Sugar ♡ Niam AU [COMPLETE]

FOUR

"Quit messing with my hair," Niall huffed at Zayn, smacking his best friend's hands away.

"Wait, it's sticking up in the back!" Zayn yelled, trying to flatten Niall's hair.

"What are you even doing?"

"Making sure you look perfect for Liam."

"Zayn," Niall groaned, smacking Zayn's hands away for the last time and picking up a tray of cupcakes. "You can't say shit like that."

"And why not?"

Niall glared at Zayn. "Because it would be stupid to get my hopes up."

"Niall," Zayn sighed, and Niall left the kitchen because he didn't feel like dealing with Zayn's ranting. "Niall, come on."

"He's out of my league, Zee," Niall disagreed, arranging the cupcakes in the glass case. "Like, way, way out of my league."

"He likes you," Zayn pointed out, wiggling his eyebrows at Niall. Niall's cheeks pinked and he rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," he mumbled, blush deepening as Zayn laughed.

- - -

Liam was oddly nervous as he parked outside of The Gingerbread House. He wasn't one to get nervous often – things didn't really worry him or make him anxious. But, for some reason, a certain blonde man and his children made Liam feel something different. Something new.

Liam got out of his car with a deep sigh, making his way to the entrance of the bakery. A bell sounded as he pushed the door open, and the smell of freshly baked bread and cake frosting filled the air.

"Hi," Liam called, a little confused as to what he was looking at. Niall was balled up on the floor, blushing, as Zayn stood above him, emptying a bowl of frosting on him.

"Hi," Niall chirped, and Liam bit his lip to keep from laughing. He looked so cute and frail there, entire body squashed in between the glass casing and the wall.

"Do I have the right to ask how this situation happened?"

"Zayn was being a shit," Niall quipped.

"I was not," Zayn gasped, offended, and then Liam laughed. He hadn't laughed like this – really laughed – in a long time. He'd forgotten how nice it was. At Liam's laugh, Niall started giggling, too, which set Zayn off.

Niall got up then, which made Liam laugh again. There was even frosting in his eyelashes, and it looked like he'd been dusted by a sudden snowstorm.

"Pretty," Liam hummed quietly, so quietly that Niall wasn't even sure he'd said it. Zayn took the opportunity to disappear back into the kitchen, but gave Niall a very obvious wink before he did so. "Where are your kids?"

"Daycare. School," Niall responded, while simultaneously trying to get as much of the frosting out of his hair as he could.

"You know," Liam began, and then stopped.

"What?" Niall asked, blinking up at him, his cheeks pink pink pink. Looking like a fucking angel.

Liam just shook his head, expression fond. "You're just something else, Niall Horan."

Niall wrinkled up his nose, making him look even cuter. "You seem to be teasing me, Liam Payne."

A smirk danced its way onto Liam's lips. "Oh, no. Trust me – if I was teasing you, you'd know."

Niall ducked his head, blushing again. He wished he would stop. Liam wished he wouldn't. Liam reached into his pocket then, handing Niall a handkerchief. Niall cocked an eyebrow, and Liam said, "You've got something on your face there." He had a playful smile on his face, though, one so pretty that it made Niall's chest ache.

Impulsively, then, without realizing how bad of an idea this was, Niall grabbed Liam by the shoulders and wiped a glob of frosting across his business suit. As soon as he finished what he was doing, panic gripped Niall like a vice. "You've got something on your shirt there."

Surprising Niall, Liam laughed. "I came here to make you an offer, Niall."

"Well, clearly, we're making great decisions here on our own. The answer's still no." Niall bit his lip. "Sorry about your suit, though. That was stupid."

Liam grinned. "I hated this suit. Now I have an excuse to throw it out."

Niall rolled his eyes. "Bye, Liam."

Liam's grin turned warm, affectionate. He caught a bit of frosting under Niall's bottom lip with his thumb, and licked it off the pad of his finger. "So sweet," he said, so softly, and Niall's knees weakened. "See you tomorrow," Liam smirked, and before Niall could respond, he was gone.