little do you know: the december drabbles // niall horan au

day 9: ruining the holiday dinner (in which there are red faces and blue lips)

Mona learned that both Niall and Liam, who were normally exceptionally kind unless otherwise provoked, were incredibly cranky when hungover. Their cuddling phase had worn off, and Mona was grateful for it. At one point during the day, she'd had to send Niall to Liam's room because he kept latching onto her like a koala. She'd entered her own room not even an hour later only to find Niall tucked under Liam's arm, the two of them lounging on her bed watching the latest Lifetime movie. At the sight of her, Niall had frowned petulantly and opened his arms, inviting her into them, and she found herself rolling her eyes and crawling into the bed—her bed—between the two.

Now, both Niall and Liam were just grouchy and irritable, Niall muttering something about a headache before dismissing her from the kitchen so he could make dinner in peace. It was Christmas Eve, and because they were leaving tomorrow night, Harlow wanted to make tonight a grand affair. Except Mona was worried about Niall and she just couldn't stay out of the kitchen, despite his grumblings of disagreement.

"You know we're supposed to make dinner together, right?" she'd finally said, fed up with Niall's behavior. She just couldn't understand why he was acting that way. He'd been fine up until a few hours ago. "Why are you being so moody?"

Niall simply glared at her and resumed stirring the sauce he had been preparing on the stove.

Eventually, she'd given up, instead taking the potatoes out of the oven to cool and retreating from the kitchen to set the table. But then Niall followed her out, eyes a bit guilty and shoulders a bit defeated, mumbling an apology. Except the damage was already done. Mona was annoyed with him. So she left him to set the table by himself and went to tend to dinner.

It was all fine up until a few moments later until the sound of plates crashing to the floor snapped Mona away from her thoughts and then she was shutting off the stove and the oven—to prevent any further mishaps—rushing to the source of the sound only to find a red-faced, fuming Niall clenching his jaw and clutching his middle finger, just like she'd told him to do whenever he got upset.

"You don't get to say that to me," he said, voice dangerously low and eyes looking as if he wished to shoot daggers into Zayn's skull. "That's so fucking insensitive."

He was heaving, chest rising and falling as he attempted to take deep breaths, except it looked as if nothing could cool him down with how red his face had gotten. Zayn, on the other hand, had gone pale, eyes widened in utter fear. "Nialler, I really didn't—"

"Yes you did!" he bit out loudly, and Mona jumped back a bit. Panic was curling up her throat because Niall's fists were now clenched at his sides and ­no one even dared to touch him. "And you know. You know what my life was like before I moved here. How I had to work my ass off to even afford a plane ticket." Niall stalked over slowly, shoulders squared in a way that propelled Mona forward. Her hands were reaching out for him but then Harry was holding her back, shaking his head at her concerned gaze. They'll work it out, his eyes said. Except Mona wasn't so sure.

"Do you know," Niall sneered, "how many days I had to go without food to even be here? Do you know how many weeks I went hungry and without heat or water so I could save up enough fucking money to get out of the shitty life I was living?" At that point, Harlow was crying, and Liam was trying to comfort her. Harry's arms was still around Mona as she watched wide-eyed at the scene in front of her. Niall's hands were trembling, the vein running down his neck making itself visible and Mona was actually afraid it might burst, even though she knew the thought was irrational.

Zayn was standing so still that Mona wondered if he was still breathing. Her thoughts were answered when he spoke, voice shaky with trepidation. "Niall, please, I'm sorry—"

"Do you know?!" he thundered and this time Mona actually let out a tiny yelp. "You don't! Because," he laughed scornfully, "I don't even know! That's how long it was." Niall laughed again, except it wasn't the rambunctious and warm one, but cold. Empty. Hollow. "And you had the nerve to accuse me of slacking off, when it took nothing but hard work for me to get here."

Zayn wasn't even able to get a word out because Niall was grabbing the nearest hoodie and storming off, escaping into the frigid winter night with nothing but the thin sweater and an explosive anger. Mona was about to follow him but Harry was, once again, pulling her back. "He'll be fine," he said quietly, still staring at the door. "Let him cool down for a while. He just needs to be alone."

"I didn't—" Harlow sobbed, Liam gently slinging an arm over her shoulders. "I didn't know he went t-though all that. I f-feel so b-bad..."

"It's not your fault, Harlow," Mona said softly. Her heart was still pounding, and all she wanted to do was follow Niall into the night and comfort him. But Harry was right. He needed to be alone right now. Wordlessly, she retreated to the kitchen, retrieving the dustpan from behind the door to pick up the broken shards of the plate Niall had smashed.

Everyone sat at the table quietly, picking at their dinner. Although after everything Niall had said, no one had the appetite anymore. Mona's eyes were wandering towards the clock on the fireplace only to note that it was nearing the one-hour mark since Niall had left, and then there was panic rising up her throat again. Without a sound, she left her seat to find her jacket, shrugging it on along with a hat and a scarf. After shoving her feet into someone's boots and grabbing a flashlight, she headed off into the cold, winter night in search for her friend.

Friend. When they'd first gotten here a few nights ago, Niall was anything but her friend. And now she was on the verge of anxiety because he could've gone anywhere and he wasn't even dressed for the weather. First, she checked the little shed in the back, but when he wasn't there, she walked the half mile up to the main road, hoping she'd spot him. When she squinted off into the distance, she saw him, a shuddering figure perched on an old tree stump, arms crossed as he shivered violently.

His lips were blue when he turned around to watch her approach him, face pale except for the redness of his ears, and Mona nearly started crying at the sight of him. "You idiot!" She rushed up to his trembling body, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and bringing him into a tight hug. "Look at you! What were you thinking?"

Niall didn't answer her though. Instead, he loosely wound his arms around her, head falling into the crook of her neck as he nuzzled into her scarf, a lone sob raking though his body before she felt his tears on her skin, and only then did Mona allow herself to cry.