#jock!liam

Okay, it wasn't like he was staring or anything, but everyone knew Liam Payne was nice to look at. Not only was he the co-captain of the football team, he was also one of the nicest guys in the world. Like, he was the kind of guy who picked up someone's books instead of knocking them over. Not like some of his teammates.

Zayn would know. He was one of the kids who got their books knocked down and then picked up by Liam Payne. But that was besides the point, wasn't it? It didn't mean anything. Liam Payne was just a nice guy.

He sighed, tearing his eyes away from where Liam was sitting with his friends. It stop the raging crush he had been harboring for the other boy since they were in middle school and Zayn discovered his sudden and irrevocable attraction to boys. One boy in particular, but Zayn kept that bit to himself. Besides, what would Liam want with him, anyway? He was the weird, quiet kid who drew in class and wore glasses and worked in the library. 

He needed to stop. He was just going to depress himself further. Harry was always telling him that he just needed to be himself, to let himself "blossom." (Harry was a bit of an odd duck himself, what with his flower crowns and doing yoga and being a bit of a hippie. If anybody could say anything like that and mean it, it would be him.) Zayn just didn't think that being himself was going to get him what he wanted. 

He forced his thoughts back onto the pile of books in front of him. Open cover. Scan barcode. Close cover. Put in cart for Niall to put up when he came in. Simple, easy, and decidedly not Liam Payne. 

That worked for a whole ten minutes until someone cleared their throat. "Can I get some help please?"

Zayn knew that voice. That voice was the voice he heard in his embarrassing dreams, the ones where he was being kissed and cuddled and told he was beautiful. Keep your shit together, Zayn. "Sure. What can I do for you?" he responded, looking up from the book he'd been scanning.

Liam smiled at him, big brown eyes crinkling in the corners and make Zayn rein in a swoon. Sweet jesus, what was wrong with him? "I need to find a book for my history class. In Search of Dracula? I looked in the fiction section but it's not there." 

"That's because it's a biography." Zayn winced at his tone. Why did he sound like such a robot, damn it. "Uh, I mean it's in the biography section. Here, I'll show you." He hurried out from behind the desk and barely waited to see if Liam was following him as he made his way through the stacks. They reached their destination and Zayn scanned the shelves, finally finding the book and handing it to him. "Here. I'll check it out whenever you're ready."

"Thanks, Zayn. I never would have found it," Liam replied, giving Zayn's arm a squeeze.

Frozen in place, Zayn could only nod stiffly before he scurried back to the circulation desk. He knows my name, he knows my name, he knows my name! He rubbed the spot where Liam had touched his arm and bit his lip. He knew he was being pathetic, but Liam Payne had touched his arm. Zayn was a mere mortal; he deserved to have a moment about this. 

He glanced up to where Liam and his friends were sitting. He could see Liam and Louis Tomlinson (the other co-captain and the current object of Harry's affections. If only Louis knew about it) with their heads bent low and whispering about something. When Louis met his eyes, Zayn quickly ducked his head back down, pretending to be interested in something on his computer. He felt his cheeks go hot. Shit, he'd been caught staring. That might not bode well. 

Zayn forced himself to keep his attention at the desk, anything to not glance up at them. He would die if one of them said anything about his blatant staring. He would have to melt into the floor and never show his face anywhere ever again. 

"I'm ready now."

Zayn jolted up and was face-to-face with Liam again, who was still smiling at him. Maybe he hadn't noticed the creeper stare. "Okay," was all he said, going through his motions. Get library card. Scan card. Scan book. Hand to Liam. Try not to freak out. Breathe.

"Do you like working in the library?" Liam asked suddenly.

"What?" Zayn whipped his head up, confused. Liam repeated the question and Zayn felt a bit stupid. "Uh, I guess so. S'quiet and I can draw when there's nobody here."

"I've seen you draw in class. You're really good at it."

Zayn's cheeks flamed. Could someone die from blushing too hard? "Uh, thanks. I mean, um...yeah."

An awkward silence fell between them and Zayn wanted to crawl into a hole. Way to go, he berated himself. Just give him the book so he can go away and you can pine in peace. "Here you go, it's due back-"

"Will you go out with me?"

"-Friday," Zayn finished, his mouth hanging open. Had he really just heard what he thought he heard? "Excuse me?"

Liam rubbed the back of his head, suddenly looking bashful. It was so cute Zayn could scream. "Um, I'm sorry, I just.. I'd really like to take you out sometime."

The only explanation was that he was dreaming. Zayn reached down and pinched his thigh. It hurt, so surely he was in another dimension? Dimensions where fit football captains asked out nerdy library assistants? "But, why?'

"Well, because you're really hot and seem really sweet and you're really good at art? And if I get the balls to ask you out, maybe Tommo can finally ask your friend Harry out too." 

Oh. Well. Zayn's brain shut down after Liam had called him hot. Which is why he didn't muck it up when he said, "Okay. Friday?" 

"That sounds good. I'll pick you up? Give me your phone number so I can get your address?" 

He quickly scribbled down his number and stuck the slip of paper in his book. "Sounds okay." 

Liam smiled at him again, turning Zayn's insides to mush. "Great! I'll text you later, yeah?" He leaned over the counter and kissed Zayn square on the cheek. "Can't wait."

Zayn watched him walk away, fingers pressed against the spot where Liam's lips had been. He was still convinced he was dreaming, but if he was, he never wanted to wake up. He smiled and bit his lip, picking up his pencil and beginning to doodle.