"Do you ever think that your best years are behind you?" Clementine asked, voice soft in the the dark room.
"Mmm," Niall hummed, nodding. "Sometimes."
"Me too," she murmured.
"You're what, like 22?" Niall asked, turning his head to look over at he...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
nine: the things you do, they make me smile
WARNINGS: sexual content, please no readers under 18
The Italian sun beat down on Niall's shoulders as he trucked up the hill toward the house. Clementine was in front of him, two grocery bags slung over her shoulders.
"Hurry up," Clementine called over her shoulder, smiling at him from behind her sunglasses. "The ice cream is melting."
"I'm moving as fast as I can," Niall grunted just as the ground began to even out beneath their feet. He was unaware that when Clementine said a walk into town it was 2 miles in and 2 miles back.
Niall watched as Clementine's hair bounced in her ponytail. For a moment he imagined a younger Clementine taking the hike with her mother. It made his heart swell.
Finally, Clementine pushed the front door open and the cold air enveloped them. Niall let out a sigh, dropping his own bags on the linoleum floor. Clementine side stepped past him, putting the ice cream right to the fridge.
"We'll make pasta for dinner," Clementine told him as she began to gather up the grocery bags on the table. "Will you help me?"
"Of course," Niall answered, smiling as she looked over to him.
"Melanie and her friends are supposed to be arriving soon," she said. "A couple hours. They just landed in Florence."
Niall hummed, nodding, watching her move around the kitchen. He admired the way she moved, confidence in her step.
Clementine had everything put away when she finally took a breath, leaning against the counter. She set her sunglasses down on the counter, looking over to Niall. "Fancy a swim?"
"It's hot enough," Niall murmured.
"Wait we should make margaritas," Clementine urged, opening the fridge. She pulled out a bottle of juice. "Like get day drunk."
"You said we were making dinner," Niall laughed, straightening up. He opened the cupboard, pulling the blender out nonetheless.
"We will make dinner," clementine assured him, bending down to the liquor cabinet. She pulled out a bottle of tequila, setting it on the counter. "Maybe a late dinner."
Niall was already convinced, though. He watched Clementine pour the liquids into the blender. She let him take over while she changed. Niall decided that these days they were spending we're ones that he'd never forget.
He closed his eyes and he could picture the way Clementine's tanned skin looked stretched over her hip bones. Or sometimes when the wind blew, the smell of Clementine's perfume mixed with sunscreen lingered in the air. It made his stomach jump in a way he couldn't quite put a finger on.
By the time Clementine came back down, Niall had their drinks poured into glasses. Clementine walked in, one of Niall's shirts hanging off her body like it was her own. She slung her pool bag over her shoulder. She kissed Niall softly as she took the drink from his hands.
