Have I forgotten how to love; remind me once again

Chapter Thirteen

A/N I quit my job today and if this isn't the feeling of pure happiness, I don't know what is!!

Unlike usually, Harry isn't the first to wake up in the morning, meaning Liam is the one to find him and Louis still cuddled up closely the couch, soundly asleep with no signs of stress. Happily, Liam leaves them be in the living room, instead making his way to the kitchen and making a cup of tea as quietly as possible.

It's almost half past seven when Niall trots down the stairs, blonde hair sticking in every possible direction. A sudden sense of doom strikes Liam as his Irish friend makes his way into the living room and hurriedly Liam rushes after him, trying to be quiet and quick enough at the same time.

He makes it just in time to slap a hand over Niall's mouth right before he starts speaking to Louis and Harry on the couch. "Do NOT wake them up", Liam hisses lowly into Niall's ear, watching as Niall's eyes widens in understanding, his gaze catching on the calmness of his friends sleeping together. Slowly, they back out of the room, Liam's hand still tucked firmly over Niall's mouth until he is absolutely sure they're out of earshot. "I will positively murder you if you ruin this moment".

Defensively, Niall throws his hands in the air and whisper back exasperatedly, "I won't. I didn't know they were sleeping together in there". Liam gives him another look, then decides the words are genuine enough, and he nods towards the living room. "Yeah, Harry has been going down there every night, but he usually goes back upstairs hellishly early too. I think it's the first time they've actually woken up together."

Niall smiles, taking the cup of tea Liam offers him, "Haven't heard him, but it doesn't surprise me. They have always been extremely codependent. Good to know that hasn't changed too much". Knowingly, they smile at each other, very well aware that this is a step in the best possible direction - for the sake of both Harry and Louis and by extension, all of them.

Quietly sipping warm cups of tea, they let the room envelop in a comfortable stillness for a couple minutes, both still waking up a bit. Then suddenly, all traces of sleepy comfort are gone as they look at each other, both hearing the steps that sound down the stairs. Cups of tea abandoned, they rush into the hallway, all but assaulting Zayn just as he rubs his tired eyes on the edge of the living room. He doesn't even get an explanation as Niall drags him into the kitchen with a hand over his mouth.

Liam hovers beside them, constantly whispering for Niall to be careful, and when the Irish boy finally lets go of Zayn, he turns to Liam with rolling eyes. "Oh, so it's fine to treat me like that, but as soon as it's you boyfriend..."

A bewildered Zayn cuts off Liam's response as he yawns, then points towards Liam's phone on the table. "Shouldn't they be picking Harry's mum up right about now?" Wide-eyed, Liam checks the time, and sure, it's fifteen to eight, and he reluctantly looks towards the living room.

"I'll go get her", Niall interjects, "She'll understand". Both Liam and a rather disgruntled Zayn agree, and within a minute, Niall is out the door with the keys to Liam's car - his only demand, as he didn't want to go and get his own. If the traffic isn't too bad, he'll only be a couple minutes late to pick up Anne.

Back in the kitchen, Zayn snakes his way out of Liam's effort to give him a hug and a kiss, Liam having to settle for a quick peck on the forehead. "I'm sorrryyyy", he drawls with a soft smile, Zayn holding up a hand in the gesture of 'don't talk to me' as he sits at the kitchen table, then changes his mind and huffs out, "I'll forgive you if you make me tea."

Liam laughs, conjuring up the cup he started prepared as soon as he heard Zayn rustling around upstairs. He leans forward as he places the cup in front of Zayn but is ignored completely as Zayn all but inhales the two first sips, following them with a content sigh. At last, he indulges Liam and leans his head back, accepting a soft peck to his own lips.