Liam: Daddy Zayn: Papa Harry: 5 Louis: 5 1/2 Niall: 2
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Niall was sitting on the floor, playing with his teddy bear. Harry and Louis lay on the couch, visibly bored.
“What should we do?” Harry whined.
“Anything! I might die of boredom if we don’t!” Louis declared dramatically.
“We could play ball,” Harry suggested.
“It’s raining outside, Haz!” Louis pointed out.
Harry rolled his eyes and sat up. “I meant inside, Lou.”
Louis sat up and looked at him. “But Papa and Daddy said never to play ball in the house. I don’t want to get in trouble today,” he said, shaking his head.
“Don’t be such a baby! We won’t get in trouble,” Harry retorted, grabbing a soft ball. “Would you rather be bored?”
Louis sighed and got up. “Fine, but if we get in trouble, it’s your fault!”
“Whatever.”
They started playing while Niall watched silently. Harry kicked the ball too hard, and it struck a vase near Niall, shattering it. Louis and Harry glanced at each other as they heard footsteps descending the stairs. They quickly moved to the next room.
“What’s going on? Niall! What did you do?” Liam called out, looking at his confused son.
“I—” Niall began, but Zayn cut him off.
“How many times have we told you not to play ball in the house?” Zayn asked sternly.
“I no do it! Hawwy and Louis do it!” Niall yelled.
“Lying won’t help, Niall. I think you need a time-out,” Liam said, scooping up Niall and carrying him to a corner of the kitchen. “You’ll stay there for thirty minutes.”
Without a word, Liam and Zayn left Niall in the corner, ignoring the real culprit.
Niall calmed down to quiet sobs. Then he noticed the back door was open. “If they no wove Ni, Ni run ‘way,” he mumbled, toddling towards the open door and out into the drizzle.
Outside, Niall walked towards his Uncle Simon’s house, remembering the many times his daddies brought him there for babysitting. The rain had eased to a sprinkle. He knocked on the door. A sleepy Simon answered. He rubbed his eyes and looked down at Niall.
“Niall? What are you doing here? Where are your daddies?” Simon asked, lifting him up.
“D-Daddies no love Ni. They put Ni in cownew for some’hing he no do!” Niall cried, tears streaming down his face.
Simon closed the door and shushed him. “Let’s get you changed, and then you can take a nap, okay?”
Niall nodded and sniffed.
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After Simon laid Niall on the couch, he called Liam.
“Hello?” Liam answered.
“Are you missing someone, Liam?” Simon asked gently.
Silence stretched before Liam gasped. “Shit!”
“Well, Niall is here. He was crying when I answered the door. He said you put him in time-out for something he didn’t do, and wouldn’t listen to his explanation. He’s napping now. You can come pick him up if you want.” Simon hung up.
An hour later, a worried Liam knocked on Simon’s door. He opened it to see a frantic Liam. “Where is he?” he asked.
Simon pointed to the couch where Niall was sitting, watching Tom and Jerry.
Liam quickly scooped Niall up and hugged him tightly. “Oh god! Don’t run away like that, Niall!” he sighed.
Niall squirmed and tried to wriggle free. “No! Me no wove daddy!” he yelled.
Liam’s heart ached. “Why, baby?”
“Daddies no wove Ni!”
“Oh baby. We do love you, very much. We’re so sorry we blamed you for breaking the vase,” Liam said, kissing Niall’s forehead. “How about we go home and watch any movie you like?”
Niall considered this for a moment before nodding. “We cuddle?”
Liam smiled. “Yes, we cuddle.”
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When they got home, Harry and Louis were still on the steps, crying. They saw Niall being carried in and ran to him. “We’re so sorry, NiNi!” they cried, hugging him tightly.
Niall hugged them back and smiled. “Me fowgive wou!”
They all sat on the couch watching *Finding Nemo* and cuddling. By the end of the movie, Harry and Louis were snuggled against Niall, all asleep. Liam and Zayn watched them, cooing softly.
Liam took Niall to his room. Zayn took Harry and Louis to their own room. Liam changed Niall’s diaper and put him in his crib. “Night, NiNi,” he murmured, kissing his forehead. “Love you.”
“Wove wou too, daddy,” Niall mumbled sleepily.
They all had their hard days, but tonight, they were a happy family.
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