The Weekend (Narry)

seacht déag

i tried to forget / but you grew roots around my ribcage / and sprouted flowers just below my collarbones. / all day I pluck their petals / but I have not yet ascertained whether you love me / or not

"Good morning."

"Mornin'." Niall mumbles, digging through a suitcase that Harry vaguely wonders where it came from. Harry watches as Niall pulls out a shirt and pants, heading into the bathroom. It takes a few hazy moments for Harry to realize two things.

One. He kissed Niall the night before, and he has to pretend that it didn't happen and that he didn't want it to happen.

Two. Niall just took his clothes.

"Niall." Harry wails, rolling over onto his stomach. "You took my clothes, you thief."

"Thanks, by the way." Niall calls from inside the bathroom, and Harry throws one of the pillows at the door. Niall opens it seconds later, Harry's clothes adorning his body and a toothbrush in his mouth.

"I swear to God. Is that my toothbrush?"

Before Niall can answer, there's a knock on the door. Harry jumps up to open it, and finds the woman who helped them last night standing there, wide awake and smiling.

"Good morning!" She chirps. "I was wondering if your friend is awake? I wanted to show him around the kitchen, so he knows where to find things."

"I'm awake." Niall calls from the bathroom before stepping out, Harry feeling a twinge of annoyance that his clothes look better on Niall. He kicks himself, a reminder that he has a husband who loves him. The thought pricks Harry's mind, telling him that he should probably call Louis.

"Is this a good time to show you around, then?" Mrs. Brady asks, still managing to never stop smiling.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course." Niall nods. Harry watches as Niall and Mrs. Brady leave the bedroom together, Mrs. Brady explaining her house and Niall listening closely. Once they're gone, Harry sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He checks the watch on his wrist, and he figures Louis will be awake already.

There's a fairly old fashioned telephone laying on the nightstand which Harry uses to dial Louis. He picks up after the second ring, and sounds happily surprised to hear Harry on the other end.

"Hey." Harry says, trying to think of Louis, but his mind travels back to the night before.

"You would not believe who I met last night." Louis can barely contain his joy- the emotion electrifying the air.

"The Queen?"

"Of neurology, yeah."

Harry immediately knows who Louis is talking about. While they dated, Louis would go on and on about Doctor Stephens- one of the best neurosurgeons in the world. She was, and still is, Louis' idol. Harry is certain that if posters of her were available, Louis would have a stack hidden in their closet. "Oh my God, that's amazing! Did she talk to you?"

"She was a part of the group who went out, and I'm still in awe." Harry can hear the huge smile in Louis' voice. "I was shaking, literally shaking, when I saw her walking toward our table."

"I'm so happy for you. Did she know your name?" Harry asks. "You're becoming a huge one."

"After I told her where I was from, she recognized my name. Agh, Harry I'm just buzzing. I can't handle it."

"My husband is a nerd." Harry laughs.

"Your husband is a nerd with a surprise for you." Louis teases, and Harry perks up, interested.

"What is it?"

"Get to Dublin, and I'll tell you."

"Hopefully I'll be there by today. I should be. I don't see why Niall and I couldn't make it." Harry says it so casually, he missed it. Louis didn't.

"Niall?"

"Oh, my driver. I met him when I got to Ireland, and he agreed to drive me to Dublin." He explains, and Louis makes a judgmental noise.

"He's done a wonderful job getting you here so far. A day late, and in some random town you don't know the name of. Are you actually going to pay him? If it were me, I wouldn't. I mean, what excuse is there for all this delay?"

"Marien."

"What?"

"Marien." Harry repeats himself. "The name of the town is Marien."