Something Great (Ziam AU)

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Three – Zayn

Zayn groans as he realizes he's alone in the bed at Liam's parents' house, before sitting up and looking around, wondering where Liam could have gone. He doesn't hear the shower running, and can't really hear any voices downstairs either, Zayn knows its a weekday so Geoff and Karen are probably at work, but Ruth and Nicola both took time off to spend with them, (mostly Liam, even though they both deny it) and are staying at the house as well, even though they both have their own places nearby. Just as he's about to get up and investigate further there's a knock on the door before it creaks open and Ruth comes into the room slowly. When she sees him sitting up she smiles and comes all the way in, “hey, you're awake” she grins and he nods, running a hand through his hair, “where's Liam?” he croaks and she giggles, “he went to the gym with Nic. Wanted me to make sure you didn't panic that he was gone, or something, but you've been asleep for most of what they've been gone” she explains and he nods, rubbing at his eyes. They've been staying at the Payne's for four days now and Zayn can't remember why he was nervous if he's being honest with himself, Karen is lovely, and one of the best cooks Zayn has ever met, Geoff is a really nice guy with a hilarious sense of humour, Nicola is a little crazy sometimes but she's a very sweet woman. But it's Ruth Zayn has gotten closest too out of all of them, he understands why her and Liam are so close, she's super easy to talk to (Zayn even poured his heart out to her about his sisters last night, when she caught him crying on the couch in the middle of the night), and she's just really funny and always up for anything. Plus she seems to be Liam's number one defender, and anyone that is out to protect Liam is ok with Zayn.

“Do you wanna come watch a movie with me?” Ruth asks as Zayn's rinsing his cereal bowl and placing it in the dishwasher, he raises an eyebrow “what movie?” he asks and she shrugs “you'll have to wait and see, or you can go sit in Li's room alone and wait for him to come back” she teases and Zayn rolls his eyes. Liam had texted him saying that he and Nicola were going to get some coffee and would be a little longer, Zayn had pouted but, really he's not going to stop Liam from spending time with his family. “Sure” he mumbles before trailing Ruth to the sitting room, she's hiding the case from him as she sets up the movie, and he groans “you're just like your brother” he accuses and she sticks her tongue out at him, “where did you think he got it?” she asks. When the movie starts and the opening credits for Tangled begin to play Zayn rolls his head to look at Ruth “seriously?” he asks and she just nods before shushing him. Zayn loves this movie if he's being honest, thinks the story between Rapunzel and Flynn Rider is beautiful,, and he loves the characters, he'll never admit it, at least not out loud though.

The movie is almost over, they're at the part where Flynn cuts off Rapunzel's hair after she made the deal to save him, in order to save her, and he's not crying, Zayn doesn't cry at movies, there's definitely something in his eye. Zayn jumps slightly as he feels arms slip around him, and turns his head slightly to see Liam, he smiles slightly and Liam grins, “hey, I missed you” he murmurs and Zayn blushes slightly. “Missed you too” he murmurs as Liam snuggles closer to him, “are you crying” Liam asks, just as Mother Gothel falls out of the tower, Zayn shakes his head violently, “no” he answers quickly, “I'm not crying, I've just got something in my eye” he adds, and Liam chuckles. Liam presses a kiss to Zayn's forehead, “it's ok Love, I cry when I watch Bambi” he murmurs and Zayn smiles at him. Ruth makes a gagging sound from across the room and Zayn watches as Liam glares at her, “you guys if you're gonna be gross, go to your room Li” she whines and Zayn shakes his head as Liam glares at her again, and Nicola comes into the room carrying four bottles of water in her hands. “What did I miss?” Nicola asks as she pushes Liam and Zayn's feet out of her way to sit on the couch Ruth giggles, “Flynn saved Rapunzel, and Liam and his boyfriend are being gross” she says sticking her tongue out at Liam as she does, Zayn chuckles and Nicola shakes her head, “oh cause you've never made us watch you kiss your boyfriend” she teases and Zayn laughs loudly, the banter between the siblings is great, and something he's really been missing. He knows Liam has noticed the way he's watching them by the grin on his boyfriend's face, “you ok?” Liam whispers and Zayn nods smiling as he watches Ruth smack Nicola with a pillow, which causes the older to launch her shoe across at her sisters head. “We should probably get out of here” Liam murmurs, Zayn nods as he ducks under the pillow that misses Nicola and flies towards himself and Liam “I couldn't agree more” he chuckles pulling Liam up with him the pair fleeing from the room.

They make it upstairs to Liam's room just as they hear a loud crash coming from the room they were previously in, Liam shakes his head, “they've been like this for as long as I can remember” he chuckles and Zayn grins. “I think it's great, my sisters and I used to wrestle, drove Mum nuts” he chuckles and Liam smiles widely, “I think that may be the first positive memory of your sisters you've ever told me” he murmurs. Zayn shrugs the grin falling from his face, he knows Liam's right and he knows he should feel bad about it but he doesn't. His sisters hurt him in a way no one understands, except maybe Harry because he was right there with him, piecing Zayn back together. “Hey, you're ok. You're allowed to have good memories too you know” Liam soothes and Zayn nods, not really believing him, because the more happy memories he allows himself to recall the more he misses his family the way it was before his parents' accident. Zayn flops across Liam's bed then, “what are we gonna do now?” he asks with a pout because its not even lunchtime yet and he's bored. Liam shrugs, “we can do whatever you want, really, but I wanna take you out tonight, like on a real date” he says nervously and Zayn can feel the large smile spreading across his face.

Zayn's not entirely sure what Liam is planning for tonight for their date, all he knows is that they'll have to be careful, because if they get caught and photographed everyone is in trouble. Liam disappeared again as soon as Zayn agreed to the date and Zayn is once again alone in Liam's childhood bedroom. The large cardboard cut out of Liam is making him nervous, has been since they arrived, if he's being honest, and when he's alone he has time to think, and usually over think things. Like right now Zayn's mind is racing with everything that could go wrong with him and Liam going on an actual date, he'll then switch gears in his head, and start thinking about how he needs to find a job once he's back home in London. Zayn knows he's been putting it off, pretending he still has a job, and enjoying his time with Liam, because he doesn't know when he'll see him again after he goes home and Liam goes back to touring. Zayn's phone ringing across the room jolts him out of his thoughts and he jumps up to answer it before his voicemail can.

“Hello...?” he asks into the phone smiling when he hears the familiar giggle coming down the line, “hiya Zayn” Perrie chirps, “hey Pez, how are you?” he asks politely. Perrie giggles again, “I'm good, loving spending time with the family. How are you though Zayn, was Liam's family as scary as you thought?” she asks and Zayn rolls his eyes, a fond smile playing on his lips, he really has grown close to Perrie, “I'm good, and no Liam's family are great actually, I feel like I fit in here” he says quietly. Perrie coos, and Zayn makes a face at the sound, “what are you guys up to, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?” Perrie asks suddenly and Zayn laughs loudly, “oh yea, you know we were in the middle of having sex but my phone rang so I abandoned him to talk to you” he deadpans. “Ok gross, Zayn ew” Perrie squeals and Zayn laughs again, “I'm joking you nerd, I'm actually alone right now, Liam's off planning our date for tonight” he murmurs. The line goes quiet for a minute after that and if Zayn couldn't hear the faint music in the background on Perrie's end he would have thought she had hung up, “that's great Zayn, really just please be careful. I care about both of you and if you two get caught Eleanor might eliminate one of you” Perrie says seriously, and Zayn nods. “I know Perrie, and I'm worried too, because we both know who will be terminated, and it isn't the international popstar. But Liam's set on this and I'm completely confident that we can pull this off” Zayn murmurs Perrie sighs “I think you two can too, but sorry Zee, I gotta go, my mum's calling. I miss you talk to you soon” Perrie chirps the line going dead before Zayn can say anything in response. With nothing else to do Zayn decides to take a nap until Liam comes back, its not like he's going to go anywhere, and there's nothing else to do. Zayn snuggles up to Liam's pillow and quickly drifts off to sleep a few moments later, thoughts of his boy running through his mind.