If It Means A Lot To You (A Hunger Games Au)

Chapter 8

Zayn woke up, and the first thing he feels is ... warm. He feels a veil of warmth all over his body, or at least half his body for the most part. He isn't surprised this time, when he finds the younger boy tucked into his side (left), same as before. The only difference is, he doesn't wake up to a mouthful of blonde hair, and he does fall back asleep this time.

-

Niall feels Zayn stir and he tenses. He doesn't actually think anything happened yesterday, but it's been screaming inside his head and he just can't figure it out. Niall doesn't know whether he's crossed some sort of boundary, (or line, or wall, or whatever), but he relaxes immensely when he feels the other boy settle back down. He carefully tightens his arm that's around Zayn's waist, snuggling his face into the boy's chest.

He realises that something is hanging by a thread above their heads, like an unlit fire waiting for a spark. Zayn had been rather quiet last night after their almost-incident, making Niall occupy himself with their supplies (before they had managed to run, Niall had retrieved the backpack with new things. Wire, knives, food, etc.).

He doesn't want anything wrong to happen between them, but he couldn't help but feel his chest tighten when he thought about the close proximity he was with Zayn's face, with his eyes, with his lips. He made him feel... fuzzy. Warm almost. Not that warmth you get when your mother tucks you in to bed, but the warmth you get when you cuddled up near a fireplace with a lover, the best friend you could ever want. It's almost as if... they were the crackles of the smooth flame, nice and soft, but warm and strong and full of life. Niall thought it would feel nice. Niall thinks Zayn feels nice.

And that's how the two spend their morning. Cuddling and half-asleep, forgetting that they have a murderous game to continue, forgetting and being fearless and being calm and themselves.

Niall likes this morning.

Zayn does too.

*

"You're so stubborn!"

"Yeah, but I'm not letting you go alone!"

"Just stay here!"

"No."

"Why not!?"

"'Cause I said no. I'm going, now stop arguing."

"You're stupid! This is ridiculous! You're gonna get yourself killed; stay here."

"No."

"I'm not asking you!"

"And I'm not asking you if I can go. I'm going with-"

Zayn stopped, groaning in pain as he felt a jolt run through his leg. Niall caught him as he stumbled, his arms wrapping securely around the older boy's waist. His chest was pressed to Zayn's back, his nose gently bumping with Zayn's shoulder.

"See? Stay here, Zayn. I'm begging you."

"I can't let you go alone, Niall."

Niall huffed tiredly, "Please?"

...

"Please. don't go with me. I-I can't.. if something happens to you.. look what happened last time."

"Not aga-"

"NO. I wasn't quick enough, an you know that. Not to mention: you got hurt. What if you get hurt again?"

Zayn opened and closed his mouth a few times, not knowing what to say, for once completely speechless. No words could make Niall change his mind about this. But Zayn knew better; this wasn't about just him getting hurt or Niall not being able to help him of something happens to himself. This was about was happened yesterday (or what almost happened, but didn't).