Capture (A Liam AU)

The Steady Choice

The door clicked shut behind me as I stepped into my office, the weight of the break room still pressing on my chest. I leaned against the edge of my desk, heart thudding, head spinning.

A soft knock followed a beat later and Niall stepped inside without waiting, his usual grin gone. His expression was open, remorseful—earnest in a way I wasn't used to seeing. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "For this morning. For the teasing. I was being a dick about something I didn't understand. And now..." He rubbed a hand through his hair. "Now I do. And I feel like shit."

I let out a breath. "You were just being you, Niall. You didn't know."

"Still. It was out of line." He hovered for a second, then sank into the chair across from me. "That scene out there... it was brutal."

I gave a hollow laugh. "Yeah. It was."

He nodded, hesitating before asking, "So... you and Liam?"

I shrugged. "You guessed it. And now the whole office knows, too."

"I was just spitballing. I didn't know for sure."

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to shake the chill I couldn't blame on the air conditioning. "He showed up at my flat last night. Out of nowhere. Apologized for the fight, for the way he pushed me out, and then... one thing led to another."

Niall's eyebrows lifted.

"Not like that," I added quickly. "We didn't sleep together. We just... talked. Fell asleep next to each other."

He sat back, thoughtful. "He opened up to you."

"Yeah."

"That's rare." His voice was quiet now. Then his gaze returned to mine. "Did he tell you anything about his past?"

I shook my head. "Only that he used to run with a rough crowd."

Niall nodded, lips pressing into a thin line. "He's never gone into detail with me either. I've only picked up scraps over the years. But I've known him a long time, and I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you."

The words hit something tender, and I had to blink fast to keep the burn in my eyes from spilling over.

"But," Niall continued, gentler now, "he's not easy. He's a storm most of the time. I get it if you don't want that."

I looked at him, caught off guard by his grace. "I don't know what I want."

He offered a small, crooked smile. "Harry seems nice."

I huffed a soft laugh. "He is."

"You know it's okay to want someone who's kind. Fuck what Liam said. If Harry feels right, if he gives you what you need, don't apologize for choosing him."

I tilted my head. "Aren't you Liam's best friend?"

He grinned, the familiar glint flickering back into his eyes. "Guess that makes me a shitty one, huh?" Then the smile faded, replaced by something more sincere. "But you're my friend too. And Emma... I think you're more like Liam than you realize. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Always thinking you don't deserve the good stuff."

I exhaled, slowly. "I didn't expect Harry to show up. He just... appeared. With flowers, being sweet and thoughtful like he always is. And I froze. I knew what it would look like to Liam, what he'd think. But I didn't know how to stop it either. I didn't want to hurt Harry."

"You like him," Niall said gently.

"I do. He's kind, and steady, and safe. Everything Liam isn't."

"But...?"