Beginning. // z.m. au [discontinued]

Chapter 10

"I love it," I cooed, stepping closer to the mural to get a better look at it. It was even more perfect up close. "This is amazing, Z, honestly."

And it definitely was, but amazing didn't seem like a grand enough word to describe it at all.

"Yeah," he smiled that favorite smile I'd grown to love so dearly, teeth peaking out and eyes crinkling at the sides like they always did. "You think?"

"I know," I giggled. "I can't believe you did this in just a week. You're—you're perfect, you are."

Zayn shrugged a shoulder all shy and cute, ducking his face and hiding it with his shoulder so I wouldn't catch the slight blush creeping its way up his skin. "Don't know about all of that but I'll take it. Glad you like it, though."

"Of course I like it," I moved forward until I was stood in front of him before reaching down to link our fingers together. "I love it and I think she'll love it, too."

I met Zayn halfway for a chaste kiss before he pulled away again and let our hands sway freely in between our bodies. "It'll all come together once we get the furniture put in, but it looks nice so far, I think."

"Thank you," I leaned in closer until my ear was pressed up against his chest and his heartbeat was thumping right through my eardrums and Zayn was wrapping an arms snugly around my shoulders and holding me tight. "I know if I would've been the one to do this, this room would've turned out to be complete shit."

Zayn made a face, then, pretending to think about what I'd just said before he nodded and shrugged a shoulder in agreement. "Mmm, yeah," he hummed. "You're right."

"Hey," I swatted his chest playfully, but he only caught my hand with his own, grabbing it and holding it up to his mouth to leave a kiss on the back. "Be nice."

"Always am," he winked my way, and really, I supposed some things just never changed.

***

Noting was worse than not being able to fall asleep, especially at such a late time, but in this very moment I could care less about what time it was or when is be able to actually fall sleep. I couldn't stop tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in, and as I was seeing which side I felt better sleeping on, my right or my left, I soon realized it wasn't the way I'd been lying down at all, but rather something else.

My stomach wouldn't stop fluttering, wouldn't stop dancing around like there was a party going on inside of me that just wouldn't stop, and at first I tried to ignore the feeling, thinking nothing of it until I finally caught on to what was happening. She was kicking; our baby was kicking, rustling around like no tomorrow, and I didn't think she planned on giving it a rest anytime soon.

I immediately sat up, facing Zayn's body that was currently consumed by a deep slumber, before I set a hand on his shoulder and began to gently shake him until he woke up. He was such a heavy sleeper most of the time, slept like a baby through any and everything it seemed, so it took me quite some time to get him to even respond to me at first.

"Zayn," I whispered, continuing to nudge at his shoulder. "Babe, wake up."

He groaned, then, rolling over until his face was smudged into his pillow and he was lying on top of his belly. He had one leg exposed while the rest of his body was tucked cozily underneath the blankets we shared, and this was probably the hardest thing I'd ever have to do in my life: try and wake my own husband up. It almost seemed impossible at times.