Disclosure - a Ziall fanfiction

Chapter Eight - Christmas

Greg

((A/N): Umm, pretty sure you all know, but just in case you don't, Greg is Niall's older brother... no, of course you all know that. What was I thinking. Sorry.)

"Did you remember to bring the camera?" Denise asked. I looked away from the road for a moment, and smiled at her. "Of course. It's in the bag with the presents." She grabbed my hand. "You're tense, what's on your mind?"

"I just miss my little brother, haven't seen him in months," I muttered.

"Well, it's not long now," she said, squeezing my hand.

"I know." I smiled at my fiancée.

***

Our mum had moved to London to look after Niall, but she had kept the house in Mullingar, and that's where we all met for Christmas, birthdays and get-togethers. I opened the front door. "Niall? Mum? We're here," I called. Maura appeared around the corner to the living room, beaming. "Finally," she said, pulling both of us into a hug. "Good to see yah both. It's dinner in an hour. Niall, your brother is here!" she called.

Niall came down the stairs from his room, smiling, wearing a grey t-shirt, and sweatpants that looked like they hadn't been cleaned for a while. "Greg," he said, giving me a hug. "Good to see yah."

He was smiling, but something about his smile didn't seem genuine. I looked at my mother through the hug, asking her with the eyes if anything was wrong. She shrugged.

"Are you gonna wear that for Christmas eve dinner, Niall?" she asked. "No, I'll go change," he answered, heading up the stairs again. Denise disappeared into the bathroom, leaving me alone with my mother.

Maura looked worried. "Greg, can you talk to him?" she asked. "He has been in his room ever since he got here, and when he comes out, he always looks like he has been crying. He might be injecting heroin into his eyeballs for all I know, she smiled, quoting Love Actually. I smiled at the movie reference, but in that moment, her smile cracked, and I realised she actually meant it. I hugged her. "Don't cry. I'll talk to him," I said. She gave me a weak smile. "Good. Good. Now, let's see how this steak is doing," she said, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Niall

We ate dinner, and my family took the chance to clear up all the crazy rumours they had heard about me since last time. I answered everything, trying to smile and look happy, but it was really hard, and the smile I had plastered across my face felt fake. I could tell Greg looked through me.

I helped clean up after dinner, then I escaped into my room. I needed to get a grip, if I didn't my brother might think I wasn't happy to see him, but I was, I genuinely was.

I had just sat down on my bed when Greg knocked and looked in. "Can I come in?" "Sure", I said, trying to smile.

"Don't do that," he said, sitting down beside me.

"Do what?"

"Don't try to force a smile on your face. Clearly, something is wrong. Tell me?"

I couldn't tell him. I wasn't ready to tell him I was in love with Zayn. I shook my head.

"Are you scared of what I might think?" I waited for a second, then I nodded.

"Well, Ni, you shouldn't be. I know that face. You have a crush on someone. Tell me."

I shook my head again.

"Goddammit, Niall, you can be in love with a dog for all I care, you're still my little brother, and I want you to tell me!"

I hesitated. "I... I can't..."

"Niall James Horan, tell me!"

"No, I mean, I can't... I can't... breathe," I said. "There's a hole in my chest, and it's like I can't get enough air," I explained. Oh well, this didn't make much sense, did it?

"Yes, I'm in love. And he doesn't love me back."

It was quiet for a moment. Then I continued.

"There's a hole in my chest, and the only thing that helps, is to curl up to a pathetic ball and press my knees to my chest. When I breathe, it feels like the air don't reach my lungs, as if they're punctured. I feel so pathetic. What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you, Niall. It's called being in love. And you're not pathetic. Nothing, ever, is wrong when it comes to feelings."

I was speechless. He really didn't judge. A smile appeared on my face, and it was genuine this time.

"Are you sure?" Greg asked. I looked up at him, angry. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love, Greg."

"No, that's not what I meant", he smiled. "I mean, are you sure he doesn't love you back?"

"He has a girlfriend, Greg," I said.

"Oh."

It was quiet for a long while. Then Greg broke the silence. "It's Zayn, isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes, it is. It's driving me crazy, Greg! I've got this pain in my chest, and the only thing that helps, is picturing him holding me," I blushed. He laughed.

"Well, I'm sorry, little brother, but I really can't help you," he said, rubbing my back. "But you can always talk to me. Oh, by the way, you wanna be my best man at my wedding?"

I beamed at him. "Of course," I said, attacking him with a giant bear hug. "Thank you."

"No problem, Nialler."

***

Every night, I curled up in my bed, pressing my knees to my chest, hoping the pain in my chest would go away. For every second, I realized a bit more how much I loved Zayn, and I couldn't understand how I was going to cope with it. He didn't love me back, that was a fact, Zayn had practically screamed it to my face. But knowing that my family supported me, made it a tiny bit easier to bear.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SO whaddya think people? :D So, from now on, I'm dedicating to the most awesome comment! THANK YOU FOR READING, MY AMAZING FRIENDS!