Zayn has always slept like a baby. if he was tired, he would crash as soon as his head hit the pillow, and people couldn't get him up if they screamed in his ear.
so it was strange and completely irritating when he couldn't get to sleep. it was around three in the morning, and he had been trying desperately hard to sleep for hours. he didn't believe in taking pills to help him sleep, so that was out of the question. watching TV wakes him up because he gets irritated by the stupid shit on it, or he becomes interested in the plot and has to finish whatever is on. he went on twitter for a while, but the bright screen burned his eyes, and the only exception was to google how to get to sleep. he drank some tea and listened to calming music, but his body refused to let him sleep.
he was exhausted. they had done a show, and the adrenaline rush was well gone now, but he was still wide awake. he started doing sit ups to wear himself out, but he just felt hot and uncomfortable and that woke him up even more. he took a shower and started to read a book, but he couldn't even focus on it, so he tossed it aside.
he finally picked up his phone again, texting Liam to ask him if he was awake.
when he got back a 'no I'm sleeping,' he couldn't even roll his eyes because he was so frustrated at his lack of sleep.
instead, he called him. Liam picked up immediately.
"hey Zayn, why aren't you sleeping?" Liam's voice was laced with concern, as it always is, but he was almost teasing Zayn.
Zayn chuckled, but it was bitter,
"you tell me." he shook his head, sighing, "I swear I've tried everything."
Liam paused for a moment, then proceeded to list a million things that Zayn had already done. Zayn groaned and explained that he had done way more than anything Liam had suggested.
"I swear I've tried everything," Zayn repeated. he was so exasperated, and he knew that it could be heard from the other end.
Liam paused for a moment, as if he was thinking,
"have you tried wanking?"
Zayn almost choked on his own spit, because he really wasn't expecting a question like that from Liam- Louis maybe, but not Liam.
"Li- why would you ask me that?"
Liam sighed and chuckled,
"sorry but sometimes when I can't sleep, I-" he paused for a while, sighing. "-look I just know that it helps. it wears you out I guess."
Zayn grumbled, because he was suddenly feeling very vulnerable,
"look- I did try but I couldn't even- get turned on. so it can't work."
he heard a soft laugh from the other side, before Liam spoke again,
"you have to be turned on for it to like- work. you get tired after you come."
Zayn blushed as an effect of the words, and muttered an,
"oh."
the phone call must have been silent for several minutes; the only sound being heard was a heavy sigh from Liam.
soon, Liam spoke up,
"look- I can't sleep either. do you want me to come to your room? that way we can hangout."
Zayn hummed,
"I just want to sleep- but go ahead."
Liam muttered a response and then hung up the phone. Zayn sat atop his bed, rubbing eyes and just feeling completely restless. he was so, so tired and he just couldn't sleep. his lips were in a pout and his shoulders were slumped against the bed when there was a knock or two at the door.
Zayn stood up from where he was, groaning because he didn't even want to be moving. he walked over to the door, opening it to reveal Liam, standing there with apparent sympathy on his face. Zayn smiled, but rolled his eyes, walking toward his bed again, sitting down and pulling out his pack of cigarettes.
Liam closed the door behind himself and walked up to sit beside Zayn,
"are you even allowed to smoke in here?"
he mumbled "no," before putting one in between his lips and lighting it, his hair falling from the quiff it was in and clouding his eyes as he took a drag.
