call it what you want • narry storan AU

twenty-nine: harry

It's been almost nine months since that talk in the roof of Niall's apartment complex. My first solo album came out to the world, executives said it was a worldwide hit, my family loved it, Niall loved it - but he doesn't count since he heard it before everybody else. I started my first solo world tour, and executives also said it's practically sold out, my family has been on a few shows, and so did Niall.

He was with me at my show in Los Angeles back in September, and he was all smiles about it. I could see him in the crowd, and it was the most beautiful thing to see him smiling at me all the time. One of the reasons why I truly believe the second show of the tour was better than the first one - because he was there.

I fucking miss him. Our schedules are not matching lately, and now that I'm in Tokyo, I can't even call him because he's probably sleeping - and snoring. 

God, I'd give my all to hear him snoring next to me again.

"Harry?" Gemma slaps my face, making me come back to reality. "You were daydreaming again!"

"Fuck, I'm sorry", I slap myself too. "Sorry, Gemma, what were you saying?"

"For your relief, I wasn't saying anything. But I was about to ask why you were staring so hard at the ceiling."

I let out a deep breath. She slowly tilts her head to the side.

"Horan." It's all she says, and it's all I need to think about him again. "You miss him."

"More than I thought I would, Gemma. Way more."

"Do you think you'll be able to go back to LA and see him before Christmas?" She asks, starting to try to fix my hair right after.

"I was thinking of inviting him and the Horans to have dinner with us before Christmas, in fact", the words slip out of my mouth. "Oh, shit. It was supposed to be a secret."

"A secret? From who? Because it seems like you've been hiding it from, literally, everyone", the ironical way in which she says these words makes me laugh hard. "I think mom would love it. Niall is already family to us, you know, she would love to bond with Maura and Bobby again. She misses them too."

"I know", I shrug a bit. "But I don't know if it's too early for that."

"Early? Harry, are you listening to yourself?" Gemma stops messing with my hair, standing in front of me instead. "You two have been together for almost a full year. It's about time to join the families. Don't say otherwise."

☸☸☸☸

I've been thinking about Gemma's words for a couple of hours. It's almost show time and I'm still here backstage, pacing back and forth the hallway, trying to elaborate the right words to tell Niall once I decide to call him and his family for Christmas.

My phone rings almost as if God decided to stop me from going crazy.

"Haz", his soft voice calms me down in two seconds. "I miss you."

"Ni. I miss you too, you can't imagine how much", I say, a smirk appearing in my lips right after that. "How are you?"

"I'm... fine. I mean, I could be better if you were here, but I truly believe I'll be fine in a few seconds once I do this."

"Do what?"

"Ask you to turn around."

Once I do what he says, my heart almost jumps out of my body before going back to its initial position. I can't believe it. I mean, I can. Of course I can. It's fucking real.

The first thing I do is, obviously, run in his direction without thinking twice about it, and the second thing I do is wrap my arms around his neck.

"You wanna kill me?" I scream right into his ears, and he laughs out loud.

"No, babe", he says, his voice still keeping the soft tone of the phone call. "Just wanted to be with you."

"Oh, my God, the time zone, you must be so tired!"

"A bit. But I think I can watch you run that motherfucking stage tonight", we're still cuddled in the middle of the hallway. "You're being such a silly boy, Harold. Everyone is watching us."

"I don't give a fuck", I say, finally letting go of his grip and allowing him to kiss my lips.

Fuck. Three months without the taste of his lips touching mine can really do things to my brain.

"I missed you so much, cookie jar", I mutter to him, and he grins a bit. "Do you already have a place to sleep? Where's your backpack? Did you bring somebody with you and I'm missing it too?"

"Harry, stop, stop", Niall is still laughing at me when he starts tickling me to make me shut my mouth. "No, I don't have a place to sleep, I literally just booked a flight for me yesterday because I just wanted to see you before the end of the year and stuff. My backpack is... well, in my back, if you don't see it, not my problem", he laughs again, but with his own words. "No, I'm here by myself. There's probably a security guard in the outside, but again, not my problem anymore."

"I'm so happy you're here. I'm serious." I kiss him one more time, just to make sure he's really here. "I'll just do this show and we can do anything for tonight, okay?"

"Of course, Haz. Now go there and kill it."