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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Niall was exhausted. He had been on a long ass plane ride, jet lag killing him, when he'd gotten lost on his way to his cousins' apartment. Murphy had texted him the address with directions from the airport after they ditched him last minute, setting him up with a rental car. How the hell was he supposed to know where any of these streets were?

After deciding stubbornness would get him no where, Niall finally asked for directions when a nice young store clerk had pointed him in the right direction. Now here he was, standing in front of his only remaining family's front door and he was ready to throttle them both.

Niall pounded on the door quite loudly.

"Murph! Someone's at the door!" came Connor's thick Irish accent.

"Well get off your arse and answer the door! It's probably Niall."

"Are you fucking serious?"

Connor groaned and opened the door.

"Hey, cuz!"

Niall winced. He looked like shit.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked as Connor showed him in and gave him the key to his temporary home. Connor shrugged.

"Bar fight," came the shit excuse. "Some asshole was running his mouth and giving Doc trouble. We thought we'd show him some proper manners like his mother should've."

Niall chuckled a bit, dropping both his duffle bags on the couch.

The MacManus brothers lived in a decent size, five room apartment; three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen and living area, separated only by a bar counter. There was no dining room.

"So," Niall spoke up. "I'll take it you left this guy running?"

"Sarcasm noted," said Murphy as he entered, looking much better than his twin. "But we did. And I just happen not to get my arse beat."

"Hey!"

Murphy raised his hands defensively. "Sorry, Con. It's the truth."

He turned to Niall with a huge smile.

"Been a while," said as they embraced. Niall looked at Connor in mock offense.

"After two years and I don't even get a hug?"

Connor groaned and muttered something. He had just started to lift himself off the couch when Niall pushed him back down by his face.

"You had your chance."

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"No way! No fucking way!" Murphy exclaimed in disbelief as Niall downed another shot. Connor laughed as his twin lost the bet he'd so hastily made.

There was a loud bang when Niall slammed the shot glass on the oak countertop.

"Pay up," he said, his lilt intensified with his toxicity level.

Murphy paused for a moment trying to find a loop hole but eventually gave in. Niall nearly fell off his stool when Murphy shoved a $20 in his chest. He laughed a little too long and took a moment to catch his breath, his face a bright, cherry color.

Doc chuckled while cleaning a few glasses behind the counter.

"You kn-know what they say. If-f you want to learn to swim, don't t-torment yourself with sh-shallow waters."

Murphy and Connor both groaned, while Niall just looked at him, horribly confused.

"Yeah..," he said. After a few moments of hard thinking his face lit up. "I think he's got a point!"