It's been so long, it's been so long, maybe we're fireproof...
They fell into a routine, one that Zayn found himself never wanting to end, hectic mornings leading to long days at work and relaxed evenings at home, followed by nights in bed with Liam that had him wishing the sun would never come up, and before Zayn knew it, Christmas had arrived. A cold front had swept in the night before, turning the rain that hadn't seemed to let up for the past few days into a thick, heavy snowfall, just in time for Christmas morning. Everything was coated in white and seemed fresh and new and full of possibilities, and Zayn tried to focus on that, and not on the fact that the arrival of the holiday meant that their time at Liam's was almost up.
He closed his eyes as he scooted farther back into Liam's embrace, searching for his warmth as he linked their fingers where they rested on his stomach. He brought Liam's hand to his mouth, pressing a smiling kiss to the back of it when he heard Safaa hop out of bed from across the apartment, her footfalls heavy as she ran down the hallway and through the living room before barging into their room. She jumped onto the bed, bouncing twice and landing halfway on top of Zayn and halfway on top of Liam where they were cuddled together. She pushed them apart so that she could jump up and down between them, shouting, "Get up get up get up! Santa was here, I know it!"
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Zayn found himself grinning over at Liam as he grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him. "No presents before breakfast," he reminded her, tickling her sides as she struggled out of his grasp and jumped down to the floor.
She turned to face him, her eyes wide as she wrapped both hands around his wrist and tried to tug him out of bed. "Then let's go eat breakfast," she grunted.
"Alright, alright," Zayn said, allowing her to pull him to a seated position so that he could swing his legs over the side of the bed, running a hand over his face to try to wake up. "Go make sure your sisters are up and I'll start breakfast. And no peeking at the presents!" he called after her as she scampered from the room.
Liam's chin came to rest on his shoulder, one of his arms wrapping around his waist to scratch along his happy trail. "Think the only other time I've seen someone that excited for something was you trying to get me in bed for the first time."
"Please," Zayn scoffed. "That was you." He tried to stand up but Liam didn't let him, pulling him backwards until he was lying flat on the bed, Liam hovering above him.
"Don't you have a Christmas kiss for your boyfriend?"
Zayn shook his head resolutely, placing a hand over Liam's mouth. "Not until you brush your teeth."
Liam pulled his hand away, revealing a huge grin as he dropped down, peppering Zayn's face with kisses. Zayn let him, even going so far as to kiss him back a few times, since it was the season of giving, and all that (he kept his mouth closed though).
"Merry Christmas, boyfriend," Liam said, giving him one last, lingering peck, one that was interrupted when Safaa burst back through the door she'd left open. One look at them and she was putting her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing.
"It's time for breakfast," she reminded them sternly, holding an accusing finger up in the air and wagging it back and forth. "Not time for kisses."
"We'll be there in a minute," Zayn told her with a groan, waving a hand to shoo her from the room.
Liam pulled a face at Zayn as soon as she was gone. "Can't wait to see her as a teenager," he laughed, pushing himself out of bed before holding out a hand to help Zayn up.
"Yeah," Zayn agreed quietly as he pulled on his plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt, suddenly a little overwhelmed as he watched Liam head into the bathroom. He sat back down on the bed and took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts as he ran a hand through his hair.
He'd been treating his heart like a hand grenade for years, keeping that shit locked up tight, where it couldn't explode and hurt him or anyone else. But here was Liam, looking at him like he loved him and acting like he was planning on sticking around long enough to see Safaa as a teen, and somehow that was supposed to be all it took for Zayn to hand it over to him, and to entrust that he wouldn't use it against him? That he wouldn't pull the pin and run as far away as he could get?
He rose to his feet and smiled at Liam as he emerged from the bathroom, taking his place and cleaning up as quickly as he could before heading into the kitchen, not wanting to risk another scolding from Safaa.
"Look Zayn," Liam said as Zayn walked towards the stove, holding up both hands to point at Safaa where she was sitting on his lap. "Did it all by myself."
Zayn's heart stuttered as he looked at Safaa, taking in the pigtails Liam had put in her hair. They were hopelessly lopsided, loose strands falling all around her face, and Zayn was pretty sure they wouldn't last through breakfast, but Liam looked so proud of himself, his smile blinding as he tightened one of the bands and looked up at him.
Zayn didn't know what he'd done to deserve him.
"Thought you said you didn't like pigtails anymore?" he said to Safaa, his eyes narrowing when he thought back to when she'd told him she was too big for them.
"I like 'em when Liam does 'em," she shrugged, smiling at Liam when he lifted her to put her in her own chair. Liam dropped a kiss on her head when he set her down and Zayn quickly looked away, focusing instead on getting the ingredients for pancakes out, setting everything he would need out on the counter as Waliyha and Doniya joined them in the kitchen.
By the time he'd finished the first batch Liam looked just as restless as Safaa, reaching over her to quickly cut her pancakes into squares and pushing her plate in front of her before shoving a huge bite into his mouth.
"Do we get to open presents after this?" he asked, his mouth still full.
Zayn raised one eyebrow at him. "You know Santa only brings gifts for patient little girls and boys, right?"
Zayn felt Liam's hand slide up a few inches, moving from where it had been resting on his knee to mid-thigh. "I think we can all agree I've been very patient this year," he reminded Zayn, and he looked so fucking cute, his big brown eyes wide and earnest, that Zayn just had to lean in to kiss him, his mouth landing on the edge of his jaw, his stubble scratchy against his lips.
"Hey," Waliyha groaned. "Not at the table."
"Sorry Liyha, but do you know how long I've had to wait for this?" Liam asked. Zayn did know, because he'd been waiting for just as long. "I'm gonna take all the kisses I can get."
Zayn smiled at that, pressing another kiss to Liam's cheek before pulling back to focus on his pancakes, his cheeks heating when a finger on his jaw turned his face back towards Liam so that he could give him one last kiss. His lips were sticky with syrup, and sweet and smiling against his own.
"They's boyfriends now," Safaa said matter of factly, surprising absolutely no one at the table with this news.
"They're," Zayn corrected her as he pulled away, his gaze dropping down to Liam's chest and his smile getting even bigger when he realized that Liam was wearing the shirt that went with the pants he had on, the blue flannel plaid making his eyes look rich and deep in comparison.
"You stealing my stuff now?" he asked quietly, tugging on the sleeve.
Liam shrugged. "Looks better on me," he said, and Zayn wasn't about to argue with that.
Or maybe he was, Liam's smug grin too much for him to ignore. "Simmer down, it doesn't look that good on you," he informed him, turning back to his plate and slapping Liam's fork away when he tried to steal a bite.
"I'm done," Safaa said, her mouth full as she wiped it off with the back of her hand and hopped down from her chair. "Presents?" she asked, her chubby little fingers curling around the edge of the table.
"Presents," Doniya agreed for the rest of them, wiping Safaa's face off and smiling at her. Zayn gulped down the last of his orange juice and followed them into the living room, grinning as he watched Safaa drop to her knees to begin sorting through the gifts. She tossed anything that didn't have her name on it to the side, but Doniya was there to gather them up, passing them out to everyone as they settled down about the room.
Zayn chose a spot in front of the sofa, smiling at Liam when he sat down right next to him, their legs brushing as the sound of Christmas carols from the CD he'd just put on filled the room. He looked over at him, the lights from the Christmas tree casting a warm glow against the side of his face, taking in his excited eyes and bright grin and wondering what he'd be doing today if Zayn and his family weren't there. If he'd have gone to visit his parents, or if he'd be in the apartment all alone, maybe even pretending that it was just like every other day. As it was he'd had to work a double to get the day off, and though Zayn had missed him more than he should have during the forty-eight hours he was gone, it was worth it to see how excited he looked for presents now.
"I'm glad we're here for Christmas, and not back at our apartment," Zayn told him, his voice soft as he nudged him with his knee.
Liam looked over at him, his face full of wonder. "Me too. It's like a free-for-all," he said, gesturing to where all three of Zayn's sisters were already ripping into their presents. "I've never seen anything like it."
Zayn laughed, taking in the chaos around him as a familiar sense of nostalgia washed over him, this Christmas feeling no different than any of the others they'd had for the last four years. Only now that he thought about it, there were subtle changes this year, Safaa now able to identify her own presents under the tree, and Waliyha looking so much more grown up than she had just a year before, her hair now perfectly straightened instead of the messy ponytail she'd sported for so long, her makeup visible from across the room when last year her face had been bare. And then there was the most glaring difference of all; Liam, his presence affecting Zayn more profoundly than Clark's ever had.
"Guess we better join in, yeah?" he said, handing a present to Liam. He tore into it, opening it to find a vintage t-shirt that Waliyha had bought him. It looked to be about two sizes too small, so Zayn was sure Liam would be torturing him with it in no time. That gift was quickly followed by the board game Zayn had let Safaa pick out for him (okay, he maybe possibly might have steered her towards it). It was called Princess Party Palace, and he couldn't wait to watch Liam play it.
"Thank you, Saf; I love it," Liam said, trying and failing to pull her attention from where she was searching through scraps of discarded wrapping paper for more presents. Zayn turned away from her, holding his breath as Waliyha began to unwrap the gift he'd been saving for months to get her.
Her eyes were shining when she looked up at him, her gaze flitting from his face to the box in her hands and back again. "You got me a new iPhone?"
"It's from Don too, and it's not just for Christmas," he said, scrunching his nose up when she crawled over to him to give him a hug, the box still clutched in her hand digging into his back when she wrapped an arm around him. "It's for your report card too."
"We're really proud of you," Doniya added when it was her turn for a hug.
Zayn turned from them to Liam to find him looking at him in disbelief. "What?" he asked, reaching for another present to distract himself as he felt heat start to creep up his neck to his cheeks.
Liam leaned in, bumping his shoulder against Zayn's. "Your phone's had a crack in it for as long as I've known you, and your battery only lasts like an hour..."
Zayn shrugged, still not looking at him. "She gets really good grades, and is on track for a scholarship if she keeps it up," he told him in a low voice. "Plus she helps out with Saf whenever we ask her to. She deserves a nice phone."
"When's your birthday?" Liam asked, his hand joining Zayn's where it lay on top of the box in his lap, rubbing his thumb over Zayn's knuckles. "You deserve a nice phone too."
Zayn looked over at him, fighting to control the fluttering in his heart. "That ugly pic of you would probably crack that screen too," he told him, trying to keep his voice light.
Liam laughed, throwing his head back as his eyes closed, and a second later Zayn was laughing too. Liam quieted him with a kiss as he leaned over him, reaching under the tree to pull out a large, flat present. It was rectangular and as long as Zayn's arm, the red reindeer wrapping covering it best described as haphazard.
"For you," Liam said, sitting back down and handing it to Zayn with a nervous smile.
Zayn slid his finger under the tape, undoing the wrapping paper carefully, pointedly keeping his eyes on the present and not on Liam, the expectant weight of his gaze making his pulse quicken.
He could see that it was a stretched canvas frame as the last of the wrapping paper fell away, and slowly turned it over to see his sisters' smiling faces staring back at him. It was from the day Liam had stopped by to take pictures before Waliyha's dance, and Zayn smiled when he saw that it wasn't one of the posed photos Doniya had insisted on, but a candid. In it Safaa's arms were spread wide, searching for something she couldn't see with Zayn's hand covering her eyes, and Doniya was reaching for her, her mouth open in a laugh. Waliyha's mouth was open too, this time in shock, her face turned towards Zayn and her eyes big and round as she reacted to whatever he'd said to her. And then there was Zayn. He was the only one of them looking at the camera, his free arm hooked around Waliyha's shoulder as he smiled widely.
Zayn remembered that moment, and he hadn't been looking at the camera at all, but at the man holding it, his smile stretching to its limit when he saw the way Liam was watching him.
Liam was watching him now too, biting his lip as he waited to see how he'd respond.
"I love it," he said.
I love you, he thought.
Liam's whole face transformed the second he said it, and it was like watching the sun come out from behind the clouds, a smile replacing his frown and uncontainable joy replacing any hint of doubt. "You do?"
"It's perfect," Zayn assured him. "Look what Liam got me," he said to the girls, rising to his feet so that he could set the picture on the top of the bookshelf. He walked quickly to the tree as they stood to get a closer look at the photo, picking up the last stack of gifts. "Time for the moment of truth," he said, handing them out one by one.
"What's this?" Liam asked when Zayn held out one of the boxes to him. He took it, looking confused as he ran his hand over the red wrapping paper, his finger tracing the outline of a bright white snowman.
"Every year we each pick out a sweater for someone else, and whoever chose the ugliest one gets to pick what movie we go see," Zayn told him, sitting down next to him and opening his box to reveal a hideous neon green sweatshirt, a quilted brown reindeer with crossed eyes, buck teeth and a flashing red nose dominating the center of it. "It's a Malik family tradition."
"And you got me one?" Liam asked, clearly amazed.
"Don't be stupid," Zayn said, pursing his lips to let him know that he'd never considered not getting him one.
Liam smiled as he looked around the room, watching as everyone opened their boxes and pulled out their sweaters, each one seemingly uglier than the one before. He was the last one to open his box, and his grin only got bigger when he ripped off the paper and pulled off the top to see that he did indeed have an ugly sweater of his own.
He pulled the sweater completely out of the box, took one look at it and immediately turned to Zayn. "Mine's definitely uglier than yours."
Zayn didn't need to look at the sweater in his hands to be able to agree, having picked it out especially for him. "For once you're right. Let's see it on."
Liam didn't need to be asked twice, whipping off his shirt and quickly tugging the sweater over his head, his hand smoothing proudly over the rainbow lettered FRUIT CAKE written at the top of it, then running down to his stomach, fingering the jewel colored embellishments dispersed unevenly throughout the brown blob that Zayn assumed was supposed to resemble said fruit cake.
"I've got this in the bag," Liam said, raising his head to look at Zayn with a happy smile.
"We'll see," Zayn said, pulling on his sweatshirt before pushing himself to his feet and walking towards where his sisters had gathered.
"Is your camera nearby?" Doniya asked Liam, smiling when he pointed to where it was laying under the coffee table. "Good. Want a picture of all of us."
Liam grabbed it and stood, positioning himself in front of them as they crowded together, Zayn and Doniya in back and the younger girls in standing on either side of them, angled slightly closer to the camera.
"What're you doing over there?" Waliyha asked Liam, waving him forward. "She said all of us."
"Me? But I've got to take the picture," he said, holding his camera up in the air.
"It's got a timer, right?" Zayn asked, waiting for Liam to nod before continuing. "So use it already."
He could see Liam trying not to smile as he fumbled with the timer and set the camera on the bookshelf opposite them, and it only made him smile harder, the sight of Liam in that hideous sweater making him feel generous. "Want you over here, Li, right next to me," he said as he joined them, sliding into the spot between Zayn and Doniya. Zayn tugged on his sweater to pull him to his side, his skin feeling hot as he watched Liam's smile take over his face, his shoulders rising up to his chin like he didn't know what to do with himself.
But Zayn knew exactly what he wanted to do to him, and the thoughts swimming through his head made him pull Liam even closer, his arm wrapping around Liam's waist, his hand settling on his hip and squeezing just as All I Want for Christmas began to play, Mariah's voice drowning out the click and whir of the camera. Liam began to sing quietly along at once, his hand dropping lower and lower on Zayn's back with every make my wish come true and all I want for Christmas is you.
Zayn's grin faltered when Liam turned his head towards him, his breath against his ear making the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge. "You gonna give me my present soon, babe?" he whispered, and Zayn was pretty sure he wasn't talking about the gift he'd hidden on the other side of the tree. His suspicions were confirmed a second later, Liam's breathy, "Gonna ride me like a good boy?" making him scramble forward to shut the camera off, not wanting his sisters to see the face he was probably making for the last set of shots.
"Um, I think I might need to skip the movie," he said, fiddling with the camera and looking at no one in particular. "Kinda feel a headache coming on."
"I better stay here with him," Liam said quickly, coming to stand next to Zayn like he was ready to catch him in case he fainted. "Make sure he's okay."
Doniya and Waliyha looked utterly unimpressed with their excuses but didn't protest, and Safaa was too busy with her new toys to even notice what was happening, so Zayn busied himself cleaning up while Liam disappeared into the bedroom and the girls got ready to leave.
"Wait, I think we missed one," Waliyha said as they were putting on their coats, squinting as she bent down to pull a small silver gift bag out from behind the tree.
"That's nothing," Zayn practically yelled, snatching it from her and shoving it behind him, hiding it between his back and the couch cushion, fast enough that he hoped Liam hadn't seen as he walked back into the room.
"I don't even want to know," she groaned, shuddering as she pulled her beanie down over her forehead and turned away from him.
As soon as they were out the door Liam was bouncing on the balls of his feet, one hand shoved in his pocket as he beckoned for Zayn to follow him to the bedroom with the other.
Zayn rose slowly to his feet, every nerve in his body straining under the weight of pretending like he wasn't fucking dying to chase after Liam, to follow him into his bedroom and anywhere else that he wanted to lead him, forever. The effort it took to move at such a leisurely pace took its toll on him, but he still managed to look good doing it.
"Okay, okay," he said, when Liam motioned for him to move faster. "Let's get this over with."
Liam grinned at that, and then he was sweeping Zayn off of his feet and throwing him over his shoulder. "We're gonna do this," he said, smacking him on the ass, "and you're gonna like it."
"Oh I am, am I?" Zayn demanded, trying to sound affronted.
"You are," he confirmed, setting Zayn on his feet as soon as they were in the bedroom. Zayn's eyes fell at once to the bed to see that Liam had carefully laid his jersey out, the PAYNE written above the number 49 staring him right in the face, and goddammit he'd really been hoping Liam had forgotten that part of the plan.
"I warmed it up in the dryer for you," Liam told him.
"How thoughtful," he grumbled, his voice softening a bit when he noticed the candles lining the nightstands and window sill, and the music coming from Liam's laptop where it was set out on the dresser.
"Baby boy, you stay on my mind, fulfill my fantasies," Liam sang softly, coming up behind him and sliding his hands around his waist. "I think about you all the time, I see you in my dreams," he continued, his lips on the shell of Zayn's ear as his hands dipped lower, teasing fingers tracing the front of Zayn's pants.
"Is this your sex playlist?" Zayn asked, trying not to think of all the other guys he'd probably played it for.
"Mmmhmm," Liam murmured, mouth moving down Zayn's neck to his shoulder and back again. "Made it just for us."
Zayn smiled, relaxing into Liam's arms as he started to touch him with more purpose, one hand pushing under his sweatshirt as the other curled around his rapidly hardening length. He groaned against Zayn's skin, his hips pulsing forward to show Zayn how much he was enjoying himself, but it wasn't enough for Zayn, so he turned around, wanting to see for himself. He smirked when he saw how dark Liam's eyes already were, two fingers in the waistband of his sweats tugging him closer so that he could fit their hips together.
Liam leaned in to kiss him, his head tilting to the side as he cupped Zayn's cheeks and slotted their mouths together. Zayn's lips parted at once, his tongue slipping past Liam's as he walked him backwards towards the bed. Liam grunted when his knees hit the back of it but stayed standing, so Zayn braced his hands on his shoulders, breaking their kiss to push him down onto it.
Liam immediately tried to sit up but Zayn didn't let him, forcing him back down as he climbed on top of him. He wasted no time once he was there, his knees bracketing Liam's hips as he bent over to kiss him, hoping that he could sidetrack Liam from the whole jersey thing with the way he rolled his hips against him, and the trail of kisses he pressed across his jaw and down the column of his throat, soft lips dragging across rough stubble.
Liam moaned when Zayn mouthed over the birthmark just under his Adam's apple and he thought he had him, but a second later he was pushing him off of him and scooting away, not stopping until his back hit the headboard. Zayn started towards him at once, but Liam quickly held up a hand to stop him.
"Don't come any closer until you're wearing that jersey," he ordered, and Zayn couldn't fucking believe he was going to have to choose between wearing Liam's jersey or not getting any.
Less than a second passed before he found himself reaching for the shirt, the temptation that was Liam Payne too great for him to be able to resist.
He held it up in front of him, the material warming his hands as he wondered how he'd gotten into this mess, before setting it back down, sending one last aggrieved look towards Liam as he took a deep breath and stood, tugging his sweatshirt off. He pushed his pants to the ground next and stepped out of them, his socks joining them on the floor a second later, leaving him standing in just the boxer briefs Liam had brought home for him a few days before, the red hearts dotting them bright against the white background.
"You sure you want me to put clothes back on?" he asked coyly, turning towards Liam and running a hand down his chest to his abs, his thumb hooking into the waistband of his boxers to drag them down an inch or two, revealing the tattoos lining his hips and hoping that all of the skin he was showing would distract Liam.
Unfortunately Liam was annoyingly single minded in his determination. "Never thought I'd see the day that I'd say yes to that question, but yeah, I'm sure," he answered at once.
"Fine," Zayn groaned, though he made no move to actually put the jersey on, his eyes still on Liam. "I can't take this seriously with you in that sweater," he griped, stalling for time.
Liam looked happy as a pig in shit as he tore his sweater off and tossed it to the side, so Zayn sighed and reached for the jersey. He pulled it over his head without fanfare, briefly wondering if he was supposed to be putting on a show, or being sexy, or whatever, and deciding that that would only make this whole fiasco even more embarrassing than it already was.
He avoided Liam's face once it was on, instead looking down to see that one side of the jersey was caught on the waistband of his boxers. He tugged it out quickly, feeling stupid for ever having come up with this idea. But then he risked a glance at Liam, and saw that he was gaping at him, his eyes moving up and down his body like he couldn't get enough of him, and suddenly he didn't feel quite as stupid. Or maybe not stupid at all, since Liam certainly seemed to like the sight of him in his jersey.
"Would you look at that," he murmured thoughtfully, a smile playing at his lips. "My favorite color, on my favorite person."
Zayn was stunned for a second, and then, just like that, he was stupid happy, because apparently he was Liam's favorite person. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, wondering if it was possible to be addicted to a smile, or a kiss, or the feeling he got deep in his belly when Liam looked at him like he was now. Or if he could be addicted to Liam himself, to the person he was, and the way he made Zayn feel.
"You like?" he asked, hooking his fingers under the hem to pull one side out a bit, the material stretching tight across his chest.
"Like's not the word for what I'm feeling right now," Liam promised, holding a finger up in the air and twirling it.
Zayn rolled his eyes but did as he was asked, spinning around in a slow circle so that Liam could get a could look at him from all sides. One of Liam's knees was bent when Zayn came to face him again, his palm smoothing over the front of his sweats, which Zayn could see were getting tighter and tighter the longer he looked at him.
Zayn's cock twitched at the sight, and he pushed a hand under the stiff nylon of the jersey, raising it to reveal the bulge in his boxers and the lower half of his stomach as he bit his lip, his middle finger playing over his nipple.
Liam groaned, his hand pressing harder into his lap, and Zayn felt himself relax, getting a little more into it as his free hand moved to the front of his boxer briefs, wrapping a loose hand around himself through the cotton so that Liam could see how hard he was for him. Liam's eyes followed his hand as he began to move it up and down, stroking himself, his own hand curling to form a fist as he copied his movements. Zayn liked that, so he took a step closer to him, wanting a better look. He put one knee on the bed, and then the other, feeling it dip beneath his weight as he bent forward so that he could slowly crawl to Liam's side.
Liam reached for him at once, trying to pull him on top of him, but Zayn didn't let him, pushing his hands back down to the bed before leaning in and kissing him. Their mouths were the only part of them touching, their lips parting automatically, Zayn's tongue moving languidly against Liam's as he deepened the kiss. Liam moaned, sucking Zayn's lower lip into his mouth as he reached for him once more, so Zayn pulled back, shaking his head at him.
"Don't be naughty," he murmured, pinning Liam's wrists to the bed.
"C'mon," Liam groaned, sneaking a hand out of Zayn's grasp so that he could run it up the back of his leg, his touch firm and desperate, fingers digging into his flesh. "Want you so fuckin' bad."
Liam's lips were pouty without him even trying, so seeing him like this, his lower lip purposely pushed out, was positively indecent, Zayn only able to focus on how much he wanted to bite it. He tilted his head to the side and gave in, smoothing his hands up Liam's stomach and over his chest. His skin was hot to the touch, the hair on his chest soft underneath his fingertips as he swung a leg over him, settling down on his lap as his hands came to rest on his shoulders. He began to gyrate his hips, rolling them again and again as he felt Liam's length throb beneath him.
Liam sat up straight, his arms wrapping around Zayn as he brought their mouths together, kissing him hard. Zayn gave himself over to it, reaching between them to try to pull Liam's sweats down without moving off of him, needing to feel more of him. "Get these off," he mumbled against his lips.
Liam was quick to listen, lifting his hips and Zayn with them to push them down before kicking them to the side. Zayn looked down and let out a quiet laugh, surprise seeping through him when he saw that Liam's boxer briefs were a perfect counterpart to his own, the red cotton and shiny white hearts looking really fucking good on him, the waistband bunched low on his hips, barely containing him as he gripped Zayn's side, forcing him closer so that their cocks could touch.
"What?" Liam said, moaning at the contact as he leaned in to kiss him again, his hand slipping under the jersey as he rocked his hips up, trying to get Zayn moving again. "Wanted us to match."
Zayn broke the kiss to look back down, quite liking the sight of Liam in those boxers, his hard cock stretching them to their limit, one of the hearts going almost transparent as his tip dripped onto it. Zayn was just as hard, so as much as he liked watching their clothed cocks rubbing together, he was pretty sure he was going to like it even more once they were both naked.
He rolled off of him and pushed his briefs down, then sat up and did the same to Liam's, his mouth watering as he took in Liam in all his glory, all skin and skin and skin, miles of it on display for him, his length arching towards his stomach and his abs rippling as he reached to the side, fumbling in the nightstand for the lube.
It felt impossible, how much he wanted him.
As soon as Liam had the bottle in hand he was pulling Zayn back on top of him and wetting his fingers, rubbing them together to warm them.
"Want you just like this," he told him, one hand settling on Zayn's side, his thumb skating over his hipbone as his other reached beneath him, a slick finger rubbing teasing circles over his hole.
Zayn exhaled, trying to relax as Liam pushed it inside, working it in to the knuckle before adding a second. He leaned back against the headboard, looking up at Zayn with gleaming eyes as a wicked smile spread across his face.
"Show me how you're gonna ride me, babe," he urged him quietly, his fingers twisting inside of him to nudge at his spot. Zayn's thighs trembled when he hit it, his cock twitching as he braced his hands on the top of headboard and rose up on his knees. Liam held his hand still, another pearl of precome sliding out of his slit as he watched Zayn sink back down on his fingers.
Zayn moved a hand to the front of the jersey, lifting it slightly so that Liam could see how hard he was, and the way the muscles of his stomach tightened when he started to roll his hips, working Liam's fingers in and out of him.
The sight must have been too much for Liam, because he was pulling his hand away a second later and reaching for the lube. Zayn stopped him, moving his wrist back down to the bed and holding it there, the light blue bedspread the perfect backdrop for his tan skin as Zayn moved down his body, not stopping until he was settled in between his spread thighs.
He let go of Liam's wrist so that he could run his hands up his legs, his touch light as his thumbs skimmed up his inner thighs and over his balls before tracing the pulsing vein running up the underside of his cock. He smirked when it throbbed beneath his fingertip, and did it again, and again, trailing it up and down his length as Liam's hands fisted into the sheets, his chest already heaving despite the fact that Zayn was barely touching him.
"Tease," he groaned, gripping Zayn's bicep to try to pull him closer. Zayn shook his head and shot him a warning look, wrapping a hand around his base and dipping down to press a kiss to his tip, his lips spreading out over the head of his cock. Liam didn't have anything to say to that, letting out a low groan as Zayn's tongue lapped at his slit, enjoying the taste of him. He kept his eyes on Liam, blinking up at him as his lips parted so that he could slide him into his mouth. He liked the way Liam bit his lower lip as he sucked him down, and how he balled his hands into fists at his side to keep from reaching out towards him as he moved him in and out of his mouth, taking him farther and farther each time.
"Oh god, please don't stop," Liam begged, his back arching as Zayn's tongue swirled around his tip.
Zayn's hips pushed forward of their own volition, the drag of the soft cotton against his hard cock sending a shiver of pleasure through him. "Feel good?" he pulled off to ask, needing to hear it.
"Too good," Liam groaned. "Gonna make me come if you keep going."
Zayn liked the sound of that, so he sucked him farther into his mouth, not stopping until he hit the back of his throat, his eyes watering as he swallowed around him, Liam's strangled moan music to his ears. "Okay, no, you need to stop, stop right now," he pleaded, pushing Zayn away from him.
Zayn sat up on his knees, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he crawled back on top of Liam, lips parting in anticipation as he watched him coat his length. As soon as he was ready Zayn scooted closer, hovering above him as he lined himself up. And then he was sliding down on him, the thick of him splitting him open in the most perfect way as he slowly took all of him in.
Liam's eyes were hooded when he looked down at him, his teeth digging into his lower lip.
"Don't move yet," he begged, grimacing. Zayn ignored him, the drive to feel more of him undeniable. He pushed himself up to his knees, enjoying the slow drag of his cock as he started to ride him, but Liam stopped him, his hands gripping his hips harshly as he held him still. "Just gimme a minute," he groaned, letting out a pained hiss as Zayn sunk back down on him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, worry shooting through him as he wondered if he'd somehow fucked this up.
"Nothing's wrong, except for the fact that I'm gonna come if you don't give me a few seconds to calm down. Talk to me about baseball, or tax evasion, or anything that isn't how fucking good you feel."
Zayn smirked, subtly rolling his hips, his cock pulsing as Liam's entire body jerked forward at the movement, his arms wrapping tightly around Zayn's middle to hold him still. He felt inexplicably proud that he was causing this reaction in Liam, the knowledge that Liam could feel just as out of control as he often did lighting him up inside.
"Am I not tight enough for ya, babe? Is that the problem?" he asked, clenching around him, a pained laugh escaping him as Liam's teeth dug into his shoulder. He held still after that, stroking a hand through Liam's hair where it was pressed to his chest and hoping that he couldn't feel how hard his heart was beating.
"...Hughes, Washington, Williams," Liam murmured after a moment, as whatever mental gymnastics he'd been doing finally came to an end. "Okay, you can move now," he said quietly. "Just go slow."
Zayn bunched the jersey up around his waist, wanting Liam to see more of him as he began roll his hips, keeping Liam mostly inside of him as he moved in figure eights, his head dropping back whenever Liam's tip massaged his spot. And then, when he couldn't take it anymore, he began to move more forcefully, rocking his hips back and forth as he slid up and down Liam's length.
It felt so good, every inch of Liam pushing in and out of him driving him to move faster, until he was bouncing on his dick like his life depended on it. Liam seemed to like that, his hands wrapping roughly around Zayn's waist, squeezing his sides as he began to match his movements, lifting him up and then pushing him down, sliding him along the length of his cock. He kept his gaze locked on where he was moving in and out of him, his breath catching every time he bottomed out.
Zayn was in love with every sound that came out of his mouth, every soft gasp and breathy moan. He was in love with everything about Liam, and he didn't know how much longer he could go without saying it, the truth threatening to be dragged out of him as Liam's mouth found his throat, his lips landing just over his pulse. Zayn hugged him closer, their hearts feeling like they were trying to outrace each other where they were pressed together.
Liam's hand moved up Zayn's back, coming to a stop right over the PAYNE as his other slid up to frame his face. "Love seeing my name on you," he whispered, blinking up at him before kissing him hard, like he was desperate to drive the point home. "Love it so much."
Zayn's heart skipped a beat, and he leaned in to kiss him again as the pressure began to build, starting in his spine and flowing outwards, until it was all he could feel. He connected their lips, moaning into his mouth as he reached between them, needing more friction so that he could come.
"I got this," Liam murmured against his mouth, knocking his hand out of the way so that he could pump his cock. Zayn was wet enough that he didn't need lube to glide his hand up and down his hard length, instead smoothing the precome gathering at his tip over his shaft.
Zayn moaned loudly, one touch from Liam threatening to send him over the edge, and then Liam was stroking him harder, and faster, and he was free falling into ecstasy.
"Come with me," he begged, his nails scratching down Liam's back as pleasure shot through his veins and he spilled over Liam's fingers, coating them as he pumped his hips up, fucking into Zayn as he started to come, his entire body shaking as he emptied himself into him.
It took a few moments before either of them were able to move, their bodies still wrapped around each other as they tried to catch their breath. And even when they could move they didn't want to. So they stayed exactly like that, Liam's face pressed to his jersey, Zayn's head dropped down onto Liam's shoulder.
Liam finally lifted his head, his fingers running softly through Zayn's hair, fingertips just barely grazing his hairline as he brushed a strand off of his forehead.
"Damn," he breathed, his forehead knocking against Zayn's as he nudged their noses together. "Best. Christmas. Ever."
"Agreed," Zayn murmured, raising his hand for a high tired five.
Liam's mouth fell open in a laugh as he gave him what he wanted, and Zayn didn't think he'd ever felt more relaxed, his sated brain already half asleep as he crawled off of Liam and curled up on the bed, fully intending to sleep the next few hours away.
Liam, however, had other plans.
"Don't think I've forgotten about that other gift," he said, smoothing his hand over Zayn's hip to the soft curve of his waist.
Zayn stiffened. "What gift?" he hedged.
Liam's lips landed on his shoulder, muffling his next words as his hand slid around to Zayn's stomach. "That silver bag I saw you hiding earlier."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Zayn insisted, picking Liam's hand up and dropping into onto the bed before pushing himself up and walking towards the bathroom, only stopping to grab his boxers along the way.
He stayed in there as long as he thought he could get away with, hoping that by the time he got out of the shower that Liam would be asleep.
No such luck. Liam was fully dressed and sitting crossed legged in the middle of the bed when Zayn came out of the bathroom, his smile firmly in place as he looked at him expectantly.
"Had to put some clothes on. I know how tempting you find it when I show a little skin and I'm not letting you have your way with me again until I get that gift," he told him, making it clear that he wasn't going to let this go, and Zayn really shouldn't have expected anything less given his track record of being the most annoying person in the entire world.
"Whatever," he huffed, stomping out of the bedroom to grab the gift from the sofa, calling out, "Close your eyes," on his way back. Liam's hand was dutifully covering the top half of his face when he came back into the bedroom, so Zayn walked to the bed, taking one last look inside the gift bag and sighing deeply before setting it down in front of him. He glanced nervously at Liam's face to find him peeking through his fingers, clearly delighted at how uncomfortable this was making him.
"Just remember that the jersey thing was your real gift," he said, snatching up the gift bag just as Liam went for it and holding it out of his reach. "This is just a joke, okay? I was just kidding around."
"Gimme," Liam said excitedly, making grabby hands. Zayn groaned and gave in, tossing the bag in front of him like he couldn't care less. Liam turned it upside down and dumped its contents onto the bed at once, and Zayn had to look away, not wanting to see his reaction. Limited funds and a lack of free time had forced him to be creative, and for some unknown reason he'd tricked himself into believing that it was a good idea to get Liam a bunch of refrigerator magnets, not just random ones, but ones that might mean something to him. To them.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"Oh my god," Liam said, drawing Zayn's attention towards him as he started to sort through them, turning them all over so that they were facing the right way, his hand moving quickly from the football to the firefighter helmet to the police badge before pausing over the one from the bar where they'd first hung out. It was all there, a map of their relationship, starting with the football and ending with one Zayn picked up now, turning it over in his hand as he sat down on the edge of the bed, his back to Liam as he looked down at the World's Best Boyfriend button.
"It took me like half a day to get all these, so you could maybe not give me too hard of a time, okay?" he said, his cheeks flaming. "I said it was just a joke."
"It's alright, I already knew you were obsessed with me," was Liam's immediate response, and Zayn could practically hear the smug smile in his voice.
"I'm sorry, what?" he demanded, deeply offended. He swiveled to the side to see Liam holding up the gummy bear magnet that he'd found at the corner shop, it's bright red color probably an exact match for Zayn's face at this point.
"You pine for me," Liam continued, undeterred by Zayn's harsh glare.
"I do not, actually," Zayn assured him, his voice clipped as he turned around further to fully face him, pulling his leg up onto the bed with him. "You are as ugly as you are annoying."
Liam's hand came to rest over his heart, his smile softening as he batted his eyelashes at him. "You yearn."
"Bite me," Zayn snapped, looking away again.
"What was that?" Liam asked, crawling forward to grab Zayn's waist, tickling his sides as he tugged him backwards and leaned over him, his teeth finding Zayn's neck as Zayn struggled not to laugh. "You want me to bite you?"
Zayn tried to push him away, but Liam was too strong, holding him down with one hand while the other continued its assault. He knew all of Zayn's most ticklish spots and he put that knowledge to good use, torturing him until tears were streaming down Zayn's face, his breath coming out in hiccups as Liam's teeth nibbled their way down his chest to his stomach, pausing only to blow a raspberry onto his belly button.
"Oh my god," Zayn gasped without meaning to, unable to control the words tumbling from his lips as he became lightheaded from laughing too much. "Why am I in love with an idiot?" he blurted out, freezing immediately because oh my fucking god he had not meant to say that out loud.
Liam was suddenly very still on top of him, his hands tightening on his waist as he stared up at him, his grin faltering. "What'd you just say?"
Zayn hesitated, his heart beating harder than it ever had before as every other part of him stayed frozen. "I said you're kind of alright, for a fireman."
The loud laugh Liam let out as he scooted back and reached a hand out to help him up made Zayn's muscles relax a fraction, as did the way he knocked his head against Zayn's shoulder once they were both upright.
"And you're kind of a prick, but I love you too," he said easily, already looking away, and it was so obvious that he was only joking that Zayn kind of wanted to crawl under the covers and never come out.
But then Liam glanced over at him and smiled, so warm and sweet, and suddenly Zayn was a little less afraid to say what he needed to say. Okay, he was still scared shitless, goosebumps breaking out over every inch of his skin as he thought of all the ways this could backfire, but quieting the fear a bit was the fact that he already loved Liam more than anyone had ever loved anyone ever, and that wasn't going to change whether Liam knew it or not. Plus, there was the teeny tiny possibility that Liam might love him back, which was kind of something he'd like to know sooner rather than later.
So he ignored the hammering of his heart and the rushing of his blood and the worries swirling through his brain and cleared his throat, ready to tell him everything, consequences be damned.
"I do though," he said quietly.
Liam didn't look up from where he was sorting through the magnets, a miniature replica of a Twister game board in one hand and the logo from the club where they'd shared their first dance in the other. "Do what?" he asked distractedly.
Zayn took a deep breath. "I love you."
The magnets fell to the bed as Liam's mouth opened in surprise, his back straightening as he turned towards Zayn. And then he let loose with a smile that outshone any star in the sky, its brilliance rivaling the sun on the brightest summer day, pink creeping across his cheeks as he reached forward to pull Zayn down, pressing his back against the bed so that he was lying half under him, a magnet digging into his shoulder blade.
Zayn grabbed Liam's hand where it landed just over his heart, bracing himself for what he would say next. He could see the snow falling softly outside when he looked over Liam's shoulder, fat white flakes sticking to the window, and he tried to focus on that, and not how long it was taking Liam to respond.
"Hey," he said softly, forcing Zayn to look at him. Zayn did, his breath hitching and his hopes plummeting as he watched Liam's smile fade into a frown, his brow crinkling as he pursed his lips. "I wanted to say it first, you shit," he said.
Zayn allowed himself one second to let that to sink in, and then he groaned, pushing Liam off of him so that he could more effectively stare him down. "Well, what took you so fucking long?" he demanded, tossing his hands in the air before a terrible thought occurred to him. "Or, is this like, new? You feeling this way?"
Liam laughed, batting Zayn's hand away so that he could crawl over him again, tangling their fingers together over Zayn's chest. "No, it's not new, you big dummy. I've pretty much been in love with you since we first met. I was just waiting until I was sure you'd say it back. Didn't want to scare you off."
Zayn kind of hated how well he knew him. "You wouldn't have scared me off," he insisted anyway.
"Not even if I'd said it the night we first kissed, after the club?" Liam asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
Zayn's heart was full to bursting, happiness radiating through every cell in his body. "Please," he scoffed, trying not to smile. "I loved you way before then."
"I'm sure that I loved you first," Liam told him, grinning widely. "Whatever day you fell in love with me, I fell in love with you the day before that."
"Try and up me one more time, motherfucker," Zayn warned him, pulling him in for a kiss.
Liam laughed through the kiss, backing away to tell him, "I can't help it that I'm the first and the best at everything, Zayn."
Zayn looked up at him, at his shining eyes and his heart-shaped mouth, running his thumb over his lips. "You still haven't said it, though," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liam cocked his head to the side. "Said what?"
"I love you," Zayn muttered, rolling his eyes. "Like, you still haven't actually said the words. If we're being technical."
"Well, if we're being technical, then I guess I better say it," Liam agreed. He then proceeded to say nothing at all, because he was the most aggravating person on the face of the planet.
"Well?" Zayn demanded, slapping his chest with the back of his hand.
"Oh right, sorry," Liam smiled, not looking sorry at all. "I love you," he said, his voice tinged with amusement as he planted a kiss on the corner of Zayn's mouth.
"Again," Zayn said at once, because one time wasn't enough for him, not nearly.
"What?" Liam asked, looking confused.
"Say...it...again," Zayn said slowly, shooting him a pointed look.
Liam grinned, his eyes full of wonder and his gaze full of love. "I love you, Zayn Malik, so so much."
The words wrapped around Zayn like a warm blanket, and he finally gave into his grin, pulling Liam closer so that he could kiss him, wanting to taste the words on his tongue.
"Way more than you could ever love me," Liam added just before their lips met.
Zayn punched him in the shoulder. And then he kissed him, because he loved Liam, and Liam loved him, and he hoped they'd be fighting over who loved who most for a long, long time.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait - I hope you liked the new chapters! I'm cupcakes-x-cocaine on tumblr if you want to fangirl over Zayn and Liam with me :-)