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

"let's start the new year right, twelve o'clock tonight"

Song: "Let's Start the New Year Right" by Bing Crosby

So Zayn wasn't one for parties, specifically office New Year's Eve parties. Most of his co-workers were over 50, and they had collectively chosen some upscale, snobby ballroom at a five star hotel. He had actually taken the job to get himself through college, but if it was up to him, he'd rather be anywhere else than in some stuffy cubicle all day answering ungrateful customers.

If it weren't for Niall.

-

Niall was charming, Irish, and devilishly handsome; he was sweet and thoughtful, yet charismatic and smart as a whip. He was also new, and had somehow managed to charm everyone in the building in the span of three weeks, including Zayn. Maybe it was his booming laugh, happy-go-lucky personality, or his deceptively good looks; he had no idea what it was about Niall, but whatever it was had worked a little too damn well for Zayn. Somehow, someway, Zayn had managed to find himself fancying Niall, something he thought utterly impossible considering he had been working here for less than a month.

The closer it got to midnight, with the 24-inch telly in one corner giving updates by the minute, the more Zayn started to feel the butterflies in his tummy. In all honesty, he had always thought the New Year's Celebrations to be a bit overrated, with all the tacky decorations and the kissing. What was the point of it all when Zayn could be home in his flat, consuming obscene amounts of junk food and watching films? And if so, then why did he want to kiss Niall so bad at the end of the night?

Niall himself stood across the room, drink in his hand with his other around another co-worker, laughing animatedly. The suit which he had chosen to wear was what killed Zayn in particular, a soft plaid three piece that strangely paired very well with a dark navy and white polka dotted tie. His hair was soft and fluffy, perfect for Zayn to run his fingers through, and the scruff dusting his cheeks was to die for. While Zayn was busy ogling, he had failed to notice that Niall had caught him looking. Niall quirked an eyebrow at him over the crowd, then softly patted his mate on the back as he began to softly shoulder his way through to Zayn.

Zayn saw him approaching, and with his heart beating out of his chest, he scampered to leave. Hands clammy, Zayn managed to dodge both Janet from accounting and David from HR as he dashed in the opposite direction. He was heading towards the door as the last few minutes before midnight came, and with a quick turn of his head, he saw that had successfully lost Niall.

-

Out of breath, Zayn tipped over against the wall outside. How embarrassing was that, literally running away from his crush like some fifteen year old schoolgirl? God, he would never be able to live this one down! He slumped down onto the stone steps, running his hands through his hair before dragging them down over his face. His wallowing, however, was interrupted as the doors whooshed open again and someone sat next to him.

Only when Zayn forced himself to look did he notice it was Niall. A blush rose to his cheeks as he remembered what happened, and he rose to leave when Niall caught his wrist.

"Wait, please!" Zayn shut his eyes briefly before opening them; that stupid Irish lilt did things to him he'd rather not admit to, and he wouldn't have left if it weren't for Niall.

"Niall-"

"Just wait please, will ya Zayn?" Niall asked, standing up yet still keeping a hold on Zayn's wrist. "I've got less than a minute left and I'd rather it not go to waste, so please wait."

Zayn hung his head before turning around, a fresh flush of embarrassment blossoming from his collar. The stars hung like pinpricks in the sky, the night wind ruffling their hair as Niall shuffled closer. Zayn could easily hear all the partygoers inside counting down, and was grateful they were all preoccupied.

10.

9.

8.

"It's New Year's, and I've been meaning to kiss you since I came, but I've lost me nerve each time, so if you could just let me do this now-"

7.

"Niall-"

"We don't have to do anything, I just need to do something before I explode or combust or somethin' foolish-"

6.

"Niall!"

5.

4.

Zayn, who had had enough of dancing around his feelings for one night, stepped closer. Using his free hand, Zayn cupped the scruffy cheek, the whiskers tickling his palm. Niall had stopped mumbling, and was now staring softly at Zayn, something like love in his baby blues.

3.

Niall's grip on his arm tightened securely, as if Zayn had wanted to be anywhere else, anyway.

2.

Niall with the baby blue eyes and booming laugh; Niall, who he had known for a total of three weeks, five days, twenty three hours, and fifty-nine minutes; Niall, who was about to kiss him on the steps of a hotel on New Year's; Niall, who had stolen his heart.

1.

Out of everything in Zayn's life, Niall kissing him warm and soft and sweet had to be the best wish to come true. Kissing him, being held ever so gently by him, Zayn knew this was something else; he knew that it was exactly what he wanted. He never would have guessed that everything he had ever needed could have been found in something so simple as a New Year's Eve kiss, yet it was clear that Niall would come to mean so much more.

-

at the top is what niall's suit looks like (if you can see the picture at the top)!