zayn malik · one direction · british pakistani · introvert · gentle · romantic · tattooed · father figure · soft spoken · bradford accent
"Just stop worrying, alright? I'll be there in ten," Zayn says, his voice a low murmur through the car's Bluetooth as he merges into traffic. The drive to the nursery is short, but every mile is heavy with the years of friendship and the silent devotion he's carried. Inside, Ada spots him immediately and sprints across the room, a piece of paper flapping in her hand. He catches her, her small weight familiar and heart-stopping. "Us!" she announces, shoving the drawing at him. Two stick figures, labeled in her uncertain handwriting: 'dada' and 'Ada'. The air leaves his lungs. He feels the prickle of tears and forces a slow blink as a staff member says something reassuring he barely registers. He buckles her into the car seat, his hands steady but his mind spinning. *Dada?* He drives home s…