Let Lips Do What Hands Do 1/10
Title: Let Lips Do What Hands Do
Chapter: 1/10
Pairing: Liam/Zayn
Word Count: 3,183
Rating: PG-13 (this chapter, higher later)
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Not mine, oh, but how I wish they were.
Summary: You're not supposed to fall in love with students, it's unethical or something.
Chapter One
Zayn stuffed the last biscuit he’d grabbed from the staffroom in his mouth and swapped his mug of tea to his other hand, shaking his now empty hand as if that would stop them burning from the too hot drink. He glanced quickly at his watch and sped up as he moved down the corridor. He was already late thanks to the fact that he left his car out instead of in the garage overnight and it was so cold it took forever to start. He was just past the administration office when “Oh, Mr. Malik!” rang out from behind him, Zayn backtracked a few steps and poked his head in the doorway.
“Morning Gert, what can I do for you this morning?” he asked of the woman sitting at the admin desk.
Gert smiled and handed the boy who was standing at the desk a few sheets of paper. “Can you be a dear and show young mister Payne to his first class? After all it’s yours, it would rather silly to have me walk him there a few paces behind you, and it would give your tardiness an excuse.” She raised her eyebrows pointedly and chuckled. Zayn huffed out a laugh. He had loved Gert since his first day, when she’d told him he looked more like a student than any teacher she’d ever seen. Well, except Mr. Tomlinson with his tendency for brightly coloured trousers and no socks. She’s old enough to be his grandmother but God he’d love to take her out for a drink - she’d be a riot.
“Well, I’d better not keep my class waiting any longer then. Come on, I’ll show you the way and save Gert’s poor feet a trip down the halls.” He motioned for the boy to follow him as Gert shushed him then thanked him and promised to scrounge up some nice chocolate biscuits just for him at lunch.
“So,” Zayn turned his head to look at the boy next to him as they walked down the corridor. They were about the same height, but he thought the boy might end up actually being a little taller. “You got a name then?”
The boy looked up from where he was watching his feet and cleared his throat. “Liam Payne, Sir.”
His voice was deeper than Zayn expected. He smiled and extended a hand across his body towards the boy, keeping his tea out of the way as they shook hands, slightly awkward seeing as they were still walking. “Zayn Malik, I’m your English teacher. You’ll have a homeroom around here somewhere but obviously it’s a bit late for that.” Liam hummed his agreement and looked at the papers Gert had given him. “I think it’s probably best if you hang around for a few minutes after class so I can tell you what you’ll need to go over or catch up on, and so, y’know, you can tell me what you did at your last school. Good, yeah? Okay, here we are, in you go.”
He let Liam go in through to the class ahead of him and pointed him towards a desk at the back beside two boys who had their heads bent together in what looked like an avid retelling of the past weekend’s events. Zayn kicked the door shut, took a sip of his tea and pulled his satchel off his shoulder all at the same time, a move he’d been practicing. “Alright you lot, shut up, I’m here now.”
“Sir?” The curly haired boy sat beside Liam raised his hand then continued on speaking anyway. “How come it’s okay for you to be late, but not for us?”
“Because Styles, when you’re late you’re the only one not learning anything. When I’m late, nobody is learning anything, it’s equal opportunity non-education.”
“So we can blame you if we all fail our exams then, Sir?” The boy sat back looking smug, his friend next to him was laughing silently.
Zayn sent a mock glare their way, Harry and Niall were some of his favourite students, not that he should have favourites. Apparently it was unethical or something. “No, you can’t. Now before we get started let’s take a moment to embarrass the new kid. Everyone say ‘hi’ to Liam.” The whole class turned in their seats to look at the new addition and droned out an entirely unenthusiastic Hi Liam. Well all except for Niall who had purposefully waited a beat or two before greeting the boy, laughter evident through his accent as he finished his greeting after everyone else. Liam flushed and muttered a quite ‘hi’ as Harry clapped him on the back, obviously intent on being welcoming. Zayn watched them and had a hopeful thought that Liam would turn out to be a good influence on the two boys’ work habits. “Right, we’re starting a new unit today actually. Shakespeare!” Unsurprisingly, Zayn was the most enthusiastic. His grin faltered at the collective groan of his class.
A girl in the second row raised her hand looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Sir, why do we even bother with Shakespeare? Nobody even understands it.” A few students nodded in agreement.
Zayn slumped against his desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Remind me why you’re my favourite class again.”
“Because we’re all so good looking Sir.” The class erupted into laughter and cat-calls.
“Hilarious, Niall. Alright, settle down. We’re doing Shakespeare because it’s: one, in the lesson plan and two, because I like it. And trust me, Yvette, by the end of this unit you will understand at least a little bit of Shakespeare.” Zayn went to the cupboard beside the whiteboard that held all the books and pulled a box from its depths. “Come up when I call your name, I’ll issue you a book. Word of warning, though, if you lose it, you have to pay for a new one. First name on the list is Joseph Able.”
The class chatted while Zayn was handing out the books, quieting slightly only when the next name was read out. When he’d finished the list of name he looked up to see Harry smack Niall on the shoulder with his copy before both boys broke down into giggles. “Anybody not got a book?” He scanned the class, eyes stopping at Liam and his raised hand. “Right, yeah, sorry. You’re not on the roll yet.” He added Liam’s name and book number to his list as the boy made his way to the front of the class.
Liam took the copy handed to him and scanned the cover. “Hm, Romeo and Juliet.”
“You done it before?”
Liam looked up from the book and smiled almost apologetically. “Yeah, last year. I enjoyed it though, so it’s not exactly a hardship to have to do it again. Plus, it means I’ll do well on my essay.”
Zayn chuckled then grinned at him. “Well, I expect you to now. Sorry we couldn’t be doing a different play.”
“It’s fine, Sir.” Liam shrugged and made his way back to his seat and received a high-five from Harry.
Making a face as he swallowed the rest of his now too cold tea, Zayn looked at the clock above the door. “Okay, seeing as I was late and that took forever, just spend the rest of this lesson reading through the play. Make sure to copy down anything you don’t get so we can go over it tomorrow. You can chat amongst yourselves too.” He pointed to Niall and Harry. “Quietly.”
At the end of class Liam appeared once again beside his desk. Niall and Harry had perched themselves atop desks in the front row waiting for him. “Sir, you were going to tell me what I need to go over?”
“Yeah, I was. Hold up, I’ll just get you some books you’ll need.” Zayn looked over at Niall and Harry as he stood up to go to the cupboard he had retrieved the play books from. “We’re not going to be long; you boys should probably get to your next class.”
“That’s alright, Sir, it’s just chemistry. Besides, I have to show Liam the way, we’re in the same class,” Niall piped up from his seat on the desk. Harry turned to look at him frowning.
“Wait, Chemistry? I don’t do chemistry, I thought we had music…” His brow furrowed as he tried to remember what subject he actually had. Suddenly his eyes widened and he jumped off the desk. “Oh fuck! I have drama. Mr. T will give me a shit part if I’m late again. See you lads at lunch.” With that, Harry was out the door and sprinting down the halls, leaving Niall shaking with laughter.
Zayn chuckled as he handed Liam a few books. “It’s nice to know it’s not only my class he’s late to. Alright, this one,” he tapped the book on the bottom of the stack, “is for our novel study. Have a read, it’s not too taxing and has good themes and stuff. And these two are for our poetry study, pick three from each that sort of match up and go over them again and again. Got it?” Liam nodded and shifted the books around in his hands. “Good, if there’s anything else you need, just see me after class. Otherwise, I’ll see you two tomorrow.”
The two boys made to leave before Liam stopped and turned back. “Sir? Do we need a note or something? For our chemistry teacher.”
“Oh, yeah. Hold on.” Zayn tore a corner off the desk jotter he had and scrawled a hasty ‘Sorry, late, new kid stuff. ZM’ , along with his signature before handing it to Liam.
“Thank you, Sir.” Liam smiled at him before joining Niall out in the hall to walk to their next class together. God, the kid was polite. Zayn picked up his empty cup and looked at the clock. Mondays were really unfair on him; he had one class first thing in the morning then nothing until after lunch. Zayn supposed he could spend that time writing up more lesson plans and marking homework, or he could go make himself another cup of tea and sit in on Lou’s drama class - that’s always a laugh.
***
Zayn ushered his last class of the day out of the room with a reminder that their assignment was due in at the end of the week and to come forward as soon as possible if they required help. Know them, nobody was probably listening and he’d have to deal with a handful of distraught fourteen year olds who didn’t know what they were doing the day before the assignment was due.
Leaving the door open he settled back at his desk to mark some of the homework from before the Christmas break he was yet to hand back. Typically Zayn would stay after school for an hour or two, marking essays or working on the following weeks lesson plan and just generally make himself available for any of his students (and some of the other English teachers, too) if they needed help with anything. There was a knock on the door frame and Zayn looked up from a truly atrocious essay on George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Really, had the kid even tried reading the book?
“Mr Malik?” The girl peered at him from the doorway; he didn’t recognise her from his classes, a different English class then.
“What can I do for you, love?” She flushed slightly at that, not an uncommon occurrence. He’s been teaching here for the past two years now, he’s heard what some of the girls have to say about him.
She took a breath and looking at her feet, face growing redder said “Mr Tomlinson says ‘Dinner at mine tonight, darling? I’ll cook.’” She glanced up at him quickly before returning to study her shoes.
Zayn choked out a laugh, and the girl started to fidget. Louis was obviously running the detention this afternoon; he had a habit of sending his detainees off with embarrassing messages for him in return for an earlier release. Louis called it ‘an exercise in behaviour modification’; Zayn called it an exercise in humiliation. “Tell him yes and that perhaps he should just send a note next time.”
The girl muttered a quick yes, Sir before legging it back down the hall.
A small shake of his head and Zayn pulled open his desk drawer to retrieve his mobile and send a text message to Louis.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Stop sendin them over with terms of endearment. They think I’m ur boyfriend.
Zayn had just set his phone off to the side when the message alert sounded, the rather violent vibration that accompanied it caused the phone to buzz loudly on the wooden desk and startle him, and he nearly drew a massive stripe of red across the essay he had just got back to marking. Not that it would have made any difference to the quality of the piece.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Would that be so bad?
Zayn snorted and typed out his reply, his thumbs moving quickly over the buttons.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Yes. Have u met u? I’m not cut out for a relationship with someone like u.
He didn’t bother to set the phone down this time, instead holding it in his hand while his tossed his red marker pen in the air and waited for Louis’ reply. He nearly missed catching the pen when the phone went off in his hand. He was either going to have to find a way to turn down the vibrate on the thing or get a new phone entirely.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Awww :’( that cut me deep malik I think u should say sorry :(
He laughed again and tried to imagine actually being in a relationship with his friend, using the trip they had taken to Spain in the summer as a template for living with Louis. God, he’d be driven mental inside of a month.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Ur fine. I’ll be round at 6.
Louis’ reply was almost instant.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: I’ll be waiting ;D
Zayn put his phone down, not bothering to text back, and picked his red marker pen back up to finish marking the horrible Animal Farm essay. He was so tempted to just fail it and go home. He read through the next paragraph before sighing and looking up at the clock. It didn’t look like anyone else was going to visit him this afternoon, he might as well leave. After sliding the nearly marked essay along with a stack of others into his satchel and, locking his pens and whiteboard markers in a desk drawer, Zayn slung his bag over his shoulder and flicked off the lights as he left the room.
***
It was ten after six when Zayn started up the stairs to Louis’ flat. He passed the few doors before reaching Louis’, and there was the high pitched wailing of a baby as a young woman pushed a stroller down the corridor towards him. He smiled at her only to have her scowl and tell him to fuck off as she passed. He knocked and turned the door handle, unlocked, did he expect anything less?
“Honey! You’re home.” He could see Louis’ legs from the knee down hanging over the arm of the old blue couch that was far too big for the room. The television was set to the news but with the volume down low.
“You should lock your door, I could have been anybody.” Zayn frowned and locked the door behind him.
Louis sat up, grinning. “Yes, but you weren’t, so it’s fine. Look, I made dinner!” He turned and waved an arm over the containers of Chinese food set on the coffee table along with plates and mismatched cutlery. “I wasn’t sure what you were feeling like so I got a bit of this and a bit of that. There’s beer in the fridge.”
Zayn dropped his coat over the back of the couch and headed towards the kitchen. “I suppose you want me to get them then?” he called as he went, opening the fridge as Louis responded.
“Well, if you insist, I was just about to get up and get them myself.” God, he wasn’t even trying to sound sincere.
“Sure you were.” Louis laughed and took the offered beer, twisting the cap off and taking a long pull. “We have got to stop having take aways on a Monday, Lou.” Zayn twisted the cap off his own bottle and flicked it onto the table, narrowly avoiding the steaming container of lemon chicken.
Louis pouted at him, exaggerated to such a degree that you either had to be Louis Tomlinson or a 5 year old to achieve it. “It’s less fun on other days”
“How does that even work?”
Louis just shrugged and lunged towards the fried rice, emptying half the container onto his plate before passing it to Zayn. “Had a good day then?”
Picking up his plate and leaning back into the couch, Zayn gave a small nod. “Other than my car not starting for ages this morning, it was alright. I got a new student.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, Liam Payne.” He shoved a forkful of food into his mouth and chewed for a few seconds before continuing. “He’s already done the Shakespeare we’re doing and he’s a bit quiet, but that should change fairly soon.”
There was a muted clink as Louis set his beer back on the coffee table. “What makes you say that?”
“He’s been adopted by Styles. Good luck remaining reserved after befriending him and Niall.”
Louis brandished his fork at Zayn. “I hope that’s not a slight against my favourite student.” His ‘serious face’ dissolved instantly when Zayn arched an eyebrow and looked at him. “I know, I know, I’m not supposed to have a favourite. But can I? Please, just one. I’ll take care of him, and I’ll feed him, and I'll walk him every day. I promise.”
They laughed for a few moments before settling back into the couch, watching as the news flashed across the television screen. They ate in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before Louis turned to look at him, a hopeful look on his face.
“Can I though, Zayn?” Jesus, Zayn almost choked on his rice from laughing.
“Yes, fine, alright. Truthfully, him and Niall are my favourites anyway.”
Louis shoved his shoulder and gave an indignant cry. “You prick, you just told me off for having a favourite when you have two.”
“I did not, I just looked at you.”
“You told me off with your eyebrows,” Louis argued, wiggling his own eyebrows for effect. God, he was ridiculous sometimes.
Picking up his bottle, Zayn took a sip and rolled his eyes at his friend. “Whatever. Shut up and eat your dinner Lou, I’m trying to watch the news.”
***
A/N: Okay, so that was the first chapter, the second is already in the works (about half done already). Tell me what you thought? Are there things is missed or should work on? Also any errors are mine, even thought I had a few lovely people read over it for me. xx
Chapter: 1/10
Pairing: Liam/Zayn
Word Count: 3,183
Rating: PG-13 (this chapter, higher later)
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Not mine, oh, but how I wish they were.
Summary: You're not supposed to fall in love with students, it's unethical or something.
Chapter One
Zayn stuffed the last biscuit he’d grabbed from the staffroom in his mouth and swapped his mug of tea to his other hand, shaking his now empty hand as if that would stop them burning from the too hot drink. He glanced quickly at his watch and sped up as he moved down the corridor. He was already late thanks to the fact that he left his car out instead of in the garage overnight and it was so cold it took forever to start. He was just past the administration office when “Oh, Mr. Malik!” rang out from behind him, Zayn backtracked a few steps and poked his head in the doorway.
“Morning Gert, what can I do for you this morning?” he asked of the woman sitting at the admin desk.
Gert smiled and handed the boy who was standing at the desk a few sheets of paper. “Can you be a dear and show young mister Payne to his first class? After all it’s yours, it would rather silly to have me walk him there a few paces behind you, and it would give your tardiness an excuse.” She raised her eyebrows pointedly and chuckled. Zayn huffed out a laugh. He had loved Gert since his first day, when she’d told him he looked more like a student than any teacher she’d ever seen. Well, except Mr. Tomlinson with his tendency for brightly coloured trousers and no socks. She’s old enough to be his grandmother but God he’d love to take her out for a drink - she’d be a riot.
“Well, I’d better not keep my class waiting any longer then. Come on, I’ll show you the way and save Gert’s poor feet a trip down the halls.” He motioned for the boy to follow him as Gert shushed him then thanked him and promised to scrounge up some nice chocolate biscuits just for him at lunch.
“So,” Zayn turned his head to look at the boy next to him as they walked down the corridor. They were about the same height, but he thought the boy might end up actually being a little taller. “You got a name then?”
The boy looked up from where he was watching his feet and cleared his throat. “Liam Payne, Sir.”
His voice was deeper than Zayn expected. He smiled and extended a hand across his body towards the boy, keeping his tea out of the way as they shook hands, slightly awkward seeing as they were still walking. “Zayn Malik, I’m your English teacher. You’ll have a homeroom around here somewhere but obviously it’s a bit late for that.” Liam hummed his agreement and looked at the papers Gert had given him. “I think it’s probably best if you hang around for a few minutes after class so I can tell you what you’ll need to go over or catch up on, and so, y’know, you can tell me what you did at your last school. Good, yeah? Okay, here we are, in you go.”
He let Liam go in through to the class ahead of him and pointed him towards a desk at the back beside two boys who had their heads bent together in what looked like an avid retelling of the past weekend’s events. Zayn kicked the door shut, took a sip of his tea and pulled his satchel off his shoulder all at the same time, a move he’d been practicing. “Alright you lot, shut up, I’m here now.”
“Sir?” The curly haired boy sat beside Liam raised his hand then continued on speaking anyway. “How come it’s okay for you to be late, but not for us?”
“Because Styles, when you’re late you’re the only one not learning anything. When I’m late, nobody is learning anything, it’s equal opportunity non-education.”
“So we can blame you if we all fail our exams then, Sir?” The boy sat back looking smug, his friend next to him was laughing silently.
Zayn sent a mock glare their way, Harry and Niall were some of his favourite students, not that he should have favourites. Apparently it was unethical or something. “No, you can’t. Now before we get started let’s take a moment to embarrass the new kid. Everyone say ‘hi’ to Liam.” The whole class turned in their seats to look at the new addition and droned out an entirely unenthusiastic Hi Liam. Well all except for Niall who had purposefully waited a beat or two before greeting the boy, laughter evident through his accent as he finished his greeting after everyone else. Liam flushed and muttered a quite ‘hi’ as Harry clapped him on the back, obviously intent on being welcoming. Zayn watched them and had a hopeful thought that Liam would turn out to be a good influence on the two boys’ work habits. “Right, we’re starting a new unit today actually. Shakespeare!” Unsurprisingly, Zayn was the most enthusiastic. His grin faltered at the collective groan of his class.
A girl in the second row raised her hand looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Sir, why do we even bother with Shakespeare? Nobody even understands it.” A few students nodded in agreement.
Zayn slumped against his desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Remind me why you’re my favourite class again.”
“Because we’re all so good looking Sir.” The class erupted into laughter and cat-calls.
“Hilarious, Niall. Alright, settle down. We’re doing Shakespeare because it’s: one, in the lesson plan and two, because I like it. And trust me, Yvette, by the end of this unit you will understand at least a little bit of Shakespeare.” Zayn went to the cupboard beside the whiteboard that held all the books and pulled a box from its depths. “Come up when I call your name, I’ll issue you a book. Word of warning, though, if you lose it, you have to pay for a new one. First name on the list is Joseph Able.”
The class chatted while Zayn was handing out the books, quieting slightly only when the next name was read out. When he’d finished the list of name he looked up to see Harry smack Niall on the shoulder with his copy before both boys broke down into giggles. “Anybody not got a book?” He scanned the class, eyes stopping at Liam and his raised hand. “Right, yeah, sorry. You’re not on the roll yet.” He added Liam’s name and book number to his list as the boy made his way to the front of the class.
Liam took the copy handed to him and scanned the cover. “Hm, Romeo and Juliet.”
“You done it before?”
Liam looked up from the book and smiled almost apologetically. “Yeah, last year. I enjoyed it though, so it’s not exactly a hardship to have to do it again. Plus, it means I’ll do well on my essay.”
Zayn chuckled then grinned at him. “Well, I expect you to now. Sorry we couldn’t be doing a different play.”
“It’s fine, Sir.” Liam shrugged and made his way back to his seat and received a high-five from Harry.
Making a face as he swallowed the rest of his now too cold tea, Zayn looked at the clock above the door. “Okay, seeing as I was late and that took forever, just spend the rest of this lesson reading through the play. Make sure to copy down anything you don’t get so we can go over it tomorrow. You can chat amongst yourselves too.” He pointed to Niall and Harry. “Quietly.”
At the end of class Liam appeared once again beside his desk. Niall and Harry had perched themselves atop desks in the front row waiting for him. “Sir, you were going to tell me what I need to go over?”
“Yeah, I was. Hold up, I’ll just get you some books you’ll need.” Zayn looked over at Niall and Harry as he stood up to go to the cupboard he had retrieved the play books from. “We’re not going to be long; you boys should probably get to your next class.”
“That’s alright, Sir, it’s just chemistry. Besides, I have to show Liam the way, we’re in the same class,” Niall piped up from his seat on the desk. Harry turned to look at him frowning.
“Wait, Chemistry? I don’t do chemistry, I thought we had music…” His brow furrowed as he tried to remember what subject he actually had. Suddenly his eyes widened and he jumped off the desk. “Oh fuck! I have drama. Mr. T will give me a shit part if I’m late again. See you lads at lunch.” With that, Harry was out the door and sprinting down the halls, leaving Niall shaking with laughter.
Zayn chuckled as he handed Liam a few books. “It’s nice to know it’s not only my class he’s late to. Alright, this one,” he tapped the book on the bottom of the stack, “is for our novel study. Have a read, it’s not too taxing and has good themes and stuff. And these two are for our poetry study, pick three from each that sort of match up and go over them again and again. Got it?” Liam nodded and shifted the books around in his hands. “Good, if there’s anything else you need, just see me after class. Otherwise, I’ll see you two tomorrow.”
The two boys made to leave before Liam stopped and turned back. “Sir? Do we need a note or something? For our chemistry teacher.”
“Oh, yeah. Hold on.” Zayn tore a corner off the desk jotter he had and scrawled a hasty ‘Sorry, late, new kid stuff. ZM’ , along with his signature before handing it to Liam.
“Thank you, Sir.” Liam smiled at him before joining Niall out in the hall to walk to their next class together. God, the kid was polite. Zayn picked up his empty cup and looked at the clock. Mondays were really unfair on him; he had one class first thing in the morning then nothing until after lunch. Zayn supposed he could spend that time writing up more lesson plans and marking homework, or he could go make himself another cup of tea and sit in on Lou’s drama class - that’s always a laugh.
***
Zayn ushered his last class of the day out of the room with a reminder that their assignment was due in at the end of the week and to come forward as soon as possible if they required help. Know them, nobody was probably listening and he’d have to deal with a handful of distraught fourteen year olds who didn’t know what they were doing the day before the assignment was due.
Leaving the door open he settled back at his desk to mark some of the homework from before the Christmas break he was yet to hand back. Typically Zayn would stay after school for an hour or two, marking essays or working on the following weeks lesson plan and just generally make himself available for any of his students (and some of the other English teachers, too) if they needed help with anything. There was a knock on the door frame and Zayn looked up from a truly atrocious essay on George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Really, had the kid even tried reading the book?
“Mr Malik?” The girl peered at him from the doorway; he didn’t recognise her from his classes, a different English class then.
“What can I do for you, love?” She flushed slightly at that, not an uncommon occurrence. He’s been teaching here for the past two years now, he’s heard what some of the girls have to say about him.
She took a breath and looking at her feet, face growing redder said “Mr Tomlinson says ‘Dinner at mine tonight, darling? I’ll cook.’” She glanced up at him quickly before returning to study her shoes.
Zayn choked out a laugh, and the girl started to fidget. Louis was obviously running the detention this afternoon; he had a habit of sending his detainees off with embarrassing messages for him in return for an earlier release. Louis called it ‘an exercise in behaviour modification’; Zayn called it an exercise in humiliation. “Tell him yes and that perhaps he should just send a note next time.”
The girl muttered a quick yes, Sir before legging it back down the hall.
A small shake of his head and Zayn pulled open his desk drawer to retrieve his mobile and send a text message to Louis.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Stop sendin them over with terms of endearment. They think I’m ur boyfriend.
Zayn had just set his phone off to the side when the message alert sounded, the rather violent vibration that accompanied it caused the phone to buzz loudly on the wooden desk and startle him, and he nearly drew a massive stripe of red across the essay he had just got back to marking. Not that it would have made any difference to the quality of the piece.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Would that be so bad?
Zayn snorted and typed out his reply, his thumbs moving quickly over the buttons.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Yes. Have u met u? I’m not cut out for a relationship with someone like u.
He didn’t bother to set the phone down this time, instead holding it in his hand while his tossed his red marker pen in the air and waited for Louis’ reply. He nearly missed catching the pen when the phone went off in his hand. He was either going to have to find a way to turn down the vibrate on the thing or get a new phone entirely.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Awww :’( that cut me deep malik I think u should say sorry :(
He laughed again and tried to imagine actually being in a relationship with his friend, using the trip they had taken to Spain in the summer as a template for living with Louis. God, he’d be driven mental inside of a month.
To: Louis Tomlinson
Message: Ur fine. I’ll be round at 6.
Louis’ reply was almost instant.
New Message!
From: Louis Tomlinson
Message: I’ll be waiting ;D
Zayn put his phone down, not bothering to text back, and picked his red marker pen back up to finish marking the horrible Animal Farm essay. He was so tempted to just fail it and go home. He read through the next paragraph before sighing and looking up at the clock. It didn’t look like anyone else was going to visit him this afternoon, he might as well leave. After sliding the nearly marked essay along with a stack of others into his satchel and, locking his pens and whiteboard markers in a desk drawer, Zayn slung his bag over his shoulder and flicked off the lights as he left the room.
***
It was ten after six when Zayn started up the stairs to Louis’ flat. He passed the few doors before reaching Louis’, and there was the high pitched wailing of a baby as a young woman pushed a stroller down the corridor towards him. He smiled at her only to have her scowl and tell him to fuck off as she passed. He knocked and turned the door handle, unlocked, did he expect anything less?
“Honey! You’re home.” He could see Louis’ legs from the knee down hanging over the arm of the old blue couch that was far too big for the room. The television was set to the news but with the volume down low.
“You should lock your door, I could have been anybody.” Zayn frowned and locked the door behind him.
Louis sat up, grinning. “Yes, but you weren’t, so it’s fine. Look, I made dinner!” He turned and waved an arm over the containers of Chinese food set on the coffee table along with plates and mismatched cutlery. “I wasn’t sure what you were feeling like so I got a bit of this and a bit of that. There’s beer in the fridge.”
Zayn dropped his coat over the back of the couch and headed towards the kitchen. “I suppose you want me to get them then?” he called as he went, opening the fridge as Louis responded.
“Well, if you insist, I was just about to get up and get them myself.” God, he wasn’t even trying to sound sincere.
“Sure you were.” Louis laughed and took the offered beer, twisting the cap off and taking a long pull. “We have got to stop having take aways on a Monday, Lou.” Zayn twisted the cap off his own bottle and flicked it onto the table, narrowly avoiding the steaming container of lemon chicken.
Louis pouted at him, exaggerated to such a degree that you either had to be Louis Tomlinson or a 5 year old to achieve it. “It’s less fun on other days”
“How does that even work?”
Louis just shrugged and lunged towards the fried rice, emptying half the container onto his plate before passing it to Zayn. “Had a good day then?”
Picking up his plate and leaning back into the couch, Zayn gave a small nod. “Other than my car not starting for ages this morning, it was alright. I got a new student.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, Liam Payne.” He shoved a forkful of food into his mouth and chewed for a few seconds before continuing. “He’s already done the Shakespeare we’re doing and he’s a bit quiet, but that should change fairly soon.”
There was a muted clink as Louis set his beer back on the coffee table. “What makes you say that?”
“He’s been adopted by Styles. Good luck remaining reserved after befriending him and Niall.”
Louis brandished his fork at Zayn. “I hope that’s not a slight against my favourite student.” His ‘serious face’ dissolved instantly when Zayn arched an eyebrow and looked at him. “I know, I know, I’m not supposed to have a favourite. But can I? Please, just one. I’ll take care of him, and I’ll feed him, and I'll walk him every day. I promise.”
They laughed for a few moments before settling back into the couch, watching as the news flashed across the television screen. They ate in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before Louis turned to look at him, a hopeful look on his face.
“Can I though, Zayn?” Jesus, Zayn almost choked on his rice from laughing.
“Yes, fine, alright. Truthfully, him and Niall are my favourites anyway.”
Louis shoved his shoulder and gave an indignant cry. “You prick, you just told me off for having a favourite when you have two.”
“I did not, I just looked at you.”
“You told me off with your eyebrows,” Louis argued, wiggling his own eyebrows for effect. God, he was ridiculous sometimes.
Picking up his bottle, Zayn took a sip and rolled his eyes at his friend. “Whatever. Shut up and eat your dinner Lou, I’m trying to watch the news.”
***
A/N: Okay, so that was the first chapter, the second is already in the works (about half done already). Tell me what you thought? Are there things is missed or should work on? Also any errors are mine, even thought I had a few lovely people read over it for me. xx