Keeping Up With One Direction 2

> 15 2/2 <

FIFTEEN: Liam's Pal

"L-lee 'bein a Baby!"

It wasn't the silence that worried Louis, or even Niall storming downstairs to see where the hell Harry was; the worst feeling came when Louis' stomach twisted at the sound of Zayn dropping his bag on the floor, and the leather belt he always seemed to have been slid out from underneath the belt loops.

"How about I make a snack, and you two can get back to playing? Without any interruptions." Harry states offering both of his hands, each hybrid taking one. Liam pats Zayn's thigh when he passes the Papa, yet offers no condoling glance towards Louis that knew he had sealed his fate with those words he uncaringly uttered. 

Niall sighs motioning to the asleep Max in his arms, "Well I'm going to put him down, Louis' movie is still paused upstairs when you're done." 

The mentioned hybrid still sits with the truck he'd "won" with in front of him, he's on his knees, a somber expression etched onto his features as tears leaked down his cheeks. He didn't like the fact that Liam had replaced him. Liam and he always played trucks, it was always a race. Louis always won the race. 

Zayn grunts taking ahold of Louis' bicep, he lifts the hybrid to his feet, "Help me clean up," He orders lowly, setting the belt on the coffee table as he's placing the trucks and blocks in their correct bin. Louis shakily does as told, his earthy eyes never truly leaving the leather that teased him from its position on the table.

When the living room was spotless, the boys were being brought back by Harry, each having a sippy cup of juice, Harry leading them to the coffee table where he turned Spongebob on the TV in front of them. "Do you like this Jack?" The Daddy asks having the hybrid nod settling in next to Liam that sleepily rubbed his eyes. 

Harry glances at Louis that's remained pale and silent, he's watching the TV as well, standing though going unnoticed by the boys. "Let's go, Louis, leave them alone." Zayn snaps pointing to the office, he reclaims his folded belt as well, Harry trailing the father and son with a look of concern for their oldest. 

"I want those Paper stacked neat, when you finish with that then you need to move onto the bookshelves." Pointing to the bookshelf piled with disorganized books, and strewn papers, Harry frowns at Zayn's list for the boy, "You're making him clean?" Harry asks keeping his voice low, Zayn sighs rubbing his temple as he sits at his computer, "Well I've belted him every other time he's called Liam a baby, and it hasn't changed a thing yet. So I don't know what to do, I'm out of options." 

Harry frowns crossing his arms, he leans on the desk watching Louis tap the stacks of papers on the floor to line them up perfectly, he's sniffling every minute or so proving to the parents that he was close to sobbing. 

When it was time to tackle the bookshelf, Zayn had stopped watching and began actual work, while Harry made plans with Jack's mother to take him home. 

Max had woken up by then, Louis - over his sobbing fit, now just wanting to hurry and get it done - had surprised his Papa when he had fully completed his cleaning off the shelf that still looked a tad unruly, but a lot better. Nodding in approval, Zayn takes Louis' hand still not offering him any kind of soothing words, leading him to the bathroom; he can feel his son tense so Zayn rubs his back, "You need a bath bubba, get undressed."

Niall unknowingly brought Max to the same bathroom laughing when he bumped into Zayn, "Can my two boys bathe together?" Louis nodded glancing up at Zayn for permission, "I don't see why not, Baba's on bath duty-"

"Zayn!" Niall scolds scowling at his slick husband, Louis giggles offering to help Niall wash Max, "I think that's a great idea baby." 

When Harry returned home, he carried Liam inside, "Did you like having Jack over?" The hybrid nods running off to find his Papa that stood at the stove in the kitchen, "Is Daddy making something?! Oh goodness," Harry muses, he turns to raise an eyebrow when he sees Louis sitting on Niall's lap feeding Max dry cereal, "Well you two look a lot happier, and you both had baths!" Gasping, he kisses both his babies grinning when giggles follow. 

Liam kisses Zayn, rubbing over him in an endearing way before he ruffles his own ears striding to Louis' spot by Niall, "'p-pway?"

The brother glances down frowning, "No." 

It was the same reply an hour later when the family migrated to the living room, Louis was contently building a tower with Max, and Liam pushed his trucks around, "'W-wou, 'p-pway," Liam begs, sure Louis had told him no several times, but never was it a No to Liam; but a Yes towards Max.

"Why don't you want to go play with bubby?" Niall questions, "You tried so hard today to play when he had company-"

"Don't be a baby about him having a friend over, how do you think Liam feels when Ash is over here and he can't spend time with you?" Zayn's words not only hurt Louis, but the stubborn boy is stunned into silence as he actually thinks about his Papa's comparison, was it the same?

He slides away from the blocker tower where Niall sat as well, "I-I sorry," Louis whimpers crawling to Liam where the brother clapped his hands showing Louis where the power rangers could ride in the truck as they fled the scene of the crime. Niall shakes his head tickling Max's chin, Harry pecks Zayn's cheek, "We really are good parents!" 

Niall smells the air, "Is something burning?" Zayn gasps, "Shit!"

It was only luck that the youngest hybrid of all glances up, "Sh-it!"

Niall smacks his hand to his head, Harry groaning as he mutters his own curse words, "Yeah H, we're GREAT parents."

>Thank you to Irish_09876 for this lovely prompt! I had spent so much time writing the beginning, I figured I could turn it into two parts! I do hope you enjoy it, and if you all have prompts you'd like to see written please drop them in the comments!! -Bailey Press <