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

seven

"niall."

the voice saying his name is soft, clearly trying to soothe him into consciousness. niall grunts and then whines, closing his eyes tighter. he puts an arm out into where justin had been sleeping, finds his shoulder. he inches his hand up, eyes still closed, until his hand finds justin's face.

"shut up," niall says firmly, hand blanketed over justin's entire face.

"mmm?" justin lets out a sleepy sound. "wasn't me."

"huh?"

"niall," the voice says again, but it sounds amused, like they're holding back a laugh.

groaning, niall rolls over towards the voice and opens his eyes. to his surprise and his absolute delight, zayn is towering over him, smiling.

"zayn!" niall shrieks, suddenly wide awake, and throws himself at his fiancee. justin wakes up at niall's screaming, and lets out a loud laugh himself. within seconds, he's made the hug between fiancees a group hug. "what are you doing here!?"

"i wanted to surprise you guys," zayn laughs. "my tour ended early...i had them add a few dates to trip you both up." he smiles cheekily.

"jerk," niall mutters, trying to fit himself even closer against zayn's body.

with a semi-sad smile, justin disconnects himself for a hug. niall shifts over to fill the gap justin left, tightening his hold on zayn's body.

"well," justin says after a second. "i'll just get out of your hair."

"huh?" niall finally lets go of zayn long enough to turn around.

"i'm gonna head out," justin clarifies. "zayn's back, you don't need me here anymore." he starts to pack his things, and niall is speechless, unsure of how to properly tell him to stay.

"hey, you don't have to do that," zayn says quickly, sounding almost as frantic as niall feels. "stay."

"yeah," niall smiles. he gallops to justin's side, wraps his arms around his waist. "stay."

"but i --"

"stay," niall says firmly, pressing his cheek against justin's chest.

"okay," justin laughs, wrapping his arm back around niall's waist. "how long are you here?" he asks zayn.

"i've a few months off where i'll just be recording new music," zayn answers, and niall lets out a delighted cheer.

- - -
hours later, niall is dozing, head in zayn's lap, body curled up in justin's. justin is rubbing his back, a gentle smile on the corner of his lips.

"i..." zayn starts to say something, but he cuts himself off.

"what?" justin asks.

zayn shakes his head. "never mind."

"no, tell me," justin pushes. his heart is beating harder all of a sudden.

zayn chews on his lip, staring down at niall's sleeping face. he loves his fiancee so much it hurts, and when he looks up from niall to justin, his heart goes soft again.

"i like you," zayn manages to say, much faster than he expected to. "i like you, okay? and i'm trying not to, because niall, he --" zayn swallows, "he's my heart, you know, and i thought...i thought that was it, but now i've met you, and i feel this...and, god, i'm so scared. i'm scared because i don't want to lose either of you, you both mean so much to me --"

justin can't help it. he can't help but kiss zayn, not when he's rambling like this. rambly zayn isn't something justin is used to, but he loves it, and he just has to kiss him. zayn only hesitates for a second, and then kisses justin back. this kiss is so different from all the other kisses.

"sorry," justin whispers when the kiss is broken.

zayn doesn't know what to say. he tries to find words, and niall shifts, waking up.

he opens his eyes, expression muzzy. justin and zayn both look down at him, guilt on their faces.

"what...what's happened?" he questions. when neither of them answer, he asks again, more forcefully. "what?"

"i kissed him," justin says after a pause. he can't lie to niall, not about this.

the blood drains from niall's face. "oh."

"niall --"

"i --" niall's eyes are welling up, and his chest is heaving.

"listen. listen to me," zayn says quickly. "i love you. look at me -- i love you, okay? you're my world. i need you." niall closes his eyes and nods. he knows this, he knows zayn loves him. "i just...i need him, too. i need both of you, and -- hear me out. i know you like him, too, i see the way you look at him." niall's cheeks go pink.

"shut up," he mumbles, blush deepening when he sees the smirk on justin's face.

"i think we could try this," says zayn.

"try this? try what?" niall asks.

"all of us, together," justin answers.

niall looks shocked, but it would be a lie to say he hadn't thought about it. his cheeks are even redder now, and he plays with his fingers to keep from making eye contact with either of them.

"niall," justin murmurs. niall looks up at him. "can i kiss you?"

niall, by reflex, look at zayn, as if for permission. zayn smiles, nodding, and niall leans in for it. it's so strange to be kissed by someone that isn't zayn, but it's not a bad strange. it's sort of nice, actually.

"do you want to give this a try?" justin asks when the kiss is broken. the decision is niall's.

"...okay," he mumbles, and justin and zayn both beam.