without you « niam

twenty-three: after

It seemed like forever until Harry decided to grace Niall and Keegan with his presence. Niall was almost asleep when Harry knocked on his door. "Da," Keegan pulled on Niall's shoulder, yawning a bit. "Hazzy is here."

"Thanks, bub," Niall yawned himself and brushed off the few remaining tears from his face. He tried to look somewhat presentable as he opened the door.

"Hey, Harry," Niall sighed as he let the boy in.

"I came as soon as I could," Harry panted. Niall then noticed the four gallons of ice cream in his arms. "I also brought ice cream. Because ice cream makes everything better."

"You didn't need to," Niall reassured. But the ice cream was already paid for so there was no need in arguing. "Just someone to help me watch Keegan is enough."

"I wanted to," Harry insisted. "Liam's an ass. Zayn hasn't admitted what state he's in, but Lou's over there too. I'm sure I'll get word soon. Where's the baby?"

Keegan was sat on the couch sucking his thumb, exactly where Niall left him. "Hazzy!" He called with his thumb in his mouth, waving to Harry.

"Hi, Keegan!" Harry said back just as excitedly. "Did you get bigger since the last time I saw you?"

"No," Keegan giggled. "Ice cream?"

"You can have a bowl," Niall assured him. Keegan's face broke out into a large grin and the boy made grabby hands toward the ice cream.

"Now?"

"I'll fix you a bowl. Lead me to the kitchen?" Harry motioned Keegan over, and the two left the room.

Niall was left in his thoughts, which was not a good thing. Did Liam hate him now? Did he even make the right decision by telling Liam? He thought it would be worth it.

The feeling in his heart told him it wasn't.

-

Liam found himself back in his home, wondering why he was such an idiot.

The one thing that refused to leave his mind was Niall's face as he turned his back. Niall looked so broken. He hadn't seen that look on Niall's face since the night before X Factor.

Liam couldn't stand knowing that he was the reason for Niall's broken look. But he had bigger things to worry about. Niall had indeed been keeping something huge from him. A child.

How had he even managed that? The kid looked like he was two years old! Judging by the date Niall had given him, though, he must be at least three. God, Liam had missed the first three years of his own child's life.

He could be lying to me. Liam pushed that thought from his brain. The baby (God, Liam didn't even know his own kid's name) looked too much like his own self as a child to be passed off as anyone else's. Unless Liam had an identical twin. Which he didn't.

So where did that leave Liam? He had just walked out on the most amazing person he had ever met and his child. How could he ever expect Niall to let him back in again?

"Let me in, you ass!" Liam heard Zayn yell from behind his front door. A sharp banging noise erupted. Liam removed his hands from his hair (he couldn't even remember putting them there) and walked over to the door to let in a furious Zayn.

"How could you even dare to do that?!" Zayn bellowed. He sounded more furious that Liam had ever heard him; he had heard Zayn at his worst.

"I-I," Liam started to say. "I don't know. I was just so confused. I needed to get out before I started screaming."

"Do you realize," Zayn pinched the bridge of his nose, "that I just left Niall alone with a three year old to comfort him? He was damn well near crying his eyes out, too. Niall tried to tell me that everything was alright when as I left."

"Liam James Payne, you just did what?" Louis shouted as he ran into Liam's home. "Zayn called me. Are you telling me that you just walked out on them? You left poor Niall with a three year old who looks like an exact replica of you?!"

"Did you know about him too?" Liam whimpered. Louis' eyes softed for a moment, then hardened again.

"Who, Keegan? I just met him a few weeks ago."

Another voice screamed into Liam's house. "LIAM PAYNE!"

"Did you call my mum?!" Liam shrieked.

"Zayn damn well did! I cannot believe you, Liam! I thought I raised you better!" Karen Payne walked briskly into the house. She wore the same expression she did as she scolded him as a teenager. Not one of anger, but of disappointment.

"You know too?" He whispered at his mum. Karen did not soften.

"Of course I knew! I was smart enough not to kick Niall out on the street either! It took much convincing, but we finally worked out an agreement not to tell you."

"Why? Why did I not know?"

"Do you want to know what Niall told me those years ago?" Karen asked softly. Liam nodded. "He told me that he was doing it for you. He wanted you to go out and live your dream. The one thing Niall tried to avoid was pulling you down and pushing you to help him with the baby.

"As far as I know, he was horrible with the pregnancy. Maura told me that much. As soon as that baby was born, we all moved back to london. Did you think we just moved at random? Niall came with us. His flat isn't but twenty minutes from ours. When he was in labor, Maura said all he ever did was cry for you. He knew that you couldn't be there, but no one was to stay with him unless it was you. I was so close to calling you, Liam, but I knew that that wasn't what he really wanted.

"So do you see now, Liam? It was all for you. Niall had to be homeschooled, and he didn't go to uni. You got to go out and live your dream."

Liam had tears pouring down his face. What was he to do now?

•-•

well that was fun

i'm pretty sure my hair band is restricting blood flow

whatever

so how are you guys?

is everyone safe? happy? healthy?

ily guys

i should probably leave now.

smut to read and such

baiiiiiiiiiiii

1080 words

(29/10/14)