Fix You

Liam snorts, replying quickly.



Harry leans his head over Liam’s shoulder, peering at the phone’s dark screen.

“What are you laughing to yourself over mate?” he questions, furrowing his eyebrows.

Liam shakes his head, waiting eagerly for Finley’s reply. He knows she’s at work right now, but he can’t help but hope that she will reply quick anyways.

“Tell me,” Harry whines, pulling a puppy-dog face that Liam can’t resist.

“Finley just is obsessed with that new Thrift Shop song. She’s been texting me the lyrics to it all morning.”

Harry chuckles, shaking his hair out and sitting down next to Liam at the conference table. Louis looks up from his phone across the table and smiles gently at Liam before nudging Zayn.

“Li’s got that look,” he murmurs in a song-song voice.

Zayn rolls his eyes and shoves Louis’ hand off his shoulder. “Haven’t you noticed it’s been there since he’s met Finny?” His lips quirk up into a tiny smirk, white teeth just poking out.



Just as Liam goes to reply, a hint of jealousy present in what he wants to say back, Niall pushes open the meeting room’s doors. His knee holds the door open as he carries two trays of drinks, the Starbucks logo emblazoned on the side of each cup. Liam visibly relaxes, a tiny, breathy laugh escaping his lips. He stands to help Niall with the drinks, sliding one tray across the table to Louis and Zayn.

“Fin says hello to all of you,” Niall says suddenly, a smirk on his face. “But just so you all know, it’s me that she loves the most.”

Liam smiles as he takes a sip, holding up his phone in the other hand. “‘t’s true. She said that she could get lost in his blue eyes!”

He still feels jealous though as all the other boys laugh at her joke. They quiet down as more people from their management team start filing into the room, murmuring quiet hellos as they place their briefcases on the table.

Harry pokes Liam’s arm, making him pull his eyes away from his phone’s inbox which has no new messages.

“Have you told her we’re leaving for tour soon?” he asks simply. His head tilted to one side, Harry’s mass of curls starts to become even more unruly, distracting Liam.

“No,” Liam replies curtly.

It’s only been one month since Liam has known Finley, but he just can’t bring himself to tell her that he’s leaving. He and Finley have grown so close, as just friends, but it still would break his heart to see her face when she would find out yet another person is leaving her. Her brother wouldn’t be home until December - it was only September.

Liam truly doesn’t want the tiny girl to be alone. Without him or her brother, there is no one around to be able to give her any security should anything go wrong. Liam frowns. He certainly hopes nothing will go wrong while he’s away.

“Li?” Zayn is quiet, but his voice seems to echo in the bustling room. “Tell her tonight. You don’t have much time left. Rehearsals tomorrow and thursday, then we leave Friday morning. Why have you put it off?”

Liam shrugs and twiddles his phone between his fingers. He is dreading the conversation he knows he will have to have with her eventually. Liam is going to miss Finley more than anyone else. In just a month she has become such a part of all of the boys’ lives. She attended rehearsals for shows, went to sound checks, took care of the boys when they caught a little case of the flu, and all around kept them grounded while staying out of the light.

Liam would praise any god in thanks for keeping her away from the press.

A greying man clears his throat at the front of the table, placing his hands flat onto the wood and smiling. “So for this tour, guy, you’re going to be-”

Liam slips his phone into his pocket, vowing to call her when he gets out of the meeting and tell her about the upcoming tour.

-&-

Liam and Zayn leave the meeting two hours later, the fading, end of summer sun still hovering above the horizon. They are quiet, pondering the next few months. Liam is tired, but he is looking forward to going on tour once again. He is excited to go to America and see NYC again, before traveling down to Australia and New Zealand. From there they’ll come home for a few days, then embark on a small leg of the tour which leads them around Europe.

Three months and they will be home just in time for Christmas, much to Liam’s excitement. He loves spending Christmas with his family.

Zayn stops at the corner of the street that will lead them back to Liam’s flat.

“Mate, go see her. Niall said she was only working until four. She’s home by now,” he prods.

Liam nods, trying to work up the courage but fails. “I’m nervous,” he admits.

Zayn places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. “She’s not going to hate you Liam. Don’t you get it? She likes you a lot Liam, even if she’s a bit shy about showing it herself. You two have seriously got to man up and just tell each other how you feel.”

Zayn rolls his big eyes but he’s smiling, which makes Liam grin bashfully. “You think so? She likes me?”

“Go,” Zayn laughs as he pushes Liam in the direction of Finley’s apartment. “Good luck!” he adds as an afterthought.

Liam feels like he’s hustling to her flat, but he just can’t help it. Finley’s been plaguing his mind ever since he met her: from her blonde hair to her pouty lips, to the tattoo inked on her wrist and all the little things between. He’s infatuated with Finley Jane Brick and he’s only known her for a little over a month.

Her flat building appears all too quickly and before he knows it he is standing in front of her door. He knocks quietly, two sharp knocks and calls out her name quietly.

The door swings open but it isn’t Finley who is standing there looking at him so apprehensively.

Liam does a double-take at the half-dressed man in front of him, a black button up left completely open to show the man’s chest.

“Um, hi,” Liam stutters, “Is Finley in?”

“Yeah, who are you?” the man asks gruffly, surprising Liam.

“I’m Li-”

“Liam!” Finley exclaims, slipping up almost unnoticed behind the unknown man. She pulls the door open, much to the stranger’s dismay, and pulls Liam into the doorway.

His heart gives an unnecessary wrench at the site of her in just a tank top and a pair of sweatpants that are clearly a man’s. He wonders idly if the stranger is her boyfriend.

“What are you doing here?” she murmurs, wrapping her arms around his neck in a quick hug.

“I just...thought I’d surprise you, that’s all. Wanted to talk to you but clearly you’re busy.”

Liam has never felt so awkward and intimidated in his life.

“No no no! Come on Li.”

She tugs on his hand and leads him and the other man into her living room. The TV is on, playing some game show. Finley sits down on the couch and pulls Liam down too. The other man starts to button up his shirt, rolling up the sleeves of the button-up.

“Christian,” she calls out softly. “This is Liam. Liam, this is Christian. He used to be in the Marines with my brother.”

Understanding floods over Liam, but it still doesn’t explain why the man is half-dressed and that makes him nervous.

“We were just catching up. It’s been a while.” Finley smiles her beautiful smile up at Christian, who leans down and presses a chaste kiss to her forehead.

“I’m sorry I can’t stay longer Fin, but I hope I was able to answer some of your questions. Liam, it was nice to meet you.”

His last statement is wary and very unsure, but when Christian shakes his hand Liam knows he’s gotten some sort of approval, even if it is just a start. A few moments later Christian is gone and Finley and Liam are finally alone.

“So what’s up Li? Did you bring your grandpa’s hand-me-downs for me?” she teases gently, a giggle slipping through her lips.

Liam rolls his eyes and sits back on the couch, automatically leaning towards her. She wraps an arm around his shoulder and pulls him against her body, where his head falls comfortably on her shoulder.

“You’re tense. Something’s on your mind,” Finley murmurs. She runs a hand through his barely-there hair and he shivers.

Liam sighs. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner Finny,” he starts. “I’m leaving for a three and a half month tour on Friday. I’ll be in America and Australia, then home for a week or so before going through Europe. I’ll be home in time for Christmas though.”

Liam looks up at her nervously. His body is like a live wire, filled to the brim with nerves. He sees her bite her lip but she looks down and smiles.

“That’s cool Liam. I wish you had told me earlier though. I was going to invite you out to a club opening with Rochelle and I, and her brother Andy next week.”

He chuckles and it releases all of his tension. “I guess you’ll have to find some other date, hm?”

“Nobody compares to you Liam,” she teases, ruffling his hair. “But you have to let me bring you to the airport on Friday and pick you up when you get back.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Liam whispers as he pulls her closer to his body.