Little Monsters

Under the Stars. *niam*

{Author’s Note: This is just some drabble that turned into a full blown Niam fic. Hope you enjoy it :) }

“I’m glad you’re safe. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“This is the millionth time you’ve said that since I was admitted….but yea, I don’t know what you would do without me either.”

Liam smiled sadly, caressing soft pale scathed cheeks. The moments together with Niall seemed always to linger and last. They were just as content with silence as they were with conversation; as long as they had each other in one another’s arms.   

 “Look at all these wires they’ve got attached to me,” Niall yanked up his arms, dragging up the tubes and wires that were taped and pinned into him, “How do they expect me to eat like this?”

“Enough strength to eat but barely any to stay awake?” Liam chuckled, suddenly taking an avid interest in the contours of Niall’s hands; tracing each delicate blue vein and bump and crease with the tip of his index finger. “So fragile,” He whispered beneath his breath, noticing the dark shadows that hung beneath the Irish boys eyes.

“What’s that you said?” Niall mumbled through the sudden lethargy, eyes growing heavy and weary.

“Nothing, love.” Liam stood up from his chair and dropped a kiss on Niall’s forehead. Niall’s wispy hair, tickled Liam’s lips. “Your hair is getting long again.” He smiled, brushing the browning locks to the side of Niall’s feverish forehead.

“Mum thinks I ought to get it cut. Silly idea considering I won’t be leaving this place anytime soon. Then again, I probably will be getting a haircut soon, now that I think about it.”

Liam’s hand unconsciously went down to Niall’s and gripped it protectively, “What do you mean by that?”

Niall managed to crack open his eyelids and shoot his friend a concerned look, “Didn’t the doctor inform you? The tumor has been scheduled to be removed soon. In a week if I remember correctly.”

Silence filled the void again but not for long. Niall’s soft snores were music to Liam’s ears. The elder boy lay down on the small hospital bed beside Niall. “I suppose that car crash was a blessing in disguise…They’d never have discovered that brain tumor had we not been out driving, right?” Liam mused aloud, tears clouding his vision. He reached a jacket clad arm around Niall’s waist as if to keep his safe while they slept.

Liam played the night of the accident over and over in his head. They’d been out for a drive on the countryside. Sometimes they would pull over into the over grown grass and sit on top of the hood of the car and star gaze. It would get cold outside but they didn’t care because they had each other for warmth (that and a blanket that Mr. Sensible was sure to pack in the car). Liam and Niall could have stayed out for hours on end watching the stars and talking about anything and everything. Those drives to the countryside were like escapes from reality; from all the hectic chaos that was aroused from everyday living. In the countryside, beneath the sea of stars, it was only Niall and him, alone. It was that return to the chaos that nearly had them killed.

Niall had been half asleep in the passenger seat, hand sitting comfortably intertwined with the warmth of his lover’s. Liam would occasionally turn his vision from the road to capture a glance at the beautiful creature that sat beside him. At the first stoplight they’d seen since returning from their escapade, Liam peeled himself from the wheel and planted a soft heart-felt kiss on Niall’s lips. Niall smiled into the kiss despite the massive headache he had. His headaches had been growing increasingly more frequent and more painful. Niall was biting the skin inside his cheek, willing back tears because of the pain.

In the short moment that Liam had taken to place the chaste kiss and admire Niall’s beauty, for all of three seconds; had he not noticed the light turn green from the corner of his eye and begun to accelerate whilst his eyes were on Niall for no more than an extra second; he would have seen the truck and it’s driver, who’d fallen asleep at the wheel coming towards the intersection at an alarming rate. The truck rammed into their car from the side, crushing them.

Liam was roused from his reverie by Eleanor, the nurse in charge of Niall. “Sweetie, go home.” She said, gently shaking Liam’s arm, “Visiting hours are over. Besides, it looks like you could use a hot cuppa and a warm bed.”

“Speak for yourself,” Liam moaned, grasping at Niall’s waist more tightly. “I’m perfectly content right here.”

“I’m sure you are but my superiors would beg to differ. C’mon Li, I don’t need the boss cross with me for mot kicking you out.” Eleanor pleaded, being quite aware of Liam’s hatred of leaving Niall’s bedside.

Liam only nuzzled his face into Niall’s hair, and muttered, “Don’t wanna go.”

“Don’t make me call Zayn again.” She threatened. The last time she’d had trouble getting Liam to leave, she had to call Zayn to come and pry Liam away from the hospital. Liam had left begrudgingly to say the least.

“Fine.” Liam glared at the nurse angrily.

“Don’t look at me like that. C’mon, my shift is nearly over. I’ll buy you some coffee to make up for my indeliberate attempt to make your life miserable, alright? So you better be gone the next time I come to check up on him. Meet me in the plaza in ten minutes.” She bargained, leaving the room with her clipboard in hand.

Liam listened for Eleanor’s footsteps to grow faint. He wanted to make sure he was alone. “I’m going to go now okay?” He pressed a kiss to the back of Niall’s neck and climbed off the bed. “I’ll be here tomorrow just like always. I promise.” He brushed the hair out of Niall’s eyes one more time and place an intimate kiss to Niall’s forehead again; smoothing out the skin with the pad of his thumb; hoping that somehow they’d be able to meet in their dreams if he kissed Niall’s forehead enough as if it were an entry way to the boy’s mind. “I promise.”

Liam and Eleanor sat at a table outside the coffee shop that had a direct line of sight to Niall’s room. “You know, I’ve never met such a strange couple.” Eleanor said, clasping her hands around the hot beverage to keep her hands warm.

“Who? Niall and me?” Liam wondered curiously.

“I’ve never seen a couple so…in love. It’s the kind of stuff you see in fairytales I think.”  Eleanor grinned.

Liam couldn’t help but think that Eleanor was a sweet girl, full of good intentions. “I just hope it has a happy ending like they do in the fairytales.” Liam threw back a swig of hot coffee, scalding his mouth and throat but not caring.

“It will, just have faith in the doctors. Nialler’s in good hands. I’m sure the operation will go over smoothly.”

“I hope so.”

“You’re his prince. His knight in shining armor, Li! If you think the operation will go well than Niall will think it too. It’s best to keep him positive about the operation. It will help him recover faster. Smile more you stupid oaf. If you smile, he smiles. Niall’s a proper gentleman so you better treat him right Payne. If not, someone else might swoop in and try to steal him away. Geez, I get such depressing vibes from you sometimes, it’s practically unhealthy to be around you!” Eleanor stopped herself from her nonsensical rant to breathe and down some more coffee.

“I’m sorry.” Liam muttered, “It’s just, I feel so helpless right now. Niall and I have always had this weird connection but I can’t do anything to help him or stop the pain.”

Eleanor stood up suddenly, knocking back her chair; pointing an accusing finger at Liam.“Love cures all ills! THE POWERS OF LOVE WILL PREVAIL!” She yelled before dropping down onto the table.

Liam could only raise an eyebrow. “What’d they put in your drink? I think you’ve had enough coffee for now, Ele.” Liam reached out to take Eleanor’s cup but she quickly snatched it up in her hands.

“No! My coffee.” She growled childishly. She straightened herself out before continuing on. “Love mends all things.” She said quietly, sipping the remainder of her beverage.

“I guess I could give it a go.”

“Good.”      

Liam and Eleanor exchanged some simplistic small talk before parting ways.

Once Liam was at home he couldn’t fall asleep. He stayed up all night trying to find ways to make himself tired. The coffee wasn’t helping him. He worked on homework. He began reading books he said he was going to read but had never gotten around to it. He even went for a run. He took a hot shower. After three restless hours past midnight, he managed to drop off.

“Hey, you.” Niall flashed a blinding smile.

“Hey.” Liam said pulling the shorter boy into a hug.

“I was waiting for you to get here.” Niall complained, pulling out of the embrace.

“I know. Eleanor dragged me to get coffee after visiting hours were over.” Liam said, sitting down. Niall followed suit and rested his head in Liam’s lap.

“You fell asleep on the bed again, I could feel you sleeping but you didn’t come here. Were you dreaming about the accident again?” Niall said, worry tainting his melodic voice.

Liam didn’t meet Niall’s powerful gaze. Niall’s eyes were the gateway to his soul. Sometimes Liam couldn’t bear to see the emotions that were pooled in those sky blue orbs, “Yea.”

Niall framed Liam’s face with his hands, “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.” Liam dipped down and closed the gap between them. The tension was suddenly gone. Liam felt whole again. With Niall in his arms again, he felt like there was a chance that everything could go back to normal.  

Niall smiled, also sensing that there was no longer a barrier about Liam.“So what did you and Ele talk about today?” he asked.

“The power of love.”

“Tell me more.” Niall grinned.

Liam told Niall everything that he and Eleanor had talked about. Niall enjoyed hearing about the things that happened outside of the hospital. What Niall enjoyed even more than hearing about these things was seeing his boyfriend smile.  Liam smiled because he could tell he was making Niall happy.

They laughed and joked; held each other’s embrace and kissed. More importantly they both felt grounded; like they had reached normality again.

They needed each other. They couldn’t dream without each other.  The bond, the connection that Liam had told Eleanor about: that’s what brought them to this dreamscape. It was like they were under the stars again. No one and nothing could touch them there. They were free from sickness and sadness. Under the stars, they were free to be in love. They felt normal again.

Niall would undergo the operation to have the tumor removed. There would be complications but he would pull through it.

 Eventually Niall would recover and be able to return home. Soon Liam would stop dreaming about the horrors of the accident.

Eventually, Liam would propose. Soon after, Niall would say, “Yes.” They would get married and start a whole new life together.

Eventually, Niall would get sick again and start making regular visits to the hospital. Niall and Liam would spend their lives together but that was not nearly enough time because soon Niall would die.

Liam wouldn’t feel normal for a very long time. Nothing ever rarely returned to being normal.

But, no matter what, they would return to being under the stars. They would find each other and they would be free to be in love. It was the unconventional fairytale ending that Eleanor had foretold. The stars allowed them their happily ever after.

So, when it was Liam’s turn to walk into the light it was like he’d never left Niall’s side and Niall had never left his.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I don’t know what you would do without me either.”

“It’s a good thing we’ll never have to find out.”

The End.