Just Like That

two

just like that // two

Niall wakes up to sixteen texts. Seven of them are from Zayn, three from Louis, three from his publicist, one from his mother, one from Deo, and one from Tally. Clearly, the only one that really matters is the one from the eccentric girl he picked up in a parking deck yesterday evening.

hello, it reads. i think i want a pet venus fly trap

Clearly the most important one. u should get one then

Tally takes less than a minute to answer. where do i get one tho??

Niall hums, flicks his tongue against his teeth. no idea. wanna come over?

ok

That was much easier than Niall anticipated. Unfortunately, that means he has to get out of bed now and do real human being things. He stalls by texting back everyone except Louis (he wants to know if Niall accidentally took home his Marvel shirt from tour and Niall totally did but he doesn't want to give it back).

After a solid thirty minutes of laying in bed and trying to muster up the courage to get out, Niall realizes that he has no idea what time Tally is coming. He has yet to shower, change out of his pajamas, or brush his teeth. Naturally, that's when the doorbell rings.

* * * *

Tally is leaning against his door frame. Today, her hair falls in chaotic waves over her shoulders instead of that ridiculous top bun. She's got on a low cut black shirt tucked into jeans, and there is a very a scary-looking plant in one hand, and a small blue container in the other.

She looks up at Niall without moving.

"Hey," says Niall.

Tally smiles politely. "Hello. I brought you a gift to thank you for your hospitality yesterday."

Niall frowns. "You brought me a venus fly trap."

"Hm," Tally says. She takes a long, deep breath and lets it out in a heavy sigh, looking very concerned. Her gaze flickers to the plant for a moment, "well, yes."

"You said you wanted a venus fly trap."

Tally sighs again. "I believe a barter system is much more effective than a price system."

"Okay."

"All right then. C'mon Niall, we need to feed him." She pushes past him into the house. Niall is still too bewildered to move, staring after her until Tally turns back and realizes she's not being followed and gives him an expectant look. "Well?"

Niall looks out the door onto his street, then back at Tally. He has no idea what's happening, but she looks really cute and she's holding a venus flytrap, which is like potentially the coolest fucking the he's ever seen, so he wanders after her into the kitchen.

Tally sets the plant on the counter top, steps back, and folds one hand up under her chin to stare at the plant appraisingly. "He's a real looker, that one. Wanna feed him?"

"It's a he?" Niall asks.

"His name is Richard," she murmurs, eyebrows furrowed. "I bought some live crickets, too. They've got to be moving when you feed it or else the plant won't digest it, so the man at the shop said put the crickets in the fridge for a bit so they get all sluggish, then just stick them in the little trappy thingy with tweezers."

Niall stares at her blankly for a second. "Uhm. Okay?"

"Great." She hands him a little blue container that was sitting on the counter. There is a quiet chirp. "Can I have some chocolate milk? Just stick the crickets in the fridge when you grab it."