"Zayn," Niall whispered. They were fourteen, awkward and lanky, and Zayn was still the most beautiful thing Niall had ever seen.
"Hm?" Zayn pulled one of his earbuds out.
"I was just thinking..." Niall chewed on his lip. "In the story Dad told me about you...you had to leave at the end."
Zayn's shoulders tensed at Niall's words.
"So I guess I was just wondering...if every other part of his story is true..." Niall's voice trembled, and his eyes stung. "Are you going to have to leave?"
Zayn was squeezing his pen too tightly. "...Niall..."
Zayn didn't have to say anything else. Niall already knew what it meant, and he couldn't help but start to cry, because he loved Zayn so much. He couldn't remember life without him, didn't want to.
"I c-can't lose you," Niall sobbed, clutching at his heart. It felt like it was going to fall out (a/n: boy) of his chest. "I love you so much, Zayn, I..." Niall's sobs were stuck in his throat.
"Niall," Zayn sighed, pulling the smaller boy into his arms. His eyes were stinging, too, because saying goodbye had always been so hard for him. He didn't want to go. "I...I don't think I can stay. Pretending to be normal, to be like the rest of you, it's..."
"But you love me," Niall wept. "You tell me all the time, you say you love me, don't you love me?"
"You know I love you," Zayn said softly. His world was falling apart, bit by bit, and it hurt so much. "Jesus, Niall, my heart only beats for you."
"Then stay," Niall pleaded, eyelashes wet and clumpy. "I love you. You love me. Stay."
"I..." Zayn bit his lip. "I don't think I can. I love you, but–"
"No buts," Niall said. He went up onto his tiptoes, pressed a kiss to Zayn's lips. "Stay."
Zayn's hands went up to cup Niall's cheeks. "Okay."
"Okay?" A tiny smile spread across Niall's face.
"Okay, baby. Okay."