Chapter Twenty Four – Liam
Liam waits until Zayn is ready to head downstairs before he leads him back through his childhood home and into the living room where everyone is still sitting right where they left them all a few minutes earlier. Liam winces as they walk back into the room because he can still hear Bella screaming from his old bedroom, and he knows Zayn is uncomfortable. "It's okay" he murmurs into the younger's ear, and Zayn sighs nodding his head. Liam knows they decided to wait until they could hear that Bella had calmed down to go back up and try to talk to her, but he also can tell by Zayn's stance that his boyfriend wants to run back upstairs and tell Bella everything is okay, and she can come down and colour. Liam wants to do the same thing if he's honest, but they need to be a unified team on this, and Liam knows Zayn will stick to it in the end. With this in mind Liam takes a seat on the empty chair, pulling Zayn into his lap, as Ethan looks up from the game he's playing with James and Mason, "she alright?" he asks pointing up and cocking his head to the side. Liam chuckles nodding his head, "yeah, she's just upset with us" he answers gesturing to himself and Zayn, who sighs. Ethan nods and looks to Ruth "sounds like Kenzi, when you and Dad tell her no, Mum" he says and Ruth nods laughing slightly, while Kenzi whines from her spot, "heyy" the two and a half year old whines, while everyone else laughs lightly.
"Zayn, how does it feel to be done Uni?" Ruth asks suddenly, and Liam sends her a grateful smile, knowing his sister is attempting to distract Zayn. Zayn shrugs, "it's really great, I get to spend more time with Bella, and with him" he answers, gesturing with his thumb to Liam. "But I do end up working more, which kind of sucks" Zayn adds on and Ruth laughs lightly, "yeah when you're working in a job you don't necessarily want to do forever it can be hard" she answers and Liam watches as Zayn nods, grinning at her. "Uncle Liam?" Kenzi asks suddenly and Liam turns to look at her, "Kenzi get Bella in trouble?" she asks sadly, but Liam shakes his head, "oh no, sweets not at all" he murmurs, patting Zayn's hip to get him to let him up. Zayn understands instantly and hops out of his lap, so Liam can stand up, Zayn slumping back into the chair as soon as he does, continuing his conversation with Ruth, as Liam moves to sit beside his niece. "Kenzi, you did nothing wrong, you know that right?" Liam asks gently, but Kenzi shakes her head. "Didn't know Bella not allowed to colour" she mumbles in response and Liam sighs, nodding, "exactly, and normally she could have coloured with you, but Bella was naughty this morning, colouring on the floor. So Zayn took away her colours for a while" he explains. Kenzi pouts but nods, before just pointing up where you can still hear Bella, although she is getting quieter, and more calm, Liam notes. He sighs, "she's taking a moment to calm down, she isn't being very nice right now. But she'll be down soon and maybe you two can play something different, yeah?" Liam asks. Kenzi seems to be thinking before she nods her head, "okay Uncle Liam" she says quietly, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Liam grins and presses a kiss to her cheek in return, before standing and moving back to Zayn.
Zayn allows Liam to sit on his lap, snuggling into him slightly, "she alright?" Zayn asks gesturing around Liam to Kenzi, who has returned to her colouring, "yeah" Liam hums, "she just thought Bella was in trouble because of her" he explains, turning to see Zayn. Zayn frowns, shaking his head, "you told her that's not true, right" he asks and Liam smiles nodding, "yeah I explained it to her. She still feels bad though" he shrugs. Zayn nods then and gestures above them, "I think she's ready to talk to us again" he murmurs, and Liam listens carefully. You can no longer hear Bella at all, so he nods "I think you're right" he mumbles Zayn sighs and the pair stand up, to head back upstairs, Liam silently hopes she ready to apologize and they can put everything behind them for the rest of lunch at his parents'. They reach his old room and are stepping back inside in a matter of a minute, and Liam takes in the sight before him. Bella is slumped on the floor, looking up pitifully at them, there's dried tears and snot on her face, he watches as Zayn rushes towards her, deciding to stand back and let Zayn parent his daughter, unless he absolutely needs to step in. "Oh, Baby" Zayn coos, pulling her into his lap, and rocking her lightly, pressing kisses to her hair, "you're okay, Baba's got you, yeah" he murmurs. Bella whimpers burrowing into Zayn, before she pulls away, "Baba, I sorry. Bella sorry. Bella no more push, be mean to Baba" she rambles shaking her head. Zayn smiles gently, "I know baby, and you're forgiven, I love you so much" he murmurs, kissing her cheeks. Liam smiles at the scene before Bella is suddenly colliding with his legs, babbling apologies to him as well. Liam scoops her into his arms, "shh, you're okay. It's okay" he murmurs, rocking her gently.
Liam and Zayn spend another fifteen minutes in his old bedroom fawning over Bella, and cleaning her up a little, when they finally do make their way back downstairs she looks a lot better, and you can barely see any signs of her earlier tantrum. Liam watches as Zayn cuddles her close to his chest as they carefully walk downstairs, Bella gripping onto Zayn's shirt tightly, he's pretty sure that the way she's wrapped around Zayn he could let go of her completely and she would be in no danger of falling. Liam notices Kenzi has put away all her colouring, by the time they return, instead setting up one of her dollhouses on the coffee table, "Bella!" she cheers, when they walk into the room. Bella grins and shares a look with Zayn, "Baba, I play?" she asks quietly and Zayn nods, kissing her forehead, "of course, Lovely" he coos, setting her on her feet. Liam watches her drop to the ground beside Kenzi as the other hands her a few dolls to play with. Zayn leans into him suddenly, "I'm sorry about all that" he mumbles, and Liam makes a face, turning to look directly at Zayn, "Zayn what are you on about, it's not your fault. Bella is two and was upset, there are few people on this planet more irrational than toddlers. No one here is upset about what happened, or is judging you for it. Everything is fine, I promise" he says fiercely. Zayn sighs nodding and Liam can see he's not sure if he believes what Liam just told him, "I feel bad though, that was quite a scene" he mumbles. Liam chuckles, "trust me that had nothing on Kenzi's last tantrum" he states Zayn's eyes widen and Liam nods, "yeah, she threw a chair at Ruth, so quit worrying so much" he laughs.
Liam can see Zayn relax the longer Bella plays happily, and quietly with Kenzi. He also realizes with a start that he's relaxing too, this whole ordeal with Bella has been almost as hard on Liam as it has been on Zayn. Liam can feel his dad beside him, before he turns to see him, "hey Dad" he murmurs, tearing his eyes away from Bella to look at Geoff, "everything okay with the little one?" he asks quietly. Liam nods slowly and looks to see Zayn talking to Ruth about something he can't hear, "yeah it's just been one of those days" he sighs. Geoff nods "you two handled that really well though, I'm proud of you son" he practically whispers, Liam smiles biting his lip, "I didn't really do much just backed Zayn up mostly" he mumbles. Geoff waves him away, "you did more than you realize Liam" he states making Liam shake his head, because he didn't do all that much, Geoff chuckles, which tapers off into a painful sounding cough, that makes Liam cringe. "You hang on to those two Li, they're good for you" Geoff says, once he's breathing normally again, Liam blushes and pulls his dad into a hug, "thanks Dad, and trust me. I don't plan on letting them go anytime soon, if ever" he murmurs. Geoff pulls out of the hug and steps back slightly seemingly pleased with Liam's answer, as he nods and walks slowly away to sit with the boys where they're still playing a board game.
Bella's suddenly pulling on the bottom of his shirt, "Daddy? When eat?" she pouts, and Liam chuckles leaning down to pick her up, "soon, why you hungry?" he asks. Bella pouts at him, nodding, Liam shakes his head, "why don't you go back and play with Kenzi, and Grandma Karen will call us to eat soon" he reassures her. Bella makes a face but nods her head and wriggles to get down, Liam laughs and complies watching as the two year old goes back to her spot on the floor picking up the doll she abandoned. Zayn's suddenly beside him, "she alright?" he asks concerned and Liam nods, "yeah, she's just hungry" he answers, wrapping an arm around his waist. Zayn nods slowly, "probably, after a tantrum like that, I'll bet she's starving" he murmurs, and Liam nods. He knows Zayn's still upset about the day's events, but he also knows, now isn't the time to discuss it with him. "Lunch is ready" Karen calls from the kitchen, and Liam laughs as all the kids jump up and run towards her in a herd, followed more slowly by his dad, and sisters. Liam moves to follow along as well, but Zayn tugs him back slightly, "thank you" Zayn mumbles, and Liam furrows his eyebrows, because he's not sure what he did exactly. Zayn shakes his head, "just for everything today, I know it hasn't been easy" he mumbles, Liam wraps him in a hug, "it's fine, really babe. Now let's go eat" he assures him tugging on Zayn's hand to pull him into the kitchen.
Lunch as always with his family is loud, and busy, but Liam notices Zayn seems a lot more relaxed than he has all day, and he appears to be enjoying himself. Someone tapping on Liam's arm makes him turn his head to see his sister grinning at him, "what?" he asks and Ruth shrugs, "nothing, you just seem to light up when they're around" she murmurs. Liam sighs, taking a bite of his lunch "they make me happy Roo" he answers slowly and she grins, "I can tell. Also Kenzi keeps asking to have Bella over, so if you two ever want a night alone, call me and she can come hang out at mine with the kids" Ruth says wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Liam sighs and smacks her arm lightly, "it's not like that Ruth" he mutters and she grins as Bella gasps, "Baba, Daddy hit" she calls, and Zayn sighs shaking his head, "Liam, we don't hit" he says teasingly and Liam chuckles as Ruth hides in her napkin to laugh "sorry" Liam sighs, as Bella nods happily. Ruth laughs and taps Liam's arm "I mean it though, little brother, I'd be happy to babysit" she giggles. Liam nods "I'll talk to Zayn about it" he answer and Ruth nods, turning back to her meal, "what was that all about?" Zayn asks, leaning around Bella who's caught up in her food, Liam shrugs, "we can talk about it later" he answers and Zayn looks confused but nods his head in response.
After everyone's done eating, Liam watches as Zayn once again tries to help clean up, but gets refused by not only his mum but sisters as well. Zayn pouts as he comes to sit on the couch with Liam "I want to help" he mutters and Liam laughs, "get used to it babe, Mum's funny like that" he shrugs. Zayn sighs and snuggles into Liam a little as they watch Bella play with Kenzi, "what was your sister asking you at lunch?" he asks suddenly. Liam chuckles and turns to face Zayn slightly, "just that Kenzi really wants Bella to come over, and that if we ever want a night to ourselves, she's more than happy to have her over" he explains. Liam watches as Zayn chews his lip and a hundred different emotions flit through his eyes, "maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. In like a couple weeks?" he asks. And Liam isn't quite sure how to respond, he doesn't know what Zayn means exactly, and he doesn't care, not really he meant it when he told Ruth it's not like that, because it isn't, not that Liam doesn't want it to be, he just wants Zayn to be comfortable and ready. Plus they almost always have Bella with them, or she'll be coming back at any minute. "You're thinking really hard about something" Zayn says, snapping Liam out of his thoughts, he shakes his head "don't worry about it" Liam murmurs and although Zayn looks unsure he doesn't press it further,and Liam appreciates it.
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A/N: So there you go...another update hopefully it makes up for taking so long. Let me know what you think
xoxo