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Harry screams. A manly one, he’ll have everyone know.
He has just come back from Tesco’s and was minding his own business, putting away the groceries when suddenly, a giant hairy and spindly-legged monster in the guise of a spider jumped out at him.
Five minutes later and he still hasn’t managed to get rid of it.
It’s got beady little eyes and Harry swears that the eyes track him as soon as he moves an inch towards an item that could be potentially used as a weapon against it. Not to mention the fat pincers and snap every few seconds.
Defeated, Harry sighs and walks over to his neighbour across the small hallways. To his knowledge, it’s another university student who lives there and hopefully, he isn’t as arachnophobic as he is.
“’Ello?” a slightly husky voice rings out through the door.
“Hi, it’s Harry. Uhm, your neighbour?”
The door opens and Harry has to jump back before it takes a swing at his nose. “Hi! What brings you to my doorstep? ‘M Niall, by the way.”
Harry has to hold back a wolf-whistle and does the subtlest once-over glance that he can manage. It’s obvious that his hair is dyed but it works with his complexion and blue, blue eyes—they are serious so bright and blue and the prettiest pair of eyes that Harry has ever seen. Niall is wearing only a vest and short and damn, he’s got fine muscles.
“I don’t wanna sound all sissy but there’s this monster of a spider in my pantry and I can’t organise my groceries until it’s gone,” he mumbles, avoiding Niall’s eyes.
The first response he gets is a cut-off laughter, which Niall tries to hide with a cough. “Sure. Ya want me to throw it out the window or summat?” Is it Harry’s imagination or did Niall’s gaze drop down for a second?”
“Yes please,” Harry affirms with a nod.
“Why not do it yourself?” Niall cocks his head like a baby puppy and Harry has to hold himself back from cooing.
“Well, what if I’m allergic?” is the first thing that crosses his mind.
“Fine, fine. I’ll go exterminate this big bad spider for ya,” Niall laughs and claps his hand on Harry’s shoulder.
As they step into Harry’s kitchen together, Harry wishes that he had cleaned up a bit before he went over. Fruits, vegetables, and other staple foods are strewn across the counter and the fridge door has been left half-open, revealing the messy state of its insides. Thankfully, Niall doesn’t comment on it.
“Fuckin’ ‘ell,” Niall mutter when he first sees the damned spider. “It’s massive!”
“Told ya,” Harry smirks. He would like to be braver and offer some sort of help but it is practically cowering behind Niall’s warm, firm back. He has to resist the temptation to drape himself over Niall’s back and wrap his arms around him. A blush creeps up his cheek but it's probably due to the heat and proximity. Yeah, that works.
“Can I use this?” Niall gestures at the newspaper from about a week ago.
“Feel free,” Harry answers.
Niall rolls up the paper and nudges at the spider’s legs. The spider jumps about two feet and lands right next to Harry’s arm. Harry yelps—again, very manly—and how can spiders do that? He clings to Niall’s arm and swerves around so that he doesn’t have to face the demonic creature.
“Calm down, mate,” Niall laughs. Why does he have to laugh at everything? He is too adorable. Niall taps at the spider again and to Harry’s surprise, it crawls onto the paper. “Can you open a window for me?” He doesn’t comment on the fact that Harry is gripping his sleeves like it’s a life line. Harry obliges and in a matter of seconds, the spider is gone from his flat.
“Thank you so much,” Harry breathes a sigh of relief. “Would you like a cuppa? Seems like it’s the least I could do.”
“Thanks,” Niall smiles. “You were really cute clinging onto me like that, by the way. Like a little baby monkey.”
Harry pouts. “I’m not a baby monkey. I was shocked by the spider’s ability to jump, is all.”
Niall laughs again and pats Harry’s arm, sending warm tingles up it. “Sure, sure.”
Whilst they wait for the water to boil, Harry brings out some biscuits and Niall seems to like them. They chat idly about all sorts of stuff and Harry finds out that Niall goes to same uni as he does, only they are in different faculties.
“Studying to be a lawyer, huh?” Niall hums. “Guess you’re real smart then.”
Harry shakes his head. “Thought it’d be alright. If that doesn’t work out, I’m sure that being a sociology major will help with some jobs. Sound engineer though, that sounds so cool! Do you like music, then?”
Niall scratches at the back of his head. “Yeah. I play the guitar a bit and since music is my passion, I think I’d love working in the studio, fiddling with the machines and recording with artists. Who knows, maybe I’ll get to meet some famous singers.”
He glances down at Harry’s hand, which has been resting on the table the entire time, and slowly, Niall’s own hand slides towards it. Harry’s heart is beating away in his throat and Niall’s hand is so warm, just like his back, only its skin is roughened from playing the guitar. And why won't his cheeks cool down?
Harry is almost convinced that Niall was about to lean in but that’s when the traitor of a kettle whistles. He manages an awkward smile at Niall before he stands up and strides towards the kettle. He is laying out the cups and teas when he feels someone move up behind him.
“Niall? What’re—” The rest of his words are swallowed up as Niall grips his waist and turns him around for a short, chaste kiss. Niall tastes like the biscuits and a bit like grapes too, and his lips are softer than Harry could have imagined.
“I’m glad you called me over,” Niall confesses. His hand is resting on Harry’s waist, the other slowly tracing patterns on the back of Harry’s neck. “Been fancying you since you moved in a few months ago. Does that make me a stalker?”
Harry shakes his head vehemently. “Not at all. I think you’re fit, so.”
Niall glances at the kettle. “We’d better make the tea before the water’s gone cold. You free tomorrow evening?”
“Yes,” Harry answers without giving it a thought.
“Great. Be ready to go out for dinner at six. You’re in for a treat.”
Harry beams down at Niall. It’s adorable that Niall is just tall enough to reach Harry’s lips without a lot of work but Harry can still look at him in a downward angle. “Can’t wait.”
Niall kisses him on the lips again. “Me neither.”