i still do || n.h au

twelve

the first date

Niall has a 'before match' routine that he follows religiously. That routine involves waking up early in the morning, getting a light breakfast and heading straight to the gym to start on his training that usually lasts for several hours. His coach would tell him to take things easy because they couldn't risk an injury a day before the match but Niall would insist on training as usual. When the training is over, he'd meet up with his physiotherapist to go over a few things and make sure that he's ready for the game, get some food for dinner afterwards and then return home so he could rest and give himself a mental preparation for the upcoming match.

For years, he follows that routine and never misses one thing.

Today, however, that might change.

Niall has just stepped out of his physiotherapist's office when he receives a text message from Astrid.

Hey! Any chance you wanna have dinner with me?

Niall stares at the message.

But if you're not supposed to go out the night before your match, that's totally fine. We can do it on another day.

Astrid Chan, are you asking me out on a date?

Three dots appear on the screen seconds after he clicks send. It disappears as quickly as it appears and before worry could seep into him, making him wonder if he's said the wrong thing, the phone in his hand rings. Astrid's name flashes on the screen and he feels a smile tugging at his lips as he answers the call.

"That doesn't seem like a text message conversation," is the first thing she says when Niall presses the device against his ear.

"Hi. Yes, you're right. It doesn't." Niall chuckles as he makes his way to his car and slides inside.

"So if it was an invitation to ask you out on a date, what'd be your answer?"

Although they're talking on the phone and Astrid sounds slightly different than she does in real life, he can still detect the hint of nervousness in her voice. It makes him wish that he could see her in front of him and the need crashes over him like a strong wave. His mind might have been occupied with the league but not once has Astrid left his mind. She's made a permanent fixture there and this time, he's okay with it.

"I'd say no," Niall replies. He can hear Astrid fumbling for a reply and quickly realises that he should not have paused after saying that (what a stupid, stupid move) because what he wanted to say is, "I'd say no because I wanted to be the one to ask you out on a date."

"Oh."

Niall's heart thumps wildly against his chest as he waits for a reply from her. When the silence stretches for another second, he can feel his palms starting to sweat. His body's behaving as if he's some teenage boy who has just asked his crush out on a date -- the fast heartbeats, the sweaty palms -- and he would've laughed at the absurdity of it all if he weren't suddenly so nervous.

"Okay," she answers finally, putting Niall out of his misery. "But only if you're sure about this. I know you have a match tomorrow and I don't want to get in the way of you and your routine."

"I've never been more sure," Niall tells her. His routine is the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"Okay," she says once more. "That's good. Can I--Can I give a suggestion?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Before you turned this whole thing around and asked me out on a date, I was going to invite you over to my house so we could have dinner together. Is it okay if we do that?" She asks, uncertainty lilting her voice. "I'm more than okay if you wanna go out instead."