Bedtime Stories ♡ Ziall/Larry/Lirry AU [COMPLETE]

[17]

"Niall," Zayn murmured. They were cuddled close together, and Niall was asleep, eyelids fluttering. Zayn didn't want to wake him up. "I just wanted to tell you that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I won't let anybody hurt you. I'll take care of you...forever, if you'll let me."

Zayn leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

Niall's lips twitched, and he pushed himself up onto his elbows, surprising Zayn.

"I thought you were asleep," Zayn spluttered, caught off guard and embarrassed.

"I know." Niall smiled a little bit. He leaned his head on Zayn's shoulder. "I love you, too."

"I didn't --"

"Yes, you did," Niall retorted, and Zayn smiled, because even without saying the words, he'd told him.

~ ~ ~
"Daddy, that can't be true!" Zayn and Niall's son, Ryan, whined five years later. "You're not an alien!"

"Oh, yeah?" Zayn smiled.

"Yeah," Ryan pouted. "Everyone knows aliens are green."

Zayn laughed then, because the stories got everything all wrong. But it was safer this way - the people that he loved were safe, he was married to the love of his life, and he was happy.

"Popsicle!" Ryan cheered, hopping off of Zayn's lap to run over to Liam, who was coming down the stairs.

"I can't believe you call me that," Liam chuckled, scooping up the three-year-old. "Just like your dads, I guess."

Harry and Niall just watched from the doorway, smiling fondly. Their little family was built on the people they loved most in the world, and they couldn't be happier.

THE END.