Timeless [ A Harry Styles OU ] {1/2}

drabble: the one with niall & rhea's lads night out

"We're going to get wasted," Rhea proclaims matter-of-factly as Niall shoots her a look from the driver seat.

Harry chuckles into the phone, his laugh echoing through the bluetooth of Niall's car, "Okay. Have fun, yeah? Call me if you need anything."

"Okay, I love you," Rhea replies, reaching for Niall's phone that's sitting in one of the cup holders in between them.

"Love you, sweetheart," Harry echoes.

"I love you tooooo," Niall inputs, bursting into that heartwarming laugh of his.

Harry shakes his head, not that they can see it. "Bye mate."

After the line cuts and Niall pulls up to a red light, he turns to look at Rhea who is practically jumping in the seat from how giddy she is. It's been a while since they've seen each other in person. With Harry and Rhea just getting back from Tokyo a few weeks ago, it feels like they haven't spent time together in forever.

"Were ya trying to get me into trouble, Rhe?" Niall says, playfully frowning at her.

Rhea's brows furrow together and she blinks at him, "What are you talking about?"

"I give it 5 minutes before Harry sends me a text about looking after you tonight and not letting you get too drunk," Niall replies. "Remember all those times on tour? He almost killed me."

Rhea rolls her eyes, "Oh boo hoo. He's fine, and besides, that's the whole point of lads night out, isn't it?"

Niall laughs again, inching forward in the LA traffic, "Oh, so ya want to be a lad then?"

"What I want," Rhea begins, waiting until he's stopped firmly in traffic again to reach over the console and wrap her arms around his shoulders. She gives them a tight squeeze and hugs her body to his as much as she can in the given space, "is to spend the day with my best friend in the entire world."

Niall reaches a hand up from the steering wheel and squeezes her arm, "Alright, alright ya sap. Now get off me, I'm drivin."

Rhea gives in, sitting back in her seat as they easily slip into conversation. Niall tells her all about the progress he's done on his new album and plays a few audio files for her off his phone. She tells him all about the firm and how they're getting bigger everyday.

The first stop on their lads night out is their favorite place to eat, a hole in the wall Mexican place. They eat a lot, but not enough for the giant margaritas to not have an affect on Rhea.

After that they head back to Niall's place where she promptly kicks his ass in Super Smash Brothers and he proceeds to pout grumpily for the next hour.

And finally, they decide to head out to a bar just up the road with Tara and the whole crew. It's not long before they're both drunk and laughing and Niall's red in the cheeks and Rhea's tucked against his chest in the massive booth they've taken over. Tara's sneaked a few photos of them because they look so cozy.

Rhea looks up at Niall, tilting her head back. He's laughing at something Mully said and when he realizes she's looking at him he lifts his hand to poke her cheek. "Can I help ya?"

Rhea laughs at the gesture, hugging him. "I missed you. You're my best friend," she says, her voice all sappy and sweet.

Niall smiles into her hair and kisses the top of her head. "Missed ya too. You're always with Harry. Never got time for old Niall anymore."

Rhea frowns, shaking her head stubbornly, "That's not true... don't be mean! I love you." She buries her face into his chest and Niall laughs.

He rests his cheek on top of her head, "I love ya too."

While the bar is still full of life and people are on their way to getting to the level of drunk where Niall and Rhea are, it suddenly feels like old times. When they would go out and have a couple of drinks and stumble their way back to the hotel with sleepy smiles and sad thoughts. When everything would tumble out into the clear and they felt invincible and vulnerable all at once.

"Remember," Niall says suddenly, sitting up. He forces Rhea up too and she looks at him with a bemused smile, "Remember when we all used to go out? And Harry would sing crappy karaoke and then we'd be up there too?

Rhea grins so big, it reaches her eyes, "Yes, oh god.... you guys used to sing for hours."

"We should've invited him," Niall says suddenly, frowning.

"He's probably at home, in his pj's watching Netflix," Rhea comments. She takes a sip of her beer, "We're getting old, aren't we? It's only 10."

Niall's eyes widen at that, glancing at his phone. "Fuck. Why's it feel like it's 1?" Then after a pause, he looks up, his blue eyes shining. "Rhe, let's call him."

"That's..." she trails off. "That's a brilliant idea!"

And so they're dialing the phone and huddling their heads together over it.

"Hey baby," Harry says, picking up after 2 rings.

"Who're ya callin baby?" Niall asks, before laughing when Rhea shushes him.

Harry pauses the show he's watching as he sits up and smiles, "Are you two drunk then?"

"No," Rhea says, offended by the accusation. "Not really. Harry?
"Yes?"

"Can you... can you come get us?"

Its Harry's turn to laugh, "Already? You two aren't very good at this. Isn't lads night supposed to be all night?"

Niall clears his throat, "Lad and ladies night, mate. Anyway, we missed ya... you should've come with."

Rhea agrees, "Yeah, Harry. 3 musketeers remember?"

"I remember," Harry confirms. He feels nostalgic. A lot of his favorites memories from One Direction were with Rhea and Niall. Admittedly, he hadn't thought about going with them today. Not because he didn't want to, but because he knew that Niall was just as important to Rhea as he was. He wanted them to spend time alone together. He wasn't just her best friend, but like her brother too, and Harry knew the value of a sibling all too well.

He sits up, "I'm coming. You two stay put, you hear me? Niall, don't let her get any tequila shots. Rhea, no more beer for him. M'too old to drag you two to the car."

They both grumble into the receiver at Harry's dad sentence and hang up.

He gets to the bar 20 minutes later, hair shoved in a beanie and keeping his head down. He nods at Niall's friends and then slips into their side of the booth, sandwiching Rhea between him and Niall.

"Harry!" Rhea exclaims, kissing his cheek excitedly. "Hi," she whispers when he kisses her forehead.

"Hello," Harry purrs, rubbing her back. He smiles at Niall over her shoulder, lifting his fist.

Niall pounds his into it and then they order a round of food. Harry knows from experience it's better to handle them both by getting them as sober as possible.

When they all pile into the car at the end of the night, they're both starting to get sleepy and he drives them home. Niall crashes in the guest room as Rhea curls into Harry's chest in their bed.

"Thanks for picking us up," she whispers sleepily. "Niall missed you."

Harry laughs into her hair, "You're welcome, baby. 3 musketeers, right?"