Club 09 (Narry)

Nine

Words: 2020

"So... how was your date?"

I hadn't even walked inside the living room yet, and Nate was already asking me questions about my professional lunch date with Alex. I expected him to react like that, seeing he's still my younger brother and that's just how younger brothers are.

Trying not to laugh all too loudly, I chuckled to myself and shook my head before hanging my jacket on one of the hooks on the coat rack. I walked into the living room and smiled as I saw Nate looking a lot better and healthier. He wasn't pale anymore and he had only one blanket hanging loosely around his waist and over his crisscrossed legs. On the table stood a bottle of pills and I frowned as I didn't remember getting him medicine at all. "Were did you get that from?" I asked, pointing at the bottle with a concerned expression on my face.

Nate shrugged and grabbed the bottle in his hands, examining it. "I called Louis and asked him if he wanted to stop by the pharmacy to get me some medicine. I feel a lot better already, Ni."

I gave him a suspicious gaze. Something wasn't right about that story. For one, Nate doesn't have Lou's number, nor would he ever call him, even if he was dying. Also, you can't randomly go to the pharmacy and ask for pills. You need to have a doctor's note with the specific name and what not about the medicine.

He didn't seem to notice I wasn't believing him as he placed the pills back down on the table and took a sip from his water. "So, are you still going to tell me all about your dream date with Mr. Secret?"

Putting my thoughts of him lying to me aside, I smiled and sat myself down next to him. I turned my body a little and placed my sock covered feet on the couch so I could face him. "Like I said before, little brother, it was a strictly professional lunch meeting with a very professional businessman."

Nate rolled his eyes and pushed me lightly with his own foot. "Yet still you got the hots for him. Why won't you just admit it to me? I'm your brother. No secrets, remember?"

I was close to putting him in his place with his "no secrets", but I had to hold back. Even if I called him out on his lie, I wasn't sure if he was in fact lying and I had to ask Louis first to at least have an argument if he started denying it.

"Darling, I'm serious. I don't have feelings for Alex. I'm very happy being single at the moment. I'm free, no strings attached. It's great and I don't need commitment right now."

For a split moment I thought he was upset by my words, but he quickly seemed to change that when he smiled at me and nodded. "Alright, I get it. It would just be great if you had someone, Ni. It would do you good, I just know it. I only want the best for you, you know that. And you just seemed so much more happy and excited these last few days. I thought-"

"You thought I was happy because of some guy," I finished his sentence. Nate nodded and looked down at his fiddling hands. "Babe. You know I'm happy that you're around, for starters. I haven't seen you this much in years, it's just exciting to come home and know there's someone waiting on you. And whether that's a boyfriend, a girlfriend or even a family member or friend, doesn't matter. What does matter is that you're here and that I have you. Don't feel bad about me being single. I just don't want to jump into relationships that I know aren't worth the hassle. You'll understand in time. When I was your age, I thought being in a relationship was the most important thing, too. But trust me, focus on your studies and on getting well again, and I promise you, you'll see me twice as happy as I am now when I'm standing in the audience, watching my little brother accepting his degree."

Nate's bottom lip started to quiver and he smiled up at me with watery eyes. "I love you, Ni," he mumbled, pressing his nose in the crook of my neck as he held me close in a hug.