parenthood | niam au [ON HOLD]

post-school adventures

"you came back," flynn whispers in a happy gasp. he takes off running and crashes into liam, who catches him, laughing.

"of course we did, sweet boy." liam kisses the top of his head. "how was school, huh?"

flynn wiggles over to hug niall. "it was okay, daddy. i missed you." he kisses niall's nose. niall loves him so much he could die. "can we go get teddy now?"

"of course." niall kisses his face, and flynn actually shrieks with excitement when he sees his brother, and wiggles to be set down. as soon as his feet hit the ground, teddy is crashing into him just how flynn crashed into liam.

"missed you!" teddy cries, clinging to his brother.

"i missed you, too," flynn whispers back. he kisses the top of teddy's head, and teddy snuggles closer still. once he's satisfied from hugging his brother, he gallops over and hugs niall around the knees. 

"papa!" teddy screeches.

"teddy!" niall coos back, scoops him up. teddy nuzzles his cheek against niall's. "how are you, sweetheart?"

teddy reaches for liam, and liam kisses all over his face. 

"hi, daddy," teddy cheers, happily rubbing his fingers over liam's stubble.

liam kisses nose. "shall we go get milkshakes?"

"milkshakes!" flynn shrieks, tossing his arms in the air. teddy cheers delightedly as well, kicking his legs.

"milkshakes!" niall cheers, too, and they make their way out to the car. teddy hums loudly, and flynn just cheerfully stares out the window, thumb in his mouth.

"papa, can i hold your hand?" flynn asks, words muffled from the thumb in his mouth. niall stretches his arm behind liam's seat, smiling a little when he feels flynn's tiny hand grip his thumb.

"me, too," teddy whines.

"you can hold my hand and it's like a chain," flynn offers,  and teddy cheerfully holds flynn's free hand.

"milkshakes!" teddy cheers as they park outside the cold stone ice creamery.

"what flavor do you want, ducky?" liam asks flynn, taking the boy's hand as they walk into the creamery.

"cotton candy!" flynn screeches, bouncing up and down.

"papa, what flavor are you getting?" teddy asks from where he's perched on niall's hip.

"cookie dough," niall smiles.

"yum! i want one that'll make my tongue blue," teddy giggles back. 

"whatever you want, cub," niall chuckles, tapping the end of teddy's nose.

- - -

"i want superman flavor, daddy!" teddy tells liam, little face smushed against the glass casing.

"you got it, teddy," liam confirms, gently ruffling the boy's hair.

"i still want cotton candy," flynn says, tugging on liam's sleeve.

"don't worry, i remember," liam reassures him. "ni, you want cookie dought, right, babe?"

niall smiles. liam remembered even though he hadn't heard him confirm it to teddy, and his heart is melting in his chest. "yeah," he says, voice too soft. liam smiles back at him, and his heart flutters. "they're gonna be so hyper."

liam pauses. "i didn't even think of that."

"oh well," niall shrugs as teddy takes a huge gulp of his milkshake.

"PAPA, MY BRAIN IS FROZEN!" flynn screeches, holding his forehead. "QUEEN ELZA FROZED MY HEAD!"

"baby," niall laughs, kissing his head. "it'll go away in a second."

"where's zinnia?" teddy asks suddenly.

liam picks him up. "she's with uncle zee and harry. we're actually supposed to go pick her up, bub."

"yay! i'm gonna poke her nose 'cause i like when she laughs after," teddy responds. 

"she likes that," flynn nods, holding niall's hand. "do i have to go to school tomorrow?"

"afraid so," liam answers.

"nooooo," the boys whine in unison, and niall and liam just shake their heads, having expected this reaction. 

"can we get milkshakes again?" flynn questions.

niall laughs. "probably not. you'd be crazy hyper!"

"i'm always crazy hyper, papa."

niall just shrugs. that's not exactly false. he picks flynn up to help him into his carseat when liam's phone starts ringing, and liam fishes it out of his pocket.

"it's zayn," he says, confused, and answers. "hey, zee. we're on our way to your place right now." a pause. "WHAT?!"

"what? what's wrong?" niall demands, heart jolting, thoughts immediately going to zinnia. is his baby hurt? he can't even think through the panic. "what's wrong, liam, answer me!"

"we're on our way right now," liam tells zayn and hangs up.

"liam, what is it?" niall asks, voice sharp and rough because he's so frightened.

liam shakes his head, and niall's heart unclenches when he seems liam is smiling. "harry's gone into labor," he says finally, and niall lets out a cry of surprise and delight before getting in the car.

a/n: what gender should harry and zee's baby be?