Niam One-Shots 2 ||

[183] My Kryptonite [RQ]

Prompt: Liam is known for his ignorant and crude behavior, especially towards his poor dog, but Niall notices this and takes it into his own hands to help the animal in need and his owner.

Requested by; georgiarose2648

Niall remembered walking by Liam's house and hearing nothing but a barking dog until one day where he'd heard screaming. That screaming came from Liam who finally had enough, he broke to the point of him sending his dog into the confined backyard after hitting him in complete and utter anger.

Niall was the only witness of this act, but word got around in the neighborhood before then. He was new to the area and wondered why someone could be so cruel to their own animal, a pet that should make a person happy not upset. He took this chance to enter his own home, greet his husky puppy, and grab some food Liam's dog who needed some care.

Once he gathered everything, Niall hopped the back fence and went over to the dog who cowered in fear. Niall took gentle steps toward him, holding the food and water bowls out in front of him with a small smile upon his face. “C'mon you don't need to be scared... I'm here to feed you, pup.” The dog was still growing, from what Niall could tell, and his altered, soft voice gave him enough credit to earn the dog's trust. Niall examined the collar and read the name ‘Howard’ while watching him eat. He pets the dog carefully, gently enough to not scare him away while examining his figure to see if he had any more damages.

Thankfully, everything else seemed to remain okay while Howard devoured the much-needed food and water, licking Niall's hands after he finished as a sign of gratitude. “I'll be back to check on you every day, okay? I promise. I'll take good care of you.” He allowed Howard to lick his cheek before exiting doubtfully. Niall never wanted to leave a dog like him behind, but he had homework to catch up on and work the next morning.

When tomorrow evening approached, Niall visited Howard again with more food and water at his disposal. He noticed a small, red mark on Howard's back and shook his head in disgust. This was a daily thing that Niall encountered for the next, few weeks.

That was until Niall heard the backdoor open while he fed Howard who still remained healthy but beaten up from Liam who had just stepped out wearing a brown robe with slippers on, the stench of cigarette smoking protruding off of him.

“Who the hell are you, and why are you feeding my dog?” His voice was a deep, thick English accent that both terrified Niall yet didn't provoke him too much.

Niall had to stand his ground here. “I was talking with the neighbors and they were telling me that you were mistreating your vulnerable dog here, so I decided to step in and help with what I could. Feeding him and giving him water was the best I could do since you don't seem to care.”

Liam huffs in annoyance. “I can treat my dog however I like, it's not like you've had experiences with a dog like mine.” He had a boxer dog, one of the kindest and bravest breeds, but Liam has turned him into a broken-down animal who sought assistance.

Niall grew offended. “Excuse me? I had three dogs before coming here, two of them being old and healthy as I've been caring for them since I was fourteen years old. I had to watch them die in front of my eyes because of how old they had gotten after so many years of watching them grow up. I know how it feels to take care of, love, and see dogs pass, so don't patronize me like you're doing, Liam.”

The other man sighs. “First of all, it must have been hard to watch them go, and second of all, how in the hell do you know my name?” He appeared less on edge, but he still looked angry.

“Again, I asked around the neighborhood what you were doing with this innocent boxer, so I learned your name and a lot of other private information from people, even your ex-boyfriends who live nearby. It's clear why they left you.”