Anything to keep you [n.h + h.s]

Chapter 16

My hand is tightly clutched in Niall's and our fingers are intertwined. My heart is beating a mile per second and I'm tugging at my bottom lip with my teeth as a nervous act. His thumb was stroking the back of my hand and it soothes me a lot. Makes me feel a bit more calm, but I'm still nervous.

Yesterday morning, Niall and I had made our mothers sit down at the dinner table over at Niall's house and we told them of our plans to go to Ireland with a couple of friends. We had talked about it and asked their permission and of course, we said we needed economic aid. Maura and mum had calmly told us they needed to discuss it with Bobby and Robin, as we are their responsibility too. Obviously since they are our fathers. Robin is my step-father but it's close enough.

They had also told us that they wanted us to give them time, to discuss and think about all of this.

And now here we are. Sitting across from our own mothers, terrified of the answer they're about to give us. Only a day after we initially asked.

"So." mum begins and I want to groan at her for being like this. Can't they just spit it out?

"This trip is sounding like a great idea." Maura says and my heart speeds up even more. If that's even possible. We're gonna go to Ireland.

"It sounds like a lot of fun and we trust you boys. It would have been another thing if you hadn't known each other for as long as you have. Plus, you boys are both 18. You're adults." my mum continues and I turn my head sideways to look at Niall, who has got a beautiful smile upon cotton candy pink lips. His blue eyes sparkle and they look so pretty. He looks so pretty.

"And, we know you boys said you wanted economic aid. But," oh fuck. Here it comes. We need to responsible and earn money on our own. Why does parents always do this?

"We have decided we'll pay it for you." What? Both Niall and I gape at them for a few moments. Maura chuckles softly before clearing her throat.

"But, we have some rules." she adds, sounding a bit more stern. I bite my lip and glance at Niall, who is scratching his nose with his free hand.

"We want you to call and talk to us. And take care of each other. And have a good time over there." Mum says and I'm speechless. I'm gonna go to Ireland. Ireland with Niall.

Niall and I bounce up from our seats and embrace each other tightly. He's holding on so tightly and I feel dizzy because he smells so good and he awakens the butterflies in my belly. We stand for a few minutes just hugging and I feel the urge to press my lips against his, just wanting us to melt into each other, but these thoughts make me break away from him with a deep shade of red on my cheeks.

I turn to mum and hug her tightly, burrowing my face in the nape of her neck.

"Thank you so much mummy. I love you so much." I mumble and mum chuckles at me while she runs her hand up and down my back. I break away, press a small peck to her cheek before turning to Maura. Niall is standing with his arms around his mum and he's got a few happy tears trailing down his cheeks.

For a few minutes I just stand here, appreciating and adoring the site in front of me. The love of my life and his mum, simply hugging and sharing care and love. It's such a simple act but with so much meaning.

When they let go, I walk up to Maura and hug her.

"Thank you so much Maura. You have no idea how grateful I am for this." I whisper before letting her go, but not without a peck on the cheek. 

"You are such lovely boys." is her reply and it causes me to smile.

~~~~~~

"Do you think my love for Ireland is weird?" When Niall asks me this, half an hour has passed since we found out are parents are letting us go. Niall is laying on his back, on my bed while I'm leaned against my wall. I furrow my eyebrows and shoot him a confused look. He doesn't notice that though, because he's staring up at the ceiling.