corporate affairs [Niall Horan AU]

T W E N T Y S I X

read the A/N at the end for important information about the update schedule!! (also, enjoy the super cute picture of elouise and zayn! and this beaUTIFUL song)

- E L O U I S E -

"Shit. Fuck. Damn."

"Got any more?" Zayn asks, chuckling. He rips another piece of tape off and closes another box, then carries it over to the stack of assorted size cardboard boxes that have begun to decorate our small living room.

"No. I'm all out. I'm just--why do we have so much crap?" I ask him, spinning slowly on my heels to take all of it in. Despite the number of boxes, there is still so much left to pack.

"Because we never thought we'd leave this place." His voice is gentle, and his hand reaches out to stroke our velvet couch, his long fingers trailing over it as if he wanted to remember its fabric forever. "Lots of memories here, El."

"I know." I sigh, brushing the lint off my pants. "That's enough boxes for now. The realtor will be here soon."

"Cool. I'm about to head over to the office for some finishing touches on the business stuff. Want to meet later for dinner?" He's already shoving his feet into his black biker boots, his jeans falling perfectly into the boots without wrinkling.

"Sure. Can we get Fred's?" We've been eating takeout a lot, trying to satisfy the eventual cravings for our favorites once we get to London.

"Of course. I'll get you a double order of Truffle Fries while I wait for you." He winks, then leans over to grab his leather jacket off the back of the couch, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he does so.

"See you in a few hours!" I call out to him as he bounces down the stairs, the sound of the front door opening and shutting in response. I settle down on the couch, waiting for the realtor and her clients. Nick trots over, his excited face coming to rest between my knees. I reach down and scratch behind his ears, cooing softly as quietness settles around us.

It's only a few minutes later that the door rings, the excited face of our realtor, Martha, stepping into the foyer. There's a young couple behind her, the girl wearing an engagement ring with a diamond cut into an oval. The light that sparkles off her ring gives me a headache, and I make up an excuse about needing to walk Nick and bolt from the house, uneasiness in the pit of my stomach.

Nick and I bound down the steps of our apartment onto the city streets. The familiar cries of anger and joy and the hum of taxis and shrieks of small children ease my nerves. The hard pavement beneath my feet slows my heartbeat until it's settled down once again. I weave passed couples fighting, sleazy salesmen, and large groups of foreign tourists in the middle of the sidewalk expertly, knowing exactly when to dart and when to dash.

Nick snuffles along the sidewalk, his nose glued to the ground and his neck jerking the leash every now and then. I start the walk without realizing where I'm headed, my feet taking a path they'd grown accustomed to over the last five years. I keep my eyes focused on the little details now, trying to memorize all of it: the indian takeout place, the five-n-dime laundry mat, the way the gum stains on the sidewalk seem to spell out broken stories that only the mouth they came from would know. Nick pulls on the leash when I slow down, getting stuck on certain places. We veer to the right, past the basement bakery that makes the best chocolate chip cookies. 

***

"Come on, Elouise. I think you're just being paranoid." 

"No, Zayn, I'm not." I said, pinching off a chunk of my chocolate cookie as we walked. The city was still new then, and the noises and people were still overwhelming and burdening. I clutched onto Zayn as a naked man, save for the candy thong around his waist, passed by me on roller skates. "He actually hates me," I said, referring to my new boss. Niall.