"Stop pacing, Z. You're worse than Liam."
Louis watches with a small smile as he sets his coffee down on the kitchen side, reaching out to take the taller man by the hands, halting him mid-step.
He winces, looking nervous. "I don't even know why I'm so worried. It's just, if all goes well this could lead to a huge promotion and a pay raise and think of all the things we'd be able to do with the boys -"
Louis laughs quietly, reaching up one hand to brush off imaginary dust from the shoulder of his husband's work blazer. He doesn't even think Zayn's going to need the extra layer what with the summer sun bleating down outside.
He's been asked to cover a summer course at the university whilst most people are enjoying the time off, and as much as Louis would much rather have the man he loves at home with him, he can tell how much Zayn wants to do this.
So he smiles reassuringly and gives his hand a squeeze. "Babe, stop. I don't care about the money and neither do the kids, we just want you to be happy. And if this promotion is going to make you happy, then go for it. But we'll miss having you home," he admits.
Zayn sighs. "I just keep thinking...I mean, Liam's seventeen already and he'll be off to uni or work or whatever he chooses next year, probably not living here. Haz's almost the same height as me already. They're growing up and I want to make sure we have enough to take them out and spend time with them for the rest of the year," he says, and Louis nods in understanding.
Liam is due to start his final year of sixth form at the end of this summer, and he can't help but worry himself about the boy moving out or not being around so much afterwards...
As for Harry, the thirteen year old is already the same height as he is, though just as much of a softy as always. He's away at summer camp at the moment for the next two weeks and he misses the calm energy in the house amidst all the high-strung, hyperactive energy that is left behind without him there.
Of course, Niall is the furthest away from growing up. Ten years old and as happy and active as ever. He still has the occasion bout of tears or rough night due to the crash but it's like everyone had reassured him at the time - kids are resilient. Niall's dealt with everything in a way he isn't sure he understands but is thankful for.
Louis hums, stepping up onto his toes to press a kiss to his husband's cheek. "Just stop overthinking," he recites the line the man has had to tell him a thousand times in the past.
Zayn gives a small nod, taking a breath and slouching his shoulders a little. "How do I look?" He asks with a small smile, holding out his arms.
He grins at the sight of the man in his usual work uniform, dark hair push back from his face. "Like a scholar," he teases, and Zayn lets out a laugh, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling Louis in to seal their lips together. "God I love you," he breathes against the taller man's lips, just as the loud footfalls of Niall burst into the room and they pull away.
"Harry's on the laptop!" He declares, still in his PJs with his hair scruffed up, cheeks pink from the heat and running around already, no doubt.
Louis smiles, ruffling the small boy's hair as they all filter through to the living room. The laptop is set up on the coffee table as always, Liam sitting on the couch with none other than Emily in his lap, his arms hooked around her waist as they talk to Harry on the screen.
He raises his eyebrows at the scene. "Emily! You're here...early," he says, because he hadn't even heard the girl come in.
She glances over her shoulder with a grin, and it hits Louis just how grown up both she and Liam are - all evidence of baby-chub gone from their faces, features defined and matured. He's watched the two of them grow together since they were twelve and it makes his heart feel all warm to know that his oldest has found such a pure, real love already.
"Hey Louis! I got here about an hour ago...I hope that's okay," she says, and he just laughs.
"It always is," he answers honestly, used to the presence of his future daughter-in-law by this point; particularly when school's out.
He moves to sit on the couch beside the two lovebirds then, Niall wasting no time in diving into his lap with enough force to positively wind him, Zayn leaning over the back.
Harry grins on the screen, face sunburned and eyes more of a vibrant shade of green than ever. His curls are damp over his forehead as if he's not long had a shower, shoulders covered by the red camp t-shirt as he lifts a hand to give a wave with a grin.
"Hey Dad! Hey Papa!" He greets happily, and Louis smiles at the kid on the screen, his boyish youth still thankfully evident on his face.
Zayn's words replay in his mind on repeat - he can't stand the thought of all of their babies growing up. Subconsciously, his arms tighten around Niall's small waist, resting his chin on the youngest's shoulder.
"Hey Curly," he replies with a smile. "I thought you said you weren't going to call till this evening," he says, and the boy on screen shrugs.
"Well...I changed my mind," he answers, and Louis frowns in concern.
The kid had begged to go to this camp, designed specifically for the smarter few in his age group. And of course, they had let him go. Only, he now insists on calling at least three times a day, and it's clear he's feeling homesick.
"As much as I love to see your face, kiddo, I don't want you missing out on being with your friends whilst you're there. It's only two more weeks," he says softly.
Harry shrugs again. "It's a week and four days, actually. But it's fine, everyone's calling home at the moment...I just miss you guys," he answers honestly, and Liam leans forwards with a grin, Emily laughing as she almost falls from his lap.
"Don't lie, man. You want to stay there right up until school starts again," he teases, and Harry frowns, shaking his head.
"No I don't! Dad, tell him," he argues, turning to Louis with wide eyes.
Louis laughs. "He's joking, buddy," he says, amused by the fact that the boys still manage to bicker despite being so far apart.
Niall speaks up then, and Louis is truly surprised the ten year old managed to last so long. "Haz! Haz! Guess what?" He starts, not evening pausing before he continues. "Dad's gonna take me to the park later, and me and Luke are gonna go in the fountains again! Last time, a goose chased us and it was sooo funny," he rambles on, Harry nodding along in all the right places with a fond smile at his little brothers antics.
It's been almost a year and a half since Niall started talking again, and he's pretty sure that none of them have taken the sound of his voice for granted since.
He smiles as the two youngest kids continue their conversation, leaning his head back as Zayn leans down to press a kiss to his cheek. "I've gotta get going, babe," he says, and Louis pouts up at his husband, wishing he could stay.
But he knows that would be selfish of him, so he nods, moving Niall from his lap and leaning in to the camera.
"Papa's gotta go to work so say bye," he says, and Harry smiles on the screen.
"Good luck Papa!" He grins.
Zayn smiles at that, looking nervous still in a way that makes Louis stand up from the couch and move around to wrap his arms around his husband again.
"Thank you Curly," he says softly. "And you have fun, okay? We'll all be here still when you get back," he says, and Harry gives a small nod before Niall cuts in again, clearly bored of the current conversation.
The men both laugh, hands intertwining as Louis leads Zayn over to the door. Zayn sighs as he tugs the front door open, turning to Louis with a conflicted gaze.
"I could stay home. I mean, it's just a promotion and I don't want to miss out on you and the boys," he says, and Louis shakes his head.
As much as he loves the idea, he knows that Zayn will beat himself up for it if he lets the opportunity slide.
"Babe," he starts, and Zayn's honey eyes melt into his own aqua. "You want this, so go for it. Besides, you'll be back for dinner and the boys are up until late as it is." He smirks then, leaning in close to whisper in the man's ear. "And then we have all night."
"I heard that!" Liam yells from the living room in disgust. "You guys are gross!"
They both laugh at that, breaking away but not before sharing one parting kiss.
"Now go," he says softly, watching with a smile as his husband walks out to his car, blowing him a kiss before he climbs in. He stays by the door until the car disappears at the end of the street, at which point he sighs and closes the door, prepared for a day spent entertaining the kids.
Only, when he steps into the living room, Harry is no longer on video call, Niall is back to running around in his own imaginary game and Liam is tugging on his shoes. He watches with a frown as the seventeen year old stands up straight and wraps his hand around his girlfriends.
"You two headed off somewhere?" He asks.
Liam nods. "Yeah, there's this beach that Em knows about where not many people go. We thought we'd drive up that way and see how it is," he starts, then looks unsure. "If that's okay?"
The fact that the kid still asks for permission for everything even since he got his drivers license and can potentially go anywhere, makes him feel like he still has his little boy. He smiles and nods.
"Yeah, Bear. It's fine," he says, reaching out to mess up his hair. In the past two years, he's only grown a couple more inches. Sure, he's still taller than his Dad and a little stockier, but Louis already knows that Harry's going to tower over them all someday.
Liam pulls back with a groan, face flushing. "Dad!" He whines, and Louis only smiles more as Emily laughs at the scene.
"Just, drive safe," he tells them in a more serious tone as they head over to the door, and Liam nods.
"Always do, Dad," he states. "And I'll call you before we leave so you know we're headed back," he adds, and Louis is more than grateful that the kid is still so responsible.
He's come a long way with his anxiety. Since his initial exams at sixteen, he's learned a lot in terms of managing stress with the help of Gabbie and his family. He sat his AS-levels before the summer and is due to get his results the following week and he has A-levels this year. Louis is pretty confident that the kid won't fall into the same slump he had a year ago - though that doesn't mean to say he won't still worry.
He turns to Niall with a smile, reaching out to catch the kid as he runs past - still small and light luckily. He swoops him up and drops him back on the couch, tickling him lightly in a way that makes the boy squeal.
"Daddy!" He yells, squirming around all red faced and breathless. "Stop!" He giggles.
Louis just smiles at the innocence of the child's laughs, shaking his head. "Nuh-uh," he says. "Little boys who think they can wear their PJs all day long get tickled, I don't make the rules."
Niall pushes against his hands, laughing still. "No-o, I'll pee! Daddy, I'll pee!" He yells, and Louis finally stops, dropping down on the couch beside the boy and wrapping his arms around him, cuddling him close.
"Don't grow up, Shorty," he says quietly after a moment.
Niall nuzzles into him. "I won't Daddy," he promises, and Louis smiles, resting a kiss to the top of his head before pulling back.
"Go on and get dressed then," he says, playfully shoving the boy who giggles again, shaking his head and pouting. Louis huffs. "Fine then. I guess you don't want to go to the park later."
That makes the ten year old scramble up from the couch, shaking his head wildly. "No, Daddy! I'll go now!" He yells, before running out of the room.
Louis laughs before letting out a content hum, realising this is the first moment of peace and quiet all morning. He smiles to himself, resting his head against the back of the couch and closing his eyes for a moment and just basking in the first glimpse of silence -
Then his phone buzzes in his pocket and he winces, slipping it out and smiling to himself when he sees that it's his thirteen year old calling. No doubt to tell him that he misses him since he never got to say goodbye on the video chat.
He answers the call for his thoughts to be confirmed.
No rest for the wicked, he thinks.