Louder Than Lions [zarry stalik au]

Chapter 11 - My First Taste Of Love, Bittersweet

Zayn groaned at the morning light in his eyes, or maybe it was the weight on his chest and stomach. "Zayn C'mon, get up! It's time for breakfast!" Two happy voices chirped, both girls sitting on top of Zayn. "Alright girls, I'll get dressed and meet you down there, Yeah?"

Daisy and Phoebe nodded, jumping off of Zayn who grunted, laughing at the twins who scurried out of the room. "Zayn! T-Oh sorry girls." Jays voice came, probably bumping into one of the twins.

"Its time for breakfast love." She said, poking her head in the door. "Alright, I'll get dressed." He smiled, Jay closing his bedroom door and returning down stairs were Lottie stood with her arms crossed, her sister Felicite beside her. "Did you know that the twins slept in his room last night?" Lottie's foot tapped against the floor.

"Yes, I'm aware." Jay laughed, helping to set up the table. "And? He could have raped them mum!" Lottie growled. "Trust me, Zayn would never do such a thing." She reassured but Lottie wasn't so sure.

"How can you be positive mum! I haven't even meet the guy; he could be a creeper!"

Jay simply rolled her eyes, patting Lottie on the head. "It's nice that you're worried about your sisters, but I'll explain everything at breakfast, Okay?"

Lottie bit on her cheek, finally giving in and nodding her head, taking her seat at the table, everyone else soon joining in. But of course, Zayn was the last one down; dressed in a pair of blue pajamas, a black Obey shirt, messy hair and a sleepy little smile and Lottie had to admit, if he was a creeper, he was a hot one.

"Good morning." Zayn said sleepily, taking his seat beside phoebe who smiled up at him. "Good morning Zayn!" She cheeped, Zayn ruffling her hair which made Lottie grumble.

Once everyone began eating, Jay started in on the conversation; or more of a family meeting. "Okay, since we are all here, I wanted to go over things with you guys about Zayn and his brother, Okay?"

By this time, Niall had joined the Tomlinsons through the back door, sitting down in his usual spot beside Louis. "Oh good; you're here, you should listen in on this too." Jay announced, sitting up a little in her chair. "As you guys are aware, Zayn and his brother Harry will be staying with us, but sadly, Harry's still in another foster home until he can be moved in with us." She took a deep breath.

"Harry is...Special." She looked to Zayn whose face was contorted with sadness. "Harry has autism, which means he's a little...slow, Okay? But that doesn't mean we treat him any differently, is that understood?" she pointed her fork at Louis and the older girls who nodded.

"And," she looked to Lottie. "Zayn here has been taking care of him since he was 13, so he means absolutely no harm, when you see him playing dress up with the girls, Lottie." The girl made a grumble sound, Zayn slouching in his chair. "He's more comfortable around them then he is around you guys so try to help him fit in." She looked at Zayn, giving him a reassuring smile.

"There's something else." Zayn's quiet voice chimed in. "He...He thinks you guys are all Princes, and Princesses, so it would help if you guys introduced yourselves like that if it's not too much to ask...And he thinks you guys are Kings and Queens." He pointed to Jay and Mark, who smiled. "I don't see a problem with that." Jay laughed. "So were princesses?" Daisy asked, with a quiet squeal.

"Of course you guys are, and you know what happens to princesses right? They get locked in castles with dragons." Zayn said playfully, tickling the girls and pretending to be a dragon.

Everyone laughed, even Lottie, seeing that Zayn wasn't a threat, but merely a big softy, like Phoebes stuffed animals. "Okay guys, finish up." Jay smiled, bringing her plate to the sink, Zayn following her, seeing as he was done himself.

"Thank you." He said quietly, sincerely. "Really, thank you for that..." He smiled gratefully when she pulled him into a hug, kissing his forehead gently. "Why don't you go get dressed, and we can go shopping for Harry, Okay? You and the girls need to get started on his art room!" She laughed, shooing Zayn to his room to get ready.

~*~

After some early morning shopping; they returned with a car load of art supplies and Mickey mouse Bathroom decorations, along with Harry's medicine.

"Marco, help us unload?" She asked to the man tending the lawn. "Yes Madam." He smiled, grabbing some bags and touting them into the house, everyone taking trips back and forth, setting all the bags in the den.

"Okay, so we'll put Harry's art supplies on this side, everything else over here." She smiled, starting to move bags. There was so many Zayn lost track but he knew Harry would love this; hell, he might have a heart attack when he sees it.

"Girls, why don't you help Zayn with the art stuff, while me and the twins do the bathroom?" Felicite and Lottie nodded, grabbing the art supply bags and bringing them to the big rounded room. "We can put his paintings on the wall? You know, to make it feel like home?" Lottie suggested, grabbing the boxes Zayn packed of his brothers artwork, the paintings he didn't pack with Harry. "Sure." He smiled, starting to pin the posters to the wall.

Soon, they had each and every one up and Lottie had to admit, it looked good. "Now fo-" "Zayn? Can we talk to you?" Louis asked quietly, closing the door behind him and Niall.

Noticing it was just the older girls, he decided to have the conversation there; they should hear this too.

"Sure..." Zayn mumbled, shuffling his feet. "When we went to your old house, me and Niall saw..... blood and stuff." He gulped. "What...What happened to you guys in there?" Niall chimed in.

"Not us, just to Harry." Zayn sighed, and Louis heart dropped...He knew something happened, he just didn't want to believe it. "My dad; Harry's step dad, he would... rape Harry, and beat him because he has autism. Sometimes Harry would have seizures and my dad would just lay there." Zayn started to tear up. "That's how I met your mum. My dad he...He did something really terrible to Harry, and I had to take him to the hospital, your mum was there and she gave me her number; said if we ever needed anything to call. After we got home from school the next day, the police took our parents away and me and Harry got separated. That's how I wound up here." He shrugged, wiping away the tears.

"So...You always like, cleaned Harry up and protected him?" Lottie asked, and Zayn nodded. "I had to rub this ointment on his...you know, because he would be so ripped up that the ointment would make him numb enough not to feel it anymore, then I'd give him a bath to wash that filthy man off his beautiful skin." Zayn grumbled, crossing his arms, his wet cheeks now angry tears.

"That's horrible." Felicite covered her mouth, trying to hide her own tears. "You love him don't you?" Niall asked. "Of course, he's my brother." Zayn defended. "No I mean, you love him romantically."

Zayn shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I dunno, I mean...I guess..." Louis smiled devilishly. "There's nothing wrong with that, you guys aren't actually brothers, so any sexual thoughts abou-" "I don't think sexually about him!" Zayn made a grumpy face. "I just...I dream someday I'll save him from all this and give him his happily ever after. And if we share a few kisses here and there, it wouldn't be the worst thing."

Lottie and Felicite leaned over the table, their heads in their hands. "Why can't everyone be as romantic as you." Lottie said dreamily; but only playing of course. "Ha, Ha, Ha." Louis mocked, dragging Niall from the room and slamming the door, leaving the three to laugh.

After settling down and continuing to set things up, Lottie sighed heavily, turning to Zayn. "You do love him, don't you?" She giggled.

"Yeah..." Zayn said like he was in another world. He had never himself admitted he was in love with Harry, but in reality...It was SO much more. And yes, the sexual thoughts did come, but he just as quickly pushed them away because he couldn't think of Harry like that.

After all he had been through; he never wanted to put Harry through that kind of thing.

He was royalty and deserved to be treated as such.

But if they share a few kisses here and there, it wouldn't be the worst thing.

__________

im sorry for the late update:/ vote-comment-fan? remember all the credits to: @zialltops for the original Ziall version♥