Earn Me (Niam)

Sixteen Years Earlier

"LIAM JAMES PAYNE!"

The little boy winces at the booming sound of his father's voice. The nine-year old brunette brings his head down in utter embarrassment because he knows exactly what is going to happen. Geoff Payne is going to ask very sternly why and how on God's green Earth Liam received a disgustingly discolored bruise on his cheek. Liam will shuffle his feet back and forth until he stutters out a response. His father won't even question the fact that Zayn, one of Liam's best friends, punched him. Geoff will only lecture his son that he needs to keep his thoughts to himself.

"WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH DO YOU HAVE A BRUISE?! ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL?!" Geoff interrogates loudly. Liam winces at his father's shout and he starts to shuffle his feet back and forth.

"Ummmm, we-we-well I-I-I w-we-well ... see I-I Z-Z-Za-Zayn punches me an-"

"And why in the world would he punch you?" Geoff interrupts, causing his little boy to flinch once again. Geoff crosses his arms across his chest, glaring slightly at Liam. "That boy is probably the calmest one out of all your friends so there has to be a reason as to why he punched you."

Liam laces his fingers behind his back and the black socks covering his feet are the most interesting spectacles he has seen in his very short life. He knows he put himself in a predicament: if he doesn't tell his father exactly what happened to the dot, then he knows he'll get in more trouble than he is now. But if he says exactly what happened to the dot, he'll get the talk of a lifetime because of how rash he sounded like. He'll never win.

"W-w-we-well y'know how Zayn has a little brother, right?" Liam wavers out. Geoff only nods his head, not necessarily registering his son's words. But once they do, his eyes widen in shock which quickly is replaced with slight anger which then softens ever so slightly. Yes, he has heard of this homeschooled little brother and yes, he has seen the petite boy during one of his visits to the Malik household. So yes, knowing his son he can understand exactly what the situation might be.

"W-w-we-well I was really excited to meet him I don't know why but I was really excited and I didn't see him the morning or at lunch or during any of the recesses so when Zayn said that I could see him after school I ran to the other fourth grade class but I bumped into him and I ..."

Liam immediately stops his rambling because he finally reaches the part where he gets punched. But more importantly, he reaches the part where he just blurts out that Niall is pretty. But in Liam's defense, Niall is really pretty. Liam has never seen anything like him. His blue eyes are really pretty; Liam knows that Louis has blue eyes but as far as he is concerned, Louis's eyes don't compare to the ocean like Niall's do. And all of his friends thus far either have brown or black hair so for some reason, blonde hair is really fascinating. Finally, all of his friends have tanned skins so the blonde's pale fair skin is beyond fascinating. The way it just reflects any sort of light so that it makes Niall look really really pretty. With all these revelations stirring inside of Liam's youthful and sporadic mind, he cracks. And with the same volume that his father had while questioning Liam, the nine-year old boy blurts out exactly what he said.

"I TOLD HIM HE WAS REALLY PRETTY, DAD!" Liam exclaims.

Geoff's arms stay crossed over his chest, but his eyebrows furrow in amusement. He rolls his eyes fondly because that does sound like something his son would say. And yes, he does have to agree with Liam. Niall is quite adorable for a seven-year old. And not only physically either. The little blonde boy is very shy and sweet with a lot of manners that is honestly unexpected in a seven-year old boy (Liam is very polite and has his manners but definitely not to the extent that Niall does).