Don't Touch Me // Larry AU

"Do You Wanna Head To Mine?"

We drove around for a bit, in the rain and in silence. I was thinking and trying to calm down and although Niall was a loud character, he respected that I needed space and quiet to breathe. He let me sit there, not pushing me to talk about it or anything really. It was nice of him. I appreciated it.

After 20 minutes, he stopped outside a small corner shop. He turned the car off and turned in his seat to face me. I could feel him analysing me but I didn't speak up not look at him.

"Do you want a coffee?" He asked quietly. I think he was scared to upset me, my breathing rate was normal again but my hands were still shaking. It wasn't normally like this, if someone touched me I felt pain and I flinched away and I'd shake for a while. But if someone snuck up on me or touched me when I wasn't aware of my surroundings, it took a lot longer to calm down. It was because I was on my phone and I had blocked him. When he touched me I felt pain, like fire spreading up through my arm. It hurt so bloody much. Like someone had light my bone on fire.

I didn't think caffeine was the right thing for me right now. I was already shaking I didn't need to increase that. "No I'm ok, thanks mate." I could see a small smile on his face at the mention of 'mate'. I realised then that this kid was genuine. He wanted to be my 'mate'. He didn't care that everyone hated me or that everyone would eventually hate him too, if he talked to me. He just wanted to be nice to me. And that made me smile. A real smile. Not the fake ones I put up for my mum. I was actually smiling, and it hurt, which made me want to laugh. It hurt to stretch out those old muscles in my face.

He nodded and clambered out of the car and into the little shop. 5 minutes later he approached the car slowly, I knew he was trying not to spook me, carrying a plastic bag and a carton with 2 cardboard cups.

He got in the car and turned the heat on, "Jesus it's cold," he said putting the drinks in the drink holder. "I know you said you didn't want coffee, but I thought it would be good if ya got something in ya. So I got tea. You like tea, aye? I mean you don't have de drink it, like. If ye want." I smiled and took the cup he pointed at and clutched at it tightly. It was warming my hands and I sighed contently.

"Do you wanna head to mine?" He asked nervously. "Look, I get it if ye want de stay out 'ere, in the open, where like people can see us. If you feel more comfortable here, that's ok. But if you want to like crash at me house or something play some video games and eat some crap that's good too. And I promise like I won't do anything, I won't even touch ye. Yer choice, mate."

It was silent for a several moments. The thought of going to his house didn't scare me as much as it did yesterday, but then again what if it's a prank? Fuck it, I'm cold and hungry and bored. His house sounds good.

"Sure, let's head back to yours." His crystal eyes light up. "Really?" He gushed. I nodded slowly. "Thank you!" He said, turning the keys in ignition. "Thank you! Fuck I'm freezing, didn't want to say anything like incase you didn't want to go, didn't want to pressure you but like I'm cold and I wanted some real food, like pizza and chips. That'd be nice huh? I'll make that when we get there. Maybe some more tea, eh?" He droned on and I blocked him, I think he realised but he didn't care. It was nice to hear noise but not concentrate on it.

Niall drove us into a private street with 4 houses. They all looked 3 times the size of mine. My jaw somewhat slackened and it took a lot of effort to not let it fall open at my surprise.

Niall pulled into the left middle one and took the keys out of the ignition, he fidgeted nervously and bit his lip. "Um," he said scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, this is my house."

I stiffened and relaxed, "wow, uh this is woah, Jesus Niall, you could I told me you were minted." He laughed nervously. "It didn't come up haha, sorry mate." He smiled and then became nervous again. "It doesn't change anything, right? I mean like, I'm still the same, aye?"

I looked at him confused. "Yeah, of course." He sighed a breath of relief and smiled slightly. "Ready?" I nodded and hopped out of the car. The house towered over, pushing its shadow upon me making me feel slightly uncomfortable. It intimidated me, diminishing my small self esteem.

Niall pulled out his keys and let us into the house. The hall was bigger than my living room, the kitchen at the back, living room to the right and the study to the left. A huge staircase stood in the middle of the hall, opening up into a bigger one. The floor was cobbled stones and on the soft cream coloured walls hung many photos of a happy family.

Niall smiled and began to take off his jacket, firing his keys into a wooden bowl sitting on a table by the wall. He hung his jacket up on the coat hook and faced me. "Do you want me to take your jacket?" He asked quietly. I nodded and began to shake myself from my denim jacket. "Thanks," I said handing it over to him.

"Ya hungry?" He asked walking forward slightly and pausing to see that I was following. "Cause I am!" It's been like a whole 2 hours since I last ate. Not good." He chuckled. We entered the kitchen and I sat at the huge marble island in the middle of the kitchen while he went to the fridge and brought out two cans of coke.

"Thanks, your um house is uh nice, yeah," I said lazily, opening my can. He smiled, brightly. "Thanks, yeah my dad is the CEO of some company, I don't know Greg and him love it. Keeps me mam happy." I looked at him confused and he answered. "Greg's my brother."

Something clicked and I remembered an older boy who looked similar to Niall but darker hair. He was well known at our school for his famous football skills. School caption, overall best player the school has ever seen and good grades. He won some scholarship to a big university. Obviously Niall had a lot to live up to.

"Yeah I remember him," I nodded. "Everyone loves him." I ran a hand through my hair.

"Gosh I know!" He gushed, leaning on the counter top, looking ready for a gossip. "I get stoppeed by teachers all the time, asking about him! Literally all the time. P.E is absolute hell," he laughed and i smiled weakly. "The coach thought I was gonna be another him." He laughed hysterically, I felt like light was coming from him, his eyes sparkling with a faint bit of water in them from laughing too much. "I'm not the sporty type, to be fair. Like, I like a good jog now and again, ya know? But I'm no Greg. no sir." He giggled. Christ, he talks a lot. Careful, he's the only person that likes your sorry ass, I reminded myself. I gulped.

"Do any sports, Harry?" He asked, bringing me into the monologue.

"Uh, yeah, I run everyday and I go to the gym every weekend."

"Fit," he mused. "Well, now for the good stuff!" He opened a cupboard and emptied the contents of it onto the counter. It contained, an abundance of crisp packets, biscuits, buns and chocolate. "Come on then!" He yelled. "Make yourself useful." He scooped half the contents into his arms that looked small now the food was in them. After scooping up my hald, he led us into a plush room with a huge television and comfortable looking sofa. 

He set the food on the table and I followed suit. He then took his shoes off and began to set up the gaming system. "Which game then?" He asked excitedly as I sunk into the soft black sofa, sighing in contentment.