night shift // l.s.

seventy

zayn unlocked the unit using the key gio left behind for him and opened it slowly, scoping out the dark building until he saw a small illumation of light from the back corner. a bed no bigger than a twin size laid against the wall.  he assumed the person laying in it was his father since there wasn't a chair anywhere in sight.

he steps inside and louis follows with a backpack slung on his shoulder. the creaking of the door and sunlight barely creeping in from the outside world made the man in the bed roll over. he squinted when the lights hit his eyes and zayn could definitely tell it was evan from his hands.

"holy-" louis whispered, wide eyed. zayn shushes him and walks to the bed, his boots squeaking against the floor.

"morning, sunshine," zayn brightens the lights above the bed. evan's face was still swollen. his eye was puffed shut with a nasty black and purple tint to it from the bruising. the man looked up at his son and zayn motions his mate toward them.

louis drops the bag and opens it, pulling out a multitude of supplies from the medical stash gio dropped off for them. after putting gloves on, he gently checks the damage to his face and tongue, stomach turning at the sight inside the man's mouth. he remained silent as he cleaned his wounds and flushed the i.v. that gio had hooked into his arm so he could pump some meds into his system. he didn't feel bad because he knew evan deserved it. in all reality the man should have died but being beaten black and blue and left wondering what would happen to him next was a fair trade, especially because harry had some psychopathic tendencies when he was irate. he should really get that under control.

zayn crouched down next to the bed and brushed some of his dad's hair out of his face. his father narrowed his good eye at him and rolled it, wincing from the pressure. he needed a bath and some hardcore drugs.

"i think gio will be in to chat with you later," zayn hums, patting evan's cheek just a little too roughly. "remind him to get pictures, please pops."

once he pulls back, louis finishes what he was requested to do and leaves without another word. he sits in the car, staring at the warehouse in front of him and sighed deeply. this was fucking crazy.

zayn watched as his father stared off in the distance to avoid him. part of him wanted to fade into a tiny speck on the ground because he helped put his father through this but he snapped out of it, standing to his feet. he opened his coat and pulled a small pistol from the inside pocket and placed it on the bed next to evan without a peep. knowing evan was too weak to even bother retaliating on him right there, zayn watched the man's shoulders sag forward.

"just a homecoming gift," zayn murmurs with a shrug, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. "don't go around shooting anyone, now."

evan sighs and puts the gun in his lap.

"harry's gonna go talk to the lads about making some trades and we should be back tomorrow or tuesday to check on you."

zayn walks away from the bed and out of the warehouse, locking the door behind him and putting the key back where gio had it hidden. he gets in the driver's seat of the car and looked over at louis, who was lost in his own world with his eyes glued to the building.

"you good?" zayn asks, starting the vehicle. louis snaps out of his trance and nodded, slouching in the seat.

"he looks like shit," louis comments. "you guys really did a number on him."