hazy || niall horan

9. progress, if only situational

Niall stopped searching for Aoife at half past four. If she had truly wanted to speak with him she would have stopped and given him the chance to apologize for his outburst. He figured that he ought to give her space and if he was being honest he didn't quite know what he would say if she decided to question the real reason for the bruise on his face.

He sat against a wall in the park of his small little town and wondered just how and when he allowed his life to be the shit show that it was. His mother had left when he was young, leaving behind her husband and her two sons. Niall and his brother Greg had never been extremely close but they banded together to survive their father.

Their father was busy most of their childhood; if he was not working he was off on some luxurious island with some business associates. Niall had always suspected that by associates he had meant leggy women who could put out for anyone.

Niall's mother was the glue that held their rather haphazard family together and so when she was gone, so was their family.

Niall and Greg had relied on each other as safety from their father after their mother's departure. It wasn't in Robert Horan's nature to hit his children; no that came with the onset of his alcoholism.

At first it was small little things. He would grab the boys too hard or pinch the inside of their arm if he was angry. But as they grew older his anger grew deeper. Soon, Niall's torso was littered with bruises and so was Greg's. It wasn't so bad with the two of them, however, when Greg left for uni and never came back, Niall became the main outlet for Robert's rage.

Now, Niall had to hide bruises with excuses, leaving behind a trail of doubt and curiosity.

His phone ringing brought him out of his thoughts and back into reality. It had just begun to rain.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"Aoife... I didn't.... where..." he sighed. "I'm in Liberty Park."

"I'll be there in five, don't move."

The phone disconnected and Niall rubbed his throbbing forehead.

Five minutes turned out to be ten and Niall was giving up hope as the sun was setting that Aoife had changed her mind. That was until a cold object was thrown into his lap.

"Peas are fucking expensive, so I hope you like Lima beans." Aoife stood in front of him with her arms crossed in an uncomfortable manner. He could tell this was new for her, perhaps caring was new, or talking to people was new, whatever she was attempting she had never done before.

"Thank you. Though I should be apologizing not being taken care of."

"No need, it's over. Understood. No one talks about fight club remember?"

Niall understood the reference and laughed a little, bringing the cold and soothing bag of legumes towards his swollen eye. The two sat in silence for some time, both unsure of where things stood.

"Why did you come find me"

"Good question," Aoife began, "I had sammies and crisps still and if I take them home I have to share with everyone. They were meant for us so they shall be eaten by us.

"Plus, you're the closest thing I have to a friend and I don't want to fuck it up."

Aoife wished she hadn't had said the last part, breathing out the sentence in rushed embarrassment. She peeked at Niall to see him looking at her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She suspected he had been weirded out by her admission and she immediately regretted saying anything at all.

"We are friends Aoife." Niall said sensing she needed the affirmation. His free hand reached out and rested on her arm, heat resonating deep within both of their skin where their flesh met.

Aoife reluctantly smiled, Niall reciprocated.

That day in the park under the tree was the first of many sandwiches and crisps and many other firsts for both Niall and Aoife.

Aoife with her reluctance for community and Niall with his reluctance for help.