Catfish (Narry)

Chapter Eighteen

No more crutches, no more doctor visits, and no more Physical Therapy sessions. The only thing left from of the incident was a slight limp in both Harry and Niall’s walk and the memory of the event imbedded into their minds. The nightmares that were occurring to Niall has finally diminished to almost none at all. Life is now back to normal.

Well . . . not really. It wasn’t very normal to begin with.

“Niall James Horan, get your ass back here!”

With body and hair damp with water, Harry chases after Niall’s retreating form. Niall laughs hysterically as he stumbles down the hallway of Harry’s apartment, waving Harry’s black boxer briefs in the air.

“Give me back my underwear,” Harry shouts, “It’s my only clean pair!”

“Then you’ll just have to come and get them, won’t ‘cha?”

Harry groans, but starts running faster. As he’s an arm’s length away he reaches out to grab him. However, Niall takes a sharp, unexpected left turn into another room. Harry has no time to react, and before he could do anything he collides into the wall in front of him. Niall stops dead in his tracks and whips around in time to see Harry land right on his arse. He drops the boxers and doubles over in a laughing fit, face bright red with tears bubbling up in the corners of his eyes.

“Harry, you dork!”

“My head,” he moans in reply.

Niall pads across the tiled floor and crouches down beside him.

“Oh, my poor baby,” he coos gently. A large red lump stands proudly against his forehead, and Niall has to bite his lip to keep himself from bursting out into laughter again. He carefully strokes the bump and Harry flinches away.

“It hurts,” Harry says tenaciously with a pout.

Niall places his lips delicately against the lump. “Better?”

“No, I think I need another kiss,” he points to his lips, “here.”

Niall cups Harry’s cheeks in both hands and kisses him, tongue grazing along his lower lip. He captures it between his teeth and tugs on it gently before pulling away.

“Like that?” He questions hotly against his ear.

“Fuckin’ tease.”

“You know you love it.”

“Mmm, maybe.”

They both laugh lightly and connect their lips again.

“I can get use to this,” Niall murmurs between kisses.

“Well, you already practically live here. And half of your clothes are in my closet.”

“Is that an invite to move in, Mr. Styles?”

“What if it is?”

“What makes you think I would? You haven’t even taken me on a proper date yet!”

“What about going to the wedding in America?”

“I got shot, Harry,” Niall deadpans.

“I’m joking, I’m joking! Here, if I take you on a date, will you move in with me?”

Niall taps his chin with his index finger. “I suppose. Better be good, though. I want you showing up in a suit with flowers and a box of chocolates. The whole shebang, you hear me?”

Harry grins. “Yeah, I hear ya.”

–—–—–—–—–—–—–

“Harry, I wasn’t being serious babe . . .”

Harry stood at the doorway of his own home in a suit, holding a bouquet of red roses and a box of Niall’s favorite chocolates. His brown curls swept down over his forehead with his emerald green eyes peeking out from undermeath.

“I know, but . . . it just seemed right to do, you know?”

“No, I don’t know, but whatever you do is fine by me, baby.”

“Alright then. You ready to go, my prince?” Harry sticks his arm out at an angle, his award-winning smirk painted across his face.

“Yes, yes I am,” Niall says as he loops his arm around Harry’s.

–—–—–—–—–—–—–

Niall’s POV

The waitress brings out am expensive-looking bottle if red wine. She pours the rich liquid into both of our glasses before walking away curtly.

“Harry—”

“Ah, ah, ah! Don’t worry about anything and enjoy it, all right?”

I nod, biting my tongue to keep from protesting. A metallic tang stings my taste buds and I quickly take a drink to rid the foul taste. The wine was remarkable. 

We finished our plates and the desserts we ordered after. We got back to his house around midnight and stood on the porch. It was all cliché, just like in the movies, but I loved every minute of it.

Guilt kind of ruined the whole thing, though.

“I know what I said earlier, but I didn’t mean all of this.”

Harry looks over and smiles gently. “It’s all worth it, though.”

“But that’s the thing, I’m not worth it,” I whisper.

“Hey, don’t say that. It’s not true.”

I look up and meet his eyes. I couldn’t move, or blink. It was like I was in a trance.

“You’re perfect, Niall. Don’t ever forget that. I love you so much. You’re my life; you’re my everything. I wouldn’t make it without you. So don’t doubt yourself.”

A tear runs down my cheek. I feel embarrassed because of that. It’s silly to be crying. But at the same time it isn’t, because no one has said that to me before.

If someone did happen to, though, it wasn’t real. This is real.

He wipes away the tear and envelops me in a warm hug. I cuddle myself as close as I can to his body, sighing in content. I kiss him on the cheek, signaling my ‘I love you too’ with unsaid words. His arms tighten around my waist, showing me that he knows.

“Do you ever want to get married? Like, just in general. Not anyone specific,” I say suddenly. My voice sounded hopeful, almost needy. I couldn't blame myself, though. I kinda was.

“Yeah, ‘course. Do you?”

“Yeah, I do." I reply quickly, but it was honest.

“I even know where I would want to have it.”

I raise one of my eyebrows. “Oh, you do? Where?”

“Ireland.”

My heart starts beating rapidly, even to the point where I think it might explode.

“Why’s that?” I ask quietly.

“I think it’d be nice to marry the one I love in the country he was born in.”

I resist the urge to burst into a blubbering mess and instead lean my head against his shoulder as we sway back and forth. I slip Harry's camera out of his pocket and hold it up. There was a subtle click, then a flash. Harry chuckles and takes the camera from my hands.

I definitely didn’t want to forget this moment either.

—

A/N: Hiii! I just want to say how much I appreciate the reads and votes on this story so far. All the comments I get are so sweet and nice and I just want to hug each and every one of you! 

I know I must sound like a broken record each time I say thank you to you guys, but I really do mean it. Without you I wouldn't have much of a reason to continue writing this.

(And my apologies for this being a shorter chapter, but I really wanted to update again for you guys. Maybe the Narry cuteness will make up for it!) :) x