How Fast the Night Changes

I'm Growing Up Beside You

I'm Growing Up Beside You

Words:
16k+

Family:
Zayn as Papa, Liam as Dad
Niall and Louis as the twins
Harry as the baby of the family

Description:
A prequel or series of snapshots taking place prior to the previous story, 'I Would Tear My Heart Clean Apart (If It Helps Yours Beat)'. Aka, the twins, from three years old to fifteen years old.

Warnings for this Chapter:
Descriptions of minor character injury, minor character illness - warnings for emet, depictions of vomiting, as well as needles and blood. Implications of EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified). Attempt at non-con (but nothing actually happens, don't worry!)

Plenty of fluff too!!

Enjoy ;)

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THREE YEARS OLD
When Louis and Niall are dropped off as an emergency placement to Liam and his husband Zayn's house, Liam is firstly struck by how tiny there are.

Then, when that shock wears off, he realises that they're so grubby. The darker haired of the two boys, Louis, has streaks of visible dirt around his neck near the collar of his tattered shirt, and the fairer of the two, Niall, isn't wearing any shoes, his socked feet shuffling from one to the other.

Whilst Zayn speaks to the social worker dropping them off, Liam crouches down on one knee in front of the two three year olds.

"Hi there. You must be Louis and Niall," he says, smiling softly.

Niall steps behind his brother, and Louis sucks his bottom lip in and nods.

They'd gotten the call about taking in the boys temporarily the previous day. The twins had been removed from their home after their neglectful, addict mother had taken an accidental overdose and passed away. According to the social worker on the phone, the twins had been taking care of themselves for the past three days with their mothers body in her room upstairs.

His heart hurts for them both, it truly does.

"Are you both hungry at all? It's late, and I don't suppose you've had any dinner yet, hm?"

Neither of them say anything to that, both blinking with matching pairs of bright blue eyes at him. Liam smiles.

"What are your favourites?" He asks.

There's a small pause in which Liam hears Zayn closing the front door behind him. He watches as Niall leans close to his brother's ear and whispers something to him before looking down at the ground again.

Louis tilts his head slightly before speaking in a tiny voice. "We like pizza. And - um - and Ni-Ni's fav'ite is - is - um - t-icken nuggets."

Liam just about melts at the boys little voice. He looks over his shoulder up at Zayn and the two of them share a warm look before he turns back to the twins.

"Well, you're both in luck. We happen to have pizza and chicken nuggets in the freezer. How about Zayn here gets that cooked up for you boys and I get the two of you in a nice warm bath? Is that okay?"