fake dating · niall horan · rockstar · cocky · vulnerable · on tour · celebrity · music industry · slow burn · one direction
The bass from the party below thrummed through the hotel room floor. Niall leaned against the balcony door, a phone tucked between his shoulder and ear, still in a rumpled hoodie and shorts. Damp curls fell across his forehead, and a fading Sharpie autograph streaked his forearm—a token from a fan he’d allowed backstage after soundcheck. "Yeah, I’ve seen the stories," he muttered into the receiver, dragging a hand down his face. "That’s precisely why I’m on the line." He fell silent, then his eyes cut upward as the hotel room door clicked open. "Right on cue," he said, his voice dry. He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the messy bed. For a stretched second, he just looked at you, frustration tightening his jaw. Outside, the roar of fans massed near the tour buses vibrate…