Something About You

Five. October, 2008.

Niall's barely spoken to Mully in three weeks. They were meant to be the Blues Brothers for Halloween—he'd be Jake, and Mully would be Elwood—but Niall can't say he's surprised, on the Wednesday before Halloween, when Mully texts to say he's going to be Michael Cera in Juno instead. Emilia—who is very much not pregnant, but Niall doesn't bother bringing that up—is going to be Juno.

Niall can't blame Emilia—she's sweet, and fun, and she's made Mully stupidly happy since they started going out a month ago. The moronic costume is probably Mully's idea anyway, Niall tells himself. Emilia's done nothing wrong—apart from move 5,000 miles across the fucking planet from Vancouver to Mullingar and make his best friend fall in love with her.

What Niall is surprised about, though, is the rest of Mully's text. He's kind of accepted the fact that he's going to lose Mully to love for a few months—Da had told him as much when he brought it up—so he figured he'd probably end up spending Halloween with Deo, Martin, and Willie, drinking Buckfast and gorging on Snickers bars while Mully gets his hands up Emilia's shirt on the other side of town. But Mully says he wants Niall to come over on Halloween night, to hang out with him and Emilia and a couple of her friends. He says he can bring Deo if he wants, and that there'll be cider.

Niall shoves the suit jacket he'd pulled out for his Blues Brothers costume back into the closet, and gets to work.

–

Niall doesn't bring Deo in the end. He says something vague and cagey about being grounded that Niall doesn't fully believe, even if he has no reason not to, so he shows up to Mully's alone, dressed in the tightest light wash jeans he could find and one of his dad's old shirts from the 70s, the top four buttons undone. Mully looks at him like he's a lunatic when he opens the front door.

'What the fuck are you wearing?' Mully's got a yellow sweatband around his head, like he's one to talk.

'I'm Don Henley,' Niall says, letting himself in. Mully's already making his way down to the basement, and Niall follows. 'In the 70s.'

'You're who?'

'Don Henley. From The Eagles. In the 70s.'

'I don't think you're supposed to be a real person for Halloween, mate,' says Mully, as they finally descend the stairs and let themselves into the Mulholland's finished basement. It's chilly down here, and Emilia is cuddled up on the couch in her Juno costume like Niall expected, but she's not alone. Isla's next to her. Dressed like a witch.

'Heya, Niall,' Emilia lights up when the boys walk in, and Isla does too. Mully and Emilia give each other a weighted look that Niall doesn't fully understand, and he suddenly feels stupid in his acid wash jeans and white socks, his exposed chest flushing red with embarrassment. He's finding it hard to look anywhere other than Isla—her black lipstick, her flowy dress, the star-shaped pendant attached to her silver necklace resting against the cut of her collarbone. The contrast of her skin and the silver is impossible to force his eyes away from, impossible for Niall to imagine ever getting used to. In a flash, he's desperate for his long lost Blues Brothers costume, for a pair of dark sunglasses to hide behind. Belatedly, he realizes Emilia is still talking.

'So, anyway, I was thinking we could either watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or Paranormal Activity,' There's a pillow shoved under Emilia's t-shirt, like Juno's baby bump, and she's balancing a bowl of crisps on top of it. 'I saw Paranormal Activity in Vancouver when it came out, and it's, like, fucking terrifying. What do you guys think?'

Niall ignores Mully's unhelpful 'whatever you prefer, Mia,' and focuses on Isla instead. He can tell she's trying to say something.

'I just,' says Isla, left hand coming up to fiddle with her necklace. 'Ghosts kind of freak me out. I don't think I want to watch Paranormal Activity.'

'How can ghosts freak you out when you're dressed as a witch?' Mully leans forward to take a crisp out of the bowl balanced on Emilia's pillow belly. Niall catches Isla's eye, and shakes his head.

'I prefer Texas Chainsaw Massacre too,' Niall says, even though he doesn't, actually. He'd prefer neither of these movies if the choice was up to him, but there's a look of relief on Isla's face as soon as he says it, and Niall knows he's made the right decision.

–

As it turns out, Niall's made the wrong decision.

The movie is disgusting, Mully and Emilia are making out so loud Niall can hardly hear the chainsaw, and they're out of cider. Mully's got his back to Niall and he keeps moving in ways that push him, seemingly on purpose, closer and closer to Isla—but, next to him on the couch, Isla has her hands covering her mouth in horror, and Niall is clinging to sobriety just enough to be too much of a coward to do anything about it. The feelings that have been curling in his stomach since the first day of term are stronger than ever, and he's itching to reach over, to wrap his arm around her shoulders and bring her body against his. He feels like his body is on fire.

On the screen, Leatherface jumps out of the darkness, bearing his chainsaw. Isla lets out a full, genuine scream, and without warning she's pressed up against Niall, her face buried in his shoulder, her hand clutching at his chest. He lets his arm wrap around her and she melts against him even more, readjusting to tuck her head under his chin, her soft cheek against the bare skin of his chest. His heart is hammering, and he hopes she thinks it's from the film.

'Sorry,' Isla whispers, peering up at Niall through her lashes. 'It's just bloody terrifying.'

'S'alright,' Niall keeps his voice low too, though he doesn't think Mully and Emilia would even notice if one of them fired a shotgun right now. Still, this feels like a moment just for him and Isla—quiet, between them. 'Just a film.'

'It's based on a true story, though,' Isla tightens her hand around the fabric of Niall's shirt.

'Yeah, but they caught the guy,' Niall says, though he has absolutely no clue if they did. 'Besides, we're so far away from Texas.'

'Right,' Isla nods, eyes wide, and turns back to face the telly, still settled comfortably against Niall. 'Thank God.'

And as it turns out, Niall thinks, letting his free hand wander down to rest against Isla's waist, he's absolutely made the right decision.