ISN'T SHE LOVELY | hs

22 | PIECE

TW: homophobia
French translation is in the comments

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| MICKAYLA |
Tuesday 28th February, 2023

"Good morning, Baby Riot. It's Daddy here. Sorry if this wakes you, but we gotta talk."

That's what woke me this morning. It wasn't Harry with his head between my legs like it usually is, but him with his head resting on bump from where he lay on his side by my side as he talked to our baby girl; his right hand stroking the sides of my belly so gently and tenderly that I could barely feel it.

He was lying halfway down the bed with the duvet over him completely; like a little makeshift fort. Harry must have been under the impression that I was still sleeping considering he didn't say a word to me, to which I kept the façade alive. I tried my best to keep the rhythm of my breathing steady, even though all it wanted to do was quicken with giddiness as I pondered what he was about to talk to our daughter about, and how many times he's had these kinds of chats with her in the past.

"You probably know this about your Mum already, but she's incredible." He mumbled to bump, my heart beating faster thanks to his complimentary words, "She's unbelievably beautiful, crazy funny, ridiculously kind, super talented and smart as hell. You're gonna have all those traits, too. I know it."

I was immediately grinning at his words, feeling thankful that he was beneath the sheets so he wouldn't catch on to me being awake and listening in. I wanted him to have this moment of privacy, or at least believe he was having it. The harmlessly selfish part of me wanted to be in on it, too; and I was.

"I'm starting to doubt if you'll end up with many traits of mine, but that's okay. I'll be a happy man if you turn out to be your Mama's double, 'cause I wanna have a rollercoaster of a life with my two riot girls. You can be all Micki as long as you steal my dimples. You definitely have to have her freckles, too. Neither of those things are up for negotiation, 'kay?"

The small kick he received as a response made my heart soar. I knew Harry's was flying right alongside it as he nodded and grinned against my swollen skin while laughing quietly and breathily, "Atta girl. We love you so much already, and that love's only gonna keep growing every day. Can't wait for you to join our family for real, Petit Soleil. I'm ready for the chaos, so you better bring it, yeah? I'm counting on you."

He gave bump a quick kiss, then carefully shifted around until he was on his knees while hovering over me, with a leg either side of my own slightly parted ones. The cover had slipped away from Harry until it rested across my shins and exposed both of our naked bodies almost entirely. I already had my eyes closed, so the pretence that I was still snoozing remained. As much as it pained me to remove it, I forced my smile away, opting for a sleepy pout instead. I could feel his warming my skin as he looked at me, though. I then heard him finally speak to me, too.

"Before kissing you for the first time, I was wrong to tell you that you'd made me lose my mind." He whispered, his voice a quiet breath accompanied by the gentle patter of rain against our bedroom window. I could feel Harry looking at my lips, the pads of a finger soon tracing the outline of them, "It's never felt more found since knowing you, my Mickayla. I've never felt more found since then, too."

I wanted to open my eyes and scream "Surprise! Heard you being an absolute fucking sweetheart to me and our baby girl!", but I didn't. I let Harry keep his separate and private moments with his two girls, and let him continue with his morning routine as per usual. I was also completely lost for words; his stealing my ability to speak.