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They were officially on break, a couple days in and Harry was already bored out of his mind. Like always Louis had sent out invitations to his birthday party, and this time, Harry was determined to not ruin another party.
"For the last four years, you have hopelessly pinned for Niall and managed to ruin my party all at once. How do you feel about that?" Harry sighed as Louis grilled him the day before his birthday.
"It's not going to happen this year."
"The part where you man up and kiss Niall or ruin my party?"
"I'm not going to ruin your party Lou."
"That's what you've said for the past four years Harold, I may have to demote you from the list if you even have a plan to get that kiss from Niall."
Harry opens and closes his mouth, unable to respond. Louis smirks slyly.
"Look, just be yourself and you'll get it. One day Harry but not tomorrow. I will never forgive you if you ruin my 24th birthday." Harry gulped, of all the birthdays to ruin, it could not be this one. Harry might actually be dead if he messed this up.
"I won't I promise."
"Likely story, I'm making Liam watch over you just in case." And that was the end of that conversation. The rest of the day goes on without a hitch and soon enough, it was time for Louis's party.
Like every year, Harry kept his distance away from all the expensive appliances and other house ware in fear of breaking something, like the first year when they were together. It an attempt to impress Niall, Harry made the chocolate fountain malfunction and although it's Niall's favorite memory to this day, he would never forget the livid face of Louis.
Quite honestly he still can't believe he's alive after how much damage he's done. Blame it on his two left feet or embarrassingly huge crush on Niall, Harry had learned his lesson.
But that didn't stop him from barreling through the party crowd to find Louis and drag him to the kitchen at first chance.
"What is this?" He whispered fiercely as he shook a little plant back and forth. Louis shrugged with an evil glint in his eye.
"Thought you might fancy a bit of help mate. Stay on that side of the house and good luck." Harry might have grumbled a little bit for the beginning of the party but how could he when he was gifted with such a beautiful plant.
The mistletoe, how he hated and also loved the plant so. It got him a couple of great kisses in the past few years, and a couple of not so great ones. It caused more heartache than anything during Louis’s parties because Niall walked everywhere and talked to everyone and almost always got caught under one.
Harry liked to be the loner, as Liam once called him the years that he wasn’t old enough to drink. And this year, yes he could drink but he wanted to be completely sober in case he did something stupid. Or in the case that he actually did get that kiss from his favorite blond, Harry wanted to remember it.
And from the way that Niall was staring at him, Harry looked around to see if he was staring at someone else, but there was something wrong. Niall laughed from across the room as Harry’s drink made contact with his ugly christmas sweaterㅡcourtesy of Louis himselfㅡintent on embarrassing his guests as always. Harry cursed under his breath, his clumsy ways had made an appearance already.
But Niall was coming over anyways, gently touching Harry’s waist and wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
“Do you ever stay clean?” He whispers into Harry’s ear as the two of them made their way to the nearest washroom. Harry mumbles nonsense as he tries his best to preserve the sweater. Louis must’ve known that Harry would once again ruin a sweater or make a mess of himself because he found that the drink practically rolled right off of the ugly thing.
“I have you know that I can stay clean and need I remind you that I was voted cleanest in the band.” Niall snorts a bit before laughing, the kind where his eyes crinkle up and his teeth were on full display.
“Yeah mate back in 2013,”
“Like you were any better.”
“At least I didn’t use to walk in the nude.”
“I’ve stopped!”
“Doesn’t help me unscar my younger self.”
“Oh pipe up, you were full on cursing when I first met you.” Niall smiles, darting away from a well aimed hit for his crotch and slaps Harry’s arm.
“You are a bugger, I don't know why I hang out with you.”
“Oh I’ll refresh your memory, so five years ago we were put into a band, not a boyband mind you we are better than that and now five years later we are getting a well deserved break but man, we did some great things in that time span.” Niall hums, retreating to Harry’s hold once again, his face nuzzled into Harry’s shoulder.
They stand there for who knows how long. It wasn’t until Liam came knocking on the door to yell at him for making everyone wait for Louis to cut his cake.
“Such a drama queen.” Niall mutters while Harry giggles, they walk out into the hall and gather at the threshold as everyone sings happy birthday. Louis looks the happiest he’s ever been, and at the same time the maddest as Liam grabs a bit of cake and smashes it at Louis’s face.
And as war breaks out, and everyone was in a happy mood, something glittery catches Harry’s eye. He knows it's the dreadful plant and he knows it's for Niall and him. Unfortunately or not, Niall hadn’t noticed yet, he was too busy laughing and dodging stray bits of cake. His laugh filled the room along with others and Harry couldn’t help but smile.
Liam had once described his smile for Niall one of the stupidly fondest smile he had ever seen. And it was true, he was so far gone for the bloke. At the corner of his eye, Niall catches Harry’s stare and smiles.
It was nice and easy, just as it was supposed to be. If only Louis hadn’t come around the corner, laughing like a fiend. A small blush was forming on Niall’s cheeks when Louis says something to make both of them freeze in their places.
"Oh look, how did that mistletoe get right there?" Harry sent a killer glare at Louis, who shrugged and left, the damage had already been done. Niall was seriously blushing, looked like he was about to bite his finger off with nerves. Not even a nervous laugh made its way out of the blond, he was silent just as Harry was.
Far too soon, the silence grew awkward as the two of them stood there, avoiding each other’s eyes. Harry wanted to bang his head on the wall, and he wanted to kill Louis. He just wanted something, anything to happen so that he could do either action but he knew he need to fix this, somehow.
"So mistletoe huh?" Harry mentally groaned, but it made Niall smile a bit too fondly at him for his attempt to calm his nerves.
"I have eyes Harry, I know what type of plant that is."
"Did you know that the mistletoe was originally supposed to possess mystical powers to bring good luck?"
"Interesting Harry," Niall was no longer biting on his nails, staring up at Harry. "Tell me more."
"It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology and that's where the custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from."
"Really now, so it would be rude to suddenly break the tradition right?" Harry doesn't know how to answer, he doesn't even really hear half the sentence that sputters out of Niall's mouth before that mouth is touching his and oh.
The kiss itself was sloppy and Niall grunted something about being too short but it was a kiss all the same. Their teeth clashed awkwardly and Harry had no clue where to put his hands so he just placed them on Niall’s hips. Niall’s hands were gripping on Harry’s sweater as if he was about to be taken away, as if his life depended on it.
Harry faintly heard background noise, but in the moment it felt it was only them and the world. Reality caught up to them quickly as they pulled away, breathing heavily and staring at one another. A hand flew up onto Niall’s shoulder and he looked to find Liam smiling widely and what looked to be a pouty Louis.
“Look I’m happy for you too because about damn time but this is my party and nearly the first one that Harry hasn’t completely destroyed so please, run along children.” Louis announced and while everyone clapped for Niall and Harry, Harry was still focused solely on Niall.
He smiled big, wished Louis a happy birthday and pulled Harry out of the house.
“What are you doing?!”
“I got you now, and plus,” Niall leaned in for another kiss which Harry happily kissed back.
“He did say we could leave so why not?”
“I mean sure but like its the middle of the night, where are we going?” Harry wondered aloud but Niall shhed him,
“Don’t worry about it, it’s just us and the moon.” And in that moment, no matter how cheesy and dorky it was Niall using their own lyrics, it was everything he could ever wish for.