Life As We Know It | Niam Kidfic

Fifteen

"Are you okay?" Liam can't stop himself from asking every fifteen seconds on the car ride home, even though Niall says he's fine every time Liam asks. "Really, baby, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Niall says, yet again, but his voice is too low. He's staring numbly out the window, not really looking at anything. His gaze flickers disinterestedly over everything. Liam reaches over and takes his hand, and that helps a little. A weak smile makes its way across his face, and he interlaces their fingers, but the smile doesn't meet his eyes and that makes Liam worry even more.

"You okay, Louis?" Liam asks now, figuring he should stop asking Niall if his answer never changes. He peeks in the rearview mirror to see Louis, thumb in their mouth, holding their plush Moana doll in their free hand.

"Uncle Ni almost got hurt," they say lowly around their thumb. Niall's hand tenses in Liam's. "I was scared."

"I know you were, baby. I'm so, so sorry you were so scared," Liam responds. "Do you feel okay now?"

Louis shrugs. "Can I have chocolate milk when we get home?"

Liam nods. He figures Louis must be somewhat okay if they're asking for chocolate milk, so he leaves it be. He gives Niall's hand a gentle squeeze, and then lifts Niall's hand to his mouth so he can kiss the back. Niall's responding smile is shaky, tears in his eyes, but it's a smile nonetheless.

- - -
"Do you want to talk about this?" Liam asks later. The kids are watching something on the television while Liam and Niall do the dishes after work. "Do you want to call the cops?"

"Liam," Niall murmurs. "I just want to not think about it. I don't want to think about it. I want to pretend like it never fucking happened." His voice cracks as he speaks, and he's squeezing the dish towel so tightly his knuckles are white.

"Sweetheart," Liam says softly, and then Niall is crying and Liam asks, "Can I hold you?" and Niall practically throws himself into Liam's arms. Liam cradles him as gently as he can, this man he loves so damn much, leaves kisses in his hair. "I've got you. I've got you. I'm so sorry."

Niall doesn't even respond, just clings to him tighter, fingers in Liam's shirt.

"Uncle Ni?" Louis questions, tugging at the hem of Niall's shirt.

Niall wipes his face and kneels so he's closer to Louis' height. "Hi, baby. What's the matter?"

Louis lifts their arms so that Niall will pick them up, and Niall does. "Don't be sad," they reply, voice worried, and they wipe Niall's tears away with their tiny hands.

Niall kisses their palms. "I'll be okay, little Lou. Everything will be fine."

Louis leans their head against Niall's shoulder. "I can beat him up if you want."

"What?" Niall asks, caught off guard. He has to bite his tongue so he doesn't laugh.

"I could. I could beat him up. Moana would want me to. She would beat him up, too," they continue. "He wasn't nice. I could kick his head off."

At that, Liam does laugh, causing Niall to glare at him and Louis to stare at him with confusion.

"You have nothing to worry about, Lou. Uncle Li and I are gonna make sure he can't hurt anyone again, okay?" Niall tells them.

Louis nods. "Can we watch a movie now?"

Niall can't say no to that, and neither can Liam, so the three of them join the two boys in the living room. Harry is mostly asleep, curled up in a little ball, diaper-covered bum in the air. Liam chuckles at the sight and shifts the boy into his lap, smoothing his curls when he stirs a little.

"Zee, wanna cuddle?" Niall asks, opening his free arm so Zayn can fit in between him and Liam. Zayn's face lights up, and he squeezes in between them, tucking himself between Liam's arm and his chest. "What should we watch?"

"You choose," Louis requests from their spot on Niall's lap. So Niall browses for a bit, finally deciding on Beauty and the Beast. As the movie starts, Liam throws his free arm around Niall's shoulders.

"It's gonna be alright," Liam murmurs into his ear. Gently, he catches Niall's lower lip between his thumb and index finger and frees it from his teeth. Niall hadn't even realized he'd been chewing on it. "Stop thinking so much about it, love. Everything is gonna be alright. I'm right here, I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you ever again, I promise."

Niall leans against him, tears in his eyes. "Liam, I love you so much. I swear I do."

Liam's breath catches in his throat. "My angel," he coos in response, pulling Niall closer. He kisses him then, he can't help but do so, three brief kisses, and one on the end of his nose. "I love you, too. Too much for words."

Niall closes his eyes, lets himself drift in the butterflies in his chest. Everything will be alright.