Monster || Narry AU

16- Penitent

What time is it? Update time!! Yay!!

You all have amazing corny jokes and pickup lines tbh, I laughed so hard.

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"What the hell is that doing here?" Liam hisses, pointing at Harry who is drinking a cup of tea in the kitchen. Niall puts a hand over his mouth, looking over at Harry to see if he heard, but Harry hadn't moved, hadn't given any indication that he had. But he had heard, just didn't let it on that he had. He can hear the way Liam's heart raced in his chest, the fear hidden in his voice. But he doesn't say anything, doesn't make any indication that he had heard.

"Shut up." Niall says, a firm look on his face. "His name is Harry." Harry smiles softly at that, hiding it behind his mug as he sips at his tea. He hasn't had tea this good in ages, has always been too worried or scared to get his own from town. He lived mostly on the things he had grown in his back garden, not willing to risk anything and expose himself.

"Niall." Liam starts, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "He threatened to kill you, why is he here?" Liam asks, voice hushed and angry. "He's a monster Niall, you saw him."

"His is not Liam." Niall defends. "He's misunderstood."

"So is a bloody lion but you don't bring them into your home Niall." Harry ducks his head, letting out a breath. He doesn't want to hear this, but getting up and leaving would indicate to them that he had. He thinks either is a loss for him, so getting up wouldn't be the worst of it. He heard these things enough, knew that leaving his home was a mistake. Maybe he should have been burned up in that fire, maybe he would have been had Niall not been there. He stands and the pair in the living room freeze, Liam looking at the tall lad wide eyed. But Harry hums quietly, pretending that he knew nothing of what they were talking about as he walks to the back door, opening it and stepping out. He closes it behind him, taking in a breath of fresh air, examining the area around him.

"He has nowhere to go Liam." Niall says firmly.

"You can't just pick up every stray and thing in need Niall! He's not safe!" Liam argues, pointing at Harry through the glass door. Harry thinks this isn't much better really, can still hear them, especially because Liam has resorted to yelling. Harry notes that there are flowers along the fence, planted neatly, but are overgrown with weeds, beginning to shrivel away. He puts the mug down on the table, walking over to the area. He sinks to his knees, carefully uprooting the prickly weeds, tossing them in a pile so the flowers can grow again.

"He is safe Liam, you don't even know him." Niall says. "You just know what he looks like when he gets angry or distressed. He saved me, he didn't have to, but he did." Niall argues. "He's got nowhere to go, and no one to go to. I'm all he's got right now."

"So what, the wounded puppy thing? You feel sorry for him?" Harry stops moving at the question, listening intently. He doesn't need any pity, doesn't need to be felt sorry for.

"No, no. He's- he's my friend." Niall says. "He looks like he's been through hell Liam, and I won't let him go through that alone anymore. Everyone deserves someone."

"How can he be your friend Niall, you hardly know the guy." Liam accuses.

"I know him better than you think." Niall defends. "If you're not happy with it, then fine. But he's staying here. And you can't tell anyone who he really is."

"Niall, I don't want to wake up one morning and see in the papers that you were torn to shreds in your own home. You're my best mate, I just want what's best for you." Liam says desperately.