Chapter Text
The slow autumn rain padded against the hotel windows with an underlining blare of roaring thunder, the sound of Harry and Niall playing Mario Kart hummed in the background of Zayn's ears as he flipped though the last chapter of his novel — The Secret History by Donna Tartt. He gazes out of the window, overlooking the dark quiet French town, and finds himself lost in thought anticipating the events soon to come.
It had been a long time since he went to a proper good party — not just a fancy meet up with higher ups and disgustingly bitter wine — an actual party, with people he knows, good music and conversations. Just good vibes overall.
His old mate from school, Arthur, had moved back to France after their last year of school. They were good mates, known each other since year 10 when he first moved to Bradford. Arthur had barely any English under his belt, and had sat next to Zayn in form, who had his head lost doodling in his sketchbook.
They clicked instantly.
And kept in as much contact as they could — since Zayn joined the band and Arthur started uni — still speaking constantly.
So, they were on tour in France, and when they were in the same place at the same time Zayn would make plans to meet and catch up during the band's down time. Arthur had brought up that he was having a Halloween party while his parents were away on a work trip, the same night they had off.
It seemed to line up perfectly.
Normally on Halloween he and the boys would stay in and watch movies, or he and Louis would go to some random club and sloshed.
But this year was going to be different…
He had heard Aj talk all about his ‘fantastic’ parties, constantly being told he was missing out and replayed details about Arthur's crazy night. So maybe anticipating was an understatement...
He was flat out exhilarated.
His train of thought was interrupted by his hotel door flinging open. He looked across his room, leaning his head against the window, to see Louis and Liam entering.
This wasn’t an odd thing for them. They got used to each other's company overtime — with their job it was easier to be with each other than to be completely alone. Consequently, meeting up in Zayn’s (And Liam’s if they were sharing) became an unspoken ritual between the five of them.
“That line was so long,” Louis says, dragging out his vowels. He hazardously throws a stack of pizza boxes onto the coffee table.
Liam follows close behind him, with two black bags in hand seeming to carry drinks and cups.
“Yes! I'm starving, man!” Niall exclaims, while opening one of the boxes. The smell instantly fills up the room, smoke floating up into the air.
“When are you not?” Harry laughs as his boyfriend plops down next to him on the coach.
The room fills up with their quiet chatter and the sound of a movie Niall put on to watch while he eats. Zayn goes back to his book, not feeling so hungry.
“Zee,”.
He looks up at the familiar nickname, to find Liam holding an empty plastic plate.
“You not hungry?”.
He shakes his head, and turns back to the window and closes his eyes. Letting his forehead fall against the cold glass.
A couple minutes later, he feels a shift of weight in front of his feet. He opens his eyes and finds Liam sitting next to him on the window bed. Seemingly unsatisfied with his answer.
Zayn tips his head forward and takes a second to use the opportunity to just look at the other boy for a minute.
Liam's hair is tucked into a black backwards cap. His low set eyebrows scrunched above his warm questioning hazel orbs. He turns to sit up mirroring Zayn’s position, hunching in as if he is afraid of taking up too much space. He looks out the window, dark brown lashes wisping over his cheek, giving Zayn a view of his sharp cut jawline. He crosses his arms and Zayn drinks in his tatted biceps bulging up, chest clad in a black T-shirt.
Liam looks back up at Zayn.
A pink tint splays across his cheeks after looking up to find himself in the older boy's burning gaze.
“Erm” He brings a fist up to his face and clears his throat with tightly closed lips. “You- You sure you're not hungry?”
“Yeah, caught a bite with my mate earlier” Zayn replies, pulling down the sleeves of his hoodie down over his hands.
It's quite cold, he thinks, maybe he should turn up the heating.
“Mate?” Liam repeats, dropping his head down, letting it hang. “I swear you know someone like, everywhere we go” He laughs but Zayn notices his eyebrows are scrunching slightly and his smile isn't quite meeting his eyes.
“Yeah, babe. Just an old friend…”
“Friend…” Liam hums, tilting his head against the window.
His hardened stare zones in on Zayn.
Zayn suddenly felt the hairs on his neck stand up, so he turned his head back to the same view he had been looking out at all night.
“Yeah, met in school… Actually, you wanna come to his halloween party with me? We have the night off and nothing planned for the next day.” He looks back to find Liam’s had expression softened, and finds himself grinning at the sight. “How about it?’.
Liam’s hand comes up from the previously crossed position, and wraps nervously around his neck. “I don't know… Thought we were all gonna stay in like last year.”
“Yeah, no.” Zayn shakes his head. “Come on, we could go with all the boys, make a proper night out of it.”
“I don’t…” Liam looks over to the couch across the room where their band members sat.
“For me?, Please.” Zayn tilts his head down, looking up at the boy through his eyelashes, all while slightly pouting his bottom lip, hoping that it will be enough to convince his best friend.
And when Liam looks back at him, his cheeks coat in that same rose shade.
The same shade Zayn had grown to love so much.
“Okay, fine…”
“Get in!’ Zayn exclaims, a wide tooth smile coating his face.
Zayn gets up suddenly and begins to walk to the centre of the suite where the couch lays, seemingly to tell the rest of the lads about his friend's party.
Liam watched him walk away, feeling his ears begin to heat up, and thought to himself...
Fuck.