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

chapter fifteen

"There in the highlands, clear weather held for much of the time. The air lacked its usual haze, and the view stretched on and on across rows of blue mountains, each paler than the last until the final ranks were indistinguishable from the sky. It was as if all the world might be composed of nothing but valley and ridge."

-Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier

-

Niall shifted awake in Zayn's arms, a dull throb in between his legs. The chilly early morning sunlight drifted in through the curtains, making Niall squint and tug the blankets up to his ears. Zayn slept heavily, his body shivering in the cold. Niall pulled the fluffy duvet up past Zayn's shoulders and slipped his arms underneath his armpits to rub his back gently. Trying not to wake Zayn up, although Niall doubted he could even if he tried, he slid his hands beneath his sweatshirt and lightly started rubbing circles into his back. Zayn stopped his shivering and shuffled closer to Niall in his sleep, leaning into Niall's touch.

Niall kissed his nose and continued to warm him up.

Zayn's eyelids fluttered open slowly as he grinned lazily at Niall.

"Hey, baby," he croaked and brought his cold hand up to cup Niall's cheek.

"Hi, yourself," Niall replied, surprised Zayn had woken up. Zayn kissed him warmly then snuggled closer. "Are you still cold? You were shivering,"

"Not anymore," Zayn muttered. "How much time do you think we have until the kids wake up?" He said as he raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Maybe an hour," Niall smirked. "I'm still sore though!"

Zayn pouted. "Aw," he whined. "Okay,"

"Maybe we can later though, like when we have more time, yeah?"

Zayn just nodded then hummed a 'yeah' before kissing Niall's head and bringing him closer to cuddle into his chest some more.

"Love you," Niall mumbled.

"Love you, Nialler," Zayn replied contentedly.

They lay there together for the next hour, just cuddling and basking in each other's warmth, with occasional kisses and 'I love you's' passed between them.

-

"Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Niall yelled out the door as Zayn left for his haircut appointment in his dinky rental car. Zayn flashed him half a smile, then looked over his shoulder and he reversed out of the driveway.

Niall was planning on going to the store today while Zayn got his haircut, and then they would meet back at home for dinner. "Okay, boys, are you all ready to leave?" Niall said, helping them put their jackets and hats on after he buckled Harry into his carrier and threw a blanket over the top.

"Daddy," Liam said as he waved around his toy cowboy.

"What, Li?" Niall opened the door to the garage from the kitchen and followed his kids through it.

Liam hesitated, like he had forgotten what he was going to say. "Can I get a prize at the store?"

"I don't know, Li. You already have plenty of toys here," Niall explained as he buckled all of them in.

"But Daddy!" He whined, kicking his feet against Niall's empty seat and throwing his toy around. Surprisingly, Louis had remained quiet instead of coming to his brother's defence.

Niall threw a stern look at him. Liam had a habit of throwing a fit when he didn't get what he wanted, even more so than his brother.

"We won't get one if you throw a fit about it, Liam. Maybe I should call Papa and have him talk to you if you don't behave," Niall threatened.