Chapter Thirty Three – Zayn
"Baba, no. It's 'Punzel" Bella shrieks as Zayn pauses to take a quick breath and organize his thoughts, it's their second day at Disney and Bella had woken him and Liam up earlier than the sun, to start the day. Zayn had managed to keep her in their bed for a couple hours until the sun came up, but then she was too excited to keep still. Liam had found them breakfast, and getting that into Bella was a whole different fight, Zayn doesn't blame her, this is all so much for her two year old brain to take in, and it is exciting, but it's also exhausting. There's a tugging on his hand that snaps Zayn out of his tired thoughts, "I see Rapunzel, baby" Zayn soothes looking down at his impatient daughter as she tries to pull him forward to meet the princess standing only feet away. "She's not going anywhere, Bella" Liam chuckles from Zayn's other side, and Zayn can't help but laugh at the look the toddler sends in his direction. Bella stares at Liam in disbelief for a moment before shaking her head and grabbing his hand too, "no Daddy, see now" she urges, trying to pull both Zayn and Liam forwards now. Zayn's worried she's going to trip and fall over backwards, she is still clumsy in her movements at the best of times, never mind when she's trying to walk backwards, while pulling two grown men. Zayn shakes his hand free and Arabella pouts at him, as he reaches down to scoop her into his arms, "relax, Boo, we're going, alright?" Zayn murmurs, and Bella huffs, but nods as she tries to hide her yawn from Zayn.
After meeting Rapunzel, Bella's energy just plummets "Baba, tired" she mumbles as she holds her arms out for him to pick her up. Zayn laughs and scoops her into his arms, "I don't doubt that, there's a reason, we let the sun wake up first" he teases, poking her nose gently. Bella scrunches it up and rests her head on his shoulder, "we'll go back to the hotel, now, and everyone can have a rest" Liam murmurs, rubbing a hand up and down Bella's back gently, before tangling his fingers with Zayn's hand that isn't supporting Bella. "No nap. Daddy nap. Bella fine" Bella grumbles, as they walk, and Zayn laughs "you just told me you were tired" he chuckles, but she lifts her head to shake it at him, "Bella not, Daddy tired" she mumbles, pointing at Liam who grins. Zayn shakes his head, because he can tell Bella is exhausted, it's just after noon and she's struggling to stay awake, "you're right, I do need a nap, will you lay with me?" Liam asks slowly. Zayn grins because this may be the perfect way for them to get Bella to lie down, now that she's decided she doesn't need sleep. Bella appears to be thinking about it, before she nods and reaches out for Liam, who takes her into his arms, easily.
Zayn's pouting when they get back to the hotel, and Bella giggles tiredly at him, "why can't Baba nap with us, princess?" Liam asks, as they step into the elevator. Arabella shakes her head and points to Zayn "Baba no nap, because, no need nap" she decides, and Zayn's pout deepens, he's ready to start whining, he does need a nap, he's exhausted. Liam sighs, "that's not very nice, Bells. I think we should let Baba lay with us" he tries. Zayn watches as Bella thinks it over, before she shrugs "Baba, nap couch. Bella, nap Daddy" she decides as they step off the elevator. Zayn sighs, opening the door to their suite, Bella struggles to be put down and grabs Liam's hand, pulling him towards the master bedroom, Zayn makes to follow them, because this is ridiculous, he's not going to be bossed around by a two year old. When he gets into the room, Bella is laying with her head on Zayn's pillow as Liam gets himself settled onto the other side of the bed, Zayn watches as she rolls into Liam as soon as he's settled, and he wraps a protective arm around her. Bella looks up "night, Baba" she yawns cuddling back up to Liam. Zayn pouts and Liam chuckles, "give me a few minutes to get her settled and I'll come nap with you on the couch, okay?" Liam asks quietly. Zayn nods, sighing because really it's the best he's going to get.
It's twenty minutes later, and Zayn is almost asleep on his own, when Liam emerges from the bedroom, "she's finally asleep" he murmurs, crawling onto the couch with Zayn, who makes grabby hands at him. Liam chuckles pressing a kiss to Zayn's cheek, which is not what Zayn wants at all, so he whines, and Liam laughs again before leaning in to kiss him properly. Zayn responds immediately, wrapping his arms around Liam's neck and deepening the kiss, Liam's arms wind around Zayn's waist and he pulls him into his lap. Zayn goes willingly, and he's now straddling Liam's thighs, as they kiss. A few minutes later they pull apart breathless and Zayn falls against Liam's chest, as the older wraps his arms tightly around him, "thank you" Zayn murmurs. Liam pulls him away and furrows his eyebrows at him, "for what Zayn?" Liam asks clearly confused and Zayn shrugs, "all of this, and putting up with me being a bit of a brat yesterday when we got here" he explains. Liam's shaking his head before Zayn finishes speaking, "you don't have to thank me, I missed you guys when I was away, and I've actually been planning this trip with you for awhile now" he explains. Zayn bites his lip and nods, falling back into Liam's chest, "still thank you" he mumbles, Liam chuckles and Zayn can feel it vibrate under his cheek, "and as for you being a brat, you're always kind of a brat, but you're my brat" Liam teases. Zayn looks up at him pouting, "am not" he mutters and Liam laughs, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "No you aren't a brat, but you are mine" he murmurs, and Zayn doesn't argue, because that sounds pretty good to him.
Zayn doesn't know how long he and Liam slept for, but he does know it wasn't long enough, and something smacking him repeatedly in the face is not the best wake up call he's ever had. Zayn pops an eye open, only to get hit in the face once again, when the object is removed Zayn realizes it's Bunny, and Bella is the one responsible for the clumsy hits. Zayn watches as his daughter winds up to hit him with the stuffed bunny again, but he reaches out, snatching the toy from her hands, before she can hit him again, "Bella, no. Stop hitting Baba, that's not nice" Zayn groans. Bella pouts, stomping her foot, and resting her hands on her hips, in a stance that Zayn knows usually comes before a tantrum, so he carefully untangles himself from Liam to sit up, reaching out and pulling Arabella up into his lap as he does. "What's the matter, Baby Girl?" Zayn asks gently, pushing some hair out of Bella's face, she frowns at him, pointing to Liam, "Daddy, s'posed to sleep Bella. Baba steal Daddy" she accuses. Zayn sighs, as Liam stirs beside them on the couch, blinking his eyes open, "how long were we asleep?" he asks, voice raspy from sleep. Zayn shakes his head, looking at the clock across the room, "just over an hour" he answers and Liam nods before his eyes land on Bella and the angry look on her face. "And why are you so grumpy miss?" he asks, poking her side lightly. Zayn watches as Bella huffs and turns away from Liam "Baba steal Daddy from Bella" she grumbles.
Zayn sighs as Liam frowns and sits up, reaching across to pull Bella into his own lap, Zayn knows Bella is upset with him and not Liam, because as far as she can tell this is his fault. "Baba didn't steal me, princess. I came out here on my own" Liam explains, once Bella is snuggled into his chest. Zayn bites his lip as Bella shakes her head, "no Daddy stay Bella, Baba mean" she mutters, and Zayn wants to roll his eyes, because really he didn't even do anything this time. Liam shakes his head, "No Bella, Baba's not mean, you're not being very nice right now" he tries, and Zayn watches as Bella shakes her head and swats at Liam. He knows he should step in, but Liam seems to be handling this all quite well, Zayn moves to take Bella out of Liam's lap, but the older man shakes his head, "I've got this Zayn, if that's alright?" he asks. Zayn just nods because he's interested to see how this all works out. "Please don't hit me Bella, that's not nice either" Liam explains, Bella pouts, "No Daddy, Baba not nice, steal Daddy from Bella" she whines, Liam sighs and shakes his head, "I'm sorry I didn't stay with you princess, but I wanted to come see Baba. If you're good for the rest of today maybe you can sleep with me and Baba tonight, okay?" he asks. Bella narrows her eyes, shaking her head before reaching over to take her bunny back from Zayn and swinging it to smack Liam in the face before either man can react.
Zayn's eyes widen as Bella hits Liam, this is all new behaviour and he's not sure how he feels about it, "Arabella, we do not hit" Zayn says sternly. "No" is all Bella says, while Liam shakes his head, gently prying the bunny out of her grasp, "Zayn can I?" he asks, and Zayn's not entirely sure what Liam has in mind but he nods, trusting his boyfriend to handle this. He knows if Liam's willing to discipline Bella, then it's a big deal, because Liam's told him before he doesn't want to unless he absolutely has to. Zayn watches as Bella pouts and reaches for the bunny, but Liam moves it quickly out of her reach, "No, Arabella you do not hit, what do you think you should say to me?" Liam asks, sternly. Bella whimpers and her eyes start to water "no, Bella no say it" she whines, Liam sighs shaking his head, "then I'm keeping this" he says, gesturing to the bunny before sliding Bella off his lap and standing up, to place the bunny on a shelf, high enough that Bella can't reach. "Baba, help Bella, tell Daddy, my bunny" she whimpers, tears falling down her cheeks now, as she turns to Zayn. Zayn shakes his head, "you need to say sorry to Daddy, then he'll give Bunny back" he explains, but Bella shakes her head, jumping to her feet, swatting at Zayn as she does, before running across to Liam and hitting his legs with her tiny fists.
Liam turns and arches an eyebrow at her, looking to Zayn who just nods in response. Liam crouches down and lightly, grabs onto Bella's hands to stop her assault. "Arabella, stop hitting me, or you can go sit in your room" Liam says sternly. "No, Daddy mean" she spits attempting to hit Liam again, settling for a clumsy kick when she can't get her hands free. Zayn watches as Liam sighs and scoops the now kicking toddler into his arms walking across the room to her room, and stepping inside. Zayn doesn't see, or hear what happens in the bedroom, beyond Bella screaming at Liam. When Liam comes out five minutes later, he's carrying all of Bella's toys, both the ones she brought and the ones that the park gave her, Zayn arches an eyebrow at his boyfriend, who smiles slightly, "she was throwing them at me, so I took them" Liam explains, setting all the toys onto the table, and coming to sit beside Zayn. "Was that okay?" Liam asks as Zayn burrows into his side, Zayn grins and nods, "yeah, that was fine, I'm surprised you wanted to do it, though, you know she's going to be mad at you right?" he asks. Liam shrugs "I know, and I'm not happy about it, but I think I needed to do that for both of us, I've never seen her like that" he answers. Zayn sighs nodding his head, as he burrows more into Liam, "neither have I really, but you handled that really well. I'm proud of you daddy" Zayn says, grinning when Liam sends him a look. Zayn chuckles, "I'm just saying you handled that like a parent would, like you made sure the punishment fit what was happening, and you gave her warnings. You're like a proper daddy now" Zayn explains. Liam sighs, nodding his head, "I get what you're saying, and thank you" he murmurs pressing a kiss to Zayn's lips.
Zayn and Liam sit snuggled together for a few minutes, before Liam sits up, "I should go talk to her" he mumbles gesturing to the closed door, Zayn nods slowly "yeah, just a warning she'll either still be upset with you, or super cuddly" he explains. Liam nods standing up and Zayn watches him go, Liam taps twice on the door, before he disappears behind it, Zayn again can't hear what he's saying, or Bella's response. But when the door opens a minute later and Liam steps out with Bella in his arms cuddled to his chest, he smiles lightly, she's clearly switched from angry to cuddly, and from the kisses she's pressing to Liam's cheek, she finally apologized as well. "Baba, I sorry" Bella murmurs, once Liam sits on the couch again, her snuggled into his chest still. "Thank you, Bella. Why were you so angry?" Zayn asks gently, Bella shrugs, "wanted Daddy" she pouts. Zayn sighs nodding, "then you use your words Baby. You don't hit and throw things, we won't be able to enjoy our trip if you're going to behave like that" he explains. Bella pouts rubbing at her eyes and Zayn realizes that she's still tired, and that's probably the main reason for the behaviour they just witnessed, not that it's an excuse, but it is an explanation. Liam wraps his arms tighter around the toddler and Zayn smiles at them, "sorry, Daddy" she mumbles, snuggling into them. Liam smooths a hand over her hair, "you already said sorry, Princess, I'm not upset anymore" he murmurs, Bella shrugs, snuggling more into Liam, "I have Bunny?" she asks, pouting, Liam chuckles and shifts the toddler into Zayn's lap, where she snuggles in, Zayn dropping a kiss to her head. Liam returns a moment later handing the toy to Bella, "just remember, he's not a weapon" Liam warns and Bella giggles "okay, Daddy" she mumbles, snuggling into Zayn a little more. And Zayn cant help but feeling content with all of this and how his life is turning out.