Until That Time {h.s au}

chapter six

~Harry Styles~

"You're a little shit for making me carry this, you know that?" Louis coughed, holding the easel in his hand as Niall followed behind with the canvas attached to his hip. He huffed softly, mumbling to himself, "Lucky it's for her because I know she's gonna love it but bloody hell."

"I hope," I sighed, choosing to ignore his complaints as I prepared the final touches on the rooftop.

It was a warmer day for the October England air, the view from the rooftop breath taking as the courtyard filled with new life due the change of season. The trees all around had bright and colourful leaves as the sidewalks were painted with the fallen ones from the branches. People walking up and down the street, some holding hands, others laughing. They were all going about their lives without a care in the world, something that many of us take for granted as I turned back to the group.

"I can't believe I agreed to this," Niall muttered, stomping his feet as he walked over to the couch.

I let out a slight chuckle, shaking my head as I leaned against the ledge of the roof, "What better things would you be doing today, mate?"

"I could probably think about twenty other things I could be doing, this is bringing me back to seven period and I would rather not think about the hell that Mr. Chambers dragged me through."

Louis laughed loudly, walking towards Niall to clap his shoulder as he sarcastically said, "That's the spirit, Niall, real charmer you are."

I began to laugh whole heartedly, watching the two as the Niall hooked his fingers around the tube connected to Louis' oxygen and yanked down. Louis jerked forward at the movement, his eyes widening as he slapped the back of Niall's hand.

"The fuck?" He cursed, fixing the oxygen back into his nose as he rubbed the back of his ears. "That hurt."

"So does your shitty sarcasm, Tomlinson," Niall quipped, crossing his arms over his chest as he huffed like a little boy.

Louis rolled his eyes, taking a seat on the opposite side of Niall as he turned to look at me. "Greyson is going to be absolutely buzzing when she sees this, Harry. Don't worry about Neil here, he's always been a sore sport when the attention isn't on him."

"Fuck off," he said, reaching his left hand beside him to throw a pillow at Louis.

"My mummy said that you shouldn't say that, Niall." Matty interrupted, moving the stool in front of the canvas as he climbed onto it.

"Well is your mummy here?" He asked, pretending to look around the roof as though she would be standing there.

"No," Matty trailed off, turning his head to look at Louis.

"Then you can say whatever the fuck you want kid, that's the beauty of all this," Niall nodded, his words laced with an emotion that none of us knew.

I couldn't but stare at Niall, worry building inside of me for whatever had been going on with him. Because from the day I came into this hospital, he had always been in a good mood. Always with a smile on his face, simply being a happy, go lucky guy who wanted to make everyone happy. It was weird seeing him like this, so bitter and hostile towards everyone. But then again, look where we were. The kind of place that turned good days into bad with just one word.

"Okay," Matty said, smiling as he said "Fu—"

"Do not listen to him Matty," I cut off, trying my hardest not laugh as he looked at me with wide eyes.

"What the hell is your problem, mate?" Louis finally asked, bearing the question we all were wondering out into the open.

"It's nothing," he shook off, standing to his feet as he said. "Let's just set this up, yeah?"