NIAM STORIES (BXB ONE SHOTS)

The Clock Hand Stuck at Eight (Part Two)

"Hands of the clock almost pointing north... Stuck in a place where hours won't come forth... Riddle me, riddle me, this little rhyme... What could be more precious than time?"

The house was just as he remembered it.

It had been too long but Liam could still hear the echoes of Niall and Louis' laughters, and the droning voice of Harry reminding them that they're going to get in trouble for trespassing.

Liam couldn't help himself from smiling. This was their fortress, their sanctuary from the world. No one ever bothered looking for them in here back then. It was an old, abandoned house at the end of the street - your regular source for haunted house stories. Up until the last days of the kingdom that he, Niall, Louis, and Harry had built, Liam considered it as the center of the world - their world.

Now, the rotting wood and mildew walls had been removed and renovated. Tall glass panes have replaced the crooked wooden windows that swung open, and the broken staircase was now marble and pale white. The floorboards were now covered with a soft carpet, and there weren't any leaking roofs or foul-smelling dead animal in sight.

But something was missing. Liam realized it from the very first step when he entered the house: It felt empty. And it was empty - no laughter, no giggles, no unapologetic exchange of heartfelt words. Before, there was no king between the four of them, equal rulers that felt no need for a crown. Now, Liam felt like a king without anyone to share his crown with. What was the point of his kingdom when the ones who used to rule it with him had left?

He's betrayed them. He had executed their hearts, broken the trust that was the pillar of their empire.

"Do you like it?"

Liam had forgotten that Perrie had been giving a tour of the house, as he had requested. He silently nodded, trying not to show that he hadn't been listening and was lost in thought instead.

"It's strange, stepping back in here," said Liam longingly.

Perrie looked surprised. "You've been here before? In this house?"

Liam smiled. "Back when everyone thought it was haunted, this was our hideout."

"Our hideout?" Perrie looked at him curiously, a realization dawning on her face. "By that, do you mean-"

"Yeah, them," said Liam, a hint of bitterness towards himself present in his voice. "Niall, Louis, and Harry."

"I'm sorry if I'm being obtrusive," Perrie said apologetically, "but is that the reason why you're buying this house?"

Liam didn't answer at first though the answer was at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to ask himself again why he's being so sentimental to the childhood world he left by choice. Was it remorse? Perhaps a longing in the face of a chilling tide?

"To a degree, yes," Liam said to Perrie. "I apologize for sounding too sentimental - but I just wanted to come back to the kingdom my friends and I once built one last time."

"One last-"

Liam and Perrie exchanged glances. Somehow, in between his cryptic words, Perrie had deciphered his spoken riddles. A swift coldness pressed against her and suddenly Liam looked eerily pale. His handsome face appeared icy like there was a fatal sentence hovering over it.

"Yes, one last time," affirmed Liam. The smile on his face never faded as he continued, "May I request something from you?"

Perrie felt breathless. "Y-Yes?"

"Don't tell them," croaked Liam.

"I-I don't-"

"Please," pressed Liam.