29 - Honeymoon Phase

wasn't planning on making this a chapter. it was supposed to be an intro for the next but... i got carried away. and anyways.......

haven't you heard of the calm before the storm?

Forever Young (Cover)

"Don't worry. You'll see me in three days when we are all in Honolulu. It'll be nice to have some time with your family without me hanging around, anyways." Louis is still trying to convince me to just stay in Hawaii while he flies back for a few shows in LA.

I sigh in frustration. "Fine! Just let me text Caroline just to make sure it's okay with her. I don't know how I feel about ditching out on work to vacation in Hawaii." I pull my phone out and open my text messages.

"Love, I already told you, I took care--"

"I know but it is my responsibility as a professional to confirm any decision that influences my work with my boss," I say definitively.

"Whatever, miss business woman." Louis winks at me.

I roll my eyes and continue composing a new message.

From: Avery W.

Hi Caroline. I know Louis talked to you already, but I just wanted to make sure it was okay, because I could always come back with him if you need me.

I press send and walk back over to sit on Louis' lap on the couch. We're lounging around for the day since Louis has to be at the airport in a few hours. I'll admit that I'll miss him. I know how clingy that may sound, but, I mean, we have been with each other almost 24/7 for weeks. It'll be strange not having him around.

"Penny for your thoughts," Louis mumbles into my ear.

"It'll be weird not having you around," I admit, truthfully.

"I know. What will you do? I'm the life of the party!"

I laugh at his modesty. "Whatever. Where's my penny?" I pout.

He chuckles and stretches his leg out to dig into his pocket, trying to maneuver around me on top of him.

He finally brings his fingers out of his pocket with an American brass ¢1 piece.

"Thank you!" I kiss his cheek.

I rest my head back against his chest and play with the penny between my fingers.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I have to interrupt my little game with the coin and pick up my phone.

From: Caroline👠

No worries. Lou explained. Take your time and be with your family and don't worry about us for a few days. I know you will make it up when you get back. Brooklyn misses you though ;)

From: Avery W.

Aww tell her I miss her too and I will see her soon! Thank you so much Caroline. I really appreciate it and I will make it up to you ten fold when I get back. I will see you in Honolulu :)

From: Caroline👠

Will do ;* see you soon. And tell Louis he best be back here by 8pm local or Paul will have his head xD

From: Avery W

I'll make sure he doesn't try anything ;) Thank you again!❤️❤️❤️❤️

I send the last message and locked my phone again, setting it on the couch beside me.

"All good?"

"Yep. Caroline understood that I just needed a break. What exactly did you tell her, anyways?"

"Just that you had a bit of trouble with your family when we were there and I insisted on giving you a bit of a break. She understood the whole family drama aspect and agreed that it would be best if your mind could rest before you are thrown back into your responsibilities."

"She is amazing. You guys seriously don't give her enough credit. She basically has six kids she has to watch over. And believe me when I tell you Brooklyn isn't always such an angelic piece of cake," I explain exasperatedly.

"You are cute with her." Louis smiles.

"She's adorable. She can just be a trouble maker, sometimes. You guys aren't exactly great role models."

"Hey! We are perfect little uncles," he defends, mock poshly.

"Oh yeah," I mutter and roll my eyes, incredulously. "Remember the time in England I was supposed to be watching her, and her 'perfect little uncles' stole her out of the hotel room while I was filling up the tub for her bath?"

"Don't leave a child unattended." Louis shrugs, matter-of-factly.

"I was in the bathroom for thirty seconds!"

"That's thirty seconds she could have been choking to death! We were simply saving her from a potentially hazardous situation!"

"Hazardous my ass!"

"I just hope you won't treat our kids with such neglect," he amends, casually.

"Our kids?" I tease.

He must have realized what he let slip and his cheeks heat up with a blush.

"Yeah, I mean. I don't know. I've always wanted kids, one day. I guess I've just kind of started thinking of mine and yours being the same... or something," he says, shyly, looking down at his twiddling fingers.

"That's cute, Lou." I smile brightly at the thought of Louis spending time wondering about our future children together. "You'd make a wonderful dad, too. How many do you want?"

"Nuh-uh. I've already humiliated myself once. You go first," he jokes, redeeming his boyish attitude that shied away momentarily.

"I don't know. Like three or four probably."

"I think that's a perfect number."

"You do?" I ask. I mean, we have never talked about having kids before, and obviously aren't really talking about it now, but I just never even gave it much thought. Neither of us are anywhere near ready to be parents. Or married, for that matter. I guess the fact that we could be in sync in our hopes for children surprises me, for more than one reasons I can't identify.

"I do."

I scoff and roll my eyes at that one. However, I also can't erase my smile.

"Boys or girls?"

He pondera for a moment before answering. "I would like at least one of each, I would think."

"We could just have two of each."

"What would we name them?"

"Hmm... well my favorites are probably Andy, for a girl, and Hunter, for a boy."

"Andy for a girl?" he asks, seemingly perplexed, yet intrigued, by my suggestion.

"Yeah. I don't know. My sister always thought it was weird, too. I just love it. Couldn't you see Andy as a little brown haired girl running around and playing in the backyard. Especially with your bright blue eyes."

He smiles wider at my imaginary scenario. "I love it."

"Oh, but for Hunter, we may have to fight Hailee for it. We made an agreement years ago that whoever has a son first gets that name since we both love it, but when the time comes I know the claws will come out. Especially if one of us is already pregnant," I chuckle.

"I think I can take her," he says and looks down at his flexing biceps.

"Whatever, doof," I laugh. "What about you?"

"I like Carter, for a girl, and Lucas, for a boy."

I laugh at his boy name. "I'm sure Stan will be very pleased."

He laughs at me. "Yeah, but I'd better have a nephew named Tom in exchange!"

"Aww! Uncle Louis!" I coo, giggling at the thought.

"Auntie Avery?!" he challenges.

"Hey it's cute! No need to get defensive," I joke, playfully. He knows I'm just trying to tease him.

"The Tomlinson Family. Avery and Louis, and their kids, Andy, Carter, Hunter, and Lucas. I like the sound of that," I muse.

I love that we can hang out and joke about our life together in the future with marriage and our kids and not take it too seriously to get worked up about it. I like that we can feel comfortable and happy when we imagine out lives years from now.

"I think my favorite is 'Avery Tomlinson'."

"Who said I'm going to take your name?"

"Oh, so you are going to marry me, though?" He smiles, knowing he has me.

"You know what I meant!" I scold him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Louis Tomlinson," he says, ignoring my correction of his statement.

"What if I said you had to take my name? Louis Williams?"

He scrunches up his nose in distaste. "I don't know. I think you would be making a lot of teenage girl's 'Future Mrs. Tomlinson' t-shirts void. My fans wouldn't be happy about that."

"I guess not." I pout.

"Well, I mean, I guess if it meant that much to you..." he defends, believing I'm honestly upset about him not wanting my name.

"Lou, I'm just teasing," I assure him. "Of course I will take your name. Learn to take a joke will ya?!"

"Oh, I don't know how to take a joke?!"

"Guess not." I shrug, trying to push his buttons, teasingly. He knows it, too.

"Oh, yeah? Look who's talking! What if I did this?!" He licks his finger and twists it into my ear.

I shriek and slap his arm away.

"Seriously?! A wet willy?! Are you five?" I laugh, incredulously.

"Look who can't take a joke now?" He smirks triumphantly.

"You wanna go?!"

"Admit it. You got nothin'."

"Really now?" I rise my eyebrows in question.

"Yep."

I quickly sit up from his lap and stalk over to the kitchen, hastily searching for a specific object.

I hear Louis get up from the couch and start to walk over to me.

"You aren't really upset are you?"

I ignore his question and continue opening and closing drawers around the kitchen.

"Ave, I was kidding," he whines, believing my show.

I find what I'm looking for and quickly undo the wrapper in front of me so I block what I'm doing from his view. I stick the wrapper under the sink faucet for a millisecond and bring it back to my little workspace in front of me.

"What are you even doing?" Louis asks, although his voice is more exasperated than curious. Perfect.

I stick my homemade ammo in the tube and bring the opposite end to rest between my lips. I turn around to find him only a few feet away from where I'm standing against the counter.

His eyebrows twist in confusion as I suck in a breath of air and blow it out through the thin plastic tube, rocketing a perfectly assembled spit ball right to his forehead, where it sticks nicely.

"I got nothin', do I?" I prod cockily.

He shakes his head in amused annoyance before he quickly lunges for me, wrapping his arms around my waist and wiggling his fingers against my sides.

"Ahh! Louis, stop!" I laugh.

He ignores me and continues his assault that leaves us both out of breath from the joyous giggling.

"Ew, not in the kitchen!"

I turn around in Louis' grip and see Annie standing at the top of the staircase. Louis laughs and releases his grip, allowing me to move freely, but I remain by his side.

"Where have you guys been? We woke up an hour ago and the house was empty," I say, ignoring her comment.

"We were over at grandma and granddad's. We all woke up and mom said we should let you sleep so we all just went over there for breakfast."

"Oh. So is everyone still over there?"

"Yeah. They told me to tell you guys we have to leave for the airport in thirty minutes."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks, Anne."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just meet us in the car, and hurry up!" she grumbles and turns to walk back down the stairs.

Once she is out of earshot, and the front door is heard shut, I turn back around to Louis.

"Fun's over. Time to get going."

"I wish they could just do it without me," he whines.

"Me too. Oh and wait I really quickly wanted to talk to you about something. We are still keeping us a secret, so just be careful about what you say on that interview tonight. I mean, by now, I'm sure there's at least some rumors going around, so just try and do your best to deflect them?" I ask hopefully.

"We could just tell them, you know. I mean, I know we agreed to keep it a secret, but wasn't that just until we decided what we were and what we wanted to be?"

"I mean, yes, but also for my job and your fans and the paps. Also, I've been thinking about it more and more and I don't think I'm ready to deal with the attention from the media and everyone, yet."

"I know, but it won't be as bad as you think. I'll be there to protect you from it all, and I mean, I'm pretty sure Caroline and Paul must suspect something like is between us, and just have yet to say anything."

I close my eyes, and sigh. "I know, and I promise we can soon. Just, not yet."

He tightens his grip around my waist and leans back to look at me. "I get it, I just think you are stronger than you think and you can handle anything they throw at you. I just want to be able to show off the girl I love to the world. I want everyone to know she's mine." He pouts through his smile.

"I know. You don't think I want every hormonal teen in the audience to know that you're taken?"

"Okay, fine. But soon, though?" he says and his eyes light up with hope.

"Soon." I nod in confirmation.

"Good. Now let's get going, shall we?" he asks.

"Let's go." I give him a quick peck and walk back into the living room to collect my purse.

"Okay, but if you are going to remain single to the public, those jeans are not allowed out of the house!" Louis calls after me. I turn back around to face him, twisting so I can look at the different angles of my favorite skinny jeans.

"Why not?"

"That ass is for my eyes, only."

I gasp at him, my mouth hanging open in amusement.

"Were you checking out my ass?"

"Yep. And it looks way too good to go out in public."

I shake my head at him, closing my mouth into a smirk before turning back around to the door of the Katie's bedroom where my stuff is.

"I'm keeping the jeans. You'll just have to enjoy the view while you can!" I call back over my shoulder. I quickly twist my head back to look at him, biting my lip and quirking my brow, flirtingly. "Good motive to hurry back." I quickly walk and close the door behind me.

"Oh come on! That's just not fair!" I hear him call from the other room.

I just giggle and walk over to pick up my bag. Silly boy. I'm gonna miss him.