paint · ziam au

epilogue

-_-_-

(words: 1.407)

-_-_-

3 months later...

*-*-*

"I hope this is okay."

"It's perfect Liam."

"But seriously, if you want to go somewhere else, I've totally got a plan B prepared."

"Dude, I said it was perfect." Zayn chuckles as he laid the purple blanket evenly onto the ground, covering up the itchy grass a few feet away from the lake. He sat down, crisscross, and patted the space next to him, looking up at a worried looking Liam with bright hazel eyes that reflected against the daylight that was soon to be gone in just a few minutes.

Liam hesitantly sat down and placed the picnic basket right next to him, he sighed and placed a hand on Zayn's knee and caressed it with his thumb. "Babe, if this is getting repetitive or anything-"

"Oh my God!" Zayn laughed and threw his head back, his beautiful teeth flashing behind his pink lips. He turned to look at Liam, cupping his face and looked at him with loving eyes. "Liam, this is only the second time we've been here on a date, why are you so nervous?"

Liam's eyes caught the small scar that was on one side of the young man's cheek. It was barely even noticeable, but it still angered the brunet immensely. Even though Dean was long gone, it still made Liam's fist tremble.

The fact someone tried to hurt his Zayn in anyway was just enough to earn Liam's hate. Zayn was his everything, nobody had the right to hurt him.

The company was now Liam's, which made him a whole lot busier. But that didn't mean he didn't have time for Zayn.

Sometimes, Zayn would sneak into his office and bring him lunch or show him his latest masterpiece. Zayn would be excellent company, helping him staple paperwork and yet manage to keep up a conversation as he did so.

Zayn wanted to finish highschool so he could go to uni. Liam doubted the idea, but he realized that he didn't want to keep Zayn locked up in the house all day doing nothing. So he agreed and managed to find a teacher that was willing to teach Zayn the three years of highschool he had left. He would graduate and then soon enter the university of his choice and Liam would pay for everything.

Liam was getting better at this 'Sugar Daddy' thing. Except Zayn hates it when he says that ("I don't love your money, I love you.").

But Liam also hates calling himself that, it reminded him of the times Louis would tease him because of that. He still sees Louis around at work, sometimes at meetings or in the break room. They don't talk and Liam doesn't think they ever will. He never fired him, but he still keeps an eye on him.

Harry was kind of almost dating Niall. He would show up Liam's office saying that he just came by to say hello, but seconds later he would ask for directions to wherever Niall was.

Liam notices Harry stares at Louis too, but Louis somehow knows Harry pistol whipped him and just rolls his eyes.

Zayn had managed to remember almost everything from his past. Some of it caused nightmares and weekly trips to the therapist, but he was going to move on and forget all the horrible things Dean had done to him.

Zayn was the strongest person Liam knew.

"Liam?" Zayn asked, snapping Liam out of the thoughts of the things that have happened the last few months. "Are you okay?"

Liam nodded and took Zayn's hands off of his face and held them in his own. "I'm fine. If you really like it here, then let's eat." He grinned.

Zayn smiled back and nodded, leaning in and kissing Liam's button nose.

Liam pulled out the food from the basket and turned on the radio, soft romantic music played in the background, perfect for the mood.

They ate and laughed and talked, the past events being something that have been long forgotten.

Liam's got Zayn and Zayn's got Liam. What more can they ask for?

Then came the moment of realization when Liam's mind goes blank and the only thing in it was Zayn. The moment when he first met him, the moment when he first touched him, the moment when he first realized he was in love with him started to play on repeat in his head. He couldn't believe this was happening, that someone like Zayn was right here in front of him.

He saved Zayn's life and Zayn saved his. Soon enough, they became each other's life.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Zayn asked, giggling when he finished up his food.

Liam didn't bother turning away, he didn't feel embarrassed getting caught admiring Zayn's beauty. He was a work of art, he deserved to be admired. "There's one last thing in the basket. Mind pulling it out?"

"Liam, if it's lube-"

"It's not." Liam continued to smile lovingly and that strangely worried Zayn and gave him butterflies in his stomach.

Zayn eyed him for a second before biting his lip and pulling the basket closer to him. He had an idea in his head of what the surprise item could be, just by the look on Liam's face, he could tell it was something very special.

Zayn slowly put his hand in the basket, it was nearly empty besides the few napkins in there. But his hand soon came in contact with a small velvety cube.

Zayn closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, trying to tell himself that maybe it wasn't what he thought it was. He didn't want to get happy over nothing.

He pulled it out and opened his eyes, looking down at the item in his hands. He stared at it for a few seconds, realizing that it definitely was what he thought it was.

Soon, it was carefully plucked out of his hands. Zayn didn't realize his eyes had watered until he looked up and felt a single tear slip down his cheek. Liam, the love of his life, stared at him with the most adoring look he had ever seen on a person, soon opened the small box revealing the ring that had managed to survive the impact against the wall.

Zayn whimpered and pursed his lips, feeling another tear slip down his cheek at the sight of the ring.

"Zayn, I-I didn't really plan this out. All I really know is that you're the best damn thing that has ever happened to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you and please forgive me for the mistakes I've made. I promise I'll change and become a better man-"

"Don't." Zayn interrupted, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Don't ever change." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Liam's neck, almost ignoring the ring he had in his hands. "I love you, I love you, I love you." He chanted quietly in his ear.

Liam hugged him back tightly, feeling a few tears slip out of his own eyes as well. They stayed like that for a while until Liam finally pulled away and brought the ring back in front of Zayn.

"Zayn." He let out a deep and shakey breath. "Will you marry-"

"Yes." Zayn interrupted. "Yes, yes, yes I'll marry you." He hugged Liam again, holding on tightly as if he would break if he would let go.

Liam felt his heart skip a beat when Zayn said those words. The weight of the world seemed to be lifted off of his shoulders by the time the ring was placed on Zayn's finger.

He had never felt this happy in years.

They were now sitting closer by the lake, the sun was finally setting and it reflected against the water. Liam had his arm wrapped around Zayn's shoulder and Zayn looked down at their reflection in the water.

Everything felt so perfect.

Zayn pulled out his journal, the one that Liam had gifted and was always by his side. He flipped to a new page, looking up at Liam who stared at the sunset, he looked back down at the empty page and with his pen he wrote with small and neat hand writing:

His love is my everything. It's all I ever need.

That was only the beginning of their story.

FIN

-_-_-