We'll Make This House a Home

02 there is a place where i don't feel alone

He wraps his arms around him, rubbing his arm gently, dropping a kiss to the crown of his head. "Morning sleepyhead."

Niall yawns, nuzzling his head against his fathers chest. "Hm. Mornin' Daddy," he mumbles.

Louis smiles at that, standing up from the mattress with Niall on his hip, the boys head on his shoulder and his arms wrapped around the man's neck. He leans down and swoops Harry up onto his other hip, the boy giggling and clapping his hands together.

"Do fas', Daddy! Daddy!" The boy begs.

He laughs at that, shaking his head. "Maybe later, baby, I don't think Ni would appreciate being all shaken up when he's barely opened his eyes," he says lightly, making the two year old's face scrunch up as he prepares to cry. Wanting to avoid a tantrum before they've even had breakfast, he pulls a funny face that succeeds in making the boy giggle instead.

Letting out a breath of relief, he turns to smile at Liam, nodding his head toward the hallway.

"Coming, buddy?"

Liam nods, moving off of the temporary bed and following behind him down the stairs.

It isn't until after breakfast that the boys seem to be more awake — not including Harry, who wakes up with the sun only to take two naps a day.

Louis finishes washing the bowls from breakfast in their newly working sink, and then moves to the living room doorway, watching with a smile as his boys all play together.

The TV is on, morning cartoons playing. Harry is sitting up on the rug, pushing a toy truck back and forth, Niall sitting beside him and talking excitedly.

"You gotta be the green truck, Haz, 'cause the blue ones my favouritest. Maybe you can borrow it when you get a bit bigger, 'cause right now you're just a baby —"

Liam snickers at that, setting his colouring book and pencils aside on the couch and slipping onto the floor next to his younger brothers. "You're just a baby, too, Ni," he states, then huffs. "And anyway, they're my trucks, Dad got them for me on Christmas when I was eight, so you don't get to decide who plays with 'em anyway."

Niall pouts at that. "But — but you said! You said I could have the blue one on...um...five days ago," he argues, holding up four fingers, which only makes Liam laugh harder.

"See, you don't even know how to count! You're a baby," he repeats, making Niall whine and move to stand up.

"M'tellin' Daddy. You're mean!"

Louis makes his presence known then, stepping forward and raising his brows at Liam's surprised face.

"I didn't even do anythin' wrong, Dad! I swear, I just —"

"Save it, Li," he scolds lightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Niall isn't a baby, but he is younger than you, so you should know better. I don't want to keep having this argument with you."

Liam glares up at him. "You always take his side!"

Wincing, Louis shakes his head. He'd really hoped today would be the day that his nine year old didn't pick a fight with him. His hopes clearly had been in vain.

He sighs. "Liam, I'm your father, I'm not picking sides. From what I've just seen, Niall hasn't done anything wrong other than being a bossy big brother to Harry, something he's picked up on from you. You can see he's getting upset, and yet you carry on anyway. That's why I'm only lecturing you," he says.

Liam glares even harder. "He always gets upset! Why don't you tell him not to be a baby, 'stead of tellin' me off for no reason!"

"Li, I'm not arguing with a nine year old. If you're not going to apologise then you can go sit on the naughty step until you're ready to say sorry," he says, as sternly as he can manage.