Contentions(A Liam Payne AU)

Chapter 6-Alright?

My hands shook as I entered the small bakery, my nerves and sleepiness getting the best of me. I had at least gotten a few hours of sleep the previous night, but Jordan had came home beaten as usual and needed tending to. However pretty I wanted to look for going out to lunch with Harry, my eyes were still slightly dull, dark shadows hung under them, and my face was rather pale; all in all…I was a mess.

I had to give Harry some credit though, when he saw me he didn’t seem disgusted, only worried.

“Are you alright?” he asked, tugging off his apron and easily sliding over the top of the counter in a fluid movement.

“I’m fine,” I smiled weakly, taking another gulp of my coffee. He didn’t seem convinced though, his emerald orbs full of suspicion.

“You look like hell, darling,” he said softly, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Great…just what every girl wanted to hear. He seemed to catch his mistake though and chuckled a bit.

“Still beautiful as ever, just…tired, Brin,” he corrected himself. “Is everything okay?” I offered him a grin and nodded.

“Yeah, Harry. I just didn’t get much sleep last night,” I said quietly. “Can…can we just get going? I’m hungry.”

“Of course, there’s this local place I want you to try…they have the best pizza you will ever taste,” he said, tugging the headband out of his curls and messily running his fingers through them. “Sound good to you?”

“Perfect,” I assured, blushing slightly as he outstretched a hand to me.

“Well, come on then, love. I won’t hurt you,” he grinned, wiggling his fingers in invitation. Hesitantly, I slipped my much smaller hand into his own, reveling in the soft skin of his palm. I didn’t even finish processing that though before he brought our joined hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles, his emerald eyes alight with cheekiness. With that, a playful grin danced across his lips and he tugged me out the door, giggles flying from my mouth at his childishness.

I had a feeling that it was going to be one hell of a lunch…

***

“Ah, I’m stuffed,” Harry groaned, shoving his plate away. I laughed at him and pat my tummy that felt so full it was uncomfortable.

“I regret nothing,” I sighed wistfully, looking at the now near empty pizza box. “That was absolutely amazing…”

“Right? I always bring my nieces here when I have them,” he smiled. “Those kids can eat a whole box just by themselves if you let them.”

“Uh,” I groaned. “I could barely handle those two slices. They’re huge.”

“Hey, get more for your money,” he chuckled. “So how about-.” A phone ringing suddenly cut him off, a regretful glance being sent your way.

“I have to take this real quick, Brin,” he apologized, swiping across the iphone’s screen and bringing it up to his ear.

“Hello…yeah…what do you mean I have to take them tonight? It’s my sister’s birthday, mate…I can’t-…but-….you know what? Fine, but you owe me big time…mmhm…see ya at seven, bye,” Harry ended the call and dropped his face into his hands, groaning.

“Out of all the times he could drop them on me, it had to be tonight,” he sighed, looking up at me.

“Um, your nieces?”

“Yep,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t get me wrong, I love those two to pieces…I’d do anything to keep them out of harm’s way, but tonight was just going to be my sister and me going out to dinner.” A sudden idea came to mind and I bit my lip, a bit hesitant to express it.

“Harry, I-I wouldn’t mind watching them tonight while you’re out. I mean, they’re really sweet and they seem to not mind me,” I said softly, watching as his eyes lit up.

“It would only be like for an hour or two…would you really?” he asked excitedly. I giggled and nodded, the two of us writing down details and phone numbers on napkins to give to each other. We both stood and walked out of the small pizzeria, Harry stopping me before we parted ways.

“Brin?” he asked softly, his tone taking me off guard compared to his previously joking one. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Sure, Haz,” I giggled, smile fading when I saw his lips turned down.

“Get some sleep, yeah?” he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “At least a little.”

“I don’t know if I ca-,” I began, my eyes slipping to the ground. Long fingers tilted my head up though, stilling my flow of words.

“I don’t care what time it is, but you call me and I’ll help you, alright? You need to take care of yourself,” he said sweetly, leaning forwards to press his lips to my forehead before he pulled away. “I’ll see you tonight, darling.” With that, he walked away, his broad shoulders swaying and the muscles in his back rippling under his white tshirt.

A heavy sigh left my mouth, random strands of hair being sent every which way, all energy being zapped from my body. All of my worries seemed to come flooding back the second Harry left, reality smacking me in the face. My sister was still a drunk who had a knack for finding a fight, and Liam Payne still wanted nothing to do with me just like everyone else in my life. My feet froze at that thought; he didn’t want me. He had told me so himself…I was just too stubborn to believe it. Hurt flooded through me and I bit my lip, trying to keep tears at bay. I didn’t know why it had me so torn up, he was just a stranger, but for some reason I wanted his acceptance and that was one thing I certainly did not have. My eyes were hazy with moisture as I stepped back into the empty workplace, not a single person in sight besides Niall who was sitting on the counter, looking at his phone. When the door closed behind me, his head snapped up to look at me, eyes widening as he saw my state.

“Brin?” he whispered, shoving his phone in his pocket and striding over to me, his toned arms holding me close to this chest. I didn’t break down, I wouldn’t let myself, but I did bury my face into his polo, tears seeping into the white and making it stick to his skin.

“Did that dick hurt you? I swear I’ll kill him-,” Niall began, his face turning red with anger. I shook my head, my hand tightening on his bicep as I did so.

“He didn’t hurt me, Ni. I-I just…I don’t even know. Everything was just too much to handle and I-I broke,” I mumbled. He tightened his hold on me and rested his chin on my head with a heavy sigh.

“I get it,” he said quietly. “Everyone needs to just take a breath sometimes and lean on someone else for a change. It’s alright, love.”

“Thanks,” I hummed, nuzzling my nose deeper into his shirt. The whole situation wasn’t romantic or anything, it was almost as if he was just my big brother looking out for me; I liked that feeling. That feeling of being protected cared for, wanted. It’s a feeling that I hadn’t experienced for years and I almost forgot how good it feels.

“I’ll always protect you, yeah? Just know that you can come to me with anything,” he murmured in my ear, the whole world seeming to slow as we stood there in the middle of the coffee shop, the moment perfect as could be.

***

So who do ya'll like for Brin? Niall, Liam, or Harry?