lonely hearts club | zianourry au [COMPLETE]

eleven

"i'm a terrible best friend," niall mumbles to zayn. they're all at harry's house, and everyone but zayn and niall are helping him make cookies. niall's head is in zayn's lap, and zayn shifts a little so he can see his face.

"huh? why do you say that?" zayn asks. he brushes niall's hair back from his forehead.

"i'm the worst. calum..." niall's throat goes tight just thinking about it. "i'm not very good. as a person, i mean."

"i think you're wrong. everyone makes mistakes, baby boy. give him a call. he's your best friend, and he loves you."

"i don't think he does anymore," niall whispers.

"apologizing means a lot, baby. more than you'd think. just talk to him, yeah?"

"i don't know, zayn."

"just try," zayn urges. he kisses niall's forehead. "if you want to call him now, that's okay. i'll be in the kitchen, yeah, sweetheart?"

"okay," niall mumbles. zayn kisses his forehead again before getting up from the kitchen. niall fiddles with his phone, chewing on his lower lip, and finally dials calum's number.

"hello?"

"oh!" niall gasps, because he truly hadn't expected calum to pick up.

"what do you want, niall?" calum sounds annoyed.

"i -- i --" niall pauses, swallowing hard. "i'm sorry. i'm so sorry, calum. you said i was the worst best friend, and you were right. you were so right. i'm the worst best friend. but -- but -- i want to do better. because i love you. i want to be here for you, like you have been for me. and i know i don't deserve it. i don't deserve your forgiveness, but...i don't want life without you, cal."

"idiot," calum mutters after a long pause.

"huh?"

"i said you're an idiot!"

"i know i am..."

"i forgive you, ni-ni. just...don't do it again, okay?"

niall can't help but start laughing, he's so happy. "i won't, i won't! i'm at harry's right now, but i'll come by your house after if that's okay?"

"okay, ni...wait, you're at harry's? what ended up happening with that?"

"i'll tell you later," niall smiles, and they hang up. beaming, niall gallops into the kitchen.

"looks like it went well," zayn smiles, and niall nods. he bounds over to his side, wrapping his arms around zayn's waist. "thank you!"

zayn kisses the top of his head. "anytime, sweetheart."

"what kind of cookies did you guys make?" niall questions just as louis puts his hand into the bowl and shoves it into his mouth. liam smacks the back of his hand, glaring, but louis just shrugs and puts it in his mouth.

"s'mores," louis answers, mouth full of cookie dough.

"s'mores cookies?" niall goes on tiptoe so he can peer into the bowl. he's about to grab a handful when harry yanks it out of his grasp. "hey!"

"if you eat all of it, there'll be no cookies," he laughs.

niall continues to pout anyway, and louis cups his cheeks in both hands and kisses him quickly. it makes his pout go away, but it also makes him blush, which all the boys coo at.

"stop it," he whines, hiding his face in his hands.

"we were waiting for you so we could put them in the oven," harry says, and they all take seats at the table so they can roll the dough together. they're one seat short, however, and niall stands there awkwardly until liam tugs him into his lap.

"so, niall," louis says. niall looks over at him, eyebrows raised. "what's going on with luke and calum, do you know?"

niall shrugs. "i'm going to his house after this, i'm hoping i'll get some answers then."

louis nods, gives his newest boyfriend a small smile. "good. luke's a friend of ours, but he's been quite evasive about what's happening."

"don't worry, i'll be a super sneaky detective," niall laughs.

"you're too fucking cute," liam mutters, and kisses the back of his head.

- - -
a few hours later, niall has butterflies in his stomach as he stands outside of calum's house. he's worried things will be super awkward, but he forces himself to ring the doorbell anyway. an awkward conversation with calum beats no conversation any day.

a few seconds later, calum pulls the front door open. "hey."

"hi, um..." niall hesitates. he doesn't know what to say.

calum just shakes his head, smiling. "come inside, dork. you know i can't stay mad at you."

niall can't help himself, he has to hug his best friend, and he tugs calum into his arms. calum laughs, hugging him back around the neck.

"i brought cookies," niall mumbles into his best friend's shirt, and calum laughs.

"a peace offering?"

"exactly."

calum and niall let go of each other and plop on the couch. between bites of cookie, niall asks what happened with him and luke.

"well," calum says slowly. "things were going well. we'd gone out a few times, but we'd never defined the relationship or said we were exclusive. i think i brought up ashton when we were hanging out, which was stupid of me...anyway, he flipped out on me. he was really, really mad..." he frowns, takes a bite of his cookie. "i still really like him, but i like ashton, too. i'm spending more time with ash lately, just because luke's anger freaked me out. he's apologized and stuff, and luke's been walking me to class sometimes...but i don't know. we'll see, i guess."

"what else?" niall prods. "you're blushing."

calum goes quiet, eating more of his cookie, and he only speaks when niall starts poking him and won't stop.

"okay, okay! there's this other guy named michael, too, that's all. i've just met him...but he seems nice, and...and he's cute. that's all. stop looking at me like that!"

niall laughs. "okay. you'll keep me posted?"

"of course." calum takes niall's hand. "what about you?"

so niall tells him everything, and it feels wonderful to have his best friend again.