he don't like the lights ♡ ziall/zustin/jiall au [COMPLETE]

eleven

"he won't fucking answer," zayn gasps, eyes wild and terrified. he stares over at his boyfriend, justin, who's gone pale as a sheet. zayn calls niall again, almost on a loop. just calling his phone over and over, despite it going to voicemail every time.

"did you see where he went?" justin asks multiple security people. his voice is frantic, and he runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

"zayn, we've got to go," the tour manager says, "if we don't leave now, you'll miss your first tour stop."

both zayn and justin turn to face him with identical expressions of digust. "what?" justin spits.

"you really think we'll just...just leave? not know where he is? if he's safe?" zayn shakes his head, turns away. "please answer," he mumbles, calling niall's phone again.

"we're not going anywhere," justin says firmly to the tour manager.

"he might not come back," the manager replies.

- - -

niall weeps.

he cries until he can't stop. he cries and he cries until the taxi stops, and he somehow manages to blindly pay the taxi driver and stumble out of the car. his phone has been vibrating nonstop in his pocket, but he doesn't bother checking it. he knows it'll only be justin or zayn and he doesn't have the mental capacity to deal with that right now.

the address he happened to blab to the cab driver was their home, luckily, and it doesn't seem like zayn or justin are there. relief washes over him in waves, and he wipes his face and lets himself into the house. he waits for a second -- but only silence greets him, and he scrambles into the bedroom so he can pack his things and go. he doesn't know where he's going to go. definitely not liam's -- too predictable.

his phone rings again in his pocket, and he grabs it, annoyed. to his surprise, it's liam, not justin or zayn.

"hello?" he says hesitantly.

"i saw what happened," liam says quickly. his voice sounds terrified. "where are you? don't you tell me you've run away. you can't keep doing this."

that hurts niall's feelings. "you were the only person i was going to tell."

"they love you, niall," liam says firmly. "i think the interviewer's question caught them off guard. did you see their faces?"

"i --" niall doesn't know what to say. "i point-blank asked him and he didn't answer."

"you didn't give him time to."

"i..." the anger has suddenly all left niall's chest like air out of a balloon. "oh," he says, very quietly.

there's a small pause. "where are you?" liam asks.

"at home...i..." niall presses a hand to his face. "i'm so stupid!"

"no, no, you're not. you were scared," liam reassures him. "you were afraid and caught off guard."

"i...what do i do now? what do i do?"

"stay put. i'll drive you back to the studio," liam responds. just as he hangs up, zayn's number flashes on the screen, and niall answers.

"i'm sorry," he says by way of greeting. it seems like he can't get the words out of his mouth fast enough, like they're caught in his throat. "i'm sorry. i'm so sorry. i don't know why i'm like this."

"baby," zayn's voice coos, and niall's lip quivers just at the sound. "where are you? we'll come to you. he answered!" he adds the last bit to justin, and he sounds so happy that niall's heart feels like it's been squeezed.

"liam's taking me back to you both," niall replies.

"you're at liam's? he said you weren't there."

"no...i...i went home. liam told me to go back to you."

"i gotta buy that guy a t-shirt." niall can hear the smile in zayn's voice.

"i'm sorry," niall whispers.

"baby, don't. you didn't do anything wrong. nobody's angry with you."

"is he still there? can i talk to him?" justin's voice calls from the background, a bit of a scratchy sound, and then justin's voice, warm. "niall? sweetheart!" he gasps out.

"jay --" niall begins.

"i love you," justin interrupts.

"i'm so so -- wha?"

"you heard me." justin must've moved somewhere quieter, because there's no longer the loud sound of other people in the room behind him. "i love you. i love you so much and i don't think i've ever been so scared as when you walked out of here today. please come back."

"i am," niall answers. he's smiling so big his cheeks hurt. "liam's coming to pick me up soon."

"good." justin sounds so relieved.

"liam's here," niall says, seeing his best friend's car pull up. "i'll see you in a minute."

"okay, sweetheart." justin hangs up, and niall's hands shake for the entire car ride back to the studio. liam tries to help him calm down, but it doesn't work. the second liam puts the car into park, niall is running towards the studio, liam scrambling after him. liam grabs his hand at the sight of the crowd; there are still at least two hundred people out there, hoping for a glimpse of zayn.

"you have to let me in," niall blabs to one of the security guys once he's pushed his way to the front. "i'm zayn's boyfriend --"

the security guard, not the same ones from when niall was on the show, squints at him suspiciously. "kid, you're not the first one to spin that bullshit."

"what? no, i really am --"

"look, i can't just let you in because you claim you're his boyfriend."

niall is about to tear his hair in frustration until liam reminds him he can just call him. he scrambles for his phone, dials zayn's number.

"niall, where are you?" is zayn's immediate question.

"outside with liam. the security won't let us in," he half-whines. it's hard to hear him amongst the crowd of people.

"put him on the phone," zayn says, so niall hands the phone over.

"zayn wants to talk to you," he says, somewhat smugly, and watches with delight as the security guard's face goes pale. he steps aside so liam and niall can go through, and then they're trying to find their way to where zayn is.

"we'll meet you by the doors," zayn says, and niall is suddenly nervous, not that it makes sense.

"calm down," liam laughs at his fidgeting.

"can't," he responds, and then lets out a gasp as he sees zayn and justin making their way down the hall. he takes off down the hall towards them, and he crashes into zayn, who reaches him first.

"no more running away," is zayn's immediate responds, between kisses on his sweet boy's face.

"okay," niall giggles. he nuzzles closer into zayn.

"baby," justin starts when it's his turn. niall tucks himself under his chin.

"i love you, too," he says, and it shocks justin into silence. all he can do is hug his boy back and thank god he made his way back home to them.