Our Brother is a Superhero

15

2:43 AM Sunday 

Zayn woke up with a start, panting and itching for a drink of water. Luckily, Liam always places a glass of water beside the boys' beds before they go to sleep so that no one has to get up to go downstairs during the night.

He sipped his water, trying to calm his heart rate. This was a usual occurrence, Zayn's anxiety would raise his heat rate making him wake up in a sweat. He usually would climb into bed with Liam but Louis' words rang in his head, that Louis would now look after him.

Zayn shakily got up from his bed and treaded along the hall to Louis' room, trying his hardest to be quiet. When he got to Louis' room he creaked open the door and saw Louis sleeping soundly. He tiptoed over to Louis and shook him to wake him up.

"Boo." Zayn said as he shook his older brother. Luckily, Louis also isn't the deepest sleeper so he woke up quite groggily.

"Zayn?" Louis asked as he rubbed his eyes and reached over to switch his lampshade on. "Why're you up?"

"Woke up and couldn't get back to sleep." Zayn said, still standing awkwardly beside Louis' bed. Louis sighed as he knew this happened to Zayn sometimes and it was time to step up as the big brother.

"C'mere then." Louis said, opening his cover to beckon Zayn in. Grinning, Zayn climbed into bed and immediately snuggled into Louis, forgetting that he's not Liam.

"Jesus Zayn, personal space." Louis laughed and Zayn blushed and scooted away from the older lad.

"Sorry." He squeaked and Louis sighed.

"It's fine Zee, I was just joking." Louis said as he pulled Zayn into his arms.

The two lay in silence for a few moments, Louis actually trying to fall back to sleep, before Zayn piped up.

"Did you know I was an accident?" Zayn asked thoughtfully and the question now had Louis wide awake again.

"What?!" Louis exclaimed, he didn't necessarily want to hear about his parents' sex life, and this genuinely came as a shock to him.

"Dad told me when he was drunk. I was ten, I didn't really know what it meant at the time so I googled it. He told me that both you and Liam were planned but I was a 'mistake'. I thought you knew and that's why you didn't like me." Zayn said as he played with his hands.

Louis was stunned. Firstly, he had no idea that Zayn had been bearing this kind of information since he was ten, and he was pretty sure Liam didn't know about it either. Secondly, he knew his dad was a dick but he didn't think he'd be horrible enough to tell Zayn that he was an accident. And finally, Louis was still heartbroken by the fact that Zayn genuinely thought that Louis didn't like him.

"Zee, we've been over this, I've always loved you, I just have a funny way of showing it." Louis sighed as he tried to pick his words carefully for addressing the next subject. "And as for dad saying that you were an accident, so what? I'm pretty sure Niall was too but that doesn't mean they love you any less." Louis assured him.

Zayn nodded and turned around so that he could rest his head against Louis' chest as hearing someone else's heartbeat always calmed him down.

"Sweet dreams baby bro." Louis said as he rubbed Zayn's back.

"Night Boo."

*

The week after the boys' football match was slightly less hectic than usual as Liv came over on the Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to see the boys and Liam.