London Bridges

Chapter 12: Maybe He's the One

Liam is still going over the exam in his head as he walks towards the tube station on Monday afternoon.  Thoughts of cellular structure and biochemical processes tumble around his mind, distracting him from the cold rain that fell mercilessly over London.  He's on autopilot, almost walking right past Niall who had just arrived from Heathrow Airport. 

"Oi!" Niall calls out to him.  "You don't even recognize me?"

The familiar Irish accent, though out of place in the crowded station, immediately cuts through Liam's thoughts, and he's grinning before he's even able to locate the source.

"Niall!" Liam exclaims, rushing to embrace him the moment he finds him.

"Bloody hell, you're soaking wet," Niall chuckles, hugging him tightly despite the fact the rain on Liam is now soaking through his shirt as well.  "Louis will kill you if you don't catch your death first."

"I didn't even notice it was raining, actually," Liam says, laughing at the incredulous look Niall shoots him.  "I was too busy thinking about the exam I just took."

"You're a bloody smart one, I'm sure you fucking murdered it."

Liam laughs again.  "We'll see," he says.  "I forgot how much you swear."

"Right, and you only swear when Louis is giving it to you good, yeah?" Niall teases, playfully shoving Liam away.

Liam blushes and pulls Niall into a headlock.  They struggle for a bit, wrestling and giggling in the middle of the tube station until an officer comes by and tells them off for causing a disturbance.  Liam instantly sobers, but Niall starts going off in Gaelic, forcing Liam to pull him away before he frustrated the man and got them both arrested. 

"C'mon mate," Liam encourages.  "The flat is only two blocks away, we can make a run for it."

"First class service you lads offer," Niall laughs.  "A ride on the tube and a brush with pneumonia."

"Only the best for you Nialler," Liam grins.

They make it to the flat okay, but by the time they get there, their clothes are soaked through.  Liam is shivering from the cold and his trousers are sticking to his skin, making it difficult for him to fish the keys out of his pocket.  Despite his rush to get into some warm, dry clothes, Liam pauses before opening the door when he senses Niall's hesitation.

"Alright?" Liam asks.

"Yeah," Niall says, grinning softly.  "Just mentally preparing."

"Well if it helps, Zayn is out somewhere and Lou is at work.  We figured you might want a bit of time to settle in."

"Yeah," Niall breathes out in relief.  "That does help, actually, thanks."

"Don't mention it, mate," Liam says, letting them into the flat.  "I'll set you up in the shower so you can dry off, then I'm thinking some pizza."

"Sounds good," Niall answers, taking in his surroundings.  "Nice place."

"Cheers.  It's small, but it works."

Liam leaves Niall with some fresh towels in the guest bathroom before heading off to his own.  He's stopped shivering, but he has goosebumps all over his body so he pulls off his kit as quickly as possible while he waits for the shower to steam up.  When he steps into the spray the shivers return before his body acclimates to the temperature and relief hits.  London has begun to chill for the season, and he wonders why they didn't decide to move to Florida instead.  It doesn't take long for the hot water to start going, with both showers running in the flat, so he shuts off the shower and dresses in some joggers and one of Louis's old hoodies.  Liam then goes out to the kitchen and starts a kettle before ordering lunch.

"Good shower?" Liam asks Niall from the kitchen table in between sips of tea.  "I made some tea and the pizza is on the way."

"Cheers, mate," Niall says, pouring his own cup and settling across from Liam.  "I'm bloody starving.  The shower was ace, yeah, nice to wash off the plane."

"Make yourself at home, buddy, anything you need."

"Thanks."  Niall says again.  "Really, for everything."

Liam waves him off.  "How've you been?"

Niall shrugs, taking a moment to consider.  "Alright, I guess.  I've been working with my da at the factory, managing the ADHD okay.  What?"

Liam chuckles slightly, his distracting grin growing wider.

"Nothing," he says.  "Just your accent has gotten thicker."

"Oi, fuck off," Niall laughs.

The pizza comes, and they get distracted from catching up, focusing instead on filling their empty stomachs.  Niall manages to finish off a pie and a half before he leans back in his chair, stretching and letting out a large belch.

"Charming," Liam comments sarcastically. 

Niall shrugs unapologetically.  "So are you gonna ask me what happened?"

"If you want to talk about it."

"I screwed up," Niall says, matter of factly.  "Reckon I scared him off."

"Zayn doesn't scare easily.  Besides, he's been looking at UCD."

Niall smiles softly at that little revelation.

"You know its funny, I spent all that time going after El, I never imagined it would be Zayn.  After Haz though, and seeing you and Louis, I don't know, mate.  Maybe he's the one I've been looking for."

"Do you love him?" Liam asks.

"Of course I love him, I love all of you lads.  Am I in love with him? I don't know, I reckon maybe its too soon to tell.  But I do know I don't feel the same way about you and Louis as I do about him." 

"Gee, thanks mate."

Niall laughs.

"It's not that I like him better," he explains.  "It's how I get this warmth in my stomach whenever he's around.  It spreads all over my body, and that constant buzzing I always feel, it dies down.  He makes me see the beauty in the quiet."

"Have you told him any of this?" Liam asks.

"Not in so many words.  I did kiss him, though, right before I hopped on the first plane back to Mullingar." 

"Bloody hell, Niall.  Did you learn nothing from what Lou and I put each other through?"

"I know, mate.  I messed the bed, royally, but I panicked.  I'm here to fix it, if I can.  Whether anything romantic comes of it or not, I've gotta try to make it better than it is now."

"Then you have to talk to him.  I mean a real, honest talk, Niall.  You guys don't have to go from mates to lovers in one night, but you do have to at least acknowledge whatever feelings you may or may not have for each other.  Once you do that, you have all the time in the world to figure out whats next."