"This is... wow," Zayn said, he was stunned as he ate the dinner that Louis had prepared. "Like five-star restaurant level wow.”
"You know," Liam spoke up, "every time l eat the food you cook l regret ever breaking up with you, Lou."
"Um." Harry blinked. "Are you forgetting that I'm sitting right here? Me? His husband? The love of his life?"
"Yeah, and you're welcome" Liam smirked.
"Who knows what could've been had I not broken up with him? Maybe l'd be the one with the ring on my finger."
"Don't be an idiot and eat your dinner" Louis interrupted, making Liam chuckle. Harry hummed in satisfaction as he dug into his food once again.
Louis moved his gaze at Zayn, giving him a polite smile. "Thank you."
Even though Liam was nervous at first, he eventually started feeling comfortable with Zayn around him and his friends. He was still joking around, messing with Harry, and doing what he usually did with them, and Zayn seemed to be enjoying by the constant grin on his face.
After dinner, Louis offered Zayn a drink, but the other man denied it. He had to drive back home, so he was going to remain sober, but he settled for a coffee while the others drank an experimental cocktail that Harry attempted to make.
"This tastes like crap," Liam stated.
"Your face tastes like crap" Harry retorted.
"Seriously? You can't do better than a middle school comeback?" Liam scoffed. "And when have you ever tasted my face?"
"Don't need to try it to know that it stinks" Harry huffed.
"Are they both always like this?" Zayn asked Louis, who sighed as he looked at the two men that were still bickering.
"Like this or worse," Louis shrugged lightly.
"At least they're entertaining" Zayn offered Louis a sympathetic smile.
"I feel like a mother watching her sons fight over the TV remote" Louis muttered.
"Like I said... entertaining" Zayn laughed.
"Perks of having an idiot husband and a stupid best friend,” Louis paused, realizing that the man sitting beside him was said friend's boss.."And by that I mean my incredibly intelligent and hardworking best friend."
After another thirty minutes, Zayn finally stood up, announcing that it was time for him to head home. Harry protested, asking him to stay a bit longer but he politely declined. He did promise to meet them again soon, now that the ice was officially broken. Louis thanked him for the wine, and Zayn returned the favor by complimenting his culinary skills once more.
"Give me a ride home?" Liam asked.
Zayn nodded, and the two men walked out of the apartment.
"By that do you actually want me to drop you home or take you home with me?" Zayn asked once they were in the elevator, heading downstairs. His voice was low, barely above a whisper so that the elderly woman in the elevator couldn't overhear them.
"I think you know what I meant," Liam answered, the corner of his lips raising in a sly smirk.
Once in Zayn's car, both the men buckled in and were on their way to his place. Liam had assumed he would be sleeping on Louis and Harry's couch, so he couldn't be happier about getting to spend the night with the handsome man that he called his boss instead.
"I wasn't, like, actually flirting with Louis by the way" Liam said. "I just do that to mess with Harry. It's fun seeing him get all flustered."
"Don't worry," Zayn chuckled. "I didn't think you were being serious with that."
