Chapter Text
It had been years. Decades and decades and yet Zayn is still having adjustment issues. Louis told him it would be okay - it would happen eventually. But Louis is only a few decades older than him and he is not so sure the older lad has adjusted himself.
It wasn't the power, flowing through his veins and digging into the soft skin in his mouth that he was having a hard time adjusting to. It was the endlessness of it all. Forever. And how different that made him from everyone. Because while he was forever, nothing else around him was.
Louis at least had a bit more of forever than he did. He had Harry, he had memories. Those were forever, though Louis claimed the memories faded over time. But Zayn is skeptical.
Zayn couldn't remember anything, before he had been changed. Not even his name, where he was from, his family if he had one. All his memories were of Louis, and those didn't go away. No matter how badly he wanted them to.
"Morning," Harry greets with a mumble, padding out from the hallway stretching to his shared bedroom. Zayn sits at the island in the kitchen, a cup of coffee warming his hands. Even the slightest of warmth is burning hot, and it feels good. "Did you see Louis before he left?"
"I didn't know he left," Zayn responds, uninterested. Louis is always leaving unannounced. But it would be a stupid move if he or Harry decided to do the same.
Harry sits beside him with his own cup, frowning. "He didn't say where he was going."
"He never does."
Harry only frowns more, though Zayn isn't truly trying to raise his spirits. He could care less. Harry is still new, he would get used to it.
"I'm hungry. Should I call him? Tell him to bring something back?"
Zayn gets up. "I don't care what you do, Harry." He says before walking out of the kitchen and towards his room.
When they had first found this home, by accident, Harry had not been with them, but there were still three of them. The house, a living room, kitchen, dining room with two corridors stretching from each side, was more dungeon-like than home like. Or at least, from what little Zayn knew about homes. The ones he had seen before had flowered walls, not stone, and lots of windows. But to be fair, Zayn had never seen a home for a clan of vampires. His clan had traveled before settling into a place.
Stan, a boy younger than Zayn, took one corridor and Louis and Zayn the other. The house was big enough to fit ten of them but Louis was fine with the three, so Zayn was too. When Harry came, Zayn moved into Stan's corridor, and Harry took his place.
Zayn didn't mind though, it was quiet on this end of the house. He could listen to music as loud as he wanted to, and Louis wouldn't bitch about it. The walls were covered in paint covered finger prints. Paint over paint over paint. When there is no more room, Zayn just paints all over again.
Zayn curls into his bed. He is hungry too, very hungry. His brain aches and his teeth hurt. There’s an irritation weighing heavy on his shoulders and it’s making him grumpy. Closing his eyes, he can force some of the headache away, but it's not much of a difference truly.
Zayn wakes as a delicious scent travels up his nose and through his senses. Pain shoots through his tongue as he bites himself accidentally. Louis sits beside him, a smirk on his face as he presses a straw against Zayn's lips.
Zayn can't help the way his eyes close, the sigh of satisfaction rumbling from him as he drinks, dulling the ache he had been feeling earlier.
"Sorry it took me so long," Louis says softly, running his fingers through Zayn's hair. "Ran into a little bump in the road."
Zayn opens his eyes and sits up as a question, but does not pull his mouth away. Louis scoots closer, wrapping a hand around the back of Zayn's neck.
"Another clan," Louis starts, fingers digging into his neck as he speaks. "Plot twist: one is human, and I believe there is no intention to use or change him. But it was a short interaction.”
Zayn pulls away, feeling the liquid dribble from the corner of his mouth slightly and his tongue flicks out to catch it. Louis' eyes follow the path of his tongue but he does not move.
"How did you find out their intentions with the human if it was only a short interaction?"
Louis moves back, face forming into mock anger. "I am very talented Zayn, do not discredit me."
Zayn snorts, rolling his eyes. "Calm down. I just mean how could you possibly know they do not intend on changing or using him? I doubt that is something they start out introductions with."
Louis scoots back closer to him. "Same way I can tell you are angry with me." He changes the topic at hand easily. Louis has always been extremely perceptible. Zayn used to swear he was clairvoyant or something.
Louis pulls on Zayn's neck so his lips hover over his. His tongue darts out, wiping against Zayn's lips. He presses his lips to Zayn's and as much as Zayn wants to move away, he kisses Louis back, tasting the blood fresh on Louis' tongue as it moves against his.
When Louis pulls away, he runs a thumb across the corner of Zayn's lips and releases the grip on his neck. "It's been thirty years now, Zayn. When are you going to get used to him?"
Zayn keeps his face straight and doesn't respond. Because the answer would cause a fight and Zayn doesn't want to know what would happen to him if they were to fight. He doesn’t want to know who Louis would choose.
Louis sighs and sits up, leaving the bag with him. "If you need more, it's in the refrigerator. We are going out in two hours. Have enough by then."
Zayn follows behind Louis, going into the bathroom a few doors down. It is ritual when he enters, to look into the mirror above the sink. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t help but to search for a reflection staring back at him. But all he sees is the back of the door, directly across from the sink. It is no different today.
His fingers tense, wanting to smash into the smooth glass. But Louis had threatened to ban mirrors from the house if he broke another. He presses his fingers to the glass, leaving oval marks in its wake.
If Zayn or Harry want to leave the house they have to be with Louis, and Zayn can’t deal with how on edge Louis is when Harry is alone, so they always go together. The town is a few miles away, but with their speed they can make it there in minutes. Zayn likes being around the townspeople and watching them. He is only allowed to when fully fed. Another one of Louis’ many rules.
There is one woman in particular Zayn likes to watch. She's an elderly woman, who works a stand in the market. A thrift shop like stand, buying and selling used items that seem almost worthless, but for some reason catches the eyes of passersby. She's so fragile Zayn can hear the way her bones creak as she moves, see the blood flow through the thick veins covering her arms and legs. Warmth radiates off of her, the kindness in her facial features, and the way she greets others. Zayn has never spoken to her, only watches from a distance as she speaks to other people. Sometimes he can hear her voice, as soft and gentle as the rest of her.
"We won't be far," Louis tells him, squeezing his wrist slightly before walking in another direction with Harry. Zayn sits across from the lady's stand, at a small, outside cafe. A girl, Veronica, greets him.
"Your regular?" She says with the same flirty smile that she always has on her face. Zayn nods, turning his eyes back to the crowd.
It's not so busy today, with the weather starting to get colder. There's less children about, more coats and less skin. But there are people at the thrift shop, and the lady is smiling warmly at a boy, wearing the same green apron as her. He is new. Zayn comes to the market nearly every day and has never seen him. The old lady is showing him the register, pointing to different places, watching him until he nods in understanding. She's the only saleswoman who isn't using the high tech smart phone way of taking credit cards. The boy, with nearly the same warm smile, hands the customer his bag of items before looking at the old woman for approval.
The boy's eyes lift up in his direction and Zayn snaps his eyes away.
He keeps his eyes away from the thrift shop after that, not wanting the boy to catch him again and say something to the old woman. There’s something about her that Zayn wants to keep at a distance. He doesn’t want to see the fear in her eyes as he has seen with so many of the other humans he has interacted with. Not on her kind face.
"Here is your coffee," the waitress greets, handing him a cup with careful hands. "It is very hot."
The warmth from the cup spreads through his fingers and he watches the way the steam floats from the small opening of the lid.
"Thank you, Veronica."
The girl smiles and bats her eye lashes. She goes to turn, biting her lip softly before she stops herself. "Are you ever going to tell me your name? You've been coming around here for ages and I nearly know everyone else's."
"Uh, it's Zayn," he responds flatly, wishing the girl would leave. She is nice enough, but not his type. Type of species, type of play toy. Type of anything, really.
"Well, it is nice to meet you, Zayn."
Zayn nods, thankful as she turns around and leaves. It is the feeling of being alone while around a crowd of people that he enjoys about the marketplace. But today it doesn't seem that he will be able to get that, as the chair opposite of him moves not nearly two seconds after the waitress departs.
"It is very nice to meet you, as well, Zayn."
It's the boy, with the warm smile. He is wearing it now, reaching into his eyes where they crinkle slightly at the corners. But up close Zayn sees it is the only softness on his face, next to his hard, sharp jaw and cheek bones. He is tanned skin and brown eyed, his dark hair combed back into a not so perfect quiff on the top of his head. There's a dark circular mark on his neck that pops through the collar of his white polo. He isn't wearing a jacket despite the drop in temperature. There’s a scent mixed in with his cologne that tickles Zayn’s nose, but he is not sure what it is. It’s foreign, almost to the point of being foul.
"And you are?" Zayn asks, eyes flicking towards the thrift shop where the woman is now alone with a group of customers.
"Liam. I saw you looking at Mrs. Ramir earlier. Are you related to her?" The boy's voice is curious, but not as defensive as most people would be if they catch a creepy person staring at their boss.
"No, I was merely people watching," Zayn says honestly.
"That is a bit creepy mate. Do you come here and just stare at the crowd all day and leave?"
Zayn's eyes narrow and his fingers press into the warm styrofoam cup. "I don't suppose it is any of your business what I do?"
The boy laughs, throwing his head back slightly. His eyes crinkle even more and if Zayn wasn't tense, he would admire his face more. "No, I suppose it is not. I don't mean to come off rude. To be honest with you, I like to watch the people here so much that I've gotten a job here."
Zayn doesn't respond, unsure of what to make of this Liam guy. He seems genuinely friendly, but not many sane people take the seat across from a complete stranger. And his smells something awful. Zayn bites the inside of his cheek to prevent his nose from crinkling.
"You probably think I am a crazy," Liam continues, regardless of a response from Zayn. "But Mrs. Ramir says you sit here nearly every day, alone and I could take an extra break today to keep you company."
Zayn's chest tightens slightly and he is unsure of why. "That is kind of her but is unneeded. My family is here, somewhere else."
Liam nods, a smile still on his face despite everything. "Well, I would like an extra break so…if you don’t mind.” He waves the waitress over.
"I guess not," Zayn responds.
The boy is quiet after he orders his own coffee and a tea for Mrs. Ramir. He doesn’t speak again, except to Veronica who takes his order with a frown. He is a strange boy, or at least Zayn thinks so. He hasn’t interacted with many humans in his life time.
Liam holds out his hand, and the stench on him becomes stronger. His attempts to hide the crinkle in his nose fail as Liam pulls his hand slightly away, a frown forming on his face. “Uh, it was nice to meet you…I better get –“
“I’m sorry, it’s a sneeze,” Zayn lies quickly, taking the boy’s hand before he pulls it farther away. It feels almost necessary to touch the boy’s skin with his own. His fingers are warm and Zayn can feel the pulse in the veins by his wrist.
“Bless you,” Liam responds, a smile ghosting his lips.
Zayn watches the boy walk back to the thrift shop. The woman looks up at him when he returns, eyes flicking towards Zayn. It is the first time the old woman notices Zayn and she gives him one of the warm smiles he has always seen her give her customers. It doesn’t scare Zayn the way he thought it would. But he remains in his seat, looking away and at the cup of coffee going cold in his hands.
“You reek,” Louis exclaims, his nose crinkling as Zayn finds them in one of the book shops. Well, he finds just Louis, Harry somewhere off, hidden under a pile of books that have hopefully collapsed on top of him.
“I’ve had a good day, thanks for asking,” Zayn responds.
Louis grabs the bottom of his shirt, pulling him close to press his nose closer to Zayn’s skin. Zayn presses his hands against his chest, attempting to push him off but Louis is stronger than him. He moves his nose down Zayn’s arm and to his hands. Zayn is sure people are staring at them.
“Get off,” Zayn says roughly and Louis lets him go.
“Who were you with?” Louis’ eyes point at him.
“By myself, like always?”
Louis looks at him for a bit longer before he decides to let it go. “Let’s find Harry and go home. Hungry?”
He is. That is why he had left his spot to find them. And the boy’s eyes that kept flickering back to him made him a little uneasy, especially as the hunger started to gnaw at him. “A little, yeah.”
Louis wipes his thumb against his mouth and presses it to Zayn, but not before he sees the red liquid bubbling against his skin. Zayn closes his eyes, letting the sweet taste settle on his tongue. His teeth pierce Louis’ skin and Louis chuckles before pulling his hand away.
“As I thought. You can feed right after you scrub that nasty smell off of you, yeah?”
Zayn presses his fingers against his own skin, wondering if Liam’s smell has gotten on him. He doesn’t smell anything lingering there.
They find Harry drowning in a stack of books, reluctant to leave.
“Please, I just have a few more chapters left to read.” Harry flashes the front of the book he’s holding in his hands. It’s something old, written before any of their time.
“We can just buy it, c’mon. Zayn is hungry.”
Harry’s eyes light up as he walks past them towards the counter. “Oh okay. Me too.”
Zayn scrubs roughly at his skin with a new bar of soap. The hot water is hot, filling the room with steam. If he could sweat, he would produce more than the shower head produces water. He hears the door open, knowing it’s Louis as his scent fills the room. It’s like a musky, minty scent. The most familiar scent he knows.
“You still smell,” Louis grumbles. Zayn can see the outline of his figure leaning against the wall through the glass shower door.
“I’ve nearly scrubbed my skin raw!” Zayn tells him. The strong scent of soap tickles his nose and he’s not sure how there can be any more of Liam’s stench left on him if he cannot smell it.
“Then come out so you can feed,” Louis says impatiently, tapping his finger against the door.
Zayn shuts the water off, opening the door slightly and reaching his hand out for a towel.
“I’ve seen you naked before, Malik. It’s alright.” There’s humor coating his voice and Zayn groans.
“My underwear, at least. Please, Louis.”
Begrudgingly, Louis hands Zayn his black cotton boxers that Zayn slips on before stepping out of the shower. He grabs the towel from next to the sink and runs it along his torso, catching the water that slips down his skin.
“No new tattoos today. I’m proud of you,” Louis admires, his eyes raking Zayn’s body. He feels vulnerable like this, and goes to snatch the pajama pants he had brought in with him.
“Maybe next time,” Zayn responds, quickly pulling the pants on.
“Maybe that tiger you’re always drawing on your walls. Your right side could use some more ink.” Louis comes closer to him. Zayn only nods, wondering if Louis is going to make him wait for his food tonight. He has been especially grumpy towards Harry, but he can’t help it. He doesn’t like being around the curly headed nuisance.
Louis presses Zayn so the sink digs into his lower back. “You’re angry with me, aren’t you?” His eyes search Zayn’s face and for a moment Zayn wishes he could see what Louis sees. “Or are you just being your normal, grumpy self?”
“The latter,” Zayn murmurs, wishing to not have this conversation at all. But Zayn is stuck.
“Drink,” he murmurs huskily, tilting his head to his side to reveal the slope of his neck. Zayn stares for a moment, not sure as to what game Louis is playing.
“I’m alright,” Zayn protests, trying to push his hands against Louis’ shoulder but he fails at being subtle. Louis retaliates by pushing their chests harder together.
“I’m not going to ask twice.” Louis’ eyes darken and he grips Zayn’s hip sharply, nails digging in. Louis is obeyed, it’s an unspoken rule.
Zayn runs his tongue against his teeth, feeling the way his fangs grow sharp. Blood runs through their veins, but it’s fundamentally different, like adding the vodka to the tonic. Human blood dulls the ache, clears the senses and is like a booster. But the blood of another vampire is power, an energy shot.
“Do it already,” Louis says huskily, curling his hand around Zayn’s head and pushing it down. His teeth graze Louis’ skin and Louis responds with a sharp intake of breath. His teeth sink easily in. It’s a rush, his heart pounding against his chest, mouth filling with the sweet taste of Louis. Everything is magnified. His body is sensitive to Louis’ touch, the sharp press of the sink. He can smell Harry’s shampoo through the fading steam and soap, and the flower bush by the end of the driveway. If his eyes were open he would be able to see every pore on a face across the room. He can follow the indents and pathways of the blue irises in Louis’ eyes if he moved his head away. But he couldn’t if he tried, the blood taking him and keeping him there.
It is the way his body tingles as nerve endings burst at every end of him that causes the moan to slip from his lips as he bites harder into Louis’ skin. Louis presses himself against Zayn more; the whole lengths of their bodies are touching. His nails dig into Zayn’s neck and he pushes his hips up. Zayn lets go with a gasp as a pleasurable sensation shoots up his spine. Louis holds onto him, grinding their hips together, pushing his hips up and bringing Zayn’s hips down. The sink bites angrily into Zayn’s back but he doesn’t care, resting his forehead into Louis’ neck, groaning shamelessly. Zayn can feel every thread of fabric in his underwear rubbing against his cock as Louis’ moves. He can feel the precome coat the top of him, spreading and soaking through the fabric, Louis’ erect nipples rubbing through the material of his shirt and against Zayn’s chest. Louis’ scent fills him, becoming overpowering. Louis is everything around him, even the bite of the sink dulls as Louis takes over.
Louis grabs Zayn’s face, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth and biting into the soft flesh. Tension in his abdomen builds and Zayn moans obscenely against Louis’ lips before he comes, his whole body shuttering as Louis’ holds him up. It’s so much more intense than the shameful moments of pumping his own cock, Louis’ name lingering on his tongue.
Louis presses their hips together, his hips slowing and Zayn groans from sensitivity. Blood fills his mouth as Louis’ moan is cut off from his teeth slicing into Zayn’s lip more. Louis pushes a hand between them, cupping him with softer movements, running his thumb over the pool of come that had soaked through his pajama pants. Zayn pants against his mouth as Louis presses a soft kiss to his already healing lip. He moves his lips against Zayn’s jaw, taking a deep breath against his skin.
“I have forgotten how sweet you taste, Malik,” he mutters, lips moving against Zayn’s jaw as he speaks.
Zayn forgot just how much he missed being with Louis. “Thank you,” is all he responds with, a knot starting to form in his throat as the energy in the air starts to fade. It continues to buzz through Zayn, like an electric high.
“Are you good now?” Louis asks, cupping Zayn’s face, his eyes searching again. Zayn isn’t sure if he’s asking about his mood or his appetite.
“Yes,” he replies, breathlessly. In fact, he is more than okay. It had been too long for him to remember the last time Louis had let him feed from him. About thirty years, he would guess.
“Good boy,” Louis praises teasingly, pulling away from him. Zayn feels the high around him start to plummet at the moment their bodies are no longer touching. He watches Louis turn and leave so easily, nothing holding him back. The door shuts and it’s like a truck slamming into him, the force of emotion so harsh he gasps out loud.
Feeding increases pleasure, making the whole body sensitive. But it also increases pain, not physical pain, but emotional pain. Zayn’s heart clenches in his chest as he grips the sink, focusing on the mirror he cannot see himself in.
There used to be a time where Louis and Zayn would barely go moments without touching each other. Even in public, out of view, their magnified senses allowing them to hear if someone was coming. Not always sexual, but they were always touching somehow. Louis’ fingers wrapped loosely around Zayn’s wrist, or a hand pressed against his lower back. For a few weeks when Zayn was young, they had stayed locked up in their bedroom. Louis left a few times to supply himself, but Zayn did not drink human blood for those few weeks. Just Louis, everything was Louis. Zayn had done everything Louis wanted, without hesitation. And then Harry came in and took it all away, without even trying. Zayn doesn’t remember his life changing from human to vampire, but he is pretty sure it would feel the way it did when his life changed from Louis and Zayn to Louis and Harry. He had shoved it all out, forgot it all, and now it was rushing into his system at high speed.
Zayn stays in the bathroom awhile, staring at that mirror, before going into his room, changing out of his dirty clothes and curling into his bed. Even from the distance, he can hear Louis and Harry talking in hushed voices but he tunes them out, not wanting to hear their intimate moments. He thinks about the brown haired boy and his innocent face, oblivious to what he is. He concentrates on that boy until any thought the pain that is stored in his chest starts to dull some.
Harry is upset. And he knows he shouldn’t be, but he can’t help it. The sounds of Louis and Zayn from the night before, moaning and gasping, echo in his brain as if on a constant loop. Louis had curled around him after his shower and explained to him that Zayn needed him too. But Harry thinks, and he would never say it out loud, that it’s because of the scent of another vampire that lingered on Zayn the day before. Louis had mentioned it enough times to clue him in that it bothered him. And it bothered Harry too, but not in a possessive way like Louis. In a concerned way. They didn’t interact with other clans, ever.
“Why haven’t you gotten out of bed yet?” Louis asks, coming into the room they share. He had been gone when Harry woke, and he was sort of glad. Harry isn’t so sure he can face Louis when his head is filled with the sounds another person caused him to make.
“Are we going into town today?” Harry asks, confused. Harry lounging in bed all day is normal.
“Best not.” Louis says, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Harry’s forehead. “I did some investigating this morning. Remember that clan of vamps I told you about? On the other side of town?” Harry nods as Louis climbs into the bed beside him and pushes his fingers through Harry’s curls. “Well, the scent on Zayn yesterday reminded me of them so I went there.”
Harry’s eyes widen. “Louis! That’s dangerous!”
Louis waves him off. “Well, it is their scent.”
“But Zayn said he wasn’t with anyone. Maybe he just walked by them,” Harry says, trying to make sense of Louis’ words.
Louis makes a frustrated noise. “Zayn would have noticed if another vampire walked by him. And they touched skin. It was powerful on his hands. Only skin touching skin can cause that. That’s why I –“ He pauses, biting his lip. “That’s why I made him shower first before eating. It was so foul I definitely would have lost my appetite.”
Even if Harry didn’t know Louis as well as he did he would be able to spot the lie. Louis never lost his appetite. “Maybe you should ask him again, then?”
Louis shakes his head. “Zayn is mad at me because…well, us.” Louis looks away from Harry as he speaks. “And he could be doing this for revenge or something stupid.”
Harry isn’t so sure about this but he doesn’t argue.
Louis doesn’t require a response clearly, as he continues. “I brought you in. He might find it fair to bring in his own vamp.”
“But you found me newly changed, saved me…”
Louis shrugs, pulling Harry’s face down towards him to press his lips to the corner Harry’s mouth. Harry wants to keep asking questions because it’s not making sense in his brain, what he knows and what Louis is saying doesn’t connect, but Louis clearly doesn’t want to talk about it.
“So I’m going into town today to meet up with the leader of the other clan, an Irish bloke –“
“By yourself?” Harry nearly shouts as Louis attempts to continue talking.
“I don’t want this guy knowing any more than he needs to.” Louis sighs and sits up with him. “Get along with Zayn, yeah?”
Harry presses his forehead to Louis’ shoulder. “I like Zayn. It’s Zayn who doesn’t like me.”
Louis finally convinces Harry he actually has to leave about an hour later, pulling away with a groan. Harry listens to him leave, walking through the house and shutting the door behind him. He doesn’t say anything to Zayn, who must be in his room. Harry assumes it must be safe then, to pad out into the kitchen.
The stories he had read about vampires before he was changed didn’t hold up. He eats and it isn’t hard to do, nothing different at all actually. He walks during the day and the sun doesn’t dull his senses. Night time life is for when he is restless and can’t sleep. There’s nothing really negative to being a vampire that he’s noticed, except having to stay away from your families, watching them die. Harry family is still alive, he thinks. But Louis forbids him from keeping an eye on them, so he can’t truly know. That part is difficult, having to stay away from his mother and sister, but his family is his clan now, and he accepted that long ago.
Harry makes himself a bowl of cereal and flicks on the television. He is never sure what to do when Louis is gone. He hears Zayn walk into the corridor, listens to his footsteps grow louder as he comes closer and enters the kitchen. He doesn’t acknowledge Harry, just looks at him and opens the fridge, pulling out a bag of blood. He stinks of Louis, any other vampire’s scent long gone. Harry’s body tenses, though he doesn’t mean for it to.
“What is your problem?” Zayn snaps, whipping around. A bit of blood drips from the corner of mouth from pulling the bag roughly out of his mouth.
“Nothing,” Harry growls. He is a no good vampire. His chest is already tightening. Zayn is too confrontational, quick to react.
“Clearly you have a problem,” Zayn says again. Harry wonders if he knows that Louis has left and if he is being an ass just because Louis is gone. It was Zayn who was with Harry’s mate the night before, not the other way around. It should be Harry attacking Zayn.
“I don’t,” Harry chokes out.
Zayn stares him at him, face twisted into a growl before he throws down the bag of blood in his hands. It lands with a smack, splattering all over the tile floorboard, flecks of blood sprinkling the edge of the wall.
“Where are you going? You can’t leave!” Panic shoots through him. “Zayn, nothing is wrong! I’m sorry!”
Zayn ignores him, slamming the door behind him.
Harry waits, pacing around the kitchen with his eyes glued to the door. He can’t hear Zayn, can’t smell him any longer. Surely Zayn isn’t stupid enough to disobey Louis’ direct orders. Don’t go anywhere off property without him, don’t leave Harry alone. Those are the rules, they both know that.
Ten minutes go by and Zayn’s scent is completely gone. Harry searches his phone, not sure how to tell Louis Zayn has left and Harry doesn’t know why, doesn’t know where he is going or when he is coming back.
Zayn was going to leave regardless of anything Harry did. He had heard Louis leave that morning and it gave him the perfect opportunity. He isn’t planning on leaving for forever. He just needs to breathe, to be away from everything that was Louis and Harry. He doesn’t have a destination, but he isn’t surprised when his feet drag him through the crowd and towards the familiar wooden stand.
Zayn doesn’t see the older woman anywhere in the small crowd. He only sees Liam, talking to a customer who is holding up a gaudy pink and green knit sweater. Liam’s eyes turn in his direction as Zayn breaks through the crowd and he sends Zayn a smile, one that Zayn is hesitant to return.
He doesn’t smell so much today, though there is still a hint of odor as he nears the thrift shop. Zayn has never truly gotten close to it, always wanting to stay a safe distance away.
Liam checks the customer out before he locks the register and makes his way towards Zayn. Zayn realizes he hasn’t moved since Liam spotted him, just stayed rooted in the spot, staring away.
“You’re a bit closer today. That’s progress,” Liam greets him, smiling kindly.
Zayn clears his throat and nods. A look of amusement crosses Liam’s face.
“Did you come here to be creepy again?”
Zayn laughs and it feels nice rumbling in his chest. “My feet just kind of took me here.”
Liam checks on the stand before turning back to him. “Do you live far?”
Zayn starts to nod but shakes his head quickly. The conversation isn’t much of one, but it’s surprisingly satisfying. His mood simmers down a bit, and he can’t seem to remember why he had stormed out so angrily. It was uncalled for and maybe he should apologize, but he isn’t going to. Not yet, at least.
“Well, which is it?”
He scratches the back of his neck. “It doesn’t feel far.”
Liam tilts his head when he looks at Zayn. He wonders if there’s something on his face, maybe a bit of left over blood, maybe he has dried tooth paste on his face and doesn’t know about it. But Liam doesn’t say anything, but he could be as kind as he looks. Another smell passes through the air, it’s like Liam’s, but stronger and it sort of reminds him of Louis.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” Liam asks suddenly. Zayn finds himself nodding, though he doesn’t even know what he’s doing in the next five minutes. “Okay, good, because I have to go so…” He throws his thumb behind him. There are a few more people at the thrift shop. Zayn waves sheepishly, wondering when he had forgotten basic things, like talking.
Liam walks back to the stand, throwing a smile over his shoulder.
He walks quickly off when Liam turns back around because he realizes the scent doesn’t just remind him of Louis, it is Louis. There’s something else mixed with it, something unfamiliar to Zayn. He wants to check to see if it’s problematic, but if Louis isn’t trouble and he gets too close, than it would just be him who is in trouble.
Zayn slips into the building to the right of the café, another kind of restaurant. The hostess looks at him expectantly but he ignores her, moving farther past the podium, out of eye sight form the crowd in the street.
Louis passes by and Zayn knows he is trouble. Louis’ eyes scan they crowd, but they are subtle. His body is tense but unnoticeable to a stranger. Harry would have called him, probably before Zayn even left the property. The older boy eyes the thrift shop, turning away with a frown. The man walking in pace beside him looks at the thrift shop, but he turns his head with a much more relaxed expression.
He’s unfamiliar but Zayn knows he is one of them. From the other clan, no doubt. It doesn’t make sense, the two of them together. Louis had always told him stay away from other vampires, you can’t trust anyone that is not family. He had gone over that rule again and again, engrained it into his brain. It was the same when Louis brought Harry in.
Louis’ looks over in his direction but he’s not sure if he’s been spotted or not. He waits, long after Louis disappears from view before leaving the restaurant.