eight years later; nouis

seventeen

"i don't care what your mumma lets you do, it's not happening, fred."
louis' son muttered something under his breath before walking away.
"what was that, boy?" freddie didn't repeat whatever he said, and just went to his room.

louis rolled his eyes and put his head in his hands, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"you're doing your best, papa..." niall said coming up behind him and rubbing his back.

louis turned around and faced niall with a smile on his face,
"thank you for not making me have any more kids. when do you think this teenage attitude will fade?"

"you still have yours, and you're pushing 39." niall pointed out with a sly smile.

louis hip checked him, "ha.." he said sarcastically. "his mum needs to come get him. i cant take it anymore."

"oh, hush, lad, he's 15..what do you expect." niall tried to coax louis but he wasn't having it.

louis put his head in his hands again and, course, he thought. niall, right again. he was his better half that was for certain. they'd made the difficult but mutual decision a year after their wedding to not adopt any more kids. louis thought niall was just being kind, but he insisted he didn't want a kid.

and well, louis loved him even more for that, if it was possible.

"what do you think lad? you reckon we're too old now? no one would care i say.."

niall finished reading the email over louis shoulder that liam had sent them suggesting getting the band back together. no one had replied yet, and while louis was secretly overjoyed, niall was a bit hesitant.

"you not into it, mate?" louis asked when niall still hadn't said anything.

"you think there's actually any fans out there waiting for the return of one direction ? plus, we're proper adults now..one direction seems a bit childish.."

louis scoffed at niall, "oh really, says the one who always scorned me for making fun of the name." he said with a coy smile.

"we've not been one direction in 15 years. seems ridiculous now. you're almost 40!"

louis shot him a look, hating when he brought up his decrepit age. "i know, ni, but don't you suppose it would be fun...one reunion tour. we have an entire album we never toured. could be great craic." he said shrugging his shoulders and getting up for another drink.

"i'm not saying yes..." he said as he typed a response, "but i'll think about it.." louis kissed his boy on the back of the head as he watched him type out a thoughtful response to liam from louis' email. he was always quite better with words, anyway.