Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Three – Zayn

Zayn jolts awake as Harry stops the car, he rubs tiredly at his eyes and looks blearily at Harry, “why you stopping?” he slurs and Harry chuckles “well I figured Mum would kill me if I drove the car into the house” he teases and Zayn looks around, realizing he slept the whole way and they are at Harry’s childhood home. He sees three cars in the driveway which means that Anne and Robin are both home and Gemma is as well, sighing he climbs out of the car, slinging his bag over his shoulder and following Harry towards the door. They barely make it up the steps aren’t even at the door when it gets yanked open to reveal Harry’s mum standing in the doorway a large smile on her face, “Hazza-Bear, I’ve missed you” she coos, pulling Harry into a hug. Zayn chuckles and Harry whines “mum stop calling me that” he mutters and she giggles “sorry Harry, I’ve just missed you, you too Zayn” she adds releasing Harry and pulling Zayn into a hug as well. Once she lets go she ushers them both inside where Robin, Harry’s step-dad is waiting and pulls them both into a quick hug, both smile at him “missed you too Robin” Harry murmurs blushing slightly as Robin grins, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. Zayn is being pulled away from Robin by cool, slim hands, he recognizes Gemma’s scent as he’s pulled into a hug, “Harry told me what happened, you ok?” she asks quietly. Zayn shrugs, unsure of what to say, because no, no he’s not ok, he’s jobless, but he doesn’t want to worry them, understands why Harry told them, but also wishes he hadn’t. Gemma smiles at him, “you’ll find something else Zayn, maybe even sell some of your paintings” she soothes, rubbing a hand up and down his back, Zayn smiles “thanks Gems” he mumbles and she grins nodding before bouncing off to pull her brother into a hug.

Harry’s mum’s house is exactly the way Zayn has always remembered it being, comfortable, warm and homey, they’re sat in the living room now, Anne handing everyone a drink, and placing a plate of cookies on the coffee table, close to Zayn and Harry. She swats Robin’s hand away when he goes to take one, and he pouts, “those are for Harry and Zayn” she scolds and Harry laughs as he reaches out to grab a cookie. Robin crosses his arms and playfully glares at them, “so, I can’t have any, because Harry and Zayn came home? How does that make sense” he asks, Gemma giggles and reaches to take the cookie out of Harry’s hand, as Zayn passes one to Robin. They sit quietly after that all eating and drinking quietly, “Zayn, sorry to hear about your job, dear” Anne murmurs suddenly and Zayn forces a smile “thanks, it’s rough right now, but I’ll find something else when we get back” he says with more confidence than he feels. Harry snorts at this and Gemma sends him a warning glare, “sorry, it’s just you’re going to see Liam, when we get back, which is totally fine, but you’re not likely to be job hunting” he teases and Zayn blushes. Robin chokes on his drink and Anne squeals, Gemma rolls her eyes at her parents and Zayn sinks further into the couch, “Liam as in Liam Payne?” Anne asks slowly and Zayn nods, biting his lip, “I thought Gemma was joking about that” Robin adds and Zayn shakes his head.

Zayn glares at Harry and considers for a moment telling them all about Louis, and taking Harry down with him, but he won’t do that, Gemma apparently will however. “Harry forgot to mention how he’s dating Liam’s best friend slash assistant Louis, as well” she smirks and Harry blushes bright red and shoots her a glare. Anne squeals, the noise very high pitched and strange coming from her mouth, Robin chuckles at her, and she glares, before fixing her gaze on Harry, who is blushing furiously and if Zayn knows him as well as he thinks he does, attempting to kill Gemma with his mind. “My baby has a boyfriend?” she asks and Harry nods slowly, “yea, I guess, I mean we are together” he stutters and Zayn shakes his head, Anne grins, “I want to hear all about him, actually both of them, tell me everything” she gushes. Zayn can’t hold back his laugh because this, this is exactly what he needed and wanted, everything about this is familiar and real, and normal, Anne has always been the type of mum who had a genuine interest in everything her kids did and everyone they know. Not that Zayn’s mum didn’t take interest, she just had always done it in a calmer fashion, at the thought of his mum Zayn feels tears prick at his eyes, and he lifts his head to gaze out the window to the house directly across the street. His sisters moved out right after the accident, and never told Zayn where they went, not wanting him to find them after they all disowned him. “Hey, come back to us” Gemma whispers into his ear and Zayn shakes his head, slowly tuning back into the conversation around him.

Robin has convinced Anne that, maybe the gossip session about their new boyfriends can wait, that maybe Zayn and Harry don’t want to talk about it, just yet, and Zayn is grateful for this. Knows Harry is too, can see it in the way Harry smiles at Robin and leans slightly closer to the man, as he eats another cookie. Gemma is suddenly in Zayn’s lap, and he furrows his eyebrows at her confused, she giggles shrugging, “I dunno, you just look comfy” she says by way of explanation and he rolls his eyes, because Gemma has always been a little odd at times. The conversation flows easily about everything and anything they can think of, excluding boyfriends, Gemma is still sitting on him and Zayn feels comfortable and at home. Suddenly Robin is pinning Zayn with his stare and he shifts uncomfortably underneath Gemma, “you know Zayn, if you wanted to go after your sister for your share of what your parents left, I do happen to be a pretty good lawyer, if I say so myself and could help you” he says finally. Zayn’s shaking his head before Robin even finishes the thought, and twisting to glare at Harry, knowing by the guilty look on his best friend’s face that he suggested it. “I appreciate the thought Robin, really, but no, I don’t want it, I have what I wanted from them, and I don’t really want to see the disgusted look on my sister’s face when she has to look at me. So no thank you, I’ll be fine” Zayn murmurs and Robin nods, “but if you change your mind” he starts and Zayn nods “I’ll call you, but I wouldn’t hold your breath” he cuts him off.

Anne drags Gemma off to the kitchen after that to make lunch for everyone, the room is silent but it’s not uncomfortable, Robin flips on the TV to watch a game and Harry turns to Zayn. “You ok?” he asks and Zayn nods, because yea, he’s alright, he’s surrounded by people he loves, and he’s even coming to terms with the fact that he is currently unemployed. Zayn’s not so sure how he feels about the newest development in his relationship with Liam though, even though the practical part of his brain knows that Lexie isn’t a threat, knows she’s not going to come between them, the irrational jealous part of his brain sees her as competition that he needs to defeat. He hopes he’ll feel better once he actually meets her, not through a computer screen, and can actually have a conversation with her, but decides not to torment himself thinking about it any longer. Harry’s watching him closely and he knows his best friend is worried, worried he’s going to crack at any minute, about losing his job, and only source of income, he sends him a reassuring smile and leans into his side just a little. Harry grins and wraps an arm around Zayn as Robin curses loudly at whatever just happened on the TV. Gemma returns then and shakes her head at all of them, “mum says lunch will be ready in fifteen minutes, and maybe you and Zayn should take your bags upstairs” she recites before turning on her heel and returning to the kitchen. Zayn sighs and hops to his feet, before reaching down and pulling Harry to his, the pair of them heading back outside to the car to grab their stuff.

Once they get to Harry’s old room, they drop their bags and look around, Harry chuckles “mum hasn’t changed a thing since I moved out” he grins, picking up one of his old trophies off a shelf. Zayn smiles his eyes darting around the room, where he spent most of his childhood with Harry, “it’s kinda nice though, yeah?” he asks, because he hasn’t seen his childhood home in three years, Harry nods, understanding lighting his face, “yeah, no Zayn, it’s great, and you know this is your home too” he answers, striding towards Zayn and pulling him in for a hug. Harry pulls away after a minute “we should go down and eat lunch, before mum gets mad” he says and Zayn nods, suddenly unable to form words. He lets Harry lead him back downstairs and to the kitchen where everyone else is, a plate of sandwiches on the table, Zayn slips into one of the empty chairs with a grin, as Harry flops beside him, “thanks mum, I’m starving” he grins as he starts to fill his plate, Zayn soon follows suit and everyone is eating quietly after that. Zayn’s finishing his third sandwich when Anne nudges him with her elbow, he turns to look at her “yea?” he asks after swallowing, she smiles gently “just glad to have you both home is all” she murmurs gazing at Harry who rolls his eyes, “we’re glad to be home” Zayn answers with a grin.