Complacent [Duplicity Niall]

The night air whips through my hair as the truck rumbles beneath us, the open back giving us an unfiltered view of the city lights streaking past. I keep my arms wrapped around the puppy in my lap, keeping her from slipping and sliding with every turn Scarlett takes. Niall sits beside me, one arm stretched out along the rim of the truck bed, his fingers occasionally brushing my shoulder. He’s been in a good mood all night—probably still riding the high of his stupid speech earlier, even if it did end with him covered in spaghetti.

He looks at me now, smirking slightly. “You cold?”

I shake my head, but he still shrugs off his hoodie and tosses it at me. I don’t argue, just pull it over my head. It smells like beer and the lingering scent of his cologne.

The truck suddenly jerks as Scarlett takes a sharp turn, and I instinctively reach for Niall’s arm to steady myself. He grins. “Holding on for dear life?”

“Scarlett drives like she’s in Mad Max,” I mutter.

He laughs, his hand settling over mine as the truck continues its climb. The air grows thinner, and I realize we’re circling up, level after level, until finally, the truck slows to a stop. The hum of the engine dies, and the vast openness of the rooftop spreads out before us.

A fire in the sky.

I hop down from the truck, landing with a thud against the pavement. The air up here feels different—emptier, like we’ve left the rest of the world behind. The city glows beneath us, stretching in every direction, the buildings like scattered constellations. It’s almost too surreal to believe.

“Cute,” Scarlett mutters, shutting off the engine and hopping out.

Aven and Nova climb out of the passenger seat while Liam, Louis, and Harry jump down from the truck bed. The puppy scurries after me, her tiny paws clicking against the pavement.

“Alright, you lazy fucks,” Niall announces, rolling his shoulders back. “Let’s get this fire going.”

I help him unload the firewood, tossing pieces into a makeshift pile in the center of the lot. Liam drags out a cooler while Nova and Scarlett argue over which playlist to put on. It all feels chaotic but oddly familiar—like we’re slipping back into something we used to be good at.

A bonfire on the top of an abandoned parking garage. The definition of a terrible idea.

Niall cracks open a carton of gasoline, sloshing it over the wood in a way that definitely seems excessive.

“Niall, enough!” Nova snaps.

“What?” He shrugs. “We’re miles in the sky. No one’s gonna see.”

Liam groans. “That’s not how fires work, dumbass.”

I shake my head, stepping forward and pulling the gas canister out of Niall’s hand before he can turn the bonfire into a city-wide emergency. “Try not to burn your eyebrows off.”

He winks. “Can’t make any promises, sweetheart.”

I roll my eyes as he pulls out a lighter and flicks it. A moment later, the flames roar to life, the fire crackling as it devours the gasoline. The glow stretches across the rooftop, flickering against the group’s faces as they settle into various spots around it. The warmth is instant, pushing back the bite of the night air.

Niall nudges my side. “C’mon.”

He gestures toward the far end of the rooftop, where the ledge overlooks the city. I follow him, the puppy trotting at our heels, before hoisting myself up onto the ledge. It’s wide enough to sit comfortably, but the drop behind me still makes my stomach flip.