fic excerpt
Okay, so I wasn't exactly planning on sharing any more snippets of the Zayn/OMC fic (which is no longer called i will sing because the plot has changed waaaaaay too much for that to applicable anymore) but I really, really like this bit, so I'm posting it anyway. Don't expect much after this, though, until I actually post the whole thing, which, knowing me, could take months. I'm feeling pretty inspired lately, though, so who knows, it could be sooner!
"Hi, I'm Ben."
Zayn takes the proferred hand and shakes it, smiling vaguely. "Zayn," he says, watching Ben's face for some hint of recognition, but he just nods, taking in the new information.
"Nice name. Makes mine seem a bit dull in comparison, though."
Zayn narrows his eyes at him, trying to figure out if that's some bullshit about his name being "exotic" or something, but Ben doesn't elaborate, so he lets it go. Whatever, this stranger can think Zayn's skin and name make him exotic all he wants, so long as he keeps it to himself. They stand there in silence for a while, Zayn's eyes searching out and then sticking on Liam. He watches him try to let the girl who cornered him earlier off easy, a fond smile slowly forming on his face. Ben follows his gaze and smiles knowingly.
"That your boyfriend, then?" he asks, and Zayn chokes on his beer, coughing and turning to stare at him with wide eyes.
"What? No. Liam -- no. We're just mates," he says, meaning to sound firm, but the words just come out wistful instead. Ben doesn't say anything about it, but Zayn can tell that he noticed by the way his smile softens, the glint in his eyes turning understanding for just a moment. It barely lasts long enough for Zayn to register the change, though, and then his expression changes again, turning mischievous.
"That's good. I hate it when the guys I'm interested in are taken."
That has Zayn spluttering again, and Ben laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that reminds Zayn of Louis, almost. He's never felt so strangely, viscerally attracted when Louis does it, though. Shaking his head, amused at Ben despite himself, Zayn laughs. "You don't even know me!"
"Your name is Zayn and you're well fit. What more do I need to know?" he asks, a cheeky smile on his lips.
"How about if I'm even interested, for a start?" Zayn counters, though he's unable to keep a smile off his face as he says it. Ben is stupidly charming, and though there are quite a few reasons he shouldn't be flirting with him like this -- vecause it is flirting, he's not going to try to kid himself and say that he's just making conversation -- he can't seem to help himself. Ben shrugs in answer, gesturing with his beer bottle.
"Way I figure it, it's best to get my interest out in the open as soon as possible. If you're interested back, I've saved the both of us a lot of time. If you're not, I move on, no harm done."
"Unless I'm a homophobic git who punches you in the face for hitting on me," Zayn points out, and Ben laughs. He's got a nice laugh, deep and delighted.
"That would be harm done, yeah. Don't think you're the type, though," he says, and his eyes flick to Liam, who's finally managed to get rid of the girl and is instead in a corner of the room, his phone pressed to his ear, a familiar, lovestruck expression in his eyes. The smile begins to slide off Zayn's face, and Ben frowns. He hesitates a moment, then nudges his elbow against Zayn's, ducking his head to catch Zayn's eyes. "Honestly, if you want me to fuck off, just say. I don't want to be a bother."
It's the sincerity in his voice, more than anything, that makes Zayn shake his head, turning so that his back is to Liam. There's nothing in his contract about having a conversation with a nice, fit bloke.
"Hi, I'm Ben."
Zayn takes the proferred hand and shakes it, smiling vaguely. "Zayn," he says, watching Ben's face for some hint of recognition, but he just nods, taking in the new information.
"Nice name. Makes mine seem a bit dull in comparison, though."
Zayn narrows his eyes at him, trying to figure out if that's some bullshit about his name being "exotic" or something, but Ben doesn't elaborate, so he lets it go. Whatever, this stranger can think Zayn's skin and name make him exotic all he wants, so long as he keeps it to himself. They stand there in silence for a while, Zayn's eyes searching out and then sticking on Liam. He watches him try to let the girl who cornered him earlier off easy, a fond smile slowly forming on his face. Ben follows his gaze and smiles knowingly.
"That your boyfriend, then?" he asks, and Zayn chokes on his beer, coughing and turning to stare at him with wide eyes.
"What? No. Liam -- no. We're just mates," he says, meaning to sound firm, but the words just come out wistful instead. Ben doesn't say anything about it, but Zayn can tell that he noticed by the way his smile softens, the glint in his eyes turning understanding for just a moment. It barely lasts long enough for Zayn to register the change, though, and then his expression changes again, turning mischievous.
"That's good. I hate it when the guys I'm interested in are taken."
That has Zayn spluttering again, and Ben laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that reminds Zayn of Louis, almost. He's never felt so strangely, viscerally attracted when Louis does it, though. Shaking his head, amused at Ben despite himself, Zayn laughs. "You don't even know me!"
"Your name is Zayn and you're well fit. What more do I need to know?" he asks, a cheeky smile on his lips.
"How about if I'm even interested, for a start?" Zayn counters, though he's unable to keep a smile off his face as he says it. Ben is stupidly charming, and though there are quite a few reasons he shouldn't be flirting with him like this -- vecause it is flirting, he's not going to try to kid himself and say that he's just making conversation -- he can't seem to help himself. Ben shrugs in answer, gesturing with his beer bottle.
"Way I figure it, it's best to get my interest out in the open as soon as possible. If you're interested back, I've saved the both of us a lot of time. If you're not, I move on, no harm done."
"Unless I'm a homophobic git who punches you in the face for hitting on me," Zayn points out, and Ben laughs. He's got a nice laugh, deep and delighted.
"That would be harm done, yeah. Don't think you're the type, though," he says, and his eyes flick to Liam, who's finally managed to get rid of the girl and is instead in a corner of the room, his phone pressed to his ear, a familiar, lovestruck expression in his eyes. The smile begins to slide off Zayn's face, and Ben frowns. He hesitates a moment, then nudges his elbow against Zayn's, ducking his head to catch Zayn's eyes. "Honestly, if you want me to fuck off, just say. I don't want to be a bother."
It's the sincerity in his voice, more than anything, that makes Zayn shake his head, turning so that his back is to Liam. There's nothing in his contract about having a conversation with a nice, fit bloke.