Mine ♡ Ziall/Niam/Narry/Nouis/Zianourry AU [COMPLETE]

NINE -- WHAT ABOUT ME?

"I'm not that oblivious," Niall says to Harry with a pout.

"What?" Harry responds, confused, because Niall's comment came totally out of the blue.

"I'm not." He stares up at Harry with an angry frown. "You and Zayn and dating."

"No, we aren't," Harry says, because they aren't. It's complicated.

"You are so!" Niall glares at him, his cute little nose wrinkling up in his frustration. Harry has to tell himself not to lean in and kiss it. "You are. You and Zayn are dating. But Zayn's also dating Liam...and...you're dating Liam, I think. And Louis, too."

"You think we're all in one giant relationship?" Harry asks, but his heart is beating really hard. Niall's reaction to this means so much.

"No, I know so!" Niall stomps his foot. "How can you all be so stupid?"

Harry's heart sinks to his stomach. "Wh-What?"

Niall huffs angrily. "Never mind, you noodle head! I have to go to class." Niall literally stomps down the hallway, and Harry is more confused and frightened than he's been in a long time.

- - -

"Well, Niall knows we're all dating," Harry says, leaning against the wall in the hallway. Louis is leaning against his shoulder.

"How did he find out?" Liam questions, absentmindedly running his fingers through Zayn's hair.

"I dunno. We were walking to class and he just spewed out all this stuff about me dating you, but also dating Zayn and Louis. He seemed kind of confused...and then he went, 'How can you all be so stupid?'"

Zayn winces. "Ouch. A bit harsh of him."

"So what do we do?" Louis asks, chewing on his lip.

"Maybe give him some space?" Harry suggests. "If us all being together makes him uncomfortable...maybe we just distance ourselves from him?"

Zayn gives a slow, hesitant nod. "I'd really prefer not to, but...I don't want him to feel awkward around us..."

Louis nods, too. "It sucks, but yeah."

Liam just shrugs. None of them are in love with the idea, but they want Niall to be happy, even if means losing him.

- - -

Niall is confused when he gets to the cafeteria at lunchtime. Usually his friends are at their normal table before him, but literally no one is there yet. He sits down slowly, eyebrows furrowed with disappointment.

He's eating his fairy bread (rather sadly) when he shadow is cast over his shoulder. He looks up, and to his delight, Justin Bieber is standing behind him. Niall has always had a tiny crush on him, and they were friends when they were small.

"Justin! Hi!" Niall beams, already feeling better.

"Hey, Niall," Justin smiles. He's so frustratingly attractive; Niall's stomach is churning. "Can I sit?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course!" Justin sits beside him, eyes roaming over Niall's face.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. I don't know where my friends are, they're usually here before me...but I'm glad you're here!" Niall's tone fluctuates from disappointed back to cheery within his sentence.

Justin lets out a laugh. "I'm glad I'm here, too. What've you got there? Is that fairy bread? Like your mom used to make?"

Niall giggles. "Yeah! Remember, she used to use cookie cutters and make it into shapes?"

Justin shakes his head, fond. "I always wanted mine shaped like monster trucks. Yours were always hearts and stars, you little cutie." He pinches Niall's cheek affectionately, and Niall giggles, blushing.

"Stop it, Jay!" He smacks Justin's hand away, still giggling.

"I've missed you, Ni," Justin smiles. Niall is chewing on his lip, shy.

"I've missed you, too!" Niall means it.

Justin hesitates, and then says, "Niall...you wouldn't want to go out sometime or anything, would you? It wouldn't have to be a date or anything if you didn't want it to be. I just...miss hanging out with you." The bell rings just as he finishes his question, and Niall just smiles at him.

- - -

"Where the fuck were you at lunch?" Niall demands of his friends later when he finds them. They're literally all shocked into silence, because Niall never swears.

"Uh..." Zayn says, still shell-shocked. "We were, uh..."

"We didn't want to make you uncomfortable," Liam cuts in, and Harry smacks his chest. "What? It's true?"

"Uncomfortable?" Niall asks. He's confused. "Why would I be uncomfortable? You guys are my favorites!" He pouts.

"I thought..." Harry is confused. "When you asked how we could be so stupid...?"

"Ugh!" Niall groans, stomping his foot in frustration again. "Harry, you stupid noodle!"

"What?" Harry asks, so confused. "What did you mean then?"

"I meant you're all stupid! You all got together and didn't even think about me!" Niall's eyes are welling up with tears. "Why? Why did you skip me? Is it 'cause I'm ugly? Or stupid? Or 'cause I act like a four-year-old? I...I don't understand!" Frustrated tears roll down his cheeks, and he embarrassedly reaches up to wipe them away. The other four are too surprised to respond. "I...It doesn't matter...I've got a date tonight anyway, so..."

He starts to back away, but like you can probably assume, he didn't end up getting very far.