Niall glared at all the medical machines surrounding him. He was literally tied to the bed and he hated it. He just wanted to escape everything and hide when nobody could find him. He turned his head towards the sound of the door opening and watched Louis enter the room.
"How's it going, lad?" Louis asked cheerfully as he took in Niall's angry expression. He signed internally .knowing that he had a battle on his hands in trying to convince Niall that he was being taken care of for his own good. "Your parents send you their love and they want to know if you'd like them to come over?". Louis plonked down on a chair next to Niall's bed and crossed his legs, placing his right ankle on his left knee in a casual and relaxed pose.
"NO!" Niall all but shouted. "No" a little more quietly. "I don't need them to come."
"Calm down, Ni! That's fine. They won't come if you don't want them to. They only asked, mate." Louis kept his tone calm and quiet.
"Yeah" Niall looked guiltily down at his fingers which were twisting the sheet in a gesture that Louis recognised as nervous. "I know." Niall didn't want his parents to come. He certainly didn't want them to worry about him but he also didn't want Maura fussing over him and treating him like a baby and not the grown man he in reality.
"Li and Haz are coming over later" Louis continued, relaxing slightly now he saw Niall had calmed down. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Niall lost in his own thoughts and Louis wondering how he could bring up the subject of the Clinical Psychologist. Finally Louis decided that the only way to do it was the only way he, Louis, ever addressed anything....straight to the point.
"Nialler, I was talking with your doctor and he kinda recommended you talk with a Clinical Psychologist about all this" Louis waved his hand vaguely at Niall and the medical equipment attached to his small frame. "He thinks it would help you accept the diagnosis, find ways of dealing with it". Louis stopped as he looked at Niall's face. A dark shade of red was beginning to wash over Niall's normally pale face and his hands were clenching and unclenching into fists. Louis sighed loudly. "Niall, listen" he begged.
"No, no way!" Niall shouted. He glared at Louis, his bottom lip stuck slightly out making Louis want to smile at the sight. Niall just couldn't look scary if he tried, he just looked like an adorable toddler having a tantrum. Louis just sat quietly, waiting for Niall to calm down a little before he spoke again.
"Breath, Ni" was all Louis said and watched as Niall dragged in deep breaths, his face slowly returning to it's normal pale coloring. "Ok, now?" he finally asked and Niall nodded in reply.
"Sorry" Niall whispered. Louis stood up from the chair and lowered the side bars on the bed to allow himself to perch on the side of the bed, next to Niall.
"Look , mate. I know you're angry and upset with all this but you can't keep pushing people away. They only want to help you, mate" Louis said quietly as he grabbed Niall's hand and held it gently. "The doc told me that Lupus can make you anxious and depressed if you're not careful and the lads and I don't want to lose our cheerful Nialler."
"Not sure I want some doctor rummaging around in my head" grumbled Niall
"Ni, it's not like that. It's just someone you can talk to about how you feel about this all and ways to help you cope. Nobody is going to rummage around inside your head, mate. They might find those dirty socks you lost." Louis joked, making Niall smile vaguely in response. "That's my lad" Louis commented, smiling himself.
"I'll think about it" Niall said and with that Louis was content.
"Ummh, Ni?" Louis asked after a few moments silence. "Hazza rang Selena . She wants to know if you're up to visitors?" Niall looked at Louis, frowning in confusing. "She's got Lupus, too, remember."
"Maybe. Not yet" Niall looked back down , tugging his hand free from Louis and resuming twisting the sheet again.
"Ok, bro. Just let me know when you're up to it" Louis replied. "How about some FIFA when the lads get here ?" . He was interrupted by a brief tap on the door that heralded the arrival of Niall's nurse, pulling a trolley loaded with various items. Niall eyed it suspiciously.
"Hello gentlemen" the nurse greeted the boys, "Time for this young man to have a wash and brush up. Perhaps you'd like to go and get yourself a drink until we're done here?" She smiled politely at Louis who nodded.
"I'll be back later, Nialler. What time should I return?" Louis asked the nurse as he consulted his watch.
"Perhaps give us an hour? I have this young man's 'obs' to do and then the doctor will be seeing him." the nurse smiled at Louis then Niall.
"Cool. I'll see you soon, Ni" Louis reached up and ruffled Niall's hair before heading out of the room and leaving Niall alone with the nurse. He emerged into the square lobby and caught sight of a drinks machine tucked into a corner. He went over, made his selection and fed coins into the machine, pulling the filled cup out and carrying it to where there were some comfortable looking chairs. He curled up in one and pulled out his phone to play some games to while away the time., deciding it was safer to stay out of sight and possible discovery from fans. The lobby was quiet, only quiet murmurs being heard. Louis leaned his head back and closed his eyes, totally relaxed.
"NO!" Louis jumped, startled by the sound of Niall shrieking. "NO!" Louis stood rapidly, staring at Niall's closed door, not knowing whether he should stay where he was or go back to Niall who sounded very distressed. Making up his mind, Louis hurried towards the door of Niall's room, tapped hurriedly then entered. He didn't know whether he should laugh or cry. Niall had pushed himself up against the bars on the far side of the bed, knees pulled into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his legs.The nurse stood looking at the blond man, an expression of exasperation on her face.
"Ummh, what's going on?" Louis asked mildly looking from the nurse to Niall then back again. Niall raised his head, face flushed and looking tearful.
"I need to change his catheter and he won't let me. He's also refusing to be washed" the nurse sighed. Really, men, she thought, were big babies. Louis winced slightly at the mention of the catheter. Personally, he could understand Niall's feelings but he wasn't really in a position to argue.
"Nialler" Louis said sympathetically." I know you...."
"NO!" Niall yelled interrupting him. He started to rip the wires from his body, tearing out the iV as he struggled to get off the bed. Louis quickly wrapped his arms tightly around his upset bandmate as the nurse pressed the call button to summon more help. Niall fought to free himself from Louis tight hold but finally collapsed, limp and unresisting in Louis embrace. He let his head fall on Louis shoulder and Louis felt his Tshirt getting damp as Niall cried quietly in defeat.
"Ssshhh" Louis whispered "It's Ok, it'll be fine". Keeping one arm around Niall's shaking body, he reached his other hand to smooth back Niall's hair from his sweaty forehead."It's fine, you're fine" he repeated soothingly.