Archive of Our Own

°~°~°

"Daddy," Harry hears his favourite voice in the whole wide world shout out to him as soon as the front door opens, where his mother has dropped her off from picking her up from daycare. "Daddy, daddy, daddy!" The chant continues while little feet come pattering through the hallway.

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm here. What's up?" He crouches down and opens his arms, to welcome his daughter into a big bear hug. It's the best feeling ever to feel those little chubby arms wrap around his neck, squeezing as tight as is possible for a three year old. Well, if you ask Ada then she's threeandahalfalmostfouralready.

Even though being a single dad hasn't been easy for him ever since Ada's mom left them more than two years ago now, Harry wouldn't want to change it for the world. Being a dad that is. The being single part is still hard sometimes. Though he enjoys not having to discuss every tiny detail in his and Ada's life, he sometimes misses someone to share the responsibilities with. Also to enjoy all the little and not so little joys a family-life holds with. 

Life has become more and less complicated at the same time ever since the day they were left with only the two of them. Where Ada's mom was very intent on portraying the picture perfect to the outside world, Harry's goal has always been for his family to just be happy. After a while, family life with all its pressure and conflicts became too much for Ada's mom and she decided to leave them in order to pursue her career and start her life over. Without them. Harry was disappointed, but not heartbroken, as their relationship was more born out of necessity than anything else. It just wasn't meant to be. So Harry was happy now with his little family, even though sometimes he felt like someone was missing.

"Da-ddy!" Ada pulls him out of his reminiscing.

"Yes, darling, sorry. Daddy wasn't listening." Harry chuckles.

"Not nice, daddy," Ada scolds him with a very serious little face, at which Harry has to suppress a laugh.

"So, what's up? What made you so excited?" Harry affectionately brushes one of her unruly dark curls out of her face, listening attentively now.

"I want to sell biscuits!" She says excitedly, wiggling on her little feet, barely able to keep still.

Harry frowns. "You want to what?"

"Sell biscuits. You're not listening, daddy!" Ada has her serious face with a little scrunched up nose back on. It's just too endearing. But Harry tries to take her very seriously anyway.

"Why though?" He tries to clarify this very unusual request.

"Because Ella said, everyone is selling biscuits. And we are everyone, too, aren't we, daddy?" Ah, Ella, Ada's best friend from next door.

"And why is 'everyone' selling biscuits?" Harry interrogates her further.

"For the summer fair at school. They make biscuits and then sell them and then bring the money to school for prizes. I also want to make biscuits for prizes." Ada claps her chubby hands together. She's just the cutest. That's also why it almost breaks Harry's heart to take the illusion from her.

"Darling, I don't think that'll be possible. Remember, you're not at school yet."

At that Ada pouts. "But I want to be at school. Then I can make biscuits." She stomps with her foot one time.

"But it's their thing, we don't want to take that from the kids at school, right? Do you understand that?" Harry carefully asks.

"No," Ada keeps pouting.

"It's like… you have a great idea for a game with Ella and your friends, and suddenly someone else says it was their idea. Would you like that?" Harry tries to explain.

"No, that wouldn't be nice. It was my idea," Ada says emotionally, tears welling up in her eyes. Harry pulls her into a hug.

"See? And that's why we don't want to take the idea of the school kids." Harry finishes his explanation, hoping to get out of the task of setting up a stand to sell biscuits.

"Then we have our own idea!" Ada suddenly shouts, the excitement back in her glimmering eyes. "Do you have an idea, daddy?" She asks hopefully, and Harry deflates. How can he resist those eyes? Also, it seems he has maneuvered himself into a corner with this argument. Why are these little humans so clever?

"I'm going to think about it, okay?" Harry offers, hoping that Ada would forget about this endeavour over time.

But of course he has no such luck. Every chance she gets, Ada asks Harry about 'his idea'. "Daddy? Do you have an idea yet?" and "Daddy, what are we going to sell?" and "Daddy! Ella is selling biscuits already. I want to sell something toooooooo!"

Harry feels that his time has run out and the project 'forgetting about the biscuit-stand' wasn't a success.

Harry rakes his brain, even asks Gemma for help, who comes up with the idea, "why don't you sell something that goes with the biscuits? Like hot chocolate?"

The only problem is… it's summer. Who in their right mind would want hot chocolate? And he couldn't bear the disappointment in Ada's eyes if they wouldn't sell anything. But the general idea is good, he thinks. And then, one day on his trip to the grocery store he suddenly has the perfect idea. What do all kids want on a warm summer day, which goes perfectly with biscuits? Lemonade!

Not wanting to make Ada wait any longer, he immediately stacks up on several bottles of lemonade and curses his stupid idea to go grocery shopping by foot. When he finally arrives home, he's sweaty and his arms feel heavy like lead, but it's all forgotten the moment he tells Ada about his plan. Not often has he seen her this happy, jumping up and down, running like a headless chicken through their little backyard, yelling, "We gonna have a stand! We gonna sell something!"

And so they do — setting up some tables in their front yard, decorating it with a colourful cloth, filling the lemonade into an appealing carafe, crafting a little crooked sign that says "glass of lemonade 0,50£", installing a parasol against the summer heat, and they're ready to go.

People stroll by their little stand on and off all afternoon. Some neighbours come by, and of course Ella and her mum. Even some random passersby can't help but stop seeing Ada's cute sign and excited eyes.

However, most of the time it's just sitting around and waiting, watching Ada play in the shadow on the lawn and enjoying her skipping over excitedly every time someone is nearing their stand. Harry isn't particularly mad about a lazy afternoon in the sun sipping some lemonade though. It's a welcome refuge from their busy life as a family of two.

He perks up though when a man stops at their stand who he doesn't remember having seen before. He's easy on the eyes — shaggy hair but not messy or unkempt, more like adorably tousled by the wind, bright and friendly blue eyes, sharp cheekbones, a delicious scruff decorating a sharp jawline. Not to forget the charming crooked smile on his lips. Fit build too, a bit shorter than average, though that only added to the very pleasing overall appearance.

Harry is snapped out of his observation by the man's voice which is an intriguing mix of soft and raspy. "What do we have here?" The man directs his question directly at Ada who is excitedly bouncing on her tippytoes next to Harry.

"'s my lemonade!" she exclaims, her enthusiasm never waning.

"Oh, that's a fantastic idea on a summer day just like today," the man says, tone appreciative and soft, as if he knows exactly how to talk to children.

"Was my daddy's idea," Ada says proudly, looking up at Harry with stars in her eyes and Harry could just melt on the spot from all the love he's feeling for his little whirlwind.

"Is that so?" the man smiles softly and watches them with a warm gaze, apparently liking what he sees.

"Yeah, I guess I had a part in it. Only a tiny one though," Harry chuckles, discreetly clearing his throat and trying to stop the blush that's creeping onto his cheeks under the attention of the guy, but to no avail. He could just chalk his heated face up to the warm weather though, right?

"Nice," the man nods and smiles at Harry before he turns all his attention to Ada again. "And what are you selling your lemonade for?"

"To get very many cents," Ada states with all the confidence her tiny body contains.

"Just for your pocket money?" the man asks kindly.

"Noooo," Ada shakes her little head, making her curls bounce, "for the school! For the prizes!" Her eyes glow eagerly.

"Ohhh?" Now the man looks seriously surprised. "You're in school already? I should have known, such a clever girl as you are."

Ada laughs as if he has made a fantastic joke. "You're funny. I'm not in school already. But Ella is. Ella's my friend." She pushes out her chest proudly.

"Wow," the man nods appreciatively, "So you're collecting the money for your friend's school?"

Ada nods happily.

"Very noble. I admire that a lot!" He nods, starting to roam in the messenger bag he has slung over his shoulder. He pulls out his purse and makes to take out some coins. "I'd love to have two lemonades then, please," he says, putting two 1£ coins on the table.

Ada stops in her tracks, tilts her head and furrows her little brows. "But you're only one people and this…" she points accusingly at the coins, "…is wrong money."

Harry chuckles. "It's okay, love. You can take that money. It's actually bigger money than the lemonade costs. The man is very kind to pay more than he should, yeah?" Harry smiles first at Ada then he sends a grateful smile at the man in front of them.

Ada still looks doubtfully at the man. Then she pouts for a moment as if considering her choices, then says in a stubborn voice. "Okay. But you are still only one people."

Both Harry and the man laugh and Harry chuckles, "I think it's okay. He can have two lemonades if he wants to."

"I'll have one for now and one for later, if that's okay with you, little Miss?" He watches Ada with an affectionate twinkle in his eyes.

"Okay," Ada says reluctantly. "You paid bigger money. You can have two."

"Well, aren't I lucky," the man still snickers. "Thank you so much!"

Harry starts to busy himself with filling two plastic cups with lemonade for the man and hands them over. "Thank you…" he stretches the break, fishing for information.

The man smirks knowingly, then takes the cups, saying, "Louis. The name is Louis. And you are?"

"Thank you, Louis," Harry smiles shyly. "I'm Harry. And this is my little chaos-queen Ada."

"Lovely to meet you, Harry and Ada," the man — Louis — says softly, nods to them, while Ada happily shouts, "I'm a queen!"

"That you are, love," Harry chuckles and pulls his daughter in a sideways hug, from which Ada wiggles free immediately to run back to where she was playing earlier.

Left alone with only the two of them a hesitant and slightly awkward silence stretches between the two men.

"Okay then," Louis eventually says, taking a small step back, raising his two cups of lemonade in a greeting, "thanks again for the lemonade and…I'll see you around, I guess?"

"You're welcome," Harry nods, a small smile playing around his lips. "And yes, that would be great." He immediately slaps himself internally for sounding so eager.

"Definitely," Louis nods, and Harry relaxes a tiny bit. "Okay. Bye." He turns around slowly, looks over his shoulder one more time, sending Harry a nod and a smile and then he is on his way to wherever he's heading.

Harry looks after him for a while until he's around the corner and out of view. Well, maybe this lemonade stand wasn't the worst idea after all.

°~°~°

After another day of morning madness, dropping Ada off at daycare, a chaotic day at the office with far too many tasks to be reasonable for his work hours and a mad rush back to be in time to pick Ada up, Harry flops onto his sofa and takes a deep breath. The quiet doesn't last long of course until Ada comes running towards him, flopping herself unceremoniously on his lap, bouncing her legs up and down.

"Daddy, come oooooon!" She urges him. "We not done."

"With what, love?" He absentmindedly plays with his daughter's curls.

"The lemonade. We need more cents!" Ada wiggles in his lap, tugging at his hand to get up.

"Again?" He asks tiredly.

"Yes yes yes! Ella is selling biscuits too!" By now Ada bounces up and down on Harry's knees, and he doesn't find the strength within himself to deny his daughter this happiness. So he finds himself setting the stand up again, even though it's already late in the afternoon and he's sure they won't sell a single cup of lemonade. At least it's a good excuse to not get any boring adult stuff done. Not his fault he couldn't fold the laundry today, he has to sell lemonade! Very important! Harry chuckles to himself, while taking his seat behind the table. Ella's collection of playthings strewn over the lawn, Harry's book propped up on his knees, the sun covering the world in her last gentle light — life isn't that bad, Harry thinks to himself.

It gets even better though, when a familiar figure appears in the distance and walks closer to their spot, a soft smile on his beautiful lips.

"Hello again," he already greets from afar.

"Hello yourself," Harry can't help but grin. Such a pleasant surprise. "Here again by chance? Or couldn't you get enough of our delicious lemonade?" Harry smirks and — he doesn't know where he got the sudden confidence from — he winks at Louis. It seems to land well, seeing as the grin on Louis' lips spreads even further and a light blush appears on his cheeks.

Louis rubs a hand over his nape and looks down at his feet, huffing out a laugh. "Well, actually this is my way to and from work, but your lemonade definitely was a reason to stop by again as well."

"Oh?" Harry tries to hide his grin. "What were the other reasons then?"

"I'm just… uhm… thirsty, I guess." Louis grins cheekily.

"We can definitely help with that…" Harry says, catching Louis' eyes and holding his gaze for a moment. Until little impatient hands tug at his sleeve.

"Daddyyyyyy…" Ada jumps up and down. "We gotta sell Luwee our lemonade!! He has big money!"

Both men burst out laughing at that and their little moment is broken, but neither of them seem to mind. Louis gets out his purse, Harry fills a cup with lemonade, then looks up at Louis. "One or two?" he asks, hesitating for a moment.

"I'll take one this time, but only if you let me pay for two," he directs the last bit to Ada.

Ada looks very seriously back at him, pursing her little mouth, then nodding, "Okay, you allowed!" saying it as if she is doing him a great favour.

Chuckling slightly Louis takes a sip of his lemonade, not giving the impression as if he's in a hurry to leave anytime soon. "Did you make this lemonade yourself?" he asks Ada, who shakes her head vehemently.

"Daddy is no good making things. He buyed it in the store." She says earnestly, making Harry blush furiously as if he was caught in a fraud.

"Well…" he chuckles, embarrassed, "a man is allowed to have his flaws, yeah?"

"If that's your only flaw, I'll take it," Louis says, and Harry's eyes snap up at him in surprise. Louis' eyes widen and he hurries to say, hands flapping in front of him, "no, I don't mean…well, yes, but… I mean…"

"No, it's okay," Harry says to reassure him, laughing a bit awkwardly. "I know what you mean…"

"You do?" Louis stops his rambling and hand-flapping, looking at Harry with big eyes and red cheeks.

"Uhm… yeah…" Harry stretches. "At least I think I do?"

"Good." Louis huffs. "Good."

Harry isn't sure if he's happy with this reaction, but why shouldn't he be.

"Anygays…no, shit, I mean…anyways…" Louis squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head a bit before taking a breath and looking back up at Harry. Harry has to admit he's slightly amused by the struggles of the endearing man in front of him. He hums to show he's listening. 

"About the lemonade," Louis says more confidently, "if you ever consider making your own after all, I have an old family recipe I could give you. It's from my granny and it tastes really good. Delicious really. I can one hundred percent recommend it." He nods to himself as if to emphasise the brilliance of his granny's lemonade recipe.

Surprised but delighted by this turn of events, Harry nods eagerly. "That… uhm… that would be fantastic. Yes, that would be great. Wouldn't it, Ada?" Harry turns to his side to seek Ada's approval, but she's long gone disappeared from his side to go play with her toys apparently, seeing as she's deep in a conversation with her doll right now. Harry is a bit surprised and a lot embarrassed that he didn't realise he was talking to Louis all by himself, but tries to not let it show.

"Seems like she doesn't really care for my family tradition, huh?" Louis laughs.

"Oh, believe me, she will. Certainly by the time she can make a mess of our kitchen trying to make that lemonade…" Harry laughs, and marvels at the laugh lines that appear around Louis' eyes as he laughs with him.

"So, it's settled then? I'll bring you the recipe?" Louis smiles warmly and Harry swears he can feel that warmth spread all through his chest as if the sun itself was shining on him.

"But only if it's no trouble. I don't want to inconvenience you…" Harry suddenly worries. He can't ask this man to waste his time for just their silly little lemonade stand, right?

"I offered, didn't I?" Louis tilts his head. "It's really no trouble," he reassures Harry.

"Well, in that case, I would be delighted. Thank you." Harry smiles back at Louis and he suddenly feels his stomach swoop. But only a tiny bit. A teeny tiny bit really.

"I assure you, it's my pleasure," Louis says softly, slowly taking steps backwards as if he's not ready yet to avert his eyes from Harry. After a short while he sends a shy smile Harry's way, gives a small wave with his free hand, turns and walks away.

Harry sits for a while, just looks ahead, smiling to himself. His book is forgotten, there's no more lemonade sold that day, the sun sets quickly and the air around them gets that comforting chill of a summer night. They pack up their stand, start their evening routine, and Harry thinks to himself, it really was a good day.

°~°~°

The next day nobody needs to ask Harry to set up the stand again. He walks into daycare with a bounce in his steps, swirls his little girl around the moment she runs into his arms, poking her belly until she giggles.

"And? Are we going to sell some more lemonade again?" He asks her while tying her shoes.

"Yes, daddy! Yes!" she shouts happily, making some of the heads of the other parents turn. Harry doesn't mind. His girl is happy, that's all that counts to him.

With Ada in the backseat unintelligibly singing along to some children's songs Harry has put on, Harry estimates the amount of lemonade they still got in stock and if he needs to stop by the store first. But then he reckons he needs to do groceries tomorrow anyway if Louis comes by with his recipe today. Only then it dawns on him that Louis never clarified when and how he'd give the recipe to them. Maybe he just put it in the mailbox. Maybe he'll stop by some other day? So, it might be better to stock up on regular lemonade after all? On the other hand, if he does stop by today and Harry's at the store rather than behind his lemonade stand he might miss the man and make all his efforts fruitless and then he might not come by again. Ever.

Decision made, he drives home straight away. He can buy more lemonade tomorrow after work if needed.

He shouldn't have worried though, because just as expected (and silently hoped) Louis comes strolling by later in the afternoon, after Harry already got a bit fidgety and was scolded by Ada, because "you're not listening, daddy!" He honestly tried to give her all his attention, but he really does have to check the street as well. It's really important to keep an eye on it.

That way, he isn't able to miss the figure approaching their table even if he tried. However, he pretends to look up nonchalantly and slightly surprised — even though he's definitely not — when Louis greets him.

"Hi, Harry." And doesn't his name sound just splendidly coming from those lips. "…and Ada," Louis adds, and Harry clears his throat. Right. This is not about him or Louis' lips. This is about Ada and her lemonade.

"Hi Luwee…" Ada squeals and runs around their table to throw herself at Louis and squeeze his leg in a tight hug. "You have your big money today?"

"Yes, love," Louis laughs, "I have my money. But I have something far better today."

Ada looks up at him with sparkling eyes. "What do you have, Luwee? Show me, show me!" she chants.

With great air Louis pulls out a folded piece of paper from his messenger bag and holds it out to Ada. She takes it eagerly, unfolds it, and her face falls.

"This is just words," she complains, pouting.

"Yes, but they're very good words." Louis kneels down to be eye level with Ada. "With them you can make your own lemonade. Just like Ella bakes her own biscuits, you can make your own lemonade. That's good, right?"

Ada seems to contemplate that for a bit before she nods reluctantly and just says, "okay," before she dashes off to continue playing with her sandbox tipper truck.

Harry watches the scene with adoration, loving the way Louis talks to his daughter. He just shows her so much respect, and takes her as the little opinionated person she is. Harry can't help but admire him. It! Admire it! That's what he wanted to say. Yes.

"Well, so much for being excited about the recipe," Louis chuckles, standing back up.

"Oh, she is excited. Believe me." Harry reassures him. "It's just, I guess just a piece of paper isn't that exciting for a three year old…"

"No, I guess not," Louis tilts his head.

"I'm excited though," Harry suddenly flaps out. "About the recipe, of course." He huffs a laugh. Absolutely only about the recipe! Not about the handsome man standing in front of him, at all!

"Are ya?" Louis frowns a little but smiles nonetheless.

"Well, yes," Harry swallows. "For, uhm, Ada?" Harry doesn't know why he put it as a question, but apparently his brain malfunctions right now.

"Then I'm glad I brought it." Louis gives Harry a tiny nod and a small, soft smile.

"Good," Harry says quietly.

A silence falls and Louis keeps lingering, shifting a bit on his feet as if he wants to say something but can't decide if he should. Eventually he takes a deep breath and on his exhale he says in a rush, "I guess, I should go, yeah?" He points over his shoulder with his thumb.

Harry doesn't want him to go. But also doesn't know what to say, or any reason for him to stay. So, he only awkwardly waves the sheet of paper with the recipe in the air and with a horrifyingly artificial laugh he says far too loud for their quiet surroundings, "I'll give the recipe my best then."

"You do that," Louis smiles shyly. "I'll make sure to stop by to get a sip."

That's all Harry needed to hear to lessen the awkward tension in his shoulders. "I'd like that," he says just as shyly, a small smile on his lips. He feels like a blushing schoolboy with a crush. How embarrassing. But then Louis' eyes light up and Harry's tension evaporates almost completely and gets replaced by buzzing anticipation.

"Yeah?"

The hopeful tone in Louis' voice gives Harry the assurance to answer with confidence. "Yeah, very much," he says and hopes the broad smile on his face is enough to convince Louis of his sincerity.

Louis huffs out what sounds like a little incredulous laugh and avoids Harry's eyes for a moment, bowing his head, gaze pointed at his shoes or the pavement or whatever, just not at Harry. And Harry can't accept that. He wants those blue sparkly eyes back on him. Though he's almost sure that he sees a faint blush high on Louis' beautiful cheekbones, and that makes up for it.

Louis stuffs his hands in the back pockets of his deliciously snug jeans, and rocks a bit back and forth on his feet. Then he looks up at Harry from under his lashes — god, those lashes are long. "Good," he says, "in that case I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Okay," Harry hums.

"Okay," Louis says low and soft. Then he lingers for a few more seconds, hesitates, then turns, takes a couple of steps, turns back around, walking backwards. "Bye," he grins.

"Bye," Harry laughs. What a ridiculous man. Ridiculously lovely. And charming. And not to forget handsome. And friendly. And good with kids. Or at least Harry's kid, which really is all that counts. And Harry really needs to stop daydreaming about a random guy who happened to walk past his lemonade stand. No, Ada's lemonade stand. Oh god, Ada…

Harry turns around like a lightning to look for his daughter, who, thank god, happily and safely plays right behind him. Out of the corner of his eye he snatches a glimpse of Louis turning his head, looking back at Harry over his shoulder, and it fills him with warmth from head to toe.

°~°~°

Harry has never in his life bought this many lemons. Maybe he doesn't even need that many, but he can't know how much more lemonade they'll sell. And also the recipe says 'large lemons' but what is 'large' in the world of lemons? So, just to be safe, he picked some more than listed in the ingredients. And not to forget the lemon slices for garnish. Though would he need those for every cup? Who'd thought that making lemonade would be this complicated, and he hasn't even started on the whole 'making'-process yet.

Packed with all his lemons and some time on his hands because he arranged a couple of hours off from work, Harry arrives home with great plans and no idea how to make them reality. Because, to be honest, Ada wasn't wrong when she said Harry wasn't any good at making things. He knew how to cook decently enough to feed them, but anything apart from that… not his forte.

With a bubbly Ada at his side, he tries his best, he really does, and it doesn't even sound that complicated, but those stupid lemons…are they small? Are they medium? Should he add one extra after all? Because, it might not have been his smartest idea to let Ada squeeze the lemons. There's more juice on the kitchen counter than in the jug. So, the question remains, for how many lemons does this count for?

In the end, the result is… drinkable.

Harry already dreads the inevitable laugh it'll earn him from Louis, that he didn't even get this toddler proof recipe right. But alas, he can't change it now. So he braves on to set up the stand and put their lemonade out there for the world to enjoy. Or maybe not the world, but rather their tiny suburban neighbourhood.

To his surprise, when Louis eventually comes by, he keeps a stoic straight face when he takes a sip of the lemonade. He nods appreciatively, puts the only half drunk cup down again and says, his voice maybe a tad scratchier than usual, "this is actually… alright."

"Wow," Harry deadpans. "High praise."

That's when Louis finally pulls a face, his nose and mouth and brows all pinched and he shudders slightly, then he laughs, "I have to admit it's, uhm, slightly more sour than the one of my gran."

"Slightly?" Harry raises one amused eyebrow.

"Yeah," Louis says, tongue in cheek. "Only a teeny tiny bit."

"Okay, right," Harry laughs. "You can just say that I fucked up your recipe."

"You said a naughty word, daddy!" Ada comes running over, looking accusingly at her dad.

"Oh, sorry, love," Harry giggles, "you're right. Not a nice word."

Ada nods once, apparently satisfied, then looks up at Louis. "I made that all alone!" She pushes out her little chest proudly.

"Really?" Louis feigns surprise.

"Not all alone, right?" Harry says softly, watching his daughter, pushing one of her unruly curls behind her ears. "But you helped a lot."

"Yes, I quisched all the lemons. I'm strong!" She nods with vigour, holding up her chubby little arm to show Louis how strong she is.

"That's why it is so delicious. I knew it!" Louis exclaims.

After having enough of grown up conversations again, Ada darts off, going to lay belly down on her swing.

Harry chuckles, then looks back at Louis, raising one eyebrow. "Delicious, huh?"

Louis laughs out loud. "Can't crush the little miss' confidence, now can I?"

Harry pouts playfully. "But you can crush mine?"

"I wouldn't dare too…" Louis' eyes widen.

"No, it's okay," Harry chuckles. "I can handle it. I'm a big boy."

"Oh?" Louis smirks cheekily, and only then Harry realises how that could sound like a double meaning.

"No, I…I didn't— I mean…"

"All good," Louis laughs. "I get it." And then he winks and Harry might die.

While Harry still tries to calm down the rapid beating of his heart, Louis swallows visibly and takes the same hesitant posture he had the day before.

"Listen…," he says after a while. "I… uhm… what if…" he clears his throat. "I had this idea and you can totally tell me to fuck off…"

"Naughty word!" Ada calls from somewhere in the garden and makes both men laugh and Louis' shoulders relax a bit.

"Anyway," he continues, "I could maybe help you? With the lemonade, I mean…" he bites the corner of his lower lip nervously and Harry is transfixed by the sight. Apparently, Harry has lost track of time, and maybe he has also been staring a bit, because Louis starts to get fidgety and hastily mutters, "only if you like to, of course. Well, no…this was a stupid idea, right? I'm sorry. Forget I said anything. Don't know what I was thinking—"

"I'd love that actually," Harry pulls himself together and interrupts him.

"Yeah?" Louis looks hopeful and lets out a relieved huff of air.

"Yeah, I'd… I mean we'd very much like that." Harry swallows. What is he doing? Has he lost his mind?

"I'm glad… I…" Louis' eyes search Harry's, holds them, as if searching for some kind of confirmation. "Should I just come by tomorrow maybe?"

"That'd be great actually. I don't know about you, but I'm back home around 3pm…" Seriously? He's inviting a practical stranger into their home? He really must have gone insane. Harry looks behind himself, searching for moral support, but there's only Ada playing as usual. When he looks back at Louis there's a huge happy grin stretching his lips to the max and Harry can't help but smile back just as big.

"I can make that work," Louis confirms. "Should I just come by?"

"Well," Harry huffs out a little laugh, gesturing behind himself, "you know where we live…"

"True," Louis chuckles. "So, tomorrow? 3pm?"

"I'll be here," Harry says more confidently than he feels, because…what the fuck?

"Then so will I," Louis nods. His vibrant blue eyes flitting over Harry's face, then says, "okay, Harry, see you tomorrow." After a second he shouts over Harry's shoulder. "Bye Ada, I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye Luwee," Ada shouts back, coming bouncing and running and barrels full speed into Louis and wraps her arms around him. Then she grins her sweetest little grin at Louis, showing off her tiny front teeth.

"Bye miss Ada, looking forward to tomorrow." Then Louis boops her nose and Harry might just melt from the cuteness of those two.

When Louis has untangled himself, and Ada eventually lets him go, they go through what has apparently become their standard repertoire, complete with hesitating, small private smiles, glued gazes, eventually leaving but looking back over shoulders and catching each other's eyes again.

Harry can't wait. Tomorrow can't come quick enough.

°~°~°

It had been a long time since Harry shared his kitchen with anyone. More precisely ever since Ada's mom left. Of course, there had been the occasional visitor, family and friends he had over, but it was not the same. Harry also hasn't dated much the last couple of years. And the very sporadic dates he did have were certainly not in his own home. Their home was their safe space and it took quite some trust to be invited in.

That's why it feels even more bizarre to work side by side with another person who Harry barely knows, especially together with his daughter who he'd protect from everything and everyone with his life, and have it feel so right nonetheless.

It already felt much less awkward than the days before when Louis stood in front of their door not long ago, hands clasped behind his back, rocking back and forth on his feet in what Harry hoped was excitement, and cheerfully greeted him, "here I am. Let's rock this lemonade, yeah?"

Harry wasn't able to hide his happy grin, and hasn't been ever since, which makes him feel like the Cheshire cat. But honestly? He doesn't mind. Because this actually feels good and right and exciting even though they're just cutting lemons and squeezing juice.

However, it's the small things that warm Harry's heart, like the way Louis instinctively puts a securing arm behind Ada's back when she climbs on her highchair to help at the kitchen counter. Or the way he seeks Harry's permission whenever he's about to open another cupboard or search the drawers for one or another kitchen tool, without it seeming helpless, just… respectful. And then there are the glances, the small smiles, and the hovering lingering touches whenever they pass each other in the narrow space in front of the kitchen counter — a brush of shoulders, a bumping of hips, a warm hand on the small of Harry's back. Harry wants this to never end.

Apparently, he's drifted away in his thoughts and lost a bit of focus because he was pulled out of a haze by Ada shouting, "Luwee, that's wrong. You do it wrong!"

Harry puts his attention back on the task at hand and shuffles over to Ada's side. He inspects the scene which had Ada complain and can't hold back the snort.

"Louis, why did you murder the poor lemons?" He laughs and takes in the battlefield that is Louis' cutting board. There's pieces of lemons that were probably meant to be slices but have all forms and shapes except that. Some of them are squashed, most of them…or rather all of them are unusable, and there's lemon juice everywhere. Like literally everywhere — on the board, next to it, on the floor, on Louis… Harry can't even be cross for the mess because Louis looks so endearingly flustered and a bit mortified. "I thought you wanted to help and not make it worse." Harry sniggered.

"Well, uhm," Louis rubs the back of his neck, but apparently realises quickly that there's still lemon juice all over it, because he winces and pulls it back. Then clears his throat. "I might have overestimated my kitchen skills."

"You don't say," Harry laughs.

"Listen," Louis says a bit sheepishly but with a laugh in his voice, "the last time I made this lemonade was together with my gran and I thought it couldn't be that difficult…"

"And how old were you?" Harry still laughs, picking up Ada and settling her on his hip so she wouldn't make an even bigger mess when she started to pat her hands on the counter and splash the juice.

"Uhm…" Louis chuckles, "I might have still been in primary school."

"Thought so!" Harry chuckles and the grin on his face now stretches from ear to ear.

"But hey," Louis holds up one finger and giggles, "at least I know how it should taste. So, I have at least that going for me!"

"That's very true," Harry snorts, "Whatever would we do without you?"

"I know, right?" Louis now grins just as broad as Harry, his eyes twinkling happily, and Harry can't take his eyes off him.

They just stand there, looking at each other, grinning stupidly, until Ada tugs on Harry's sleeve.

"Daddy, what is murder?" She asks with her little curious face turned up towards him, watching him expectantly.

Harry's eyes go wide and he looks over at Louis, begging for help with his eyes. But the man looks just as baffled as Harry feels. "Uhm…" is all he says.

"It's…" Harry starts slowly, searching for words that wouldn't be traumatic for a toddler. "It's something not so nice…"

"I'd say…" Louis snorts, and makes Harry giggle.

But Harry tries to regain composure, feeling scrutinised by little green eyes still watching him eagerly. So he tries again, "It's like the other day, do you remember the little bug we talked about?" Ada nods cautiously, and Harry continues, "Do you remember when you stepped on it and we talked about how that's not nice?"

Ada nods a bit shamefully, averting her eyes. "You telled me it cannot crawly anymore now." Her little lip starts to tremble.

Oh shit, Harry thinks, looking over at Louis who tries to hold his giggles in.

"That's right," Harry confirms. "That's what I said."

"And now the lemons cannot crawly anymore too?" Ada's eyes start to shine and her voice is wobbly and it's so inappropriate but Harry can't hold back a small snort. In the corner of his eye he sees Louis' shoulder shake in silent laughter.

"No, I'm afraid not." Harry giggles. "But love, the good thing is…lemons don't crawl in the first place, so we're all good. Okay?"

"Why you say Luwee murders the lemons, daddy?" Ada pouts.

"I was just joking, love," he strokes over her head, combing his fingers through her messy curls.

"Stupid joke, daddy!" she exclaims, looking angrily at Harry. "'s no funny!"

"You're right, darling," Harry giggles, "that was a stupid joke. I'm sorry."

Ada leans her upper body a bit away from Harry's hold to get closer to Louis and stares him down with a determined little serious face. "Luwee?" she addresses him.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Louis tries to look back as earnestly as is possible under these circumstances.

"No murder, okay? 's not nice!" Ada says in her most serious voice and Harry can hear himself in her tone.

"Okay, I promise. No murder on my part!" He holds out his hand and raises two fingers, making an oath.

"Good," Ada nods graciously like the little queen she is, and then immediately breaks out in a broad grin. "And now lemonade!" she squeals.

Trying to avoid Ada overhearing him, Harry leans in and whispers into Louis' ear, "I'm so glad you're not a serial killer." If he's not mistaken he hears Louis breath hitch the slightest bit. When he leans back again their faces are suddenly very close.

"I'd say…you're welcome? Or something like that?" Louis chuckles and Harry can feel his warm breath on his face, can see the beautiful laugh-lines around his eyes from up close, spots some freckles on his cheek, feels his bright blue eyes searing into him. It makes him shiver and warm all over at the same time. If only he wouldn't still be balancing Ada on his hip…

As if on cue Ada wiggles in his arm. "Down, daddy, put me down." … and their moment is broken.

Harry clears his throat. "Yeah, of course, love." He bends to set her down and when he rises to stand again, Louis has taken a step back. Harry mourns the closeness, but doesn't know what he would do with it right now either. It just feels so right to have Louis standing here in his kitchen, to share little moments with him, to laugh with him, to just be in his presence.

Louis looks at the watch on his wrist, "What do you reckon? Will we get some lemonade done in time to still sell some?"

"You want to help sell it, too?" Harry asks, a little excited rabbit jumping around in his chest. Or it might just be his heart skipping every other beat.

"Of course, gotta get the entire lemonade-endeavour-experience, don't I?" Louis says far softer than Harry expected.

"You sure do," he whispers back, holding Louis' warm gaze on him, sending him a small crooked smile, until Louis claps in his hands once and takes a deep breath.

"Okay!" he says loud and enthusiastically, "Let's get this lemonade done then."

"Maybe," Harry chuckles, "leave this part over to me and you'll be the taste tester?"

"Can't complain about that," Louis grins. "Come on, get me some lemonade then, mister master chef."

"One lemonade coming up, sir," Harry bows his head slightly, playing along. "But first we've got to clean up this mess someone made." He sends Louis a pointed look, who raises his hands in defense.

"It surely was Ada, don't you think?" Louis laughs.

"Oi! No blaming my daughter!" Harry exclaims, laughing.

"You're right, can't blame the queen," Louis grins, crouching down to tickle said queen's belly.

Ada giggles and throws her arms around Louis' neck. "I like you, Luwee," she says happily.

"I like you, too, miss Ada," Louis answers, then looks up at Harry, who was watching the two of them fondly, and says softly, "and I like your daddy, too."

°~°~°

From that moment on, they spend almost every spare minute together. Under the guise of their lemonade stand, Louis comes by every afternoon after work and they either make lemonade together or they sell it. The second chair Harry sets up behind the table of the stand is a given by now, as is Ada's happy squeal each time the doorbell rings and Harry says, "I think it's Louis."

They laugh, they bicker, they make a mess of the kitchen together, and when they sit behind their little stand, they start talking.

Harry hears about Louis' countless siblings and about the summers they spent at their grandma's as kids. He learns about Louis' hobby being football and is worried he'd be keeping Louis from his family and friends, but Louis reassures him that it's okay, they wouldn't mind. Louis admits that he is actually pretty awful in the kitchen, which Harry has suspected by now, and he teases him endlessly with it. There are also some stories about his mom, who Louis lost a few years ago and Harry feels honoured to be allowed into Louis' world.

Harry on the other hand has countless stories about Ada to tell. He could talk about her all day, and Louis doesn't seem to mind, only listens with a smile on his lips and a twinkle in his attentive eyes. They talk about Ada's mom a bit, and how it wasn't love that tied them together. Which brings them to reminisce about first loves, first relationships, former partners, and Harry could swear he sees Louis' face light up when Harry mentions the boyfriend he had before he got together with Ada's mom.

There are a lot of shared glances, a lot of held gazes, which makes the time stand still around them, and yet time seems to pass far too quickly and every day, when Louis waves his goodbye, Harry's heart is a bit heavier and he gets a bit more impatient for it to be tomorrow already. It doesn't help that most days Ada's last sleepy words are, "where's Luwee? He come tomorrow?" But it does help that Harry is able to answer, "Yes, love, I guess we'll see him tomorrow again." He kisses her little forehead and wishes her goodnight and tells her to quickly close her eyes so tomorrow will come quicker. If only it would be this easy for grown-ups as well.

Harry's evenings are restless. Time doesn't seem to pass and too many thoughts are troubling his mind. He's lost in memories of the last days and he's nervous about the new experiences they'll make the next. Most of all he's worried about when all of it will inevitably end and if he'll be brave enough to make it last. He doesn't want Louis to leave, but he's also terrified of asking him to stay. If he took that step, he'd risk a lot. Ada is already attached to Louis, but as a friend. They could keep it like that, but does Harry want that? Could he even do that? Just be friends? But if he'd decide to give it a go — a relationship with Louis that is — god, he doesn't even dare thinking about it, let alone about the fact that he doesn't even know if Louis would want that… — he'd risk a lot. Once he lets another person inside their family life, he risks hurting Ada in case it wouldn't work out. There's a realistic chance, there always is. Could he do that to Ada? Could he do that to himself?

Half of the nights he eventually falls asleep on the couch in front of the telly, the other half he tosses and turns restlessly in his bed, until the relentless ringing of his alarm clock forces him to get up and start another day. At least another morning means another day seeing Louis. As every day, he'll enjoy it to the fullest. Who knows how long it will last.

°~°~°

And still, despite all his mental groundwork, when it happens, Harry is utterly and wholly unprepared.

They were lazing as usual behind their lemonade stand, chatting and joking around, completely unsuspecting of anything out of the ordinary, when Ada comes skipping towards them and plants herself on Louis' lap. That in itself wouldn't be worrisome at all, but then she stretches up to whisper into Louis' ear.

"Luwee, can I tell you a secret?" she whispers far too loudly for Harry to miss it.

"Of course you can." Louis nods his head to encourage her to go on.

And then Ada says, "Ella doesn't sell her biscuits anymore. We don't need no more cents. But I not telled daddy, because daddy wants to sell lemonade." She puts her little hand in front of her mouth and snickers.

Harry feels all the blood drain from his face, but feels as if he's beet red anyway. That's so embarrassing. And he can't even say it's not true, because of course he has noticed that Ella's biscuits stand hasn't been set up anymore, he just chose to ignore it, because… well, just because. They were collecting money for school after all. Right?

Harry just wants the ground to open and swallow him whole.

To make matters worse, Louis is watching him with an amused smile and twinkling eyes.

"Is that so?" he asks, but keeps his gaze glued to Harry's glowing face.

"Yes!" Ada shouts, still giggling into Louis' shoulder. "Silly daddy!"

And, oh boy, does Harry feel silly indeed.

But then Louis leans down to whisper into Ada's ear, all the while holding Harry's gaze, "can I tell you a secret too, miss Ada?"

Ada nods enthusiastically. "Yes! Yes, please, I want a secret too."

Louis smirks, winks at Harry and says, "I knew that already."

He did? What—

"You did?" Ada pouts.

"Mmhmm," Louis hums, looking at Ada, “but don't be sad that I knew already, it was our little secret, okay?"

Ada nods again and claps her little hand against Louis' when he holds it up for a high five.

"But…" Harry murmurs under his breath.

"I'll tell you another secret," Louis says to Ada, putting a finger in front of his lips and making a shush gesture, as if to tell her not to spill the secret. Ada nods again, eyes wide and eager. "Okay," Louis whispers loudly, "my other secret is…" he looks up at Harry again, "…that this isn't my way to and from work."

Harry raises his eyebrows. "It's not?"

"Nope," Louis says, popping the p.

"Then why…" Harry frowns.

"You never asked me what I do for work, did you?" Louis smirks.

"No, I did not." Harry tilts his head. "And that's important why?"

"Because I'm actually a teacher at Ella's school," Louis says, waiting for Harry to get what he's saying.

"And how did you find our stand? Why…?" Harry is confused.

"That first day, I was actually doing my rounds through the neighbourhood, visiting all the kids selling their biscuits, talking to the parents, you know? Supporting the good cause and so on."

Harry watches him with wide eyes.

"And then…" Louis tilts his head to the side and his smile turns softer, "…then I saw this cute little Lemonade stand that didn't fit in with the others, and a lovely little lady I didn't know yet from school," Louis swallows, "and an even lovelier dad who I wanted to talk to." Now Louis looks a bit nervously at Harry, waiting for the reaction.

"So…" Harry drags the word to gather his thoughts. "You're saying…"

"Yes…" Louis whispers and it sounds like a question.

"…all this time…" Harry says slowly.

Louis nods.

"…you actually knew? About how they didn't sell biscuits anymore? And how I made a fool of myself?" Harry blushes furiously.

"I never thought you made a fool of yourself, Harry," Louis says emphatically. "Never!" He looks serious and insistent. "The only thing I ever thought, was how utterly lovely you are. How kind and how good with your daughter you are, and how much I dreaded the day you'd realise that you didn't need to see me anymore." He swallows. "That's why I didn't tell you."

Harry only watches him, completely at a loss for words, and wonders what he's expected to do now, to say now.

"But if you want me to leave now…" Louis slowly picks Ada up and lifts her from his lap and lowers her to the ground against all her protests, "…of course I will," he says cautiously, as if not to anger or spook Harry.

"No!" Harry exclaims, maybe with a bit more force than necessary. "I don't…" He swallows, shakes his head no, holding Louis' gaze. "No," he now whispers, "I don't want that. I don't want you to leave."

"You don't?" Louis asks incredulously and takes a deep breath.

"No, of course not…" Harry huffs out a little laugh, "why do you think I kept up the charade with the lemonade stand in the first place?"

"Uhm…" a playful smile curls around Louis' lips, "…maybe because you're an amazing dad and you wanted to make your daughter happy?"

"Of course!" Harry says, pretend seriously. "That's why…`even though she hasn't asked to sell lemonade for days now…" Harry chuckles to himself.

"She hasn't?" Louis' eyes went wide.

"No," Harry shakes his head, "the only thing she asks about is you actually."

Harry's eyes flit over Louis' face which is marked by surprise, and what Harry hopes is joy. "So all in all," Harry says lowly, "this lemonade stand was all for you from day two actually."

At that a broad smile spreads on Louis' face and makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. "Really?"

"Really." Harry nods, grinning just as big.

"Harry?" Louis whispers.

"Yeah?" Harry whispers back, his heart racing.

Louis shuffles forward on his chair and leans over to Harry. "Can I kiss you?" He says into the narrow space between them.

"Yes," Harry whispers, leans in and…

"Yuck! Yucky-yucky-yuck!" Ada squeaks, waving her little hands between their faces, jumping up and down. "No kissy kisses on the mouth!" She pulls a little disgusted face and pats her chubby hand on Harry's puckered lips. "No no no no no…" she chants.

Louis leans back, throws his head back and laughs loudly.

Harry watches him, the joy and happiness bubbling over and he starts laughing as well. Small giggles first, then harder, until he doubles over belly laughing, tears springing to his eyes. He grabs Ada and hugs her tight, until she squirms away, and leaves the two men to themselves.

When the laughter eventually dies down, the smiles stay. They look at each other in wonder, eyes all soft and warm.

"Harry?" Louis says softly.

"Yes?" Harry answers, still smiling.

"Do you want to come to the summer fair with me?" Louis smirks playfully.

Harry snorts. "Not the question I expected. But yes, if you want me to?"

"I do want it," Louis nods. "I know it might not exactly be the most perfect location for a first date…"

"Date?" Harry whispers.

"Well, of course," Louis says all confidently, "…but I thought it would be nice for Ada to see where all her money goes, and… it's my work and I'm very passionate about it…"

"Yeah, I gathered, with you doing rounds for the biscuit stands and so on…" Harry smiles warmly, affectionately.

"Well, yeah…" Louis admits, a bit flustered. "But… I would like to show you, what I’m doing, where I work? And then, maybe, afterwards there would be time for dinner or something?" he asks a bit cautiously, as if he still needed to worry. Silly Louis.

"Of course I'd love to see where you work and of course I'd love to have dinner with you," Harry says, marveling at the happy smile blooming on Louis' face. "It's just…" Harry rubs a hand over his neck, and Louis' smile falters a bit. So Harry hurries to continue, "I can't promise that I have a babysitter that night, so it might be dinner at home. Here, with us." Harry holds his breath, waiting for Louis' reaction.

"I wouldn't mind at all," Louis smiles warmly at Harry. "You should know that by now. I adore your little family and I would be honoured to be invited to have dinner with you."

"Okay, in that case," Harry reaches out, takes Louis' warm hand into his and entangles their fingers, "I'd love to go to the summer fair of our primary school with you."

"Aren't I lucky," Louis chuckles.

"Who knows," Harry says with a wink, "maybe they still need someone to sell lemonade there."

Louis grins. "Well, I think I know someone.”

"Yes, ME!" Ada shouts and comes running to throw herself into Louis' arms.

Both men laugh, and Ada pulls Harry in with her little arm around his neck, until she's sandwiched between both their faces. They throw each other happy glances, and both somehow know. This could be it. This could be their little happy family.

°~°~°

And over the years, the lemonade stand becomes their little family tradition. Each summer Louis would set up the stand, get Ada's old little sign from the attic, arrange the parasol, and bring out three chairs, one for each of them.

Harry and Ada would prepare the lemonade, Louis would taste test, but was banned from the kitchen the rest of the time.

And each year they would donate the money to their local primary school. Even long after Ada left school, after Louis retired, after Ada took over the family tradition with her own little family.

And after years and years there would still be a lemonade stand at every single summer fair and an old little lemon tree in the school yard with a label saying "In Memory of Mr.&Mr. Tomlinson-Styles".