Zayn walked into the sketch room at the Emily Carr Arts Institute, expecting very little from the class. He knew both the male and female anatomy, every inch of it, that's one of the gains of being bisexual in the modern day; you truly got the best of both worlds.
The Bradford Boy could have slept in that morning, but his roommate, Louis, woke him up and shoved him out of the bed they shared. They only shared a bed because they were living the contemporary starving student dream: 'live as an artist; starve, as an artist' was truly their motto.
They lived in a one-room studio apartment along with an oddball experimental musician named Niall. It truly was an experience. Although Zayn and Louis slept in the same bed, they weren't actually together. They were best friends… with a lot of benefits.
But who really cared about the details?
Zayn sure didn't care, as long as he was getting action somewhere and if this meant messing around with his best mate for the night, he'd live with it. Niall always made a habit of accompanying their 'de-stressing' with a little improvised guitar or tambourine. It was creepy at first but then Niall explained he was asexual and was married to his music, so from then on it become a lot less intrusive.
Harry Styles, Louis's on again – off again boyfriend sometimes shared the bed as well. Zayn didn't mind this at all because it meant he had a comfy mop of hair to rest his own head on. Louis wasn't possessive so Zayn sometimes got to share Harry as well.
Zayn was currently riding the tide, for he had definitely smoked up a bit that morning, as he usually did to get in the artist zone. It's not that he condoned smoking pot; it just helped him concentrate in class without his ADD driving up the wall.
One time, in an art history class, he jumped to his feet and took out his set of pastels. He started to draw all over his desk and while it was very impulsive, the teacher didn't quite seem to get it.
The Bradford boy took out his sketchpad and placed it up on the easel in front of him. He yawned and closed his eyes before he was flicked in the head by his in class friend, Cher.
"Oi! You don't want miss this one, Z. He's quite the specimen." She stated, pointing openly at the subject that they would be drawing that day in class.
That was the problem with Cher, she was rarely discrete and more than often, obnoxiously loud. So, even if Zayn had wanted to peek over at the guy, he simply couldn't. But then he caught a glimpse of the bloke staring over at he and Cher.
"Why do you always have to do that?" Zayn complained, glowering at Cher's inability to keep her cap on in delicate situations.
The gorgeous subject was now looking over at the pair, curiosity in his eyes. Zayn couldn't ignore it so he did what he had to do.
He looked up at the stranger and waved at him with a suave smile.
The guy began to laugh and when he did so, he became even more attractive, if that was even possible. He was simply wearing a towel and rippling abs.
Zayn had to concentrate hard not to begin to openly drool at the guy's cut figure and confident smile. He was just too bloody delicious to ignore and Zayn got to see his…. everything in a matter of minutes.
The teacher, Monsieur Corbeil, moved to the front of the classroom and quieted down the students by having the hunky stranger walk up onto the platform.
"Today you will drawing a true to life version of Mr. Liam Payne. He has volunteered and is quite ready to shed his knickers for the reason of learning!" Mr. Corbeil introduced, gesturing to the scantily clad 'Liam'.
Liam winked at Zayn before dropping down the towel.
"Oh my…" Cher muttered, reaching out to clutch Zayn's hand for support.
"…God." Zayn finished her sentence with a breathy exclamation.
To say that Liam was well endowed under the belt would be a tasteful way of saying he was packing in the sausage department. But, you see, Zayn really never was tasteful. But why waste time with such things?
The scritchscratch of sketching filled the room as well as a slew of appreciative and surprised 'oos' and 'aaaaaahs'. Liam was a hit in the classroom but probably mostly because a majority of the people in the class had never actually been with someone as beautiful as Mr. Payne.
Liam was well aware of the fact that he had it going on, but his motto was 'if you got it, flaunt it'. He lived by it and it usually served it very well, besides the one time at a club he got asked how much he cost. Then, he decided wearing mesh tank tops out to clubs was neither fashionable nor a good representation of how he actually wanted to be perceived. He wanted people to notice his good looks without completely disrespecting him. That's why being a model for art classes worked out so well.
He got to show off the goods and get a confidence boost while the class got great practice while being appreciative from a totally artistic angle. It didn't matter that twelve sets of eyes were raking over every inch of his bare flesh, IT WAS FOR ART!
Zayn could barely concentrate on the assignment because he was getting so lost in Liam's appearance. Oh, the things he would do the bloke if they weren't in the middle of an art class…
Liam gazed straight at the tan bloke that he had been flirting with earlier from across the room. He could tell that the guy liked what he saw and he suddenly hated the fact that he had to stay as still as a statue instead of being able to jump off the platform and ravish the stunning looking artist then and there.
After the continuous staring, Liam and Zayn soon realized that they were as interested in one another as much as the other.
Zayn finished his sketch; comparing the real thing to his drawing really didn't do Liam justice. He was such a fine specimen and while Zayn had put a lot into the sketch, he guessed that if Liam saw it, he would simply be disappointed by it.
At the end of the hour, Liam wrapped the towel back around him and quickly headed over to the easel where the mocha bloke sat.
"Incoming." Cher warned her friend, but he was so lost in the possibility that Liam wouldn't approve that he didn't even notice Liam's arrival.
When Liam saw the sketch, he truly wished he could have the guy then and there. It was beautiful and while that was a little bit self-indulgent, it truly was a gorgeous piece of art in Liam's eyes.
"Wow, you made me look pretty good, man. I'm Liam, by the way." He introduced himself. He saw the bloke register his presence and because of that, his pupils blew out in surprise.
Zayn broke into a nervous sweat and his mouth became incredibly dry (possibly because of drugs but mostly because of Liam's proximity). "Um… hi. I'm Zayn. And thanks."
"You're welcome. I mean, I get decent money working these things but if I had talent like you, I certainly wouldn't be sitting around here, wasting my time with education, I'd be out there just… doing it." Liam explained, putting a little emphasis on 'doing it'.
Zayn shuddered as he raked his eyes over Liam's bare upper body, wishing he could run his hands along every inch of Liam's flesh.
The bottom line was that Zayn wanted in Liam's pants and he didn't care who knew. He stood to his feet and said, "Want to ditch this place and… yah know, explore that possibility?"
Liam smiled with knowing satisfaction. He'd be down this road before, slept with the sensitive artist but then the artist usually became clingy. He wanted no part of commitment but if Zayn just wanted to have a good shag, Liam was more than happy to comply.
"Let me just grab my clothes." Liam said before rushing off to collect his things.
Zayn had to actually clap his hand over his own mouth to stop himself from objecting with 'that won't be necessary'. But, thankfully, Cher gave him a warning look so he bit his lip and swallowed his words.
Zayn sat down and began to pack up his things as well.
"Don't screw this up, Z, I think this one's a keeper." Cher mused, ogling Liam as he walked back toward them now fully clothed in tight jeans and a V-neck top.
The Bradford Boy knew he was going to have to hold it together or he was going to jump Liam right there. Even with clothes on, Liam had the body of a God. Zayn for a moment actually speculated whether Liam actually was or not.
"Ready to go?" Liam inquired and Zayn simply nodded.
Liam made his exit from the room and Zayn went to follow but not before looking back at Cher and winking at her.
"Good luck!" She greeted as her tan friend exited the room with the ridiculously sexy model who had just bore it all in front of the class.
Zayn caught up with Liam easily even though the model had exceptionally long strides for his stature.
"This is a totally random question, but do you do runway modeling as well?" Zayn joked as he tried to keep up with Liam's paces.
"I dabble in a bit of everything modeling wise. I just need to pay the bills, right? I go from job to job and hope that next month I'll have enough money to pay off my ridiculous rent." Liam responded as they walked out into the street.
Zayn felt a little inferior due to Liam's confession and when Liam noticed this, he smirked.
"Zayn, please don't play the 'I'm lesser than you so I don't deserve you' card; it's both annoying and pathetic. You're just as good looking as I am, if not better. I don't just go for anyone. I have high standards." Liam noted in response to the artist's reaction.
Zayn was flabbergasted as they walked down the sidewalk toward the Underground. Neither of them exactly knew where they were going but at the same time, neither of them addressed it or cared that much.
"I know I'm hot stuff, it's just nice to hear that I'm not the only struggling person in this city. Y'know?" Zayn quipped as they swiped their oyster cards through the machine.
Liam nodded understandingly. Zayn was already growing on him and defying the usual self conscious, awkward artist stereotype that Liam was used to dealing with. This was a new playing ground that neither of them was quite confident with but because of that factor, it was even more exhilarating.
"Where to?" Liam pondered aloud as they walked up to the Map directory.
"We can go to my flat. It's just by Hyde Park." Zayn suggested, as they were close enough to it anyway.
Liam shrugged and followed Zayn's lead. He didn't care where they went as long as he was going with Zayn. It was an entirely new adventure with Zayn and Liam was ready for something fresh.
Once they 'minded the gap' and stepped onto the train, the ride was full of teasing looks and flirtatious interactions. Both of them knew what was coming, so why not start the foreplay right away?
"So do you want to paint me nude once we get back the flat?" Liam teased, putting his fingers into the loops on Zayn's pants.
Zayn laughed. "I don't know if I have the patience for that."
Liam rolled his eyes. He wanted to draw this out for as long as possible, because he loved to escape the world exploring another person's body. He went back for another try: "Well, will you show me your paintbrush?"
"You have a dirty mind, Liam. Me gusta." Zayn purred, wishing he could disrobe the model right than and there.
That's the ticket, Liam thought to himself as he saw the yearning and hunger in the artist's eyes.
The rest of the ride zipped by and so did the walk to the flat. Zayn fumbled with the keys to the building and Liam rested his hands on the shoulders of the tan bloke.
"Nervous?" The model asked, cocking his head in genuine interest.
Zayn tried to laugh it off and paste a fake smile on his face, but Liam saw right through the façade. The artist sighed in defeat. "A bit, yah."
"May I?" Liam inquired, interlacing his fingers into Zayn's and taking the keys into his own hands.
Zayn watched as Liam calmly located the right key and slipped into the lock with little hesitation. The artist wished he could capture Liam's undeniable confidence in a sketch or even in his own personality.
"There we go…" Liam prompted, before they walked into the slightly dilapated building.
As soon as they got through the doors, they were on each other's lips like Winnie the Pooh Bear on honey; they just couldn't get enough.
Liam pushed Zayn up against the wall of the stairwell, clawing at every space where there was a little bit of exposed flesh. He tugged at the hemline of Zayn's shirt and in return, Zayn pulled Liam's hips flesh against his.
They slowly made their way up the stairs, alternating whom who go up. Liam finally got tired of this and pulled Zayn up so he was straddling him. He carried the artist down a hallway, slamming into walls as they made their way (due to the distraction of Zayn's delicious talent for love bites).
"Which room?" Liam murmured, breathlessly.
Zayn pointed dazedly at the end of the hallway and so, Liam continued down to it. The door was already open and they crashed inside, laughing, completely all over each other.
"Who did you bring home?"
A voice asked and Zayn's heart fell. Louis always had the best of timing to be a total and utter cock blocker…
But thankfully Liam took imitative and let Zayn down to extend his hand to a speculative Louis.
"I'm uh…. Liam. I modeled for Zayn's art class." Liam explained as Louis took his hand flippantly and shook it.
"Louis, Zayn's roommate, and that over there is Niall." Louis responded, pointing to a corner of the loft where Niall was playing harp. "If you guys start screwing around, he'll stare, but I promise he's harmless and sometimes it's even nice to have a soundtrack for it."
Liam looked over at Niall, who seemed to be completely lost in his own little world of music. He didn't blame the guy though, music really could change people's perceptions on a situation.
Liam recalled one time when he went to a rave and the techno music (plus maybe the drugs) had convinced him he was a cyborg. That had been an interesting week…
"Sorry for the interruption, I'm heading out to see my boy toy anyway, have fun you two!" Louis greeted before making his way out from where Zayn and Liam had just entered.
"Well, he was nice…" Liam stated, before Zayn grabbed him hungrily by the collar and dragged him to his room.
Zayn pushed him down on the bed and took a good look at the prize he had won that day in art class. He grabbed his Polaroid camera off of his bedside table and snapped a picture of Liam to document the success.
"You are just so god damned artsy." Liam accused, propping himself up on his elbows.
Zayn scowled, pulling the Polaroid out and shaking it to help it develop. "Oh shut up, you love it."
He tossed the developed picture on the bedside table and crawled up on the bed, atop of Liam and his ridiculously toned body.
"Well, shall we, Mr. Payne?" Zayn purred, running his fingertips along the material of Liam's shirt.
Liam put on a face of mock surprise. "But aren't we going to finger paint first?"
"If that's what you want…" Zayn murmured, stretching his fingers out for Liam to gaze at; they really were magic.
Both blokes burst out laughing before diving in to a mess of discarded clothing, tangled bed sheets and cries of pleasure.
To say that the experience was colorful would be an understatement, somewhere during their time together, they had accidentally broken some of Zayn's jars of paint and this had not fazed them when they were wrapped up in it all.
Now, they were both strewn across each other, streaked with different hues of paint. It looked like an art project gone wrong (and yet so right).
Liam turned toward Zayn and smiled at the artist. "Well, that was sort of amazing."
"I concur." Zayn said, before taking some stray purple from behind him and streaking it across Liam's face.
There time together had been simple but all either of them needed, a little escape from their world and into each other's.
A few months later, Liam ventured back to the Emily Carr Institute for an art show. He didn't know quite to expect but when he stepped into the gallery, his eyes instantly found something that looked quite familiar to him.
He walked slowly toward the piece and saw himself staring back, thankfully he was fully clothed but he was lying down on Zayn's bed sheets, just as he had when the artist had taken the Polaroid.
"Sneaky bastard." Liam muttered in disdain but then realized just how beautiful the painting actually was.
Although Zayn was nowhere to be seen, Liam was appreciative of the homage to their night together.
Zayn watched on from around the corner in amusement as Liam took a gander at the piece he had created, obviously dedicated to him. It wasn't a romantic gesture, simply an acknowledgement that their time together had meant something, even if it was something simple.
On the placard, the piece was rightfully named: In the Artist's Eyes.