Uptown Boy (Narry Storan)

32. Funeral

Updating because I just saw harry freaking styles live tonight and I'm in a good mood !!!!!!!!

HS

It's three days after Niall's Nanna's passing and ever since the incident with Niall's father, I've never seen him look so vulnerable and broken. If it was even possible, he looks even worse than before, but of course, somehow still managing to look as beautiful as ever.

Almost every night before he falls asleep, I'd hear him sniffle and his body will shake as he struggles to keep his cries in, obviously not wanting me to hear. The heaviness was obvious in both his mind and body. And really, all I can do is hold him and cuddle him, hoping that I'm able to help calm him down somehow.

I glance across the table and at him. He's clothed in a black suit that he borrowed from me, his hair swept up in a quiff.

"Ready to go babe?" I ask gently when I realise he isn't eating at all. He raises his eyes back up to meet mine, inhaling deeply before nodding.

"Yeah." He sighs out, before glancing down at the toast and scrambled eggs on his plate, a sheepish look on his face.

"Don't worry about it. Maybe you'll have a better appetite later on." I say. He smiles sadly, nodding.

I was just about to take the plate off the table before he stops me. Hs picks up his fork before he tries to take a bite out of his eggs and toast.

I smile lightly, my heart warming at the thought that he's at least making an effort to try to be better.

He barely takes a second bite before he grimaces slightly and I can tell he's beginning to lose his appetite and to get lost in his thoughts again.

"You don't have to force yourself to finish that babe." I say, reaching over for his plate. He nods, smiling gratefully.

"It's not that it's bad." He says with a small smile. I chuckle softly, taking the plate away from him.

"I know. Because I make some pretty bomb arse scrambled eggs." I say smugly. He giggles softly, and despite everything that has been happening, I find it hard to not smile along at the sound itself, my heart fluttering and soaring. He smiles lightly, before he surprises me by reaching across the table and grasping my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Harry. Really." He says.

"For what, love?"

"For everything." He mumbles. I simply smile, raising his knuckles up to my lips and pressing a soft kiss on his skin, to which, causes his smile to widen. I feel like I should say something, tell him that he doesn't need to thank me at all, or that I'd always be there when he needed me. But, I seem to be completely mesmerised and more focused on how he looks when he smiles instead. I never knew how much I missed that smile of his until now.

I try to calm the erratic beating of my heart, letting my eyes gaze back up to his.

"Why don't you go get Theo ready, love. I'll finish up around here." I tell him.

"Okay." He gives me a last smile before he's stalking out of my kitchen. I release a soft sigh, tugging up the sleeves of my blazer before picking up the toast and taking a bite off of it. No point wasting it.

I just about eat half of his breakfast before stopping, not wishing to over stuff myself. I toss the remaining food away, and giving all the dishes a wash, about to head out of the kitchen when I hear Theo's voice.

"Where are we going Uncle Ni?" I hear Theo's voice ask as Niall and Theo appear from upstairs.

Niall doesn't answer and I watch as he helps him put on his shoes in silence, his eyebrows furrowed as he thinks over his words.