Keeping Up With One Direction 2

> 41 <

"New year new me," Harry types into the little white box on his phone, his thumb hovers over the tweet button, a frown dipping onto his features as before he can an email pops into view revealing the headline from the latest PR gossip Zayn Malik in the midst of Divorce!? he sighs slouching in his chair with a whimper pulling from his lips.

He knew this is what they would do, he knew that if he gave them the power, it could tear him and everyone else apart.

It's sudden and without thought that instead of swiping the notification away, he clicks on it, letting the article come into view.

Below the daunting three pictures load all after the other, each with their own assumed captions, 

"Zayn Malik can be seen doing a custody exchange with soon-to-be ex-husband Niall with their three children," Harry scrolls down feeling bumps rise on his arms reading the words over and over, "In a new exclusive statement from a source close to home the word is that "zayn" hasn't been dealing with the impending lawsuit alone and has taken to a few vices recently seen heavily drinking and posing drunkenly with fans. Reps for Harry Styles have said that he hadn't had any contact with Malik since news of the lawsuit dropped. We'll have an update soon on when the papers are filed."

Closing out the article, Harry's left to stare at the written words in the white text box, what were once motivational words he wanted to share with his fans he felt fury burn in his stomach after reading those words.

What reps for him said those words? Would Zayn read the article? Would Niall? Locking his phone just to give him time to think he sighs letting his eyes slip close placing his head in his hand with tears building in his eyes.

Reclaiming his seat in the golf cart, he crosses his arms with an eye roll, while Louis loved his baba he never wanted to play golf with him.

Liam is trailing his older brother, he had stayed by his Baba's side as much as he could while attempting to be encouraging. Truthfully he didn't know how to play golf and he didn't know when to clap, all he did know was it was a quiet sport, and while younger Liam was quiet, older Liam always had something to say.

Climbing next to his brother Liam scratches the older hybrid's ears, "Hi," Louis hums at the pets inching forward to the boy, "Hi Lee," grabbing his water bottle he twists the cap off handing it to his younger brother, flinching when a camera flash goes off in front of him.

Pulling Liam closer, Louis snaps his head up seeing multiple flashes going off in front of the golf cart, Niall drops his clubs racing toward the cart waving his hands for his security to handle the paparazzi that suddenly appeared on the field.

Whistling while loading groceries from the belt into his car, Zayn smiles glancing down at his youngest who tugs at his shirt with tears pooling in his big oceanic eyes, "Baby what's happened?" Zayn asks softly lifting Max in his arms and kissing his cheeks. It was a rarity that it was just Zayn and Max, but the man did adore his little buddy. He was extremely different than Liam or Louis when they were first adopted, Max was quiet but adventurous, Liam was just quiet, and Louis had never been quiet.

While shushing the boy Zayn takes the cart pushing it to his car when he finally sees what set Max off, there displayed huge yellow letters on a magazine next to checkout it says, "Love you goodbye - all the details in the One Direction Divorce!" 

Opening the garage door, Harry takes Liam into his arms kissing his temple, "Did you have fun playing with baba?" Louis follows his daddy sleepily pulling on his shirt, "W-will you lay w-with me?" Harry coos ruffling Louis' hair, "Why don't I lay with both of my boys?" Niall sighs entering the kitchen and setting his bag by the door, he grabs his phone from his pocket frowning when he sees his manager had called him multiple times.

He knew the ambush at the field was staged, all of them were at this point. His manager knew he'd be there and she sent the vultures right to him, right to his kids.

Rubbing his chin where his beard was coming in, Niall's frown deepens seeing Harry's phone on the counter pinging with new messages incoming.

It's sudden that the backdoor is opened, Zayn entering with a knocked-out Max in his arms, bags of groceries in his other hand, "hey," he calls to the man smiling when he removes the bags, "Is H here?"

"He's with the boys," Niall responds softly, he sets the bags on the counter crossing his arms as Zayn passes him going to take Max to lie with Harry.

Returning to the kitchen where Niall remained, Zayn sighs taking the magazine he had bought from the bag and laying it on the table, "Max saw your picture and thought you were behind us," he joked, Niall scoffs taking the paper with an eye-roll, "They can't find one good picture of me?!" he muses, "I heard they found you golfing today," Zayn announces, Niall nods with a laugh, "Must be a way for me to let out some steam from our divorce," 

Harry pokes his head around the corner at the words, "Y-you heard?"

Niall shoots his look to his younger husband softening his features, Zayn opens his arms for the man pulling him close with a kiss on the forehead, "Honey it's going to get worse before it gets better," he warns, Niall nods rubbing Harry's arm soothingly, "But we have each other no matter what," 

"I just hate that word, divorce, it feels so permanent," Harry remarks moving from the embrace, he grabs his phone unlocking it seeing the tweet he started from earlier, "I think that's the point of divorcing," Niall muses, "Most of them are permanent," he adds opening the fridge, "What are we thinking for dinner?" 

As Zayn converses with Niall about dinner plans and what to order if neither felt like cooking, Harry stands back with a smile lifting on his cheeks, he knew the only permanent thing in his life was his family, and he wouldn't change a thing about that.

Opening the camera on his phone he snaps a picture of Zayn and Niall playfully bickering, erasing what he wrote previously he adds the photo with his own caption, "New Year, Same Us,"

>A small kinda soft filler chapter. There will be another update very soon, happy new year, and all the love in the world! ~Emma :)