I'll Be There For You

"Ariana!" Niall whined from the couch, his Irish accent sounding weird paired with her name. She giggled from the kitchen. "I am two seconds away from pressing play. Hurry your arse up!"

The girl laughs from her spot at the counter, ripping open the bag of popcorn and pouring it into the silver bowl before her. She knew he was impatient; he was always impatient when it came to her. The distance sucked, but their friendship was strong enough that they could handle the miles. It blew that they only got together about twice a year, but those days that they did get to see each other was totally worth it. Niall and Ariana have been friends for years and they weren't about to give that up because of some stupid tours.

"I'm coming!" she calls back, throwing the empty popcorn bag away now. She grabs the bowl and the two sodas, balancing the cans under her arms and walking out of the kitchen. She flicks the light off and the way out with her hip.

"Thank God!" he says in his cute deep voice. "I've been waiting for hours."

"It's been fifteen minutes, shut up," she retaliates, dropping the soda under her arm into his awaiting hands. "And besides, I've already seen every episode of the show. You could have pressed play without me and I wouldn't have been upset." She pops a kernel into her mouth before setting the bowl on the coffee table, plopping on the couch beside him.

Niall scoffs, bringing his arm and settling it behind her shoulders on the cushions. "How would've that made me look? Like the worst friend in the world. Friends is to be shared with your friends. Not alone."

"Now you're just rambling," Ariana laughs, snapping her Dr. Pepper open and taking a swig.

He rolls his eyes, grabbing the remote from beside him on the arm rest. "You told me Friends was the best show ever, get me hooked, and now you're denying watching it with me? That's just rude, girl."

"At least I've already seen the show, Horan," she returns, flicking at his nose. He scrunches it as a reaction. "I told you about it two years ago and you're only on season six."

"Sorry that Harry stole my seasons and won't give them back!"

Ariana chuckles and elbows him in the side, nodding toward the screen that held the Episode Selection. "Now press play! The One Where Phoebe Runs is one of my favorite episodes." Niall rolls his eyes at her but he complies, pointing the remote at the TV and pressing play on the episode. Both of them settle back in the couch, getting comfortable.

She missed times like this with him. It was weird to think of the times when he had just started off on The X Factor. For him to be where he is right now, it's weird to know he's so big. All those screaming girls, claiming to be married to him and wanting his children. It was unusual, almost hysterical, but also a bit psychotic. She couldn't think of anyone being in love with Niall, which she's told him, and they had a large wrestling match over the issue. He had won, but only because she weighed about 100 pounds and he was a boy.

The theme song to the show comes on just then, a smile lighting Ariana's lips, for she loved this song. She starts mouthing along to the words mutely, her head bobbing slightly. The back of her skull hit Niall's arm, causing him to look over at Ariana.

He watches her clap when the four claps came, his throat chuckling quietly at her reaction. He knew she loved this show; she couldn't go a day without referring back to it.

He grins at her lip-synching, leaning down so his lips were pressed to her ear.

"I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour," he sings in her ear cheekily, her shoulder moving up as his breath tickles her neck. "I'll be there for you, like I've been there before." She giggles softly as his free hand that wasn't around her shoulders comes down to her sides and starts tickling her. "I'll be there for you, 'cause you're there for me too." Now she was squealing, trying to push the hand that was tickling her away from her.

"Niall!" she squeaks as he laughed out loud. "Stop! That tickles!"

"That's the point, love," he grins, sliding his other arm away from her and attacking her with both hands now. She shrieks and falls back against the length of the couch, laughing so loud that her throat hurt. He lands on top of her, not ceasing the tickling, a large, cake-eating grin on his face as he chuckled down at her.

"Please! Please! I surrender, I surrender!" she laughs out jokingly, hitting him weakly with her skinny arms. He grins and finally stops, his hands resting on her waist.

Her chest was moving up and down as she was out of breath, her head shaking.

"I hate you Niall Horan," she jokes, reaching up to punch him under the collarbone. He brushes it off like it was a fly. "I hope your band crashes and burns." He laughs again, ducking down and blowing a raspberry against her stomach. "The fuck!" She yells, trying to push him off with her hands against his chest, his heart beat knocking against her open palms. "Stop! You're missing the entire episode!"

"Why should I care about what Phoebe is doing when my best friend in the whole world is right here in front of me?" Niall grins like he had a secret, resting his elbows on her stomach and propping himself above her.

Ariana rolls her eyes, gazing up at his face. "I thought that was Louis."

"I couldn't give two shits about Louis when I have Ariana here with me," he says, knowing he was kissing her ass. She laughs, reaching up and pecking his cheek.

"You're forgiven for being a tickle monster," she says, his grin widening at her cute American accent. "Now get off me so we can watch Friends. I've been waiting six months to watch this with you. I think you can wait to kiss my ass some more."

Niall chuckles and complies, pushing off of her so he was back in a sitting position.

His arms finds it's way around her shoulders again, her body leaning back into the gesture easily. They return their attention to the TV, the episode already seven minutes in, the story line completely confusing to Niall. Ariana laughed, already knowing what was happening from her extensive Friends watching, making the boy pout.

"I don't understand," Niall humphs, his bottom lip practically touching his chin.

Ariana rolls her eyes. "Probably because you got distracted from tickling me, you boob." She nudges him in the ribs, making a funny face.

"Cute," he mocks, sticking his tongue out.

She laughs. "Look, Rachel goes running every morning. Phoebe decides to go with her one day, but when they get to the park, Rachel discovers that Phoebe runs like a maniac and gets embarrassed. So Rachel makes up an excuse so she doesn't have to run with her anymore." Niall squints his eyes at the TV screen, cocking his cute little head to the side. Ariana sighs. "Do you get it now, squirt?" She reaches up and ruffles his blonde hair.

"I told you to never call me that again!" he gapes, almost offended. "Unless you want me to call you your old nickname." He ups his eyebrows at her, wiggling them for a bigger affect.

She gasps. "You wouldn't!"

"Maybe I would," he grins wickedly, leaning closer to her. "Bones." She narrows her eyes at the nickname, hating the reference to her skinny, skinny figure and the fact that many of her bones jut out abnormally. She jumps from her place beside him and tackles him off the couch, catching him off guard since Ariana never usually gets physical, it's usually him who does first, and they fall to the carpet of her apartment floor.

"Take it back!" she yells as they roll around, both trying to gain control of the situation. He was laughing at her weak grip and she was laughing at the fact that this was even happening. The sounds of the sitcom laughter burst around them as Chandler makes a joke, and Ariana laughed with them as Niall makes a sad insult.

"Never!" he retaliates, his foot hitting the edge of the coffee table.

His momentary distraction gave Ariana the leverage she needed and she was soon on top of Niall, his wrists pinned to the floor as she finally had control. She grins mischievously, straddling his hips so he couldn't move.

"I win!" she yells to the sky triumphantly. "Finally! Took six damn years."

Niall smirks. "May need more practice, love."

Ariana cocks her head to the side, getting the cutest confused look on her face. He grins at it, wanting to touch her lips as they pouted slightly. "Why?" she voices finally.

He doesn't answer, instead, flips them over so she was the one on the floor. She gives a small cry as her back hits the carpet. "Shit!" she yells to the high heavens. "How is it that you always beat me, Horan? Fuck."

He chuckles, her smile widening at his cute accent. "Because I am Irish."

"That has nothing to do with it."

"That has everything to do with it."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"Because Irishmen are strong like bull."

"Now you're just quoting shit."

"You know it."

Both of them simultaneously seemed to realize how close they really were, their noses brushing together as Niall finishes what he was saying. They lock gazes, Niall licking over his lips as he notices that he could easily lean forward another inch and capture her lips in his. He didn't really know what came over him, but he found the want to.

"So," Ariana tries to save the awkward moment, "when do you leave for home next?"

"In two weeks," he murmurs, his breath fanning over face. "We finish recording then." His eyes flick to her lips, which she noticed, and she felt her own gaze shifting to the two pink plumps below his nose. They looked so inviting.

"So I have you to myself for 14 whole days?" she asks breathlessly.

A grin creeps onto Niall's lips immediately. "You got it."

The two had been friends for a long time, if you thought about it. Neither had ever considered becoming more before tonight. But as they just gazed at each other, thoughts swarmed and scenarios flashed through their brains.

"You want to kiss me?" Ariana finally asks him, her heart racing at the mere thought.

His grins widens noticeably. "Do you want to kiss me?"

"I do."

He always loved her straight forward answers and her blunt personality. "Good," Niall returns, getting even closer to her face. "Because I want to snog you so bad right now." He cuts off her laugh as their lips touch, both of them inhaling at the same time, as if they were perfectly in sync. He releases her trapped wrists so she could curl her arms around his neck, his hands finding her waist for the second time that night. He squeezes her sides as the kiss continues, his heart fluttering.

He never thought of taking it further with her. She was his best friend; she used to just be the shoulder to cry on or the one he went to for girl troubles. Now, she was the girl that would be causing the troubles.

A smile curls onto his lips through the kiss.

Man, was he okay with that.