One Direction Sickfics & One Shots

4. Zayn :: Tell Her She's Beautiful, Wonderful

Eurie: This is going to talk about racism. This was actually inspired by Calum fanfic I read from archive of our own, but I forgot what it's called. Also, yay! First Little Mix Centric fanfiction.

2014
One Direction had about three months until their next tour would start up. Little Mix had already begun touring America with Demi Lovato. Zayn planned on spending the week with Perrie, traveling with her to every location and everything. With how busy both of them are, it was so rare that they got to spend any time together.

Of course, the moment he brought it up, Louis quickly chimed in, accepting the invitation for all five of them to go despite Zayn not offering one up. Harry then heard and got excited, then Liam, and then Niall, all smiley, and Zayn couldn't say no after seeing Niall's happy jump.

All nine of them, the Little Mix girls and the One Direction Boys, were currently in the American airport going through all the usual procedures, well mostly. The boys had all made it through and were about to walk to a McDonalds, because Niall was hungry, when they noticed the girls weren't joining them. Curious, Zayn backtracked to the security line, promising to meet them at the fast food place, and heard Jesy right away.

"Oh, bloody hell. This is ridiculous!" Jesy shouted. Zayn heard her voice before he even saw her. He pressed his lips together, worried as she sounded angry.

Jade, Jesy, and Perrie were in a line and once Zayn approached, he saw what the girls were looking at. Leigh-Anne had been pulled aside to get a more thorough check. "It's fine. Can you just calm down?" Leigh-Anne was clearly upset. But it wasn't clear if it was because of Jesy getting so worked up or because she was the only one out of all the girls and guys who got pulled aside.

"Babe, it isn't worth it. I know you mean well. But you aren't making it better." Jade was doing her best to calm her angry bandmate, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"This is so wrong, though! That bloody idiot probably can't tell you what country Buckinghamshire is even in." The girl was fuming and it was only making Leigh-Anne more embarrassed. Her cheeks were red as the security lady ran her hands along her arms to check for any weapons.

"What's going on?" Zayn asked in a hushed tone to his girlfriend and Perrie just sighed.

"Leigh-Anne got pulled aside for what they claim is a random check. Jesy was already in a not so happy mood and this tipped her off." The blonde girl knew why Jesy was upset. She has seen many times and heard about how her own boyfriend would always get pulled aside when they traveled to America. It never got less shocking, to be honest. Jesy was like the mother of the group, as well. To see one of the girls being treated unfairly angered the girl who was never one to hold her tongue.

The security guard didn't once bat an eye at Jesy. She was probably used to it. Who could say. She ushered Leigh-Anne along, but Jesy wasn't done.

"She didn't pull Perrie aside. Bloody racist," Jesy shouted and flipped the lady off before Jade pulled her away, quickly. They all felt bad for Leigh-Anne. If they picked up on it, it was certain she knew it. It angered Jade and Perrie just as much how Leigh-Anne would get targeted in subtle ways just for her skin color. The two of them just knew it wasn't a good idea to make a scene.

"Oh my god, Jesy! I told you to drop it!" Leigh-Anne yelled back. She felt her face burn with embarrassment. Tears began to form in her eyes as she ran a hand through her straightened dark hair. "I need a minute," she muttered before rushing off down the airport.

Perrie was about to go after her, but Zayn placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Let me. Why don't you three go meet the lads down at McDonalds." Perrie nodded, feeling so greatful to have him in her life. She placed a kiss on his lips before telling the other two girls the plan.

Zayn walked quickly, following the path he had seen the girl take. He found her in a quiet hallway, only a water fountain and two bathroom doors to occupy it. "Hey, you good?"

"I'm fine," she muttered, back facing him. But her voice was shaky. "It's just I told Jesy like five times to drop it and she wouldn't. She just made things worse for me. I love her, but I wish she could just shut up. It's not a big deal and she made it such a big deal."

"I know. I know." Zayn walked around so that he could see her face. Her eyes were watering, making it apparently she was trying hard not to cry. "She means well. Louis did the same thing the third time we went to an American airport after I got pulled aside once more. He always has something to say."

"It's-" Leigh-Anne was about to say something, but it was as if a dam broke. She just covered her face with her hands and muffled sobs could be heard.

Zayn instinctively pulled her in for a hug, cradling her head with his hand. "Shh... shh... I know... I got you," he repeated, rubbing her back.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Zayn repeating comforting words to her while she cried into his shoulder, before Leigh-Anne was able to collect herself enough. She pushed away, wiping away stray tears from her puffy eyes with her thumb. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. My god. This is so embarrassing."

"Don't worry. Look, I get it, man. I'm the only Pakistani in a band of, how to put this nicely, white teen boys. Niall is as pale as a sheet. Poor lad gets sunburned extremely easily, though." This made Leigh-Anne laugh a little.

"I've never really traveled as much as we have these past two years on tour and this is our first time in America. It's just... it's hard not to pick up on it." Her voice was nasally and she sniffled a few times in between words. "The amount I get pulled aside for the so called 'random searches' in every airport here compared to the other girls. I don't understand. Like I do, but-"

"But you don't see the point of it all. I get it. It sucks, man. Sometimes, there will be days when Liam will tell me not to go on Twitter." Zayn sighed. He knew how she felt. She was still so new to all this. He had a few years of experience on the girl. "There will be god awful things being said about me, my family, my religion, my nationality. Even when flooded with love, it's the really hateful ones like those that get to you."

"I feel so stupid and powerless. I read a comment saying I'm only in the band because I'm black or- or there will be some calling me the 'n' word and it just ruins the day. Some stupid comment like that. I hate it," Leigh-Anne says, feeling tears threatening to fall again. She blinks them back furiously, looking at her feet. "I hate how they can make me feel so ugly just because of my skin color."

"Come here," Zayn hugs her once more, taking her in his arms. "It's sad we live in a world like this. But I choose to believe our kids won't have to go through this. And just remember, there will be one racist or one hater in a pile of millions of people whose lives you've improved by being you."

"Thank you for everything," she says quietly. He strokes her hair before the two pull away. "I'm glad you're dating Perrie," she joked, earning a chuckle from Zayn.

"Come on. The lads are all down at McDonalds. Probably wondering where we are, too." The two made their way over to McDonalds, finding the table with all their friends. Harry spotted the two first and pointed a fry in their direction.

"Are you alright, Leigh-Anne?" Liam was the first to ask when they reached the table. Leigh-Anne gave a genuine smile and nodded. She was alright now.

"Take a fry, both of you," Jade offered, holding out a red cardboard holder with fries inside.

"Roar!" Niall walked up behind Leigh-Anne and shook her shoulders. When she turned to look at him, he had a fries on either side of his mouth as if they were tusks. Everyone bursted into laughter and began side conversations.

"Leigh-Anne. I'm really sorry that I went too far. I just-" Jesy began to apologize, but got cut off by Leigh-Anne embracing her with a warm smile.

"Thanks for looking out for me." Jesy eased up and gave Leigh-Anne a squeeze back, now feeling less guilty over what had happened previously.

"Thank you, babe," Perrie said softly, her arm around her boyfriend's waist. "I hate how there are some things I can't shield her, or any of the girls for that matter, from."

"It's a scary world. But she's lucky to have friends like you. It's important she doesn't ever go through this alone. And I'm lucky to have a girlfriend like you." Zayn placed a kiss on the top of her head and smiled.