Chapter 8 "Expectations"

Kissing.

Zayn anticipated a lot more kissing. However, once Leo had kissed him as an answer to being in a relationship, the kissing stopped, and Zayn was left with unmet expectations. Leo brushes his nose against Zayn's and smiled. "What time is it?" He asked and then he went to sit back down and eat the rest of his meal.

Zayn stayed standing where they had just kissed, a bit confused as he checked his watch. "It's 12:17 AM..."

Leo smiles. "May 25th, 12:17 AM."

Zayn smiles a little and sits back down across from him. He lowers his eyes to his ha da on his lap and a slight blush rises in his cheeks. "Is it good? She said it makes good leftovers..."

Leo swallows his bite with a smile. "I cannot believe you met my parents without me... it's very good."

Zayn starts to ring his own hands. "Sorry... the idea just sort of came to me and I acted on it without really thinking it through— which I never do..."

Leo chuckles. "I think that's what surprised me the most."

Zayn looks up with a smile. "You have wonderful parents. She even let me help her in the kitchen."

Leo's mouth opened a little. "Seriously?! She never lets anyone other than Emilio or Alessa in there with her. Not even Papi. I blame her for my lack of cooking skills."

Zayn chuckles. "She said it was your job to entertain everyone while they worked. I think you should credit her for your career based off— the—" he stopped himself.

Leo sets his fork down. "They didn't..."

Zayn scrunches his nose and gives an awkward, closer lip smile. Leo groans. "How much did you see?"

Zayn stifles his giggle. "Only the best, according to your father."

Leo pushes his hair and the chair back. "Ugh! I could kill them."

Zayn laughs a little. "They promised they would save the embarrassing stuff for when you're there."

Leo settles the chair and looks at Zayn with absolute seriousness. "They are parents, their gage for what is embarrassing is not very accurate. What did they show you?"

Zayn smiles and tilts his head. "Let's see. They started with showing me the photos around the house of all four of their children. I think you may be a tiny bit more handsome with your natural black hair. Then the photos of the start of your career, who's idea was it to bleach your hair? You still looked good, just a lot more— feminine, which is sort of beautiful too... anyway—"

"We're you just checking me out the whole time?" Leo asks with a lifted eyebrow as he shovels the last bite into his mouth. He smiles and sighs as he chews.

Zayn blushes again. "Now that you mention it, I think I was... do you think they noticed?!"

Leo swallows. "Oh yeah. Especially ma. It's sort of what she does?"

Zayn had gotten up and collected Leo's dish as he spoke. He stopped all movement when Leo finished. "What do you mean?"

Leo gets up and grabs the dish from Zayn and starts walking towards the kitchen. He speaks over his shoulder. "She didn't tell you? She's a marriage counselor and unofficial match maker for her friends and family." Zayn starts to nervously giggle as Leo continues and they enter the kitchen. Leo starts to clean the dish and speak again. "Both of my brother's wives, mama matched them."

Zayn grabs a towel to dry the dish. "What about your sister?"

Leo hands him the dish. "Alessa—isn't interested in a long term relationship right now. She's— focused on her job."

Zayn starts to dry the dish with a kind smile. "Your parents seem very proud of her. How long has she been in the marines?"

Leo smiles. "Almost ten years."

Zayn checks his watch again. "You're probably exhausted... Are you filming tomorrow?"

Leo nods. "Not until later in the afternoon though. You? I mean, you're up this late too..."

Zayn smiles and grabs Leo's hand, making the younger man blush. "I have the day off."

It shocked Leo that Zayn didn't let go of his hand as they walked back through the hotel to the elevator. "Um, are you not concerned about all of the hotel security camera's seeing us? And staff?"

Zayn shook his head. "Nope. My manager already took care of it. This hotel is now a safe place for us to just be, except maybe other guest... but we keep such strange hours I doubt we'll see that many or that they will care."

Leo yawns. "Oh, I should probably let my people know too..."

The elevator door opens and Zayn continues to lead Leo through the halls and pull his luggage with the other hand. He smiles back at him. "Already done."

Leo blinks in shock and then they were at his hotel door. He pulled out his wallet to find his room key. "Wow Zaynie. So confident I would agree to be your boyfriend." Once the door is open and Leo enters with his things he rests on the door.

Zayn closes the gap between then, reaches for Leo's cheek and whispers "yes" before gently pressing his lips to his boyfriend's.

Leo's heart ached a little. He felt like the gentle little kiss wasn't enough, but was still processing everything that happened throughout the day with his brother's and his ex. When their lips separated Zayn whispered goodnight before stepping away and Leo quickly grabbed his boyfriend's forearm. Zayn looked back a little confused. Leo's voice was raspy from exhaustion. "Stay?" Zayn's eyebrows flickered up for a moment. Leo continues in the same manner. "I try anything, and you can borrow some of my more comfortable clothes. I just, I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep alone tonight... If it's too fast I und—"

Lips had pressed to Leo's before he could finish and he was being pulled into his own room by his hips. He found himself laughing a little and managed to pull his lips away to try and talk. His mission to speak is thwarted for a moment while Zayn's lips press to his neck and finds his pulse faster than he thought possible. "Ah— Zayn— I meant it— Mmnngg— Zayn—" Zayn pressed his hips against Leos and he could feel him through their clothes. "We've been together less than an hour and you're trying to get in my pants. What happened to the Zayn that wanted to wait until we weren't working together huh?"

Zayn pulls his face away from Leo's neck, blushing. "Would you believe me if I said I changed my mind?"

Leo smirks. "I believe you. Would you believe me if I said I did too, and that I want to wait?"

Zayn's eyes widen a little as he steps away. "I'm sorry... You said you wouldn't try anything... and you're tired and..."

Leo chuckles and approaches Zayn with a gentle hand to face. "You're adorable when you unravel like this. Some stuff happened today... After I get some sleep there's some things I want to talk about..." He brushes the tip of Zayn's nose with his own. "I want you, I want us, and I want us to work." He rests his forehead to the other's and they lock gentle eyes. "If it's too difficult for you to sleep beside me—"

"No." Zayn interrupted, against years of etiquette training, he interrupted. "You said you needed me. I can be here for you."

Leo smiles. "Great. I usually sleep naked."

Zayn's eyes widen and he swallows. "O- oh- okay..."

Leo laughs. "I can keep my boxers on though... wouldn't want to make you hard again."

"You--" Zayn almost growls his words and takes a breath. "You're teasing me..." Leo smirks in response.

Leo walks over to his dressers and opens a drawer full of neatly folded sweatpants, basketball shorts, sock and underwear. "I really do normally sleep naked. But I also have clothes comfy enough to sleep in, usually for the airport or whatever... I keep the room really cold too, if you haven't already noticed... Long or short?" He lifts two different length pants up.

Zayn still looks irked. "Long. I don't trust you around my leg hair."

Leo chuckles. "Awe Zaynie, that was one time like a week and half ago."

Zayn crosses his arms. "Three times, and you did the other day."

Leo throws the pants to Zayn. "I would apologize, but I will probably keep doing it."

Zayn rolls his eyes and the feels his heart racing as Leo starts to pull his own shirt off. He subconsciously licks his lips, which Leo happened to catch a glimpse of. "Now now Zaynie, behave yourself."

"Huh? Oh. Sorry." Zayn dipped his head so he could stop staring at Leo's abs. "Could I borrow a shirt?"

Leo snorts a laugh. "Afraid I'll tug on your happy trail?"

Zayn snaps back up to see Leo's mischievous face. "I am now."

Leo throws the t-shirt he had just taken off to Zayn and looks a little more concerned. "Are you sure you're— comfortable with this? I won't be naked, but I can't sleep with a ton of clothes on..."

Zayn turns towards the bathroom and nods his head. "I will endure." He smirks at his own words as he goes into the bathroom to change. He jumps when he hears Leo on the other side of the door. "Why are you changing in there? I've already seen you in your underwear Zaynie!"

"So as not to tempt either of us further!" The handle starts to move and Zayn grabs it. "Knock it off." He growls his words and feel the handle release and hears Leo's laugh.

As Zayn removed his own clothes he tried to calm himself down. He was still a little hard between his hips and had a feeling what he was about to find in the bed he was going to sleep in this night wasn't going to help with that. "What the hell Zayn Sutton. When did you become a horny teenager?" He whispers to his own penis. "Calm down. Nothing is happening tonight."

None of his scorning worked so he just focused on putting on the pants and shirt that Leo gave him. He slipped the shirt on and the masculine remnants of Leo's cologne and natural musk made his brain spark. He mumbled a little too loud. "Goddammit Leo."

"Everything okay in there Zaynie? Do you need help?" Leo's smug voice was only more torture to Zayn's crotch.

"Everything is fine." He opened the door into the room and spoke again before turning towards the rest of the room. "You better be somewhat covered."

Leo was sitting in the bed, just the sheet over his lap, he had a pair of classes on and was looking over a book when he looked up and Zayn thought he might melt. "Is this covered enough?" He asks.

Zayn's throat feels a bit dry. "No. But for someone that normally sleeps naked... I didn't know you had glasses... What are you reading?"

Leo smiles as Zayn crawls into the bed next to him. "My mother's copy of 'Great Expectations.' It's one of my favorites..."

Zayn's heart felt more fluttery and he was grateful it was starting to pull blood away from his groin. "I haven't read that since high school..."

Leo closes the book, sets it on his night stand and looks over to Zayn. "In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong."*

Zayn slides further into the bed until his head hit the pillow. "Mmmm, I should read it again sometime."

Leo nods his head. "You can borrow my copy any time. Do you need to charge your phone? I have an extra charger."

Zayn checks his phone. "Yes please." He hands it to Leo for him to plug it into the extra charger. "Why the extra charger?"

Leo slides into the bed like Zayn did, except he has a playful smile on his lips and wiggles his eyebrows a little as he speaks. "For all the people I have sleep over."

Zayn lightly punches Leo's arm with tight lips. "Not funny."

Leo turns to his side to look at Zayn directly. "iPad."

Zayn rolls his eyes. "Good night Leo."

Leo smiles and, unbeknownst to Zayn, turns off the lamp in his room for the first time in three years. In the dark Leo's heart raced a little until he reached out, his hand resting on Zayn's chest. "Leo?" His melodic voice breaking the quiet made him smile.

Leo bit his lip in the dark before asking his boyfriend. "Is it— can we— would it be okay if I hold on to you a little?"

Zayn's heart was racing for a completely different reason than Leo's. "Eh..." he huffed. When he felt Leo's hand retreat he held it. "Yes. If it will help you get some sleep."

Leo's heart starts to calm as he scoots closer to Zayn and reaches around his waist to pull his back snug against his chest and curl his legs. Blood is rushing below Zayn's waist again as Leo's close contact an hands on his abdomen, maybe half a foot away... Zayn's voice is a but shaky. "A—are you comfortable?"

Leo nuzzles his face against the back of Zayn's neck and it takes all of his strength to not moan the way he knows excites Leo. "Mhm. Yes. Thank you for this Zayn. Sweet dreams." Leo's hot breath against his neck makes him his eyes flutter again but this time he keeps them closed after and focuses on the fact that he is trying to be a good boyfriend and not a horn dog. When Leo slipped into sleep relatively quickly and started to breath a little heavier and lightly snore Zayn felt like he could relax and he too found himself falling asleep.

*Charles Dickens, Great Expectations