Six Months (prior to proposal). 

There's been series of murders in this little town and every citizen who bothered about modernnews was stricken. A suburban housewife was found with her wrists and feet chopped clean off inher backyard while her little boy hid in his treehouse. The police chief investigated to the bareminimum and issued a thoughtless statement to flag the demise of all intrigue. Two days laterteenage twins were found on their way home from late afternoon classes in the same condition asthe middle class mother. That seemed to be enough for a strict curfew to be imposed on allresidents until a certain suspect is brought in. 

Public facilities were shut down by seven in the evening and anyone caught outdoors by thenwould be taken into the station for questioning. Despite these precautionary measures, three moreunconnected individuals were sliced through with an unidentified weapon and found by dawn onthe curb. Nearly everyone was in a panic and found themselves triggered by the slightest rustle intheir gardens or a single bark from their dogs at a window. 

The killings have prompted nothing overly cautious in Harry except his promise to stay with Louisuntil the hype was irreversibly quietened by an arrest. He was either unbothered by the horrificserial murderer traipsing around their town or did not plan to take the entire ordeal very seriously.Louis could not read which it was when they sat in front of the television together watching KingKong (2005) and he strayed from the screen to study Harry's side-profile.

"You're not the killer, are you?" He blurted out softly, surprised by his own enquiry.

Harry glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and curled the corner of his lip in a chuckle."No, princess. I am not the killer."Louis sat up from his slouched hiding amongst fourteen cushions and crossed his legs so theyweren't draped over Harry's lap anymore. "You sure?" 

With a nonplussed sigh, Harry turned to Louis. He was dressed for bed as was Louis which meanthe had on nothing besides boxers; Harry was at his most harmless when he could fall asleep at anymoment. The bags under his eyes were usually difficult to spot even if he wore no cosmetics butafter a shower and he let his mortality show, he was no more vulnerable than Louis."Does it not satisfy you to know that I'd never hurt you?" Harry asks with a raised brow, his voicemany times raspier from exhaustion."I knew it." Louis collapses back into his nest of plush objects while Harry gets to his feet, pryingthe rings off his fingers to toss onto the chipped coffee table. "No one's as good looking as youand not luring poor innocents out of safety."

Harry briefly glares at Louis in jest before walking away to set the alarm at Louis' front door."You should be in bed by the time I come back, Louis." 

"I won't." Louis yawns in the middle of his response, barely reacting beyond a whine when Harrypats his behind encouragingly. "I'm sleeping here tonight."Upon Harry's return he finds his boy fast asleep clutching a beaded unicorn plush toy from theirfirst carnival visit together. He hates to indulge Louis and each time swears it will be the last timehe does, doing so even now when he carries Louis and his silly stuffed toy away from the couch."You're not fooling anyone, princess." Harry whispers in Louis' ear when he's nudging thebedroom door open.Louis reveals one eye open and screams when he's tossed carelessly onto the bed. "You still fellfor it though." 

"Sleep." Harry orders when Louis rather scrambles over to the window and peeks through theblinds. He sighs at being ignored and crawls over to the boy, sitting at his back while Louis staresout at nothing. "Nothing's gonna happen to you, baby." 

"I'm sure the victims' friends told them that too."

"Hey." Harry frowns at hearing this and forcibly turns Louis away from the night, his expressionset in a hard certainty. He pinches Louis' chin between his thumb and forefinger, looking intothose perfect blues and all the fear they housed. "You think I'm ever going to let anything happento you?

"No." Louis feels nothing but confidence in saying that but he also knows Harry isn't going to bewith him at all hours of the day. He turns his head to the side in Harry's grasp and his bottom lipjuts out ahead of the upper one as Louis rests his cheek on Harry's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'llprotect you too."A small chortle is pressed to the back of Louis' neck. "Thanks, baby."It takes two weeks and a visit from out-of-town cops who were stationed in larger counties to findthe killer. A toymaker who has had his store on the busiest street turned out to have a hiddenstorage room within his reputable one where over a dozen freezers sat laden with severed limbs.He was shipped off to the first town his criminal record listed for imprisonment but in a car wreckon the way there died from being trapped in a burning patrol car.

Everything went back to normal after that and the cemetery was busier than any mall for a fewdays but eventually their hometown returned to its equilibrium. Teenagers stayed out late oncemore and people weren't so afraid to do their laundry if they worked late. The police station wasonce more stocking up on doughnuts and paperwork, considering the only crimes taking placewas petty theft. 

Harry was working once again six out of the seven days and no longer lived with Louis;dangerous waters had passed and his boy was no longer afraid. During his breaks between clientsor just going to different floors for his next appointment Harry would call Louis for nodecipherable reason. He couldn't explain to himself why he needed to hear Louis' quirkinessduring the day to know his boy is safe still."I have a test in an hour." The echo that trailed Louis' speaking was indicative that he'd stolenaway to the empty auditorium where he could be in peace. "I should be studying, Styles."Harry offered meek waves to the people greeting him as he walked through the second floor. Hewas a little breathless and it slowed it speech but Louis found it endearing. "Bunking classes tostudy seems counterintuitive." 

Louis is not surprised to hear advanced vocabulary from a man who had the intelligence of anintellectual but chose to mask it like an underappreciated superpower. "Don't be a party pooper,Styles." 

"Speaking of-"

"Nope." Louis swings his legs over the edge of the stage, grinning at his lap. He promised once toattend a party with Harry but never again.Harry sighs, aware earlier of the difficulty Louis could incite when he was stubborn. "Not even tocelebrate the end of test season?" 

"Not even to celebrate a deferred alien attack." Louis retorts. "As much of an honour it would beto be Harry Styles' date, it gets kinda old."A hoarse bout of laughter rings through his earpiece and even still prompts the hairs on Louis'nape to stand on end. Harry's laugh is one of the few genuine sounds left that not many get to seefrom him. He'd smile or bite his lip to suppress some amusement in public surrounded bystrangers or even the people he slept with, but those times he'd listen to Louis' script for a dramaproject or fail at teaching Louis to box his laughter is unadulterated, unrestrained magic.Sometimes his eyes would water from it and Louis felt like a King at those moments."I'll tell you a secret if you let me extort this date out of you." Harry lowers his voice to not beheard by passing people. 

Louis snorts, shuffling papers on his lap. "I already know you're in love with me, Styles."

"Did you find out because of the ring in my coat pocket?"

"Don't play with my heart like that, H." Louis stops his search for a worksheet and hugs his kneesto his chest. "You gonna ask someone else to the stupid party if I keep saying no?"He plans to attend the party but just not as Harry's companion. It's being hosted by one of the fewhospitable friends of Harry's that Louis can tolerate, Ed, and it's in honour of the man's birthday.Louis has to pick Harry's gift up after school and go home to get dressed before Ed comes to fetchhim. Strangely enough, Louis is part of the surprise along with the sparkly birthday banner, pinkfrosting cake and plastic king's crown."Yes." Harry replies after a silent heartbeat. 

Louis whistles a catcall; he does so because it's less obvious than a frustrated scream. "Do I know'em?"

"You know you're the only one I'd date. Don't be cruel, princess." 

I'm so tired, H." Louis sighs, drumming his fingers against the side of his thigh. "I'll think aboutit, okay?"The ambiguous response is hardly satisfactory and Harry pinches the bridge of his nose, shovingopen a heavy glass door to enter the appointment room. "I want an answer by the time I come tofetch you later."After they bid adieu to one another Louis rushes to gather his belongings while simultaneouslycalling Ed with the latest developments. Always a few steps ahead, Ed reassures Louis that Harrywill not know about their plan until the right moment of revelation.

Louis' test goes off without the trial of doubting answers and he packs up to leave by his lockerwhile others file out the main entrance. He reads a text from Ed saying that Harry is with himrather than waiting for Louis on his way to catch a bus to the business district. If Louis considershimself skilled at anything without humility it's that he always knows the perfect gift for someoneand after knowing Harry for little under a year he's confident that the most ideal one has beenchosen.

The store he runs into is manned by a startled youngster who offers a red-faced Louis water beforethe latter's departure but Louis is in too much of a hurry for courtesy. He checks the receipt andboxed gift, handing over all the money he's set aside in an empty pickle's jar for Harry's birthday.To his credit, five cents were in excess. During his sprint back to the bus stop Louis gets a callfrom Harry that he only answers when the bus doors slide shut and most of his anxiety subsides.

He reassures Harry that he is home safe and listens to countless aggravated apologies on his trekup the driveway. Before Harry can ask about his decision on the party the call is cut by someoneelse intervening on the man's side and Louis winces at the unthinkable punishment they'dundergo for doing so. Wrapping Harry's gift is far more enjoyable when Louis is using yellowwrapping paper with tiny tiaras on it and shakes out the tremors in his hand before scribbling aspolite a note as he can to accompany the present.

'Because my kisses can't heal everything, Styles. Happy Birthday! - Princess'

By the time Louis finishes his shower during which the water ran cold because he forgot to turnon the geyser, he has twelve minutes to be ready for Ed's arrival. He sneezes thrice when dressingin all black and has to smack his hairdryer a few times for it to kick up after dying. The only thatcatches one's eye about his outfit is the obscene silver plastic princess tiara he carries – it's asymbol, Ed promised him – to wear in his still damp hair.Ed offers him a tissue when Louis' nose turns bright red on the drive to his house and then Advilwhen they arrive. Louis is kept from the living room because Harry is in there still an obliviousfool. He takes a pair of pills to end his headache and goes about preparing a cup of tea now thathe's unsupervised so soothe the chill that's settled in his bones. Not wearing a jacket was theproduct of hurrying and Louis regrets not being more timeous.

His gift is taken to the lot of others while Louis hides out with his mug of steaming herbal tea; hehates Ed for not having any other kind. For a few minutes he is by himself and his childish plastictiara, playing with it and its flimsy structure until one fake diamond falls off and he decides to set itaside. The tea does enough to stop an itch in his throat and warms his chest so Louis calls it asuccess.While washing the cup he's used – he plans to abandon the dishes he uses later so for now he'll bea neat guest – Louis is offered a fright by someone sneaking up behind him. He screams and thecup clatters unharmed into the sink but his hip does not so simply recover from colliding with thecountertop. 

Whoever it is needs no self-proclamation. Heavy arms encircle Louis' waist and lock securely intheir position, a wall of muscle in the form of a human chest meets his back and Louis knows onlyone person who would be bold enough to kiss the same spot on his neck every time. Harry's scentis marred by cigarette smoke but Louis can wait for it to waver so he may lean back for thesignature blend of subtle aftershave and treetops."You really suck at doing as you're told, Styles." Louis jokingly remarks, pressing the cold tip ofhis nose to Harry's pulse. 

Harry returns the gesture by flipping Louis' position so the boy's back met the counter instead. Hewas smirking almost evilly down at Louis, his arm outstretched to the cabinet above Louis' head.What drew from his looming figure was the crown fit for a king planted on his head and Louisgiggled at seeing it a little tilted."Happy birthday." Louis stretched up to peck both Harry's cheeks and his lips. "You old enoughto be my grandpa yet?" 

"Thank you, baby." Harry discreetly slipped his palms into Louis' back pockets and jerkily tuggedhim forward, their front aligned. He leaned forward at the complaint of his lower back to kissLouis more to his liking, licking into the boy's mouth with uncensored moan.Someone else barged into the kitchen in search of the birthday boy and groaned miserably at thereality that their surprise is shot to Hell. It's Ed's brother, Derek, who drove down from the city tohelp out with the party preparation and he had much less patience than his sibling. "Oh fuck,Styles. Can't you do what you're told?"Louis laughs against Harry's swollen lips and withdraws reluctantly to take in the intruder. He'sshocked by the purple bruise around Derek's left eye. "Christ. What happened to you?"

"Styles doesn't like having his phone nabbed." Derek glowered while Harry explained hisreaction with the most disinterested shrug he could muster.The birthday party is successful even if the surprise element was smothered. Altogether there werelots of unfamiliar faces for Louis but Harry seemed to know most of them and as the night drewon, Louis felt his cold return with a vengeance. He stayed away from alcohol and drank two morecups of tea because no amount of willpower could keep the pounding in his skull at bay. Harrykept him near always until Louis absolutely could not stand the loud music and had to step awayfrom it all.Louis was there when they brought out the outrageous two-tier cake; Harry made a rule of nophotographs and Louis is silently grateful because any flashes might send him into a frenzy. Hetemporarily departs to wash the same cup for the fourth time, swearing like the three occasionsbefore that this would be the last time, and is halted midway because of a terrible commotion.

An object crashes thunderously in the living room and shouting ensues shortly after. Leaving thesink in a rush Louis makes it into the lounge in time to see what he'd just begun to surpass as afear. Harry was the one to cause the destruction of Ed's media centre by shoving an unidentifiedother into it, the same stranger who he had under him now and at the ruthless mercy of his fists.They pummelled into his opposition's face until most looked away because of a crimson splatteracross his shirt.Louis doesn't think when he throws himself into the traumatic mix. He shoves through severalhypnotised bodies and fails to think of a tactic when all that burdens him is the broken jaw ofHarry's victim. Draping himself over Harry's back, Louis wraps his arms around the man's neckand tries desperately to pull him off. Harry truly is immovable when he's driven by less dignifiedmotivation; it's like trying to stop a mountain's shift. 

"Stop it, Harry!" Shouting does nothing even when Ed tries to intervene. There's a look inHarry's eye that only surfaces in violence and it scares Louis but so long has it not made anappearance that he almost thought it to be entirely warded off. Louis digs his nails into Harry'schest and speaks lowly in his ear. "Let's go home, Harry. Please. Let's go home."Everyone was in abominable shock when Louis led Harry between them and out through thekitchen doorway. He couldn't stop the shaking in his hands or legs because something in his corehad been uprooted, and it still trembled. Seeing the blood spray from deep gashes or the hearingthe sickening crunch from a shattered collarbone and broken jaw was not something anyone isgoing to forget soon. This is what Louis never slip about Harry but sadly everyone else did.Recently he's been as outwardly pleasant as any healthy social personality would be but under itall raged a darkness that everyone forgot could re-emerge at will. 

him so he braved the opportunity to ask Harry. They were both home due to it being a Sundayand Louis had just finished up a project while Harry worked in the garage on his van."Hey." Louis strolled into the opened garage attached to his house and found Harry bent over thehood, fidgeting with things he could not begin to comprehend.Harry was a frightening one sometimes though Louis never felt threatened. The morning after theentire bloody debacle he was back to normal yet acknowledged the fight as a thing of the past. Hestopped now to greet Louis with a kiss the latter was not expecting. "Princess." 

Louis left his lips frozen for a second before recovering. "You didn't tell me something waswrong with your ride."

"Nothing is wrong." Harry's blackened fingers were wiped across his vest after being grazed bysomething too hot. "I'm changing the oil and replacing the drive belt."

Sure, sure." Louis pulled himself up onto the barren surface of Harry's fire-truck red tool cabinetthat's the result of a pawn shop purchase and second hand tools. It lives in Louis' garage now andbecause of that, had panda stickers creeping up the sides.The cabinet incidentally has wheels and starts rolling under Louis' added weight. Harry grabs theside bar before it slams into the wall and gives his boy stitches, snapping the stoppers into place soit won't move. "Any particular reason you're out here, baby?"Louis feigns offence, crossing his legs on the cabinet's top. "You get to be clingy but I can't?Rude, Styles."Harry sets his tools down and comes to Louis in one stride. His arms and cheek are stained withgrease, his thin vest straining against his torso when the man leans forward with his hands pressedto the cabinet's opposite handles. Louis finds Harry's face an inch from his and twists the fabric ofhis sleeves. 

"I know my boy and I know now that you have an agenda." Harry squeezes Louis' hip, theintensity of his stare burning holes into Louis' skin. "You want to know about the party, don'tyou?"Louis has he grace to look vaguely guilty. He feels Harry's lips on his forehead and releases ashuddery breath. "What did he say to you?"Harry meets Louis' eye with a heated gaze that's laced with the formidable intensity of rage. It's apoison that turns Harry's warm green, golden flecked orbs to harbours of misery. Louis' not met asoul who could experience emotions as fervently as Harry did – an extreme case of empathy thatin violence's case became his downfall. He feels cowardly turning his attention to his lap wherethe infliction of Harry's unwavering focus is not so severe. When Louis begins to think Harrynever plans to answer him, he is struck dumb by painful honesty. 

"He thought you were a hired whore. Asked me where he could get one for himself." Harrypushes off the cabinet so abruptly that it sends the object jolting backward with the boy perchedatop it as well.Louis swallows thickly, no words on his tongue. All the comebacks he armed himself with dailyseemed to tie before his lips and something internal deflated with his mood. Someone thought hewas a prostitute? While Louis rarely allowed an offence to wound him there were some thatsneaked around his defences. What about him was so cheap that night?"Princess." Harry snaps Louis out of his mental struggle, dropping the item in his hand and goesback to his companion with solace. He kissed Louis and encircled the boy's waist without a carefor staining his clothing. Louis took a beat before reacting to the kiss, leaning upward with a softsound at the back of his throat. "You're my boy and no fucker's ever going to insult my boy." 

"But he did." Louis meets his gaze easily and in his own eyes was sadness, the image of someonewhose self-esteem has been prodded at.Harry uncrosses Louis' legs so they can wrap around his waist instead, tilting the latter's headback to monitor the disheartened embers' retreat. "And he got taught his lesson, baby. You are notallowed to be hurt by this." 

Louis' shoulders sag in defeat and he knows Harry is watching him this fixedly for a reason. "I'mnot hurt. My honour got defended by the famous Harry Styles, how could I be sad about that?" 

"Princess, it's not about that." Harry distractedly brushes his thumbs over Louis' hipbones wherethe boy is distressingly slender enough to have slight hints of the rounded bone protrude throughhis skin. "I've always got you. You need to know that the bastard's comment is meaningless."

"I know." And Louis feels no self-doubt when he smiles after saying it. The opinion of anabsolute barbaric stranger should never have had an effect on his thought process for even aninstant. "Thanks, Styles."Harry helps Louis off the cabinet when they boy starts to fidget and smirks, a dimple showing inhis left cheek when he carelessly pinches Louis' behind during the latter's departure. "Are yougrateful enough to bring me a beer?" 

Louis doesn't miss a beat. "I don't have beer and I ain't your wife."Harry only got to open his presents three days after the nasty occurrence; no charges were filedagainst him in that period and Ed swung by with all the forgotten presents when Harry was atLouis' house. At first they're seen as impositions because the pleasantly wrapped objects renderbitter-sweet memories, but Louis walks out of his shower and convinces Harry that it could beideal to sit with hot cups of cocoa and open up presents."Stop looking so glum." Louis leaves his own gift hidden behind him and passes Harry one box ata time, gently kicking the brooding man's knee

Most of the gifts comprised of hilarious printed vacation shirts that are so far from Harry'sconventional style that they each made Louis laugh in wild derision. He even puts one on thatflows down to his thighs with flamingos and playfully shimmies animatedly in it until Harry'smood lightens. The man can only resist Louis' juvenile behaviour for so long before he caves andgives in to kindred laughter. When Louis walks by him, Harry grabs hold of the boy's hips andplants a kiss squarely on each side of his behind.It eventually comes down to what Louis bought for him and he's all measures of nervous whenHarry reads the kitten label. Without looking away Harry raises his eyebrow and begins thetorturous process of neatly unwrapping the box to draw out the horror of anticipation. He flicks offevery tape piece and unfolds the edges of wrapping paper with delicate ease until he's bombardedwith the gift giver climbing onto his lap and completing the unwrapping process for him.

"I was going to savour it because not every day do I earn a gift from my princess." Harry muses,looking at the ominous brown box that's one up in size from a shoebox.Louis rolls his eyes and listens to his own heart thump against the inside of his ribcage. "If youhate it just pretend to love it, will you?"

Harry reacts to the jet black boxing gloves with an embroidered eagle on each hand withunmistakeable awe. He doesn't have to size them on to know they're a perfect fit and turns overthe gloves to find HS sewn into the wrist on the right one. Louis is looking at him with suchuncertainty, chewing on his bottom lip and altogether fidgety."Oh my God, you hate it." Louis observes Harry's stoic expression and takes back his thoughtfulpurchase. He fails in trying not to squeal when he's tackled to the floor and his flailing limbs arepinned to the shaggy carpet. 

"This is mine now, princess, just like you are." Harry bites Louis' bottom lip and tugs gently so hegets to hear his boy's soft mewl. "I don't think anyone's gonna risk their vein by trying to takeeither of those things from me."

 * * * * * 

Present. 

Louis picked up his diploma on an ominous, chilly Thursday and visited an internet café at theirtown's only major mall to email the credentials to his university. They'd alter his offer fromconditional to firm and within the coming week he'd receive his first package of assignments.Harry's working all day until five in the afternoon in the independent gym just across the streetfrom the mall Louis' in, which is one of the reasons he was allowed to go about his business byhis lonesome.During his wait for a toasted sandwich and bottled water in a perfectly located breakfast-only foodjoint, Louis thinks about if he's at all in the mood to prepare dinner.

 While he ate, he took theescalator up to the level where Harry's gym is easy to access from the parking lot, and happenedby a baby store. It draws him in instantly; before he can comprehend the effect of time Louis isperusing the isles and humming to himself during a thorough inspection of a massive fetusdevelopment collage. 

In Louis' pocket, his phone vibrates and he winces at the sight of his digital clock. Furthermore,the person calling has to be much unlike their caller identification picture. "Hey, baby daddy." 

"Princess." Louis can tell by Harry's exasperated sigh that he's conflicted in his own anger. "Yousaid twenty minutes." 

"I said an hour, Styles. You said twenty minutes." Louis quips. He's brushing his fingers over themost delicate fabric a person could ever invent, all snipped and sewn into adorable baby attire."No matter, baby. Get back here right now."Louis keeps his voice low in spite of his vociferous pleading, momentarily distracted by a womanwalking by that's plenty weeks ahead of him. "But your gym is boring and I found a baby store,Harry. Everything is so cute."A breath is cut off with Harry's overzealous protective measures. The thought of buying theessentials for their baby made something in him feel lighter, eager. "I'm sure everything is, baby.Do me a favour and come back, alright? When I'm done working we can go over together." 

"Alright." Louis relents with pursed lips. "If this onesie gets sold before we get back, it's on you." 

Watching Harry work for the next few hours felt more tedious than possibly any other tiresomeobligation, and Louis makes certain it shows on his face. However not even he can resist when thelast client cancels and Harry fights in the ring with another trainer for a fraction of that time. Louiswould be silly and painfully ignorant if he didn't appreciate Harry's body in all its gladiatorialmuscular glory. People tended to become slow as they grew heavier up top but Harry had swiftfooting even so.He didn't notice until enough jabs were made to Harry's opponent's jaw and it was impossible toignore; Harry was using the gloves Louis got him for his birthday. It brought heat crawling up hisneck and undoubtedly turned his cheeks a shy pink. Those gloves looked faintly worn but Harryhas obviously been maintaining them because they still served their purpose well. 

Harry gets out of the ring after saying something to the other occupant and comes to Louis firstwhere the boy is fidgeting with a single dumbbell of one kilogram. Louis hands him the towel hewas in charge of and stands with a stretch. "I know workouts are supposed to be fun but Ihonestly think it's the same stuff done in different sequences." 

"That's exactly what it is, baby." Harry chuckles, stripping off his shirt ahead of the showers andwiping away the sweat sheen from his skin. "People are willing to pay so who am I to denythem?"Louis can't smother his grin at that comment, walking into the abandoned locker rooms designatedfor employees only. He stopped feeling like a rebel when everyone who ever used these showerscame to know who he was. Harry takes out the inexplicably massive gym bag out from his slotand dumps it on the bench, winking at Louis when the latter glares pointedly at him. They bothrecall his comment about being able to fit Louis into the bag with a little cooperation.

"Go shower, Styles." Louis holds his hand out when Harry steps over the bench in one stride, hisarm slipping around Louis' waist. Soft blue ignites emerald when they connect. "You're not goingto kiss me when you're all sweaty"

Harry is shameless in palming Louis' behind and moaning when their lips meet. He concentrateson the union with a slight frown on his brow that has gone without notice until recently. Louisblushed every time he thought about Harry focusing on their silly teenage necking so intently."Would an offer to shower with me go rejected?" Harry asks breathily, brushing the pad of histhumb over Louis' bottom lip. He smiled at the other's keenness under his hands.Louis whimpers when the room starts to spin, one of the many times it's happened as promised bythe only pregnancy book they bothered to buy. He waited for it to pass by leaning entirely onHarry and closing his eyes, experiencing yet another pang of nausea. 

To accompany the wonderful symptoms are others that made his appetite as broad as that of ahippo and turned his snoring into a champion's trumpet. Harry once left the bedroom during thenight because of how loud Louis' snoring was and they had an argument about it the nextmorning before Louis went out and bought a small humidifier in the shape of a pink hippo. Harryloathed the thing and said it made the air too thick to breathe, so he slept on the couch for a fewnights while Louis ignored him."The steam might help with this nose of yours, old boy." Harry gently flicks the tip of Louis' nosewith his index, laughing at the scowl that was returned. "You know I hate sleeping away from mybed." 

"Jerk." Louis stuck his tongue out at his partner. "I hope you fall off the stupid couch tonight."

"Sorry, princess." Harry poorly refrains his laughter, rubbing his palm across the expanse ofLouis' taut belly under his shirt. It was always warm and Harry's favourite place to rest his ear asif anything could be heard from his unborn child. "I've got you all sweaty too now, I believe.Showering with me is no longer a choice."Louis knew there would be a quick but futile argument before he gladly got under the shower'sassaulting spray with Harry. It's another thing they argued about – the temperature at which thewater should be when they're sharing – and while Louis thought his selection is suitable for themboth, Harry pointed out that it was akin to showering with molten rock instead of water. It'sanother aspect that was turned around unexpectedly on them during this pregnancy.

Harry went through the works, shampooing his hair and rinsing it out even if he knew it'll have todry naturally without the aid of a hairdryer. Louis squeaked when Harry reached for him belowhis waist, and jumped back only to be roped in again. "We are not having sex here, Harry." 

"I know, princess." Harry smiled gratefully when Louis wiped the soap suds away before theycould reach his eyes, and drew Louis further into the water. 

"It's freezing!" Louis exclaims, squirming out of Harry's arms. His teeth start to chatter even,before Harry turns the hot water dial all the way up. "Should I expect your skin to start meltingoff?

"Maybe it will." Harry's exterior was turning bright pink, pale skin morphing into flushed red buthe failed to react. He nudged Louis' cheek with his nose. "Will you miss me if my skin melts off?"Louis turns his head into Harry's neck with a deep inhale. "You miss me and I'll miss you,Styles."They make it to the baby store an hour before closing and Louis gets to purchase the little greenonesie he yearned for; it came with a matching beanie that made him coo out loud. The singleoutfit is all they had cash on them for so Harry let Louis indulge in fantasy for a few minutesbefore ushering him out of the mall, trying to keep his own self-hatred at bay. He should be able toprovide for both Louis and the baby whenever they asked for something of necessity. The fact thathe'd merely left his wallet and all pertinent cards at home today didn't dawn well on Harry. 

Louis takes a photo of the newest buy before tucking it back into its bag and the closet. When thePolaroid produces an image, he writes in his neat scrawl 'Baby's first.' 

************

the end of part four of the five part series written by ss98