Forget Me Not (Zayn/Harry; Mpreg AU)

39 - Clashing

"Oy, what's happening here?"

"Fuckin' finally, Niall."

Strong warm arms wrap around Harry's bent form, tugging gently to encourage the trembling lad to pull himself up. Next, the unmistakable Irish brogue of Harry's very best friend murmurs softly into the curly haired lad's ear, "Haz, get up, please. You don't have to do this. You did nothing, love."

Confident enough in Niall's ability to protect Harry, Michal turns to the other patrons of the nightclub and apologizes for the slight disturbance. He does a quick but thoroughly efficient job in redirecting the audience's attention elsewhere, and in no time at all, the commotion by the bar is ignored completely.

On the other hand, Louis eyes the newcomer with interest, his gaze unflinching, wanting to document every single act between the two. Maybe, he thinks, this is one of the evidences of Harry's insidiousness, the single much needed justification for inflicting well deserved agony towards him. He stares hard as the stranger lifts Harry off the ground and puts him behind his back, protectively shielding him from Louis and Zayn.

"What's wrong with you two?" the lad demands, face flushed with anger. Specifically, those sharp blue eyes are focused on Zayn knowingly. Niall is fully aware that Zayn is missing parts of his memories and is only acting upon what lies he has been told, but he'd be damned if he let these poor sods step all over his friend. "Zayn Malik, what are you doing to Harry?"

Said young man tugs on his friend's arm, softly pleading, "Niall..."

Niall briefly turns his head to the side and shushes Harry. "Haz, please. I'm talking to them." He gives his friend a soft smile and reaches for his hand to squeeze it reassuringly. Afterwards, he turns his gaze back on to the two blokes in front of them, eyebrows up in question. "Well? I'm waiting."

Louis scoffs in distaste, finding this lanky lad irritating for his false bravado. "Zayn, you don't have to answer to this guy, if you don't want to," he reminds the still quiet Zayn, purposefully raising his voice so that Niall and Harry can hear him. "In the first place, you deserved that apology from Harry. He should fucking grovel for your forgiveness after what he did to you."

Two different reactions greet Louis' words: Harry's face crumples in defeat once more, his eyes reddening and chin trembling, while Niall's expression is one of absolute fury, his fists balling up on his sides and his jaw tightening. He looks ready to launch himself towards Louis and pummel him mercilessly, but there's a hand on his lower back, fingers closed tightly on his shirt, holding on like a lifeline, preventing his anger to take hold of his actions. Above all, Niall respects the relationship that Harry has had with Zayn and, most especially, the life that it has created in Harry's womb.

"Here's a piece of sound advice, Sir," Niall settles on saying, emphasizing the word Sir and gritting his teeth. "You shouldn't comment on things that you know nothing about, because you will look and sound like a fucking idiot, if you do so."

Bingo.

Niall hits a nerve and just when Louis takes a threatening step forward, Zayn blocks him. Surprised, Louis takes a look at Zayn and notices the conflict in his eyes while staring at Harry.

"Zayn, what?"

"Let's just go, Louis," Zayn murmurs, voice frail. "I didn't want to come here, anyway."

Sparing one last hard look at Harry, Zayn then walks away, his shaking hands stuffed inside his coat pockets so that no one will be able to see them, to know how much those green eyes shake his world. On the other hand, Louis watches him go out the door curiously before glaring at Niall and Harry.