The Little Things; Ziall & Larry (AU) *Completed*

Chapter 2; Step-Fathers & Windows & Gunshots & Guitars

Chapter 2; Step-Fathers & Windows & Gunshots & Guitars

        Zayn’s step father charged into the house, dangerously drunk, throwing open the door and making it crash into the opposing wall. Zayn, having been asleep on his make-shift bed in the living room sat up, the blanket pooling around his waist and revealing the fact that he’d forgotten to change before bed. You see, Zayn was only half related to his sister, Opaque. They had the same mother, but this man, this man with his dark hair that stood, teetering in the threshold and holding tightly to the sides, was his step-father. He had white teeth, and dark brown hair, and eyes the color of the sky that seemed to glow in the half-light of the moon that silhouetted him. Zayn slowly rose to his feet, bracing his hands on the back of the couch for a quick getaway.

“Tom,” He said warningly, thinking of the little girl who would be completely unaware of the loud commotion in the front most room, “You’re messed up. Go to your bedroom,” Zayn said, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet in case he had to vault over the side of the couch and race to Opaque’s room.

“Nnnooo…” Tom said, yelling throatily as he slowly slunk into the room. He stumbled right out of his shoes, leaving them discarded in the doorway. More moonlight spilled in when Tom left the doorway, and Zayn bit his lip out of habit. “I want to speak to my daughter, you dirty..” He scrambled for the best words, “Fag.” He knew that would hurt Zayn the most, and he shuffled into the house. He almost fell, catching himself on the breakfast island, his knee slapping against it with a sickening SWAP! Zayn watched the nape of Tom’s neck for a millisecond, and then leapt over the side of the couch. He twisted his body, landing awkwardly on one ankle, and the other knee. He felt a shooting of pain run through him, but he managed to bite down roughly on his tongue and ignore it. He picked himself up again, composing himself as he booked it towards his sister’s wooden door. He reached it, throwing it open as Tom screamed behind him; “I’m going to kill you! All of you!” Zayn didn’t hesitate; he threw his body against the door, keeping it forcefully closed as he clicked the door locked.

Instinct told him to yell at his sister, but she wouldn’t hear him anyways. So he grabbed her forearm, shaking her gruffly awake, his face hovering inches above hers. She awoke with a start, sitting up abruptly and slamming her forehead into Zayn’s. He cried out in shock, dragging her out of her warm bed and into the cool air, shivering slightly as her teeth and knees knocked together.

“Whaa?” She grumbled, leaning into Zayn’s warm body as she breathed in thickly through her nose, her mind whirring at snail speed as it tried to comprehend this dramatic turn of events. Tom pounded on the door with closed fists, howling in a stupefied rage. He let loose a string of curse words, and the door made an ugly splintering noise. It was all so loud even Opaque’s dull ears could register the piercing sounds. Zayn frantically scanned the room, his eyes resting on the simple slider window about five feet away from him. He covered the distance in two lengthy strides, grabbing fistfuls of purple curtain fabric he yanked. He sent the bar above the window and the curtain itself falling to the ground with a loud clank, it bounced and vibrated on the ground for a few seconds.

Zayn’s fingers fumbled with the latches, and when he clicked them open he desperately used his sweaty palms to push the pane of glass up. It refused to budge, desperate, adrenaline coursing like ice water through his veins he grabbed the small stool, perched underneath his sisters desk, and swung it in a wide arc. It slammed into the glass, and the movement went all the way up Zayn’s arms, and back down his spine. The glass held for a few seconds before it gave way with a shattering crash, Tom still yelling obscenities and threats on the other side of the door.