ink and innocence // l.s.

forty one

louis shouldn't be thinking of the worst but it's been three hours and harry hasn't returned home.

he sent him a text about an hour after he left and knew that harry saw it, but he was working after all. so maybe he just didn't have the time to text him back. that's okay, the small boy understood, he just wanted to know if his soon to be husband was safe and uninjured.

alice makes her way back to the bed and pads her tiny paws along louis' legs. she balances all four of them on one thigh before hopping up onto his belly and curling up against the top of the swell. louis cooed audibly and stroked her back, twirling her tail.

"mumma can't wait until your brother gets here," he says softly. "but he's a human, not a kitty cat. i hope you don't mind, al."

alice meows at the sound of her owner's voice and pushes her head against louis' hand. taking a note that she wanted her head scratched, louis grazes his nails along her head between her ears and takes a picture of the commotion before him. he sends it to harry. even though the cat was just snuggled up to his tummy, he thought it was absolutely precious.

baby 😘💕: i think she likes olly! xx

the cat couldn't decide if she was comfortable or not so she slides off of louis' stomach and the pregnant boy rolls onto his side. he was originally propped up against the bed with his little feet tucked under his blanket. alice lays on harry's pillow and seeks comfort, snuggling into it and takes a little nap.

this left louis alone with the silent house. alice was usually known as a "mighty mouth," as harry calls her, because she would meow if she wanted attention or if she was bored. one of her dads would start talking to her and then came more meowing, which led to harry arguing with the feline because she was stubborn like him.

"i miss your daddy, olly," louis murmurs. "he went to work, 's been gone for a few hours. should i call him? i don't want to do the wrong thing, though. i-i dunno. what do you think, bubby?" he rubs his tummy. "hm? should i call your daddy?"

he felt a bit of shifting within him and then a soft jostle. he pats his belly and grabs his phone, dialling his lover's number and puts it to his ear.

it was almost to harry's voicemail (after ten rings, louis has counted before) but the phone was picked up and louis let out a sigh of relief when he heard his favorite voice in the world.

"i'm almost home," harry says, and he sounded out of breath. "fuck, i might fall over right now."

"what happened?" louis asks, concern showing in his voice.

"i'll tell you when i get there. just do me a favor and unlock the downstairs bathroom window for me, okay? it's huge and i can squeeze in," harry says and leans against the hill before him.

"o..kay," louis carefully stands and waddles downstairs, doing what harry asks. "are you okay, daddy?"

"i'm alright, sweet boy," harry melted and catches his breath. "i love you so much. i'll see you in about twenty minutes, okay?"

"okay," louis nibbles on his lip. "i love you."

"i love you more," harry says and louis audibly blows a kiss before ending the call. if harry was driving back home, why would he need to sneak in through the back of the house instead of using the front door?

louis roams the bottom floor of the house and harbors the kitchen with a glass of apple juice in his hands. he sees a wild head of curly brown hair running through the backyard and he makes it out as harry, who waves at him through the window. louis waves back and the man soon shows up in the kitchen covered in sweat and lack of air.