Fixing Mistakes (Baby Niall)

Football and Rockets

Once Niall had finished eating his second serving of pancakes he pushed his plate away. “Stitch!”

Zayn chuckled; his baby really loved his stuffie. Still, was it good that Niall was so dependent on Stitch so much? How will Niall react when they had to wash Stitch? Because they would have to wash stitch eventually. How will Niall react when he had to leave stitch behind when they went to rehearsals, interviews, concerts, signings or any outing? Maybe he should ask his own Mum? She would know; she raised four kids.

Liam took Niall’s plate off the boy’s tray and removed the bib before he started to wipe Niall down with a wet cloth. “How did you manage to get syrup in your hair?” he asked.

Niall squirmed; he didn’t like being wiped down. If he truly was that messy he could clean himself up. “I can do it” he complained as he tried to take the cloth from Liam.

“Just hold still” Liam replied as he finished up. “All done!” he cheered as he retrieved stitch from the counter and handed it off to Niall along with a bottle of milk.

Niall snatched stitch away from Liam the instant it was within his reach and clutched it close. The biggest issue he had with mealtime was that he lost stitch. He couldn’t explain it but stitch always made him fell a bit more comforted, as though he always had a friend with him; was never alone.

Breakfast was over not long after and just as everyone was settling in the front room the bus comes to a stop. It’s not unexpected; every so often the bus had to stop for fuel. What was unexpected was that this time there was a knock at the door.

Curiously, Harry went over to answer, “Yeah?”

“This is a little back road station. There’s no one around for miles and there’s a large field if you all want to get out and stretch your legs a little” Paul informed them, “You’ll have about thirty minutes”

Niall was the first to react to the news. He broke himself out of Liam’s grasp and ran out the door of the bus. Niall only made it three steps out the bus before Paul caught him.

 “Whoa there” Paul said smiling a little, “Are you supposed to be off the bus on your own? With your toy and without shoes?”

“No, he isn’t” Zayn said coming out with shoes in hand.

Niall pouted when he saw the shoes – he didn’t want then; he didn’t need them. Still Paul held him still while Zayn slipped them on his feet. Zayn quickly took stitch from Niall and put it back on the bus before accepting Niall from Paul.

“Thanks” Zayn said.

“No problem” Paul said as he squeezed Niall’s size making the boy squeal.

“Whose up for football!” Louis yelled rushing off the bus with Harry in tow.

All the boys quickly made their way over to the open field and started kicking the ball around. Niall lasted all of two minutes with the shoes before he took them off. Nobody noticed that Niall had taken his shoes off because the boy kept up running around and kicking the ball as usual – the lack of protection not bothering him. In truth if Harry hadn’t tripped over the discarded shoes.

“Oof” Harry mumbled as he sat up and looked around.

“Are you alright?” Louis asked as he and the other three boys hurried over.

“Yeah” Harry said, “I just tripped over… Niall’s shoes?”

Everyone turned to Niall then. The lad himself looked down at the ground ashamed, “Sorry”

“Love, why are your shoes on the ground?” Liam asked curiously.

“Don’t like ‘em” Niall answered.