Playing the part (Ziam)

Chapter 4: pints, pranks, and poor Decisions

Studio breaks were sacred, a chance for the lads to blow off steam and remember they were five twenty-something blokes who also happened to be in the biggest band in the world. Naturally, this particular break led them straight to the pub.

"Round's on me," Niall declared as they spilled into a cozy corner booth, his grin wide and contagious.

"It better be," Louis quipped, grabbing a menu. "You've been mooching off my snacks for weeks. This is reparations."

"Reparations?" Niall snorted. "You act like I'm eating you out of house and home. Your entire pantry consists of biscuits and tea bags, mate."

Across the table, Zayn leaned back, sipping his pint with the air of someone who didn't plan on moving until forced. Liam, ever the responsible one, had opted for a soda, clearly intent on keeping a watchful eye on the chaos brewing around him.

Harry, already halfway through his first drink, smirked. "Anyone taking bets on how long it takes Niall to start singing Irish folk songs?"

"Ten minutes," Zayn muttered without hesitation.

"Oi, piss off," Niall shot back, though the twinkle in his eye suggested he'd gladly prove them right.

The evening was off to a roaring start, filled with banter, drinks, and Niall loudly demanding the bartender teach him how to pour a proper pint. By the time they stumbled back to their shared hotel suite, they weren't exactly drunk, but they were definitely buzzed enough to let their guards down.

"Alright, lads," Louis said, clapping his hands as they all collapsed onto various pieces of furniture. "Who's up for a game?"

"What are we, fucking teenagers?" Liam groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Teenagers don't drink at pubs," Harry pointed out. "Unless they've got really good fake IDs."

"Christ," Liam muttered under his breath, but he didn't leave.

Louis's grin widened. "Perfect. Truth or dare, it is!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Zayn said, rolling his eyes. "Can't we just sit in silence like normal people?"

"Normal people are boring," Louis shot back. "Besides, this is bonding. We're bonding, Zaynie."

"Don't call me Zaynie."

"Whatever you say, Zaynie," Louis said with a wink. "Now, who's in?"

Niall immediately raised his hand. "I'm in."

Harry shrugged. "Why not?"

Zayn sighed dramatically. "Do I have a choice?"

"Nope," Louis said, already grabbing an empty beer bottle to spin.

And so, the game began.

Round 1: The Icebreaker

The bottle landed on Niall, and Louis grinned wickedly. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Niall said confidently.

"I dare you to text your ex and ask them if they still think about you."

Niall's face dropped. "You're a bastard, you know that?"

Louis cackled. "Don't hate the player, mate."

With a resigned sigh, Niall pulled out his phone and typed the message, holding it up for everyone to see before hitting send. "Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," Louis said, clearly pleased with himself.

Round 2: The Embarrassment

This time, the bottle landed on Harry.

"Truth or dare?" Niall asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Dare," Harry said, leaning back like he didn't have a care in the world.

"I dare you to sing the Barney theme song in your sexiest voice," Niall said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Without missing a beat, Harry launched into a sultry rendition of I love you, you love me, complete with exaggerated winks and a lip bite.

"Jesus Christ," Liam muttered, covering his face.

"I think I need therapy," Zayn added, looking mildly horrified.

Round 3: The Roast

The bottle landed on Zayn, and all eyes turned to him.

"Truth or dare?" Harry asked.

"Truth," Zayn said, crossing his arms.

"Boring," Louis muttered.

"Shut up," Zayn said, then turned back to Harry. "Well?"

Harry smirked. "What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done in front of a girl?"

Zayn hesitated, clearly weighing his options. "Fine. I once tripped over my own shoelaces and spilled a milkshake all over her lap. Happy?"

"Delighted," Harry said, grinning.

Round 4: The Setup

The bottle landed on Liam, who sighed deeply.

"Truth or dare?" Zayn asked, clearly enjoying Liam's discomfort.

"Dare," Liam said reluctantly.

"I dare you to shut up for five minutes," Zayn said with a smirk.

"Wow, real original," Liam shot back.

"It's a dare, mate. You don't get to argue," Zayn said, leaning back with a smug look.

"Prick," Liam muttered, but he stayed quiet, much to everyone else's amusement.

Round 5: The Big One

By the time the final round rolled around, the lads were clearly in peak mischief mode. Louis spun the bottle, and it landed between Zayn and Liam.

"Well, well, well," Louis said, his grin widening. "This is perfect."

"This is bullshit," Liam muttered.

"You haven't even heard the dare yet," Louis pointed out.

"I don't need to hear it to know it's going to be stupid," Zayn said flatly.

"Oh, it's more than stupid," Harry said, his voice practically dripping with glee. "It's genius."

"We dare you two to act like a couple for a week," Louis announced, leaning back like he'd just dropped the mic.

Zayn blinked. "The fuck are you on about?"

"You heard me," Louis said, his grin widening. "Pet names, hand-holding, the works. You've got to convince everyone you're madly in love."

"You're out of your fucking mind," Liam said, standing up.

"Don't be such a buzzkill, Liam," Niall said, clearly enjoying the chaos. "It's just a bit of fun."

"A bit of fun?" Zayn repeated, his voice rising. "This is like some closet frat-boy shit!"

"Exactly," Louis said. "And we're the frat boys. So, are you in or what?"

Liam and Zayn exchanged a look, both clearly ready to murder Louis where he sat.

"Fine," Liam said finally, his jaw clenched. "But you're all dead to me after this."

"Can't wait," Louis said, his grin never faltering.