call it what you want • narry storan AU

twenty-five: harry

The morning sun feels warmer now. Maybe it's not 6AM anymore, like it was when I first opened my eyes. It was still a bit colder than now, but the sight of a sleeping Niall by my side just made me smile more than I thought I could and made me sleep once again.

Once I pick up my wristwatch to check the time, I almost jump in fright.

"Niall", I say in a low voice, slightly shaking his shoulders. "Wake up."

He slowly moves his head to my side, letting out a grin once his eyes meet mine.

"Morning, sugar", he says, and I couldn't be happier to hear him call me 'sugar'. "You're still smiling. What happened?"

"You called me 'sugar'."

"Yeah. Just like that Pink song."

"What? I thought it was a Maroon 5 reference", he laughs a bit, "am I wrong?"

"Okay, it could be, but it wasn't my intention. You know, that Pink song in which she sings something like... there you are, sitting in the garden, clutching my coffee... calling me sugar!" Niall just can't contain his excitement with his own thoughts. Sweet. "Yes, Glitter in the Air. That's what I wanted to say."

"You act in such a silly way when you think of a song to represent something... have you ever noticed that in yourself?" I lead my index and thumb fingers to his nose, pinching him there.

"Look who's silly now", he argues back, breaking the space between us to kiss my lips in a slow, tender way. "I love your lips."

"I love yours too. In fact, I love everything about you." I smirk at the end of my sentence.

"We should head out as soon as we can, Haz. They may believe we're dead."

"Yes. Daddy."

His eyes go wide.

"You said it again", he slaps me in the shoulder, "I can't believe it."

"What? Anything wrong with that?"

"I wouldn't say anything wrong. Just... weird. It's weird."

☸☸☸☸

"Any plans for today?" I ask in a loud voice, calling the attention of everyone else while we're all sitting beside each other in a circle form.

Just like a proper family.

Stop. Being. Illusional.

"We'll take a walk through the woods and find a river to take a simple bath. Or something like that", Greg answers me, shrugging right after. 

Maura seems to agree with his words in a nod.

"After lunch you two can have your space if you want to", she comments, winking at me after this.

"What?" I mutter to her, while Bobby starts laughing by her side and Denise cannot contain a grin in her face.

"Mom", Niall tries to warn her something, "that's not necessary."

"What? I just thought you'd like to have some time alone", she says, although both Niall and I know she's gonna laugh at some point too, just like her husband.

"You sure?"

"Of course, darling."

"Still don't believe you, mom!"

"Let her be, Niall", I gently pat his shoulder. "Let her be. Don't pretend you don't want some time to yourself too."

"Are you into her tricks too, Harold?"

"It's not what I meant to say", I roll my eyes as I try to calm him down. "Let's just... change clothes and take a walk with them. Are you finished with your plate?"

"Yeah", he nods.

We go back to our tent, Niall getting dressed in his running shoes, shorts and a light tank top, and me in a button-down shirt, workout shorts and sneakers similar to his too. He plants a kiss on my cheek right before we leave the tent, whispering a single "daddy's going out" in my ears and leaving me speechless by that.

His mind always amazes me.

During the whole walk in the woods, Niall never loses the grip of my hand, while Bobby and Maura sing childhood-alike songs to keep Theo distracted and to cheer us up a bit too. 

"Wish this could last more", he tells me at one point where we're right behind the rest of the family and they cannot hear what we're talking. "Reality will come in a storm once we go back to the big town."

"I know, babe", I answer him, "I know. And there's my album coming in the next few weeks. I really, really hope you don't miss me that much."

He seems to get lost in his own thoughts. His mouth opens and closes plenty of times in a span of 30 seconds, like he wants to say something but is afraid of doing so.

"Niall?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there something bothering you?" He looks up to me, his eyes showing me the fear I predicted he was feeling seconds ago. That's the moment I know there is, in fact, something making him upset. "You don't have to say nothing if you don't want to. But... just know I'm here for you."

"I don't know if I should bother you with this. It's just a feeling."

"You can be honest with me. Remember, we both can be open to each other."

"Huh... please, don't be mad", he stops walking, and I stand by his side, trying to keep contact with his eyes. "I just feel like this relationship is not strong enough. I don't know if I can handle the span of time you'll spend on tour, away from me. I wish I could go with you and live everything there with you, but I have my own career too. Soon I'll have to go on my own tour and I feel like it will be so lonely without you and suddenly I don't wanna go anymore because I want to stay with you all the damn time. And I fear the end of this. I fear it so much, Haz, I don't know how or why, but I do."

"Why would I be mad at this?" I ask, my hands going straight to his waist right after, holding him close to me.

"Because it may seem silly or selfish of me to think I should have you to myself all the time when obviously you gotta have your moments too. Just that. I'm sorry."