seasons of love | Narry Storan AU

chapter 33.

2016

It's the last night before college classes start again. Louis bangs on Niall's bedroom door one more time.

"Niall, come on! Let's go!"

"We're not in the mood!" Niall yells back from the inside. "Go away!"

"We? You better open this door!"

"Do it", Harry shrugs, "it would happen sooner or later."

Niall places a kiss on Harry's forehead and jumps from the upper bunk bed, reaching the bedroom dor in less than ten seconds. His Tomlinson friend is already fully dressed for the night, as he came up there to invite them for a hangout at the nearest pub.

"Pajamas?" Louis exclaims, visibly upset. "Are you two still in your pajamas?"

"We had no plans for tonight and we basically ordered food the entire day so we wouldn't leave the room", Harry justifies the situation, with a smirk on his face. "Do you have a better option?"

"Yes, actually! Me and Liam, we're gonna take a couple drinks at the pub and we were wondering..."

"Lou." Niall intervenes.

"Heineken." His friend replies back, using the codename Louis himself gave his friend years ago. "Can we just have fun, please? We didn't even celebrate New Year's eve together and we have so much little time left 'til classes start again..."

Niall analyzes his friend's pleading look on his face. Then, he looks back at Harry, who seems to understand what his romantic interest — no, still not a boyfriend — is trying to say with his eyes. Finally, Harry walks slowly over to Niall, laying his hands on the Irish boy's shoulders and giving him a gentle massage.

"I guess we can... change clothes quickly and go with you to the pub."

[...]

The neon lighting in the pub, the contagious pop music and the smiles exchanged between the four friends is enough to make Louis Tomlinson satisfied with the idea that he himself had everyone going out to have fun at night and have drinks. Liam and Harry are the most sober ones among them; Niall and Louis, however, did not think about the consequences and took three shots of tequila in the first ten minutes after sitting at one of the tables in the place.

"You know, this was actually a good idea", Niall says, with a big smile on his lips following his phrase. "We were really in need of some fun like that."

"Wait 'til next morning", Harry jokes, making his romantic interest (still not a boyfriend) laugh. A very loud laugh, as if there was nobody else in the room but the two of them. "Calm down, Nialler, we're in public." He places his hand above Niall's fingers.

"So, how are things going on between... the two of you?" Liam asks Harold, seeming interested in knowing the answer.

"We're just... getting to know each other better. It has worked so far." Harry answers first, before Niall bursts out his words.

"He's great to be around, even though he refuses to have sex with me."

Louis laughs first.

"I knew he was gonna say some crazy shit after those three shots, but wow", the Doncaster guy says, still laughing in between some words. "This was unexpected."

"I guess I'll take a drink now", Harry raises one of his arms, looking for the nearest bartender. "A tequila glass, please!"

"Don't worry, I'll go there", Niall lowers Harold's raised arm. "I'll ask another shot for me, too."

"Be careful."

"I'm always careful."

"Said the guy who dropped ketchup on the bed sheet because he was about to hit me with his lunch fork."

"You said I wasn't the violent type of guy!" Niall yells at him, but in a fun way, getting up from his chair right after that. "I had to prove you were wrong!"

The Irish boy is still laughing as he walks over to the bar, points to a bottle of tequila behind the bartender, and asks for two glasses of the aforementioned drink. His skin prickles only when unknown fingers nudge his right shoulder.

"Hi, Horan." The whispering voice makes Niall shiver.

He knows exactly who's talking to him, and he turns around just to face the man's smile.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Mendes."