stars and terrain (zayn malik)

Chapter 73

Charlotte

I can't say I hated being babied.

When we got home Zayn helped me take a shower. It was the first thing I wanted to do once I walked through the door.

I still wasn't allowed to get my hair wet, but Zayn carefully and gently scrubbed away the grimy hospital smell. It felt nice, and he even let me keep the water piping hot. I whimpered when he turned it off, but he retrieved one of my favorite cozy sweaters and helped me slide on comfy sweatpants and it was an all right alternative.

Then Zayn arranged the pillows on the bed and delicately cuddled me in while I dozed off. When I woke up those pretty brown eyes were still trained on me. I'm not sure they'd ever left.

"Making sure you're breathing," he'd smiled shyly, eyelids sliding down. I'd really missed his eyelashes.

"I missed you." I say it for the twentieth time since he returned, because I really mean it. I'm not sure I'd even realized how much I missed him until I saw him in person.

That sweet, tortured, misunderstood soul that I've figured out and that loves me. 

"Missed you more than... I can't live without you, Charlie. Can't do it. And I won't do it anymore." His eyes are so certain, narrow and fiery with resolve and he melts into the stack of pillows on my side.

"Shh." I press a finger to his pretty lips, and even that takes a ton of effort. "Can you just lay here with me?"

I don't have the energy to talk about anything heavy yet.

"That I can absolutely do, yes." He moves some pillows aside to clear a path and sidles up next to me, propping himself up on one elbow and running his free hand up and down my stomach. "Does it hurt to talk?"

I shake my head. "No. How does my face look? Be honest."

"Most beautiful thing I've ever seen in the entire world."

"You're biased." I smile.

"Not one bit. You're the prettiest thing on the planet." He pauses, shaking his head like he's in awe and smiling. "Facetime does not do you justice."

I giggle under the compliment, and I know my hair's an absolute mess, yet I know he means it with his whole heart. But since now I'm blushing I work to change the subject.

"Have you eaten today?" I ask him, eyebrows raised.

"Yes. Harry fixed me some nasty healthy salad thing."

"He has a habit of doing that around here," I smile.

"Are you hungry? Want me to fix you something?"

I was more tired than hungry, but only one thing actually sounded palatable.

"This is going to sound completely out of character, but can you see if Harry can make me a juice?"

"A juice? Harry's got you juicing now?" Zayn's voice raises and he has a cute playful smile on his face, but he feigns shock and presses a palm to my forehead. "Are you really my Charlie?"

I giggle, and Harry raps on the partially open door. "Did I hear someone say juicing?"

"Come in!" I called out through the laughs, as a smiley Harry bounds into the room.

"You've got my girl juicing?" Zayn asks him, and I'm happy they're back to sounding like pals again.

Harry nods. "And there's not a hot pocket rocket to be found in that freezer."