Complacent [Duplicity Niall]

The bathroom light was too bright. My head ached. My shoulder burned.

Louis didn't say a word as he ran a damp washcloth over my arm, wiping away the dried blood. His movements were rough at first, like he was still pissed, but then he slowed down. The way you do when you realize someone's hurting more than they let on.

Niall sat on the closed toilet lid, bouncing his knee. Not looking at me. Not looking at Louis. Just staring at the floor, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

Anxiety habit.

I only started noticing it when we began sleeping in the same bed. He did it when he thought I wasn't looking. Like he didn't want anyone to see the cracks.

Louis peeled the hoodie off me, eyes flashing when he saw the wound. "You need stitches."

"I'll live."

He glared. "That's not the point."

"Yeah? What is?" I met his eyes in the mirror. Daring him.

Louis clenched his jaw. "You're hiding shit."

"So are you," I shot back.

His grip on my arm tightened slightly. Then he turned on the tap, running the cloth under warm water before pressing it against my skin again.

"You got this doing what?" Niall's voice was quiet.

I didn't answer.

Louis sighed, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

I let the silence stretch.

Outside, I could still hear Liam and Harry in the living room. Talking about Aven. I picked up on a few words. Schedule. Locations. Stalk her.

Jesus Christ.

I needed to go.

I pulled away from Louis, reaching for the hoodie. "I have to clean something up."

Louis blocked the door. Niall stood.

"You're not going anywhere," Louis said.

I smiled. "You're cute when you try to tell me what to do."

Louis didn't move. Neither did Niall.

Niall exhaled, rubbing his hands over his face. "Madi-"

I took his face in my hands, pressed my lips to his. He didn't kiss me back at first. He was still too tense, but then he softened slightly. Just for a second.

I pulled away. "I'll see you at home."

Niall didn't stop me when I walked out. Neither did Louis.

They just watched me go.

Niall.

"Okay," I whispered, gripping the steering wheel, "so we've followed her here..."

Louis scoffed from the passenger seat. "No shit, Sherlock. What did you think we were doing? Sightseeing?"

I ignored him, staring through the windshield at Madi as she moved through the dark alley ahead of us. She was dragging something. Something big.

We've been here about an hour. It's grown dark. She disappeared inside that apartment for quite awhile before. I had hoped this was just some friendly visit with someone we didn't know.

My stomach twisted.

The streetlamp flickered. It was just enough light to catch the dull, lifeless limb hanging from her grip. A leg.

A fucking leg.

I blinked hard. "That's a body."

"Very astute of you," Louis muttered.