Tunnel Vision » Ziam AU «

Chapter Twenty Eight

It's fairly easy to get everyone on board with their plan, but what's not easy is keeping it from Harry and Louis. And also getting them both on the bus at the same time without either of them following Josh and Niall out when they leave. Twice they've tried, and both times Harry made an excuse to follow them off the bus, thus foiling their plan. So Zayn thought of a new one. And their friends are probably going to kill them for it, and it took a look of pleading by Liam to the bus driver (who of course said yes because he and Liam were already friendly enough, since Liam befriends everyone he meets, apparently), but it's working.

It's six in the morning, is the thing. Harry and Louis are still asleep when the bus stops, and Josh and Niall stumble from their bus, rubbing their eyes and yawning, blankets thrown over their shoulders. "Too tired for this shit," Niall groans when he gets onto Zayn's bus. "Too tired for any shit."

Zayn yawns and rests his head tiredly on Liam's shoulder. "It'll be worth it," he mumbles. "True love and all that bullshit."

"It's too early for true love," Niall decides. "'m going back to bed. Josh?"

Josh is nearly falling asleep while standing up. He blindly reaches out for Niall's hand, and Niall tugs him to the sofa, where they both collapse in what looks like a really uncomfortable heap. But they stay just like that, one of Niall's feet planted firmly on the floor, Josh's head hanging off the edge, neither shifting to get in a better position.

"That was kind of impressive," Liam comments.

Of course he sounds wide awake. Liam tends to get up early, and once he's awake it's hard to get him back to bed, no matter how much begging Zayn does. "Back to sleep, Liam," he tries anyways.

"Too awake," Liam admits. "But it's fine, you go back to sleep, I'll stay with you."

So that's what they do. Zayn wakes up some time later to his phone ringing. He searches for it, hand slapping against the bedside table until Liam reaches over and hands it to him. He presses talk, lifts it to his ear, and mumbles, "Yeah?"

"This isn't funny," Harry hisses in his ear. "Zayn, tell them to stop the bus and let us off. Now."

"Tell him I'll fucking kill him if I get my hands on him! Liam better be damn fucking good at his job because I'm coming for you, Zayn!" Louis shouts in the background.

Zayn expected this. It's actually part of the plan. "Harry," he says calmly, way too alert for someone who woke up only seconds ago, "just calm down. Listen to me. Are you listening?"

"Obviously."

"There's stuff to make breakfast in the minifridge and in the cupboards. There's lube and condoms stashed in the bathroom. There's all of your favourite romantic movies by the TV. Stop complaining and just enjoy yourselves. Talk. Work it out. And you're not allowed off the bus until you both at least apologize and sort through your feelings."

"What did he say?" Louis demands. "Let me talk to him!"

"No," Harry says quickly. "He, uh, said we aren't allowed to leave the bus until we… sort out our feelings, apparently."

"I'll sort out my feelings on his fucking face," Louis spits. "Zayn! I know you can hear me! You've got five minutes to get me off this bus or I—"

"Just stop," Harry snaps. Louis cuts off and Zayn sucks in a sharp, surprised breath. "Is the thought of being stuck on here with me really that bad? A year ago we would have loved it. It would have been no big deal. And now we're acting like someone's slowly killing us, forcing us to spend time together."

"Yeah, well." Louis scoffs. "That was before you decided to hate me."

"No, that was before I realized that I felt a lot more for you than you did for me," Harry says lowly. "There's a difference. I never hated you. I hate the way you made me feel, yeah, but I don't hate you."