And he expected the groan that came from Nate, but because of how much sunscreen Harry puts on Nate he only figured the toddler burned easily. If he's anything like his father then Louis knew he would go red within an hour if he didn't put the cream on him.

"Alright, we got our hat, sunglasses," Louis muttered to himself, double checking that Nate was safe from the burning sun.

"Lou," Nate whined, him possibly being worse than his father. "Can we just go swimmin already?"

Louis let out a small breath as he looked over the toddler again, deeming him safe enough to actually be outside in the sun. So he let Nate drag him towards the water and the 3 year old didn't waste a second before jumping into the ocean, only making Louis have a minor heart attack as he went in after him and made sure his head popped up.

He felt like it would be like this all day, just being overprotective and watching Nate's every move. But he supposed that is just what parenting is like, and he might as well get used to it.

*~*

"Lou Lou," Nate muttered, crawling on the older man's chest as he was laying in the sand and soaking up the sun.

"What's up big guy?" Louis mumbled tiredly, wrapping his arm around Nate and just barely picking his head up from the ground.

He couldn't even say how exhausted he was from chasing the 3 year old around all day, he doesn't know how Harry does this on a daily basis.

"Do you think...-" Nate stopped himself for a second, trying to figure out what it was he wanted to ask him. "Do you think if I be more good then daddy no work so much?"

"Be good?" Louis asked quietly with furrowed eyebrows.

"Well like listen more, I dunno," Nate shrugged, refusing to meet Louis' eyes as he looked back at him.

Louis felt his jaw go slack, looking back at Nate and having no clue where he was getting these thoughts from. He tried so hard all day to make sure the toddler was having fun. Being in the water as long as Nate wanted, helping him build sand castles and buying a football they could kick around and even getting the two of them on one of the wind surf boats. But still, he could see that the 3 year old was missing Harry.

"Buddy I don't want you thinking like that," Louis said softly, looking at him seriously. "Your father, he-... Being a boss of a business can be very hard," he tried to explain as easily as possible. "But he's doing the best he can right now to make sure you two have everything you need and sometimes that means he has to work a lot. I don't want you to think your daddy works so much because of something you do, he works because he has to."

"But it just- it all the time," Nate said, not wanting to whine but he couldn't help it. "You no see him at home, he always work."

"You're right, I don't see him at home," Louis said quietly. "But Nate, I can promise you the reason daddy works so much is because he has to, not because he wants to, and it has nothing to do with anything you do or how you act."

Nate didn't say anything, instead finally picked his head up and looked back at the older man, and seeing just how serious he was. "You talk to daddy bout work?" he asked almost nervously. "Daddy listen to you..."

Louis opened his mouth, wanting to say anything to comfort Nate, but he didn't know if it was his place to say something to Harry. Clearly it was a problem between the pair and it crushed him to see how upset the 3 year old was about all of it, but he also knew that Harry understood the problem and tried everything in his power to fix it.

"I'll see what I can do big guy..." Louis finally settled on, pulling Nate even closer to his chest and kissing his head. "Come on buddy, I think it's about time we get on the boat, and maybe get some dinner?"

Nate nodded back at him, standing up and helping Louis pack all of their things.

For the first time ever he was excited to go back on the boat and be carried away from the beach just so he could see his daddy. He only hoped that when they got back to the room that his father was done with work.

Louis carried him the entire way, the older man weaving through people and getting on the boat with no problems. And the closer they got to the room Nate was growing more and more worried that his daddy would be busy still.

But luckily when they finally got back into the room he saw his father off his computer and not fiddling with his camera, but fast asleep on his bed.

"Daddy!!" Nate shrieked, wiggling out of Louis' arms and rushing towards the bed.

Harry let out a grunt as he felt a body fall on top of him, successfully waking him up and making a small smile come over him as he saw his son. "Hey big guy, you and Louis have fun?"

And he wasn't all that surprised to hear the toddler dive into all the things he and Louis got up to, telling him about everything they did to the last detail.

Harry was more than happy to listen though, he was so relieved to hear that despite him not being there his son had a good time. And he couldn't even say how grateful he was to the blue eyed lad for sending him pictures of Nate throughout the day, that also putting himself at ease some.

His son was almost clinging to him, and Harry knew he missed him all day and truth be told he hated that he couldn't be with him but instead cooped up in the room.

"You get all you work done?" Nate asked quietly once he was done telling his father about his day.

"I did," Harry breathed out as he nodded. "I promise big guy, that's it for the rest of the trip. I talked to Sam and made him promise he won't even call me unless it's an emergency, okay?"

"Really?" Nate asked, looking up at his daddy and biting his lip, really hoping that was true.

"Really really," Harry smiled down at him.

And just at hearing that Nate didn't try to fight his own grin, but he just hoped his father would keep this promise.

"You hungry love? You eat yet today?" Louis asked as he put Nate's bag on a chair.

"Food sounds incredible, I haven't been able to do anything at all today, just too busy," Harry huffed.

"Well then what do you think boys? You okay if I take you both out on a little date?"

"If daddy come," Nate said, looking to his father.

And Harry just smiled down at Nate, pulling him into his side and kissing his head, knowing his son missed him all day, and it was no secret he missed him as well. "Of course buddy."

Louis couldn't help the laugh that came out of him as he heard Nate cheering and saw how happy Harry seemed. It was this he loved to see and he was happy to see the 3 year old smile genuinely for the first time all day.

*~*

"You alright babe?" Louis asked, seeing Harry sprawled out on the bed as he came out of the bathroom.

"Yeah," Harry breathed out as he combed his fingers through the front of his curls. "Just today... I dunno, I hated that I couldn't be with you and Nate."

Louis nodded as he crawled on the bed next to the younger lad and rested his chin on his chest to look up at him. "You needed to work love, it's okay."

"No but... This kinda stuff happens all the time, and I feel so awful about it," Harry barely whispered. "I promise him time for just the two of us and every single time I get pulled one way and then another for work, and it breaks my heart knowing that my promises mean nothing to my own son."

Harry couldn't even begin to explain how terrible he's been when it comes to work. That was one of the reasons he wanted to come on this trip, to really get away from it all and show Nate that he's the most important thing in his life, and yet he still managed to screw that up.

"Love you know..." Louis stopped for a second, trying to figure out what it was he really wanted to say. "You can't be perfect at everything," he said quietly. "You have to juggle, and right now you're doing the best you can and in the long run it's to benefit both of you."

"I know but at the same time I'm hurting mine and my son's relationship."

And Louis wanted to say something, just anything to make the younger lad feel better. But he felt like no matter what he told him Harry wouldn't listen.

"You've done so much for him Harry..." he barely whispered, keeping his eyes on him even though Harry refused to look back. "You fought so hard to give him a good life and I know you don't believe it, but you are an incredible father. Sure, you have some bumps here and there but at the end of the day you will forever be the person he looks up to and loves with all his heart."

Maybe it was that that did it, because Harry finally picked his head up to look at Louis and for a split second he thought the younger was actually taking in what he was saying.

"Thank you Louis..."

Louis smiled back him, more than relieved he was able to get Harry to see what he sees. It was clear to anyone with eyes how much the two Styles meant to each other, how much they loved each other. But maybe sometimes they both just needed a reminder of how the other felt.

"I really don't know what I would've done without you on this trip..." Harry barely whispered. "I mean, which is pretty crazy considering we just met and all, but I dunno, you just mean a lot to me and Nate."

Louis was quiet for a second, this being his chance to talk to Harry, to get a better understanding how the younger lad really feels about him. "Harry uhm... What are- l-like what are we doing?" he asked, trying his hardest to contain his nerves and not seem like a complete mess.

But Harry just laid there, his eyes locked on Louis and trying to figure out what to say.

"You know, like you and me," Louis continued on, not sure if he understood what he was really asking. "Because I'll be honest H, I don't want this to end after the cruise is over..."

"Really?" Harry barely whispered, not expecting that in the slightest, but if he was being honest it was exactly what he was hoping the older lad would say.

"Yeah, really," Louis smiled back at him, almost trying not to laugh as he saw Harry's shocked face.

Harry felt his jaw go slack, wanting to say something but absolutely nothing was coming out. He was trying to get it through his head that this man, this incredibly sweet and caring guy wanted to be with him, and also wanted to be a part of Nate's life.

"Well... What if I say I wanted that too?" he asked, finally finding his voice.

And just at hearing that Louis didn't try to fight the blinding smile that came over him as he picked his head off from Harry's chest and pressed their lips together.

He knew he startled the green eyed lad a bit, but it was like taking in a breath of fresh air when he started kissing him back and didn't have a trace of hesitance before wrapping his arms around him to make sure there was absolutely no room between them.

"Holy shit, I don't think you understand how happy that just made me," Louis laughed sheepishly to himself.

"Well that makes two of us."

And if possible Louis' smile only grew as he leaned back in to connect their lips again.

He couldn't even begin to describe how comforting it was to know that he didn't have a limited number of times he could do this. Now Louis knew that Harry wanted to be with him just as much as he did, and he knew he wouldn't be letting go of the two Styles anytime soon.

A/N I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to get updates out, it's just been hard to write lately... I can't just sit and decide to write, it has to come to me and honestly it's been hard to get inspired lately. But I hope you liked the chapter and how things are moving along :) Thank you so much for being patient with me, it means the world. Leave comments, opinions, and predictions as to what you think will happen next !

Oh, and be sure to check out this new story on Wattpad !

https://www.wattpad.com/457257139-loving-blindly-prolouge

It's the author's first fic, so be sure to leave feedback, it's always appreciated and helpful to someone just starting to write Xx