Niall Centric One-Shots

One of Those Nights

Warning(s): slight mention of abuse

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It was one of those nights again.

The nights where Harry would lean back on the beat up sofa, feet propped up on the worn coffee table and watching Niall as he blankly stared off into nothing. The nights where Niall was unresponsive, just the usual twitch of his fingers or the darting of his blue eyes. Harry had grown used to these nights, unnaturally used to these memorable nights.

Tonight, more like this morning, the moon was close to setting and Niall was finally reaching the end of his daydream, the smile on his lips told Harry so. Niall's grin grew larger as Harry stood and walked out the front door. Harry's job was done, or so he thought. Niall didn't need any company since he was grinning and laughing silently.

"Hey!" Niall shouted, surprisingly, he was running after Harry.

"Yeah?" Harry whispered as he dug around in his pockets for his keys.

"I don't know where you're going," he said smiling, quoting Harry's favorite song, "but do you have room for one more troubled soul?"

Harry smirked and pat the worn leather seat behind him, rings making a dull clunk, "Where to?"

Niall straddled the bike behind Harry and let out a sigh, "It doesn't matter, just drive till we can't anymore."

The motorcycle let out gradually loud purrs and sputters, "Ready?"

Niall nodded as he wrapped his thin arms around Harry's stomach, "Ready."

The dark navy sky swirled as Niall's hands seemed to rake through the clusters of stars, spewing the stars left and right as he disturbed the imaginary circles of stars. They had started on the road of desperation and pain, yet they were retracing their steps into the beginning of happiness and warmth. Harry could barely see Niall, but he could tell the happiness was an odd feeling for Niall, but he felt the early acception of it.

Niall's pale fingers circled around the moon, traced over the thick bundles of clouds, and connected the stars in crazy patterns that meant nothing. Harry was revving the engine, causing the bike to growl and catch up speed; he watched Niall's smaller hands above his head.

The air was impossibly cold, but neither of the two boys cared. All that mattered was that they were together, enjoying each others warmth of glee. The goosebumps and constant shivers couldn't compare to the scenery. It was too bright and attention demanding that Niall couldn't look away, and Harry yearned for the gas to run out that way he could stop and admire Niall's amazed face. The way that Niall's golden streaked blue eyes would reflect the white pinpoints in the sky, and how his coloured hair would be windswept and laced with freshness from the cold air, and no worries would be insight. All the worries were left behind in the old dump Niall called home.

Home was far away now for all Niall cared. No more shouting and yelling, no more slamming doors and tears, no more flying vases or beer bottles across the room, no more worries Niall was running from. And Harry was fine if Niall felt like running from his problems, he understood, not completely, but he could fathom an idea. An idea of what it felt like to be covered in yellowing bruises and deep cuts from shards of glass. He had an idea, a terrifying idea, but Harry was there to help Niall sprout another idea. An idea about clean skin, happy eyes, and a safe haven.

The idea was slowly unfolding to reality while Niall's fingers danced across the sky and the motorcycle chugged to a stop. "No more gas," Harry whispered as he took in where they stopped. It was a car lot with a few abandoned cars and weeds sprouting from the cracks in the cement.

"Thank you so much, Harry!" Niall squealed as he ran to over to the hood of a dusty, blue car. Niall situated himself as Harry stood by his bike and smiled a bit at the older boy.

"Harry, don't stand there like a twat! Come watch the sunrise with me!"

Harry chuckled and made his way towards the hood Niall was lying on. At that moment, Harry realized why Niall wanted this so badly. The way the open air gave freedom and the fading stars gave the thought of infinity like nothing mattered at all. Harry's white teeth were revealed while Niall's hair tickled his arm.

"Why blue?" Harry disturbed the silence as he twirled a strand of Niall's recently dyed hair. It was a light blue, but it was bold and stood out.

"Well," Niall whispered as he played with Harry's fingers, "the sky is blue, and the sky is infinite, and my thoughts are infinite, so I thought, 'Why not blue?'"

Harry pulled at the strands, "Did you just make that up?"

Niall coughed, "So, Harry, why all the tattoos?"

A laugh was stifled as Harry rolled over to face Niall, "If your hair tells a story, my arms tell a million more."

Something was gurgled from Niall as he rolled over to look at him. Blue and green mixed together as they tried to read each other's expressions which both knew how to expertly from the many years of friendship.

"Harry, do you think us will be forever?"

Harry was startled at the question, "Us?"

Niall sighed and flew his arms around, "You know there is something," he gestured between them, "between us."

Harry smiled rolled them both over to look back at the exploding colours of the sky, "If you want us forever, then why not."

Niall smiled as the sun slowly crept up over the mounds of broken automobiles, "Promise?"

Harry held up his pinky, "Pinky promise."

The smaller pinky linked with the larger, "It's a deal. Harry Styles, you have just sold your soul to something big. Can you handle it?"

The sky exploded in multiple colours as the sun rose higher, "As long as we are here, I can handle it."

Niall had long since rolled back over to face Harry, lips tingling, "Can we?"

Harry linked their lips, a gasp leaving both mouths. Despite the thick layer of dust that coated their cold lips, an eruption of electricity coursed through their senses, numbing their fingertips and toes. Niall was the first to break it with a loud gasp, "How are we going to get home? We're out of gas!"

Harry smiled and placed his large hand over Niall's rosy cheek, "Doesn't matter, this is more important."

Harry whipped the dust from their lips and rubbed it off on his torn jeans, "Shall we?"

The smaller of the two nodded furiously as he gripped the others gelled curls and pulled him close.

It was a better idea, an idea that sprouted and grew into something greater. Something so great, it was worth leaving behind everything just to witness it. It grew into something called love, something these two troubled souls needed.