#oth10

“So she doesn’t have a tag and she’s not chipped,” the vet said as he brought her back in with him. His hand absolutely dwarfed her. She was so small. He placed her down on the table gently and she just started wandering in small circles on the metal surface, looking around and studying her surroundings.

“So if you’ll have her,” he continued, “she’s all yours. Otherwise, we can keep her here until she gets adopted.”

I looked down at the tiny fluff of white on the table in front of me. I thought of moment I first heard that little meow, at three o’clock this morning and when my eyes met hers an hour later, I was a goner.

“I'd like to keep her,” I told him. Looking at her now, I was certain.

“That's great news!” He smiled. “Well, she weighs just over two pounds, which is enough for us so that we can start giving her all of her proper vaccinations and we can get her spayed.” He looked at a couple of things on his clipboard. 

“Would you be okay to pick her up on Saturday morning? She should be out of the anaesthesia and ready to go around ten.”

“I can do that.” I nodded.

“Perfect.” He scribbled something on the page he was looking at before handing it to me.

“Just take this out to our front desk and they'll give you the bill and all of the other necessary information. If you have any questions my number is on that page, as well as the clinic’s number.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Of course.” He nodded. “Would you like to say goodbye?”

I nodded back and then leaned over the table a little bit and scratched behind her ears.

“Hi sweet girl,” I whispered to the kitten in front of me. “I have to go to work and you have to get all your treatment so you grow up big and strong, okay? I'll be back in a few days. I promise.”

I know it's crazy, that I’m probably crazy, but when I was talking to her she was staring at me like she understood me. She gave a tiny little mew and continued to purr as she tried rubbing her face on my hand. I was smitten.

I gave her one more look over my shoulder and turned and walked out of the room. It was silly that I was getting emotional leaving her when I'd only known her five hours but we’d bonded during that time.

I'd rescued her from the rain and the dank area under my front porch at four AM, wrapped her up and taken her to the local animal shelter once they opened, and was now planning to walk to the front desk and properly adopt her.

As I waited at the desk for the office assistant to become available, I texted Louis a million heart emojis for him letting me take an hour or so this morning to deal with it all and then texted Niall that I was now a cat mom, apparently.

Niall: you’ve got yourself a little moggy then?

Ruby: a moggy?

Niall: it's a term for cat

Ruby: well then yes, I've got myself a little moggy

Niall: can't wait to meet her!

It was my turn to step up to the desk. One I did, I filled out all the proper paperwork, paid, and when they asked me for a name for her to put into both their system and the microchip system the only name I could think of was Moggy.

So her name was officially Moggy.

When I'd woken up at three this morning to the sound of meowing I'd thought I was losing my mind. It was pouring rain. There was no way I could hear a cat outside over the sound of the rain.

After an hour of tossing and turning though, unable to fall asleep because of the incessant meowing, I decided that I was not imagining it and that there really was a cat somewhere out there.

So I pulled on my rain boots and raincoat, grabbed a flashlight, and went outside to see if I could figure out the source of the sound. When I saw the tiny white kitten with her dirty fur and grey face, damp and miserable and alone, I coaxed her out from her hiding place under my porch and got her upstairs.

Holding her I was in shock of the fact that this tiny creature was making loud enough sounds to wake me up. Once she was in my arms she quietened up, her meows had softened, gotten smaller… Her purring was loud but gentle.

Upstairs in my apartment, I had washed her off as best I could and wrapped her in warm towels and mentally ran through my options. She looked alone--no brothers or sisters, no mom--and I felt like I couldn't in good conscience leave her outside again on the off chance that she wasn't alone. So I could bring her to the clinic to see if she was chipped or see if they'd take her in to be adopted if she wasn't.

In the span of a few hours though, of both me and her trying to calm down after our middle-of-the-night ordeal in the rain, of me getting dressed and ready to go to the clinic and work, and of the two of us walking the many, many blocks there together because taking her on the train worried me, we had formed a real bond.

When the vet came in and said she wasn't chipped and I could have her, I felt my heart in my throat. I hadn't wanted (or needed) a pet, but looking at her I couldn't say no.

I definitely didn't need a pet. I was stable in my job and my location, but I didn't ever really see myself as the kind of person to have a pet. If I did, I’d always thought it might be a bigger dog that I could run with and would be someone who would make me feel safer.

In less than twenty-four hours though, I'd gained a boyfriend and a cat.

The universe was funny that way.

Once I was done at the clinic with getting everything set up for Moggy, I found myself on the train to work.

Work.

Where Louis was. Where Louis was and where I would have to tell him something. Where my life as I knew it was likely to end. I'm not usually such a coward but something about telling Louis was making me nervous.

So when I stepped into the bakery around nine fifteen and saw Louis at the till I almost felt like I might get a reprieve, but as I slipped past the door into the kitchen I saw him ask Bridgett to take back over. I groaned. I wasn't even going to get a moment to settle in, to calm down and go over my word choice.

“Time d’you call this?” Louis called loudly as I slipped off my jacket and placed it on the back of my desk chair. I stepped back out into the kitchen and began washing my hands at a sink as he peered into an oven through the door, checking in on a bake.

“Well, I'm a mom now,” I looked at him over my shoulder. “I'm still only just getting the hang of it.”

“So you adopted her then?” He spun around and looked at me expectantly.

I nodded. “I did!”

“Oh my god, I'm so excited to be an uncle!” Louis came over and picked me up and hugged me. I laughed and ruffled his hair to get him to put me down.

“When can I meet her?” He asked.

“She’s staying at the clinic for now while they give her all her shots and stuff. I'm picking her up on Saturday morning.” I filled the kettle and clicked it on as Louis took out two mugs and put tea in each one for us.

“So you're saying I get to meet her Saturday?” He asked, his eyes bright.

“That wasn't what I was saying, but I feel like it's the only acceptable answer for you, so sure. You get to meet her Saturday.”

I knew he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Our friends had deferred to doing something until early next week, Liam with a final showing of the apartment and the rest of the teachers were having some sort of grading pow-wow to catch up. Louis knew neither of us would be busy with any of them this weekend. He knew he could coerce me into inviting him over. He was witty and tricky.

“Sick!” He jumped up on his toes quickly before settling back down. “I can't wait. I'll bring stuff for lunch and we can just watch soccer all afternoon. What's her name?”

“You're going to commandeer my laptop to stream soccer while also commandeering my home to play with my new cat?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“I'm bringing food, woman! Is that not payment enough?”

I laughed at him, shaking my head and running a hand through my hair.

“We can watch some soccer, but we also have to watch Moana.” I gave him a stern look--or tried to at least. I once watched Moana four times in a row with Cleo back in college. Louis knew I didn't joke about when it came to that movie. Neither did Cleo for that matter.

He sucked in air between his teeth. “You drive a hard bargain, Ms Singh.”

I just looked at him.

“Deal.” He was beaming as he picked up the kettle that had just gone off and started pouring the water.

I walked into my office for a moment to turn on my computer--not that I hadn't been trying to answer some emails this morning--and when I came back out Louis was leaning back against the counter top facing me. He’d poured the water from the kettle into our mugs. They were steaming.

“Her name is Moggy by the way.”

“Moggy?”

“Mhm.”

“What the hell kind of name is Moggy?” He asked.

“Well, okay, so that brings me to the second thing I needed to talk to you about.” I tried to sound as casual as I could as I looked down at my mug of tea.

“Go on,” Louis encouraged me. He didn't know what I was about to say, but I could tell he knew it wasn't bad news. He was intrigued about how my cat’s strange name had something to do with anything else.

I knew how I had to do it. I couldn't draw it out. I couldn't, for his sake or mine, make it excruciatingly long and awkward and I couldn't bumble my way through an explanation.

It had to be quick and to the point. I'd rip off the news like a band-aid.

I had to force myself to look at him though, to face my reality.

I took a deep breath and forced the words out.

“I'm dating Niall,” I blurted. “We’re dating.”

I was watching his face closely to gauge his reaction so I saw each emotion and thought as it passed over his features. Louis’ face swiftly transitioned from mild curiosity to confusion and then understanding and excitement and finally--help me--arrogance.

“I. Told. You.” Each word was emphasized.

“I know.”

“I told you!” He repeated, his words becoming boisterous as he looked me over.

“I know.”

“I told you that you two would start... I can't believe you think... I pretty much nailed that timeline. You are... This is… brilliant. It's brilliant!” He was having trouble forming full sentences. It seemed only fragments could make their way past his lips.

“You really think so?” I asked, wringing my hands together. 

“Ruby, are you kidding?” His eyes grew large and he began waving his hands around.

“Since the moment I saw the two of you together I've been rooting for the two of you to get together.”

“You're not worried?”

“About what?”

“About what happens if he and I don't work out.” I felt like I was stating the obvious, but when talking to Louis things were never really all that obvious. I should've known better.

“Well, that's not an option.” Louis shrugged. I noted the small bit of flour in his hair and had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. It looked like he was greying at his right temple.

“Louis.” I narrowed my eyes.

“If,” he began and then started again. “If you don't work out, then we will figure it all out together. When the time comes. I'm not picking sides. I'm not losing either of you.”

“Louis-”

“I'm serious,” he said. “As someone who knows the both of you quite well as individuals, I can say this with a fair bit of authority. It's a pretty big if, but if anything bad does go down, we can figure it out. In the meantime, can I be excited for you?”

“I suppose I'll allow it.” I shook my head and tried to hide my smirk. Louis knows me though. He definitely saw it.

“Really, I'm so happy for you both.” Louis opened his arms and I immediately stepped into them.

“Thank you, Louis.” I hugged him back.

“Of course,” he said, rubbing my back.

“So what kind of food are you getting me for Saturday?” I asked.

He laughed and stepped back from the hug.

“Pizza?” He asked.

I pretended to mull it over. “I think that that sounds wonderful.”

“Great!” Louis turned and stepped away from me as a timer went off. “I'll grab a dairy free option and invite Niall along for the afternoon as well.”

“You're going to be so annoying about this, aren't you?”

“I'm texting the group as we speak.” He slipped his phone out of his pocket and threw me a wink over his shoulder.

I groaned and trudged into my office, turning my phone to silent immediately before settling into work.

Niall: I'm here

With a quick glance over my shoulder at Moggy, who was asleep on what was more than likely becoming her favourite chair, I sprinted down the stairs to let him in.

I'd had Niall come early--before Louis--just because. Niall was seeing Louis for the first time since our collective beans had been spilt--by me--on Wednesday and he was just wanting a moment alone with me before the inquisition began.

I opened the front door and was met by that smile that was quickly becoming my favourite. I blushed at the sight of him on my doorstep.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Niall stepped inside and locked the door behind himself. When we got to the top of the stairs, just before I'd opened my door, he pulled me in for a hug. I gratefully accepted.

I was surrounded by him, my face pressed to his chest, his arms wrapped around me, holding me close, his scent doing all sorts of things to me as he rested his cheek against the top of my head. It was when he pulled back, but only slightly, that I felt the shift.

Niall held me close, his arms still around me, with his face just next to my own as he took a deep breath. I could hear the tremor in his breath. I felt my cheeks heat and felt my heart rate speed up.

He brought one hand up to cup my face and then I felt his lips on mine, just for a moment, before he pulled back again.

I couldn't even process what had just happened it had happened so quickly. It was as if his lips on mine had only been a ghost of a feeling. It was almost as if I'd only imagined it happening.

And then it was happening again.

Niall had only pulled back for a moment after that initial contact, and then his mouth crashed against mine.

One of my arms that had been around his waist quickly moved and while one hand pulled him closer to me the other tangled itself into his soft hair as I lost myself in the feel of him against me, his mouth on mine. I felt him doing the same, pulling me closer, as if that was possible, with his hand that was still wrapped around me.

When I was younger, I used to think my foot had to pop when I kissed someone. Thanks a lot, Princess Diaries. Then I'd gone through a phase where I was convinced there had to be a ‘spark’ when I kissed someone. I'd read books about how it felt like a person was on fire when they kissed someone, or that it felt like coming home--whatever that meant.

No boy had ever measured up to those highly unrealistic expectations. I mean, if that happened for anyone else I'm sure it was great. But I'd spent so long trying to find this ideal version of how it should go. When I was in college I'd realised how ridiculous those ideas of mine were.

With Niall it was different.

It felt natural. As if this wasn't the first time we were kissing, but the thousandth. It felt like it was something I could do thousands more times. Kissing Niall felt like so many things at once: excitement, comfort, anticipation, joy… I was so content to just be in that moment with him, to bring one hand up to trace his scruffy jawline as he kissed me senseless.

I felt reality both slipping away and coming into focus, centred on the man in front of me as if Niall was the focal point for clarity and the reason for the loss of it.

We were both breathing hard when we pulled away from each other, Niall resting his forehead against mine. I swallowed hard and felt a smile break out over my face as his blue eyes searched my brown ones.

“Been wantin’ to do that,” he said eventually.

“Been wanting you to do that,” I said back.

His eyes lit up.

“Oh yeah?”

“Mhm,” I hummed.

“Well good thing then, darling,” he said as he pulled back from me further, “because that's going to be happening pretty often from now on.”

There was a small smirk on his lips as his eyes held onto mine. I felt like my face was on fire I was so red, but the electric feeling that surged through me in anticipation was not unnoticed by me either.

Also, darling. He’d called me darling. I'd been called babe or baby before, even sexy and honey, but darling… Something about it felt so personal and endearing. I was pretty sure my heart was working overtime to keep me alive between our kiss and his words.

That was how I knew Niall and I had started off our relationship--relationship? we’re just dating--on firm ground: it wasn't just a physical attraction that drew us to each other. Sure, he was handsome and I enjoyed looking at him, but he did things and said things that made me feel comfortable and gave me joy. He was always trying to make me smile or laugh. It was truly wonderful to know he was putting in the effort.

I'd been in purely physical relationships in the past, or ones that had been built on only physical foundations and never did they end well. They were shallow and I always felt like there was something missing from them.

Being here, at this moment with Niall, I realized what it was that was missing in the past. It was an emotional connection. Sure, I’d been with guys I could laugh with in bed, or could count on to swing by and give my car a jump when the battery died, but that wasn’t support in a way that meant something. That was comfortability with someone. There was a difference.

With Niall, there was both comfortability and support, and more. The more had been so little exploring thus far between the two of us, too. I was sure there was, or at least could be, so much to experience.

I decided to ignore his comment about kissing me and turned to open my door. We were still in my hallway.

“Ready to meet Moggy?” I asked him.

“Very,” he said from behind me and then I was opening the door.

Moggy lifted her head when the door opened and when she noticed someone who wasn't me, she gave a frumpled meow and stood up to come to greet us.

“She's precious,” Niall said as he knelt down to her. He extended one hand and she gave him a cursory sniff before meowing and mushing her fluffy head against his palm. He looked up at me and smiled, his dimple popping.

“She really is.” I nodded. “Tea?” I moved toward the kitchen. “Coffee?”

I clicked on the kettle.

“I'm good,” he called out. “Louis is on orders to get me a Kombucha with the pizza and whatever else he's bringing for me.”

I snorted and then immediately thought of my mother. She used to tell me all the time that I'd have a hard time ever finding someone because I snort in response to silly things. She said it wasn't lady-like.

Also, I didn’t know that many people--or any--that willingly drank Kombucha like I did. Niall’s words made me pause for a second before I focused on this bigger picture.

“You don't know what he's getting for you?” I asked.

“I never know what Louis is gonna do,” Niall said.

“That's fair,” I said as I poured the hot water and made my tea. With my mug in hand, I made my way back into the living room where Niall was teasing Moggy with a feather on a string toy I'd gotten for her last night when I went to the pet store in preparation. Apparently, she loved it.

I had spent almost two full hours at the pet store last night after work. I got food and treats and toys. I’d spent far too long trying to choose between everything, searching only for grain-free, healthy options.

The toys had been harder to choose between though. I just chose at random, but all cats have different personalities and I'd not spent time with Moggy, so I had no idea what she would like.

I'd ended up brushing off the help of every employee there, politely, of course. I'd researched a lot and I'd felt capable, I was just indecisive about everything. I spent so much more money than I’d intended to and would be ashamed to admit, but I was a first-time pet-mom and was cautiously optimistic about it all. I wanted to do the right thing, but was aware there were so many outcomes… so I ended up preparing for everything.

My bank account was actually sobbing after my trip to the store last night. I was lucky Friday was payday. I also had to get groceries at some point this weekend. Maybe I should’ve thought about that before I bought two different kinds of food and four different kinds of treats, along with the embarrassing number of toys I’d acquired.

I sat down beside Niall on the floor, and he turned to me. Quicker than I could blink he kissed me again. I felt him smile against my lips. The smirk on his face when he pulled back made me blush.

I felt myself easing under his touch. It was unusual, lovely, but unusual. He was making me feel things I didn't understand. I quite enjoyed these things I didn't understand though. It all felt pretty good.

“I still can't believe you named her Moggy.” Niall looked back down at her, started playing with her again.

“Yeah, neither can Louis,” I groaned. “When he found out you're the reason why she's named Moggy he literally laughed to himself the whole day. Every time I tried to do anything all week he’d literally just look at me and giggle and say her name.”

Thankfully, I did manage to keep him from putting that information into the group chat though. Louis wasn’t happy about it, because he wanted nothing more than to torment me, but he acquiesced for whatever reasons I didn't know. Maybe it was because he wanted that one thing to himself to hold over me, maybe it was because he was the sweetest person I'd ever been lucky enough to be friends with. Whatever the reason, I was in the dark.

“Yeah, he's a little jerk.” Niall smiled.

“He is.” I nodded and watched as he shifted so he was lying down, leaning on one elbow while the other held the end of the toy Moggy was playing with.

“At least you never lived with him.”

“True. Did he drug you to make that happen?”

Niall laughed, his head falling back and the sound echoing around my home. It startled Moggy, but only for a moment before she returned to playing.

“They said she's probably only just three months old, judging by her size and weight,” I spoke up after just watching the two of them together. “She's so little.”

“She is,” he said. “I imagine she's grateful you saved her.”

“I did what anyone would. I mean, I did crawl under my front porch in the rain at four in the morning, but I'm sure anyone would do that.”

My phone started ringing and I jumped. I already knew who it was, so without answering, I made to stand up. Before I could though, Niall grabbed me and pulled me down to him, kissing me quickly before letting me go.

“Told you that would be happening a lot.” He gave me a cheeky smile. I made a face at him but the heat in my cheeks gave me away and then I jumped up and ran down the steps to let Louis in.

“Ohhhhh you're blushing,” Louis chirped as I opened the front door.

“Shut up.” I took the pizza box from him and left him with the drinks and a paper bag.

“Is that any way to greet me?” He asked.

“You are such a-” I cut myself off. “Thank you for the food, Louis.”

“You're very welcome, Ruby.”

“How is it today knowing that you also have tomorrow off?” I asked him as he climbed up the stairs ahead of me.

“Yeah I feel weird, don't I?” I saw him shrug his shoulders. “I don't think it'll really sink in though until I wake up tomorrow without an alarm and I get to just clean or watch movies all day or whatever else. I think it'll hit me when I'm in the middle of not being there,” he said as he opened my door.

We stepped through and Niall looked up at us from his spot on the floor. He was lying down on his back with his hands behind his head and Moggy had crawled onto his chest and was happily chewing a little mouse toy until we interrupted her.

She gave another frumpled meow and got up to inspect Louis. He seemed to pass her test; she sniffed him and then meowed some more, bumping her head against his leg. He had his hands full and couldn't pet her yet, but she seemed okay with that.

“Neil.” Louis nodded to him and then he headed to the kitchen, Moggy hot on his heels as he went.

“Tommo,” Niall called back and stood up. He gave me a smile as he straightened his clothes and together we followed Louis and Moggy into the kitchen to go sort out our food and drink options before Louis took over our screen watching options.

“Here is your disgusting drink.” Louis handed Niall the bottle of Kombucha before taking out a six pack of beer for them to split later on while I poured myself and Louis glasses of water from the filter in my fridge.

“Thank you.” Niall smiled and opened up the paper bag. He paused for a moment before looking up at Louis. “I love you.”

Louis’ laughter echoed around the room while Niall reaches into the bag and pulled out a few fries as I just smiled watching the two of them interacting. Even the nicknames they'd used for each other earlier flew from their lips without conscious thought.

Their friendship was so effortless and even being an outsider to it I felt special witnessing it. Louis got out plates for us all and opened the box of pizza, the disgustingly perfect aroma wafting out into my kitchen and making me seriously question why I don't eat pizza for every meal.

“I knew you were probably craving it at this point, it's been what, a week?” Louis asked.

“It's been longer than that, mate,” Niall said as he proceeded to pull the Nando's containers from the bag. “I haven't been since I left Ireland.”

“Oh shirt, no way,” Louis gasped. “Is that some sort of record for you, then?”

Niall shook his head as he began placing his food on a plate for himself.

“I actually think it might be,” he said after a moment.

“Niall here likes to pretend he eats good food and is culturally diverse in his palate, but truth be told the man could eat Nando’s for every single meal every day of his life and he would never get tired of it,” Louis told me.

“I'd like to argue and say I'm not that bad, but I honestly don't think I can,” Niall laughed at himself. I just shook my head and grabbed two slices and slid them onto my plate as I watched them.

“I've been meaning to tell you that your accent is worse than it was when I met you,” Louis said as he took three slices and stole a few fries from Niall’s plate, which earned him a threatening glare.

The three of us carried our plates into the living room, sitting on the couch with my laptop in the coffee table in front of us.

“I was back home for four years, Tommo.” Niall moved a throw pillow out from behind his back. “It gets worse when I'm around family or just back in Ireland at all. It had watered down after being here so long.”

“So it'll mellow out after a bit is what you're saying?” Louis asked.

“I suppose so.” Niall shrugged and started eating as Louis typed in my password and started looking up the proper sports network to sign in to and start watching soccer.

“He knows your password?” Niall leaned over and asked me. Louis smirked as he continued to navigate the browser he’d pulled up.

“It's my work computer.” I shrugged. “I never changed it from whatever it was when he gave it to me.”

“Ah.” He nodded.

“Derby or Liverpool?”

“Derby,” Niall responded to Louis who clicked the game and started it. We’d only missed the first ten minutes.

Moggy was curled up between my feet on the floor. For the entire afternoon, the four of us just sat around, eating and watching different soccer games, playing with Moggy and withstanding relentless teasing. (That last one only applicable to Niall and me).

There was a moment late in the afternoon in the kitchen when I was cleaning up that Niall snuck up on me. Louis was still watching whichever game it was at the time, Moggy curled up on his lap. I had been wrapping the leftover pizza in tin foil when Niall came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Hi, darlin’,” he whispered. He kissed my neck. I fought back a shiver at his touch, his breath on my neck, and the sound of his voice.

“Hi,” I said back, quietly. “How are you?”

“Right now I'm really pretty great,” he said.

“Wow.” I placed my hands on top of his. “That's wonderful. Anything in particular making you feel that way?”

“Well, I did just eat my favourite fast food and watch four hours of football.” He shrugged. “Plus, there’s this really cute girl that I like, and she's been leaning against my side all afternoon.”

“A girl? Niall Horan has a crush?”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice coloured with a sombre tone. “The worst part is I think that she knows it.”

“I wouldn't say that's the worst part,” I told him.

“No?” He asked. “Not even when it drives me nuts trying to think straight around her?”

I blushed and began tracing circles on the back of his right hand with my index finger.

“There are worse things, I suppose.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “She could not like you back.”

“So you're saying that she does like me back?”

“I'd say so,” I said. “She did let you kiss her earlier.”

“Speaking of which…” He trailed off, his voice low as he spun me around in his grasp before he brought both hands up to cup my face gently and bring his lips to mine. I smiled against his lips and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him close.

I'd been with guys a lot taller than me and guys closer to my height, but Niall was the ideal height for me as it turned out. Our bodies aligned perfectly when up against each other like this.

His presence overwhelmed my senses in the best way as he kissed me, his scruff scratching just slightly against me as he did. He pulled back and gave me a smile, his cheeks pink and his eyes bright.

“There's something about you, Ruby,” he said, voice low. “Something about you that draws me in. And I don't know if it's tangible or not, but I crave it. Whatever it is.”

“Most guys would be worried about scaring a girl away by saying something like that to her too quickly.”

“I'm not most guys.”

“I know.”

“I swear to god if you two are making out in there I'm going to throw up all the food I just ate! Just because I support this relationship doesn't mean I want you two doing naughty things with me around!”

When Niall started laughing I couldn't help but join in. I ended up doubled over, clutching my abs with tears in my eyes as Niall giggled next to me, the sound echoing around my apartment, filling it with warmth.

When I got back into the living room I sat down in the middle of the sofa and laid my head on Louis’ shoulder.

“You're such a toad,” I said to him.

He wrapped his arm around me as Niall sat down on my other side and passed Louis a freshly opened beer, keeping one for himself, and handing me a glass of whiskey. It was my favourite glass. I wondered if he’d known it was my favourite after only seeing me use it once, or if it was entirely coincidental that he’d grabbed this particular glass.

He just smiled at me.