Wrong Side of Love (Ziam bodyswap)

Chapter 8

Adaptable. It's a good word to describe the five of them, Liam thinks. After everything, they're all adaptable. They all adapted to being put in a group. They all adapted to this life they've been thrust into, none of them having ever guessed that they could possibly be this big. And, as weird as it is, the body switch between Zayn and Liam is just another thing that they've all accepted and adapted to.

For the most part.

Liam is still kind of thrown by the whole thing, rightfully, but he's not freaking out anymore. There was a moment, yesterday, just before he'd gotten in the shower when he stopped, turning to the mirror and — He still feels guilty about that, but he didn't really look, he sort of just... grazed over Zayn's form in the mirror, completely naked, before flushing in guilt and embarrassment and climbing into the shower. But, aside from that, Liam thinks he's taking this whole thing pretty well.

That was the easy part, though. Accepting it, getting the others to realize that this has really happened, that was easy. This interview? Not so easy.

"Congratulations, by the way, Zayn," the interviewer says, "on the engagement."

She's pretty, long blonde hair, even longer legs. And she's smiling pointedly at Liam, her lips heavily glossed in a pretty pink colour. And Liam barely even registers how attractive she is. That's been an issue for a while, being able to find other people attractive. Because, yes, she's pretty. Yes, her accent is kind of hot. Is she Zayn, though? No, and honestly, no one compares to Zayn.

"Thanks," Zayn says automatically, and Liam nods along until Louis coughs. "I mean—"

"Thank you," Liam stutters. "Thanks."

"Thank you," Harry adds, probably so it doesn't seem too obvious, what just happened. "We're all very excited."

"All of you?" the interviewer says, going along with it.

"We're a package deal," Louis puts in. "Marry one of us, marry all of us. Not sure Perrie knows what she's gotten herself into."

The interviewer laughs, but it's kind of put on, like it's what she's expected to do, not because she actually found that funny. "Zayn," she says, steering the attention back to Liam, "could you tell us a bit about the engagement itself? How did you do it?"

Liam nearly rolls his eyes, but he realizes what he's about to do and represses it. But, fuck, he hates all the engagement talk normally, and now that he's Zayn he has to actively participate in talking about it. And none of them prepared for this, he thinks. They should have. They should have exchanged notes on what to say if certain questions were brought up, because Liam has no damn idea how Zayn asked Perrie to marry him.

"I just, um, asked her," Liam says. "And she said yes."

Niall snorts and Louis says, "Wow, how romantic."

"Were you nervous?" the interviewer (Liam is 70% sure her name is Deidra) asks.

"Not really," Liam says without thinking. He's irritated, and he wants this line of questioning to stop. "Don't really see why I would be," he adds. What would Zayn have to be nervous about? Is there really anyone out there who would say no if Zayn Malik asked them to marry him?

Well, maybe Beyoncé, but that's probably it.

"You weren't scared of her saying no?" Deidra asks.

"Oh, totally," Liam says, and this time the eye roll happens even though he tries not to. "That would have been horrible, right? Like, worst thing ever. I'm so glad that didn't happen."

Silence follows Liam's words, and Zayn is sitting stock straight, eyes glazed over, hands discreetly clenched. Liam winces, realizing what he's done.