"Congrats on the arrival of the second monster, you two. Let us know when we can come visit, or H'll just show up anyway."
Louis' voicemail played out over Liam's phone, eliciting a half smile from both Liam and Niall, though they didn't bother to respond or attempt to call Louis back. They were preoccupied, staring down at the snuffling bundle of blankets that had been placed in Niall's arms nearly half an hour ago.
The baby was...not cute, not conventionally adorable as Liam had been expecting, but he'd already been disillusioned by a third-time father who'd kindly told him that newborns, new newborns weren't attractive. Not in the conventional sense generally associated with babies, anyway. However, the second their son had been returned to them by a nurse, Liam's jaw had dropped and his features had taken on what seemed to be a permanent smile.
He was still perched on the edge of Niall's hospital bed, shoulder pressed against Niall's, both of them staring down at their son. Admittedly, the staring wasn't just born out of amazement, though that was a large part of it. The staring may or may not have partly been out of their struggle. The struggle of what they were going to call the slightly squirming bundle of blankets.
Zack had been taken off the table. As had Cloud. Even on the pain meds from the c-section, Niall had agreed to that. But Conner, Conner just didn't seem right either. Months of arguing had supposedly been so that they wouldn't have this problem, but damn, it was hard.
Whatever they named him, he was going to be stuck with it for at least the first eighteen years of his life. That was a lot of pressure. So much pressure.
And so they were staring.
Staring, and trying to remember if there were any other names they'd liked. And, well- it was a struggle. The theme of C-something had been revived, they both liked it, but they couldn't think of anything other than Conner. Yes, technically, there were other names out there beginning with a C, they just couldn't think of any.
Google might have been able to save them, but when you leave the house at two thirty in the morning because your boyfriend's preemptively gone into labour and they needed to have been there five minutes, remembering phones and phone chargers takes a backseat.
Hence the problem.
The name Flynn had been tossed around, but the links to Flynn Ryder were still too strong and Liam didn't quite want to be reminded of a Disney film every time he spoke to his son.
God, he had a son. He had a son. They, they had a son. A perfect little boy who almost resembled an actual person now rather than a slightly squished thing. Though even the squished little thing had been heartbreakingly...heartbreakingly everything.
If this was what it felt like now, Liam couldn't begin to imagine how Niall had felt nearly nine years ago. It might have broken him, he thought. Had he been seventeen and suddenly shown this perfect little thing, this little girl who was both of them smushed into one tiny little person, it might have broken him. He would have been remade, though. Instantly. Remade around that tiny little person who was growing up into a funny, brilliant girl, and Christ-
She was growing up. She'd once been this tiny little thing, and now she wasn't and that couldn't be allowed to continue. And he would too, just like his big sister.
Right now, though, he was snuffling and his eyelids were fluttering and Niall was murmuring at him, murmuring nonsense and Liam didn't want to think about anything else.
**
"No pressure or anything, if the hospital hasn't cleared you guys to leave, but when do you think you might be coming home? Little Miss here is dying to meet her brother, though maybe not in so many words."
The voicemail Jessica had left played over the speakers of the car as Liam struggled with the car seat, physically incapable of getting it to behave, even with the instructions Niall was suggesting as he stood back, cradling the baby and watching Liam's struggle with a critical gaze.
Eventually, a nurse on their break volunteered to help, and they were then on their way within five minutes, heading home almost thirty hours after they'd originally left. Their journey would have been relatively easy, had the baby not screeched for most of it.
Something about the car had set him off, and Liam was trying to concentrate on the road, grimacing when his cries kicked up a gear. Niall was ineffectively stroking one tiny hand, unable to do anything else whilst in the car. Eventually, thirty minutes into what should have been a fifteen-minute drive, they pulled over in a side street and tried everything they could think of, though there wasn't much it could have been.
Walking him up and down the street helped, though, or maybe it was just the increased physical contact, but he quietened, and Liam and Niall leant against the car in relief. Looking up at Liam, Niall risked a smile. "I'd forgotten they could be like this."
"Like what?" Liam asked with a grin, huffing out a breath of laughter as Niall elbowed him awkwardly, careful of both his stitches and the baby. They got him back in his car seat and were moments away from being back at their building when he began to cry again, and this time he didn't stop, not when he was picked up, not when they got back into the apartment and were met by Chloe.
Amazingly, Chloe was not put off by the whimpering emitted the bundle Liam was cradling and she peered at her brother, nose wrinkling before she grinned.
She ended up sat next to Niall on the sofa, watching him and her brother carefully, eyes wide as she ran a finger along his arm and squirmed, prompting her to do it again. She was still grinning as she looked up at Niall and asked, "What's his name?"
**
"Give us a call, Liam, when we can come and visit. We want to see our newest grandchild sometime soon, love. Thanks for the pictures, though. He's lovely. And tell us how Chloe's doing? How's she liking Cameron?"
His mother's voice ringing out across the kitchen, Liam sighed and rested his head against the cool surface of the breakfast bar, making no effort to call his mother, or even stop his phone from rattling through the old, saved messages. Niall was slumped next to him, a mug of tea in his hand and one eye on the baby monitor as though he expected it to go off any moment.
It didn't, remained quietly blaring static, and they both just sat there. Technically, it was eleven am, and before, they would have had things to do, but they'd both ceased functioning for the time being. The only thing they'd really done in the past few days was keep things ticking over, collecting Chloe from school and remembering to cook meals at appropriate intervals. Other than, they just...existed. From one bottle of formula and dirty nappy to the next.
Although, to give credit where it was due, they had decided on a name. Then decided again. And again. And then they'd registered it before they could change their minds any further. That, and release one photo of Cameron and Liam asleep on Instagram, with a few words, and that had been it for functionality.
They were awake, and that was currently a victory.
One they were celebrating with silence, and maybe a round of toast each in half an hour if the bread wasn't stale.
Sure, there was cleaning to be done, since Liam's housekeeper had offered to give them privacy, and basic laundry needed doing and Loki had to be walked, but all of that just happened, generally when Cameron would sleep or when Jessica showed to kidnap Chloe, and Loki by extension, for an hour voluntarily.
The silence was broken, eventually, not by toast, but with a few whimpers from the baby monitor and they were both instantly on their feet, heading to the nursery and for the crib.
From there, Cameron got changed into what Liam thought might have been the third outfit of the day, but Niall swore was at least the fifth, and they stayed, squishing onto the sofa they'd left in the corner with Cameron in Niall's arms. Liam's arm went around his shoulders, and they both sat there, pretending they weren't asleep for long enough that Cameron actually was, and Liam managed a tired grin, pressing a kiss to Niall's cheek as he stared at the sight of him and Cameron. "Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?"
"Maybe once or twice," Came Niall's reply, and he leant into Liam's side, relaxing against him and closing his eyes for a moment before he said, "Marry me."
"I think that's my line." Huffing out a laugh, Liam managed another smile, nodding and kissing Niall properly, briefly, but still kissing him before he realised that he hadn't given a proper answer. "Yes. Just say when. I'm yours."
**
"Little brother, tell Chloe her favourite uncle called. Also, tell Chloe that Theo can't wait to see her, especially since we're coming to you for once. I figure you're way too busy changing a nappy to come to the phone, at least, that's the only acceptable reason for you to ignore me, but this is just a heads up, our flight gets in at six tonight. See you guys soon."
As Greg's voicemail rang out, Niall and Liam glanced despairingly around the flat. They'd sort forgotten. Not about Christmas, with Chloe around that was an actual impossibility, but they'd forgotten that the invited they'd extended to Niall's family had been issued and that they'd be sort of expected to be ready for them.
Which they would not be.
Cleaning had slightly more lax as of late, and it was beginning to show. They hadn't really bought any food yet, and the remaining spare bedroom was not guest ready. They themselves were not guest ready. Niall was wearing the same pyjama bottoms he'd worn for a week and no t-shirt, having just had a nurse round to check on Cameron and his stitches, and Liam hadn't shaved for a week. Chloe was wearing a onesie and a tutu and her hair was an untamed mess since neither he nor Niall had had the willpower to challenge her on her choice of hygiene maintenance.
And they had two hours. If they were lucky and traffic from the airport was especially shitty.
Niall felt slightly bad for wishing the worst of London traffic on his brother, but hey. Needs must. He was halfway through trying to find the matching for his pyjamas when he stopped suddenly. Fuck. The airport. They were probably supposed to be there to meet his family there.
That realisation sent him heading for the shower and to find a pair of actual clothes, the first of such he'd have worn since they brought Cameron home. He pulled Liam into the shower with him, when he realised that they'd have to go out, and neither of them brought up the fact that, once upon a time, showing together would have most definitely been about sex, not time and convenience.
Time was a thing they were sorely lacking, and so Liam called their housekeeper, wheedling and apologetic, whilst Niall pleaded with Chloe to change and make space in her room for her cousin. When she pouted, he offered to move her into the nursery with her brother, a suggestion that did not go down well, given the fact that Cameron had screamed for a solid three hours the night before and was developing a routine of such behaviour, though as newborns went, he was still an easier baby than Chloe had been.
Somehow, they were considerably more ready for Niall's family by the time that they had to set off for their airport than they ever should have been. Miracles would never cease. Everybody was dressed, Liam hadn't gotten around to shaving, but that was...actually a good look on him and Niall would not mention it. Chloe was- Well, she was no longer wearing a tutu over a reindeer themed onesie and you could almost see her face under the mop of curls, and Cameron was in his car seat, blessedly asleep rather than screeching, though no one was certain how long that would last for.
Not long enough, turned out to be the answer, and Niall and Chloe entered the arrivals lounge in search of Greg, Denise and Theo alone, with Liam stood around in the carpark, desperately trying to quieten the baby.
The obligatory greetings and hugs were barely out of the way before that question was asked, and Denise winced out of sympathy while Greg laughed, ducking out of his wife's way when she tried to elbow him. It was typical form for his brother that Chloe ended up being carried over his shoulder, upside down and giggling, shouting "Down! Put me down, or you're not my favourite uncle anymore!"
"Never!" Greg's shout earned them more strange looks, and Niall was slightly worried that people might recognise them but shrugged that thought off as they made their way back outside and met Liam, Cameron in his car seat, asleep.
"What on earth are you doing to my daughter?" The handshake Liam offered Greg was somewhat hampered on both parties by car seats or Chloe, but they were both grinning nonetheless, and a small weight Niall had been carrying for months was lifted.
Eventually, Chloe was put down, Cameron was shown around in his car seat, and they manage to make it home relatively easily, with one ten minutes of crying from the baby, and Niall ended up walking up the stairs with him back at their building to quieten him before they got back into the flat. It didn't really work, and the effort made Niall want to take a nap after a week or so of pretty much doing nothing, but the delay meant Chloe and Theo were already off playing with Loki in her room and Greg and Denise were set up in the living room with hot drinks and control of Liam's Apple TV, switching between Christmas playlists.
The presence of the baby caught their attention, and the second Cameron was in Greg's arms, Denise took one look at her husband's face and said, "No. We are not having another one."
**
"It's your turn."
Niall's mumbling was stifled by his pillow, and Liam simply closed his eyes tighter, burrowing into their bedding. He was on the brink of being asleep once more, when Niall elbowed him back into consciousness, and he heard more mumbling and the shrill sound of Cameron crying. "It's your turn, Liam. I was up with him last night. He's yours."
He somehow managed to make his way to Cameron's room without opening his eyes, and he scooped the infant up without having to think, automatically cradling the still crying nine-week-old against his chest and wincing when he realised what the cause of his distress was.
Changing dirty nappies had stopped being a source of disgust approximately three days after Cameron had been brought home, and he handled it almost expertly, stumbling only when he had to bin the dirty nappy but also keep Cameron from wriggling around without a clean nappy. A tricky moment, especially at three in the morning, but he managed, and stumbled back to bed, only to find that Niall had stolen all the blankets and most of the space.
Instead of protesting, he slid into what space he could, gently reclaiming his half of the duvet, and moving gradually closer to Niall, until he had an arm around Niall's waist and was so, so close to being asleep. So close to being asleep, until a wail could be heard, and Niall mumbled at him.
**
"Are you sure this is how you two want to do this? We're totally on board if it is, but eloping generally means running off somewhere exotic, not a hotel in the middle of nowhere. Still. We'll be there in half an hour, since you're doing this. Maybe an hour, Louis reprogrammed our satnav to sound like Darth Vader and I may have misunderstood it."
Harry's voicemail broke the blessed moment of quiet Liam and Niall were enjoying, and Liam half-smiled, half-sighed at his enthusiasm before deleting it and flopping back against the bed, careful not to disturb Niall, who was spread over two-thirds of what was probably the most comfortable hotel mattress Liam had ever felt.
He hadn't so much as caused Niall to stir, something for which Liam was both grateful and amused by, though he couldn't help but envy how peaceful Niall seemed, since he was in a state of dead-to-the-world-ness that Liam hadn't been able to reach since Cameron had been born. It was ridiculous, but also endearing. Ridiculous that Niall, after having persuaded Chloe to sit and read quietly in the window seat in her room and got Cameron to sleep, had literally slumped against the pillows and been out for the count a minute later.
Endearing because well, it was Niall and Liam was starting to remember why they'd ended up with two children.
He closed his eyes and tried to copy Niall's example, tried to take advantage of the only chance to sleep he'd had since five am that morning, only he wasn't so successful. Which wasn't fair. He was the one who'd spent years on the road, falling asleep at will, between legs of the tour and on planes and buses and, memorably, that one time, in the back of a bread van being smuggled out of a venue.
Sleep didn't come, however, so he popped in on Chloe and liberated her, taking her away from her book to explore the massive hotel garden where tomorrow, weather notwithstanding, he and Niall would be married.
The gardens weren't just pretty, they were massive, and Liam chased Chloe around them for a good hour. That was, until he lost her.
"Chlo? Chloe. It's not funny anymore, poppet. Chloe Amelia Hora- Chloe Amelia Payne."
"I'm not here." Her shout rather gave her away, but Liam assumed she was being difficult on purpose and swooped in on her, picking her up and spinning her around until she begged him to stop, at which point he slung her over his shoulder and carried her inside, setting her down when they got to the lobby, well aware of the looks they'd otherwise receive.
Chloe was still dizzy and staggering ever so slightly when she ran into Harry and Louis, collapsing quite literally on top of their luggage, and refusing to move until Louis picked her up, handing her over to Liam.
Harry and Louis' arrival prompted that of Liam's parents and then his sisters, and then a very harried looking Greg and Denise, though they were without Theo, and Zany arrived halfway through dinner, greeting Chloe first and then the rest of them. "Munchkin! H, Lou. Niall, and my third favourite Payne. Geoff. And Karen. Ladies, ladies' husbands who's wedding I inevitably attended. Oh, hey Li."
Before anyone else could respond, Chloe returned the favour by jumping out of her seat, upsetting her chair and throwing herself at him. "Uncle Zee!"
He caught her, mercifully, and sat in her place with her on his knee, which was pretty much how the rest of the evening went, with Chloe demanding the attention of anyone who would take a second away from talking about the wedding or Cameron or even their whereabouts, though those topics didn't really get much attention given how good Chloe was at distracting everyone.
The only moment where the sole, undivided attention of everyone was on Liam and Niall happened to be when Greg glared at Liam and, only half-jokingly said, "At least this time if you hurt him, fifty percent of what you own will already be his."
That was also the only moment when Liam had wished that everyone wanted to hear about Chloe's art project, capturing candlelight in the style of Picasso, and also that a massive fucking hole would appear and swallow him whole. Niall glared at his brother and half-heartedly tried to hit him, Liam's parents excused themselves and went to bed, Denise pulled her husband away and Harry surrounded Cameron and suggested that he and Louis were going to turn in, suggesting that Zayn might want to do the same.
Chloe was sent to bed with relative ease, any curiosity easily sated with diversions about the dress she'd wear tomorrow, Cameron went down with only fifteen minutes of crying and difficulty, and then it was just the two of them, just Liam and Niall, finally, blessedly alone.
"Greg's full of shit. Ignore him." Niall's tone was firm, and he shook his head when Liam tried to say anything otherwise. "No, Li. He's my brother and he, therefore, thinks he's entitled but he's full of shit and we aren't rehashing this."
Before Liam could say anything otherwise, Niall had his hand in Liam's and pulled him towards the best, kissing him to shut him up when it looked like he might otherwise speak.
He pushed Liam onto the bed, shaking his head when Liam spoke, and he curled up next to him. "Shut up. Before you say anything. Don't let him ruin this. In eighteen hours, we'll be married. You'll be mine, and I'll be yours, and whilst that's true now, everyone will know, and you can cry when I say words like forever and hit you in the face with cake."
In lieu of an answer, Liam nodded and kissed to the top of Niall's head, reaching for his hand and linking their fingers together.
**
"Everybody, the new Mr and Mr Payne!"
Zayn's shout might have been overdramatic, but he got the response he'd asked for, and Niall blushed, smiling up at Liam and walking with him into the hotel's dining room, his grip on Liam's hand tightening just enough to capture his attention before he reached up and kissed him.
Like almost every kiss they'd shared that day, it lasted almost too long, long enough that Chloe wriggled down from Karen's lap and pushed her way between the two of them in a futile attempt to make them stop.
They did, but only for the time it took them to walk from the door to their table in the middle of their guests', and Chloe sighed dramatically, only stopping when she was simultaneously hushed by Liam's parents, Denise, Jessica, and Zayn.
It was vaguely amusing, though, her resigned huff whenever they kissed, which was why she got away with it for the rest of the afternoon and evening, not that it stopped them. Her nose wrinkled and she sighed, muttering under her breath that they were 'gross and mushy', especially when Niall hid his face in Liam's neck after a speech given by all three of Liam's bandmates.
"We've known Liam for a long time. It feels like forever, but that's family for you. He's my brother, our brother, and I'd like to think we're some of the people who know him best. Of course, the rest of you are all in this room anyway, so this seems less significant — why couldn't you guys have done the big, white wedding thing? — But we know him, and we've known him back when we were just stupid kids and he...we had a lot of people telling us what to do."
Harry stepped up, then taking over from Zayn. "We know you guys have history, and we never really knew Liam with Niall before, but we've seen him now, and I've never seen him happier. I'd say it's sickening, but that'd be a tad hypocritical on my part. Niall, you make this idiot happier than we've ever known him to be, so thank you."
Louis coughed then, discreetly, and stood up. "We'd also like to make an offer on your children. Legit, if you ever want someone to take Chloe off your hands, we're your guys. You two somehow ended up with the best, smartest, brilliant little girl, and she's gonna be a brilliant, terrible influence on your brother. And that gotta be down to you guys, and definitely Niall. Li, bro, you've got someone incredible right there, don't let him go."
Niall was grinning, stupidly, happily, and he had his face hidden against Liam, emerging after a few seconds to kiss Liam before pulling him to his feet and forced Zayn, Louis and Harry, into a group hug.
Chloe stopped bothering to even sigh by the point in the evening the table's had been removed discreetly by hotel staff, transforming the room into a not quite ballroom, where there was a DJ setting up, ready for their first dance.
A dance wasn't really the correct term for what Liam and Niall were doing, they were really just holding each other and gently swaying to the music but it counted where it mattered. Had Chloe not given up her dramatics, their dance would have led to her rolling her eyes for five entire minutes.
As the music started, Liam hooked one finger into the collar of Niall's shirt, grinning as Niall shivered and tightened his grip on Liam's jacket, leaning in closer.
Heart beats fast
Colours and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
Niall stumbled slightly, completely reliant on Liam to keep him upright and grinning at him when Liam shook his head ever so slightly.
One step closer
I have died every day, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
They attempted a gentle twirl around, and Niall's smile softened he looked up at Liam.
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything, take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
Liam leaned in and kissed him gently, softly, letting the kiss last until they were both breathless.
One step closer
I have died every day, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
They were vaguely aware of a few shouts and whistles from their guests but ignored them, with Niall reaching up to kiss Liam again, huffing out a gentle laugh when Liam tightened his hold on Niall, keeping him right where he wanted him.
One step closer
One step closer
I have died every day, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
The song ended and they rejoined everyone, Liam still holding Niall's hand, though he instantly switched sides to hold Niall's other hand so Cameron could be handed to them, the baby awake but for once peaceful, despite the disturbance, and they sat together, all four of them once Chloe joined them, watching everyone else for a while.
Chloe wriggled until she was tucked under Liam's arm, kicking her sparkly party shoes off and curling up with them, reaching out every so often to tickle Cameron's foot experimentally. When she bored of that, she took Cameron from her parents, very carefully, and took her brother off to visit Harry and Louis who were dancing, at least more so than Liam and Niall's attempt had been.
Watching Harry immediately turn onto Chloe and take Cameron from her, Liam grinned, shaking his head and laughing as Louis settled for picking up Chloe. Niall leant back against him, looking up at Liam and shrugging as if to say 'what can you do?'
In turn, Liam buried his nose in Niall's hair, kissing the top of his head before he murmured, "Maybe they'll decide to have one of their own."
"Mhm." Niall's nose crinkled, and he tilted his head contemplatively.
"Although," Liam continued, "I'm sure Harry's always wanted at least three."
His voice took on a strange note, and Niall elbowed him. "Don't get any ideas."
Liam laughed again, wrapping an arm around Niall's waist and grinning. "Who, me?"
Niall kissed him again in answer, shutting Liam up effectively, and kissing him again when Liam pulled away. He leant comfortable against him, linking their fingers so he could twist Liam's ring around his finger. He kissed Liam again, and whispered softly, "I love you, Mr Payne."
Liam's grin widened as he said, "And I love you, Mr Payne."