"A-are you sure?" Harry asks with a shaky voice, just as shaken as Zayn is. "It doesn't look like I'm having twins."
Zayn nods internally at that. Harry doesn't look like he's having twins, his stomach is not that big, not even as big as louis was when he was pregnant with just one baby. But Freddie was a big baby, even as he came out premature.
"Well, not yet. But it'd start to show soon enough," she assures. "Right now, I suggest you just take it easy. Which means no carrying heavy objects and avoid getting stressed."
Harry nods. "Okay."
He turns to his boyfriend. "Zayn?"
"What?" Zayn asks, still trying to process the new information.
"Why are you so quiet?" Harry asks. He almost curses at himself, he should be focused on Harry.
"S-sorry. How do you feel?"
"It's almost like I'm finding out I'm pregnant for the second time," Harry says. "I'm a bit overwhelmed."
"Me too," Zayn says. "But we can do this, right? It's only having one more extra baby than we planned. Damn, I'm about to have three kids in the course of a year."
Harry frowns at that, the statement making him feel weird. Zayn notices.
"Be extra careful, avoid anything that might stress you," The doctor advises.
"I'll make sure of that," Zayn assures. "Can we get some copies to go?"
"Of course," the doctor says.
...
During the ride back home, Harry is as quiet as a mouse. Zayn feels like he's still trying to process the news so he doesn't say anything to him either. He's still trying to process too, he knows that their current lives are practically over. Everything's going to change and he's not sure they're ready for it.
He shakes his head from that thought. Now's not the time to be thinking like that, he loves Harry and he's excited for their baby. Sure, now they're going to get an extra one but it's going to work out.
Harry disappears into their bedroom, now Zayn realizes that something is really wrong so he goes to talk to him.
"Hey," He walks up to his boyfriend. "You good?"
Harry nods.
"Really? Because you don't look excited for someone that just found out they're having twins,"
"Am I supposed to be excited? You aren't,"
"Fuck, I don't know. I know you're not supposed to be quiet, that's for sure,"
"I just," Harry starts, running a hand through his hair. "I need to know that you're in this with me. Fully."
Zayn's entire expression changes. He looks hurt.
"Do you actually think that little of me?" He asks. "Harry, I left Louis, we live together, we've been expecting a child and you think just because we're having an extra one, I'm just suddenly gonna change my mind and bail? What the fuck."
"I didn't say that,"
"How the fuck can you even ask me that?"
"This isn't about you, it's about me. I'm the one carrying these babies, I need to know for sure that you're going to be here for me. Zayn I love you, but sometimes I just need you to reassure me, that's all I'm asking,"
"For godsake Harry, there's some questions you should know the answer too already. How do you think I feel hearing you ask this shit all the time?"
"How do you think I feel knowing that you have a kid with your ex-husband? I've been treated as the second option for more than half of our relationship, you don't know what it's like," he says. "You have a history of always choosing him and going back to him, so excuse me if I'm still insecure about that."
"I'm sorry, but at some point you have to get over that! I can't change the fucking past,"
"I know that," Harry snaps back. "I can't help how I feel."
"Harry, of course I'm in this with you, they're my kids too. I know I treated you like shit in the past and I'm fucking sorry about that, if I could do a do-over I would. I don't like how you always think I'm planning on leaving you, but we can't continue like this. You doubt everything I do," Zayn says. "You have to actively start trying to trust me."
"I'm trying! It's just hard sometimes, especially when Louis is mentioned," Harry admits. "I don't think I can just do it, I'm sorry. We could try couples counseling."
Zayn's expression hardens. "No."
"It was just a suggestion, but it could help,"
"Harry we're not doing this to our relationship when it's this early. I went through that shit with Louis and I refuse to go through it again. You don't trust me, fine. I'll just have to find a way to earn your trust myself, fuck couples counseling,"
"Okay Zayn," Harry sighs, not feeling like arguing. He lays on the bed and closes his eyes. "I'm gonna take a nap."
Zayn lays next to him and wraps his round around Harry. "We can do this Harry. We'll be fine."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Zayn says, kissing him briefly on his forehead. "We're gonna have to get an extra crib you know."
"Less talking," Harry says, yawning.
"You know, you sleep a lot," Zayn chuckles.
"You try carrying two babies and then come back to me," Harry jokes, causing Zayn to laugh harder. He closes his eyes, already feeling the sleep overwhelm him. He feels tired all the time, Zayn is right, he does sleep a lot lately.
"When you wake up we'll think of baby names," Zayn says, more to himself because Harry is barely still awake. "I wanna name the girl."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Zayn replies.
...
*4 months later*
"You know we don't have to go if you aren't feeling up to it," Zayn says, seeing Harry wincing as he walks down the stairs. He's seven months pregnant with the twins even though he doesn't look it. He looks like he's only four months pregnant, and Zayn finds it a bit strange because they're expecting twins. When Louis was having just one baby, he was more than double the size of Harry.
It makes him worry a bit, but their doctor assures him that there's nothing wrong with the development of the twins. They're just tiny, and Harry's tall so he carries the weight better.
"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Harry retorts.
"I mean, yeah," Zayn says. "I love going out with you, but I really don't want to go on a double date with your college mate and his boyfriend in a golf club of all places, feel like we got better things we could be doing."
"Too bad, we're going," Harry says. Zayn groans. "Oh come on. Niall was my roommate and this is his first relationship ever, I'm excited to meet his boyfriend. And I've always wanted to go for a double date but you were married, so suck it up."
"I've been doing a lot of sucking up lately," he mumbles to himself.
Harry heard him perfectly fine but still, "what was that?"
"Nothing babe," Zayn says.
Over the last four months Zayn has tried to make sure of his promise to earn Harry's trust back. He made sure to be there as much time as he could when he wasn't with Freddie, and he complied with all of Harry's wants and demands.
Harry wants a foot massage when Zayn is at work? Done, he comes back home to do it for him. Harry's craving for some weird pregnancy concoction at three am? Done, catch Zayn running to the convenience store. It's been completely exhausting but worth it because Harry's beginning to trust him more.
He doesn't get as prissy when Louis is mentioned, yeah he still gets in a mood whenever Zayn has to go get his son but it's manageable, they'll work on that.
Soon, they arrive at the location. Zayn tries not to be in a mood over being here, because who the fuck invites someone to play golf as a double date? He remembers he's doing this for Harry, so he can suck it up.
The couple is already there waiting for them, and Zayn and Harry go over to meet them. He thinks he's met Niall before, he looks familiar enough. Harry goes to go hug him. The guy next to him is facing the other direction, he's got dark hair and he kind of reminds Zayn of someone.
It's only when he turns that Zayn realizes.
"Justin?" He says, shocked to his friend here. Justin has casually mentioned he was seeing someone before, but Zayn never could have guessed it was Harry's former college roommate.
"Zayn? No way," Justin laughs like it's funny. It is, a bit.
"You two know each other?" Harry asks, looking confused, same with Niall.
"Yeah, Zayn's a good friend of mine," Justin says. He turns to Harry and grins. "And you must be the delectable Harry."
He takes Harry's hand in his and lands a kiss on the back of his palm. Harry blushes at the display, not expecting that.
"Dude," Zayn says, getting possessive. Justin gives him a wink. "Your boyfriends right here."
"Hey, the boyfriends not complaining," the blonde, Niall says. He offers Zayn a handshake and Zayn shakes him. "Hi, I'm Niall. We've met though."
"I know," Zayn replies. "Tis great to meet you again. Could never have expected you to be dating my best-friend though. How did you even meet?"
"Funny story," Niall laughs, it's a bit awkward.
"I was his therapist,"
"What?" Zayn says, surprised. Justin isn't one to date his patients, plus isn't that illegal?
"We dated after he stopped being my therapist," Niall clarifies.
"Zayn, you literally cheated on your husband, you can't even say shit," Justin says, his tone playful. "No offense Harry."
"All I'm hearing is you fucked your patient you sick fuck,"
"Should we say something?" Harry says to Niall, getting a bit concerned. Niall shakes his head, laughing at their interaction.
"Nah, they're just messing with each other," he replies. Him and Harry decide to catch up, not paying attention to their boyfriends as they bicker amongst themselves.
"Says the guy who keeps knocking people up. Go figure out how to use a condom mate," Justin retorts.
"Fuck off," Zayn chuckles. "But seriously man, I'm really happy for you. Niall seems great."
"He is. And Harry's gorgeous, might have to snatch him up myself,"
"Man don't even play with that,"
"I kid, I kid," Justin laughs, raising his hands up in surrender. "Can't believe you're about to have three kids. How's Freddie by the way? When can he come see his uncle?"
"You know how Louis is, he won't let me take Freddie out of his sight. Might have to take him to my lawyers so we can work out this custody shit," Zayn rants.
"Zayn, you're gonna have two other kids. I can guarantee you in a couple of months, you'd wish you could have more time for yourself. Let Louis handle Freddie, it's not like he's keeping him away from you,"
Zayn goes quiet, thinking. "Guess you're right."
"Of course I am. I'm always right," Justin says. "I should start charging you every time we talk. Can't just be handling free therapy to everyone now."
"Sorry? Thought the dude that fucks his patients had something to say,"
"You're never gonna let that die down, will you?" Justin shakes his head, amused.
"Nope," Zayn says. He would never, he actually loves that he has something to hold over Justin now.
...
Who remembers justin from the earlier chapters?