ZIAM ONE-SHOTS (BOTTOM LIAM)

Snowflakes & Mistletoe

Author: MandyxoxoPayne

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5374334?view_adult=true

Summary:

Liam is in desperate need of a fake boyfriend for his company's Christmas dinner, so he puts an ad on Craigslist thinking that's the only way he can find one. Then by some miracle, Zayn shows up outside of the Plaza Hotel on a snowy winter night and everything is perfect... only to find out later, much later, that Zayn never answered his ad in the first place.

"Oh, perfect, you're here!" Zayn stood outside of the Plaza hotel, stubbing out his last cigarette on this cold, snowy December night when a tall, slender man with a perfect quiff dressed to the nines ran up to him. "I was beginning to wonder no one read my ad!" This beautiful stranger had a voice of an angel, and the smile playing at the corner of his lips with his rosy cheeks made Zayn wondered why he was talking to him in the first place.

"Ad?" Zayn questioned the man, but the answer went unknown because the next thing he knows he's being hauled into the hotel and came to a stop right inside the door.

"As I said in the ad, my name is Liam Payne, I'm 22 years old and I work for a big financial company on Wall Street. I'm also a huge dork that's into superheroes, drinks too much when I know I shouldn't and really into footie. If anyone asks, we met through friends and we've been dating for 6 months."  Zayn watched with curious eyes as Liam rambled off information quickly. He was surprised to hear an accent that reminded him of home, but underneath all of that was worry. "I'll pay you 50 an hour and your ride home. Like I said, all the food and drinks are free. I know I'm asking so much but please tell me you're up for this? I mean, you are dressed for the occasion, and," he ran his hands over his face and groaned, "you probably think I'm crazy, just, never mind." Liam turned to leave but Zayn caught him by the arm.
"I'm utterly confused right now, but I'm up for an adventure if it involves you and free booze. I'm Zayn, and I'll be the best damn fake boyfriend you've ever had." Liam's eyes lit up brighter than the Christmas tree in the lobby and launched himself at Zayn in a tight hug.
"I promise it will be worth it."

Zayn followed Liam into the Great Hall where he immediately felt out of place. He was surrounded by money, and men and women who held high ranks in the business world whereas Zayn hid tattoos and the lower class lifestyle underneath his only good suit. The only reason why he was standing in front of the hotel was because he late for a job interview and decided to just fuck it.  Then Liam showed up in a mumbling mess and now here he was, interlocking his fingers with a stranger who kept biting on his lower lip. He wanted nothing more in that moment to pull it away with his thumb so he could find out if it was as soft as it looks.

The hall was decorated like a winter wonderland; fake snow and trees covered every possible inch of the place.  Angel figurines moved slowly with the jazz music floating down from the stage. The ceiling was covered in twinkling lights, like the sky came inside to get out of the cold.  It was picturesque, like it came straight from one of the windows display off of 5th Ave. It was one of the most beautiful things Zayn has ever seen.

"Liam, my boy!" Liam froze beside Zayn as an older man parted the crowd and walked towards them. He was too tan and loaded with Botox; Zayn already decided he didn't like the guy. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up, and it's true! You do have a boyfriend! Everyone was beginning to think you were bluffing." He gave off a laugh that caused a few people to join in, like Liam was a blunt of an ongoing joke.

Zayn squeezed his hand and decided to put his promise into action.  "I'm Zayn Malik," he held his hand outstretched for the man to take, "and I'm more than blessed to have Liam in my life."
His grip was strong, and the man smirked, "I'm sure you are." And just like that he dismissed Zayn and Liam and moved onto another couple.
"What a pretentious dick, who was that man?"
"Simon Cowell, my boss. I loathe him so much, but he signs my paycheck and I'm up for company review on Monday, so..." Liam's hunched his shoulders and fell into a chair at a roundtable and put his head in his hands. "Honestly, Zayn, you don't have to be here," he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, "this should cover everything." He held out a few hundred for Zayn to take, but he didn't reach for the money, even though he so desperately needed the extra funds to cover Christmas expenses.