Wingman ⇝ {Ziam}

Chapter 23: The Reveal

a/n: QUARANTINE GOT ME ACTING UP lmao

Srry if this sucks. I haven't written in a long time.

Enjoy xx

Outgoing Call (1): Liam

It shouldn't bother him, but it does. There's activity all around him. Louis carrying boxes inside, and Harry chasing after him, insisting he can do it. Niall is moving things around to make space for his things. There are several opened boxes with his clothes, books, possessions he holds close, seated in front of him. Yet his focus remains on his phone, the words staring right back at him.

"I know we don't have a telly for ya yet," Niall starts, looking around the room. "But I'm thinkin' later today, we could go lookin' fer one."

Zayn can only muster a weak nod as the intrusive thoughts appear to be seemingly endless. Why was his last call to Liam? How did Niall end up saving him when there was no record in his phone that told him he had contacted Niall in his last moments of consciousness?

The three stop in their tracks as they examine their raven-haired friend. They watch Zayn silently and intently; he's got a firm grip on his phone, with furrowed eyebrows and an almost scowl on his face.

Harry's the first to break the silence. "Alright Zee?"

This seems to break Zayn out of his stupor as he immediately forces a smile and shakes his head. "Yeah," Zayn replies. "Got a lot on my mind, s'all."

Niall kneels on the floor in front of Zayn and gently caresses his face. "Hey, talk to me."

"I just..." Where does Zayn even begin? The last thing he wants to do is to make it seem like he's attacking Niall for saving his life. But Niall's blue eyes are pleading, and Zayn knows his thoughts will never quiet down until he gets this off his chest. So, he takes a deep breath and turns his head to avoid Niall's eyes. "You never answered my question."

"Sorry? What ques—"

"I called Liam. How'd you know where to find me?" Zayn rushes out the question, knowing the longer he lets his anxieties course through his mind, the more they'd control him, and he'd never find out what truly happened that day.

It's subtle; something people miss when their attention is elsewhere. Hell, Zayn's never noticed things like this before, but Niall is kneeled right in front of him, so he sees it. The clenching of his fist and jaw, and the subtle anger that flashes in Niall's eyes. Zayn blinks, a flash of shock that Niall misses in his moment of anger.

Niall closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, they're filled with understanding, any sign of anger gone. A smile is etched on his face as his jaw relaxes, and the once-clenched fist is now a hand placed gently on top of Zayn's. The entire thing couldn't have lasted longer than 5 seconds, but Zayn saw it.

"When you woke up, you really wanted to see Liam, so I thought it'd be inappropriate to bring it up. And weeks after, you were depressed, in those weeks I took care of you." At the mention of Niall taking care of him, Zayn feels him squeeze his hand. "And again, I thought it'd be wrong to bring it up, but... Liam didn't believe you."

"I'm sorry," Louis interjects, quickly growing furious. "Liam didn't what?"

"Liam called me, asked about ya, if you were with me or not. When I said no, said somethin' about you probably being with Louis. I had to practically beg him to tell me what was going on. When he told me about yer voicemail, I hung up and drove to you. I pulled ya out of yer car, Zayn. I saved you." Another squeeze of Zayn's hand.