Leave Me

I

OMG IT'S HERE! I know you have been waiting literally years for this and I truly truly hope I do this series justice. I'll tell you since I've picked it up again and started writing, I have fallen in love with the story all over again. 

For future reference: There will be a shit ton of triggers throughout. I'll try to put appropriate ones at the beginning of chapters, but just know this fic will be hard to read. Take care of yourself first, read this second.

I love you all and live for the support you've shown. Let's get this madhouse on the road, shall we?

Enjoy xo

***

The long road to the city was filled with silence and bursting with anxiety. Zayn's hands were shaking on the steering wheel by the time they crossed the city lines, a reflective green sign marking their entrance. "We should check the old house, and the office, and..." Zayn sighed out a shaky breath, but Niall put a hand on his forearm and squeezed. If Zayn would've had the presence of mind, he would've slapped it away.

"Let's get the boys something to eat, a bathroom break. Regroup," the blond suggested.

Zayn pulled off the main road and whipped into an empty parking lot. "Bathroom break?" he asked incredulously. "We just got here, and who knows where Liam is!" Zayn saw Harry flinch in his peripherals, but couldn't focus on it. "If you aren't going to help me find him, get out of the car."

"Zayn, of course we want to help," Louis tried, but Zayn turned a stoic, hateful look on him. "Sorry," the slave corrected immediately.

"We haven't eaten or gone piss all day. My boys need to get out of the car for a minute," Niall argued. "You and I can talk about how to do this, and then we'll go."

The darker Master's eyes went unfocused, the blurry logo on his steering wheel sweeping back and forth in his vision. My boys. Niall had BOTH of his slaves sitting in the back of his car, and Zayn's was out there. Alone. Niall had always been a better Master than he was. He thought of his slaves before himself, did what he needed to, and didn't let his emotions get the best of him. "Okay," he agreed slowly, distracted.

When he reached for the gear shift, Niall stopped him. "Let me drive, Zayn." Zayn's resolve was crumbling, and Niall's voice left no room for debate. He nodded and got out, brushing by Niall as they passed in front of the car. When they were in their places, Niall pulled out of the parking lot and searched for somewhere to stop, somewhere with food. Once he'd found one, he pulled in and turned around in his seat. 

"Boys, go inside. Eat and go to the bathroom. We'll be in in a minute." Harry and Louis didn't even nod, just got out and went inside. Niall sighed, long and slow, and turned towards Zayn. "Talk to me, please."

Zayn didn't realize he'd closed his eyes until he opened them again and the late morning sun made him squint. "And say what?"

"I don't know, Zayn. Maybe start with why Liam is hours from home."

"If I knew, I wouldn't be losing my mind right now, Niall!" Zayn hit his fist against the dash, sinking in his seat.

The younger Master pressed his lips together and picked at the stitching along the console to keep from looking at the pain on his best friend's face. "You're smarter than that. Think about it. Why did he leave?"

Zayn let his head fall back against the seat, eyes shutting heavily, as he shook his head. "I don't know." The words were desperate, his voice breaking over the last one. "He fell asleep with me. Let me back in our bed," Niall made a sympathetic sound at the news, "but then I woke up and he was gone."