Once In A Lifetime

Caught

It's a rainy Saturday afternoon, Harry is off work, and the kids have been cooped up all day so it's a little rowdy. I rock Brooks to sleep in the nursery, then set him down in his crib. It's been a bit crazy around the Styles Household lately, with a seven year old, two three year olds, and a ten month old.

Brooks is crawling and starting to walk, but he's sleeping through the night so that makes up for it. I jump in the shower and pull on some sweats then exit my room and check on the baby. The girls are in their room, but Hayden isn't in his room, so I go down to the basement, finding him curled up on the couch, watching Cars 2.

"Hi baby," I say quietly, walking over to him.

"Hi mummy," he glances at me with a smile then turns his attention back to his movie.

"What're ya watchin?" I ask, sitting next to him.

"Cars 2," he mumbles, going up on his knees and sitting on my lap.

"Oo, I love this one," I kiss his curly hair. He hums and leans back into me. I rub my hand up and down his belly while we watch the movie, kissing his head several times. After about 20 minutes I talk again. "Have you seen daddy?"

"I think he's sleeping on the couch," Hayden answers.

"Alright," I kiss him again. "Are you hungry? Have you had lunch?"

"I'm okay," he says. I nod, even though he can't see me and pull him closer. I try to spend time with each of my kids separately, but it gets hard with our busy life. "Mum can we build a fort?"

"Absolutely," I say excitedly. "Why haven't we thought of this sooner!"

He giggles and turns back around to watch the movie. "After this though. And we can watch Lion King in the fort."

"Brilliant," I agree. "How did you get so smart?"

"Dunno," he shrugs and I press a wet kiss to his cheek. He hums and snuggles into me.

We finish the movie in peace, snuggled up together cozily. When it's over, I look down at my boy and see he's fast asleep, passed out on my chest. Smiling to myself, I lay him down on the couch and kiss his forehead, pushing his curls off his face.

I shut off the tv and go back upstairs. The house is suspiciously quiet. Walking into the living room, I can see why. Harry is sprawled across the ottoman, out like a light. The twins are hovering over him, giggling to themselves whilst they draw on his face with markers.

"Dis one," Parker hold up a bright red sharpie. I watch silently as Darcy nods and takes the marker, struggling with the cap.

"What do you two think you are doing?" I ask, walking into the room. The toddlers freeze and look up at me with wide eyes.

"Run!" Darcy says and they both drop the markers and attempt to run past me.

"Not so fast," I bend down and scoop one up in each arm, then carry them to the couch. I toss them down and stand over them. "First of all, let's get a picture of this bad boy, go stand by his head."

They giggle and slide off the couch, running around the ottoman to stand by his head. I pick up Harry's phone that is sitting next to him and open the camera.

"Smile," thy smile cheekily and I snap a pic of their handy work, sending it to myself then deleting it. I lock his phone and set it down, turning to the rug rats. "Two, look at daddy's face. He has work tomorrow and this is never going to come off."

He really doesn't have work tomorrow, I just want them to feel bad, no matter how funny it is. My plan works because they puppy pout their lips at me, giving me big green doe eyes.

"We sowwy," Parker sniffles. "We jus wanned him to wook pwity."

"Yeah, well you better run and hide, because I'm waking him up right now and he is going to be mad," I say seriously, laughing on the inside. They book it up the stairs, sniffling along the way. I start to feel bad for making them cry, but I look at my husband's face and that goes away. I lean down and shake his shoulder, running one hand through his hair. "Lover, wake up."

It takes a minute, but he slowly comes to, turning his head and looking around. His voice is rough and husky, filled with sleep, when he speaks. "Hi love."

"Hello handsome," I smirk at him. He raises an eyebrow, then furrows them both, looking over my expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asks skeptically, sitting up.

"Um, well you see what happened was," I begin and he freaks out.

"What's wrong?" He stands up. "Are the kids okay?"

"Yes everyone is fine," I reassure, giggling to myself. "But they might not be when you look in the mirror."

"What?" He gives me a curious look and slowly make his way to the bathroom.

"The girls got into the markers," I call after him. He races to the bathroom, me closely on his heels.

"Oh my gosh," he hollers, I'm unable to stop the laugh escaping my lips. He looks over his face, poking the scribbles. I bite my lip as he turns on me. "Why didn't you stop them?"

"I was watching a movie with Hayden," I tell with a giggle. "Who by the way wants to build a fort, but he's asleep now. The damage was done by the time I got up here."

He gives me his signature pout that I just can't say no to. It melts my heart I cop and pull him into my arms. "Awe baby."

"Did you at least punish them?" He asks into my neck, his arms circling my waist. I smile at the feeling of his arms around me and snuggle into him.

"I made them feel bad," I say and he huffs, pulling away from me.

"How?"

"I said, your father has work tomorrow and he's going to be angry if this doesn't come off," I tell him sternly. "They ran off to their room crying. I didn't want to be the mean parent! I'm always the mean one."

He huffs and pouts at me again.

"Awe don't worry Hazzy bear," I pat his cheek. "It'll come off."

"That was once, and I asked you to never call me that again," he says, backing away from me.

"You'll let Brezlyn call you that but you won't let me call you that," I pout.

"Brezlyn's three," he clarifies. "And she's exactly like Gemma so there's no saying no."

"C'mon Mr. Bear," I smirk as he glares at me, looking like an upset child. "You go discipline your kids while I do some research."

He grumbles under his breath and pushes past me. I chuckle and slap his bum, then race up the stairs before he can catch me.

"Watch your back Styles," he calls after me. I giggle and shut the door to our bedroom behind me. Jumping on the bed, I grab my phone and quickly upload that photo to Instagram, adding a cute caption.

I then research every possible way to remove permanent marker from skin. Harry comes in after a while and we set to work, cleaning him up. It doesn't come off easily and Harry whines the entire time that I'm scrubbing too hard. After most of it is off and Harry's sulking in the corner, holding a cold washcloth to his face.

"Stop being a baby and lets go build a fort with our kids," I say sternly.

"You're a baby," he mutters, throwing the towel in the tub.

"Nice," I roll my eyes and follow him out the door. He suddenly turns on me and grabs my face in his hands, smashing his lips to mine. I squeak in surprise, but fist his shirt and move my lips slowly with his. He kisses me with a passion that I haven't felt since before Brooks was born.

I mean we still kissed and made love but right after a baby, it's hard. You have to wait a while and you're both too tired to try. He pulls away after a while, leaving us both breathless. He rests his forehead against mine, our breath mixing.

"Won't act my age?" he asks, the smirk evident in his voice.

"Never," I whisper with a wicked smile.

.........