Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty – Liam

Liam sighs and paces around his living room, Zayn had left half an hour ago because he had to work in the morning and needed to get some sleep, it’s late and Liam knows he should be getting to bed himself, but he just can’t. His mind is racing with the day’s events, everything from all the time with Zayn, the picture on twitter and the kiss. Mostly the kiss, he keeps replaying the way Zayn responded to him and he feels himself grinning widely as he thinks about it. “What’s with you?” Louis’ loud voice makes him jump, and he turns to glare at his best friend “who let you in?” Liam asks, and Louis chuckles holding up his key to Liam’s apartment with a cheeky smile. Liam sighs “why exactly did I give that to you again?” Liam asks, and Louis scoffs, “maybe because I need to get your lazy arse up most mornings” he fires back and Liam holds up his hands in defense. When he actually takes in Louis’ appearance he can see exactly what Zayn was hinting at, his hair is a complete mess, and his clothes are rumpled, and inside out, now that Liam looks closer at the shirt, there is also a bright red and purple love bite peeking out from the collar of his shirt. Liam chuckles “so, good night with Harry then?” he asks with a grin and Louis blushes, looking away from him, “was great” he mumbles and Liam hums “I’ll bet, and how long have you been dressing yourself exactly?” he asks. Louis narrows his eyes at this comment and reaches forward and smacks the back of Liam’s head a grin breaking out across his face, and Liam notices how his blue eyes are sparkling in a way Liam hasn’t seen in a long time. Pouting Liam rubs the spot Louis hit, “but seriously Lou, how was it?” he asks, Louis smiles widely “it was great Li, I really like him, and yea we may have gotten carried away tonight, but I promise nothing other than a good snog happened” he says dreamily and Liam smiles. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself Lou, but please spare me the details” he chuckles and Louis glares again, before skipping off towards Liam’s kitchen.

When Louis returns he’s carrying two mugs of tea, and passes one to Liam before he flops across the large leather couch and picks up the remote from where Liam tossed it when Zayn left. Liam sits carefully beside Louis and waits, he’s not entirely sure what he’s waiting for, but he knows there’s something Louis needs to get off his chest, it’s why he came to Liam’s instead of going straight home. It’s why Louis is jokingly violent and why he made them both tea, Louis heaves out a sigh and Liam sets his mug down and reaches over to place a hand on Louis’ arm, he turns and smiles gently before setting his own mug down. “Liam what am I going to do?” he whines and despite the vagueness of the question Liam knows without asking they’re talking about Harry, “I mean I’m falling fast for this curly haired kid, I just met, and I’m scared Li, we go back on the tour in two weeks and then what happens? What if he doesn’t want the long distance, or thinks he does, but then can’t handle it? What if I let this boy into my heart and he tears it apart just like Max did?” Louis asks the word Max coming out more of a hiss than the rest of the questions. Liam’s face softens “oh Lou, he’s not Max, I know how long it took you to get over him, and how scared you’ve been to trust another guy since then, but I don’t think Harry could ever do that to you” he soothes, one hand rubbing up and down Louis’ arm gently. Louis looks at Liam like someone’s just kicked his puppy and Liam feels a renewed hatred for Louis’ ex-boyfriend who tore his best friend apart. “I know I don’t know Harry, but from what Zayn’s told me, he can’t hurt anyone, not purposely” Liam adds and Louis nods, “no he wouldn’t, he couldn’t actually” he says thoughtfully, “but what if he doesn’t want me, after we go back on tour?” Louis asks again. Liam smiles softly, “Lou, do you want to stay here, when I go back for the next leg of the tour? I can manage somehow if you do” he murmurs, and Louis gasps. “No, no way Li, I’m coming with you, it’s my job” he says fiercely and Liam nods “ok, it was just a thought, I’m glad you’re still coming” he soothes and Louis nods.

They’re quiet for a minute after that, both just sipping their tea, Liam watches as Louis runs a hand through his already messy hair, and then rubs absently at the love bite he noticed earlier. “Lou, I think the other questions, are all a conversation you need to have with Harry, and soon, before you’re both too invested and end up hurt” he murmurs gently. Louis makes a face but nods, “can’t I just kiss him some more?” he whines and Liam laughs, “well sure, but you still need to talk, see what he thinks of all this” he chuckles, Louis bites his lip nodding. “What about you, how was your date with Zayn?” Louis asks, after a minute and Liam knows he’s done talking about himself now. Liam smiles “it was great Lou, he’s, well he’s amazing” he says dreamily and Louis chuckles, “I’m really glad Li, you deserve to be happy finally” he says patting Liam’s knee. Louis’ smile turns into a look that Liam knows too well, it’s the look that used to result in one or both of them being grounded, and lately results in Eleanor rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the two of them, and Liam’s expression turns wary, “did you cuddle, kiss, full on snog?” Louis asks chuckling. Liam sighs, because honestly it could have been worse, “considering my clothes are all still the right way, I’d say we kept it cleaner than you” he chuckles and Louis glares. Liam laughs “but yes, we kissed and it was perfect Lou. You know he made me some special drink his mum used to make that completely soothed my throat” he says, Louis grins “I thought you sounded better” he says. Liam nods, “and he didn’t freak out when I called him about that stupid picture on twitter” he adds and Louis frowns, shaking his head “what picture Li?” he asks.

Liam wants to smack himself, of course Louis didn’t know about the pictures, he’d been in his own world all night and afternoon. It’s been ten minutes since he let it slip about the pictures and Louis has been searching twitter ever since. He’s chewing on his lip as he studies the picture on the screen, as Liam paces the room waiting, “yea, I think you and Zayn were right this isn’t too bad, you can’t really see either of your faces, but you gotta be careful Li” Louis finally mumbles. Liam sighs, because yea, he knew Louis would become businesslike about it, especially because Liam is no longer having a panic attack about it himself, but he was hoping it could wait until later so he could gush about Zayn some more, like a teenage girl at a sleepover. Louis seems to notice the shift in Liam’s mood and closes the laptop, “sorry Li, back to your date, how good a kisser is he?” he asks, and he’s back to just being Liam’s best friend. Liam grins and shakes his head at Louis, “I’m not giving you details Lou” he mumbles and Louis pouts, “c’mon Li, please” he whines batting is eyelashes ridiculously and Liam almost gives in, almost tells Louis every single detail of the afternoon and night. Almost but he doesn’t, Liam doesn’t want to let Louis know everything that transpired with Zayn, wants to keep it between the two of them, and so he stays quiet. Louis huffs, “fine don’t tell me then” he mutters and Liam chuckles, shaking his head once more.

Louis stops pressing for details about his kiss with Zayn after that, but sits huffily on Liam’s couch letting him know he’s not happy about Liam’s choice not to share. They’re watching some made for TV movie, that’s actually worse than it sounds, Liam’s eyes dart to the clock and he makes a surprised noise at the time, “so I guess you’re sleeping here then?” he asks raising an eyebrow. Louis makes a strange sound, nodding his head, “was there ever any doubt?” he asks and Liam shakes his head, “right well, you know where everything is, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, good night Lou” he murmurs, pressing a friendly kiss to Louis’ forehead before heading to his room. As he climbs into his large bed he can’t help but keep replaying Zayn’s reaction to the room in his head, he had seemed in awe of the room and the sheer size of Liam’s bed, and it makes Liam wonder, exactly what Zayn’s apartment is like, and he can’t help but hope he gets a chance to find out. Liam clicks off the lamp and allows his eyes to slip closed, thoughts of a raven haired boy overtaking him and filling his dreams.