PERIPHERY | NH |

TWENTY THREE

Hunter

"Hey, bookworm. You feel like eating something?"

The feeling of someone's fingers delicately tracing over my cheek and pushing my hair out of my face makes me hum as I nestle my body deeper into the soft bedding.

"Hrmpf." My attempt at a response rewards me with the sound of laughter, one that I've come to know all too well over the last several months. "Leafmealooneee."

I can feel the bed dip beside me as the Irish accent I always find myself dreaming about calls out. "It's past noon, you need to drink something and see if you can keep some food down."

Thinking about how I nearly vomited all over Niall's bathroom makes me cringe to think about.

The feeling of his arms around my body as I slouched across his toilet —puking up everything I'd ever eaten in my life — was the peak of romance. Nobody asked him to hold my hair back or make sure to rub my back and my sides, the ache from using those muscles making me even more tired than I already was.

And I for sure did not ask him to wipe vomit off of the corner of my mouth.

Definitely could have fucking gone without that.

When Niall's doctor showed up first thing this morning, not only was I shocked that Niall basically had a doctor on speed dial — but I guess I never realized that he had to go through these lengths to keep parts of his life private.

Even going to the doctor's office was a shit show for him, I'm sure.

"The doctor said that a lot of sleep would make me feel better." Disgruntled, I roll over slowly and let my eyes crack open. "I wanna keep doing that. Sleeping."

As much as I claim that I'd rather be sleeping, the sight of Niall sitting on the edge of this massive bed and feeling the weight of his hand on my waist from above the covers is something that would be a shame to miss.

Sitting in a plain white t-shirt with his hair unkempt he looks tired, yet at the same time he looks like the most perfect man that I've ever seen in my life. His blue eyes shine as they look over my face, putting every star I'd ever seen to shame.

"How about we make a deal, hmm?" Pursing his lips, I narrow my eyes at him. "You sit up and eat something, drink some gatorade, take your medicine, and then we can lay in bed all day. What do you say?"

My gaze travels from Niall to the tray he's settled on top of the dresser. "Okay, fine. But we have to watch Titanic."

With a low laugh, Niall leans forward to place a quick kiss on my forehead. "Deal."

•

"Niall?

My voice calls out across the bedroom as Niall pokes his head out of the bathroom door, toothbrush in hand, he raises his eyebrows at me.

"I was looking at something strange.." Looking down at my phone, I scroll through the app. "So I was looking at my bank account... And there seems to be not one single charge from when you went to get stuff this morning.. Care to explain?"

My eyes meet his wide blue one just a moment before he ducks back into the bathroom, taking his guilt with him.

"I can explain." His tone of voice is full of humor as he walks back out of the bathroom after turning off the light, coming towards me. "When I left I did take your card, I swear I did."

Tracking his movement across the room, I can't help the crease that grows between my brows when I watch him walk out of the bedroom as he keeps talking — almost yelling across the house, only his voice bounces off the walls and echoes and I can't make out any of the words.