The next morning was rough. Without Niall taking the strong medication from the hospital, he seemed to be experiencing quite a bit of pain. The poor boy was having trouble standing up, much less walking.
“C’mere Niall,” Zayn said, holding out his arms. Niall looked up at Zayn’s eyes and limped forward, his pajamas almost making him trip and stumble more. “Let’s go get you a bath before school,”
Niall just nodded and mumbled something Zayn couldn’t quite hear, his eyes filling up with tears. Zayn tried to calm him, leading him out of the room. They walked into the bathroom and Zayn turned on the water filling the tub up to the top.
“Ready, charming?” Zayn asked, his voice still groggy—he hadn’t gotten much sleep again. His dreams were haunted by terrifying images.
“Can’t,” Niall whimpered, trying to lift his legs into the tub, but wincing in pain. Zayn’s heart twisted and he reached forward, lifting Niall’s small body up and setting him gently into the water. Niall’s face relaxed a bit when his bum came in contact with the warm water, and Zayn took a deep breath, kneeling down beside the tub.
“Is it bad, charming?” Zayn asked timidly, staring at his brother’s tender head and caressing his cheek gently.
“Hurts bad, Zaynie,” Niall whimpered, his bottom lip sticking out as his eyes filled up with tears.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” Zayn said, trying to contain his own tears, “Let’s just wash up, okay? We can’t be late for school.”
Niall nodded and grabbed one of his bath toys, splashing it through the water, trying to distract himself. Zayn, on the other hand, grabbed the gentle bar of soap and began washing Niall’s soft skin. Niall hummed gently, looking up to Zayn when he rubbed the soap over his chest. Zayn made a funny face and Niall giggled, reaching forward with his hands and grabbing Zayn’s face gently.
“No school today,” Niall said.
“Yes, school,” Zayn smiled, leaning forward and pressing a deep kiss on Niall’s forehead, “We don’t have a choice, charming,”
Niall’s breathing quickened and his brow furrowed, his hand clenching around his bath toy. Zayn hushed him and then grabbed the shampoo massaging it gentle into his scalp.
Once they were done with the bath, Zayn lifted Niall’s body from the bath, and grabbed a normal blue towel, wrapping it around Niall’s body.
“No,” Niall said, looking at the fabric around him, “Disney towel,”
“Sorry, charming,” Zayn said, wrapping his arms around Niall and picking him up in the towel, carrying him to their room, “That towel is dirty,”
YOU ARE READING
Louder Than Lions│Ziall Horalik AU *Trilogy*
Fanfiction*Book One* Niall Has Autism; Always has, always will. But he doesn’t let anything stand in his way. From his abusive stepfather, or his careless mother, Niall knows he can escape it all by closing his eyes and dreaming of all the promises...
