Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Five – Zayn

Zayn grimaces as Liam stumbles on stage, he’s watching from backstage a view he never expected he would have, he knows Liam’s not feeling well, they had spent the morning in a cocoon of blankets in the hotel room. Now Liam’s performing for thousands of screaming fans and Zayn can tell from here that he’s struggling with the performance, knows he wants to just lie down, as he was still complaining of a headache to Zayn moments before he went onstage. The song ends and Liam pauses to take a swig from one of the many water bottles he and the band have scattered across the stage, he looks over and sends a wink in Zayn’s direction, Zayn returns the gesture before the next song starts up and Liam’s bouncing around the stage again. He refused to postpone, to let a little cold stop him from performing, Zayn admires his dedication, but he is so worried about his wellbeing that it kind of cancels it out. “He’s off tonight” Louis murmurs behind him making Zayn jump, “sorry Zayn, I thought you heard me coming” he smiles and Zayn nods, “it’s fine and yea he is” he mumbles. Louis steps up beside him then, “he’s not going to be happy, and I can tell from here he’s not well” he murmurs and Zayn nods. “I know, and he isn’t, I have his cold meds in my pocket, for when he’s done” he says patting his jeans pocket. Louis nods a grin crossing his face, “that used to be my job” he chuckles and Zayn shrugs, Louis chuckles “no, it’s a good thing I’m glad he has you, he’s happier than I’ve seen him since we were kids” he muses. Zayn grins, happy to hear that he apparently has the approval of Liam’s best friend, he turns to face him, pulling his eyes from Liam on the stage. “What, I mean how do I cheer him up after this?” he asks Louis, eyebrows furrowing, Louis sighs “it varies but he will be beating himself up, and if Eleanor gives him an earful about it, it makes him even sulkier. But I’m sure you can figure something out” he says, winking at Zayn who rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to the stage.

Liam’s dripping with sweat and frowning deeply when he comes off the stage after his final encore, he doesn’t say anything just grabs a towel from his stylist who smiles sympathetically at Zayn, and then disappears down the hallway, heading towards his dressing room. Zayn sighs and spins on his heel to follow him, and catches up with him outside the door, “hey, you were great out there” he murmurs, grabbing Liam’s wrist. Liam arches an eyebrow and shakes his head “thanks, but I wasn’t I feel like shit and it showed” he mutters turning the doorknob and stalking into the room. Zayn follows after him, “you put on a great show, Li, you’re sick, and you still did amazing your fans probably didn’t even notice” he murmurs and Liam turns to face him, the look on his face is nothing short of heartbreaking and Zayn can’t help himself he strides forward and pulls Liam into him, arms wrapping around his muscular chest, he doesn’t care about the sweat he just needs Liam to know he’s here. Liam seemingly dissolves into Zayn’s arms, and Zayn presses a kiss to his sweaty hair, “why don’t you take these” Zayn says handing him the pills from his pocket and pulling away to grab a water bottle for him, Liam makes a face but takes the medicine quickly. Zayn smiles as Liam swallows the pills, and then pulls his sweaty shirt over his head, “like what you see?” Liam smirks and Zayn nods biting his lip, grinning when Liam groans at his action. Zayn can’t resist, he has to touch, he’s allowed to touch, Liam is his boyfriend after all. He strides over to him and wraps him in another hug “let’s get back to the hotel, and you can have a warm bath and I’ll take care of you, yea?” Zayn murmurs, Liam makes a whimper-y sort of noise and nods against Zayn.

Getting back to the hotel is an experience Zayn despises, even though he’s made friends with Lexie in the three days he’s been with Liam, he can’t help but be jealous of her. As they leave the venue Liam has his hand in Lexie’s with Louis right behind him and several members of his security team surrounding them. Zayn sighs he’s been told by Eleanor to wait five minutes and then follow Liam out of the building, and head down the street a little and the car will pick him up there, Liam and Louis had both protested, but she had stood firm on it. Zayn’s leaning against a wall by the back door spinning his phone in his hands when he feels a presence behind him, turning his jaw drops slightly, there stands Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson, he’s seen them around before and Liam had introduced them quickly this morning, but he’s never been alone with them. “Hi” he manages to say and they both smile sympathetically at him, “hey, Zayn” Perrie murmurs placing a hand on his arm gently, “we heard what Eleanor is making you do” Jesy says her eyes warm. Zayn shrugs “Liam’s image is important” he shrugs and the girls both shake their heads. “So is both of your happiness” Perrie suggests and Zayn shrugs again, “I am happy” he says and Perrie smirks at him, “you don’t look happy, mate” she says and Jesy shakes her head as if agreeing. Zayn sighs these girls he’s just met are seeing right through him, “ok I’m not, but at least I get to be with Liam” he concedes and Perrie and Jesy nod, “for the record, Liam’s not any happier about it” Perrie offers and Zayn smiles at her, “and I’m pretty sure Louis is plotting a thousand ways to kill Eleanor” Jesy adds with a smirk. This makes Zayn laugh and he nods, “it will be better once Harry and Niall get here next week” he sighs and Perrie nods. “Until then you have us, right Jesy?” Perrie asks and Jesy nods, “definitely and after they’re here too” she adds. Zayn smiles genuinely at both of them “thanks, really” he murmurs, Perrie grins and grabs his hand, “it’s been five minutes, we’ll walk you out to the car, yeah?” she asks, but she’s already pulling Zayn out the door.

Zayn’s glad for the company, as they exit the building and make their way across the parking lot, but he suddenly remembers that they will then be walking back to the venue, alone in the dark, and he frowns, “won’t you need to come back here, after I get picked up?” he asks slowly. Perrie giggles and shakes her head, “nope, Leigh-Anne and Jade are having our car come pick us up here too” she reassures him and he nods, “good, because it wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me to make you two walk back alone” he teases and Perrie and Jesy nod their agreement. They make it to the designated pick up spot and Zayn leans against a tree waiting, he sighs as he looks up at the sky, Perrie is suddenly beside him, pulling his phone from his fingers, she taps away at it before passing it back with a smile, “in case you need to talk, yea” she mumbles and he nods. A car pulls up and the door opens to reveal the other half of Little Mix, “get in losers” Jade calls and Perrie rolls her eyes, “you ok Zayn?” Jesy asks and he nods, because yeah he can handle waiting alone in the dark for a few minutes, “I’ll be fine, go on” he urges, both girls nod, Perrie pecks his cheek in a friendly way and Jesy squeezes his hand before they climb inside the car. A minute after they drive away, another car pulls up, this time when the door opens Zayn can see Liam, he’s leaned back against his seat, and looks exhausted. Zayn climbs in quickly and tucks himself into Liam’s side, Liam lazily wraps his arms around him, Louis chuckles from his seat across from them, “good luck getting him up to your room” he teases and Liam sticks out his tongue, and Zayn grins, “he’s not as heavy as he looks” he chuckles. Liam pouts and Zayn grins as Louis laughs, Lexie giggles from beside Louis and Zayn notices her presence for the first time since he got in the car.

They pull up to the back of the hotel a few minutes later and Zayn sighs in relief as he sees there are no fans around this side, the door opens and Louis and Lexie scramble out first, Zayn pulls out of Liam’s arms, “c’mon Li, we gotta go up to the room” he says and Liam groans “but I’m tired Zayn” he whines and Zayn chuckles, “I know and once we get upstairs you can take a bath and then we can go to bed, alright?” he soothes. Liam makes a face but nods and allows Zayn to help him out of the car and into the building. Once inside Zayn is relieved when Louis appears on Liam’s other side to assist, “thanks” Zayn murmurs and Louis chuckles “no worries, he’s off tomorrow, so you can let him sleep in, but you both need to be on the bus by noon” he offers and Zayn nods his understanding. They get into the elevator after that, and it’s quiet as Louis reaches out to punch the button for the top floor, Liam is leaning heavily on Zayn and he wonders for a moment if he’s actually still awake or not, Louis apparently has the same thought as he suddenly reaches out with his free hand and lightly slaps Liam’s cheek, “hey Li, you need to stay awake for two more minutes” he murmurs. Liam’s eyes snap open and he groans, leaning further into Zayn and almost knocking them to the ground just as the elevator doors open on their floor. Louis assists with getting Liam as far as the door, then his phone rings and he giggles before running off into his own room to answer it. Zayn shakes his head, knowing that it’s Harry calling Louis, Liam has now slumped to the floor and Zayn regrets giving him his cold pills at the venue, as they apparently made him sleepy. “Up you get Li, we’re gonna get you into a warm bath and then, we’ll cuddle in bed, until we have to get up tomorrow to get on the bus, alright?” Zayn coos, Liam, makes a noncommittal sound and nods, reaching up for Zayn to pull him up, “come with me?” Liam mumbles and it’s slurred and adorable and Zayn holds in the cooing noise he wants to make at him, then Liam’s words actually sink in. “Y-you want me to have a b-b-bath with you?” he stutters and Liam nods against his neck, “yea, please” he whines and Zayn feels himself giving in, as he leads Liam towards the large bathroom, flicking on the taps to start the bath filling.