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As soon as Liam heard the click behind him, he cursed and whipped around to stare at the door in disbelief. He looked down at himself and the ugly Christmas jumper his mum had forced on him that morning and the loose trackies that had seen better days, the cold wind blowing through the rip in the hip. He stomped his feet against the snow on the porch, thankful he’d thought to throw on his boots before ducking out the door to grab the morning post, especially after Loki raced out the door, causing Liam to step out to chase after him.
Against his better judgement, he grabbed the knob, twisted it, and jiggled the door, hoping that he was wrong; hoping the door had not locked behind him on one of the coldest days of the year. He dropped his forehead against the door and banged it a couple times, groaning when he looked down and saw Loki pawing at the door. “You like the cold,” Liam told him. He glanced around and then at his watch. His father was at work and his mum had just left to do some last minute Christmas shopping; neither of them planning to be back for hours.
Liam glanced at the next door neighbor’s house, but it was dark and he remembered that the Hawnthornes had gone South to visit their son. He turned to look at the house on the other side and thought he saw the curtains twitch next to the door, but he couldn’t be sure. He debated going to knock to see if he could use their phone or at least come in and get warm. After watching for a few more moments and seeing no more signs of life, he vetoed the idea, assuming the mysterious new neighbor was at work.
He glanced around and saw the snow shovel leaning against the side of the house. He surveyed the sidewalk and then Loki, who was prancing and rolling in the snow, yipping happily. “Well, shoveling should warm me up for at least a little while.” The puppy howled in agreement and jumped up, leaving snowy paw prints on the knees of Liam’s pants.
Grabbing the shovel, Liam began on the porch, and then cleared the rest of the area around the house. When he was done, he was warm, but as soon as he stopped moving the sweat he’d built up started to get cold and the tips of his ears were tingling. His hair, soaked through with perspiration, was beginning to form tiny icicles and he was thankful he wasn’t still the curly mop top he’d been when he was younger. He checked his watch, realizing only a half-hour had passed. He stomped his feet and blew on his hands before looking around. He moved over to the Hawthorne’s and cleared the snow in front of their home as well before turning and looking at the other neighbor’s home again.
With a look at Loki, who sat and tilted his head, Liam headed over and began clearing the area in front of the other house. While he was working, he debated just continuing down the row of houses until someone came home. He was just about done in front of the mystery neighbor’s house when Loki started barking excitedly and raced past Liam. Liam whirled around just in time to see Loki’s tail disappear between a pair of legs and into the neighbor’s home.
“Loki!” he shouted. “Dammit, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “Loki!” he called again. He stopped when he heard the chuckle. He turned his gaze to the face belonging to the warm sound of mirth, his already freezing breath catching in his throat and causing him to choke. Hazel eyes, lined slightly, shined at him. He could see the waves of heat from the house and unconsciously stepped forward.
“Well, this is an unexpected Christmas surprise. Do you regularly shovel the snow without proper wear?” the man asked, his lower lip pulled between his teeth, unsuccessfully hiding a smile, and Liam blushed.
“Locked myself out,” he muttered. “Figured shoveling might keep me warm until my folks came back.”
“I hope you mean right next door and not the Hawthornes on the end, otherwise you’ll be outside for quite a while.” The man stepped inside and gestured for Liam to follow.
Liam debated for a moment, then he saw Loki lying just inside the house, tongue out, practically smiling at him, a small ball of fur jumping around him, yipping. If his dog trusted this man, then Liam was sure he must have some good in him somewhere. “Thank you,” he whispered as he hurried past him, standing in the doorway, rubbing at his arms. “Liam. Liam Payne,” he said, sticking out a hand.
“Zayn. Zayn Malik,” the man mimicked back at him, wincing when he took his hand. “You’re frozen, mate. C’mon.” He used his grip on Liam’s hand and pulled him further into the house, shoving him onto a comfy looking sofa and throwing the blanket from the back over him before disappearing.
Loki came in and sat on the floor, whining at him and Liam shrugged, not quite sure what was happening. The ball of fluff Liam had noticed earlier moved to stand on Liam’s boot, front paws on his legs, yipping excitedly at Liam. He smiled at the fluff, but didn’t want to move his hands from under the blanket to pet the soft-looking fur.
A moment later, Zayn reappeared with a stack of blankets and clothing in his arms, laying it on the couch next to Liam. He knelt in front of Liam and started to untie his boots. “Water is on for tea or cocoa or I can make you coffee. Your feet will warm up faster if they’re dry.” He pulled off both of his boots and socks. He grabbed a balled up pair of socks from the top of the stack and slid them onto Liam’s feet, rubbing at them for a moment before handing him some more clothing from the stack. “You can go down that hall to change, just pick a room. I’ll get your drink ready.” He started to walk away and stopped. “Er, did you say what you wanted?”
Liam giggled and shook his head, still staring at his feet, amazed that a stranger had done something so intimate for him. “Tea, please.”
“Sugar? Milk?” Zayn asked.
Liam pushed to his feet, keeping the blanket wrapped around him and the clothing tight to his chest. “Two sugars, please.”
Zayn stood in the kitchen, fixing Liam’s tea, his dog, Hatchi, pawing at his pant legs and whimpering as Liam’s dog sniffed at him. “You’re the one who kept barking at the door,” Zayn said, reaching down to scoop him up in one hand while grabbing Liam’s mug with the other. Zayn had seen Liam shoveling, but hadn’t thought anything of it until he heard him right in front of his house and then Hatchi had started barking at the door. When he’d opened it and the other dog had raced in, he’d taken his first good look at the good Samaritan and seen exactly how frozen he was. His own mother would have had his head if he’d not let the boy inside to warm up.
He walked back into the sitting room at the same time as Liam, who looked both more and less comfortable in Zayn’s clothing. The trackies hung somewhat loose, but fell a tiny bit short, showing off the socks that Zayn had slipped onto his feet earlier. Zayn blushed at the memory, still unsure what had come over him when he started taking Liam’s boots off for him. The shirt was snug across Liam’s chest and shoulders showing off muscles that were probably strained from the shoveling earlier. The only thing that seemed to fit with any air of rightness at all was the hoodie, but it was overly large on Zayn, so that made sense.
Zayn handed Liam the mug before taking his clothes and disappearing back into the hallway. “I’ll just throw these in the washer for you. Get yourself settled.”
Liam sat on the couch, curling up into a corner of it, grabbing a few of the other blankets and adding them across his lap, jumping when his dog hopped onto him. “Loki, down.”
Zayn came back in and sat down at the other end of the couch, picking Hatchi up off the floor and setting him in his lap. “It’s fine, I don’t mind if he’s on the furniture.” Liam gave him a grateful smile as Loki snuggled into Liam’s lap.
“Thank you,” Liam said, taking a drink and smiling. “Perfect. Really appreciate all this.”
“I really appreciate you shoveling my walk,” Zayn responded. “Wish I’d looked out my window sooner, might have saved you some misery.” They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes. “Are you just visiting your folks or have you been hiding all this time?”
Liam laughed loudly. “Just visiting for the holidays. Live in London, actually.” He grimaced when he said it.
“Don’t like London? I’ve enjoyed the few times I’ve visited.” Zayn watched Liam drink deeply from the mug, the sheen of frostbite starting to fade from Liam’s ears and cheeks. “Sorry, I’m probably prying.”
“You pretty much saved my life, don’t think I can fault you a few questions,” Liam said, burying one of his hands in Loki’s fur and smiling when Hatchi began to slowly make his way across the couch towards Liam. “Cute pup.”
Zayn looked at him, his smile fond, but his eyes slightly sad. “I bought Hatchi with my ex. When we split up, I was lucky enough to keep him.”
“Sorry,” Liam said quietly. “Yeah, I moved to London with someone, but it didn’t work out.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, making a face at the drying sweat that came off on his hand. “Been thinking about coming back, but have to find a job first.”
“I’ve been lucky. I can live anywhere,” Zayn said, laughing when Liam tilted his head in question. “I’m an artist. I illustrate books mostly.”
Liam made an impressed face. “That’s a far sight better than a mechanic,” he said, his shoulders shrugging and then shaking in laughter when Hatchi finally managed to climb atop of Loki and was trying to lie down.
Zayn burst out laughing when Loki gave a shake, sending Hatchi tumbling off and into Liam’s stomach. Hatchi stood and huffed before climbing up Liam’s arm and moving to sit on the back of the couch next to his shoulder. Zayn swore the tiny dog was part cat sometimes. “You’re a mechanic?” Liam nodded, reaching up to scratch behind Hatchi’s ears, earning a lick to his cheek. “Do you work on bikes?”
“Sometimes.” He shoved the top blanket off of his shoulders and Zayn was relieved that the boy was warming up. Liam returned his grin. “I take care of my own for the most part.”
“Could you take a look at mine? It was giving me some trouble before this snow hit,” Zayn explained. “I’ll pay you for your time. I just, honestly, know nothing ‘bout maintaining it and don’t want to get ripped off.” Zayn looked embarrassed.
“Sure, but how do you know I won’t rip you off?” Liam asked, both of his eyes shutting in what Zayn suspected was supposed to be a cheeky wink. He started pushing the blankets off, but Zayn hurried to grab them and pile them back on. “We can go look at it.”
“You are not going back outside just yet,” Zayn reprimanded. “Let me get you some more tea.” He grabbed the mug before Liam could argue and hurried into the kitchen. He was filling the mug again when he heard nails tapping on the kitchen floor and then saw the two dogs sit down at his feet, staring up at him. “You’re both probably hungry, yeah?”
Zayn turned to go back to the sitting room and startled when he found Liam standing right behind him. They both fumbled for the mug, spilling the water on their hands, hissing at the pain. Zayn grabbed Liam’s hands and hurriedly turned on the cold water, shoving both of their hands underneath, trying to cover everywhere the water had scalded. “Shit, you alright?” he looked over Liam’s hands, glaring when the boy laughed.
Liam felt his whole body shake in laughter. This entire day was becoming a huge disaster; in fact, the only good thing, was the man standing in front of him, glaring at him. He pressed his lips together to try and contain his laughter, but squeaks kept escaping.
After a few moments, the corners of Zayn’s lips quirked and his eyes scrunched shut. “What else could go wrong?” he asked and Liam slapped a hand over Zayn’s mouth, looking panicked.
“Don’t tempt the fates,” he hissed, laughing when Zayn rolled his eyes and licked the palm of his hand before making a face.
“Sweaty,” he muttered when Liam dropped his hand.
“Manual labor will do that to you.” Liam glanced around the kitchen, his eyes falling on a bunch of boxes stacked on the table. “Presents?”
Zayn nodded before turning to start another cup of tea for Liam, groaning when he realized the kettle was empty. He refilled it and turned it on before turning back to see Liam still eyeing the boxes. “They’re not even for you and you can’t quell your curiosity, can you?”
“Quell?”
“Control. Quiet,” Zayn muttered. He glanced at Liam and then the stack of boxes. “I’ll make you a deal.” Liam’s eyebrows quirked. “You help me wrap these and I’ll let you see what’s inside them.” Liam nodded eagerly. “You’re so easy.” Liam’s face flushed and Zayn thought back over his words, laughing heartily.
They worked together to wrap the gifts, Zayn showing Liam each of the gifts and then telling him who they were for. Liam kept asking questions about the recipients and Zayn realized he was telling a near stranger more about his family and friends than he normally would, but it didn’t feel odd to him in the slightest. It helped that Liam was as open about his own life.
After Zayn had switched Liam’s clothing to the dryer, he saw Liam looking over all of the gifts. “So, you have your mum and dad...your baba?” Zayn nodded at the correction and stilted attempt at Urdu. “Your sisters and your mum’s side of the family. What about your baba’s side?” His tongue still tripped a bit, but Zayn was impressed that he kept using the term.
“They don’t celebrate Christmas,” he explained. “Remember, Mum’s British, Baba’s Pakistani. We celebrate a couple of different holidays that fall at different times of the year, including Christmas Time. Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting.” Zayn was always thankful when Ramadan fell during the months with shorter days. “Then Eid Al-Adha falls around the same time and we celebrate that with Baba’s side of the family and we usually see them anyway for a meal, but we don’t do all the gift giving.” He waved over the presents with a smile.
“Eid Al-Adha?” Liam asked, or at least Zayn assumed that was what he asked, he managed to butcher every syllable. Zayn smiled, his eyes crinkling shut, as he repeated the phrase over and over again until Liam wrapped his mouth around the words properly.
“It’s a celebration for the Muslim prophet Ibrahim. A whole long story that I won’t get into today, but we dress in our best clothes. We are to be clean and beautiful. There is a whole tradition where you kiss the hand of a family member and then hold the kissed spot to your forehead.” Liam’s face showed only confusion and Zayn felt a bit of fondness in his heart when he didn’t interrupt and just waited for Zayn to continue. “It’s done as a show of asking forgiveness for anything you may have done to offend them that year.”
“So, you kiss anyone you’ve upset?” Liam asked, still confused. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“No, it’s fine. You can’t kiss anyone. It has to be family. A spouse, parents, grandparents, older siblings, and so on.” They continued to discuss the holiday and other traditions in Zayn’s family, Liam asking questions and then apologizing for appearing thick. Zayn was just happy Liam seemed to genuinely listen to him and be interested in what he was saying.
Once the presents were wrapped and Liam helped him put them all in the large box he would be transporting them to his parents’ home in, Zayn realized he was hungry. “I’m gonna make myself some lunch. Did you want something?”
“I’m good,” Liam said, sitting on the floor and playing with the puppies, blushing when his stomach growled.
“Too good, obviously. I wouldn’t have asked if it were a problem.” He pushed a toe into Liam’s thigh, hurrying away when Liam tried to grab for his foot. “Nothing fancy. Sandwiches?” Zayn moved to the fridge and pulled it open, surveying the lack of contents. “Or takeaway. Yes, I think takeaway.”
Liam came up to lean over his shoulder. and laughed. “We could make a salad of wilted lettuce and a delicious mustard and beer dressing,” he offered, his voice tight around laughter.
“Hey, I was supposed to go grocery shopping today, but instead I’m babysitting a donut who doesn’t know how to dress.” Zayn teased.
“I’m not a donut! Or a baby!” Liam argued, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting out his lower lip. Zayn thought he looked adorable, which wasn’t helping Liam’s argument in the slightest. “I’m twenty-two years old, I’ll have you know!” He knew he sounded like a child, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Really?” Zayn asked. “So am I.” Liam’s eyes widened. “I’ll be twenty-three next month, though.”
“You seem more…” Liam waved his arm around the house and Zayn’s body, at a loss for the right word. “Put together?”
“Mature?” Zayn countered, laughing when Liam stuck his tongue out at him. “I was fortunate. I entered a contest when I was still in school, so my artwork got noticed. If it hadn’t been for that, I’d probably still be living in Bradford with my family.”
“So, why Wolverhampton?” Liam asked. “I mean, I want to come back, but I don’t know if I would’ve considered it if I hadn’t grown up here.”
Zayn thought about the question as he moved to a drawer next to the refrigerator. He pulled it open and took out a stack of menus, placing them on the table and settling down in one of the chairs. Liam took the seat across from him, moving menus around. “I got lost driving to Birmingham to meet with an author and ended up in Wolverhampton with a broken down car,” he explained. “The garage promised to fix my car quickly, but I was stuck for a few days. There was a winter festival going on, so I decided to kill some time there before finding a place to stay.”
“If you are talking about the Winter Wonderland festival, it’s pretty ace,” Liam said. “I haven’t been able to go yet this year. I love to ice skate and everything.”
“I had a really good time and everyone was nice. Made me feel at home, so when I started looking for my own place, I had the realtor check here. Mum wasn’t happy because it was so far, but as long as I visit once a month, she’s fine with it.” He looked around. “I usually end up going every other week. Don’t think I realized it would be as lonely as it is.”
Liam frowned at him. “That’s how I feel in London. I have a couple guys from work that I’ll go out with after work, but it’s not the same.” He held up a menu for a pizza place, but Zayn shook his head.
“I think this is the longest conversation I’ve had with someone since I moved here, to be honest,” Zayn told him. He held up a menu for Thai, but Liam gave a horrified look before waving a hand in front of his mouth like he’d eaten something spicy and Zayn snorted out a laugh.
“Guess it’s a good thing Loki ran out the door, then,” Liam responded, laughing when a knock sounded at the door and both of the dogs started barking and running towards it. “Expecting company?”
Zayn shook his head and approached, peeking through the window and then laughing before pulling the door open to reveal Liam’s mom on the other side. “I’m sorry to bother you, but you haven’t seen my son have you? He’s about…” she trailed off when Liam stepped up behind Zayn. “Liam James Payne!” she snapped. “You had me worried sick. Your coat! Your phone! You were just gone!”
“Mum,” he said, stepping around Zayn and pulling her into a hug. “I locked myself out. Zayn rescued me.”
“Zayn?” She looked over at him and released Liam, looking flustered. “This handsome young man? Thank you!” She threw her arms around Zayn, startling a laugh out of him before he was hugging back.
“It wasn’t a problem. He shoveled my walk and helped me wrap presents.” Zayn smiled at Liam. “It’s actually been a really nice day. We were just about to get some food, actually.”
“Oh, mum’s home now, you don’t have to-”
“I picked up a nation’s worth of food from KFC while I was out. Come over and have lunch with us, Zayn,” Karen said, smiling up at him, ignoring Liam’s embarrassed hisses.
“I couldn’t do that, ma’am-”
“Karen,” she said firmly. “And, of course, you can.” She looked down at her feet where Hatchi and Loki were dancing around her ankles. “Your adorable little puppy is invited as well.”
Zayn and Liam gave each other helpless shrugs before Zayn ducked back inside to grab his coat. “I guess I’ve not got much of a choice, have I?” The smile on his face belied the exasperated tone of his words.
Liam picked up Hatchi and Loki in his arms and followed his mum, face flaming in embarrassment, having recognized the look in his mum’s eyes. She was on a matchmaking kick, had been since he’d broken up with Cal. He was still trying to recover from her trying to set him up with the very straight, and slightly homophobic, boy at the grocers. “Sorry about this,” he said to Zayn as his mum disappeared into the house.
“For what? Free food? Finally connecting with my neighbors beyond their last names? It’s been a pretty great day,” Zayn told him smiling and holding the door open so Liam could enter.
“Hold it, you two,” Karen said and they turned to stare at her. She was grinning and pointing up. Liam’s heart sank. He knew what was going on without even looking away from his mum.
“Mum,” he said, his voice thick was embarrassment and near tears. If Zayn wasn’t gay or at least a decent human being, this would be the moment that would ruin a day that was finally starting to go right.
When he looked over, Zayn was smiling and before Liam could say anything, he was pulled by the collar of his shirt so that their foreheads were pressed together. “It’s mistletoe. It’s tradition, yeah?” Zayn asked and Liam gulped as they pressed their lips together in a kiss that screamed more than mere tradition.
***
“And that’s how I met your baba, Ayman,” Liam explained, as he tied his son’s shoes. “You’ve heard this story before though.”
His sister, Aisha, spoke up. “It’s our favourite Christmas story, though, dad.” Liam smiled at her fondly as Zayn came into the room behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on Liam;s shoulder.
“Did they make you tell the story again, Jaan?” he whispered in his ear.
“They’d stop asking for it if you would stop buying me new winter wear every Christmas,” Liam said back, sticking his tongue out at his husband before turning in his arms to press a kiss to his lips.
“Can’t risk you trying to shovel the snow without proper wear again. I don’t want one of the neighbors inviting you in and trying to steal you away.” Zayn grinned as Liam pulled away, shaking his head. Zayn pulled him back in for another kiss before whispering against his lips. “You’re my Christmas surprise.”