One direction Sickfics/Kidfics

Anxiety or Something More? (Larry Family)

Louis couldn't help but groan when he opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen asleep again while putting Liam to bed. That was the third time this week. Maybe he should really consider switching with Harry for a bit.

Harry was responsible for making sure Niall and Zayn were in bed, not that it was necessary, as they didn't require much—just a goodnight and a reminder not to stay up too late, and even then they didn't always listen. Liam, on the other hand, was only seven and still required a bedtime story and cuddles, which more often than not left Louis dozing off beside him.

Louis groaned again as he stretched, carefully disentangling himself from Liam's arms. He made sure the blanket was draped over his youngest son - Liam had a tendency of moving a lot during his sleep - before quietly slipping out of the room.

Louis winced as he glanced at the clock—2:15 AM. He had intended to spend some time with Harry before bed, but it seemed that his plan had gone out the window now.

As he walked down the hallway, towards his bedroom, he frowned upon hearing a noise downstairs. The house should have been quiet at this hour. Sighing, Louis went down the stairs, his curiosity getting the best of him. When he reached the bottom, he saw a familiar figure in the dim light of the kitchen.

"Zayn?" Louis called softly, trying not to startle his son.

The boy turned to face him and Louis immediately could tell something was wrong—Zayn had dark bags under his eyes, which was understandable given the hour, but what caught Louis off guard was the obvious tears tracks on his son's face.

Louis quickly approached him and said, "Hey, what's the matter, sweetie?"

Zayn just shook his head, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "I just can't find any stomach relaxers."

Louis replied, "Hmm, I think Niall finished them last week and we forgot to buy more. But I assume you're feeling sick?"

Zayn gave a short nod, rubbing his eyes.

Louis sighed, finally getting what was going on. It wasn't unusual for Zayn to get anxious before big events like the one he would have tomorrow. The boy had an important test and therefore had spent practically all day locked in his room studying, terrified he was going to fail it, even though both Louis and Harry had told the teen he was going to do just fine.

"Do you think you might be feeling anxious about your test?" Louis questioned gently.

At this, Zayn burst into tears. "I'm going to fail, Dad! I've been studying so hard, but I just don't get it! What if I mess up?"

Louis quickly pulled Zayn into a comforting hug. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he soothed. "You're not going to fail. You've been working really hard, and that counts for a lot."

"But what if it's not enough?" Zayn sobbed into his dad's shoulder.

Louis rubbed Zayn's back gently. "You're going to do great on your test buddy, but if you don't, it's not the end of the world. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Zayn just shook his head, crying harder. Louis tried to calm him down, guiding him to the couch. "Come on, let's sit down for a minute," he said softly.

Zayn's sobs turned into harsh coughing, and Louis grew more worried. "Okay, Zayn, let's take some deep breaths together, alright? I need you to calm down, sweetheart."

Louis demonstrated slow, deep breaths, gently rubbing Zayn's back. "In through your nose, out through your mouth," he instructed.

After a few minutes, Zayn's breathing began to steady, though he still sniffled and hiccuped. Louis continued to comfort him, keeping his voice low and soothing. "That's it, just like that. You're okay."