Chapter 14
*A/N: Dedicated to @MirandaLStyles, because she always leaves comments on this story and I REALLY appreciate them! They make my day when I know that you guys appreciate my attempt at comedy/trying to make this story funny and enjoyable to read!
I <3 comments and getting feedback from you, readers! Feel free to leave as many as you want on any chapter!* <3 x
6 MONTHS LATER...
"So, do we just stand here and hold this or...?" Ethan asked in uncertainty.
"You're fishing, Ethan. You have to wait for the fishes to come to you," Liam informed his eldest son patiently while Harry just sighed in frustration.
"They're not into fishing either, are they?" the older lad said with a grunt.
Liam smiled at him sadly and sat on Harry's lap, putting his arms arouns Harry's neck. "Apparently. I don't think they like camping very much. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. I'm sorry for even bringing it up, honey."
"Not your fault that our kids can't enjoy this," Harry assured him, eyeing their kids.
"I just wanted our family to bond over something. I thought camping might work," Liam stated with a frown.
"Don't blame yourself, love. We'll just make them enjoy this anyway," said his husband determinedly, watching as their kids sighed and laid back on the dock in boredom.
Getting up from Harry's lap, Liam let Harry lead him to the three youngens to get them excited. Milo and Nyko were running around, clearly enjoying being outside more than the kids. Liam smiled at them and gestured at them to get in the water to splash the children by the dock.
"Ah! Milo, Nyko!" Claire exclaimed as she and her brothers got splashed with water.
"They're trying to tell you three to stop pouting and enjoy the water," Liam called out from behind them as he walked hand in hand with Harry towards them.
"But what if the water's dirty and we get an infection or something?" Dylan questioned.
"What's with you and infections?" Ethan demanded.
Dylan scoffed and stood up to emphasize his words. "Because infections are nasty! I don't wanna die from them! I'm too cu- "
" - cute. Yeah, we know," his siblings finished his sentence with eye rolls.
"You best know me," the younger boy announced, wiping water from his legs. "Dad, Papa, do we really have to swim in that? Milo and Nyko might get sick since they're already in there. I think we should just go to a resort or something cleaner."
"What a diva," Ethan muttered to Claire, who giggled softly.
"The water's fine, Dyl. We wouldn't have chosen to camp here if it wasn't," Harry informed him.
"Now get in the water, you three! Have some fun and swim!" Liam encouraged them as he pointed to the water.
They groaned, but slowly sat up and scooted over to the edge of the dock. They dipped their feet in, feeling the cold water and retreating their feet back up. Liam rolled his eyes and sat beside Dylan, pulling Harry to his other side.
"You three promised us that you would at least try enjoying this trip, right?" the younger father asked.
"Yeah, we did, Dad. But camping isn't really our thing," Claire responded, looking at the water with a shudder. "And what if something happens to us out here. We're in the woods, you know?"
"And we, your parents, are vampires. We'll deal with it - Well, I'll deal with it since your Dad is six months pregnant," said Harry.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Ethan stood up and stretched his arms. Next thing they know, he jumped in the water with a loud cry of excitement. His siblings gaped at him, mouths hanging open as they waited for him to resurface.
Once Ethan's head popped up from the water, they let out a sigh of relief and laughed as their older brother shivered.
"The w- water is so c- cold," he stuttered out, treading in the water.
"Then maybe we shouldn't - DYLAN!" Claire exclaimed as Dylan pushed her in the water, then jumped in himself.
"YEAH!" Dylan cried out happily as plunged in the water, making a huge splash that got their parents wet on the dock. His head popped up from the water, smiling goofily and swimming around in a small circle. "Dad! Papa! Look at me! I'm a merman!"
Liam laughed and waved at him, slowly standing up with Harry's help. The older father smiled and waved at them too, happy that they were finally enjoying something from this camping trip. He hoped it lasted for two more days.
"Ugh! Dylan, I can't believe you pushed me in!" Claire shouted, splashing the boy.
"Relax, Claire. We were gonna get you in the water somehow. Dylan just did it first and made it easier for us," Ethan said dismissively, floating on his back.
"The water isn't even that cold, Ethan. I could swim in here forever," Dylan declared, sighing happily.
"I really want a sister," their sister said loud enough for Liam and Harry to hear. "I can't deal with them forever, you know? There needs to be more femininity in this family!"
Ethan and Dylan groaned, splashing Claire playfully and swimming away when she threatened to drown them. Liam laughed and pulled Harry along with him so they could take a walk alone, but not so far away from their kids.
"I do hope our baby is a girl though," Liam admitted once they were away from the dock.
"That would be a nice change," Harry agreed, squeezing Liam's hand and bringing it to up to his lips for a kiss. "Whichever is fine with me anyway."
"Claire's really hoping for a girl. I just want her to be happy about it." Liam instinctively rubbed his belly, smiling down at it when he felt a kick. "But I hope that there's only one this time and I don't have to push him or her out of my bum."
Harry chuckled and pulled Liam closer to his side as they continued to walk. "I still can't believe you managed to push a baby, let alone Dylan, out of your bum."
"Both you and me," the younger lad agreed with a smile.
~~~
Once the kids were finally out of the water, cleaned and changed into dry clothes, they ate dinner at a table. It was so peaceful, with the usual banter between the three youngens over how much food they get
"I think I should get the most, since I'm the oldest," Ethan declared.
"Well, that's not a good enough reason. A girl's gotta eat too," Claire argued.
"I'm the youngest and cutest, so I should get more fish! I have more of a chance to grow than both of you!" Dylan shouted, getting them full attention. "And I'm Dad's favourite, so you both automatically lose."
"No, we don't!" the twins said in unison.
Harry sighed and pulled the food away from them. They whined, but didn't make a grab at it since they knew it wouldn't be a good idea against their Papa.
"Let's split the fish between you three, then. No more fighting, got it?" he said sternly.
"Yes, Papa," the kids agreed, sitting as patiently as they could.
"So, who's sleeping together in a tent?" Liam asked, looking at his family and ignoring Harry's eyebrow wiggle at him.
They paused and looked at each other, before yelling over each other's voices.
"I get to sleep with Dylan!" the twins declared in unison, then glared at each other. "Why should he sleep with you?!"
"I wanna sleep with Dad!" Dylan exclaimed, looking at Liam.
"Sorry, Dyl. Dad and Papa are sleeping together," Harry said as he patted the boy's head, wrapping his arms around his husband and kissing his lips to emphasize his point.
"Now, hold on. Maybe Dylan's onto something here," Liam disagreed, pulling away from Harry. "What about this? Dylan can sleep with me in one tent, then Papa can sleep with the twins. That way, there will be a parent in each tent."
Harry looked offended and protested, not wanting to be away from his husband for even one night. Ethan and Claire also argued to their Dad, not wanting to share a tent together, and with their Papa.
"Hold on. What's wrong with sharing a tent with me? Anyone would be lucky to," Harry countered.
"Papa, we both know you just wanna 'sleep' with Dad," said Claire.
"And Claire and I already shared a freaking womb together! Why do we have to sleep in the same tent?!" Ethan added.
"Ew! Didn't have have to bring that up, Ethan!" his twin protested.
Their younger brother had his nose wrinkled in disgust at the mention of that. "I'm so happy I didn't have to share Dad's womb with anyone. I was so free and there was so much room for me to move around... Dad had a nice womb."
"Dylan! No!" Liam exclaimed, sputtering over his youngest child's response.
"What the heck, Dyl?!" Ethan and Claire shouted, covering his mouth.
"I never got to stay in your Dad's womb," Harry muttered with a pout, looking at Liam sadly.
"Shut up, Harold! We are so done talking about my womb!" Liam declared, standing up and walking over to a tent. "The sleeping arrangement has been made. Dyl, come sleep in this tent with me when you're done eating, okay?"
The boy nodded happily, getting up to go to a washroom nearby to wash his hands. Ethan and Claire groaned, crossing their arms as they stared back at their Papa intensely.
"We are not sleeping in the same tent, okay?" Harry said sternly.
"It's not like we want to!" Claire snapped, then apologized when Harry glared at her.
"I need to stay with your Dad to keep him safe! He's pregnant, remember?" their Papa reminded them, still not liking the sleeping arrangement at all.
"Why can't Dyl and I just sleep in one tent and Claire stays with you and Dad?" Ethan suggested.
Claire slapped his arm, saying, "No way! They're probably gonna have sex even if I'm in there with them!"
"True," Harry said softly, looking longingly at the tent Liam was in.
"Ew, Papa! You didn't have to admit it!" his daughter argued. "Okay, you know what? Why don't us kids just sleep in this tent and Papa can stay with Dad? That way, none of us kids gets even more scarred? Unless Ethan wants to stay with you and Dad...?"
"No! Absolutely not!" the eldest child protested.
Nodding in agreement, Harry got up from the table just as Dylan came back from the washroom. "Dyl, stay with your siblings tonight, okay? I'm staying with Dad and the baby."
"What? But Dad said - "
"I know, Dyl. But we changed the plan, so - " Harry was interrupted by Liam calling out.
"The plan did not change, Harold! Dylan, come to the tent now and leave them there to whine. They'll get over it!"
Harry sighed and walked up to the tent Liam was in. "Li, come on. I need to stay with you to keep you safe. Besides, I can't sleep without you by my side anyway."
"Aww. You're trying to change my mind," Liam said as he patted his husband's cheek. "But still no. You'll be fine with the twins. Just sleep in between them so they don't fight and go to sleep."
"But I'll miss you," Harry whined, holding Liam's hands.
"I'll miss you too. Now go and sleep in the other tent. Goodnight and I love you!" Liam said with a light push.
Grumbling under his breath, Harry made his way to the other tent and saw the twins tugging a pillow between them. Dylan ran over to the other tent, letting out a "Yay, Dad and Dylan!" as he went. Harry sighed and stepped in the tent, pulling the pillow away from the twins.
"Why are you fighting over a pillow?" he asked tiredly.
"Cuz that's my pillow! It's more comfortable than this one," said Claire.
"Then I need it!" Ethan retorted.
"Hush, both of you. I'm using it, cuz I'm grumpy and I need a good night rest," Harry declared, laying down on the blow-up air mattress.
The twins scoffed and laid down on either side of their Papa. "That's cuz you're not 'getting any' with Dad, right?" Ethan asked playfully, making Claire giggle.
"Go to sleep, Ethan. You too, Claire," Harry breathed out, closing his eyes to fall asleep.
"Night, Papa," his daughter said softly after yawning and turning on her side to face away from him.
"Night," he whispered, already feeling sleepy.
But right before the three of them fell asleep, they all heard Dylan asking loudly from the other tent, "Dad, does your womb ache? Like, do you miss having me in there?"
"Dylan!" Liam exclaimed in shock, making the three giggle in the other tent. "Go to sleep!"
"Aw, come on, Dad! Just say, 'My womb aches for you,' then I'll go to sleep."
"I - I'm not saying that!" Liam protested.
"Let's say it together then. 'Dylan, my womb aches for y- "
"Goodnight, Dylan! Go to sleep! Please!" Liam begged, trying to fall asleep.
The boy whined and sighed dramatically, but decided to try again tomorrow. "Goodnight, Dad. I hope you can say those words another time."
"Oh my gosh! HARRY! Switch with Dylan, please!" Liam cried out desperately.
"Sorry, Dad! We don't want Dylan here anymore! Papa's fine here too, right Papa?" Claire called back.
With a laughed he shared with Ethan and Claire, Harry responded, "Yeah, I am. Sorry, love. But you chose Dylan over me!"
"You suck, Harry Styles!" Liam said in frustration.
"Love you too! Good night, my beloved!"
"Whatever!"