Ohana

Chapter Seven

                When I have trouble sleeping or I'm scared or something I play this imaginary game in my head and pretend that Liam and Zayn are my daddies and that Louis and Harry are my uncles and that I can read and that they love me and that I don't wet the bed anymore. It's nice. I wish it was real.

Niall woke up a few days later feeling absolutely horrid; his nose was running, he was coughing and he felt gross and sweaty. Climbing out of his wet bed he stripped off his wet things before pulling on a clean pair of pants and stumbling out to find Zayn or Liam. He had to find his way to the kitchen, bumping into walls and furniture before he stumbled into a pair of legs and was scooped up.
'Morning sweetheart.' Liam said, smiling at his foster child. Niall just let out a pitiful moan and dropped his head onto Liam's shoulder. Liam frowned at the flushed and sweaty state of the boy, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead when Niall coughed into his shirt.
'You're sick.' Liam stated, carrying him into his and Zayn's room to lay him on the bed with his husband. He repeated the statement to Zayn as he went to fetch the medicine and Niall's teddy, Joey. Zayn sleepily cuddled Niall, realizing the boy hadn't had his morning bath because he still smelt strongly of pee from his earlier bedwetting.
Liam came back with some cough and cold syrup, getting Zayn to prop up the child while he fed him the medicine. Together they got him into a quick bath and then back in his pants and tucked into the king-sized bed.
'Alright, I'm off to work now love.' Liam whispered, pecking his husband on the lips.
'Bye babe.' Zayn murmured back. 'Have a good day.'
Liam quietly left as Niall slept tucked into Zayn's side, his thumb in his mouth and one hand curled around a section of the mans' shirt. Their blissfull peace lasted for only an hour when the phone rang and Zayn had to sit up to answer it, rousing Niall from his sleep. Zayn talked for a few minutes, getting rather agitated before he finally hung up and turned to the little blonde beside him.
'Nialler, would you mind if Louis and Harry came to stay with you for a little bit?' He asked, pushing the boys' sweaty hair back away from his face. Niall frowned and latched onto Zayn's shirt tighter.
'Just for a little while.' He assured him. 'And then I'll be back.'
Niall sniffled sadly but nodded into Zayn's shirt. The older man smiled and kissed his temple before dialling Louis and Harry. Ten minutes later Zayn was ready to leave despite Niall clinging to him and Louis and Harry were at the door. They let themselves in and Zayn set Niall down, crouching down in front of him to say goodbye.
'Be good okay? I'll be home in a few hours.' He said gently, kissing Niall on the forehead before standing and leaving. Niall sniffled sadly and sat down in the doorway with Joey as Zayn walked away. Harry went over and crouched beside him.
'Hey Nialler how about some tea and a film, yeah?' He asked gently. Niall looked up at him with sad eyes but stood anyways and followed the lanky man into the kitchen. Looking up at the two sadly he wished he could have cuddles, but he only liked cuddles when Liam or Zayn gave them to him, no one else. He watched sadly as Louis made them all some tea and Harry flipped through their cupboards for some eats, coming up with biscuits to go with the tea. After their food and drink was sorted Louis led them to the living room and Harry popped in 'Finding Nemo' because Liam had told them it was the little blondes favorite.
'Gonna come sit with us sweetheart?' Louis asked, looking to where Niall was standing in the doorway and watching them shyly. He hesitantly nodded and stumbled over on shaky legs, climbing up beside Louis and taking the offered tea. As the movie started he found himself leaning more and more on Louis as he got drowsy from his cold medicine. By the time the movie was over he was out like a light against Louis' arm.
'Carry him to bed or leave him be?' Harry whispered.
'Bed.' Louis decided, gently picking up the feather light boy and carrying him into his room. Harry pulled back the duvet and Louis laid Niall down before Harry tucked him in.
xXx
Louis and Harry were relaxing on the couch, watching some Telly when they heard a soft 'thump' from the laundry room and the faint sound of sniffles. Worried that their charge might be sleep-walking they hurried to investigate. What they found was Niall standing in front of the large washer, trying to shove a bundle of sheets in.
'Whatchya doing love?' Louis asked gently, stepping into the room with Harry right behind him. 'Everything alright?'
Niall whipped around and stood frozen in front of the two for a moment before bursting into loud, tired sobs. Harry, forgetting to be quiet and not touch Niall rushed forward and pulled him into a hug.
'Oh love don't cry.' He soothed, rubbing the little ones' back. 'Shh, shh. It's alright.'
Niall just collapsed against Harry's chest and fisted the mans' shirt as he sobbed, he just wanted Zayn and Liam back already.
'Did you have an accident love?' Louis asked, crouching beside Harry and tugging the sheets away from Niall to look at them. Niall tearfully nodded, hiccupping and burying his face in Harry's hoodie. 'That's alright, they happen sometimes. We'll just get these in the wash and then have a cuddle before Zayn gets home.'
Louis put the sheets and pyjama's into the washer and Harry pulled back from Niall to wipe away the boys' tears. He gave Niall a smile and stood to go to the livingroom. He was more then taken aback when Niall tugged on his jeans and held his arms up to be carried.
'Sure thing.' Harry told him, picking the child up and placing him on his hip. Niall hiccupped again and laid his head on Harry's shoulder as he sucked his thumb. Louis followed and got a sippy cup of water for Niall to help him calm down. They sat on the couch with Niall in Harry's lap, alternating from the sippy and his thumb.
'Hey Niall would you like it if I read you a story?' Louis asked when the child still wasn't calm after ten minutes. The small child nodded shyly and Louis smiled, going to the shelves and finding a book of Shel Silversteen poems and bringing them back. As he began to read Niall began to relax against Harry, one hand holding his water and one hand curled around the fabric of the other mans' shirt.
xXx
The rest of the afternoon was spent with little Niall attached to either Louis or Harry's hip and Louis finding various children's stories to read. But when the door opened and Liam and Zayn came in Niall lept up and ran to them, catching both men around their legs and holding onto them tightly.
'Well hello babe.' Zayn smiled, crouching down to his level. Niall hugged Zayn tightly before doing the same when Liam crouched too. He nuzzled against them and made small, happy noises as they held him and cuddled him, telling him how good he was and how proud they were. All Niall could think was that his daddies were back home now, and that was the best.