The Element People

5. "Take Responsibility"

"What the hell were you thinking?"

He didn't get much of a response from Louis and Liam. Only a shrug.

The man pinched the bridge of his nose. Before he looked up at the boys again.

"The plan was not to intervene at any moment of the project, but if you boys are going to start fighting at the beginning of this. I don't know if we're even going to get anywhere. You're old enough to understand that this isn't a joke. Louis you're turning 21 this year, Liam you're turning 19. The four of you have a special role in the Peace Protectors. You know that. Can you please start behaving like grown-ups?

Again no answer. The two benders just kept staring at the table in front of them.

Instead Zayn spoke up. "Listen, Simon. I don't know why I'm sitting here, but-"

"I hold both you and Harry responsible as well."

Zayn frowned. "But we didn't even do anything!"

The leader folded his hands in front of him. Resting his chin on them. "Exactly."

He looked at intently at the boy for a moment and then turned to all three of them again.

"For the record, the four of you are all responsible for your actions. Not only do I need you to work as a team. I need you to work as one person."

"I don't see how this project is going to help us do that," Liam murmured.

"Oh but you will see," Simon firmly said, "eventually."

"Let me say this one more time. I need you all to take this serious. You have no idea how important the five of you are for our future. You need to stop messing around and act with responsibility. Am I clear?"

He looked to all three boys until they were nodding and mumbling a quick "Yes sir."

"Very well. You are dismissed."

Louis and Liam obediently left the room. While Zayn lingered for a bit. Waiting for the others to be out of hearing range.

He turned back to the room. Hesitating. "Simon. Should I-"

"That's your decision to make. When you first came here, you told me you wanted to make your own decisions. I'm giving you the opportunity and the order to do so. Take responsibility."

Zayn nodded, biting his lip. "But what if-"

Simon shook his head. "Your decision."

.

.

The three of them returned to Niall's tent. The blond was sitting up now. Silently drinking from his cup of water.

Dolphin

He didn't really acknowledge them, but Zayn saw him slightly flinch when he sat down on one of the stools next to the bed.

"Good to see you awake for once, man!" Louis said. He grabbed the cup and pulled it out of the boy's hands to put it on the ground, so he could shake his hand and introduce himself. "I'm Louis. We haven't properly met, but I've seen you sleep a multiple times."

"Lou..." Harry said with a warning tone.

"What?"

"Just-" Harry sighed, "let one of us do the talking."

He looked at Niall again and saw he was shaking a bit.

"How's he doing?" Liam asked the curly-haired.

"You can ask him," Zayn answered instead. "He's right here."

Liam huffed and looked down at the boy. "How are you doing?" he repeated not that gently.

Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to be scolded by Simon again? You need to take responsibility. Not act like a child."

"God, I don't need a scolding. I'm more responsible than the four of you together. Why are you even accusing me? I'm being responsible, right!?"

"Liam, stop! You're scaring him," Harry cut in.

"I-" the boy looked at Niall now, only then noticing how bad the blond was shaking. He gently placed his hand on the younger boy's arm, ignoring how the boy flinched by his touch. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do so."

"Niall's doing good. Caroline said he's eating well, but she can't say anything about the bruises and wounds yet. We'll have to wait and see how they're healing," Harry explained, while he handed Niall his cup back.

"Good," Zayn said, from the other side of the bed.

"However, she said his body is still very weak. And he needs lots of resting."

The others nodded.

"What did Simon say?"

Louis waved him off. "Not much. Something about responsibility."

Zayn glared at him, then looked at Harry. "Don't worry, I'll tell you later," he said eyeing the blond boy. He wasn't supposed to hear it.

Dolphin

"I think it's time to get some sleep now, I'm knackered," Louis said stretching his limps.

Harry nodded. "Good idea, who'll stay with Niall?"

The blond looked up with a frown at this.

"I can stay by myself," he said with a strained voice. He hadn't really said anything the whole day and it felt hard for him to push the words out.

Louis shook his head. "We need someone to look after you 24/7."

He smiled at him. "We're your caretakers now."

Niall wanted to protest. He actually wanted to be alone for a moment, but he felt to weak to speak up.

.

.

"Has he said anything today?" Zayn asked the curly-haired on the way to their tents. Liam offered to stay with the boy overnight. Zayn would take over in the morning. They wanted to avoid a repeating of that afternoon, and judging from Louis' usual morning mood, it wouldn't be wise to sent him and take the risk of him and Liam starting a fight.

"Other then what he just said?" Harry said, "no. Not a word."

"Right," Zayn said.

"Why not?" Louis asked.

Harry frowned at him. "He's traumatized and all of a sudden has all these new faces around him. I can imagine he'd be afraid to speak. Not knowing how we would react."

Zayn nodded, but knew at the back of his head that, that wasn't the only reason.

"He has a lot of burns, how do you think he got those?"

Harry shrugged. "Honestly I've no idea. But I have the awful feeling he didn't get them by accident. Why would you intentionally burn someone?" he sadly shook his head, "I saw scars all over his back as well. Looked like a whipping. I don't even want to think about what that boy has been through."

Zayn cringed, hearing that. And for a moment, he felt like he was going to lose it. He took a deep breath and stopped walking.

"Boys? I think I'm just going for a walk. I need to clear my head. Louis can you tell Harry what Simon told us? I'll see you guys in the morning."

The two boys looked confused at him, but he didn't care. He went the other direction.

He stopped at the side of the river and sat down on a boulder. He made a small flame in his hand, intently watching it. He sighed with relief. He could still control himself.

He could do this. He was going to take responsibility.

A/N So I'm on the roll today! Decided to update twice!

What did you think?

What do you think Zayn has to hide?