the only time i feel i might get better (is when we are together) - ziam

Twenty ‎✧ ೃ༄

Watching the bubbles form in the pan, the spaghetti was virtually boiling and Liam knew it was finished by now, any longer and it would have been burning to the bottom of the metal cookware, he was sure of it. He took one more glance at Zayn who was still in his own little world and then removed it off the hot stove, separating it into bowls to cool down enough for them to eat. It was very warm and he couldn't have Zayn burning his poor, little tongue. He would feel horrible if that happened. "All done, Zayn. I'm just waiting for them to cool a tiny bit."

Zayn looked over, sucking on his thumb, "'kay."

The man pulled out some metal spoons from the draw beneath the counter top and put them into the bowls. He gave the spaghetti hoops a quick stir, tasting a bit of his own and deeming it as cool enough for the two of them to eat. He wondered if the potted bowl would be alright for Zayn, or even if he could feed himself because he certainly wasn't prepared to feed Zayn right now... What if he did it wrong? He'd have to research.

"I'll put them on the island table bit there and we can eat here, that way we won't drop or spill anything onto your bed. Is that okay?" Liam asked, sitting down some table mats onto the island counter with the now cooled down bowls on top. The boy bobbed his head and picked up his teddy, tucking it underneath his arms. "Teddy is comin!"

Liam scratched the back of his head, not wanting Zayn's beloved puppy to get dirty. "Do you think that's the best idea?"

"Ye' course." The boy giggled and sat the teddy above his own head, holding tight onto them so that they didn't fall to the hard ground. He cared a lot for them and if they fell, they could get 'hurt'. (Well, not really, that's what Zayn thought anyway.)

"What if they get dirty...?" He muttered, not wanting to upset the boy. He had learnt that the teddy was very special to Zayn and he understood why the boy wanted it nearby at all times, but at the same time he knew that Zayn would be extremely upset if it was to get tomato sauce from the spaghetti onto it. The puppy simply couldn't be at the table.

"Dey won't. Trus' me cause I kno'" he grinned cheekily, sitting the Puppy right next to the bowl. He then took a seat onto the stool himself, wobbling a little. There was no back to the stool and it was a little dangerous for someone so young, Liam mentally made a note to invest in something different and more safer for while he was in the headspace. Liam took a seat himself, watching over Zayn who was now holding the spoon in a fist hold. "Zayn.. I think we should maybe put them somewhere else."

"No!" The boy yelled, dropping the spoon into the bowl and crossing his arms. The sauce splattered onto Zayn's shirt with the impact of the spoon clashing against it and Liam raised an eyebrow, thankfully nothing went onto the teddy but it wasn't far off reaching it. "See. I think that's why Teddy should be put elsewhere, you almost got him dirty. We could sit him on the shelf up there and he will be able to watch you. How does that sound?"

The boy thought about it and nodded with a jutted out lip and a sulk. He really didn't want his teddy to be so far away, but he also didn't want it to get so icky either! "Fine." Liam smiled at getting his own way, standing up. He picked up the puppy and sat it on the shelf between two cups. "There. He's all safe and tucked in."

"Fank 'oo."

"You're welcome." He said and sat back down, wiping Zayn's shirt clean the best he could with a cloth, for now, so that it wouldn't leave a stain, the boy replicating a puppy and trying to bite onto the cloth while Liam cleaned his shirt as he found it hilarious. It really wasn't that funny, and it actually made the job a lot harder but Zayn's mouth was full of giggles and Liam was once again, so glad he got to help make that gorgeous sound. Once done, he began to eat his own spaghetti, Zayn doing the same and babbling away to himself while he ate. Spaghetti sauce was soon all over the little's face and it was making Liam chuckle slightly, he really did look like a toddler but he knew it would be a nightmare to clean up with the biting puppy, especially as it was somehow all on his hands and on the table too.

"Done!" The boy proudly announced when his bowl was just over half way empty. His tummy was full and he wanted to return back to watching Paw Patrol as soon as possible, he had already missed half of it as he forgot to click pause on the telly. "Clean pleas'"

"Mm'kay." Liam finished up his own and hummed, he rinsed out the cloth from earlier and wiped down Zayn's face and hands - the boy once again nibbling on the cloth in a fit of giggles. If Liam was honest, Zayn needed a change of shirt as it was way more dirty now than he could even attempt to clean with a cloth, but he didn't know how the boy would feel about changing and he didn't want to cause the lad to become upset, or even do something that big Zayn might not have wanted him to do. Not everyone liked their shirt to be taken off and he has to respect that. "All done. I'll clean up."

Zayn smiled, Liam put the bowls into the sink and wiped down the table and table mats, acknowledging that there was also some spaghetti hoops on the floor. He was sort of reconsidering making them. "Ta. Me have my puppy now?"

"Oh, of course." The man handed the teddy down to the boy who held it on his head again and took it to the bed, tucking it in. Zayn yawned, "I fink my teddy is tired."

Washing up the floor, bowls and other stuff which were left in the sink, Liam looked over, "I think so too. Why don't you get in bed with him?" The boy was visibly tired which made sense because it was fairly late by now, time had whooshed past them. The little one nodded and got tucked up next to the stuffed dog, talking to it about random Paw Patrol stuff, his voice sounding sleepy. The day had gone amazing and Zayn truly couldn't get over the warm feeling deep in his chest, which arrived the moment that he slipped. He could definitely get used to this and Liam was feeling the same, watching over the boy. He has enjoyed caring for the boy and he hoped and prayed that this would happen again sometime very soon, though he got a sneaky feeling it will.