all strings attached || n.h au

part one

"I think he's already dating someone," Cassie said in a stage whisper like she feared someone was going to hear her conspiring something when the truth was, no one really paid attention to them at the moment.

Kyra nearly spat out her drink and she immediately patted her chin to ensure that she had no remainder of the fallen drink marking her skin. She scanned her shirt for any spills but luckily there's nothing there. Maybe Eliana got her clumsiness from her aunt.

Both Cassie and Bianca turned to look at Kyra. Whereas her sister in law asked her if she's okay, seemingly oblivious to her reaction, Bianca had a suspicious look written all over her face. For someone who had only met Kyra for the first time tonight, Bianca appeared more alert to her reactions.

"Anyway. He looks happier now and I think he's already dating someone but Travis said it's because he's getting a raise and he might get promoted soon."

Of course Travis couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Niall might be dating someone and not telling him about it. If she didn't love her brother so much she'd ask Niall to file a restraining order against Travis because it seemed like he's obsessed with him.

"If he's seeing someone why would he keep it a secret?" Bianca asked. Though her question was directed at Cassie, her eyes lingered on Kyra. "I know for a fact that if I'm dating him, I'd let everyone know about it."

"I don't know," Cassie shrugged. "Beats me."

Maybe they just wanted some privacy, was what Kyra intended to say. But what she ended up saying was: "I think I need some water."

She got up from the couch and made a beeline to the empty kitchen. She wasn't lying about needing some water so she filled up a glass and took a few sips, backside pressing against the marble countertop as she leaned against it.

Kyra had just finished her water and she was about to wash the glass when Niall stepped into the kitchen. He must have somehow managed to escape from Travis and judging by the sly grin that slowly stretched his lips when she caught his eyes, he's proud of it. And maybe he's happy to see her in the kitchen too, away from everyone else, away from prying eyes because without people around them, he finally got to do this:

"Hi," he whispered against her hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist, embracing her in a warm hug. He had wanted to do that since he got here and saw her sitting on the couch, half-listening to whatever it was her sister-in-law and her friend telling her. Hell, he had wanted to do that since the moment he left her place to go to the airport a week ago.

Kyra pulled back just a little so she could take a look at his face. He looked tired, like he would rather sleep than be here at the party but since he's a good – no, an amazing – friend, here he was, at Eliana's first birthday party. A party that she wouldn't even remember once she got older but both Travis and Cassie insisted they should throw a rather big one anyway to celebrate it. It shouldn't surprise Kyra because those two loved their daughter more than anything in this world and if it were up to them, they'd throw a party for that little girl every month.

"What?" Niall's voice interrupted her thoughts. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Missed my handsome face?"

"Thanks for ruining the moment, dumb-ass." Kyra pushed him away from her but he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him, his chest rumbling with laughter. He brought their intertwined fingers up to his lips and pressed a kiss on each of her fingers, the action sending shivers down her spine and causing goosebumps to break out across her skin.

Niall, happy with her reaction, leaned forward and captured her lips for a kiss. A soft sigh escaped Kyra's throat and he grinned into the kiss. Her lips were unbelievable – soft and addicting – and that explained why Niall couldn't get enough of it. Of her. When he bent to kiss her throat, she pulled back, albeit very reluctantly, and whispered a soft, "We have to stop."

"No one's around," he whispered back, his voice strained.

Although Kyra believed him, she remained the small distance between them and did a quick flit around the kitchen to ensure that they really were alone because if someone were to walk in right now, she had no doubt they'd start getting suspicious. The hug was fine, friends hugged all the time, but this? Her hand in his, pressed against his chest so she could feel the soft thumping of his heart, and their faces only a couple of inches away? Their secret would be blown immediately. Especially when Niall ghosted his lips along the line of her cheek, stopping just below her ear. Kyra wanted nothing more than to tilt her head and grant him more access but before she could do that, she heard footsteps heading toward the kitchen.

Reluctantly, she pushed him away from her and told him that someone's coming in case he didn't hear it. He groaned under his breath as he put some distance between them, giving her a look that said, "remind me again why we're keeping this a secret?" and she responded with a look that said, "you know why and don't act like you didn't agree with this."

And it's true that when they decided to change their status from best friends to boyfriend and girlfriend over four months ago, they both agreed that they should keep their relationship a secret so the decision wasn't a one-sided thing. But this lately, Niall's beginning to wonder if they should come clean already, get the truth out in the open so he didn't have to wait until no one's around to finally get his hands on his girlfriend, to touch her, to kiss her.

"Ah, my beloved sister and my best friend," Travis strolled into the kitchen and stopped in front of the fridge. Before he opened the fridge, he cast a suspicious look at Kyra. "You're not trying to seduce my Niall, are you?"

Kyra shot a quick glance at Niall. Her eyes said: "see, this is why we're keeping it a secret." And the fact that her brother had just called her boyfriend 'my Niall' certainly helped her case. Niall pressed his lips together, admitting defeat.

"What makes you think that it's not the other way around?" Kyra raised an eyebrow at her brother, who simply laughed as though the answer was simple and right there in plain sight. "No. Seriously. What if Niall's the one who's trying to seduce me?" That wasn't exactly a lie because what Niall was doing to her just now was her definition of him seducing her.

Travis took out an apple juice from the fridge, most likely for his daughter who's obsessed with that drink, and gave Kyra a pointed look before he turned to look at Niall, brows raised. "Were you?"

Niall snuck a look at Kyra and she could see his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the lump in his throat, unsure of what to say. Now he knew what it felt like to be put on the spot. She crossed her arms, leaned against the counter and waited for him to answer. She'd love to hear his response. She had a feeling that he's going to deflect.

And she was proven right when he scratched his jaw and said, "Hey, do you think I could have that apple juice? Think Eliana's gonna get mad if I take one?"

Travis regarded Niall with an unreadable look that unnerved both Niall and Kyra because for once, they hadn't a clue what's going on in his mind. He's usually easy to read as he was a more open book. He wore his heart on his sleeve, had a terrible poker face and he's proud of it. But right now, he could've fooled just about anyone with that look on his face. Kyra feared that her brother might point something out and she's forced to come clean about her relationship with Niall when she's not at all ready for it but then he nodded and opened the fridge door for Niall to take out the juice box.

"We should get back to the living room," Travis said. "Cassie insisted we should take some pictures together before Eliana turns in for the night."

He looked at Kyra and Niall one last time before he turned on his heels and left the kitchen, taking away all the tension with him. Kyra turned to Niall and she found that he's already looking at her. He didn't have to voice out his thoughts because she knew. She knew he was glad that they're keeping it a secret.