Baby, It's Cold Outside | Ziall Christmas AU

Day Three (Part One)

Zayn (11:28pm): What are you doing right now?

Niall (11:29pm): Um, sleeping?

Zayn (11:31pm): Clearly you're not asleep if you're texting me back.

Niall (11:32pm): Fine, fine, you caught me.

Zayn (11:33pm): Yeah? Caught you doing what?

Niall (11:34pm): Sending nudes to Liam.

For a second, this catches Zayn off-guard, because this doesn't seem like something Niall would say. Only then does he realize how snarky and obnoxious Niall is being, and he rolls his eyes, smiling.

Zayn (11:37pm): Brat.

Niall (11:38pm): Yeah, sure. Why did you ask if I was up anyway?

Zayn (11:40pm): Can I call you?

Niall is surprised by the question, and he hates that his cheeks flush pink as he types back, 'Yes.' The wait takes a few minutes, and then his phone starts to vibrate in his palm.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Niall." Zayn's voice is low and sleepy, equal parts gravelly and warm, and it makes Niall shiver not at all unpleasantly. "How are you doing?"

"Tired," Niall says back, voice soft and sleepy as well. "How has your day been?"

"It was good. Aurora convinced her siblings we needed to go to Target so she could perfect her Christmas list," Zayn laughs. That sound, a mix of sleepy and happy, might be Niall's favorite sound. "We spent three hours there, Niall. Three."

"Three hours in Target isn't so bad," Niall laughs in response.

"Three hours just in the toy section? I disagree."

"Fair enough," Niall shakes his head, amused, and sits up to drink out of the glass of water on the nightstand. "Why are you still up, though?"

"Leo was being a brat," Zayn explains.

"I know that feeling too well," Niall half-laughs, settling back against the pillow. Both of them go silent for a minute.

"Are you still there?"

"I'm here," Niall answers, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry."

"It's okay. How was your day?"

"It was good. Caleb kept asking about Leo and Aurora. Hazel, too."

"We could..." Zayn pauses, not nervous, but not comfortable either. "We could set them up for another playdate if you'd like."

"Are you implying you'd like to see me again?" Niall asks, smiling now. Zayn can hear it.

"Someone's cocky."

"I am not," Niall gasps, flustered.

"You're projecting what you want then?"

"...Shut up."

Zayn's laugh is quickly becoming one of Niall's favorite sounds. "Gotcha, huh?" Niall refuses to respond, and Zayn chuckles again. "I'm free tomorrow, if you want a playdate."

Niall pauses, chewing on his lip. "I'm free, too. But...I'm doing this for Caleb, not for you."

"Uh-huh. Sure you are," Zayn laughs. "How does 2pm sound?"

"Good. My place this time?" Niall offers.

"Okay. Text me the address," Zayn says.

 - - -

"Please be good," Zayn begs his kids as they make their way up the steps to Niall's house. "No screaming, no breaking any of Caleb's toys. Please share and play nicely, okay?"

"We know, Daddy," Leo huffs, eager to play with Caleb.

Zayn shakes his head fondly. He loves his kids to death, but God, they're bad listeners. "Alright. Promise me you'll be good." He directs this mostly at Leo and Aurora, knowing he doesn't have to worry about Hazel nearly as much. 

"Promise," Aurora nods.

"Me, too. Can we ring the bell now?" Leo whines, and with a fond eye roll, Zayn leans over to push the button. "Hi!" Leo screeches when Niall pulls the door open.

Niall can't help but laugh at the enthusiastic greeting. "Hi there, Leo. Come on in!"

Leo and Aurora bound their way inside, and Zayn cringes as they take their boots off, getting muck and slush nearly everywhere. "Sorry," he mouths at Niall, who just waves it off.

"Caleb! Leo, Aurora, and Hazel are here," Niall calls into the house.

"Yayyyy!" a voice calls from deeper in the house, and the kids run off towards the sound. 

"Hey," Zayn smiles, kicking his own shoes off.

"Hi," Niall smiles back shyly. "Uh, do...do you want coffee or something?" he asks, since Zayn is just looking at him with that small smile on his face that makes Niall nervous.

"Sure," Zayn shrugs, following Niall back into the kitchen. He can tell the smaller blond is nervous, and it amuses him. Niall pours coffee from the carafe, chewing on his lip as he does so. Zayn just watches, unable to keep the smirk off his face.

"I can feel you watching me," Niall says, turning around to put the carafe back, still avoiding Zayn's gaze.

"You're nervous," Zayn responds.

"No, I'm not!" Niall says defensively, finally looking Zayn in the eye.

"Prove it," Zayn grins, setting his coffee aside and inching closer to Niall until they stand an inch apart, Niall pressed against the counter, Zayn's hands on either side of his waist.

Niall swallows hard. "How?"

Zayn's lips quirk up just the slightest amount. Niall hates that he notices it. "Kiss me."

Niall scrunches up his face in response.

"If you want to," Zayn adds.

"No, you kiss me," Niall counters, poking Zayn's chest with an accusatory index finger. "If you want it to happen so bad, you kiss me."

Zayn just grins, takes Niall's hand that's still poking at his chest and intertwines their fingers. His thumb runs along Niall's wrist, and he feels Niall's heart rate spike. "So you want me to kiss you, huh?" His voice is low, smooth, dark chocolate and honey. It sends shivers down Niall's spine.

"If you want," Niall tries to snark, but he's forgotten how to breathe.

So Zayn leans in. He moves slowly -- his nose brushes Niall's, and then Niall can feel his breath against his face. Zayn smells good, safe somehow, and Niall has to really focus on not just falling into him. He nervously licks his bottom lip, and Niall hears the almost-silent responding groan that leaves Zayn's lips. Niall shuts his eyes.

Zayn's hand touches his neck then. "You have to tell me this is okay."

Niall doesn't want to open his eyes. There's so much tension here, and he knows if he moves too much or says the wrong thing, it'll all be broken. "Just kiss me already, Zayn," he murmurs.

Clearly, this is exactly when Zayn needs to hear, because he kisses Niall to the point where Niall genuinely has to consciously force himself to remember what his own damn name is.