icicle ♡ narry christmas au [COMPLETE]

six

"the tree is perfect, perfect, perfect!" livi cheers as they set it up in the apartment. niall is leaning against the counter sipping a mug of hot chocolate.

"it is a pretty great tree," he agrees softly. gingerbread is sniffing along the floor, looking for crumbs.

livi giggles. "can we decorate it now?"

"i thought you wanted to make christmas cookies," harry responds from where he's setting the tree up. "stand back, sweetheart." livi takes a few tentative steps back, and her hand finds niall's. he smiles down at her over the rim of his mug.

"will you paint my nails like this?" livi asks, playing with niall's fingers.

"sure, if your daddy says it's okay," niall nods.

"daddy?"

"sure," harry says back, standing up and brushing the pine needles off his shoulders. niall laughs, because there a few stuck in his hair, and with gentle hands, he picks them out. he hesitates as he pulls his hand back, fingertips brushing against his cheek. harry's face softens, dimples peeking out. "thanks."

"you're welcome," niall says quietly, voice a whisper.

"cookies now?" livi's voice is quiet and bright, like a giggle is trapped in her chest. when harry looks down, the smile on her face is almost smug, and he fights the urge to roll his eyes. his six-year-old is his wingman. remarkable.

"sure thing," harry sighs, pulling back. the small smile is still on his face, and it makes niall's heart leap into his throat. "niall, you like gingerbread?" 

"yeah," niall says even though he doesn't really. he doesn't want to go home, to his lonely apartment. he doesn't want to sit alone in the dark, feeling like all he has in the whole world is himself. "you know, i've never made christmas cookies before."

livi gasps loudly. "you haven't?! daddy makes the best gingerbread cookies in the world!"

harry's cheeks actually pink. "no, i don't."

"yes, you do!" livi nudges at her father's chest until he smiles, picking her up and setting her on his hip. "you do, you do, you do! say it!"

"i make the best gingerbread cookies in the world," harry repeats, rolling his eyes at niall with a half-smile. niall smiles back.

"good." livi leans up and kisses harry's nose. "daddy, can we call uncle ashton?"

harry's eyebrows raise. "you haven't asked about him in a long time. 

"i miss him!"

harry shakes his head. "sure, sweetheart, after cookies, okay?"

- - -

a few hours later, harry's entire kitchen smells like baked gingerbread. the cookies are made into cute little shapes, and harry gives niall a plate to take home with him.

"you don't have to do that," niall tries to protest, but harry insists. so he takes the cookies home, setting them on his kitchen counter. he hesitates, but takes a bite out of one, and ends up smiling. for a gingerbread cookie, these are pretty fantastic.

as he chews, his heart sinks to his stomach. all he can think about is how bright and happy harry seems, full to the brim of energy with little livi. he thinks about how they're all set for christmas, and how he doesn't have a tree yet. he doesn't even know what he's going to do for christmas. so with that sad thought in his head and his heart heavy in his chest, he picks up his phone and calls zayn.

- - -

"uncle ashton!"

"olivia claire," ashton says back. livi can hear a smile in his voice, one of her favorite sounds. "how's my favorite little niece doing, hm?"