Light On {Niam Love Story}

Eighteen-

A/N: I feel like I've been neglecting this story lately, and that bothers me. I don't want to bore anyone with details, but I've been in the hospital in and out for different reasons, and when I'm not there, I don't feel like sitting down and getting ANYTHING done. There's no music for this chapter, because I was just listening to piano music when doing this, so yeah. It is, once again, dedicated to "oneddesire". Why? Because anytime I got a break from my hectic-ass doctors' appointments, I would always read her stories, and she's literally one out of two of my all-time favorite writers on this site. So, I definitely recommend her stories. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

"I'd tell you to shut up and deal. But, come on baby, let's just be real."

The days where they had to deal with hospitals, were always their worst.

Niall couldn't stand hospitals. Considering recent events, and the fact that he was dangerously accident prone when he was younger, meant that he should be used to the miserable, awful place. He wasn't, though, because hospitals make him sick. Honestly, he can't stand being there - and if he didn't love Zayn so much, he would have left long ago.

Liam was restless. Absolutely restless. No, he wasn't worried about Zayn - not as much as he was about Niall, that is. His boyfriend needed to just rest, but he was too hyped up about this whole situation to do so. Liam tried to get him to just go home with him, but Niall was too stubborn - "worried", the blonde liked to call it. Nevertheless, Liam hated it - and the more he thought about it, the more fidgety he became.

Harry wasn't there. Well, mentally, anyways. He wouldn't talk to the other lads, or even move - using the bathroom was really the only exception. He had everything brought to him, even though he was constantly ignoring anyone that spoke to him.

Louis, who seemed to be the only stable one in all of this, was taking care of Harry in his state. He would bring him food and water, drag him to the bathroom when it looked like he needed it, and keep him dressed and groomed. In the four days that they had been there, and Zayn had been in the deep throes of a heavily drug-induced sleep, Louis had attempted to bring Harry back to his flat and force him in the shower. It hadn't gone well, and the two had returned to the hospital dripping with water, and Harry had sat himself back down in the waiting room.

Sleep wasn't really an issue. Down in the lower level of the hospital was a little hotel area. It wasn't much, but it had quite a few rooms and the lads had no problem getting theirs.

Harry had his own room. He never really slept - and when he did, it was due to the help of sleeping pills. When visiting hours hit, Harry would guzzle down a cup or two of coffee, and go back up to the waiting room and wait for Zayn.

 He was really starting to get unhealthy, but he wouldn't listen when anyone told him that. He was comitted to waiting for Zayn to finally wake up - no matter how long that would take.

 They could only be assured that it would take a while.

~-~-~

Once Harry started reeking, just a tiny bit, Louis demanded that he go home and shower.

To his absolute surprise, Harry didn't cling to his chair like last time. He let Louis take him by the arm, and yank him up - all the while his arms were flopping around like wet noodles. He didn't speak, but he didn't even glare at Louis as he began dragging him over to the elevators.

He called to Liam, "Call me if something happens, yeah?"

Liam didn't respond, as he was too busy tending to Niall to even look at his band mate. Louis just hit the button on the wall, and the doors slid open in record time. He pulled Harry inside, and the younger lad pushed himself into the corner as Louis pressed more buttons.

"God, they're disgustingly adorable," Louis muttered as soon as the doors slid shut. Harry didn't even look at him. "Seriously. Too much love happening in there."

Harry stayed silent.

On the drive to Lou's flat, Harry stared out the window, and didn't even attempt to make conversation with Louis.

Once inside, Louis took Harry up to the bathroom, and pushed him in. He didn't need to show him how to work anything, for Harry had been to his house multiple times before. "Okay, go shower. I'll be downstairs."

He closed the door, and stood there for a few minutes - waiting to hear the shower start up.

It didn't.

"Harry?" Louis called through the door. He got no response. "Harry, what are you doing in there? I don't hear the shower running..."

He waited another minute before opening the door, to see Harry sitting on the floor. Literally, just sitting there with his knees pulled up to his chest.

"Harry, get in the shower, before you start to smell."

Once realizing that the taller boy was completely unresponsive, Louis grabbed his arm. He yanked him to his feet, causing him to wince - an action that made Louis breathe a little easier, because it meant that he wasn't entirely blank. Even so, Louis had to be with him. He felt it was necessary; just to make sure he was okay.

He grabbed at the bottom of Harry's shirt, and lifted it off his slender body with no reluctance. Harry shivered at the sudden cold, but Louis didn't mind it as his hands drifted to Harry's waist. His fingers slipped in between the rough material of his jeans and his warm skin. He gulped, and eased them down before repeating the motion with his boxers. And normally, these actions wouldn't mean anything - because it's fact that all the boys have seen Harry naked before. But now, Lou's heart couldn't stop flipping inside his chest.

He eyed the red marks on Harry's hips, and realized just how uncomfortable those jeans must have been. He made a mental note to toss them out - those marks concerned him for a reason that he couldn't be sure of.

Without looking at Harry's bare body, Louis pushed pashed him, and reached into the shower. He turned it on, and the hot water gurgled to life. Steam began to rise almost immediately, and Louis turned back to Harry. "Okay. I made it nice and hot, just the way you like it. Now, get in the shower while I find some clothes for you to wear. Alright?"

"Don't go, Lou," Harry whispered, his chocolate curls flopping into his bright eyes. "Please. You can't leave me."

"Hey now," Louis walked forward, and took Harry's chin in his hand. "None of that. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you get out."

Harry's heart was pounding. He looked Louis up and down, and reached out to touch his face - as if making sure he was still there...as if making sure he would never, ever leave. And once he was sure, he still didn't remove his hand.

At that moment, he wanted to tell Louis he loved him. And really, he did - he loved Louis. Just not the way he loved Zayn, because Harry Styles loved Zayn Malik more than he had ever loved anyone else. And it just made him guilty to think that Louis was beautiful while his boyfriend was in the hospital - for something that was kind of his fault, yet kind of not at the same time.

"I love you," Harry breathed, and he didn't even mean to say it, in his defense. It just happened. "You know that I do. Right?"

"I know, Harry. I know," Louis whispered, and rested his chin on top of Harry's head. He let himself stand there for a moment, feeling Harry's naked skin brush against his own - and, quite frankly, loving the feeling. He pulled back. "You can't though. You...just can't."

"I know."

...

"Fuck. I love you, too."