The Rematch (Ziall Horlik)AU M-Preg

Chapter 40

Zayn's POV

I woke up at five the morning after Ethan's birthday party to go for my run that I do every morning. Even now when it was snowing softly, I still went because it was harder conditioning. I kissed Niall's cheek softly then leaned down to kiss his belly before leaving our bedroom. Rocky followed me like he always does knowing he's coming with me. I looked in Ethan's room and saw him and his friends were all still sound asleep. I smiled because I couldn't believe that little boy was nine years old now.

When I went to check on Ezra and his friends, Ezra sat up quickly from where he was sleeping on his bed with Alex. Peter and Nathan were on the blow up mattress they always shared on the floor. Ezra looked at me then climbed out of bed slowly. I was confused if he was sleepwalking or if he actually wanted to talk to me. I got his message when he closed the door to his room and he pulled me by the hand down the hall a little.

"Did Dad tell you what happened? Is he mad at me?" Ezra whispered to me. I leaned against the wall and fixed his messy hair with my hand.

"He told me, but there's nothing to be mad about. It's a normal thing to share with someone you like. Kissing isn't a bad thing, Ezra. Just don't do it at school because you're already on watch after beating up that kid last year. Private school is the only way to keep you safe from paparazzi. Anyway, I'm just glad you got to experience that." I said to him like it was no big deal when inside I was scared he would start doing other things sooner once he hit puberty. He was a good looking kid, unique even, so this wasn't too surprising. I just worried that this was all too soon to be happening for him. Niall felt the same way.

"It was just a little kiss. Alex didn't say anything about it after so he's probably creeped out and I just lost my best friend." Ezra mumbled. I rolled my eyes at him because leave it to my son to think something like that was going to ruin everything. I could tell him the story about how he was conceived and Niall thought that was going to ruin everything, but here we are nine years of marriage and everything is great.

"Just see how things go and if you really need to talk about it you can. I think it's just as you said, only a little kiss and it's nothing he's going to stop being friends with you for. He stayed the night and I heard you boys are three in the morning making popcorn and joking around like normal so I think you're stressing over nothing. Now get back to bed. You still have time to sleep." Ezra nodded and let me kiss his forehead before he went down the hall to his room.

Outside is was snowing softly. I just zipped up my coat and made sure the jacket I had on Rocky was on well too before we both took off on our run. I always enjoyed this time because it was quiet and I had time to clear my head. I got to think of everything my day included. After my run I had to go to the gym to train. Then boys were going to go out with Harry and Louis for a while so Niall could wrap their Christmas presents. After that, I needed to go buy Niall something. Then I needed to start decorating the nursery. The day was going to be pretty busy, but what day wasn't for my household.

Thinking of my family only made me think of Liam. For some reason, I felt like he was always the reason I tried harder for my family. It was like knowing he was that challenge there for me made me only want to be better than him at everything. I didn't know why I didn't already feel better. Secretly, I would always pay attention to news about him just to know what was fueling his fight. For me, everyone knew when Niall was pregnant, that was the worst possible time to fight me. I was a protective animal that was let loose. For Liam, he's been in multiple relationships that's don't stick. I remember just a month before he broke up with that one girl that he had with him at our first fight, he said he wanted to marry her. I guess she had different ideas. Then he started dating some musician, but that ended months later for unknown reasons. I just continually feel like I need to complete, but our lives are so different that there's no competition at all.