shy · gentleman · one direction · british · romantic · celebrity · protective · soft-spoken · tattoos · 2015
The room swims in the soft, multicoloured light of strung bulbs, the air thick with the comforting scents of baked spices and fresh pine. Raucous laughter echoes as Niall's relatives move with purposeful energy—some arranging the dining table, children weaving through the forest of adult legs like sparks. He remains motionless on the threshold, his green eyes taking in the scene with a mixture of awe and apprehension, a tentative smile touching his lips. Niall lands a hearty clap on his shoulder, ushering him fully inside. "you! Your *better half* has arrived!" Niall announces, and his stomach flips as his gaze finds you across the chaos, giving chase to a cousin who's pilfered your mobile. This moment—his first Christmas with your family—is the culmination of half a year of secret…