End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Ninety Eight

"Arabella?" Liam asks after about twenty minutes of watching the movie, the three year old looks up at him for a second before turning her attention back to the TV, "can you promise me something?" Liam asks, running a hand down her back. Bella frowns and looks up at him again, Zayn turning to look at him confused as well, "what Daddy?" Bella asks quietly, "if you ever feel like we're ignoring you for your brother and sister again, can you tell either me or Baba right away? Please don't let it make you so sad again" Liam murmurs. He can feel tears prickling his eyes and judging by the way Zayn moves so he can wrap his arms around Liam, his husband noticed too. Bella pouts,turning away from the movie to look at Liam "Daddy don't be sad. I promise" she coos reaching up to wipe away a tear from Liam's cheek. "I'm sorry Princess. I just don't like when you're sad" Liam hums as Bella scrambles around to be fully in his lap, pushing herself against him and snuggling into his chest. "Not sad anymore" Bella mumbles reaching a hand out for Zayn, who Liam can feel is behind him, reaching towards the girl in his lap. "Do you want to keep watching the movie, or do something else?" Zayn asks quietly and Liam chuckles as Bella's head tilts to the side, "paint picture?" she asks. Liam chuckles "you want to paint?" he asks. Bella nods "for Zacky, and Chloe" she answers and Liam can't hold back the coo he makes, "of course Princess" Liam hums, reaching around to shut off the movie, as Zayn gets up to gather painting supplies.

Painting with Bella, as always is a mess, but a fun mess that Liam knows he's prepared for now. Zayn has laid out old pieces of newspaper across the table before setting up the jars of paint, as well as two canvases they had bought for this purpose. "Where paper Daddy?" Bella asks as Liam sets her down into her chair at the table, "these are canvases, they're like paper but last longer, that way we can hang your pictures up for the babies" Liam explains. Bella still looks confused and Liam smiles at her as he looks to Zayn for help. Zayn grins before sitting down beside Bella "these are like Baba uses when he paints" Zayn explains and Bella's eyes light up before she's making grabby hands towards the paintbrushes. Once Bella has started globbing the paint onto the canvas Zayn moves to sit on Liam's lap who cuddles his husband into his chest, "I think we're going to be okay" Liam hums, leaning down to kiss Zayn who nods, "I think so too" he murmurs, as they both watch Bella who's giggling and singing to herself as she paints.

Liam finally has Zayn alone, the pair have just finished reading Bella eight stories, before she finally fell asleep. Now the husbands are snuggled on the couch, sipping tea while a movie plays quietly in the background. Liam suddenly remembers Zayn's face at the mall when they first arrived and nudges the younger gently, making Zayn turn in his lap to look at him, with one eyebrow raised. "What was going on with you earlier?" Liam murmurs, fingers of one hand running up and down Zayn's arm, while his other hand rests on Zayn's hip. Zayn shrugs, "really doesn't matter now" he mumbles and Liam shakes his head, "don't do that Zee. It does matter. Talk to me" he insists. Zayn sighs and bites his lip, Liam allowing him a moment to gather his thoughts, "it's just lately everything between me and Bella seems like a fight. It was upsetting me this morning, but now that I know what's happening inside her head I just feel bad we let her get this upset" Zayn says quickly. Liam nods, moving his arms to wrap them both around his husband, pulling Zayn tightly to his chest, before he presses a kiss to Zayn's temple "I want you to come and talk to me too. If you ever feel that way again. Zayn, I'm working from home to be there to help you out and be there for the kids. But I can't do that if no one talks to me" Liam hums. Zayn just nods in response and Liam smiles down at him, before catching his lips in a kiss.

When Liam wakes up, it's to the sunlight streaming in through the curtains in the living room, and to his neck and shoulders aching in the worst way, apparently he and Zayn fell asleep on the couch last night. There's a knocking on the door and Liam furrows his eyebrows because he's also alone, and he can't hear any sign of his husband or their daughter. "I'm coming, I'm coming" Liam grumbles to himself as he stands up and makes his way towards the front door, pulling it open to reveal Niall, who grins at him and holds up a tray of coffees."Ni?"what are you doing here?" Liam asks, shivering at the cold air blowing in through the open door. "Good morning to you too" Niall scoffs, pushing past Liam into the house, "I came to see ya. I miss seeing you everyday at work Li" he explains. Liam nods, reaching out to take the tray of coffees away from Niall so he can pull his coat off. "I miss you too Ni. I was just surprised. Plus lately everyone who stops by only wants to see the babies" Liam says as he leads Niall into the kitchen, where there's still no sign of Zayn. "Speaking of..." Niall trails off, before he cackles loudly when Liam glares at him, "they're not here" Liam answers simply, before pulling the cup with a large L written on it, from the tray. "Okay what about your husband? I brought him coffee too" Niall asks and Liam shrugs, "no idea actually, we spent a much needed night with just Bella last night and when I woke up this morning I couldn't find either of them" he explains. "Did you check your own back yard?" Niall asks, gesturing with his own coffee cup out the sliding door where Liam can see Zayn and Bella both laughing as they chase each other and a ball around.

"Uncle Niall!" Bella cheers jumping up onto the blond as soon as she and Zayn notice the pair in the kitchen and come inside, "Arabella" Niall cheers back, hugging her tightly to his chest. "'s cold" Zayn mumbles pushing himself against Liam who chuckles, "it is December" he deadpans and Zayn sticks his tongue out at him. "Uncle Niall, play football?" Bella asks wriggling out of Niall's arms to be set on the floor, but Liam notices she stays leaning up against his best friend. Niall chuckles nodding his head, "used to" he answers simply and Bella's eyes widen slightly "teach me?" she asks quietly and Niall nods as Liam bites back a laugh, and Zayn pouts against his chest. "Wasn't Baba just teaching you?" Liam interjects and Bella makes a face "but he no good" she giggles "hey" Zayn protests, before he grabs his coffee and jokingly stomps to sit at the table. Bella just laughs harder at Zayn's act before looking up at Niall, batting her eyelashes, "pleeeeassse Uncle Niall" she whines and Liam knows as well as anyone Niall's going to do it, he's never seen anyone other than Zayn stand up to that look. "As long as your Baba's okay with it, yeah" Niall answers after a moment and Bella cheers jumping up and down.

Liam catches her in his arms, "are you not going to say good morning to me?" he pouts once he has her trapped in his arms, Bella grins before shaking her head no. "No?" Liam asks and Bella laughs nodding her head. "I guess I'll have to tickle it out of you" Liam threatens, before he starts to tickle the girl's sides, gently. "Uncle Niall, help" she squeals between laughs, but Niall shakes his head "I think you're on your own" he chuckles moving to sit with Zayn at the table. Liam can hear the two talking quietly, but not what either man is saying. Bella attempts to pout in Liam's arms before she caves and leans up to press a kiss to his jaw, "morning Daddy, love you" she murmurs. "Morning Princess. I love you too" Liam hums, kissing her cheek in return, "did you and Baba have fun, playing outside?" Liam asks. Bella nods "yeah was fun"she mumbles and Liam frowns "what's wrong Love?" he asks gently, moving to sit with his husband and best friend at the table, "miss Zacky and Chloe" Bella mumbles and all three men coo, "they'll be home soon" Liam murmurs, and he can't help thinking that yeah, everything's going to be okay. 

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A/N: Hey! Look an update. I'm so so so sorry this took so damn long to get out. But my life has kinda been complete chaos for the last month or so. My grandma went into the hospital and we all got told if we wanted to say goodbye then we needed to get there and fast. She ended up staying in hospital for a week with her kidneys failing before she passed away. Then there was the funeral, and all my family was around and I wanted to spend time with my brothers. After that was cleaning out her residence and battling with my uncle who's a royal jackass. Then I fell up my stairs and seriously messed up my one arm. 
Anyways enough about me. I hope you enjoy these updates and now that things are leveling out for me I'll hopefully have another update for you soon. 
Poor sad, jealous Bella. 
Also the reindeer thing? My daughter actually asked Santa for a reindeer both last Christmas and the year before. One Santa asked her how he'd get home without his reindeer and BAM told him to just bring an extra one. When asked where she would keep it, my then 3 year old didn't hesitate before answering "great grandma has a barn she's not using" . Santa then wished me luck and we went on our way. This year she's moved on to a unicorn (sigh).
Anyways I've missed you guys, how have you all been??
Let me know what you thought
Until next time
xoxo