Hiding in the Shadows

A Text

Niall jumped at the sound of Louis screaming, "Are you insane?" he questioned as he set down his weights and sat up, "You should know better than to startle someone whose lifting weights"

"Where the hell have you been?!" Louis exclaimed.

Niall rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored Louis and laid back down. He hadn't been lifting weights for long, this would be his second day and he had no more than about ten pounds on there but he planned work up to more.

Louis was becoming more irritated as the day moved on. First he has to force Niall to eat then he learns disturbing information that leads to a whole list of questions, next Niall goes missing and the security staff is absolutely useless and now Niall was ignoring him. Louis was exhausted and he still needed to get Niall back to the room, talk to him, feed him, get the kid to take a shower and then put the boy to bed. This was going to be a very long night.

Not in the mood to hold an argument in the middle of a public gym Louis went over to Niall and pulled the boy up before he had a chance to start lifting weights. Also, why was Niall lifting weights? The boy was a stick, skin and bones, how did he have the muscle to lift weights? This was not a habit Louis would be letting Niall pick up.

"Put me down!" Niall demanded as he started pounding on Louis' back.

Instantly Louis landed five painful swats to Niall's backside before readjusting the boy into a firmer hold. "I do believe I told you that hitting was not allowed. Also I told you that you weren't to be anywhere near the gym for the time being"

"I don't care what you say" Niall sneered as he thrashed around however he did refrain from hitting Louis.

Louis ignored Niall and continued to walk the two of them back towards their hotel room. It had been a long day and without thinking about it Louis walked right into the elevator. He didn't notice anything was wrong until after the doors shut and Niall stilled in his arms. At first Louis thought that it was just Niall calming down until he felt the slightest shiver, it took all of ten seconds before he remembered.

"Shh, it's ok" Louis cooed as he started rubbing Niall's back. He was so stupid, how could he have forgotten – again? "It's almost over, you're doing great."

Niall didn't understand it. He hated small spaces and elevators were evil but Louis was making him feel better. Louis shouldn't be making him feel better. Being held like a toddler in the arms of someone who appeared to be trying to control him and being bounced slightly should NOT be making him feel better! Before he had the ability to process this turn of events he was being carried through the halls and into the hotel room. Groaning as he saw where they were, Niall didn't want to be back here!

Louis ignored the groans of complaint coming from the small boy and dumped Niall on the bed. Naturally the second Niall was set down he started running for the door. Louis was quick, having purposefully placed himself between the door and the likely escapee.

"Let me go!" Niall demanded, as Louis once again held him captive.

"You are not going anywhere" Louis stated firmly tipping Niall back onto the bed.

Niall glared up at Louis but didn't try to bolt again. Better to lure the older one into a false sense of security before attempting to go again. What better way to do that than to appear complacent – for a time.

Louis was surprised by Niall's apparent calm. He didn't quite know what to do with this opportunity and thought it might be a good time to get some of his questions answered. Of course just as he was trying to think of a good way to start Niall's phone beeped.

Niall's head jerked around searching for his phone. Eventually he spotted the item of his desire across the room on Louis' bed. Instantly he lunged for it only to be held off by the large pain in his side.