Reason To Be (A Zouis Family AU)

Part Four, Chapter Eight

Before he has the chance to, Brad throws the phone at him with enough force that it shatters against the wall by his head - had he been maybe an inch to the left, he doesn't even want to think of the pain he might have just felt.

Then the door knocks. They both fall silent. Hold their breaths. Like two little kids caught misbehaving; only this situation lacks any of that innocence.

Brad glares at him in an accusatory way; he recalls two days ago when there had been knocking at the door, the sound of his Dad's voice, the two of them waiting in silence until he had left to resume their yelling only for Brad to shout harder that he had called his Dad over on purpose somehow to make him look like the bad guy.

(He is, his mind supplies, deep down, he knows Brad is the bad guy. But he can't bring himself to admit it fully so he lets it lie dormant.)

The door knocks again, and Brad glares harder, stepping forwards and peering over him where he's leaned back against the wall, heart in his throat at the proximity, instinctively waiting for the pain that's next to come.

But Brad just hisses in a threatening tone (somehow that terrifies him just as much). "Keep you're fucking mouth shut," he whispers, before he's pulling away and leaving Harry against the wall to cross over to the front door.

Harry doesn't think about following until he hears Brad greet the person with a surprised sort of tone. "Niall? What on Earth? You're soaked -" he starts to say, and then Harry is hurrying over without a seconds thought because Niall isn't meant to be here - he's meant to be home, safe, with their parents.

He all but shoves Brad out of the way in an effort to get to his little brother; the fear of the repercussions disappearing the moment he lays eyes on the fifteen year old - no jacket, soaked in rain, shivering with his arms wrapped around himself.

"Ni," he breathes with a wince, and he can't help but hate Brad for stopping him from going home this weekend because if he had been there for Niall, he obviously wouldn't be here in such a state right now.

His brother doesn't even look up at him, eyes ringed with red as he lets out a broken sob. "I'm really sorry, Haz - I shouldn't have - I didn't plan on c-coming here but I - I - I wanted to m-make sure you're okay," he chokes out, instantly stepping forwards and wrapping his arms around the taller boys middle, head resting on his chest as he cries quietly.

Harry isn't even slightly bothered about the dampness seeping into his own clothes as he wraps his arms around the younger boy with equal force, chest aching at the sounds of his muffled cries - he should have been there. He had promised and he'd broken it. Whether Brad had prevented him from going by leaving him with a split lip or not, it's no excuse.

He pushes down the blame and focuses on the shivering boy in his arms, knowing he needs to warm him up immediately.

"Jesus, Ni," he says softly, tightening his hold on the boy when he feels the shivers wracking through his body. "Come on, lets get you wrapped up," he murmurs, taking a few steps back into the apartment, keeping his brother held in his arms.

Brad closes the door, the expression of anger fading in his own expression as his eyes run over the shaking fifteen year old before he purses his lips. "I'll go grab him some dry clothes," he says, as if he's trying to play good cop now that there's a witness.

Fierce protectiveness of his flesh and blood takes over, allowing him to glare at his boyfriend in a way that he's never dared to before.

"I'll do it. You - just - just stay away," he all but hisses, the venom in the words challenging the anger that sweeps over the older boy's expression again.