You're The Shining Distraction That Makes Me Fly

Chapter 13

There were days that Zayn actually questioned if he would ever make it up here, wondered if he had the tenacity to get through four years of hardship for a piece of paper. The day he had gotten the call from Mezi's grandparents had been the day he had doubted himself the most, he simply couldn't imagine going to school full time, while working and raising a child.

And yet, the minute after he had held Mezrhad in his arms, looked at the boy's tear stained face, Zayn had known that he had no other choice than to get through that last year of his education to get a diploma. Everything he did from that day on was for his son.

Mezrhad deserved the best the world had to offer, and the only way Zayn could give his son that was with an education, so he could go out and get a good job, provide for his son and be the protector Sama had meant him to be.

What Zayn hadn't expected however was that on his graduation day, when he stood on stage in front of thousands of people, receiving his diploma, there would be an impressive amount of people huddled together, cheering his name.

He could distinctly make out Louis and Niall's loud hollering when the presenter announced his name.

"Zayn Javadd Malik, Bachelor's degree in education, concentration in English literature and Fine Arts. With distinction."

Zayn was more than proud of those last two words, the with distinction showing how hard he'd work for his grades, how serious he'd taken his education even if he had mountains of responsibilities at home.

As he stood, walking towards the front of the stage, he felt his own legs tremble, hands shaking as he tried not to trip over his own feet. Searching the crowd, he saw his parents and sisters waving at him happily, Liam's own parents right next to them. Their meeting had been one for the books, filled with laughter and embarrassing stories that Zayn preferred not to remember.

Right next to them, at the forefront of everything, was his son sitting on Liam's shoulders, both smiling widely as they shouted out excitedly. Mezi was waving around a batman figurine and his camera, which had Zayn chuckling to himself as he accepted his diploma. Immediately Mezi brought the plastic Polaroid camera to his face, snapping a shot of Zayn and giving him a thumbs up as if everyone was waiting on the boy.

Laughing again, Zayn thanked the dean, looking back at Liam one more time, getting lost in the man's warm chocolate eyes that sung praise as they watched him, so full of love and admiration.

Mouthing a not so subtle I love you, Zayn made his way back to his seat, settling in for the rest of the ceremony, his eyes never leaving Mezrhad and Liam.

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"A toast to Zayn," Liam said as he wrapped an arm around Zayn's waist from behind, smiling into his neck as he offered him a glass of cheap champagne.

"To Zayn," everyone echoed, raising their glasses in his direction as Zayn shied away, hiding his face in Liam's chest.

"You promised you wouldn't make a scene," sighed Zayn as he pulled away, kissing Liam's lips for no good reason other than he wanted to.

Shaking his head, kissing Zayn right back, Liam smirked down at him, tightening his hold on his hip.

"I said I wouldn't make a scene AT the graduation," emphasized Liam, wiggling his eye brows in a goofy manner. "I never said I wouldn't once we were home."

"I hate you," mumbled Zayn, fingers pressed tightly into Liam's back indicating the contrary. "I wish we were alone."

"You'll get your celebratory blow job later," Liam assured, biting the shell of his ear.