One Direction (One-Shots)

Safe & Sound- Nouis

Louis walked up the stairs carefully, balancing the soup bowl in his hands along with the cup of juice. He got to the top and checked to see if any had spilled. None.

He made his way to Niall’s room and opened the door with his foot, trying not to spill the hot liquid in the bowl. He entered the room and went over to the bedside table. He set down the bowl and cup and sighed with relief. He looked over and saw Niall asleep.

His mouth was hanging slightly open and his eye brows were furrowed in a pained expression.

Poor thing

. Louis thought to himself. Last time it was checked he had a fever of 102.4. His head was killing him and all his muscles ached. The Nyquil Zayn’d given him was going to wear off soon, and instead of giving him more, Louis decided it’d be better for him to have something to eat first. Plus he was getting dehydrated. He sat next to him on the bed and put his hand on his side, gently shaking him.

“Wake up Niallllll..” He whispered.

Niall shifted, his expression getting more pathetic by the second. His lips parted and he uttered a faint whimper.

Louis smiled to himself. “I have some soup for you.”

Niall’s usual ecstatic reaction to food was very delayed, and very muted. He slowly turned over onto his back and forced his eyes open. He brought a hand up to his face and covered his eyes. “Thank you.” Was all his raspy, sweet voice said.

Louis nodded and looked down. “Look, Niall.. What I said before… I’m sorry. It was cruel of me.” He admitted.

Niall didn’t say anything, he just turned to his side facing Louis and looked at him intensely.

Louis finished, “Forgive me?”

Niall smiled slightly and nodded. Louis could tell Niall hadn’t forgotten the hurt, and probably never would, but his answer was going to have to do for now.

Louis hadn’t meant to hurt his friend, but sometimes things come out that you regret saying afterwards. He knew he had a history of depression and had a whole other heap of insecurities, yet he couldn’t restrain the harsh and hurtful words that came out of his mouth just two hours prior to his sincere apology.

Niall was downstairs sitting on the couch, pitifully watching Louis and Harry fight over who got the last meatball. He was so sick and nauseated that he wasn’t able to eat, but he still felt so hungry. He sat and observed as Harry teased Louis with the big, juicy meatball. His mouth was watering just looking at it.

Louis looked over to him and saw his huge eyes locked onto the meatball. He looked like a starving child. Louis turned his attention back to Harry, who was reaching for the piece of meat with his fork. He dodged him and popped the ball into his mouth. He chewed it loudly in his face so that he could savor the defeat.

After finishing, he wiped his mouth and headed over to Niall. The second he sat down, Niall was asking with wide eyes, “Is there any food left?”

Louis shook his head happily, somehow enjoying the disappointment of the poor boy.

Niall nodded and put his head down. He hadn’t eaten in a while. Mostly because he felt like he was going vomit every five minutes.

Louis patted his stomach, playing it up. “That spaghetti was the best I’ve ever tasted. Oh my god. Amazing.”

Niall smiled weakly, trying not to think about it too much.

“SO are you hungry Niall?” Louis asked him, moving to get off the couch.

Niall looked up at him with hopeful and eager eyes and nodded as furiously as his throbbing head would allow.

Louis smirked and rose to his feet. “Maybe Liam will make you something when he gets back from Danielle’s house.”

Niall sunk back into his blanket and nodded.

Louis started to feel bad for him, but didn’t stop with his teasing. “Actually I think Liam’s staying the night over there. And I think Harry and I will go out tonight. Hm. Guess that leaves Zayn.” He began to walk away but stopped. “Oh wait, Zayn’s out with friends! Well Nialler looks like you’re alone for tonight.”

Niall’s eyes widened and started to shine with moisture.

“All alone.” Louis added. He clicked his tongue. “No one but you.”

He was just about to go back to the couch and hug him, tell him it was all a joke, when something startled him into a shocked silence.

Niall suddenly burst into tears. His shoulders shook from his sobs and he covered his face with his blanket. He wrapped his arms around his legs and hugged himself tightly, rocking back and forth.

Seeing this, Louis teared up a bit too. He looked so hurt, so lonely. Louis instantly felt so guilty about being the one who made him feel this way. He made a move to go comfort him when Niall rose from the couch, dragging his blanket behind him on the floor like a child, and sobbed his way up the stairs.

Louis heard his bedroom door click shut and only heard muffled sounds of tears.

Harry came into the room right after Niall went upstairs and looked around, clueless. “What’s up?”

Niall looked over at the soup with despair and then to the juice. What he wanted and felt was communicated through his eyes, and Louis put his arms around him and helped him sit up. He grunted and his forehead creased as he leaned back against the headboard.

Louis guessed that his head was hurting from sitting up. He put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed comfortingly until Niall’s expression changed and the pain had passed.

He grabbed the juice cup and gave it to him silently. He wasn’t exactly sure what was bothering his headache, but until he ruled out sounds he decided he’d stay quiet.

After some wincing and pauses, Niall downed the cup of juice and handed it back to Louis. He set it on the bed stand and looked back to Niall.

“Do you need anything else, Nialler?” Louis asked him softly.

He looked down and shook his head, tears shining in his eyes once more. Louis stood up, about to leave the room when he heard a light whimper. He almost ignored it as his mind playing tricks on him, but he turned around instead.

Niall had his head in his hands (which were shaking slightly), and he was quietly crying.

Louis started back towards him. “Niall?”

Niall looked up hesitantly and blinked away a few tears. He whispered pleadingly, “Please don’t leave me alone.”

Louis’ heart broke in an instant and he sat back on the bed and gathered up the heap of crying boy into his arms.

As Louis held him tightly, Niall whispered shakily with tears still in his voice, “I don’t want to be alone, Louis. I hate being alone. I’m so lonely.”

Louis swiped away a few of his own tears with the back of his hand. He felt totally responsible for his friend’s pathetic cries and emotions. Slowly and gently, careful not to jostle him and hurt his aching arms and legs, he eased him down back onto his pillow.

Niall cried out, not wanting to let go, not wanting to be left alone. But Louis smiled slightly and began kicking off his shoes. He lifted the covers and slid into bed with Niall and put his arms around him once again. Niall’s upset calmed considerably, probably due to the comforting fact of blankets surrounding him as well as Louis’ arms. Double protection.

He snuggled into his arms and as his cries died down, he whispered hazily, “Thank you, Lou.”

Louis nuzzled his face into his light blond hair and sighed. “Do me a favor and get better, okay?”

Louis felt Niall smiled into his shirt. “I promise I will.”

They both relaxed and drifted off into a calm, dreamless sleep. Niall feeling safe, and Louis feeling sound.