For Your Eyes Only

Annie’s POV
Niall was the object of my full attention as we exited the hospital room to find the boys all ready to go, sitting in the waiting room, Liam looking awful. I blushed just remembering the so recent feeling of Niall’s gentle, loving touch bringing me to the most amazing feeling of euphoria I had ever experienced. No one had ever even tried to pleasure me like that. No one had cared about my enjoyment of anything. No one had touched me that way before. And I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. I was Niall’s and his alone, and maybe someday I could find it in me to give myself to him completely.
“Liam, y’alright?” Niall asked as we approached the group. He really did look bad. He was white as a sheet, holding a waste basket under his chin as if he was going to be sick. He nodded, but didn’t speak.
“Doctor says it’s just a bit of a bug and that…” Louis paused, his eyes widening at me, no, my neck. “What were you doing in there?” he asked, stressing each word with raised eyebrows. The other lads stared at the same spot, and I was grateful we were alone in the room as they laughed and hooted in surprise. Niall leaned close and brushed aside my hair, frowning and making an “Oops” face. He looked incredibly guilty as I marched to the bathroom that happened to be right there, peering at my neck in the mirror. Directly over my right collarbone was a painful purplish-red mark that was about the size of two quarters.
“Niall!” I gasped, incredibly embarrassed. This just set off another round of giggles from the boys, adding to the color in my cheeks. I came back out, grabbing my things and ignoring the boyish shouts behind me. I cried out suddenly as my feet left the ground and I was hoisted into the air, Niall carrying me bridal style out to the bus. I’ll never live this down.
We managed to make it to the hotel in Berlin on time, despite what had turned into a two and a half hour delay at the hospital. I spent the entire ride there layering make-up over the love bite Niall had left on my neck, knowing that fans would be mobbing outside the hotel.
I was a bit surprised when he asked if he could talk to the boys about… everything I had told him. I hesitated at first, but I realized that in being with Niall, I was, in a way, being with the other boys too. I also realized how much I trusted all of them. So I told him yes, but not to make me sit there. I didn’t want to be the object of their shocked stares and pitied glances that I knew would come. It wasn’t their fault; I knew it would be crazy to hear. But I didn’t want to see it.
They surprised me, though, when we got to the hotel. I got out of the bus right behind Niall, but the boys ran the other direction and hopped into a black car, speeding off before we could question them. “They’re probably going out for a drink, or something,” Niall excused.
“With Liam as sick as he is? I doubt it,” I replied. He simply shrugged it off, looking like he hadn’t slept in a week.
Niall and I made it to our hotel rooms, threw our bags down, and collapsed on the bed. Apparently Niall had downed some pills at the hospital, and the hour of sleep he had grabbed while there wasn’t enough. He was snoring almost instantly.
He looked like an angel, lying there, all ruffled and flawed and perfect. I couldn’t have wished for a better boyfriend. Honestly. He cared so much that it almost brought me to tears just thinking about it. For a moment I wondered how many other girls had stood watching him sleep, thinking the same thing, or maybe just thinking that he was fun to go home with, and then left. Walked out on him, breaking his heart. How many had he whispered words of love to, and marked as he had me? Did they leave him, or did he leave them?
I stopped my mind in its tracks. I didn’t need to think about them. It was just me and Niall now. Nobody else.
Harry’s POV
“Louis, stop poking Liam’s stomach! You’ll make him throw up on the floor!” I whispered harshly as we awkwardly made it into the little flower shop. Niall had spent the ride to the hotel from hospital explaining Annie’s situation. We were all in a sort of shock. We never, ever would have guessed that. She was so… so happy all the time, always smiling and laughing. She was one of those people that you would go and be around just because you knew they would be interested in what you had to say, or because they’d cheer you up without even trying. I loved her, and so did Louis and Liam. She was like an extra sister that all of us shared, and she was absolutely perfect for Niall.
“Haz, I’m gonna be sick,” Liam groaned, clutching his stomach. I glanced around frantically looking for a toilet. There.
“Louis! Take Liam to the toilets and make sure he doesn’t get anything on the floor,” I snapped, pointing them in the right direction. I watched until they disappeared into the bathroom and then took a deep breath before approaching the counter. I was irritated that I was doing Liam’s job of being in charge, but somebody had to, seeing as he had the freaking plague.
“Hello, can I help you?” asked the older woman running the till.
“Yes, I need a 99 red roses and 1 fake rose, please,” I smiled. She seemed utterly confused, and she had a right to be. “Um, it’s for my brother’s girlfriend. She’s… ill,” I mumbled, trying to come up with a plausible reason. Her expression quickly changed from ‘you’re nuts’ to a sweet, motherly smile.
“Oh, of course, dear. Would you need them now or would you like them delivered?”
“Now, if it isn’t any trouble.” She laughed a bit and waved her hand at me.
“It isn’t any trouble at all. You’re such a gentleman,” she giggled. Suddenly she frowned, and I turned to see an annoyed Louis helping a deathly pale Liam from the bathroom. “For those two, however, I can’t say the same,” she muttered under her breath. I grinned rolled my eyes at the two of them as she disappeared into the back to get our order. The alert sound from my phone signaled a text, probably from Paul telling us to get our you-know-whats back.
Higgins: Guys, hurry the heck up. Look out the window.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw a group of girls starting to form outside the small shop, pointing and taking pictures. I cursed under my breath. This was supposed to be covert. Thinking fast, I rang the little bell on the desk.
“Yes?” the woman answered, returning from the back room.
“On second thought, can we have those flowers delivered as soon as possible?” I asked, scribbling down the address and room number on a notepad on the counter.
“Of course. Thank you, have a wonderful afternoon,” she said cheerfully after I paid for the flowers. The three of us ran out the front, stopping for a few pictures, and then jumped into the car.

Notes

He gave her a looovee biiiiiiite