Urban Ink [A Ziall Fic]

Twenty Two [Lost and Found Tattoos]

            It’s a new day. A bright day. Niall feels like he finally has his life together again. He has a job interview for the bakery tomorrow and he has a plan for Zayn. He feels happy, prepared, and he’s standing on his two feet strong and tall.

            Liam has started to work more shifts at the hospital because Niall has been slacking on his part of the rent. And even though Niall feels bad about it, he knows that Liam really doesn’t mind. He likes his job, loves it really. And he loves helping his friend out. Besides, Niall won’t need help much longer. He’s ready to get out of this life rut he’s been in. He’s going to get the job at the bakery and he’s going to stop feeling bad for himself and suck it up and make something good happen.

            Step one for Niall is to get Zayn to talk to him. Perhaps he should have taken his opportunity yesterday when he woke up with a hangover and Zayn less than five feet from him. But he had been so shocked and he had lost it. How could Niall not losing it after waking up in such a situation? But after that outburst, getting Zayn to talk calmly isn’t going to be as easy as it could have been. In fact, it may be impossible. Zayn might have decided to be done with Niall for good. But Niall tries not to think so negatively and decides that he’ll start by knocking on Zayn’s door, which is right next to his and Liam’s place, and then see what happens next. Maybe it will go okay. Maybe they’ll be able to talk in peace.

            Liam is at the hospital this morning, so Niall makes himself toast and heads out of the condo and next door. He takes a deep breath, getting up the nerves, and he knocks on the door a few times. The first thing that happens is a dog inside starts to bark. Niall is a bit surprised, but he knows that Zayn has a thing for dogs. He always had. He just never had one. But now, he definitely does. After a little more barking the door opens. And there, standing basically naked is none other than Harry Styles.

            “Ah, Niall,” He smirks, “I’ve been expecting you. And even though Zayn told me that he’s never going to talk to you again I think we’ll figure something out,”

            Niall just stares at Harry and then steps back when a dog slips out the open door and jumps up on his legs. The dog is small, some sort of bulldog, with extra skin and bulky limbs. Niall can’t deny that the dog is cute, but he’s trying to focus on what he came here to do, “Listen, Harry, I don’t know if you live here or is you’re just visiting or is Zayn lives here. Honestly I don’t know. I just need to talk to Zayn. Please. I know that maybe I don’t deserve this and I know that you might hate me or whatever for hurting him I just can’t do this anymore and I want a new start. Please, can you tell me where Zayn is?”

            Harry sighs and scratches his unclothed stomach. He has more tattoos than the last time Niall saw him and his hair is longer, more curly. “Listen, I’ll ask Louis where he is. But I can’t guarantee anything. Okay? Fuck Niall, sometimes I don’t get you at all. I mean…you had Zayn wrapped around your little finger and then he messed up once and you threw him away. You need to understand how relationship are supposed to work. You were supposed to accept Zayn’s flaws and faults. No one is perfect and as soon as he showed you an impulsive and destructive side of him you ran away for three fucking years. You broke him. It took us so long to get him up and moving again.”

            Niall nods. He gets he screwed up. He also accepts the advice Harry gives him, because Harry and Louis are kind of perfect for each other in every way. Which makes Niall say, “How are you and Louis?”

            Harry grins, “My old friend, we are nothing but amazing. I also should add the fact that our wedding is going to be in a few months so if you fuck Zayn up for it I think I’ll probably kill you.”