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There was a boy – a boy-man, someone caught between the grasp of awkward adolescence with bony elbows and fumbling hands and the so called freedom of adulthood and paying rent – that had been looking at Liam for the last hour. The bartender. Tall, dark-haired, dark-skinned. Liam wanted to know if he was dark-eyed too.
Liam didn’t even go to clubs, not usually. But Niall was persistent, wouldn’t take no for an answer, asking and demanding and Harry won’t come out and I’m really fucking bored Liam and you owe me, you totally owe me. Liam wasn’t sure what he owed Niall, but didn’t ask because he knew Niall would have something up his sleeve – a forgotten girl they’d argued over, a night when it was his turn to pay for dinner and asked Niall to instead. Of course, they didn’t have the problem with arguing over girls any more, not since Liam had given up the straight act and come out to everyone. Niall had been surprised – if only because he didn’t understand how anyone could not like boobs. Harry had been indifferent.
So Liam was in a club, music thumping through the speakers, the bass pounding in his chest. And there was the boy-man, the bartender, who was looking at him. (And, to be fair, Liam was looking right back.)
Liam and Niall had arrived at the club about an hour ago, at which point Niall went off to grab some drinks and Liam had claimed a table. After sitting with Liam for approximately fifteen minutes – and downing a couple of shots – Niall had disappeared into the crowd of twisting bodies. He’d tried to persuade Liam to come with him – come on mate, when’s the last time you got laid? there’s some attractive guys here, I’m sure – but realised pretty quickly that despite the facy that he’d dragged Liam along for company, he wasn’t going to budge from his seat in the corner. So Liam had sat, getting slowly mind-numbingly bored, watching the dancing and the lights and thinking well I won’t have to go out again in a while. And maybe Liam Payne played life a bit too safe, but he was happy with his mediocre grades and pushing himself to the limit every morning when he ran, feet pounding, sweat dripping from his skin.
Liam reached for a shot Niall hadn’t taken, downed it, and his eyes flicked over to the bar.
And – fuck – the bartender was still looking.
Liam steeled himself, arms braced against the table, looking down. There was no more alcohol left, and, okay usually Liam liked to pace himself. Not drink too much, not have too much fun, not let go too much, keep healthy. But Jesus it was loud, and he was in a club for fuck’s sake, and there was an attractive bartender, so he might as well go and buy a pint and flirt a little. Plus, Niall was right. Liam snorted as he replayed the words in his head. When’s the last time you got laid. Valid point.
He stood up, cracking his back as he did so. He wasn’t used to sitting still for an hour at a time. He liked to be up, on the go, moving, doing things. Looking after Niall, Harry. He mothered them, made sure they didn’t drown on their own vomit, made sure no one broke their hearts. Liam wasn’t sentimental by any means, but he couldn’t stand anyone hurting his two best friends. His only close friends at all, if he was being totally honest. He didn’t have the gift of easy laughs and careless banter like Niall did, didn’t have the intense gazes and knowing smiles that Harry did.
He looked over to the bartender again. The bartender winked, and went back to serving someone.
Well. That was new.
Carefully, dodging a drunken girl who attempted to clutch at his arm – David honey, it’s been so long! Where’s that skank you left me for now, huh? – Liam made his way to the bar. The barman looked at him, finished pouring vodka into a shot glass and serving it to a young man, and walked over to where Liam was stood.
“Took you long enough.” He had a playful tone which coloured his voice, lilting with his northern accent. He rolled up his shirtsleeves and leaned forward slightly. “So, what can I get you?”
“I’ll –“ Liam cleared his throat. “I’ll just have a beer. I mean, yeah, could I get a beer please?”
The bartender smirked. “Sure.” He handed Liam a bottle, and Liam gave him the correct change and most certainly didn’t think about the way the bartender’s hand lingered.
“So, clubs aren’t really your scene?”
Liam’s brow furrowed. “Sorry? Uh – what do you mean? I mean, no, but – “
“Most people don’t stay sitting at a corner table for an hour. They tend to – socialise.” He gestured to the crowd dancing a little way away from the bar. “If that’s socialising.”
Liam breathed a laugh. “Right, yeah. Well, see – my friend, I um. I’m not sure where he is but – he dragged me out. The guilt trip worked, because I haven’t been out with him for ages, so.”
“Oh, yeah. Blonde Irish guy? Quite… enthusiastic?”
“Yep, that would be the one.”
Right on time, Liam felt an arm being slung over his shoulder. “Liam my man! Where’ve you been? Glad to see you’re not still sitting at that fucking table.” He leaned towards the bartender conspiratorially. “He’s a boring sod, but I try my best.”
The dark-haired guy smirked and – damn, Liam really needed to get his name. And his number, but first things first, right? “I don’t know, he doesn’t seem too bad to me.”
Niall did a double take, as if recognizing the significance of this guy’s presence for the first time. He looked at Liam. “Hang on mate, who’s this?” He turned back to the bartender. “He doesn’t normally talk to people, not really.”
Liam spluttered, and protested. “Oh my god, Niall, shut up! You’re making me sound like some sort of recluse without any friends, Jesus.”
Niall raised an eyebrow. That’s what you are. But he didn’t say anything. “So, who is he? Who are you?” he repeated, turning back to the bartender.
“Zayn. I’m Zayn.” Zayn. Well, Niall was good for some things, Liam supposed. Zayn started again. “And I’m gathering from your little conversation that you’re Niall, and your lovely friend is Liam?” He sounded sure of himself, confident, but the end of his sentence was questioning, open ended. Liam and Niall nodded. “Well Niall and Liam,” He spoke to both of them, but his eyes were on Liam. “I have several drunken customers to serve and thereby make more drunk, but my shift ends in fifteen minutes if you want to stick around? I get a discount on drinks here, if that persuades you any.” Here his eyes left Liam’s, and he winked at Niall. Without waiting for a response from either of them, he turned to serve a balding man in his early thirties.
Niall turned to him, a smile playing around his mouth. “So, Liam. Zayn seems nice. And thinks you’re lovely.”
“Oh shut up, I’d only just started talking to him when you showed up. Where’ve you been for the last hour anyway?”
“Met a pretty girl, we got talking.”
The way he said talking somehow made Liam think that there wasn’t really much conversation involved at all. Liam frowned. “So why aren’t you with her now?”
Niall shrugged. “She has classes early tomorrow morning so she didn’t want to be out late. Got her number though.” Liam envied how nonchalant Niall was about everything.
“Right. So um. Did you want to go now or – what?”
Niall frowned, and barked out a laugh. “Mate, you’re ridiculous. We’re clearly sticking around for Zayn and his alcohol.” He drew out Zayn’s name, long and laughing.
Liam rolled his eyes, but looked over to where Zayn was chatting to a guy with brown hair. Zayn suddenly looked over to Liam, and beckoned him and Niall with a nudge of his head. Liam got up confusedly, but Niall was already walking over there.
“Liam, Niall, this is my wanker of a best mate, Louis. Lou – Niall and Liam. You guys can talk until I get off my shift, because – no offence, but you and Niall hardly looked like you were enjoying yourselves stood over there. And god forbid you just leave.” He winked at Liam. Again. God, he had to stop doing that or Liam was going to shove him up against the nearest wall and blow him. And Liam really was not into exhibitionism.
Louis turned to face Liam, face split into a massive grin. “Liam huh?” He looked back at Zayn. “Yeah, I can see the appeal.” Zayn rolled his eyes, and turned to serve a pretty young girl standing a few feet away from them. “Shove off.” He threw the words over his shoulder, even as he was pouring a rather colourful drink into a glass for the girl.
“So you got your eye on Zayn? Must say, I don’t blame you. He’s a good looking lad. I hope you know we’re going to have to talk about your intentions.” At Liam’s stricken face, Louis burst out laughing. “No, I’m sorry, I’m just kidding but man, you sure take things seriously. Does he always?” He directed the last part towards Niall, who rolled his eyes. “Yep.” Louis started saying something else, but Liam honestly had no idea what given that he had a really good few of Zayn’s arse as he was bending over to get at a bottle lower down. And then Zayn straightened up, and smirked at Liam. Who started blushing.
And if Liam was perfectly honest, he had no idea what on earth Niall and Louis continued to talk about for ten minutes, because he was caught in this awkward situation that involved staring at Zayn’s arse, and turning red each time Zayn turned round to wink at him, and therefore caught him staring at aforementioned arse.
And then Zayn disappeared into a little back room, and Liam must have looked panicked, because Louis chuckled and said, “don’t worry, he’s just changing out of his work gear. He’ll be out in a second.” And sure enough, Zayn reappeared on Liam’s side of the bar, and leaned down to talk in Liam’s ear. “Did you miss me?”
Liam tried not to shiver, and attempted to act cool. He rolled his eyes. “You were gone for – what, a minute? Maximum?”
Zayn made his eyes big, and his mouth turned down. His eyes glinted. “I can’t believe you didn’t miss me!”
Louis leaned forward and cleared his throat. Both Liam and Zayn jumped a little at the reminder that they weren’t exactly by their selves. “Alright, keep it pg. Liam, stop touching your hair, it looks great. Zayn, of course he missed you, he was sat here pining the whole long while you were gone.” Zayn beamed; Liam sat on his hands self-consciously. They both looked at each other. Zayn’s eyes travelled over Liam’s face, and Liam bit his lip.
“So did you want to – uh like. Dance? Or something?”
Zayn raked his eyes down Liam’s body and smirked. “Hell yeah.” And he grabbed Liam by the wrist, and pulled him over to the crowd of bodies moving to the thump of the bass. His hand slipped down, and curled around Liam’s hand, and spun them till they were still in the middle of the crowd. Slowly, like he was afraid of startling a rabbit or something ridiculous like that, Zayn slipped his hands onto Liam’s waist and started moving them with the beat. And – okay, well, it was less dancing, and more grinding up against one another and, okay, wow, Liam was totally cool with that.
Their hips were pressed close together and Zayn had a hand on Liam’s back and Zayn’s shoulders were under Liam’s hands and – Zayn just had really nice shoulders. So Liam was leaning to kiss him and Zayn’s mouth was soft and hot against Liam and it was one of the best things Liam could remember happening to him. Then Zayn’s tongue was swiping against Liam’s bottom lip, clumsy and demanding and Liam opened up his mouth to Zayn and Zayn’s tongue was in his mouth and his hands were scrabbling at the small of Liam’s back and – wow.
“So, did you maybe want to get out of here?” Zayn broke the kiss and murmured, hot and low in Liam’s ear.
Liam bit his lip, and looked round for Niall. He turned back to Zayn and nodded, tugging them out of the crowd and digging in his pocket for his phone.
leaving now, see u later or smth
They both made their way outside, and Zayn turned to Liam. “My place or yours?” He said, with a smirk lifting his voice and an eyebrow raised.
“I – I live about a ten minute drive away so – I don’t know. Um –“
Zayn chuckled. “Mine then, we can walk. It’s only a couple minutes away. Wanted to live close, you know, easy access to work.”
Liam swallowed, and glanced down between them where their hands were still entwined. He smiled a little. “Yeah, no, that makes sense.”
Liam felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out of his pocket.
ok i’ll call u tomororw have fun ;) ;) ;)
Liam rolled his eyes and shoved his phone back.
“Everything alright?” Zayn queried.
“Yeah, I – everything’s great.” Liam grinned big, eyes crinkling. Zayn bit his lip, and smiled back.
“Okay, yeah. Good. Yeah.”
It was nice, being out in the cool night air. The heat and intensity of wanting Zayn, burning and insistent was gone, to be replaced by a cooler, more gentle simmer in the pit of Liam’s stomach. He glanced over to where Zayn’s profile was highlighted by the streetlights, and his stomach lurched. Then again, maybe the heat and intensity wasn’t actually gone.
Zayn paused outside a building, pulling Liam to a stop outside the front door while he fumbled in his pocket for a key. He drew it out and unlocked the door, waiting until Liam was inside before shutting it behind him. He led Liam up a flight of stairs, and stopped in front of a door marked “4b”. He pulled out another key, and led Liam inside. “Well, uh. This is me.” Zayn offered, but Liam was already crowding into Zayn’s space and pushing him against the door and biting at his neck.
Zayn let out a slightly strangled noise, and his hands came to rest on Liam’s shoulders, drawing him up into a kiss that Liam felt in his toes. Then immediately chastised himself for thinking like that.
Liam could feel Zayn, hard against him, and then Zayn was murmuring against Liam’s lips and walking them backwards into the flat. “Bedroom.”
Liam chuckled and attempted to keep biting kisses on Zayn’s mouth while Zayn walked them into his bedroom.
“Nice place you’ve got here.” Liam said, in between kisses.
“You haven’t seen any of it.”
“Oh come on, appreciate the gesture. I’m trying to be polite.”
“I’ll give you the grand tour in the morning.”
“Yeah, right now I’m just interested in the bedroom.” Which – fortunately, they were now in. Zayn pushed Liam down onto the bed.
“I knew you’d look good all splayed out on my bed for me.”
Liam blushed, and pulled Zayn down on top of him.
“Shut up.” He murmured. And Zayn did.