It was early when Niall awoke. It couldn't be much later than seven in the morning, and for the first time in a long while he found a smile upon his lips as sleepy eyes fluttered open. He didn't really register anything in particular as he gave a brief scan of the room until he became aware of the warm weight wrapped over his torso and holding his arms close to the chest. It was comforting and soft, a gentle hush of warm breath tickling at the nape of his neck and washing away any sluggishness his newly awakened body would've held.

Niall ever so slowly turned his head, noting the dark brown hairs that sprouted along the forearm of the arm that held him close, he became aware of the body pressing it's warmth against his back. It was slightly bigger than his, having no struggle as it encapsulated his own body in such a cocoon of comfort that it took a moment before Niall had convinced himself he should leave.

It had been so long since Niall had cuddled with anybody, he relented in allowing himself at least five more minutes, the person holding him close clearly didn't mind: so why should he?

That was until he wriggled a little to reiterate his state of comfort, and found a certain something else pressing against his ass, causing him to freeze like a deer in the head lights. It was hard, and stiff, its form easily separating his cheeks despite the fabric of his underwear.

He gave what he would call "a tester" and moved his hips backwards as if just to be sure that what he felt was indeed what he felt. It's form only became more defined at the added pressure applied, the figure that was holding Niall so close gave a quiet moan that vibrated from their throat as they unknowingly shifted closer.

Yep, that's a dick.

Niall carefully slid out from the muscular arm of Will, proud of himself as he twisted his body, rolling and landing almost silently on the hardwood floor.

Mission Impossible, eat your heart out.

Standing, his knees clicking in a way that wasn't painful but made him wince all the same, he observed his bed fellow. Or fellows as there were two bodies in the bed that he was sure weren't there when he got in last night.

He vaguely remembered being woken up at Will asking to join him, probably drunk, but didn't remember Jess doing the same. Regardless he couldn't help but give a quiet chuckle as he watched the toned body of Will stretch with a grumble as he rolled over and began to spoon Jess.

Taking this as an opportunity for a moment of alone time, undoubtedly going to be a rarity this weekend, he grabbed his shoes and some clothing, carrying them bunched up in his arms out the room and into the hallway, where thankfully no one else was awake so he was able to get dressed with some privacy.

After dressing he made his way downstairs, stealthily swiping an apple from the bowl and slipping outside. He couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he passed the unconscious Jason sprawled out on one of the sofa's. A thin blanket doing nothing to hide his modesty as it only covered his mid-rift, the famous sock was still intact, and his mouth was open in light snores as drool slipped out its corner.

The sky was grey in it's morning colours. The outside holding an almost violent chill to it as Niall rubbed at his arms, catching sight of his breath on the air, while he cast his eyes outwards to the forests that surrounded the lake house. Determined to not wait for the end of the weekend for his new life to be in order, he figured that going out for morning exercise was an excellent way to start. Except he hated exercise for the sake of exercise. Especially if that exercise was running. How much he loathed it immediately coming to the forefront when faced with the opportunity to do so.

After finally deciding that he was just not a running person, Niall felt that a brisk morning walk was a good place to start instead. Should walk before you can run, right?

He started by heading towards the surrounding forest. A blend of greys, blacks, quiet greens and muddied browns shifting by him as he walked with no particular direction in mind. He slipped a few times over slick tree roots, causing his feet to sink a lot further into the mud than he would've liked considering this was the only pair of shoes he had brought with him. But ultimately decided to walk until his limbs had woken up.

Niall assumed that his walk would be totally solitary, becoming slightly surprised when he encountered a strange man not twenty minutes into his walk when the house was long out of view. He was far paler than Niall, yet somehow looked like he was at the peak of health and didn't look sickly in any sense of the word.

He wore entirely black, and had short, messy, hair. Looking over Niall with an amused expression ever so slightly tempered with confusion.

"Hello." He said twiddling his fingers in greeting, and Niall couldn't help but take note of how his ears twitched almost periodically. "You've walked a long way."

"Um... Thanks? What're you doing here?" Niall asked, feeling a little apprehensive. He couldn't help but feel a slight pang of panic at the prospect of being alone in the woods, seemingly in the middle of no where, with a stranger.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm on holiday and decided to start the day with a walk." Niall crossed his arms defensively, as if walking was something to be proud of.

"You exercise while on holiday?"

"Yes-- no. It's something new. Anyway, it's your turn."

"Funnily enough, I'm on holiday too with my family. We're a bunch of early birds, and are currently playing hide and seek. I'm Avery" The stranger announced nonchalantly, and with a chuckle; stepping forward seemingly unbothered by the ground that would normally prove a test of balance, and extended his hand.

"Niall." He responded, doing his best to give his firmest hand shake. There was a moment of silence where Avery just stood there and observed Niall, making him very uncomfortable. He seemed to be studying every inch of his body, and Niall didn't know what made him feel worse: the fact that he was being inspected by a complete stranger like an animal at the zoo, or that the strange man's expression would change into one of concern every now and then.

"Found you!" The high pitched declaration of victory called both of them to be pulled out of this strained silence as a small boy, who had appeared seemingly out of no where, beamed brightly with gappy teeth.

The boy was small and all elbows and knees. He was wearing a bright blue t-shirt and shorts, something which struck Niall as increasingly odd considering the weather. He was as pale as Avery who scooped the boy up in a fit of giggles and held him close in a tight hug.

Then another adult appeared, grinning cheekily with pearly white teeth, he was tall and handsome. Black hair that came to a point at the fringe, with sun kissed skin and a sparse five o'clock shadow around his chin. He too seemed more dressed for hot weather than the unusually rainy summer they were currently experiencing.

Niall didn't even register their idle chatter, seemingly hypnotised by the image of a happy family before him. The two adults cooing over each other and the child, who laughed and recoiled at tickles. It was picturesque. Like something out of a holiday brochure.

Avery was looking at Niall again. In fact, they all where, although Avery was the only one with a look of concern, the other two just looked confused. The boy tugging at Avery's shirt lightly with bunched fists before the other stranger gave a signal that it was time to go.

"We should go. It was nice meeting you, Niall. Maybe we'll see each other again some day." Avery said as he began to usher the other two away.

"Yeah..." Was all that Niall could muster in response, watching them before they were swallowed by the trees, their cheerful chatter also disappearing into the silence when Niall could no longer see them. It was only slightly unnerving when Niall realised he was alone once more, as if he had always been so. Only the slight distant trickle of the lake and the gentle hush of a breeze through the trees could be heard.

What a strange encounter. Niall thought to himself, unsure of whether to feel confused or worried, all he knew was that, that had been quite enough walking today. Hopefully somebody would be awake to keep him company, for as the chill of a breeze caught him by the shoulders, he couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable about the events.

To say that Will was slightly disappointed upon awakening to find that it was Jess he was spooning and not Niall, was an understatement. He stretched wide, before immediately spluttering at the mouthful of hair he had unknowingly caught himself into, causing Jess to awaken with a groan.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Will whined rolling onto his back to stretch further.

"Ah-- My head..." Jess ever so slowly sat up. Already regretting the amount of alcohol she had apparently consumed last night. She gave a weak attempt at assessing her surroundings, before rubbing at her tired eyes. Choking slightly at a throat that felt like it had swallowed sand paper. "Where are we?"

"Niall's room." Will answered, closing his eyes. He didn't intend to go back to sleep, but didn't mind resting a little longer.

"We are? What the hell am I doing in here? In fact, what the hell are we doing in here?" She questioned, swallowing in a weak attempt to lubricate her throat.

"I was cold, and your snoring kept me up." Will replied, which earned a scowl from Jess who swatted him with a pillow. Regretting it immediately as her head began to spin and a headache made itself painfully known.

"I don't snore."

"Yes you do." Will was far too slow, as despite being hungover, Jess easily wrenched the covers from his body. Exposing him to the morning chill with a shiver.

How is she so damned strong?

"Gah! What are you doing?" Will protested

"Just checking you weren't naked. Not that I would mind, but you could at least be a little less obvious in your creeping over Niall." Her words immediately caused Will to sit upright to meet the knowing gaze of Jess that was peeking through the pained expression of her hangover.

"I'm not creeping on Niall."

"Please, if I have to watch you make love-sick puppy eyes at him for a moment longer I'm going to throw up. And that's if this hangover doesn't kill me first." She scowled rubbing at her temples with her fingers.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Ya. Kinda. I'm certain everybody but Niall knows, but he's always been oblivious to absolutely everything. He's like a budgie that can't figure out it's their reflection when you put a mirror in front of them." Will felt exposed at Jess' words, causing him to look down and into nothingness as he retraced every action he ever did to see if he actually had been that obvious. How long had he been that obvious for? Had his friends always known? If so why didn't they say anything to Niall, or to him for that matter? Did they just not care?

"Most of us kinda knew since high school." Jess spoke again as if she had read his mind. "You were always all over him, we kinda just assumed it would happen sooner or later. That or that was just who you were as a person, personal space was never your forte. Then you kept getting into other relationships, which you clearly weren't all that in to, super dick move against your partners by the way. Until finally, Niall met that girl? Jacky I think her name was? And that was that."

"What is wrong with me?" Will groaned, throwing himself back on the bed with his forearm resting across his eyes. "I'm such an asshole. And a creep. I'm a creepy asshole."

After snorting, Jess slowly lay down, scooting herself closer to Will until she was resting on his bare chest, and stroking soothingly on his stomach in tight circles with the tips of her fingers.

"Yeah a little."

"Thanks."

"But Niall is also dumb, and hates himself so much that anyone being attracted to him is just not in the realm of possibility for him. You're literally going to have to spell it out for him, and don't worry. The rest of the guys, being painfully aware of your attraction to him, have all gotten under an agreement to not make a move. Romantically speaking anyway. To be honest, Emma is worried that if she were to get on that dick she might break him so... you got that goin for ya" She finished punctuating the end of her words with a light slap on the centre of his chest.

Will did feel slightly relieved, if not utterly embarrassed. Doubting himself more than ever. He knew Niall was good at hiding his feelings, so what if that meant he knew all along like the rest of the group and just didn't say anything to save from hurting his feelings?

"Can't promise you immunity though." Jess mentioned with a sleepy sigh.

"What?"

"Remember all the stuff going on in the group chat? A dirty weekend full of young adults?" She said nonchalantly.

Will had entirely forgotten about the group chat. His sole focus had been Niall, that he hadn't even considered the sordid pleasures that may be available. He lay silently gobsmacked and unsure what to reply.

Until Jess sprung up, earning a surprised gasp from Will as she fully grasped his morning wood through the fabric of his underwear and giving it a tug before jumping from the bed with a loud cackle, and declaring that she needed a hot shower and breakfast.

A/N: Another super long chapter! I hope these are enjoyable and aren't too much of a slog to get through.

I couldn't help but throw in my babies Avery, Aramis, and their child (spoilers if you haven't read my other story WitchBite). I just miss them so much that I couldn't help myself. They're characters from my first ever completed story: WitchBite.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

Thanks for reading.