Ronan: To the Moon and Back

22. I'm Not Your Biggest Fan...Papa-Paparazzi

On a few occasions, Louis has felt blessed to see the bright, and possibly rarest smile to ever grace Raelyn's lips. This smile tends to light up her face, with crinkles collecting at the corner of her eyes. It makes said eyes sparkle like ocean waters when the sun reflects off it, glittering and blinding Louis to the core. She looks so bubbly that she's practically floating away on her smile and Louis swears she has a slight bounce in her step as her flat boot-clad feet pad down the hallway. Her teeth flash white, with her pink tongue peeking through them, and Louis' heart flutters for a moment at how beautiful she is. She's the happiest he's ever seen her at Hummingbird.

Rae basically skips right up to him and Niall, never minding personal space at the exact moment. She grins with the grace of the Cheshire cat and Louis finds himself wishing he could see this happiness in her every day.

"Hi!" Rae greets brightly, her eyes lingering on Louis'.

Louis chuckles. "Hello. What's got you so uppity?"

"You're happier than me on St. Patrick's day." Niall points out, his smile almost matching Rae's.

"As in surrounded by food and booze and joyous mates, not to mention several pots of gold?" Rae teases.

Niall laughs heartily, pulling Rae into a rather tight hug, that Louis hopes is nothing but platonic. But he doesn't even feel a twinge of misplaced jealously, because this is Niall, who's embracing an ecstatic Rae and who could ever be jealous of such a jubilant sight. (So much different from that stupid stalker diner guy, who decided to give Rae an early birthday present, a little single rose and chocolate covered espresso beans. Rae thanked him kindly with a hug and Louis, who went to visit late at night again, nearly embedded his fork into the bloke's head, before Liz quickly yanked the utensil from his raised throwing arm.)

When Niall finally releases her, she sets her eyes back on Louis. "Ronan is allowed to come back home for a week!" She informs them happily. "A week! He'll be home for my birthday!"

"That's amazing, Rae!" Louis exclaims, now throwing his arms around her, and if his stomach sets free several butterflies, he pays no mind.

"This rarely happens! Like ever. Last time he came home was over a year ago." Rae says into Louis' shoulder, hand gripping his shoulder blades briefly. Anchor. He is her anchor caught on a solid rock.

"Raelyn, that's wonderful!" Niall states brightly. "Is he going home today?"

Rae nods, if a little awkwardly as she is still pressed against a shoulder. She steps out of Louis' hug. "I'm taking him home now. I clocked out early at work. Max covered for me." She then points to a tan stain on her uniform top. "Got a bit excited and spilled coffee down me front..." She bites her lip sheepishly, looking up through her eyelashes.

Her action causes a weird disturbance within Louis and if Rae didn't release her bottom lip, Louis was going to have several problems. One of them having to go ask nurse Jackie to use the defibrillator on him because he's pretty sure his heart just stopped beating for a second. He can't let her be affecting him like this; it's not good for his confused heart. However, her lip is still caught between her teeth, pulling slightly at the wine colored skin of her bottom lip. They're red today, due to the cold.

"Where're the others?" She finally questions, pulling Louis back from his slightly inappropriate thoughts. He is in a children's hospital for Gods sake.

"Harry's been in Olivia's room." Niall informs. "Liam and Zayn are at the cafeteria...which reminds me." Niall leans in and gives a quick peck on Rae's cheek as a farewell. Then jogs off towards the lift.