Never • Say • Never § a Niam Horayne collab fanfic [AU]

Chapter Thirty-Three - I remember!

(written by MrsNiallHoran :3)

-- Niall's POV --

Going for a walk when you have amnesia probably isn't the best thing, but I had to get out of there. I don't know where I'm going, nor do I have a clue where I am, but it doesn't matter.

I quickly left the hotel and ran down the first back alley I spotted. I then slowed to a walk as it opened up to another street. Cars roamed along the road, but it wasn't too busy since it was nighttime. I walked down the sidewalk, looking around for any sign of where I was. Not that I'd recognize anything anyways. 

I... I can't handle this. All I know about Liam is what he's told me and... Where was he going back there? What was he going to do? I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the beating of my heart, hammering against my chest like a kickdrum, or the fluttering in my stomach. I couldn't take the feeling I got looking into his eyes - it was like I literally got lost in them. What does it all mean?

I don't even know him! Well, I do, but I don't remember anything about him. I only know the things he's told me and things I've gathered from being around him. Other than that, my mind is blank.

I hadn't realized that I'd broken into a sprint until I heard myself breathing heavily. I slowed to a walk and looked around. Where am I? How do I get back to the hotel? I had no clue. I was in a deserted alley. Behind me was the street, in front of me was a building. Dead end. I turned to go back, but froze as I noticed a figure standing at the end of the alley, blocking my exit.

I gulped and decided I wouldn't show fear. I walked forwards with my head held high. As I got closer, I realized that the figure was a boy who looked to be only a year or two older than me. He had feathery brown hair and grey-blue eyes. He wore a stripy black and white t-shirt and bright red trousers. Interesting choice of dress, I thought.

As I neared him, I was no longer afraid. He didn't look like he'd hurt a fly, and as I came closer, he seemed to study my face for a minute and then run towards me. Before I knew it, he pulled me into a hug, practically squeezing the life out of me. I pushed him away, frowning. "Who the hell are you?" I asked as he gave me a look of confusion.

"So you do have amnesia." the boy said, frowning. "What are you doing out here, Niall? You don't know where you're going. We need to get you back to Liam, he'll help--"

I shook my head. "But I don't want to go back there. At least not yet."

The boy studied me again, biting his lower lip. "You don't have a choice. You can't wander around here." he said, sighing. "My name is Louis. Louis Tomlinson - ring a bell? We're close friends."

The name was actually familiar. I recognized this boy. I couldn't really place him, but I felt like I did know him. "Sort of." I replied honestly. 

Despite my protests, Louis took me back to the hotel. He called Liam on the way there and let him know that I was okay. According to him, Liam was worried sick and it was apparently a huge relief for him to know that I was fine and that I would be back. Louis and I walked back with minimal talking. It was mostly just silence that wasn't comfortable or awkward. It was just... Silent.

Liam was standing outside of the hotel, pacing back and forth. The minute I saw him, my worries seemed to melt away. I now believed what Louis had told me - he did look worried, even though he knew that I was okay. He stopped as he spotted us and jogged towards us. "Thanks, Lou. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't found him." he said in a sigh. Louis chuckled. "I'll take it from here." he added, dismissing him. Lou left with a friendly wave as Liam pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged back, breathing in his natural scent. It was so sweet, and yet manly at the same time. Much like him. It was a very nice smell, and I thought it suited him. "Niall, you can't just run off like that." he murmured as I hid my face in the crook of his neck, head on his shoulder. "You scared me to death. What if you'd gotten lost and nobody could find you? Or what if got hurt and no one knew where you were? Or what if somebody kidnapped you, or murdered you?" he rambled on and on in a slightly shaky voice, speaking barely above a whisper. I could hear the worry in his tone.

Tears came to my eyes. I didn't know whether it was knowing how much he cared that made me emotional, or his worries, or what I'd been through, but I let it out. My tears ran down my cheeks and wetted his t-shirt, though he didn't seem to mind. After what seemed like forever - it had to be at least twenty minutes, give or take - he pulled away with a small smile and told me that we should get some sleep. We went up to our hotel room and I flopped onto my back on my bed. I was about to ask Liam something, but my thoughts completely fizzled away as I watched him pull his shirt off, exposing his toned upper body. I watched him as he did so, somewhat mesmorized. He then glanced at me, noticing my obvious staring, and smiled sweetly. I quickly looked away, blushing furiously.

What? I couldn't help it! I won't lie; he has a very nice body, to say the least. I pulled the blankets up over my head to hide my embarrassment, and soon fell asleep.

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I squinted against the light that caused the blackness of my closed eyelids to turn a dark red. I opened my eyes and groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. Sunlight was pouring into the room from the large window on the wall behind us, in between mine and Liam's beds.

Ugh, I don't wanna go to school. I don't wanna have to deal with Zayn asking me where I've been, or with having to pretend that I hate Liam, or with the fact that me and Liam got split up for our social project, or--

Wait...

The realization hit me after a moment. I literally leapt out of bed and jumped onto Liam's bed, shaking him wildly, an uncontrollable grin on my face. "Liam, wake up!" I squealed like a little girl.

"Five more minutes." he mumbled, trying and failing to hit me away. Wow, his aim is really off when he's half asleep.

"No! NOW!" 

Liam groaned and sat up, glaring at me sleepily. "What do you want?" he mumbled. I had to hold back a giggle. His morning voice was adorable! Deeper than usual and slowed down quite a bit, with a husky tone to it.

"I remember everything!"