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

chapter three

"Is Papa going to be okay, daddy?" Liam piped up as they entered the living room.

"Yeah, he'll be alright, Li," Niall said to his son with a reassuring smile. He moved into the kitchen to start Zayn's tea. "You want some breakfast, loves?" Niall took a few mugs out from a cabinet as well as two bowls and the prenatal vitamins he was required to take because he lacked some vital nutrients that women had.

"Ooh, Daddy! Can we have some Wheaties please?" Liam jumped up and down a bit in his seat in excitement, Louis, of course, copying him. 

"Yeah, can we Daddy?" Louis pleaded, trying to sound as enthusiastic about having his least favourite cereal as Liam did.

"But, Lou, you don't even like them!" Niall explained in amusement. He laughed at his sons' antics and rubbed his belly, as their baby had just kicked him rather hard in the ribs. No matter what it was that Liam was doing, Louis had to do it too, whether it be the way he was sitting or what food he liked to eat. Having to have lived with him for the past five years, Liam was now quite used to it, however annoying it got.

"Can I have some tea too, Daddy?" Louis whined as soon as he saw what Niall was doing. He sat on his knees, folded his arms to rest them on the table and leaned against them, his floppy brown hair cascading over his eyes.

"Sure, babe," Niall replied and pulled out a smaller mug along with two bowls for cereal and some milk and sugar. From the silverware drawer, he took out one child's spoon and one fork. He placed the spoon in front of Louis and the fork in front of Liam. For some strange reason, Liam had a fear of spoons and refused to even eat with them. 

"Thank you, Daddy!" Liam said quietly as he began to happily eat his cereal with a fork. 

"You're welcome, Liam," Niall sighed and gathered up a few cold pills and Zayn's tea, handing Louis his own as he passed them on his way to the stairs that led to the bedrooms. 

"I'm going to give these Papa, okay? I'll be back down in a few minutes!" Niall slowly went up the stairs, careful not to spill any of the hot drink all over himself. He opened their door without a sound and cooed when he saw Zayn. He had both arms wrapped tightly around a pillow (Niall's), his face buried deep in it. Niall quickly set the tea and pills on the nightstand and sat on the side of the bed Zayn was facing and began to gently brush the fallen, jet black hair out of his husband's face.

"Darling, I've made your tea," Niall thumbed over the little scratchy beard that Zayn had been trying to grow for the past month or so. Zayn slowly cracked one eye open and then the other, grinning stupidly when he saw Niall there. He hummed and leaned into Niall's soft touch.

"Hi," He croaked. Zayn slid his hand out from underneath the large blanket and took Niall's hand in his own cold, clammy, one.

"I have your tea," Niall said, twisting around and grabbing it and the pills off the table. Zayn sat up, a bit disoriented, and scrubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. 

"How you feelin'?" Zayn asked as Niall pressed the hot mug into his hands.

"We're doin' fine, babe," Niall said happily, taking Zayn's free hand in his own and placing it on his stomache.

"Tha's good ta-" Zayn stifled a yawn with the palm of his hand. "ta hear," He leaned his head on Niall's shoulder. Niall opened the package of tablets and handed both of them to Zayn.

"Take these, babe. They should help you feel better, but I don't think they're very strong. They were all we had," Zayn turned them over in his palm a few times as he looked at them.

"Ta, love," Zayn pressed a lingering kiss to Niall's temple before dry-swallowing the pills. "Hey, you'd better get back down to the boys, Ni. They seem pretty quiet," Zayn said as he carded his fingers through Niall's now natural brown hair. He handed Niall back the half empty cup and the tin pill packaging. "And aren't you and my mum and sisters going last minute birthday present shopping for me today?" He added with a sly grin.