Zayn awoke to a loud pounding at his hotel room door.

He glanced at the clock on the beside table. 2:37 am. What could anyone possibly want at this ungodly hour? Didn’t whoever it was know they had an early flight the next day?

He closed his eyes again, hoping whoever it was would get the hint and go away.

They didn’t. So Zayn rolled his eyes, but threw the covers off himself and looked through the peephole of the door to see who it was that was causing such a racket.

He saw Niall staring back up at him through the distorted circular glass, as if he knew Zayn was on the other side. Zayn furrowed his eyebrows. Was Niall… crying?

He unchained the door, undid the bolt and opened it a crack. “What’s going on, then?” he asked, a little more irritably than he’d meant, perhaps, but it was nearly three in the morning!

Niall snaked past him into the room and sat down on the bed, hugging his arms to his chest.

“Nialler?” he asked softly, sitting down beside him on the bed. It didn’t seem like he was going to be getting back to sleep anytime soon, but he quickly forgot about that as he looked at the distraught look on Niall’s tear-stained face. “What’s wrong?”

Niall took a deep breath and seemingly tried to control his sobs. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “L-liam,” he choked out.

“Ah,” Zayn nodded. He was beginning to understand. It was obvious that Niall had feelings for Liam – that had been clear to everyone since day one, really. It had only been a matter of time before it would come out. “You finally told him, did you?”

Niall nodded, putting his head in his hands and beginning to cry again.

“Sorry, mate,” Zayn said, sliding a little closer to him and putting his hand lightly on Niall’s back in an effort to comfort him. “I take it it didn’t go well?”

“No,” Niall said, his voice muffled in his hands. “It didn’t. He said he didn’t see me like that and that he was with Danielle,” he spat Danielle’s name like it was poison. As if she was the only reason Liam didn’t hold the same feelings he did. He glanced up at Zayn, pulling his hands away from his face. “And what do you mean, ‘you finally told him?’”

Zayn shrugged. “Exactly what I said.”

“So you all knew,” Niall scoffed a little, looking at the ground. “Right, you must think I’m pathetic.”

“No,” Zayn assured him. “We don’t think that at all.”

Niall eyed him. “Uh huh. You all knew that I loved him, and that he didn’t love me back. How stupid was I? Thanks for letting me know.”

“We didn’t know he didn’t love you back,” Zayn said seriously, cocking his head a little to the side. Niall looked absolutely dreadful, he didn’t think he’d ever seen the boy looking like such a mess. Usually he was all smiles. “We just thought if he did… he was a lot less obvious about it than you.”

Niall rolled his eyes. “Wow. Thanks.”

“Sorry.”

“I guess it makes sense, doesn’t it?” Niall asked, turning his head away from Zayn. “Why would he want me?”

“Stop it,” Zayn cautioned, giving Niall a look. “Why wouldn’t he?” he asked, inching closer to him. He hated seeing Niall look so sad and alone.

Niall just shrugged.

“You know it’s not about you, right?” Zayn whispered leaning in closer to Niall still. “He loves her, it has nothing to do with you. There’s no way that it could.”

Niall glanced up at Zayn. His eyes were still glassed over, but his breathing was steadier than it had been a few minutes before. The boys’ noses were nearly touching and Zayn inhaled deeply before leaning inwards.

“We don’t have to -”

But Zayn was silenced by Niall pressing his lips against his. Zayn reached upwards and stroked the blonde boy’s cheek as the two of them kissed. He sighed a little – Niall’s lips tasted sweet against his own – he figured it was because Niall had made a trip to the vending machine before going to visit Liam.

He’d be lying if he said that the taste coupled with the soft and delicate way that Niall kissed him wasn’t driving him crazy. He could feel himself swelling inside his boxers, and he pulled away from Niall. Niall, who was wearing significantly more clothing than he was.

He motioned for Niall to take his shirt off, and the younger boy did so without much hesitation. Zayn kissed him softly on the neck as Niall pulled his shorts off as well and tossed them on the ground along with his shirt.

Niall laid down on the bed and Zayn crawled on top of him. Zayn clutched the sheets underneath them as the warm skin of their bare chests touched, eliciting a moan from Niall.

But the noises Niall made were silenced as Zayn once again touched their lips together. He bit Niall’s bottom lip lightly, almost asking permission for the boy to open his mouth. He did. Zayn slipped his tongue inside Niall’s mouth, and now even more than earlier he could taste whatever sugary treat he’d had before.

It was really beginning to drive him fucking mad.

He started to grind his hips against Niall’s, and Niall was quick to meet his pace, digging his fingers into Zayn’s back. The two boys moved slow at first but eventually got quicker and more rough with each other with every kiss and every touch.

Every time Niall’s erection brushed slightly against his own, Zayn moaned against Niall’s lips and gripped the sheets tighter. He needed more – he needed to be closer to him.

And Niall – the intuitive little leprechaun that he was – knew this. He needed it just as badly as Zayn did. He craned his neck upwards and gently pushed Zayn off of him.

Zayn rolled over onto his back and looked up at Niall. He didn’t think he’d ever seen him look quite so hot and bothered. In fact, he’d never seen anything from him other than looking sweet and innocent.

He was beginning to realize how wrong he had been in that assumption as Niall moved downward and pulled the older boy’s boxers off. Zayn leaned his head back against the pillows as Niall took his whole length in his mouth and sucked on it hard. If Zayn didn’t know any better, he’d say that Niall had probably done this before.

And in fact, he actually didn’t know better.

Maybe the blonde one wasn’t so innocent after all.

Speaking of blonde, Zayn reached downwards and tangled his hands in Niall’s short hair as he bobbed his head up and down. He moaned as Niall swirled his tongue around the tip, and took the entire shaft in his mouth again.

“Fuck, Nialler,” Zayn breathed, using his friend’s well known nickname. What should have made the moment awkward instead just made it more intimate. Niall started to stroke his own erection as he continued to suck on Zayn’s cock, and the mere knowledge of this put Zayn past the point of no return.

“Ugh, Niall…” he groaned. “Ugh…”

He came hard into Niall’s perfect mouth, and Niall swallowed it all expertly. Zayn reckoned that he didn’t taste so sweet anymore, but in his hazy post-orgasm state, he didn’t quite care. “Come here,” he breathed, motioning with his hands for Niall to move upwards.

Niall did as he was told. Zayn was quick to sloppily kiss him as he reached into Niall’s boxers and gripped his hand around his cock. Niall drew in a sharp breath and continued to kiss Zayn on his mouth, his cheek, his neck, anywhere his lips could touch that would allow him to respond to the pleasure Zayn was giving him.

Niall writhed against him, and Zayn continued to pump his hand along his shaft. Niall’s breathing was unsteady, and his kisses became more uneven and messy.

Yes, Zayn could tell Niall had momentarily forgotten all about what had gone on with Liam.

“Zayn,” Niall whimpered. “I’m gonna come…”

Zayn pushed Niall back onto the bed and quickly crawled downwards, taking Niall’s cock in his mouth. Niall groaned and arched his hips upwards as he twitched. And just as Niall had done for him, Zayn swallowed all of it before removing his lips and looking up at his friend.

Niall’s face was flushed and his breathing was heavy, but this time it wasn’t because he was upset.

Zayn moved back upwards and leaned his head against the pillow. He brushed Niall’s sweaty hair out of his eyes.

“Can I stay here with you tonight?” Niall asked, half closing his eyes already.

“Yeah,” Zayn said, glancing over at the clock. 3:44. They had to be awake in a couple of hours, but he no longer cared. “Of course.” He switched off the light and allowed Niall to snuggle up close to him as the pair drifted off to sleep.