Imagines with Niall Horan

92. Your friends set you up

A/N: Bonus points for nerdy Niall. This is a slightly cracky fic, with some of the boys being OOC. :)

"Niall," Liam says flatly. "What is that?"

Niall looks down at the picture frame in his hands. "A picture frame?"

"Quirky fun gifts," Liam tells him as they're both still standing in the doorway to Liam's house. "That's what people bring to these things. Not really nice, classy looking frames."

"I couldn't bring myself to buy a Snuggie," Niall says with a frown. "And plus, it's not that classy."

Liam stares at him, unconvinced, and says, "It's engraved glass." Niall didn't read the invitation; Liam's sure of it. He never reads the invitation.

Niall sighs and fumbles around with something in his bag before tugging out his brother's most recent picture. He slides it into the frame and meets Liam's eyes. "How about this?" he asks tentatively. "A framed picture of Greg Horan.

"Better, I guess," Liam says, finally letting Niall into the house.

-

"Y/N," Liam says flatly. "What is that?"

You hold out the tie but Liam doesn't make an effort to take it from you. "A tie?"

"Quirky fun gifts," Liam sighs. "How are people not understanding that? You can't bring a silk tie."

You scoff. "It has candy canes on it. Who could possibly want that? How much quirkier could I get?"

Liam stares at you, expressionless. Dirty Santa parties should not be this difficult. His friends should not be this difficult.

"What, you expected a bedazzled Snuggie?" You ask skeptically. "No. Just no, Liam."

"Fine," he says, allowing you to follow him into the house.

---

"So there's this girl I know from work," Zayn tells Niall as they stand a few feet away from one of the food tables in the dining room. "I saw her here."

Niall briefly side-eyes him but then seems to decide it's another one of Zayn's stories that he doesn't need to take seriously.

"No, wait," Zayn says. "Actually take me seriously on this one."

Niall gives him a considering stare. "Like how you wanted me to take you seriously after you watched The Planet of the Apes? Or how you wanted me to take you seriously after you watched The Day After Tomorrow?"

Zayn's face turns serious. "Global warming is happening, Niall." Zayn concedes that there probably won't be an ape revolution anytime in the near future but he can't understand why people don't take global warming a little more seriously.

"Okay, fine, it's happening," Niall sighs. "I'm going to get a beer."

"Hear me out," Zayn says, following him. "I think she's totally your type."

"Female?" Niall asks. "Because that seems to be your sole requirement when you think someone is my type."

"No, this girl is funny. And smart. I can't follow half of what she says."

Zayn knows Niall is one of the only people that wouldn't even think to say that doesn't really mean much coming from you.

Niall shakes his head to himself. "I'm going to get my beer."

-

"So there's this guy I know from high school," Zayn tells you while you both stand in the kitchen. "I saw him here."