Angel on the Streets {shiall}

7

Shawn was curled up in a blanket, meeting Niall's eyes when he entered. Niall's expression fell even more seeing his puffy eyes and pinkish nose. "Hey, Shawnie. What's up, hmm?"

"Were you busy...? I'm sorry. I just- can't be strong right now? I... I'm freaking out? I'm freaking out and I don't know why and..."

"I want to give you a hug, right now. Can I do that?"

"Please." Niall moved close slowly, letting out a puff of air when Shawn slammed right into him, impatient. Both of them laughed a bit, leaning into the other's touch. Niall loved hugs. It reminded him of his family and friends back in the UK who would definitely squeeze him tight once they saw him. They might have been a little too intrusive sometimes but he loved them all. He couldn't wait to be home. Although that was a conversation he and Shawn would have to have. Maybe when his arm was healed up.

Niall ran his hands through Shawn's hair, waiting for his breathing to even out. Then he pulled away slowly, once again, so he could look at him. "Did your thing with Camila not go okay?"

Shawn smiled a little and shook his head. "It went good. It was just... It's a lot to process. We talked and well, I dunno. She says I'm not processing this well so I'm processing how I can be bad at processing when I've been struggling every day, lol."

"Hmm. Well, I'm no mental health expert, I wouldn't know. Maybe you should talk to one, though?"

"Oh, really? Do you know how much that would cost, Horan? You gonna sponsor me? Be my 'concerned for my emotional welfare' sugar daddy?"

"Well, baby boy, if you beg, perhaps I'll consider it." Shawn covered his face and dug his elbow into Niall's arm, only feeling slight guilt when Niall whined at the contact.

"You're a horrible person."

"I know. Still, all jokes aside, I think you should talk to someone. Or if not, then support groups exist, too." Shawn immediately cringed and Niall laughed softly. "Okay, maybe not the second one. In the end, Shawn, I just want you to heal at your own pace. This is still a fresh incident. Two weeks isn't a lot and I can't imagine what you're going through. I just don't want to leave things as they are for too long cos if trauma isn't faced, that's how a large amount of mental conditions form in people. And I don't want your psyche damaged further."

"My psyche is fine, Ni."

"Life's been hard on you, Shawn."

"Well, life is hard on everyone. You must've had some messed up stuff happen to you too, I bet." Niall shrugged. There had been difficult moments but he couldn't compare his hardships to Shawn's, even though he didn't know all that much about Shawn's hardships.

"I wanna know something. Why didn't you live with Camila, instead of being out on the street? She seems well-off from her clothing and she's your best friend so it just doesn't make sense to me."

"Oh. Well, it's simple, really. She lives with him. Her... Boyfriend. He doesn't like me. One of those 'a girl and guy can't be friends' types. And I umm... Well, just don't want to get in the middle of all that. We did live together once, shared a crappy little apartment we called home but then she met him and he's rich and hot so... That was the end of that. It's not like she knows about my living situation, I would hate to make her feel that bad, I just-"

"But she's your best friend. Jesus, Shawn. Couldn't she have helped you out with some money, at least? I mean, where have you been living all the while she's been with her boyfriend, then?"

"Pfft. She tried. But I didn't want them to fight, nor did I want anything to do with his money so I kind of just sucked it up," he mumbled bitterly. Niall was frowning so heavily Shawn's heart plummeted and the latter gave him a quick squeeze to hopefully chase that away. "I've been living just fine, Niall. Don't worry about me. And don't think badly of her, she's amazing."