#guilty1dlove

***

Blue was a pleasant colour, Liam thought frantically, as he rushed overto the pavement near the restaurant, but definitely not as pleasant when it wasthe icy cold disappointment shining in your best mate’s blue eyes. Louis wasgoing to skin him if he was late because this was someone his boyfriend, Harry,knew very well and knowing how far up his boyfriend’s ass he was (Liamunfortunately has seen the harrowing sight) he wouldn’t let Liam screw this up.

Of course, he had been just as unhelpful describing his would-be date toLiam.

“Just look for the most gorgeous person there!” Louis had pompouslydeclared to Liam.

“What? Lou, that is the worst description ever! There could be so manygorgeous people there.” Liam protested.

“Not all of the gorgeous people are gonna be sat alone on empty tableswaiting for a date to show up are they?” Louis questioned, his eyebrowsshooting comically up his forehead with each word.

Liam sighed, “What if there are?”

“Don’t be silly, Liam, that’s not gonna happen. Besides, how many blinddates could there possibly be happening that night?”

***

Just look for the gorgeous person. On an emptytable. Yeah, how hard can that be? Yes indeed, Louis how hard can it be to lookfor a gorgeous, beautiful even –

His thoughts screeched to a halt as soon as he stumbled through therestaurant door. He was too caught up in what he saw to be embarrassed aboutit. That was because his eyes were trained on who was definitely the most gorgeous person here. Or ever, for that matter.

He had glanced up at Liam just as he stumbled through, ignoring themaitre’d’s hushed questions, and Liam felt like he would be damned in hell ifhe didn’t go near him.

He had raven-black hair, yeah ravenis a word Liam never thought he’d use to describe someone’s hair and thesebeautiful, angelic eyes with lashes for ages. A sweet smile lit up his entireface, half covered in day-old scruff that Liam wanted to feel on his bodyforever, tongue peeking out from pink lips that looked as if they had beenbitten into submission.

His head was tilted slightly back to look at Liam, and he saw the guygive him a quick once-over which Liam tried hard not to squirm at. Of course,that’s when reality hit him and he came back into himself as if pulled out froma trance. Immediately, his senses assaulted him, slight titters of conversationechoed in the restaurant and an insistent tinkling from above had him lookingup to an opulent chandelier.

The movement caused him to realize he was still holding the bunch ofroses he’d picked up from the floral shop before coming here. He all but shovedthem into the guy’s face and winced slightly at his sharp gesture, expectinghim to flinch but he only graced Liam with a bright grin. Long, delicatefingers trailed up the stems (de-thorned,Liam had made sure) and finally reached around Liam’s hands to clutch at thehaphazardly thrown together bouquet.

He, and Liam really ought to learn his name by now, leaned in slightlyto nose at the soft, deep red petals and seemed to swoon at the scent.

Meanwhile, Zayn couldn’t believe his luck. Online Movie Critic guy waswinning in his dating books right now. Only slightly late, but looking like anabsolute delectable pastry that just walked off the bakery shelves (he ought tostop hanging out with Niall) and presented him with roses of all flowers?

Sure roses seemed like a cliché and almost too-done choice for flowers,but Zayn’s favourite flower was a rose, be it any colour and a red rose on aromantic date? Yes, please.

Also, what the fuck was Niall talking about this guy being average inlooks? He was handsome as hell, soft brown hair that were piled on top of hishead in waves, a strand falling to his forehead, deep brown eyes that held suchgentleness in them, the cutest button nose and a pair of sinful lips that werecurrently being licked at nervously, making them shine like raspberries insyrup.

Okay so maybe Zayn was hungry as well, but he would gratefully skipdinner to nibble on those lips. Still, he willed his libido to calm down, andsmiled thankfully up at the guy, accepting his abrupt offering of roses.

Soon after, he sat down from across Zayn and the two shared a nervouslook before bursting out laughing at the silliness of their situation.

Liam stopped laughing and cleared his throat before introducing himself,‘Uhm, I’m Liam, and you are?”

“Oh, uh, it’s Zayn.” He offered awkwardly before biting his lip innervousness, please don’t be awkward,please God don’t let him screw this up.

“Yeah it’s just my mate didn’t tell me your name, he only said to lookfor the most gorgeous person in the restaurant and I mean…” Liam trailed offawkwardly, hand coming up to rub his neck as he ducked his head down, breakingeye contact with Zayn.

Frankly, Zayn was surprised his lungs still worked since this guy, Liam, kept making him lose his breath.He blushed ferociously at his date’s words and smiled serenely at him beforemuttering a meek, “Thank you.”

Liam opened his mouth to, say whatexactly? but his cellphone rang rather rudely in his jeans’ pocket. Hecursed under his breath and brought his phone close to him before checking thatit was Louis who was rude enough to call him on his date. He cut the call offwithout too much hassle and looked back up at Zayn apologizing quietly.

The man only shook his head and dismissed it. But before they couldcontinue, Zayn’s own phone vibrated loudly on the table in between them, screenlighting up to let him know it was Niall calling. He gritted his teeth at thenoise, so now that he actually meetssomeone amazing Niall decides to cockblock.

As soon as Zayn’s hand rose up to dismiss the call, Liam’s phone lit upyet again to signal a call from Louis. Both men laughed breathlessly at theinsistence of their friends, with Liam excusing himself to go take the call.Zayn himself brought up his phone to his ear and accepted the call.

“Hey man what’s up, is everything alright?” Niall usually was never thisbothered by something enough to call Zayn several times in a row.

“Zayn! Finally, dude, I’ve been calling for ages, I swear cell serviceis so shit wherever you are, the annoying lady kept saying it wasn’t connectingand then I – “

Yeah, Niall tended to ramble when he was worried.

“Wha-? Niall, Niall, why’d youcall, mate? Is everything alright or not?”

“What, oh yeah, no it’s just I was worried you were gonna sit there forso long on your own so I just called to inform that he’s gonna be late, Markjust told me this.”

“Niall, what? Who? Who’s gonna be late where?” His friend made even lesssense as he went on talking.

“James! Your date, James isgonna be late, he called to say he got roped into an extra meeting at work and –“

Zayn tuned out Niall’s rambling once again and turned to look at whereLiam stood, his ‘date’s’ own face anincredulous expression as he talked to whoever on his phone.

***

Liam thought Louis was taking the piss at first. How’s the date going with Blake? Very funny, Louis!

And he had tried to hang up but Louis had kept on talking and Liam’sheart had kept on sinking.

“Harry was adamant about Blake, he said she’s the liveliest person you’llmeet, Li, maybe she’ll add something to your boring personality eh?” Louis hadgone on to laugh rather boisterously at his own joke but Liam was silent. This couldn’t be.

He turned around to scan the restaurant and there, she sat, Liam guessed, Blake as her name was, looking lesslively and more murderous at her empty table. Oh god, what had he done?

He hung up silently on Louis, pocketing his phone, as he staggered astep towards Blake but stopped quickly to turn where Zayn was sitting. He was gone.

Liam scrambled to look for where he had gone, their table, Zayn’s table, now empty with the chairpulled back like he had left in a hurry. His heart dropped painfully, thisreally took the cake of all Bad Things to Happen to Liam Payne in 2017. Hiseyes stung in embarrassment and in a weird sense of loss, like Zayn was the onewho got away, like years from now he would tell his grandchildren the sob storyin a regretful tone.

He pulled himself out of his mini pity-session and made his way towardsBlake, who caught him coming up to her with an apologetic face.

***

Yeah, Liam thought tiredly thirty minutes later, that was the shortest andmost painfully awkward date and let-down ever. He was almost glad with how badit was since the embarrassment seemed to soothe the pain he felt when he saw thatZayn was gone from the restaurant.

He sighed deeply, eyesdowncast, as he left the restaurant five minutes after Blake left, refusing tomake eye contact with any of the staff working there, worried they were goingto laugh at him or throw pitiful looks at him.

A lone street lampflickered as he stepped out onto the damp pavement overlooking an empty street.It was late, just after 9, and everything around Liam was shrouded in heavyshadows. That’s the reason he didn’t notice a figure leaning against therestaurant’s building only a few feet away from him. He jumped in surprise asthe figure stood up straight and turned to face him, surrounded by cigarettesmoke swirling mysteriously around him.

Liam didn’t haveenough time to think whether he was curious or scared because the figurequickly dropped his cigarette butt and crushed a heavy black boot on it beforestepping out into the dull yellow light from the street lamps.

It was Zayn, Liam’s heart leapt in his chest as shock painted his expression.He gulped audibly as the man continued to walk towards him and stopped a footaway, face carefully blank of expression.

A moment later, hespoke, “I’m not happy with you.” Zayn’s husky, smoke-roughened voice told Liam.

Liam only ducked hishead and nodded slightly before choking out a, “I know.”

He stuffed his handsinto his pocket and hunched his shoulders; he was ready for an onslaught ofharsh words and a rude dismissal.

“I mean, you gave meroses, called me the most gorgeous person in that restaurant and now you won’teven wine and dine me properly?” Zayn finished voice alight with amusement and was that fondness?

Liam’s head snapped upin surprise and he had only opened his mouth to blurt out a question beforeZayn talked over him, “I expect a goodnight kiss, Leeyum.” A mischievious smile creeped onto his face as he ambledpast Liam down the pavement, walking a few steps before he stopped and turnedto call out. “You coming?”

Liam was by his sidein a moment’s notice, boldly taking Zayn’s hand in his own, warm callous delicate-boned, that hadthe owner of said hand raising his eyebrows in surprise.