ZIAM ONE-SHOTS (BOTTOM LIAM)

yeah, you really got me now

Author: carissima

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1868928

Summary:

Zayn can see Liam's wired, a restless energy racing through his body as his gaze darts around the room. Curious, Zayn reaches out and slots his hand over Liam's hip, deliberately brushing over the faint curve of Liam's arse. Liam calms immediately, sinking into Zayn's side as he stops his frenetic movements.

Zayn hides a yawn behind a wave to the crowd as he wanders down the stage, half an ear on the song as he wonders if he can ask Paul to grab him a coffee to drink onstage. He's knackered and just a tiny bit worried that he's actually going to fall fast asleep at his microphone stand. It's mostly Louis' fault, keeping him up half the night because he couldn't sleep and insisted on Zayn keeping him company, but it's also a little bit Liam's fault for waking him up so early because he was too excited about playing Wembley to sleep and insisted on sharing every second of that excitement with a yawning Zayn.

On three hours sleep, Zayn's almost too busy cursing his bloody bandmates to hear Liam's solo through his earpiece, turning almost instinctively as Liam moves towards him. He hears the change, the note climbing beautifully higher when Liam normally drops down low, and he reaches out to pat Liam's arse in a silent sign of approval of Liam's vocal change.

As soon as his hand connects lightly with Liam's jeans, feeling the rough denim under his warm palm, he feels Liam freeze. It's so slight though, Liam moving away from him, laughing and lifting his microphone to harmonise under Niall that Zayn's almost certain he imagined it.

When it's his turn to sing, he turns to search out Liam, finding him easily as he's messing with Sandy, playfully shoving at each other before Liam dances away, still laughing. Curious, Zayn spends most of the next two songs watching Liam while trying not to be too obvious about it. He gravitates towards him more than usual, but Liam doesn't freeze when Zayn tucks himself into Liam's side. He just gets a slightly dopey smile that he's seen a million times before.

By the time they race up the stage to wave their final goodbyes, Zayn's convinced himself that he imagined the whole thing. Niall falls into his side as they head back to change into their own clothes and Zayn's arm lifts up around his shoulders, following behind Liam and Louis, who yell and shove each other with far too much energy for Zayn's liking since he feels like he's just gone a few rounds with Mark in the training ring and he really, really just wants to sleep for the next hundred years right now.

"You think they'll go out?" Niall asks, sounding as tired as Zayn feels. He glances back up at them, Louis bouncing on his heels and Liam practically skipping into their changing room while Harry flops down into a chair and fishes out his phone, immediately lost in his usual barrage of texts after a show.

"Maybe," Zayn says with a shrug, letting go of Niall so he can pull his t-shirt off over his head. "You fancy it?"

"Nah mate," Niall says with a laugh. "Not a chance. I'm going straight back to the hotel, down a few pints then fall into bed for the next twenty hours. Just wake me up just before the next show, yeah?"

Zayn grins as his jeans fall to the floor and he kicks out of them, stretching slowly before he reaches for his other pair, tugging them on over his slim hips. "If only, mate."

"Yeah, if only," Niall agrees, already dressed and patting Zayn on the arse as he passes behind him. "See you back at the hotel, yeah?"

He nods before Niall disappears through the door, Louis following him and yelling about something he saw onstage as the door closes behind him. He's just zipping himself up when Liam appears next to him, already dressed and looking more exhausted than he did a few seconds ago.