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It's six-thirty in the morning and the Malik-Payne household is up and unorganized.
Unorganized because, well, let's just say that Liam went to work early and Zayn is left to help Robby to prepare for school and, really, Zayn should be trained for this because he has three sisters.
(Actually, he never really contributed to any of the household chores except occasionaly table wiping and sweeping, but in Zayn' defence, he was working, so he really didn't have time to do chores)
He wakes up at around five and Liam's not around but there's a post-it on his crotch area (an inside joke of theirs) containing Liam giving him compliments and good luck's and hope you don't screw everything up, hehe. joking! love you baby xx i know you'll do good Of course, that makes him grin like a fool because after all these years it's Liam who makes butterflies fly in his belly, it's Liam who makes him flustered, it's Liam who makes him feel like he's eighteen all over again.
Zayn considers going back to bed, but no, he's a responsible parent and he's not going to do that even though he's tired and limp from, well, you know what.
It's Robby's first day of school and Zayn is giddy and excited but mostly scared. The thought of his child alone in the school just makes him nervous. What if he gets pushed around? What if he doesn't eat his lunch?
He makes breakfast (Liam taught him three years ago, and he's still doing the same dish that Liam taught him, he doesn't really bother to explore his cooking skills, for safety purposes only), quietly humming a song he heard from the radio, and sets the plates and utensils on the table.
Waking Robby up is hard.
He's a deep sleeper, and a simple sweetheart, wake up or an alarm clock or even the television can't wake him up. Zayn once told Liam that they need to hire the services of a punk-rock metallic band, just in case.
Zayn removes the Iron Man blanket that's wrapped around Robby's body, and Robby whines a bit. Well, that's a little progress.
It's six o'clock and Robby's bathing. Zayn needed to shake and tickle him just to wake him up, as result, Robby's currently grumpy and easily irritated. All Zayn can actually do is just sigh.
At around six twenty-five, Robby's done and he's already changing his clothes, Zayn offered to help but Robby just scoffed and went straight to his room, obviously still mad at the previous tickling sesh they had. So instead of dwelling on that, Zayn just arranged Robby's bag, and he just notices something.
"Rob?" Zayn calls out.
"Yes, dad?" Robby yells back, and his voice doesn't sound mad anymore.
"Where- where are your pencils?" Zayn asks. "Have you seen them?"
"What?" Robby yells, dashing out of his room and going staright to his dad. "Wait, I lost my Avengers pencils?!"
"Rob, where did you last placed it?" Zayn asks, already panicking. Why am I panicking over this?
"I don't know!" Robby says, his voice wavering and his bottom lip wobbling. "Dad- Dad Avengers going to help I write and now Avengers is missing!"
"Rob, rob, calm down." Zayn commands (but he's panicking too because it's six thirty-five and the bus will be here at around seven and he can't have Robby throwing a fit). "We're going to find it, okay?"
Robby nods, but he's full-on sobbing now. Zayn searches the whole house, and Robby just stands there, sniffing (he stopped after a while). Zayn thinks he's going crazy, because where is this damn pencil oh my god oh my god.
Later, it's six fifty-five, and Zayn can't find the stupid Avengers pencil. He gives up, and Robby's looking at him, expecting something, but Zayn just crouches to his height, panting, and saying:
"Robby," he says, tired. "Rob, do you mind using one of my Mongol's? I promise, this will help you write too! I just think that your Avengers needed to do something important, that's why they are not here. But I promise! When you're back, they'd be here, waiting for you." Zayn explains.
After a lot of persuaying, Robby gives up and accepts the #2 Mongol Zayn gives him. Zayn sighs a breath of relief. He packs Robby's lunch and by seven they're waiting in the bus stop and Zayn is giving him the talk.
"...and you would not talk and go with strangers, do you understand me? Oh and..."
He's cut-off by the honking of the bus.
Zayn feels emotional.
"Dad! The bus!" Robby says excitedly. "Bye dad! Love you!"
Zayn stops Robby from walking and hugs him again, giving him a last kiss and letting him go. He watches as Robby climbs to the bus and takes a seat at the middle part. He watches as the bus drives, and Zayn feels proud, he feels proud because he did it. Although there's this still part of him that's anxious and nervous for Robby's well-being, he knows Robby will do good, and he'll be safe.
(Later, while Zayn is watching videos on YouTube, Liam calls him and tells him that he thinks he switched pencils with Robby. Zayn gasps and tells him the incident that happened that morning. He listens how Liam laughs and he curses him and says I love you and hangs up)