You are SO right we absolutely do need to talk more about praise kink 🧐🧐 Niall neeeeeeding Ruben to tell him he’s doing a good job and hanging off every compliment and the way he blushed sooooo hard in the freshman dorm kitchen when Ruben was hyping him up—
I do also think Ruben has something of a praise kink too, in that he really wants to hear that Niall thinks well of him and thinks he’s cool and handsome and Niall likes what Ruben’s doing to him.
YES, I was going to write about Ruben, too! he just wouldn't cry about it, but he'd get this teenage boy cockiness upped to the max. and the truth is, he can be really good to Niall, so it would be more endearing than anything else...
Niall is obvious; he just wants Ruben's approval and everything that Ruben represents - approval of a boy, approval of a brother, and approval of a parental figure. he pushes his boundaries, from boxing to breaking the rules, to bask in Ruben's pride. after a while, he learns to like the teasing, too, because Ruben is unable to be truly mean to Niall. it's a small price to pay when he knows what comes next, if only he allows Ruben to lead. the prize is even sweeter after some effort.
and Ruben just thrives on praise. who else would praise him besides Niall? not the teachers, not his parents. well, Maura was, once - and that was thanks to Niall. that starts a cycle, actually, or a self-feeding loop - Ruben gets praised, so Niall has to be rewarded, too.
It would be something simple at the beginning. A Saturday with their mums out of the house, doing some early-morning shopping to get fresh produce; the boys oversleeping after stumbling in late last night. Ruben gets up first, looks to his right at the lump on the bed - only the tip of Niall's head visible under the covers - and can't help himself but nudge this wee sleeping beauty.
Niall's grumpy but adorably rumpled, with a red mark from the pillow high on his cheek. Ruben doesn't look, but notices anyway, and decides to go make them breakfast before he starts thinking about some shite, like a smudge of tan across Niall's nose. Will he get freckles in the summer?
He makes coffee for himself, burns his mouth a little while taking the first sip. Niall drinks tea (with too much milk and two sugars, like a child; Ruben secretly likes it), but it will be a while before he emerges from the bathroom, taming his silly fringe. So Ruben has time, for once; he can actually cook something. Something good and hearty for the growing boy, aye? Niall may still be a scrawny lad, but he's gotten a bit taller and gained some lean muscle thanks to Ruben's relentless nagging to actually use them for their intended purpose. Ruben smiles to himself.
"Didn't know you were so good at this, nothing's burned." Niall's voice comes out lower than usual from his spot at the bottom of the stairs, still colored by sleep and mildly surprised. He's wearing a jumper over his pyjama shirt, clearly too big and clearly not his; feet bare and white.
Ruben stops in his tracks, spatula in one hand, a plate in the other, piling up some pancakes. He grins, because that's what he does, feeling a little lighter than he did just a moment before.
"Come eat before you get pneumonia, Lori's gonnae find a way to blame me for that."
"Well, you did force me to leave the umbrella at home yesterday."
"I protected you from looking like an old cunt, that's what I did."
Niall laughs at it, any and all inhibitors clearly not present in the wan light of the late morning. Ruben turns to make the tea before he says something stupid.
"It really is good, Ruben. Thank you."
Behind his back, Niall sounds young and sincere. Pleased. Warmth spreads through Ruben, something rolling deep in his stomach. He's glad to be facing away from the breakfast table.
"Eat before it gets cold, Bambers."
listen, it was supposed to continue into filthy territory, but SOME PEOPLE were fighting me, and I have to take a breather. but we have something sweet to build upon, right? @cummandercold i'm sorry, i'll deliver once i'm not being prosecuted over my sensitive sense of smell
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