Ziam one shots

I'm letting you know (3)

Chapter 3: Part V

Summary:

So this all takes place right after the night before (so basically before the epilogue in Just Let Me Know).
Chapter Text
Part V:

The mattress tips under Liam, and he shifts with it automatically, wondering for half a moment which of the lads has crawled into his bed this time. A finger lightly traces around his chin, playing with the stubble, and it all comes flooding back.

Zayn.

Liam swears he can smell him now, warmth and spice tinged with something dark and lingering, and there's not a trace of smoke. His lips twitch, just a bit, because Zayn must've just woken up if he hasn't even gone for a smoke yet.

It's all so wonderfully familiar, so right in a way the world hasn't felt for two years.

"You awake?" Zayn nearly whispers it, like he's afraid that Liam isn't.

Liam brings him closer with the arm still trapped underneath his head. He doesn't bother to open his eyes as he nuzzles his face in Zayn's hair – smelling faintly of sweat and sex, barely covered by the muted scent of sleep and yeah, Liam thinks they probably should have showered after that last round but –

"Why're you up 'fore me?" he mumbles tiredly. His lips feel swollen and bruised, and he loves it. His entire body aches but so pleasantly that Liam doesn't want to move even to stretch.

"Was watching you." Zayn sounds hesitant, and his fingers are still far too light over Liam's skin, but it's the way his breathing stutters that finally forces Liam to open his eyes.

He blinks, trying to clear his vision, and when it finally does, he instantly smiles. Zayn's staring up at him, chin just barely resting against Liam's chest. One arm drapes over Liam, fingers nearly touching the birthmark on Liam's neck.

Beautiful, Liam can't help but think. Zayn's beauty doesn't mean much to Liam, certainly less than any other part of Zayn, but it still surprises him sometimes.

It takes another moment, then, for Zayn's expression to register.

Liam melts. "Oh Zayn."

Zayn shifts uncomfortably, casting his worried eyes away but not pulling away from Liam.

Liam's thankful because he thinks it would still probably hurt if Zayn pulled away from him right now. "Z," he mutters, one hand coming up to cradle the back of Zayn's head. "Hey, jaan, look at me." The nickname does it, as Liam knew it would.

"Do you mean it?" Zayn's lips tremble just slightly, but he presses them together like he doesn't want Liam to see. His vulnerability is shining in his eyes though, his uncertainty captured in the hunch of his shoulders.

"That you're my life?" Liam questions just to make sure. Zayn nods. "Of course."

And he is. Zayn slotted right back into all the hollow places that Liam never managed to fill, and Liam knows that this contentment can't possibly last, but right now he's not worried about that. He doesn't want to worry about all of the difficulties they're going to face, not yet.

He's forgiven Zayn, and he wants to move on. He can't hold onto to every past hurt, can't hold onto every single mistake, if he wants to be happy with Zayn. And he does want to be happy with Zayn. More than anything.

Zayn shudders out a breath, eyes slipping shut and his shoulders loosening. "I woke up and – I wasn't sure. It felt too good to be real. I've missed you so much, Li."

Liam presses a kiss to Zayn's hairline, aching slightly at the way Zayn's voice cracks just a bit. He hadn't even thought about it, how Zayn's doubts might linger. He thought he'd pressed all of that away last night, but he understands why in the harsh light of day they might come back.