Fic: It's not that we're scared, it's just that it's delicate.
Title: It's not that we're scared, it's just that it's delicate.
Prompt: swimming
Pairing: Zayn-centric genderswap Zayn/Niall, Zayn/Liam, Zayn/Harry, Zayn/Louis*
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2k
Warnings: none.
Summary: It's too lithe and delicate for them to think about that it just sort of spills around them breezily.
This was written for 1directionelite
Zayn dips her toes into the pool, watches as the cold water ripples around the contact. Her lips curl into a lazy smile and she tips her head back towards the clear sky. The girls are dipped inside the water, beating about the water clumsily. Louis's making them laugh; she's in the center with a her long hair sticking to either sides of her head and her legs kicked on either sides of Harry's thin hips. She looks beautiful; the water accentuates the blue of her eyes more sharply; stunningly. Niall's laugh is kind of ringing in Zayn's ears and it's so contagious that Zayn finds herself grinning goofily at nothing in particular.
Liam slips next to her, propping her long legs into the pool and smiling at the girls. The corner of her eyes crinkle when she smiles and Zayn finds that just the tiniest bit adorable. It's not like she watches Liam for too long or anything. Liam weaves her fingers through Zayn's, and it's an effortless gesture but Zayn feels her stomach flip and her toes curl.
Then Louis screeches, trying to push herself away from Harry and Niall who're both grinning stupidly, trying to seize the brunette in their arms. The water sloshes around them, and Louis sends empty death threats at the two girls. In that position, Zayn would just shut up and implore them to let her go, not whoop up with insults. But then again, that's just how Zayn would deal with it, entirely because she hates the water.
She hates it, hates it. She'd never had swimming classes when she was little and no one taught her how to swim. All she knows about it is that you just flail your limbs around like you're pedaling, or something, but she's not about to risk it, certainly not with a few words Louis's bluffed.
Liam's fingers tighten around hers and Zayn's nerves unravel. She turns to look at Liam, she's smiling at her, cheeks flushed and eyes glinting with mirth. Zayn loves Liam. She loves Liam to death. She loves it when she smiles and it reaches her eyes and her whole world lights up. She loves how Liam knows just the right thing to do, and not a word involved, to calm Zayn. She loves Liam a lot, a lot.
Louis calls Liam for help, knowing Liam, would save her from Harry and Niall's vicious hold. Liam slips into the pool almost the same second Louis calls out for her in, and for a small second Zayn feels like hitting Louis across the head with the magazine she has in her lap, just because she misses the heat of Liam pressed up next to her. She scowls in displeasure, watching how Liam untangles Louis effortlessly from the two girls who start tormenting her for it.
Louis grins victoriously, then splashes around till she's at the end of the pool where Zayn has her feet dipped. There's something about the way Louis wets her lips when she climbs out that makes Zayn's inside flop nervously. Louis then stands at the end of Zayn's chair and waggles her self dry, lacing into blobs of water against Zayn's dry skin.
"Hey!" Zayn starts to object, but Louis leans down to press her lips on the bridge of Zayn's nose where she knows irritates Zayn all the more. Zayn tries to get her hands on her before she leaves, but Louis slips back inside through the class door swiftly. She then emerges shortly with two drinks in hand, offering Zayn one. "Thanks," Zayn mutters.
"You look bored," Louis remarks.
"I am bored." Zayn sighs, kicking her feet up for good measure and Louis snorts.
"Dip in the water with us, I swear I will hold you if that's what you want." Zayn shakes her head and sighs, sinking back into her chair. Louis bobs down next to her, runs her fingers on the inside of Zayn's wrist and brings her hand to her lips. "Or, we can just lay here chilling." she says softly, eyes serenely softening. "But I know for a fact, I am not letting you be the only one here who hasn't got wet, yet." Louis grins mischievously, climbing onto Zayn's lap and marking every inch of exposed skin with her fingers, sloshing the remaining water onto her.
Zayn laughs, she wants to act like a moody little shit and push Louis off or something, but instead she laughs. "Get off!" but it only encourages Louis more, tossing her head from side to side until she stops to catch her breathe, forehead resting against Zayn's.
"Make me." Louis is just asking for it, really. She knows Zayn can lift her off effortlessly, and toss her around like it's nothing. So to be fair, it's hers and no one else's fault when Zayn swaddles her arms around her crimped waist, lifting her up and submitting her to the chair, under her.
They're laughing stupidly, legs tangled like vines in a branch, and hair falling on to their faces. "You're so fucking crazy,"
"You love me." Louis says, grinning up at Zayn.
"I do." Zayn hums in agreement, and leans to press her lips at the tip of Louis's nose. Louis scrunches up her nose and Zayn thinks she’s never looked lovelier than she does now.
Louis pushes herself off the chair, once Zayn climbs off of her and dips into the pool, looking at Zayn expectantly. “Prove it.” She says and Zayn gets genuinely confused for a second there.
“Huh?”
“You love me,” Louis repeats. “Do you trust me?” Zayn’s stomach flops uncomfortably, looking down at Louis with the glass shaking in her hands. But she nods, and takes a step closer. She trusts Louis. Maybe she trusts her too much and that itself should be terrifying.
Zayn sets the glass aside, then slowly dips into the water- Louis’s standing right there and it’s not like she haven’t been in a pool before, even if she’s just stood there.
Louis catches her in her arms once she’s in the water, arms draped firmly around her waist, and her face buried in the crook of Zayn’s neck. She presses her lips there, then tracing the line of Zayn’s jaw until she places a sweet kiss at the corner of her mouth. Zayn doesn’t think. She cranes her neck and clasps her hand over Louis’s making sure they’re still there, around her hips. She presses her lips to Louis’s, and they’re kissing deep and vivid. Zayn feels herself make a pathetic sound at the feel of Louis’s tongue, teasing and tantalizing.
“Zayn’s in!” She hears Niall shout and all of a sudden with the water sloshing around them, she gets conscious and bites her bottom lip, forehead against Louis’s.
“Hey,” Louis says softly. “I’ve got you.”
Zayn calms visibly.
Niall throws her arms over Zayn’s shoulders, pulling her into a cuddle. Her short blonde hair is in a messy knot and her blue eyes look ridiculously big that Zayn finds herself smiling.
“How did she get you to come in?” Niall asks, grinning.
“Actually, it was all Zayn’s idea.” Louis says matter-of-factly, sticking her tongue out. “She’s been deceiving us all along.” Niall cracks up into laughter. She’s really easy to amuse, but that might just be because she’s too blithe and easy to be anything otherwise. Zayn honestly doesn’t know what a day without hearing Niall laugh would be like.
Not a good day she can give you that.
Niall is like, really happy all the time and Zayn loves that about her. She loves how if something bothers Niall she’d just spurt out into irritated complaining and muttering curses out, then the next minute she’d have forgotten all about it. Niall brings them all to smile. She’s the cute one; everyone says when they’re describing her. She’s the complete opposite of Zayn. She’s blonde, pale and a bit pudgy while Zayn’s scrawny, dark haired and bronze skinned.
She thinks about how they’re different characters as well. Zayn broods and pushes people away when she’s troubled, but Niall cries and complains and talks about what’s bothering her. It’s just that this different makes Zayn think less and feel urging protectiveness over the blonde.
“That’s true.” Zayn says, leaning into Niall’s embrace.
Harry and Liam splash over to them. Harry sloshes and floats much like her personality; chaotic and tireless. Enthusiastic. That’s how Zayn would put it, though. Liam however; she floats poised, splashes and twists around the water coolly.
They throw their arms around each other and some legs too. Zayn actually feels suffocated, standing there in the water between the four of them. It’s just that, Zayn doesn’t feel the kind of suffocation she wants to run away from. It’s the kind she wants to bury herself between, because it’s not ever going to hurt her.
The way the five of them work shouldn't be. It should be weird, and flawed and just doesn't work. But it does. Zayn doesn't even think about it. She doesn't think any of them even thought about it either. It's too lithe and delicate for them to think about that it just sort of spills around them breezily.
Zayn thinks, she can’t afford to even lose that.
It’s silly. Okay, it’s silly and adorable how the four of them get excited seeing her in the water. Like, okay, she has been in a pool before, she tries to remind them again. But the sound of their giggles mutes her failed attempts at words. Well maybe, she shouldn’t have gone there in the first place; words. She’s good with her mouth when it’s put to other use. Like, kissing Niall right now.
Kissing Niall is different than when she kisses Louis. Niall is small in Zayn’s arms, she doesn’t fret or move much. She kisses like a soft whisper and a gentle wind and you’re left with that sweet memory later on.
“I am getting jealous over her,” Louis says then, and Zayn feels her fingers digging into her sides and she laughs. Zayn cranes her neck to get a better look at Louis, scrunching her nose up in adoration.
-
Zayn’s sitting outside, her legs knee-down are dipped into the pool. It’s cold, and she’s shivering but it’s also nice and she enjoys it. She’s wearing Louis’s hoodie, draped over her shoulder and she tucks it closer for good measure.
Liam goes inside to make dinner, and naturally, Niall follows her because all her senses and attention work in full control when there is food mentioned. Niall is very cute, really. Louis and Harry go inside as well, and they call Zayn over but she shakes her head and says she’ll stay outside some more.
It gets cold, and maybe she thinks about going inside and wafting through the aromatic whiff of cooked food that Liam makes. And the heater switched open, and being buried under Louis and her blankets does sound tempting, but as much as Zayn loves that; she also loves the few minutes she has to herself.
The glass door behind her slides open, Zayn doesn’t have to look to tell who is it. She knows it’s freaky to be able to tell them apart by how their walk sounds like, but she does. Harry slips down next to her, and Zayn finds herself instantly leaning into her. She’s warm and soft and Zayn feels herself melt away. Harry’s curls tickle the side of her face and they look wilder than ever. Zayn really adores Harry’s hair. She sticks her fingers into it, twisting the soft locks around her long digits. Harry hums in appreciation and Zayn think it’s really adorable. Harry’s really adorable.
Harry is pretty much like a kitten, she purrs appreciatively when Zayn touches her fingers throw her hair, and runs them down her skin in circles. She perks at any slight attention she gets and cuddles up when she feels like it.
In fact, Harry is a kitten.
"Love you," Harry says, and Zayn smiles to broadly, too white.
"Love you too."
The glass door slides open again, this time it goes fast and blistering against it’s hinges. Patience was never Louis’s strong suit, Zayn thinks as she joins her fingers with Harry’s.
“Harry! I didn’t send you out so you could have Zayn all to yourself,” Louis says, feigning annoyance. “I am stealing her from you.”
Maybe Zayn enjoys it way more than she should, and maybe it’s selfish or something, but it’s okay. She goes inside with her hands in both Louis's and Harry’s and with Niall and Liam smiling sweetly with their cheeks flushed, and maybe it’s more than okay.