Softer Side

Chapter twenty-four

"Please Louis!" I plead, holding my hands together in front of him with my eyes closed, begging with him. "I beg you Louis!" I whine as he shakes his head, holding his hands out at me. "Ariella really wants you to go... you can't let your favourite and only niece down!" I groan as he stands up from the bar stool.

"I am not in any way shape or form going to a children's birthday party with you... I don't care if she was the queen, it's not happening" he states, shaking his head and avoiding eye contact. "I don't know anybody, and I don't even know where it is" he huffs as I raise my eyebrows at him. "Why can't Becky or someone go with you?" he grumbles.

"Niall's doing preparation for his tour... Becky has a really big meeting" I whine, lifting Teddy up from the floor and holding him in front of Louis. "Come with me or get licked to death" I tease as he groans, laying his head in his hands.

"Fine!" he whines, standing up and sighing. A sound resembling an 'umph' left his lips as I tackled him into a hug. "When do we need to leave?" he mumbles with a frown on his face.

"Ten minutes" I smile as his eyes widen. "I knew you would eventually say yes, that's why I did it now" I smirk as I skip off to Ariella's room, ready to get her ready. I smile softly at my daughter who was stood in her outfit for the day, kissing her head before grabbing my handbag and the present for the other child. I look at my phone, smiling softly at the message from Niall, reminding me that he loved me.

"Mummy can we go!" Ariella calls to me as I nod quickly, smiling and grabbing my car keys.

"Come on Louis!" I smirk as he groans, shoving his hands in his pockets with a pout. "Lets go party!" I tease as he rolls his eyes.

"Whoopy-fucking-do" he mutters as I punch his arm, opening the door and walking out with them.

~~~~~~~

"You didn't tell me there were this many kids" he mumbles, sitting with me on one of the chairs beside me. I say hello to one of the parents as they arrive, waving to Ariella who was stood at the top of the slide happily. "You also never told me it was a fucking soft play area" he mumbles as I laugh quietly to myself.

"Oh lighten up Lou, it's all for your niece" I laugh softly as he sighs.

"If it wasn't I wouldn't be here... you know I don't deal well with kids" he mumbles as I raise an eyebrow.

"Don't try and act all manly, we all know how soppy and obsessed with Ariella you were... you were great with her!" I smile as he shakes his head.

"Good job she's cute isn't it" he states with a small smirk. "Hey" he smiles at the child before him. "Can I help you?" He teases as Ariella folds her arms over her chest.

"Come and play with me uncle Lou!" she whines, grabbing his hand to pull him. "All of my friends want you to play with us and you're fun!" she groans as he shakes his head quickly.

"Nope, no way" he mumbles. His spare hand rose to his hair, running his hand through it. His eyes looked down at his niece in front of him, groaning and running his hand over his face. "Fine... let me have a wee and pop outside them I'll come" he sighs as she nods happily, cheering before running off to her group of friends.

"See, you're a natural" I smirk as he shakes his head, slipping on his jacket and standing up. I watch him carefully, taking note of how he needed to have a shave soon since he was growing a lot of facial hair now.

"You owe me" he mumbles, putting up his hood and heading out of the door to the outside of the play area to have a cigarette. He pulled his phone from his pocket and checking his twitter page, replying to a few texts also. A few moments later and Louis reappeared, sliding off his jacket with a groan when he saw Ariella running at him. She quickly took his hand, running into the area with him. A groan left his lips as he ran in just his socks, a laugh leaving mine as I noticed the pineapples on his feet.

~~~~~~~

"Soph!" I hear yelled, looking around to find Louis knelt by the mesh at the top of the construction before me. "Help me!" he whines as I shake my head quickly. "Please... I'll do anything" he pouts as I laugh quietly, seeing panic in his eyes as the group of children ran back towards him.

"Uncle Lou!" Ari calls, laughing happily as I see him belt it down one of the walkways, dodging past other children as he did so. "Come back!" she laughs as he sits at the top of the slide. He looked around, sliding down it quickly before edging around the ball pit.

I raised my eyebrows when he disappeared, looking down at my phone. I look up when I hear my name called again, bursting into laughter at the sight of Louis gripping onto the mesh. "Help!" he yells as I feel tears of laughter fill my eyes. They began to fall when he was tackled into the balls, seeing him try to jump up for air at random points.

"Cake!" is yelled across the room causing all of the children to jump up and run to the mother coming with the cake. I on the other hand had my eyes on Louis, exciting the ball pool looking disheveled and tired, almost like he had been attacked.

"I didn't even feel this attacked when I'd get mobbed by fans" he mumbles, flopping down beside me with a heavy pant. I giggle softly as he yawns, slipping his cap onto his head to hide his hair as I pat his knee.

"Good job" I laugh softly with a smile, "major uncle points" I tease as he looks over to her, smiling softly.

"She is a cute kid..." he says softly as I smile, nodding to her. I look down at my phone when I see a missed call from Niall. I quickly text him to tell him I was at a children's party and that I'd call him later, looking back to Louis.

"She definitely is" I say softly, smiling proudly at my now not so little girl.

~~~~~~~

"Thank you for coming today" I say to Louis as I pull out of the car park, turning right and onto the main road. "It meant a lot to me that you helped me out today" I hum, turning the music on quietly and checking on Ariella in the mirror. She was sat in her car seat looking out of the window happily. "I owe you, I know you had a lot going on there today" I mumble as he shrugs slightly.

"It's okay, honest" he smiles, turning his head to look at me. "Honestly love, I enjoyed it, it's just worn me out and made me realise I really am not ready to have kids yet" he laughs, adjusting the cap on his head. "I am ready to run around more with her though, isn't that right kiddo?" he smiles, looking back at Ariella.

Ariella grins, nodding at Louis. "Can you come with me again?" She grins as Louis chuckles, looking at her happily.

"Course I will kiddo, I'm always going to be your cool uncle anyway" he teases as she giggles, looking back out of the window. I raise my eyebrows to him as he chuckles. "It honestly wasn't so bad" he says softly, before smirking at me. "I even got cake" he teases as I laugh, pulling up at his house. "Thanks again, see you later kiddo" he smiles back to Ariella.

"Go and rest up, you'll need it" I tease as he climbs out, waving goodbye. He really was her cool uncle.