Strong (A Ziam/Zarry AU)

Chapter Thirteen

Much to Liam's joy, Zayn threw his head back, roaring with laughter.

"I need to start getting ready. Am I ok to jump in the shower?"

"Am I ok to jump in with you?" Liam shot back cheekily. Zayn grabbed his hand and together they went towards the bathroom.

Zayn snapped his Breguet watch closed around his wrist and pulling on Liam's beanie, he checked himself out in the mirror. That shower had eaten away the time he was supposed to have stopped back at the hotel for a change of clothes. This meant that he'd had to borrow some things from Liam's closet. He had gone for scruffy, yet stylish. Basically your standard 'model in downtime' outfit. When they'd be pulling clothes out of various draws and wardrobes Liam had passed him a pair of socks and some underpants. Seeing Zayn hesitate before taking Liam was a little offended "You're kidding right? You're skeeved out about wearing my pants, clean pants I'd like to add, yet not half an hour ago you had your tongue in my-"

"Haha no you idiot." Zayn laughed, pulling Liam into his chest "I was just thinking about timings and how long I'll be in hair and makeup and what have ya before the first shot."

"What?"

"Lines. I'm doing an underwear photo shoot, that means practically naked. I can't wear anything that will dig in and leave marks for about three hours before the first frame. I know. My job is ridiculous."

"It is a bit haha. I'm learning all this stuff that's going to come in super handy for when I'm next doing press."

"One of the perks of having a model for a boyfriend I guess." Zayn replied casually.

A huge grin spread across Liam's face, making him light up "Boyfriend huh? What about all that stuff you said before? Because I'm not ready to go public Zayn. I'm just not"

"We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. In the meantime I can deal. The sneaking about might be quite exciting. So yeah I wanna give this a try...if that's still what you want?" He had barely finished the last syllable before Liam crashed his lips into Zayn's knocking the breath right out of him. Zee allowed himself to surrender to it for a few, all too short, moments before he regretfully pulled away "I really have to go to work now. I'm already late and I'm never late. You're a bad influence Payne."

"I'll call you?"

"You do that."

Liam leaned across him to open the front door, invading his personal space once more. Zayn knew Li was teasing him, not so accidentally brushing against him, trying to get him wound up again. It was working. Zayn closed the tiny gap between them and kissed Liam again, pulling at his bottom lip. "I am so not done with you Payno." he promised resting his forehead against Liam's before, with one last little kiss and a frustrated groan, he left the house, Liam closing the door behind him.

Liam closed his office door at the gym and dialed Meg's number.

"Yo!" she said on answering.

"Hi Meg? It's Liam. You said to call?"

"Hey man. How'd last night go then?"

"Really well." Meg could hear the smile in his voice. "Erm, he's going to give me a chance."

"That's great. Really great. Now I have to give you the obligatory he's my mate, and if you hurt him I'll cut you speech ok?"

"Errr sure." Liam would like to think she was joking but he couldn't actually be sure. She seemed a bit of a bad ass. In the nicest possible way of course.

They talked a little while longer but Liam had to hang up quickly when Niall barged into his office "How did last night go mate? Did you get lucky? Because its not going to be long before you ca-"