Keeping Up With One Direction 2

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*LAST ONE THIS WEEK - dedicated to icantbedoingthis & Irish_09876 & pantinglarry - these are some names I recognized that have been here since the start, thank you for sticking out the wait. 

Everyone can look forward to getting TWO updates next week, all the love in the entire world, Thank you for making my return so welcoming ~Emma :)  

Beach Vacation: The Aftermath

Kneeling in front of his precious boy, Harry uses his thumbs to wipe the tears away from his cheeks. He had his own fifteen minutes to break down in the bathroom before addressing the situation at hand. 

The minute the punch was heard, Harry dropped everything and ran to the boy's room with Zayn already standing in the doorway rushing between Liam and Louis, Niall hurrying in with 911 on standby. Crumpling in the arms of his Papa Liam was the first to admit what he had done, it was in a state of shock that he hadn't begun crying yet, just staring at the bruise forming around his brother's eye.

Zayn took full control of the situation, something Harry could never express his gratitude for, as he lifted Liam into his arms calming him, explaining repeatedly how good Liam was, Harry stared from his spot on his knees kneeling in front of Louis with his hand caressing the cheeks of the eldest hybrid, "Za-Zayn" he croaks, Niall rubbing Harry's back soothingly shushing him, "Go to the bathroom, let me handle this," Harry can only nod attempting to stifle his sobs, he rises glancing at Liam that had slowly started to come to from his angry haze, the dreaded tears that followed.

Sinking to the floor the daddy cried. He cried for his failing marriage, his life, his boys, he wept into the nearest towel he could find until it became heavy. There wasn't a tear left unshed when fifteen minutes later he stood from his spot wiping his cheeks opening the door to the hallway where he sees Liam standing watching Zayn console Louis.

"Li-Liam," Harry's raspy voice calls, Zayn flinches not expecting the man to be available so soon, he turns patting Liam's side, "go see dada, baby," Liam whimpers trudging to the man expecting to be beaten in return for harming his older brother when instead he's pulled into a bone-crushing hug, that move alone being enough for Liam to come crashing down with sobs to be forgiven.

The three parents didn't know where to go from here. Sure the boys rough-housed and played violently with each other sometimes, but never to this extent.

Harry went as far as accepting that Louis was scared of Liam at the moment. He could only choke down his guilt that one of his babies felt any type of fear as he processed what was happening before him.

Liam sits on the side of the bathtub sniffling as his sobs had been reduced from the high of the moment to now reeling in the raw reality of what he'd just done.

He can't help but stare at his hands, his left one twitching when he clenches his fist the same way he did moments prior. He felt terrible, horrible for the way Louis screamed after the first blow, Liam felt his heart leap from his chest his hand immediately dropping to his side after when Max wailed in terror at the sharp punch.

The thud of the toys dropping followed by the screams of the boys had all three fathers bursting into the bedroom each with a look of concern with different levels.

Harry inhales deeply staring into the dull chocolate eyes, he shushes him once more pressing his lips to Liam's cheeks, "Please stop crying," he soothes, his own hands encase around Liam's pulling the hybrid closer as his sobs begin again, "No one is mad, Louis is okay,"

Truthfully Louis was okay, well, he would be. He'd milk the injury for the first few days but in a week he'd be back to normal, this wasn't his first black eye. However, it was the first time he'd been hit by Liam. He remembers his brother's fist coming at his face so quickly he almost felt proud that the younger brother had gotten so good at fighting that for seconds he forgot he was the target.

Trying to duck the blow he only ended up securing himself in the line of Liam's left hook taking it right to his eye. Louis felt awful when he fell backward onto Max which caused the baby to cry, he tried to steady himself when he met the fiery eyes of Liam seeing that his brother only held the anger for a second until their eyes met and the fire diminished. Instead hurt lined them, tears pooling in their eyes after the fathers crashed into the room everyone's voices fighting to be heard.

Wrapping the icepack in a dishtowel Zayn held it to Louis' eyes soothing the boy, "When I said you were a knockout I didn't mean this," the papa muses, Louis scowling before a smile cracked on his lips following tears, "N-no p-punish Lee," Louis begs softly, Zayn felt his chest tighten hearing the soft-spoken plea, he kisses Louis' forehead ruffling his hair, "There will be consequences for hitting, because we don't hit, right?"

Hanging his head with a whimper Louis shakes his head, "M-My fault," he admits, even if he didn't feel like he deserved a black eye, especially from the hands of his little brother, he felt that the blame was on his hands. After all, he hadn't had the conversation with Liam yet that he was a different older brother to Max than he was to Liam, he was older and what his parents called "More Mature" meaning he had to be nicer to Max. 

He felt terrible that he didn't relay the message to his best partner in crime.

"Bubba in no way is this your fault," Zayn swears scooping the boy into his arms, "You're the best big brother, Lou, but you can't save everyone." he sways with the boy hushing his oncoming sobs.

"Max is down for the night," Niall announces entering the living room, he sits on the coffee table glancing at his eldest asleep on Zayn's lap with a pacifier bobbling in his mouth, and his husband that still stands pacing with Liam that refused to close his eyes.

The boy in Harry's arms tenses at the name of his younger brother, Harry places his hand on the back of Liam's head, scratching his ears lovingly, "He's in his bed asleep," He assures, Liam sniffling as fresh tears leak down his raw and rosy cheeks, he felt so guilty that he hit Louis, he was aiming for Max and felt shame for wanting to hurt his little brother.

Niall chews his bottom lip pulling one of Zayn's packs of cigarettes off the table lighting one up in a sigh, "What are we going to do?" Frowning that the stress has driven his husband to smoke, Zayn clears his throat gesturing to Liam, "Are we going to discuss it with him in here?" Niall shrugs, "Might as well, he was part of the pro-"

"If you say problem I'm leaving you," Harry growls suddenly, he's stopped pacing standing frozen with tears running down his cheeks, he keeps Liam's back to the room using his hand to lay his ears flat muffling the sound, "Don't you dare say he is a problem!" Harry snarls stepping forward he yanks the cigarette from Niall's hand smashing it in the ashtray next to him, "Get a fucking grip and realize we are the problem, we drove him to this-"

"I never watched boxing with the kid-" Niall starts rising, Zayn scoffing, "So this is my fault-"

"Enough!" Harry shrieks, Louis jolting awake on Zayn's lap crying out, "Enough," Harry repeats softer this time, he takes a seat on the couch adjusting Liam as he grabs Louis as well snuggling both of his babies, protectively holding both to his chest he meets the eyes of his husband's, "We've all been on edge lately, yeah?" 

Zayn nods glancing at Niall that stares off into the room but nods showing he's listening, "Ni-Niall I'm sorry we relied on you to play referee, it was selfish to expect you to clean it up all the time," Harry admits, "But Zayn and I went to counseling, we got better-" Niall chuckles rising from the table, "And believe me, I'm happy for you both, I just wish I was a fucking part of this marriage as well." 

>O O F 

> 3 chapters in ONE week?! My fingers are tired from typing this much 🤣

>All the loveee, ~Emma :)