Icarus | Z.M.

59 | Eight

(1/2 of the double update!)

Victoria Tomlinson

Zayn's arms were wrapped tight around me.

My cheek was on his chest, our bodies tangled together beneath his bedsheets. His chin was resting on top of my head, and I could feel the soft breaths he let out hit against the top of my head. He was awake, I could tell by the way his fingers were toying with pieces of my hair, but he hadn't loosened his hold. I didn't know if he knew I was awake. I had only just woken up and was still in that groggy state of half sleep where I couldn't move, and I could so easily fall right back asleep in his arms.

I'd been staying with him for five days. Five days of sleeping beside him, waking up beside him, five days of pretending we were just normal people. I would never be able to express to him how thankful I was for this, I'd never be able to put it into words. He had helped me more in the past few days than I ever thought could be possible.

I inhaled deeply, letting the scent of him fill my nostrils, a scent that filled me with warmth and comfort. My cheek nuzzled into his chest more and I tightened my arm that was slumped around him. He was just so warm and so comfy, I never wanted to leave or let go of him.

And I'd given in. I stopped resisting him. I didn't try to pull away or pretend I wanted him to stop anytime he tried to touch me or hug me. Because I wanted him to. There was nothing more I wanted than even just the smallest of touches. When he would play with my hair or just run his hands along my skin.

Zayn realised I was awake when I'd moved. He pulled his chin from where he had been resting on my head and shuffled down, until his face was opposite mine, and our noses brushed. I still had my eyes closed but could feel his breath on my cheeks. I was smiling only because I couldn't help it.

"Hi." I mumbled, still half asleep. I couldn't raise my voice above a whisper.

"Hi." He grumbled, his voice still low and gravelly from just waking up. His hand came to rest on my cheek, his thumb ran back and forth beneath my eye. "Morning."

I opened up my eyes, seeing him so close in front of me was one of my favourite things. I could see all of the little details of his face. Every long eyelash that framed his eye, every faint freckle on his cheek that I would never have noticed before, every shade of colour in his eye. His eyes flicked between mine for a second, a soft smile on his own face. I could see the way he was contemplating something in his head, thinking about what to say or do next.

He leaned forward to press his lips to mine. But before he could kiss me, I turned my head to the side so that his lips connected with my jaw instead. He let out a small, irritated groan, but took the opportunity to press kisses along my jaw and my cheek.

"Why'd you turn away?" he murmured into my ear, pressing his lips to my cheek bone.

I shrugged. It was the honest answer. I didn't actually know why I had turned away, because the truth was I always wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to be kissing me all of the time. It was the only thing and the only feeling on my mind at all times.

He only let out a breath through his nose, and then brought my face back to his since his hand was on my cheek. His lips met mine quickly, and with a little force that caught me off guard. But I found myself melting into him in seconds, smiling at the sound when he hummed into my mouth. His hand slid from my cheek to hold the back of my head, and his opposite arm tightened around my shoulders, pulling my body to be pressed flat against his.

"You okay?" He mumbled into my mouth, pressing another kiss to my lips before he rested his forehead against his.

I nodded, sliding my hand from his side into his hair.