[Narry One Shots]

Talk Derby to me

✪ Prompt by radicalxniall:
Harry takes Niall to a Derby game ✪

Yet another problem. Football is not really my thing. Like. Not at all. Not even in the slightest. Therefore I had to improvise since I know absolutely nothing about sports. Please forgive any mistakes I made because really. I've never been to a game, I've never even watched one on telly (besides the World Cup and also only when Germany plays, sorry) so yeah. I tried my best.

(featuring fratboy!Niall and posh!Harry since I write a lot of posh!Harry, even though I don't think he's that posh. I mean yeah, he wears shirts I'd have to sacrifice three lambs, two puppies and my soul to satan to even pay half the price of it, but buying that sort of expensive stuff is just what you do when you're filthy rich.)

✪

Talk Derby to me

✪

So, Zayn has this friend. This really, really annoying and incredibly blond friend called Niall, whose wardrobe only consists of tank tops, which show his barely there chest hair, tracksuit trousers, which seem to be quite comfortable but please, not fashionable at all, and snapbacks.
Niall looks like boy. Niall probably also smells like boy. Niall is the epitome of boyishness.

Niall's whole boyish being brings Harry to a white heat, because not only is Niall Irish and rude and swears like a sailor, no, he also does not seem to notice how much Harry loathes him, Not even in the slightest. Harry doesn't get it. He insults him and shoves him and even tells the lad how much of an annoyance he is, but the blond seems to think that it's just friendly banter.

Harry really doesn't get it. Just because he's Zayn's friend, Zayn who's chill and cool and relaxed, doesn't mean he's Niall's friend, too. Why Zayn hangs around with the bloke, Harry will never understand, but the dark-haired lad is adamant that Niall is kind of cute, very loyal and a good mate.
The curly-haired bloke snorts at that. "Yeah", he tells Zayn. "A good drinking mate, if any."

He earns a blow to his back of his head every time Zayn as much as guesses that Harry's talking shit about Niall. Harry absolutely doesn't get it. Niall is a complete and utter nuisance with no idea of what personal space is. The blond is affectionate, very, very affectionate and hugs and cuddles and touches and pats and kisses and shoves and pushes everything and everybody in his reach. It might sound endearing but it is not. Not at all.

Zayn apparently likes Niall's affection, though, just as much as he apparently likes Niall's whole fratboy being and they hang out together all the time and Harry can't do anything but well, hang out with them too, because it's terrible and he thinks Zayn's really cool and extremely pretty and maybe he has a crush on the tanned beauty. If Niall is the price to pay to be near Zayn, oh boy, then Harry will pay.

✪

They're pissed most of the time they hang out together. Harry's always the first to get wasted, Zayn always vehemently pretends to be sober, but slurs his words like no other and Niall. Well. Niall can't get exactly drunk because he's Irish. He drinks everybody under the table and even though he's the one who probably drinks the most of them all, he's also the one to carry the others home.
The only thing the Irishman is good for, in Harry's opinion.

✪

"Louissss... Lewissss... Lou... Llllllouiiii-- Louloulou.. Lew, hey, hey Lou, I gotta have a, uhm, ask? I gotta ask ya something, mate!", Harry babbles and grabs his friend by his shoulders roughly and tries to look into his eyes earnestly.
They're at a party and the music in the background is playing loudly and the room is full of sweaty, dancing bodies.

Louis sighs and nods. He's had only one beer until now and that was definitely not enough.
"Lou, Lou do ya thing. Do ya thing tha' Niall's pretty?", Harry frowns a little and seems to contemplate his own words.
"Uh", Louis shrugs and hums. "He's not ugly, I guess. Quite the cute lad."

"Nonono, Louiii. No. Niall's no cute, he's sssuper annoying, sissn't he?", Harry disagrees drunkenly and waves his hand furiously from left to right to show Louis that Niall is not at all in any way cute.
"I mean, ya kno', from a sgale from 1 to a 10 and 10 is the pretties', ya kno', he'd be like... like a 9. But a very, very, very ugly 9."

Louis can't help but laugh at that and roll his eyes. "You know, Harry, you always tell me you hate him, but I guess the drunk speak the truth and you're definitely hammered. C'mon, go look for Niall, maybe you'll get a blowjob or something."

Harry stares at him with his mouth wide agape. "I don' wan' Niall to blow me, Lou, I jus' was saying that he's annoying, alrite? Gossshhh, Louisss!"
The smaller lad only sighs in reply, pats Harry onto the shoulder one time and leaves him standing there like the fool he is.

The curly-haired bloke starts pouting and lets his gaze wander around the people attending the party. He sees some girls from his whatever class, his brain can't quite remember which one, he sees Louis and Liam who are talking vividly, but he doesn't see Zayn. He sighs.

"Oi! Styles!", a Irish accent pulls him out of his self-pity. "You're swaying a bit", Niall grins and throws an arm around Harry to steady him. Harry breathes in deeply and thinks he can smell the blond. Sweat and beer, maybe a hint of cologne and also a hint of... cheep perfume?
Drunk enough to dare it, he turns around a little and buries his face in the crook of Niall's neck and breathes in once more. It is perfume he smells there, isn't it?

"Which chick did ya, ehh--", Harry asks while stepping away a little and makes a very obvious hand gesture to what he wants to say. "You smell like perfume"
Niall doesn't even have the decency to blush, no, he just grins even wider and shrugs innocently.
"I don't know what you mean, Styles."

Harry grunts and pushes the blond, crossing his arms afterwards. "Yah, sssure ya don't. You may not kno' bu' I hate ya very, very much a lot. You're only a 9 anyway, tsssk"
Niall lifts his eyebrows, looking at Harry funnily. He lifts his eyebrows so high, that they're almost reaching the green snapback on his head, in Harry's opinion and that looks just ridiculous. Nobody can lift their eyebrows that far.

"An' your hatsss are absssurd!", the taller bloke slurs and takes the hat off Niall's blond shock of hair and places it on his own. "Look! Ridiculouss!", he exclaims and points to his head.
Niall only laughs lightly and cocks his head. "Now I see it, too. Looks really ridiculous on you."

Harry nods agreeing before his brain processes what Niall had actually said. "EY!"
This makes the Irishman laugh harder, his whole body shakes with his laughter and Harry despises it, because he's laughing about him! Niall stupid Horan is laughing about him. That can't be, so he decides to silence the tiny, tiny boy with his tiny and kind of pointy ears and his chin dimple and this absolutely not realistic looking blond hair and he kisses him.

A warm tingle shoots through Harry's veins as he presses his lips to Niall's and he's not sure if it's from the amount of alcohol he's consumed or if it's from the burning hate he feels towards Niall or if it's something entirely else. He doesn't care at that moment, the only thing that counts is the fact that Niall actually shuts up and Harry sees that as an achievement. Niall tastes like beer and tic tacs and he still smells like this awful perfume, but Harry's brain can't really handle all these smells and tastes and feelings at once and it's mind blowing.

When he pulls away from those luscious lips, he grins widely, the dimples on his cheeks deepen.
"Aha!", he yells and stems his hands into his sides in victory.
Niall in front of him looks dumbfounded and flustered. His tiny cheeks are rosy and he stares with big eyes at Harry as if he'd seen a ghost.
Then his expression changes from confused and taken by surprise to a frown and an angry grimace.

Harry doesn't like this change, because it makes him feel as if he'd done something wrong.
"You complete pillock Harry Styles", Niall grumbles and rubs his face, sighing desperately, then he turns around and leaves him just like Louis did. Harry doesn't get it. At all.

"Haz!", another voice suddenly calls out his name and by now, a headache starts forming in Harry's brain. He sobers a little and realises that there are a lot of things he'll regret in the morning.
He glances up into the direction of the new voice anyway and god bless, it's Zayn.

"Zayn, hi", Harry greets the tanned bloke with a weak smile.
"Yo, saw you getting closer with Niall, huh?", Zayn winks at him and Harry facepalms himself.
"Fuck. My. Life.", he curses and shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. He knows he makes a lot of mistakes but kissing Niall?! He can't believe his own actions and what demon possessed him to-- to--

"Zayn", Harry says almost silently, glaring down at the floor. "Do you like Niall? As in like like?"
"What? Nah, he's just a very good friend.", the other bloke replies and shrugs casually while sipping on the beer he has in his hand.
Harry nods and knows he'll regret his next action even more than kissing Niall, because now he's feeling sobered up, but he can blame it on the alcohol anyway.

He reaches over, cradles Zayn's face, leans in and kisses him, too.

✪

He wakes up alone and his head is killing him.

It takes him a few minutes to realise that he's in his own bed and it takes him even more time to realise that he's not forgotten what happened last night and he knows that he's utterly, utterly screwed.
When he turns his head to the side, he catches a glance onto a hat. Oh no.

Harry forces himself to get up and drink a glass of water and take an aspirin, but then he lays into his bed again and sleeps.

It's Sunday, he thinks, and if not. He doesn't care.

✪

It is indeed Sunday and he knows he'll have to face his problems and mistakes soon, but he can't get himself to call Zayn. He can't call his crush even though he should. He calls Louis first to get to know the extent of the damage he caused.

"Louis--", he sighs into the phone after his mate has picked up.

"Rumour has it that you made out with the boy you absolutely hate and the boy you absolutely love.", Louis replies without any hesitation and that's just how he his. Direct and honest.

"I am--"

"--buggered."

Harry whines at that. "But Louis, I--"

"Face it, Styles. Face it."

"I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing--"

"That's what rapists say", Louis snorts unforgivably. "This is no excuse for what you've done."

"I know, I know... just... how do I? What do I tell them?"

"First of all; that is your own damn problem. Second of all; take them out one after the other and say you're sorry. I guess that's the only intelligent way to handle your utter stupidity."

Harry sighs into the phone. "Thanks Louis."

"Yeah, yeah", Louis probably rolls his eyes on the other end of the line and hangs up.

Harry is absolutely done and guilty.

✪

He guesses that Niall is the lesser evil, since they can't even stand each other. Or well. Harry can't stand Niall and Niall is way too oblivious to notice hate anyway. That lad probably thinks nobody is able to hate him and uh, that's probably true if it wasn't for Harry.

The curly-haired boy dials Niall's number and hopes secretly that the blond won't answer his phone. Sadly, he does after only a few rings.
"My ass, Styles.", is the first thing he hears. "I know, I know. You made a mistake blah blah, it meant nothing blah blah... I'm impressed that you're calling just a day after it happened. Haven't experienced that sort of chivalry much."

"Oh", is the only thing Harry says and does the blond even have a hangover? "I, uhm, am sorry anyway? I think?"
"You think!", Niall sneers. "Don't overwork your brain, alright?"
Okay. Maybe Niall knows what hate is anyway. He's rude.

"I just-- I'm very sorry, Niall and-- I shouldn't have done that, really, much less since I don't even like you and-- I'm very, very sorry. Terribly sorry."
"Why don't you like me?", Niall asks in a very shy and quiet voice and it is so unlike him, Harry doesn't get it.

"Uh... you're... annoying and you're... hanging out with Zayn a lot and everybody thinks that you're the most adorable person on this planet but you're really not, you're so much of a boy-- it's just... it's just annoying me."
Niall hums silently. "Okay. Bye Harry.", he mumbles and hangs up on Harry.

Harry feels bad after the phone call, so, so, so bad and guilty. It's like he's broken Niall's heart or something and everybody else would've killed him for that. Zayn would have.
He wants to punch something, so he goes for a pillow and hits and punches that vigorously.

It doesn't calm him down and doesn't make him feel less guilty at all and he absolutely doesn't know what to do now. He said sorry but did Niall accept his apology? Kind of but not really.

The thing is, that he feels less guilty about kissing Zayn and not apologising than having done whatever to Niall, because he can imagine the blond looking like a kicked puppy and Niall's so tiny and innocent and sensitive and-- Zayn can take it, Harry's sure of that, he's a tough guy-- but Niall?
No. Niall is a boy, a brat, he's stupid and tough, he's-- he's adorable and sensitive-- he's--

"Argh, fuck it!", Harry shouts and grabs his phone again, dialing the blond furiously.
"What's it now, Harry?", Niall's voice sounds pressed and it makes Harry's insides tighten.
"Listen, I really am sorry that I was such a drunkard and I--", he gulps. "Do you want to... argh. You like derby, right?"

"Uhm, yeah I do, but--", Niall says, obviously confused.
"Great! Today's a game, you want to go? With me?", Harry asks and breaks out in a cold sweat because he fears Niall's answer to his dumb question. "It... I think it starts half past 3 pm?"
"Harry, what is this?", Niall sighs loudly on the other end of the line. "You don't have to do this, really, it's fine. It was a mistake and it's okay, yeah? You don't have to take me out to make it up."

"But I want to", Harry admits and is glad, that Niall can't see him right now.
"Aren't you hung over?", Niall wonders and Harry really just wants an answer. "No, I'm not"
"But--"
"No buts, Niall, please. Just go with me. Let me do this for you, yeah? I want to apologise to you in person and yeah. Yeah."

"Alright", Niall finally says and Harry's about to make a little jump out of happiness, which he cannot understand at all. He is not falling for the blond's... Irish charm.
"Great! I know where you live, I'm picking you up! See ya!", he grins into the phone anyway and hangs up before Niall is able to change his mind.

With a relieved sigh he falls back down into his bed and smiles like a maniac. He's meeting Niall, the absolute nuisance, in three hours and he's giddy about it.

✪

Harry reminds himself that he should call Zayn and apologise, too, so he does just that.
"I'm very sorry, Zayn. I didn't want to do that, really. I didn't mean it like that, I was just really drunk and I apologise for my crappy behaviour at the party.", he tells his mate, who groans in reply.

"Harry, I'm very much straight and I know you were drunk. I don't mind it. The only thing I worry about is... Niall. He might look like a strong guy, but he's... he's a delicate little flower, okay? Please apologise to him, he's... he likes you a lot. It hurts him enough that you apparently hate him."

Niall... likes him? Oh god, Harry thinks, oh my god. He remembers his crush on Zayn but now... now there's nothing anymore. Of course, he's still attracted to the very, very pretty lad but not romantically. At least-- Harry doesn't think so anymore.

"I'm actually taking him to a derby game. To apologise properly", he says quietly.
"That's great, do that!", he can literally hear Zayn's smile through his voice.
"Yeah, I will... uhm. See you soon, Z"
And Zayn replies: "See you soon, H"

He puts his phone away after that and gets ready for his... apology date.

✪

Niall opens the door and smiles timidly at Harry, eyes him warily up and down.
"You look good, Harry", he says then, steps out and closes the door behind him.
"You do, too", Harry smiles back at him and thinks that Niall actually is cute. He has his hair down and wears black jeans and a white button-down and it's simple but it suits him very well.

"Thanks", the blond says and stands awkwardly in front of Harry, which he usually never does, he always hugs and pats but not right now. It somehow disappoints Harry but he knows the reason why Niall's so shy.

"Let's go?", Harry asks then and holds out an arm to a stunned Niall, who links his arm with Harry's anyway.
"Yeah, let's go", he nods and blushes and it's adorable and Harry can't remember why he has ever hated this boy.

✪

They enter the small stadium half an hour later, with tickets and popcorn, and they take their seats. Niall looks relaxed by now and he babbles about the game and the team he roots for.
Harry feels enchanted and can't stop looking at the blond next to him. Niall laughs too loudly and he doesn't seem to have a filter for his mouth, but he's a sunshine, too. Niall glows and shines and Harry thinks it's precious.

"Niall", he whispers and wonders what Niall tastes like now, without alcohol and tic tacs and sweat and he probably leans too close to the blond, because the Irishman backs away a little, staring at Harry out of wide, blue eyes.

"What's it, Harry?", he asks and blushes again and they look at each other and Harry thinks it's magical. The game has started, but they are too busy ogling at each other to really notice.
"I think--", he says slowly. "I think the kiss wasn't a mistake."
Niall's eyes widen even more and he looks like a little kitten, so Harry leans in and kisses the smaller lad onto the lips. The blond kisses back, really kisses back and opens his mouth a little for Harry's tongue to enter.

They pull away breathlessly with a rather obscene noise and Niall, with kiss swollen, red lips still stares at Harry with wide eyes and shakes his head slightly, his face becoming a very redish colour.
"You didn't-- who told you? Zayn? This isn't what I want as apology, you don't-- I don't want--"

"No!", Harry exclaims alarmed. "No, no! It's not like that, Niall! I kissed you because I wanted to all by myself!" Niall frowns. "But you hate me!"
"Not anymore!", the curly-haired lad shouts back, but calms his voice down quickly. "I mean-- I don't hate you, okay? It's just. Uhm. I kinda like you."
Niall lifts his eyebrows ridiculously high, just like at the party, but now he doesn't wear a snapback... because Harry has it still. "All of a sudden?"

"Ehm... love is... unexpected?", Harry smiles uncomfortably and scratches his neck. The derby game isn't even in one thought of his.
"That it is.", Niall shrugs nonchalantly and sighs. "Didn't think I could have a crush on someone as posh and as big of a prat as you are." He then grins at Harry and he has somehow the feeling that he's not quite forgiven but on his way.

"But anyway. You can tell me how much you love me now after we watched the game", Niall adds and faces the pitch again.
"Oh wait a second, I changed my mind", Harry drawls. "Maybe you're a nuisance anyway"

Niall sticks out his tongue and rolls his eyes. Yes, this is definitely the boyish Irishman Harry knows and, eh, loves. "Talk Derby to me, Styles"

✪




***
It is a wonder that I know how a football is shaped. The last sentence doesn't make sense, but I wanted the title (which I have the story before I wrote it) to have at least a little bit of sense but, oh my, I fucked up anyway.

Hope you enjoy it and it isn't too rushed at the end! :) x