Animal Attraction 2

2 - Shades of Cool

It's been a solid two weeks of a new routine for Niall. Of course it takes some getting used to but he can feel the changes. Despite seeing the lads less, he sees more of Harry now that they live together.

Sometimes they go out for walks near the park, to the store, or simply run errands.

Harry's never lived with a significant other but he doesn't feel as if things have gotten more serious or different now that Niall is back in the flat. There's no awkward transition. It may just be the fact that Niall knows this home. He grew up in it in a way.

Things Harry used to do alone, brush his teeth, laundry, cleaning, suddenly don't feel so mundane when Niall is there making him smile with his never ending curiosity.

The most noticeable changes come in the way Niall's teachings have advanced with Zayn. Zayn has stepped things up with their lessons, going so far as to assign Niall homework.

"Work that I do at my home?"

"You can do it anywhere. Doesn't have to be home."

"Can I do it in McDonald's?"

"Sure."

"Can I do it in Europe?"

"If you can swim 34 kilometers, then sure." Zayn sighed.

For the past few days Niall has been reading Lord of the Flies while Harry studies him.

Niall had been so honored to be handed his first big boy book. He's past Dr. Seuss books with repetitive syllables and silly stories. He's past books with no more than twenty pages. And Zayn must've sensed it because suddenly, his vocabulary tests are tougher and he's learning so many different subjects.

Zayn had handed him the book with the promise that Niall pace himself and not rush through it or else he wouldn't understand it.

True to his word, the blonde reads the novel bit by bit, sometimes going back and reading certain parts again or looking up words in the dictionary Zayn had supplied him with.

In addition to the dictionary, Louis had given him a special "goodluck" bookmark covered in kittens with a little furry white tail that sticks out on top when you close the book.

Niall preferably reads with Harry instead of Zayn. Zayn always makes him read aloud causing him to get nervous and stutter. He's able to relax with Harry.

"Wha're you reading, kitten?" Harry asks from the floor where he's shirtless besides his loose pair of joggers, doing sit-ups.

The blue eyed lad is sat on the couch concentrating on the book. Though it is hard doing so while Harry is glistening with sweat and grunting with every new exercise he performs. Niall can't help but notice that that's exactly what Harry looks like after a long night of sex. His shoulder muscles tense with every push-up and he can see Harry's abs getting solid again when he gets through his sit-ups. And his tattoos...they make his mouth water.

Niall rips his gaze away from Harry's flexing biceps back to his book.

"Baby? Hello?"

"Hi." Niall blinks.

"I asked what you were reading?" Harry half-smiles.

"Um…" Niall hums as he tries to remember what Zayn had called the book. "A dystopian novel."

Harry stops mid-push-up to stare at Niall. "Do you know what 'dystopian' means?"

Niall nods sheepishly. "A civication-cimilivation…um-wait." The blonde rustles through a composition notebook, flipping through pages so quickly that Harry could only watch on in fondness.