A Touch of Cinnamon ✓

t h i r t y - t h r e e | outbursts and endings

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NH

Niall is pushing through the door of Louis' and Nick's residence with no restraint. The door flies open, both Louis and Nick startling from where they're sitting on the sofa and standing up to face Niall.

Nick's face tells Niall all he needs to know - he can see that Niall knows.

"Bug-" Harry rushes in after Niall, out of breath from the pace Niall set when running up the stairs and down the hallway to get to the door.

Niall is fuming, his heart hurting from knowing one of his closest friends has betrayed him.

"How could you!" Niall cries, his eyes already shining with tears. He looks straight at Nick, whose face is not unlike a deer in the headlights with less surprise.

Just, shocked.

Louis looks so confused, pausing the show they were watching and walking toward Niall with his hands outstretched to try and calm him, but Niall doesn't tear his gaze away from Nick.

"Answer me!"

"Ni, what's going on?" Louis asks, Nick's lips a thin straight line as he and Niall have their stare down.

"Niall, I-"

"No, I don't want an excuse or whatever bullshit you're trying to come up with Nick, I want the truth and I want it from the moment you decided to fucking kidnap me!" Louis jumps back with a gasp, his hands going to his chest as he looks between Niall and his boyfriend, a desperate expression on his face.

"Nicky?" Louis' voice comes out soft, softer than Niall has ever heard before. He's scared, and that almost pulls Niall out of his rage enough to comfort his best friend, but Niall needs answers, and he needed them an hour ago when he got done talking with Cole. He had gone home and immediately called Liam to know if Cole was telling the truth, and the moment he and Harry finished their conversation, he was storming out of the flat and running all the way to Louis' and Nick's. He couldn't bear to wait.

He will not settle for anything less than the full truth.

"Nicky what did you do?" Louis sees the look on Nick's face.

It's guilt.

He sees guilt on his boyfriend's bloody fucking face.

"Bug," Harry whispers, resting his hand on the small of Niall's back to give him just a little bit of comfort in this heartbreaking moment.

"You wanted me gone, is that right? Thought I was a danger and a bad influence on your boyfriend," Niall's voice is venomous, the words flying past his lips filled with hatred and disgust toward the creature he's looking at, "You wanted me gone because you thought I'd fuck everything up, is that it? Thought I'd get him killed? Thought you'd be able to protect and save him from me and all my stupid fucking baggage?" Niall can't stop himself, and Harry grips the back of Niall's shirt in his fist, holding on so tight his knuckles turn white.

It does two things.

One, it shows Niall that Harry is there, holding him.