Iridium (One Direction, AU, Niam)

Chapter Nine - The Mind Reader and the Know-It-All

The figure in front of Niall watched as the rippling around the boy suddenly burst out of him as soon as his blue eyes met the figures. Everybody else was thrown back against the stone walls around them and knocked them all completely unconscious.

The figure had muttered a few inchoherent words and was saved, mostly, from getting thrown back or knocked unconcious. He did have to stumble back a bit, but that was about it.

He stepped up to Niall once more and knelt down by his head, with both knees on the ground. He carefully picked up Niall's bruised head and placed it in his own lap, stroking the boys hair away from his pretty, but beaten face. The figure's eyes softened slightly. With just one look at Niall, he knew the boy would be okay. But he was going to need to be taken care of while he recovers. But Niall wasn't the type to seek, nor want any help of any form from anyone.  

The figure leaned back, placing one hand on the ground behind him and the other rested on Niall's hair line above his forehead. He looked up at the sky in thought. This wasn't how he was suppose to talk to Niall for the first time.

Suddenly Niall began stirring. He let out a low groan and his eyes scrunched together. The figure froze with his hand leaving Niall's forehead at once. He stared down at Niall and his blue eyes slowly opened to the darkness.

It seemed like everything in that moment froze. Niall knew something wasn't right. He knew he was bruised and cut all over, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as it should. Also, his head was strangely comfortable.

Niall then realized his head was resting on something warm, and he could hear bloody pumping through veins, his head was in the lap of somebody.

Niall sat up nearly at the speed of light, and turned to face the person, who was holding their hands up in the air.

"I'm not here to hurt you." The figure whispered, looking straight at the frightened boy. Niall was extremely skeptical. Actually, he was more than skeptical. He was down right frightened. 

"Who are you?" Niall asked, voice shaking, yet extremely cold and threatening. His blue eyes narrowed in a taunting manner. He had thought the boy was Liam at first. But once he spoke, it wasn't the accent he had come to relate with the boy who was kind to him.

"I just want to help you out and make sure you are alright." The figure spoke, trying to calm the nervous boy down.

"That never answered my question." Niall shot back. He began to stand up, but instead fell forward due to a rush of blood to his head. The figure rushed forward in time to catch Niall by the shoulders, and gently lowered him back to the ground.

"Look, I know i'm not who you expected. But I am in no ways, here to hurt you Niall Horan. I just want to help you." The figure spoke softly, yet sternly to Niall, staring straight into Niall's eyes, trying to mentally communicate that he was speaking nothing but the truth.

Niall's laboured breath caught in his throat. No. There was absolutely no possible way this guy knew who Niall was. Not even a slight chance. Unless he was stalking Niall.

"H-how do you know who I am?" Niall choked out. He was feeling more and more vulnerable by the minute. 

This trip to London was a complete disaster. Everything was going absolutely wrong. What was so different this time? Usually he was in and out within a day. But no. This time they didn't have his lenses waiting for him. Making him have to stay a week. He was sighted by Liam, then lured into Liam's domain and given shelter and food. And just today, he was beat to a pulp, and now some stranger knew who he was. This wasn't what he wanted at all. This isn't what was meant to happen.