Life With Boys

shhh baby, just relax

It was the first day back home since Liam had gotten released from the hospital and so far Zayn was driving him absolutely mad. After the accident the doctor instructed Liam to take it easy and not lift anything over five pounds, which in Zayn's book meant Liam wasn't allowed to leave the house or even lift his toothbrush to his face. "Zayn let me help" Liam said, trying to squeeze in next to Zayn who was crouched down beside the bathtub full of bubbles and their two toddlers. "Liam I already told you, you're not allowed to help, the boys are too heavy" Zayn said as he smacked Liam's hand away from touching Niall.

"They only say that for precautions, I'm dying of boredom and what you're doing obviously isn't working, c'mon Zayn" Liam pouted, sitting on the lid of the toilet. "Liam I am already trying to take care of two toddlers, I dont need you to make it three, stop pouting." Liam sighed again, clicking open his phone and scrolling through his twitter feed, something he had done at least twenty times already today. "Zaynnnnnnnnnnnnnn." Liam whined again. Zayn giggled and lifted a wet Harry from the tub, wrapping him in a white towel. "Go lay down of the mat so papa can put a pull-up on you after he gets your brother out."

Harry obeyed, dropping his towel and laying down on the changing mat like instructed. "C'mon Ni, it's your turn" Zayn said, holding a towell in front of Niall and waiting for him to step in so he could remove him from the tub. Niall shied away from Zayn, sinking further in the bath water. "Niall, bathtime is over, come out now bud" Zayn said, trying to convinve the blonde to cooperate. Niall shook his head, pressing his back against the opposite side of the tub, further away from Zayn. "Niall..." Zayn said in a warning tone, "Listen to your papa and come out, right now." Niall shook his head again, tears starting to form in his eyes. "Either you come to me or I come to you." Zayn said in a stern tone. "One, Tw-"

"Zayn, just let him stay in there a little longer and play, we're in no rush." Liam piped up from his spot on the toilet. "Liam, It's not about not being in a rush, It's about following directions" Zayn responded, fed up with Liam defending the toddler. "Zaynie, It's okay, you just go get Harry dressed and put him to bed and I will watch Niall; promise to not touch him." Liam joked. "No Liam, I'm going to get them both dressed and put to bed at the same time." Zayn said, standing up to reach Niall fom across the tub. Zayn got a grip on Niall's arm and pulled him closer to his side of the tub, which Niall did not agree with. He whimpered and stuggled against Zayn's strong grip. "No papa" Niall whined with tears already streaming down his red cheeks.

"Niall, I'm just getting you dried off, no need for extra drama" Zayn said, lifting his son out of the tub and wrapping a towell around his naked body. Once set of the floor, Niall scurried toward Liam for comfort, not liking the harsh grip Zayn previously had on his arm.

"Here we go, let daddy dry you off baby." Liam cooed, gently wiping the water droplets off his sons skin. "Liam, please let me do that" Zayn said from his place next to the changing mat.

"Zayn it's fine, this towel doesn't even weigh half a pound, no need for drama." He said in mockery of Zayn's previous sentence.

Zayn rolled his eyes, but smiled, glad things were back to normal. "Ok Niall, your turn for a pull-up" Zayn said as he patted the empty mat that Harry previously occupied.

Niall strengthened his grip on Liam's hand, shaking his head in refusal. "No pull-up for me daddy" Niall said to Liam, scared to meet Zayn in the eye with the argument. "Honey, you need to wear one so you don't have an accident while you sleep." Liam said, trying to reason with the toddler. "No accidents daddy, promise." Niall said, looking at Liam with hopeful eyes. Liam glanced at Zayn, shooting him a 'what do you think' look.

"Niall get over here and put on a pull-up, i'm not going to have time to clean sheets in the morning and daddy can't do it either." Zayn said while pointing to the vacant mat.  Niall shook his head again, burying his face in Liam's leg. Harry stood awkwardly on the tile, shivering from his still wet hair. "Zayn maybe we should give it a try, he said he wou-"

Zayn cut Liam off, "Liam for fucks sake how many times are you going to take his side for disobeying, how is he going to learn to follow directions if you literally never make him?!"

"Zayn it's just this one thing" Liam said again, trying to reason with his husband. Zayn huffed and lifted Harry with haste, "Fine whatever, but if you have an accident, you're in trouble" Zayn said while pointing a finger accusingly at Niall, who shied away from his gaze. "Cmon then" Zayn said and grabbed Niall's hand, walking him out of the bathroom with Harry in his arms.

"Zayn!" Liam yelled before the trio could make it out of the door. "Quit being so rough with him, he's not a rag doll" Liam said, not liking the way he was yanking his toddler around. Zayn rolled his eyes and left the bathroom, headed to the boys room to get them all dressed and put to bed.

Liam sighed, standing from his place on the toilet lid and opening the cabinet door, reaching in to receive a bottle of pills prescribed for Niall. This was a conversation Liam had been dreading, but also one he knew needed to take place.

He took a single pill out of the bottle, and placed the container back into the cabinet, making his way to the boys room. When he entered the room his heart melted at the sight before him; his husband sitting in the wooden rocking chair with both his toddlers on his lap, reading a bedtime story.

He entered quietly, checking on the sleeping baby and then went over to stand beside the chair and listen to Zayn read. "On Wednesday...
He tripped over a tree,
And skinned his left knee,
And that goose stole his lunch, you see, But all he had to say,
Was, "I think I need to go and pray."

Zayn read a stanza aloud to the two boys, who were mesmerized by Zayn's tone and by the brightly colored pictures. "Ok boys, that's all for tonight, time for bedtime" Zayn cooed as he stood with both boys in his arms. He first laid Harry down in his bed, doing his best to tuck him in with one hand, and then Niall; doing the same for him.

He went to flick off the light of the bedroom and was confused when Liam didn't come to the door to return to their room with them. Liam didn't say anything, just showed him the pill he had in his hand and motioned it in Niall's direction.

It was silent for a few moments and then Zayn responded, "I'll go get some milk for him to swallow it with."

After Niall downed a bottle of milk along with a small white pill, the pair returned to their bedroom, climbing in bed and switching off the bed lamp lights silently. "Zayn?" Liam spoke softly into the dark.

"What baby?" Zayn said even softer, shifting so he was facing his husband. "What changed your mind... about the pills?"

Zayn sighed and pondered the sentence for a few moments, "Well, I decided that it's okay to need help sometimes. I can't imagine where i'd be or how i'd be without the pills I take every morning, and even though I hate it for Niall, if they help him then he should should take them."

Liam smiled at his all of a sudden soft spoken husband and kissed him lightly. "Thanks for taking care of the boys today, you did a great job." He spoke into Zayn's neck while running his fingers lightly up
and down his bare arms. Liam could feel a smile form on Zayn's face, "Thanks Li, it means a lot." he said softly.

Liam didn't answer, just smiled to himself and flicked off the bedside lamp, ready to go to sleep until Zayn spoke up. "Yeah know, there is one boy I didn't take very good care of though" Zayn said with a grin, moving his hand further down Liam's bare chest. "Zaynnn" Liam hummed, liking where this was going but also just really really tired already.

"Shhh baby, just lay back, let me do all the work." Zayn said as he slid his hand further down his husband's body. "Just relax."