Lover Dearest (Ziam Vampire AU)

Chapter 14

Liam wakes up, jostled, to himself being carried up the back staircase. Zayn's hands are on the backs of his thighs, his arms are hanging loosely around Zayn's neck, and he focuses on keeping his eyes closed and his breathing steady. He doesn't want Zayn to know he's awake, doesn't want to be dropped to the ground and expected to climb the stairs himself. He's too tired for that, and he's enjoying being wrapped around Zayn too much.

They get to the second floor, and Liam almost sighs at how quickly this is going to end. His bedroom isn't far, would only take a matter of seconds to get to. But Zayn's bypassing his floor, heading all the way up to the attic. He pushes open his door without slipping his grip on Liam, and then he's saying softly, "I know you're awake, babe."

Liam coughs awkwardly. "Hi."

Zayn leans down, pulling back the comforter and top sheet before dropping Liam gently onto the mattress. "You can go back to sleep," he says.

"Okay," Liam yawns. He struggles to pull up his shirt, because he's tired but Zayn's room is always warmer than his. Zayn helps him out, tugging the material off. And when Liam undoes his jeans and squirms, Zayn hesitates only a moment before pulling those off for him, too, tossing them to the other side of the room, in the direction of the laundry hamper. When he's done, he goes to walk away, and Liam reaches out, grabbing a fistful of his shirt. "Sleep with me?"

He can't keep his eyes open, so he doesn't get to see Zayn's response to that. Zayn pulls out of his grip, and Liam takes that as a no, but then he's getting into the other side of the bed, moving into Liam's personal space, fitting perfectly against his side.

Liam can feel Zayn's breath on his lips, and he chants that kiss me again. And this time — this time Zayn does. It's gentle, soft, and Liam's too tired to really enjoy it because he's asleep before he can kiss Zayn back.

*

"Adorable," someone coos.

Liam jerks upright, grabbing at the blankets. An arm is pinning him down, somehow impossibly heavy no matter how thin it is. And Louis climbs easily over the edge of the bed, coming right up between Liam and Zayn's legs. Zayn's still partially asleep, eyes closed, his tongue dragging out over his lips.

"Am I-" Louis pushes Zayn's arm away, squeezing into the minuscule space between them, "— interrupting something?"

It takes Liam a minute to realize why he's in Zayn's bed, not his own. Takes a minute to remember everything that happened today — yesterday? He's not sure. The flashing lights, the music, the taste of overly fried foods and the soft ground beneath his feet, the whir of the rides, the crowds of people. When he does, he wants to kill Louis for ruining it, for coming between them in this soft, peaceful moment and ruining it.

"I'm gonna tear out your throat," Zayn mutters. "Get out of my bed."

"Why?" Louis asks. "Two's company, threes a night you'll never forget."

Zayn sits up, teeth elongated, eyes black. "Louis," he warns.

"Calm down, Edward Cullen," Louis says.

Zayn frowns. "Who's Edward Cullen?"

"He was creepily in love with a human too," Louis teases. "Watched her sleep and everything. Sound familiar?"

Liam instantly jumps to conclusion, assumes that maybe Zayn's been seeing someone else. How would Liam know? Just because he's stuck in the house all the time, doesn't mean that Zayn is. Maybe he has a girlfriend or something. A human girlfriend, judging by Louis' words. But then Louis looks pointedly at Liam, and he realizes what Louis means. Oh.