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“Come on, give me one good reason not to jump in the lake,” Zayn dared Liam, standing from his spot on the pier, already taking his shirt off like he really didn’t needed the reason he was asking for.
Liam looked at him, baffled and slightly terrified. Yes, in part because he had Zayn fucking Malik in front of him, his celebrity crush, taking his clothes off with a look of absolute mischief on his face. How was this real life? But also because this was the same Zayn Malik that was terrified of big bodies of water. The same Zayn Malik that didn’t know how to swim. Why would he suggest such an insane idea?
Yeah, it was hot, in fact it was perfect swimming weather and Liam had been secretly sad because going for a swim in a lake with Zayn during this weird date thing sounded like a wet dream, pun not intended. It was impossible, though, and Liam knew that well, he knew Zayn was scared. Or, he had to be scared, right? What the hell… “Um… I…” Liam tried to find the words, but this was already awkward enough without him making a bigger idiot out of himself.
He was going to murder Louis. Fucking Louis dragged him into this mess. Fucking Louis submitted his info to the radio contest to win a date with Zayn Malik. What the fuck. Liam was furious but at least he had been sure there was no chance he was going to win, right? Zayn was definitely straight and the prize was meant for girls.
Getting the phone call from the radio station declaring him the winner had been awkward enough. Having to confess, on the air, that he in fact liked Zayn, getting teased by the show’s hosts about having a crush on him, getting teased about his sexuality, had been embarrassing enough. The amused look on Zayn’s previously bored face as soon as he saw Liam, a man, was his date, was mortifying enough. The heat he could feel on his skin from the second they exchanged hellos was just disgusting. The way his body was reacting to everything Zayn did or said from the moment they sat on the pier was the worst. Fuck, he was completely out of control, blushing furiously every time Zayn looked his way, every time Zayn smiled at him while he spoke, every time Zayn paid attention to his words, every time Zayn laughed. What should have been a dream was actually kind of a nightmare.
And now, when this was touching wet dream territory, with Zayn taking his clothes off, Liam was petrified. He didn’t even want to move because he was sure his ridiculous boner would be very evident if he stood up. He didn’t even want to talk because confessing to Zayn that he knew every little detail about him would certainly make him look like an obsessed idiot. He could just watch in horror as Zayn smiled at him, toeing his boots off, unbuttoning his jeans. “Zayn, don’t…” The words died in his throat when those jeans hit the ground. Zayn Malik was in front of him, in nothing but his underwear, looking like an Egyptian god. They were practically alone in the pier, Zayn’s crew probably waiting for them somewhere in the shade. Zayn was looking at him with a huge, daring smile, there was a twinkle in his eyes that Liam thought he was never going to be lucky enough to witness. He was biting his bottom lip, slowly walking backwards, further along the pier until he was standing right on the edge. “Come on, Liam. I bet the water is fantastic… There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Zayn drawled before disappearing from view.
Fuck. Oh fuck. Zayn was insane. Zayn was going to drown and Liam would have to watch it happen. It took a few seconds for the gears to start turning in Liam’s head. You can swim, you idiot. Go rescue him! He didn’t even waste time taking his clothes or his shoes off. He just ran until he got to the end of the pier and he jumped, finding footing as soon as his body stopped sinking, trying to get back to the surface.
Never in a million years Liam thought he would find Zayn already floating calmly further away from the pier definitely in a place where he had no footing, looking at him, smiling. “What took you so long?” Zayn asked, swimming to get closer to Liam like it was no big deal.
Liam opened his mouth, half filling his lungs with oxygen and half absolutely confused. “What the… I thought… How are you swimming? How are you not terrified? You said…” He was past worrying about his level of obsession. This made no sense. Zayn had a phobia. Right?
Zayn laughed, getting so close to Liam he could see how the water droplets shone on Zayn’s skin, how his eyelashes looked all wet like that, making his eyes look bigger, softer somehow. “That’s not me, Liam,” he explained, the look on his face losing all its mischievousness. He just looked honest, open. “I love swimming. My mum used to take me to the beach every summer, I learned when I was little. My PR people just thought being afraid of water or not knowing how to swim would be, I don’t know, interesting or quirky,” he explained, shrugging a bit, like he hadn’t just scared the ever living shit out of Liam.
Liam frowned, confused. It kind of made sense, having to lie. It was shitty, he was sure it had to be so exhausting, having to make up an entire person for the media to consume and keeping who you really are a secret. He could relate in a way, that was the summary of his entire high school experience. In Zayn’s case it was much worse, the entire world was buying a lie, Liam included.
Still there was something that didn’t make sense. “Why didn’t you tell me? You scared the fuck out of me, I thought you were going to drown,” Liam complained, still feeling his heart beating erratically in his chest.
“Maybe I just really wanted you to join me in the water and I knew you weren’t going to jump in if I only tried to talk you into it,” Zayn explained, getting even closer. “Maybe I really wanted us to get away from the prying eye of my entourage,” he bit his lower lip again, getting so close Liam could feel the water getting warmer because of Zayn’s body. “Maybe I just wanted us to be alone so I could get to know you, and let you meet the real me?” he suggested, looking actually nervous for the first time since they sat down on the pier with that ridiculous basket of food.
“The… the real you?” Liam asked, almost stuttering, confused beyond belief. This couldn’t be what he thought it was, right? Zayn wanted a friend, nothing more. Zayn didn’t want him in the water to see him wet and naked. Zayn couldn’t want that. Zayn couldn’t want to know Liam the same way Liam was desperately wanting to know the real Zayn. This was just a fake date, one of many social obligations Zayn had as one of the most popular singers in the world right now. Zayn was straight. Very straight. He dated supermodels and actresses and singers. Zayn was… Zayn was getting even closer. Zayn was so close Liam got dizzy feeling Zayn’s breath on his mouth. Zayn was… Zayn was kissing him. Softly. Slowly. Zayn was wrapping his bare arms and legs around him, surrounding him with warmth and so much skin it made Liam hate his wet clothes getting in the way.
And Liam kissed back. Liam was beyond trying to figure out what the hell was happening. Zayn’s lips just felt so good against his, Zayn’s body just fit his so perfectly he couldn’t even find a reason to question anything. It just felt right, it felt perfect, meant to be, it felt like much more than just a fantasy coming true. It felt like Zayn needed this kiss just as much as Liam did. So he went with it, he got lost in the wet warmth of Zayn’s mouth, he wrapped his arms around Zayn’s wiry body, he held him firmly against him and he didn’t even think about breaking the kiss, until Zayn did. “What do you say?” Zayn asked, his voice deep, his tone needy.
Liam sighed, licking his lips, reveling in the sweetness of Zayn’s taste, closing his eyes for a second just to find a way to process a decision that had already been made. “Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Liam James Payne. What’s yours?” he asked when he opened his eyes, smiling.
“Zayn Javadd Malik. Nice to meet you, gorgeous,” Zayn replied before kissing Liam again, drowning a laugh between his lips.