In The Nick Of Time

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

Summary:

Sparks.

The trickling of night stood over them and the thundering only got louder, and the lightning got brighter. Babby stood cowered where ever Niall went in the kitchen, they were making dinner. Niall turned and stopped seeing Babby behind him, "Babby," he laughed, "you can't be behind me all the time or I'll trip over you." He stepped around Babby and she stood up ready to follow.

Lin was seated on the other side of the island, "Babby," she whistled, "Come here babe." She called and Babby leaned in under her chair and stood there in the protection of the stool.

Liam walked into the room, leaning against the door way.

"Liam, dinner's almost done." Niall called, "Could you get the bowls out?"

"Sure thing, where are they?"

Directed around them, Liam pulled out four plates but paused - he hadn't seen Z all day, ever since their argument at lunch. He stared at the plates until feet followed into the kitchen, and with a quick glance he settled with the four plates and closed the cupboard.

"What're we having tonight?" Liam smiled to Niall, and Niall smiled back.

Niall continued stirring, "Well, since we had good harvest before it started down pouring and there was still food from the grocery shopping a while back - I popped up an old recipe and we have - Kale soup."

Lin rolled her eyes, "Did you us Ma's?"

He beamed, "She always made it best." He pulled a ladle from one of the drawers and filled the bowls slowly. "Lin." He said, sliding her bowl out to her. "Liam." He smiled and handed his bowl over. "Meself." He reached for the empty bowl, "And Zen."

The moment his fingers gripped Z's bowl - lightning crackled loudly in their ears and the lights zapped out. Babby yelped in fear, tossing the stools about and running off. Niall dropped the glass bowl and it shattered on the floor, no one dared move now. Niall swore loudly as Lin hissed loudly, the spoonful of soup Niall was holding thrown across the whole island top.

After a while, everything settled.

"You guys alright?" Liam asked, the Irish folk mumbled a yeah and glass crunched under Niall's boots. Of course, Z didn't say anything in the dark.

"The generator went out." Lin stated as they were stranded in the dark.

Lightning splattered across the sky again.

When the kitchen turned dark again, a light beam clicked on and they turned to it. Z flashed the light around the room, and looked through the other cabinets. Finding another flash light, he turned and started for the door way. Passing Liam, he shoved the torch in his arms and continued on.

Turning back to the kitchen, Liam flicked on the torch and Niall was kicking aside the glass he'd dropped as he lit a match and began burning a candle. "I'll go find Babby." Lin said when Niall handed her the candle, and he lit another for himself.

Liam followed behind Lin, and looked down the hall. Z's beam finding him in the dark, as if he were waiting for him. Seeing Liam there, the light turned and reflected against the basement door. Disappearing down, Liam hurried after and shined his light down on Z's back as he turned to the right. Liam glanced down the dark hall, another flash of lightning striking again as he started down the creaking stair way. Finding the bottom, he looked around the find Z's flash light sitting on a table pointing at a generator. Z's leaning over it.

Z crouched down a moment before grabbing hold of a handle and pulling back, the generator sputtered again and again until he stopped yanking it. He looked into the machine and clicked his tongue.

"What's wrong with it?" Liam called out.

Z looked over his shoulder. In the dark of the basement, and only a flashlight beaming on him - it was like some one turned up the contrast on a camera and every dark line on Z's face and body had become highlighted. He stared then looked back to the generator, "Find a red gas can."

Liam stared a moment before turning his torch to the dark, unknown parts of the basement. Mumbling the words red gas can over and over until his light flashed over a tin red can, he reached for it as thunder shook the floor. Following back over to Z, he held it out and Z took it. Their hands nearly brushing, as Z turned back around and opened a lid in the generator. Slowly pouring the gas in, he stepped back when the can was empty and he capped the generator again. Pulling at the handle again, it roared to life and the light bulb above them turned on.

Liam turned off his light, and Z followed suit. Throwing the gas pail aside, he wiped his hands on his pants and grabbed the torch. Heading for the stairs, Liam exhaled and followed behind him. Just getting to the middle of the stair way, Z stopped and Liam halted as fast as he could, a step lower then Z. He turned to Liam, pointing the head of his flash light at him dangerously close. He looked sharp, every detail in his eyes staring back at Liam with intention. He opened his mouth to speak, and Liam's eyes instantly attached to the movement of Z's face.

Liam never realized that not only was he attracted to Z's physicality but he was most attracted to the sinful lips that has tasted weed and maybe even tasted the many mouths of others. The curiosity in not knowing killed him. He stared at those lips, pink and plump. Wet with spit and very, very much alive. His eyes found Z's again, lost in them.

Z waved the flashlight in his face again, "I don't like having you here." He said heavily. "I don't want you here."

Liam nodded, "Dually noted."

Z just stared back, and nodded. Continuing up the stairs, he disappeared into the kitchen as Liam was closing the basement door and followed not long after to the others there. Niall was sweeping up the glass bowl and Z walked out with another one in his hands, Liam watched him go down the hall and up the stairs - who's to say Z didn't glance back at him when he was?

Liam looked to Lin, "Did you find Babby?"

"She's probably upstairs under Zen's bed. Always is when she's scared." Niall informed as he emptied the dust pan into the garbage.

"I'm sorry," Liam stood back over by the island, "Zen?"

"It's his name." Niall gestured to upstairs.

"Zen?"

"It's his Irish accent." Lin insisted, "It's spelt Z-A-Y-N. Zen."

Liam stared, "Zayn." He hummed, "But you two always call him Z."

"He doesn't like when people call his name so much." Niall shrugged, "It's a weird thing, he doesn't like people bothering him when he's thinking." Niall looked around a moment, "Where's your plate gone?"

Liam looked too, replaying the moment when Zayn passed by him - with his bowl. He sighed, "He took my plate."

Not long after Niall erupted in laughter and Lin followed, they were shaking their heads going on about Z always stealing things from right under their noses. Liam shook his head, finding himself smiling as well. A slow laughter building up in him, he started laughing harder as well. It had been a long time since he had a hearty laugh, and he felt it rip from his soul and happiness bleeding into him. He just needed to feel the warmth of happiness even if it was just for that hour, or even for that minute - some thing to chain him to his old life he'd lived only just a day before.

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