ZIAM ONE-SHOTS (BOTTOM LIAM)

Tragedy: You'll Remember Me When I'm Gone 2

Chapter 2: I See Fire

Liam wishes he has something to fight for – wishes he has that fire burning inside him like Zayn does. Zayn carries himself like an eternal flame, and tells Liam that he found his spark years ago, hiding in a dumpster behind an abandoned brick building in London. Liam hadn't even been to London years ago, and now, he thinks it's kind of funny, the way Zayn pretends he hates the city (Liam knows he loves it – loves the filth and grime and hustle and bustle – Liam loves it too, but he'll openly admit it, eyes wide, shining proudly as he tells Zayn about the best fish and chips).

Zayn and Liam move to London together; they get a flat on the top of a hill that Liam gripes about every morning over his slightly burnt coffee from the shop where he works and Zayn whinges about every night on his way home from the gallery where he spends his days.

One day, Liam comes home; he's not breathing as hard as he was in the beginning of the year, but there's snow on the ground turned to slush from the never-ending drizzle, and he's soaked through another pair of boots. One day, Liam comes home, and there's a phoenix in the kitchen.

Objectively speaking, it's not a real phoenix (of course it isn't, Zayn's an artist, not a magician). But there is a phoenix. In the kitchen. Zayn is nowhere to be found, which is fine, it's normal, it's a very Zayn thing to do – to disappear and leave a phoenix in the kitchen. Liam sidesteps the massive canvas, and reaches for a cup. He'll need more coffee for this.

He feels a bit like he's on fire, burning up from the inside as the bird sets its fiery gaze on Liam's, a disapproving frown on its beak, and before now, Liam never knew birds could look so disapproving. Zayn comes home and finds Liam staring down the painting, empty mug clutched in his hands.

"I caught a spark," Zayn says.

"It started a forest fire," Liam observes.

"Forest fires are natural; they are beneficial to the ecosystems."

Liam doesn't peel his eyes from the bird, so Zayn takes the mug from his hands and slowly starts rinsing it out in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher. When he turns around, Liam's not staring at the painting anymore – he's staring at Zayn.

"You're so hot," Liam blurts, and then flushes. The tips of Zayn's ears turn pink, and he turns away.

"I'm going to burn out one day, Li. Then what? I won't be so hot anymore."

"Don't talk like that," Liam scolds, so Zayn stops – never mentions it again.