Behind the Mic (Liam Payne fanfic)

Chapter Twenty One

 We walked hand in hand towards the park downtown. The birds were chirping over head, and children's laughter filled the air. Out in the distance, we heard dogs barking and cars honking. There was a light breeze that his us every so often, at an angle where the scene of Liam's woodsy body wash filled my nose. My ponytail lightly swung in the wind and with each step I took. Liam's pace was significantly slower than mine, his long legs taking up twice the amount of distance I took with each tep. It didn't feel rushed. We strolled down the pathway, hands interlocked, swaying in between us. He lead me up to the top of the hill, to a white gazebo that was decorated in yellow and white daisies. The grass around it was grown out and exhibited the same slow movement back and forth from the wind. He lightly brushed off a few petals from the gazebo bench and gestured for me to sit. I did, placing my purse at my feet, and he sat next to me, gently wrapping his arm around me. We sat in silence for a moment, looking down the hill at the dogs playing fetch and the children on the playground. The sun was warm and the breeze was cool, and the mixture of the park's peaceful vibes and our tension was tangible. Liam broke the silence.

"For what it's worth, Rose," he said, his voice soft and smooth. "I think it'd be worth it to try. Even if it's hard. Especially if it's hard. I want you around. I want to be around you, and I want to go through whatever struggles we face, with you." I curled into his chest and he pulled me in even tighter, his large hand covering my shoulder. His thumb gently moved up and down, his other hand on my thigh, gently tracing shapes out randomly. "I just want to be around you."

"I want to be around you, too," I whispered. "I just worry that's not enough." My words filled the gazebo space, and I felt as if speaking them out loud helped get them out of my chest. I felt lighter. "I worry that if it isn't enough, if it'll hurt more later than it would hurt now."

"Does it hurt now?" he asked. I shook my head. "I don't want to hurt you, Rose. Ever."

"I don't want to be hurt again," I responded. I took a deep breath and pulled away from him. I took his hands in mind and looked him in the eyes. "I think I just need some time to let my mind and my heart really, truly settle. I want to do this with you, and I want to do it right. From the start."

"I understand that," he said. "I won't tell you that doesn't suck, having to wait to be with you. But Rose?" I raised an eyebrow in response. He lifted my hands and gently kissed each one individually. "I would wait all my life if it meant I could spend an ounce of it with you." I took his head in my hands and kissed him. Gently, remembering that his lip was still split. But eagerly, passionately, as if trying to portray all the feelings that I couldn't get out with words. He wrapped his arms around the small of my back and pulled me into his lap. For a second, I thought about how I was suddenly straddling him in the middle of a public park in broad daylight, but it quickly was not what I was focusing on. I just wanted to show him how much I wanted to be with him, show him and not tell him, how much I liked him, how desperately I wanted it to be simple for the two of us. The kiss wasn't inherently sexual, our hands stayed steady and still, there wasn't any pulling or tugging of clothing. But I felt the skin of his nose against mine, I felt the bump on his lip, I tasted the coffee on his tongue, I smelled his body wash, his cologne, I felt the hair on the back of his head as I held his head gently, I felt his hands spread against my back and hold me close to him. We pulled away in sync for air, and I pressed my forehead against his.

"You leave in two days?" I whispered.

"Come with us," he replied.

"San Francisco next weekend?"

"We have room on the bus, you can stay with me."

"Then Seattle?"

"Join me. Please."

"Then we spend a few weeks in Canada,"

"Lots of shows?"

"Pretty much every weekend, but the weeks are completely free. Rose, I..." He trailed off, but against his forehead, I felt his brows furrow slightly. I gently traced the worry lines on his forehead with my forefinger.

"Sounds like I have to get a passport then," I said through a slight smile. He suddenly pulled me away to look me in the eyes, his eyebrows up and mouth open.

"You're joining us? You'll do it?"

"I've never been to Canada."

"Rose!" He shouted, lifting me up off of him. He held onto me, around my waist, my arms wrapped around his neck still, and spun me around in delight. Our laughter filled the air as we turned in the gazebo. My feet eventually touched the ground and I pulled away from him slightly.

"I want to join you," I said. "I'll take a job, I'll find something remote, we can figure that out. But I need a few weeks to get ready to leave. I need to say goodbye to my friends, to my family. I need to..."

"Take all the time you need," he said, kissing my face all over. "Well, not all the time. But of course, take it. I want you there because you want to be there."

"I want to be there," I murmured, pressing my lips against his.