Passenger Seat

“Well that was an awkward mini holiday,” Louis announced on the drive home from the cabin.

We all nodded in agreement, “I don’t get what’s up with those two,” Niall said.

“I talked to Harry last night when I got up in the middle of the night. Found him alone in the kitchen,” I told them. “Said he doesn’t know what’s wrong with them. Just been fighting a lot.”

Niall rubbed my hand he was holding between the other, “I hate seeing them like this,” he mumbled.

“Maybe they’re just going through a rough patch,” El offered. “It happens with some couples.”

“Well whatever it is, I’d like to not have to witness it again,” Louis said.

We got back to London around midday. Louis and Eleanor dropped us off at Niall’s building and Niall drove us to mine.

When we got to my flat, we found Blue and Max relaxing in the living room. Blue was reading a novel while Max fiddled with his acoustic guitar. “Hey, you’re back!” Blue smiled.

“How was it?” Max asked.

Niall and I exchanged looks before replying, “Awkward.”

I flopped down on the couch by my best friend as Niall and Max exchanged a handshake, and he kissed Blue’s cheek in a greeting.

“Well sorry it wasn’t a good time. What happened?”

“Harry and Dakota are fighting,” Niall said as he sat next to me, dropping his hand on my upper thigh. I smiled down at it before turning back to my friends.

“What you two do?” I asked.

Max shrugged, “Each other,” he said cheekily causing Niall and I to erupt with laughter as Blue chucked a throw pillow at him. “What?” He exclaimed, “I had to say it, she set me up for it!”

“You coming to the party tonight?” Blue asked.

I shrugged, “Who’s?”

“Mine,” Max smiled, “Well technically Josh’s, but it’s at ours.”

I glanced over at Niall, who had a blank face, “Do you want to go to the party?”

He shrugged, “I guess,” he glanced at my friends, “If it’s alright that I come.”

Blue snorted out a laugh, “We just invited you Niall.”

“Yeah mate, it’ll be great,” Max said, “Been dying to see if I can out drink you Irish.”

Niall smirked, “You’re on.”

*****

Niall was lying on my bed as I changed for the party. It wasn’t much of an improvement, just exchanged my sweats for some jeans and a different shirt.

“I’m probably not gonna drink tonight.”

I glanced at Niall through my mirror, “Why?”

“Cause it’s at Josh’s and I’m still not comfortable with him. Don’t want alcohol to influence me doing something stupid.”

I turned and crawled onto the bed next to him, snuggling into his side, “If you just give him a chance, I’m sure you two can be good friends. He’s moved on, and I definitely have,” I said placing a kiss on his neck.

“I know, it’s just… I don’t know. I’ll try giving him a chance, yeah?”

“That’s all I ask.”

Niall’s phone buzzed in his pocket then. He pulled it out to unlock it when I laughed, “What?”

“You have a picture of me as your lock screen? And your background,” I said once I noticed as he checked a text.

“So?”

“You’re adorable,” I laughed.

“What, am I not your phone background?”

I giggled, “No, it’s me and Blue,” I said pulling out my phone.

He scoffed, “Well I’m offended.”

“Well let’s take a picture together and I’ll change it!”

He laughed, “I like this idea.”

We spent a good 15 minutes, taking random pictures together. Most of them were silly… actually, all of them were. Either that or he was kissing on me. I finally managed to get one where we were both genuinely smiling into the camera.

“I like the goofy ones better,” He commented, “It’s more us I think.”

I kissed his cheek, “I agree.”

“Send me all those. I want a few options for my new screens.”

I snorted, “Alright.” I texted him the pictures before I got up to see if Max and Blue were ready. We were going in separate cars, but still wanted to leave together.

When I got back to my room Niall was still seated on my bed, smirking at me, “What?”

“Check your twitter notifications.”

“Oh jeez,” I grabbed my phone and opened the twitter app. I had an influx of new notifications and followers so it took me a moment to sift through them to find an @reply from Niall.

@niallofficial: bout to have a mental night with my girl @heyayden

Attached was one of the pictures of us where I was smiling ridiculously while he forcefully planted his lips to my cheek. “That’s going to be all over the internet now,” I rolled my eyes at him.

“Yep,” he beamed.

I tackled him playfully to bed, “I hate you.”

He flipped up over and straddled me, pinning my wrists above my head, “Your actions say otherwise love,” smiling seductively down at me.

“Oh yeah?” I said as I pushed my pelvis up into his.

He glanced down quickly, “That’s not fighting fair.”

“I believe the saying is ‘all’s fair in love and war,’ am I wrong?” I asked innocently.

“Cheeky, I like it,” he said before he growled playfully and attacked my neck with kisses.

“Hey guys-whoa! Sorry! My bad!” We pulled apart to see Max retreating back out of my room, only to be replaced by Blue.

“You having sex or coming to the party?”

Niall and I laughed as I shoved him off me and crawled out from under him, “We’re coming.”

*****

“You ready?” I asked Niall as we followed Blue and Max into the already packed house.

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, “Yeah.”

We walked in and was hit with the smell of cheep bear, smoke and loud music. I tugged Niall through the crowd as I followed after Blue. I acknowledged a few people I recognized as we went, but didn’t stop until we got to the kitchen. That’s where we found the rest of You Me At Six, around all the alcohol.

Dan saw us first, “Hey! Finally you’re here!” He greeted Blue and Max first before he pulled me into a tight hug, as usual, “Hey, you brought Niall, you alright man?”

I smiled as they embraced in a bro hug, “I’m good, how are you mate?” Niall asked. Chris and Matt came over then and greeted us as well, talking to Niall like it was no big deal, which I guess it wasn’t.

Josh approached us slowly, holding out two beers for us, “Thanks for coming.” He cleared his throat a bit before turning directly to my boyfriend, “Listen mate, about the last time we saw each other. I didn’t mean to come off so hostile. I was a bit drunk and, just, I’m sorry.”

Even though I could tell Niall was a bit on guard, he smiled a bit, “It’s alright mate. I apologize too for letting my timber get the best of me. The Irish blood runs thick in me.”

Josh saluted his cup up, “Cheers. But listen, have fun yeah? You guys need anything help yourself or ask me. Ayden knows where everything is.”

“Thanks,” I smiled before Josh walked off into the party. I turned to Niall, “Well?”

He shrugged, “I guess he’s not a total cunt.”

I barked out a laugh, “Well he has his moments.” I laced my fingers with his free hand, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some of my other friends.”

After a while, Niall started to loosen up. We made our way around the party saying hi to everyone and I introduced him to my friends until we eventually made it back to Blue and the guys. I loved that Niall was getting along with them, Josh included. I was grateful that he was actually making the effort for me.

Niall had said he wasn’t going to drink, but I knew that would eventually go out the window. Which it did once Josh started giving everyone a round of shots. I only had one, since I knew I’d be driving.

And the more alcohol that was consumed, the more it seemed like Josh and Niall actually bonded.

“I could ship this bromance,” Blue laughed as we watched the two take another shot then cheer and high five each other.

I laughed along with her, “Who knew all they needed was a party to get over themselves.”

“Boys are so low maintenance when they want to be,” she scoffed.

“Ayden!” Josh said as he walked over with his arm around Niall’s shoulder. “Your boyfriend is a proper lad! He’s cheeky! Good vibes!” he said drunkenly.

“No mate, you’re the good vibes!” Niall laughed, just as drunk.

“Nah, you’re the good vibes!” Josh argued. “Ayden, Ayd! You need to bring him to the video shoot, I need him as my wingman to get Molly to agree to go on a date with me!”

I laughed, “He’s coming with me, so he’ll be there. Do all of you know Molly?”

“I met her with Oli once, she’s proper fit!” he turned back to my boyfriend, “You’ve got to help me mate. Turn on the boy band charm and get her to agree to a date with me.”

“I got you,” Niall saluted.

“You guys are so pissed right now!” Max announced.

Niall pulled away from Josh and wrapped his arms around my waist, “Can we go drive?” he purred in my ear.

“You wanna leave?”

He nodded, “I wanna be alone with you.”

I smiled and pecked his lips before I turned back to my friends, “We’re gonna head out.”

“Aw boooo!” Dan bellowed before walking over and pulling both Niall and I into a massive hug, “I love you guys. Hangs again soon.”

We made our rounds, saying goodbye to everyone. Niall and Josh embraced in a ridiculous hug, “Ayden you can’t take him. We’re best mates now!” Josh protested.

I rolled my eyes at them, “You’ll see him Tuesday.”

“Yeah, to get you a girl,” Niall said high fiving him. It was hilarious to see them right now. I wonder if it’ll still be like this when they’re sober again.

Niall and I finally said our last goodbyes and headed out to my car. “Hey, put that blank CD in,” I told him as I started to drive, “It’s in the glove box.”

“What is it?”

“Just put it in.”

He shoved the disk in and “One Time” by Justin Bieber started playing, “What is this?” he laughed.

“I made you a damn Justin Bieber mix for my car.” He was silent and I glanced over at him, “What?” He was staring at me with a goofy smile.

I leaned over and placed a massive outrageous kiss on my cheek, “I love you, you know that?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I pushed him off, “I love you too, but watch it, I’m driving.”

I drove the rest of the way to my look out spot with Niall singing drunkenly. I hated Justin Bieber, but I didn’t mind listening to Niall sing his songs. He wasn’t to wasted I noticed, but enough to be silly.

When I parked on the cliff, I shut off the car but left the music on for Niall. I took my seatbelt off and relaxed. I turned to watch him. He turned and started serenading me, making me laugh.

“Okay, okay!” I said as he started to all but screaming the second verse of ‘Overboard,’ turning down the radio.

“Aww, but I was dedicating that song to you!”

I laughed, “Thanks babe, but I’d prefer if you did it at a normal decimal level.

He sighed dropping his head back against the seat and looked at me, “I love you. Like a lot.”

I barked out a laugh, “I love you too you twat.”

“But look,” he grabbed my hand and placed it over his heart. His heart was racing, “Feel that? It happens every time I look at you!”

I blushed, “Thank you, but are you sure it’s not just the alcohol?”

He scoffed, “Now who’s being a twat? I’m not even that drunk.”

I grabbed his hand then, placing it over my heart, “feel that?” I asked using his words.

“You’re heartbeat was irregular for a second there,” he said looking at his hand on my chest.

“Happens every time you touch me.”

He smiled then and leaned over placing a lingering kiss on my lips, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been in love before,” he said softly.

I looked into his eyes as I thought back, “You know, I don’t think I have either. At least not… like this.”

“It happened kind of fast.”

“Just snuck up on us,” I agreed.

He smirked at me, “Wanna get in the backseat?”

I laughed but started to crawl back there, and he followed. “Not much room back here like in your truck,” I commented.

He maneuvered us so he way laying down with me on top of him, “We can do it. People have done it in smaller.”

I laughed at his comment and sat up to help him pull my shirt off. He kissed across my neck, and chest- anywhere he could reach. We started pulling at each other’s clothes like we were teenagers who had a curfew to get too and didn’t want to get caught.

After the third time he smacked his head against the door I sat up, “Here, sit up, it’ll be easier than having you lay there.” He shifted and sat up right in the seat. I positioned myself back over him, straddling his lap before I slowly lowered myself onto him.

“Fuck,” he groaned, grasping my hips to help me ride him.

*****

After we finished, we lazily redressed, then he laid back across my backseat again, pulling me down with him. I got comfortable against his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair.

He laced one of his hands with mine, “I don’t know how I’m going to deal with being away from you when I go on tour.”

I shrugged, “We’ll figure it out. One day at a time.”

“Just being away from you for a few weeks in the next few months is gonna kill me. I can’t even think about the world tour coming up.”

I sat up and covered his mouth, “Shh. Don’t think about that now. We’ve still got time. We’ve got 2 weeks until the VMA’s. And after you get back from Africa and Japan you’ve got 3 months before you leave for tour.”

“It’ll go by quick though.”

“So enjoy it while it’s lasts,” I smiled. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You can come with me.”

I shook my head, “No I can’t.”

“I know,” he groaned, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me back against him. “Can we have skype sex?” he said after a moment.

I started laughing, “We’ll see, yeah?”