I wasn’t sure if you’d make it tonight.” Gus stepped aside to let Niall into his apartment. It was after 9:00 p.m., and Niall looked haggard. “Thanks, babe” was the only halfway human sound Niall made as he shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his boots. “What’s happened?” Gus asked, alarmed. Silently, he observed the specs of dust and grime on Niall’s clothes and his stilted movements. It appeared as though he could barely muster enough energy to walk to the living room and crash on the couch, facedown. Niall hadn’t so much as sent a text all day, and Gus was understandably concerned. “Long-ass day,” Niall mumbled, his face buried in the couch cushions. “Wanna tell me about it?” Gus sat down next to Niall’s hip and rested his hand on the small of Niall’s back, making soothing circles. Although he didn’t say it out loud, Gus was very happy Niall had come to unwind at Gus’s place, instead of his own.
