Strong (A Ziam/Zarry AU)

Chapter Five

A/N So I was struggling to get motivated with this...until my wifey @Stylinonem104 fangirl'd me into submission. So this is for you my love, your kind words mean more than you could ever understand. Loves ya Bearsie xxx

Liam wrapped a towel around his waist, still singing softly to himself. He stopped in front of the mirror and ran another towel across his crop of hair. Trying to style it a little with his fingers (it was still wet but he had to do something! He had an absurdly handsome man running loose in his house. He didn't need Zayn to see him with flat hair!) Deciding that it looked the best it was going to he stepped into his bedroom, excited to go find his date.

He didn't have to look far. Zayn was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing just his SpiderMan pants, with an odd look on his face.

"Zee, are you ok?" He asked tentatively. Zayn looked up like he had been miles away and Liam had just dragged him back to the here and now.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine." Zayn responded shaking his head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts that had invaded it, "I am now anyway." He added standing up, dropping a kiss on Liam's cheek

"If you're sure. Erm shall I go heat up some food whilst you shower?" Liam asked, getting the distinct feeling Zayn didn't want to talk about whatever was troubling him.

"Excellent idea. I'll be as quick as I can."

As Zayn let the water cascade down his back, his mind was elsewhere. He hated Harry, hated the fact that two soppy, drug induced, text messages made his heart pound. He hated that he didn't hate Harry, not even a little, not even at all. How much abuse did his heart have to take before it finally hardened against that...what was the word Kay had used...prick? Because he need it to harden, and quickly, before it was damaged for all.

Chris was woken from her slumber by her phone vibrating on the night stand,

"Chris, darlin', if you don't make that stop I'll smash the fucker." Edward complained pulling his pillow over his head.

"Chill. Hello?" Chris asked softly in to her cell, her accent making Ed grind into her back. He'd always had a thing for her voice.

"Hey Kitten." Came Zayn's voice on the other end.

"Hey boo, what time is it?"

"Erm, 9:30am. Were you asleep?"

"Mmmm, gimme a second, Ed is trying to sleep." Chris tried to get out of Edward's bed but Ed threw an arm around her and she felt the vibrations in his chest as he said "You are going nowhere Kitty, gimme the phone. Zayn call Kay or Meg...I have to get a little morning glory." With that he hung up and kissed a giggling Chris.

Zayn sighed then laughed and dialled his other 'go to girl'.

"Hello?" Kay croaked.

"Whoa, you sound bad."

"I'm rough as a badger's arse." Kay moaned using their phrase for a bad hangover or comedown. Zayn heard a man groan in the background.

"Do you have company hon?"

"What? No, it's just Harry."

"You're in bed with Harry?" He asked flatly, knowing his friend had very little self control around SexFilth. Harry had that effect on even the most disciplined of people,

"Yeah, I just wanted to keep an eye on him, nothing happened Zee...well we fooled around a little but that's all. I'm still not talking to him properly, so no screwing, I swear."

"Ugh for fucks sake Kay! I need to talk and you're in bed with my fucking ex..." Zayn exclaimed, with mock affront. He was surprised how ok with this he was. He knew Kay was probably only talking about Haz drunkenly kissing her and having a little grope. Kay wouldn't let it go any further than that, little self-control or not.