Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine – Zayn

Zayn’s half asleep across his painting (which he has finally been able to finish) when his computer starts making a noise indicating he has a Skype call coming in. A grin spreads across his face as he clicks accept and Liam comes into focus on his screen, “hey, how was the rest of rehearsals?” he asks adjusting so he’s more comfortable on the bed. Liam makes a face that Zayn can only describe as annoyed and exhausted all in one, “apparently my timing is all off and I’m going to fall off the stage, and you know who showed up with my new beard” he sighs and Zayn feels his face twisting involuntarily. Liam laughs, he actually laughs at him and Zayn frowns, crossing his arms, “so how is she?” he mutters “Zee she has a girlfriend, she’s only doing it because Eleanor threatened to fire Sandy, who happens to be her brother if she didn’t” Liam soothes and Zayn almost chokes on his saliva. Zayn’s opening and closing his mouth trying to find words grateful that Liam is staying quiet while he organizes his thoughts, “girlfriend?” he finally asks sounding confused. Liam chuckles and nods, “yea Zayn, she has a girlfriend, so you don’t need to worry” he soothes. Zayn nods his eyebrows furrowing, “I still don’t think I like her” he mutters and Liam laughs, “why don’t you meet her before you decide that, she really is nice” he chuckles and Zayn makes a face but agrees. Liam bites his bottom lip and Zayn wants to jump through his computer screen and kiss him, “she’s here, do you want to meet her?” Liam asks slowly, shaking Zayn out of his thoughts, “she’s there? In your room?” he asks and Liam nods slowly. “Yea she’s out in the living area with Louis” he murmurs and Zayn nods, deciding quickly that maybe he should at least say hello to her before he decides to completely hate her.

Liam disappears from the screen and Zayn pouts at his absence, he can hear him calling out to Louis and her, but can’t make out what they’re all saying, suddenly Liam is back in front of him, “please play nice” he begs and Zayn nods slowly “promise” he murmurs, Liam grins at his response. Suddenly there’s a petite girl beside Liam on the screen and Zayn realizes with a jolt that she is pretty except she looks terrified. She waves shyly at him and he bites his lip, Liam groans as soon as he does and he locks eyes with him through the camera, “hey, I’m Zayn” he murmurs and the girl smiles “Lexie” she answers. Nobody speaks for a moment but Liam clears his throat, suddenly Lexie is talking, her words all blurring together and Zayn is struggling to keep up “I just want you to know I don’t have any interest in Liam, I mean I like his music and am super glad he’s the reason my brother can live his dream, but romantically speaking I have no interest. I have a girlfriend, her name’s Anna and I love her very much, and I want you to know that whenever you come visit Liam, I’ll fake sick, or an injury so we have to stay inside, and you two can be together the whole time, I’m only doing this to protect my brother, I know you aren’t happy with me or the idea, but I promise you no one is less thrilled with this than me” she rambles and Zayn finds himself squinting and leaning closer to the screen trying to keep up. He thinks he caught it all, understands that she wants to work with him and Liam not against them and, Zayn is grateful and knows he can’t and won’t ever be able to hate her.

“Zee?” Liam asks and Zayn snaps back to the conversation “I, yea, no, Lexie that’s great, well except the whole Eleanor blackmailing you thing” he says a small smile spreading across his face. He hears both Liam and Lexie letting out a relieved sigh, “so you don’t hate me?” Lexie asks quietly and Zayn shakes his head, “no, I don’t think I could to be honest” he answers and she smiles, “good, and I mean it Zayn, I don’t want to ever come between you two, if you want to go on dates we’ll figure out how to make it look like Liam’s with me, but actually with you, ok?” she asks and he chuckles nodding his head wondering how that would ever work, but he doesn’t miss the look that Liam sends her, she giggles “and that’s my cue, I’ll leave you two alone, can’t wait to actually meet you Zayn” she chirps before back flipping off the bed and skipping from the room. Zayn watches her go chuckling slightly at her as she trips over a stray shirt and almost does a header into the door, then she’s out of sight and the door has clicked shut, he’s alone with Liam again, “so…?” Liam asks tentatively. Zayn runs his hands through his hair and sighs, “she seems nice, and I guess if it had to be anybody then she seems to be the best option at this point. At least I know she won’t be all over you” he murmurs and Liam laughs shaking his head, “so are we ok” he asks and Zayn’s eyes widen. He’s confused, he never thought he and Liam weren’t ok, yea he was upset about the situation but not with Liam, never with Liam. “When weren’t we ok?” he asks furrowing his eyebrows, Liam looks relieved and exhausted “I was just worried you’d be upset with me because of all this” he shrugs and Zayn shakes his head.

The Skype conversation goes by too quickly for Zayn’s liking and too soon he’s having to say goodbye, ‘but I miss you” he murmurs, Liam smiles “I miss you too, I have the first actual show tomorrow, plus some press in the morning, I don’t know when but I will call you” he says and Zayn nods. “I have to work tomorrow, it’s the lunch shift so it will be dead, but you better” Zayn groans and sees Liam smirk, “and I have to make a public appearance with Lexie” Liam sighs. Zayn frowns at this, he knew it was going to happen, but now he’s not sure he’ll be able to handle seeing it, even though he knows she has no interest in Liam. Zayn’s eyes scan Liam’s face and he notes he looks even more tired than when their conversation started, “have fun yeah? But go get some sleep you look exhausted, I’ll talk to you tomorrow” he says softly. Liam smiles fondly and blows him a kiss, “I will goodnight Zayn” he murmurs “goodnight Liam” Zayn replies blowing him a kiss as well. They disconnect after that and Zayn flops across his bed with a sigh, blowing some of his hair out of his eyes and pouting up at his ceiling, “I wanted to hate her, why did she have to be so nice” he mutters to himself just as his door cracks open and he sees Harry peeking in, phone pressed to his ear, “yea they’re done talking, I miss you and I’ll talk to you tomorrow Lou” Harry murmurs before hanging up and coming fully into Zayn’s room, sitting beside his head on the bed.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Harry carding his fingers through Zayn’s hair, its soothing and Zayn can feel himself relaxing with each stroke, feels all his worry and fear leaving him as Harry silently plays with his hair. “Lou told me about Liam’s beard” Harry says slowly, never stopping the hand in Zayn’s hair, Zayn shrugs and makes a noncommittal noise, “why’d she have to be nice, and being blackmailed?” he mutters and Harry laughs shaking his head, “I don’t know, but wouldn’t you rather she was nice, than an evil bitch set on coming between you and Liam?” he asks and Zayn huffs but nods. Zayn’s eyes slip closed after that, he’s not asleep just thinking, and enjoying Harry’s hand in his hair, he wishes it was Liam, wants desperately to be curled into Liam’s broad chest, feel safe in Liam’s arms. Harry’s good too though, Harry’s always been there, Zayn can’t think of a time Harry wasn’t there for him, every crush, heartbreak, injury, success and failure, Harry’s been there alongside him. Zayn knows a friendship like theirs is rare, knows it lasting as long as they have is even rarer, and Zayn is suddenly grateful for Harry in a way he’s never been before. “Haz?” he murmurs and Harry hums to indicate that he’s heard him, “can we go visit your mum this weekend?” Zayn asks, they both have to work Saturday night, but have Sunday and Monday off. Zayn blinks his eyes open when Harry doesn’t answer right away and is met with green eyes studying him closely, “sure Zayn, she’d love that, I’ll call tomorrow and make sure she’ll be around” he says after a moment.

Zayn snuggles closer to Harry after that, wrapping himself around his best friend not wanting to be alone right now, Harry chuckles and wraps his arms around him, “I’m not going anywhere Zayn” he murmurs and Zayn feels him press a kiss to his hair. Zayn grins up at him lazily, he’s suddenly tired and wants to sleep, but also doesn’t because going to sleep means he has to work when he wakes up and he really doesn’t want to. “Sleep in here tonight?” he pleads and Harry chuckles again “I was already planning on it” he answers and Zayn nods “good” he answers and Harry outright laughs. Zayn pouts, he hates being laughed at, Harry plays with his hair as an apology which Zayn accepts, his eyes slipping closed on their own as sleep overtakes him and he drifts into a dream about who else…Liam.