seasons of love | Narry Storan AU

chapter 26.

2032

it's time to go, a song by Taylor Swift, plays in the speaker box in the living room, while Chloe, Taylor and their father, Niall, play Scrabble on the hallway floor. Although the song reminds him of particular memories from his past, the older Horan pretends he's fine every time it plays when he's playing with his kids, as he doesn't want them to see him visibly hurt by something.

Niall promised himself, when the adoption of Chloe and Taylor Horan was officialized, that he would make them believe their father is a hero who never gets hurt. It's not that he wants to hide his past — he's slowly unveiling his secrets to his children, through the stories he tells them every night about his own college days, such as his sexuality, his past friendships and his so-called relationship with Harold Edward Styles. He soon will have nothing to hide from these kids.

He just wants them to always believe that they have a friend in their father.

The house bell rings four times, and that's how they know who's coming to visit them. Taylor Horan is the first to run straight to the main door of the house.

"Uncle Lou!" He screams, with a grin on his face and his hands clinging to Louis Tomlinson's neck, forcing his body to jump into his godfather.

Louis happily accepted to be godfather to both of Niall's kids when the adoption happened, and so they have been basically each other's family for a very long time.

"Jesus, Taylor, you got heavier since the last time!"

"Summer vacation did this to him, but I don't care", Niall says, coming closer to his longtime friend. "At least he's healthier, too."

"Missed you, bud", Louis smiles to Niall, letting Taylor go back to the floor and hugging his best friend. "Really missed you."

"No time for tears yet, Tomlinson."

"I know."

"Where's Liam?"

"He's coming straight from work, that's why we didn't take the same cab", he answers, with another fond smile on his face. "But he called me five minutes ago and said he was already on an Uber."

"Sounds good", Niall shrugs, "we were playing Scrabble."

"Jesus, Heineken", Lou rolls his eyes, "you're already doing old men things with these kids? I cannot accept that!"

"Hey, they like Scrabble!"

"Not that much", Chloe adverts, raising a finger to speak before her father can say anything else. "Is uncle Liam coming?"

"He's on his way, darling", Louis tells her, pulling her body for a tight hug. "Missed you, Chloe."

"We all missed you here, too", she answers, "I'm glad uncle Liam is coming. He can finally teach me how to play with that new Xbox you two promised me."

"They promised the Xbox to us, girl", Taylor corrects her verbally, "don't put just yourself into it."

"So the box arrived", the Doncaster lad concludes by himself, "and none of you opened it, right?"

"Not even if we wanted to", Niall complains, "we don't know how to handle that Xbox thing."

"I'll tell you guys, then. So, I heard your crazy dad", Louis points his index finger to Niall, "started telling you two about his boring days at college."

"The stories haven't been so boring!" The older Horan almost yells at him.

"Yeah, he's telling us about how he fell in love with Harry Styles", Chloe completes her godfather's words. "Last night he told us about the day he invited Harry for a barbecue party after Thanksgiving."

"And tonight is Thanksgiving, what a coincidence", Louis screams in excitement. "I guess I can say a word or two about that day. 'Cause, you know, I was there, too."

2015

At the backyard of Bobby's house, the Horans and the Tomlinsons gather up together. While Niall's father makes sure the meat will be the best possible food for the day and his other relatives catch up with Louis's mother, Niall and Lou receive the task of setting up the big wooden table. The younger Horan takes the lilac tablecloth to the yard, Louis finds the cutlery, such as forks, knives and spoons, so that his friend can set them all on the table.

Harry asked for Niall's house location a couple of minutes ago, after the blond guy had been informed that his roommate had just arrived in town. Niall thought he would be nervous to introduce him to the rest of the family; Lou had to remind him of the day that the Horans were introduced to Louis himself and his sisters — it was almost like a celebration of life when Bobby figured out his son had a popular friend with whom he could talk to and trust beyond the boundaries of his own family.

"It will be the same thing with Harry", Louis assures his friend, "as long as he doesn't talk any shit, of course. He must behave well."

"He said he would. There's nothing better for him than spending a day away from the Styles or something like that."

"Family issues?"

"Must be that."

"Well, then he will love our parents", they both laugh at the sentence, "because they can be... very lovely sometimes."

Niall hears a car horn from the other side of the house. Harry's here, he says to himself, before leaving Louis behind just so he can open the door to his roommate. The view seems great to him once they meet.

"Welcome, Harold."

"Will you call me Harold here, too?"

"I don't love you that much to say your nickname in front of my family, get used to it."

"You don't love me... yet, Nialler."

"Is that a bet?"

"No, but it could be."