Five Steps Into Your Heart [Nouis]

.11

C H A P T E R E L E V E N
________________________

Niall wakes up the next morning with a bit of a hangover. He and Louis had downed an entire bottle of wine last night, inevitability leaving Niall a bit too tipsy for his liking. Consequently, he feels his head twinge with pain as he sits up in bed and rubs over his sore eyes, groaning.

At least he had fun before the side effects kicked in.

Niall reaches over onto his night stand and feels around for his brail clock that Harry bought him last year for Christmas. The gadget is pretty neat; it has little panels that flip forward as the minutes change, and since the plastic face of the clock is nonexistent, Niall can feel over the panels and read bumps that tell him what time it is. Niall lets his fingers trace over the numbers and he sighs. It is already twelve o'clock.

Niall yawns and gets out of bed, beginning his typical morning routine. It has been at least six years since he has slept in this late; Niall started going to bed and waking up early after his last year of secondary school. After all, waking up early is a key transition into adulthood.

When Niall is done brushing his teeth and using the loo, he gets dressed in a blue t-shirt and black jeans and heads down to the first floor of his apartment. There is no aroma of fresh eggs and bacon drifting throughout the air, so Niall assumes he missed Harry leaving for work. It is unfortunate he missed getting to have a morning chat with his friend, but Niall shrugs it off. He and Harry just spent three days together; a little break should be nice.

Niall reaches the kitchen counter and places his hand on the cool surface, making his way to the refrigerator. Any time that Niall wakes up after Harry is expected to be at work, the other lad always leaves his breakfast on a plate in the fridge. Niall does not mind; he has been able to work the microwave ever since Harry purchased little brail stickers for the buttons. When Niall reaches into the fridge, however, his plate is not in its usual spot. Typically, Harry leaves his food on the very top shelf on the very right side, but the spot is empty when Niall places his hand to the surface.

Niall scrunches up his face in confusion and shuts the fridge. Perhaps Harry left his food in the microwave. He travels back along the counter until he reaches the appliance and opens the door, but the microwave is empty as well.

Niall gets this pit of worry in his stomach. Harry has never forgotten Niall's breakfast.

He hopes there was not an emergency last night while he was out with Louis. There is no way of Niall knowing if Harry's car was in the driveway when Louis brought him home last night, which makes him a little nervous. Niall would absolutely hate himself if something happened to Harry while he was gone.

Niall thinks of picking up the phone to ring Harry, but second guesses himself because his friend may be at work. He does not want to interrupt him at the studio, especially due to the tensions there lately. Yet again, this situation is extremely rare and has Niall's skin prickling with nervous heat.

Niall bites his lip and steps over to the house phone. He picks it up and slowly counts the numbers on its surface, dialing the number that he has memorized by heart.

The voice on the other end floods his ears almost immediately. Niall sighs in relief and smiles.

"Hey," Niall says, ruffling a hand through his hair as if they are in the same room and he needs to look presentable.