Leave Me

XXII

Happy (day after) #LeaveMeFriday. We're almost done with this final installment y'all. Only a couple more chapters. I'd love to know what y'all think so far and how you think it will end! Enjoy xo

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They'd been back home for a few days and as far as Liam could tell, Niall hadn't spoken a single word to anyone but Harry since he bellowed himself hoarse by the side of the road. Whenever he asked about the blond Master, Harry only patted him on the shoulder and attempted a smile. And even that seemed to hurt.

Zayn made him swear not to tell Niall and Harry what actually happened to Louis, and Liam understood why, but that didn't mean he agreed with him. The pair deserved to know that Louis died to save his life. After everything Liam had done, after what he did to Louis, he needed them to know that Louis was good to him.

The night before the funeral, Liam paced in front of their closet, unsure how he was going to make it through the proceedings without falling to the ground and begging them for their forgiveness. Liam deserved to be punished for what happened. He tried to explain that to Zayn, but all it got him was anxious demands that he "never, never do anything to put himself in danger again." Liam didn't know what to do. The gnawing guilt ate away at his chest, right where his heart used to be, and he knew he had to atone for his mistakes.

"Zayn?" Liam called from inside their closet, hand stroking the soft fabric of his good suit where it hung on the edge of the door.

His Master peeked his head out from their en suite with a "yeah, babe."

"I don't know if I can do this." Liam waited, couldn't really bring his head up as he heard Zayn's light footsteps coming his way. Only when the dark-haired man placed a hand under his chin did Liam lift his heavy eyes. Zayn was looking into him, seeing everything that plagued him in a brief moment.

"What do you need?" he asked, voice steady and sure.

Liam knew what he needed but he couldn't say it out loud. He'd never asked for this before... "I can't-"

"Do you want to go to bed early?" Zayn prompted, hand smoothing up his arm in a gentle token of affection. "I'll wrap you up in my arms and you can do whatever you need: cry, squeeze me-"

"No," Liam interrupted. "I don't want you to...be nice to me."

Zayn's brows shot up but otherwise, he didn't make a move. His hand froze on Liam's bicep. "Oh."

Liam's cheeks flushed scarlet. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I don't know how..." He stepped back, tried to shake off Zayn's hand but it gripped him tight.

"You should go lie down on the bed," the Master offered.

"I didn't mean for you to-"

Zayn dug his fingers into Liam's arm harder. "Go lay down. On the bed."

A shudder rippled down Liam's spine as he nodded and stepped around the lithe man to crawl onto their bed. He turned around once positioned in the middle of the mattress and sat cross-legged, looking at Zayn across the room with a sort of fond terror at what might happen tonight.

Zayn turned and went into their closet, deeper than Liam had been, deeper than where their clothing hung until Liam lost sight of him. "Take your clothes off," Zayn called from within and it jolted Liam with its power. He startled into action, tugging up his shirt over his head. He was already clammy with nerves, hands shaking and sweaty at the nape of his neck from having to ask for this.

His Master had given him his first command of the evening and Liam didn't want to- couldn't stand to- fail already. He needed to prove that he had some redeeming quality. Obedience would have to be that quality for tonight; hopefully, it would be enough.