I Want It Bad - Narry

Chapter Thirty Four

"It's a Claddagh ring," Niall murmurs, eyes bright as Harry takes the ring out of the box and inspects it. His lips part in a sharp breath at Niall's words.

"Niall," Harry breathes out again, shaking his head in bewilderment, "I-I can't believe you got me this."

"You mean the world to me, Harry. I couldn't really think of any other way to show you that than with this," Niall says with a shy smile, a flush spreading from his neck to the tips of his ears. "There's a saying that goes with the ring. It's something like, 'with these hands I give you my heart and I crown it with my love'."

"That's beautiful," Harry mumbles breathlessly, tracing his finger over each part of the ring.  

"Tá tú go hálainn, Harry," Niall whispers, taking his hand into his own and squeezing it gently. Harry's skin glows pink even though he has no idea what Niall said, but whatever it was has his heart fluttering.

"Tá grá agam duit," he adds after a moment, laughing quietly at Harry's confused face.

"'S not fair, I haven't got a clue what you're saying," Harry whines with a pout, eyebrows drawn together in frustration. Niall only hums in response before he's drawing him in for a kiss, lips soft as they move languidly against each other.  

"Don't worry about it," Niall mumbles when they pull apart, eyes flickering down to the ring in Harry's hand. "Can I?"

Harry nods, breath hitching as Niall grabs his hand and spreads his fingers out. The blond slips the ring on his right hand, the point of the heart facing towards his wrist. Harry feels like he might start tearing up again, lower lip starting to tremble as he stares down at the gem, it's green color gleaming underneath the dim lighting of the room.

"Just a little bit of your heart. That's all I'm asking for," Niall whispers, the features on his face soft, giving him an almost innocent and vulnerable look.

"You've already got it," Harry murmurs with a small smile, "'M an absolute fool for you, you know."

Niall laughs, bright and beautiful, and it makes Harry feel warm inside, like he wants to curl up in a ball and squeal and smile and giggle because he feels so loved.

"Tommo lost his shit when I told him about it. Thought I was proposing or summat, that'd we'd go off and get hitched without tellin' anyone."

Harry would be lying if he said his stomach didn't erupt with butterflies at the mention of proposal. "Proposing?"

"Yeah," Niall says offhandedly, shaking his head with a laugh, "Claddagh rings are usually used for engagement rings, or wedding rings. But he knew I wouldn't ever do that, probably just messin' around."

"'Wouldn't ever do that'? What do you mean by that?" Harry huffs hotly, looking at Niall as if he had just killed a kitten.

Niall's eyes widen at that and he groans at himself for such a poor choice of words. Great. It's ridiculous how he manages to change the mood to shit so quickly and easily.

"That's not what I meant to say," Niall mutters, carding his fingers through his hair with a frustrated sigh. "It's just . . . We're too young for marriage. I've got to figure myself out before we can take a step like that in our relationship."

Harry nods because yeah, that makes sense, though he's confused by the sadness filling his heart. He knows that it'd be silly and reckless for Niall to propose, just as unlikely as the situation would be. But he finds a part of him feeling disappointed regardless.