One direction/ 5 seconds of summer one-shots

Managements Pressure - Liam

Request appreciated 🙏

Liam Payne stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his collar. His reflection stared back, showing the face of someone trying desperately to hold it together. His phone buzzed on the counter, a message from management reminding him of yet another private meeting before the show. Sighing, he pocketed his phone and left his hotel room.

As Liam walked through the halls, he could hear the other boys of One Direction laughing and chatting. Harry, Louis, Niall, and Zayn were carefree, enjoying their success and camaraderie. Liam, however, carried the burden of responsibility on his shoulders. Even the fans called him "Daddy Directioner," a title that only added to the pressure he felt.

The meeting with management was, as always, tense. They had been increasingly critical of Liam, blaming him for things that were often beyond his control. Today was no different.

"You need to keep them in line, Liam,"  Simon snapped, slamming a folder onto the table. "You're supposed to be the responsible one, but things are falling apart."

Liam's stomach churned. "I'm doing my best. They're grown men; I can't control everything they do."

"Your best isn't good enough," Simon barked. "Do you want to ruin this band? Do you want to throw away everything we've built?"

The accusations continued to rain down on him, each word a dagger to his already fragile self-esteem. When the meeting finally ended, Liam felt numb, his mind spinning with self-doubt and guilt. He couldn't tell the others about this; they were his friends, and he didn't want them to suffer because of him. So, he did what he had been doing for weeks—he found solace in a bottle.

As the weeks passed, the pressure mounted. Management's private meetings with Liam grew more frequent and more intense. They started taking their anger out on him physically. One day, the situation escalated beyond anything Liam could have imagined.

"You idiot!" Simon yelled, their face inches from Liam's. "How many times do we have to tell you? If you don't get your act together, this band is finished!"

"I've told you, I'm trying," Liam replied, his voice shaking with suppressed anger and fear. "I can't control everything!"

"God, you worthless drunk!" Simon exclaimed. 

Simons hand came down hard, a sharp slap across Liam's face. Shocked and humiliated, Liam stumbled out of the room, tears streaming down his cheeks. He didn't stop until he reached a nearby liquor store, where he bought a bottle of whiskey and found a secluded spot in a park. He drank until the pain dulled, until the world became a blur.

The boys started noticing Liam's odd behavior. He was more withdrawn, often coming back late with the smell of alcohol on his breath. One night, he returned to the hotel with a visible handprint on his cheek. Concerned, they confronted him.

Time went by, and the meetings with management only got worse. The verbal abuse was relentless.

"You're worthless, Liam. You're dragging this band down," they sneered. "Do you think anyone will care about you when this is over? You'll be nothing without us."

Liam, who had drunk before the meeting to steady his nerves, finally snapped. "I'm doing my best! Maybe if you supported us instead of tearing us down, things would be better."

The room went silent. Simons face twisted with fury.  He lunged at Liam, in one quick motion hit him hard enough to leave a bruise. Dazed and in pain, Liam stumbled out of the office and back to the hotel.

The boys were waiting for him, their concern turning to alarm when they saw the bruise on his face and smelled the alcohol on his breath.

Harry was the first to speak up. "Liam, what's going on with you? You smell like alcohol."

Liam shrugged, swaying slightly. "Just needed to unwind."

Louis' eyes narrowed as he spotted the bruise on Liam's cheek. "What's that on your face?"

"It's nothing," Liam mumbled, trying to brush past them.

"Liam, what the hell happened?" Zayn asked, grabbing his arm gently 

"It's nothing," Liam muttered, swaying on his feet.

"Nothing? You have a bruise on your face and you're drunk!" Niall exclaimed. "Tell us what's going on!"

Liam, still drunk and reeling from the confrontation, tried to deflect. "It's nothing, Just leave it." Liam repeated again.

Louis, frustrated and worried, raised his voice. "It's not nothing, Liam! You've been acting strange for weeks. We know something's wrong."

"Back off, Louis," Liam snapped, his anger flaring. "You don't know what it's like!"

"Then tell us!" Louis shouted back. "We're your friends. Let us help you!"

Liam's emotions exploded, and in his drunken rage, he swung at Louis. Zayn quickly stepped in, restraining him. "Liam, stop!"

"Calm down, Liam," Zayn said, his voice firm yet gentle. "We're trying to help you."

Liam's resistance faltered, and he collapsed against Zayn, his body wracked with sobs. Zayn almost fell under the weight, but he held Liam tightly.

"I'm sorry," Liam cried, his voice muffled against Zayn's shoulder. "I couldn't take it anymore. He... He's hurting me."

The boys exchanged shocked looks. Harry knelt beside Liam, his eyes filled with concern. "Who is hurting you, Liam?"

"Management, Simon," Liam choked out. "They've been blaming me for everything, hitting me... I couldn't handle it. Drinking made it feel a little less real"

Zayn tightened his hold on Liam, his voice soothing. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want you to suffer too," Liam sobbed. "I thought I could protect you."

Tears filled the boys' eyes as they realized the extent of Liam's suffering. Harry squeezed Liam's hand. "We had no idea. We're so sorry, Liam. We should have noticed."

"We're here now," Louis said softly. "We'll get through this together."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Liam continued to cry, his pain and fear pouring out. The boys stayed with him, comforting him as best they could. They vowed to stand by him, to fight against the toxic management and to support Liam in his recovery.

The road ahead was tough, but for the first time in a long while, Liam didn't feel alone. He had his brothers by his side, and with their support, he knew he could face anything.