Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Interlude Two, Chapter Three

Days pass by which lead into the following week, and the two men can't seem to be in the same room as one another without fighting or at least making biting comments.

He winds up staying up until late each night so that Zayn has time to come home from work and go to sleep before he goes to bed, avoiding conversation with the man. And it's childish of him, he knows it is. He knows they need to talk things out, make head and tail of things like adults.

But he supposes he's afraid. He's built it up in his head so much, the idea of his husband whom he loves more than anything despite all the anger, sitting him down and confirming his worst fears. That he hasn't been honest. That he's met someone else.

And god, he can't bear to have that conversation.
So the avoidance tactics continue.

Until he's up at one a.m in front of the TV one night like usual and his phone rings on the couch beside him.

He frowns, picking it up and squinting at the brightness before he sees that its Harry calling. He panics and accepts quickly, fearing that the kid has had another diabetes related incident.

But when he answers, it isn't to some camp leader, it's to his son's tired, slightly subdued voice.

"Dad?" He says quietly, and Louis frowns, sitting upright.

"Haz? What's the matter, kiddo? Are you okay?" He asks quickly.

There's a small pause. Then, "no, I'm okay. Are you and Papa getting a divorce?" He asks suddenly.

He blinks at the question, stomach dropping a little before he shakes his head quickly. "No, Curly. No, of course not!"

Because it isn't something that has even crossed his mind. No matter what, he's certain that he and Zayn could work through whatever is going on eventually.

He loves the man, everything else set aside.
He isn't going to let him go that easily.

"No. Why would you think that?" He asks, because he doesn't know how Harry might have conjured up the idea when he's away at summer camp and he hasn't mentioned the fact that he and Papa aren't exactly friends at the moment.

Harry sniffs. "Just...Ni called me and he was really upset. He said you and Papa were shouting really loudly at each other, and I could hear you too, in the background," he mumbles, then sucks in a quick breath. "And if you are, then it's better if you just tell me because I'm worried anyway so -"

"Baby, we're not. Me and Papa aren't on the best terms right now, but we're not splitting up," he assures him, guilt filling him at the thought of Niall calling Harry in a panic whilst he and Zayn were too busy arguing to pay any attention.

"Then why're you yelling at each other?" He asks, before sighing. "I wanna come home. Can you come get me?"

He sounds afraid, and Louis knows the kid is working himself up.

"Baby, you only have three days left. You should try and enjoy it instead of worrying about me and -"

"I can't! I don't wanna wait three days, and - and then come home and find out that Papa's moved out or -"

Louis winces at the boy's breathlessness. He puts on his calmest voice. "Baby. Take some deep breaths, okay?" He says softly, waiting until he hears the shaky inhales and exhales before he continues. "Papa isn't leaving. He loves you boys far too much, and so do I. And we love each other very much too, even with everything going on. We just need a little time to fix things," he reassures.

Harry sniffles. "Shouting at each other isn't fixing anything. And Ni was crying because he was scared, so it just messes everything up even more," he says meekly, and Louis winces at that.