when you sleep :: [malik]

"I Couldn't Be More in Love"

"He's walking?"

Imani nods, laughing as Zayn squats in the living room of Mani and Justin's new place. Their baby takes wobbly steps across the carpet, chubby brown little arms outstretched towards the familiar faces.

"Wanted to surprise you," Imani grins, watching as Zhuri dishes out hugs, smiling fondly at her man crouched on the floor with her nephew. "I knew you'd go crazy."

"Uh, like, yes," Zayn exclaims, scooping the little boy into his arms and making him scream with each kiss. "My godson is gettin' so big."

"Fuck y'all niggas," Taj calls from the couch.

"Goodness," Zhuri lifts a brow, "Cussin' in front of the babies, Taj?"

"And that's why you're not the godfather," laughs Imani, tossing a pillow at her brother. "And you're just an uncle."

"Whatever," he grunts. "My boys know who their real godfather is."

"Yeah," laughs Asha, in town for the weekend with her new boyfriend, some man she met at the gym. "It's Zayn."

It's been nearly three years since Zhuri and her siblings lost their nana, and it's coming up on a whole three years...for how long she's been with Zayn.

Milestones.

Zhuri didn't think she could ever find someone else—way back when she didn't think she could ever leave Blake.

Now, look.

Milestones.

Now, her second nephew is walking.

At six months, Kai is taking his little wobbly steps and making his godfather, (and his mom and his dad, of course), happy as shit.

"Uncle Z! Uncle Z!"

"What's up, mate?" he asks, crouched on the floor beside Julian, the two-year-old; his first and his favorite godson.

(But he'd never say that to Kai).

"Look," He holds out the motorcycle toy in his hands. "S'like you!"

"One day, I'm gonna get you a real one," Zayn whispers, because this little boy was turning out to love all the shit he loved when he was little and he was so fucking excited. Like, when he cut his hair and dyed it blonde, Julian wanted to cut his hair so Mani did. Like...!?

Zayn loved being a godfather.

And he loves how JuJu (also the nickname he came up with but who's keeping tabs), is staring at him with tiny teeth and excited brown eyes. "Really?"

"Really, so you can drive it around when you're big and--"

"No, you not," Imani calls from across the room, shaking her head from her seat in Justin's lap. "You're absolutely not, little man."

The toddler pouts, "Mommy..."

"Damn, bruh," Taj laughs, laying on the floor beside the toddler, "you sound like Zhuri, the killjoy."

Zhuri purses her lips, "First of all..."

"Forget, you Taj. Zayn, don't you dare turn my son into a daredevil."

"What?" Zayn sets Kai beside his brother, propping a hand behind his ear, "I can't hear you from your man's lap."

JuJu claps his hands together, not really knowing why he's giggling but realizing that both Taj and Zayn are.