Part 1/5
The sound of fire licking away the old ware house played like a soundtrack in the middle of the night of Ireland's winter. Agent Horan sat on the dirt as he pulls out his favorite Ray Bans from the pocket of his blazer that lost its right sleeve, and place it on the bridge of his nose to cover his black eye from the close combat he just had. He noticed that his partner has yet to make an appearance, but he knows that he got out safely before the explosion happened. Stretching both of his legs on the dusty ground, he examine a huge gash on his left thigh that was oozing crimson liquid. He managed to dodge the blind bullet just by a few centimeters, causing the bullet to scrape his thigh. He could faintly hear the sounds of cars and ambulance approaching the scene causing him to let out a grateful sigh. He needed a warm bath in his jacuzzi, a deep long bath. He threw his head back, and saw how the stars glittered the nights' sky. Even the stars are not alone, he chuckled to himself. It was that time of the year again where, the Christmas is just around the corner and he would take up cases for his colleague that wants to celebrate Christmas with their families and loved one. He didn't mind though; kicking peoples' asses and shoving bullets in their head is much better than celebrating Christmas. Much much better.
“Have you quite finished yet?” A slightly high-pitched spoke beside him. Startled, he swiftly turned to the side where his partner was sitting, staring up the sky. “What are we looking at exactly?”
“Nothing, Tomlinson. Just nothing,” he mumbled. The dam he created was somehow leaking the memories he's been trapping. He immediately applied unnecessary pressure on his wound in order to block those memory from coursing through his veins. He thought that his action went by unnoticed by his partner, but Agent Louis Tomlinson knew that his partner would use pain to counter any of his forbidden memory that came to his mind. He would hit the gym all of the sudden, run on the treadmill till his ankle sprained in the middle if the night or even let it out on the punching bag till his knuckles were bleeding.
It's not that he didn't want to help; it's just the fact that his partner likes to shut people out and refuse to let anyone in is the main problem. He cuts all connection with his family and keep a safe distant from his friends at works. Louis is lucky enough to be able to persuade (more like force) him to celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving with him and his boyfriend, Zayn. Most people would known his partner as a ruthless, emotionless, and all-work-and-no-play kind of guy, but if they get to know the real him, the person he is before it happened, they would've fallen for his wits and charms.
If only it didn't happen.
“Yo Horan!” His partner hollered, jolting him from his own thoughts. “Medics here!”
Without replying to his over-excited partner, he got up brushed off the dust from his pants and limped towards the medic van, where the Medics were already tending to Niall's wound. Niall had saved his life, again, by putting himself in danger, again. Sometimes, Louis thinks that Niall purposely put himself in danger so that he can one step closer to death. He was too much of a chicken to commit suicide, Louis knows that much.
“So, crash at my place tonight?” Louis asked as he watched the Medics from the Agency cleans and sew up the huge gash on his left thigh.
“Sure,” Niall replied as he stared at the wound being sewn up like it was nothing. “You're 25 already, fucking old. Fucking get married already yeah? Zayn's bum is getting sore from waiting,”
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny Horan,” Louis mocked. Well at least he didn't lose all of his cheekiness.
“I think that I'll take up the case Lavigne offered me,” Niall announced, staring blankly at the cornfield.
“What? B-But that's on Christmas day, and MY birthday the day before” Louis whine like the little brat he is.
“Sorry, already read the paperwork and Lavigne already gave me the briefing,” Niall replied, his voice void of any kind of emotion signaling that he didn't want Louis to press this matter further.
“You're an arsehole you know that?” Louis snapped. He couldn't hide the fact that he hated the New-Niall; Niall had changed drastically the day he lost the love of his life. He misses the Old-Niall; happy, friendly and outspoken.
Instead of replying to his partner, he placed a small peck on Louis' temple. He wanted nothing more than to spend time with Louis and his boyfriend Zayn, but the thought of seeing them all loved up and happy makes his heart ache so bad. He wanted to forget. Once and for all. So, that's why he he accepted the case in Wolverhampton and rejected any forms of help or partners. Plus, the case was only to retrieve a hard-disk containing a classified information.
“Still think you're an arsehole,” Louis mutters. “I expect a really expensive present. One big fat present,”
+ + +
Niall let those painful memories flooded his head as he laid on the soft mattress of Louis' guest bedroom alone, and lets the salty tears cascades down his cheeks. He still gets nightmares about the event that changed him forever, the event that took the love of his life. He still gets nightmare and he welcomes it.
“Why are you crying love?” A soft, yet rough voice invaded his ear. Turning to his right, Niall met with the sight he's been waiting for all day.
“Liam,” He breaths out the familiar name and swiftly move to cuddle against the larger bloke's chest. He didn't feel warm like he used to, but that was no surprise to him.
“Hey love,....how was your day?” Liam asks as he cards his fingers through Niall's mousy fake blond hair.
“Good,...I-I missed you,” Niall replied, his heart constricting.
“You say that every night babe,” Liam chuckled deeply, his chest vibrating against Niall's cheek.
“Because it's true,”
“It's not normal for you to be dreaming of me babe,” Liam chastised playfully. Even though it was dark, Niall could visibly imagine the way that Liam's eyes would twinkle when ever he was right or the was the crinkles form at the corner of his eyes whenever he smiles or laughs.
“Don't fucking care,” He replies curtly.
“I care about you. And I need you to stop this,” Liam kisses him on top of his head.
“Stop this? You want me to forget about you?” Niall asks, his blue eyes that Liam claimed to love so much looking up accusingly. This isn't the first itme that he's been requested to do this, move on, forget about him, get closure, get out more. He didn't understand, why was Liam so persistent on making him forget everything that they have? Does he even know how much it hurts when he died? When he left him all alone?
“I'm saying that. I just want you to be happy,” Liam tried to reason.
“I'm happy when I'm with you. I'm happy when I think about you,” Niall retorts.
“I don't like seeing you like this Niall. You're hurting yourself and the people around you. You're hurting me,”
“Then why'd you left me?” Niall countered. “Why?”
“That's not fair Ni, I didn't choose to leave you,”
“Then I choose not to forget you,” Niall replied like it was totally logic. Liam sigh at his lover, Niall's stubbornness is really something.
“Go to sleep love, you're tired,” Liam kisses Niall on the nose, making Niall sigh contently.
“You'll stay?” Niall asked timidly, vulnerable.
“Always,”
Niall knew that Liam couldn't keep his promise because the next morning, Niall woke up alone, hugging his pillow. Well, it used to be Liam's. Sighing to himself, Niall rolled over, looking at the empty white ceiling, forcing himself to fell numb of all kinds of emotion. It wasn't a secret that Niall contemplates on joining Liam on the other side, but he knew that act was cowardly. But the need of him to feel, touch and kiss Liam again was killing him. Especially when Liam's case was never close. Niall wanted to lead the case, but his boss Ms. Lavigne, strictly warned him to stay away from the team that handled Liam's murder. Niall didn't understand why they weren't arresting anyone, and they kept telling him that there weren't enough evidence. Niall want, no needs, to know who killed Liam and why the hell that a well trained agent like Liam lets himself get shot right between the eye. Maybe, just maybe, when he found out what happened....he'll get closure.
Or maybe there isn't one for him.
Picking himself up mentally, he got out of the bed and head towards the showers. Ever since Liam died, everything seemed larger back in their apartment; the bathroom seemed twice as large, the sofa felt too cold, the atmosphere in the apartment was eerily quiet. No one to join him in the shower, no one to wait for him on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn on their lap, no one singing random songs throughout the apartment. That is why he can't stay in their apartment. He opted to stay with his new partner whom open his place for him happily. Even his partner's boyfriend was more than happy to let him stay over. Zayn Malik, Louis' boyfriend, was the agencies' IT guy; he's thin but muscular, tanned skin, dark hair and wear a huge thick-rimmed black glasses that made him look like a total geek. But sometimes, when the couple wanted to be alone, Niall would excuse himself in some cheap motels with cheap beers as his company. Anyplace was better than his own. He had been debating with himself whether to sell the place or not. He was more than happy to throw away his old stuff, but when his eyes caught hold of Liam's stuff, then when he breaks down. He still pays the rent, but he didn't bother staying in it.
After shower, Niall began packing for his new case which he decided to leave earlier than scheduled so that he could scout the place. In the midst of packing his fire arms, a sleepy looking Louis walked, more like limped into his room.
“Why are you packing?” Louis asks in midst of yawning.
“Leaving early,” Niall replies, counting the spare magazines of his semi-auto.
“What?” Louis whines “Why didn't you tell me?”
“Uhh just decide like, when I woke up,” Niall zipps the bag filled with deathly fire-arms.
“Ugh, well at least I get to drive you to the airport right?” Louis asks hopefully, looking at the senior agent.
“Sure,” Niall sent him a half-smile, which totally looked like it was forced.
It was rather oblivious to Niall, but Louis worships the ground the Niall walks on. He practically studies every case that Agent Horan works on and solved with his long time partner Agent Payne. Agent Liam's death was a huge loss, but it opened an opportunity for him to be the new partner for Agent Horan, which he agreed to. He had been a protege under the wings of Agent Horan and Agent Payne, backed when Agent Horan was still a happy, energetic and bubbly person. They quickly become close, and Niall would give Louis outside trainings on the use of fire-arms and Liam would teach him hand-to-hand combats. They were like brothers to him. Liam's death hit them hard, but as hard as it hits Niall. Louis was careful with Niall when it came to subjects related to Liam. He always make sure that he didn't act like he was trying to replace Agent Liam, but just as a new comrade, a friend. Niall never slacked in his job, even after Liam's death. But he stooped smiling, and constantly wallows in self pity. He was depressed and Louis knows hes not doing anything to stop it.
Another thing that was burning in the back of Louis head was a ring. A ring that Liam bought a week before he died to ask Niall's hand in marriage. He told Louis to keep it for him, because he needs to find the right moment to ask Niall. Tragically, Liam never got the chance to slip those beautiful golden band around Niall's figer, but instead, those golden band sat quietly in one of Louis' drawer. He isn't planning on giving it to Niall anytime soon, be that would be ripping the wound that wasn't healing.
He shall give it to it when Niall had moved on.
Though he wasn't sure if Niall will ever move on.
“I'll see you soon yeah?” Niall whispers quietly into Louis ear as they hugged goodbye at the Dublin airport, in which Niall will take a private airplane to the UK. “Take care of Zayn,”
“Just did, last night,” Louis replies trying to make Niall laugh but only manage to evoke a small smile. Well, that's better than nothing right? “Oh boss is here. Goodluck and be safe okay? Love you,”
“Oh and Louis?” Niall calls up his new partner right when he was already walking away.
“Yeah?” Louis turned around swiftly.
“Left an early present for you on my bed,” Niall says before turning away, walking towards his awaiting boss.
“Agent Horan,” Ms. Lavigne greets him casually. There was something...off about her appearance today, as she was wearing a white formal peplum dress. It was weird because one; his boss never wears a skirt, much a tight peplum dress, and second; she was wearing white, a color that she loathes.
“Ms Lavigne,” Niall beams.
“All the things that you need is inside the plane. The mission is simple; retrieve government property and avoid any unwanted casualty,” She informed him, going through the formal procedure “The item is a hard disk containing imperative information and safety of the item needs to be prioritized,”
“Got it,” Niall nods understandingly.
“And Agent Horan?”
“Be safe,” She said, barely above whispers, which was another weird thing “And be careful,”
“Always Miss Lavigne, always,”
+ + +
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