A Match Into Water (Neeroy Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Niall Horan waited. He was wearing his favourite black tux with a black bowtie, and he suddenly felt worried. What if Leeroy didn't know his address? What if he had second thoughts? Niall glanced at his watch. Well... he was just five minutes late. Just five minutes. Niall could live with that. Maybe Leeroy had just got caught up with something. Maybe he was on his way now.

Niall took another gaze at himself in his full-length mirror and swallowed hard. Was he good enough? He didn't want to see Leeroy looking absolutely stunning in front of him, and then Leeroy taking a look at him and not seeing perfection. That's what worried Niall the most. Not being good enough. He smoothed down his pushed-back golden hair while taking deep breaths, nervous about his date. He wondered if Leeroy had booked them at Nandos or somewhere else.

Suddenly, a figure ambled through Niall's door with a big grin on his face, his arms wide open. "Niall, my little bro!"

Niall's face suddenly brightened up as he lounged into his brothers arms, surprise mixed with adoration in his expression. His eyes squeezed shut, returning the grin. Afterwards, Greg put his hands on Niall's shoulders and held him at arms-length, smiling proudly at his younger brother.

"I've really missed you, man," Greg breathed, his eyes sparkling with love.

Niall nodded. "I've missed you too, Greggie. How are you and Denise? Everything going good?"

Greg shook his head, but his grin was still there. "Good? Nah. It's going great! I'm sorry I haven't visited you and Mum in a while. I wanted to, but things were tight, you know? But hey, at least I'm here now. What's the occasion?" he gestured towards the outfit Niall was wearing, making the blonde boy flush.

Niall swallowed hard. Should he tell his brother about Leeroy? Greg knew Niall was gay, but he didn't know if he should say anything yet.

He just shrugged. "I don't really know."

"C'mon, man. I'm your brother. You going on a date?" He wiggled his eyebrows, making Niall burst into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, all right," he sighed, defeated. "I'm going to a dance class... to improve my dancing, and someone asked me on a date. No biggie- just a dinner at Nandos. Don't get all older-brotherly, because it's not much. I'm not dating him." He wished.

Greg blinked, taken aback. He hadn't thought Niall was one to date, especially because he hadn't had a girlfriend or boyfriend before, that he knew of. "Oh. That's great, Ni. Who's the lucky chappie, aye?"

"Someone you don't know," Niall retorted, smirking. "Look, he should be here any minute, so shush and get out."

Greg chuckled, and put his arms up in defeat. Knowing Niall meant it jokingly, he stalked out the door and clomped down the stairs. Niall heard him pressing the buttons of the microwave, so he knew he was making something to eat. Though Niall had always been a very big eater with an outstanding appetite, but right now his stomach was too full of worry and nervousness to even think about food. He was terrified he didn't look good enough for Leeroy. Every five seconds he smoothed down his hair or thought about styling it up in a quiff.

Before Niall could think about changing anything, he heard Maura bellow from downstairs for him, and his stomach filled and filled until he felt a little sick. He was beginning to get cold feet, but when he rushed downstairs, he saw the blonde god standing in the hallway with a light smile planted on his face, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Niall's heart skipped a beat.

Leeroy looked absolutely stunning. He wore a bright white tux with a faint pink tie. He still wore the pink band which stayed where it was around his bleach-blonde hair. His eyes were the melting chocolate, and his eyelashes were a impossibly long curtain fringing them.