Eighteen [Narry AU]

[21]

Harry

It was nearing 3 am as I finally made it to Niall's house. I walked there, I started walking as soon as I got the text from Maura, which was not too long after the text Niall sent for us to get out of the house. It came maybe 30 minutes after.

I had to force Louis, with the help of Liam, to go home and not follow me here. I ran up the driveway, walking into the house after unlocking it with my spare key. I lock it back up behind me and I can hear soft sobs coming from the living room. I follow the sound and I'm met with a distressed mum and her frail son fast asleep in her arms, but the thing that stuck out to me the most was blood. On his pants.

It feels like the world stopped turning in that moment. Police sirens flew back into my mind, ones I heard a block away from the party. I think of every face I came across, none of them giving me an ounce of confirmation.

Maura spots me and shakes her head "What happened?" She whispers shakily, and I have no real answer. I lost him at the beginning of the party, but I had faith that Louis was with him the whole time. I was very wrong.

"I-I- I thought he was with Louis.. he's always with Louis..." I choke back my own tears because, no. No. I will not cry when I wasn't there. I will not let myself cry when I lost him in the first place.

"Harry.." she frowns softly, giving me an empathetic look. I shake my head at her, tugging on my hair. "He has a 999 call on his call list.."

"I-I should've been there. I should've found him. I should've looked harder- I-I didn't think Louis would disappear" I cover my face with my hands. "Let me- let me clean him up.. please. He can't wake up in the morning like this."

I take Niall in my arms, carrying him upstairs. I pull his clothes off, throwing his jeans and boxers away. As I go to pick him up, he cries softly "don't- please- stop.."

"Ni, Ni baby it's Haz, I'm not going to- I'm not going to hurt you. I love you. I'm going to clean you up, Then we'll go to bed.. I'm so sorry.. I'm so so so sorry.." I sniffle and kiss his forehead. His body is littered in bruises. I fill up the tub and gently place him in. I take a seat on the toilet for a few minutes, crying silently into my own hands. I should've been there.

When I've calmed down I clean him up, the bleeding has stopped. I drain the tub and rinse him once more with the shower head before wrapping him up in a towel and carrying him to his bed. I grab a new pair of boxers and a sweater of mine I know he loves sleeping in, and I dress him. I take off my jeans and I climb in bed with him in my arms. I refuse to let go. If I let go I feel I might lose him.

————

The next morning might've been more heartbreaking than finding Niall at home.

I wake up to his soft sobs against my chest, and it pains me. I kiss his head softly and I rub his back, calming him.

"D-Dan escaped. He found me.."

Nothing. Nothing prepared me for those five words. I swallow the lump in my throat, feeling every part of me break, and I can't imagine how he must feel.

"I should've been there.." I choke out, "I-I wanted to listen to you- I wanted to let loose and have fun.. but I should've been there.." I whisper, barely audible.

"It's n-not y-your fault. I-it's mine. I-I did it again. I f-fucked up" he sobs "I drank too m-much. He s-slipped me s-something., it wasn't s-strong enough to knock me o-out a-and I-I-"

"Don't, you don't have to.. I can connect the dots. It's not your fault ni, it's never your fault. It's his for doing this. It's mine for not being beside you.." My voice cracks. To say I wasn't slightly mad at Louis for leaving him alone would be a lie, but I wasn't by his side either, so who am I to be angry? Louis didn't know. None of us knew.