Work Text:
Niall wasn't exactly the baby of the group. Not that everyone would guess that, and even though Liam was one of the younger students in his year, having skipped a year, no one could really tell based off his personality.
Maybe he age is part of the reason people let Niall do pretty much anything he wanted. Those blue eyes and chubby cheeks never went to waste, Niall made sure of it. He often spent his time with Harry who was no better with his green doe eyes, unruly curls, and his own chubby cheeks, the pair were a terror in the most subtle of ways. Niall was quiet and people just wanted to protect him from everything in the world while Harry was quite clever with words. A slow drawl that often had people agreeing without realization.
Unlike the two younger boys Liam had replaced all his baby fat with muscle a while ago. It was the only reason he managed to fit in with his peers. However, Louis Tomlinson wasn't someone everyone pictured Liam becoming quick friends with. Their personalities clashed like oil and water, Liam was extremely quiet while Louis wouldn't shut up. They still managed to make it work.
The chubby cheek duo could almost always be seen talking to kids in different years (more often than not older). Whether it was asking for rides or how to get out of assignments the boys were well known. Especially to Liam and Louis.
Liam could never refuse to help with (more like do) their homework or give them rides, and well Louis was always looking for an excuse to pull some sort of prank. The four boys flowed together seamlessly.
No one was quite sure when asking for rides and ways out of tests graduated to eating lunch together and spending time together outside of school, but none of them were complaining.
At one point they even adopted a boy from in-between their years to join the group. He seemed cool enough with his brooding personality and constant smoking. However, it wasn't long before he decided his time was better spent with some blonde from his year leaving the four to themselves once again.
It was probably for the best though, they were comfortable with one another and maybe it was a bit odd that they knew each other’s darkest secrets and could tell how the other was feeling just by looking at them, but no one said a word about it.
Somewhere between all the whispering and fond smiles people started to assume things. However, no one was ever really able to pair the boys off. It seemed all those fleeting glances and endearing gestures were never solely directed at one boy for long. It was confusing, but it was them and no one bothered questioning it.
The brooding smoker hadn't been the last to weave themselves into the group. There was a pair of girls, Danielle and Eleanor; however, they seemed to mostly seek affection from Liam and Louis. They came in around the same time with their long legs and pretty smiles. They slowly whisked Liam and Louis away leaving Niall and Harry in the dust and incredibly hurt. However, they refused to sit around and wallow. They returned to their ways reserving their touches for one another.
Harry was the first to go, an older boy (but aren't they always?) by the name of Nick slipped into the cracks that were left behind by Louis and Liam. Nick was like the ocean, washing over Harry like murky water until he couldn't tell up from down. He was like a breath of fresh air for Harry, with his witty banter and oh so cool friends. Without even realizing it Harry disappeared slipping between Niall's fingers just as easily as Liam and Louis.
For as long as it took for the four boys to be brought together, it seemed far too easy for them to fall apart. Liam and Louis rarely spent time around one another, far too caught up in Danielle and Eleanor. Harry was no different with Nick and seen enough Niall found solace in a boy named Josh.
Touches once reserved for Harry, Liam, and Louis were now shared with Josh. Small smiles and endearing gestures pointed to Josh were quick to be noticed by others. Nevertheless Niall couldn't help, but find himself looking down the hallways for a set of familiar faces.
The split of Liam and Danielle came as a shock to everyone. They were the golden couple, the couple that was going to graduate and get married and live happily ever after, until they weren't. This is the part where Liam would go crawling back; however, it seemed as if everyone had moved on and Liam was far too polite to cause any problems.
It didn’t matter because Liam wasn't on his own for long. Niall slipped between Josh's fingers without a second thought, but it really wasn't a surprise to anyone, even to Josh, he had been expecting it. He understood, there was no point in trying to hold on to something was that obviously never his. During the conversation Josh just gave him a sad smile and reassured that everything was alright, because even though Niall could be crude, he still didn't like hurting people's feelings. It was sealed with a kiss and one last hug.
Sitting in Liam's bedroom after school, they hid in the fort that they built staying tangled up in one another. It didn't matter how much room there was in the makeshift tent, Niall and Liam stayed curled together lazily whispering euphonic promises. There were promises of lazy Saturday mornings and meaningless fights over what to watch on the telly. Silly promises about the future that neither could possibly assure were passed between languid kisses.
"I didn't sleep with him," Niall offered staring at their connected palms as his fingers slid in-between the grooves of Liam's fingers. "I couldn't," it was so soft, Liam could've convinced himself that he imagined it, his eyes softened as those blue eyes, so vulnerable, met his. "I'm sorry," it was all the response Liam needed for Niall to understand.
Liam was smart, but he wasn't good with his words. He wasn't like Louis who could ramble endlessly until his point was made, he wasn't like Harry who was so clever, he always knew just what to say, and he wasn't Niall who just thought offering up some sort of food would solve everything. Liam only had two words and they didn't always work, but Niall understood, he was always so understanding, maybe even when he shouldn't.
Harry loved the way Nick left bruises on his hips from pressing just a bit too hard and the way he wasn't afraid to brag about the previous nights activities. Nick was lovely. Nick was a lovely distraction (not that he would ever admit that). Harry was hurt and unfortunately he couldn't find solace in Niall, and instead was swept away. While Nick and Louis looked nothing alike, they were similar enough. Both being older than Harry, brunette, and could easily banter back and forth with anyone. They were both completely shameless, and it was easy for Harry to pretend.
It was easy to just shut his eyes and let his imagination shape things. Biting his lip to keep from saying the wrong name as his back arched into the touch. It wasn't always Louis that Harry saw; it was just easier to pretend it was Louis, because while they aren't similar, they are. Similar enough that he could pretend, until he couldn't.
Seeing Liam and Niall together was the drawing point for Harry. It made things far too difficult, maybe they weren't all together, but at least he wouldn't have to pretend. With that Harry skirted right out of Nick's grasp leaving him with a few sweet words so nothing was sour.
Liam and Niall were greeted with a, "hello loves," by that familiar gravely voice, and that was all it took for Niall to accept Harry with open arms. Liam was a bit more skeptical, and maybe he didn't have the right (but couldn't he have waited until the bruises adorning his neck had disappeared at least?)
However, those dimples could only be ignored for so long before Liam was falling back into a familiar routine.
"Niall'll be pissed you didn't wait," Liam pointed out staring at the TV screen, but not even close to actually paying attention. He was a bit distracted by Harry who just shrugged in response without detaching his lips from Liam's neck. What felt like could have been hours, but was only a few moments late came whine from the other side of the room. "You were suppose to wait," Niall whined, and Liam simply pointed to Harry before moaning. Niall just huffed before molding himself into Liam's other side and then tugging his chin in Niall's direction to press their lips together and swallow up all of the noises Liam made.
No one expected Louis and Eleanor to last as long as they did. Besides a few people, most thought they lacked any sort of chemistry and even looked related, which definitely wasn't something that either of them liked to be asked.
There was nothing dramatic or any traumatic reason behind their breakup. One day they were together and the next they weren't. To be honest it took everyone a few days to realize that Louis and Eleanor were no longer dating; they didn't act any different. It was for the best really, especially since they rarely ever acted like they were dating anyways.
When Louis returned, walking up to the group as if he had never been gone, things had been a bit trickier. He was welcomed back, but Harry was hurt. The sudden split had hurt both Niall and Harry, but Harry held a fondness for Louis. It wasn't some sort of secret, but no one minded because it didn't affect the group as a whole. It just made the whole thing a little harder for him.
Harry wasn't like Niall who was so quick to forgive without a second thought; he wasn't like Liam who was so understanding. He was Harry who was a little selfish and never thought about how hurt Niall was by all of this or how guilty Liam and Louis already felt. Harry was Harry who was still a little immature and had yet to reach puberty and still had a whole lot more of growing up to do.
Niall and Louis were probably the most similar out of the group, both in a physical sense and in their personalities. Both were on the shorter side with blue eyes and both had this terrible tendency to be a bit too loud during inappropriate moments. Not to mention that Louis and Niall always fell in love faster than they should and they fell hard. Where they start to differ is Louis is defensive and has a tendency to get into arguments over things that were absolutely ridiculous. He’s easily scared by his feelings and the insecurity that he will only mess things up.
Niall was Niall and wasn't as naive or stupid as people liked to think, he didn't need anyone to point out how selfish Harry could be or how someone was using him because he could see that. However, Niall would much rather be repeatedly hurt or used versus being left alone because that was far more terrifying than Harry putting himself before Niall or potentially having Louis consistently decide he wants out of their relationship and then back in. When it comes down to it Niall would much rather easily forgive and have them in his life for a short period of time versus not at all.
Things fell back into an easy routine. Harry curled in Louis’ lap with his legs extended over Liam and Niall’s thighs as Louis played with his hair while Liam attempted to pay attention to the movie as Niall brushed his lips over his jaw smirking at soft sounds he was making. The four boys fit together like a jigsaw puzzle fitting together with ease.
Nevertheless, in the end they all have a lot of growing up to do still, they have a lot to figure out, but for now they have each other and that's more than enough.