Tunnel Vision » Ziam AU «

Chapter Twenty Five

The week spent with his parents is one of the best in his life. He spends most of the day with his mum, catching up, helping her with chores, going to the grocery store with her occasionally. And he spends the nights on the sofa, watching sports with his dad or movies with the whole family. At night he sleeps with his arms around Liam, or Liam's arms around him. Once, he woke up and Liam wasn't there, and he'd padded confusedly down the stairs to find Liam in the kitchen, cooking breakfast with Safaa while his mum watched them fondly from the table.

It can't last forever, though he wishes it could. Wishes they had nothing to get back to, that they could stay there forever. But the days left dwindle down to nothing, and he and Liam pack up their stuff and then it's time for the goodbyes.

It's horrible. There's snotty-crying all around from everyone but Liam and his dad. His mum looks like she's literally about to kidnap them both and never let them leave. And Zayn wishes she would.

"Call more often," she says when she hugs him goodbye. "Once an hour, or I'll ground you."

Zayn laughs despite the lump in his throat and the tears in his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

"And you," she says to Liam, releasing Zayn so she can wrap her arms around him instead. "You come by whenever you want, understood? And you take good care of my baby."

Liam nods. "I will. I promise."

She pats his cheek. "I know you will. You're a good one, Liam. Now go, both of you, before I tie you down and keep you here forever."

Liam takes their bags and puts them in the car, and Zayn hugs the rest of his family. Just before he's about to join Liam in the car, his mum tugs him back into another hug and hisses in his ear, "I better be the first one you call when you two get engaged, okay? If I find out from some magazine I'll skin you alive. Got it?"

Zayn jerks back, eyes wide, heart hammering in his chest.

"Have a safe trip, darling!" she says happily, pushing him towards the car. "Call me when you get home so I know you're both safe."

"I— right," Zayn says, dazed. He slowly makes his way into the car, too shocked to do much else. He climbs in, Liam rolls down the window, and he waves as they pull away. Zayn can't do much more than pull his seatbelt on with fumbling hands.

Engaged. Engaged. Like, to be married. His mum thinks that — that he and Liam will— and— He's never thought about marriage in his life. Ever. Some people have that vaguely planned out future, where they figure they'll get married, have kids, settle down. Zayn's never had that. It's not that he's adverse to marriage, it's just that he's never, like, thought about it before in relation to himself.

Marriage. It's so permanent. Well, no, not always, but he can't imagine himself ever getting a divorce. If he were ever to get married, he can't see himself doing it with someone he'd ever want to be apart from. But it's — the rest of your life with one person. That kind of commitment freaks him out. How do you promise that to someone? How do you promise that to yourself? That you'll still be content with that person thirty years from now? Fuck, he can't figure out what to have for breakfast most days, let alone even think about committing to someone for the rest of his life.

But she said it like it was a sure thing. Like it was something that was inevitably going to happen, not something that might happen.

"You'll see them again soon," Liam says, pulling him out of his thoughts. He's got one hand on the wheel, one on Zayn's leg, and he looks concerned.

And he thinks that it's because Zayn's leaving his family, his silent brooding. It normally would be, and soon enough he's sure he'll fall into that short bout of depression he always does after visits, where he curls up in bed and spends all his time missing them. Right now, he's a little too busy freaking the fuck out.