larry smut

suddenly i'm overcome, dissolving like the setting sun

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6946195

~✰~

Louis' not trying to be rude. He's not trying to be rude, but he can't really focus on the conversation Helene's trying to have with him without looking over her shoulder at Harry. She's been trying to tell him about Meghan Trainor cancelling some of her shows and something else about vocal surgery and technique, at least that's all that Louis' been able to retain. He can see Harry on the other side of the make-shift tour dining room, sitting on a ratty old couch and practically blowing steam out of his ears.

He's been acting off lately, Louis' noticed. They've been touring in North America for about two months now - flying back and forth between the States and Canada every handful of days. He thinks it's finally starting to take a toll on Harry, has him on edge like there's itch beneath his skin that he just can't seem to scratch.

It didn't make it any better that Robin's cousin had her baby two weeks before her due date. Harry was so excited that their last show in Boston was just a few days before the day they expected baby Lea to be born. He figured they would have just enough time to fly back over to Europe for the last leg of their On the Road Again tour to be there when the baby was delivered. But her water broke when the boys were in Ottawa and Louis' been watching Harry unravel bit by bit over the past week and a half.

He knows that it's not just about missing the birth, it's about missing Anne and Robin and their home back in London and having something familiar that isn't just each other. But that doesn't mean missing the birth wasn't the catalyst - the spark that set off a pulse of electricity beneath Harry's skin that seems to have left him vibrating like a livewire.

And Louis is afraid Lux is about to make him blow.

She's been running around on the small rug in front of the couch for the past half an hour, singing the theme song to some children's show that Lou always throws her in front of when she's doing the boys' hair. Lottie gave up on Lux fifteen minutes ago, widening her eyes in Louis' direction and letting the rest of the room know she was heading over to one of the empty dressing rooms to Skype with Tommy.

Which left Lux with Harry to play with. And normally that would be Lux's lucky day - patient, kind, loving Harry to tickle her on the floor and press kisses all over her giggling face while singing along to her silly cartoon songs. Unfortunately Louis can tell she's testing his patience, his head leaned back against the back of the couch as he presses his eyes shut tightly and licks his lips. His smile is tight lipped and tense, his shoulders straining from crossing his arms in front of his body.

Helene's still chatting to Louis when it happens. Lux is crawling on the back of the couch, her tiny fingers tugging at Harry's curls while she begs him to let her braid them.

"Please, 'Arry?" Lux says, sitting on the back of the couch with her little legs on either side of Harry's neck. "It looked so pretty when mummy did it last!"

"Not today Luxie," Harry sighs.

"Please, please, please!" Lux sings sweetly, swinging her feet on either side of his face and lifting some strands of his hair up in the air. "You looked like such a princess last time! I want to help you look like a princess!"

Harry's hand comes up to rub at the line of tension that's formed between his brows, his chest lifting as he exhales another loud sigh. "I'm taking a little nap Luxie, why don't you go see if Sophia will let you braid her hair, hmm?"

Louis cringes when Lux speaks next, a little sparkle of mischief in her eyes as she continues to pry at his curls with her tiny fingers.

"'Arry that's not the same! I want to braid your hair, everyone on the field would get to see how pretty it is and I promise I've been practicing just like mummy showed me and..."