Good Years || ziam au✔️

f o u r t e e n || dropping a label

Three days later
December 15th, 2018
Saturday morning
9.35 P.M.
Malik-Payne Penthouse

It was finally done. After four and a half days of endless work, the couple had finally finished the nursery. It was beautiful. The toys Zayn's mother had sent out to New York had arrived two days after they started working on the room, them being the finishing touches after putting all the furniture in place and finishing the art on the walls.

The dark haired latter stood in the doorway, admiring the small room with a wide grin on his lips. He couldn't wait. The excitement had built more and more through the past few days. He could only imagine watching the baby grow up in this very room, wanting to change it once it would grow older.

"Baby?" Liam's voice made his head turn to look at his husband. The brunet was standing a few meters away from him with two cups of freshly brewed tea in his hands, holding them up with a small smile.

Zayn hummed and walked up to him, thanking him with a peck on the lips before grabbing his signature cup and taking a sip. He enjoyed the warmth and made his way to the lounging room where Watson was laying on his custom-made doggy chair.

"So... what's on the agenda today?" Liam asked as he followed Zayn into the lounging room, taking a sip from the hot beverage before looking at him questionably. He watched the older guy plop onto the couch and lay back, kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

"Well the meeting with the new agency isn't until tomorrow, we're already done with the nursery and my album release party as well as the release of the album is done, so... day off?" Zayn suggested, tilting his head back and looking up at him. After his label kept pushing the date further and further away, Zayn was finally able to release the album. And to his surprise, it was another huge accomplishment. The reaction his fans gave to it were heartwarming and adorable and he loved how actively they were promoting it for him. He couldn't be more proud. Liam was also very proud of his partner and supported him with every step he took.

"Sure." Liam chuckled and nodded. "Maybe we could do a movie marathon and order take out." He hummed and walked around the couch, placing his cup onto the coffee table before grabbing the remote and turning on the tv.

"What movie?"

"Rick and Morty?"

"That's a tv series, babe."

"So?" Zayn grinned. "You know I love it." He wrapped his arms around Liam's bicep and leaned against him, resting his head upon his shoulder.

Liam chuckled and just hummed in response before turning on Netflix and putting on the show for Zayn, pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead.

2 hours later
11.45 A.M.
RCA Corporate

"You want us to do what?"

Both Zayn and Liam stared at Simon with a shocked and slight offended look, not sure whether they had heard him right. The couple were called a few minutes after they started the show, both rather annoyed with it. Since it has already been a month since their come-out, Simon would constantly call them up trying to start some type of scandal to keep the media on them, but they never agreed to any of it no matter what he said or did.

"You heard me." The older man said and looked at them. "I want you, Liam, to go out with a model for the night to start a cheating scandal." He told them, tilting his head.

"Fuck no." Zayn blurted out and glared at him. "No fucking way. Over my dead body." He scowled, shaking his head in protest. He couldn't believe the audacity this man had to even come up with such a absurd suggestion. To think he'd actually go that low to create such drama just to get attention and for people to think that Zayn and Liam had some sort of toxic relationship even though that was not even the case.

"You want the media's attention?"

"No!" Both Liam and Zayn shouted in unison, looking at the man as if he was crazy – which he actually was.

"At least not negative attention. It's already problematic enough that Liam is seen as the quote on quote bad one," the dark haired lad scoffed, "he doesn't deserve more fucking backlash."

"Aww," Simon provocatively pouted, rolling his eyes, "remember what I told you two."

"We don't fucking care anymore." It was clear that Zayn was angry. In fact, he was fuming. As if he was ready to attack the CEO with all his strength. Liam had to grab his hand to get him to relax and calm down, but Zayn was still tensed.

"Well you should care." Simon declared and gave them a look. "You two are still under my control." He pointed out, humming.

"You know what," Zayn said and got up, glaring at him, "fuck your contract and fuck you." He sneered bitterly. "I'm done with your sick bullshit. You have been sabotaging my career for almost a fucking year and I'm done with it. I'm done with you."

"You say tha–"

"I say that now?" Zayn finished for him with a snort. "Please, I've been done with you ever since the X-Factor. You're nothing but a sick minded, twisted, pathetic old man who enjoys tearing down others just because you can't find that bit of happiness that completes your life. I, under no circumstances, will no longer tolerate with you or your stupid contract again. For my sake you can shove it up your arse."

Simon stared at Zayn, his face suddenly turning red out of anger. "You're going to regret this."

"Oh trust me, I do not give a fuck anymore." And with that, the dark haired latter walked away, heading out of the office. Liam, completely surprised. There was a awkward silence before Liam got up and left, trying to catch up with his husband.

"Somebody snapped." The brunet grinned proudly and chuckled when he could hear Simon yell in his office.

"It was about time." Zayn huffed, feeling as if a weight just lifted from his shoulders. He sighed in relieve, smiling to himself. "I guess it's about time I drop RCA and become independent."

"You deserve it." Liam pulled him close after wrapping his arms swiftly around his body. He gently grabbed his chin and pecked his lips softly.

Zayn smiled. "I do." He cupped his husband's face and caressed his cheeks.

The two soon made their way out of the building and headed back home, deciding to look for a label that would support independent artists for Zayn.

Yet neither of them knew that things would take a twisted turn by the end of the year.

****

Hehe