End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three – Zayn

"Thank you" Zayn murmurs, to Liam before turning his expression stern and facing Bella on the couch, she has coloured on their living room floor three times now in the last week and Zayn really doesn't understand it. "Arabella, why on earth were you colouring the floor, again?" Zayn asks sternly the toddler shakes her head at him "I not, Daddy do it" she insists but Zayn shakes his head. "No Daddy didn't colour the floor, he knows better" Zayn scolds, he hates when he has to be stern with her, he really does. Bella pouts up at Zayn then and the tears start all over again, "no Baba, no" she whimpers and Zayn sighs sinking down onto the couch beside her, he's aware of Liam and Louis both watching him as they work together to get the crayon off the floor, but he also knows he needs to handle this. "Alright what did Baba tell you would happen if you coloured anything that wasn't paper again?" Zayn asks slowly, Bella shakes her head and refuses to meet his gaze, he understands she's still young so he needs to make the consequences directly relate to the situation. "Your crayons are all done for a week, that means no colouring at Grandma's house either" Zayn starts, and Bella pouts a him in a way he knows means she's trying to get out of trouble. Zayn bites his lip, "and I think you need to sit in time out for two minutes and then you can help Uncle Louis finish cleaning the floor" he adds. Bella whines and shakes her head, "no, not sit, Bella already sit" she insists pointing to herself and the couch, Zayn shakes his head "you need to go sit in the time out spot, not on the couch" he points out. Bella whines and shakes her head, "no" she says simply, kicking out towards Zayn, making contact with his knee.

Zayn groans and reaches out to pick up the toddler, "you do not kick, it's not nice" he scolds, carrying her across the room to the rarely used 'time out chair' setting her down in it gently. "Now you need to sit here for a few minutes, then I want you to say sorry to Daddy, and Uncle Louis, and help clean up" Zayn insists. Bella whines and avoids Zayn's gaze but makes no move to leave the chair again so Zayn nods and moves away to talk to Liam and Louis. Zayn rubs a hand down his face as Liam reaches out and pulls him into his side, "you okay?" Zayn asks, and Liam nods, "yeah I didn't know what you would do, so I kind of waited for you. But she wasn't happy with me" he answers. Zayn grimaces and rubs at his knee, "she's not happy with any of us right now" he mumbles, leaning into Liam, smiling lightly when his boyfriend kisses his forehead, "she kicked me too. When I first put her on the couch" he explains, and Zayn groans. Zayn looks down to see Louis still cleaning the floor, it's almost all gone, "hey Lou, leave some of that for Bells to do" Zayn says and Louis nods standing up, "deal, what's gotten into her?" he asks looking across to where Bella has now slumped into the chair, swinging her feet. Zayn sighs, shrugging his shoulders, "Mum says it's normal behaviour, but I would like her to go back to being a sweet little girl who doesn't act up" he answers. Liam chuckles "if it helps my sister's going through the same kind of thing with Kenzi" he offers. Zayn laughs lightly, "at least I'm not alone" he mumblesand Liam shakes his head.

Zayn carefully makes his way back over to Bella after her two minutes are up, kneeling down in front of her so he can meet her eyes. "You're all done now, you just need to say sorry and help Uncle Louis clean up the floor" Zayn murmurs. Bella whimpers throwing herself into Zayn's arms, burying her face in his shoulder as she cries, "I sorry Baba, I sorry" she whispers, Zayn nods, "it's alright Love. But you need to apologize to Daddy and Uncle Lou too" he murmurs. Bella pouts but pulls away from Zayn, who watches as she makes her way over to where Liam is sitting on the couch. Zayn smiles lightly as Bella crawls into Liam's lap, "Daddy I sorry" she whimpers, cuddling into Liam's chest, he wraps his arms around her and kisses her cheeks, whispering something Zayn can't hear. After that Bella hurries over to Louis, saying a quick apology, followed by a kiss to his cheek, before she takes the washcloth he offers her and starts to scrub at the spot on the floor. Zayn shakes his head because every few seconds she looks over to him pleadingly, hoping Zayn will tell her she can quit.