Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Part One, Chapter Two

Liam seems to consider it for a moment before he nods. "Okay. Are they coming tomorrow? 'Cause the spare room's still real messy and I don't think they should sleep with all the boxes. We did it in science, all the dust sticks to the cardboard and then it can get into your lungs. Mikey said it could suffocate you in your sleep if there's too much dust," he says in a seriously concerned tone.

The men both let out surprised laughs at that, a little shocked with how quickly the boy had been taken by the idea.

Louis shakes his head. "It won't be right away, Bear, and you needn't worry about the dust," he says, using the old nickname that he and Liam's mother had used from birth. "See, we still have some more things to sign. And then we have to take it slow and sort of ease the boys into life here. Once they've been here for a month, we get to sign some more things that mean they stay with us forever," he explains briefly, and Liam nods, then frowns.

"What do they like to do? Because I like grown up stuff, like video games and football and school sometimes. What if they only like baby things?" He asks, brows drawn together.

Zayn laughs slightly at that. "Well, from what we know, Harry is very smart and grown up too, so I'm sure he'll like a lot of the same things as you do. He's very good at jigsaw puzzles, he finished a huge one whilst we were there today," he says, eyes lighting up with warmth as he talks about the boy.

Louis smiles and turns to Liam with a grin. "And Niall is very loud and happy, he doesn't let things stay boring," he adds, thinking about how the three year old had disappeared for two seconds only for them to find him climbing halfway up the bookshelves with ease.

Liam, finding more comfort in the quiet and calm, chews on his lip at that. "Oh."

Louis is quick to continue. "And because he's only three, there are so many things that you get to teach him. And a lot of games that all three of you can play together," he says, and Liam perks up at that, grinning.

"D'you think I can teach him how to play footie? I never have anyone to play in the garden with normally," he says in an excited tone that makes Louis a little sad that their son has spent so long being lonely.

He nods. "Of course you can, Bear. Anything you want."

It isn't long before they're allowed to take the two boys out with a social worker tagging along, and since the weather isn't the best (because England doesn't care that it's summer, obviously) they settle for taking them to a restaurant for something to eat, picking one with an indoor play area.

Of course, being the summer holidays, Liam is there too and it marks the first time that the boys all get to meet. The kid is clearly nervous about it when they're driving there, Louis knows his son well enough to pick up on the uncomfortable silence and the way he bites at the skin on his lips until they bleed. It's a part of his anxiety, worrying over every new thing in his life. Zayn marrying Louis had been a big thing, and he supposes that this surpasses even that.

So once they're parked up in the same spot as they were on the first day at Merrywell, Louis takes a moment to turn in his seat and face the boy. He smiles softly at him and takes his hands gently, using the pads of his thumbs to run small circles over his knuckles.

"Hey," he says softly, encouraging the boy to look at him with those big brown eyes that he got from his mother. "They're going to love you. You wanna know how I know?"

Liam continues to nibble at his lip, though a little less vigorously now. "How?" He asks quietly, and Louis gives his hands a gentle squeeze.

"Because you, Liam, are the kindest, gentlest, most loving person I know. And I know you're going to make an amazing big brother to those two boys. Plus, everyone I know loves you. Everyone you know loves you," he says with a grin, lifting a hand to tap him on the end of the nose.