Catfish (Narry)

Epilogue

A little girl with messy brunette curls and vibrant blue eyes stumbles across the snow-covered grass, giggling. Her cheeks are flushed with a light pink color, her button nose bright red like Rudolph’s, as her dad would compare. Her hands are tucked securely in a tiny pair of knitted gloves, her feet protected by snow boots, and her body snug in a padded winter coat.

A sudden pair of large hands grab her sides and she lets out a shrilly squeal. Her lips stretch into a smile when she sees her father, Harry, as the culprit. He holds her up, and spins around in circles until he gets dizzy and has to stop.

“Daddy, daddy! Wanna make a snow angel! Please?” His daughter looks up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Harry’s heart practically melts, and he just has to say yes.

“Ah, I don’t see why not,” he murmurs while scratching the back of his neck. She shouts in glee, and wiggles away from his grasp. He watches as she surveys the ground, finding the absolute perfect place before plopping down; fanning her arms and legs out.

Harry lies beside her, and follows her actions – arms and legs moving up and down slowly against the cold snow. After a few good minutes of that, they both sit up, and inspect their creations.

His daughter grins proudly at her work, a nearly flawless snow angel imprinted on the ground. Now, as for Harry’s? Not so much.

“Daddy,” she says with a muffled giggle, “that looks like a circle!”

“Hm, I guess it does,” Harry mumbles with eyebrows scrunched and a small frown. He lifts his phone up regardless and snaps a photo, then posts it to Instagram with a witty – or so Harry thinks – caption.

A robust laugh sounds from behind them, and they both turn to look. Niall (who’s bundled in winter gear) walks towards them with his lips pulled up in a large grin. He bends down and scoops his daughter up into his arms, rubbing his nose gently against hers.

“Daddy isn’t very good at making snow angels, is he Isabelle?” Niall asks, glancing over to Harry with a smirk. Harry pouts, and crosses his arms in a huff.

Isabelle reaches out and slaps Niall’s chest lightly. “Don’t be mean, you hurt daddy Harry’s feelings!”

Harry nods. “Yeah, you’re hurting my feelings,” he says in a faked-hurt voice. He tries his best to stifle his laughter.

“M’sorry, babe. Will kisses make it better?” he asks with puckered lips.

Harry gives a lopsided grin, and shuffles through the snow to get closer. Niall sets Isabelle on the ground before wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck. Harry’s hands find their way down to grip Niall’s waist as he leans in, connecting their lips. Snowflakes fall from the sky in small, light flurries; the flakes getting stuck in both of their hair. Isabelle giggles from beside them.

“You guys are silly,” she says with a smile. Harry and Niall watch as she wonders off to finish making her snowman in the middle of the yard. Her unruly curls bounce freely as she walks. If you didn’t know she was adopted, you’d think she was the offspring of Niall and Harry, if it were possible. Harry brings his gaze back to Niall.

“Marry Christmas, baby,” he says, dipping down for another kiss.

Niall hums softly against his lips. “Mmm, Merry Christmas.”

Harry pulls away, and glances around. “Where’s James?”

“In his room, on that damn laptop you got him.” Niall sighs, nudging his head back towards the house. Harry shakes his head slowly and chuckles.

“C’mon, Isabelle. Let’s go inside; have some hot tea, yeah?”

She looks up from her ball of snow, nodding eagerly. She quickly rushes towards the door before Niall or Harry could even take one step.

_____________

Harry walks towards his son’s room with a cup of steaming tea in hand. He gets to the doorway, and knocks his foot against the wooden frame.

“James, want some tea?”

James looks up from his laptop and nods, motioning towards the table beside him. “Yeah, jus’ set it down.”

And so Harry does, peeking at James’ laptop screen in the process. “What ’cha doin’ there?”

His cheeks flush a bright pink, and he pulls the laptop up towards his chest and out of Harry’s view.

“Nothin’,” he mumbles while chewing on his bottom lip, “talking to someone.”

Harry raises his eyebrows questionably. “Yeah? And who’s this ‘someone’? Boyfriend? Girlfriend?”

James’ sighs exasperatedly. “No, Dad! Just a friend.” His laptop makes a dinging noise, and he quickly looks back down, laughing while typing back a reply.

The conversation between them seems to have ended, so Harry makes his way out of the room, not pressing on the subject.

*

“Do you know who James is talking to? He’s on his laptop a lot, messaging someone,” Harry says as he walks back into the kitchen. Niall looks up from stirring Isabelle’s tea, and rolls his eyes.

“He’s almost eighteen, Harry. He can message whoever he wants to.”

“He’s still my son!” Harry says with his voice raised. “I have a right to know.”

“Can’t imagine how you’ll be with Isabelle,” Niall murmurs.

“She’s not dating until she’s at least thirty,” Harry says with a firm voice.

Niall sighs, dropping the spoon into the cup, and walking over to Harry. He rubs his shoulders gently, and Harry buries his face in his neck, kissing him just below the ear.

“We started dating when were eighteen, you know,” Niall reminds him. He feels Harry slowly nod against him.

“Then don’t be so hard on him, okay?”

Harry nods again, reluctantly saying yes. That doesn’t mean he still can’t find out, though.

*

Later that night, Harry sneakily takes James’ laptop from his room as he sleeps. He settles on the couch in his living room, and opens up the web browser. He goes straight to the history and checks it, immediately seeing something that catches his attention.

“He’s been going on a dating website?” he whisper-shouts in shock.

He couldn’t help but to start laughing. Father like son, huh?

—

A/N: Hello lovelies! Sorry it took so long to get this up and posted, I’ve been slacking a bit on my writing. But, here it is! Again, thank you so so so much for reading this story. I’m a little sad to see it finally come to an end, but happy. Anyway, love you all, and make sure to check out my new story! I’ll update it ASAP. :) x