parenthood | niam au [ON HOLD]

tired

"oh my god," niall sighs when liam parks in the driveway at their house. "i'm so, so tired."

"i know you are," liam says gently, putting a hand out to stroke his hair affectionately. it's late, and both of the boys and zinnia are asleep in the backseat. her tiny hand is gripping flynn's finger. "come on, sweetheart, let's get you inside. are you hurting a lot?"

niall spent three days in the hospital post-surgery, just to make sure everything was healing up okay.

"not a lot. only if i move too fast," niall answers, taking liam's arm as he slowly gets out of the car. "i'm gonna be so sore," he whines.

"you'll just have to take it easy for a little while," liam says gently, kissing the side of niall's head. he helps niall inside and settles him on the couch, and then goes back out for the kids.

flynn toddles in behind liam sleepily, liam holding zinnia in one arm and teddy in the other. niall watches with fond, sleepy eyes as flynn collapses on the couch beside him.

"no, baby, papa needs to rest. come lay in your bed," liam urges gently, but flynn tightens his grip on niall's hand.

"it's okay," niall tells liam, brushing flynn's hair back gently. liam hesitates, clearly not approving of this, but gives in and takes teddy and zinnia upstairs.

"are you sleepy, papa? was bringing the baby here hard?" flynn asks in a sleepy voice.

"yes, baby, i'm very sleepy. bringing the baby was a lot of work and i need lots of rest. can you lay here and be quiet while i sleep?"

flynn nods. "i'm sleepy, too." he shuts his eyes, and then opens them again a few seconds later when he feels niall still looking at him. "don't worry, papa, it's okay to sleep. i'll keep the nightmares away. promise."

niall kisses the top of his head. "thank you, baby."

- - -
niall wakes up to the sound of kids laughing. the laughter comes from the kitchen, and he slowly stands up and makes his way down the hallway, wincing.

"ni! you're up," liam says, sounding happy. he's bouncing zinnia in his arms, some kids' song on the radio, and flynn and teddy are dancing around the kitchen beside him.

niall nods. "i think i need some more pain meds," he says slowly, and liam hands the baby to him while he goes to find his pills.

"hi, sweet pea!" niall coos as she latches onto his finger. she stares up at him with big, blue eyes.

"here are your pills," liam announces, and niall takes them one-handed so he can still hold his daughter. the boys are still dancing around the kitchen, flynn giggling at his brother slithering across the floor like a snake. "what kind of dance move is that?" liam laughs.

"it's a snake dance, daddy. duh," teddy responds, and niall laughs.

"well," liam huffs, pretending to sound hurt. teddy glances up at him, looking nervous, but his fear melts into a smile at liam's expression. he slithers over to liam's leg and wraps his arm around it.

"i love you, daddy," he says.

liam beams and reaches down to scoop his youngest son up. "i love you, too, kiddo!"

not too much later, they're all cuddled up together on the couch. zinnia is in a small portable crib set up in their living room, fast asleep. teddy is in his favorite pair of pajamas, with a print that makes him look like an astronaut. flynn is in his favorite, dinosaur print, and he sits in niall's lap, careful not to lean against his papa's sore tummy.

"can we watch the lion king again?" teddy asks.

"no," whines flynn. "we just watched it!"

"so!?"

"so i don't wanna watch it again."

"but i do!"

"so what?!"

"boys," liam says warningly, and both boys stop arguing immediately. "if you can't agree on a movie, we won't watch one at all."

both boys pout, but eventually agree on wreck it ralph, and they cuddle up together and watch the movie until they fall asleep.