiful noise. "When would the babies even be in the washroom, anyways?"

"Just in case," Harry sticks his bottom lip out, clearly giving up his fight.

"You have to sit," Louis says sternly. Harry looks like he wants to kill him, but he lets Louis lead him out of the washroom and to the lounge, where he lowers him down to the sofa. "I thought the nesting stage was over when you almost fell off the counter trying to clean the ceiling."

"It was dirty," Harry points out, pouting miserably. He doesn't tell Louis sometimes doing stupid, meaningless cleaning is the only way he can quiet his thoughts.

"Okay, but hopefully the babies will never be on the ceiling, either," Louis says, smiling a little, fond as always. Harry scowls back up at him. "Can you please just sit and relax for a bit before we have to leave? Bajaj is gonna blame me for you being on your feet so much."

"I can't just sit around all the time," Harry whines. "Sometimes I need to move."

"I know, love," Louis says sympathetically, picking Harry's hand up and kisses the back of it. "But that means, like, a light walk around the house. Not getting on all fours to scrub the washroom floor."

Harry crosses his arms over his chest, but doesn't argue. Louis sits down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You've been doing so wonderfully, love," He mumbles, grinning when Harry leans his head onto his shoulder. "'M just trying to make sure you don't strain yourself, y'know?"

"I know," Harry sighs. "I get it."

"In, like, three or four weeks they'll be here," Louis says softly. "And you can clean whatever you want."

"If they come as late as Gracie, I'm pulling them out myself."

"You know, you could always schedule a c-secti-"

"No."

Louis sighs, but he nods. Harry is adamantly against getting a c-section. Louis doesn't blame him–it does freak him out a little too, the prospect of getting all of your organs taken out and put back in. He just doesn't know if Harry quite understands how giving birth to twins is, like, two times worse than usual. Literally.

After awhile, they have to leave for Harry's appointment (his last one, something about that makes Louis' stomach turn). Louis knows it's kind of stupid to be nervous, since he's done this before, but this is a little different. Two babies at once, while he's buried in work and still working on his mental health. It makes him a little anxious.

"I still like Forrest."

"I don't know how many times I have to say no," Louis shakes his head. "I love you. I love you so, so much. But that is the one name I am absolutely not bending on."

Harry pouts, slumping a little in the passenger seat of Louis' car. Louis knows Harry knows he wasn't going to break him. The radio plays softly in the background, and when Willow starts to play, Louis grins. "Hey, I helped write this. That's so cool."

And, of course, Harry starts crying. Louis furrows his eyebrows, laughing softly. "Bub, what is it?"

"A love song you wrote about me is on the radio," Harry sniffles. Louis could melt. He's adorable. A little crazy, but adorable. "That's so sweet."

"Hate to break it to you, I actually wrote it about my other husband," Louis teases, laughing when Harry scowls towards him. He rests one of his hands on Harry's thigh, the other gripping the wheel. "I only helped write it, Haz."

"You did write some of it, though," Harry points out, eyes still shiny. His bottom lip starts to tremble. "'N I never told you how proud I was. I'm so sorry."

"Okay, H, breathe," Louis soothes, smiling fondly. "It's okay. You're okay."

"No, but I'm so proud of you," Harry weeps. "You're so smart and sweet, and you wrote beautiful songs that I listen to all the time and I never told you how incredible you are."

"You listen to them?" Louis chuckles.

"Mhm," Harry sniffles.

"That's cute," Louis' smile widens. "Gotta get Taylor those streams." Harry giggles through his tears, and Louis gives his leg a squeeze.

♛

"Okay, Harry. You're not going to like this, but I'm thinking it would be a good idea to put you on bedrest."

Harry deflates a little, looking up at Louis like he's expecting him to fight Dr. Bajaj on that. As if he hasn't been warning Harry the past few weeks. "They're right, love," Louis says gently.

"If you happened to go into labour right now, the babies would probably be just fine," Dr. Bajaj tells Harry, their tone as cautious as Louis'. "And, looking at their positions, and based off of your last experience, I honestly think they might reach full term. But, I'd rather be safe than sorry, and keep you on bedrest for twelve days."

"So, does that mean just straight-up staying in bed all day for twelve days?" Louis asks.

"I'm going to give him modified bedrest," Dr. Bajaj says. "So that means you can sit, stand, or walk around for short periods of time throughout the day. But it's still mainly being in bed."

Harry looks pissed. Louis' a little scared. "I know it might be a little hard to, especially when y've got Gracie, but I really think it'd be best. When you get off bed rest you'll be a little past thirty-eight weeks, and if they were to come early, thought I doubt it, I'd rather it be then."

Harry sighs softly, nodding. "Okay," He says. Louis gives Dr. Bajaj a wary look. Dr. Bajaj looks like they feel bad for sending Louis home with such a grumpy husband.

So, when they get home, Louis gets Harry to bed. Not in the good way, the way Harry would be thrilled about. Harry is pouting, arms crossed as Louis hands him the remote for the telly. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No," Harry grumbles. Louis sighs.

"Babe, you know it's for the best," He says. Harry looks miserable. Louis knows he's going to get really bored really fast. "Hey, actually, I have a job for you."

Harry perks up a little, looking up at Louis through long eyelashes. Louis gets Harry's laptop off the bedside table, handing it to him. "I still need to figure out which university I want to attend. I have two weeks. I want you to research all of them and tell me which one is the best."

"Okay!" Harry takes the laptop, grinning. Louis knew that would get him in a better mood. This is the kind of shit Harry lives for. He's so weird, Louis finds it endlessly endearing. He leans down and kisses Harry's forehead. "I get to research all four, because you got accepted to all four, because I married a geniusss."

"Shut up," Louis laughs, shaking his head while Harry giggles. "I'm gonna go pick up Gracie, do you need anything before I go?"

"No thank you," Harry says, already Googling one of the schools. Louis smiles, fond, and goes to grab his keys.

When he gets to his mum's house, Gracie runs up to him and attacks his legs in a hug. "Daddy, Daddy, guess what!" She squeaks, looking up at him. This is his favourite part of everyday.

"What's up, G?" He asks, grinning down at her.

"I gotta loose tooth," She opens her mouth and wiggles one of her front teeth. Sure enough, it's loose.

"You first loose tooth?!" Louis gasps dramatically, leaning down to look for himself. He wiggles the tooth himself, and Gracie giggles. "Oh my goodness. You have to stop growing up."

"Nope!" Gracie shakes her head, smiling smugly. "I'm gonna get grown-up teeth like you."

"Lou, love, how's Harry?" Jay asks from the kitchen, where she's chopping something up on a cutting board.

"He's...um," Louis twists his mouth. "Very...opinionated. Disagreeable." Jay grins knowingly, shaking her head. Louis wraps his arm around Gracie when she leans into him. "The doctor just put him on bed rest."

"Poor thing," Jay shakes her head.

"What's that, Daddy?" Gracie asks.

"We can talk on the way home, babe," Louis kisses her forehead before standing up straight again. "Thanks for watching her, Mum."

"Of course, babes," Jay smiles. "Say hello to Harry for me."

"Will do," Louis grins. He takes Gracie out to the car, sitting her in her car seat before getting into the drivers seat. "Okay, bug, we've gotta talk about Papa."

"Why?" Gracie asks.

"Since Papa's...um," How does Louis put this delicately? "Y'know...big...his doctor is having him stay in bed for a while so he can rest up for the babies."

"Oh," Gracie nods. "Okay."

"So that means that he can't really get up and play with you, or help you with something unless it's an emergency," Louis says. "He has to stay in bed so the babies are healthy. So that means Nana Jay or Nana Anne will probably be picking you up from school and watching you. Got it?"

"Okay," Gracie nods again. "I-I like bein' with Papa after school, but the babies gotta be healthy, right Daddy?" Louis grins.

"'S right, good girl," He says. "You're gonna be such a good big sister, G."

"Really?" Gracie asks, preening under the praise from Louis.

"Of course," Louis' smile widens. "You're even losing baby teeth! You're getting too big, I think we're going to have to cut back on that. Soon you'll be driving me around."

"Where're we gonna go?" Gracie squeaks.

"Where do you wanna go?" Louis asks, shrugging, grinning at how seriously she takes his joke. "You'll be driving."

"Lets go...to Disney!" Gracie decides, eyes lighting up. "So I can meet Ariel."

"Sounds like a plan," Louis grins, nodding. "We can bring Papa back a t-shirt or summat."

"No!" Gracie huffs, and Louis laughs. "Papa has to come."

"So we can use the carpool lane," Louis nods again, pulling into their driveway. "Good thinking."

He turns the car off and gets out of the drivers seat, going to the back to get Gracie. She immediately challenges him to a race to the front door, one he ultimately loses. Even with her rucksack on. Louis' only a little butthurt.

"Papaaa!" Gracie yells out as she runs up the stairs.

"Inside voice, please!" Louis calls after her. She does it again. He sighs, following her up the stairs and to the bedroom. Gracie is already climbing up onto the bed, Harry sitting with his laptop balanced on his belly.

"Papa, Papa, I have a wiggly tooth," Gracie tells him, opening her mouth and wiggling it. Harry raises his eyebrows, grinning at her.

"Woahhh," He says, his smile widening when she beams, proud of herself. "That's so cool, G. You know you get a lot of money from the tooth fairy for your first tooth?"

"Um, but not that much money," Louis says, giving Harry a small look. Harry just giggles. "Hey, you can save up for Disney."

"You're going to Disney?" Harry asks Gracie.

"Mhm," She nods. "And Daddy said you can come so we'll get the car-poo lane."

"Oh, awesome," Harry deadpans, looking up at Louis. Louis holds back a smile, instead walking over and kissing his cheek.

"How're you feeling?" He asks. Harry sighs softly.

"Good," He shrugs. "Tired."

"Did you get up while I was gone?" Louis asks suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at him. Harry shakes his head. Louis squints. "Harold."

"I didn't, I swear!" Harry holds his hands up. Louis hums, giving Harry another suspicious look before looking down at Gracie.

"Hey, Gracie girl, did you put your rucksack away in your room?" He asks. Gracie shakes her head. Louis gives her a smile. "Do you think you could do that for me?"

"I suppose," Gracie sighs, overdramatic as always, and climbs off the bed.

"Thank youuu!" Louis says. Gracie drags her rucksack out of the bedroom and to her own room, and Louis looks to Harry. "You got up and cleaned the washroom sink."

Harry's eyes go wide. "How did you know?!"

"I didn't," Louis put his hands on his hips. Harry gapes at him. "But now I do. Bed rest means bed. Rest."

"It's so boring," Harry whines, bottom lip already trembling. Oh, boy. "I'm so bored, Lou, and it's so dirty."

"Okay, okay," Louis soothes, sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping Harry up in his arms. "It's okay. I know it's hard, babe, but you know it's what's best for the little ones, right?"

Harry doesn't answer, pressing his nose into the crook of Louis' neck. Louis knows this can't be easy for him, and he's worried that he's having this much trouble when it's only been an hour. Harry looks up at him with watery eyes. "I suck."

"That's why I married you," Louis only says it to make Harry laugh. It works. Harry, despite the tears running over the rosy flushed-ness of his cheeks, breaks out into a breathy laugh. Louis grins and gives his shoulders a squeeze. "You do not suck."

"I know it's best that I stay in bed, and I just can't do it," Harry sniffles, his cheek squished up against Louis' chest. Louis cradles his head, running his fingers through his curls. "I should be able to since I know it's good for the babies."

"You've never had to sit and relax before, I understand," Louis says, moving his hand down to stroke Harry's cheek gently. "I know you're trying."

"I wish I had homework or summat," Harry mumbles.

"You are the weirdest person I know," Louis says, and Harry pinches his side. "I gave you homework."

"I finished."

"Of course you did."

Harry giggles a little, picking his laptop again and showing Louis a typed document. "I made pros and cons lists for all of them."

"Mhm," Louis nods, smiling fondly.

"This one's closest to home," Harry points. "But it's the most expensive. And they're giving you the least scholarship money."

"Booo," Louis makes a face, and Harry laughs.

"This one is a little farther, but they're giving you more money," Harry says, still leaning into Louis' chest. "And we love someone who can recognise talent."

Louis rolls his eyes, smiling as he kisses Harry's forehead. "I love you," He mumbles. "Thank you for being so supportive."

Harry leans his head back and grins, pecking Louis' lips. Gracie comes back into the room, stumbling over her own little feet as she climbs back on the bed. "Papa, I cleaned my room again! Did you see?"

"I did see! Awesome job," Harry holds his hand out for a high-five, and Gracie taps his hand with a giggle. "Y've been such a good girl lately, G."

"I think that calls for pizza for dinner," Louis says. Gracie's eyes light up. They haven't gotten pizza in probably four months. Louis supposes one time won't hurt. "And then my extra special helper can help me set up the cots in the nursery?"

"Okay!" Gracie squeaks, practically bouncing up and down.

♛

"Hey, can you hand me that piece?"

"This one?" Gracie asks, holding up a piece of the cot. Louis looks up and gives her a smile.

"No, but I'll take that one too," He says, taking the wooden piece out of her hand. She looked so happy that she was being helpful, he couldn't tell her he doesn't need that piece. "The one right next to it, sorry. I should've pointed it out better."

"Here you gooo," Gracie hands it to him.

"Thank you very much, Gracie Mae," Louis' smile widens, attaching the piece to the cot. "You're a very good helper."

"I know," Gracie says, and Louis chuckles. "I helped Nana Jay with the dishes today. Ernie and Dory were playing."

"I'm sure Nana Jay really appreciated that," Louis grins. He hears the bed across the hall creak, and he sighs. "Gracie Mae, go tell Papa if he needs something I told him to ask me."

Gracie gets up off the floor and runs across the hall. He can hear her tell Harry, "You're supposed to be restin'!"

"I have to wee!"

"Too bad!"

"Gracie, it's okay!" Louis laughs, still working on the cot. Gracie comes back into the nursery with a triumphant look on her face, like what she did was in any way helpful. Harry trudges into the hallway, flipping Louis off over her head. Louis blows him a kiss in return.

idk what do u think

also don't worry guys i got caught up w my school work 🥳