boys //ziam

chapter three

"zayn," liam says, trailing his fingers at the sides of his husbands body. they're still in bed, liam woke up much earlier and he's been waiting for zayn to get up too.

"hmm?" zayn hums, stirring on the bed and turns to liam.

"something came up at work," liam mumbles. "i have to go back today."

zayn feels a sudden rush of anger and he pulls away from his husband. "unbelievable."

"i'm sorry, it's urgent," liam says, knowing there's no way to tell his husband about this without it leading to an argument. "you don't have to come with me. you can enjoy the rest of the vacation-"

"the whole fucking point was for us to have a getaway together liam, what the fuck am i going to do here without you," zayn raises his voice at his husband. liam winces.

"i'll make it up to you," liam says. "i promise."

"lets just go," zayn sighs. "i expected it but i'm still disappointed."

liam starts to feel guilty. "i don't like it when you're mad at me,"

"i don't like it when you make me mad either," zayn says. "but here we are," he says dryly.

"i wouldn't cut our vacation short if it wasn't important," he says.

"well i'm used to coming second after your work so whatever," zayn murmurs.

"do you think i'd rather work nine hours a day than to stay at a beautiful country with my husband? do you really think i prefer that than to spending all day in bed with you?" liam questions.

"it's what happening now, isn't it?" zayn snaps back.

"someone has to earn the money, isn't it?" liam responds in the same tone. he knows it's a low blow when zayn looks away. he expects his husband to respond but zayn doesn't say anything. "zayn..."

"let's just go home please," zayn replies. liam swallows. zayn never went to college due to him getting pregnant at high school and then getting pregnant again two years later for liam. he always wanted to complete his education but never had time due to the children. when the twins were born, that was it. zayn lost all hope of ever furthering his education and just basically became a full time housewife. liam is the one that earns the money.

they board the plane barely talking to each other. zayn is deep in thought but doesn't seem to be upset anymore, he still replies normally when liam talks to him.

liam calls his driver to pick them up from the airport, they're both at the back seat. liam reaches for zayns hand and squeezes at it.

zayn smiles at him. "if you're thinking i'm still mad, i'm not."

"i'm sorry for being an asshole," liam starts. "i shouldn't have said that."

"you only said the truth," zayn shrugs. "it's just, i still regret never going to college."

"it's not too late," liam mentions.

zayn snorts. "i'm turning thirty-four liam,"

"it's never too late to pursue your dreams," liam adds.

zayn shakes his head. "my dream is not to finish college at almost forty. plus we've got four kids to take care of."

"shit, did you tell them we were coming early?" liam questions.

"we'll say it's a surprise?" zayn says.

...

the next morning, lucas brings up what jordan mentioned to him the previous day.