The grass was still prickling on every inch of his exposed skin when they just lay there together, Harry’s limbs entangled with his, his head resting on Louis’ chest as his hands carded through the mess of curls. It was a good thing that their spot was rather secluded and hardly anyone ever came there, because the tabloids would have loved pictures of the two naked lovers by the river, without a doubt. There was no need to talk, there had been more than enough I love you’s during their seemingly endless love making and all other things could wait. It was just them, the sound of nature surrounding them and their breathing and hearts beating. Until Harry’s cellphone started blasting out an annoying beeping sound, that is.
“Fuck, is it that late already?” he scrambled to his feet and started looking for the pieces of clothing that belonged to him, pulling up his boxers backwards in his haste.
“What time is it?” Louis questioned, not as alarmed as his husband because he didn’t exactly grasp what was happening.
“Half past two. Beth’s school goes out in half an hour and it’s at least a 45 minute drive and then I have to pick up Jack and Amy from daycare and I should also stop at the supermarket to get food for tonight’s dinner because there’s nothing left in the cupboards and fuck, shopping with the three of them is really close to my idea of hell actually…” Harry rambled on, hopping on one leg as he pulled on his jeans, and god, didn’t Louis realise how it was really time to get moving already?
“Harry, relax. Falling over in the river won’t help you get there in time.” Louis sat up and gathered his clothes as well, pulling on his own jeans while Harry was already tying his laces. “How about you go shopping and I pick up the kids? Or the other way around, whatever you prefer, but I don’t really know my way around the supermarket so it might take me a while to get the shopping done.”
“Would you?” Harry paused, looking up at his husband with hope shining in his eyes.
“What, pick up our children? Yes, of course.” Louis replied, smirking and rolling his eyes. He pulled on his T-shirt and stepped into his shoes before following Harry to the parking lot in a quick pace. Harry was about to get into his car and leave, but Louis cornered him against his door and demanded a kiss before he let him go. “See you at home, pretty boy.” He winked and unlocked his own car to drive off.
---
“Hey Beth, sorry I’m late!” he smiled, panting just a little from running all the way from his car to his daughter’s classroom. “Hi miss Jenson, sorry to you too.” He hoped his charm would still work on the teacher who was left only with his daughter. From the way she smiled up at him from behind her desk, he’d say it did.
“No problem, mister Tomlinson, it happens to everyone once in a while. Beth has already started on her homework, I believe.” She was young, probably in her first few years of teaching, and pretty, a brilliant smile accompanied by friendly eyes hidden behind her red rimmed glasses, blond hair falling down to her shoulders. Louis wouldn’t have minded making some more small talk with her, he still had his ways with the ladies, if he could say so himself, but Beth demanded his attention by pulling on his sleeve.
“Look dad, I’ve already finished my math’s homework so now I only have some reading to do over the weekend.”
“That’s great pumpkin, maybe you can read Jack’s bedtime story tonight.” He winked and laughed as she shook her head furiously.
“No! Jack always wants to read about dinosaurs and dinosaurs are boring. I’ll read my own books, thank you very much.” Beth replied sassily, making both Louis and her teacher bite their lips not to burst out laughing.
“Mind your language young lady. Anyway, let’s get your bag and get out of here, we still need to pick up Jack and Amy from daycare before we can go home.”
Her brown curls bounced around her head as she skipped back to her table and put her stuff inside her bag before swinging it on her back. “I’m ready! Bye miss Jenson!”
“Bye Beth, have a nice weekend!”
“You too,” Louis replied instead of his daughter who was already halfway down the hall.
“Where’s dad?” Beth asked as soon as she was strapped in her car seat, her bag tossed in the back with Louis’ training gear.
“I’m right here, mind you.” Louis teased, chuckling as his daughter rolled her eyes at him. He knew he wasn’t supposed to find her attitude all that funny, because she was way too young for that sort of behaviour, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Other dad,” she replied.
“He’s gone shopping so we won’t have to eat the carpet for dinner.” Their banter continued until he parked right in front of the daycare centre, and Louis smiled as he got out of the car. This was what made him miss spending time with his kids, and he was more than determined to do something about it next season.
---
“This pretty girl had her first solid food today!” Louis declared as he walked into the kitchen with Amy in his arms. Harry looked at them from his spot behind the stove where he was already cooking up dinner for the five of them.
“What? I’ve been trying to give her veggies for three weeks and she keeps on spitting it in my face! One day at daycare and she eats it? Not fair!” He huffed, making Louis chuckle before he leaned in for a kiss.
“I’m sure it was only because you’ve prepared her well by now Haz.” He winked before looking into the pots and pans. “Smells good, what is it?”
“Scampi stir-fry.” He answered, “With pre-cut frozen vegetables, the perfect invention for lazy wives like me.” He batted his eyelashes as he pulled a pouty face and tried to look fifties-sexy.
It felt good to be able to behave silly around each other again, and the rest of the evening and the weekend as well was spent in a comfortable atmosphere. By Sunday evening, they were tired but happy as they fell down on their bed together, limbs entwining before they fell asleep.
---
Alas, all good things come to an end and it was no different for Louis’ week off. He was up before any of the others again, and he could faintly hear the first signs of Amy waking up when he grabbed his coat from the hanger. He had practice for Stoke city in the morning and after that he’d asked for a meeting with the club’s direction. He wasn’t planning on taking the offer for Barcelona but they didn’t know that, so he wanted to make the most out of the negotiation.
The kids were already in bed when he came home that night, but he’d called them around the time he’d guessed they’d come home from picking Beth up from school. Harry was alright with him coming home later, as long as he called to let him know. Louis threw his coat on the hanger from the door, hissing through his teeth as he saw the coat hanger wobble a bit from the impact, but today obviously was his lucky day and the hanger didn’t fall over. Harry was found on the couch, leafing through a magazine while Amy was fast asleep on a pillow next to him. Louis pressed a lingering kiss to Harry’s lips before he picked Amy up and took her upstairs to her bed, coming back down to plop on the couch next to his husband, legs on the armrest and his head on Harry’s lap.
“Guess what? It’s good news.” he asked Harry, who put away his magazine and looked down expectantly.
“What?” he cleared his throat to get rid of the hoarseness his voice tended to have when unused for over an hour.
“I said guess, Harry.”
“You’re getting a sex change and we’re moving to the US so you can play in the women’s premier league there?”
“I’m worried if you actually think me getting a sex change is good news, but no.”
“We’re getting a pet-giraffe? I’m sure Beth would love that.”
“Harry! Ugh, you’re impossible!”
“You know how much I hate guessing games, so I don’t get why you even bother Lou.”
“Because it’s no fun just telling you the good news, you spoilsport! You’re lucky I’m so happy about it that I can’t wait to tell you anyway or I’d let you guess all night.” He exclaimed, swatting at Harry’s upper arm.
“You know you love me.” Harry grinned and well, there wasn’t really anything Louis could say to that.
“I’m staying here, in Stoke next season, and they’re paying me almost as much as they would in Barcelona. I’m no longer team captain so I’ll have less responsibilities and therefore more time to spend at home, with you and the kids.”
“What? Lou, you better not be kidding because I will kill you with my own two hands if you are.” Harry threatened, wide eyed and hardly able to contain his excitement.
“I’m not kidding. It’ll be just practice, matches and team meetings. And stuff for the national team. Oh, yeah, and some photo shoots every now and then because we’re getting a new sponsor and they want me to be the model for their next few campaigns.”
“Oh my god, Lou, you did this for me?” His eyes were tearing up now because really, he couldn’t fully believe it yet but it was better news than ever.
“Yes, well, not entirely. I did it for the kids and us and just because I want us to be happy again, you know?”
“Thank you…” Harry whispered before pulling Louis up so he was sitting up on the couch next to him, in a more comfortable position to kiss him absolutely senseless.
“You’re welcome baby.” There was more he wanted to tell Harry, but it could wait until his head stopped spinning because of the kiss.
fluff, fluff and more fluff! As I already said in my message, the scene between chapter eight and nine will be written and posted seperately, this weekend at the earliest.
Also, I'm afraid this story is almost done, I always intended it to be rather short and well, the story is pretty much told...