You Found Me [Nouis]

Chapter 10

Niall and Louis were sat on Niall's bed. Louis had Niall between his legs, the blonde boys back against his chest. His arms were wrapped around Niall's strangely thin torso.

"Ni," He said, frowning. His hands were running over Niall's stomach, his fingers dipping into Niall's sunken-in skin. He was surprised he hadn't noticed how absolutely small Niall's waist was, how thin Niall was. "sweetie, have you been eating?"

Niall tensed up, his fingers going to Louis', tangling them together to stop them from touching his thin waist. Louis frowned. "You haven't been eating? Why not, baby? That's not good for you."

Niall traced three letters onto Louis' skin with his finger. Louis studied his movements. "Fat? Niall, you are not fat! You need to eat!"

Niall shook his head, leaning back on Louis. Louis sighed, pulling Niall closer. "Please, Ni. You need to eat. If you don't, you'll die."

Niall sighed, tracing random patterns onto Louis' wrist. He drew lines across his skin, and Louis watched, confused. "Why do you hurt yourself, Ni? Y-you don't eat, you think badly, and you tried to . . . why do you do it? You're perfect."

Louis put his chin on Niall's shoulder, watching as Niall continued to draw patterns on his wrist. Niall shrugged eventually, looking up at Louis, his hands going still.

"They hurt you, didn't they?" Louis asked, still staring down at his wrist, Niall's fingers dancing across his skin- so tan compared to Niall's pale skin. "They put these thoughts in your mind, didn't they?"

Niall just looked at him, unsure of how to answer. Louis turned his head to look at him as well, placing a kiss on his nose. "I wish they didn't hurt you, Ni. I wish I would have been there to stop them."

Niall reached up, placing a hand on Louis' cheek as if he were going to pull the other boy in for a kiss. Louis caught a glimpse of something red on Niall's wrist, though, and grabbed his hand away, frowning.

"What's on your wrist?" He mumbled as he pulled Niall's sleeves up. His eyes widened at the sight. Scars. They littered his wrist up to his elbow, almost. Bruises were scattered all over his skin, as well, but it was obvious Niall didn't put them there. Louis gasped at the sight. "Niall . . ."

Niall tugged his sleeve back down, looking at Louis with wide eyes. Louis had a hand over his mouth, tears falling from his eyes, his other hand clamped around Niall's. "Niall, no. Oh my god."

Louis pulled Niall into a hug as Niall began to cry, whimpers coming through his lips. Louis held Niall close, letting the blonde boy cry into his shoulder. "Baby, don't cry. It's okay. Okay, okay. . . ."

Louis was muttering to himself, trying to remember what he'd done for his sister, who began self harming when she found out their mom and dad were getting dicorced. He'd looked up how to help, and it had worked, he just needed to remember. . . .

Louis got up, looking down at Niall. He dug his hand in his back pocket for a rubber band, the ones he kept around in case his sister broke hers. Louis slipped it over Niall's wrist, keeping the blonde boys' hand locked in his own.

"I'm gonna trust you with your blades, okay? But if you feel tempted, just pull the rubber band back and snap it on your skin." Louis was hesitant, but he demonstrated on Niall's wrist. Niall didn't even flinch. "Okay?"

Niall nodded, looking up at Louis with a soft smile. Louis leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to his lips. "Just try to stop, okay? Try."

Niall nodded again, looking down at his wrists. He snapped the rubber band against it, and Louis flinched. He almost reached out to stop Niall when he began snapping it over and over, but he stopped himself. He knew Niall had to hurt himself in some way, even if he didn't understand why.