Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Interlude Two, Chapter Four

Zayn hesitates then, because Niall's always has a short attention span but this just takes the cake. But he supposes that the kid is just excited for Harry to be coming home today so he nods slightly instead. Painting always calms him down anyway, and it's clear he needs it right now.

"Course we can, sweetheart," he says softly, then smiles. "We can make that surprise for Haz that you mentioned," he adds, and Niall grins so that chocolate milk dribbles down his chin and he swipes it away quickly.

"Yeah! I'll make him a really nice picture," he agrees happily, legs still kicking. Then he pushes his bowl away and holds out his arms.

Zayn smiles at the warmth spreading through his chest at the action, wasting no time in standing from his stool and lifting the small ten year old into his arms. He squeezes him close, feeling the boy clasp his hands together behind his back and he nuzzles his face into his neck.

"M'sorry for bein' mean to you, Papa," he apologises sincerely, making the man hold onto the kid in his arms tighter.

"Hey. I was mean first so it's okay," he says with a small smile, then sighs, closing his eyes and pressing a kiss to the small boy's temple. "God. Can't you just stay this little and sweet forever?" He asks, smiling when he sets the boy down on the chair.

And it leaves a heavy sort of feeling in his chest at the thought of all of their boys growing up and moving out. Sure, he'll always have Lou but the house and his entire life will just feel so empty without all the energy and teenage angst that the kids bring with them.

But Niall just shrugs innocently. "If you want me to," he answers as if he has a choice in the matter. Zayn grins and ruffles his hair. "Hey, can I go ask Liam if he wants to come paint too?" He asks.

Zayn hesitates but then nods nonetheless. "I don't think he'll want to, Shorty, but you can go ahead and ask anyway," he replies, and Niall hurries to jump down off of the stool and run out of the room.

Zayn watches his youngest go with a lump in his throat, before he sets about washing up the empty bowl and wiping down the sides before getting the art supplies.

When he hears footsteps, he expects to see Niall on his own, and so it's a surprise to him when he turns to see the ten year old tugging on his oldest brother's hand impatiently.

He offers the seventeen year old a small smile. "Hey kiddo. You coming down to help Ni?" He asks, and Liam purses his lips for a moment before giving a minute nod.

"Yeah," he hums, before sitting at the counter and helping the small ten year old up onto the chair beside him.

"M'gonna make Haz the best picture in the whole world. And he's gotta put it on the wall in our room so he can see it every day," he decides and Zayn and Liam both laugh.

"Doesn't Harry get a choice in that, bud?" Zayn asks, and Niall frowns up at him, reaching for the paintbrushes and paper.

"He puts all my paintings on the wall, Papa," he states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, and Zayn finds himself smiling again at the hind that the brothers have.

Niall falls quiet almost immediately once he starts painting, always in his element doing anything creative. He pauses before sitting down opposite Liam, the oldest avoiding looking up at him as he strokes random colours of paint on a sheet of creased paper.

"Li, I'm sorry -" he starts to say, but the boy looks up at him with a silencing frown.

"I don't even care anymore, Pops," he mutters.

It's clearly a lie. And Zayn would love to leave it at that, for them to just move on but he knows he can't. He needs to make it up to the kid somehow.