Redemption | Niam

Six: Truce

"I once wrote you love songs. You never fell in love... We used to fit like mittens but never like gloves. Never like gloves."

Finishing the last verse of the song, Niall's voice trailed off, only the sound of his guitar remaining until he finished, placing his guitar in it's stand before he stood and headed for the door, stopping as he saw Liam heading towards him, carrying two coffees and what looked like a packet of aspirin.

Standing back and letting Liam walk past, Niall closed the door to his studio, pushing his sunglasses up onto the top of his head and wincing again, wordlessly accepting the pack of aspirin and dry swallowing a couple of tablets before he chucked the package back to Liam. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. My assistant was waiting outside with a coffee and aspirin, I simply sent him to get another." Sitting so he was leant against the wall, Liam took a sip of his coffee, watching Niall for a moment before he looked away, staring up at the wall opposite and taking in the many album covers decorating it before he asked "Are those all the different albums you've written something for?"

"Yeah.... Look, Liam, I'm sorry. What I said about you and Zayn. I crossed a line. That was crass and rude and bitchy." Sitting next to Liam, Niall accepted the offered cup of coffee, taking a sip and looking across at the wall Liam was looking at, shrugging as he said "Really.... I'm not even sure where it came from."

"You always were bitchy when you were hungover." Shrugging, Liam took another sip of coffee drumming his fingers on the bottom of his cup, Niall sighing and pulling his sunglasses back down onto his face before saying "Thanks for reminding me."

Ignoring Niall's comment, Liam shrugged again, picking up the packet of aspirin and swallowing a couple of tablets before saying "At least we're talking now. Funny how all it takes is three arguments and you pity-drinking with Louis for it to happen."

"Pity drinking? I was not-" Looking offended, Niall sat forwards and glared at Liam, about to continue when Liam snorted, cutting him off. "Please. That's what it looked like."

Huffing, Niall rolled his eyes at Liam, contemplating elbowing him again as he said "I was not pity drinking with Louis. I was drinking out of frustration and vodka seemed the best place to turn."

"Been there." Not thinking, Liam was focused on reading the back of aspirin packet as he spoke, only realising what he'd said as he looked up to see Niall staring at him."I'm sorry, but what did you just say? Liam, did you-"

"It's nothing. Never mind." Shaking his head, Liam gestured for Niall continue, wishing he hadn't said anything as he caught sight of the look of concern flashing across Niall's face, forcing a smile onto his face before he looked back dow at the aspirin box.

Frowning, Niall watched Liam for a moment before he looked away, taking a sip of his coffee and sighing, not allowing himself to dwell on Liam's words as he continued "And we are not talking. Especially not about anything to do with four years ago."

"We never actually talked." Setting the aspirin packet down, Liam glanced back around Niall's studio, noticing again how different it was to the places Niall used to work in as he tried to recall any actual, calm discussions they may have had regarding the demise of their relationship.

"We talked plenty."

Watching as Niall shifted away from him, Liam sighed, his fingers tracing over the buttons on his watch as he said "We yelled. Fought. Broke up. But we didn't talk. Not about the important things."

"We said plenty." Inadvertently tightening his grip on his coffee cup, Niall glared at Liam, wishing for him to drop the conversation and rolling his eyes as he noticed the determined look on the other guys face.