Shadows Settle on the House - Zarry

iv.

"Okay, then what's the square root of sixteen?"

"Daddy, this is so stupid," Jasper whines and slams his hand with the pencil down. "Math is so stupid. And it's only the first week of school, why do we have homework already?"

"Honey," Harry sighs and pushes Jasper's messy raven hair back. "You're just ten, wait till you're sixteen in high school. You will miss homework this easy."

"That doesn't help me, I'm not sixteen yet. I have to do this homework now," Jasper huffs and reluctantly picks up the pencil again.

"I know, baby," Harry says quietly and starts running his hand up and down Jasper's back. He used to love this as a baby, the motion used to always calm him down. Now Harry's glad he's at least not pushing him away since he's just entered that age where he's too cool for his parents' love.

"Do you even know math, Daddy?" Jasper asks, a teasing grin on his face. "You're not a real architect, you don't have to do math."

Harry gasps theatrically. "Excuse me, young man. Do you know how much math is involved in interior design? It'd make you sick. Even more than tickles."

Jasper giggles as Harry's fingers get to his sides and starts laughing out loud shortly. "No, Daddy, stop it. I'm not a baby anymore. I am tickle resistant."

"Oh, are you, really?" Harry stops. "Are you math resistant though?"

Jasper looks at Harry with false agony. "Do I really have to do that homework?"

"Absolutely, you do," Harry affirms him. "Now have a go at it yourself, I'll go check up on your sister, okay?"

Harry gets off the living room floor, ruffling Jasper's hair as he stands up. He walks out into the hallway,stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Calling out Delilah's name, he doesn't wait long before she's sprinting down the stairs. Only she isn't running to him, she's shouting Elsie's name and running after the invisible figure.

"Delilah, be careful!" Harry yells after her.

"Sorry, Daddy!" Delilah screams back before she and her imaginary friend disappear in the still not renovated library. It's filled with junk from decades ago but there's nothing dangerous, just old books and papers so he doesn't mind her being in that room too much.

The front door behind Harry's back opens, startling him. He turns around, only to see his husband coming in.

"Baby, hi," Zayn says when he notices Harry. "I didn't expect you home so soon. You were done with that client early?"

"Nope, they rescheduled for next week so I got home a few hours ago," Harry explains while walking to Zayn, promptly putting his arms around his neck and kissing him. "Hi, babe."

"Hey," Zayn smiles before kissing him again. "What are the kids up to?"

"Well, Jasper's slaving over math homework. And Delilah's running around with Elsie."

"I can't believe she's still entertaining that Elsie situation," Zayn scoffs, detaching himself from Harry to take his shoes off. "But it still isn't abnormal. Just... a bit disturbing when it's my kid and not a case I read about in a textbook."

"I tell myself every day that she's just five, she's going to grow out of it. It's nothing, yeah?"

"Yeah," Zayn nods. "Hopefully."

"Daddy!" Delilah shouts.

They both look towards the library where Delilah's poking out of the door. She's grinning, obviously happy and not hurt or scared in any way so that's a relief.