Take Me Home

Chapter Nine

The next morning, Zayn comes over again, looking exhausted but still managing a smile when Louis runs up to him and jumps into his arms.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" he asks, lifting the seven year old up from the ground. He hadn't forgotten what Liam had said yesterday, about how there was something off with the boy. The boy was always clingy to him in the mornings, however, so this act was nothing out of the ordinary.

Louis nodded against his shoulder and Zayn carried him through to the kitchen.

"Heard you have football practise at lunch today," Zayn said, smiling. Louis loved his football, and Zayn was the one who had first taught him how to kick a ball, so he was obviously proud.

Louis just shrugged. "Yeah."

"Thought you'd be excited," he said, because now he could see what Liam meant. Louis was usually so talkative, and so hyper; around the people he was comfortable with, at least. This was nothing like him.

"I am. Jus' tired," he mumbled, allowing Zayn to sit him down at one of the stools at the counter.

He sighed and ruffled the boy's hair, before turning to Liam with an exhausted smile.

Liam frowned. "You don't look great," he commented.

Zayn let out a half-hearted laugh. "Wow, thanks."

"No, seriously. What's up?" he asked, handing the taller man a mug of coffee.

Zayn sighed and leaned his back against the counter, thankful that his friend was back to himself and that they could finally talk to each other about things again. "My apartment is flooded. Got home last night and one of the radiators had burst, water everywhere. The guy came round to fix it at three o'clock this morning, then told me he couldn't do anything about all the water damage."

Liam frowned. "What, you're still staying there?"

"I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You'll get ill living in that place. Trust me, my room used to be covered in mould and damp all through the winter...pack your bags tonight, you're coming to stay with me," he stated.

Zayn felt his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "What? No, Li, I can't. You haven't even been living there for very long, I'd be in the way," he said, though he'd be lying if he said that the idea of living with Liam didn't make his heart race just a little.

"Shush, you don't have a say in the matter. You won't be in my way, I like having you around. And it isn't like I'm short on space, my voice practically echoes around all the empty places every time I speak to myself. It's lonely," Liam told him, with a grin that made the taller man's face heat up.

"You're sure?" he asked, to with Liam quickly nodded. "Just until my place gets fixed up, then I'll be out of your hair."

Liam smiled and shook his head. "However long you want. I don't care if it's a couple weeks or a couple years. You're always welcome," he said, his voice soft as he leaned in. "And I'm sorry that I pushed you away for so long. It was stupid."

Zayn gave him a small smile as he watched the smaller man set a plate of jam on toast in front of Louis, then the moment was interrupted by the little twins running into the room, giggling and laughing together.

Ashton followed, plonking himself down and grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl, eyes fixated on his face.

Zayn was still surprised when Niall and Harry walked in together, the blue eyed boy chatting the green eyed boy's head off.

"And Luke, Louis and me are gonna play tag again today, and the teacher said we can work as a three in art because we have to do a really big painting on the wall at the back of the school! It's called a...um, a m..." he trailed off, frowning.