All day the three toddlers have been nonstop laughing, they've managed to track down a majority of the princess' for Brooklyn and Laci and Aybrum got to see most of his favourite characters. Which honestly wasn't that hard because Liam would mention to a staff member that one of the toddlers wanted to see a character and surprise, surprise, just around the corner the requested character would appear.
Niall was taking countless photos, the grandparents only stayed for an hour and then decided to go have a quiet lunch together so they could catch up without their own kids or grand kids around, Liam's sisters ended up venturing off to the hotel spa after awhile, Louis, Laci and Harry stayed with Niall, Liam and the other two toddlers.
But then of course Zayn's family was off doing their own thing, only Zayn was still with the group and so was his ex-boyfriend. Who's possessive behaviour towards Zayn didn't go unnoticed by Liam and it was only making things difficult because every time Brooklyn would want Zayn to hold her, Anthony would pull Zayn away or just overall make it difficult for Zayn to do anything.
As the day went on, Liam was getting more and more tired of Anthony's behaviour because Liam wasn't stupid. Zayn was only bringing Anthony back into the picture to get him to metaphorically save him again like he had the first time, but now it was different. Zayn's reckless decisions are hurting Brooklyn and that's not okay, Brooklyn is their daughter and she should be Zayn's first priority and Zayn's current environment isn't healthy. And Liam refuses to subject her to it when he can easily put a stop to it.
"Zayn can I talk to you?" Liam spoke up whilst Niall, Harry, Louis and the three toddlers were taking a bathroom break.
Anthony grabbed Zayn's waist before he could get too far, holding him close to his side.
Liam rolled his eyes, practically snorting out a laugh. "I'm not going to fuck him in the toilets, I want to talk about our daughter without an audience."
Zayn wriggled free, quickly walking away with Liam and went around the corner so they weren't in Anthony's sight anymore.
"What?" He questioned, leaning against the building.
Liam couldn't see Zayn's eyes because of the dark sunglasses he was wearing but he knew Zayn wasn't happy about Anthony being back, "Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"What are you talking about?" His brows knitted together, not understanding what Liam was referring to.
"Anthony. Why are you back with him, you know he's abusive so why would you do that to yourself?" Liam raised his voice some but lowered it when he remembered they were in public and literally anyone could be watching or listening to them.
He crossed his arms, "Does it matter? It's my choice."
"Yes it matters because I'm not going to let Brooklyn be around for when he starts beating the fuck out of you again. Don't even try to defend him and say he won't, because we both know he will. It's how he is."
Zayn kept his mouth closed, looking away from Liam's general direction because he felt like he was being chastised like a child but deep down he knows he needs this reality check.
"So if you want to stay the rest of the day for Brooklyn's birthday, you need to tell Anthony he needs to leave. He won't let her near you and you're hurting her every time you reject her, Zayn she misses you. I know that and so does everyone else, just spend this time with her and worry about making me jealous some other day because it's her birthday today; don't ruin this memory." Liam was practically pleading with him because last night after dinner, Brooklyn kept asking why daddy didn't want her cuddles anymore and Liam honestly didn't have an answer.
Zayn wiped his thumb along his waterline under his sunglasses, sniffling some. "I need help Liam, I know I shouldn't be acting this way. I have a child for fucks sake but I don't like not having you the way I did, I miss you and I miss having an us."
"I love you as the father of my child but I'm not in love with you Zayn, I never was." He paused a second, knowing this probably wasn't the place for this conversation but it needed to be said before Zayn gets any ideas. "Maybe you should try some counseling, I could help you find a place because I'm not going to let Brooklyn see you like this. You're unhappy, reckless and honestly just a mess."
Zayn sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen. I'm sorry Liam, I fucked up and I just want my daughter back without having to be monitored like a criminal."
"Zayn you tried to kill my son," he whispered as he took a step closer so nobody could overhear them. "The only thing keeping you from being labeled an actual criminal is that we didn't go to the police, you need to follow through with getting some sort of help or you won't be seeing Brooklyn for a long while."
"Alright, I -"
"Liam?" Niall's voice questioned as he came around the corner with Aybrum on his hip and Brooklyn holding his hand. He uncomfortably smiled, noting that Liam was leaning into Zayn and Zayn was backed against the wall. "Um, we're ready to go now. Everyone used the bathroom and kids are all getting hungry. Do you need a minute or something? Should we just meet up later?"
He didn't know exactly what he was saying because he was trying not to jump to conclusions but Liam and Zayn were standing rather close, and seemed to be hiding. Considering they were on the side of the building, practically standing in some shrubs.
"No, we're done." Liam smiled, reaching out for Brooklyn and scooped her up.
"Daddy," she fussed, wanting Zayn to hold her instead.
Liam maneuvered her noodle body back into his grasp, "Just wait babe, daddy needs to go say goodbye to his friend first. Then he can hold you, yeah."
Zayn walked past them, giving Brooklyn a quick kiss on the head and murmured an 'I love you' before he went to talk to Anthony.
Niall stared at Liam, trying not to look upset but was failing miserably because Liam noticed the second he looked at him.
"Nothing happened, I'll explain when we're by ourselves but I promise nothing is going on." He assured, trying to calm Niall's sudden nerves. Which were rightful considering their past.
Niall subconsciously kissed Aybrum's temple, "I don't want to not trust you." He mumbled as he turned around, heading back towards everyone else.
Liam huffed out a breath, bouncing Brooklyn in his arms and got her to giggle. "You love papa, right princess?"
She nodded, making a fish face and planted a big one on his cheek. "Love papa."
"Good, I love you too," he smiled, obnoxiously showering her face in dozens of kisses and walked towards everyone else; noting that Anthony was gone but Zayn lip was slightly bleeding.
Zayn looked towards Liam as soon as he heard Brooklyn laughing, wiping his lip off.
"What just happened?" He questioned softly.
Zayn shrugged, "He kissed me, only he purposely bit me since I assume he didn't want to hit me in public." He looked at Brooklyn, smiling. "Can I?"
"Yeah," he shifted a giddy Brooklyn into his arms.
Zayn's demeanor instantly changed, becoming more happy and upbeat now that he was holding his daughter. "Hi baby, you look so pretty in your princess dress. Papa picked you out the perfect dress, makes your eyes look so beautiful."
"Love you, daddy." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around Zayn's neck and squeezed him tightly as she kissed his cheek.
He smiled, cuddling her close and realized he needed to get himself in order so he can have these feelings always because holding his daughter puts everything into perspective. That perspective being that Brooklyn should be the only person that matters in his life and having a healthy relationship with Liam since he's the father of their child, and he works closely with him.
"I love you too, baby." He smiled, kissing her head and started trailing behind everyone else with his daughter in his arms.
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Niall's been quiet ever since they got back to the hotel and he put Aybrum to bed, Brooklyn stayed with Zayn because he swore to Liam that Anthony wasn't going to be at the hotel and was on a plane back to Bradford.
"Did I do something wrong today?" Liam questioned hesitantly, not being able to endure the silence anymore and rolled over onto his side to look at him.
Niall briefly glanced at him and then went back to poking around on his phone, "Nope."
"Well do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" He tried, propping himself up on his arm and put a hand on Niall's exposed stomach under the blankets.
Niall pushed his hand away, sitting up back against the headboard. "Sure but let's start with explaining these photos because if you're cheating on me again, I'm done."
He showed him the phone screen, displaying the numerous photos of Liam and Zayn standing nearly inches from one another's body, slightly hidden in some shrubs. Niall scrolled down more and showed a photo of Zayn back against the wall with Liam standing in front of him with a hand on the wall behind him, and since the view was poor it made Liam's angle look questionable.
"Niall, I -" he started but paused, giving him a desperate look. "It's not what you think, those photos don't even explain what was actually happening."
Niall put his phone on the bedside table, huffing out a breath as he pushed a hand through his hair and shimmed down the bed, laying with his back to Liam.
"I told Zayn he can't be with Anthony if he wants to be around Brooklyn, that's it and as much as I don't want to admit it. I care if Zayn's okay and he's not when he's with Anthony, I can't just stand by and watch him slowly break again. We've both got a daughter to care for." He explained, "I wouldn't cheat on you. I made that mistake already and it's not happening again."
Liam hugged him from behind, trying to get Niall to understand and believe what he was telling him.
"You're literally making me crazy, I've never worried this much in my life." He huffed, moving back towards Liam's body. "I'm sorry I jumped to my own conclusions and I should know better by now that the media only prints a fourth the story and twists the rest."
Liam kissed his shoulder, letting his lips linger. "I like you a little crazy though, you're more aggressive and demanding." He murmured, moving a hand to Niall's lower stomach and thumbed over the sensitive area.
Niall put his hand on top of Liam's, "I promise not to knee you in the face if we try again, Aybrum's asleep and he can't open the door since the knob is too high for him to reach."
He pulled him closer by his waist, laughing softy when Niall yelped at the sudden movement and began kissing along his neck but kept in mind they still had to see their parents so leaving visible marks was out of the question.
As soon as Liam had pulled Niall's sweatpants off, Aybrum started crying and of course Niall's attention instantly shifted towards his distressed son and switched into parent mode.
"Maybe tomorrow, yeah." He kissed his forehead and grabbed his sweatpants off the floor so he could go get Aybrum.
Liam huffed, flopping down on his back and slipped his boxers back on because no doubt Niall was going to bring Aybrum into their bed for the night. He could faintly hear Niall cooing at Aybrum as he walked down the hallway, which meant Liam had limited seconds to get his groin area to relax because it's not something Aybrum needs to be around for.
"See it's okay peanut, daddies right there." Niall murmured as he carried Aybrum into the bedroom and closed the door behind them, "He woke up and was scared that you left since Brooklyn wasn't there but I tried to tell him she was having a sleepover with her daddy, but he wouldn't believe me until he saw you."
Liam smiled once Niall set Aybrum on the bed, putting his arms out to the toddler and laughed as Ayrbum frantically crawled towards him with countless tears in his eyes. "Hi bud, I'm right here. Why are you so upset?"
"Love you, daddy." He hiccuped, sitting down in Liam's lap and hugged his torso.
Liam brushed Aybrum's hair away from his clammy forehead, "Do you want to sleep in here tonight?"
Aybrum nodded, letting go of Liam's body and crawled into the blankets. "Lay me." He patted either side of him on the bed, wanting both his parents to lay beside him.
Everyone got comfortable with Aybrum snuggly in the middle, Liam briefly leaned up to give each of them a goodnight kiss only the kiss with Niall lasted longer than Aybrum liked so he stuck his foot in the air and used all the strength his little body could muster and pushed on Liam's chest.
"Daddy no, bubba no." He demanded, furrowing his brow and whacked Liam in the arm with his hand to get him to lay down. Then got up and gave each of them a kiss, pecking their lips and laid back down between them. "Sleep."
Both adults laughed, "You're so sassy," Niall commented as he rolled over into his side so he could cuddle with Aybrum.
"Shh, sleep bubba." He instructed, putting his hands over Niall's mouth and gave him a serious expression.
"Night buddy." Liam whispered quietly.
Aybrum smiled, giggling behind his little hands. "Night daddy."
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(authors note: once again Aybrum is bloody adorable and still a complete c*ckblock.
What do you think about Liam strictly wanting the best for Zayn and do you think Zayn is honest about wanting help? Also was Niall rightfully upset with Liam or should he not of reacted the way he did when he saw Liam with Zayn?
Comment, comment, comment!!!)