Unconventional // z.m.

xviii. In Which He Finds His (Second) Favourite Place

It's been like two months, sorry :/ exams and writer's block are killing me :((

*

Diamond's birthday comes around in what feels like the blink of an eye. It feels as if Zayn's blood is buzzing in his veins from the very moment he opens his eyes in the morning, earlier than he ever wakes up usually. He didn't spend the eve of Diamond's birthday with her upon her request, with the argument that she wanted to spend time with her friends, and that, after spending the 28th and 29th together (with Diamond regrettably returning to hers for the night in between), a day apart would make her birthday much better. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and such. Although Zayn had pouted and protested at the time, he isn't in charge of her outside of the bedroom, and he respects the fact that she wants time with others - although he's unsure who these 'others' were, because Diamond has never mentioned any friends before. Besides, she'd been right after all: after twenty-four hours of pathetic pining, Zayn can barely contain himself. It's Diamond's birthday today, and they're spending the whole say together - out. Somehow, that little detail makes things so much better. This is their official first date (even though he considers the café incident one), the first real step in turning their relationship into the more that Zayn has been chasing for two months.

He hums a happy tune as he lathers down his skinny body, white foam contrasting against caramel skin and black ink. He's been working out more lately, no longer satisfied with the skinny limbs that look as if they belong to a teenage boy. Briefly, he wonders if Diamond has noticed - if he's changed enough for her to notice. He spends enough time shirtless around her, but he knows not to expect noticeable results so soon. In a couple of months, he'll be stronger, hopefully, able to throw her around like he wants to, own her, make her his. Maybe they might actually get to his bedroom - territory they haven't breached yet. He'd thought they might the day he returned from Bradford, but by the time he returned, Diamond was in his kitchen making a sandwich, and he lacked the self-control to make it past the counter. She'd gotten lonely in her apartment, apparently - gone stir-crazy, and deemed it better to be in Zayn's flat where she could wear his clothes and everything smelled like him. The thought of her in his flat alone, the thought of just the trace of his presence being a comfort to her, makes Zayn smile. They're on the way to something. This date is just another big step.

He can't stop himself from calling her as he finishes getting dressed, tugging on socks as the fourth ring gets cut off and Diamond's voice replaces it.

"Hello?"

"Hey," he greets, grinning at the laugh that leaves her lips when she recognises his voice.

"You're picking me up in forty-five minutes, dummy," she giggles. "You couldn't wait?"

Zayn pouts, though the idea of finally finding out where she lives sends a bolt of lightning to his belly. "But I didn't see you for a whole day yesterday," he reminds her.

"Oh dear lord, a day?" she gasps sarcastically. "Is your dìck okay?"

"Might be better after a quick round of phone sex," Zayn suggests - only half-joking.

A snort sounds through the line. "In your dreams."

"Both night and day, baby," sighs Zayn, his tone jokingly defeated just to hear her laugh again. "What are you wearing?"

"Zayn!"

"'M serious!" he chuckles, making his way to the kitchen. "What're you wearing?"

"I'm dressed comfy and warm," Diamond says cryptically. "Are leggings okay for what we're doing?"