With Open Arms

Familial Futures

Louis watches the boys from the kitchen window with a small smile playing at his lips that weekend. It's a rarity for them all to be out of their rooms and for Harry and Liam to be getting on (as short lived as that may be).

They're standing in a triangle formation at different sides of the garden, kicking a football across to one another, squinting beneath the September sun, yelling across to each other. Harry kicks the ball to Niall, who misses it and lets out a groan, running to catch up to it before he kicks it towards Liam.

Liam manages to trip over it, making both of the older boys erupt into laughter. Niall even wraps his arms around his middle as if his stomach is aching from the laughter.

It brings a proper smile to his own lips. The kid has been a little better since the whole 'Papa' incident - though of course, he had opted to stick to calling them Louis and Zayn which he can't help but find disappointing. But neither of them want to force him into something he isn't comfortable with - that's the last thing they want to do.

And it seems to be working well; Niall hasn't been locking himself away so much or plugging in his earbuds and blocking out the whole world. He's been interacting more, even if it's just chipping in with a sentence or two at the dinner table or telling him about school when he walks in through the door.

It's refreshing to see the kid coming out of his shell a little.

And Louis doesn't want him to leave.

He turns back to Zayn at the kitchen counter and shakes his head in conflict. "I don't know, Z. I don't want to throw it on him just yet," he finally answers, looking at the printed information in between them on the island.

Sally had popped around whilst the boys had been at school the previous day after they had called her to enquire about potentially adopting Niall.

It isn't a spur of the moment decision. He and Zayn have spoken about it a lot - they just can't imagine letting the poor kid go back into the system. Sure, he can be a challenge, but they're up to it.

And Niall deserves it. He deserves a forever family and a forever home; he deserves something more than just temporary. The longer he stays with them, the clearer it becomes to Louis that the thirteen year old is putting up a constant façade to hide the fact that, underneath, he's terrified.

That isn't fair, nor is it right. He hates to imagine how Liam and Harry would be right now if they hadn't been adopted at such young ages.

Niall didn't get that privilege. It's the least they can give him now.

Zayn nods at him. "You're right," he says, both of them stopping to smile when they hear a scream of laughter from Liam in the garden. "Best not to overwhelm him. Give it another week or so?"

"Sounds like a plan," Louis replies softly.

Baby steps seem to work best with Niall, otherwise he panics and runs off. Louis' figures out that the kid just likes to have a little control over his life, something he's obviously never had in the past - and if they keep changing things for him too rapidly, they're going to be forcibly taking that control away from him.

The back door flies open then, and Zayn scrambles to stick the papers in his work satchel hanging from the side of the stool, Louis quickly stepping in front of him.

Harry pays no mind, cheeks flushed and his hair looking damp with sweat. "It's too hot out there, he states with a huff, falling into one of the seats at the counter and rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead. "Plus, Niall and Liam have got the nerf guns out again, and I don't feel like losing an eye today."