Sequins & Zippers

Part 9 | The Jumpsuit, Falling & (more) Ripped Trousers

The loud knock on the door causes Harry and Aurora to jump and scramble to sit up on the couch.

"Heard there's a curly headed boy in here!"

A once blonde, now brunette head pops into the doorway. If the irish accent wasn't enough to give away who it was, his face surely does. Aurora messes with her hair and Harry wipes the back of his hand across his mouth, trying their best to compose themselves. They had made their way back to Harry's dressing room from the empty arena before Harry was to be pulled away for training, soundcheck and all the usual pre show prep. One thing led to another and the episode of Friends Aurora had pressed play on was long forgotten.

"Niall!" Harry exclaims, jumping off the couch. He hugs his old friend as Aurora is frozen on the couch. Harry hadn't even mentioned the possibility of Niall coming to the show tonight. It didn't even cross Aurora's mind that in Dublin (duh), that Niall might be in attendance. A deer in headlights describes Aurora best at this moment. "Haven't seen 'ur hair this messy in ages! Who do you have here with you?" Niall jokes, his laugh filling the space. When Harry steps out of the doorway to invite Niall in, he fixes his hair and Niall's laughter stops. Niall lets out a surprised "Oh," with a small laugh.

"Uh, Niall, this is Ror- uh, Aurora," he corrects himself, a dopey smile forming on his face.

"Lovely to meet you, Aurora," Niall offers a hand out to her.

"Wasn't how I was intending to introduce the 2 of you, but here we are," Harry adds.

"Uh, great to meet you as well, Niall," Aurora says as she stands up. She shakes his hand. "Harry, you could've said he was coming," Aurora comments directly to Harry.

"It wasn't for sure yet and I kind of wanted it to be a surprise," Harry tells Aurora.

"A surprise?" Niall questions. "For Aurora?" He continues to question as he gestures to Aurora, a small look of confusion on his face.

"Ugg," Aurora groans, to no one in particular, "Harry, please don't."

"Hey, if you're going to rub in my face that you were once a 'Niall girl'," he uses air quotes to pester her more, "then I'm going to have some fun with it." Niall's laugh echoes off the walls of the dressing room.

"I'm gonna need more of a story behind this," Niall says through bouts of laughter.

Aurora groans again, rolling her eyes at Harry before turning back to Niall. "Wish we could've had this conversation over some drinks, but here we are."

"We could get drinks right now, I know where the bar is," Niall adds.

"I'm technically working... so drinking is a no,"

"But making out on the couch is fine?" Harry asks through a chuckle, Niall's laugh joins in.

"Oh god, the 2 of you together is really gonna be like this huh?"

"Like what?" Harry asks.

"You 2 picking on me and just overall, chaotic." The 2 former bandmates shrug their shoulders when they make eye contact.

"Anyways," Niall circles back to the original request, "I need the story. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Harry say 'Niall girl'?"

"He sure did. I made the mistake to share that I once had One Direction posters on my wall growing up. Definitely pumped Harry's ego a bit and I had to bring it down by informing him that I was a quote unquote a Niall Girl back then." Aurora sighs and then laughs at the face Niall is making at Harry.
"Ni, you don't have a chance anymore, so stop even entertaining the thought in your head," Harry says as he tosses an arm around Aurora's shoulders.