Count On Me | Niam

Chapter Eighteen

Liam/Niall

"Can you tell me about her? About Chloe?"

Breaking the silence that had fallen between them since they'd returned to the cafe, Liam tested out a smile that Niall didn't return, the two of them not really having spoken after Liam let go off Niall, his constant apologies only prompting Niall to give him a sad smile before they ended up returning to the cafe they'd run out of, Liam's question's going unanswered and prompting him to ask again. "Can you tell me about Chloe?."

Watching as Liam pulled the picture of Chloe he'd kept from his wallet, Niall shrugged at him, something vaguely resembling a smile crossing his face as Liam handed over the picture. Taking the picture back and carefully slotting it into his wallet, Niall smiled properly at him, running a hand through his hair before he nodded. "Thanks."

"She's beautiful, Niall." Smiling back at Niall, Liam chose to ignore the hesitation evident in his face and pressed forwards, ignoring the stares from the cafe workers and focusing on Niall as he asked, "How old is she? I mean, I know she's seven but how old is she exactly? When's her birthday?"

"Chloe's seven... Seven and a half. Her birthday's April twenty-fifth." Gripping his mug tightly, Niall couldn't she the feeling that he shouldn't be telling Liam that, the part of him that had initially wanted to shut Liam out grudgingly falling silent as Niall took a deep breath and forced himself to say more. "Her full name, if you were wondering, is Chloe Amelia Horan. She likes to go by Chlo. She's only ever Chloe Amelia when she's doing something she knows not to, like the time she persuaded one of the boys downstairs to trade her a bouncy ball for a skateboard. What else is there you want to know?"

Nodding, Liam leant back in his seat, thinking for a second before he smiled softly. "It's a pretty name. Chloe Amelia. Suits her. What's she like?"

"She's an absolute angel. Always has been, though. Well, she is most of the time. She can be an absolute monster when she feels like it." Giving Liam a more watery smile, Niall sniffed, wiping his face with the back of his hand before he took a sip of his drink. "She loves Disney films. But she'll only admit it when she's tired or she wants to go and see the newest one. She's an amazing swimmer, wants to swim competitively someday, but she goes a couple of times a week."

"Luckily for me." Sighing slightly, Liam shot another, disarming, smile his way and gestured for him to continue, filing away all the information Niall was giving him in the part of his brain usually occupied by song lyrics.

Rolling his eyes, Niall's smile widened as he shook his head at Liam, fighting a yawn as the double shift and lack of sleep caught up with him, swallowing a mouthful of his drink as he tried to think of other details that Liam would want to know. "Chloe loves pasta. If there's one thing I can count on her to eat, it's that. She hates broccoli but will eat it if she's told she can't have pudding unless it's gone. Same with sprouts and mashed potato. Her favourite book's always been Winnie the Witch but she's no longer really bothered with bedtime stories. Apparently, I don't do the right voices. Her favourite colour's currently blue, but she'll probably have changed her mind by next week."

"She sounds... Perfect." Leaning back in his seat, Liam pushed away the questions he was dying to ask and gave Niall another smile, picking up the drink in front of him and taking a sip as he waited for Niall to speak.

Running a hand over his face, Niall stifled another yawn as he nodded. "She is. Apart from when she's sulking because I have double shifts and she has to spend the night at the sitters or I'm late and can't pick her up on time. Or when it comes to meal times. She's slightly less angelic when she's refusing to eat and is pouting and complaining like you're trying to get her to eat dirt."