That's Love, Bitch (Larry au) *mpreg*

Twenty-Nine

"You are so wonderful, Haz," Louis coos to Harry, running his fingers through his curls as Harry weeps into his chest. Harry is curled up in between Louis' legs, leaning into him with both hands on his belly. "And beautiful, I feel like I-I haven't been telling you that enough lately. Such a great Papa to our b-babies."

"You can't die," Harry sobs, and Louis frowns and holds Harry tighter. "I️-I️-I️ need you, Louis, I️ need you, I️ ne-"

"I️ know, baby, I️ know," Louis soothes, focusing on Harry instead of the fact that he just got home from finding out he's definitely dying. "And I️ am so sorry."

"L-Louis," Harry whimpers, the baby kicking as he inhales sharply. He shakily takes Louis' hand and brings it to his belly. "I️ want ten babies with you, Y-You told me you wanted ten babies so y-you could feel them kick."

"I️ know I️ did," Louis exhales shakily. "And it sucks, baby, because I️ wanted to give you a house full of babies, but how about we focus on this one for now."

"She can't grow up w-without you," Harry cries.

"She won't," Louis says sternly. "Because you're going to tell her that I️ love her very much everyday, even if I'm not there."

Emma's cry is heard through the baby monitor, and although Harry is shaking and sobbing and can barely catch his breath, he gets up and walks out of the room.

Louis closes his eyes and leans his head back. He's going to die. It's official now. He feels numb, like it isn't real. Nobody knows what the fuck is going on with his body, so they don't know how to fix it, and the physician basically confirmed that this won't go away.

Harry walks back in with Emma, still shaking and sniffling and holding her visibly tight. Emma sees Louis, eyes lighting up. "Dadda," She calls out, and Louis can't help but give her a small smile. Harry places Emma in Louis' lap before he turns around and walks out of the room. Louis just watches him, sighing and rubbing Emma's back.

Harry enters the washroom, closing the door behind him before opening the cabinet and pulling out two pill bottles. He shakily takes a pill from each bottle, swallowing them with water from a plastic cup he keeps on the sink before putting the bottles away and walking back to the bedroom.

"You okay, H?" Louis asks solemnly. "Come cuddle with me and Emma."

"I️ should start dinner," Harry replies, voice breaking.

"Come cuddle, Hazza," Louis insists. "Dinner's not important right now. My mum fed Em an hour ago."

Harry gives in so quickly. He climbs onto the bed with Louis, wrapping his arms around him tightly and trying not to cry. "Baby, baby," Louis coos as he hears Harry sniffle, kissing the top of his head. "Please stop crying. I'm okay. I️ promise. I'm right here."

"Papa," Emma squeaks, sounding concerned as she reaches out for Harry. Harry wipes his eyes before reaching out to Emma and brushing her cheek with his thumb.

♛

Louis smiles at Harry's peaceful face, his expression relaxed for the first time that day. Louis slowly pulls back the duvet before lifting up Harry's t-shirt, revealing his belly. Stretch marks run across the skin as Louis' smile widens. He gets close to the baby, glancing back at Harry to make sure he hasn't woken up.

"Hey, little love," Louis whispers. "This is our first informal conversation, I️ haven't had the chance to t-talk to you lately. I️ just wanted to let you know that I️...I'm not going to be around forever. I'm pretty sick, and I️ don't know how, or why, but it fucking sucks. Don't tell Harry I️ swore, I️ don't want him mad at me. But, I️ want you to know that no matter how long I'm physically here with you, I'll always be a part of you. Every time you feel proud of yourself for something, that's me being proud of you. Every time you tell your Papa you love him, that's me telling him too. And every time you love yourself, which I️ hope is all the time, that's me, loving you with my whole fucking heart."

Louis didn't expect to cry, but his eyes are tearing up as he reaches out and gently touches Harry's tummy. "I️ b-barely stuttered once there, yeah?" He chuckles. "Yeah, you'd think I'd be getting better rather than worse."

"You alright, Lou?" He can hear Harry mutter sleepily, a hand starting to scratch at his scalp. Louis leans back up toward Harry, not even bothering to cover Harry's belly back up again.

"'M fine, l-love, go back to sleep," Louis assures, reaching over and placing his hand on Harry's belly before kissing the tip of his nose.

"Stop cussing around our baby," Harry mumbles, face smushed into the pillow as he smiles faintly at the way Louis is rubbing his tummy.

"Sorry, gorgeous," Louis coos fondly, his eyes finally becoming dry as he lays back down, falling asleep with his hand as a comforting weight on Harry's stomach.