Monster || Narry AU

14- New

"You didn't do this." Harry says monotonously, furrowing his brows. He turns to the lad, eyes slightly widened. "Did you?" He asks, worried and slightly angry. He knows that from what he knows about Niall that he would never, but why else would he apologize? Niall's eyes widen in shock, dramatically shaking his head 'no'.

"Of course not! I would never." Niall insists. "Do you think I would?"

"No, but why else would you apologize?" Harry asks curiously. He tilts his head to the side cutely, momentarily forgetting the problem at hand.

"Because that's what you do, you give your condolences when someone has lost something or someone very important." Niall explains. "Because I'm sorry that you lost your home, I feel sad for your loss."

"You hardly know me." Harry points out, furrowing his brows. "Why would you feel sad for my loss?"

"Because you're not the monster you think you are, and no one deserves that." He retorts honestly, pointing back over to what's left of Harry's home. Harry's gaze softens, glancing at the pile of wood and ash, the beams precariously sticking out between the debris, still holding half of the top floor up.

"How can you be so sure?" Harry whispers.

"Because you saved me from that, and most would only save themselves." Niall says. "Because I could see the real you, you allowed me to see a bit of the real you. And I don't see a monster." Harry looks at him, giving him a small, wet smile.

"I look like one." Harry says, examining his free hand that still has the claws extended. He takes a deep breath, urging them to retract, and they do. He can feel his set of sharp teeth do the same, his eyes dimming into a normal color. Niall shakes his head.

"You only look like someone who's been through hell and back, a warrior with your scars on proud display." Niall says, softly. "We say not to judge a book by its cover, but we always end up judging it by its cover. We do the same with people, we treat them differently because of how they look or what they wear." Niall says softly. "But you, you don't look anything short of incredibly strong."

"You can't possibly mean that." Harry says, shaking his head, his vulnerability showing.

"Why can't I?" Niall challenges.

"Because I don't see that, and I know myself. How can you see something that isn't there?" Harry asks.

"Because you're only looking at the surface. You just have to dig down a little deeper. One day hopefully you'll share your story with me, but I know it must be an incredible one." He says firmly, smiling reassuringly at the lad he realizes is mostly a big, vulnerable, hurt teddy bear. "Where will you go now?" He asks quietly. Harry shrugs. It had taken him ages to find this place. It was perfect, far enough away from the town, but not overly isolated, next to a forest with lovely trees and wonderful sights. It was a bit of a wreck, falling apart, but he had kept it nice on the inside, managed it and taken pride in it. All that work was gone now, and it'll probably take even longer to find a new place.

"I'll find something." Harry whispers, shrugging. His eyes are a little damp, but he refuses to cry. He hasn't cried in years, and he will not do it again. It only made him weak in his eyes.

"You could come stay with me." Niall suggests, choosing not to comment on the slight quiver in Harry's voice. Harry's eyes snap to his, shock filling his features. He opens his mouth, closing it again only seconds later. He repeats that, at loss for words. He reckons he probably looks like a fish out of water.

"You would, you would do that for me?" Harry asks, shocked and in awe. No one had opened their home to him after what had happened, not when he was hurt and hungry, not when he was slowly dying because of weather and dehydration and starvation, not even when he begged. People had thought he was a freak, diseased, and had treated him as such. So this- Niall offering his home, was enough to make his knees buckle in shock. Niall steadies him, eyes shining with worry.