Glitter & Crimson [COMPLETED]

17

The chaos of the wedding day had finally subsided, leaving an air of bittersweet calm in its wake. The promise of exchanging vows that day had been broken, but no one seemed to mind anymore. Once they'd managed to get Niall settled into the house, the group crashed together in the living room. The scent of popcorn mingled with the faint aroma of hot chocolate, and Christmas movies played softly in the background, casting a cozy glow across the room.

Louis sat nestled against Zayn on the oversized couch, their friends scattered around them in various states of exhaustion. Zayn's arm was draped casually around Louis' waist, his fingertips idly tracing patterns just above his waistband. It was an innocent gesture at first, but as his hand drifted lower, his touch turned teasing, sending tiny shivers through Louis.

"Zayn," Louis muttered, his voice low enough that only Zayn could hear. His cheeks flushed as Zayn's hand crept closer, his fingers brushing against sensitive skin in a way that made Louis squirm.

Zayn tilted his head slightly, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. "Hmm?" he hummed, feigning innocence.

"You're such a tease," Louis whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

Zayn chuckled softly, his lips brushing against Louis's ear as he spoke. "And you love it." His voice was a mix of warmth and playful challenge, and the way his breath tickled Louis's skin sent a surge of heat through him.

Louis bit his lip to keep from laughing too loudly, glancing around the room to make sure no one was paying attention. Liam and Harry were deep in conversation near the fireplace, and Niall, still recovering from the day's events, was snoring quietly on the loveseat.

"I swear, Malik," Louis whispered again, trying to swat Zayn's hand away, though his own grin betrayed him. "If you keep this up, we're gonna have a very interesting conversation about self-control later."

Zayn raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Later, huh? So you're saying not now?" His fingers stilled, and he pulled back slightly, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he pretended to consider the situation.

Louis rolled his eyes, leaning closer to whisper directly into Zayn's ear. "Keep playing, and you're gonna find out just how much I love to tease back."

The quiet threat only made Zayn laugh, but he finally relented, resting his hand more appropriately as he pressed a soft kiss to Louis's temple. The tension melted into something softer, and for a moment, it felt like it was just the two of them in the room.

"Fine," Zayn murmured, his tone laced with affection. "But only because we've already had enough chaos for one day."

Louis smiled, relaxing back against Zayn. "You're lucky I love you."

Zayn tightened his arm around Louis's waist, pulling him even closer. "I know."

Louis smirked against Zayn's neck, his lips lingering just long enough to leave a faint mark before pulling back slightly. His head rested on Zayn's shoulder, but the mischievous glint in his eyes was unmistakable. 

"Baby boy," Zayn warned again, his voice dropping to that deep, assertive tone that always made Louis's stomach flip. "We're in the living room. Everyone's right here." 

Louis shrugged, his fingers idly tracing the line of Zayn's collarbone. "And? No one's paying attention." His voice was soft but teasing, and the way he dragged his lips over Zayn's skin again made his intentions crystal clear. 

Zayn shifted uncomfortably, glancing around the room. Harry and Liam were still chatting, oblivious, and Niall hadn't stirred from his nap on the loveseat. But Zayn knew Louis far too well—he was testing boundaries, and he was damn good at it.