Light On {Niam Love Story}

Sixteen-

A/N: I felt this was the right time for an update, because - oh my god, both of my favorite writers are reading this and complimenting it and shit, and I nearly screamed when I saw. So, this isn't dedicated to anyone in general. Really, this chapter, and pretty much the entire story, is for anyone who went through something like what's happening in the story. Not necessarily all the drama and whatnot, but the sexual abuse aspect of it. Specifically, my best friend, Ridley - who probably won't read this, but, eh. There's no song, but anyone who knows the quote that will be the little 'tagline' for the chapter wins a happy sticker. Enjoy!

"If you're dying, suddenly everyone loves you."

Over the next few days, Liam tried to give Niall some well-needed space.

That proved harder and harder, though – how could he just abandon his best mate in a time such as this? Sure, maybe Liam wasn’t really the right person to comfort him, but it seemed like it was just what Niall needed.

It was subtle clues that told Liam to stick around - the way that Niall would cuddle closer, for example. At first, it was during interviews and such, and Niall would only inch closer. That morphed into scooting closer whenever they were simply watching television together – not unusual; no one really noticed how close their proximity was. Then, it was like Niall couldn’t stay away. Whenever they were out with the lads, Niall would subconsciously move himself closer to Liam.

Of course, this was no problem for Liam – he welcomed Niall’s presence, and would only be there to sling an arm around his skinny shoulders, or hold his hand. They would even do it out in public – like it hardly mattered; no one took notice of the two, not even their fans.

Louis left Niall alone. He felt like he would only make the situation worse. So, he stayed out of Niall and Liam’s business, and instead started keeping his own relationships intact.

Zayn and Harry – well, they were oblivious to the world around them. Both were suffering from cases of “young love”, but it didn’t bother them at the slightest. The two were in their own little world of nirvana – showering together in the morning, sleeping together at night, in more ways than one, and just spending every second they could together. The lovers didn’t care about anyone else, or anyone else’s problems – not like they knew what happened to Niall, of course, but it would barely make a difference if they did. Harry liked to think that Liam had it all under control.

And, for the most part, that was true. Liam didn’t tell Niall he knew; why would he? Instead, he focused on trying to keep Niall the happiest he could be. They would constantly go out together – clubbing, drinking, to the mall, out to dinner, really anything they wanted.

Of course, there were more mellow nights where Liam would just take Niall over to his place, and spend the night with him – playing video games, watching movies, ordering pizzas, and just relaxing.

Before this whole mess, Niall and Liam would typically sleep on the couches in Liam’s living room on nights like those. But, for the past couple days, it wouldn’t happen like that. When Niall would fall asleep, Liam would take him up to his bedroom, lay him down and cover him up, and just hold him all night long. Liam himself wouldn’t sleep – he would just lie there, holding Niall in his arms, listening as the smaller boy breathed beside him.

When Niall would wake up in the morning – or in the middle of the night, if he had a nightmare – he wouldn’t question waking up in Liam’s bed. He would simply allow Liam to either get up to make him breakfast, or lull him back to sleep.

Liam enjoyed spending so much time with Niall. They didn’t really need to speak to each other – they knew each other by now. It was as if they had never fought in the first place, and Liam wasn’t about to bring up that horrid past. Niall was important to him – he had been ever since their X-Factor days. He wasn’t going to disappoint the boy, or yell at him. He would only be sweet – ordering Nando’s takeout when they were too comfortable to leave the house, maybe, or just simply be there for him.

Niall liked this side of Liam, he decided. He didn’t really like the fact that Liam was always perhaps a bit eager to make him breakfast in the mornings, or dinner at night – he didn’t want the boy he loved to think he was needy. But he really did enjoy what would come after – the cuddling all night, the sweet embrace Liam would give him every time they met up. He liked spending nights with Liam, as it seemed every time he did, he would be less nightmare-prone.

So, he let himself be babied by Liam – even if he didn’t know the reason Liam cared for him so much. He just forced himself to shut the hell up for once, and deal with it. If Liam wanted to love him, so be it – it had been what he wanted for so long, after all.

Who would he be to complain now?

~-~-~

“Liam?” Niall squeaked from the bed one night. “Liam, are you awake?”

Awake? Of course he had been awake – was he supposed to sleep, with this gorgeous boy lying beside him? But he didn’t say that. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Niall’s waist even tighter in some form of response.

Niall took in a shaky breath, “Why are you so nice to me?”

Stunned, Liam unwound his arms, and reached over to pull on the beside lamp’s chain – effectively illuminating the room. Niall sat up as well, and looked at Liam expectantly – he wanted an answer.

Liam sighed, “I know, Ni.”

Know? Know what? Clueless, Niall asked Liam, “Know what?”

“Come on, Ni,” Liam reached out, and gently took Niall’s smaller hand in his own. “Louis told me what happened. I know.”

In that moment, Niall’s throat began to close up. That had been what had woke him up in the first place – nightmares, from said event. Now he had to talk to Liam about it? Tears welled in his eyes. He wasn’t sure why he felt so ashamed – he should be able to talk about this; it was just Liam.

Liam. The boy he loved so much – more than anything, in fact.

Niall sighed, “So, that’s why you’ve been like this? Because you feel sorry for me, or whatever?”

Liam shook his head, “No. That’s not it. I hate that it had to happen to you – I would rather it have been me, to tell you the truth. But, that’s not why. I’ve been around you because, well, you looked like you needed a friend – maybe something more than a friend, actually. And I thought that maybe, just maybe, what you said in the hospital could…I don’t know, be true, I guess.”

“You shouldn’t have listened to Harry,” Niall clucked.

Liam lifted his eyebrows, “What? Why?”

All his questions, all his doubts, were answered in one quick moment – the moment when he felt the softest, tastiest lips in the world meet his own.