To be wanted is one of the most intoxicating feelings one could ever experience. To claw at flesh and gnaw at bones because skin deep isn't deep enough. To press your nose to their neck because their scent alone falls short and you must breathe them in like oxygen never existed. A snippet in time where nothing matters but the now. Playing with fire because you are earth and desire to be molten. A maddening ocean in a storm laying to rest in the eventide of chaos.

Niall hadn't felt like that in a long time. Towards the later years of his relationship with Jacky, being desired was something he could only stare at from the outside of a rainy window. Although if she was getting it from elsewhere, why would she focus her attention on him?

It was a sad thought, wishing to be desired. To be wanted. It was keener than the vast blackness of loneliness. It drove down deeper, it's edge just sharp enough to not linger, but dull enough to tear as opposed to cut. Leaving haemorrhaging strips in its wake.

The sound of a car horn almost caused Niall to jump from his skin as it rattled through the apartment. He clutched his chest frowning angrily as he stalked over to peek out the windows. Moving the curtain aside, he peered down to the street to see Will sticking out the drivers side window and waving enthusiastically. Grinning like an absolute mad man as he spotted Niall, who returned the wave with a slight wiggle of his awkward fingers.

Will pulled himself back in to the car as he began to notice the various pairs of, now angry, eyes of the neighbours staring at him from the block of windows. He likened them to very large bats in a very large cave who's yellow orbs just catch the light enough for you to question what awaits you in the after life. And judging by the state of the old woman on the second floor, her crooked nose sneering judgementally from the window, the folks here were twice as bloodthirsty as any horror movie bat.

It didn't take long for Niall to appear. His bag seemed more like it was packed for an entire week as opposed to a weekend. Like he had suddenly become paranoid he might shit himself five times in a row and therefore needed to pack seven times as much underwear "just in case".

Will was taken aback by the emergence of Niall. The scruffiness of his hair that stuck up at odd angles, defiant against the wind, no matter how Niall gave awkward swipes with his free hand to stick them down. There was a tired sleepiness to his movements, like he was simultaneously trying to stretch himself awake as he walked, that indicated that he hadn't long woken up, and Will could not help but stare. Suddenly enthralled by how he looked. Paralysed by a hunger, a need, a twitch.

Fuck, is that what he looks like when he wakes up?

Will found himself biting somewhat on his lower lip, dragging it through his teeth, and tightening his grip around the leather steering wheel like he was bracing himself against the sheer force of his attraction, that it was only when Niall was at the foot of the car that he shook himself out of it and got out to help with the luggage.

"Jesus, man. We're only going for two days, how much did you pack?" He laughed, taking the bag by the handle and round to the boot of the car.

"I didn't know what the weather would be like, or whether it was a dress up occasion or if there would be one. I dunno. Better safe than sorry though right?" Niall responded scratching the back of his head. There was a slight weight of guilt, dropping with a thunk in his chest as he noticed the crates of beer in Wills boot. Niall hadn't bought anything to contribute to the weekend. Would they hate him for it? Think him selfish? He devised that hopefully Will would have to stop for gas and he could pick up something that didn't look like he had made no effort whatsoever.

"You always were a worrywart, come on: it's a fair few hours to the lake so we got some rubber to burn baby! Plus I know a place on the way, does the best pancakes, and yeah I know its a breakfast food, but you have to try them. My treat." Will beamed, lightly tapping Niall on the bicep with his knuckles before practically skipping back round to the drivers side door.

A worrywart? Me? Impossible. Niall thought before getting in the passengers side, taking extra care not to slam the door too hard.

The interior of the car was fancy. A dark brown leather, although Niall hoped it was fake, made for comfortable if squeaky seating. It was impeccably clean, not a single mote of dust was visible and it still held that 'New Car' smell. Either Will had worked double time, knowing he had company, to get it clean or Niall would've sworn it was brought brand new. The truth was the former. Will was meticulous and had spent the last day and a half going over everything with a fine-toothed comb the moment Niall had agreed to drive with him.

Will had, had it all planned. He'd planned the route specifically to take an hour or two longer than normal, so that they can go the more scenic direction. The break for food in between would be at the perfect time where the sun should be starting to set, making for a nice romantic gesture. All the while Niall would be stuck in a metal box unable to ignore, or escape from, Wills brilliant charm. The plan was perfect. Niall was perfect. This was all perfect, and it will all go perfect.

Niall found that as the smaller roads gave way to larger motorways, the buildings got smaller and further apart from each other, as did his pre-emptive awkwardness slowly peel back. He had assumed that given that he was terrible at talking in general, the journey would be one of thick silence. Instead it gave way to a comfortable atmosphere filled with golden tinted nostalgia. A warm fondness blooming as they remembered high school hijinks, running around as a mischievous pack of friends just living life like kids do.

"Oh my god, she was so mad." Niall laughed sitting back in the seat and hanging one arm out the window.

"I know! I didn't think there were so many shades of red a person could turn until Emma noticed that the ink had gone straight through her pants and on to her underwear. I thought she'd never forgive Jason after that."

And so that's how the journey went. Will had yet to make any real move towards his romantic agenda. He found a certain surge of panic, something he'd never experienced before, that left him dumbfounded. Like he was only able to focus on one thing at a time, and that always seemed to be whatever little thing Niall was doing. When Niall laughed it was surprisingly loud, and he did so wholeheartedly. His eyes creased almost closed, and would devolve into giggles that caused him to wrap his arms around his mid-rift. It filled the car with that happiness and Will thought it might be his favourite sound in the whole world. But then it would quiet down towards the end as if he became aware of how loud he was being and suddenly felt ashamed. Which then made Will ponder as to why he could possibly think that. Who would dare tell Niall that he couldn't laugh as loud as he wanted to?

Will decided that he hated whoever or whatever that person was, and prayed that Niall would never feel uncomfortable around him.

The sky was mostly blue save for a few looming clouds in the distance, and soon enough it began to bleed into the warming oranges of the evening. Cascading its colours across the trees and passing vehicles, and Will damn near crashed the car as it filtered through the window and cast an aura of golden-yellow to outline Niall. He had been staring longer than usual when that happened, causing the car to screech loudly as he scrambled to get back in line.

"Are you okay?" Niall asked, a worried tone trembling in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah I was just distracted." Will replied, shaking his head while furrowing his eyebrows in concentration. He was hooked.

"Distracted by what?"

"Nothing, just hungry I guess. Which is lucky I suppose, because we're here!" Will deflected, pulling into a small looking cafe on the side of the road. It had been tucked away down a short gravelly path, over-looking a wide range of open fields before slowly being swallowed by a more forested area. All awash with the gentle softness of orange sunlight. The grass gently danced in a hushed breeze, the odd tree mimicking in sync.

The cafe was only another two hours away from the lake house, and while there was a time that Will felt like he may have gone a little overboard with how long the route he chose was taking, Niall seemed unaware of where they were going anyway and clearly didn't mind. This coupled with neither of them having gotten any messages or missed calls from the rest of the group, Will decided that it was an act of fate that allowed him this time with Niall. As oblivious as he was.

The cafe was small, and box shaped. The majority of its structure was made of homely glass windows that over-looked the fields, a booth at various intersections with comfortable, well worn seats. It smelled of sweet things, like honey or syrup, and coffee that may have been slightly burned. There was the ever present squawk of a barely legible radio that spat out soft, yet cheery, tunes neither of them could recognise when it wasn't drowned out by the clanking of plates, idle chatter from the patrons, or the loud hiss of steam from the kitchen.

Will made sure to guide the pair to a corner booth for privacy, or rather: intimacy, but one that was still pressed against one of the windows. Everything was just as he had imagined it.

The two ordered their drinks, coffee for Will and tea for Niall, before Will made sure to order them both a large stack of pancakes. To share, of course. The pancakes here were something of a tourist attraction in their size, each one the width of a dinner plate and as thick as half a newspaper. The more drizzled in syrup the better, and Will couldn't help but silently wish for just the one fork that they also would have to share.

Niall was doing it again. Somehow doing nothing as he stood his chin in the palm of his hand while looking out the window, yet to Will that meant everything. He was utterly captivated by this man he had nearly forgotten about. The way the remnants of the sun light caused the paleness of his skin to glow at every crevice it touched. The sharp turn of his jaw, his shapely lips. The gentle flicker of his eye lashes as he carded his fingers through hair that had still yet to be tamed from last nights rest. How his heart heaved. Fluttered. Soared. There was a warming mixture of overwhelming pleasantness coursing through his veins, coupled with unfiltered adrenaline that threatened violence to anything that would disturb the experience. It was strange and wonderful.

When things got awkward however, and much to Wills anguish, was when he was stupid enough to ask about relationships. Niall instantly retreated in on himself, looking down and fiddling with the mug.

Originally he had intended for it to segway into a relationship with him, as opposed to digging up possibly unresolved trauma. Or at the least get a gauge on whether Niall was that way inclined. But it suddenly looked like all the progress that had been made on the trip up here had immediately been shredded.

Will did his best to reassure Niall, saying that talking about it was unnecessary, but in hindsight: changing the subject completely may have been the better option as now there was nothing but a thick air between them. Hanging like a dread weight, and mocking him through lightning forked teeth and a whip-like tongue.

Well fucking done, asshole.

Before that silence could burrow too deep into either of them however, Wills life was saved, and not for the first time: by pancakes.

They had stacked them high, coming to just below the chest of the pair in height as it sat on the table. Oozing from the top with liquid gold that drizzled down it's sides. Will was excited, and thankful for the distraction as his belly grumbled like a war cry in challenge to the Gods of old, as he picked up his chosen weapons. Niall was simultaneously mortified and impressed. The daunting mountain of food before him was arguably the most appetising thing he had seen in months.

So while Will dived in, tearing at the pancakes, Niall was a little more hesitant. Awareness sprung in him as his carved a small bite and placed it in his mouth. Slowly savouring the taste, which was heavenly.

He was already nervous about everything and the small talk of relationships had revealed to him that, the scar he had hidden in the darkened corner, hadn't quite as healed as fully as he had first assumed. He couldn't help his reaction either. Recoiling like an abused pet, and now Will probably thought that he was some sob-case worthy of pity and nothing more.

This was a bad idea...

He was pulled out of his abysmal train of thought at the presence of a thumb being rubbed against the corner of his mouth. He awoke to see Will, reaching across the table with his arm out stretched.

"You gotta little schmutz" He said wiping it away before sitting back down and sucking on his thumb. Niall was frozen at the unexpected contact, especially the unfamiliarity of it. Like there wasn't just that awkwardness that had cut through the atmosphere. Like they hadn't been apart for the passed six years. It confused him.

Why did he do that?

Why did I do that?

Will knew exactly why he did that. His eyes connected with Nialls at this moment. As he moved his thumb away from his mouth and wiped whatever remained on a nearby napkin. It was because he wanted, craved, some form of contact with Niall. Anything. And that brief moment of his hand cupping Nialls face: still held its presence in his palm, which he closed into a fist as if to keep it from flying away. What Will didn't know was why he did it so naturally without thinking. It was just automatic. Like his body was tired of being devoid of such attention and just took over for the briefest of moments.

To Nialls horror, he found himself chuckling a little as he got back to his pancakes. Shaking his head. Had Will always been like this? He couldn't quite remember: but he thinks he likes it.

A/N: Did someone ask for a slight marathon of a chapter? No? Well I did one anyway. I hope you like it ^-^