birds // hs

10. Midnight

Safe to say I was angry after Liza's little divulgence of Harry's misconduct. He was so shocked that I had slapped him across the face and was halfway down the street before his body caught up to his brain and he came racing after me.

"Rachel," he called warily as I picked up the pace. I had been to Niall's house a few times so I was sure it was around here, I just wasn't sure about exactly where it was. So I turned some corners and was just about to give up when I spotted Liam's car outside a little house that I remembered. Sure enough, his mom was outside in her garden.

"Hello, Miss Horan," I panted, still trying to catch my breath as Harry let out a groan. "Is Niall here?"

"Oh- er, yes. He's inside," she nodded with a polite smile. "Who-"

I ran up the stairs and threw open the door, surprising Liam and Niall as they sat at the kitchen table playing some card game.

"Whoa, what the hell?" Liam scowled as he took in my appearance. "What are you wearing?"

"It's called a nightgown," I explained breathlessly. "Could I hide somewhere in here? Harry is-"

"I got him," Liam grinned, slamming his cards down. "This should be fun."

Niall groaned and I frowned slightly before I watched Liam's muscular frame saunter out the door to the front porch, where he stopped and body-blocked the door. Dear lord, he was frightening.

"Liam, don't be an ass," Harry rolled his eyes. "I have to talk to Rachel."

"Nope." I crept up behind them and stood a few feet behind Liam, making sure that Harry could only see me a little. "She said you were being an ass."

"She doesn't-"

"She sounded pretty sure."

"Liza lied," Harry shifted his attention to me, his voice now low and desperate. "Rach, I wouldn't do that, I swear."

Liam smirked and shook his head. "Sorry, buddy. You're not getting past me."

Harry seemed to contemplate things for a second but eventually he clenched his jaw and left, his shoulders slumped as he made his way down the narrow street.

*

"Get off me," Liam grumbled as I tried to cuddle up to his side. Apparently boys had no concept of cold because it was freezing in Niall's living room and I couldn't find any blankets.

"I'm freezing," I whined playfully. "Come on, just let me use some of your body heat."

"No way, Harry would kill me," he shook his head. "Sorry babe, go try Niall."

Niall scoffed from across the room. "I'm not getting my fucking nose broken by some insane fuckboy."

"You're both idiots," I sighed with furrowed eyebrows. "I thought gentlemen looked out for girls."

"Who said we were gentlemen?"

I got up to leave but Liam pulled me back down and laughed, his arms winding tightly around my midsection as I tried to wriggle away from him.

"This thing is so slippery, dammit," he frowned as I plopped onto the floor. "Why the hell does a nightgown need to feel like a Slip N Slide?"

"It's supposed to be silky," I shrugged. "Silky is sexy, I guess."

"Oh my god! Did you and Harry fuck in that last night?"

I bit my lip. "This morning."

"Shit!" Liam began furiously wiping his hands on his bare chest until he finally just got up and ran out of the room to wash them.