Nouis: Card Tricks

Niall stacked his shiny new cards neatly on the table. He was eager to show his fellow band mates the new card tricks he learned while they were gone. Liam and Harry had decided to go clubbing, while Louis and Zayn went around shopping in the nearby stores. To Niall’s dismay, they had decided to leave him again, but Niall was sure he’d get their attention this time.

Being an attention whore wasn’t what Niall wanted to look like, but for the past few days, the other lads had been ignoring him, or that’s what it felt like to the blond. Yesterday, the other boys all woke up earlier than Niall and decided to go get breakfast without him. Sure, everyone knew Niall really loved his sleep, but he still loved his friends more than anything. At this rate, Niall was afraid that One Direction would become One Direction… and Niall, the all boy band with the awkward fifth wheel. The Irishman was desperate. If performing lame card tricks would get the boys to notice him again, then Niall was ready to perform his heart out.

Suddenly, Niall heard the door to his hotel room open. He quickly gathered up his deck as an exhausted Zayn walked through the door, carrying several shopping bags in his two hands.

Niall jumped up excitedly. “Zayn, wann---”

“Not now, Ni,” Zayn told the younger boy, cutting him off. “Too tired to care right now,” Zayn said groggily as he dropped the bags on the floor and jumped into bed.

Niall winced at the raven-haired boy’s choice of words. Maybe Zayn really didn’t care about him anymore. Well, if Zayn didn’t care to see, then Louis might be. Louis was always excited about everything, so maybe Niall could finally have the audience he craved. The blue-eyed boy’s mood immediately changed as he imagined the older boy’s face when Niall would perform the card trick. The blond eagerly rushed to Liam, Harry, and Louis’ hotel room, leaving a snoring Zayn to wonder why Niall seemed so gloomy.

Niall reached the door of his friends’ room with big grin on his face. He lifted up his hand to knock the door, but before he could do so, Louis flung the door open and ran straight into Niall. The younger boy fell backwards from the impact, dropping his cards and hitting the back of his head on the wall behind him.

“Whoops! Sorry Ni! Didn’t mean to run into you like that,” Louis told his friend, oblivious to the fact that Niall was in pain. “Liam and Harry haven’t come back yet and I’m afraid that they may have drunk a little too much. You’d think Liam would be more responsible than this,” Louis said as he ran off, leaving the blond on the floor.

Niall got up, feeling the back of his throbbing head. Tears started to well up in the corners of his blue eyes. Louis didn’t even bother to help him. He was so worried about Harry and Liam that he didn’t give a damn about his Irish friend. Why were his friends treating him like this? Was it because he ate like horse? Maybe they thought he was annoying. Niall didn’t care anyway. His band mates were rejecting him, he knew that at least. With tears pouring down his face, Niall made a beeline for the elevator, leaving his scattered cards on the floor.

“And to think of you as the responsible one,” Liam chuckled, taking a seat in the cab.

“Hey! I wasn’t the one drinking and partying the whole night,” Louis shot back as he helped a tipsy Harry into the cab next to Liam. Louis quickly got in and shut the door.

“Well, in my defense, I didn’t actually drink tonight,” Liam smiled at his accomplishment. “Harry, on the other hand, drank like his life depended on it.”

“Noooo, I did… I didn’t drink anything Leeeyuuuuuum,” Harry slurred groggily, setting his head down on Louis’ shoulder. The older boy shoved the curly boy’s head over to Liam.

“Whatever you say, Haz,” Liam said simply. “How was shopping, Louis? Did Niall spend all of his money on food again?”

Louis shrugged. “Well, it was fine, until a few girls recognized Zayn and me under our disguises. Oh, and Niall didn’t look like he was in the mood to go anywhere, so we left him.”

Liam’s eyebrows furrowed once Louis mentioned Niall. “Louis, you should have at least asked him. Niall’s been acting a bit weird lately too, so he could have used some time with you guys.”

“Well, why didn’t you take him with you?” Louis asked.

“If Niall is feeling down, I’m pretty sure putting him around alcohol isn’t going to help,” Liam pointed out.

“Yeah, yeah okay,” Louis admitted in defeat, as the cab pulled up to the front of the hotel.

Liam stumbled out of the cab with a very wasted Harry. The youngest member of the band groaned in pain when the bright lights of the hotel invaded his bloodshot eyes. The three boys hurried to the elevator when Harry started to whine. Once the elevator reached their floor, Louis started heading towards their room when he noticed the cards on the floor.

“Ugh, Niall forgot to pick up his mess,” Louis sighed as he started picking up the cards.

Liam gave the older boy a confused look as he half-dragged half-carried Harry. “Didn’t know Niall was into that stuff.”

Louis simply shrugged. “He had them when he came to see me.”

Louis walked off to Niall and Zayn’s room, as Liam and Harry disappeared into their room. Louis reached his destination and started knocking on the door. A very disgruntled Zayn answered the door, his hair sticking up in many places.

“What?” the hazel-eyed boy asked flatly.

“Just came to give these back to Niall, Mr. Crankypants,” Louis answered cheekily, ruffling Zayn’s already messed up hair.

Zayn moved one of his eyebrows in confusion. “Niall isn’t here. I thought I heard him leave, but he didn’t come back.”

Louis gave his friend a worried look. “Well, I ran into him, literally, when I went to go get Liam and Harry. I found his deck of cards all over the floor in front of our door, so I thought he forgot about them and came back here.”

Zayn shrugged in response. “Well, he seemed kind of off when I came back. He’s probably just pigging out at the nearest McDonald’s or something.”

Louis then thought back to his conversation with Liam. Maybe something was really bothering the Irish lad. Without bidding his friend farewell, the brunette pulled out his phone and began to dial Niall’s number, while walking to the elevator.

Three frantic voicemails later, Louis exited the hotel, looking around for a familiar blond head. He thought of what Zayn said and started walking to the nearest McDonald’s. The image of Louis’ favorite leprechaun stuffing his thin body with cheeseburgers put a slight smile on the Doncaster’s lad’s face. The grin suddenly disappeared when walking past the boys’ tour bus; Louis heard a soft sniffling noise. Louis slowly crept around the bus, making sure not to make a noise to scare off whatever happened to be there. To his surprise and horror, he saw a shivering Niall curled up in a ball, leaning against the bus.

Louis rushed over to Niall and grabbed his shoulders, ignoring his friend’s body tense. “Niall! What happened?!”

Niall looked up to meet the older boy’s face, causing Louis’ heart to shatter. Niall’s once happy face was stained with salty tears. His bright blue eyes were now dull. At the sight of Niall’s face, Louis immediately pulled the smaller boy into a hug.

“Niall, please tell me what’s wrong,” Louis begged. “Please?”

Niall began to sob into Louis’ arms. He didn’t want Louis to think he was self-centered and selfish, so he shook his head. Instead of trying to force it out of Niall, Louis just kept hugging the lanky boy, stroking the back of his head soothingly.

The feather-haired boy started to hum a song, almost involuntarily. He then started to sing, changing the lyrics slightly too hopefully make Niall feel better.

“When you’re gone… when you’re gone,

I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone.

I’m gonna miss you by your hair, I’m gonna miss you everywhere, oh,

I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone.”

Louis cupped Niall’s face in his hands. The boy’s sweet voice managed to put an adorable smile on the Irish lad’s face. “Can you tell me now? Or will I have to force it out of you?” Louis asked playfully, poking Niall’s sides.

“N-nohoho,” Niall giggled, referring to Louis’ prodding, instead of the question.

“No?! How dare you defy the queen!” Louis exclaimed sassily. He then started to run his fingers up Niall’s sides playfully, causing him to laugh and thrash about.

“Nahahahahat whahahahahahat I mehehehehehehent,” Niall squealed.

Louis stopped abruptly. “Oh, so now you’re telling me that I’m wrong, huh? That calls for an even bigger punishment!” With that, Louis moved his hands to Niall’s soft tummy.

Niall tried to squirm his way out of Louis’ grasp, but the combination of the day’s events and the older boy’s invading fingers left Niall quite tired. After a while, the blond just sat in Louis’ arms and laughed his head off. Niall was certainly receiving the love and attention he craved, but in a way he wasn’t expecting. Honestly, though, Niall didn’t really hate it. Being forced to laugh against one’s will kind of sucks, but if it meant the Irishman got to spend time with the lads, then they could tickle him all they pleased.

Louis stopped his attack on Niall and looked at the shorter boy. “Ready to tell me, or do I have to tickle it out of you?” he asked with a smile on his face.

Louis hadn’t realized before how much he adored his band mate’s laughter. It was almost infectious, and a bit creepy. They were having fun, though, and that’s what mattered.

Before Niall, could speak up, Louis launched a surprise attack on his sides, sending the blond into another fit of laughter. He slowly made his way up to Niall’s armpits and then stopped right before reaching them, giving Niall a mischievous smile.

“How about… how about we just… stop right now and I’ll tell you,” Niall said weakly, realizing what Louis was about to do next.

Louis shook his head. “Nah, I have something I want to try.” With that, he shot his hands into Niall’s hollows, sending the boy into howling laughter.

Niall shook and thrashed involuntarily. He knew Louis was just playing around, but this felt like absolute torture.

“STAHAHAHAHAHAP! NOHOHO MOHOHOHORE!” Niall somehow managed through his hysterical laughter.

Louis immediately withdrew his hands once he noticed tears starting to form in the corners of Niall’s eyes. He let his friend catch his breath before beginning to speak.

“How about now?” Louis asked, this time with care in his eyes.

Niall wiped the tears that had already started to fall from his ordeal. “It’s just… it feels like you guys have been ignoring me for the past couple of days. I don’t know what I did wrong, though.” The blond sighed once he told his friend.

Louis looked at the Irishman in shock. “Aww, Nialler. It was never your fault. The rest of us were just being bad mates. I guess we just got excited from touring that we got wrapped up in our own little adventures. If you ever feel left out, make sure come see us,” Louis told his friend, wiping another tear from Niall’s face. “Oh, that reminds me,” the cheeky boy said as he pulled out the deck of cards in his coat pocket.
Niall eyes lit up at the sight of his cards. He instantly snatched them from Louis’ hands, making the other lad chuckle.

“Wanna see a card trick?” Niall asked with a child-like grin on his face.

“Sure buddy. Go ahead,” Louis replied, a warm smile creeping across his face.