Ma Petite Chérie {dad!Harry Styles}

Sweet Creature

Word Count: 3.8k

Summary: Harry goes out of town and leaves Tallulah with Y/N for the week.

"I left her car seat in the garage. If she starts gettin' fussy during the day, just put her in her room and turn on the noise machine and let her color - that usually does it. I refilled her medicine the other day, didn't I-"

"Har-," she shushed him, "We'll be fine. I know the drill. Allergy meds and gummy vitamins in the morning, french vocabulary every other day, no tv before bed, and no sugar after six."

He took a deep breath in and placed his palms on top of Y/N's that are gripping his shoulders to ground him. He was a mess, but how could he not when one of the only people he trusted with his daughter, his mother, was away on holiday and couldn't stay with her when he had to go on a week-long business trip? It wasn't that he didn't trust Y/N, he absolutely did. He just hated feeling like she thought he was using her as a free babysitter rather than the loving girlfriend she actually was. That couldn't be further from the truth, but his anxieties always had a way of getting the best of him.

"Sorry. Always get nervous leavin' her. Feel like something bad's gonna happen every time and I won't be there t' help her."

"It's just a few days, bubs. She seems to like me, or at least pretends to. I'll keep her entertained. Take her to the park and go get our nails done or something. It'll be like one, big sleepover."

"If yeh take her t' the park, make sure yeh put sunscreen o-"

"Harry," she's stern and it shut Harry up immediately.

"Right," he paused and took another intense, labored breath in an attempt to stop himself from canceling his plans and just staying home with Y/N and Tallulah for the week.

"She does like yeh. Asks about yeh all the time when you're gone. Loves yeh a lot, actually. We both do."

That word used to scare him, love. He realized long ago that he had only ever truly been in love with his daughter, so making himself vulnerable to sharing those same emotions with another person was genuinely terrifying. But each and every time, Y/N does something to remind him that it is well-worth the internal struggle he's endured.

The proud smile that adorned Y/N's face at his words is another one of those moments. It's full of light and reassurance that his baby will be perfectly safe and healthy while he tended to business an entire continent away.

"I love you both as well. Might have a slight preference towards Lulah, but it's nothing to worry yourself over."

"Swear yeh only datin' me because of her," Harry muttered under his breath.

"You're absolutely right," she scoffed, "I only come over five nights out of the week to watch The Little Mermaid with her and I just tolerate you."

Harry laughed, a genuine cackle that reared his cavernous dimples and turned the apples of his cheeks a pale shade of pink.

"I'd do the same," he said with a shrug.

"Harry, you're stalling. You're gonna miss your flight if you don't get on the road soon. I don't think you want me to kick you out of the door."

He feigned ponderance and tapped his index finger on his chin.

"I do love it when yeh mean t' me."

"Harry, go."

"Alright, alright. I'm leaving. Just...check in with me every once in a while. Let me know how she's doin', yeah? I'll call every night t' talk t' her."