In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Seventy

Roxy’s POV

The actual day rolled around without much fanfare. A quick kiss on the forehead and a “Happy Anniversary, babe” whisper in my ear before he left the house; the first bits of light poking through the curtains in our bedroom as I muttered back that I loved him and quickly fell back to sleep.  My plans for our day postponed once again due to a late night scheduling change, a photoshoot that was supposed to take place in two days time being moved up so that some up-and-coming model could breeze into a few shots before she had to fly off to New York or Milan or wherever.

He apologized, but he didn’t really need to. Actually, I had grown somewhat accustomed to, and almost expectant of these sorts of issues.  I had been fantasizing about Eggs Benedict and homemade cinnamon rolls for the better part of this week, but I suppose breakfast in bed could wait until another day. I’d have to make a phone call this morning to cancel a few other little things as well, but I knew we’d get back around to them eventually.

The only bright spot was that I wouldn’t have to sit on the couch and pretend to be thrilled to play video games with him for an hour; a request I only agreed to because he looked so fucking cute when he pouted.  The after-dinner routine we’d fallen into over the last few weeks consisted of him snatching up the controller from its charger as I wandered into the bedroom to retrieve whichever book I was reading (or re-reading), and joining him on the couch as he queued up whichever game he was into at the moment, my legs extended over his lap as he kicked his feet up on the table.  I’d get lost in my pages, and he’d zone out on the screen, each of us unwinding in our own separate ways, and yet together.

My phone chirped from the bedside as I lay beneath the covers just letting my mind wander, not yet ready to get up. A smile crept across my face as I placed the tone and answered. “Working hard?”

“Still in bed?” he asked, although his inflection indicated it wasn’t as much of a question as a playful accusation.

“Want me to tell you what I’m wearing?” I rolled onto my back and let the phone rest between my shoulder and the pillow, realizing after I’d asked the question that it had only been a few hours since he’d last seen me, my sleepy brain switching to autopilot from the days I’d get breathy phone call from him wherever he was in the world.

“Purple t shirt, grey plaid bottoms. No knickers.” He said matter-of-factly.  I pulled the hem of the shirt down where it had ridden up over my stomach. “Got good news and bad news. Which d’ya want first?”

“Good.” I said. “But I want to know what you’re wearing.”

“Grey trousers, white shirt, navy waistcoat.” he said. “Shoes that are pinching my toes. Anyway, it looks like we’ll be outta here before noon, but…”

“A vest?” I choked. That was quite a step away from his usual styling: plain shirts and cardigans. “Oh god, I’m drooling.”

“I look like Liam.” He laughed.

“That’s why I’m drooling.” I joked. “Send me a picture. What’s the bad news?”

“Got another meetin’ at two.” He sighed. “Can I pick you up and bring you along? We can go out after?”

Niall’s POV

We bypassed the set of lifts in favor of the staircase, throngs of people returning from their lunch breaks  clustered around the up button, all checking their phones or staring at the ceiling. I pulled open the steel door and held it, Roxy ducking beneath my arm and though the doorway, her Chucks squeaking on the tile, still slick from the light afternoon rain.  Even slightly damp and in jeans and a t shirt she looked fantastic, and I’ve got no regrets about promising to let our anniversary have a casual dress code.