SAFE :: ZAYN

[04]

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"Jah, what are you doing?" Zayn asked quietly, watching his son press buttons on the remote.

"Changing the channel," he answered with a smile, "I'm bored, when can we go?"

"I don't know, man," Zayn leaned back in the bed and closed his eyes. In all truth, getting pampered and fed at your every beckon and call because you were severely malnourished had its perks. He was fed and he didn't want to leave, but of course he had to and it was plain as day. He was a homeless man, and as soon as he went back out something stupid was going to happen again, like fighting with a man who took your last bit of food for your son. He couldn't do it again.

"Daddy, you hungry?" Jahdai asked and Zayn just shook his head, "I'm hungry."

"You'll get some in a few," Zayn replied, opening his eyes to look at the boy, "Yemi is coming back, okay?"

"Cool," he huffed and lied against him, his face on his clothes chest, "are you okay?"

"Yes."

"When can we go?"

"I don't know," Zayn chuckled weakly, his cheeks hurting, "just sleep or something, bud."

"No, I'll stay up with you," Jahdai sat up and watched some weird cartoon about crystal gems, "I like this show, daddy."

"You do?"

"Mhm," Jahdai looked at him, "are you sleepy?"

"A little."

"Goodnight then," he kissed his cheek and Zayn just laughed, hugging him close and closing his eyes again.

Meanwhile, Yemi Khan was just leaving her salon after a day's work and bundles and makeup, the whole nine. She arrived to the hospital with Jahdai's homemade dinner, along with Zayn's. Her mom always made too much for dinner on the weekends so Yemi took some with her.

She got out the car and walked into the hospital, feeling the cold breeze and rushing in. The fourth floor was where she went and unfortunately, the elevator was taking forever and she didn't want the food to get cold.

"Sheesh," Yemi rolled her eyes and got on the elevator, "it's so cold, God."

"Are you okay, dear?" a nurse asked while on the elevator and Yemi nodded, telling her how she was anemic.

Yemi got off and headed to Zayn's room, her large purse containing the warm beef stew in a large container. She had to break out the expensive ones with the seal just so the stew wouldn't spill in her new purse.

"Hi, guys," she whipsrered, noticing Jahdai's eyes closed as he lied down on his father, "am I too late?"

"No," Zayn yawned and stared ahead at her, "he's been sleep for a little while. Talks so much."

She grinned, closing he door and the blinds, and pulling the tray towards her. "My mom makes great beef stew, just so you know. Don't knock it 'til you try it."

"Thank you," Zayn hummed at the smell of the stew, his body relaxing. Jahdai snorted in his sleep and woke up slowly, noticing Yemi in the corner, "hey, little man."

"Hi," he sat up on Zayn's stomach and Yemi frowned, knowing it was a bit uncomfortable.

"Come here, I got you some food."

"Oh, yay!" he perked up and got off Zayn, who took a huge sigh of relief and put his hand on his ribs, "what is it?"

"Well, it's no Wendy's," she played and he just giggled, "but it's beef stew."

"What's that?"

"It's like a soup but better," she replied easily, "want some?"

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled and stared at the food in awe, "I've been waiting for you."

"I'm sorry, man," she smiled and poured his stew in another smaller container she brought in that huge purse of hers, "here's a spoon."

"Thank you," he was so polite, goodness. Jahdai sat in her lap and ate a spoonful, smiling and humming in delight. "This is so good!"

"I was hoping so," Yemi just smiled and let him sit on her while she closed the lid, "did you want some. Zayn?"

"I'm good, thank you."

"Daddy ate before you got here," Jahdai elaborated because Zayn was a man of few words.

"Okay. Are you feeling better, Zayn?"

"Yes," his face scrunched a little, "just...just my ribs. Hurts to breathe."

"Anything else wrong?"

"No, just wanna leave."

Yemi bit her lip  before blurting out the last thing she wanted to say without thinking. "You know you're going to be staying with me until you get better, right?"

"Y--"

"I'm serious."

Zayn sighed, not saying a word as he frowned. "I don't...I don't want you to. You've done enough."

Yemi couldn't believe she was about to do this. "I want you both to be safe, especially in this weather. You and Jahdai are way too small now and I'd rather have you both with me. If not thinking about yourself, think about your child."

And the child part got to him, Zayn tried to fight it off but in all truth, he cared about his little boy and what was best for him. But...but there were just some things he needed from where he was and he didn't know how to express it.

Zayn scratched his arm out of habit and Yemi frowned. "Yeah, okay. Just until I get better."

She didn't say much after, just watched Zayn twitch every now and then. He had been doing it before, but it progressively got more noticeable and she worried he was hooked on some type of drug.

And she feared that there was more to him than she thought, and Jahdai had no idea.

-

SHEESH

GOD

BYE