he don't like the lights ♡ ziall/zustin/jiall au [COMPLETE]

three

"how long are you in town?" niall asks, tucked against zayn's side. his arm is wrapped around niall's waist, holding him tight against his side.

"just for tonight," zayn answers, kissing his temple. "i leave early in the morning."

niall nods. he'd expected as much. "you're coming home tonight, right?"

zayn hums. "sorry, baby. justin wants to go out for drinks and i've gotta meet with my manager in the morning, so let's take a rain check."

"but i --" niall cuts himself off. it's not worth the argument, and he doesn't want to fight with zayn. "okay. goodnight." he moves from zayn's side, trying to find his jacket. 

"babe?" zayn asks. "are you mad at me?"

niall holds his breath. they promised they'd never lie to each other. "no." that's true. "hurt, a little. but i understand." he finally finds his jacket, shrugs it on. "bye, zayn."

"don't i get a kiss?" a smile curves zayn's lips; he genuinely doesn't know niall is upset. niall has to stare for a second. when niall doesn't move, he cups his face in his hands and kisses him. niall kisses back -- it is his zayn, after all.

"bye," niall whispers, waving at justin as he makes his way out.

"wait up!" justin calls, and he walks out with niall. "hey," he says as he flags down a cab for the small blond. "he doesn't mean to hurt you. i'll tell him to go home with you. he should."

niall gives justin a small smile. "you shouldn't have to tell him that. he'll be where he wants to be." his voice cracks. "with you."

"niall." niall pauses -- something in justin's voice makes him stop before getting into the taxi. "he loves you," he murmurs. "he really does. so much." 

niall nods up at him, but his eyes are welling up with tears, and his chest is tight. he's trembling.

"aw, little one," justin coos, and pulls niall into his arms. he whimpers, his face nestled into justin's shirt. and then the dam breaks, and he's sobbing until it hurts, and justin cradles the back of his head in one hand, holding him there. 

when he's done, he pulls back, and justin thumbs his tears away. niall manages a weak smile, and justin grins back, kisses his forehead quickly.

"take care of yourself, okay?"

"you, too, justin." he gives niall one more tired smile, lashes wet. he sits in the taxi alone, driving home, unable to think about anything but the fact that zayn chose justin over him.

- - -

the next day, his phone rings, and niall's heart jolts. he hopes it's zayn, wants it to be so badly, but it's not.

"hi, liam," he answers, surprised and delighted to hear from his best friend.

"ni-ni!" liam sounds happy to hear his voice, which makes niall feel a bit better. "are you moping?" liam always knows.

"no," niall lies, badly. 

liam snorts. "i'm on my way."

- - -

everything is better when liam is around. he brought a handful of movies with him and multiple pints of ice cream, all of niall's favorite flavors. it makes niall laugh when he walks through the door. 

liam hugs him for a long time. liam's hugs are the best, and niall has missed him.

"you doing okay?" liam asks quietly, catching niall's chin so he has to look him in the eye.

"no," niall answers, finally honest. "can we just watch these movies? please? i don't want to think about it."

liam nods. that's one of niall's favorite things about him -- he doesn't push it. if niall says he doesn't want to talk about something, liam believes him, and that means everything.

- - -

"hello?" niall is confused. zayn just called him, but he doesn't say anything since niall's picked up. he realizes zayn must've butt dialed him. he hears his voice and justin's.

"you're a fucking idiot," niall hears zayn laugh.

"yeah. your favorite idiot, though."

then niall hears it -- the sound of kissing. he knows that sound, knows the soft noise zayn makes when he kisses someone. the sound he's heard a million times. his heart is shredding to pieces -- he fumbles in his nightstand for zayn's tour schedule, and it confirms what he'd thought -- he doesn't have a concert for the next few nights. this means that he's in a hotel with justin and there are no paps around.

"i love you," he hears zayn's voice say. there's a smile in the sound as he says it, and niall's heart finally shatters in his chest. it hurts too much for tears. niall can't do anything, he just silently hangs up the phone and throws it at the wall.

it shatters, too.