"The sun'll come out tomorrow!
So you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow!
Come what may tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya tomorrow!"
- Tomorrow ("Annie")
-
Niall got up for what seemed to be the millionth time that night.
"Trick-or-treat!" A ghost, a fairy, and a pirate stood at the door, buckets waiting.
"There you go! Happy Halloween!" Niall exclaimed as he dropped half a handful of sweets into each pail. He was dressed as Peter Pan, and Zayn couldn't help but admire every once in a while the way his green tights hugged every curve on Niall's lower half.
Niall closed the door and set down the huge bowl of sweets Zayn had been snacking on far out of his reach.
Louis and Liam lay on the floor counting and sorting their candy. They had been home for a while, as Harry had already been laid down for the night.
Zayn winked at Niall cheekily over the table, making it obvious that he appreciated what Niall was wearing. Niall just rolled his eyes and dismissed him with a wave of his hand, secretly smiling.
Zayn tried in vain to reach the candy bowl, but Niall swatted his hand away.
"No!" Niall laughed. "These are for the kids!"
Zayn stuck his tongue out teasingly as Niall answered the doorbell again. The dogs, who surprisingly didn't race each other to the door to see who was there, lay by Zayn's feet, Loki cuddled into Harley's side.
Liam had run across a razor blade in a piece of caramel last year, so Zayn, being the overly protective and worrisome father he was, had looked through both of their bags before either of the twins had eaten any.
"Papa, can we have some more sweets?" Louis asked from the floor.
"Only a little, and then we have to go and brush our teeth really well, correct?" Zayn gave a pointed look as Niall came back.
"We promise!" Both boys dove enthusiastically back into their pillowcases, Louis more so than his brother.
Niall hoisted his legs on top of Zayn's, whose socked feet were resting on the edge of Niall's chair.
"I think only about thirty more minutes, and then trick-or-treating should be over," he said. "Then I can take this dumb costume off!"
"You did pick it out, sweet cheeks. You can take it off if you really want to." Zayn said smugly, casting his dark, brooding eyes in Niall's direction.
"Don't patronise me dear, it's makes you look bad. And I know you like my costume. You've been staring at me all night." Niall pompously picked at his nails and smirked.
"Simply can't help myself when it comes to you, my love," Zayn shrugged as he rose from his seat. "You're irresistible." Opening the refrigerator door, he picked up a water bottle, unscrewed the cap, and downed a portion of it before replacing the lid.
"Ha ha," Niall mocked from the table.
Zayn dropped his water bottle on the table and carefully grabbed Niall's face in both hands. He pecked him on the forehead and nose, and made exaggerated kissing noises just to get a reaction out of the boys.
"Ewwwww!" Louis scrunched up his nose and let himself fall dramatically onto the floor. "That's gross, Papa! Don't do that in front of me!"
Zayn laughed heartily and shared a glance with Niall who laughed at his husband's silly expression. Niall leaned forward and stretched up so he could reach Zayn's face to kiss him properly.
"I love you, Zayn," he said as they affectionately Eskimo kissed with their noses.
"Love you too, sweet cheeks," Zayn's eyelids drooped as he smiled into their kiss, blatantly ignoring their complaining children. "For forever and a day."
Niall's heart swelled at Zayn's sweet words, and he couldn't help but watch him as he disappeared up the stairs to go change into some sweats.
The phone on the counter began ringing, and as Niall went to pick it up, he realised with great happiness whose number it was.
"Greg!" Niall laughed in surprise and smiled nostalgically.
"Hey, little brother!" Greg's voice sounded distant through the receiver. "What's up?"
Niall felt his smile broaden. His brother sounded so familiar and comforting he could've cried. "Not much, not much! How's New York?"
"It's as great as it's always been, Nialler. Listen," Greg started. Niall could faintly hear him plopping down in a chair, and Theo's giggles that sounded so nearby indicated Greg had pulled him into his lap. "I was just calling because I was wondering if you and everybody else would like to come visit us around Thanksgiving sometime next month!"
Niall's eyes widened in surprise. "I-um-sure! I'll just have to go over it with Z - I mean Zayn - of course!"
"Oh, yeah! Absolutely!" Greg responded almost immediately.
Just as he heard his name being said, Zayn came back down and smushed his eyebrows together and looked pointedly at Niall, as if to say 'Who's on the phone?'.
Niall covered the end near his mouth with his palm. "It's Greg!" He said excitedly.
Zayn lifted his head in understanding and shoved his hands in his sweatshirt pocket. He sat on the floor with Liam and Louis, pretending to sneak some of their sweets. They laughed loudly each time they 'caught' him, then groaned when he told them to go brush their teeth.
Zayn collected their pillowcases and lay them on the table, grabbed his water and plunked himself down in the chair again, patiently waiting for Niall by scrolling through his social media feed on his phone. He didn't bother with going to check on the boys because he knew that Liam would make sure Louis brushed thoroughly and properly.
Niall blabbed eagerly on the phone for a few more minutes with his brother, and then sighed and hung up with a sad goodbye. He sat down opposite Zayn , looking understandably downcast.
"I wish we didn't live so far apart from each other." Niall said as he twiddled his fingers. Zayn locked his phone and slipped it back in his pocket.
"I know, babe." Zayn leaned forward to catch Niall's hand in his own. "What did he call for, anyway?"
Niall perked up and scooted closer. "Greg wants us to come to New York for Thanksgiving! Of course I told him I'd run it by you first, but still!"
"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Zayn smiled.
"Yeah...I guess," Niall shifted in his seat and started to play with Zayn's fingers, something he did when he was feeling troubled. "But I just - I just don't know, Zayn. Flying's expensive, especially for five people! We haven't even paid off the hospital bills from the accident yet!"
Zayn pressed the palm of Niall's hand into his scruffy cheek and covered it with his own. He smiled comfortingly, eyes twinkling with complete adoration for the man in front of him. "That's alright, babe. We'll figure it out, just like we always do."
-
"Papa?" Louis sat up in his bed. Niall and Zayn had just tucked the boys into their beds for the night, but the light hadn't been shut off yet. "You didn't read Harry Potter yet. Can you?" He asked sweetly.
"Yeah, can you, Papa, please?" Liam added on, dragging out the last word.
Zayn huffed exaggeratedly. He looked back at Niall for a brief second, who gave a quick nod of approval, then threw his hands up in surrender. "Fine! I guess!" Secretly, he was more than happy to read to them.
Liam cheered and dove into Louis' adjacent bed and latched onto Zayn's left side, Louis doing the same on the right as their father settled back onto the bed. He grabbed the thin, first book and flipped open to a dog-eared page.
Niall looked on fondly from the foot of the bed as he read. The scene before was so endearing that it almost actually hurt, and really, Niall should've been used to the warm, fuzzy feeling inside his chest by now, but he wasn't, and that was okay. Niall pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on top of his forest green stockings.
Zayn glanced at him over the top of the book and flashed a happy smile, one that made his eyes crinkle at the edges. Liam had inherited that trait from him; Niall swore his heart grew two sizes each time it happened.
"Alright boys," Zayn announced, voice scratchy with fatigue and eyelids drooping. "Two more pages and then it's time for bed!" Louis whined for only a second, then shifted deeper into his father's side.
Liam, however, was already out cold. He fell asleep easily if he was read to, something else he got from Zayn. When they lived together in their first apartment during college, Niall would often read to Zayn while the lay in bed late at night. There was something so comforting and familiar about Niall's voice, whether it be Zayn's Irishness on his mother's side or the absolute, complete, and infinite love he felt for that boy, he would never know. As tiredness took over, Zayn heard himself only repeating the words of a magical story he knew so well.
"Okay, Louis. I think we should get Papa to bed; he looks very tired," Niall rose and gently lifted a sleeping Liam into his arms so Zayn could get up. Niall pressed a kiss to ear. "Goodnight, my love." He whispered. Niall pulled back the Batman duvet, cradling Liam's head in one hand as he laid him down in his bed like how he use to do when he put him down to sleep in his crib.
Zayn came to say goodnight, bent over and fondly kissed Liam's forehead, then his cheeks, chin and finally his nose, careful not to wake him. "I love you, darling. Sweet dreams!"
Louis huffed again, but knew better than to complain.
"Night-night, Daddy! Night-night, Papa!" Niall moved in to hug him goodnight, and as he unlatched himself from Louis' vice grip, he was promptly met with a red plastic Power Ranger being shoved in his face.
"Oh, silly us! How could we have forgotten?" Niall pretended to look severely displeased with himself as Zayn laughed behind him. He smacked a kiss on top of the action figure's head, and backed out of the way so Zayn could do the same.
Louis giggled and pulled his football sheets up further. Zayn moved in to say his goodnight, and adorably gave Louis a gentle Eskimo kiss on the nose, leaving Niall feeling as if his heart was going to burst with adoration. "I love you, my boy! Sweet dreams!"
"Sweet dreams, Papa," Louis trailed off. He rubbed his eyes and yawned hugely. "I love you, too."
-
Zayn lay on top of the covers as Niall stripped and threw his clothes in the hamper.
"So I was thinking about getting Harry's initials as a tattoo." Zayn spoke up. He drew a hand over his scruffy face and yawned.
"Oh yeah?" Niall raised an eyebrow and turned off the overhead light. He genuinely liked the idea, and thought it was sweet.
"Yeah!" Zayn replied. "Just like I did with the other kids!"
"I think that's nice, Z!" Niall smiled as he climbed into bed wearing a tank top and some basketball shorts.
"I thought you'd like it. I don't know when I'll be getting it, but it won't be expensive; maybe just eighty pounds or so."
Niall hummed and turned on his side facing Zayn. He had all the kids' first and last initials tattooed next to his left shoulderblade. On the front of his body in the exact same spot, he had two hands holding a heart with a crown above it, or the Irish 'Claddagh' symbol, as he also had the ring for his wedding band. Niall had treasured it all the more because it was placed next to their wedding date, which Zayn had inked in Roman numerals.
Zayn leaned over and pecked Niall on the lips, then backed away. He flicked his lamp off and slid halfway on top of Niall's body, being careful not to crush him.
Niall kissed him once, twice, but more slowly and sensually a third time as he ran his hands up and down Zayn's sides, then under his arms and onto his shoulder blades.
Zayn groaned quietly. He had a thing for kissing, and Niall did it perfectly. Zayn worked his mouth down onto the soft pale skin of Niall's neck. Niall craned his head to give him more space and began to comb his fingers through Zayn's hair, pulling gently here and there.
"I thought you said you were tired," Niall gasped then nearly choked in surprise as Zayn sucked right on his sweetspot.
Zayn smirked and looked up at him. "Never tired when it comes to you, baby!"
Niall chuckled and brought Zayn back up to eye level.
"You really should go to bed though, Zayn. You look exhausted." Niall glanced at the bags underneath his eyes and pouted. "We can do it on the weekend when you can sleep in a little in the morning, okay?"
Zayn huffed although he really wasn't angry at all and dropped his entire body on top of Niall, who let out a loud 'oof!'.
"But I love you!" He whined.
"I love you too, Zayn, but you need sleep!" Niall said. He lightly dragged his blunt nails across Zayn's back. To encourage him, Niall turned sideways so he was the little spoon and pulled Zayn's arm across his waist before switching his lamp off.
Zayn quietly settled in behind Niall. He propped his head up on his elbow and traced the curves of Niall's little baby belly that he still had.
"I do love you though."
"I know, baby. Now sleep, yeah?" Niall half-smile, even though Zayn couldn't really see him. Niall flipped onto his side facing his husband and cupped his cheek. Zayn leaned into his palm and watched as the moonlight that streamed in through the window shone onto Niall's pale complexion. Softly, Niall slowly kissed his forehead, nose, then his lips.
"Yeah." Zayn buried his nose in Niall's hair and closed his eyes as his arm circled around Niall's waist. "Yeah."
-
I felt so bad making you guys wait so long for an update, so I tried to make this chapter good. I would've updated yesterday, but there still wasn't much of an ending, so I wrote the last bit tonight. I'm actually pleased with how the ending turned out now, and I hope you like it too!
Btw, as a Niall girl, I have to say that him and Celine are SO FREAKING CUTE!!!!!! I'm so proud because I only cried for like twenty minutes then got all happy because baby finally has a gf :DD
What do you guys think of them? I think they're totally adorable, and I'm so happy for Niall. He really deserves someone like her, and I can tell he really likes her (maybe even loves her idk???) already!
Hope you all have a lovely day/night!!
14.07.16