Love Me Like You Do (z.h. mpreg)

chapter three

"To say that one waits a lifetime for his soulmate to come around is a paradox. People eventually get sick of waiting, take a chance on someone, and by the art of commitment become soulmates, which takes a lifetime to perfect."

-Criss Jami (Venus In Arms)

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"Mmmm..." Niall hummed as he felt familiar hands caress his skin. "Z,"

"Good morning, baby boy," Zayn greeted softly in his ear, low, gravelly voice thick with sleep. Niall just smiled and nestled further into his pillow and Zayn's chest.

"You're wearing my shirt," Zayn said smugly as rubbed his hand up and down Niall's exposed arm. Indeed, Niall was wearing a soft, grey, crewneck t-shirt that showed off his tummy perfectly (and his collarbones, too, or at least that's what Zayn thought). Niall just nodded in agreement because he was too sleepy to say much of anything else and interlocked their fingers, which were laying on his tummy.

Soon enough, Niall could feel warm, even puffs of breath against the back of his neck. Slowly, Niall turned around in Zayn's limp arms, only to find out that his husband had fallen back asleep again, as per usual. 

-

Niall looked up from his phone and smiled when he saw a sleepy Louis and Liam standing in the doorway. Louis always liked cuddles from his daddy in the morning, and he had most likely convinced Liam to wake up and come with him. 

"Come in, loves," he beckoned them in with a wave of his hand. Niall, who thanked the Lord that he had decided to put some pyjama pants on after a shower about an hour earlier, folded the blankets back. "Be quiet, though. Papa's still sleeping!" He warned, motioning to a gently snoring Zayn who was passed out beside him. Louis slipped into Niall's side that was facing the wall, while Liam decided to take a risk. He lifted up Zayn's limp arm and snuggled into his warm chest. Unconsciously, Zayn wrapped his arms tighter around his tiny son, and Niall snapped a picture as Liam grinned a toothless smile in content. The trio passed the time together by watching various kids' shows on the telly and occasionally posting sickeningly adorable selfies to Niall's Snapchat and Facebook, all the while blowing up Zayn's phone with them, as Niall knew he would ask for them later.

Zayn woke up about an hour later or so after the boys had come in, immediately grabbing Niall's face in both hands for a sweet good morning kiss. Zayn moved Liam to his lap as he casually threw an arm around his husband's shoulder. 

"Hi, babe!" Niall smiled at him as soon they separated and leaned his head on Zayn's shoulder. HE took Zayn's hand in his own and interlocked their fingers, loving how it looked.

"Hey, yourself!" Zayn kissed Niall's hair sweetly and turned to his other side to sneeze loudly a few times. 

"You look a little pale, Zayn. Are you feeling all right?" Niall asked worriedly after a few minutes of pressing the back of his hand to Zayn's forehead and inspecting the sides of his neck. Zayn blinked slowly and laid his head back against the wall. He shook his head and coughed into the crook of his elbow.

"Shall I make you some tea, then?" Niall asked before pulling himself and the boys out of bed. 

"Yeah," Zayn mumbled miserably. He slid back down into bed and pulled the sheets up to his shoulders, already missing Niall's warmth. Niall frowned sadly before taking Liam and Louis in each hand and heading out of the room, their dogs Harley and Loki, who had been the boys' birthday present last year, trailing behind them.