12 Days of Christmas || A Festive Collection of Ziall One Shots [2018]

"with candy canes and silver lanes aglow"

Song: "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Bing Crosby

It wasn't that Zayn didn't like Christmas, the idea of the holiday was in fact rather nice. It was just all the singing and decorating and incessant, annoying over-joyfulness that he couldn't tolerate.

"Aw, c'mon, Zayn! Don't be such a grump about it!" Niall pouted as he lifted out the ingredients from the pantry that he needed to make his cookies with. He was having trouble reaching for the top shelf where the bicarbonate of soda was, so Zayn reluctantly stood up and retrieved it over his boyfriend's shoulder with relative ease.

"Niall," He began irritably. Niall had been trying for the past week to get him excited about Christmas; the most he had succeeded in doing was shoving a scratchy and extremely tacky reindeer sweater over his head. Although, no matter how much he didn't want take part in any of Niall's Christmas festivities, he did have to admit that his boyfriend looked unbearably cute in his ugly Christmas sweater.

Niall took a step closer to him and pouted again, blue eyes full of mischief.

"No, Niall! Not the eyes!" Zayn whined, looking away. No matter how hard he tried, he could never say no to that sweet, sweet face.

Niall tried pulling Zayn's crossed arms down, and got them to when he finally managed to snag a kiss from Zayn and distract him.

"Baby," Zayn's tone became softer and more affectionate after Niall pulled away.

"Pretty please with sugar on top bake some cookies with me?" Niall begged, taking Zayn's uncrossed arms and placing them around his waist. Niall slid his arms around Zayn's neck, leaning up in order to look at him.

Zayn narrowed his eyes in playful annoyance before caving, much to his distaste. "Fine! But only if we make my favourite!"

Niall whined then huffed at him, even going so far as to stamp his little foot on the ground. "Zaaaayn, no! Nobody likes oatmeal raisin cookies!"

"Would you like my help or not?"

Niall rolled his eyes, but Zayn just laughed and kissed his cold little nose. "Fine!"

-

Niall sat on the counter, swinging his legs and contentedly eating the cookie dough right out of the bowl, despite Zayn telling him he wouldn't be the one to take care of him if he got sick. The warm voices of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and the scent of freshly baked cookies wafted throughout their flat and Niall couldn't be happier.

He watched as Zayn leaned over to take a tray of cookies out of the oven, his cute little butt on display. Zayn put the cookie sheet on top of the stove, then strode over to where Niall was sitting. He stood in between his boyfriend's legs and wrapped his arms around his waist again.

"Now, how is it that I've ended up doing most of the work when you're the one who wanted me to help you in the first place?" Zayn said lowly, wanting to kiss that innocent smile right off his pretty little face.

Niall shrugged and bit more cookie dough off his finger. "I dunno." He said coyly, smiling.

"Niall!" Zayn narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend. Niall shrugged again but was sent into fits of laughter when Zayn started to tickle his sides. A smile broke out on Zayn's usually wintry cold face, something only a few people like Niall could get to happen.

Niall's giggles filled the air, and Zayn only stopped the torture when Niall began to beg for mercy. "Fine! Fine, I'll help you!" Niall managed to get out between shaky laughs. "I can't help staring at your cute little butt though!" He said, reaching around to pinch it.

"My butt is not cute, thank you very much!" Zayn squawked, hopping out of his boyfriend's grasp. "It's manly."

"It is too cute, honest!" Niall laughed again and reached around Zayn to pinch it for the second time. Zayn swerved out of his way just in time as Niall hopped down off the counter to chase him. Somehow, they had flipped positions and Niall ended up trapped in Zayn's arms in the middle of their kitchen.

"Dear God, Horan, you're lucky I love you so much," Zayn whispered, another happy smile on his face. Zayn absolutely preened as Niall stroked his jet black hair, letting it fall loose through his fingers.

"I know, Z," Niall smiled into their kiss, the sunlight cascading down onto his face. Zayn took note that in that moment he looked exactly like an angel. He would have to tell him later. "I know."

The oven beeped, but Zayn ignored it. "Cookies are burning, Zaynie. You had better check on them." Niall sighed, but still hadn't let go of his boyfriend.

Zayn smirked again and shook his head. "They can wait. I wanna kiss you again."

Niall blushed and grinned yet again, mouthing a soft 'I love you, too'.

"Yeah," Zayn chuckled to himself. He looked into Niall's baby blue eyes and thumbed over his cheek with the pad of his thumb. "I'm pretty sure I love you."