Tender Care

Twelve

Harry felt a need to to speak up for his bandmate since he knew Liam probably wasn't. He was just too warn out. The whole morning was filled with chaos because of Nova's stubbornness.

They weren't expecting this but they realized Nova must've been holding this in. It was bound to come out at sometime. Not everyday was going to be perfect.

"Apologize to Daddy, Nova. You know he got lamby just for you" Harry said, coming over and sitting by the play pen. He then caressed her head, signaling for her to look up.

She hated apologizing to them, it was always when she did nothing wrong.

"I'm s-sorry" Nova mumbled, wiping her eyes.

"Sorry to who"? Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"D-Daddy" Nova whispered, shyly.

"It's fine, I forgive you baby" Liam spoke, standing up from his spot by her.

"Why are so fussy today, love"? Harry asked, giving her a small, wet kiss on her cheek.

"I'm not fussy, I just... I want to be alone" Nova huffed, slightly moving away from Harry. The only thing she craved was to be left alone from the men.

They're constantly around her.

"We can't leave you alone, Novie. You're too little for that," Louis corrected.

"Are you sure there's not anything else that's bothering you"? Louis questioned, concerned.

'Yes, but I'm not telling you', Nova thought.

Nova shook her head, not answering him.

She then looked up to see Niall coming in with a smile on his face and a sippy cup in his hand. "Look what I have here, bubs. A nice cold baba's"

"This will make you feel better" Niall persuaded, walking over and gently picking up Nova from the playpen, she quickly gripped his shirt so she wouldn't fall.

"I don't want milk" Nova insisted.

"Well you didn't eat anything this whole morning and it's already 1 in the afternoon. We're not going to let you starve yourself" Niall explained, sitting down on the sofa with her in his lap.

He gave Nova her pink cup, and let her drink it by herself. They wanted to use a bottle but decided to choose their own battles today and use a sippy cup instead.

Nova held it between her hands and stared at it, she turned her head to see Zayn sit by them. He gave her nod, motioning for to start drinking.

"Go ahead, Nova. It's the sweet milk you like" Zayn mentioned, patting her thigh.

The teenager sighed, before taking sips of the cold liquid.

30 minutes later

It was now just Nova, Zayn, and Niall in the living room while rest of the boys were upstairs doing their own thing.

Louis suggested it would be better if all five of them weren't always in the same room with her, a least for right now. She was too bothered.

"You finished, babe"? Niall asked, before Nova nodded and handed him the cup.

Suddenly she felt a soft, cloth wiping the corner of her mouth. She realized it was Zayn with a burp cloth.

"Sorry, you just had a little milk on your lips" Zayn mumbled, before setting the cloth on his shoulder.

Nova wiped her mouth with her hand before looking up at Niall with her big eyes.

He could already tell she was going to be asking for something.

"What's the matter, baby"? Niall asked with a pout.

"I uh... I need to go the bathroom" Nova admitted.

"Okay, well you can just go in your diaper, it's on you for times like these, Novie" Niall answered, kissing the back of her head.

"No"

"What, hun"? Zayn questioned, widening his eyes.

"I don't want to go in this diaper. I had to use one this whole week. Please can I actually go to the bathroom, just for today" Nova begged.

"Flower, it's not going to happen and you have to understand that. And anyway you know we can help you, we've been doing it that way recently. Just rubbing your lower tummy makes it way easier, how about we do that right now, sweetheart"? Niall suggested, starting to adjust Nova into a better position.

"No, stop! I'm not peeing myself anymore. Stop telling me what to do" Nova voiced, slapping Niall's hands away from her. She quickly realizing the contact was more harder than she thought.

She instantly regretted it, noticing their new disproving expressions.

"Nova Elise, you do not hit, you know we do not hurt each other. What is going on with you today, missy"? Zayn asked, crossing his arms with sternness.

Nova knew they were not playing games anymore.

"I think someone is getting a time out actually, you need time to think about all the things you've done today, we've had enough" Niall agreed.

The men honestly didn't think they would be doing punishments this soon but if Nova kept acting out, they would have to teach her right and not let her get away with things.

"W-what? I don't need a time out" Nova panicked.

"Yes you do, right away. Niall why don't you get the stool, pretty sure it's in the closet" Zayn said, standing up.

Once Zayn said that, without thinking Nova bolted out of Niall's lap, almost losing her balance. She was close to the exit of the living room, before Zayn quickly snatched her.

"No you don't, you're not running away"

He held her on his hip tightly as she thrashed around in his arms, with watery eyes.

"I didn't mean to hit him that hard" Nova insisted, with tears starting to stream down her face.

"You may have didn't but you're still getting a consequence, you've been acting out since you woke up, and we're not allowing it anymore" Zayn repeated, with a stricter tone.

Nova sighed, covering her face.

She didn't mean to go this far.