The Footballer's Son// Ziam AU

Chapter 8

Liam felt warmth as he woke up the next day. He felt a hand softly placed over his waist and hot breaths around his neck. Someone was in his bed. Shit, he thought, was I out drinking last night? Forcing his eyes open to see who was the stranger, Liam peeked over his shoulder.

"Shit," he whispered to himself as his eyes found the stranger who lay beside him. The slender body was pressed against Liam's muscular one and the lack of movement from it made it evident that the person was asleep. Liam craned his neck to get a better view of the boy next to him. His chest rose and fell slowly as a soft hum escaped his lips every time he breathed. His mouth was set to an adorable pout. His hair was fluffy and messed up, giving him a major case of bedhead. Liam wondered how many others have had the pleasure of this rare sight: a well-groomed poster boy looking like the most adorable sleeping puppy.

Okay, now Liam was just staring too long and it was getting creepy.

"Zayn..." Liam whispered softly, "Zayn... get up."

"Mmm," whined Zayn. Liam chuckled in amusement. He really could relate to Zayn's reluctance to wake up in the morning.

"Zayn, I have to go to practice, get off me." as if on cue Zayn's eyes shot open and he jumped out of Liam's bed. His eyes widened in confusion and worry. He looked at Liam quizzically. Liam, who was now sitting up straight looked equally confused.

"Okay, I remember crashing here last night but how did we end up" Zayn began, feeling his ears heating up. "I don't know." Liam looked at Zayn who fiddled his fingers and it made his heart flutter. So he was the shy type.

"Right. Okay." Zayn said, looking down. "Yeah, so I could maybe drop you off at yours when I'm headed to practice and you could stay for breakfast if you like," Liam suggested. Liam tried his best not to make it sound like a plea to prolong Zayn's presence in his house.

"What? Oh no, I really couldn't. You have already done enough." as much as he would have loved to be in Liam's company a while longer, Zayn really couldn't. Not when he already feared that his pants were tightening at the thought that they slept in the same bed last night. "If you really say so," Liam replied, not letting Zayn know about the little spark of disappointment he felt.

"Right so, thanks for last night. Really, thank you. I really didn't know who else to go to. I don't have much friends and..." Zayn kept muttering some incoherent words to himself. "Shh, it's my pleasure, mate. And you do have friends. You have Niall, Louis and me. We like having you around. So don't you ever say you got no friends, yeah?" Liam added a smile, as he got up from his bed. He stood next to Zayn and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I could at least walk you out." Zayn smiled and nodded.

That was probably the last time in the next three or so months Liam saw Zayn. After that, Liam's life fell into a monotonous routine of mediocrity. Well, as mediocre as an athlete's life can get. Each day was filled with a cardio run in the morning, intense workouts and practice matches during the working hours, and a diet that consisted mainly of rabbit food (as Niall had put it). And on the weekends it was game night, which he often spent watching from the bench. Be it a rather a good view, it was rather disconcerting for Liam. However, on certain nights he was sent out on the pitch to play, and boy, did he give the crowd a reason to sing Glory, Glory.