Chapter Text
Niall checks the clock hanging against the wall in his Shakespearean Literature class for the twentieth time. He huffs out a breath when he sees that the clock hasn’t moved since the last time he looked. Niall loved literature, hell Niall even loved Shakespeare, but what he did not love was watching his 63-year-old teacher stomping across the podium with a girl in the class as they reenacted Romeo and Juliet’s suicide.
He knew he was being critical. Normally he could tolerate being stuck in the classroom, laughing with his classmates at his teacher’s antics with the rest of his class. But in a few hours he had a chemistry exam and he knew if he didn’t make it to the library to study he’d actually fail and end up taking chemistry again next semester. Niall would never admit to anyone that this was his third time taking the class since he'd been in university.
When Niall’s teacher pushes the girl to the floor, to help show her the true dramatics of dying for love, he was shaken from his thoughts. He watched as the girl groaned on the floor and stared daggers at the teacher. The teacher sighed and dismissed the class muttering how weak this generation is. Niall shot out of his seat running straight out of the classroom. He carelessly threw his bag over his shoulder as he ran making his way towards the library located on the other side of campus.
He slowed his running to a walk when he neared the library. He walked in and brought himself over to his favorite table: the secluded one in the corner that was closed off from the rest of the building. He tossed his bag onto the table and carefully retrieved his chemistry book along with his notebook.
He was an hour into his studying when he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his neck followed by a face tucking itself into his neck as well, “so this is where you’ve been hiding.”
“I’m not hiding Haz, I’m trying to study. My chemistry exam is today and I really need to focus.” He groaned as Harry bit the soft skin below his ear before sliding into the chair next to him.
Harry had been Niall’s boyfriend since he had started school; it had been nearly three years and he couldn’t picture his life without the other boy. They had met during orientation and Niall found himself instantly attracted to Harry’s charismatic nature as he carelessly laughed at all of Niall’s jokes. Two weeks after meeting and Harry had asked Niall to be his boyfriend, who accepted.
Niall watched as Harry closed his chemistry book and frowned at his boyfriend, “you stayed up all night studying for this. You’re going to do fine babe, don’t worry.”
“Harry you don’t know this. I’ve got a C in that class. I can’t afford to let it drop. I’m finally at a point of passing.”
“I know and I’m so proud of you.” Harry reached out and ran his fingers along Niall’s cheek. Slowly trickling his fingers along the constellation of freckles that lined Niall’s cheekbones. “Louis says that he misses you dearly and wants to know if we’re going to join him for dinner back at home or if he has to figure out what to eat on his own.”
Niall laughed before quickly pressing a kiss to the palm of Harry’s hand, “yeah I think we can manage dinner in tonight. I’m broke as fuck right now. The coffee shop hasn’t paid me and I’ve already spent my tips from my last shift.”
Harry rolled his eyes at his boyfriend, “you’re so romantic with your language. I’m incredibly happy I chose an English major to love.”
“I’m not into poetry Haz or anything used to capture people’s hearts. I’m a sports journalist. If you’d like me to woo you with different sports terminology I can.”
“I know dear, that’s why I love you.” Harry patted Niall’s cheek before standing up. “I’ll let you get back to work, babe. Just missed you and wanted to see you.” He bent down blowing a raspberry onto Niall’s cheek before skipping out of the library.
Niall watched him go with a fond look on his face. When he could no longer see Harry’s curls bouncing along as he skipped he turned back to his chemistry notebook.
~
Niall throws the door of his apartment open, the one he shares with Harry and his best friend Louis, and collapses onto the floor right in front of the door. He lies there for several minutes before he hears Louis’ voice. “Uh, Ni? What are you doing? Are you alright?”
Niall mumbles into the carpet about how he’s exhausted and he just spent all his energy on his chemistry exam. He knows Louis can’t understand a word he’s saying but he also knows that Louis isn’t the type of friend to question anything Niall does. Instead he hears as Louis walks closer to him before he feels Louis weight on top of him.
“It’s not really that comfortable down here, is this a new thing? I don’t know if I can get into this.” Louis reaches his head down to bite the back of Niall’s neck.
“Ugh get off me I can’t breathe.” Niall moans as he carefully rolls out from under Louis. “You’re heavy as shit man.”
“Wow thanks for the compliment there.”
Niall hears a banging sound in the kitchen followed Harry muttering the word ‘shit’. He and Louis laugh to themselves rolling around on the floor dramatically. Niall glances up at the sound of someone clearing their throat and smiles widely when he sees Harry standing in front of him wearing a light green apron and holding a spoon in his hand dripping of pasta sauce, “do I want to know why you two are rolling around on the floor?”
Niall goes to answer but stops himself when Louis does it for him, “we’re doing an interpretive dance where we have lost our arms and legs and have decided to become earth worms.” He ends his statement with a gargling, gagging noise that is meant to be his imitation of a worm.
Harry looks at him before shaking his head and wandering back into the kitchen. Niall watches him go before lifting himself off of the ground and making his way back into his bedroom.
The apartment had originally belonged to both him and Louis. There was enough space for the two of them since they hadn’t liked living on campus. It wasn’t very large but it had two separate bedrooms and that’s all they were worried about. On Niall and Harry’s second anniversary they decided to let Harry move in with them and he burrowed himself deeper into Niall’s life by taking up half of his own private room.
When he got to his bedroom he opened the door and kicked it closed behind him and he made his way towards the attached bathroom stripping himself of his clothes as he made his way into the other room. He reached into the shower and turned the water on quickly adjusting the temperature before stepping in. He stood under the water letting the hot water cascade down his body relaxing the tense muscles in his back.
He doesn’t know how long he’s standing there, lost in his thoughts, when he hears the bathroom door open. “Babe? Is everything okay?”
Harry’s voice startles Niall from his thoughts. He shakes his head before shouting over the sound of water, “uh yeah just give me a minute almost done.”
When Niall steps out of the shower Harry is sat at the end of their bed looking at him intently, “do you wanna talk about what’s on your mind?”
Niall ignored Harry’s question as he slipped into a new set of clothes before crawling onto the bed next to Harry, “nothings on my mind. It’s just been a long day. Chemistry is kicking my ass. I’ve got a massive packet I need to sort out for math and then I need to finish my paper for my 19th century literature class.” Niall finishes with a pout as he rolls into Harry’s side.
Harry nods thoughtfully as he wraps his arms around the smaller boy, “I see.” He reaches his hand out and runs his fingers through Niall’s hair brushing the dyed blonde off Niall’s forehead. “Now how about you tell me what’s really bothering you. Because no offense babe but you’ve never exactly been one to care about your coursework all that much.”
“It’s almost summer break.” Niall says. Harry hums in response letting Niall know he’s listening, even though his eyes have closed while he runs his hand gently up and down Niall’s back. “Summer break means that I’m going home. And you’re also going home. But we’re not going to be together in the same place. It means there’s only two more months until we’re separated.” Niall pouts as curls further into Harry. “What am I gonna do?”
Harry sighs and quickly shoves Niall over so he can roll on top of him. He braces himself with both hands pressed in the bed next to Niall’s head. “Niall,” he pauses to turn Niall’s head so they’re looking into each other’s eyes, “we spent last summer apart as well. Nothing’s going to change. You go home and work for the newspaper. I go home and work for my dad. It’s been the same since we’ve been together. Why are you upset?”
“I don’t wanna spend the summer alone with Louis again."
Niall watches as Harry laughs, dropping his head down into his own shoulder while still trying to keep his weight off of Niall’s body. “Would it make you feel better to know I’ve already planned a vacation where I’m coming to see you?” He lifts his head up and smiles at Niall: who has thrown his arms around Harry’s body, crushing him in a hug.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” He chants over and over again pressing kisses to every part of Harry he can reach. They finally break apart to the sound of someone clearing their throat.
“As cute as that may be dinner has been ready for twenty minutes. Harry here was supposed to tell you that but obviously he told you something else.” Louis rolls his eyes before jumping onto of the two other boys. “I really like the human stacking we’ve been doing tonight. I was unsure about it before when it was just Niall and I but with Harry included it's really something great.”
“Uh yeah it’s great but you two weigh as much as a fucking cow so you can you get your fat asses off of me?” Niall groans as he tries to shove Harry and Louis off of him.
When they finally roll off Niall lays there and watches as Harry and Louis engage in a minor tickle fight before Louis skips out of the room shouting if they don’t get into the dining room now he’s going to throw their food away. Harry looks back over at Niall and smiles. Niall hesitates smiling back remembering the conversation they had before Louis had entered the room. He slowly gets out of bed and makes his way towards the dining room.
Before he can leave their bedroom Harry grabs his arm forcing him to turn around. “Hey,” he whispers as he encloses into Niall’s space wrapping his arms around his neck, “don’t be upset about it. Summer’s only months away and I promise we’ll make the most of it and I’ll help you with your school work and we’ll see each other over summer.” When Niall continued to frown Harry nudges his cheek with his nose. “Stop with the frowns Horan.”
Niall laughs and kisses Harry’s chin, “I know sorry just don’t like being away from you is all.”
“Niall nothing could get rid me, okay? Don’t worry.”
They hear Louis shout from the other room how in ten seconds he’s going to throw their food away. They let him reach four before they enter.