parenthood | niam au [ON HOLD]

laundry day

"daddy," flynn calls, laying on the floor, petting padfoot, who's laying mostly on top of him.

"what's up, kiddo?" liam asks, drying off his hands on a dish towel.

"my tummy hurts."

"oh no! that's not good news," liam answers, sitting on the couch and pulling the small boy in his lap. "you need some tummy rubs?"

flynn hums, wiggling until he's comfortable in liam's lap. "yes, please, daddy."

chuckling lightly, liam starts rubbing the small boy's tummy. almost immediately, flynn starts yawning, rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists.

"look at this sleepy, little boy," liam coos.

"not sleepy," flynn whines, yawning in the middle of his sentence.

"oh, i'm so sorry," liam laughs. flynn curls up closer into liam's lap, sticking his thumb in his mouth. liam keeps rubbing his stomach until flynn is lightly snoring, thumb still in his mouth.

"papa, stop!" teddy shrieks, running into the room, holding a laundry basket over his head. niall follows him, chuckling, holding another basket full of laundry, and zinnia toddles after them, squealing and giggling.

"shhh, flynn is sleeping," liam whispers loudly, not wanting to wake the sleeping boy in his lap.

"oops! sorry," niall smiles, ruffling teddy's hair.

"can i do the socks?" he asks, kneeling on the floor next to the laundry basket.

"sure thing, baby," niall smiles, dumping the socks out onto the floor. teddy happily finds the matching pairs, and zinnia sits on the floor, watching. 

"zinnia, this is bluuuue," teddy singsongs, waving a blue sock in front of the baby's face. she giggles, trying to grab the sock he holds slightly out of her grasp.

"how long has he been asleep?" niall asks, indicating his head towards flynn.

"maybe ten minutes," liam answers. flynn moves a little, and liam shushes him gently, rubbing his tummy until he stills.

"hmm. okay. teddy, are you hungry for lunch?" niall asks.

teddy nods. "can i have a billion cookies?"

"i think not," niall laughs. "you can maybe have two. we'll see."

"chicken nuggets!"

"i guess that sounds okay. how about broccoli with it?"

"hmmm. okay," teddy shrugs. "can i finish the socks?"

"yup, you go ahead while i make lunch, okay?"

teddy continues to sort through the socks, humming to himself. finding his favorite pair of star wars socks, he slips them on his feet. when he looks up, he sees his big brother asleep in his daddy's lap. zinnia is playing with her duplo legos on the floor next to him, and his papa is making teddy's favorite chicken nuggets for lunch. everything is good and safe and wonderful, and teddy wants to cry from feeling so happy

"cub, are you all right?" liam asks gently, seeing teddy's eyes well up with tears. "what's wrong, baby?" liam carefully lays flynn on the couch, and then sits next to teddy on the floor. "can you talk to me, baby?"

teddy just whimpers. "love you," and scrambles into liam's lap, hugging him hard around the neck. teddy nuzzles his face into liam's neck, still whimpering softly. when he becomes overwhelmed or upset he often goes nonverbal, and liam and niall have learned that a lot of physical affection usually helps soothe the small boy. so liam just cradles him there, running his hand up and down teddy's back. eventually, teddy's whimpers silence, and he just clings to liam's shoulder, not letting the taller man set him down.

"all right, baby boy, i'm not putting you down, shhh," liam soothes, bouncing the boy in his arms. 

"want papa," teddy hiccups, but he doesn't let liam put him down to do so. so liam carries teddy into the kitchen, holding the small boy on his hip. "papa," he whines, reaching for him.

"baby, i'm cooking right now. do you think you can stay with daddy for a little while longer?"

teddy pouts, but he nods, playing with the collar on liam's shirt.

"daddy?" flynn's voice calls from the living room, and he sounds scared and confused. 

"coming, sweetheart," liam calls back, carrying teddy out of the kitchen and back into the room where flynn is. "i'm right here, love."

"daddy, want papa," teddy whines, kicking his legs irritatedly. 

"i know. hang on," liam answers, hoisting teddy higher on his hip. flynn raises his arms to be picked up as well, and liam finds himself with two arms full of his kids. "flynn, are you alright?"

"daddy, i --"

"want papa," teddy whines again, kicking his legs faster.

"theodore edward, stop it. what were you saying, flynn?"

"i just want --" flynn is cut off by zinnia letting out a loud cry when she drops one of her duplo blocks slightly out of her grasp. liam lets out a frustrated sigh and attempts to put flynn down so he can grab it for her, but he lets out a loud cry. he tries the same with teddy, who just sobs and screeches out that he wants his papa. 

"niall," liam calls over the sound of all three crying kids. "i need your help!"

"hang on," niall calls back. liam has to endure chaos for another 2 minutes before niall can come in and rescue him. niall takes teddy into his hold, who instantly stops crying once niall is holding him. he wipes his nose on the collar of niall's shirt, making him grimace. liam bends and hands zinnia her duplo piece, and slowly but surely, peace returns to the payne household.

"that was a very stressful two minutes," liam states seriously, which makes niall laugh.

"yeah. but we handled it. we make a good team," niall beams, and liam beams back.

A/N: i think this fic is coming to an end! i'm running out of ideas, and i reallly like writing the kiddos as kids and i'm not sure if i wanna write about them getting older or not! please comment below if you want me to keep writing, and if so, what i should write about!