late bday update yayyyy

"Oh, love, only a little bit of water," Harry reminds softly, twisting his mouth at the plant that will definitely die from being overwatered.

"Oh dear, Harry," Lennon replies quietly, setting her light blue, plastic watering can down next to the plant. Harry can't help but smile adoringly as she lays on her stomach and pulls Harry's socks up, noticing how they were sagging, before standing back up and brushing her dress off.

"Are you ready for school, baby?" Harry asks, and it takes everything in him not to reach over and fix the bow he had placed so strategically in her ponytail.

"Yes, oh dear," Lennon replies. Harry picks up her rucksack and slings it over his shoulder, holding his hand out to her and leading her outside to the car.

"I just have to lift you up to put you in the car seat, okay?" Harry coos cautiously, smiling warmly at Lennon before gently picking her up by slipping his hands underneath her arms. Lennon whines, but she doesn't kick, and Harry sighs in relief as he sets her down into her car seat.

"Oh dear," Lennon mumbles, rose in her hand as she kicks the back of the passenger seat. Harry likes that he can see her if he glances back.

He sets her rucksack down in the passenger seat before climbing into the car, starting it with a soft sigh. He connects his charger to his phone, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds blasting at a high volume. Lennon lets out a loud whine while Harry is quick to turn the volume down.

"Sorry, love," Harry coos, reaching back and squeezing Lennon's foot as she lets out a long sigh that she's really just imitating from Harry.

"Sing, Papa, oh dear."

"Lennon in the skyyy with diamonds," Harry sings adoringly, heart melting at the large, lopsided smile Lennon gives him in return. Lennon won't let him sing unless he puts her name in the song, it's become a thing. The doctor said it had something to do with her feeling calm when she hears him say her name. Harry wasn't going to skip out on that.

They arrive at the school soon enough, Harry helping Lennon out of the car and carrying her rucksack. He keeps a grip on the sleeve of Lennon's shirt so she can't run off (she should join the track team someday, he can barely keep up with her).

"Good morning, Lennon!" Louis greets cheerfully, giving Lennon a bright smile she doesn't return. Louis then looks over to Harry. "And good morning, Mr. Styles."

"Good morning," Harry greets with a small smile. "She's had a good morning, she should be in a good mood today."

"That's good," Louis hums. "I'm going to be out for a little while today, will Lennon be okay with a sub for a while?"

"She should be," Harry leans down and kisses the top of Lennon's head, holding in a sigh when she winces and steps back. "Have a good day, baby."

♛

"Well, Mr. Styles, didn't expect to see you here," Harry turns his head to see Louis with a package of biscuits in his hand, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, uh, hi," Harry turns around with furrowed eyebrows. "What're you doing here?"

"Just grabbing something for my little sister," Louis explains, but that doesn't smooth the furrow in Harry's brows. "Um, she's pregnant. The dad, he uh, he isn't around. So I take her to appointments, and after I took her home from it she told me she was craving biscuits but she didn't have any, so here I am."

"Ah," Harry nods with a sympathetic smile. "That's very sweet of you." If Harry didn't know any better, he would say he saw Louis' cheeks tint with pink.

"Yeah, well," Louis scratches the back of his neck with a small smile. "My mum has seven kids, so it'd be proper dickish of me not to help my sister out."

"Seven kids," Harry hums. "I can barely handle one."

"It's very admirable that you do it yourself," Louis praises. "Unless you have, like, a significant other or something..."

Harry gives Louis a small smile and shakes his head. "'S just me and Lennon. My sister and my mum help out sometimes. 'Ve got friends who do as well. But it's just me, like, usually."

Harry could've sworn Louis' eyes lit up when he said he didn't have a significant other. Louis nods, his cheeks pinker than they were before, even the tip of his nose getting rosy. "Again, admirable. Um, I should be getting back to Lottie. I guess I'll see you when you come to pick Lennon up."

"Guess so," Harry replies, stomach in knots. "See you later, Mr. Tomlinson."

"Y-You can call me Louis!" Louis practically blurts out. "Unless you see that as unprofessional..."

"I'll see you later, Louis," Harry giggles, watching as Louis gives him a smile he can only describe as dorky before swiftly turning around and walking toward the cash register.

♛

"I can go in and get her, if you want," Gemma says, starting to unbuckle. Harry bites his bottom lip, glancing over at Gemma.

"I can do it," He decides. "You can come with, if you want."

"Alright," Gemma hums, looking a little skeptical as they both get out of the car. "'Y alright, H? You've been jittery all day."

"I'm fine," Harry has his fingers hooked around the belt loops in his jeans while he walks into the school, giving the secretary a small smile as he passes her office.

"Ah, Mr. Styles," Louis smiles, eyes darting toward where Lennon is concentrating on a worksheet he must have given her. He then looks over to Gemma. "I don't believe we've met, I'm Mr. Tomlinson."

"Gemma," Gemma replies, shaking Louis' hand. "'M Harry's sister."

"Hi, baby," Harry coos when Lennon approaches him slowly, a finished worksheet in her hand. "Why don't you give your paper to Lo-Mr. Tomlinson, and then we can go, okay?"

Lennon spins around and holds the paper out to Louis. Louis smiles and takes it from her. "Thank you, Lennon. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Can you say goodbye to Mr. Tomlinson?" Harry asks softly, smiling with pride as Lennon looks up at Mr. Tomlinson, making eye contact for a split second before looking away again.

"Bye-bye, oh dear," Lennon mumbles, and Louis practically beams at Lennon.

"Goodbye, Lennon," He says as Lennon lays down on her stomach and pulls up Gemma's socks, making Gemma giggle while Harry smiles adoringly.

They bring Lennon to the car, Gemma keeping a grip on the back of her backpack so she doesn't run off as they walk across the parking lot.

As soon as they pull onto Harry's street after a car ride of Harry and Gemma singing along to some Mac DeMarco, Lennon says "Mumma, rose?"

"You don't have it, bub?" Harry asks, immediately anxious as he turns to look at the backseat.

"Eyes on the road, H," Gemma reminds calmly as she turns her own head to the backseat, seeing Lennon's distressed expression, no rose in sight. "Could it be in her rucksack?"

"Could you check?" Harry asks shakily, gripping the wheels tightly to stop his fingers from shaking. He has one job as a mother, one job, and that's to make sure Lennon feels safe. The rose reminds her of her Nan, of a place she feels happy–it's a form of security for her. He's usually very good about making sure she has that one thing that makes her feel safe, but he has slip-ups, which he beats himself up over.

"'S not in here," Gemma admits quietly. "It's alright, H, we can drive back to the school. It'll be there. Deep breaths."

"'M so sorry, Lennon," Harry says, voice wavering as he makes a u-turn and starts to drive back to the school.

When they arrive back at the school, Harry tells Lennon and Gemma to stay in the car as he quickly gets out of the car and rushes toward the school.

"Looking for something?" Louis asks, the rose in his hand as Harry enters the classroom with tears in his eyes. He's a bad parent, he is.

"Thank fuck," Harry blurts out, and Louis' eyes widen a little as Harry takes the rose from him, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, hey, what's the matter?" Louis asks softly as Harry sniffles. Harry looks up at Louis, licking his lips. "It's okay, Mr. Styles. You can tell me."

"Harry," Louis raises his eyebrows. "Call me Harry. Um. This is like Lennon's security blanket, and I just. I'm a bad parent, I've forgotten it somewhere or something too many times in the past. I-I don't know, it just gets me upset."

"'S alright," Louis assures, watching Harry worriedly as he wipes his eyes again. "Everyone makes mistakes, Harry. It's not a big deal, you're not a bad parent."

Harry sighs shakily, gripping the rose tightly. "I-I guess so, but-"

"No buts," Louis says playfully, smiling as Harry looks up at him with a bit of relief. "Go give her the rose, Harry. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Th-Thank you," Harry says, practically jogging out of the classroom as Louis watches him leave, a small smile on his face.