𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

1.8𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

Holding out his hand was a bold move, but Zayn needed Liam, especially when grief clutched him tightly. Zayn wasn't thinking correctly. Even if he were, Liam would still be the main attraction among his thoughts.

Zayn's breath hitched when Liam stretched out a hand to touch him too. Zayn had observed Liam over the past few days. His mate was shy, timid, and clumsy. He stuttered on his words, tripped on air, and lived in his head more than the real world. He doubted that Liam would be confident enough for a handshake, yet here he was, centimetres away from touching him.

He feels it too. He might not know what the feeling is yet, but he knows there's something there, Zayn thought, zoning in on their fingers, so close, the tips tingled.

Liam moved closer and closer and-

Zayn's spine fizzed when their fingers smoothed over one another. His heart stopped. His lungs refused to inhale. The air no longer moved around them. The world darkened, and their fingers were in focus like a spotlight above shined only on them.

Liam's fingers brushed over Zayn's hand and to his palm. Zayn curled his fingers around his mate's soft skin. Liam's hand looked tiny compared to Zayn's, and fragile, and unscathed. Zayn's skin was tough and hot and covered in small scars.

Liam's eyes lingered over his bruised knuckles as his grip on Zayn tightened.

The handshake lasted only a few seconds, but to Zayn, it lasted forever.

Even after Liam let go, Zayn's palm tingled. He looked at his hand, expecting Liam's small fingers to have made an imprint on his skin. His hand cooled immediately, and Zayn fought with himself not to lean across the table and take Liam's hand back.

While they sat in the library, Zayn fought a mental
battle to stay seated. The anger that streamed from his body only moments ago, was now calm. What he did to Jaiden was like a distant dream. Going to the library was the right decision. As soon as his eyes met Liam's, Zayn's world filled with colour again. Brown eyes were the only things he wanted to see.

He perched on the armchair opposite his mate who sat crossed-legged on the couch, propping notebooks on his lap. Liam twirled a pen around his fingers and softly chewed on his bottom lip. Zayn's heart burst every time he saw his deep dimples.

Zayn sat with his back against the cushions, an elbow on each armrest and his fingers connected. He stared at Liam so intensely, Baela kept texting him to tell him to stop otherwise he'd freak the human out.

Zayn eventually blocked her number.

Baela got the gist and stopped worrying, leaving her Alpha to his fate of scaring the human away before anything happened between them. Though Liam was so into his studies, he didn't notice Zayn's desire-filled eyes. Liam glanced at him occasionally, and every time he did, Zayn was already looking,

"So, Liam" Baela said, bored of pretending to look at rocks and volcanoes on Liam's laptop. "Have you always lived in this town?"

Zayn crossed his arms, thankful for Baela being with them. Zayn was excellent at creating awkward situations. He didn't know how to hold a conversation unless he was yelling at someone.

"Yes" Liam said with a little smile. "I was born in the hospital five miles from here"

"What year?"

"Two thousand and five."

"And that makes you... eighteen." Baela seemed surprised by that.

"I look younger, I know."

Zayn wasn't sure if Liam spoke quietly because they were in a library, or of Liam was naturally quiet. Zayn liked the sound of his voice; the softness to it soothed him.