"Papa, how do they see the babies in your belly?"

Harry, truly, is not in the mood to play 100 questions. He's been nauseous all day, got a few weird looks from other parents when he picked Gracie up, and is now being interrogated. He loves Gracie, obviously, and loves spending time with her, but holy shit.

"They have a wand they put on my tummy," Harry explains, trying his very best to make his voice sound less flat and a little more enagaged. "And it helps them see inside."

"But how?"

"I don't know, bug," Harry admits with a soft sigh. "Ask Dr. Bajaj when we get there."

"Okay," Gracie says, swinging her little legs as they dangle from the car seat. It's then he remembers he has to remind Gracie about Dr. Bajaj. Harry twists his mouth, glancing at Gracie in the rear view mirror.

"Hey, G, remember last time you came to an appointment with me?" He asks, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel gently. "When we talked about how Dr. Bajaj doesn't identify as a boy or a girl, so we say they or them when we talk about them?"

"Mhm," Gracie nods.

"Okay," Harry nods back. "Just making sure."

"I-I don't really get it, though," Gracie admits, looking at Harry with a confused pout. "W-Why don't they feel like a boy or a girl?"

"Well," Harry hums, trying to think of the best way to explain. "What if I started calling you a boy? And saying he or him when I talked about you?"

"I wouldn't like that," Gracie shakes her head, wrinkling her nose.

"Why?" Harry asks.

"Because I-I'm not a boy," Gracie says with a huff. "I don't like bein' called one."

"Exactly," Harry nods, raising his eyebrows. "That's how Dr. Bajaj feels too, except they feel like that about being called a boy and a girl."

"Oh," Gracie nods, looking out the window. She's quiet for a moment before saying, "Daddy's a boy."

Harry grins a little. "Yup. Daddy identifies as a boy."

"And you i-den-tiffy as a boy," Gracie says.

"Yeah," Harry nods slowly. "Yeah, I...I think so."

"Last time Dr. Bajaj gave me a sticka', do you think they'll give me anotha' one?" Gracie asks, looking at Harry hopefully. Harry smiles fondly.

"I bet they will if you ask nicely," Harry says, laughing a little. He can't help but think about how if a six year old can respect someone's pronouns, no one else has an excuse.

They get to the doctor's office, Harry struggling a little to get out of the car and get Gracie out of her car seat. He does manage, though, and holds her hand as they walk into the building. He signs in with the receptionist and waits for a nurse to call him.

"Papa, can the babies smell in there?" Gracie asks from her seat next to him.

"I don't think so," Harry furrows his eyebrows.

"Can they see?" Gracie asks.

"Uhh," Harry really feels like he should remember these things. "I think so? Their eyes usually open around this time."

"Is it dark in there?" Gracie squints at Harry's tummy. Harry presses his lips together to keep from laughing.

"I'd think so," He shrugs. "You're the one who was in there, don't you remember?"

"No," Gracie pouts.

"Harry Tomlinson?" A nurse calls from the other side of the room. Okay. This is going to take some willpower. Slowly, Harry gets himself to stand up, although it takes way more effort than he'd like to admit. He takes Gracie's hand again before walking over to her. "Follow me to the back so we can weigh you."

"Okay," Harry nods, giving her a shy smile, Gracie in tow as they follow her down the corridor. She stops in front of a scale.

"Slip your shoes off, please," She says. Harry obeys, and steps on the scale. It beeps, and he closes his eyes. He doesn't even want to see the number. "Three pounds since last time." He makes a face, and the nurse laughs a little. "That's perfect. You're right on track, love."

Harry slips his shoes back on, and follows the nurse to one of the exam rooms, Gracie following behind. "Just sit up there, and Dr. Bajaj will be with you in a mo'."

"Thank you," Harry says, sitting up on the exam table. The nurse closes the door behind her, and Gracie sits in one of the plastic chairs against the wall.

"Do you hafta' get a shot?" Gracie says, looking worried. "Last time they gave you a shot."

"I don't know, they might have to take some of my blood," Harry admits. "But if they do, I won't be scared, because you're here to hold my hand."

"Why do they need your blood?" Gracie asks. Seriously. 100 questions.

"To make sure I'm healthy," Harry says. "Because if I'm not healthy, the babies aren't healthy."

"Oh," Gracie hums, nodding. "But you're healthy, right?"

"Yeah, Bug, I think so," Harry gives her a smile, although his stomach turns at the thought of him not being healthy. He takes a deep breath, like his therapist told him to do when he thinks like that.

The door opens, and Dr. Bajaj walks in, a clipboard in their hands. They smile when they see Gracie. "Gracie! You came back to see me?"

"Mhm!" Gracie squeaks, beaming up at Dr. Bajaj. "Papa got me from school 'cuz I wanna see the babies."

"That's awesome, dude," Dr. Bajaj grins, shutting the door with their hip. They look up at Harry, taking a pen out of their pocket. "Okay, how're we doing today?"

"Okay," Harry shrugs as Dr. Bajaj sits on the stool near the monitor. "A little nauseous."

"Any vomiting?" Dr. Bajaj asks, and Harry shakes his head. "That's good, at least. Gained three pounds since two weeks ago, and you've been taking your vitamins?" Harry nods. "Ace. Model patient. Alright, I am going to have to take some blood today, just to check up on everything."

"Papa's gettin' a shot?" Gracie whimpers.

"A tiny one," Dr. Bajaj assures. "Just to make sure everything looks good. This is where those expert hand-holding skills come in. And then we're gonna see the babies."

Dr. Bajaj gets out some stuff from a cabinet before having Harry roll up the sleeve of his sweater. "Okay, Gracie, come hold Papa's hand," Dr. Bajaj says. Gracie slips out of the plastic chair and grabs Harry's hand, and Harry can't help but giggle a little.

Dr. Bajaj wipes over the inside of Harry's arm before getting the small needle ready. Gracie seems incredibly anxious on Harry's behalf. "Okay, just a little pinch," Dr. Bajaj warns, slowly pushing the needle in. Gracie squeezes Harry's hand, and Harry grins and squeezes back.

"Does it hurt, Papa?" Gracie asks.

"Not really," He assures. The blood from his arm goes through the tube, and Gracie gasps.

"Ewww!" She squeaks, and Dr. Bajaj chuckles.

"All done. See how easy that was?" They ask, taking the needle out slowly before taking the sample of blood. They take a bandage out and quickly place it over Harry's arm. "I'm going to go get this tested, hang tight for a second."

"Okay," Harry nods, smiling up at them shyly. Gracie is still holding his hand when Dr. Bajaj slips out of the room.

"Okay, Papa?" She asks, staring at his bandage. "Does it hurt?"

"Nope, not at all," Harry assures with a smile. "Must've been because you're here to hold my hand."

"Probably," Gracie nods.

Dr. Bajaj comes back a while later, Harry's chart in their hands. "Okay, Harry, your blood work showed your iron levels are a little lower than they should be," They say. Harry furrows his eyebrows. "You're just slightly anemic, but that's okay. Super common, especially with twins, and totally fixable."

"How do I fix it?" Harry asks, heart sinking a little.

"I'm going to get you some prescribed iron supplements," Dr. Bajaj says, already writing it down. "And other than that, just try and eat foods with lots of iron, like spinach and kale, okay?"

"Okay," Harry nods, swallowing thickly.

"Alright, let's get this ultrasound going," Dr. Bajaj sets Harry's chart down, going to start up the monitor. "Lay back and lift your shirt up for me, please?"

Harry does as told, laying back in the chair and lifting his sweater up over his tummy. Dr. Bajaj squirts some gel on the ultrasound wand. "'S gonna be cold, but you already knew that," They say, pressing the wand to Harry's stomach. Harry shivers a little.

"Where're the babies?" Gracie asks, peeking over at the monitor.

"There they are," Dr. Bajaj points to the monitor. "See? Here's one, and there's the other."

"Woahhh," Gracie gasps, and Harry smiles fondly.

"Look, you can see them moving," Dr. Bajaj says.

"I-I feel them kick sometimes!" Gracie beams.

"Really? That's awesome," Dr. Bajaj smiles, looking to Harry. They must sense his anxiety, because they say, "The babies are very healthy. Nothing to worry about."

Harry smiles and nods, eyes going back to the monitor. "Docta' Bajaj, can I pretty please have a sticka' like last time?" Gracie asks, pouting.

"Of course, Gracie," Dr. Bajaj nods with a laugh. "Let me just print some pictures of the babies for Papa, okay?"

"Okayyy," Gracie sighs. So, Dr. Bajaj gets the pictures of the ultrasound, as well as a paper towel for him to wipe the gel off his tummy. They then pull a sheet of star stickers out of their pocket, holding it out to Gracie.

"Pick one," They say. Gracie picks a pink one, of course, and sticks it to her shirt. "Good choice."

"Can I have one for the babies too?" She asks.

"Oh, of course," Dr. Bajaj grins, and Gracie takes a green sticker before sticking it on Harry's tummy, over his sweater. Harry laughs, his heart practically melting.

♛

"I'm homeee!" Louis sings as he walks through the door, walking to the kitchen where Harry is making dinner. There's a bit of dirt on his face, but he's grinning as he walks up and kisses him. "Hi, love."

"Hi," Harry gives Louis a tired smile.

"How was the appointment?" He asks, leaning over to see a pot of pasta on the stove.

"It was okay," Harry picks the picture of the ultrasound up and hands it to him, watching Louis' grin widen. "Um, they said I have anemia. So. I have to take iron supplements."

"Oh," Louis hums, looking back up at Harry. "Well, that's an easy fix, yeah? Nothing to worry about."

"I guess," Harry twists his mouth, sighing a little. "It's just...am I doing a bad job?"

"What?" Louis asks, as if that's the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard. He grabs Harry's hand and kisses it, saying, "Hazza, of course not. You're doing an incredible job. Do you know how rare it is to be pregnant with twins with your only complication being low iron?"

Harry pouts a little, and Louis brings him into his arms and kisses the top of his head. "My boy," He mumbles. "You're doing so good, pumpkin."

"I love you," Harry sighs softly, closing his eyes and pressing his cheek into Louis' shoulder. Louis rests his hand on Harry's bump, grinning when he hears him giggle.

"What's this?" Louis asks as he leans back from Harry, poking the green star sticker still on his belly.

"Gracie got a sticker, so the babies got one too," Harry says, as if thats obvious.

"Ah," Louis leans down and presses a kiss to Harry's tummy. "Did you get a sticker for being good?" He mumbles, nose pressed into Harry's belly as Harry smiles weakly. "Were you good for Papa today? You got your picture taken, huh? You're getting so, so big."

One of the babies kicks right where Louis' hand is still resting, and Louis laughs before kissing Harry's belly one more time. "You got them started up," Harry pouts, wrinkling his nose as Louis stands up straight. "Now they're never gonna settle."

"They're just excited Daddy's finally home," Louis coos, giving Harry's bump a rub before walking to the fridge to get some water. "Do you need help with dinner or anything?"

Harry smiles, fond, and shakes his head. "'M good, 's almost done," He assures.

"You sure? You should sit," Louis says, untwisting the cap of his water bottle. "Shouldn't be on your feet for too long."

"'M fine, Mum," Harry assures, making Louis stick his tongue out at him. Despite this, he still kisses Harry's cheek as he walks by to say hi to Gracie.

this is short and dumb goodbye