Jacques - l.s

7: Dynamic Demeanors

*7*

And a power nap Niall did take.  He laid down on the couch the second they entered their room and didn't even make it to his bed before he crashed asleep and stayed that way for a large handful of hours.  He left Harry to hang around their place, doing the most random things he could find to do.  He organized their spice cabinet, which once again Harry didn't know they had, he washed the mirrors in their bathroom, twice over, he had vacuumed the carpet in the living room, which Niall had miraculously slept through, even though Harry accidentally sucked up his foot that was dangling over the couch.  Harry had done it all in the span of Niall snoring.  He felt quite productive if you ask him. 

It wasn't until around six that afternoon that Niall finally awoke.  It was less graceful than you see in the movies.  Instead, he sort of just flopped off the couch, yelled in shock, and then wiped the long line of drool that was dripping on the side of his face.  Harry wanted to laugh at him.

"Good morning princess.  You sleep very lovely." Harry huffed as he spooned the bowl of cereal in front of him.  He was sitting on one of the high chairs at the kitchen island, eating an afternoon snack to tide him over for the rest of the night, and scrolling through his phone.

"Yes, I've been told."

Harry could hear the grogginess in Niall's voice.  Such an unnatural scene for Niall to star in.  One where he's not jumping at any chance to do something crazy, or laughing at a single sentence someone spews.  But Harry knew it was only a matter of time before Niall was back.

"Enjoying your last day before classes tomorrow?" Niall mumbled, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand.  "What'd you do anyways?"

"Cleaned, organized, vacuumed, stuff like that." He took a swallow of his cereal.  A swallow?  A bite?  Soup?  Food?  These are the questions Harry wants answers to.

"You did not." Niall immediately slapped his hand over his eyes.  "And on your last day of freedom."

"You're acting like I had other things to do.  I don't really have a car, Niall, and I don't know my way around this town."

"So find your way, Harry.  Make your way.  You can't step up to the plate if you don't first pick up the bat."

"Very poetic."

"Very true."

"But look at how clean this place looks now." Harry smiled, gesturing to the clean countertops he had wiped down tenaciously.

"We're going out tonight.  No arguing."

"But Niall, we've got classes-"

"No arguing!" Niall snapped his finger in front of him, dictating that they were going to do what he said they were going to do.

Harry sighed.  "If I get behind on school because of you-"

"You won't get behind in school Harry, you're like the smartest person I've ever met."

"We met three days ago."

"Still.  Now go get changed, we're going out."

***

An hour later and Harry was sitting around a pub table with Liam, Niall, Zayn, and Louis, sipping leisurely on his Coke.  It was around 7:15 and the air around them on their walk here had that crisp smell of freshness it always seemed to have in the late afternoons.  Almost like petrichor but... drier.  The sun was showing hints at setting any time now and the people walking around the town gave Harry that extraordinary feeling of sonder.  He's not sure why today was so different, but he just felt so at peace.