the only one

'cause you're having my baby

“I can’t believe you did this to me.”

“Did what, love?” Liam says, not looking up from his computer screen to where Zayn is standing, hands on his hips.

“Put your fucking kid inside of me.”

That gets Liam’s attention. “Hey, what did I say about cursing around the baby?”

Zayn throws his hands up in exasperation, rolling his eyes. “Come off it, Liam! The baby can’t hear us, okay?”

“But, I’ve read studies—”

“Yeah, well, I say screw your studies. He can’t hear us.”

Liam closes his laptop and gets up gingerly, walking around his desk to where Zayn is looking suspiciously sulky and grumpy. “What’s wrong? Why are you upset?”

“Because,” Zayn huffs, “my sodding back hurts, to start. My feet are swollen, I’ve downgraded to only wearing joggers all of the time because they’re the only thing I’m comfortable in. It’s awful.”

“I’m sorry,” Liam tries.

“And then I come in here, and you barely spare any time for me.”

“What—” he almost shouts, but then he sees Zayn’s face, how he’s genuinely upset. He lowers his voice, “I just had to finish a few things up, babe, I—Z, why are you crying?” he asks, bewildered.

“Fuck, I don’t even know.” Zayn whines pitifully, effectively making Liam’s heart melt. He drags Zayn into his arms, burrowing him there. “Hormones and shit, you know how it is. I’m sorry, Liam, I didn’t mean to pick a fight.” he says, voice a bit muffled because his face is shoved in the other man’s chest. “I actually only came in here to ask you to rub my back for a little, but then you wouldn’t look at me, and I just…”

“It’s okay; I know you didn’t mean it.” Liam soothes, kissing the top of Zayn’s head. He starts kneading his lower back. “Do you still want that back rub?”

“No, that’s alright. Thanks anyway, babe. Gonna kip for a bit, I think,” Zayn says, leaving Liam’s embrace. He turns and heads out of the office, waddling a little, which Liam thinks is completely precious. Zayn gives a small smile and a little wave, just a shake of his skinny fingers, as he gets to the door.

“I’ll be there in a short while, yeah? Sleep well,”

Zayn gives a minute nod, and leaves the room.

-

“How’s Zayn doing?” Louis asks his voice tinny over the phone speakers.

“Yeah, he’s fine. I think the symptoms are getting to him though,”

“Finally!” Louis laughs, making Liam chuckle. “Tell your hubby that he owes me twenty quid,”

“Oh, yeah, lemme just do that.” Liam sniffs. “While he’s grumpy and hormonal, yeah, that’s smart.”

“Good point. I guess I can wait until the little tyke is born. Have you decided what to name him?”

“Yep,” he says, “We’re naming him Holden. You know, from Catcher in the Rye?”

“Zayn’s choice?” Louis asks. He gives an affirmative noise, and Louis snorts. “Knew it,”

“Yes Z really loves it, and he wants to keep my middle name, too. Holden James Malik-Payne,”

“Damn, that’s cute.”

“Yeah,” Liam says, adjusting the phone in his hand. He smiles at the thought of his tiny baby, swaddled in blankets, lying inside the crib Liam painted himself, in nursery that Zayn designed. He can’t wait to be a parent, honestly, and he knows Zayn feels the same. “Have you thought about it at all, Lou?”