By the end of February they've been on four more dates.
The second date had been Louis' choice and he had opted for going to see a movie they both wanted to see before taking Harry to another fine dining restaurant in the heart of London. Harry wasn't sure, but he didn't think he'd ever really get used to someone spending that kind of money for him to eat.
The third date was, again, Louis' choice. He hadn't told Harry what they were doing until he pulled up to the marina and waiting at the dock for them was a yacht. Harry had blinked at the sparkling white boat for a moment before allowing Louis to lead him onto it. Inside the boat Harry stops and starts again. The floors are done in new, plush cream coloured carpet, the walls are done in a light wood, there are two sofas and a loveseat, as well as a dining room table big enough for ten people.
"We're not eating at that one." Louis had said, taking Harry's wrist and leading him to a different section of the boat where the kitchen was with a small room off of it with a table set for two with candles and chilled wine waiting in a bucket of ice.
As soon as they had sat down there was a worker there informing them that the chef was preparing dinner as she popped open the wine and poured them both a glass. Thirty minutes later she returned with two plates of filet mignon served with mashed potatoes and asparagus with a small loaf of fresh baked bread. It's probably one of the best meals Harry's ever had at a place that wasn't home.
The fourth date taken place at Louis' flat with Harry claiming the kitchen didn't get used enough and a kitchen like that shouldn't just go to waste. So he made dinner consisting of season lamb with a mint sauce and a side of orzo, cranberry, mixed greens, and grain salad, goat cheese mashed potatoes, and roasted sun dried tomato hummus with warmed pita bread.
And Louis knew Harry could cook but he's thoroughly impressed with the meal since even some of the fine dining restaurants he's been to can't ever cook his lamp right, but Harry's is spot on perfection. Dessert came in the form of a still warm chocolate brownie with vanilla bean gelato, fresh raspberries, and chocolate sauce drizzled on top.
"Seriously Haz, this is so good." Louis said for what was probably the fifth or sixth time that evening.
"I know, you've said." Harry laughed spooning up another bite of brownie and gelato into his mouth.
"Well I'm gonna keep saying it." Louis smiled spearing a raspberry.
Harry doesn't really know how they keep finding stuff to talk about, but their conversation never dies. Louis tells him about his trip to Barcelona when he was on his way to recovery after the Chad incident.
"Mum thought it would be good to get me out of the U.K completely so she and I took a trip to Barcelona while Dan watched the girls and boys. She made me do all this stuff with her even though I didn't really want to but the entire time we were there my mind never went to what had happened except when I was asleep I would have nightmares." Louis admitted leaning against the arm of his sofa. "I'd wake up screaming and... and we'd get a call from the hotel that somebody had complained about noise or well screaming. It was so embarrassing."
Harry looked at Louis, saddened by what the older man was telling him. Even though it's not his fault and maybe he shouldn't care because Louis brought it on himself when he left him... but he cares and there's no point in denying it - he still cares deeply for Louis.
Louis bit his cheek before continuing with a heavy breath, "Mum worried like crazy when she found out I - um - I was..." he trailed off, the memory of Jay's face and the pain and sadness in her eyes too overwhelming.
Harry moved closer to Louis and pulled him to his chest trying to comfort him cause even if he hasn't forgiven him, he has the urge to take care of him - to make him happy instead of sad because Louis should never be sad, he should always be beaming like he used to.
"S' okay Lou... take your time." Harry soothed, letting Louis lean against his chest while his hand rubbed the older lads back gently.
It's an action that causes Louis to finch because it brings back memories of being whipped. As soon as Louis tenses in his arms, Harry stops and instead just keeps his hand still on his back, his mind registering why Louis has become tense.
"I was self-harming. After two years of pain being the main thing that I knew and drilled into me that I deserved... not being punished wasn't normal so I punished myself. For everything... even the smallest of mistakes. Mum found out... it was only a few months after they had saved me. So she sent me to a place on the coast that specialized in people with self-harming - everything from cutting to anorexia. I finally got a hold of myself and after I was released was when I started therapy. It took a couple years for me to be okay with people touching me - this..." Louis gestured between Harry and himself, "Would've never happened two years ago. I would've gone postal trying to get away from you. Doctors even told my parents that they needed to give me space when it came to touching because it could cause me to relapse and then it'd be like starting from the beginning."
"I'm sorry all that happened to you. You didn't deserve it, even if you broke me, you didn't deserve that." Harry stated quietly, resting his cheek against the top of Louis' head.
"I still feel like I deserved it. I should've known. I had seen him get rough with some people but he never did with me... least not at first. Either way it was because I did something stupid and because of it I hurt everyone I cared about." Louis said with a heavy sigh.
They sat there for a few moments in silence before Louis patted Harry's arm and pulled away.
"Let's go get Scar and get you home, you're falling asleep." He said standing up and going to grab his coat and keys.
Harry followed after him with sleepy eyes, pulling on his own coat and grabbing his phone off the coffee table. They drove over to Niall's flat and picked up Scarlet, literally since she was conked out on the sofa with her white teddy secure in her arms.
Back at Harry's flat, Louis carried Scarlet to her room, kissed her forehead, wished her sweet dreams, and then went back to the living room where Harry was tapping out a text on his phone.
"I'm gonna head home." Louis announced quietly.
"Do you want to come with us to Paris for Scarlet's birthday?" Harry questioned suddenly.
"Are you sure?" Louis asked in response.
"Yeah. You two are getting along really well now and it's her birthday, both her parents should be there to celebrate. We're leaving on the 18th since her birthday is on the 19th." Harry explained and Louis nodded.
"Yeah, I'd love to go. Have you already taken care of the cost?" Louis questioned.
"Um no, I was going to buy the tickets and book the hotel tonight." Harry replied already knowing where this was going to go.
"I'll buy my ticket and book the hotel if you like?" Louis inquired quietly. "Or I can give you my credit card and you can put the whole bill on it."
"Just the hotel and your ticket... I already have the money for mine and Scarlet's." Harry answered.
"Alright, I'll book it tonight then. We'll leave Friday stay Friday night and Saturday night then fly back Sunday evening?" Louis confirmed and Harry nodded. "Alright then, I'll talk to you later, night Haz."
"Night Lou." Harry replied as Louis walked over and pecked his cheek.
His hand lingers on Harry's cheek for a moment before he pulls away and then leaves. As soon as he gets back to his flat he's booking the hotel and his ticket along with the airplane tickets to Paris, texting Harry and telling him he was doing that as well. Then he's changing his clothes and slipping into bed, his last thoughts before drifting off is pondering what to get Scarlet as a gift.
Two days flew by. Louis still hadn't figured out Scarlet's gift so he decided to let her pick whatever she wanted from one of the stores in the park.
Friday, Louis drove over to Harry's after working late. It was near 8 when he knocked on the flat door and their flight was at 9:30. Harry carried the suitcase with his and Scarlet's things out to Harry's SUV, Louis' being locked and left in the car park.
"Where are we going daddy?" Scarlet questioned as Harry held open her coat for her to put on.
"You'll see when we get there bug." Harry replied, bending down to kiss her forehead.
With Scarlet buckled in the backseat, Harry in the passenger seat, and Louis in the driver sea they headed to the airport. Of course, Harry should have expected the seats to be first class since Louis had booked them but it had totally skipped is mind.
"Seriously Lou, we didn't need first class seats." Harry stated quietly as they waited for boarding to start.
Louis looked over at Harry as they called for first class, "I never sit in coach... there's always so many babies or toddlers screaming and crying."
Harry nodded his head in understanding. He gets that, he really does - he understand how aggravating it is to be stuck on a fight with a child nearby that won't shut up even for a breath of air.
"Dad, where are we going?" Scarlet questioned turning to Louis from where she was seated between him and Harry.
"Can't tell you that love, it's a secret." Louis smiled, reaching over to brush a curl off her forehead, a habit of his.
Scarlet pouted, giving Louis wide blue eyes - the same ones that could melt the heart of the coldest man - but Louis' almost immune to it. So instead of replying he just tapped her nose with a smile and made to buckle his seatbelt.
The flight to Paris didn't take hardly any time and soon the were climbing into a taxi and heading off to their hotel, the Hotel Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe. As soon as Harry sees the inside of the hotel he knows it's not cheap.
"Out of curiosity why didn't you book a hotel at... ya know?" Harry questioned glancing down at Scarlet who was looking around the nice interior of the lobby.
"They didn't really have any... um nice rooms that fit our arrangement. This is fairly close to their so I snatched it up before someone else could." Louis replied moving towards the reception desk.
The woman at the desk gives Louis a flirty smile and Harry immediately takes note, a bubble of jealousy building inside him. He looked over where Scarlet was currently poking at a fake plant in the lobby with an eyebrow quirked.
"Scar... c'mere sweetheart." Harry called and she came walking over with sleepy eyes.
Louis was fully aware of the woman at the desk trying to flirt with him. No doubt she knew who he was even without his photo ID. Three weeks ago Little Mix had released their album and it's been all over the internet with his picture.
"Here you go Mr. Tomlinson, let me just get your key." The desk lady smiled, turning away from them.
Louis rolled his eyes and looked down at Scarlet who was blinking slowly and swaying a little in her spot between himself and Harry.
"Are you tried love?" Louis questioned with a little chuckle as Scarlet's eyes drooped shut only to snap back open.
Scarlet nodded her head, turning towards Harry and pressing her face to his stomach, hiding from the lights in the lobby. The woman came back and held out the key to Louis for their hotel room with another smile.
"Enjoy your stay Mr. Tomlinson." She said offering the key.
"Thanks, we will, won't we babe." Harry said, having had enough with the woman flirting with Louis, and reaching out and taking he key.
Thankfully Louis catches on and smiles lovingly at Harry, "Definitely darling. C'mon love, let's go get some sleep."
They walked away with their luggage in hand, leaving the woman to gape at their backs. The room they walk into is simple and modern. The walls are a light grey and both beds have dark wood headboards and are dressed in white linens with fuchsia decorative pillows.
Harry immediately pulled out Scarlet's pyjamas, toothbrush and toothpaste and sent her to the bathroom to brush her teeth. By the time Scarlet re-emerged from the bathroom, Harry had turned down one of the beds - the one he and Scarlet would be sharing. She crawled into the queen size bed and Harry handed her the fluffy white teddy bear she had refused to leave the flat without.
"Night bug, love you." Harry murmured, bending down to kiss her forehead.
"Love you too Daddy." Scarlet replied, her voice low and sleepy.
Standing back up straight, Harry grabbed his pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt from his suitcase along with his toothbrush before heading into the bathroom. Louis walked over to the bed where Scarlet lay and leaned over to kiss her forehead, whispering for her to have sweet dream and that he loved her, even though she was already asleep.
Once Harry was done in the bathroom, Louis went in and emerged a short while later in a pair of black and grey plaid pyjama bottom with a black t-shirt. Harry was over at the window looking out at the streets below them.
"Alright?" Louis questioned quietly, walking over to him.
"Yeah, just admiring the view. Thanks for this, it's a really nice place... must've cost a fortune." Harry replied looking over at him.
Louis just shrugged in reply. Yeah, to the average income family 1,500 dollars might be a lot to spend on two nights in a hotel but to him it was basically chunk change.
"You know that means it was expensive." Harry chuckled quietly.
"It's worth every penny." Louis insisted softly. "You're happy and she's sleeping comfortably, that's all that matters."
Harry looked over at Scarlet sleeping peacefully and smiled at his - well - their little girl.
"Thanks." Harry repeated himself looking back at Louis. "It means a lot that you're here and celebrating with her."
"It means a lot to me that you're letting me celebrate with you two. I never thought I'd have a chance to when I first found out about her. Seriously Harry, I can't think you enough for giving me a chance." Louis replied, reaching out to pull Harry into a warm hug.
"You're welcome..." Harry replied, giving Louis a gentle hug back before pulling away. "Night."
"Night." Louis said as they walked to their beds.
Harry crawled in with Scarlet and Louis laid down in the other bed alone, both of them drifting off to sleep soon after.
In the morning, Scarlet awoke before both of the men and got up out of bed. Harry was sleeping soundly on his back and Louis was sleeping soundly in the other bed on his side, not quite in the middle of the bed.
Scarlet used the bathroom then walked back into the room and stared at her two sleeping parents. Her stomach grumbled and she frowned. She walked over to Harry and poked him in the shoulder a few times but gained no reaction even when she called out a few 'daddy's.
Giving up on Harry, she walked over to Louis bed and carefully climbed up onto it. She gave him a few pokes but still didn't get a reaction.
"Dad..." Scarlet stated, poking at Louis' arm. "Dad!"
Still, she earned nothing more than a huff of air from Louis as he snuggled deeper into his pillow. Finally, she had had enough of that so she stood up on the bed, jumped, and bounced down onto her butt with a cheerful cry.
"DAD IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"
"AGHH!" Louis let out a shout, scrambling away from Scarlet in surprise.
Harry was up just in time to see Louis fall off the bed and land with a thud on the floor. He slapped his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter as he moved to look down at Louis while Scarlet giggled.
"Are you okay?" Harry managed to get out between his laughs.
"Peachy." Louis grumbled, rubbing his bum as he stood up. "Happy birthday love." he said, turning to Scarlet and smiling.
"Are you ready for your present?" Harry questioned.
"Yes!" Scarlet nodded excitedly.
"Well, you better get ready to go then." Harry said and Scarlet scurried off the bed and to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get dressed.
As soon as they're all ready, Louis and Harry took Scarlet down to the restaurant in the hotel and they had breakfast before hailing a taxi. The taxi took them to the Disneyland entrance and Louis paid the driver. Harry had Scarlet's eyes covered with a bandana and once they were out of the taxi, he took it off.
Scarlet squealed with delight as Disneyland filled her vision. Immediately she grasped one of Harry's hands and one of Louis' and pulled them towards the entry gate. They laughed and allowed themselves to be pulled along.
The entire day was spent riding rides and walking around. Louis had told Scarlet that she could pick out anything she wanted from one of the stores and she had selected a large plush Minnie Mouse. Louis purchased it for her as soon as she selected it, ignoring Harry's slightly agape mouth at the cost of it. He added a sweatshirt for Scarlet that read 'Disneyland Paris' on it then paid the cashier, not even blinking at the cost.
Both of them splurged some in the candy shop before Louis led them over to the Auberge de Cendrillon restaurant. Scarlet was thrilled to be able to meet some of the Disney Princes' and Princesses, blushing madly when she met Cinderella and Prince Charming.
Scarlet fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel, leaving Louis to carry her to their room while Harry walked beside them and opened the room door when they got there. Louis lay Scarlet down on the bed gently and kissed her hair, wishing her happy birthday again and that he loved her before heading off to the bathroom. Harry did the same then quickly changed while Louis was still in the bathroom.
With teeth brushed, Harry and Louis fell into their respected beds and were fast asleep before either of them could whisper goodnight.
Sunday had consisted of them going to the Eiffel Tower and eating lunch at a small café before gathering their things from the hotel and heading to the airport. The flight back to London was quiet, all the children on the plane were in coach while they were seated comfortably in first class again.
They arrived back at Harry's flat not long after 8 that evening and Harry sends Scarlet off to the shower and to get ready for bed since she had school in the morning. There were gifts from Anne, Robin, Gemma, and Jay sitting in the living room but Scarlet had been too tired to notice.
"I better be heading home." Louis said looking at his phone. "I've put off some work I was supposed to do this weekend."
"What kind of work?" Harry questioned looking over at Louis from where he was sat on the sofa.
"Well since Little Mix released their album and it's doing so well I have to finish setting up tour dates and whatnot. I started managing my bands last year so everything is done in one spot. They record at my studio and I manage them when they go on tours and such things. I don't have much left to do, so don't think you've like ruined something or something like that. Louis explained pulling out his car keys.
"Alright, well I guess I'll see you whenever." Harry said standing up from the sofa.
He moved to hug Louis.
"Thank you again for this weekend, she really had fun and I enjoyed it as well." Harry said quietly into Louis' ear.
"You're welcome Hazza, anything for you two." Louis replied hugging Harry back.
Louis pecked Harry's cheek, wished him goodnight, and told him to tell Scarlet the same before he left.
Harry tucked Scarlet into bed an hour later, telling her Louis had had to go home but that he loved her and said goodnight.
"Did you enjoy your birthday bug?" Harry asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Yes. Best birthday ever, with both daddies." Scarlet smiled sleepily, sitting up to hug Harry around his waist. "Love you daddy."
"Oh I love you too baby girl, more than anything." Harry replied, hugging her tight.
Once she was tucked back in Harry went to his room and collapsed on the bed with a big yawn. It was late by any means but traveling always took it out of him. Tomorrow after he got off work and picked Scarlet up from Niall's, he would top by Liam and Sophia's to pick up Sugar and Oliver.
With that, he let his eyes drift closed and his mind filled with thoughts of Louis. He could tell that he was close to forgiving the older man, Louis had proven time and time again that he cared for them and wasn't leaving. He just needed something to push him over the top to get him to forgive Louis. And unknown to him something would happen, very soon.