“N-Niall? Shouldn’t we be studying for that test coming up in Psychology?” Harry asks quietly beside Niall.
The blue-eyed lad sprawls out on the loveseat in his dorm room and grins. “Nah. Thought we’d do something . . . ya know, fun. ”
Harry’s eyebrows knit together and he chews nervously on his bottom lip. His stomach churns gruelingly in a manner that causes a deep unsettling feeling, and he silently curses at himself for that. This is what he wants, isn’t it? To take chances? He lets his muddled mind answer that on it’s own – his head slowly nodding and feet shuffling forward.
“Yeah, okay. What’d ya exactly have in mind?”
Niall laughs, the burst of air breathless and somewhat surprised. He brings up two fingers, and motions them towards himself with an impish glint in his eyes and a smirk to come with.
“C’mere, and I’ll show ya.”
The younger lad doesn’t really know what he’s getting himself into, honestly. But, regardless of that, he pads across the rather trashy floor of the room, and stops just centimeters before the smirking blonde.
Niall rolls his eyes and tips his head back. “C’mon, lil’ bit closer.”
Harry feels a whimper build up in his throat, but he swallows it back and inches forward until his knees bump against the edge of the couch. Niall’s arms slid around his hips loosely; hands wandering under the cotton sweater that covers the brunete’s frame. His fingers press into the soft, warm skin underneath, and Harry shudders.
“Why do you always wear this damn thing?” Niall murmurs with a raspy tone. His fingers continue to skim across the canvas of the Cheshire lad’s unblemished, pale back.
“I get cold easily,” he gasps with a low pant.
Niall tugs him down onto his lap, Harry’s legs automatically straddling his tattoo-littered torso. He chuckles and tangles his finger into Harry’s chocolate curls. “Lil’ minx, tryna’ top me, eh?”
Harry blushes, his cheeks turning a dappled pink. “No, I just . . . you just . . .”
Niall ignores him and kisses him roughly, right hand cupping his cheek. He pulls away and notices the previous lovebites on his skin still fresh and vibrant.
“Don’t want you wearing this, all right?” Niall says as he tugs the collar of Harry’s sweater. He sits up and pulls off his own white t-shirt, “Wear this.”
“Why?”
Niall’s darkened cerulean eyes narrow menacingly. “Does it matter?” he snaps bitterly.
Harry’s eyes widen, panic stricken in their emerald green color. “No, no! ‘m sorry, I’ll wear it!”
Niall’s facial expression softens and his thumb strokes Harry’s face gently. “‘s okay, baby. Jus’ remember to wear it, yeah?”
Harry nods with a small smile full of adoration. “ ‘Course. Always.”
***
Somewhere during the time of three make-out sessions and intense groping, Harry happened to drift off into slumber. He was curled up against Niall’s bare side clad in the white shirt, and — somehow with excessive coaxing — boxer briefs. Neither was complaining, though.
Neither noticed the door of the dorm room open, either. Well, until Louis barged in. That was inevitable.
“Well, isn’t that just the cutest thing,” Louis croons with a faux southern accent. He places his hand over his heart and flutters his eyelashes over-dramatically.
“Louis,” Niall warns through clenched teeth, “I swear to God, you have three seconds to leave or I’m cutting yer balls off.”
Louis barks out a laugh, and starts to back out of the room with hands raised in surrender. Zayn’s head ducks in to quickly mumble an apology, eyebrows waggling suggestively when he sees the half-naked brunette cuddling with Niall. He could hear Louis shouting something in the distance about how he was right and that Zayn owes him ten pounds. They both disappear before anything is explained.
Niall really hates his friends.
***
That test Niall should have been studying for rolls around much too quickly for his liking. He stares at the piece of paper in front of him, mind completely blank. He glances over and sees Harry with his bottom lip tucked under his teeth, eyes concentrated and scanning over the questions that he’s busily filling in the answers to. Niall knocks his foot against Harry’s leg discreetly enough to get his attention. Harry already had a feeling of what he wanted.
“Niall, I can’t give you the answers! That would be cheating, which would get us both kicked out of the university,” Harry whispers with distress lacing his voice.
Niall cards his fingers through his own blonde-dyed hair and sighs. “Harry, baby, c’mon. Just this once?”
He shouldn’t do it; he can’t afford to do it. The little voice in the back of his head screams and shouts and begs him not to. But he can’t afford to lose Niall, either.
Harry taps his fingers against his desk and checks to see if the professor is looking, and when he isn’t, he passes Niall his test.
***
They both pass with scores of 100%. The professor is beyond ecstatic as he congratulates Niall on his progress.
“I told you, Mr. Horan. You have potential! You just needed a little push.”
Niall throws his arm around Harry, (who was wearing his white shirt), with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Couldn’t have done it without Harry here. He’s a life saver,” Niall says, fingers curling around his hip possessively. Harry laughs nervously; heart hammering against his chest because he’s never felt this alive before.
***
Harry gathers his things and starts heading towards his dorm. It’s about four in the afternoon – the sky turning a dark orange as the sun sets low. He passes by the soccer field that is at the moment taken by the university’s soccer team for practice. He lowers his head and picks up his pace, wanting anything but to catch their attention.
“Hey mate, pass that ball over here, yeah?”
Harry raises his eyes up to meet the goalie’s gaze, his stomach automatically turning sour.
“Um, I kind of need to go . . . sorry,” he mumbles. He looks back down and continues walking.
“What, you think you’re too good to pick up a damn ball?” shouts one of the other players.
Harry slightly cowers and his speed falters with his steps. The captain jogs over and stops Harry in his tracks with a sneer placed upon his lips.
“I know you,” he says with realization, “you’re in my Psychology class. And you tutor that annoying fucker, Niall Horan.”
Harry swallows thickly and presses his books tightly to his chest. “I mean, yeah, I do tutor Niall. He isn’t that bad though,” he tries to reason.
The team captain snorts and wipes the sweat off his forehead with his jersey. His foot toys with the ball as he catches glimpses of Harry’s lovebite-marked neck and chest. He suddenly starts to laugh.
“No way! You’re his little bitch, aren’t you?”
Harry flushes a dark crimson, the color vibrant against his normally fair complexion. His eyes start to burn with tears of anger – anger towards this asshole and anger towards the fact that he doesn’t have the courage to stand up for himself.
There are sudden footsteps behind them, and before Harry could turn around Niall, Zayn, and Louis appear beside him.
“Is there a problem here?” Louis asks as he cracks his knuckles. The smirk on the soccer player’s face quickly recedes and he slowly starts to retreat. “Nah, we’re cool,” he mumbles.
Zayn reaches out and catches the guy by his shoulder roughly, the muscles in his tattooed arm flexing. Niall takes the cigarette in his mouth out and stubs it out against his tongue, the sizzling sound making Harry cringe. He brings his fist up and punches the player in his nose, blood spurting out in red ribbons. He groans in pain and his hands fly up to cover his face. Harry gasps and watches in horror as Niall goes in again and lands another punch to the lad’s stomach. He crumples over on the ground and chokes out puffs of air.
“Stay the fuck away from him,” Niall spats with eyes bright in fury. He turns around and stalks over to Harry, immediately showing concern.
“Are you okay, babe? Did he touch you? I’ll kill him if he—”
“No, he didn’t touch me. ‘m fine.”
Niall grins and cups his face, kissing him gently.
“Please, don’t do that again. Next time you’ll get in trouble,” Harry pleads, still shaken up.
Niall tightens his grip around him and chuckles dryly, “Can’t promise anything.”
—
A/N: Hiii guys! Feel free to comment/vote; tell me what you think! Love you all :) x