"Okay, let's see, love," The nurse says, Harry's legs spread open. Two hours in. Harry is irritable. Louis is, apparently, irritating. The nurse grins. "Seven centimetres! You're moving along quickly."
Harry pouts, leaning his head into Louis' torso. Louis frowns sympathetically, running his fingers through Harry's hair. "So what are we thinking, Harry?" The nurse asks. "Epidural?"
Harry shakes his head. "That's fine," She assures. "Do you need anything?" Harry shakes his head again. "Quiet lad."
Harry blushes, and Louis laughs. "That's just how he is with everyone," Louis assures. "Don't be offended."
The nurse leaves a few minutes later, leaving Harry and Louis alone. Louis sits down next to Harry on the bed, Harry immediately leaning into him.
"Tired, pet?" Louis mumbles as he kisses the top of Harry's head. Harry nods, closing his eyes. "You heard what she said, you're dilating quick. Soph will be here before we know it."
Harry opens his eyes, lifting his head to smile wearily up at Louis. He leans up and presses their lips together. Louis grins into the kiss, putting his hand on Harry's cheek.
Harry suddenly gasps, wrinkling his nose. He leans his forehead against Louis' shoulder. Louis kisses the top of his head, rubbing his back. "I know, baby, I'm sorry," Louis soothes. "You're almost there, H."
The door swings open, and in comes Niall. "A knock would have been appreciated," Louis says. Harry's still gripping onto his shirt, gritting his teeth.
"Harry texted me saying he wanted ice," Niall explains, setting a cup with a spoon in it on the table. "How's it going?"
Harry just growls. Niall raises his eyebrows. "Right," He says, giving Louis a thumbs up. Louis grins wearily, shaking his head.
"I'll text you guys with any updates," He says. Niall nods and waves goodbye before leaving the room. Harry untenses after, pointing to the cup of ice Niall left. Louis hands it to him.
"How do you feel now, sweet boy?" He asks gently. Harry shrugs. "Do you need anything else?"
"You," Harry says, soft-spoken. Louis smiles adoringly.
"You've got me, H," Louis chuckles. "All to yourself, too. For now, anyways."
Harry smiles weakly, closing his eyes. "Do you want to take a walk?" Louis asks, and Harry nods eagerly. Louis stands up, slowly helping Harry stand up. "Short one, though. I don't know how soon your next contraction will be."
Harry pouts, and Louis smiles and shakes his head as he helps Harry walk out of the room. They walk very, very slowly, but Harry seems to appreciate it, so they keep going.
"How's your back doing?" Louis asks. Harry gives him a thumbs down. "I'm assuming it'll be better once she's arrived."
Harry shrugs, and all of a sudden he's bent over in pain. There's a railing along the walls of the corridor, and Harry grabs onto it with both hands before squatting down and growling. Louis is quick to squat down next to him, putting his hand on Harry's back. "Okay, baby, try to breathe."
"Louis," Harry's voice is gravelly, and Louis furrows his eyebrows worriedly. "She's coming now."
"N-Now?" Louis stutters, whipping his head around to look for a nurse. One walks their way, and Louis is quick to spring up and explain to her that his boyfriend is having this baby now. She rushes to get some more nurses and Harry's hospital bed from his room.
♛
"Okay, Mr. Styles," The doctor says, smiling warmly at him. "Are you ready to push?"
Harry nods. Louis brushes his hair out of his face, smiling nervously. "Hey," He says quietly. Harry looks over to him, face full of anxiety. "You've got this, baby."
Harry returns Louis' nervous smile, gripping his hand tightly. "Push, Harry," The Doctor says. Harry pushes down, chin to his chest. His face turns red as Louis watches, in amazement, as the doctor slowly guides the head out just a bit.
"Good job, love!" The Doctor exclaims.
"I'm so proud of you," Louis kisses the back of Harry's hand.
A nurse presses a cold rag to Harry's forehead, and Harry looks eternally grateful. He looks the nurse in the eyes and says "I love you". The nurse laughs like she gets that a lot, and Louis grins fondly.
"Almost time to push again," The doctor announces. Harry closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths until the doctor tells him to push. He seemingly pushes harder than before. Louis can't believe how strong he is.
Harry pushes and pushes and pushes. It feels like they've been in this tiny delivery room for days when, finally, a loud cry echoes in the room.
"H-Harry!" Louis gasps, eyes glued to the tiny, squirmy little thing in the doctor's hands. He made that squirmy thing! Holy shit! Harry's panting as he looks at the baby as well.
"Do you want to cut the cord, dad?" One of the nurses asks, holding a pair of weird looking scissors in Louis' direction. Oh, God. He's Dad. Louis can't really bring himself to say anything, the overwhelming shock capturing his voice. Instead he simply nods, taking the scissors from the nurse and following her instructions to cut the cord.
The baby is then placed on Harry's chest. Harry smiles almost immediately, tears streaming down his face as he shaking puts his hand on the baby's back. "Hi," He says softly, the baby wailing as he sniffles. "'S okay, don't cry."
"Harry, she's incredible," Louis gasps. "You're incredible, oh my God."
Harry beams up at him, eyes shiny as Louis presses his lips to Harry's forehead. "I love you," Louis sniffles. "I love you so much. You're so incredible, holy shit."
♛
Louis walks into the waiting room, still shaky and emotional and so fucking tired. It's late, he didn't even realise how late it is, but it's still Liam's birthday.
Everyone looks up at him as he grins. "Happy birthday, Li," He says, and Liam's eyes widen. "You've got a goddaughter."
"Wait-" Liam stands up from his seat, his hand going to his hair. "Wait, really? I'm...?"
"Will you just hug me already?" Louis laughs. "I'm a dad!"
"Holy shit, Louis!" Liam exclaims, attacking Louis in a tight hug. Louis grins, eyes getting ready all over again as Liam pats his back. "How is she? How's Harry?"
"They're both great," Louis pulls back from Liam and gives him a watery smile. He looks over to his mum, who's smiling at him tearfully. "Hi, Mum."
"Hi, baby," She sniffles. Louis lets go of Liam and hugs his Mum, his nose in her hair as he hears her sniffle again. When she leans back from him, he grins at her.
"Her middle name's Johannah," He mentions, and his mother's face crumbles.
"Oh, Lou," She weeps, hugging him again. Louis refuses to cry in front of all of his friends and family, but he really does feel like doing that right now. He just holds onto his mother tight, and in his head he's praying that he's half as good a parent as she is.
"Harry and I are going to spend some time with her alone for a bit," Louis says, separating from his mother. He keeps his hand on her back, grinning at his siblings. "But then everyone can visit."
"Please don't be too long," Daisy says.
"Daisy," Jay sighs, wiping her eyes.
"I want to meet my niece! Sue me," Daisy exclaims. Louis just laughs, kissing his mother's cheek before waving to everyone in the waiting room and walking back to the room.
He's expecting to see what he walks in on, yeah. Harry with a baby cradled in his arms. But, mentally, he is not prepared whatsoever. It knocks the wind out of him, and then Harry looks up and gives him that beautiful smile of his, and that doesn't really help.
Harry lifts Sophie's arm and makes her wave to Louis, and Louis just loses it right there. He starts crying. Harry furrows his eyebrows in concern.
"I'm okay," Louis assures, giving Harry a shaky smile. "Just emotional."
"Yeah?" Harry asks softly, and Louis cries harder just from hearing his voice. Harry smiles, but his eyebrows are raised.
"I'm sorry, today has been a lot," Louis exhales, walking over and sitting down on the bed. He puts his arm around Harry's shoulders, and Harry leans into him more. "How do you feel?"
Harry clears his throat, taking a few seconds to respond. "Tired," He says before nodding, as if to confirm. "Happy."
"Pretty," Louis adds, and Harry rolls his eyes. He looks down at Sophie. "God, she's gorgeous."
Harry nods in agreement. "I love you," He whispers. Louis beams, wiping the tears from his cheeks before kissing Harry's.
"I love you too," He says. "Thank you for giving me Sophie."