Count On Me | Niam

Chapter Fifty

Niall

"Daddy?"

"Uncle Niall?"

"Daddy."

"Uncle Niall."

"Theo. Chloe. Why are you awake?"

Answering without opening his eyes, Niall hid his face in his pillow, silently hoping that he'd open his eyes to find both children still in bed, instead looking up to see both Theo and Chloe standing by his bed, their stockings in their hands and pleading looks on their faces as they stared at him, Chloe making Theo take her stocking and crawling onto the bed, sitting at Niall's feet as she said, "It's Christmas. Santa came, Daddy. And we need to open our stockings."

"What time is it, Chlo? You and Theo both know the rules. If it's before seven, you have to wait." Niall forced himself upright, turning on the bedside lamp and wincing at the sudden brightness, sighing as Chloe pouted. "Chlo...what time is it?"

"Six. Nearly quarter past." Chloe crawled down off the bed, taking her stocking back from Theo and making for the door when Niall caught her wrist, stopping her in her tracks and sighing as he got out of bed. "Wait, you two. Give me a moment to make some coffee and, as long as your mum and dad agree, Theo, we'll do stockings."

Yawning again, Niall hugged Chloe back as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before he gave her shoulder a gentle push, encouraging her to follow after Theo and waiting until she'd gone before he checked the time for real, groaning when he realised that it was a quarter to six, not quarter past. He still pulled on a t-shirt, raking a hand through his hair and checking his phone before he headed downstairs to Greg and Denise's kitchen, making himself a mug of coffee before he headed back upstairs, hesitating by the top as he heard Theo's valiant attempts to persuade his parents that they should get up.

Eventually all five of them were settled downstairs in the living room by the fireplace, the Christmas tree Chloe and Theo had spent the afternoon painstakingly decorating standing proudly in the corner, presents piled underneath it, mugs of coffee and hot chocolate set on the floor whilst Chloe and Theo sat, fidgeting with their stockings until they were told they could begin to open them, being made to sit through numerous photos for posterity and wait until fresh coffee was made before they could start.

Christmas stockings, at least for them, always contained not only things Chloe and Theo might have wanted, but also things they needed. It was a tradition carried on from when Niall and Greg were still young enough to believe in Santa and something Niall had refused to let die. Theo got new pyjamas, colouring pencils, socks, chocolate coins, a toy car, a The Incredibles themed plastic watch, football socks and shin pads, Top Trumps, and a jigsaw themed 30cm ruler that he pulled a face at but admitted he needed nonetheless. Chloe got a similar fare, including new pyjamas, swimming goggles, felt tips, fluffy socks, gilt hair slides, smarties, glow in the dark rubber ducks, a charm bracelet, travel edition noughts-and-crosses, and an owl themed eraser.

Chloe spent ages unwrapping her gifts, nudging at the sellotape and gently peeling it away, trying to remove the paper without ripping it, ignoring the exasperated sighs she received from Theo and showing each gift to Niall, still young enough to be oblivious to the fact that Niall was the one responsible for buying each gift and already knew what she'd been left by Santa. By the time they were done with stockings, it was late enough that Niall felt it was okay to call Liam, both him and Chloe disappearing upstairs to the guest room so that they could talk.

Liam picked up after the first few rings, the background of the call full of Loki's barking and what Niall could just make out as his family, bickering, laughing, celebrating, Liam's mum calling out in the background. "Liam? Darling? Is that them? Tell them we said hi. Or better yet, put me on the phone."