Chapter Text
Today was an extremely special day for Harry and Liam Styles, for lots of different reasons. For starters, today was the 3 year anniversary of the day that they got married. However, more importantly, they would become adoptive parents to three foster children today.
From the day they met, Harry had always talked about having children of his own to Liam. He loved children. He loved their pure, innocent, whimsical nature, he loved how excited they got over things adults rolled their eyes at. Harry was a family man, plain and simple, so, 3 years ago today, Liam promised him that they would have their own family someday.
That wasn't as easy as it sounded, obviously. First, they had to meet with the court,and with various social workers before they were approved to become adoptive parents. That process was even longer than usual, considering Harry and Liam were a gay couple, and there's still a bit of homophobic stigma against gay adoption within the law. However, they were aproved, and now, they waited for the kids to arrive.
There was cake and balloons and punch and snacks waiting for them when they arrived. That was Liam's idea. Giving them treats as a way to welcome them to the Styles family. And boy, did these kids need a treat more than anyone, based on what the paperwork for them said
Both of the dads to be were absolutely buzzing with excitement, as they waited in the living room for the social worker and the 3 children to arrive.
"I can't wait to meet them, Li. I bet they're all really excited and happy and I can't wait to meet them," Harry rambled with excitement, wearing a perma-smile.
Liam traced his fingers through his husband's hair, "I know Haz, I'm excited too, but to be fair though, i don't think anyone is more excited than you are."
"Not true," Harry pouted, "But honestly, I am pretty bloody excited. I wish I could adopt every orphan and foster kid out there."
"I know, Harry. I know."
-
Meanwhile, the three children that were on their way could hardly contain themselves as they sat in the back of a car, backpacks carrying all of their belongings.
"Oh my god! We're rich! We're going to have all the monies!!" Louis exclaimed while he pointed out of the window, pure awe in his eyes at the well to do neighborhood they were in. Sure, it wasn't that luxurious. They wouldn't be making it onto the forbes list any time soon, but it was better than anything any of them had ever seen with their own two eyes.
"I know LouLou! We're like Annie!!" Niall flapped his hands wildly and smiled.
The three boys continued to coo and caw over every house they passed, the car filled with loud, jovial squealing, and why wouldn't they? they were headed off to a better life.
-
Right at that moment, Liam was thinking about just how messed up their previous lives had been before. He had had a long talk with the social worker the night before, detailing the kids' background and all of their different needs.
Niall was the youngest, at 4 and a half years. He was born in ireland to a teen mom, who was extremely neglectful. One day, Child Protective Services was called after a neighbor heard the baby screaming at the top of it's lungs, while his mother had left to go do god knows what. He had been passed around by countless foster families before somehow ending up at that particular orphanage. He had also gotten diagnosed as being autistic only about 6 or 7 months ago, and he was extremely sensitive to certain noises, textures, smells, and tastes, and he also learned how to read early. Niall was extremely clumsy and had poor motor skills as well, so he needed to be closely watched.
The next one was Louis, a 6 year old that had a physically and verbally abusive family. He was routinely hit, slapped, yelled at, and even burned with a cigarette at one point. He still had the scar on his forehead from that incident. Teachers got suspicious as to why he always came to school with various bruises and scars, which lead to an investigation into the home and Louis being put into foster care. He still got lots and lots of nightmares and flashbacks from his situation, and he ended up with a few violent tendencies of his own.
Nonetheless, he was still an extremely bright and sweet kid.
Lastly was Zayn, the oldest one of the bunch at 8 years old. Unlike Louis and Niall, he wasn't born to abusive or neglectful parents. However, he was orphaned at an extremely young age. His father died of lung cancer when Zayn was only 3, and his mother suffered from brain damage, and died 2 years later. At one point, he was even homeless, left to fend for himself. He was turned in to foster care, and he began to get bounced from family to family, no one really wanting to keep him, because he was 'too much to handle', which chipped away at the poor boy's self esteem. It turned out, he had ADHD, and needed to take his medication daily to keep calm, and keep focused. But try getting an 8 year old to take a bitter pill every day, and see if they do. In the mean time, Zayn was a very artistically inclined young boy, constantly painting and drawing on things.
"They had such messed up lives, Haz," Liam announced after he submerged himself in thought, "Why would you burn a child with a cigarette? I just-"
"I know. But the good part is that they have a nice, loving home with us now," Harry responded.
Just then, he heard doorbell ring.
They both sprang up, to open the door for whoever it was, and it was them.
Harry swung the door open, revealing their three new sons, and the social worker, a brunette woman in her mid- late 20s.
The kids couldnt contain their excitement, and honestly, neither could Liam and Harry.
After a bit of paper signing and reiteration of conditons, medical papers, and the like, she started to leave.
"They're all yours now, Mr. Styles. Call me if you need to ask me about anything regarding the boys, I'll be more than happy to help," The woman chattered warmly, before saying her goodbyes to the children.
"Bye Miss Smith!" the three boys said in unison, before going into the house.
And boy, were they ever in awe when they saw the inside of the house.
"Whoa!" Niall gasped, his mouth falling open at the sight of the pool in the backyard through the back doors.
"Sick!" Zayn smiled at the flat screen TV hanging on the wall. It was huge, and costed a fortune.
Meanwhile, Louis was just eyeing the cake and snacks on the dining room table.
"Hey there! Welcome home boys!" Harry greeted warmly.
"We're your new parents. I'm Daddy, and He's Papa" Liam explained.
"Papa? But you look like a Mommy!" Niall cooed at Harry. Niall was still extremely young, and therefore he thought the only difference between male and female was the hair lengths.
That prompted a laugh from both Harry and Liam at his innocence.
"Ni, psst, sometimes boys have long hair and girls have short hair." Zayn 'whispered' at Niall. Which wasn't really a whisper at all because everyone can hear what he said.
"Can we eat the cake? I want cake!" Louis exclaimed out of nowhere.
"Sure thing, Lou. Have as many pieces as you want. There's plenty of cake and snacks to go around," Liam said as he walked over to the dining room table and began cutting the cake and placing slices onto paper plates.
The others, (including Harry) basically sped over to the table to grab a slice, and dig in.
The table became a mess of excitement and chattering, which was only accelerated by the prescense of sugar and young children.
"Daddy! Louis isnt using a fork or a spoon to eat!" Niall tattled.
"You don't need a fork to eat cake," Louis responded, digging his hand into his slice and shoving it into his mouth, purple frosting coating both of his hands.
And honestly, Harry and Liam should have been telling Louis not to make a mess, but hey, it was the first day in the house. They could stand to see a bit of mess.
And afterwards they all had a bit of a quasi-party, running around in the backyard, and celebrating their first day.
1 down, a hell of a lot more to go