End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen – Liam

Liam carries Bella and follows after Zayn and his mum as they head towards what he can only assume is the living room, he's right of course when they come to a stop in a room with couches and a TV. Waliyha's there and she grins at Liam waving, there's another girl as well this one younger, but still clearly related, except Liam realizes her eyes are blue. Zayn clears his throat and the younger girl looks towards him smiling, "hey Zaynie"she says waving and Zayn rolls his eyes fondly in response, "Safaa, meet my boyfriend Liam" Zayn says quietly. Liam chuckles as the teenager jumps to her feet and runs towards them, "hi, it's great to meet you, this little one never stops talking about you" she rushes out, wiggling Arabella's foot as she speaks. Liam chuckles, as Bella whines and curls her foot away, "it's great to meet you too"he answers, before Bella is pressing her hands to his cheeks and turning his face away from her aunt. Liam furrows his eyebrows at the toddler confused, but she shakes her head, "no, Auntie Safaa mean. No talk to Daddy" Bella pouts, while Safaa rolls her eyes. Liam's confused but clearly this is something that happens often because Zayn sighs and turns to his youngest sister, "what did you do now?" he asks. Safaa groans, "you always take her side, and I didn't do anything, not really" she defends herself. Liam is still confused,but Bella is pulling his attention away from her aunt as she pokes his cheek, "Daddy, I tired" she mumbles and Liam smiles gently,"I bet, Princess, you had a long night" he murmurs, pressing a kiss to her hair, before tuning back into conversation between Zayn and his sister, "I wouldn't let her use my iPad so she's mad at me, alright?"Safaa finally says and Zayn laughs, Liam can't help but join in because really, Zayn laughing is contagious.

A few minutes later Liam is sitting on the opposite couch from Zayn's sisters, with Zayn beside him and Bella sitting on both of their laps, still glaring at her aunt on the other couch. Zayn's mum had disappeared into the kitchen a few minutes ago, "good to see you again Liam" Waliyha says suddenly, and Liam grins, "yeah, you too" he answers. Bella huffs and turns to face Liam and Zayn, "Baba?" she asks sweetly, Zayn arches an eyebrow at her but doesn't say anything "we go now?" she asks. Liam smiles down at her and shakes his head, at the same time Zayn says "no, Boo, we're staying to have dinner with Grandma, your Aunties, and Grandpa" he answers. Bella pouts and turns her big eyes to Liam, apparently not happy with Zayn's answer, "Daddy, tell Baba no. Bella go home, tell him no" she demands, adjusting so she's only sitting on Liam, and using her full puppy dog pout on him. Liam knows Zayn is waiting to hear what he tells her, and he can feel both girls staring at him as they too wait to see how he responds to the most adorable face on the planet. Liam takes a deep breath and tries to look away from her, he hears Zayn laugh quietly beside him, before he feels warm breath on his cheek, "just don't give in, you'll survive" Zayn murmurs quietly, and Liam nods, turning his focus back to Bella, whose eyes have gotten wider and her lower lip is sticking out even further than before. "Oh, he's done for" Safaa mumbles from the other couch, Liam sees Waliyha shake her head though, "No, I think he can stand up to this" she responds, and Liam feels a sense of warmth at the fact that Waliyha believes in him, it may be a ridiculous reason, but it's nice. "I bet you a week's worth of dishes that he gives in" Safaa smirks at her sister, who nods her head in agreement, "Daddy, we go home" Bella whines again, drawing Liam's attention back to her.

Liam takes a deep breath again and looks down at the toddler in his lap, "sorry, lovely, but we're staying here for dinner, we can go home after" he tells her. Arabella clearly doesn't like that answer because her eyes begin to water as she shakes her head at Liam, crawling off his lap to curl into the corner of the couch. Liam feels terrible because once again he's made Bella cry. Sure this time it really wasn't his fault, all he did was tell her something she already knew, something Zayn had just told her, but he still feels like an ass. Zayn rests a hand on his arm, "she's fine, just trying to guilt us into changing our minds. Plus she's tired Li, this isn't your fault" he soothes. Liam shakes his head, "I made her cry, again. She's going to hate me" he mumbles and Zayn shakes his head, leaning over to kiss Liam's cheek. "We've all made her cry and she still loves us, you'll see" Zayn assures him gesturing around the house as he speaks. Liam reaches over and rubs one hand gently up Arabella's back in what he hopes is a soothing gesture, Bella pulls her face out of the cushion to blink up at Liam, "Daddy, I tired, go home now?" she asks, but Liam shakes his head, "what did Baba and I just tell you, hmm?" he hums gently. Bella makes a face and buries her head back into the couch, not saying anything. Liam feels bad, he really does, but he also knows if he runs out on meeting Zayn's parents he can probably say goodbye to any chance of making Zayn stay with him. So Liam keeps one hand rubbing Bella's back soothingly, and leans more into Zayn on his other side, the younger reaching over to squeeze his arm, before tangling their fingers together as he talks to his sisters.