5+1 - l.s

chapter two: Niall

The storm warning doesn't come with sirens, which Niall takes some comfort in. He and Scarlett are poised at the big window in their living room, a petrified Mia clutched in Niall's arms. Her little arms and legs are wrapped tightly around the man, and he thanks his lucky stars that he's not fat enough for his belly to get into the way of Mia's hold on him. Lightning flashes, illuminating the streets and trees and the way the wind is propelling the rain sideways, taking leaves and small branches in its wake.

As thunder claps, Mia whimpers and buries her tear-streaked face in Niall's chest. “Shh...It's okay, baby...it's just a little thunder.” Niall coos.

“Maybe we should go to the basement.” Scarlett thinks aloud, gaze never leaving the storm outside.

Kieran shakes his head from his spot on the couch. Even though the power has gone out, he's unaffected, preoccupying himself with the game on his phone. With the glow from the phone screen illuminating his calm expression, he explains, “It's not that big of a deal. A storm warning just means that the conditions are right for one—not that it's actually gonna happen. Besides, what if Dad shows up while we're down there?”

“That doesn't mean we shouldn't be ready, though.” Scarlett's voice is more matter-of-fact than argumentative. “I'm sure your dad wouldn't want us up here waiting for something to tear us up just in case he gets here.”

Usually, it's not Scarlett and Niall who watch Kieran and Mia while Louis is at work. Most times, Rick leaves Mia with Kieran at their home, but if he knows he's going to be particularly late, he sends them over to May's, or here. He's tried to offer up payment to both parties, but neither seem to mind. Scarlett always tells him he can make it up to her by watching their baby every now and then after it's born.

“Do you think Louis' comin'?” Niall questions, earning another whine from Mia. “Looks bad out there...”

“Daddy...” She cries weakly, voice muffled into Niall's shirt. “I want Daddy...”

“I dunno.” Scarlett sighs, before she withdraws her phone from her pocket. “I'll go try to call him.” As he leaves the room and heads into the kitchen, the wind shifts and the rain begins to assault the window Niall's still staring out of. There's not a moving car in sight—smart.

“Why don't we go ahead and get to the basement?” Niall decides, ignoring the childish scoff that escapes Kieran in response. “We'll come up again if Louis wants us to, alright?”

“...Can't get phone signal down there.”

Niall rolls his eyes, because teenagers. And adults, really. He imagines he'd probably have his face buried in level two hundred of Candy Crush if Mia wasn't curled around him like a baby boa constrictor right now. “We'll bring a board game.”

Niall doesn't know how long they're going to be down there, so he directs Kieran to the hall closet, where he is instructed to pull out enough blankets for everyone and a couple of pillows. Niall manages to balance Mia and a couple board games he doesn't bother to read the cover to.

The basement isn't as well-furnished as the other floors of the home, but Niall does have an old sectional he hadn't been able to part with when he and Scarlett had bought a new living room set, so there's that and a scratched-up glass coffee table for them to at least sit at. The rest of the basement is the laundry room, though, so nothing too exciting.

Scarlett descends soon enough, her arms full of candles. Niall has managed to find one, so the room is dimly lit, but as Scarlett lights more, the room starts to make a little more sense. When she's finally satisfied, she turns around to find everyone perched comfortably on the sectional. Mia is on her way to being asleep in Niall's lap, and Kieran is seated in front of the coffee table, eyeing the two board games Niall grabbed in his hurry down here.