Seven months and two weeks.
when harry was outside he stood there for a moment, wondering what he could do now.
the pack house was surrounded by woods so he couldn't walk, he didn't even know where he was, he could be in a whole different state and he wouldn't know.
he definitely didn't think this through.
he was about to pull out his phone to at the very least find out where he was when he heard footsteps approaching him.
"so you're out here?" harry turned to see charlotte standing near the door to the house with her arms crossed across her chest.
Harry looked at her oddly before answering. "why?"
"everyones looking for you. guess no ones smart enough to look outside."she told harry, walking closer to him.
she observed him carefully. his eyes were bloodshot, his lips a shade darker from being bitten and his cheeks were wet with tears.
she furrowed her eyebrows, now standing in front of him.
"whats wrong?"
harry was actually surprised that she looked as worried as she did.
although she apologized and they had that conversation a while back it was hard for harry to tell where he stood with the girl.
"just- i think Louis is mad at me." saying it outloud deepened his frown and he looked down at his hands, trying not to wind himself back up again. "i was going to just go see my mom, and my sister." he admitted.
charlotte was quiet for a moment before sighing. "i knew my brother would fuck up sooner or later." she mumbled, more to herself than anything.
"he goes on these episodes every now and again, whenever something big is happening in his life. like you and the twins. basically he's just really irritable and usually he does a whole lot of killing- which makes him feel better. his temper is still hot though. i guess someone should have warned you." she ran her fingers through her hair, looking around for a moment.
harry listened to her intently. he already figured there was something else going on, so this didn't really surprise him.
"well i suggest you just call them. he'll go ballistic if you leave by yourself without telling anyone." she told him, patting his arm.
harry was about to say something else when he heard louis yelling from inside the house.
"how the fuck did a bunch of werewolves, witches, and vampires, let a pregnant eighteen year old boy leave the house!?"
his voice was powerful and angry and harry grimaced.
"you think i'll be in trouble?" he asked charlotte who had a small smile on her lips.
"probably not." she laughed gently before motioning for him to follow her. "lets go before he gets mad."
harry's eyes widened in disbelief and just a bit of amusement.
this was not him being mad?
the two walked into the house, almost immediately all eyes turned to them, some relieved, some angry- probably because they'd just gotten yelled at just for harry to be right outside.
"louis you can calm down, i've got your baby momma. we were just talking." charlotte told her brother, purposely leaving out the part where harry tried to leave.
louis didn't say anything for a moment, just letting out a short breath- relieved that harry was okay.
harry offered a small smile, but it was obviously forced.
it wasn't that he was scared of Louis now (well anymore than he'd always been), he just wanted to be cautious- not knowing whether he'd blow up or not.
"Fuck, harry! don't do that shit, i was so worried." perrie appeared into the room rushing towards harry and engulfing him in a tight- but careful -hug.
harry returned the hug with a small laugh. "im fine, i just needed some air."
perrie sighed and pulled away. "just let us know next time yeah?"
the people cleared out the room aside from perrie, charlotte, and louis.
harry swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at louis who wasnt meeting his gaze, instead looking at his sister as if trying to tell her something.
not long after that she gave his shoulder a comforting pat before leaving the room, taking perrie with her.
fuck.
"harry."
"yeah?" he looked at louis who stayed a safe distance away from him.
Not scared.
He reminded himself, ignoring the way his hands shook a bit as he clasped them together in front of his belly.
The two were quiet, harry feeling exceptionally small under the calculating gaze of the hybrid.
'Say something...' he shuffled his feet nervously, internally begging for this tense silence to be broken.
Luckily it didn't take long after that for the other man to speak up.
"Never do that shit again." His voice was harsh and to the point, not unlike usual but still made harry clench his jaw to school his reaction.
"I just wanted to see my family. Is that not allowed?" It surprised harry the way his voice hardly wavered, with the way he was shaking not 20 minutes ago he expected to at least stumble on his words.
But fortunately his voice differed greatly with the way he was feeling. Stuck in a place between hurt and scared, his voice sounded confident and accusing.
Louis face darkened and for a moment harry regretted speaking up, but the boost of bravery from him earlier hadn't worn out yet so he huffed in defiance, and didn't take back a thing.
"You are impregnated with my babies-"
"Our babies." And before he could talk himself out of it he continued "im not a vessel for your sperm, im a human being and we are having babies."
"You are pregnant." He deadpanned, obviously not in the mood for harrys nitpicking. "And regardless of the way i say it the babies share my blood. I trust i don't have to tell you again what that means" he leveled him with a glare that succeeded in snuffing what boldness harry had left out for a while at least.
In his last ditch attempt at standing his ground he defaulted to the ultimate revenge; silent treatment.
"Maybe i do." Louis voice was low and aggravated but harry just turned his face towards the floor as to not meet his eyes. "For as long as you are pregnant with those babies you are in danger. Afterwards as well. You sealed your fate when you slept with me. Now you need to be careful if you expect to live long enough to deliver the twins." He paused, probably waiting for harry to interject but the boy just stayed silent.
"Leaving on your own whenever you get homesick is not being careful."
Harry met him with silence, watching him carefully.
The hybrids expression hardened, eyes growing dark. "You may think im over reacting but you are a human, no matter what you think, you are vulnerable and your death is all but guaranteed if you don't start acting like you give a fuck."
Harry bit back a noise of displeasure. Who was he to suggest he didnt care, he was fucking carrying them for fucks sake, putting up with everything this pregnancy entails because he loved them. He did not appreciate being talked to like a child who didn't understand anything. "I care. these are my kids too."
Louis seemed unimpressed, eyebrows drawn angrily.
"Act like it. You dont- fucking up and leave. You cant do that. Just fucking.. leave whenever it bloody pleases you."
"What? Im supposed to stay couped up in your pack house for the rest of my life? Because of one mistake?-"
"You choose to continue the pregnancy after you learned of the consequences. Were you lead to believe that this was a game? After everything you were already put through?" His words came out sort of lisped and harry felt his chest tighten with fear at the fangs blocking suddenly hindering his speech.
He got the urge to back down, to shut up and submit and hope Louis wouldn't stay angry. But he refused, he refused to feel afraid in a house they'd just decided they'd raise their kids in. He couldn't just cower in fear whenever Louis got pissy, couldn't let his kids have this environment growing up.
And no matter how fast his heart was beating or how tight his chest got he knew louis wouldn't hurt him. Even with whatever was wrong with him for him to act like this.
"I am not a hostage. And this isn't me being immature or careless, I want to be safe and I want the twins to be safe but I won't stay here and be treated like shit. We need to be working together and we can't do that if you're going to come home in a bad mood and decide that it's my fault." He lifted his chin in what he hoped looked like confidence. He needed to put his foot down.
Louis didn't say anything and his expression gave little away in terms of how he felt about Harry's minor outburst but he couldn't find it in him to take back the words. He was human and would always be at a disadvantage in this house and soon to be family; his mouth was all he had and as long as he could keep himself from chocking up in fear he'd use it as best he could.
No matter the fucked up power imbalance in this place, harry refused to become docile and complacent and let himself be treated anyway. Even if it took a while to work up the courage.
So he lifted his chin a bit higher, more confident, and sucked in a breath and waited for Louis' response.
Finally his face shifted, showing something.. new, vulnerable. Before closing up again as he spoke.
"Im trying to keep you safe- all of you."
"By ignoring me and snapping when I try and talk to you? I don't... like feeling like you hate me everytime I'm within breathing distance of you. Im a human being, i need.. maybe some care and.. and — i don't know — affection, could go a long way." His cheeks flushed but he pursed his lips defiantly, refusing to look embarrassed or shy about his request. It was so outlandish a thing to ask for, he'd almost begun to think they'd gotten to a place where Louis would be openly affectionate (in his own way) before his mood change.
"If you hate me.. or whatever, just— tell me. Because I can't deal with you acting like you care about me one second and like you can't stand me the other."
This got a bit of a reaction, something like.. guilt, in Louis' expression before it was gone.
"I don't-" Louis ran a hand down his face, eyes suddenly exhausted and the bone deep tiredness now visible in his appearance almost made Harry feel bad.
Almost.
He'd started up the sentence three times now but whatever he means to say must be hard for him because it takes a while for actual words to come out.
"I don't meant to.. hurt you- your feelings." And he paused again, lips pulled into a grimace as if he was forcing himself to say something. explain something, to harry.
"Im not— I..I kill, I maim, I torment. Thats what I'm good at. I don't do this . Caring." For the first time Harry felt like Louis was nervous or anxious. Could tell in the way Louis would look near Harry but not at him; not meeting his eyes.
"And I do. I.. care.. About you; about you three. I thought if I did what I always did and kill our enemies, it'd be enough. To show you." Harry felt his chest tighten. "It's hard for me, every time I'm close to you, it's like I'm filled with so much anger it's blinding. Because I'm made aware that there are people out there alive, and fucking breathing that want to hurt you— hurt us."
Harry felt himself soften at the reluctant confession, but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't say it was just okay because as much as he understood now, he didn't want Louis to think he's okay with how things had gone down this past few weeks.
"I want you to talk to me Louis. Please. You cant-" he stepped forward timidly, still unsure of how close he would be allowed. "You can't shut me out like this again. Im not okay with it, and I.. wont put up with it."
Louis' lip curled slightly as if disgruntled by Harry's words, but he nodded, eyes still never meeting harrys'. "I wont do it again."
And harry.. was inclined to believe him.
He knew it wouldn't come easy to someone who was used to killing problems rather than talking them out but Harry felt like he could trust that Louis would try.
He hoped Louis would try, because Harry didn't know if he could stay in the pack house much longer if he didn't feel safe or wanted.
"Yeah?" He still had to double check, and he wanted louis to actually look at him when he agreed.
As if reading his mind louis look at him finally, eyes tinted darker than usual and yet wasn't sending a shock of fear up Harrys' spine as it once had. He didn't look murderous or angry, he looked determined.
"Yeah. I promise."
And harry smiled softly, but genuinely. He was relieved that their conflict had resolved the way it did, he didn't like being at odds with Louis.
The silence stretched for a moment before Louis stepped close to him, pausing with a hand outstretched as if waiting for permission. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat but he didn't hesitate to nod.
Louis brought a hand up to Harrys' neck and gripped him there gently. He didn't say something and the expression appeared again where he looked to struggle to find words for him.
Soon enough he'd gathered them."I care about you. I want to protect you. Your physical state as well as your mental... I apologize, for being an asshole, okay?" This was quiet, whispered between the two of them like a secret, and it sent a shiver through Harry that had little to do with fear.
He held louis' gaze, heart beating rapidly in his chest before he nodded slowly. "..Okay." And he would've felt like he was breaking something fragile had he spoken louder than a whisper under his breath.
Louis closed his eyes for a moment, as if relieved. He leaned closer and for a moment Harry thought he was going to kiss him, and his heart was going absolutely nuts behind his rib cage. But Louis only leaned so their foreheads could meet and gave a soft sight, squeezed Harry's neck gently and harry had only a moment to relish in it, to melt into Louis touch before he was gone.
He'd only stepped back a bit but Harry felt cold where he'd previously been touched by Louis, and he barely suppressed a whine at the loss.
Louis lips quirked into what could've been a smile. "We Okay?"
Harry nodded, this time a little frantic. "Yes." Breathlessly.
At that moment he felt a kick right below his rips and grinned, fingers finding their way to his pregnant stomach.
Yeah, they were definitely okay.
At least for now they were.
-
Authors note:
Its been so long! Years I think actually lol. Sorry about that, I was seriously not going to ever update this story again to be honest but I've gotten so many requests to update and I'd feel like an asshole if I ignored them. Especially because I may have told a few people I would update ..
I have not written Larry fanfiction in a while and last time I'd written for this story I'd been 16. Im 18 now and I got so much second hand embarrassment from my writing that I didn't even want to keep updating. But I had the beginning of this already typed and I figured, why not.
Okay im really not sure when I'll update again, definitely not years from now thats for sure, but they will definitely not be weekly given im not even super into this fandom anymore (though I still love the boys!!) I do like this story plot line and I want to see where it goes so I will be updating in the foreseeable future!
A.