Sugar ♡ Niam AU [COMPLETE]

SIX

"I can't believe he was at the restaurant," Zayn sighed to Niall the next morning.  Niall was still a bit cloudy from Liam touching him the way he did, and was a bit frightened as to why.

"I know," Niall squeaked. "And -- Zee, his hands are huge." 

"That's such a weird thing to say," Zayn responded, shaking his head. "Niall! You're putting way too much salt in the donut mix!" He pulled his best friend's arm back, and Niall blushed. "Where's your head today, Ni?"

"Liam fucked me up," Niall muttered, putting down the salt and rubbing his temples.

"Do you want the day off? I can handle it here for today."

"No," Niall sighed, rubbing his eyes. "No, I should stay."

"Because he's coming by," Zayn said, the slightest hint of smugness in his tone.

"Shut up."

~ ~ ~

Liam was late that day, and honestly, Niall was so used to seeing him at the same time every day that Liam not being there made him anxious.

"Niall!" Zayn shouted, finally irritated, "If you can't focus because Liam isn't here, you might as well go home!"

"Sounds like someone's been missing me," Liam's voice with an obvious smirk in it called, and Niall was almost afraid to turn around because his face was so red.

Zayn stifled a laugh, which made everything worse, and Niall was so embarrassed he wanted to curl up in a ball and die. 

"Hey," Liam's voice said gently, putting a large hand on Niall's shoulder. He turned Niall around, heart melting in his chest at Niall's pink, pink cheeks and his trembling lower lip. He looked absolutely wrecked, and it made Liam want to hold him for the rest of time. "It's okay," he continued, allowing a small smile to cross his face. It made Niall soften, too. His thumb went down to caress Niall's lower lip. "I've been missing you, too." 

That made Niall blush again, which was the reaction Liam had expected. It made him grin. "Shut up," Niall huffed, crossing his arms over his tiny chest. Everything about Niall was tiny and fragile. 

"So are you gonna sell me this place or what?" Liam asked, still grinning. The bubbly feeling he got in his chest when he was around Niall was no coincidence -- this was something, and it was good. 

"Liam," Niall huffed, cute little nose wrinkling up with displeasure. "No. Quit asking already."

"But if I quit asking, I wouldn't be coming by anymore, and clearly you'd never get any work done," Liam retorted, proud grin on his face.

Niall blushed again. "Shut up. And you shut up, too!" he called to Zayn, who was just standing in the doorway to the kitchen, smirking.

"I didn't say anything!" Zayn put his hands up to show his innocence and retreated back into the kitchen.

"I like him," Liam laughed.

"I don't," Niall muttered fondly, rolling his eyes. 

"So, Niall," Liam said suddenly, expression going fond. His eyes softened like melted caramel and it made Niall's knees go weak. "What are you doing tonight?" He ran a gentle finger along the inside of Niall's wrist, just up and down, slow, but it made Niall's pulse speed up.

"Me? Uh..." He couldn't think just with Liam's hand on his skin, and that scared him. "N-Nothing...Why?"

"Can I take you and your kids to dinner?"

Niall blinked up at him in surprise. "Me and my kids?"

"Yeah...Would that...would that be okay?" Liam surprised himself by feeling nervous.

"Yeah...Liam, that would be great!" A smile split its way across Niall's face like the sun. 

"Great," Liam beamed. "I'll pick you guys up at seven." Then, surprising Niall and leaving him unresponsive for at least five minutes, he pressed a kiss against Niall's forehead, leaving his lips to linger there for a second, and then he was gone.