"And his eyes. They're like this golden brown. Like the sunset or summat."

Niall rolled his eyes. "Yes, Zayn, I've heard. Golden eyes. Baby soft hair. Perfect body. And that's just the beginning," Niall mocked. "His endless curiosity and willingness to please. The perfect slave."

Zayn didn't catch on to Niall's teasing, instead just nodding. "Exactly. He's perfect. I want him."

Niall shook his head. "Then you shouldn't have matched him with someone else."

"I didn't want to," Zayn mumbled.

They were just a few streets from Zayn's mansion and he was piss drunk and needed to get home to Marvin so he could detox him for the party.

"Then why didn't you match him with yourself?"

"I tried."

"What?!" Niall's voice went up an octave higher. "When?"

"Weeks ago. I finally broke and ran my profile against his." Zayn hung his head. "It wasn't a match."

Niall placed a solid hand on Zayn's knee. "I'm sorry, mate."

"It's okay. I found the perfect match for him." It wasn't okay. None of this was okay.

"And you still won't tell me who it is."

Zayn shook his finger at Niall. "It's a surprise," he giggled.

Niall rolled his eyes as he pulled into Zayn's round driveway. "Alright, Zee, go grab a shower. And no blowing Liam in the meantime."

Zayn gasped, then laughed. That sounded like a great idea. "Oh, I bet he tastes amazing."

Niall scoffed and pushed Zayn out of the car. Zayn stumbled just a little before righting himself and walking up his steps into his house. The door opened with a bang. "Oops." He fell right into a broad body. When he looked up he saw the angel face he'd been drinking to all morning. "Liam, darling," he sighed.

Liam leaned in just a little and Zayn's heartbeat shot through the roof, but then he backed up with a disgusted face. "Are you drunk?"

Zayn pursed his lips and slurred, "High on love, baby."

Then Liam was talking and Zayn tried to catch the words and not get distracted by his lips. "...and you need a shower even more than I do."

Taking personal offense that Liam thought himself anything less than perfect he argued, "What'd you mean? You smell great." Then just to make sure he pressed his nose to Liam's skin and inhaled. "Like pastries," he hummed.

"Yes," Liam huffed. "Pastries for your party. That starts soon. So, once again, shower."

Shower. That reminded the man of his earlier plan. "Shower. Let's do that." Zayn tried to whisk them off to the shower but only managed to wrap himself around Liam. "Come shower with me," he said instead, to convince him.

Zayn was expecting Liam to agree with his brilliant plan, but he only got choked sounds in response. Zayn was just about to explain to Liam the merits of his idea when his arm was lifted from Liam and draped around a set of shoulders.

"Come now, Mr. Malik. You've a party to attend."

"Marvin," Zayn sighed. Finally someone to agree with him. He could get Marvin to explain to Liam his brilliance. "Liam and I were just going to shower."

"I'm sure that's not true."

Marvin was being polite. He knew Marvin's polite voice by now. Probably for Liam's sake. But he didn't want polite he wanted dirty. Dirty Liam. "It is," he insisted. "I was going to suck him off against the tile." Marvin led him quickly away, towards the staff hall. "I'd let him come in my mouth. Swallow it, too. I know," Zayn interjected himself, "It's not a very 'Master' thing to do, but I bet he tastes so good."

"Sir, please stop."

Marvin was still rushing them down the hallway. Zayn's words kept tumbling out. "Then I'd let him curl up against my chest. Hold him until this fucking party is done with. I hate parties."

Marvin nodded at that. "That I know, sir." They turned a corner and entered Marvin's small bedroom.

Zayn looked around with blurry eyes. "Remind me to give you a raise. This room is not enough for my favorite butler."

Marvin disappeared into his bathroom and came back with a bottle of pills and a smaller glass bottle. "Have you emptied your stomach yet this morning, Mr. Malik?"

"Have I..."

"Have you puked, sir?"

Zayn smiled widely. "Nope!"

"I figured." He uncapped the smaller bottle and held it up to Zayn's nose.

Zayn inhaled before realizing and then cringed. Marvin quickly dragged him to the toilet and Zayn chucked up all his stomach contents while Marvin rubbed his back gently. Zayn slumped to the floor and leaned against the toilet. Marvin went around the corner, back into his room and then Zayn heard a buzzing sound.

"Kalli, I need Mr. Malik's detox."

Another minute later there was a second buzz. "I'll be there in a minute." Marvin came back and picked Zayn up. He filled a cup with water and shoved two pills at Zayn. Zayn was starting to feel less giddy and more sober already. Zayn took the pills and swallowed.

Then Kalli was entering Marvin's room with a short knock on the doorframe. "Here." She handed Marvin the drink and gave Zayn a remorseful once over before leaving.

Marvin sat Zayn down and tipped the drink up to his lips. Zayn groaned quietly, but took it, gulping down the sludge with a grimace. Marvin sat in his chair while Zayn finished it, letting Zayn's system rid itself of the toxins. About a half hour later, Zayn sighed as everything he'd said hit him. He had a headache to rival his worst, but it was nothing in comparison to the hurt in his chest. "I'm a fool." Marvin had been watching him and now only nodded silently. "I'm not good for him."

"I don't know much about that, sir."

"He deserves someone better. Someone brave enough for him. I'm a coward."

Marvin slapped his hand down on the arm of his chair, making Zayn look up sharply. "You are a good man, Mr. Malik. An idiot at times I'll agree with, but if you want Liam, then you deserve him. But if you don't want him, then you need to let it go. The poor boy is being pulled in so many ways. You just need to make a decision, sir."

Zayn accepted that as he rose from Marvin bed. "Is everything ready for tonight?"

Marvin nodded. "The last of the flowers are being delivered this afternoon. And we had two extra people added to the guest list, but it's handled."

"Good. Good," Zayn acknowledged and walked out. He sipped on the last of his smoothie as he made his way up the back stairs and to his room where he fell to his bed after setting his cup on the bedside table. "What the hell?" he wondered to himself.

He needed to make a decision. He was hurting Liam. Of course he was hurting Liam. That's all he'd managed to do since he met the man. He needed to stop stretching him too thin. He wasn't his perfect match, and he needed to stop pretending he was.

***

Zayn was ready. Hair brushed back and shoes shiny. But he couldn't bring himself to move. To go downstairs and see Liam, knowing tonight would be his last night. Zayn thought maybe if he didn't go down he wouldn't lose Liam. Selfish. As always. Liam was probably down there alone, looking for guidance to his new Master that only Zayn could give. He was just standing again when the door opened without a knock, meaning it was only one person.

"Niall, please, I'm not in the mood."

Niall came in, looking fit in a black suit and blue tie. He could already see Harry's matching shear shirt.

"Everyone's waiting on you." He closed the door behind him.

"Please, no one cares whether I'm there or not. Open bar was enough for them. Most probably don't even know whose party it is."

"Liam cares. He's down there looking like a sad puppy."

Liam looked up at the name. "You met him?"

Niall nodded and smiled. "He's beautiful, Zayn. I can see what the hours of lamenting were for."

"Better than Harry?" Zayn teased.

Niall barked a laugh. "Let's not get carried away now."

Zayn lips turned into a small smile. "Do I have to?"

"Afraid so." Zayn trudged over to Niall and the blond threw an arm around his shoulders. "He looks good."

"Yeah?"

"You have great taste."

They started down the hall and downstairs. "Did he look lost?" Zayn wasn't sure why he asked. Maybe he wanted to know if Liam needed Zayn as much as Zayn needed him.

"Totally."

But now he felt bad. He made Liam attend a huge party where he knew no one without a Master by his side. He's lucky Niall and Harry found him. They entered the ballroom and his eyes found Liam immediately, but Liam seemed to be distracted for a second by Harry running across the room to Niall.

Then when he found Zayn he could see Liam's breathing pause while he took him in. Zayn himself was dumbfounded. Liam was clad in a well-fitting black suit with a silver pocket square, another selfish choice. He wanted a little of Liam to match him for their last night. His trousers hugged his firm thighs just right. And he was walking towards him. Zayn wanted to say something. Anything. But Liam was still looking at him and he couldn't breathe, much less speak.

Then Harry was smirking like the cheeky s.o.b. that he was and saying, "This one is something else. So polite, Zayn."

Zayn still didn't say anything. Which must've had pushed Liam to respond instead. "Mr. Malik," he greeted and Zayn nearly melted to floor at the sound of his voice. "The party is lovely."

Zayn barely registered some small ruckus from Niall and Harry, but he couldn't stop staring at Liam's small quiff or his trimmed scruff. "You look...good." Niall laughed, loud and rude while Harry giggled softly, biting his lip. But the only response that mattered was Liam's. So when Liam answered with a shy, "Thank you, sir," Zayn relaxed.

He finally looked around, taking in the garish decor and snooty people. "A decent turnout."

Niall scoffed, "Decent? Everybody is here. Literally everybody. I have no clue who half these people are."

Zayn was reminded that this party was farce. That no one even cared why it was being held. He'd much rather be alone with Liam on their last night, snuggled together while Zayn read to Liam.

Liam noticed Zayn's faraway look and asked, "Are you feeling better, sir?"

Zayn was then reminded of his actions this morning. Humiliation threatened to color Zayn's face, but that was nothing compared to when Niall actually deemed it necessary to reveal, "Better? You mean than when I sent him home wasted rambling about you?"

"Niall, shut up."

"It wasn't my fault I promise. We stopped drinking long before breakfast. I tucked young Harold into bed and switched to water. But when I woke up he was in the kitchen with a bottle of Jack and a turkey sandwich."

"Niall, seriously." Zayn's voice was grave.

Niall put a hand on Zayn's shoulder. "And when I ask what he's doing all he can come up with is 'Did you know Liam likes to read?'."

Zayn promptly covered Niall's mouth before he can do any more damage. "Sorry." He turned Niall away from the group. "It's not-I didn't-never mind." He gave up trying to come up with some explanation and just pulled Niall away for a private word. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What you're too scared to. He wants you, Zee."

Zayn rubbed his temples. "He's meeting his new Master tonight and I just want him to be happy. Please don't make this any harder."

Niall held his breath and evaluated Zayn's words before nodding in agreement. "Okay, I'm sorry."

Zayn just put a hand up to stop his apology and walked back to Liam and Harry. "Now," he addressed the brown-eyed slave. "I believe you have a match to meet."

Zayn may have imagined Liam's look of disappointment. "Yes, sir."

Zayn led them away from the others as he scanned the crowded room for the tall man. His hand was firm on Liam for the last time, and Liam seemed relaxed by it. Zayn spotted his friend and steered them over. "There he is." Marcus glanced their way and smiled before turning to them and pulling Zayn into a hug. Zayn really was fond of Marcus, despite his currently unknown transgression of taking Liam away.

"Zayn," Marcus welcomed him with a pat before pulling away. "Great party. Congratulations on ten years, mate." Of course Marcus was one of the only people in the room that even cared why Zayn was throwing the party. But then again Marcus had been quite a mentor in the project so he understood all that Zayn had been through. Then Marcus was turning to Liam and smiling wider. "You must be Liam. Wow," he said with obvious admiration.

Zayn felt Liam tense beside him, but when he looked over he saw a flush instead of fear. Liam liked the compliment. "Yes, sir. Pleasure to meet you." Was Liam flattered?

Zayn turned back to Marcus to see his eyes rake over Liam's body, quickly but not quickly enough for Zayn's taste. He looked directly into Liam's eyes when he said, "He's perfect, Zayn. Really, good job."

Zayn's mouth set in a tight line. His last hope that Marcus would turn Liam down and Zayn would get to keep him was dashed. Which he knew it would be, to be fair. Anyone would be stupid to let Liam out of their grasp. And Zayn was the biggest idiot of them all. He kept his composure as the realization that he'd already lost Liam washed over him. "Yes, well, I'll leave you two to it."

Zayn just wanted to get as far away as possible, but then Liam was calling out, "Wait." Zayn turned back to see Liam pleading at him for something. Something, but he wasn't sure what. "I, uh, don't think it's appropriate to be left alone when I've only just met him."

Zayn mentally slapped himself. Duh. He'd never leave a normal slave alone with a new match before proper introductions are even made. He wasn't in his right mind. "Of course. Why don't we take this to my office and have a proper introduction?"

Marcus smiled widely, "Great," and put a possessive hand on Liam's lower back. Zayn caught the gesture and had to remind himself that Liam was no longer his. It was over. He belonged to someone else.

His office was gravely quiet in comparison to the party. Zayn gestured to the seats. "Sit." They settled and Zayn tried to catch Liam's eyes, but they were resolutely in his lap. "Liam." Liam's eyes snapped to him and Zayn could've been swallowed by the openness in them. "This is Marcus DeWare. A close friend and business associate. As well as," he cleared his throat, "your match."

Liam looked from Zayn to Marcus. "Mr. DeWare."

"Liam," Marcus greeted kindly. Marcus was always kind and patient with Zayn, and he expected nothing less with Liam. "We're in private. With close friends. Marcus will do."

Zayn was seething, but couldn't show it. Then there was Liam's quiet, "Of course, sir." Followed by a stuttering of his name. Marcus was settling into Liam already. He could see Liam slipping away.

He watched Liam's reaction, then went still when Liam looked to him. Zayn merely nodded to Marcus. "I'm only here as chaperone. You belong to him now, Liam." It was the hardest thing Zayn had ever said. Harder than telling someone there was no match for them. Harder than the hardest part of his past.

But Liam seemed to accept it after a moment, turning to Marcus. "Liam Payne."

"Good name," Marcus allowed. "Strong." The word was more than a compliment to his name, Zayn could tell. "Tell me, Liam Payne, something very important..."

Liam seemed hesitant. "Yes?"

"Do you like movies?"

Zayn felt smug for a moment. No Liam didn't like movies. He liked books. The two may not be so perfect after all.

"I do."

Zayn was stuttering before he could stop himself. "I, I didn't know that." How did he not know that? He had a home theatre and he'd never once seen Liam in it. "I thought you just liked to read."

Liam seemed to want to please both men. "I do. I love to read," he assured Marcus. And that little gesture, Liam comforting Marcus before Zayn was a blaring signal to Zayn that he'd been replaced. "But I love movies, too." Liam finally turned to him. "But not watching them alone." Zayn felt so dumb. Of course. A slave needed companionship, and Liam was no different. "And you never offered to watch one with me so I never did."

Zayn felt like a complete asshole. Liam had seemed so excited when he learned of Zayn's home theatre, and even more so when Zayn gave him access to it twenty-four/seven. But then he never once used it? Zayn should've known something was up. He should've asked. "That's why, that's why you asked to watch one on...uh, your day."

Marcus looked between them. "Am I missing something?"

"No," Zayn snapped then softened his voice. "I just realized I don't really know Liam that well."

And I never will, Zayn thought.

"Well, that's understandable. You only had him here for a couple months. What can you really learn about someone in that time?" Zayn realized what Marcus was doing. He was claiming his territory. Telling Zayn that Liam was his now. Marcus seemed to relax when Zayn let that realization hit him. The new Master turned back to his slave. "What else do you like, Liam?"

It was awful. They were flirting right in front of him. Usually when Zayn got a chance to see his matchmaking skills at work he was flush with pride and smiled at the two new lovebirds. But this was awful. They were bonding over food and sports. All things Zayn wasn't into. It kept hitting him that Liam wasn't right for him at all. Or that Zayn wasn't right for Liam. Marcus, Marcus was perfect for him. Zayn did his job well yet again.

When Marcus tugged Liam closer by a hand on his thigh, and Liam just let him, Zayn couldn't take it anymore. He rose from his seat and left without so much as a goodbye. He ignored the party and went to his room instead. He stripped off his expensive jacket and tie before falling to his bed. Liam was gone and Zayn did nothing to stop it.

***

In case you were wondering what the hell Zayn was thinking. :D

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