End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two – Liam

Liam frowns as he shuffles some papers around on his overly large, and extremely messy desk, looking for the most recent contract he was supposed to have ready for a meeting in twenty minutes. Groaning Liam slaps his hand on the intercom button, "Yes Mister Payne?" Elise his newest assistant's voice crackles through the speakers, "first of all, it's Liam, Mister Payne is my dad" Liam starts, "second have you seen the contracts for my meeting this morning?" he finishes, still moving papers around on his desk. There's a pause then the intercom crackles back on, "Mister Horan has them, sir, he picked them up before you came in this morning" Elise says apologetically. Liam groans and rubs a hand down his face in frustration, "thank you Elise" he murmurs into the intercom before leaning back in his chair, "of course Niall, stole them" he mutters to himself, before standing up and slipping his suit jacket back on.

He exits his office, walking past Elise, ignoring anything she's about to say, and makes his way two doors down to his childhood best friend, turned business partner's office. Liam holds a hand up to stop anything Nikki, Niall's assistant is going to say before walking into the office, that's pretty much a mirror image of his own. Niall smirks up at him, "missing something?" he asks and Liam narrows his eyes, "why are you stealing my contracts?" he asks. Niall chuckles, "technically they're ours, and because I can" he answers. Liam groans and sinks into one of the other chairs in the room, "do we have to go to this meeting?" he whines and Niall chuckles, "if you want to finish this deal, and get your dad off our backs, then yes, yes we do" Niall soothes, and Liam bites his lip, before nodding and standing up. "Alright then, let's go. But we need to avoid going anywhere near my office, I think Elise is a little too interested in me" Liam explains, rolling his eyes when Niall throws his head back and laughs loudly, "oh she absolutely is" he chuckles, smacking a playful kiss to Liam's cheek, when he frowns at him, "you should probably just tell her you're gay already" Niall adds. Liam groans (again) and shakes his head, "it's her first week, also anyone who knows anything about the business knows that already" he mutters. Niall laughs and stops at Nikki's desk, "hold all my calls. And can you explain to Elise what Liam here's preferences are while we're gone?" he asks, Liam blushes and smacks at Niall's arm, while Nikki giggles her eyes lighting up, "of course, Niall. Consider it done" she says "thanks, Love" Niall says winking, and Nikki grins, as Liam nods, "yeah, thanks Nikki" he says and she nods. Nikki has been with them since the pair took over the company from Liam's father, but more than that, she has grown up with the two men, knows them inside and out, Liam's been jealous since day one that Niall got her as his assistant, because he's been through twelve different ones, and he hates every minute of it.

Liam rolls his eyes again, and looks over at Niall, where he is very obviously pretending to take notes, he's starving, his decision to skip breakfast this morning coming back to bite him in the arse. Liam isn't entirely sure he even remembers why they want to merge with this company anyways, but he does know it's a deal his dad wanted, so he'll stick it out. Finally the company's lawyer is standing to shake the hands of the ancient looking business men, and Liam can't help the grin that crosses his face, as this means the deal is basically done, and the meeting is definitely over. "Thank you for your time" the head of the other company says, reaching for Liam's hand, Liam grins and shakes his hand, firmly, "we look forward to working with you" he replies, before grabbing his briefcase and following Niall out of the board room. Once they're back outside their offices Liam notices Elise looking dejected, and Nikki grinning at him, he shakes his head and disappears into his office, he hears Niall mumbling something to the girls before he appears in Liam's office as well. "So how do you think that went?" Niall asks, arching an eyebrow, and Liam frowns, "I don't know and I really don't care, it's over, and the deal is done" he answers, sinking into his desk chair, resisting the urge to kick his feet up and spin in circles, like a child for a few minutes. Niall nods, dropping into the chair across from Liam, "Nikki's ordering us lunch, I could tell you were hungry in there" he explains with a grin. Liam almost jumps across the desk to hug his best friend, "thank you Ni! You're the best!" he crows, just as the intercom crackles "guys, your lunch is here" Nikki informs them. Seconds later there's a knock on the door, "Come in" Liam calls, biting back a laugh when Elise walks in slowly, carrying their lunch and refusing to meet Liam's eyes.