Drag Me Down [Ziam AU Short Story]

I: Meeting Him

YEAR ONE

I'm on stage, staring at the bright lights and trying to calm my headache. Louis, my manager, is yelling at people for doing things wrong. He's always like this. Concerts make him nervous and mean. Before the shows, Louis is a jerk to basically anyone who comes into his path. He leaves a trail of destruction behind him. And his destruction doesn't stop until I sing the final note  of the concert.

"Liam, sing that last verse again! Maybe the sound guy won't fuck it up this time!"

Like I said, Louis is a jerk until the concert is over. Afterwards, he finally falls back onto his smiley and giggly persona. But for now, he will yell and scream and his face will turn red until he gets what he wants. So I sing the verse again, because fighting Louis in this state isn't worth the effort. Trust me, I've tried that before. It didn't end well. As I sing the verse again, the volume of the microphone is way too loud, and I see Louis storm up to the sound booth at the back of the arena.

I'm ready for this sound check to be over.

"Again, Liam! I guess I'm taking over the booth for the concert tonight because the man can't do his job to save his life!"

~*~

I'm sweating so much I feel as though I may drown myself. My shirt is so soaked I rip it off over my head and throw it on the ground beside me as I walk. Louis is in front of me, leading me through the back of the arena and back towards the tour bus. He's more relaxed now, a little smiley, and he keeps saying things like "Wow, Liam, you blew that crowd away tonight, seriously. Those girls out there went wild." or "You fucking smashed this place." It's nice to be complimented on my performance. Especially from someone who I now truly likes my music. Someone who was there with me from the start. I wipe my forehead and stare at the sweat that now covers the back of my hand. 

"I need a shower," I say, "Can we stop at a hotel really quick?"

"Liam, we need to stay on the move. We have another show tomorrow in Ohio, and there's almost no way--"

"Please? I mean, I'm not going to be able to sleep. It was so hot out there, just, let me grab a hotel room, shower, refresh, grab a bite to eat and we'll get on the road."

The thing about Louis is that he cares about me. He cares about me more than he'd like to admit, and he knows I need this. I know that his answer will be yes. So when he looks at me and nods I just smile.

Stepping onto the tour bus feels like stepping into a walk in freezer and it's amazing. Like fucking hell, I want to stay in here forever. Louis and I sit at the back and chat idly as we pull out of the arena and towards a nearby hotel. It's slow moving--due to the fans blocking the roads--but after an hour or so we pull into a hotel.

"Alright, let's get in and out of here quick, okay?" Louis looks dead serious.

"Yeah, I got it." I say.

After a shower, I feel three hundred times better. I pick up the hotel room and order chicken fingers for dinner, because I feel so hungry. It's already almost midnight, and despite my eyelids protesting, I stay awake as I lay on the hotel bed. I have to stay awake. I have to stay awake, eat, and get back on the tour bus or Louis will kill me.

"Room service!"

Getting to the door is hard. I was so comfortable laying on the bed I ever wanted to move. But then I'm opening the door and staring at a cart of food and a waiter, dressed in a maroon uniform with brass buttons.

"Chicken fingers?" He says.

But I don't hear that. I don't hear anything. I just realize that I'm staring at the most beautiful person I have ever seen.

"I'm Liam Payne," I find myself saying. This poor guy is probably going to be so confused, but for some reason that's my response to "chicken fingers".

"Uh, yeah, I know?" The guy says. His eyes are golden and his hair is black, styled up, shaved on the sides. I can't stop staring.

"Uh...well...I'm going to eat now I guess," I say.

He nods and keeps looking at me, "Enjoy."

"Wait," I say. Oh my god this guy probably thinks I'm insane. Maybe it's because I'm dead tired, or because I'm crazy, but my heart is pounding and I just want to know his name. "I'm Liam, and uh, you are?"

"Zayn?" His words come out as if they are a question. God, he probably thinks I'm being crazy right now.

My mind is racing. I'm trying to figure out a way for him to stay here with me while I eat my food but I honestly can't think of any reason as to why he should stay here with me and watch me eat.

"Uh, can you bring the cart inside the room?" I ask. I keep thinking how creepy I must be right now. 

He obliges, as he has to for his job. Just as he steps inside, I hear screams at the end of the hall.

"LIAM."

"OH MY GOD, IS THAT LIAM PAYNE?"

I slam the door shut.

"Hey, man, what the hell?" Zayn looks confused.

"My fans," I say, "I can't let them in here."

There is banging on the door and Zayn's eyes widen.

"Want some chicken tenders?"