Don't Go

6

Nothing else happens between them for a week. And, weirdly enough, he settles into life with Liam easily.

Liam showers before he gets up in the morning, and he makes breakfast while Zayn takes Jessie for her morning walk. By the time Zayn heads out the door for class, Liam is sprawled out on the couch watching cartoons with Jessie sitting at his feet.

Liam doesn't have much of a life, Zayn learns quickly. He's there when Zayn leaves, and he's there when Zayn gets home. Sometimes, he'll go over to Harry's, but most of the time he just camps out in the living room. Not that Zayn minds all that much, really, because Liam likes the same kind of movies he does, and Liam's an expert at cooking microwavable dinners.

On Saturday, when he finally pulls himself out of bed, Liam's in the shower. He stretches in the hallway and Jessie greets him with the usual rub against his leg. Instead of running off to the front door like she usually does, though, she bounds into the living room and flops onto the floor. Liam must have taken her out already, he realizes.

He heads into the kitchen, scratching at his stomach as he goes, and grabs the box of cereal from under the counter. Liam eats all healthy cereals, the kind with lots of fibre and shit. Zayn likes the sugary ones.

"Hey," Liam says from behind him when he reaches for a bowl. He didn't hear the shower turn off, but there he is, dripping water and standing in the kitchen in nothing but a towel. Zayn watches in fascination as he bends down to get his own box of cereal, admiring the way the towel hangs low on his hips and the water drips down his back. Maybe it'll fall, he hopes.

It doesn't.

"We should go out today," Zayn blurts while pouring himself a bowl.

Liam frowns at him. "Out?"

Zayn shrugs. "You're home when I leave, and you're home when I get back. You need to get out of the house."

Liam snorts and grabs a bowl for himself, too, and then pulls open the fridge and grabs out the milk. "Are you asking me out?"

Instead of getting embarrassed or defensive, Zayn says, "As a friend."

Liam adds cereal and milk to his bowl and then passes the milk to Zayn, who fills his and then grabs two spoons from the drawer. He passes one to Liam and puts one in his own bowl, before passing the milk back to Liam, who puts it away.

"Okay," Liam says, leaning against the counter. He spoons up a bite of cereal, chews, and then says, "What're we going to do?"

Zayn stirs the contents of his bowl to make sure the milk is thoroughly sugary before he takes a bite. "Movie," Zayn answers. "That shitty theatre downtown, you know the one they closed two year ago?" Liam nods. "They opened it back up two months ago, but they only play movies that are at least five years old. They're playing Fight Club and Batman Begins tonight."

Liam grins around his mouthful of cereal. "Sounds great," he says after swallowing. "You work today?"

Zayn nods. "Until six, but we'll go after that?"

Liam nods and they finish eating before putting their bowls in the sink. Zayn goes and showers after that, while Liam does whatever it is that Liam does.

He doesn't tell Louis about it, for the same reason Louis doesn't mention the fact that he went home with Harry the other night. They'd both make bigger deals of it than either of them would want, so it's best just not to talk about it. Because it's not a big deal. Liam's his roommate and, yes, he may have gone down on him, but that was in the past. It's good that they get along well. It's good that they have a lot in common, and that they can just go out to a movie without it being awkward.