Archive of Our Own ^beta

An hour and a half later, I hear the front door open; Liam's home. I push myself up from the mattress and prop my back against the headboard. If he thinks he can just waltz into the house and go right to sleep after being out all night, he is dead wrong. After a few drinks, an unanswered phone call, and hours alone, I've become just a wee bit angry.

I can hear Liam's footsteps on the stairs. A few seconds later, the doorknob turns and he opens the door. He walks into the room and jumps back when he sees me. "Jesus, Niall." He puts his hand over his chest. "You scared the Hell out of me." Liam turned his back to me and began to undress. I crossed my arms across my chest and scoffed. "What was that for?" Liam asked, raising his brow. "Oh, I don't know," I answered. "Maybe I'm just a little fucking irritated because your 'errands' took so long." I glared at Liam. How could he ask such a stupid question? He pressed his lips into a thin line and just stared at me for a moment. "Niall..." I could feel the anger bubbling up in my chest. "Don't 'Niall' me, Liam! D'you think I'm fucking stupid?" I spat. "I know you were with Danielle. We all know you run off to her every fucking chance you get!" I thrust my arms out toward him. "You don't have to lie about it! You have a girlfriend who comes before your boyfriend, Louis junior!"

Liam gasped and arched his brows. "I don't think Louis would appreciate his being used as an insult." Is he fucking joking? "No, I guess you're right," I spat back. "Louis is forced to make Eleanor his top priority. You choose Danielle over me." Liam stared back at me, wide eyes and gaping mouth. "What's the matter? Hit the nail on the head, did I?" I tried my hardest to make my tone as cold as possible. "I don't even know what to say to you right now, Niall." Liam shook his head at me. I slid off the edge of the bed and walked over to where Liam stood, stumbling a bit. Liam gave me an accusing look. "What?" I asked. "You've been drinking." He answered. "No shit, Sherlock. You're so observant." I jammed my finger into his chest.

Liam just shook his head again. "I'm going to bed. I've had a long night." I scoffed again. "I hope Danielle got off at least once." At that remark, Liam whipped around and narrowed his eyes at me. "What did you say?" That obviously got under his skin. I pounced at the chance for a little extra ammunition. "Don't worry about it," I shrugged. "You need your sleep. You and Dani shouldn't fuck all night and you wouldn't be tired." In a split second, Liam's open palm flew forward and cracked across my cheek. My eyes widened and I lifted my hand to my face. The spot he had hit began to sting. There would definitely be a mark.

I lunged across the room at him and slammed my fist into his chest. He stepped back, but my fist collided with his chest again and again. After landing a few consecutive blows, He grabbed both of my wrists. "Don't fucking touch me!" I yelled in his face. I struggled to get free from his grip on my wrists. "Niall," He choked. "Niall, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." He loosened his grip and I jerked out of his grasp. "Don't say another word." I could feel tears pricking at my eyes. That bastard hit me. I turned my back on his and threw the door open. As I was running down the stairs, Liam called after me. "Niall, wait! Please!"

I wiped the tears from my eyes as I slipped on my shoes and walked through the front door. I unlocked the door to my Range Rover and slid into the seat. I dug my phone out of my pocket and dialed Harry's number. "H'lo?" Harry's raspy voice came through the phone. "Hey, um, can I come over?" I asked, wiping the tears from my cheek. I winced in pain as I brushed the spot where Liam had struck me. "It's six in the morning, Niall." I sniffled and swallowed around the lump in my throat. "I..I know. I need to talk to you, Harry." There was a long pause. "All right." I jammed the key into the ignition, starting the car. "See you soon." I hung up the phone and pulled out of the drive.

Niall showed up at my door a few minutes after he'd called me. I pulled the duvet from my bed around me and walked downstairs to unlock the door for him. When I opened the door, I gasped. There was an angry red handprint on his face. "Christ, Niall. What happened to you?" He looked up at me and I could see the red rings around his eyes. "Hey, have you been crying?" I stepped to the side so he could come inside. He shut the door behind him and looked up at me with fresh tears in his eyes. "Ni, what's wrong?" I asked. "Liam and I had a fight." He walked into my living room and sat on the sofa. "Like, yelling or..." I tapped my own face, referencing the mark on his. "Both." He answered. "Jesus, over what?" I sat next to him on the sofa. "Us, Danielle, you and Louis." I cocked my head. "Why us? How did we get brought into it?" He shrugged. "I compared you and Louis to me and Liam. I only did it to hurt him because he hurt me. It's justified, right?" I shook my head and smirked. "I don't know, Ni."

Niall recounted the story of Liam's lie about running errands, his drunken night, and the fight that occured when Liam came home. As he neared the end of his story, he began to sob. I pulled him close to me and wrapped the duvet around the both of us. "H-how d'you do it, Harry?" He sniffled. "How can you bear the thought of knowing Louis has someone else?" He looked up at me. "Well," I sighed. "It's not the same story with me and Lou. Management makes him go with Eleanor. He doesn't choose to do it. Sure, it gets to me sometimes, but I know where his affections really lie. He loves me and I love him." I rubbed Niall's shoulder in an attempt to comfort. "As for your situation, Liam has the freedom that Louis and I don't. Danielle isn't paid to be with Liam. He has the choice of having you or her. Maybe he loves you and her, I don't know."

We sat in silence for awhile. "What do you think I should?" He asked me. "I can't tell you what to do, Niall. If you love Liam and think he'll change, I guess you'll have to tough it out." Niall shook his head. "I don't think I can handle it anymore. I can't spend every night alone when I know he's with her." He covered his mouth and yawned at the end of his sentence. "Why don't you sleep on it? You can have my bed. I'll make you breakfast when you wake up." I smiled at my friend. He's hurting and he doesn't deserve any of it. He nodded and hugged me. "Thanks, Harry."

As Niall walked up the staircase to my bedroom, my phone buzzed, signaling an incoming message. "is niall there? -Liam"  I stared at the message for a moment, deciding whether or not I should answer. I tapped out my response and sent it.