Laughing with an Open Heart (Sequel)

Spending the night

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..."