Thirty-Two

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"Wow, H," Niall says as he walks into the Tomlinson household. "You look ready to pop."

"Fuck off," Louis huffs.

"Fook," Emma squeaks. Harry just closes his eyes and sighs, handing Emma off to Louis. He was exhausted, only two days away from his due date. Nothing has really changed in Louis' condition, but Harry is praying the baby doesn't come soon. Because the doctor said Louis would still be around for the baby, and it's as though after Addison is born it's only a matter of time.

"You want to sit down, lovey?" Perrie asks Harry sweetly, voice soft as Harry nods thankfully. Perrie stands up and helps Harry into an armchair, smiling at him sympathetically.

"Thank you," Harry says softly as Zayn walks into the lounge with Bela.

"You want to hold her, Harry?" Zayn asks, noticing Harry's slight pout that seemed permanent these days. Harry looked up at Zayn.

"Can I?" He asks quietly. Zayn nods, handing Bela off to Harry. She looks up at him with bright brown eyes as he sits her on top of his belly. "Hi, love."

"You need anything?" Liam asks. Harry's not used to so much attention, usually it's Louis who's always being asked if he needs anything. Louis should still be getting that sort of attention, obviously, but no one in the group knows about his condition. Niall knows it's gotten worse, but they haven't told anyone that it's fatal.

"Um," Harry looks over to Louis. Louis seems to be able to read Harry's mind, because he smiles and shakes his head. "N-No, I'm okay. Thank you, though."

Bela reaches up and touches one of Harry's curls, making Harry smile. He can't wait to have another baby around, he's been missing the time when Emma was just a few months old.

"Fook!" Emma squeaks from her spot on Louis' lap. Harry rolls his eyes, listening to Louis start to reprimand her with a slight stutter.

"Someone's been spending too much time with Uncle Niall," Liam teases. Niall just laughs, as he does, and Harry smiles wearily at his friends. They all used to hang out together a lot more, going out to pubs every Sunday and enjoying a few beers together. That was before the accident.

"You could always leave Emma here with us, Harry," Zayn offers, simultaneously typing something on his phone. "Pez and I don't mind."

"I like havin' 'er over," Niall insists. "Good company."

"Well it would be, considering you two have the same IQ," Perrie teases.

Harry starts to laugh, but it hits him. A pain that ripples through his stomach. He stops laughing rather abruptly, tightening his grip as he lets out a "woah."

"You alright?" Louis asks worriedly. Everyone in the room is silent as Harry looks up, licking his lips. "Harry, I think that was a contraction."

"I-I," Harry swallows thickly. Louis raises his eyebrows.

"Harry, babe," Perrie coaxes. Harry looks up at her, hands shaky as Zayn stands up and takes Bela. "Was that a contraction?"

"M-Maybe?" Harry says slowly, and he's suddenly very warm. Liam stands up and walks over to Harry, grabbing onto his hand and putting his other hand on Harry's back. He helps him up slowly, biting his lip as though he's not sure what to do.

"Let's get you some water, H," He says soothingly. Helping Harry to the kitchen while Louis stares at them longingly, wishing he could help Harry like that.

Liam helps Harry into a kitchen chair before walking over to the refrigerator. "C-Can I sit with Lou?" Harry asks timidly.

"You don't have to ask, H," Liam chuckles quietly before handing Harry a bottle of water. "We can have Louis sit on the sofa so you can sit with him, okay?"

"Okay," Harry says softly, taking the water and smiling sheepishly. "Thanks, Li."

Liam helps Harry back into the lounge. "'S it okay if I sit you on the couch so Harry can sit with you, mate?" He asks Louis, keeping his hand on the small of Harry's back comfortingly.

"Of course," Louis answers almost immediately. Niall takes Emma, holding her on his hip as Liam bends down to unstrap Louis out of his chair. It's moments like these where Harry is especially grateful for their wonderful friends.

"Thanks, Liam," Harry says softly as Liam sets Louis down on the couch. Louis holds his arms out to Harry, who immediately sits down in Louis' lap and snuggles into him.

"I love you, Hazza," Louis mutters into Harry's ear, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Harry just leans up and presses a soft kiss to Louis' jaw, his whole body trembling with the thought of having another baby that day.

"Do you want us to stay and help, lads?" Zayn asks with Bela in his arms.

"Yes p-please," Louis replies, rubbing Harry's back and smiling down at him a bit as Harry closes his eyes. What a privilege he has, getting to hold this beautiful person. And getting to have two babies with this person as well? Holy shit, Louis doesn't know what he's done to deserve that.

"Deep breaths, love," Louis coaches softly, kissing Harry's temple as Harry cries into Louis' chest. Harry is barely crying about the contractions. He could be having the most gut-wrenching, brings-him-to-his-knees-out-of-pain contractions in the world, and it wouldn't amount to the pain of knowing that Louis is dying.

"I-I love you a lot," Harry's getting himself worked up, his hands having a death grip on Louis' sweater.

"I know, honey," Louis soothes, brushing a curl out of Harry's face. "I love you too, you know. More than anything."

"I-I want you to stay right here," Harry sobs, feeling Louis' comforting hand rubbing his back in slow circles. "Right here, never leave."

"I won't," Louis lies quietly, kissing Harry's temple again. "You just focus on Addison, okay? Two girls, wow, what're we going to do with ourselves?"

Louis' trying, trying so hard to steer Harry's thoughts in another direction, but it doesn't work. It never does. Harry's anxiety gets to him, Louis knows this. He understands, and he tries to be patient.

"I need you," Harry whimpers, looking up at Louis through his long eyelashes, wet and stuck together from his tears. Louis just leans down and gives Harry an Eskimo kiss like he used to do when they were still in uni.

"I know, sweetheart," He coos. "I need you too, my beautiful boy. Can't believe how lucky I am, I-I have the boy with the biggest heart in the universe all to myself. Don't know why God decided to let you off with a poor bastard like me-self."

"Don't talk about yourself like that," Harry sniffles, wiping his eyes as he leans his head against Louis' chest. "You're my favourite person. You're the best person."

How those simple words made Louis' heart burst. His lips mold into the sweetest smile, leaning down to press his lips to Harry's. He kisses him until they're pink and raw, Harry's little whimpers and sniffles becoming less and less frequent.

"Ah," They separate as Harry's grip on Louis' shirt tightens, his hands shaking. Another contraction. Louis frowns and starts to rub Harry's back again.

"Breathe, lovely," He reminds, watching as Harry's nose scrunches up in pain. He hates watching this, hates that there's nothing he can do but try to distract him.

"I-I think we need to go," Harry whimpers into Louis' t-shirt, bottom lip trembling. Louis' stomach tightens as he lifts his head.

"Liam!" He calls out, and Liam enters from the kitchen almost immediately.

"Is it time to go?" He asks frantically, and Louis just nods. "Niall, get the bags!"

Louis smiles graciously at his friend before kissing the top of Harry's head. "Let's go meet Addison, love."

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