A Match Into Water (Neeroy Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

Liam's POV

I was so done with everything. Niall wasn't the only one hurting. Maybe I hadn't been too bothered about visiting Leeroy, but that didn't mean I hated him, like Niall thought. I rushed home just after our argument and collapsed on my bed. Sometimes I just lay here at thought which is what I'm doing now. Louis told me he was coming around in a while, so maybe then he can give me some epic best friend advice, 'cause right now, I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Maybe it was too soon to start thinking about switching off Leeroy's machine, and definitely too soon to mention it to Niall, but what other choice have I got? He's making no improvements and we're just wasting a bed for someone who is capable of being saved.

He's just dead. Not literally yet, but he's just a vegetable right now. And soon he'll be nothing. It's not my fault Niall is just pushing away the truth so he can feel better about all of this. But he's helping nobody; once he realises everything, it'll crash down on him like a ton of bricks. And I warned him. Everybody knows it. Everybody.

"Liam?" I heard a soft voice call from outside of my bedroom door. I yelled a come in and watched as Louis ambled through my door. His hair was now propped upwards into a brunette quiff. His eyes were that same delicate blue and his cheeks were slightly flushed at the cold weather biting into his flesh. He was wearing red jeans, a blue and white stripy shirt and Toms.

He smiled at me and sighed. "Niall texted me everything what happened. Why'd you break his heart, Li? I know you hate your brother, but that cruel? Niall is crazy about him."

I rolled my eyes. More judgements? I only called Louis around so I could use some support, but I'm sure all of them have talked to Niall, and they all think I'm some murderer. I grabbed my blue covers and pulled them over my head.

Louis sighed again and yanked them off me. "Liam, I'm serious. I've heard Niall's side of the story, and I'm not making any judgements before I hear yours. Don't even bother lying, mate, because otherwise I'll have to smack you one."

I half-smiled and explained everything from my side of the story and was thankful for no interruptions. Lou would occasionally nod his little head or mumble words to himself. As I told him the point where I suggested turning off his machine, his liquid blue eyes turned into a solid and I didn't blame him. It did sound cruel, but it wasn't my fault I was the only one in the real world.

"Looks to me like you're the one escaping the real world," Louis murmured, his eyes narrowing, not sure what my response was going to be but his body was half-turned towards the door in case I blew up with rage. But I didn't. I had taken all of my rage out on Niall, and now I was calm. But I still fought.

I snorted. "No, I'm just saying how it is. Niall jumped to conclusion the first second I told him we should move on, and I was just thinking outside the box. Jeez, am I the only one with brains? Niall is eighteen; why are you all feeling so sorry for him?"

Louis shook his head in disbelief. "Liam, Niall is eighteen. Yes, he is a legal adult, but that does not mean he has no feelings anymore. He is still a mental child and... he's different. Needs someone to help him."

"He has us," I interjected. 

Louis sighed. "No. He used to have us, Liam. But ever since he fell for Leeroy, that guy has been his helper. And it was sort of permanent, so without him, he can't be protected. It might sound a load of shit, but it's true, I'm afraid."

I bowed my head. So maybe I'd gone about it the wrong way, but Leeroy isn't getting any better. What was the point of hoping and praying when nothing will make a difference?

I had to admit, I felt a little bad for Niall right now. He seemed depressed, but was he? I glanced at Louis, almost horror-struck. What if he had done something stupid? I had no major experience with self harm, but I knew enough about it to know why people feel the need to do it. But Niall wasn't that sort of person. He was strong- not that people who self harm are weak, but Niall just didn't think of himself like that.

"Liam, go find him," Louis told me. "Go apologise before he does something he's going to regret."

So I took my stupid car keys from my dresser and sat in my crappy blue Ford Focus and drove to Niall's house. I was sure his Mother would not appriciate me visiting if Niall had told her everything, but I was willing to take that risk. I had to see him. Although I was still rather angry at him for being selfish, I still had to know he was okay.

Niall's POV

Being alone is not normal for me because there was normally someone with me. People felt protective over me for some reason, so there was always someone there. Mostly it was Leeroy, but since my Mum was out, I guessed that maybe Greg would've come up to see if I was okay. But he stayed downstairs, watching a football match with Doritos.

But it did give me time to just think, so I wasn't complaining...

"Niall, your friend Lionel is here to see you!" I heard my brothers' booming voice yell from downstairs. I heard the wind from the door being open from all the way in my boring room, but I was sure I had no friends called Lionel.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Buddy, I don't know a Lionel!"

Greg didn't answer for about a minute until he just chuckled. "Oh. His name is Liam, sorry, man. I'll just let him up. Lemme get back to the game."

I flinched. Shit. Liam was here. What the fuck was I supposed to do now? I squeezed my eyes shut, recalling back from his words about killing Leeroy. And I was letting him join me in my bedroom, after everything he said? My eyes snapped open again and they were boiling with rage. No way am I letting him get away with that. Screw him.

Liam ambled through my door, wearing the exact same clothes as he had in the park, but that just hurt more. His sandy brown hair was styled downwards which was unnatural for Liam, but he did look good. His chocolate brown eyes were a liquid, and his bushy eyebrows angled down apologetically. But I just turned away from him.

"Niall, I'm here to talk," Liam informed me. I didn't face him, though. My arms were crossed and I was staring at the wall next to my blue bed. He didn't deserve my speech, nor did he deserve my sympathy. He was a murderer.

Liam sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have suggested turning off the machines." My throat produced a large lump and I flinched again. "But you have to put yourself in my shoes, Niall. Empathy. Ever heard of that? Yeah, maybe I hate my brother, but that doesn't mean I want him to die. But yeah, he's making no improvements. The doc's can't keep him there forever."

"Liam-" Tears escaped down my face and now I turned and glared at him with my watery blue eyes. "You have to put yourself in my shoes. Think of someone you love more than water, air, food... and then think of them being taken away from you forever. You can't bear the thought, because it seems impossible to just live life without them. That is how I'm feeling!"

Liam bit his lip. "Please, Niall. This is for him. To put him out of any misery."

I sniffed. Out of misery?

Was this actually the best thing to do? Would I be saving him, like he saved me? He gave me forever in numbered days...

Did I owe him that much?

***

Okay so there was a few comments which asked why the title is a Pierce The Veil song. I know it sounds weird since this is a 1D fanfic, but I don't know... I thought it was unique and a good idea... Sorry if you thought otherwise:L

-ChloeTomlinson<3