It was just a kiss. That's what Niall had resorted to calling it as he continued lightly inspecting his own lips with the tips of his fingers as if Wills was there still. It was just a kiss. Somehow removing himself by explaining it as mechanical as possible was all he could muster in a meagre attempt to ignore the impression it'd left.

Yet... If it was just a kiss, then why was it comparable to fire? No longer alight, but its presence still burned hot in it's phantom. His tongue was cautious in licking the surface of his lower lip. Daring only to dart out briefly, in a generous sweeping motion, before retreating back into his mouth. Was it his body trying subconsciously to soothe the heat that burned there? Or did it chase after the ghosts his lips had left behind?

In the fractions of seconds that had passed, Niall had gone through so many emotions. Confusion. Happiness. Hunger. Lust.

He'd hardly had anytime to process his cheeks turning as red as the tips of his ears before he was shaken from his daze by the voice of Jess, cackling through the air like lightning with a giddy excitement that petered into cheerful squeals.

"As I live and breathe!" She laughed clutching at the colourful alcoholic beverage, a neon blue, in one hand and replaying the recently experienced kiss both in blessedly burned into her memory and her phones camera. "That's going in the ol' bank that's for sure."

Niall was not impressed now that his focus had returned to the present situation. He was half tempted to wrestle the device from her, but resided himself to a muted scowl instead. Unsure why he suddenly felt so invaded.

Somehow Niall, as with everyone else here apparently, had been roped into joining one of Jess's infamous parties, in an attempt to relive the messy glory days of their teenage years. Which in turn had now led to six mid-twenty-something adults huddled around a mostly empty bottle that spun to decide who would share spit with whom.

Not quite sure of how or why he agreed to such an idea. He questioned whether it might have been the passed four pale ales he had practically guzzled to quiet his nerves at the social setting. In fact, he knew it was because of that. Still, the moment he sat in that circle, that dreaded bottle spinning, it all but immediately sobered him up. The throb of a panicked and nervous heartbeat instantly beating back any of the numbness the alcohol had promised; instead leaving nerves and a swimming head.

Although, there was a part of him, growing like dandelions in concrete, that decided that it had been a good idea. He hadn't realised how starved for physical contact he was until now, and now an awakened yearning for more prickled inside his chest. It had been a very long, and very solitary, passed few years. The idea of contact with someone else had almost seemed repulsive to Niall upon discovering a complete stranger balls-deep and bending Jacky, his ex-girlfriend, over the kitchen counter. But now he couldn't quite explain why it had been so long. Like the reason was a hidden scar in a shaded corner of a room he didn't quite have the courage to illuminate just yet, rather he just had a "feeling" that it had healed.

Will, or to use his loathed, proper, name: Willard, had retreated cheerfully back into his seating position in the circle. Evidence between their exchange still glistening somewhat on his lower lip, a woman sat between him and Niall, who he vaguely remembered from Math class, but currently she seemed unimportant. There was something different, something new. Will was the confident type. Brimming with swagger that beamed from a full chest of defined muscle and strong arms forged from years of labour work. Although with the amount of time one would argue he spent on his appearance, you wouldn't guess that he spent his working time on dust muddled construction sites being a geotechnical engineer. A musk of artificial and natural scents poured generously, although not smotheringly so, from meticulously dotted spots on his open collared shirt. Calloused, yet clean, hands welcomed whatever interaction they were given, like they always wanted to be busy. Whether that was passing the unnamed beverage between his palms absent-mindedly, or the occasional light body contact with whomever he was talking to.

Yet now that ease of personality which he so effortlessly utilised to navigate any social situation seemed stuck. As if it was unsure of whether it was wounded or not. It was confusing, scratching at the back of his neck with uncertainty. It was only when his eyes rose out of their mental musings to find Niall watching him before quickly snapping his gaze elsewhere; that he connected the dots.

Shit.

As the night continued to unfold, neither would admit the constant exchange of increasingly lingering looks. In fact, they would claim it as an unspoken game they shared. "How long could I stare at him before he looks back?" But it was when the game finally ended, and Niall got up with a stretch of his legs and headed to the kitchen that Will found himself, rather uncharacteristically, cutting the conversation with Emma abruptly short.

Coughing a small "Excuse me" as he followed after Niall. She pouted, a little dumbstruck by the suddenness, but rather than causing a scene of protest: decided to quietly sip on her drink. A small declaration of revenge already filed away in her mind as she perused for someone else to hold her attention for the night. She'd changed from high school in that loud tantrums about not getting the attention she so clearly deserved, was no longer fashionable. Now she preferred collecting shattered hearts and severed wedding rings. Invisible dead things to furnish the cavernous room where her own heart once beat like living, fragile glass.

Awkwardly carding through a number of chatty bodies, Will had made his way to the kitchen. The lights a pale shade of white when compared to the much more mellow ones of the previous rooms, gave it a definitive difference, signalling that this was the room for chatter and the others were where the party was. The laminate wood floor gave way to the slightest of sticking sounds that caught ever so slightly in his awareness, but Will ignored it. An unusual streak of blind determination pushed him onwards. The only thing of which he was certain, was that he had to find Niall. After that however, was anybody's guess.

Niall was leaning against one of the counters, keeping himself busy with yet another pale ale, awkwardly nodding and smiling at the conversation directed his way that had become little more than faint murmuring he was only vaguely paying attention to. Really, he was hoping the smitten couple by the back door would move so he could slip outside for some fresh air without people accusing him of leaving. But he didn't want to be a bother and so he was resigned to his current corner in defeat. That was until he saw Will enter the kitchen and as if drawn, made eye contact.

Niall felt his stomach sink as that damned kiss, which he had temporarily forgotten, was suddenly pulled into the foreground. He wanted to shrink. To miraculously have an excuse to move away, run to the bathroom. Instead he made what he presumed to be the second mistake of the night. He smiled.

Intending it to be a tight-lipped display of how awkward and uncomfortable he was, a sure sign of "please don't approach me". Apparently something was lost in translation as the previously frozen in place Will took that as the signal to step forward.

"Hell of a party, right?" Will beamed, reaching for another drink to keep his hands busy. Niall seemed to only be able to muster up a slight hum in response. Afraid that the sudden leap in his chest would cause him to shriek when he opened his mouth as opposed to reply like a sane person.

"What has it been, five, six years? How're you holdin up buddy?" Will pressed, suddenly hyper aware of how much like a jackass he was sounding. Why did he sound like that? What was wrong with him all of a sudden?

"Yeah I'd say so." Niall finally finding the strength to respond after clearing his throat. The silence between them was permeable. Niall suddenly found that he hated himself more and more with each second that passed as his skill in small talk became evidently obvious in its absence. He was frozen in his awkwardness. Eyes searching for anywhere that wasn't the able-bodied man in front of him. What did he want with me anyway?

Will was, similarly, on the same train of thought. Although it was beaten back by the swell of confidence that pushed against the nerves he was so used to fighting him.

Fuck it, it's a party. Just kiss him.

His knuckles white around the bottle he was holding as taking a deep breath inwards, he stepped forward and - -

"Hey you guys – Oh excuse me, yup, thank you" Jess burst into the kitchen, ducking and weaving through bodies and conversation like a woman on a mission. Niall turned to her instantly as she approached a chuckle of relief bubbling from his chest as he didn't notice Will shrinking away somewhat.

"Jess, what's up?" He asked as she dramatically keeled over with her hands above her knees and let out a few exhausted breaths, as if finding them had been a monumental task.

"So no need to tell me, this party is going great and it's only ten thirty I know, but Emma thought that its been so good that she wants a whole bunch of us to have a boozy weekend out by the lake! Isn't that great?" She asked, throwing her arms out in grandiose presentation and a bright smile showing off her pearly whites.

Silence and awkward "Uh..." s were her only reply from the pair.

"Come on you guys, it'll be fun. I promise, I'll supply the alcohol, the music, the games. Everything. Emma is providing the location and food. You literally just need to bring yourselves and clothes I guess. Please?" She whined, clasping her hands together.

Niall wanted to say no. Except that he didn't. Fear wanted him to say no, when in fact he knew that a social weekend would probably be nothing but good for him. 'Probably' being the word his mind naturally clung to. So, reluctantly, he said yes.

Will also wanted to say no. He had things to do, work to accomplish. Work that would also be waiting for him when he got back because damned if anyone else would do it. Yet when Niall said yes, he agreed along with him before he could even stop himself. Suddenly he became angry with himself.

For the second time tonight he asked himself what it was exactly he thought he was doing? Why?

It was just a kiss.  

A/N: I'm back babes and trying something new. Namely, third person. I've never been too hot on it, but lately I've been itching to give the new perspective a go. If you enjoyed it, even though it's just a prologue, or even if you hate what you see: don't be afraid to leave a comment and/or consider voting if ya like.
Regardless, thanks for reading!