Louis had been wrong about it possibly taking Niall an hour to commute to my flat and back to the future Tomlinson 'cookie-cutter-home'. It took us almost an hour to catch the train and take a small bus ride to my house. Which made it eerily dark when the both of us stood at my doorstep.
"C'mon in," I unlocked the door to my home, twisted the handle and waved Niall in before he tried reversing from my side. Rolling my bottom lip between my teeth roughly, I studied Niall's tall posture before glancing toward the dark Manchester street. "I don't like thinking of you alone in the dark -"
He just chuckled, mumbling for me to stop tearing at my lip before putting a hand to my jacket and leading us both inside. Breathing a sigh of relief, I flicked the small hallway light on and leant against the wall to quickly tug off my heels. Niall seemed to study my home for a moment before he looked back at me and gave a small smile before he tore off his own sneakers.
Looking around from the doorway myself, I studied my home. It was a lot different than any normal apartment. You didn't take a set of stairs to get to my flat, unlike many others on this street. It was just a small one floor apartment that you could almost see the entire living space by just walking inside the front door. Not many knew that if you walked around back, there was a small sunroom that led to a staircase and brought you up to the second and third floors where two other families lived. Most just judged this small house straight away, by stepping through our front door. This place had so many memories and passed being more than just a flat to me a long time ago.
"Leah! Where have you been, it's just past eight! You're never home this - oh."
With a half-smirk on my lips, I reached for my messenger bag and removed it from Niall's shoulder before resting it against the baseboard before turning back to Artemis. She looked conflicted, standing still under the doorway from where the kitchen and the hallway met. Wearing one of her only aprons, Artemis looked totally different from her normal, everyday, appearance. Naturally she had her straight, honey-blond-brunette locks tied back into a high ponytail and wore button down shirts tucked neatly into dark jeans or dress pants. It didn't matter if Art was going to school, work at the hospital or to the grocery store. I guess the first time Niall would meet Art would be one of the only times anyone saw her in a setting so foreign.
"Ar' ya bak'n?" Niall's eyebrows were furrowed, I looked over to see him sniff. Laughing under my breath, I rolled my eyes and turned back to watch Art. She was fiddling in spot.
"Um, yes?" Art's brown eyes shifted from Niall and back to myself. Her confused demeanor shifting to an amused one. "Are you two on a date? Look at you, Leah!"
My jaw dropped. Oh she wouldn't dare!
"So soon after that Tyler prick too!" Slapping a hand to my face, I winced and tensed beside Niall. She definitely would. I bit my bottom lip for a second time as Niall's posture stiffened.
"Who's Tyler?"
Closing my eyes tightly, I looked at Niall worried. Mostly it was because I could understand him easily, and that scared me.
"Woops."
Narrowing my eyes at Art, I muttered profanities under my breath and looked up at Niall. "Tyler's was my boyfriend." At that, the almost black haired Irish blinked rapidly and stood up taller. His eyes dropped to from mine for a second before moving back, they crinkled at the corners before closing.
Niall shook his head, "Br'akin h'arts still Lea'?"
"Hm," as soon as Artemis left my peripherals I leant on my toes to spontaneously peck Niall's cheek. His eyes widened in shock, but before he could speak I shrugged, "You really have changed Nialler. I'm liking not arguing with you every five minutes..."
"Aye. Bu I did pr'mis' I wo'ld be a bett'r friend."
I nodded, quietly laughing as my nose lead our way to the kitchen. Whatever Art was cooking smelt heavenly. I stifled a loud laugh as I lent against the counter. She must have been baking for quiet some time because there were muffins cooling on the stove top, cookies overflowing in the tin and there seemed to be a fresh pot of what looked like warmed raspberry sauce on the stove.
"What's the sauce for?" Chuckling, I saw Niall nod from my side.
Art jumped like she was just remembering something, while in mid-pull of removing another batch of muffins from the oven. Flinging the oven mitt from her hand, she raced moved the raspberry pan and scurried to the fridge. Moving back I bumped into Niall as she wrenched open the door and with one hand, put something that looked suspiciously like a cheesecake on the counter.
My mouth instantly watered.
"Oh my god," I was biting my lip, trying to hold back the urge to kidnap the tray and fast before Niall tried some. "Is - is that what I think it is?" At my stuttering, Art chuckled and nodded, skillfully pouring red raspberry sauce over the delicious desert I knew she made completely from scratch. Crust too.
"Was tha' a wimp'r?" Niall lent his mouth close to my ear to whisper, a deep chuckle bubbling from his lips. I elbowed his stomach none too gently and continued to stare at the cheesecake. It had been almost five months since she made one last. Oh my goodness, I could already taste it now -
I must have been in my own world again, because I barely caught the end of Artemis and Niall's conversation. I even missed her passing my Irish companion a fork and a plate ladled with a mouthwatering piece of cheesecake.
"Got any plans for the weekend?" I stealthily redirected Niall's first forkful towards myself as I asked Artemis. The Irish stood shocked for a moment. He was balanced on his forearms over his cheesecake. I had watched him take the tip of the creamy cheesecake on his fork, scooping the excess sauce that fell expertly before being finally ready to take his first bite. It was excruciating to watch and I couldn't wait to get my own fork to steal from him. Smiling at him, I watched him sputter before narrowing his eyes and quickly eating a bite almost bigger than the one I stole before I could take the next.
Artemis made a face before she moved back to fix the muffins, "I have a shift at the hospital on Saturday afternoon and a paper due on Monday."
"Gross."
"Tell me about it."
I rolled my eyes watching Niall practically shovel his next bite of cheesecake when I tried leaning closer to him. "Can I have my own piece?"
"Last time you said you would have one piece and you ate the whole pie!" Artemis gave me a dirty look and waved her hand dismissively at Niall, "I figured he could handle just one -"
Sticking the fork he had back into the cheesecake, Niall cheekily grinned at my roommate before feeding himself. I cleared my throat and pointed at him, "Niall? You think Niall could have just one slice?"
"Why wouldn't he be able?" Art crossed her eyes, confused. I shook my head, of course she wouldn't know. This was Artemis we were talking about.
"So, it's almost quarter to nine..." removing her apron, Artemis looked between Niall and I suspiciously. We both stared back, I'm not sure what Niall was thinking about, but I had no idea where she was going with this. She rose a light eyebrow, "Did you want me to clear out?"
Choking on his last bite of cheesecake, Niall hit his chest with his fist. I widened my eyes. "C-cl-clear," laughing loudly I shook my head. "Art, we're not together!"
