Pack yourself a toothbrush, dear

chapter nine

"shit" I heard Harry mutter before we pulled apart abruptly. He seemed uncharacteristically panicked and that made my ears freeze.  I could barely even make it out because my heart was beating at the rate of a bullet train into my ear.  I spin around in a millisecond to find Niall with a slightly open mouth and wide eyes, staring at us with his arms crossed over his chest. Like, he caught us doing something scandalous, 

I coughed because, shit, I only know how to make awkward situations more awkward. This trait of mine runs in the family. My father once pulled up drunk in a funeral and he was supposed to make the eulogy speech. Let's just say it did not end well and our aunt did not invite us for Christmas the following three years. 

Harry tried to compose himself and appear innocent but his cheeks were furiously blushing and his pupils had blown up to the size of golf balls, his lips were bitten into and swollen. He looked obscene. This scene was anything but innocent and we both were anything, but composed. His hair was separated in tufts from when I had grabbed on to them. 

I tried to take cover behind his large frame, which it fortunately provided. My hands were shaking, I didn't say a word, for I feared that I might choke on my own spit and die. What am I going to even say ?

How could I be so fucking stupid? Kissing in an open corridor where anyone can walk in anytime? This is all my fault. Now all of Harry's friends will freak out and ask all sorts of questions. And they'll never understand Harry and mine arrangement and  we'll have to leave early. I just barged into their lives and now I'm literally ruining their plans and vacations and I'm like the shittiest person on the planet right now-

"Um" Niall's cheeks were little pink "Guys, before you say anything at all. I just wanted to say that even though I've known Louis for only a week or so, I always thought you guys will be hot  together, not that you are  not individually, and I am just happy that you guys are dating and-"

"We're not-, you know, dating" Oh so now, my mouth seems to work. Niall's eyebrows shot up to meet the level of tension in the air. 

"Yeah, um, we're just figuring thi-this out, whatever this is" Harry stumbled, absent mindlessly rubbing his arm. He seems embarrassed, more than anything. "It's too early for, you know-" 

Niall takes a moment to contemplate the situation and then gives a sharp nod, "That's perfectly aright, you know." He smiles, "Take it however you want. I just think you guys complement each other perfectly. Like,  I've know Harry for years now and I've never seen him humming. He hums absentmindedly all the time now, and I think he's unaware of  how happy he's recently been. And I think it's you." 

 I blushed fiercely, unaware of the fact that I was even capable of doing that. My entire face was on fire.Harry gently placed an arm around my shoulder. "I've been aware of that" He rubbed his thumb in circular pattern "been aware of the reason, too." 

What ? Did he-

"You guys. Harry shut up, Louis' all red" Niall's eyes were twinkling. and Harry playfully punched Niall's chest and Niall lets out a fake cry of help. 

"Hey, fuck off" I quip in, even though he's probably not wrong. I'm sure if I happen to gaze at my reflection in a passing window or a mirror, I'd probably be faced with a beet root version of my face. I could feel the blood rushing into my face. 

"So which one of you is, you know, the one-" Don't ask who tops. Don't ask who tops. Don't ask who tops. "who doesn't fucking text back ?" Niall questioned, serious with his expression. and I couldn't help but bark out a genuine laugh because, honestly, who would think of such a question, but Niall. 

"I'm serious !" Niall argues. 

"Louis left me on read last time." Harry fake pouted and sent a stink eye in my direction. He mimed stabbing himself in the chest with a dagger.