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Louis slid his glasses on over his face, eyes adjusting slightly as his feet traveled a familiar path down the hallway. Pale blue and yellow glow in the dark stars danced in patterns across the walls of the bedroom door he leaned against, the carpet soft under his bare toes. Stuffed animals were piled on top of a toy chest, a tiny sweater folded neatly on top of a desk fit just for a three foot tall being. Louis padded across the floor, careful not to wake the two snoring, familiar people wrapped up in Toy Story blankets, because his husband and son were very much clocked out. Harry had strong arms wrapped around their son, his body much too big for the twin-sized bed. His knees were at an awkward angle to fit his gangly body onto the bed while still providing enough room if their son decided he wanted to sleep on his mattress rather than his dad’s stomach. The three-year-old named Adam was curled in a ball on top of his father’s chest, stuffed frog under his arm and one hand clutching Harry’s sleep shirt unconsciously. Harry’s mouth was slightly open as he dozed, his lips twitching slightly with every breath and his fingers gentle on Adam’s back. The two looked peaceful and sated, their sound of his boys’ even breaths calming for Louis. He crouched down, brushing his fingers through Harry’s hair. He felt it a crime to wake his husband up when he was like this, but he also didn’t want to hear Harry complaining about the pain in his back from sleeping in this tiny bed for the next week, so he had to get him up and into their own bed. The shooting-star clock on Adam’s night stand provided that it was just after four in the morning, and although it was a Saturday and they hadn’t any plans, he knew Harry would appreciate waking up in a normal-sized bed.
“Sweetheart?” Louis whispered carefully, pressing a kiss to Harry’s temple as he spoke. Harry usually startled awake easily, especially after having their first child together he tended to be a very light sleeper from all his nights bouncing a crying baby with a bottle in his hand. Louis resumed his even strokes on Harry’s short hair until his husband’s eyes flickered, Harry’s confused expression almost endearing until he looked around the room and spied his son wrapped around him. A rocket ship night light provided a dull cast over Harry’s face, and Louis leaned in to kiss his forehead a few times, Harry adjusting slightly as Louis lifted Adam up, gentle as he could, the two working together to get Harry up and out of the bed quickly and efficiently to get their baby back into bed without waking him up.
“Shh, baby, s’just me. Just your Papa. You’re safe. Sleep for me, baby boy.” Louis bounced his son gently as he stirred at the loss and gain of new arms around him, whining a little. Harry climbed off of the bed, fixing the sheets and pulling them back at the same time as Louis tucked the sleeping boy underneath the sheets. Adam curled his cheek into his pillow, Harry placing his stuffie in his wandering fists. Together, the two of them tucked their boy in, his blonde curls and chubby cheeks gentle and calm. Harry smoothed his hand over Adam’s hair a few times, Louis’ arm around his shoulders as they both kissed him goodnight, leaving the door open halfway so the light from the hallway still lit up the room just slightly.
“This way, babe,” Louis directed Harry, who was still slightly disoriented from being woken up so suddenly. Louis squeezed Harry’s hip, fixing his own sweatpants around his narrow hips and walking Harry onward until his knees hit the bed and he laid down, opening his arms and covering his mouth with a yawn for Louis to curl into him. Louis shut off the light, laying his head on Harry’s shoulder and kissing his chin, about to open his mouth before Harry kissed his lips to interrupt him.
“I know, I know. M’not supposed to sleep with him,” Harry said, his voice even lower, slower, even more drawled now that he was on the edge of sleep. He pulled Louis closer to him, Louis hiking one leg over his waist. “He’s supposed to...” Harry paused, tilting his head away from Louis’ for a moment to yawn again, then turning back and tucking Louis’ head under his chin easily. “Supposed to learn to sleep without us, or...something.” He inhaled deeply, his fingers rubbing up and down Louis’ thin shoulder blades almost unconsciously, like it was habitual at this point, which it sort of was. Louis hummed in reply, dipping almost into a peaceful sleep in the arms of his husband. He wrapped a free arm around Harry’s waist, half of his face squished into Harry’s shoulder. Harry’s breaths slowed evenly, and Louis thought he’d fallen asleep until his voice spoke again.
“S’just hard, when he’s crying. I just want to keep him safe.”
Harry’s voice was so low and soft that Louis had barely heard his first few words. Louis sighed quietly, inaudible to Harry, and sat up. He straddled Harry’s lap, his legs on either side of Harry’s hips as he stared at his husband, his hands smoothing the dents of Harry’s stomach, Harry’s shirt lifting every so often with every stroke of Louis’ hands.
“Another bad dream?” Louis asked quietly, Harry’s features much too sad for his liking. Harry nodded slowly, taking Louis’ fingers from where they were rubbing his stomach and kissing them a few times, holding his hand against his own face for comfort. Harry tugged Louis gently, the older man collapsing on top of Harry’s chest, pulling up the blankets around the two of them. It was hard to see where one man ended and the other started, they were wrapped around each other so completely.
Their pediatrician for their son had told them that when Adam were to wake up upset, whether it was a bad dream or he was just agitated, they should by all means comfort him, but not allow him sleep in with them, not like when he was a baby. It was important for his child development that he learn to sleep on his own and not rely on his dads’ bed as a crutch when he needed a cuddle. This was especially hard on Harry who took up a chance for a lie in with his son every time he had one, especially when he was upset. More often than not Louis would wake up on nights just like this one and find Harry in their son’s bed, or asleep on the sofa, their boy bundled in his arms or curled up beside him, drooling on Harry’s shoulder. It wasn’t as if Louis didn’t too want to cuddle with his son, or look after him and protect him from the monsters under his bed, but growing up with multiple young siblings taught him the importance of letting Adam grow up, no matter how hard it was.
“You have such a big heart, Harry,” Louis whispered. “Never apologize for your heart. Adam deserves a Dad like you.”
Harry inhaled deeply, the sound raspy, and without even having to look up from his spot under Harry’s chin did Louis know he was going to cry. Louis squeezed Harry tighter, his hands rubbing slow circles to Harry’s upper back.
“He’s my...he's our boy,” Harry whispered, smoothing Louis’ hair back. Louis adjusted so he had Harry bundled up in his arms, Harry fitting into the little spoon position perfectly. Louis curled around him, protecting Harry from all angles.
“I know, bub. He’s okay though, yeah? He fell asleep perfect because you were there holding him. He’s gonna have such happy dreams. And I can almost guarantee he’ll be waking us up tomorrow, well, today, at the crack of sunlight looking for pancakes, so maybe he won’t be as much our boy then.”
Harry shook with silent laughter, his hand finding Louis’ and resting it against his chest. Louis kissed the shell of his ear, humming softly into it until Harry’s breaths slowed and he finally fell asleep in Louis’ arms, just as Harry had previously done for their baby boy down the hall.
“Pancakes for dinner is even better than breakfast.” Harry stated, standing with his hands on his hips at the kitchen. Louis was sat at the kitchen table, Adam playing with one of his dolls on his lap, a Packers apron that was much too big for him but identical to his father’s wrapped around his waist. The family had spent the day in their pajamas, lounging around and watching films. Adam was delighted to have his fathers’ all to himself for the entire day, and even happier that he could stay in his pajamas, although it was a bit of a wrestle to get him into the bath that morning.
Harry set down a cup of tea in front of Louis, kissing the top of his head and caressing his cheek, sending tingles to zip all the way up and down Louis’ body. A simple act of making his husband a cup of tea without being asked was sending Louis into a tizzy, as if Harry didn’t do similar actions every day. Harry constantly asked Louis throughout the day if he was warm enough, if he wanted the heat turned up a little more. Here’s some water, sweet boy. Are you tired? Some soup, honey? You didn’t eat much at breakfast. And, Louis’ favorite, the quiet, so quiet murmurs of I love you that Harry sent his way every so often, causing goosebumps to cast against his skin. Harry was warm and safe, and his voice was always kind. He seemed to be in a gentle mood that day, especially around his two favorite boys. And when he sat up suddenly during Finding Dory and announced they were having breakfast for dinner, which sent into Adam into squeals of happiness. Louis picked up his steaming mug of tea, helping Adam hop off of his lap and hurry toward the kitchen, where Harry had all the ingredients laid out - eggs, flour, sugar, butter, bacon, various fruits and sausage and toast. Louis smiled fondly as Adam grabbed a stool from the counter top, the two men wincing slightly at the screech it made as Adam pushed it so he was beside his father. Louis concealed a giggle as Harry lifted Adam up, patting his bum once as the two boys shared toothy grins.
Louis watched in half amusement half admiration as his husband patiently showed his son the proper way to make pancakes. “The trick is to put the bananas directly into the batter while you’re mixing, not after you put it on the griddle,” he said seriously to the boy, who was drinking in every word. Adam looked up to both of his dads, but cooking with Harry was a special moment that was just for them, and Louis was happy enough to sit back and watch.
In reality, it should have taken about ten minutes if Harry was cooking by himself, but he took a lot of effort into making sure Adam knew how to cook pancakes “the right way.”
“S’just how my own Daddy taught me, our son has to pass on the family legacy. S’only right,” Harry would tell Louis over breakfast after Louis had complained, once again, of being hungry. And well, Louis couldn’t argue with that. Just because they’d adopted their boy when he was only three days old didn’t mean he wasn’t already part of the family before they’d even laid eyes on him.
They didn’t finish until about eight o’clock that evening, but it didn’t matter, because seeing his son so proudly call “Papa, breakfast! I mean, dinner! It’s ready!”
“I’m so full,” Louis yawned, resting his head on Harry’s shoulder. Harry giggled, scowling when Louis’ fingers tickled his sides through his thin sweater.
“Shove off,” Harry laughed, grabbing Louis’ fingers and shoving them away from his own body gently. Adam was curled up on the other side of the sofa, the three of them in happy food comas for the time being. It was just after nine thirty, the little boy very much passed out after a long day of excitement and cuddles. Harry stood up, Louis grabbing their empty tea mugs and putting them into the sink, happy when he remembered he’d cleaned the kitchen - there was nothing worse than being exhausted and then realizing there was chores to be done. Louis had insisted on cleaning up after his two boys had spent so much time making his breakfast for dinner, it was the least he could do.
Climbing up the stairs sleepily, Louis spotted Harry giving their son a kiss goodnight, kneeling beside his bed. Louis followed him into the room, a small smile on his face. Harry looked up at the feeling of Louis’ warm hand on his shoulder, sliding over to let Louis give their son a goodnight kiss. They tiptoed from the room, once again leaving the door cracked open. The couple went to bed in silence, feeling tired after a long, happy day as a family. Harry slid his shirt off, kicking off his sweatpants onto the floor with a yawn. He stretched, his abs moving with the small chub of his stomach that worked in his favor, yelping when Louis stood behind him, his hand sliding down Harry’s boxers.
His dick was soft in Louis’ hand, but Louis knew the most efficient way to get Harry hard. They stood there at the foot of their bed, Louis humming and smoothing his hand up and down Harry’s cock.
“Lou,” Harry said, his voice somewhat a warning, but the end of it was a low moan. He tilted his head back, panting a little, his legs trembling. Louis kept a strong arm around his hips, otherwise Harry would have fallen on his knees from the pleasurable sensation bubbling in his stomach, his abs clenching and unclenching as he grew closer and closer to his release.
“We have to be quiet,” Louis murmured. “Can you do that for me, baby?” A kiss was pressed to Harry’s shoulder, Louis’ own hard dick very apparent against the small swell of Harry’s bum. Harry bit down on his wrist his other hand clutching Louis’ hair, Louis’ lips attached to his neck as Harry thrusted and groaned through his orgasm.
“Shh, good boy,” Louis whispered. “Good boy, there we are. Such a good boy for me.”
“Oh,” Harry sighed, staring down at the come that was hot against his abs and his black boxers, his entire body still shaking with the intensity and surprise of Louis’ expert hands on his cock. Louis kissed over the dark bruises that were beginning to form on Harry’s neck. Harry’s eyes widened at the sound that could only be Louis sucking on his fingers, and then Louis kissed his cheek, the heat leaving his body. Harry blew out a low breath, shaking his head. “Get over here,” he growled, grabbing Louis’ foot as Louis climbed into bed, Louis giggling in reply, tugging Harry on top of him as the two kissed and grinded against each other, bathed in moonlight.
A few hours later
“Papa?”
“Mmm. Yeah.”
“Daddy, are you awake?”
“Mph.”
“Daddy, please!”
Harry’s eyes slammed open at the sound of desperation coming from the boy stood before him. He was laying in bed, the clock reading half past midnight. Louis was wrapped around him but very much awake, reaching a hand out for Adam to take. Harry took in his trembling lower lip, his mussed-up hair and his wide blue eyes that were filled with hot tears. He recognized that face, even though he wished he didn’t - the face that Adam had after a nightmare. Suddenly thankful both he and Louis had worn at least boxers and t-shirts to bed, Harry scooted over so Adam could lay in between his fathers’. Louis cooed and whispered “You’re okay, bub, shh,” into Adam’s cheek, kissing his forehead multiple times. Harry opened his mouth in confusion, then shut it.
“C’mon, little love,” he said, holding out his hand, even though he didn’t want to at all. Louis’ words from the past night reflected back to him, and he knew he had to get Adam into his own bed - although all he wanted was to wrap him up in blankets and keep him safe from everything.
But Louis held out a hand, touching Harry’s wrist gently and stopping him from continuing. “S’okay for one night,” he said softly, and Harry’s answering smile was enough to set off a thousand fireworks. Adam giggled, making grabby hands for the two of them as he laid in between them, Harry tucking himself in beside his son and his husband. It was just for one night, but to the two of them it was everything. Harry leaned down to kiss Louis' forehead, then his son's, the three boys happily cuddled around each other.