under my skin || n.h. au

thirteen: one mile at a time

Brooklyn is getting ready to leave the office when Mr Storm walks over to her and Niall's desk. Initially she thought that maybe he has a last minute assignment for them, but when she sees the serious look on his face, fear and panic seep into her. Niall must've noticed that too because he shoots Brooklyn a reassuring look, though it doesn't do much in reassuring her.

"Horan, I'm disappointed in you," is the first thing Mr Storm says as he walks up to them.

A few of their colleagues – the ones who haven't gone home yet – turn their heads to them and the attention they're getting from everyone causes blood to drain from Brooklyn's body. Immediately she wonders if he knows about her and Niall. She doubts that because as far as she's concerned, no one in this office apart from Harry and Suki know about them. At least she hopes that is true.

Niall knits his eyebrows together in confusion. He takes a quick glance at Brooklyn before he focuses solely on the man approaching them. "Uh, what's this about?"

When Mr Storm darts his eyes to Brooklyn, she holds her breath, afraid to hear what he has to say. But he doesn't say anything until his eyes are back on Niall. Brooklyn still holds her breath, anyway. "I'm disappointed in you because... you and I haven't been to the pub in a while."

Niall's body visibly relaxes as he lets out a chuckle and shakes his head. If the same question was running through his mind, Brooklyn can only imagine how nervous he was as he waited for Mr Storm to say something. "Jesus, Dean, I thought you were gonna fire me or something."

Mr Storm frowns as though what Niall said doesn't make any sense. "Why would I do that?" He quizzes. Niall shrugs. "That'd be stupid. I'm never letting you and-" he turns to Brooklyn to point at her, "-you go. Our readers love you both. If it were up to them, they'd want to read your articles everyday."

The corners of Brooklyn's mouth slide upwards at the compliment. She knows she has readers otherwise Mr Storm would've fired her a long time ago but she doesn't know that they love her. She doesn't think it's possible but that might have just made her love her job even more.

"So are you two going somewhere?" Mr Storm questions when he notices that they're both set to leave the office.

Brooklyn and Niall exchange a look. They're supposed to get something to eat together – it isn't a date – but they can't say that to Mr Storm, can they?

"I'm about to head home," Brooklyn answers.

"Yeah, me too." Niall says. "Unless you want to have drinks with me?"

"I'll grab my coat." Mr Storm leaves their desk to return to his office room.

Niall makes his way to Brooklyn and takes a seat on the edge of her desk. "So, looks like we have to cancel our plan," he says as a sigh escapes his mouth.

She gives him a half-smile. "Looks like it." Niall shoots her an apologetic look, to which she responds with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But it's fine. I'll have dinner with Beck."

She hopes to God he doesn't have a plan tonight because if he does, then it looks like she'll be spending her night alone, which isn't something new. Before Beck moves in with her and before she grows closer to Niall, she spent most of her nights cooped up in her flat all by herself. So she's used to being alone, but when you've spent a lot of times with someone, you have sort of gotten used to having that person with you. And it's weird nothaving them with you.

Before Niall can tell her that he wishes he could join her and Beck instead, Mr Storm returns to their desk. He's got his coat on and he looks more than ready to leave. He must need a drink so bad. "So, are we ready to go?"