Imagines with Niall Horan

94. He brings a new member in

Niall knows what it's like to be not wanted, to be picked last. So when he walks past a pet store on the way home from Liam's and sees him in the window, he can't bring himself to say no.

You will have to understand. If you had half a heart you'll take one look at the little guy and fall head over heels in love.

Niall's never seen anything so small be so energetic. Tiny and round, yipping as he runs around the loft, sliding along the wooden floors, chasing one toy only to move onto the next. Every time Niall thinks he can't possibly get any cuter, he does. Running and falling, spinning in circles, flopping onto his back and rolling back and forth -

The most adorable thing he's ever seen, with light brown fur and black ears, and as they play, rolling a sparkling, squeaky ball across the floor for him, any bouts of nervousness fade away.

Even when the loft door screeches open, your voice filtering in, "- I'm starving, we need to get dinner started now. How does fettuccine -"

You walk further into the loft, standing behind the couch with your eyes locked on where Niall is sitting.

"What in the world is that?" Your voice comes out cold, shocked, and Niall has to fight a smile as he rolls the ball.

He says, "It's a pug." and reaches out to pet the little guy's ear.

Your glare is almost burning, and you choke out, "Are you sure it's not a rat?"

The puppy barks as it tries to hobble over Niall's legs, and Niall reaches out to pick it up, cradling it carefully in his arms.

"It's a pug," he says again, then finally draws his gaze up to meet yours. "His name is Thor."

It's even more difficult for Niall to not smile when your eyes widen, the way your cheeks darken, and you splutter, "Okay, what is - Thor doing in our house?"

Thor struggles in his arms, paws waving as he tries to free himself, and Niall walks over to you, placing a kiss on the puppy's head and smiles, "Because I adopted him."

You drop the coat you're holding, throwing it over the couch, and your eyes could cut glass as you level them with Niall.

You say, slowly, head tilting to the side, "You did what?"

Thor yips happily when Niall jostles him around so he's facing you, tiny arms extending and scratching in your direction.

Grinning, because your coldest glare couldn't tamper out the fire of love in Niall's heart, Niall holds the puppy out and plops him in your arms. "Here, play with him. I'll make dinner."

With a press to your cheek, Niall takes off for the kitchen, leaving you with a yipping and excited Thor.

You hold the puppy away from yourself, staring at it like it's some mysterious creature, and your voice is hard as you say, "Niall you should have asked."

Filling a pot with water, Niall looks back over his shoulder. "You would have said no."

"For a good reason!" You spit out, awkwardly holding Thor as he scrabbles around. You set him down and the puppy instantly seeks out a toy monkey, holding it delicately in his mouth as he trots around.

The sound of tiny feet scratching against the floor is a sound Niall never thought would bring him so much joy - he can't stop smiling.

Switching the stove on, pulling ingredients from the cupboard, Niall yells, "Come on, babe. He needs a home!"

"Why our home?" You shout back, but Niall can hear the rolling of the toy ball, Thor's happy barking.

"Just give him time!"

As he sets up dinner, Niall sneaks glances at his fiancé on the ground, perched carefully as Thor runs in circles around you. Niall's face almost hurts from how hard he's smiling, and when he watches you pick up the sparkling ball, rolling it gently across the floor, he thinks his face is going to break -

The room goes mostly silent, Thor's happy panting filling their home, and then he hears the floorboards creak, looking just in time to watch as you crawl forward, slowly fetching the ball only to roll it again.

And when your face lights up, eyes shining and smile wide as Thor bounds forward, slipping as he scrambles across the floor, Niall nearly drops the pot of pasta.

Maybe you had more than half a heart after all.

Eventually you stand up, brushing your hands on your leggings, sweeping it through your hair before you clear your throat and march into the kitchen, Thor hurrying behind you.

"You know, dogs are messy," you begin, setting out placemats on the table. "They need to be fed, walked, cleaned -"

Scooping pasta onto a plate, not even looking back to you, Niall says, "I know."

"They require time and effort and love -"

"I know."

Thor darts around your legs, moving to Niall when he realizes he has food. You pulls out your chair, sitting down and bracing your arms on the table. "They're like children!"

And Niall, setting your plate down in front of you, Thor around his feet, looks into your eyes and smiles, says, "I know."

-

You both are up later than you usually are, your walk with Thor taking much longer than expected when every person on the street stopped to pet him.

Niall walks into your bedroom, rubbing lotion over his hands as he takes in the sight of you on the ground. You're rubbing at Thor's belly, laughing brightly at the puppy turned onto his back, tongue wagging.

"I see you're making friends," Niall says, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

You look up, shooting him a sharp glare before your smile returns, ice from your expression melting. "Tomorrow we should get him a collar. Would a bowtie be too cliché?"

Kissing your head, he says before climbing into the bed, "Not at all."

He snuggles into the pillows, listening with a gentle smile on his lips as you coo, voice high and sweet as you talk to Thor.

The lights turn out, and Niall feels the bed dip as you slide into his side. And then Niall's laughing, loud and hard as the puppy leaps across the blankets, twirling in circles before he settles down.

In the dark he can see your eyes shine, your hand softly petting over the puppy, the way you quickly peck the top of his head.

Niall wasn't expecting you to love him so much - and he's sure he just lost his dog to his fiancé.

Except Thor wasn't really his to begin with.

He was both of yours.

Thor rests peacefully, shallow breathing, and Niall smiles to himself, cuddling closer to you.

And Niall thinks, eyes drooping closed, you warm next to him with your dog sleeping between the two of you; family.