"Miles has been in a fight at school." Harry informed his husband as soon as they came inside.
Louis looked at his ten-year-old. Miles stared back with a defiant pout.
"Why?"
Miles refused to answer and the girls came running inside. They had turned seven. Johannah was a firecracker. She always pulled pranks and got her sister with her. Isobel was a philosopher. She was a lot calmer and quieter than her sister. Despite their differences, they were really close and stuck together.
"Hi, dad!" Johannah smiled.
"Hi Jo, Iz. Did you have a good day in school?" Louis asked and gave them both a hug.
"Yes." Isobel answered with a dreamy smile.
"Yeah, the best part of it was when Miles punched that stupid kid Barry." Johannah grinned.
"Shut up Jo!" Miles growled.
"What? He deserved it!" Jo shouted back.
"Stop fighting! Girl, can you go to your room for a while? We need to talk to Miles alone." Harry said.
Johannah stuck out her tongue to her brother and Isobel dragged her with her. When the girls had left the kitchen they sat down at the table.
"What happened, sweetie?" Harry asked softly.
Miles was twisting uncomfortably in his seat.
"Barry said some bad stuff so I punched him." He mumbled.
"What did he say?" Harry questioned.
Miles sighed and refused to make eye contact.
"He said that we're not a real family, that you can't have two dads because that's wrong."
"I'm glad you punched that little bastard!" Louis snorted.
"Louis!" Harry protested before he turned to their son. "I understand that you got upset but violence is never the answer."
"I don't know about that." Louis mumbled under his breath and Harry gave him a reproachful look.
Louis sighed.
"Papa is right. There will always be ignorant people out there that don't understand better. Try to not let it get to you. I'm proud of you for sticking up for your family but if it happens again, tell an adult and tell us."
"And just remember that there's nothing wrong with our family. Some families have a mum and a dad, some have two mums or dads and some families only have one parent." Harry chipped in.
"Barry only has his mum." Miles said.
"Maybe he misses his dad and takes it out on you because you have two. You never know what's going on with people. Just try and treat everyone with kindness." Harry answered.
"And use your words instead of your fists." Louis said.
"Okay, I'll try." Miles promised.
"We love you, sweetheart." Harry smiled.
"So much." Louis added.
"I know. I love you too." Miles answered and he smiled for the first time since Harry picked him up from school.
They hugged him at the same time.
"Go do your homework now. Dinner's in an hour." Harry said.
As soon as Miles had left the kitchen Harry turned to Louis, looking upset.
"What are we gonna do?"
"Hopefully it's a one-time thing. Let's wait and see. If it happens again we'll contact the school and Barry's mum." Louis answered and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist.
Harry leaned his head against Louis's shoulder.
"I can't bear the thought of Miles getting bullied because we're gay. I'm not gonna stand it."
"Me neither. I understand that this is extra sensitive for you, considering your tormentor in high school." Louis said softly.
"Well, I fucked mine." Harry muttered.
Louis pulled back so he could stare at Harry in surprise.
"What?"
Harry blushed.
"When we broke up. I met him at a gay bar. He apologized for high school and told me he was gay so I fucked him for some kind of revenge. Stupid of me."
Louis burst out laughing.
"That's fucking priceless! Why haven't you told me this before?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Because it's not exactly one of my proudest moments. I just felt dirty afterward and that's when I stopped sleeping around."
"Oh, darling. I think it was the ultimate revenge." Louis grinned.
Harry pecked his lips.
"Dinner."
They watched their son like a hawk for the next couple of weeks and repeatedly asked him about school and Barry but he just said that everything was fine. They were just about to relax when Johannah came to talk to them when she was supposed to be in bed for the night.
"Papa, dad, that kid is still mean to Miles."
"He's still picking on him?" Harry gasped.
"Yes papa, it's awful." Johannah said and teared up.
They both hugged her to comfort her.
"Thanks for telling us, love. We're gonna fix this." Louis promised.
Louis called the principal the next morning and explained the situation. They got an appointment later that day. They both took off work. When they came inside the principal's office a woman was already sitting there.
"Tomlinson's I presume? This is Mrs. White, Barry's mother." The principal introduced them and shook their hand before they took a seat.
"As I already explained to Mrs. White this school has a no tolerance against bullying." The principal began.
"That hasn't stopped her kid from picking on ours." Louis growled angrily and Harry put a hand on his arm to calm him down.
Mrs. White looked embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry. I'm gonna talk to Barry. He's a good kid but it hasn't been easy for him. His dad died two years ago. It's not an excuse, I just want to explain..."
Harry felt bad for her. She looked so tired.
"We're sorry to hear that."
"Of course, but that doesn't give him the right to tell our kid that there's something wrong with our family just because we're homosexuals. I don't know what kind of values you try to teach your son but you need to teach him that love is love." Louis huffed.
"I...he knows that! I'm doing my best." Mrs. White said with a trembling voice.
"I'm sure you are. Raising kids is hard. I couldn't even imagine doing it by myself. Just talk to him. Explain how hurtful it is when he says those things." Harry said.
"Of course." Mr. White promised.
"You can also inform him that he will no longer be a student at this school if he doesn't stop bullying Miles immediately." The principal said firmly and Mrs. White got pale.
"Does Barry like football? My husband is the coach for Arsenal. There's a game on Sunday. Would you like to bring Barry? Free of course." Harry smiled and Louis stared at him in disbelief. Had Harry gone crazy?
Mrs. White's eyes grew wide.
"That's very kind of you but you don't need to do that."
"Nonsense. Give me your number and we'll sort it out. Right, Lou?" Harry asked his husband.
"Right." Louis mumbled.
When they left the principal's office Louis grabbed Harry's arm.
"Why would you offer that? That kid is a pain in the ass."
"And now he might not be anymore." Harry said with a shoulder shrug.
On Sunday they brought the kids to the stadium. They walked inside with Louis while Harry waited for Barry and his mum. They arrived a few minutes later. Mrs. White looked nervous.
"Hi, Mr. Tomlinson. Thank you so much for this."
Harry just smiled at her before he looked at Barry.
"Hi, Barry. Are you excited for the game?"
"Yes. Thank you." Barry mumbled and looked down at his feet.
He showed them to their seats before he joined his family. Miles looked up to where Barry was sitting.
"I think I'm gonna sit with Barry and his mum if that's okay papa?"
Louis overheard and came over.
"You don't have to do that Miles."
"But I want to. Treat people with kindness, right? I'm gonna give him another chance." Miles answered.
"That's very kind of you. Of course, you can sit with them but we're right here if you change your mind." Harry smiled.
Miles headed a few rows up and Harry turned to Louis with a smile.
"We have a great kid."
"That's because he has such an amazing father." Louis replied softly.
"Two amazing fathers." Harry retorted with a smile.