The Trouble with a Cough

Chapter three

Once the bath was full Liam dipped a finger in to make sure it wasn't too hot and then gently lifted Harry in. Goosebumps rose on Harry chest from the sudden change in temperature and he shuddered a few times as he adjusted.

The steam seemed to bring all the congestion in Harry's face and chest to the surface and when he spoke up ten minutes later he could hardly communicate any recognisable words.
Liam rubbed Harry's back as he struggled over his thick speech. He plucked some toilet paper from the roll and had Harry blow his nose again. It was some help, Harry could talk now, but he still sounded mightily plugged up no matter how much gunk he got out. Liam decided that was enough bath time, if Harry got to much stuffier he wasn't going to be able to breathe.

Liam then wrapped the boy in a towel  before drying him, placing a pull-up on him, and getting the boy dressed. Zayn had cleaned the hall carpet from Harry's accident before going into the garden to play football with Louis and Niall.

  Harry returned to the couch for more TV while Liam got started on dinner in the kitchen. It was still early but Zayn had the kids on his own that night, with a sick Harry, and he wanted to make things as easy as he could before he went off to work.

Liam sighed, he normally didn't mind working all night but not when Harry wasn't well. He made more soup for Harry and arranged for his mum to pick Louis and Niall up for school tomorrow so Zayn didn't have to take Harry out. He never knew, there was a chance Harry would be as good as gold the next morning. Liam doubted it. Harry's defence systems usually didn't kick in that quickly.

He got changed and headed outside to give Zayn a kiss goodbye, telling him about the plans for the morning.

"Okay Love, but Harry might be alright in the morning."
Liam sighed, "I hope so, but he's gotten all lethargic again. You know how he is, he'll probably be worse by morning." He ducked his head, feeling awful. It was his fault.

"I'll take care of him, call work and take the day off. It's okay," Zayn replied, kissing him again.

Liam went back inside and gave a Harry a goodbye before heading out for the night. Zayn told the boys it was time to go in not wanting Harry to wake up alone.  The boys sighed and nodded.

Liam drove to work and the next day when he arrived home, tired and very much needing a long shower, he stepped into a silent house.
"Z?" He whispered, in case somebody was sleeping. It sure was quiet enough.
"That you Li? We're through here," Zayn whispered back.

Sure enough, him and Harry were on the couch yet again and Harry was sound asleep and snoring.

"Hey Babe," Zayn grinned up at his husband, happy to see him. Liam returned the smile and bent over to give Zayn a hello kiss. After a night apart it lasted until someone ran out of air to breathe.
"Harry wasn't any better then?" Liam wrapped one of Harry curls around his fingers and carefully lowered himself into the couch so that it wouldn't move too much.

"He was asking for medicine again this morning, and then he went back to sleep and hasn't woken since," Zayn murmured with a shrug. "He slept right through the night too."

"That's a ton of sleep."  Liam frowned, shocked. Not many three years old he knew of could sleep that long without going stir crazy. "Let me just shower and then I'll take over so you can head in to the school."

"Oh, right, I'd forgotten!" Zayn exclaimed too loudly, causing Harry to stir and wriggle. He'd managed to get a substitute teacher in for the morning but he needed to be back in the classroom for 11. His watch read 10:40. "Make it a quick shower Li," he said as Liam wandered off toward the bathroom.

Liam stood under the water jets for five minutes, washed himself, and got out. He could've  stayed in there for hours and it killed him to turn the water off but Zayn had to go to work and he wasn't comfortable with Harry being in his own. Yawning and rubbing tiredly at his eyes Liam ran back to the lounge to take over Zayn's spot. After sliding out from beneath Harry, Zayn jumped into his shoes and ran out the door with a goodbye shout. He had ten minutes to drive all the way to the primary school at beat the little ones back to class after their morning tea break. Needless to say, he had to go pretty fast.