Baby Boy | Zustiall AU [COMPLETE]

Thirty

"Wait," Zayn says, and he stops. Something isn't right with the expression on Niall's face, and he squints, trying to figure out what it is. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"Nothing," Niall says, but his voice is too weak.

"No, there's something," Justin agrees, seeing it now. "Niall, you can talk to us. Communication is key, yeah?"

That makes Niall want to cry, and he bites hard at his tongue to keep from full-out sobbing. He forces himself to take a deep breath.

"I'm good." He sits on the edge of the bed and starts to pull his jeans off, but Justin shakes his head.

"No. I wouldn't feel right spanking you if you felt off. Not doing that," Justin says, shaking his head. He sits next to Niall on the bed and puts an arm around him. The thought of Justin holding him just like he was holding that guy in the picture makes Niall shudder, and he quickly gets up.

"I, um," he stammers, and then shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I just...started feel off all of a sudden. I just got really tired. Maybe I should just – um – sleep." 

"You just woke up," Zayn points out. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. I just...don't feel good." 

"Okay," Justin says, but he and Zayn exchange glances. "Well, we'll let you rest then. Call us if you need anything, okay, baby boy?"

The nickname has Niall closer to crying than anything else up to this point, and he holds his breath to keep from sobbing. "I will," he says, and his boyfriends kiss his forehead and leave. 

- - -

Zayn: Hey baby, are you busy today? We've been back in town for almost a week without seeing you and we're missing you like crazy

Zayn: Justin told me to add that he wants to make out with you

Zayn: I wouldn't mind making out with you either, just saying

Niall stares at his phone, biting his lip. He knows he should respond – the worst bit about all of this is that he misses them, too, so much – but every time he thinks about spending time with them, he thinks about those damn pictures. At the thought, he pulls them up on his phone again, makes himself stare at them. He stares at them until his eyes are watering.

Niall: Sorry :( Liam promised me he'd buy me dinner tonight so he & I are about to hang out. Miss you guys too tho :(

Guilt churns in Niall's stomach after sending the text. He knows it's wrong to be lying to them like this, but it's so much easier than actually explaining what he's feeling. He doesn't know what he can do to stop feeling this way other than to just keep feeling it.

Unknown: I think they're still in love with me. They sure seemed like it here. [2 images attached]

Niall opens the pictures even though he knows he shouldn't. The first picture is Justin kissing the guy, eyes closed and smiling. The second is a selfie with all three of them, Zayn kissing the guy's cheek while Justin makes a dumb face at the camera. Niall covers the guy's face with his thumb, and it makes him feel a little better to just pretend like he isn't there.

Zayn: Niall, Liam is with Justin right now. I'm literally watching them scream at each other over air hockey.

Zayn: What's going on?

Niall's blood has gone cold in his veins. Panicking, he turns his phone off and tosses it on the bed, and yanks on a hoodie. He knows he has to leave, now, before Zayn and Justin turn up and interrogate him. He grabs his apartment keys and runs down the steps, deciding to just go to a nearby coffee shop. He orders literally the first thing he sees on the menu, which ends up being an iced coffee. That's not a good idea, he knows that, considering coffee just makes his anxiety worse, but he can't think straight.