Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Interlude Four, Extra Five

Through Thick and Thin
[the one where luke and niall have been through it all by each other's side — set at various points through time]

Four Years Old
Niall walks into the classroom without anyone by his side that day. He isn't nervous, even though Daddy and Papa say it's okay if he is. He just wants to make friends with everyone like he had in playgroup, and like all the people in Papa's school where he works. They all wanted to be his friend.

Here, though, everyone is just pushing past him and he's smaller than them so it takes a lot just to stay on his feet. He's thankful that the classroom is less busy than the hall, stopping in the doorway and looking around the room for a moment.

Harry and Liam told him that if he gets scared then he can ask the teacher to get them or he can find them on the playground at play time. He's starting to feel like he should go and get them, because there are lots of other kids in the room and they're all already talking and playing with each other and he's all by himself.

He has Danny, his friend from playgroup. They go to each other's houses sometimes and that's fun. But Daddy and Papa said that Danny won't be at school until after lunch today and he goes home at lunch, because they don't have to stay all day yet.

He spots another boy with blond hair a little darker than his curled up in the beanbags in the corner. Unlike everyone else, he's by himself too.

Niall walks straight over to him and sits on the same beanbag, not a care in the world for personal space at four years old. The boy looks a little worried so he smiles.

"Hi," he says, and the boy stares at him for a second before he smiles back.

"Hi."

"I'm Niall. What's your name?" He asks, because in playgroup the first thing everyone always does is ask him what his name is.

The boy looks a little less worried then. "I'm Luke. Are - are you scared too?" He asks.

Niall shakes his head after a second of hesitation. "Not anymore," he says, glancing across the room and grinning when he sees the playhouse in the other corner where a couple of other kids are playing already. "Wanna play in the house?" He asks, not waiting for an answer before he wraps his hand around his new friend's and tugs him to his feet, all but dragging him across to the playhouse.

The two of them take charge of the kitchen area, flipping pretend pancakes and giggling when they bite down on imaginary burgers.

By the time their parents come to pick them up, neither of them want to leave. Luke hugs him just like Danny always does, only he holds on a little tighter.

"Thank you for bein' my friend," Luke whispers in his ear.

Niall hugs him back, tiny arms wrapping firmly around his friend. "Uh-huh. We can eat lots more 'visible burgers tomorrow," he promises.

They do just that.

Eight Years Old
It's the first day back to school without Danny. Niall feels like he's four all over again, because he still has his cast on his arm and everyone is staring at him when he walks into the room and this time, he really is nervous.

Harry and Liam aren't there with him this time. They're both in high school now; and even though Daddy is only in his classroom down the hall, he doesn't want to be a baby and go to him.