Clean Slate

Winter Term

Niall looks around the apartment and checks his suit again hanging on the closet door.  Classes start tomorrow and he wants to make sure he has everything ready.  There are other things he needs to be doing rather than going out with Rory tonight but his cousin begged and after Rory's marriage proposal during Christmas lunch almost caused his aunt Belinda to stroke out, he doesn't have the heart to tell him no.

What he really wants is to get back to work so he can see Harry and pick up where they left off.  The thought of being kissed by him is all that got Niall through the tension-filled family holidays.  He and his mum agreed, as much as they loved seeing one another, they were more than happy for this one to be over.

Niall calls for a ride to the theater and as he approaches the box office preparing to stand in line for a ticket, he sees Rory by the door, waving.

"I got the tickets, you get the popcorn," Rory tells him, leading Niall inside.

After fighting the crowd in the concessions area, they find their theater and settle into their chairs. Playing with the buttons that operate the foot rests, Niall laughs like a twelve year old when Rory's chair makes farting sounds as it goes up and down. 

"So how you doin?  Auntie B speakin to you yet?"

"Nor is she likely to in the near future," he shrugs his shoulders.  "She'll get her feathers unruffled eventually.  I suspect she'll want to see her first grandchild."

"You're not?"  Niall is shocked but tries to hide his confusion.

"No, no, mate, nothin like that, but eventually, right?  Unless Jack has a surprise, I figure I'll be first."

"They both like bossin you around too much and don't like havin competition for the job," Niall laughs

"Yer right about that."

"Speaking of, where is Misty tonight?"

"She don't like action movies so I'm here with her blessin.  Pushed me out the door so her book club could come over."

"She's in a book club?"  Niall isn't sure why this surprises him, he just never figured Misty for a reader.

"Book club, that's code for her friends comin over to drink wine and talk shit about men," he laughs, tossing some popcorn into his mouth.  "I'm sure there's a book and she does read, I just don't know how much time they actually spend talkin bout 'em less it's some o'that fifty shades shit."

Niall snorts, trying not to spit beer everywhere. It's nice seein his cousin happy and loved up. He likes Misty well enough, she's been nice to him since he moved here, but he hates the tension in the family because his aunt doesn't like her.  

"Came home the other day t'find her sobbin her eyes out over some book about a lonely hearts professor who can't find love," he shakes his head. "Got all worried about you. Told her you're doin just fine, by the way. I know you don't want her tryin t'fix you up."

After the film, Niall's standing in the lobby, munching on the last of the popcorn and waiting on Rory to get out of the toilets when he sees Harry.  Niall watches him walk out of another theater looking impossibly handsome in a black jumper and slacks with his newsboy hat.  He smiles when recognition hits him, that sly grin he always seems to have for Niall whenever they meet.  Niall can't help smiling back, heat pulsing through his body as he remembers the brush of Harry's lips against his cheek. 

"Niall Horan, nice to see you this evening."  Harry extends his hand to shake and when he clutches Niall's he gives him an extra squeeze.  "How were your holidays?"

"Pleasure is mine," and will be later too, Niall thinks to himself as he mentally slides a hand under Harry's jumper, pushing it up as he goes and following with a slide of his tongue.  He's so distracted with these thoughts he almost misses his question.  Quickly catching up he smiles, "Good, really good."