Tattooed Heart [Ziall] (Very Slow Updates)

Prologue

Zayn and Niall lay together, just minutes after spending hours making love. Their bodies were sweaty and their throats were dry. Niall was out of breath, and Zayn was just catching his. Niall's head was to the side, turned to look at the side of Zayn's face. He took in Zayn's beauty. His jaw, covered in light scruff, his eyes, brown and broken, his mouth, pink lips, perfect teeth, a skilled tongue that he couldn't see at the moment. Zayn's so beautiful.

Zayn turned his face to the side, suddenly, as if just now noticing Niall's stare. Zayn looked at him, long with a gentle look in his eyes. Niall gave Zayn a small smile without showing his teeth, the happiness just crossing over his bruised lips. Zayn shifted, ending in his sweaty shoulder pressed flush against Niall's. He leaned forward, closing his eyes as he pressed his sweaty forehead against Niall's. Niall closed his eyes, too. Then Zayn was taking his weak hand, curling his fingers over the back of Niall's hand, pressing their palms hard together. It was as if Zayn was reminding himself that Niall was actually there, right there with him after he'd given up three hours of his time to love him. Niall curled his fingers around Zayn's hand, too, just because it was there and Zayn was there.

Usually, Zayn would be having a smoke right now, but he'd chosen to press himself into Niall's side even after hours of being so close to Niall in ways that weren't just physical. And that thought made Niall's heart flutter.

For a moment, Niall considered saying something. Telling Zayn he loved him, telling Zayn he was beautiful, asking Zayn if he was okay, but he chose to stay silent. There was no need for words, because Zayn had just filled the little gap between them. For the past day, for the past month, Zayn has been working hard, so hard to fill that gap. And today, well, today was that turning point. Today, Zayn was back, and Zayn was Zayn again.

Zayn didn't say anything either. He shifted to be slightly closer to Niall, press harder into Niall so he could feel the skin he's gotten used to being pressed tight against. He shifted to rub their foreheads together for a moment, then fell back into the pillow, keeping Niall's hand held close to his own.