I'll Be Your Safety

After much debate, I finally managed to haul myself off the couch and trudge up the stairs. I scratched my chest lazily, then froze in place. I heard Olivia’s voice yelling from behind Harry’s closed doors, and she didn’t sound very happy. It was the first time in years I had heard her voice rise an octave. Stealthily I snuck up beside the door to better my perspective, and then listened closely to what they were saying.

Olivia’s POV

I slipped on my night shirt, unhappily tugging the short hemline lower. I was rooting through the drawer in search of a suitable pair of shorts when Harry snuck up from behind me. Much to my discomfort he began nibbling at my jaw, and sucking the soft skin below it. I managed to tolerate my discomfort for his actions most of the time, but it was when his hand roamed up my shirt when I nudged his hand away.

“C’mon Liv, I have needs too.” He moaned, persistently pawing up my shirt.

“Stop.” I said quietly, trying to shrink away from his touch. He mustn’t have heard me, for his hands kept on roaming higher and higher. “Harry, stop.” I pushed his hands away, and then backed up, my arms wrapped protectively around my torso.

“What? Liv, I wasn’t even doing anything.” He retorted, advancing over towards me. My back was pressed up against the wall as he came towards me quickly. My breath caught in my throat as he kissed my neck once more.

“Stop it.” I yelled defensively, pushing his body away from mine.

“Come on Liv-“

“Harry I told you I didn’t wanna do this again. It was one time and one time only.” I spat, referring to one particularly excruciating night a few days ago.

“Liv, you don’t mean that.” He stepped towards me, grinning slightly.

“Haz, please. I really don’t wanna start fighting about this. This is what broke us up the last time.”

“That was only because you were being such a damn prude all the sudden.”

“I was off the pill! I was off the fucking pill because I was in an unfamiliar city and couldn’t get my prescription filled. Harry, you knew that.”

“Oh, OH! Was it because you didn’t wanna have my baby? No, no, no. Go ahead. Run off and have my best mate’s baby instead.” He yelled.

“Damn it Harry why won’t you just leave me alone?”

“Why the hell are you getting so goddamn touchy about it? Its not like you’ve never done it before. I’m sure those guys in the alley way were enough experience.” He hissed. I recoiled, shooting him a glare.

“Stop riding my ass.” I choked, feeling hot tears spring to my eyes.

“And start riding mine.” He winked, prowling towards me.

“Fuck you.” I spat. Angrily I pushed him away and stormed out of the room, almost bumping into Niall.
“S’cuze me.” I choked, and then swerved around him and straight into Ethan’s room. Silently I slipped past his crib and into his large bathroom.

“Shit.” I mumbled, collapsing down onto the tiled floor. “Fuck him.” I repeated, wiping my eyes. I don’t know how long I was sitting on the cold floor for until I heard a faint knock on the door. Immediately I knew it was Niall, for Harry would have barged right in instead of asking for approval.

“Come in.” I sniffed, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. Tentatively the door opened, and Niall shuffled in. He wore a slight frown, and looked slightly uncomfortable. After a moment’s pause, he took a seat down beside me, resting his head on the wall and letting out a long breath.

“Harry left.” He spoke up after a pause.

“Ok. Thanks.” I frowned at my hands, wringing them out.

“I-uh, I heard the whole thing.” He cleared his throat. “Does he do that to you often?” He asked curiously. I couldn’t help it, it was so refreshing to have a guy be nervous around me, I just started crying.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I-“ He fumbled his words, suddenly looking ashen.

“No. Thank you.” I wrapped my arms around his torso, staining the shoulder of his grey cotton tee with tears. I sniffled loudly, the mumbled into his shoulder “Yeah. He does.”

“What?”

“Yeah, he kinda does that a lot now.” The fabric of his shirt muffled my voice, partially because I didn’t want to hear myself say it.

“You don’t deserve that-“

“Ni, he’s a nice guy. We just get into fights once in a while, that’s all.” I spoke more clearly this time, leaning away from his embrace.

“I know. But you don’t deserve to ever have someone tell you those things. You just don’t.”

“I’m fine, Niall.” I said sternly. Surprised with myself, I turned away from him, and stared at the wall opposite me, my hands reaching out along the cool tile.

“I would never do that to you.” He barely whispered. It was almost inaudible, and probably wasn’t meant to be heard; but I heard it. The small statement was enough to tug the corners of my mouth down even further. The last thing I needed to add was a complicated relationship with Niall. He was my rock, the only person keeping me sane. It seemed the only moments I spent calmly nowadays were with my two boys; Harry not included.

I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing. It rung loudly, waking everyone in the house up with it. The moment I heard Ethan cry out from his room, I realized I was still on the floor of the washroom, with Niall fast asleep inches from me. Cautiously, I tiptoed over him, and into Ethan’s room. I picked the crying boy up from his crib and sniffed his bum, recoiling at the scent.

“Let’s get you all cleaned up.” I cooed, whisking him over to the changer. In moments I had him cleaned up and changed, and was dashing down the stairs to the door. I heard Niall walking behind me, but didn’t look back as I walked up to the door and swung it open.

“Surprise!” Maura cheered, engulfing me in a hug. I was taken off guard, nearly falling over in the process.

“Mum? What are you doing here?” Niall erupted into a big smile, smothering his mother in a bear hug once she had released her grip on Ethan and I.

“What? I can’t pop by to visit my son?” She pouted, the giggled loudly. “Ethan, oh my, have you grown. He looks just like you, Niall.” Her gaze flicked between father and son.

“But his eyes, who’s eyes does he have? There not like either of yours.” She pointed out, referring to Ethan’s very dark brown eyes. Maura was right; they looked nothing like mine, which were a very fair shade of brown, and nothing at all like Niall’s blue ones. Instead his eyes perfectly matched his deep hair colour.

“Oh, I missed you.” Maura patted Niall’s arm, pausing for a moment before slipping past us into the house. Instinctively I shifted to Niall’s side, placing Ethan on the ground to scamper off to his toys.

“Sorry, Its probably bad timing, but I didn’t know she was coming.” Niall leaned down and whispered in my ear. Across the room Maura shot a knowing look at her son, flicking her sight between both of us. I replied with a quick “It’s fine.”

Niall

“So, son. Are you and Olivia finally-?” My mother hinted. We were a safe distance away from Liv, but she could still hear us if she had the interest to.

I shook my head “No, mum. Were not.”

“Well what are you waiting for?” She grinned, nudging my arm slightly. Suddenly the front door burst open, revealing a slightly pissed looking Harry. His expression softened immediately as he took sight of Maura, and he made his way over with a smile on his face.

“Maura! How are you?” He gave her a hug.

“I’m fine Harry, and you?”

“Good, good.” He looked around, suddenly looking impatient.

My mum shot me a look, then diverted her gaze to Olivia, who had been walking over to us until Harry arrived.

“Hello, love.” Harry grinned, took two steps, and then planted his lips firmly on hers. Instead of sinking into his touch, she seemed to recoil away, not letting anything but his lips touch her.

“Hello.” She replied stiffly. I heard mum let out a small ‘oh’, and I we exchanged glances quickly. It was a “see what I mean?” moment.

I watched sadly as Harry kissed her soft spot, right behind her ear, and she melted into his touch. Hey whispered something into her ear, kissed her again, and in no time he had worked her to seem as if the fight never happened. That she was just mad at him for no reason.

Harry had a way with that. Making everything seem like it was Liv’s fault.

I cleared my throat as he bent down to kiss her one last time. This time, she leaned back into the kiss, and a slight smile played upon her lips.

“So, mum. Do you have a hotel or are you staying here?” I asked, hoping for the hotel.

“Well, I came down in such a hurry, I didn’t have time to book a hotel, so-“

“I understand. You can stay in my room.” I smiled, picking up her suitcase and starting towards the stairs.

“Are you sure? I can stay in a hotel if its too much of a burden.”

“Mum. I'm positive. Now c’mon, I’ll show you around.”