Louis looks up from where Harry is tightly holding his hand to the boy's face. Standing next to each other gives him a new perspective completely. Harry is taller than him, younger than him, and acts like a small boy. Louis once watched a program on human trafficking on the BBC once. They said that smaller people, like himself, are more likely to be taken. This wasn't only because they were easier to take, but because their tinier bodies are "more desirable" to those who hold them hostage. But Harry is large, probably the same size as Zayn.
The den turns out to be the living room with the fireplace and not the tv, which was also where he napped on Zayn's lap. Harry leads him over to a corner of the room that has a bookshelf stacked with books, dvds, and board games. On the bottom shelf is a huge green tub full of more Legos than Louis has probably ever seen.
The blue-eyed boy plops down on the carpet and runs his fingers across the soft rug. He looks up at Harry expectantly, but Harry is looking around to see if his daddies are near. "I be right back, Loulou."
"Wait," Louis calls. "Where are you going?"
Harry holds a finger up to his lips to keep Louis silents. He leaves the room and is back in 20 seconds holding the bear that Louis had seen earlier.
"Why did you have to sneak around," Louis asks in actual confusion.
"M'not supposed to go places I wasn't told to."
The boy puts the bear on the ground before sitting next to it. "This is my best fwend, Roger," he says looking at the bear fondly. "Roger, this is my new bruder! His name is Louis! Say hi, Roger!"
Harry picks up the bear and begins waving its paw at Louis before bringing it up to Louis' face and making it peck the boy's chin.
Louis chuckles slightly. "'Ello, chap," Louis greets the bear knowing it would delight Harry.
The curly-haired one spills a good portion of the Legos onto the ground. He pushes some towards Louis and his bear first, before taking the smallest pile for himself.
The boys stay silent besides the sound of plastic clashing against each other. It isn't awkward, but Louis decides to ask Harry questions anyway.
"So... Is Roger you're only friend?"
Harry stops moving his hands and looks up.
"Oh gosh! That was a bad question to ask! I'm sorry! Don't be upset! Sometimes I say stupid things," Louis rambles.
Harry chuckles at the word vomit. "Papa told me that there's no stupid questions." Harry looks at Louis' face. "I like your eyes!"
"Erm, thanks."
"Blue eyes like NiNi's!"
"Who is NiNi," Louis asks.
"He's my fwend! He talks funny! His Daddy says he's not from here."
Oh thank God! He does have other friends. Louis would have felt terrible all night long if he had rubbed in that Harry has no friends. But he does! At least one anyway.
"NiNi has a daddy too?"
"Mhm! Uncle J!"
"Is J his real name," Louis asks.
Harry shrugs and continues building. Louis is pretty sure that he's making a house.
"What are Daddy and Papa's names, Harry?"
Harry thinks for a minute. "Li and Z."
'That can't be their full names,' Louis thinks. They must be protecting their identities by not telling their names. 'Smart move.' But that isn't going to stop Louis from turning them in. He will eventually learn their names. If not, he can point them out in the police line up like they do in the movies.
"But, Li is Daddy. Z is Papa," Harry says almost like he's warning Louis.
Louis nods. He knows he needs to change the subject before the boy ends up telling the men what Louis is asking him. "Will I ever get to meet NiNi?"
"Have-ta ask Papa," he says and opens his mouth wide. Louis is about to cover the boy's mouth but it's too late. "Papa," he calls.
Zayn and Liam are in front of the two in seconds. Louis shrinks in on himself at the realization that he's a little bump on the carpet compared to the two standing over him.
"Need something, babies," Liam coos.
"When does Loulou get to meet NiNi?"
"Soon, sweetheart." Louis isn't really sure if he was saying that to him or Harry.
Harry accepts the answer and turns to the bear that is sitting next to him. "You wike NiNi, Roger?"
He stares at the bear for a good twenty seconds before nodding. "Mhm! Me too!"
Too nervous to speak his mind, Louis gives no response to the boy having an actual conversation with the inanimate object as the other three in the room watch.
All of the sudden Louis feels a bit of pressure in his bladder. The two drinks he had at dinner are catching up with him. "Um...."
"Something wrong," Liam asks.
"Where is the restroom?"
"Its not bathtime, Lou."
Louis huffs. "I need to pee."
"Go in your nappy, love."
"What nappy," Louis asks as he pats his hips and- oh god. He pales feeling the padding. He had no idea he was wearing it because his pajamas were concealing everything but his hands. "When did you-?"
"While you were sleeping," Zayn says.
He wants to scream! He wants to attack them! He wants to rip the ridiculous pajamas off his body! He wants these two men dead! Or at least rotting in prison!
But most of all, he wants to make sure there is no sadness coming from Harry.
He tries not to show too much of his anger and takes a deep breath.
"May I please use the toilet?"
"No you may not. But thank you for using manners," Liam responds.
"I'm not joking around, mate! I really need to pee!"
"My name isn't Mate," Liam chides.
Oh god! Louis is going to have to do what he's been avoiding like the plague since he arrived.
"Please, Daddy! Please!" Louis is full on begging now. His bladder aches the more he moves and thinks about it being full.
Zayn watches how his husband handles the situation with pride. Yet another step of entering a little headspace was using the names they were told to use. Yes, Louis said it out of manipulation and desperation, but it was still used.
"You have a nappy on for a reason, baby. You may use it. And as soon as you go, one of us will change you. Simple as that."
Harry has no idea how to react to anything going on. He doesn't really understand why Louis is so afraid to use his nappy, but he's afraid if he says anything, Louis will snap and get super angry again. As amazing of a big brother he has already been, the boy really scared Harry before dinner started. And now he's arguing with Daddy and Papa again. If he doesn't watch his attitude he's going to end up with a sore bottom for the foreseeable future.
"I-I, c-can't use it," Louis whimpers.
"You haven't even tried, babe," Zayn says.
"I don't need to try to know that I wouldn't be able to use this," he pauses as he's about curse, but stops himself. "Thing."
"You could try squatting. Or standing in the corner. That's what Harry did for the first year." Louis' eyes snap over to where the quiet boy is sitting. His cheeks are blushing furiously now. Brown curls are hanging over his eyes, almost like his face is trying to hide itself.
"Can I at least have some privacy?"
Zayn sends Liam an approving nod. "Yes. C'mon, I'll take you upstairs." Liam reaches down and picks the boy up. Louis is placed on his hips, and he groans as the man's sharp hip bones pressed into his stomach and bladder.
Zayn and Harry watch them leave. Zayn sits down on the carpet next to Harry and sighs. He reaches his hand over and begins petting Harry's curls.
"You seem awfully quiet," Zayn notes.
"M'tired, Papa," he tells him.
"Do you wanna skip your bathe for tonight and go to bed earlier?"
Harry nods and rubs his eyes.
"Can you wait here while I go make your bottle?"
"Yes, Papa."
"Okay, little one," he places a kiss on his temple. "I'll be right back. Please pick these up," he gestures to the barely played with plastic bricks.
Zayn gets up and leaves as well and now Harry is alone. He's usually never alone in a room for more than ten minutes, except for when he's in the playroom or nursery. He doesn't like being away from his daddies. Nothing bad has ever happened while he was alone, but he misses the affection. The cuddles and praises.
Papa returns three minutes later with Harry's bottle of milk, The husbands had tried giving him formula in the beginning, but Harry would always spit it out due to the sour taste. So now they just heat up milk and mix in a scoop of multi vitamin powder to make sure Harry stays nice and healthy.
"Come here, Baby," Zayn says he lays on the couch. He props his body up against the side so his torso is still in a sitting position.
Harry places the plastic tub back on the bottom of the shelf. He grabs Roger's paw and holds it like you would a small child.
The boy reaches the couch and lays down on top of Zayn's legs and leans his back against the strong chest. Its nice and warm, and Papa smells heavenly. He places his teddy at the top of the couch so it is watching over the two of them. Zayn pulls a woven blanket out from a basket beside the couch and covers Harry and most of himself. Harry is still in his tutu and Zayn is surprised he hadn't asked to be put into warmer clothes earlier.
"Baba," Harry asks for.
Zayn brings the plastic bottle up to Harry's face and holds it at a low angle so when Harry does begin to drink he won't choke. The pink lips latch around the rubber nipple and Zayn smiles at the little sucking noises.
"Such a busy day, hmmm," Zayns says. He's not looking for a response, but he still wants to speak. Its more calming for Harry to hear Zayn's voice, especially with his head on the man's chest. Every time Harry feels the vibrations from his daddies voices he feels even more close to them.
"You must be so tired from all of this excitement."
He uses his free hand to rub Harry's tummy through the blanket..
"I know these next few days are gonna be a bit hard for you, but just remember that Louis is gonna need a supportive little brother."
Harry stops sucking and Zayn understands that as his sign that he wants to say something. He pulls the bottle from the boy's mouth.
"Loulou mad a lot."
"He's just a bit scared darling. Everything is new to him," Zayn assures.
The boy is quiet for a minute. "I love him," Harry says.
Zayn chuckles and Harry nuzzles his head further into the man's chest to absorb more of the heat. "Already?"
Harry nods. "Loulou is bestest big bruder!"
"Well then," Zayn smiles, "I'm so glad. You two are gonna get along so well."
The nipple is placed between his lips again and Harry quickly finishes up his milk. Zayn feels a warmth on his leg and knows that Harry just peed. He sets the bottle on the side table. "Stand up, baby. Let's go get you ready for bed."
Harry rolls off of the man and waits for Zayn to stand as well. When the man does, he reaches for Harry's hand. Harry holds it tightly and they walk up the stairs together.
They enter the room to see Liam standing by the door with his arms crossed and Louis hiding in the corner between Harry's crib and the window. Zayn knows what's going on and decides to use Harry as an example for the new boy to see that it isn't bad or scary to use him nappy.
"Harry has decided to skip bathtime for tonight," he tells his husband.
Liam nods. He's not surprised seeing as Harry makes that decision at least once a week. "Has he had his milk already?"
"Yes, daddy," Harry smiles softly.
Louis uses this moment. There is no attention on him as the two men are talking with Harry. He knows there is no use fighting to use the toilet with them. With a loud whimper, his bladder relaxes itself and he feels the nappy get heavy.
The other three watch Louis after hearing the whimper. The blue-eyed boy is mortified. It's one thing to piss yourself, but another for people to know about it.
"Well," Zayn says, "I know two little boys who both need a nappy change. Harry, you want to go first?"
Harry doesn't say anything. "Come on Harry. Show your brother that there is nothing to worry about."
The green-eyed lad is stripped of his ridiculous outfit and now stands in the middle of the room in nothing but his soiled diaper. Liam picks him up by his armpits and lays him down on the changing table.
Louis refuses to watch as the diaper is untaped and Harry is completely naked. Harry is so tired he nearly falls asleep on the table at the gentle touching Zayn is doing to with his hair as Liam cleans him. He frowns as Papa pulls away to go and retrieve some pajamas.
Liam wipes down Harry's bits. "Cold, Daddy," the boy whines.
"I'm sorry, Love. I should've warmed the wipe a bit longer." Liam takes out a new wipe and get between Harry's cheeks to ensure extra cleanliness. "There you go, Baby. No more tinkle," he smiles.
Louis gags at the man. 'Why would anybody ever want to change a diaper willingly, especially of a person who is above the age of 3?'
The two men work together to dress Harry in his night clothes. When all is done, Harry is sitting in the middle of the floor wearing a white fleece onesie with pink and red hearts scattered all over. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes can barely stay open.
Liam and Zayn do manage to change Louis. They had to use the restraints on the side of the table that they had used on Harry only twice in the beginning before he started behaving. Louis is so exhausted now that he becomes docile and lets the men dress him in pajamas similar to Harry's, except with little footballs instead of hearts..
'Fight tomorrow. You need all the energy you can,' he tells himself.
The two boys are placed in their respective cribs.
Liam pulls a book from a shelf and sits in the rocking chair.
"Once upon a time, there lived a boy and his mother on a farm far away from the nearest village. They were poor and had little to eat. The mother sent her son to town to sell their one and only cow. Jack, the boy, cried to his mother. That cow is his best friend. His mother only cares about making sure her son has food to eat. So Jack goes into town. He meets a man at a stand in the village square. "I'll make a deal with you," says the mystery man. "I will trade you the cow for magic beans." Jack was baffled! "Magic beans! There is no such thing as magic!" "Ah, but there is my boy. Plant these in your garden. But beware, only do so when you are ready.""
Harry and Louis have both drifted to sleep now.
Louis' last thought: Slay the giant.
Harry's last thought: Magic does exist.
Both daddies lean over the crib bars and kiss their little ones goodnight before flicking on the nightlight and leaving their angels to sleep.