× Mercury

The concert festival was taking place in the Stamford Bridge Stadium.

The place was already packed even though the stadium was ridiculously large for only local bands. There was a high energy song playing through the large speakers as a tech crew set up equipment on the stage. On the field, people were already dancing with plastic cups of beer filled to the brim. The moon was nearly full tonight, shining down through the opening of the arena and illuminating the crazy crowd. Despite it being winter and the stadium not having a roof, no one wore a coat. The body heat was already intense that layering up was hardly necessary.

I came alone. At the time I didn't see it as a big deal, but as I made my way through the swaying bodies, I realized that it probably wasn't a very smart idea. I didn't really know what to do with myself. I wasn't even going to come to the festival, but as soon as I heard that it was free admission to anyone who went to Roehampton University, there was no more debate. I knew for a fact Annie was coming since she said she went every year; I should have just asked her if I could tag along. But alas, I didn't do that and now I was stuck alone and walking the circumference of the stadium until the first band starts to play.

I somehow managed to get to the front of the stage. It was at the edge and in front of a barricade that blocked off the dim hallway that led backstage, but it was the front nonetheless.

As I looked around, in hopes that I would find someone I knew, I felt my heart lurch in my chest when I spotted someone down the passageway, leaning against the wall as he fiddled with something in his hand.

"Harry!" I called as loud as I could so he could hear me above the pop song playing though the speakers.

His curly head popped up and looked around. The second his soft, green eyes saw me, a wide grin spread on his face, exposing those deep dimples I loved.

"Hey, Lynn," he said as he walked the few feet toward me. "It's good to see you."

"You, too! Are you performing tonight?"

"Yeah, the second act."

"I'm excited to finally see you perform," I admitted. "It sucked that I never had the time to watch you when you were preforming at dive bars."

"Maybe that's a good thing," he said, stuffing his hands in his back pockets. "Bar performances aren't our best."

Talking to Harry was easy, it had always been easy, and I fell into a comfortable state of mind. I was happy to see him, really happy. The way things ended between us wasn't ideal, but at least it was on good terms, and I was glad to see a familiar face in such a hectic environment. Being with him again felt safe, like everything that happened between the two of us didn't occur and we just started back up where we left off. It was nice. It had always been nice to talk to Harry, though, and I was glad our failed relationship didn't tarnish that.

"So how's the band doing, anyways?" I asked.

"It's going alright," he shrugged. "Eli's still an arse, though."

I laughed, thinking about that horrendous night at the club. "Still looking for a guitar player I take it?"

"Yeah. You would think they would be easy to find, but Sam and I aren't having much luck in that department."

"I'm sorry."

Harry was wearing black skinny jeans and a thin, white T-shirt. His brown Chelsea boots were worn down and the tattoos running up and down his arm seemed to glow in the light of the moon. It gave me a sense of comfort that even though things in my life have been changing rapidly; I could always rely on Harry's choice of attire staying the same.

"Someone's watching," Harry suddenly said, looking over my shoulder.

I followed his gaze and thirty feet away I saw Niall standing at the edge of the crowd, a red solo cup in his hand and a disgruntled look on his face as he watched Harry and I converse. I hadn't talked to him in two days; the day in his room when he told me he didn't wear a condom. Okay, that wasn't true. I talked to him at practice, but that doesn't count. Those conversations were strictly professional.

Harry sighed. "I should probably go find Sam and help with the equipment," he said before looking at Niall one more time. "Oh, but before I do, I have to ask you something."

"What?"

"Are you keeping that bet when I scored a goal on you?"

I thought back to that warm day in the soccer field. Be happy.

Was I happy? I had a nice Thanksgiving with my family. I was still on the soccer team, going into the BUSA. That should make me happy, right? I recently saw my brother, had him around for a whole week. That was something I hadn't had the pleasure of in a long time. And my friends were always there for me with open arms no matter what. My grandma was as cheerful as ever and Coach Sharp seemed to be doing okay, as well. But there was something, I wasn't sure what, and I suddenly felt gloomy.

There was really only one answer I could give Harry without lying to his face.

"I'm trying."

Harry nodded in understanding before he walked down the hall and disappeared around the corner to find his bandmate.

I spun on my heels and stared at Niall. He started making his way over to me and I couldn't help admire the way he looked. It wasn't anything different from his red flannel shirt, a Chicago Bulls snapback, and black skinny jeans, so I blamed it on the moon above for making him look so angelic-like.

"What are you doing here, Ireland?" I asked once he reached me.

Niall looked at me oddly, something I'd gotten used to. "So we're back to this, huh? Being hostile toward each other even after everything that happened?"

I crossed my arms. "I think no matter what we do behind closed doors, our default interaction will always be hostile."

"It doesn't have to be."

The lights in the stadium went off and was replaced with spot lights on the stage. Instantly, the crowed shuffled forward, pushing Niall and I closer to the steel fence in front of us. A guy tapped on the microphone in the front, making a muffled echo sound. He quickly introduced the band as the other members got into their position. Not soon after that the whole stadium was alive with sound and flashing lights.

Music filled the air without effort; the sound rushing in and around every person in the arena. I stayed where I was for the whole set, not seeing it necessary to move since I was pretty much packed into the corner. Niall stayed by my side as well. I remembered that he was a little claustrophobic and wondered if this was the safest place for him to not freak out, or if he generally just wanted to be by me.

Harry's band was up next. Sam introduced them as Godless Intuition while Eli and Harry get into their positions. I've heard the band play together once when they were practicing, but nothing like this, not when they were in a stadium with a thousand people watching.

It wasn't until they started their first song did I really feel the need to move. It was a high-powered rock song and Harry's rough voice through the microphone sent my body buzzing with excitement. I started to move my hips to the rhythm of the beat.

"I'm kind of surprised," Niall said from beside me. "They're not half bad."

He stared out beyond the brim of his red snapback, the lights flashing, occasionally panning out over the crowd. He was a few pints deep; his cheeks flushed from the alcohol. His long fingers drummed against his thigh, plucking out the chords along with the music.

I watched Harry as he sang, but all my concentration seemed to be on Niall. Or more so on his arm as it brushed against mine. I felt his gaze on me as I pretended to be focused on the stage and not how his flannel shirt hugged his body, or the way he occasionally licked his lips.

And then suddenly he was behind me, his solo cup gone. He didn't hesitate long as he slipped strong hands on each side of my hips. I resisted the urge to press backward against him, mere inches between our bodies. By the bridge of the song, his fingers had found their way into the loops of my jeans, his thumbs lifting my T-shirt enough to expose the waistband. The quickened tempo of the song matched the racing of my pulse. The scent of Niall's cologne and the beer on his breath filled my nose. He started to move his hands up my shirt and I could feel his fingers on my stomach, sending chills down my spine. And then his lips. His ungodly lips started planting small kisses on the side of my neck.

I was no longer aware of the thumping music around us and all the sweaty bodies - just him and his touch against my skin.

And then suddenly he was gone, leaving a chill through my body from his absence.

I looked around to see where he went. He was to my left now, stealthily jumping over the barrier that separated the crowd and the backstage.

"What the hell are you doing?" I yelled after him.

Niall just looked over his shoulder with a wicked grin before covertly walking down the hallway with confidence.

As he was swallowed up by the shadows, I quickly looked around. There was a guy holding onto his girlfriend for dear life, a group of tattooed punks who were obviously drunk, and someone who was clapping off beat to the song obnoxiously, but no one seemed to notice Niall's sudden rebellion.

Curious as to where he was going, I jumped the barrier after him and quickly ducked behind a speaker before anyone saw me. Once I knew I was clear, I quickly made my way down the hallway.

Equipment littered the ground and I nearly tripped over wires that were coming out of fancy musical gadgets that lined the floor. People leaned against the walls, waiting for their turn to perform. Some were smoking and some were eating a quick snack, probably to calm their nerves before they had to get on stage to perform.

When I passed a room with an open door, an arm shot out and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the darkness. I heard the door slam shut and the click of the deadbolt.

And then Niall was there in front of me, not wasting any time as he pressed me against the concrete wall, the coolness seeping through the fabric of my shirt.

I had every intention of pushing him away, but then his hand touched my face. The acceleration of my heart-rate had nothing to do with surprise and everything to do with what my body really wanted. I tried averting my gaze, but after all this time Niall read me like a book - eyes on my chest, my breathing rate noted. With a gentle finger, he raised my face so that he held the gaze I didn't want to give him. There wasn't a smile on his lips, only the hot intensity of his stare that we both know was the start of the inferno to come.

He pressed closer to me, his crotch grinding against mine slightly as his mouth landed on mine. I could feel his length hard against my thigh, an involuntary moan leaving my lips as his hands slipped down, gripping my ass. His lips soon left mine and found my jaw, and then the pulse point at my neck.

My eyes soon adjusted to the dark room as I looked around the best I could from over Niall's shoulder. We must have been inside a storage area of some sort with huge TVs pushed into one corner of the room and large amplifiers in another. Old guitar cases were lying on the ground along with abandoned instruments and microphone stands. An ancient looking drum kit was pushed up against the wall and broken red and blue lights dangled from the ceiling, waiting for a freak accident to happen.

"Niall," I breathed out, putting my hands on his chest in an ineffective attempt to halt his actions. "Niall, stop. This is wrong, this is-"

"Don't even start with me, Lynn," he snapped. Even though he was breathing heavy, his voice was hard with determination. "I know you want this because if you didn't, you wouldn't have followed me back here."

The eyes that were normally the clearest of blues were now a dark, rainy gray, pupils blown to black pools. I questioned what could have possibly turned him on like this because I sure as hell didn't do anything to provoke him.

I opened my mouth to ask what had gotten into him, but before I could even get a word out, Niall's hungry lips crashed against mine fiercely. This wasn't a sweet, clock-stopping kiss. This was a hungry, panty-dropping, fuck-me-harder-than-I-can-even-fathom type of kiss. He started to move his lips down my jaw to my neck once again, lightly biting every so often and making me moan in pleasure.

Something changed then. My body was responding to the small things Niall did, like how his actions were smooth and poised, the way his hands gripped my waist firmly, wide palms sliding over me. It made me breathless and needy. And he was right.

I wanted him.

My heart was in my stomach and an ache between my legs throbbed like a drum, overwhelming me as his soft, skilled tongue worked against my skin. I wanted those lips, rumbling with vulgarities and praise and the most erogenous version of my name I'd ever heard.

I wanted him. I wanted him so fucking bad.

Fumbling to undo his belt buckle, my mouth pressed against his in a desperate kiss. I couldn't help it. Never in my life had someone turned me on the way he did. Once his belt was undone, I did the zipper and started to nudge his jeans down over his ass and began to palm his cock through the fabric of his boxers.

"Ohh, fuck," he growled against my mouth with a small laugh. "You're wasting no time."

His hands roamed up the small of my back and started lifting my shirt over my head. The second the material was on the dusty floor, he pulled the cups of my bra down off my breasts, not even bothering to unhook the clasp. His mouth landed on mine again and he started to play with the nipple on my right breast, while his other hand began to undo my pants.

I removed the red snapback from his head and dropped it to the floor, running my hands through his sandy locks.

"Ready?" he asked with a smug grin.

When I nodded, he pulled down my jeans and underwear in one swift motion, falling down my ankles and to the floor in a pile. Niall then lifted me up on a nearby amp. I reached my arms over his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his plaid shirt and pulled at it along with his undershirt over his head.

Before we could go any further, I grabbed his arm. "Condom," I warned.

"I thought you were on the pill?" he asked impatiently.

"There's always that point one percent that it might not work, Niall," I explained. "And I'm always afraid that I took it at the wrong time or accidentally missed a day without realizing it. I know the odds are low but even you don't want to mess with those statistics. Condom. Please."

Grunting in frustration, he reached behind him and dug into his jean pocket that was still around his thighs. A second later he pulled out a square package and ripped the condom open with his teeth.

"You're lucky I had one on me," he said like the condom was for my benefit and not both of ours.

The edge of the amplifier dug into the back of my thigh. I wasn't exactly a girl who had an adventures sex life. Before Niall, the riskiest place I'd ever had sex was on the floor of my bedroom when my parents were asleep a few rooms away. But being in public, the added danger of someone hearing us, was a bonus of the thrill, making things more vibrant and the feelings more intense.

I watched him as he tugged his boxers down just enough so his cock sprung out between us, pink and ready. After he rolled the condom on, I wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing him closer to me. He teasingly rubbed his tip against my folds, getting a good idea of how fucking wet I was for him, and then slowly, ever so slowly, pressed into me. Then suddenly he was pulling back out and teasing my clit with his head.

"Don't fuck around," I groaned, my body already stimulated from his touch.

That was clearly the wrong thing to say because the next thing I knew Niall had my wrists in one hand, pinned above my head.

"What," he started low in his throat, pressing his body against mine, "did you just fuckin' say to me?"

He was obviously the type of guy that didn't enjoy being told what to do, and I was turned on even more than I was before from the livid expression on his face.

"Please," I whined.

"Oh, you're gunna be beggin' for me in a minute, Princess," he said, his accent getting thicker.

He grabbed my hips and started thrusting into me, hard. I gasped at the sudden strength, enjoying every second of him filling me up. It didn't matter how much he teased or that he asked me to beg him for. I was up for it because nothing was more satisfying than this feeling; the feeling of being joined with him.

I was amazed at how good this felt and how I didn't have to pretend I was enjoying myself like I had to with Bradley. It had always been about him and him only. But with Niall, he paid attention to my reactions and when he hit a certain spot he would hit it again and again for my benefit. I'd never fit with anyone the way I fit with Niall. And the orgasms. Oh my god, the orgasms. Niall made sure that I finished, made sure I was feeling exactly what I should be feeling instead of being selfish and only doing what made him feel good.

"Oh, shit. Niall, right there!" I shouted in between thrusts as he started hitting my g-spot over and over again.

"Fuckin' Christ," Niall cursed under his breath. "Love it when ya say my name like that."

He started to move his hands down my thighs and I wrapped my legs tighter around Niall's thrusting hips, making each pump harder, stronger, and faster. I could feel my orgasm closing in already.

Niall sighed into my mouth, both of us relaxing against each other. His lips felt soft and gentle against my skin, so when he pulled away, it was a jolt back into reality. His hand found its way to my back, fingers playing with the clasp of my bra until it finally unhooked from around my waist and fell against the amp.

"Thank God," I sighed with relief. "That thing was a trap."

Niall's thumb pressed against my clit and he moved it in quick, hard circles. I started to lose my grip on the amp, my palms slick with sweat. He leaned forward to compensate, his cock hitting me deeper yet as I felt myself unravel.

And then he did something I wasn't prepared for.

He grabbed one of my hands and laced his fingers with mine. He leaned down so we were chest-to-chest and his lips grazed mine gently. His eyes were hooded but they were staring back at me, unwavering.

I thought back to the night in his room when he said, I only touch when it's completely necessary, but with you it was different. And I wondered if this was what he meant - the hand holding, our chests flushed together, and the eye contact. It was tender even if his thrusts against me were wild. It was stimulating. It was liberating. It was making my body burn from the inside out.

"Are you close?" he asked, his breath ragged in my ear.

My words were stuck in my chest, that moment just before spilling over the edge lasting for what seemed like forever. I wrapped my fingers around his hand tighter before my eyes slammed shut, his name bubbling up from my throat and out of my lips in a groan.

"Yes, please... don't stop," I gasped as my walls began to tighten around him.

The hand that wasn't in Niall's grabbed onto anything I could as he fucked into me hard, his cock rutting against my spot perfectly. His hips thrust into me with such determination it took my breath away. He was chasing after my release just as hard as I had been his. Sliding his hand down onto my clit, he rubbed circles into me while his hips slapped against mine.

"Ugh..." He grumbled into my neck, "Fuckin' come, Lynn. I need to feel ya 'round me."

"Niall..." I breathed out.

I was going to come and it was going to turn me inside out. The orgasm tore through every nerve in my body. A burst of pleasure rushed over the entirety of my body, my back arching with the sensation. I tingled and throbbed and lost myself completely in the feel of him in front of me, inside me, and all over me. I called out his name, I don't know how many times, before my ankles locked around his ass and pushed him further into me. That caused him to tip over the edge as well, breathing out my name like a prayer, his head down against my neck in pure ecstasy.

Niall collapsed his full weight on top of me. I ran my hands through his sweaty hair as we breathed heavily from the wicked state we were in. His sweaty forehead was against my cheek while we both tried to catch our breath. I felt intensely spent but so alive I could barely control the buzz coursing through my veins.

"You're crushing me," I breathed out, a shy smile on my lips.

"Sorry," he responded, but made no move to get off me. "Never came that hard before, Princess. I'm having some trouble standing right now."

I giggled, it was a sound that was foreign to me. I couldn't remember the last time I giggled. Knowing that I had the same effect on him as he did on me, made this whole thing more redeeming. So maybe that was why I giggled - I felt like I was on cloud 9.

Niall let out a muffled laugh, his head burred in the crook of my neck. "So much for it only happening in my dreams, eh?"

"Oh, shut up," I muttered, which only made him laugh harder.

Cheering from beyond the storage room interrupted our serenity as a new song started playing through the speakers.

"We should probably get dressed," I smirked at him. "Can you stand?"

Niall groaned and slid off me, helping me off the amp. He removed the condom and threw it in the trash next to the door. We both started to get dressed in silence, slightly fumbling here and there with our clothes in the dark. It was especially hard for me because my fingers, once again, had gone numb.

"You decent?" he asked me a few moments later.

"Yeah," I said, readjusting my bra straps so they were hidden under my shirt properly.

I started to walk towards the door but Niall stopped me by the wrist.

"Wait," he said, making me turn around to face him. He was slow, taking his time as his hands came up to cup my face, his thumb trailing along my cheekbones. "I just... I have to kiss you. Just once before we leave."

It was an odd request, but after what we just did, I wasn't going to say no. I nodded my head slowly, my lips already tingling with anticipation.

And then his mouth was against mine, soft and sweet, anything but needy, which was a huge distinction to what just happened. There wasn't any motive behind it, no urgency, no reason to fight dominance; he just simply wanted to kiss me. It sent shock waves through my body, even more so then the act we just committed on the amplifier a few feet away.

I started to question him inside my head. Why did he feel the need to kiss me after we just had sex? Surly this wasn't his normal routine as he seemed rather nervous when he spoke. This was the part where I should have ran and left him in the room like I always seemed to do.

But maybe it was okay to want to kiss him back. Maybe it was okay that I didn't feel the need to run. I wanted to stay there, with him in his arms, and that scared me.

But maybe that was a good kind of fear.

So I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back.