1+1 Makes 3 | Niam

Chapter 41

Liam's p.o.v

"Hey you."

Opening the passenger door as Niall approached the car, Liam smiled back at Niall before saying "Hey yourself."

"So where are you taking me then? It's not everyday your boss tells you someones here to kidnap you and then Louis shows up. With duct tape." Leaning against the leather seats, Niall bit back a grins he spoke, meeting Liam's gaze in the rear view mirror before continuing. "Wherever it is that we're going, it better be good, you know. I had to sit in Louis' car, with my hands bound with tape, whilst he drove me back to his flat, saying repeatedly that you set him up to it. It was more than a little creepy, you know. You better have a good explanation."

Laughing, Liam kept his eyes on the road, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as he said "You'll recognise where I'm taking you when we get there. And when I told Louis to kidnap you for the afternoon, I didn't mean it literally, I swear."

Shaking his head, Niall pulled his jumper sleeves down over his wrists fiddling with his seat belt before  raising an eyebrow. "That still doesn't explain why you felt the need to send my best friend to kidnap me several hours before whatever you have planned."

Already slowing to pull into a car park, Liam looked over at Niall, smirking as he noticed the younger guys skinny jeans before saying "Everything will become clear in time, I promise. As for where I'm taking you, this place look familiar?"

Stepping out of the Bentley, Niall tried not to gasp as he stood in front of the restaurant Liam had taken him  to months earlier, smiling as Liam took his hand and began to pull him towards the entrance.

Linking his fingers through Niall's, Liam pulled him  through the door, checking that he still had the little velvet box in his pocket before nodding at a passing waiter as he said "Surprise?"

"Wow, Li. You brought me back here...? And on valentines day... you shouldn't have. Are you sure we're even allowed back in here? I mean the last time we were here..." Grinning up at Liam, Niall blinked slightly, squeezing Liam's hand before he was cut off by someone appearing before the two them, the stranger handing the two of them menus as he said "You two ended up making out in the middle of my dining area, yes?"

Keeping hold of Niall's hand, Liam wrapped his arm around his waist as they followed the stranger, both of them trying to ignore the stares coming from the other diners as they headed to a table, Niall giving Liam a questioning look as the stranger disappeared as quickly he'd came, smiling as Liam pulled his chair out for him. Pretending to study the menu, Niall glanced around at the other people in the restaurant, feeling slightly out of place in his jeans and borrowed sweater as he asked "Who was he?"

"That was the owner of the restaurant. He's the head chef, Ni, he owns it. We went to college together, years ago before he dropped out..." Grinning  across at Niall, Liam gestured for a waiter and ordered for the two of them before answering him, pausing for a second to admire the way Niall looked in the candle light before he turned the conversation to a different subject, never taking his eyes off younger guy as he listened.

************

Watching as Niall stole the last chunk of chocolate cake, Liam sighed before mock-pouting at him. "That's not fair. I wanted that piece."

Sticking his tongue out at Liam, Niall placed his cake fork down on the empty plate, hiding grin as he said  "What are you, Li? Thirty five or three? I got the piece first so it doesn't matter whether you wanted it or not. And I never said it was fair. You could try acting your age, you know."

"I won't act my age. It's far more fun not being mature and grown up, love." Throwing some notes on the table, Liam held his hand out for Niall, gesturing towards the exit as he said "Ready for the next part of whatever I've got planned?"

"Well when you put like that..." Taking his hand, Niall gathered up his jacket and followed Liam towards the car as he spoke, raising an eyebrow as Liam led him towards the car and opened the door for him again. Nestling back against the seat, Niall bit his lip as he asked "Where to now?"

"All in good time, Ni." Checking that Niall had his seat belt on, Liam put the car into drive before leaving the car park and heading towards a bar he hadn't been to in months.

His eyes widening as he recognised where they were, Niall looked at Liam, a faint frown appearing as he linked his fingers through Liam's. "Is this.... What are we doing here?"

"The bar where we first met? It is, and I'll explain everything, I promise. Lets go in." Kissing Niall's cheek, Liam pulled him towards the door, checking his pocket again before holding the door open and  following Niall to the bar. Taking a sip of his drink, Liam stood next to Niall  at the end of the bar, both of them stood in roughly the same places that they had been when they first met as Liam pulled the velvet box out of his pocket and set it down in front of them.

"Li, is that?" Holding back a gasp, Niall bit his lip, a faint frown appearing as he looked at Liam, unable to finish his sentence as he stared at the box.

Nodding, Liam smiled softly at Niall, opening the box up as he said "Niall, we've known each other for over year and a half, probably the best year and a half of my life, right? And in that time, I know that things have been complicated, and nothing has been traditional in any sense of the word, but I wouldn't change of any of that for the world.

I know things haven't always been the easiest between the two of us, but I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, more than I ever thought I could love someone, and meeting you right here, at this very bar, was one of the best things that ever happened to me. You and Kieran are the best things I have, the best things I've ever had and I know that to some this might seem a little soon, but I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now.... I am so grateful that you came home with me that night, and that, despite my actions and everything that followed, you gave me a chance. The last time we were both here, you said that you were celebrating the 'worst day of your life' and I want to change that. I want to make it so that the last time we were here, it was one of the best."

Taking a deep breath, Liam pulled the ring out of the box and got down on one knee, looking up at Niall before he asked "Niall James Horan, will you marry me?"