Lightning in a Bottle

“I can’t believe you’re already almost 6 months pregnant!” Dakota gushed at Eleanor. We were in Eleanor and Louis’ back yard, enjoying the lovely sunny day, just the three of us, while the lads were in the studio.

El beamed as she looked down at her little baby bump that was starting to show. She wasn’t huge, but it was definitely obvious she was pregnant. “I know! If feels like it was just last week that we told you all we were expecting instead of 3 months ago. It’s going by so fast!”

“Have you guys picked names yet?” I asked.

She shrugged, “We’ve got a few but nothings set in stone yet.”

“Are you really keeping the sex of the baby a surprise?” Kota pouted, “The suspense is killing me, how are you two not as eager to find out what you’re having!?”

She shrugged at us, “I don’t know. We just decided we wanted it to be a surprise. Plus that way it can’t accidentally be leaked to the media.”

“That is a very good point,” I nodded sipping my tea.

“Now,” Kota exclaimed, “We need to discuss this weekend.”

“What’s the weekend?”

Eleanor gave me a bored look, “We’re all going up to that house Louis and I rented out for the weekend, remember? It’s right outside Sheffield, and we want everyone to be there as like, our last fun get together before we’re officially parents.”

“How dare you forget Ayden!” Kota said overly dramatic.

I rolled my eyes at them, “Sorry. I’ve been busy and it slipped my mind.”

“You and Niall better be there.”

I held my hands up in surrender, “We will, promise.” I felt bad for forgetting, they’ve had this planned for about a month now, but I’d just forgotten. But I was excited to get away for the weekend and just enjoy spending time with my friends. And who doesn’t love getting away for a holiday? Granted Niall and I went to Ireland 2 months ago, but… that was over a month ago!

“Is Perrie gonna be back by then?” El asked us.

Dakota shrugged, “I hope so. I know Little Mix is getting ready for their world tour, but she needs to be there.”

“Well if she can’t make it, it won’t really be the end of the world, yeah?” I shrugged.

“Everyone needs to be there Ayden!” Eleanor exclaimed. “Dakota, go call her and make sure she’s coming!” Kota was nodding before she even finished her sentence, getting up to call Perrie.

I shook my head, “Relax baby mama.”

“I can’t. It’s my job to make sure everyone’s coming.”

“Why? I mean, I know you want this big last holiday before the baby, but we still have time you know?”

She huffed, “This weekend is important,” she dismissed, and changed the subject and started talking about having Blue take her pregnancy pictures until Dakota came back.

“Perrie should be back tomorrow, so she’s fine with coming this weekend.”

Eleanor sighed in relief, “Thank god.”

“You’re so cute El, but relax,” I encouraged.

She rolled her eyes at me, “Alright, alright.”

We started talking about just life in general; How things were with Harry and Dakota (amazing), how we should start including Sophia in more things for Liam’s sake, what sex neutral color Eleanor wanted to pain the baby’s room Then somehow, like always, the conversation got turned to me and my future wedding.

“I guess I’m just curious,” Kota said. “I know you’re not in a hurry to plan it and all that, but you still want like a small wedding or whatever, yeah?”

I shrugged, “Yeah, well I mean, I want something that Niall will be happy with too. Obviously I don’t want a massive wedding, but if he wants a good sized one I’d be alright with it.”

“But what we’re asking is what you want?” Eleanor asked. “Like, what if he wanted to elope, would you be okay with it?”

“Well I’d want at least my family there, but I mean, sure.” I smiled at the thought, “I don’t really care about the big wedding like most girls you know? I just want to be married to him and spend my life with him.”

Eleanor and Kota shared a knowing look which threw me, but then they were smiling at me, “Well good,” Kota said.

Eleanor nodded, “At least we know you’re okay with whatever comes, you know?”

I looked between them for a long moment. There were staring at me with massive smile plastered on their faces and acting giddy, “Right… you two are acting odd.”

Kota brushed me off, “Oh come off it. We’re just excited. Wedding and babies in the future,” she said rubbing El’s tummy. “It’s all exciting!”

I sighed contently, “It is. Especially the baby part,” I cooed at El.

*****

I was pretty busy the rest of the week with helping my aunt at the bakery as she geared up to open her second location. So by the time Thursday night rolled around, the night before we headed to the rented house to meet our friends, I was more than ready.

Niall and I packed… well I packed, he ‘supervised,’ and then ordered Chinese takeaway before we went to bed.

But when I woke up in the middle of the night, Niall wasn’t next to me. I laid there a moment, trying to blink the sleepy fog from my eyes before I rolled over and checked the time; 3:43am. Why wasn’t he in bed? Especially since we’re getting up early to drive out past Sheffield.

I rolled over onto my back to stretch before I got out of bed. I grabbed a pair of Niall’s sweats that were bunched on the floor by the bed and pulled them on over my bare legs before I made my way to find him. I could see light coming from down stairs so that’s where I headed.

The kitchen light was on but I found him in the living room, the only light coming from the tellie. Football highlights were on as he ate leftovers out of a takeaway box in nothing but his briefs. One of his knees was bouncing and he looked wide awake. I slowly patted my way into the room, “Hey.”

He had a deer caught in headlights look, “Hey. What are you doing up?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” I sat next to him on the couch, curling up against his side as I stole a piece of chicken. “Why are you down here, you look all… keyed up.”

He shrugged, “I was hungry.”

I chuckled, “I gathered that. But your knee’s bouncing and you can’t sit still and your eyes are a bit bugging out of your head like these football highlights are the greatest thing you’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t know, can’t sleep.”

“You’re all jumpy like you get right before you go on stage. Are you nervous?”

“Yes. I mean no!” he said quickly. He put the takeaway box on the coffee table in front of us. “I’m just um, excited to leave for holiday.”

I sighed contently and leaned into his shoulder, “Then come to bed. We’ve got a long drive tomorrow.” I turned my head so I could pepper his neck with kisses, “Please,” I whispered into his ear.

“I’m too awake to sleep,” he sighed softly as I nibbled on his earlobe.

One of my hands threaded through his hair as the other moved into his lap. “I can help with that,” I palmed him through his briefs and his blew out a breath forcefully before he groaned.

“Jesus,” he rolled his head back before he caught my lips with his. He tasted like spicy chicken and garlic. “You really know how to persuade a guy, you know?”

I giggled against his lips as he kissed me again, “Can try and tire you out if you want.”

“What do you have in mind babe?” he was kissing down my jaw and my neck. “Can I touch you?”

“No. Let’s focus on you tonight. You’re the one that’s all… wide awake for no reason.”

“That hardly seems fair.”

“Life’s not fair,” I chuckled. I reached into his briefs and pulled him out. I felt him twitch in my hand as I pumped him a few times. I got off the couch and kneeled between his legs, “If you’d rather talk about what’s got you all anxious instead of having an orgasm in my mouth, then we can do that. It’s your choice.” I shrugged as I wrapped my hands around his him and pumped slowly to get him ready.

“Shit,” he hissed. “No, I think I like this idea better.”

I hummed, “I thought so.” I smiled up at him sweetly before I ducked down and took him into my mouth.

“Fuck, I love you.”

*****

I must have fallen asleep on the drive over because before I knew it, Niall was shaking me awake, “Baby, wake up. We’re here.”

I blinked a few times and looked around. We were parked behind our friends’ cars and Niall was smiling over at me. “Sorry I fell asleep.”

He shrugged, “S’alright. You did stay up with me last night.” He grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles, “Come on, we’re the last ones here I think.”

We got out of the car and he waited for me at the front of it. “Don’t we wanna grab our bags?” I asked as he laced his fingers with mine and pulled me up the front walk.

“No, we’ll get them later. Let’s go see everyone.”

At first, when he opened the door all the lights were off. But then all the lights were flipped on and there everyone was, shouting ‘SURPRISE!’

I screamed and jumped into Niall who was laughing at my reaction. “What the-” and then I took a good look at the crowd in front of us. There was the people I was expecting; Liam and Sophia, Harry and Dakota, Zayn and Perrie and of course Louis and Eleanor. But then there were more people around them.

Blue was standing there, practically jumping with excitement Danielle was next to her just as excited. I saw Max wrapped around Blue and the rest of You Me At Six around them, Josh was smirking knowingly at me.

Then there was Aunt Jenny and Will who was holding Finn in his arms, who was standing next to Niall’s mom and Greg and Denise and Theo.

“Wait, what- why are you all here?” I loss at a loss for words, “What?”

Niall cleared his throat and grabbed both of my hands to turn me towards him, “Ayden, will you marry me?”

Now I was even more confused, “What? Of course, you’ve already asked me to marry you.”

He giggled, yes giggled nervously as he shook, “No, I mean- will you marry me, here, this weekend. Tomorrow actually.”

“I-” I glanced at the crowd of our closest friends and family before I looked back at him. He looked so nervous as he waited for an answer for me. “You want to get married?”

“Yes,” he said firmly with absolutely no hesitation.

“Here?”

He bit his lip nervously, “Yes. In the back yard to be exact.”

“I- you, what?”

He smiled as his face reddened in a blush, “I’ve had this planned since I was in Japan. I had everyone help me figure out the details and I had Eleanor and Louis pretend that they rented this house and say it was their last holiday.”

“Technically it is,” Louis said behind me.

Niall shot a smirk over my shoulder at him before he was looking back at me. “So, what do you say? Will you marry me tomorrow in front of our family?”

I was feeling so much all at one time; anxiety, relief, excitement, confusion. Basically every single emotion all at once and I think I was also trying not to burst into tears. My hand covered my mouth as I fought the tears, but they were coming anyway. I saw worry cross Niall’s face before I spoke, “Are you serious Niall? What about… I didn’t break anything to get married in! I only brought jeans.”

“Don’t worry Ayd,” Perrie said, “Us girls have something up our sleeve.”

“Oh my god,” I sighed as I looked back at Niall, “You’re serious!”

Now he looked panicked, “Well I mean, you don’t have to. If this isn’t what you want we can-”

“No, no, no!” I said as I whipped away a few tear that leaked. “This is- if you’re serious, I will totally marry you tomorrow!”

He sighed out in relief as a massive smile spread across his face, “You just made me the happiest lad on the planet!” His arms wrapped around me and he pulled me into his chest as everyone behind us started cheering and clapping.

“We’re gonna have a wedding!” I heard Josh yell.

“This was the hardest secret I ever had to keep!” Louis yelled back as everyone laughed.

I wanted to laugh with them but I was too shocked and excited as I was cuddled into Niall. “You sure you want to do this?” he whispered into my ear.

I kissed his neck and nodded, “I’ve never been more sure of something in my life.” I giggled into him, “I can’t believe you did this.”

He held me tighter against him, “I love you so much Ayden.”

I laughed though happy tears, “I love you too!”