S(l)ave Me

VII

Liam walked into Zayn's office and stood nervously by the door. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Zayn looked up from the plans for tomorrow's party with a smile. Liam was taken aback by it. Zayn so rarely smiled, and the brilliance of it was enough to make Liam's knees weak. "Liam," he welcomed. "Come. Sit." Liam did so, in the chair across the big wooden desk. "I know I asked you to get up rather early today." Liam nodded and looked out the window at the still dark morning. "I've decided that we're going to spend all day doing whatever you like."

Liam's mouth fell open, "I'm sorry, sir?

"You're less than forty-eight hours away from your match. You're whole life will change. You'll have real responsibilities. Duties. So this is sort of like your last night as a free man." Liam shuddered when Zayn put it like that. His fears from his recent nightmare came flooding back. Zayn must've seen Liam's sudden dread. "Don't worry," he assured. "Every slave longs to be paired with the perfect Master," Zayn swallowed hard, "and I think I've found him for you."

Liam's feeling of dread only increased. He was pretty sure he'd found the perfect one, too. Only it wasn't his match. He shook that off and focused on the fact that Zayn wanted to spend an entire day with him. The day before his anniversary, no less. "What did you have planned for our day, sir?"

"Nothing at all. Everything is your choice. We can do as little or as much as you'd like. Anything at all."

Liam laughed softly and muttered, "Not anything."

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing, sir. Um, I'd love to spend some more time in your garden. I know how much you love it there."

"This isn't about me, Liam."

Liam nodded. "Of course, I know." He bit his lip nervously. "Anything?"

"Anything? That is, of course, until tonight." Liam nearly choked at where his thoughts led him. "I'll be spending the night at Niall's. Last minute details and such. But until then, I'm all yours." Zayn smiled kindly, but even that couldn't take away the lead in Liam's stomach. He'd so quickly interpreted Zayn words to mean what he’d love for them to mean, and then got kicked in the ass for it. Zayn was spending the night somewhere else. No, not just somewhere else. With his slave. Niall was going to have Zayn tonight in a way that Liam could only, and had, dreamed about.

"Tonight," he repeated absently.

"But that is hours away," Zayn reminded. "For now you have my undivided attention. Now what was your request?"

Liam was going to brush it off, but if this really was his last day with Zayn then he was going to be as selfish as he could with it. He looked up at Zayn shyly and asked, "Read to me?"

Zayn certainly wasn't expecting that. He thought when he offered Liam anything he would request a five-star dinner. Helicopter ride. Shopping spree. Like most any slave would when given the opportunity. But of course he should've known Liam wouldn't. Liam was different. "That's all? That's what you want? For me to read to you?"

"In your garden. I could make us lunch. The weather is meant to be beautiful today."

"Do you want to cook?"

"For you. Yes, I'd love to."

"Then lunch it is. A picnic lunch in the garden with your favorite book." Zayn softened at the image. "And I will read it to you. Until then, what would you like to do?"

Liam thought about it. So many things popped into his head. So many things he'd been dying to do with Zayn, but never got the chance. "Go for a run with me? And we could watch a movie in the home theater. I don't really care actually," he started rambling. "I don't care what we do, just be with-" he cut himself off when he saw Zayn watching him closely, "me," he finished in a whisper.