Nightmare (A Niam [one direction ] FanFiction

chapter 7

Niall is attacked leaving an interview and the boys must pull together to help their band mate through his recovery. It isn't easy...

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The next day Zayn and Louis took him to their favourite hairdressers and Niall had his hair into its usual style but decided against re-dying it blonde. It just didn't feel right for some reason.

He also didn't want to spend any time longer than necessary in the hairdressers, hating the way everyone in there seemed to stare at him in pity and eye the bruise on his face with barely concealed intrigue.

There were paparazzi waiting for them when they left and the three boys stopped to let them take photos.

"What happened to your face?" One of them asked.

"He had a dizzy spell yesterday and tripped." Louis lied easily, squeezing the younger boy to him. "Hit his face on the coffee table. Scared the living daylights out of us."

They went for an early lunch after that before returning to their apartment complex.

Niall had a short nap before the four other boys dropped by to pick him up for their gym session.

Liam had refused to look at Niall and the younger boy had hated it, he didn't want there to be any awkwardness between them, especially not when it was Niall's fault to begin with.

So, before they left Niall went straight up to the older boy and pulled him into a hug and apologised for what he had said and done the day before.

Liam hadn't returned the hug at first and Niall had panicked for a brief moment, thinking he had done the wrong thing, before Liam wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and hugged him close, "You don't need to apologise, Nialler, I was in the wrong. I didn't mean to say what I did and I certainly didn't mean to hit you. Can you...Is it too much to ask for you to forgive me? I know I don't deserve it but-."

Niall had cut him off with a few quick words that made it clear that he wasn't angry at Liam, never had been, and all he wanted was for it to go back to how it had been between them.

Liam had agreed and given Niall another squeeze before someone had coughed and they had broken away, almost guiltily, blushes working their way onto their cheeks.

After that they didn't mention the incident again and, as far as anyone in the band was concerned, it was history. That didn't mean Niall didn't catch Liam staring at the bruise guiltily every now and then but it did give him and excuse not to bring it up.

The gym they intended to use was in the basement of their complex. It wasn't very big but it was well equipped and had everything they needed. It was only open to residents, too, which meant it was basically always deserted which suited the boys just fine.

There was a small swimming pool on the same level which the five had frequented a lot when they had first moved in but hadn't used for a good few months now.

Between the gym and the swimming pool were the changing rooms but they never used them, preferring to go back to their flats to change and shower.

"Okay, Nialler, small steps first." Zayn told him. "Ten minutes at a slow pace on the treadmill and we'll go from there, okay?"

It was a lot harder than he expected it to be and by the time the ten minutes were finished he was puffing and panting and in desperate need of a sit-down.

When had he gotten so weak?

"You did really well." The other boys were quick to reassure him, taking it in turns to ruffle his hair and to nudge him with their elbows.