Mine ♡ Ziall/Niam/Narry/Nouis/Zianourry AU [COMPLETE]

SEVEN -- HALLOWEEN CUDDLE PUDDLE

"Let's go on a road trip!" Niall exclaims during lunch on Thursday. It's Halloween weekend and they still don't know what their plans are. Usually they sit at someone's house and watch movies, but Niall's suggestion surprises all of them.

"A road trip?" Liam repeats. He looks over at Louis, Harry, and Zayn, one eyebrow raised. "Where?"

"I don't know," Niall whines. "I can't think of all the ideas!" Zayn laughs when Niall says this, and Louis rolls his eyes fondly.

"That could be kinda fun," Harry says, the idea growing on him. "We could go to the cabin."

Niall lights up, clapping his hands together excitedly. "Yes! Let's go to the cabin!" 

The cabin actually belongs to Harry's family. Every summer, their little group usually goes and spends the week there. 

"I'm in," Liam shrugs, and Zayn nods, too. Louis nods, knowing he can't say no to Niall's puppy eyes.

Niall squeals delightedly, squirming in his excitement. "No scary movies, though," he says suddenly.

"Ni, it's not Halloween without scary movies," Zayn chuckles, reaching out to tickle the small blonde.

"Nooo, Zee," Niall says firmly, wrinkling his adorable nose. "I'm gonna have nightmares!"

"Okay," Liam relents. Nobody wants Niall to actually be afraid. "No actually scary horror movies. We'll bring only the ones we'll laugh at, okay?"

Niall grins. "Okay!"

- - -

Harry's parents okay them going to the cabin, so Friday after school, they all pile into Liam's car and head towards the cabin. Zayn is in charge of music, so he sits in the passenger seat next to Liam. At some point, Liam takes his free hand and holds it in his own. Liam's hand is large and warm, and when Zayn nervously looks back at Harry, Harry just looks down at their joined hands, back up at Zayn, and winks. They aren't official or anything, and Harry doesn't seem to be bothered by it, and Zayn comes to terms with the thought that he's not just attracted to Niall anymore. He's attracted to all four of his best friends, and that is absolutely terrifying.

Niall is dozing in the backseat, head in Harry's lap. Harry is playing some app on his phone and stroking Niall's hair with the other. Hesitantly, Louis leans his head on Harry's shoulder. He can't see it, but Liam does through the rearview mirror -- a slow smile spreads across Harry's face.

"Hey," Liam says gently, giving Zayn's hand a tiny squeeze. Despite the calmness of his voice, Zayn jumps. "You all right?"

Zayn nods before Liam has finished his question, though it's totally untrue. He chews on his lower lip.

"Zee, I know you," Liam reminds him, voice still soft and warm. Zayn feels like his heart is melting. "Talk to me, babe." He doesn't mean to call him that, the pet name just happens, but Liam knows it's okay, judging by Zayn's sudden smile. "Is that why you're acting weird?"

Zayn shifts, hides his smile by biting his lip. "I...don't know. It's confusing. I feel..." He trails off, and Liam is smiling. He stops at a red light, turns to face Zayn. Zayn is leaning in before he's even really aware of what he's doing, and Liam kisses him. The kiss is really, really brief, and then Liam is peppering kisses onto Zayn's cheeks. Zayn pulls back, body shaking from laughter, cheeks red from blushing. When he turns around to look shyly at Harry, Harry is grinning at him.

"Finally," he says, grinning at how pink his cheeks are. He leans up to kiss one pink cheek, and Zayn is blushing the whole way to the cabin.

- - -

Niall and Louis wake up as Liam parks in the driveway. Niall lets out a delighted sound and literally crawls over Harry so he can get out of the car. He bounces up and down, staring up at the cabin. It's large and wooden, beautiful, with a lakefront view. The sun is setting behind it, and it's so pretty that Niall's heart is in his throat.

"Ni? We're heading inside," Harry calls, and Niall turns around and follows them inside. The cabin has enough bedrooms for them to all have their own, but like always, they all sleep in the living room. 

"You all brought your costumes, right?" Niall asks, and with some fond eye rolls, everyone nods. He scampers up the stairs, and everyone takes that as a sign to put their costumes on. Liam is a pirate, Zayn is Luigi with Harry as Mario, and Louis is himself because he thinks Halloween is stupid. When Niall comes back down the stairs, they all make a collective sound of pain. "I'm an ice cream sundae!" he giggles. He's wearing khaki pants, a pink tutu (strawberry ice cream) a white t-shirt with polka dots (for the frosting and sprinkles) and a red beanie for the cherry. "Do you like it?"

"You never fail to physically pain me with your cuteness," Harry says plainly, which is true. Niall blushes, and then sits on the floor, patting the spaces beside himself so his friends will sit down.

"Let's start watching movies!" he exclaims. So they all cuddle up around him, Corpse Bride playing on the scream. Niall hums along to the music, of course. Zayn is smushed between Harry and Liam, and Louis' head is in Liam's lap. Niall curls up in front of Louis, and Louis spoons him, kissing the back of his head every once in a while.

"Happy Halloween," Niall mumbles through a mouthful of candy corn, and they all coo and cuddle him close.

(It probably goes without saying that by the end of the weekend, Zayn went home with some mysterious purple marks on his neck.)