corporate affairs [Niall Horan AU]

F I F T E E N

F I F T E E N

Niall's alarm clock rings loudly, waking me abruptly from my peaceful sleep. Niall's warm figure moves off of me for a moment to stop the annoying sound. His warmth returns at once though, his arm moving back to how it had been wrapped around my waist throughout the night.

We'd watched Breakfast at Tiffany's last night, my favorite movie, and I was surprised to learn that Niall actually really likes it too. I was used to forcing Harry or Zayn to watch it with me on birthday, so it was a nice surprise to have someone as interested in the love between Holly and Paul as me. Niall had gotten Macaroons as promised, and we'd pigged out. I fell asleep against his chest somewhere around Holly being arrested. I'd woken up slightly when he'd carried me to his room and laid me down his bed before crawling in beside me. It wasn't too awkward as it had been this weekend. After a few minutes I'd sighed and rolled over right into his arms, where he'd tucked me into his chest silently. 

"What time is it?" I ask, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. 

"About six." He murmurs against my neck, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "Are you ready for tonight?"

"I don't want to get out of bed." I whine, stretching my arms and legs as I slowly wake up. 

"That's not the first time a girl has said that to me," he smirks, making me scoff in disgust. 

"You're disgusting sometimes you know?" I ask as I throw my legs over the edge of the bed, leaving his warm embrace. 

"Insulting me again?" He pouts teasingly, watching me from his spot on his bed. 

"Try not to make it so easy," I deadpan, making him chuckle. He follows me and hops out of bed, pulling me by the wrist towards his living room and kitchen. An older woman is bustling around, pulling things out of the fridge and setting them on the counters. 

"I was thinking about making waffles for breakfast, how does that sound?" She asks with her head in the fridge.

"That sounds good, Phyllis," he says as he makes his way to a fancy automatic coffee maker. "What about you, Elouise?" 

Phyllis's head snaps up, and she finally emerges from the fridge, her face full of suprise and delight. "You've got a girl with you?" She asks, playfully smacking Niall's bum.

"Oi!" He yelps, turning away from the coffee maker. "We've talked about that Phyllis, you're not to do that!" He snaps playfully, trying to look angry. He smiles as the coffee maker beeps and sets down a white ceramic mug in front of me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "And Phyllis, this isn't just any girl. This is Elouise, my fiance." 

The carton of eggs falls from Phyllis's hands, making them splatter against Niall's black hardwood floor. I leap off the stool to help her, shaking my head at Niall. "You can't just spring the news on people like that, doofus." I scold, wiping the floor with a damp paper towel. 

"Thank you," Phyllis murmurs, wiping the ground as well. "Engaged? Niall James Horan?" She asks, blinking rapidly. After the mess is cleaned up, I resume my place on the stool beside Niall.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" He asks with a teasing grin. His hand comes to rest on my knee, and I notice how comfortable and natural it feels to have it there now. I stare at him for a minute, noticing the blonde stubble across his jaw line. He's more attractive up close, if that's even possible. He catches me staring, and I blush and quickly look away, pretending to be super interested in his granite countertops. He presses a kiss to the base of my throat. "I stare at you all the time, Elouise." He whispers, making me nearly choke on my coffee.