Wrong Side of Love (Ziam bodyswap)

Epilogue

Liam glances down as he lets the warm water glide over him. It flattens his hair, obscures his vision, but he can still see it, faint and small but clearly there, just on the inside of his thigh. It'd hurt like a bitch, in such a sensitive spot, and it was definitely the most awkward experience he'd ever had at a tattoo shop, especially with Louis right there, laughing the whole time the bulky, heavily tattooed man had spent between his legs. But he doesn't regret it for a single second.

He hears the bathroom door crack but he doesn't even blink. Living with Zayn has made him used to that, as well as the fact that he can never find the shirt he's planning on wearing because Zayn's stolen it at some point, and the line-up of hair products on his counter, and the sketchpad on the bedside table that Zayn takes out sometimes and writes in, when he's sleepy and yawning, pen clutched loosely in his hand.

"Morning, babe," Zayn calls through the frosted glass. "Just brushing m' teeth."

"Morning," Liam calls back while reaching for the shampoo. He lathers his hair, closes his eye, and turns so he's under the water completely as he washes it out.

When he rubs at his eyes and opens them again, Zayn's grinning at him, totally naked. "I lied," he admits. "Woke up for shower sex."

Liam laughs, wrapping his arms around Zayn's waist, turning him so he's under the spray of water instead. Zayn makes an upset sound, trying to blow the water out of his mouth as Liam pinches his sides, gliding his hands down Zayn's slick skin. "We nearly cracked your head open last time," he reminds Zayn.

Zayn shrugs, pushing forward until Liam's trapped against the damp wall. "Practice makes perfect," he says, leaning in for a kiss.

But then he pulls back, eyes moving down Liam's body. He frowns, hand moving down to Liam's thigh. It brushes lightly over the tattoo, tracing the small 'Z' with his nail. "Liam," he says, husky and quiet. "When did you get that?"

"Few days ago," Liam admits, which is why it's healed enough for Zayn to touch it without irritating it. "When you went to visit your friends."

Last night was their first night together in almost two weeks, and the lights had been off when Zayn had come home to find Liam asleep, since he wasn't scheduled to get back until Friday.

"Do you like it?" Liam asks.

Zayn kisses him hard, his hair dripping onto Liam's forehead. Liam kisses him back, scratching lightly at his skin, no desperation in it, just warmth and a simmering happiness that has his toes curling and his lips tilting up against Zayn's.

He wonders, all the time, how long the honeymoon period lasts. It's been months since Zayn called off his engagement with Perrie. It's been exactly eight weeks since they announced their relationship to the world. It's been almost a year since Liam woke up to Louis sleeping beside him and a neat little 'Z' penned onto his thigh. And it doesn't ever lessen. It hasn't went away. Zayn still makes his stomach twist and his skin feel like it's on fire. He still makes Liam smile like he's the greatest thing in the world, because he sort of is, to Liam at least.

And he doesn't want that to end, nor does he think it ever will, at this point.

"I love you," he says.

Zayn grins at him. "One more time?"