Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Part Four, Chapter Twelve

Liam comes over a few days later with Gracie and Em, and Harry knows the scene that his older brother walks into is a dismal one - he can't help but feel guilty about it; he hasn't seen his brother or his niece in forever and yet he can't seem to get himself out of his slump just to make an effort to be happy for them.

Niall is much the same; Harry has been keeping a watchful eye over his younger brother for the past few days and their parents have too, all of them coming together to make sure that he's never by himself and that he isn't in his own head for too long.

The two of them are on opposite ends of the couch, Niall laying down with his head on the armrest and his eyes lightly closed, just barely on the cusp of drifting off, Harry with his brother's feet in his lap, one hand looped gently around one of the fifteen year old's ankle and the other scrolling aimlessly through his phone when Liam walks in with an armful of sleeping 8 month-old, Emily close behind.

The oldest brother smiles softly when he sees the two of them on the couch, turning to their Papa who enters the room behind them before anyone greets each other.

"Want me to take Little Miss?" Their father asks with a knowing smile, and Liam nods gratefully, gently transferring the sleeping baby across into the man's arms before he turns back to his brothers.

Harry realises then how much he has missed the older boy - since he was five years old, he has never gone for such a long time without seeing his brother. The two of them have always had a light sort of relationship from the outside; teasing one another and playfighting. But on the inside, it goes a lot deeper than that. They talk about things when they're important, reassure one another when things feel heavy. It was Harry that Liam had first called when Emily had been going into labour in a complete panic because he hadn't wanted to call their parents until he was calmer. It was Liam that Harry had told first when he'd gotten into his first choice university and had been overwhelmed at the idea of moving away from home (turns out, that ought to have been the last of his worries).

Point blank, they're there for each other when they need to be, and not in the codependent way that Niall and Harry are. This is one of those times when Harry needs Liam to be there, and he's beyond thankful that his brother realises this.

"Hey Lanky," he greets teasingly with a playful smile. Harry manages a small one back, and when his brother leans down to draw him into a tight hug, he drops his phone down to lift a hand, holding onto the front of the young man's sweater tightly. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I thought you might need a couple days before you had too much company," Liam murmurs against his shoulder.

He shakes his head and continues to hold on. "It's okay. I'm glad you're here now," he whispers back truthfully; because Liam is his big brother and that makes him feel another level of safe on top of having their parents and Niall around.

They eventually break apart and Liam looks down at him, pursing his lips. "Do you need me to go kick his ass? Because I will go kick his ass. Like, he won't have an ass left -"

Harry can't help but let out a small laugh at that, shaking his head. "It's okay," he says softly, even though nothing really feels okay right now. "He's - uh - he's in police custody still. The officers said he'll probably get a year, and he's already lost his place at uni so..."

Liam just grumbles at that, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest. "Assholes like him deserve life. I don't care what the law says, he hurt you, Haz -"

"I'm okay," Harry says quickly, shaking his head. He glances across to where Dad and Papa are fussing over the baby, Emily perched on the coffee table talking to them. She glances over her shoulder and smiles gently at him, eyes concerned. He smiles back.