The neighbor

13

Darcy woke them up the next morning. Harry grunted and tried to stretch his back but Louis was half on top of him.
"Why did we sleep on the couch?" He asked with a raspy morning voice.

"Because it's cozy?" Louis answered.

"So is a bed. I have to get Darcy." Harry replied.

Louis let go of him and rolled to his back and rubbed his eyes to wake up while Harry went to Darcy's room. Louis didn't move and Harry returned with Darcy after a while.
"Do you mind holding her while I make her a bottle?"

"Of course not." Louis smiled and reached out his arms to get her.

Harry laid her on her tummy on Louis' chest and he held her and kissed the top of her hair, breathing in her baby smell. He looked over at Harry who had his phone out and snapped a picture of them. They smiled at each other and then Harry disappeared into the kitchen. He returned with a bottle of formula and handed it over. Louis turned Darcy to her back and started to feed her.
"I'm gonna cook us some breakfast." Harry said and went back to the kitchen. 

Louis just lay there and listened to the sounds in Harry's apartment. Darcy eating, Harry singing softly while he whisked something. Spending the morning with Harry, waking up together, gave him a hint of how life would look like if they actually lived together. That was a leap he wasn't ready for, they just had their second kiss for Christ's sake, but it was a nice fantasy. It made him all warm and fuzzy.

A couple of months ago he wouldn't even consider a life with someone else than Olivia, determined to spend the rest of his life alone. But then Harry came along. He was getting way ahead of himself but he had a good feeling in his gut and he wasn't gonna be afraid to explore the possibility of something great.

Darcy had emptied the bottle so he got up to burp her, which resulted in a baby vomit on his shoulder. He laughed and walked into the kitchen.
"Can you take her for a second so I can wipe my shirt?"

"She puked on you? I'm sorry." Harry said and took his daughter.

"It's just a little baby vomit. No biggie. Johannah could have auditioned for The Exorcist when she was younger." Louis grinned and walked up to the sink to wash away the vomit, wetting some paper to wipe it off.

"Do you wanna go home and change?" Harry asked.

"I'll do that after breakfast. Are you making pancakes?" Louis smiled.

"Yes!"

Louis took Darcy again and started to set the table with her on his hip. In the meantime, Harry fried pancakes. When he put the last pancake on the plate they sat down to eat.
"This is amazing, Harry." Louis complimented after he had taken his first bite.

"Thank you." Harry beamed.

Darcy was sitting in her chair, playing with some toys and they had a quiet breakfast together, just enjoying each other's company. When they were done Louis washed the dishes.
"So, what do you wanna do today?" Harry asked.

"Let's go for a walk. Maybe spend some time in the park?" Louis suggested.

"Yeah, okay." Harry smiled.

Louis went home to change and freshen up. A half-hour later they walked out of their building with Darcy in her carriage. They strolled down the road, chatting about random stuff. Louis' phone rang. It was Lottie with an update on his kids. He talked to Dominic and Elton as well, listening to their excited talk about what they were up to. Lottie put the phone against Johannah's ear as well and he told her that he loved her and missed her.
"Are the kids fine?" Harry asked as soon as he hung up the phone.

"Yeah, they're being spoiled rotten. They say hi by the way." Louis answered.

That made Harry smile.
"They're great kids. I miss them too."

"Dominic turns twelve in two weeks. I bought him some presents yesterday but other than that I haven't started planning his birthday at all." Louis sighed.

"You're not much of a planner, are you?" Harry chuckled.

"No. I'm more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy." Louis smirked.

"Well, you still have two weeks. I'll help you out. I can bake. What kind of cake does he want?" Harry offered.

"You can bake?" Louis questioned.

"Of course. I used to work in a bakery when I was a teen." Harry giggled.

"You're fucking perfect. By now I'm not even sure you're human. What are you?" Louis said and glared at him but he was smiling.

"A mermaid?" Harry joked.

"That wouldn't surprise me at all. Ehm, can you make a football cake? He would love that." Louis asked.

"Yeah! So the cake is taken care of. Does he want a birthday party or does he have something else in mind?" Harry asked.

"I'm a shitty dad. I haven't asked him." Louis sighed.

"Stop, you're a wonderful dad. Just call and ask him." Harry said softly.

Louis picked up his phone and called his oldest.
"Hi Dad, what's up? I just talked to you."

"I feel the love. Harry and I are discussing your birthday. Do you wanna invite some friends for a birthday party?" Louis asked.

"Dad, I'm turning twelve. That's so lame." Dominic muttered.

"Right. So what do all the cool twelve-year-olds do then?" Louis chuckled.

"Well, Gabriel and Noah asked if I want to go to the movies. Can I?" Dominic asked.

"So you rather spend your birthday with your friends instead of your super-cool dad?" Louis teased.

"Daaaad!" Dominic grunted.

"Fine. You can go to the movies. I just have to talk to their parents first." Louis answered.

"Dad! That's so embarrassing. Oh my God! I'm not a child anymore." Dominic whined.

"You're me child. That's the deal." Louis answered.

"Fine!" Dominic agreed before he added "But I would like to do something as a family too, and I want Harry and Darcy to join us. Can we do something together?"

Louis' heart melted.
"Of course, sweetie. Do you have something special in mind?"

"Surprise me." Dominic answered.

Louis turned to look at Harry when he had ended the call.
"He's too cool for a birthday party and wants to go to the cinema with some friends instead, but he also wants to do something with us, his siblings, me, and you and Darcy."

"That's sweet." Harry smiled.

They had reached the Park and found an empty plot on the grass. Harry got a blanket underneath the carriage and spread it. They sat down with Darcy and began to discuss what they would do for Dominic's birthday.