papernrubber

[papernrubber]

Hey! As agreed, I brought chapter one of the Ziam fanfic. Don't forget to tell me what you guys think.

Unspoken Words | Ziam

Chapter 1

Eyes can't shine

Unless there's something burning bright behind

Since you went away, there's nothing left in mine

I feel myself running out of time

And now I'm one step closer to being

Two steps far from you

(Infinity - 1D)

Liam Payne A few days later

Doing this community work in person was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Just like during the pandemic, the feeling of helping people is something beyond measure. I've always felt like I was literally born to save and help others—that's always been my biggest purpose.

Especially because, right now, my biggest need is also to help myself. The battle to stay sober has been tough, but I have hope that this will be another one I’ll overcome—no matter how hard things get.

Right now, I’m living in London. My life has been calmer than I expected it to be. I’ve been avoiding events, but there are some I just can’t skip. One of them was an interview I attended and, well… after over 40 days sober, I had a relapse.

This weekend, I was supposed to be with Bear since it was something I had arranged with Cheryl. We got along really well, even after the breakup. Can’t say the same about Maya, though. That breakup was messy, and something tells me it's not over yet.

I had my phone propped up on the kitchen counter while I talked to Louis.

"Tommo, you should join in too, it’s gonna be fun."

"I’d love to, but I’m kinda drowning in stuff right now. Maybe I’ll show up as a surprise one day."

"I’m sure the kids will love it."

"How do you even know that, Payno? You haven’t even been there yet."

"I just know, duh. You know that even with our solo careers, people will always connect us to the band, especially the younger ones."

"I hate to say this, but you might be right. Just maybe."

"I’m always right, lad."

"Screw you, Payno. Hey. I talked to Niall yesterday."

"Oh yeah? I miss Niall, I think it’s been weeks since I last talked to him."

"He wants to set up something, get the group together. You know? I already told him I’m in, as long as he doesn’t invite Zayn."

When he said Zayn’s name, I sighed, running a hand over my face.

"Either way, I doubt he’d even come."

"He shouldn’t. It wouldn’t make sense for him to meet up with us."

"Maybe."

"I know you don’t like when we talk about this, but it’s the truth."

"You know what I think about it, Tommo. You used to think the same way."

"I did. Before he did what he did. Or better yet, what he didn’t do. That was the problem."

"I get you."

"Of course, you do. You’re you."

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

"I would never compliment you."

"Yeah, sure. I’ll pretend I believe that."

"Alright, Payno. I gotta go. Freddie wants to play ball. See you later."

"Alright. Say hi to the little one for me."**

"Sure. Bye."

Instead of waving, he gave me the middle finger and hung up the call.

I put my phone aside, debating what to do. My fingers moved almost automatically to Zayn’s Instagram. He didn’t have many photos, and he rarely posted stories. I couldn’t even remember the last time we talked. It was literally… just a memory.

It was already nighttime when Cheryl dropped Bear off. After a good dinner (which I ordered, not cooked), we were curled up under the blankets watching cartoons.

"Daddy." Bear poked my face, pulling my attention to him.

"Yeah, buddy?" I smiled, brushing his hair away from his face.

"When are we seeing Freddie again?" he asked. His big, expressive eyes—so much like his mother’s—stared up at me.

"I think soon. His dad and I are planning it… Maybe even Niall and Harry will come." I explained. He already knew who they were, obviously.

"What about Zayn?" he asked, and I sighed.

It wouldn’t be weird if he knew who Zayn was.

"He’s not coming, buddy." I ruffled his hair and gave him a small smile. "Time for bed, huh?"

"Goodnight, Daddy." he grinned, and I kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight, little man."

Zayn Malik

Distancing myself from everything and everyone might’ve been the best decision I ever made���at least at the time I needed it most. It wasn’t easy, especially since my anxiety would kick in and make me feel awful, but I think I’m finally getting past that. That’s why I decided to join this community work.

I was a little anxious about how it would go. The first day was just a quick presentation, followed by a month of hands-on work—both organizing and working with kids.

After my breakup with Gigi, things got even quieter and… stranger. But it made me realize that maybe, I never really loved her the way I thought I did. At least she gave me the most important person in my life—Khai.

That day, I was with my daughter. She was incredibly smart for a three-year-old. She ran around all over the place, loved to scribble on everything—including the walls. That’s why I started encouraging her to paint on paper instead. I’d draw things she liked, and she’d use paint, crayons, or colored pencils. It was the funniest thing ever.

After she fell asleep, it was already late. I lay down, working on a song—Alienated. It was still rough, without a melody yet, but the lyrics were slowly taking shape.

They made me think a lot about my life after I pulled away from everything, choosing to live far from the spotlight. But I had decided I needed to get back into it—I needed to make music again. And I was sure this community work would help me with that too.

Tags: @avibeens @wolfspirit16

[papernrubber]

Hey guys. Posting here on Tumblr is kind of new to me, but... After Liam's death, I felt like I needed to write with him to be able to — maybe — ease the pain his death caused me. And so, that's when I decided to write about Ziam. And so today, I decided to share with you a little bit of that story. Let me know if you guys like it.

The story takes place in the year 2023, some facts are completely my invention and others, I adapted to look good in the fanfic.

Unspoken Words | Ziam

Prologue

Liam adjusted his watch as he took in the sight of the aging building before him. The old community school, with its peeling walls and windows stained by time, was far from impressive, yet it had something genuine about it—almost welcoming. He took a deep breath, feeling the crisp late-afternoon air, before stepping through the gate.

There was something special about this kind of work. He knew that his name and face could bring visibility to the charity event, but for Liam, it was more than that. He wanted to be part of something that truly mattered, far from the stage lights and the relentless questions of the tabloids.

Inside, the place was buzzing with activity. Volunteers carried boxes of food, arranged tables, and checked lists. The scent of fresh paint lingered in the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of homemade cookies that some of the community mothers had baked for the fundraiser.

Liam smiled as a young woman with curly hair greeted him and led him toward the backstage area.

“You can use this room to rest before your presentation,” she said, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. “I’ll come get you when we’re ready to start.”

Liam thanked her with a nod and, after a few more steps, opened the door she had indicated. The room smelled different from the rest of the building—slightly stuffy, with hints of old paper and worn wood. He barely had time to take in his surroundings before realizing he wasn’t alone.

A figure sat on the couch, facing away from him, head tilted forward. Liam couldn’t see his face, but he recognized the short dark hair, the tense shoulders, and the slightly hunched posture—like someone trying to disappear into the background.

Liam froze.

It can’t be.

The figure lifted his head and slowly turned, confirming what Liam already knew.

Zayn Malik was there.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was as if time had stopped, as if the narrow room was pressing in on them with an unbearable silence. Zayn looked different. The outline of his beard framed a face that seemed older, more tired. But at the same time, his eyes still had that familiar spark—it was still him, and the realization hit Liam like a punch.

Zayn was the first to break the silence, his voice low and almost casual, as if this weren’t as strange as it felt.

“Liam.”

His name hung in the air, heavy with unspoken memories. Liam blinked a few times, trying to gather his thoughts.

“Zayn?” he asked, as if he needed confirmation, even though he already knew.

Zayn gave a small, almost imperceptible smile and turned his attention back to the notebook in his hands. The cover was covered in scribbles—drawings and words that Liam couldn’t make out.

“I didn’t think we’d ever see each other again.”

“Me neither,” Liam admitted, carefully closing the door behind him. He hesitated before stepping forward, keeping a safe distance. “What are you doing here?”

Zayn looked up again, his eyes now carrying a glint Liam couldn’t quite read.

“I volunteered. Nothing big. Just thought it’d be good to help out.” He shrugged, as if his presence there was nothing unusual, then lowered his gaze back to the notebook.

Liam nodded slowly, crossing his arms. He wanted to say something—anything—but the words felt stuck in his throat. It had been so long, and there was so much between them that he didn’t know where to start.

“You’ve changed,” he finally said, without thinking too much about it.

Zayn let out a quiet chuckle, not looking up.

“And you still say things you don’t have to. Some things never change.”

There was a lightness in his tone, almost teasing, but Liam could feel the weight beneath it. Before he could respond, Zayn closed the notebook and tossed it into a backpack on the floor.

“Don’t worry, I won’t get in your way tonight.” He walked past Liam with steady steps, but just as he reached the door, he paused. “I’m only here for the kids.”

And then he was gone, leaving Liam standing in the middle of the room, the weight of the past and the unexpected reunion settling over him like a shadow.