If You Were Mine (Ziam/Niam/Zarry)

Monday

Liam hurt all over when he woke late the next day, the afternoon sun already low in the sky. Shame washed over him as flashes of the night before came back to him. In the light of day the connection he'd thought he'd felt for some random stranger seemed more than a little silly, as did his actions. He took a long, hot shower, trying to shake off the ache in his bones, and promising himself that he would be a better boyfriend, focusing all of his attention where it should be: on Niall.

He dressed quickly, hungry for dinner and eager to see Niall, who'd been gone when he'd woken up, a note in his place explaining that he was exploring the hotel. Liam saw him as soon as he walked into the club and headed straight for him, but Niall waved him off, calling for Liam to get him a drink. He swiveled on his heel, turning towards the bar instead. He ordered shots for both of them and drank his before ordering another, trying to drown the annoyance that flared up inside of him as Niall yelled at him again, telling him to hurry up.

His booming cackle filled the room and Liam's senses, reminding him that once again it wasn't him making his boyfriend laugh. Liam watched him flit around the room, from one group to the next, already friends with everybody. And then he watched as Niall stilled, right next to a tall blond with a pierced lip and even more piercing eyes. Niall's laugh became a little softer, a little sweeter, as he leaned in to whisper in the bloke's ear, his hand on the blond's back.

Liam thought he might be sick.

"Hey there," came a voice to his left.

Liam turned his head, his breath catching as he watched the stranger from last night walk up to him, not stopping until he was close enough to touch, if Liam just stretched his arm out. Zayn. His voice was even sexier than Liam had imagined, soft and smoky, his accent telling Liam that he probably grew up in the North, not too far from where Liam had been raised.

"Hey," he breathed.

"I'm Zayn," he said, holding out a hand for Liam to shake.

Liam stopped himself from saying I know, but just barely. "I'm Liam," he said instead, taking Zayn's hand in his own. Liam felt like the music got a little louder as they touched, the lights seeming to glow a little brighter, but that was impossible, right? Zayn's skin was warm, his thumb stroking the back of Liam's hand, and Liam swore he could feel that one simple touch all over his body, another impossibility. It was just the alcohol, going to his head.

"Is one of those for me?" Zayn asked, letting go of Liam's hand and pointing towards the two shots in front of Liam with a smile. Liam smiled right back, sliding it in front of Zayn, all thoughts of Niall wiped from his mind.

"What should we toast to?" Liam wondered, pausing with his glass halfway to his lips.

Zayn pursed his lips as he considered. He was even more gorgeous up close, his eyes lighter than Liam had imagined, sparkling in a way that made Liam want to lean in, so that he could identify each of the million colors that combined to make them the prettiest shade of hazel he'd ever seen. And his lips, Liam couldn't take his eyes off of them, so full and pink as they formed the words to answer Liam's question.

"How about we toast to...to the possibility the anything could happen, and the hope that it might."

Zayn didn't take his eyes off of Liam as he raised his glass, and Liam knew that he could see the blush darkening his cheeks. "Um, yeah. I'll drink to that."

"Cheers, then."

The clinking of their glasses touching sounded oddly beautiful to Liam, and along with the burn of the liquor sliding down his throat he felt a rush of attraction wash over him. Zayn was turning out to be just as cute as he was gorgeous, and Liam wasn't sure he could handle that particular combination.