Wrong Side of Love (Ziam bodyswap)

Chapter 13

"Are you avoiding him?" Louis asks.

Liam tilts his head, looking down at Louis from his bunk. Louis is standing just between the two sets of beds, hands on his hips, looking a little peeved. Niall is beside him, eyebrows raised expectantly, and Liam's been waiting for this, waiting for them to gang up on him. Doesn't mean he's going to give up without a fight, though. "Avoiding who?" he asks, innocent as one can sound when they're in Zayn Malik's body.

"Don't pull that shit," Louis warns. "You've lost your puppy eyes, Liam. It's not as effective. You can't pout your way out of this one."

"I dunno," Niall muses. "Zayn does a good wounded animal face, too." He reaches up, pinching Liam's cheeks. "You're cute. Why the hell are you avoiding Zayn?"

Liam swats his hand away. "I'm not avoiding anyone. I'm trying to nap."

"Liar," Louis says.

What's Liam supposed to say here, though? That he's avoiding Zayn because they'd kind of gotten each other off while in each other's bodies and he'd liked watching Zayn come apart too much and he feels like a creep because every time he looks in the mirror he wants to strip off his clothes and wrap a hand around himself just to watch it again? Because he has a feeling that won't go over very well with anyone, least of all Zayn. And if he tells Niall and Louis, he might as well be saying it straight to Zayn's face. You can't keep secrets in this band; they've all got big mouths.

"I'm not avoiding him," Liam says firmly.

"You're not avoiding him," Louis mocks. "You don't have a problem with the engagement. You're not in love with him." He rolls his eyes and Niall snickers. "Babe, how many times do I have to tell you that you can't lie for shit?"

"Maybe it's got to do with Perrie coming," Niall says.

Liam and Louis both tense up. Liam's heart feels like it just plummeted into his stomach. "What did you just say?"

"She's not coming," Louis gasps. "Niall, tell me she's not coming."

"Uh." Niall shrugs sheepishly. "What? Zayn asked me not to mention it!"

No. No way is she coming. No way is Zayn doing this to him. He can't ask that of Liam. He can't expect Liam to put on a happy smile around her and pretend to be her happily devoted husband-to-be. He can't. Liam will have a breakdown. It's bad enough to have to accept the fact that they're engaged; this is— this is too much.

Liam swings his legs down, hoping off the bunk. He shoves past Louis and Niall like they're pieces of furniture. He finds Zayn on the sofa, giggling laughter with his mouth hanging open as Harry attempts to get pieces of popcorn into his mouth. Harry manages, a piece landing perfectly on Zayn's tongue, and Zayn closes his mouth, swallows, and says, "Liam's mouth is good for a lot of things, apparently."

"What else do you think it's useful for?" Harry asks. "Oh, wait, you don't have to answer that, I already know what you think it'd be good for."

Liam doesn't even try to figure out that exchange. "Zayn," he says.

Zayn slowly sits up, blinking lazily at him. "You talking to me again, then?"

It's not like Liam's really been avoiding him. He hasn't. He's just been spending as much time not looking at, talking to, or thinking about Zayn as he can. Right now, he wishes he could keep doing that, but he can't. "Niall said — Niall said Perrie is coming."

"You didn't tell him?" Harry demands. "Zayn, what the hell?"

Zayn licks his lips. Liam always thought that maybe Zayn's lips were just extra dry, since Zayn is always licking at them, wetting them with his tongue. But apparently they aren't; it's just a nervous tick. "I, um." He pauses, running a hand through his hair. "I thought I mentioned it."