ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ 143
[Louis]
I can hear this adorable hedgehog's laughter 😂♥️
Louis lifted Zayn up to sit on the kitchen counter. He had dressed the boy in a black sweater and dark jeans, though if Zayn was going to be playing in deeper snow, he needed a snow suit so to not get wet. Johanna was doing the dishes and she gave Zayn a look over. "Wow, you look great Zayn."
Zayn smiled shyly. "Thank you," he mumbled, looking up at Louis excitedly. "When we go?"
"Soon, we're just waiting for everyone to get ready," Louis told him, thanking his mum as she handed them a plate of apple dices.
"They take looong time," Zayn sighed, leaning forward to grab a slice. Louis chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Welcome to the family where girls dominate the house. We're not leaving until each and every one of them are ready," he joked. Johanna nudged him playfully. "You men do use a lot of time when it's something you care about."
There were rushed footsteps as everyone hurried down the stairs simultaneously. Felicity walked into the room, already dressed in a beanie and scarf, holding her boots in hand. "We're in the foyer."
"Okay then, let's go," Louis told Zayn as he lifted him up, sending the boy an excited smile. Zayn turned to Johanna as they headed out of the kitchen and waved. "Bye Jonannah!"
Louis couldn't help but smile sweetly, and he pecked Zayn on the cheek. "You like her, don't you?"
"Yes," Zayn admitted, gasping as they walked into the foyer where all of the siblings were putting on shoes. Jackets had fallen over, and shoes that weren't being worn were out of the cupboard.
"Hey, clean the mess up or mum'll have to do it," Charlotte said, and Daisy started picking things up. Louis smiled at Doris who was jumping excitedly, ready to head out. Setting Zayn down, Louis handed him his jacket to put on while he removed the price tag from the new gloves. They'd bought these a while back, but they weren't really needed until now. Black with the Batman logo on them.
Zayn brightened at the sight of the gloves and Louis pulled them on. Louis remembered the boy choosing these gloves himself, shy to even tell them that he liked something. They seemed a little tight and Zayn confirmed that as he stretched his fingers. "They small," he said with a frown. "A little."
"Oh well, we can buy new ones today," Louis told him, pulling the gray beanie down the boy's head.
Once everyone was ready, they headed out. The air was colder than it had been when Louis went out yesterday, and he couldn't help but smile at the scenery, all of it reminding him of his childhood. The porch was dry and perhaps the only thing in their vision that was not white. The snow had descended upon houses, the streets and the grass. Zayn gasped beside him and Louis' heart warmed as he looked at the little boy's awed expression.
"Is so nice," Zayn said happily, running onto the street. Doris and Ernest were quick to follow him, and Phoebe nudged Louis with a smile. "Remember the snowball fight last year?"
Louis gaped at the reminder. "That last one gave me a bruise! People were wondering what happened."
Daisy giggled, punching his shoulder playfully. "Well, let the odds be ever in your favor, brother. The teams will be built and you will be destroyed. Unless we end up on the same team," she mused.
"Louis! Louis! Look, Jayn make a ball," Zayn yelled, lifting up heaps of snow and forming them in his small hands. He then patted the snow like he'd pat a dog, and then kissed it. Louis laughed at the scene, but Zayn was too curious and into it to notice. He grimaced as the kiss turned his lips cold, and then proceeded to sniff the snowball. Louis didn't think snowballs smelled of anything, but Zayn seemed content with the whiff he'd caught. He then licked the snow, shaking his head to himself
"Professor Zayn, if you are done with your experiments and observations, can you come close to the twins so I can take a picture?" Daisy chuckled, her phone in her hands.
Doris and Ernest smiled into the phone, cheeks already pink and Zayn walked over to them slowly. Daisy told them all to smile and they did so, Zayn grinning widely. Louis smiled fondly and headed towards them, hands in his pockets.
"He's such a cutie. He doesn't look troubled," Lottie said thoughtfully. "And he seems really warmed up to you."
"Yeah, he's comfortable around us," Louis said, remembering a time when his tattoo scared Zayn off, when a bear bottle caused fear and the word birthday made him cry. His heart ached for a moment as he thought about all the things Zayn was still learning to understand, and all the things he had actually overcome. A birthday was good. Dads weren't always bad. The boys would never cause him harm, and nor was he unwanted. These things had taken time to get through to the boy, and it was an ongoing process. Smoking, alcohol, anger and loneliness seemed to have been all the boy knew. Now he knew a little more like birthday, friends, snow and family.
"You okay?" Lottie asked, tilting her head to look at him. Louis smiled softly as he watched Zayn jump into the heap of snow, laughing loudly. "Yeah, I'm okay."
Responsibility was one big thing. But the result was that you were changing a little soul's life for the better.
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After lots of scheming in the cold, Louis found himself on the cold ground, Zayn sitting on top of him. The teams had been this: Zayn, Doris, Phoebe and Charlotte against him, Ernest, Felicite and Daisy.
Though there wasn't enough snow yet to build forts, they had claimed each sides of the house, and had been running around like lunatics to catch one from the other team. The only weapons allowed: snowballs.
Twenty minutes into the game Louis and Daisy had created a plan; Felicite would be bait, going in full offense to grab one memeber of the other team. Ernest was going to go up against Doris and Zayn, just to make the small ones stay out of the teenagers' violent snowball fights. And he and Daisy were going to sneak to each side of the house and corner the other team, not only saving Felicite but going full attack mode on them and take over their fort. Hence, wining the game.
But somewhere along that plan, something had gone wrong. Felicite had made it and grabbed Phoebe. Ernest had gone with a little snowball in his hand to fight Doris and Zayn, but Zayn wasn't there. Only Doris was. Louis brushed it off, quickly making the snowballs he and Daisy needed before they went their separate ways. He had a sling of snowballs beside him, but he never got as far as to take on Charlotte and Phoebe because he tripped over something on the way. And that's when he rolled into his back to stand up, but was attacked by Zayn, who jumped on his chest with two snowballs in hands.
Louis chuckled nervously, throwing a glance at what had tripped him. A wire. They'd set up a trap. "Oh smart," he said as he heard the girls yelling. Now it was two against two, an even number, so they no longer had the advantage. Ah, smart move Charlotte. Or maybe it had been Phoebe.
Zayn was grinning from ear to ear. His beanie had fallen over his eyebrows, and his hazel eyes were reflecting the white snow like crystals. Despite his tan skin, his cheeks were rosy and nose was completely pink. He lifted one snowball and smashed it in Louis' face Sputterig, Louis rolled over into his stomach, Zayn tumbling off his chest. But the kid was active and sprang up, lifting the second snowball. "I'm Batman and I gonna take you down!" He yelled, running forward. Louis actually felt scared for his life at the enthusiasm and energy in Zayn, and he ran, almost loosing all his snowballs. He did throw one back at the boy for extra fun, but made sure to miss. He had a feeling the kid wouldn't like a snowball to the face as much as he thought he did. Zayn laughed, jumping happily. "You missed!"
"Oh no," Louis moaned. "Now we'll definitely lose."
And we'll, they did lose. Felicite was tied up to the fence and Daisy was groaning in the snow when Louis arrived at the scene. Charlotte was nowhere to be seen and he guessed she had taken over their side of the house. Phoebe looked up from where she was sitting on her twin sisters back, and then she grinned at Zayn. "Great job, secret agent Zayn."
Zayn walked up to her proudly. "Louis thwow, but he missed," he said proudly. "I attack him and he fall!"
Daisy kicked her feet. "Get off me, fatty."
Phoebe pushed her sister into the snow with a laugh. "Excuse me, you wannabe Jedi."
Zayn turned to look at Louis, sending him a proud look. "We win! You lose!"
"Yes, we lost," Louis groaned, but he was cut short as he yelped, someone attacking him from behind. Lottie's laughter ran in the air. "Kids, get him."
Louis felt Ernest climb on his bum and Doris sit on his legs. Zayn's laughter was clear as he got on Louis' back. "We going on a twip in a favy wocket ship, jooming thwough the sky, little Einstein!"
Doris gasped in recognition and Louis tried to sit up with all the kids on his back. "I know song!" she said.
Louis lifted his hands up in defeat. "You win. We surrender."
Zayn patted his head. "It okay Louis, no need to call us siw," he said seriously. He then shooed everyone off of him, and Louis sat up with a confused look. "I said I surrender."
Zayn tilted his head. "Siw endew?"
Lottie chuckled as she crouched down, brushing the snow off of Louis' jacket and beanie. "Not sir ender, Zayn. Surrender, it means he gives up."
"Oh," Zayn said thoughtfully and Louis shook his head with a smile. Phoebe stood up from Daisy and clapped her hands. "Everyone gather around. Picture time."
The picture must look funny, what with Louis wet in the face, Daisy's clothes crumpled and Felicite's hair like a bird's near. Felicite put on her beanie just as Phoebe yelled cheese. That's when Zayn sneezed loudly.
"I said cheese, not sneeze," Phoebe said in confusion, probably thinking Zayn misheard again.
"I not sneeze because you say cheese," Zayn said seriously and a little matter-of-factly.
"Okay, let's get the selfie and go get changed!" Daisy yelled, teeth clattering. "It's super cold and I'm super wet."
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An hour later, they had all gotten cleaned up and dried, changed into comfy clothes. Louis checked himself in the mirror, applying some cologne when he noticed Zayn in the background, lying on the bed with his eyes closed. "You okay, buddy?"
Zayn opened his eyes tiredly and nodded, slowly sitting up. The sweater he was wearing was a little too big for him, giving him sweater paws, and the words big boy was written in white on the front. The sleeves were clutched in Zayn's small hands and he looked rather pale. Louis frowned in concern and walked over to the boy, reaching a hand out to touch his forehead. "Well, you're not warm or anything. Feeling bad?"
"Sleepy," Zayn said with a pout, pawing at Louis' face. "And hungwyyyy."
Louis chuckled and picked the boy up. "Yeah we're heading to the cafe right now."
The cafe they were all going to was called The Silent Cup, and Louis had memories of sitting here after high school, just enjoying the coffee and pie. Oh, they had delicious pie.
Zayn seemed slightly better when they sat down by a large table. He was looking around curiously and the color seemed to have returned to his face. It was hard for the boy to choose something to order, but Louis promised him the pie would be good.
"Pie is good?" Zayn asked as the waiter left with their order. Louis narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you've never had any kinds of pie before?"
Zayn shook his head slowly, and Ernest gaped. "Pie. I want pie. Pie ish good."
Johannah chuckled and ruffled her son's hair. "You and Zayn can share, the pie's big enough for the two of you."
"How was the response to the album, Louis?" Dan asked, pouring water to himself. Louis leaned back with a smile. "Quote good, really. I think this is the album we worked most on."
"Hope so because you were away for far too long," Phoebe told him, raising an eyerbrow. She then smiled sideways. "What a feeling is my favorite though."
"Wolves is better," Daisy said with a hum. Louis laughed and then thanked the waiter as he brought champagne to them.
"And here we go with the 'grown up drink'," Daisy said and Lottie rolled her eyes as she poured herself, Dan, Louis and Johannah a drink.
Zayn held his cup out. "Oh I want too!" he said. "Is it apple juice?"
"Nah, it looks like it is but it's not apple juice," Felicite snickered and Louis smiled amusedly.
"What is it?" Zayn asked then.
"Grown up drink," all of them replied simultaneously. Doris wrinkled her nose. "It not good, Zayn."
"You're talking like you've tried it, miss," Johanna said to her with a chuckle, taking a sip. Zayn pouted, but since Earnest and Doris didn't say anything, he didn't either. Louis grinned at that, realizing the kid would be more in check now.
The coffee at The Silent Cup was soothing and good as always, and the pie remained delicious. Weird how he'd been to so many countries yet his favorite things at home could beat every other food. Zayn seemed to like the pie too as he munched away, his lips covered in blue jam and crumbs. "Nam, we give this to Niall," he said as he ate, causing Louis to laugh and pull out his phone. "Smile."
Zayn smiled with the blueberry jam beard he had and Louis sent it quickly to Niall:
Enjoying food without u 🤗
"Lemme se!" Zayn said and leaned forward to get a glimpse.
"I'll take a video," Louis told him. "Say hi to Niall. Preferably scream." Oh how hungover Niall was going to complain.
"Hello Niall! Is me, Zayn! I'm eating pie! Pie is vewy good!" Zayn exclaimed loudly. Louis sent the video to Niall and then frowned at Zayn. "You're getting hyper."
"I'm not hypew," Zayn protested with a grin.
"Yeah, you are. It's like Ernest on his birthday," Daisy said with a shudder. "When he ate all the frooties and then danced butt naked in front of the guests."
The table laughed at the reminder and Ernest, who was chewing pie slowly, grinned.
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They took a stroll instead of heading directly home, and Louis, Dan and Johannah were walking in the front. The girls were telling Zayn about Christmas traditions, and the little boy was listening curiously and asking questions.
"I thought at first it was too soon for such a responsibility to be given to you, but you're good at it," Johannah said with a smile.
Louis smiled softly, his hands warm in his pockets. "We could give him back, y'know. He was given to us, but we had the choice to give him away, to some other family. Simon was a dick, really. But we chose to keep him, raise him despite our-" he motioned to everything around him. "-crazy schedules and tendencies. I haven't been home the past months because of that. Didn't want to leave when he was still very insecure."
"You did the right thing," Dan said seriously, looking back at the little boy. Zayn was happily walking between the girls, now having warmed up to them. Daisy was talking about Christmas trees and Zayn's eyes lit up. "I know! Jayn want to put blue balls on twee."
"You'd be good at that, what with you energy," Phoebe chuckled.
"Thank you! Jayn's team won!" he reminded them proudly.
Johannah smiled and nodded in agreement. "And don't worry. Coming from someone who knows you and raised you, and was an early parent herself, you're going to raise him great. You and the boys."
Louis smiled widely at that and threw an arm around his mother's shoulders. "You always know what to say."
Johannah shrugged. "What can I say? Children are my domain." Louis and Dan laughed at that.
"Imagine though, me and Harry settled, Zayn happy and loved, living with us. Of course, Liam wouldn't let him stay with us for too long, he'd miss him too much, he'd try to get Zayn to live with him, think about Niall trying to bribe Zayn to stay with him instead," Louis chuckled, imagining a calm and different life.
"Why don't you settle down? Make this your last album and just say goodbye," Dan said with a shrug. Louis pursed his lips as he thought about it. He then smiled and shook his head. "It's too soon. There are lots of things I still want to try, things me and the boys have to achieve. I think I'd miss the crazy life too much if I opted out now."
Johannah smiled and was going to say something, but Zayn interrupted them, running over to Louis and hugging him from behind, pointing to the poster in one of the shops they were passing. "Louis! Look, gween lantewn!"
Dan patted his back and winked. "Well, enjoy the life while you're still young and free."
"Dan is getting a little too cheeky, isn't he?" Johannah teased, and Louis chuckled, lifting Zayn up. "Yeah, wow, looks just like you're action figure."
And Louis couldn't help but squeeze the little boy in his arms, happy and excited for the future. Whether he was in the band, out of the band, living the stardom life, not living the life, Zayn would always be there.
↠↠↠A/N↠↠↠
Woot, another update!
Poor Zaynie, slowly about to get real sick.
Special QOTC (the first one to answer correctly gets a dedication in the next chapter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ thought it would be fun) : the batman gloves that were mentioned, which chapter are they from? what else happened in that chapter?
Hint:- this chapter's title 👀
xx