Scales- Larry Stylinson

Chapter 11

Niall was dreaming. He was aware of that. The puppy hybrid had gotten very good at recognizing a dream. That didn't prevent the dreams from being terrifying. But Niall usually was able to tell himself when he was dreaming.
In this dream he was sitting on a worn-down mattress back at his old masters house. He was alone.

'You are warm, and happy in bed.' Niall thought to himself as pseudo hunger pains hit him. 'This isn't real...Liam saved you. Just think of Liam. He's holding you. You're asleep'

The door in Niall's dream opened and a man walked in.

'He's not real. He's gonna hurt you but he isn't real.' Niall said. The space around him melted away and he was on his back, getting hurt. Niall kept repeating over in his head 'Think of Liam. You are safe. Think of Liam. This isn't happening.'

He let out a strangled cry as the man on top of him morphed into Liam.

"Stop!" Niall begged as Liam was now hurting him. Liam was laughing at him cruelly. He reached down and grabbed his neck, squeezing.

Niall couldn't breathe! Liam was hurting him and he couldn't scream. He tried to but his lips felt heavy like he was trying to scream through water.

Niall screamed and jerked up in bed. He didn't stop until Liam pulled him in his lap. Niall was white like a sheet and trembling. He turned over and just pushed his face into Liam's neck, locking his ankles around his waist and clinging to him as he started to sob.

"Puppy." Liam cooed. "Baby...I'm here." He rubbed his back in soothing circles. "Liam's here."

"You w-were raping me!" Niall sobbed brokenly into his shoulder. "I t-tried to tell myself i-it's not real but then you wer-were there and you were hurting me!" He cried, clinging onto Liam like a trembling koala.

"Oh...Oh baby." Liam frowned and hugged him closer. "I'm so sorry that happened. It's alright now. Real Liam is here. You're safe." He said in a soft voice. Niall knew that. But the image of Liam on top of him like that had just rattled him. Liam was always a gentleman in bed. More often than not it was Niall that was making the first move. And Niall knew that Liam would never hurt him. But it still felt so violating.

"I-I don't know why I dreamed that." Niall sniffled softly, staying clung to Liam.

"It's okay. You have your appointment with Dr.Shaye today, remember?" Liam hummed. "I've noticed you tend to get a bit anxious the days before therapy. Plus, everything with Harry has been so stressful. It was just a stress dream." He assured. Niall sniffled again and pulled back a little bit.

"Yea...How is Harry? Can we go see him after therapy?" Niall asked, feeling a bit calmer. Liam kept him in his lap as he checked his phone.

"Nothing from Louis. It's still early so he's probably still asleep." Liam nodded. He looked at him and smiled. "How about we go get pancakes before therapy, yea?" He grinned.

Niall perked up a little more "Yea...I want some that have whipped cream. Oh! And chocolate chips!" He said, bouncing a bit.

"Anything for my puppy." Liam grinned and kissed him.

After breakfast, where Niall nearly ate his body weight in flapjacks and bacon, they were off to therapy. Niall sat in a soft comfy couch, holding his favorite chew toy in his hands. He gnawed on it a bit anxiously. It felt good against his teeth and made him feel more in control. He knew it was a cliche, but it worked. That's what mattered.

"Hi Niall." Dr.Shaye walked in. She was a middle-aged woman with brown hair. She had a clipboard in hand. "How are you doing today?"

Niall set his chew toy down. "Uhm. Good. I think. Sometimes and sometimes not okay. But not bad. I dunno." He rambled, looking down. He squirmed a little.