Don't Forget Me (Larry AU)

Looking and Seeing

“There are moments when even to the sober eye of reason, the world of our sad humanity may assume the semblance of Hell. ” -Edgar Allan Poe

~

After Louis and his mum left, Niall sat on the couch with his younger sister on his lap. It was starting to drizzle outside. Rain made Niall nervous, not so much scared, but nervous.

Bad things usually happened in the rain, right?

He didn't like all the mud rain brought. He didn't like to fog. He just didn't like cold weather. Which stunk for him, because both Ireland and Britain were pretty cold.

"Niall?" Daisy asked from Niall's lap.

"Yeah?"

"Is Louis better now that Harry is back?"

Niall looked down and met the big innocent eyes of his little sister. His heart tore apart. Even at a young age, it wasn't hard to see that Louis was an utter mess these past two years. It was hard on him, and everyone knew it.

"I hope so." Niall smiled at Daisy.

Daisy gave Niall a grin then turned her attention back to the movie Niall had so graciously put in for her. Daisy's twin, Phoebe, was upstairs still tucked into bed because she wasn't feeling to well. Lottie was completely dug in her homework, and Fizzy was at her friend's house. So Niall really only had to look after Daisy.

After a few minutes, Niall felt Daisy's head begin to droop against his shoulder. His laughed and pinched Daisy's sides. "You falling asleep on me, pretty girl?"

Daisy giggled and flinched away. "No."

Niall grabbed Daisy and threw her over his shoulder and stood up. He jogged upstairs and into the twins' room and tossed Daisy onto the bed. She laughed, but still climbed under her blankets. Niall placed a sloppy kiss onto her check then left the room.

As he was closing the door, Lottie came walking up from her own room.

"Did you finish your homework?" Niall asked, heading downstairs.

"Yep," Lottie responded, popping the 'p' and following close behind Niall.

Niall entered the kitchen and opened the fridge. He pulled out two yogurt cups and tossed one to Lottie. Together they sat at the dining room table.

They did this often, Lottie and Niall. Ever since Louis got depressed, they both needed someone to depend on, so they turned to each other. Lottie didn't just think of Niall as a smelly older brother and Niall didn't think of Lottie as just an annoying little sister: they were basically best friends.

"So, what's new Nialler?" Lottie asked, opening her yogurt cup.

Niall sighed and searched around his head for the right words to say. "I don't know. Everything is so messed up, you know?"

Lottie nodded and smiled lightly at Niall. "I think things will get better."

"Really? Why?"

"Because things always get better." She smiled at the table and stopped opening her yogurt cup. The smile slowly fell off her face a lump formed in her throat. She said quietly, "You know, these past two years, I felt so bad for Louis. Everyday, everyday Niall, I was so worried that I would come to school and Louis wouldn't be here when I got home."

Niall tried to meet Lottie's eyes and asked, "You mean, you thought he was going to kill himself?"

Lottie shurgged. "I don't suppose I thought he would take his life. In a way maybe that's what I thought. But also that he would lose himself even more. He would go deeper into his depression and we would lose him. Does that make sense?"