Chapter One Hundred Fifty – Liam
Liam frowns as he makes his way through the office a couple weeks after the first day of school, everyone seems to have settled into the new routines of the school year and thankfully Bella has come to realize that maybe Mason wasn't telling the truth about grade one and maths and she's more than happy to go to school and see her friends everyday. Chloe and Zack have been their usual happy selves, ready to go and play at the daycare everyday, although Liam really wants to bring them into the office with him, (one at a time of course) like he used to do with Bella.
Liam snaps out of his thoughts when Elise calls his name, arching an eyebrow at him while she holds out a stack of papers, "sorry Liam. Here's your mail, and Niall's waiting for you in your office" she grins, before her phone starts ringing and she turns to answer it quickly.
"Thanks" Liam mumbles, taking the stack of papers as Elise nods while she discusses something about a deadline with whoever's on the phone and Liam is glad that he not only hired her in the first place but didn't get rid of her after the few initial hiccups with her as his assistant, she's definitely the best one he's ever had. "Morning Nikki" Liam calls, getting a wave in return before he steps into his office where Niall is sitting on the corner of his desk.
"About time you showed up" Niall teases, kicking his legs back and forth as he sits on the desk.
"Shut up" Liam huffs, swatting at his best friend with the mail in his hands, "and get off my desk, you know I hate that, you're worse than the kids" he adds, dodging the playful kick Niall aims at him in response, before the Irishman just hops off his desk falling into one of the chairs.
"What's up Niall?" Liam asks after the silence in the room starts to get to him, "I mean I'm happy to see you and you know you're always welcome to hang out in my office, but it seems like you've got something on your mind" he adds quickly.
Niall shrugs, taking a deep breath and kicking at the carpet with the toes of his dress shoes, he looks more like a toddler than a fully grown adult right now. "C'mon Ni, talk to me" Liam pushes gently, dropping to sit beside Niall in the other chair, "whatever it is, it can't be that bad" he adds.
Niall grins shaking his head "no, not bad, not at all" he mumbles, before turning to look at Liam. "Josh and I are talking about adopting, and we were wondering if you and Zayn could be references, when we need them" Niall says quickly, looking everywhere in Liam's office but at the other man.
Liam is speechless for a second, before he shakes his head quickly, clearing it, "Ni that's amazing news, of course Zayn and I will do everything we can to help in whatever way you need" he grins, jumping up and pulling Niall to his feet to hug him tightly.
"I mean we've just met with a worker to start talking about it, and it's gonna be a long process, but yeah Josh and I are pretty excited about it all" Niall grins, pulling away from Liam's hug. "But we should get to work we have that big meeting this afternoon to get ready for" he says suddenly, abruptly changing the subject.
"Yeah, of course" Liam hums watching as Niall makes his way towards the door, "just remember anything you need, okay?" he adds, before Niall disappears with one last smile in Liam's direction.
**
Liam can't help but grin when he gets home later that evening and hears not just all three of his kids running around the house. He can also hear what sounds like Niall and Josh talking to Zayn, and then Louis runs past the top of the stairs followed closely by Zack, which means Harry is likely around somewhere too. "Honey I'm home" Liam calls out heading up into the kitchen, where Zayn, Harry, Niall, and Josh are all sitting, chatting.
"Hey Babe, did Niall tell you their news?" Zayn asks, his eyes sparkling. Liam just nods in response, "it's so great" Zayn cheers, taking a sip of his beer.
Liam chuckles, dropping to sit in Zayn's lap and stealing his husband's beer to take a sip, "it's amazing" he hums, leaning back into Zayn's chest and looking at their friends, minus Louis who is still running around with the kids, feeling completely content. "I also thought you two had a meeting with your worker, it's why you left the office early?" Liam asks looking towards Niall and Josh.
Josh nods slowly, "we did have a meeting with our case worker, it went really well, you two can expect a call sometime soon" he explains gesturing to Zayn and Liam, who nod in response.
"Like I told Niall earlier, anything at all we can do to help" Liam grins, tightening his grip on Zayn's beer bottle when the younger man tries to take it back again. "Nope, sorry Zee this is mine now, get your own" he teases, quickly tipping the bottle up to drain the last quarter of it in one long pull.
Harry, Niall and Josh all just laugh as Zayn makes an offended noise and starts pushing at Liam trying to shove him onto the floor. "I did get my own, but you stole it" Zayn huffs, pouting much like their toddlers do. "And I can't get another one because your fat arse is sitting on me" he adds with a groan.
Liam laughs, finally getting up off of his husband's lap and moving towards the fridge where he quickly pulls out two bottles of beer passing one over to Zayn who hums happily as he opens it, and takes along sip. "So what are we all doing here?" Liam asks looking around at their friends as Louis comes panting into the room flopping dramatically onto Harry's lap.
"It's been awhile since we all got together, so I thought why not have everyone over for a barbeque before the weather completely goes to shit" Zayn explains sipping his beer. "Plus the kids have been missing their favourite Uncles" he adds on when Zack comes running into the room, reaching for Louis.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Liam asks, pulling Chloe into his lap when she arrives in the room reaching for her daddy with a whine.
"Because I forgot" Zayn offers, grinning widely at Bella when she comes slowly into the room, making a beeline for Niall as soon as she spots him.
Niall grins scooping the five year old onto his lap and hugging around her waist as Bella leans back against his chest, "and I thought you knew or I would have mentioned it" Niall hums, letting Bella pull his left hand into her own to start spinning his wedding band around his finger.
Liam makes a face but nods slowly as Harry gently moves Louis who's tickling a giggling Zack from his lap to stand up. "I need to get the grill heated up so I can cook the steaks, and Zayn got hotdogs for the kids, because apparently Little Miss over here won't eat my steaks" Harry explains when he's met with confused looks.
Bella shrugs from where she's still spinning Niall's ring around his finger, "not my fault you don't make good steak" she sasses, smirking up at Harry who playfully sticks his tongue out at her as he heads out the sliding door.
"Be nice, please" Zayn warns, arching an eyebrow as Arabella huffs, but nods as she slumps back against Niall, turning her attention back to Niall's ring. "Honestly where is this attitude coming from?" Zayn mumbles, into Liam's neck, dropping his head to hide in his husband's neck.
Liam shrugs, looking across at Bella to see her laughing at something Niall or Josh must have said, Chloe still cuddled into his own chest, and Zack now back on the floor, trying to pull Louis away to go and play. "School, if I had to guess" he answers Zayn, "other kids can be a terrible influence, but could also be her age, Ruth is having a similar problem with Kenzie at the moment" Liam offers, climbing to his feet and passing Chloe down into Zayn's arms.
"Dada, no" Chloe whines, reaching for Liam again, flopping sadly against Zayn's chest when Liam just blows her a kiss and steps away. "Baba?" she asks, looking up at Zayn with watery eyes, "stay?" the almost two year old asks.
"I'm just going to get changed, I'll be right back" Liam hums, before he heads quickly up the stairs. He can hear Zayn talking with everyone as he quickly pulls off his suit and changes into a pair of jeans and t-shirt before heading back downstairs falling into his own chair beside his husband this time.
Chloe has left Zayn in order to play with Zack and Louis, her giggling madly as Louis drives one of Zack's trains over her legs. Liam turns his gaze to where Harry is standing on the deck out back making them all dinner "why is Haz cooking?" he asks, furrowing his eyebrows as he looks back to Zayn.
Zayn just shrugs "he wanted to, mostly and Harry makes the best steak" he offers, reaching over to tangle his fingers with Liam's, who happily allows it. "Bella-Bug did you get your homework done?" Zayn asks looking to where Bella is still sat with Niall.
"It's Friday Baba, do I have to do it now?" Bella whines, I only have my reading book left to do" she adds when Liam arches an eyebrow at her.
"Can you read it to me?" Niall asks, already setting Bella's feet on the floor so he can stand up. "We'll read it now and then you can have all weekend just for fun, plus I want to see how good you're doing" he adds, letting Bella lead him away towards where she left her backpack in the other room. "I bet you can even read better than Uncle Louis" Niall teases, and Liam knows Niall's just arrived in earshot of Louis, by the protesting shout that follows.
**
It's only after they've put all the kids to bed and Harry, Louis, Niall, and Josh have all left for the night that Liam finally relaxes into bed with his husband. "So, Niall and Josh want to adopt" Liam hums, climbing under the covers and pulling Zayn in closer, smiling happily when the younger snuggles up on his chest.
"I'm happy for them, that they're starting a family" Zayn hums, pulling Liam's hand into his own. "Niall and Josh will get to feel what all this is truly like, temper tantrums and all" he adds with a smirk.
"I'm happy for them too, I mean I know Niall's wanted kids for a long time. And he and Josh are basically perfect for each other" Liam grins, bending slightly to press a kiss to Zayn's hair. "Oh Mum called me this afternoon" Liam starts, waiting for Zayn's sleepy hum before he continues. "She said that she wants us all over for a barbeque before the weather turns, asked if we could come on Sunday, apparently Ruth and Nicola already agreed" Liam finishes.
Liam feels Zayn nod against him, "sounds good to me. Haven't seen your mum and dad in a few weeks. And I know the twins have been desperate to see them" Zayn mumbles sleepily.
Liam chuckles, squeezing Zayn tightly to him, "get some sleep Babe" he hums, feeling as Zayn's breathing evens out as he lets sleep take him over. Liam closing his eyes and listening to the sounds of Zayn's breath, and thinking everything in his life is just perfect.
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A/N: So here's a thing. I know I just kind of disappeared and I'm sorry. I had a lot going on and my anxiety was being the absolute worst. So I took a bit of a hiatus to get my head on straight and (hopefully not hate everything I managed to write). It seems to have worked and I'm feeling better and more confident again so here you go.
Hope you enjoyed these chapters and let me know what you think.
As always love you all
xoxo