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The boys were really scared at first. They weren't sure if it was a joke or not. They still clearly remember the day Niall changed.
They were in the middle of an interview and everything was going fine. Literally fine. Like nothing bad had gone on at all, it was a pretty successful interview.
But when the interviewer asked Niall a question, everyone went silent. Especially the blonde haired boy.
"Niall?" Louis had laughed, "Earth to Niall."
But Niall didn't answer. He didn't flinch. Nothing. Just stared forward into nothing, eyes unnaturally glazed over.
"Nialler?" Liam had said, getting a little concerned.
"Niall. Are you with us?" Louis had joked.
Clearly Niall wasn't.
Harry started waving his hands frantically in front of the blue eyed boy's face. Nothing.
Zayn started clicking. Nothing.
"Niall...are you alright...?" Harry had looked scared.
"Is he having a seizure or something?" The interviewer said, her face very concerned and a little afraid.
"This has never happened before..." Liam said, sliding into responsible mode quickly. He began to shake Niall's shoulders, but nothing. Again.
"I think we shoul-" Liam began, before he jumped at the sudden movement Niall made. He was now standing looking around as if he didn't know where he was. Zayn stood.
"Niall? You alright mate?" He put his hand on Niall's shoulder, only to be violently shocked back as Niall jumped and backed into a corner. He looked frantically between the four lads, his eyes wide and beginning to tear up.
"Nialler, what's wrong?"
"Why are you crying?"
"Is everything alright?"
The question were never ending, thrown at the confused blonde as fast and sudden as rain falls. They all crowded him in his small corner as he sobbed harder, Liam desperately trying to hush them.
"Stop it, you're scaring him!" He shouted, the room becoming silent. Harry hiccuped as unshed tears formed in his green eyes.
He, Zayn, and Louis stood back as Liam approached the shaking and terrified blue eyed irishman.
"Don't cry, alright?" Liam said, his voice soft and gentle. Niall stared into his eyes, his cries abruptly ceasing with a gasp.
Liam extended a hand to the slightly shaking boy, cautiously placing his palm on his wet cheek, wiping off the few remaining tears and stroking his cheek gently.
Liam pressed a kiss to Niall's forehead just for measure, quickly deciding to press two there at the last second.
He brought the trembling boy into his arms, feeling Niall bury his head in his neck. Niall nuzzled his head into Liam, sniffing slightly. He thought the boy smelled amazing.
They took the confused looking boy home, fed him, cuddled him, and comforted him.
Harry hugged him a lot, rocking him back and forth, nuzzling into his hair. He snuggled with him throughout the rest of the day, cooing about how cute he was and how he "just wanted to eat him up".
Zayn let him wear his clothes, Zayn being slightly bigger than Niall, his clothes covered the small boy, making him feel safe and warm. He allowed Niall to stroke his hair as he lay on the couch, drowsy and frighteningly tired.
Louis fed Niall, getting the greatest and wackiest food combinations from the cupboards and feeding them to the blonde like he was a baby. Niall would smile adorably at him, so how could he not treat him like one?
"Yummy, Niall?" Louis asked, fork slipping out of the younger lad's mouth. Niall's eyes shut in pleasure as he nodded his head enthusiastically.
His blue eyes opened as he shuffled closer to Louis, his food already demolished and his mouth open for more. Louis giggled at the site and continued.
Liam kissed Niall the most, sneaking small pecks to his cheek, or his forehead, or his nose. Niall would grin every time and kiss him back, acting so shy. He did it to all of the boys, all except Zayn, knowing that he didn't really like being over affectionate with people.
But that was only that one day, because the lads knew that Niall would feel better soon.
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Unfortunately, as they realized almost two weeks later, that was not the case. In fact, Niall had seemed to only be getting worse. He hadn't spoken a word since that day with the interview, and naturally they were all very worried. Especially Harry.
Harry was frightened by the songs Niall would sing. Yes, Niall wouldn't speak, only sing. Songs that none of them had heard, songs that didn't exist.
Niall seemed to just stare at nothing, he skipped around, he sung his song at the most random of times. He still smiled at the boys and hugged them and loved them, but his smile was dreamy and too wide and he did it all the time. Like, all the time, it never stopped. He never stopped.
His eyes were the worst, constantly glazed over and wide, like he wasn't there at all.
"That's it," Zayn announced, standing and interrupting Niall in the middle of singing another one of his special songs, "We're taking him to a doctor."
"But you promised we wouldn't!" Harry protested.
"He's right Harry," Louis said.
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"Schizophrenia."
"What?" Zayn said, "Isn't that like, when you hear voices in your head?"
"You can also experience strange delusions and hallucinations. It seems Mr Horan here is having a mass amount of both. I predict that he isn't even in this room," The doctor, who's name none of them could remember, shone a bright light into the blonde's eyes, watching as he followed it like a cat to a laser, playfully trying to grab the shining torch. The doctor looked skeptical.
"Has he been overly clingy or desperate for attention lately? Much like a child?" He asked, turning to the four others standing in the room. They nodded and he hit a final conclusion.
"Well boys," He said, as if he didn't have their full attention, which he did, "Mr Horan, most likely, has a sever case of schizophrenia, temporary vocal disorder, and DPD much like a child's."
The boys froze, every word being sucked it.
"DPD?" Louis asked.
"Dependent Personality Disorder," The doctor answered, "It's when a person acts much like a child, feeling their whole life is dependent on the people around them, feeling as if they are dominated by everyone and constantly need protection from the cruel world."
"So do you know what it is Niall is seeing," Liam asked.
"Look, I don't know, you'll have to see a psychologist. Maybe take him to some therapy sessions, see how it goes. I can suggest some if you would like..."
They thanked the doctor and turned to leave. Liam turned back, realising Niall was still perched upon the doctor's blue hospital bed, covered by a white sheet. His feet didn't touch the floor and he swung his legs playfully.
"Nialler," Liam called, getting the boy's immediate attention, "We're going now, love."
He lent Niall his hand and Niall took it instantly, hopping down from the bed and waving goodbye to the doctor.
Niall swung him and Liam's arms as they walked through the building. He grinned up at the brown haired boy, a tender smile being returned. Niall felt like this was perfect.
Niall felt like his new brown eyed rabbit friend was absolutely beautiful and his hands felt just right in his.