Chained for Christmas

Chapter 7: The Struggle is real

Niall finished his business in the bathroom, but the urgency of the moment didn't stop him from making sure to rub it in Liam's face. "Well, that wasn't so bad," he said with a smirk, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You still alive over there, or do you need a break from my chaotic morning routine?"

Liam groaned, his face scrunching up in annoyance as he stood up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just—can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered, his tone full of mock frustration. He was quick to head over to the toilet, but Niall had already been eyeing him from the corner of his eye.

"Are you seriously looking at me right now?" Liam raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly what Niall was up to.

"Just making sure I'm not the only one getting a show here," Niall quipped, crossing his arms with a cocky grin. "I'm not gonna lie, you could've given me a bit of a preview, mate."

Liam shot him a glare but said nothing as he took care of his business, adding to the awkward tension that seemed to hang between them like a fog.

When they both finished, the real fun began—trying to wash their hands. The fuzzy cuffs had absorbed water like a sponge, and now they were cold and wet, feeling disgusting against their skin. Niall wrinkled his nose, shaking his wrist to get some of the excess water off. "God, this is so gross," he muttered. "What did we get ourselves into?"

Liam didn't even bother to answer, just silently rubbing his hands together. The cuffs were sticking to his wrist, and it was honestly becoming borderline uncomfortable.

"Maybe next time we should just use the bathroom sink as our personal hand dryer," Niall said sarcastically, trying to hold in his laugh.

Liam shot him a look. "Shut up. Not in the mood, man."

They both brushed their teeth, standing side by side at the sink, a moment of silent irritation between them. It felt like the world's most awkward bonding experience—they couldn't even properly rinse their mouths without feeling like they were in each other's personal space. But of course, neither of them was going to admit that it bothered them.

Once that was over, the real nightmare began: shower time.

"Right," Liam said, looking at Niall as if they were about to embark on some strange ritual. "This is gonna be fun. You ready to get cozy?"

Niall looked at the shower with a mix of dread and confusion. The space was tight—way too tight for two people to comfortably share. And with the handcuffs still firmly locked around their wrists, things were about to get... awkward.

"I mean, it's not like we have a choice, do we?" Niall replied, already starting to strip out of his clothes with a look of mild annoyance. "I've got no problem with personal space, but you? You're all up in mine."

Liam smirked, catching Niall's sarcastic jab. "Oh, please. You're acting like I'm not here in your personal space already, mate."

Niall couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes, ignoring the slight flush that spread across his cheeks. "Shut up, Liam. I'm just trying to survive here."

They both squeezed into the shower, with Niall trying to avoid touching Liam as much as possible. But of course, that was impossible. The water pressure wasn't great, and the space was cramped, so they were practically forced to press up against each other.

Niall made a face as he tried to wash his hair without elbowing Liam in the ribs. "This is honestly the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Why do I let you talk me into this?"

Liam grinned, clearly enjoying Niall's discomfort. "It's not that bad. Don't act like you're not secretly enjoying this little... situation."

"I'm not enjoying this, Liam. This is the last thing I ever want to do. And the handcuffs? Don't get me started," Niall snapped, trying to get a proper lather going. "I'm about two seconds away from losing it."

Liam snorted, clearly amused. "Keep dreaming, mate. This is your life now."

Despite his frustration, Niall had to admit it wasn't all bad. The way Liam's body was pressed against his, the proximity... it did something to Niall. But he was NOT going to acknowledge that. Not now, and definitely not ever.

Instead, he just kept his focus on getting the shampoo out of his hair, forcing himself to ignore the way his heart was racing just a little bit faster.

"Yeah, real cozy," Niall said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just perfect. Don't mind me, I'm just gonna go ahead and drown in this tiny-ass shower while you breathe down my neck."

Liam chuckled at his dramatic overreaction. "Honestly, Niall, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're secretly enjoying this. You're just too proud to admit it."

Niall shot him a look that could only be described as "you wish." "You keep saying that, mate, but you've clearly got it wrong. I'm just here for the experience—and the memories. But this? This is definitely one I'll be blocking out."

As they finished up their shower, Niall had to admit—this was definitely one for the books. The humor, the frustration, the sarcasm, all of it made for one very unforgettable morning. But at the end of the day, there was no denying it: they were stuck with each other for the long haul. And for some reason, that just made everything a bit more bearable.