Father Figure≎ziam au

-8-

"Zee, you know it's Halloween this month" Liam says wiggling his bushy eyebrows. Zayn places his book down to smile at the man standing by the television, he was wiping down the dusty screen. "Ahuh, so?"

"We can dress Novie up, wouldn't that be precious?" Zayn smiles at the nickname Liam gave to his daughter, "Liam, I think that's an adorable idea but she won't be able to trick or treat"

Liam face drops, "True, but still dressing her up would be fun" Zayn nods a little, "Alright, and what should she be?"

"Batgirl" Liam says dramatically, making movements with his hands. Zayn face scrunches up, "Um I was thinking more of a princess? Or maybe a little bunny comstume"

"Those are cheesy, batgirl isn't" "You and you're batman obsession is weird Liam, it's weird" "It is not, it's completely healthy" Zayn goes back to his book snorting, "Don't think I didn't see that those pink batman pajamas you bought online"

Liam cheeks turn red, "How?" "You left you're computer on in the dining room last night" Liam facepalms, "I was wondering what I forgot!" Zayn giggles a little turning the page.

"So I was thinking of something else too" "And what might that be batman?" Liam smiles at the nickname sitting next to him, "I was thinking maybe Nova can have her own room"

Zayn looks up from his book frowning, "What?" "Nova, she can have one of my spare rooms" "No Liam, that's sweet but no" Zayn winces seeing Liam's bright eyes dim. "B-But why?"

"Do you know how money that'll be? A crib, a changing station, god Liam that's to much. I don't want you to waste anymore of your money on us" Liam frowns, "M'not wasting money Zayn, I'm not being cocky but I have a lot. Millions even, buying all those things won't cost that much"

Zayn rubs his temples shaking his head, "How am I going to pay you back?" "You staying here with me is enough" Liam says sincerely. Zayn sat there for a moment, it would be nice to have a crib for heard instead of sleeping on the couch or the carseat, or on their chests half the time

Zayn still wasn't sure if he was staying or living with Liam, if he's being honest he would love to live with the man but that was too much.

"Zayn?" Liam asks the third time, placing a hand on his leg. "Getting acrib and a whole room for Nova means something, what does that mean to you Liam?"

"I don't understand" "A room is a room, it literally lasts forever" Liam stares at him, still confused by what he's saying.

"What if you don't want us to stay with you anymore? Then you bought everything for Nova for nothing" "Then you can live with me! I mean you won't ever have to worry about it"

"You're asking for so much Liam, so much" "I know I am, and maybe I am moving a little forward but I'd rather you live here with me than some other place" "Even my parents?" "Even your parents"

Zayn sighs sitting back on the couch, "Are you sure?" "Never been so sure in my life" Zayn couldn't help but look in look at Liam's eyes because of the gaze boring into his temples.

Liam gave him a smile caressing his chin, "I like when you look me in the eyes, when you try to avoid it makes me sad"

"Why?" Zayn asks, his turning a cherry red. "Because I don't get to see those pretty eyes or get to pinpoint how Nova looks so much like you" Zayn couldn't contain the goofy grin on his face making Liam smile.

"Alright stop, you're making me smile like Cheshire cat" Zayn says moving Liam's hand away. "Good, cause I like your smile too" Zayn tries to go back to his book, "Thank you, you have a nice smile too"

Liam was about to say something until he heard whining from the three month old on the couch across from them.

He quickly gets up getting ready to pick up the baby surrounded by pillows, "Hey Novie, what's wrong?" he asks quietly holding the crying baby securely.

He sits beside Zayn kissing her temple, "Aw did you miss daddy?" He asks as Nova stops crying looking to Zayn who smiles at her. "It's baba, that's what I call my father" "Oh really? You speak a language?" "Urdu"

"Mhm never heard of it" Liam says sheepishly. "Well around my family, they speak that instead of English sometimes" "That's really cool, I always wanted to learn a language" he says kissing Nova's cheek. "Really?"

Liam nods. "Well maybe I can teach you a little?" "I'd love that," He says standing Nova on her little feet. "You want baba? Huh? Say hi" Nova smiles at Zayn wrinkling her little nose.

"Isn't she precious?" Liam coos, he hands her to Zayn before grabbing her small teddy bear. "Never thought having a baby would be so, y'know fun" "Fun?" "Yeah like, my mum always said having a baby young would be very difficult but it's not that bad"

"Well yeah, you're helping me so it isn't so hard anymore" Liam smiles waving the bear in front of the cooing baby. "So how did you and Olson meet? If you wanna tell me that, you don't have to right now" Liam quickly assures him.

Zayn hesitantly nods, "Well we've been dated for two years, and we met at a Coldplay concer-" "I love Coldplay!" Liam exclaims cutting him off. Zayn grins, "Really?" "Oh yeah, I've never been to one of their concerts though"

"Well maybe one day you and I will go" "I'd like that," Liam smiles sheepishly. "Okay carry on"

Zayn nods, "Yeah so we met there and he just won me over with his flirty remarks but I knew he was a bad idea. I remember introducing him to my parents and they did not like him at all"

Liam makes a face as he gently gives Nova the bear, watching her put the paw in her mouth. "It's like all the guys I've been with just turn on me, first they're sweet and amazing then they turn into trash. When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared to tell Olson because he would leave me for sure"

"But when I did he was happy, and that gave me hope that we would be fine. After I had Nova he just, he swerved. Instead of helping me with her, he just went out and partied like he had no responsibilities anymore"

Liam scoffs, "He's an idiot"

Zayn snorts, "You can say that again" "So what happened when you left?" "Well he cheated on me, and mind you I stopped caring because I was going to break up with him. When I confronted him he acted like I was stupid and it made me furious. So I got all my clothes, Nova's things, put her in the stroller and left"

"I was in the park for a few hours before going back home to apologize" "You shouldn't be the one apologizing, he should be. For cheating on the most wonderful guy in the world" Zayn smiles before shrugging, "I always apologize for things I haven't done, makes it easier."

"When I got back home I rang the doorbell, and I saw the note. He said he didn't want to be a father anymore and he didn't want to be with me" "He was hardly being a father at all" Liam says with a scowl. "Yeah I know, then after that I wandered around thinking what would I do"

"Excuse my language, but he sounds like a downright asswipe" Liam says. Zayn looked down to see Nova smiling at them, "I think she knows you cursed" he says giggling. Liam grins rubbing at her stomach, "Don't repeat what I said, okay?"

Nova sticks out her tongue a little smiling making Liam laugh laying with her footies. For a moment it's quiet, just Nova's gurgling. "Zayn? Just know that I would never do what he did"

Zayn smiles at his sincerity, but he look down as Liam gets distracted playing with his daughter

He wants to believe the man but he just has a hard time doing so