"Hey Babe" *Narry* (by my1dslash.tumblr.com)

4

“Hey babe,” Niall looks extremely pleased with himself. Harry wonders what he’s done. “We’re in Baltimore today. And guess where I am right now?” He pauses for a second, presumably for Harry to guess, before answering his own question. “The aquarium!”

“I know you love aquariums and shit like that so I thought to myself, ‘hey Niall, why not record your trip to the aquarium for Harry and he can watch it and pretend he’s here?’ Then I told myself, ‘that’s a fucking great idea.’ So you’re coming to the aquarium with me! Are you ready for this?” Now Harry knew why Niall looked so pleased. He had to admit, it was really sweet of him to do this. Harry did love aquariums.

“Okay so,” Harry could hear Niall fumbling around and the next second a map was pulled into the shot. “It says the first level is under construction. They’re building something called a Blacktip Reef.” Niall quirked an eyebrow at the camera, “Sounds fancy. Looks like we’ll start on level two. It’s called Maryland: Mountains to Sea. That’s where Baltimore is. In Maryland. I guess it’s going to have animals that live here. You ready for this?” Harry nodded just because. Niall grinned, as if he knew Harry had responded, and wove his way through the crowds towards the exhibit. “Okay,” he moved the camera away from his face and pointed it at the animals, making an excited noise when he saw a turtle. “Haz look! You love turtles.” The exhibit featured a stream, a marsh, a beach, and an ocean scene. Niall oohed and aahed over the multiple species of turtles, then laughed at the flounder when they got to the ocean part. His finger entered the picture and Harry saw he was pointing towards the flat fish, giggling uncontrollably over the fact that both his eyes were on one side of his head. Then he shifted the camera so he could get both himself and the fish in the shot, sticking his tongue out at the camera. “Look at the fish Haz! It’s funny looking.”

Harry responded with a good natured, “You’re funny looking.” He liked pretending Niall could hear him. They really needed to Skype soon.

Niall’s eyes narrowed in the video, “I bet you just said I’m funny looking.” Harry laughed. “I know you too well Styles,” Niall stuck out his tongue. “And just for the record, I am not funny looking.”

“Nope, you’re gorgeous.”

A sad smile found a home on Niall’s face and he suddenly looked like he was going to cry. “I bet you just said I was beautiful or something. You’re beautiful too Haz.” Niall’s voice was soft as he sank down to the floor, his face dominating the shot. “I told myself that I wasn’t allowed to miss you. I mean, I was the one who chose to leave for the summer and come on this journey to find myself and it’s not fair to you for me to be all miserable without you. I’m out doing stuff and making friends and having fun, I shouldn’t be pining away. But I am.” A tear ran down Niall’s cheek and he laughed sadly, brushing it away with the back of his hand. “I fucking miss you so much. I woke Liam up the other night because I was crying. I just…It’s hard sleeping without you. And waking up without you. And going through the day without you. Liam and Lou and Zayn are great, but none of them are you.  They don’t laugh at my jokes the way you do. With your mouth open and your eyes squeezed shut.  I miss that.” Niall was crying freely now, wiping at his tears with one hand and holding the camera steady with the other. Harry was crying too, his bear hugged to his chest and relief flooding him. Niall did miss him. “I miss your voice and the way your hair looks all crazy when you just wake up and kissing your tattoos and holding your hand and hearing you tell me that you love me and jumping on your back just to annoy you and stealing your beanies and the way your mouth tastes and cuddling you in bed and how slow you talk and your cooking and your stupid jokes and everything. I just miss your stupid face.” Niall smiled through his tears, “I love your stupid face.”

There were a few minutes in which Harry just heard sniffles and he watched as Niall composed himself, rubbing his palm roughly across his cheek to wipe away his tears. He laughed softly, “I feel like I should have waited until the dolphin exhibit to have my breakdown. They seem cuddly. Maybe they could cheer me up.”

Niall climbed awkwardly to his feet and brought the camera in, planting a kiss on the screen. Harry quickly pressed his own lips to his screen and closed his eyes, trying to remember the taste of Niall’s lips.

When he pulled away Niall’s full face was back in the screen, “Shall we go see the sharks now? I’ve just been bawling in an aquarium and talking to a camera. I think I need something to make me feel a little manlier.”

Niall started walking towards the shark exhibit, pausing to address Harry one more time, “I know you’re crying too. I wish I was there to hug you and make it all better. But I’m not. So hug the bear yeah?”

Harry did just that, crushing the bear to his chest and not bothering to wipe away his tears.

The rest of the aquarium tour passed without any other mentions of their relationship, instead filled with Niall’s commentary about the fish he was seeing. He ended the video at the dolphin exhibit with a soft, “I love you so fucking much Harry.”

He blew a kiss and the screen went blank.