Good Enough

T h i r t y T h r e e

"Liam!"

Approaching the edge of the stairs, Liam's lips dip in a frown as he sees the familar tuffs on blonde hair, "What?" His tone lowers, eyes glazing the blue eyed boy in front of his father, "Nathan is here to see you,"

"It's Niall," The boy corrects, Harry stiffens with a small apology muttered as he turns on his heel exiting from the room. 

"What's he doing home?"

"He lives here," Liam returns lamely, "Fair," Niall muses plucking his hands in his pockets as he scans the entry way, "F-feels like forever,"

It did.

It felt as if Liam hadn't joked with his best friend in years, and suddenly the conversations he'd planned out in the shower came spewing out mixed with the anger he had built up towards the boy.

"I still forgive fucking you!"

Niall cocks his head to the side, confused by the gibberish Liam had complied together with his eyebrows knitted together an angering somber expression as if to explain the mixed emotions he felt perfectly.

"Y-you what?"

"I," Liam steps back he again passes over Niall's body, he's leaning towards the right eyes flickering over his once best friend with concern. Genuine concern for his best friend's well-being.

"I-I forgive you." It wasn't what he spent thirty minutes rehearsing, and yet it feels better because he wasn't the one that initiated the conversation.

Niall's face softens, his hands leaving his pockets as he gestures his open arms, "R-really?"

Stepping into his friend's hug, Liam exhales at the vanilla scent Niall always seemed to have. "Really." He assures, leading Niall to his movie room, Liam takes a place on the floor like old times as Niall flops on the sectional, "So,"

"I heard what happened," Niall informs his reason for being here, Liam shrinking into himself, "T-that Bradley left?"

"No Lee,"

His voice has pain streaking through it, Liam wincing at the sound, "I-I don't know what happened."

"You jumped off a bridge-"

"I know." Lifting his head to meet the cerulean eyes that pried for information as to why Liam would do such a thing to himself, he remembers back to the shower where he stayed rooted in the same spot for twenty minutes counting the scars he now had from the rocks he'd fallen on. 

"I-I," The words he couldn't find the strength to tell his Papa or Connor, made their way from his gut that had been anchored the by guilt of simply not being Good Enough, "I wanted the pain to stop. T-the pressure. The-the hurt that n-no one would ever just love me."

A sad sigh leaves the lips of Niall, he's lowered himself to the ground as well, tears welling in his eyes as they dare the chance to spill onto his cheeks, "I love you,"

"But you also l-love Connor. I-I wasn't good e-enough."

"Liam that's not true-"

"H-he had this-this woman a-at his house-"

"Who did?" Niall retorts snapping from his emotion, Liam flinching at the sudden curious tone of voice. The once saddened assurance is ripped and replaced by a vague curiosity.

Someone who might not have known Niall would've never thought twice and figured he was a worried friend, but Liam knew Niall. He didn't pry. Especially if Liam didn't willingly say it.

Swallowing past the lump, walls build in Liam's eyes as he tightens his jaw, "W-was it, Connor?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Who-who put you up to this?"

"No one Liam, I-I'm your best friend-" Liam's heart sinks when he clicks the puzzle pieces together, "It-it was Papa," eyes wide, lips trembling Liam stands jerking his hands away when Niall goes to reach for them, "Liam he was worried about you-"

"Fuck you!"

"Y-you-you don't get to be concerned about me! Connor's in America go catch the next fucking flight!," Shoving the door open Liam begins upstairs retreating to his bedroom where he passes Louis on the way, "Hey babe-"

"Fuck off," 

"Liam Styles!" Barking at his youngest son a fire in Louis' eyes spark anger in Liam's, "I wish I would've died! You deserve to lose every single fucking son you had. You push everyone away until they hate you! James was the lucky one to die."

>Emma :)