Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty – Liam

Liam jumps and glares in the direction of the loud banging caused by the door to the bus slamming open as Louis and Harry loudly climb inside, Zayn's sleeping in his lap, and he looks so adorable that Liam wants to keep it that way. Louis rolls his eyes at him and Liam knows, he knows he's being protective, Louis flops onto the other couch pulling Harry into his lap, the curly haired boy squeaking as he's pulled down. Zayn twitches in Liam's lap then, “I wha? Liiii” he whines and Harry grins from across in Louis' lap, Liam glares at the pair before turning his attention back to Zayn, “hey, babe you have a good nap?” he asks and Zayn nods, yawning and rubbing sleepily at his eyes, in a way that reminds Liam of a toddler, and he decides sleepy Zayn might just be the most adorable Zayn. Harry and Louis laughing draws Liam's attention back to them, “why are you guys so loud?” he asks as Zayn sits up, shuffling closer so he can snuggle under Liam's arm, Harry shrugs and Louis rolls his eyes again, “oh come off it Liam, it's the middle of the day, your boy can stand to be awake, plus we aren't that loud, trust me we can be louder” he says, shaking his head. Liam sighs “I know how loud you can be Lou, I've known you most of my life” he teases as Zayn seems to fully wake up beside him grinning across at the pair, “how was your walk Haz?” Zayn asks, burrowing further into Liam's side, Liam wraps his arms around him leaning down to press a kiss to his head. “At least someone cares about us” Louis scoffs and Liam rolls his eyes at him, Harry chuckles and Liam doesn't miss the look he exchanges with Zayn, “it was good Zee, we went to a museum, and a park. But mostly it was good to just be alone with Lou” Harry answers and Zayn nods at him, before burrowing back into Liam.

The four sit on the couches quietly after that, Liam smiles, Harry and Louis are completely absorbed in each other, while Zayn is being abnormally quiet beside him. Liam sends a look across to Louis, who furrows his eyebrows before nodding, “Harry, come with me, we need to go check on the schedule for tomorrow” he sighs pulling the taller boy to his feet. Liam smiles gratefully at them as the pair leave the bus. Zayn frowns at him, “I know you got rid of them, Li. We're on the bus all day tomorrow” he mumbles and Liam shrugs, “I did, are you ok?” he asks. Zayn pouts and lays down, his head in Liam's lap, Liam brings his hand up to card his fingers through Zayn's silky hair, smiling to himself when Zayn purrs slightly and pushes closer to his hand. “Zee?” Liam hums and Zayn mumbles something Liam can't quite understand in response, “you never answered me, is everything alright with you? You've been odd since I got back and you got back from getting ice cream with the girls” Liam murmurs, continually pushing his fingers through Zayn's hair, Zayn sighs, but doesn't say anything, Liam frowns and watches him, his eyes are closed and he's pressing himself closer to Liam's body and more into his hand, he looks content, but Liam is sure there's something else Zayn's not really telling him.

It's quiet for several minutes and Liam's not sure Zayn's even still awake anymore, he doesn't mind he just wants to know what's bothering his boyfriend so he can fix it. “We had a run in with Eleanor before we left for ice cream” Zayn says slowly, Liam furrows his eyebrows but doesn't say anything. “She said some things that weren't the nicest but that's nothing new. The girls all attacked her and she left again, but then when we got back and you went running right to Lexie, I guess I just got jealous. I know it's stupid, because Lexie has Anna, and you two just need to keep up appearances but I get so jealous whenever you touch her” Zayn mumbles quickly, a few words slurring together. Liam frowns as he takes in everything Zayn's just said and his hand stops its movements in Zayn's hair, he can't quite make his brain form a thought that will reassure his boyfriend at this moment, he knows he needs to say something, knows Zayn's waiting, but Liam is suddenly speechless. Zayn's not saying anything either and Liam suddenly snaps back to reality, “Zayn, Zee, baby, no, no, no. You have no reason to be jealous not of Lexie, not of anyone” he rushes. Zayn nods but Liam can see he's unconvinced, “ignore everything Eleanor says the rest of us do whenever possible, and I'm glad Perrie and the girls stuck up for you. I know it sucked that I had to hug Lexie outside the buses, trust me babe I wanted to come running into your arms, but I don't know when or where there are people with cameras. And I'm scared Zayn, ok. I'm scared that we'll slip up and they'll take you away from me” he finishes, feeling a few tears well up in his eyes.

Zayn's jaw drops slightly as Liam sits breathing heavily beside him, Liam's watching Zayn closely as the other boy isn't really moving, he knows what he just confessed is huge, but he needs Zayn to reassure him this time. Liam wants to crawl into Zayn and make the other boy see just how much he needs him, because though he has no problem with always being there for Zayn, right now Liam's kind of freaking out and needs him in a way that he hasn't really for their entire relationship, not since the incident at the ice cream shop. “I, Liam, how long have you felt like this?” Zayn asks suddenly snapping back into himself it seems, and Liam shrugs because honestly he's felt this way since the day his management told him they were hiring Lexie, he's been terrified of screwing up, and having everything blow up in his face. Liam's pretty sure he's never been this happy, he's also fairly certain he's falling in love with Zayn, even though it's so early in their relationship, he needs him in a way he's never needed anyone else, and he wants to share everything with him no matter how trivial it all seems. Zayn is suddenly back in his lap and repeatedly calling his name, Liam snaps back into the present and out of his thoughts, “wha...?” he asks and Zayn chuckles, “shit Li, you scared me, I thought you had checked out on me for a minute there. Now really how long have you felt like this?” he repeats his question and Liam sighs knowing Zayn isn't going to just let this go, “sorry, Zee and since the moment I told my management about you and they told me they were hiring Lexie” he mumbles and Zayn shakes his head. “Why didn't you say anything sooner?” Zayn asks gently, reaching up to card a hand through Liam's hair, Liam just shrugs because he doesn't know the answer himself, he couldn't explain it if he wanted to. Zayn smiles sadly and leans down to press a gentle lingering kiss to Liam's lips, he pulls away far too soon for Liam's liking and he pouts up at the raven haired boy in his lap.

Zayn laughs lightly but doesn't give in to kiss him, like Liam wants him too, instead he cups his face in both his hands, “Liam, babe we can kiss later, right now I need you to listen to me, ok?” he asks and Liam nods because hes currently lost in Zayn's eyes and isn't entirely sure he's ever going to find his way back out again. Zayn watches him for a minute and Liam's wondering if he's ever going to say anything, “you really don't have to be afraid of that happening Li” Zayn starts and Liam opens his mouth to say something because he does need to be afraid of that, but Zayn cuts him off. “You don't because I won't go anywhere, not until you tell me to yourself. Christ Liam I wake up most days thinking all of this was just a dream, a really, really good dream, so I don't care what happens or what Eleanor and her posse have to say about it all, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me Li, you're stuck with me until you personally tell me to bugger off. Because...” Zayn trails off and swallows hard. Liam furrows his eyebrows curious about what the other boy was going to say, “because...?” he asks quietly, and Zayn sighs “because, I'm falling in love with you Liam Payne” Zayn whispers so quietly Liam almost doesn't hear him. Liam smiles widely, everything Zayn has just said is exactly what he wanted to hear especially the end part, Zayn's blushing and looks like he wants to run away and hide, Liam knows he needs to say something to him, but right now all he wants to do is kiss him. So he does, he surges forward and presses his lips to Zayn's in an urgent kiss, trying to express everything he's been feeling without words, Zayn hesitates and then is kissing him back just as urgently. They break away panting and out of breath a few minutes later and Liam leans his forehead on Zayn's for a minute. Both of them are breathing heavily trying to regain control of their breathing, “I'm falling in love with you too Zayn Malik” Liam murmurs. He's barely gotten the words out when Zayn is crashing his lips back onto his own and pushing him backwards so he's lying on the couch underneath the slightly smaller boy, and for the first time in weeks Liam isn't afraid of losing Zayn.