Zayn passed the dinner quietly. Jasmine was asleep the whole time even though sometimes he wished she’d wake up crying so he would have an excuse to leave the room. Harry did invite him to go for a few drinks and his mother offered to take care of Jasmine but Zayn refused saying that he was tired. He picked Jasmine and went up to their room. Before he was about to change his clothes the door opened and Louis walked in, “thanks Zee. Good night,” his step brother said softly. He kissed Zayn’s cheek and left the room again.

Zayn sighed and dropped down on the bed. He didn’t get any sleep that night, and even if he did, he would have been woken up by Jasmine’s cries three times. It was still early when he got out of bed to prepare and go for the guys but since Jasmine was still asleep he took an opportunity while everything was still calm.

His mother drove him there and the two boys hugged him as soon as they saw him.
“We missed you Zayn,” Liam told him already turning to Jasmine.
“Did you miss me or Jasmine?” Zayn teased and the three of them giggled.

He presented them to his mother and they took the drive back home, chatting loudly as if they haven’t seen each other in years, Trisha laughing along with them. Back home it was quiet. Everyone was out so the three boys went up to Zayn’s room.

“You should have gone to the hotel first guys. You’ll end up arriving there really late,” Zayn told them.
Liam and Niall looked at each other and Zayn stared at them confused. “We’re not gonna stay in a hotel Zee,” Liam told him.
“Huh? But I don’t have any place here where you could stay!” Zayn said.
“No loser!” Niall said laughing, “Me and Li decided to move here. We’re Jasmine’s uncles after all. We can’t leave her alone with you.”
“Can I hug you? Both of you? I love you guys,” Zayn said jumping on them and the three laughed together. “Seriously? You’re staying here? Like in Bradford? With me?” he continued and both Niall and Liam nodded.

“Anyway,” Niall said, “enough of us. What happened last night?”
Zayn’s mood turned down right away and he sighed, “Well, what I told you on the phone. Louis told me that he never stopped thinking about me and he got with Harry because he thought I felt nothing for him.”
“What made him say that then?” Liam asked.
“Uh, well, I kissed him?”
“You what?” Liam asked.
“It was just a peck really. I pulled away quickly but then he came forward and kissed me again.”
“He what?” Liam said again.
“Liam!”
“Sorry, but this is a little too much. God Zayn, Louis loves you and not Harry. He thinks you don’t that’s why he kissed you. He believed that you don’t love him back so it won’t matter if he kissed you.”
“Wow. You should become a philosopher babe,” Niall commented.
“Ni now’s not the time!”

Zayn looked at Liam, “No, he kissed me because there could never be anything between us. Because we’re step brothers, we live under the same roof and it could never work out. He told me that too.”

The three fell into silence again.
“I think he still deserves to know that he’s a father Zayn. It’s his responsibility too after all.”
“I kept it a secret for this long Liam. I can’t just go onto him now and tell him, ‘congratulations Louis, you’re a dad!’”

The three sighed at once and went silent again.

They didn’t talk much about it after that. Zayn helped them move in their new apartment even though they spent most of the time in Zayn’s room. The other did try to come up with the topic from time to time but Zayn ended up telling them that it couldn’t happen.

“Zayn you have to!”Liam argued.
“No I don’t.”
“Yes you do. Louis has to know.”
“What do I have to know?” Louis appeared from Zayn’s door, looking at the other three. Zayn turned white as he looked back at Liam.

“Tell him,” Liam said really softly, just enough for Zayn to hear. Zayn shook his head. “Um, hey Louis,” Liam greeted, “uh, Zayn has to tell you something privately so we’re just gonna make some space yea Niall?” Both he and Niall got up and left the room, closing the door behind them and leaving Zayn and Louis alone.

“What is it Zee? Since when are you scared to tell me things?” Louis said with a smile as he sat next to him.
Zayn took a few deep breaths, “just promise me you wouldn’t hate me after I tell you this.”
“Hate you?” Louis asked surprised.
“And, just know, that I did it because I was scared and I thought that it had meant nothing to you so I figured it was best to keep it a secret. I still think it’s best to do so, for everyone, but well, you have the right to know.” Zayn pulled that out in one breath, his body trembling slightly.
“Zayn you’re scaring me,” Louis told him.

Zayn broke eye contact and looked down at the floor, “you’re a dad.”
They were quiet for a few until Louis burst out laughing. Zayn looked up at him confused. “Oh my god Zayn. You nearly had me there. I almost believed you! Are you taking some drama courses or something? Shit, you’d be a perfect actor.”
Zayn’s mouth fell open. “I’m not kidding Lou.”
However, Louis kept on laughing. Zayn sighed and got up, picking Jasmine and almost pushing her into Louis’ face, making him stop laughing. “Look at her eyes Lou. Don’t you notice anything similar?” Zayn said as serious as ever.
Louis looked up at Zayn, “wait, you’re telling me that she’s…” he didn’t finish the sentence.

Zayn pulled her back close to his chest and turned around, giving his back to Louis, “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Again the room fell into silence. Louis got up and turned Zayn back facing him, “If you’re joking-“
“I’m not!” Zayn cut him off. “I’m not joking. I didn’t tell you because I was scared. I thought it was nothing to you so I lied. But it’s not true, I didn’t go with anyone else after I moved. God I knew about it before I even left here. I thought it meant nothing to you so I kept lying, then you got with Harry and I was even more scared. I thought, I thought that you’ll take her away from me. And then that night at the park, I don’t want you to think that it was nothing for me, that you mean nothing to me. And if I didn’t tell you this you’ll keep believing that I had an affair with someone else when I left. But that’s not true. There was no one else after you Lou.”

Louis stayed in the same position for a few until he turned to leave. “Louis please!” Zayn called out.
“What? What do you want me to say Zayn?”
“Where are you going?” Zayn asked him.
“To Harry’s. I have to stay away from here for a few.”
“Don’t tell him, please Lou.”
Louis was about to answer him when he remembered when Zayn didn’t want Harry to see Jasmine, “is that why you didn’t want Harry to see her? Is that why you’re trying so hard to keep her and yourself away from him?”
“Yes. Because you have as much right to her as I do and you could take her from me.”
“Do you really believe that I would do such thing?”
“I never believed you would have sex with me Louis or that you where gay. I never believed that I get pregnant or that you’ll end up dating a guy you always made fun of. Yet here we are!”
 

Louis looked down, confused and surprised by what was going on. “Are you telling me this now because I’m with Harry?”
Zayn’s eyes widened, “what? No. You can go to hell with your Harry for all I care. If you really think that this is the reason I’m telling you this you really think low of me Louis. I’d never do that.”

“I’m going,” Louis said and he left Zayn’s room. Zayn sat down on the bed, looking down at Jasmine who was currently biting on her fingers.
“I’m sorry Jas, but I don’t think daddy Louis’ ready for you. And it’s all my fault.”