Keeping Up With One Direction 2

>23<

TWENTY TWO: The One Where the Little Brother Gets Bigger

"Daddy"

The wooden spoon trapped so graciously between Harry's fingers drops onto the counter, he feels his chest tighten as he inhales sharply darting his eyes to the tiny hybrid in the highchair.

His oceanic eyes stare lovingly in return, clueless to the pain he'd just caused.

"W-what did you say?" The spoon sticky with pancake batter oozes further onto his new granite, Harry being reminded of such when he places his hand directly on it as he looks away from his youngest son in glum as the word is repeated happily on command, "Daddy!"

Louis strolls into the kitchen his hands cupped behind his ears with suspicion in his eyes, "Why Max 'sayin 'daddy'?"

"I-I don't know," Harry admits tears pooling in his eyes.

He knew the day would come, it always did.

Harry remembers the hurt when Louis' call for him switched from Dada to Daddy.

Max giggles as if he's aware of the crisis he'd just instilled on his poor Dada and finds it to be hilarious.

Liam groans glancing up at Zayn from his place in the recliner next to him. Apparently, he'd woken up "grumpy" and Zayn thought he needed a 'mid-morning nap' before he was allowed to play with his trucks; and though he loved his Papa more than anything, Liam didn't know if he placed higher than his trucks.

Therefore, he proceeded to tell his Papa that in the only way he knew how.

"You 'urted 'mah 'eart 'c-cus's 'yous 'nos 'wets 'mes 'pway 'wif 'rucks"

"I heart your heart because I won't let you play with trucks?"

"Y-yeh," Liam sniffles pointing to his head, "'urted bad!"

"That's not where your heart is Bubba, and that doesn't change my decision."

Trapped in the man's hold, Liam did pout in the beginning once his chocolate orbs located the desolate trucks on the rug sitting there teasingly. Until Zayn started rocking, and Liam cuddled in close with a small kiss to the man's cheek. He didn't forgive him for the supposed hurt in his heart, but he also wasn't going to turn down the chance to cuddle with Papa.

That always placed higher than trucks.

The hybrid groans again rising from his laid down position tugging Zayn's hair to get his immediate attention, the papa smacks his thigh glaring at him in concern, "What?"

"H-hungry,"

"Violence won't solve that, Daddy's cooking breakfast-"

"Zayn!"

Niall's hurrying into the room furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, he's preparing himself to play referee if needed. Harry storms in Max in his arms with tears on the fathers cheeks, "S-say it again."

"Daddy!"

Niall claps at the hybrid, "That is Daddy! Good job-"

"No!" Harry scolds, Zayn scoffing rolling his eyes, "Honey the boys are growing up they won't call you Dada forever."

The man sets Max down gesturing to Liam, "Not if we're encouraging them to call me Daddy!" 

"B-but 'dats 'ya name," Louis muses, he giggles grabbing Harry's hand, "Silly Daddy,"

With Harry having a mid-morning identity crisis, breakfast in the Stylin household had officially stalled - and that was never a good sign.

It was Niall that had resumed the pancakes for his husband, Zayn even rushed to aid once he made sure the youngest husband had been tended to.

Leading his oldest and youngest boy to the kitchen, both of them watching Harry sit on the sofa with heartbroken eyes, tears pool in Louis'. He feels immense guilt for helping teach Max how to say 'Daddy.' He thought the reaction would be the same as when the hybrid first said Papa or Baba - that everyone would cheer.

Liam brings his bottom lip between his teeth, he stands back watching Zayn herd his brothers to the kitchen, grinning when he'd left the room as his chocolate orbs land on his trucks.

Giggling to himself, Liam steps forward planning to take full advantage of Zayn being out of the room when Harry's small cry halts him. He can't help but groan softly, Liam simply didn't have time to take care of his Daddy and play with his trucks before Zayn returned.

But, he also couldn't enjoy playing with his trucks if he knew his Daddy was crying either.

Sighing, Liam waves toward his trucks with a somber expression, he hopes they know how sorry he is he couldn't play with them this morning.

"W-why's 'cwyin?"

Harry sniffles lifting his head glancing at his middle child, "M-max is growing up baby, just makes Daddy sad," Liam doesn't understand the man's reasoning but nods anyway, he smiles toward him puckering his lips for a kiss. 

"I-It be 'otay Dada,"

The man's expression brightens, he pulls Liam to his chest snuggling him with several kisses to his cheeks, "I love you, baby,"

Zayn's bringing the pancakes to the table when he pauses noticing Louis' tears flowing down his cheeks, "What's happened Bubba?"

"I-I made Daddy sad!" Louis sobs, he never wanted Harry to hate him, he loved his Daddy so much it broke his little heart to see him so sad.

Zayn kneels down collecting Louis in his arms pressing his lips to his forehead, "How in the world did you make Daddy sad?"

The hybrid sniffles meeting the hazel eyes, "I-I 'teachin Ma-max 't-ta say 'Daddy' n-not 'da-da," The Papa suppresses a chuckle, "You and your daddy are so much alike," He muses, Louis furrows his eyebrows, he thought for sure he'd be getting a spanking by now, "Bubba you did nothing wrong, I think Daddy just didn't expect Max to grow up so fast."

"N-no my fault?"

"No bubba it's not your fault." Niall enters the room shortly after, "It's just a morning of tears around here," Setting the oatmeal on Max's tray he brings the spoon to the hybrids lips hearing him hum happily gurgling for his Dada.

Liam's strolling into the room pulling Harry behind him, the daddy sends a watery smile in greeting towards his youngest, Louis lunging from Zayn's hold spilling his apologies.

The father furrows his eyebrows pulling Louis away from him glancing at Zayn, "What happened?"

"Louis taught Max how to say Daddy," Zayn informs, Harry chuckling as he sniffles rolling his eyes at his own dramatic response, he runs his hand through Louis' hair bringing him to his lap with a snuggle, "You're such a good big brother. All daddies get sad seeing their younger ones grow up,"

Louis wipes his eyes staring trustingly at the man with a nod, "Sorry Daddy,"

"You have nothing to be sorry for my love, I'm sorry I acted like I did. I was not prepared to have three grown sons this morning!" He muses pulling Liam in for a hug as well.

>Not the best, but cute nonetheless. I'm sorry, this is the best I can do right now. Expect an update Very soon! All the love, Emma :)