Ronan: To the Moon and Back

Its one of those sunny days, where the weather in London is actually nice, somewhere between the sun warming bodies and then beginnings of fall just nipping at your skin. The sun had decided to stop being shy and come out to play and enlighten the city with its presence. Maybe, it's because of the sun, that causes an idea to pop up in Raelyn's mind, as most of her thoughts mimic a jack-in-the-box.

Another Friday comes around the corner, meaning the usual post Hospice visit lunch is in full. Has been for the pass month when Niall decided that the lunch Raelyn was eating in the cafeteria was a crime against good food, and declaring her tea to be an absolute sin, due to the six sugar packets next to the cup (she never puts sugar in her tea according to Louis and does Niall hear that all the damn time because she is all Louis talks about lately) and quite literally drags her out of the Hospice and into their waiting car.

Despite the apprehensive looks their one bodyguard gave her the whole time, until Rae kindly defended herself - "He's quite forceful when he wants to be, nearly pull me arm out of me socket, so forgive me for unintentionally an unwillingly intruding on this lovely food outing. I'll be sure to tip my waitress though"-- which sparked a rather loud laugh from Louis himself and a prideful smirk on Niall's lips. Now, apparently, it was her turn to choose the location.

"That's just how it is, Rae. Like spin the place where going to eat bottle...or a ketchup bottle. Heh." Harry explained, earning a loving pat on his shoulder from Rae herself.

So Rae chooses a secluded little hole in the wall burger place. It's fairly new and she only heard about it through her co-worker, Max, the week prior, who mentioned it when he tried to ask out Kari when she came to visit again. The place smells amazing, the scent of grilling meats and fried chips wafting up their noses, mouths watering from anticipation. Set in the back is a small patio, complete with rustic tables and chairs, with an open wooden overhang that cast shadows across the area. It's between the shadows when Rae thinks of it; The metal of Niall's braces catch the shine of the sun, as he cackles loudly, briefly flashing as the gleam blinds her eyes for moment.

When the popping white lights had faded, Rae's eyes refocus on the blonde Irishman. The light reflects the blue of his eyes, twinkling with joy and shining like an oceans reflection on the surface. Niall has his head turned, for Louis had told a joke, in such a way, that Rae's fingers are twitching to get her camera. His profile is perfect and the way the sunlight hits his eyes is too good for any aspiring photographer to pass up; she wants to play with lightening for her next self declared project. Quietly, keeping her eyes trained on the boy willing he doesn't move, she fishes out her camera. She takes all the proctective caps off, and locks her lens. Holding it up to her eye, she focuses the lens quickly, finds the shot she wants and presses her index finger down on the shutter. They all hear the unmistakable sound of the camera, confusion, and slight panic from Paul who decided to come, setting in.

"It's just me. Don't move Niall." Rae speaks calmly so not to startle him, as he's about to shift over. "Freeze just like that. Don't drop your smile either, you're fine." She takes several others photos, angling her body and camera for different shots, smiling to herself. Satisfied, she finally sets her camera down on the table, looking up and noticing the curious looks on the faces around her; an amused expression on Louis'.

"Oh." She mutters sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I should have asked."

"Can I move now?" Niall questions, eyeing her from the corner of his eyes.

"Yes! Sorry. I just- the light was just perfect and I- like I couldn't pass up-your eyes were doing this thing and...yeah. Sorry."

Niall laughs heartily, shrugging his shoulders. "It's fine. I can't help my good looks."

Zayn leans over in his seat next to her, peering at the image of his friend set on the small screen of the camera. "Wow." He breathes "that's really good Rae. I thought you used film though?"

"I do most of the time when in not lazy about it. This one uses both a memory card and film rolls." She explains. "I use the memory card for the Hospice Newsletter though.

"May I?" He asks, holding out his hands.

"Oh, um, sure." Rae carefully give her camera over to Zayn, watching as he studies the pictures more closely.

He proceeds to show Liam, who in turned passes it to Harry, who hands it off to Louis. Rae doesn't ignore the way his eyes brighten, or how the corners of his mouth turn up into an interesting smile. Interesting because once he hands the device to Niall, Louis' eyes met hers and the only two words she has to describe it is amused intrigued. She's not sure if that's good or bad ever coming from him.

"Those are amazing." Harry compliments kindly. He smiles at Rae, before stealing the camera back from Niall, pressing a few buttons and turning the lens on himself.

"Bit quirky." Louis comments across the table while Harry takes several goofy self shots. "Taking creepy shots like that of a popstar."

Rae opens her mouth to defend herself before she catches the gleam of mirth in Louis' eyes. "I have yet to show up at your house randomly in the evening. Besides, it's only creepy if they've got a face like yours, darling." She retorts playfully. "Wouldn't want to scare the kids now, would we?"

Harry barks out a laugh, jolting his body, causing his finger to press the button again. Zayn nods in approval, blissfully shocked at how quickly Rae banters towards Louis. Niall throws his head back in laughter, patting Louis' cheek and Liam just snickers behind his hand, patting Louis consolingly on his back.

"Is that so?" Louis quirks his eyebrows, leaning forward on the table.

Rae hides her smile by rubbing her lips together, nodding.

"Creepy is as creepy does, babe." He recites.

Rae copies his movements, ignoring the small sounds of her camera snapping away. Instead of saying anything, she slowly lifts her forearms, resting on her elbows on the table. Her hands form to hold an imaginary camera, pressing her finger down on the invisible button and making a light clicking sound with her tongue. Her smile is all teeth at Louis' slight confusion.

"Mental picture on an imaginary camera. Probably the only ones I can take. Wouldn't want to risk my real one." Then winks playfully at him.

The insult dawns on Louis. "Oh, ok." He smiles back, "I see how it is."

Before he can get another word out, Rae quickly snatches her camera back, still held loosely in Harry's hands, and snaps a picture of Louis' face before he can even blink. "Only joking, Lou." She beams brightly at him. "I could never be that cruel."

"I know." Louis answers softly, raising his hand for a moment before dropping it. "Truce for now?"

"Truce."
***

That day at lunch Louis had wanted reach out and tuck the stray strand of hair that had fallen from Rae's braid behind her five ring pierced ear. He had gotten as far as raising his hand, only to remember that they aren't alone and four other pairs of eyes were watching them closely. It's becoming a dangerous habit. So who cares if a week later Louis calls her up because according to him the boys all want to be in one of her photo shoots, even offering to pay her himself if she agreed. ("Yeah! Pay as in a date!" Niall shouts from behind him. He punches Naill in the arm and hopes Rae didn't hear it.)

"I can't take your money." She tried protesting. Louis had scoffed, and insisted.

So here they are now, in the back garden of a long out of business coffee and tea shop, Rae nervously fidgeting with her camera. Two different lens set carefully on an old table, while Harry and Louis pick up the small objects that had fallen out of the hole of her ripped bag.

"Honestly Rae, don't you think it's time for a new one?" Louis huffs, scanning the overgrown grass for anything he may have missed.

"No." She answers shortly, maybe even a little hostile. 

Harry looks up, concern laced in with the green of his eyes, and nudges for Louis to ignore it.

Rae sighs, "I meant, no thank you. It means a lot of me."

Louis nods quietly and goes back to searching the grass.  She's nervous and it's almost like a security blanket in a weird way. He should've known better than to say anything against the bag, still not quite sure why she's so attached to it despite it literally falling apart. His fingers bump over something small and sliver, glistening in the sun. It turns out to be a cross, chained on a sliver necklace; elegantly detailed and delicate between his fingers. He rotates it, inspecting closer. He's about to ask Rae when she speaks up.

"You honestly don't mind?" Rae is asking Zayn as he leans against the brick, ivy covered walls.

"For the hundredth time, Raelyn, it's fine." Zayn reassures, flashing her a dazzling smile.

Raes blinks. Noticing Zayn's eyes in the light, making his eyes come alive, Like shiny deep copper. Louis chuckles while Rae quickly snaps several pictures before Zayn can even shift and loose the perfect light on his face. She seems to have a thing for eyes, and that's what Rae focuses on for this shoot. Louis watches her settle in her own little work zone, instructing Zayn to either look towards the sky or hide in the shadows the corner of the walls make. She soon switches him out for her next photo victim, doing the same for Liam, Niall and Harry.

Louis just sits back on one of the rusting chairs and watches her curiously, the necklace tangled around his fingers. Rae looks like a different person when she's photographing. He can see the passion in her eyes, the carefully thought out poses contemplating on her face, how her gentle fingers angle Harry's chin down some, and turn Liam's head just a little to the left. He wonders why she isn't in Uni taking photography classes and photograph things that could be much more fun for her. Shooting elegant photos like the one he saw of her cousin, or the abstract ones of just run down buildings; of people with their love showing and their surrounding blurred out. Of the color splashes she always seems to do with Ronan's eyes, and the shades of gray she always captures in the leftover photos that don't make it into the Hummingbird's newsletters.

When Rae turns to grab his hand and pull him up, his heart kind of stutters in his chest, for her eyes have never been brighter than this moment. Her moment doing what she clearly loves doing. She smiles, tells him it's his turn and to stop with that weird pout on his face because this isn't a Burberry shoot. Before she has a chance to go back to her camera, he squeezes her hand, jolting her back a little.

"I found this," He holds up the necklace. "Didn't know if it fell out or-"

"Oh my," Rae cuts him off breathlessly. She carefully untangles the chain around his fingers, their skin brushing against each other's. "I've would've lost it. Thank you."

Her grateful smile fills his heart with warmth as he watches her put it back, and when did he turn into such a sap. Dear lord, he just became friends with this girl who he only just met a few months ago and he can already feel those stupid caterpillars that have been asleep in his stomach (despite being with his girlfriend for almost two years) squirm awake, ready to transform into butterflies and yeah, he is such a sap.

"Least you didn't steal it like my bag." Rae teases.

And the sappy warming, butterfly transforming thoughts are gone, replaced by flirty banter between shots and relentless teasing if who is actually more creepy. All the while the other boys just observe with knowing smiles and who cares if Louis flips the bird to them when they're all driving back for an interview that afternoon while they tease him about his flirty heart eyes.

He hates them all.

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Notes