End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter One Hundred Five

Chapter One Hundred Five – Zayn

Zayn's trying his best to hold back a laugh as he watches Liam trying to reason with Bella once they're seated in one of their favourite family restaurants. She's insistent that they need to go to MCDonald's "but Daddy, they gonna poison me" Bella exclaims dramatically, making Zayn choke on his drink as he laughs. Liam sends him a less than impressed look and Zayn bites his lip before he hides in his napkin to compose himself. "Arabella, no one is going to poison you, we eat here all the time" Liam tries reasoning, but Zayn can tell without really looking it's not working for him. Zack let's out an annoyed cry, that stops the second Zayn touches him, so Zayn knows their son is just looking for some attention. "Baba, can you please tell Bella there is nothing wrong here, and we are not going to McDonald's?" Liam asks suddenly, arching his eyebrow at Zayn, as Bella shakes her head beside him. "Bella, we're not going to McDonald's tonight, so please stop arguing with Daddy. We're eating here" Zayn says, sending his daughter a meaningful look, Bella just huffs crossing her arms as she leans back in her seat, just as their waitress reappears to get their order.

"Oh isn't he just the cutest little thing" the waitress coos, reaching a hand towards Zack who is happily cuddled to Zayn, "yeah. We're pretty fond of him" Zayn jokes, making the waitress giggle, as she gently touches his hand. Bella is suddenly standing beside Zayn, putting her tiny body between Zack and the waitress her hazel eyes narrowing. Zayn raises his eyebrows in surprise just as Bella shakes her head, "mine brother, no touch" she hisses at the waitress who takes a step back, and raises her hands in defense, "I'm sorry Sweetie, I won't touch your brother" the waitress apologizes, but Bella ignores her in favour of running a gentle hand down Zack's side. "We're so sorry" Liam apologizes but the waitress waves him off, "it's fine, really. I thought it was cute" she insists. Liam then orders for all of them quickly, before the waitress walks away from the table and Liam arches an eyebrow at Zayn, who is still sitting a little shocked by what just happened. "Okay" Zayn says slowly, dragging out the word, "Arabella look at me for a minute" he adds, dragging her attention away from Zack, "you shouldn't speak to people like that, it wasn't very nice" Zayn murmurs, once she's looking at him. "But Baba, strangers no touch Bella's babies" Bella insists, bouncing in place, Zayn nods, "I know Boo, but she wasn't going to hurt Zack, she just wanted to say hello, and Baba was right here" he explains. Bella pouts crossing her arms, and shaking her head, "mine brother, nobody touch" she insists, leaning over to kiss Zack's head.

Dinner after that passes without much incident, with Bella insisting Liam move her chair so she could sit protectively beside the twins while she ate her chicken nuggets. It's only once they're back in the car driving home that Zayn gets a chance to talk to Liam, Bella is distracted, watching a movie and the twins are napping. "What was that back there?" Liam asks quietly eyes darting to Zayn for a second, before looking back at the road, "Zayn shakes his head, "I'd say we just saw the first signs of the protective older sister" he chuckles. Liam sighs "Zayn it's not funny, she was rude to that poor woman" he insists and Zayn rolls his eyes at his husband. "You're right it's not funny, but it is cute. I mean at least she's not acting all jealous of them still" Zayn insists, and Liam gives him a look that Zayn knows means the older man is annoyed with him. "Daddy?" Bella calls from the backseat, "yeah Princess?" Liam answers her, "we home now?" she asks, and Liam shakes his head, "not for a few more minutes, why?" he asks, "wanna cuddle Daddy" Bella sighs and Liam grins, making the car go a little faster, and Zayn can't help but smile because with that request Bella just diffused the rest of Liam's anger.

Zayn groans once they get home, Liam parks the car and moves around to help Bella out of the car, before the pair head into the house, leaving Zayn to bring in both Chloe and Zack. "Thanks for the help you two" Zayn says sarcastically once he manages to get both car seats through the door and into the living room where Liam is sitting with Bella cuddled into him. "Anytime Zayn" Liam hums making Zayn roll his eyes, as he removes both babies from their seats, laying them down on the playmat on their tummies, a few soft toy scattered around them, not that they have much interest in them yet. Zayn goes to sit on Bella's other side, but she shakes her head at him, reaching out to push him away, "no Baba, I cuddle Daddy" she insists, and Zayn pouts, as Liam attempts to hide a laugh. "Fine then, I'll be over here. By myself" Zayn mutters moving to sit on the other couch, grabbing his book as he goes, dropping down with another huff, before he starts reading. He can hear Liam murmuring something to Bella just not what it is, before she's suddenly standing in front of him, "what is it Boo. Go back and cuddle with Daddy" Zayn murmurs, but Bella shakes her head, biting her lip, "want Baba to cuddle too" she mumbles and Zayn smiles gently at her. "You want me to come cuddle too?" he asks, and Bella nods, "alright I'm coming" he murmurs, standing up and letting Bella drag him over to Liam where she climbs into his lap before Zayn cuddles into his side.

After about an hour of cuddling and watching whatever random cartoons were on TV Zayn sits up, looking at the clock, "alright baby girl, it's time to get ready for bed" Zayn hums, looking at Bella who whines, "no Baba" she mumbles. Zayn shakes his head, "come on let's go" he insists, standing up and reaching down towards Bella who smacks his hands away "no" she insists. Zayn arches an eyebrow, "Arabella, we do not hit, do you need a time out before we go to bed?" he asks, but Bella shakes her head, "no bed" she answers. Zayn resists the urge to roll his eyes at the not quite four year old, as she stares him down, "it's bed time Bella, and you can either come now and get ready or I can carry you upstairs to get ready" Zayn offers, but Bella stubbornly shakes her head at him, shrieking when he reaches down to pick her up. "A little help?" Zayn asks Liam who clears his throat and nods. "Arabella, it's bed time. You need to listen to Baba. Or I'm going to cancel your birthday" Liam threatens, eyebrow raising at the three year old who shakes her head. "Not fair Daddy" Bella whines, burrowing into his chest more, and Zayn furrows his eyebrows, because all of this is so unlike her. Zayn watches as Liam rubs her back for a moment, "what if I get you ready for bed Princess? Would that work?" Liam asks and Bella pulls her face out of his chest to look at him, then at Zayn before nodding, "missed Daddy" she mumbles and everything suddenly makes sense for Zayn. Bella's been missing Liam even since he came home from his trip as he's been working non-stop, "alright, you go get ready with Daddy and I'll come up to say goodnight in a minute, okay?" Zayn asks, Bella just nods and curls herself around Liam as he stands up.

Zayn drops down to sit beside where the twins are lying on the playmat still, "you're not going to give me trouble like that, right?" he asks, both babies ignoring him, Zack chewing on his own hand, as Chloe sucks on the ear of a stuffed bunny. Zayn shakes his head at them both, "who am I kidding I'm sure you two will team up on us" he murmurs,  just as Liam comes back downstairs with Bella in his arms, wearing fresh pyjamas and still looking sad. "Someone has something to say to you Baba" Liam coos, and Zayn stands up to approach the pair, "sorry Baba. Love you" Bella mumbles. Zayn grins and leans over to kiss her cheek, "I love you too. Next time just tell me you want Daddy though, okay?" he asks and Bella nods, burrowing into Liam. "She wants to ask something too" Liam hums, rubbing Bella's back, "I sleep with you and Daddy?" she mumbles rubbing her eyes, Zayn grins, "of course you can. Why don't you go up and snuggle Daddy. I'll get these two ready and be right up" he answers, Bella nods, resting her head on Liam's shoulder, before waving at Zayn. Once his husband and daughter are gone, Zayn turns back to the twins, "alright, let's get into some pyjamas and go see Daddy and your big sister" he coos, standing up and reaching down to gently scoop up both infants.

Once everyone is in pyjamas Zayn joins Liam and Bella in bed, holding both Chloe and Zack, and two bottles, "alright who do you want?" Zayn asks Liam who shrugs as Bella cuddles into him. "I'll take Chloe I guess" Liam hums and Zayn passes him the bottle and Chloe, before he repositions Zack and starts to feed him as well. Bella taps his arm, making Zayn look away from Zack to his oldest, "babies sleep here too?" she asks quiety but Zayn shakes his head, "no Boo. Zack and Chloe have to sleep in their own beds, it's not really the safest for them to sleep in here yet" he explains and Bella pouts nodding her head, and brushing a hand over Zack's fingers. It's not long before Bella has fallen asleep where she's lying between Zayn and Liam and Zayn watches her sleep for a moment, she still looks like a baby when she sleeps, and it makes him smile, because more often than not during the day she looks more and more grown up every day. "I'll put these two to bed, then we should get some sleep too" Liam murmurs, snapping Zayn's attention back to him, "yeah, sure" Zayn hums, releasing Zack when Liam gets ahold of him, and watching as his husband heads towards the nursery. Once he's out of sight, Zayn curls around Bella and cuddles her close to him, he knows it's really only a matter of time before she stops asking for things like this.