Chapter Text
“I should beat ye into a fucking coma,” Ruben snarled, voice shaking with rage. “Then cut yer fucking bollocks off and make ye eat them.”
Niall sat on his bed. Ruben was in his face and yet he shouted as though he wasn’t. “It was one drink, Ruben. I didn’t know it meant so much to you.” Niall laughed to stifle the butterflies in his gullet.
Ruben got closer, his nose touching Niall’s. “You think that was funny? Humiliating me in front of all those people?”
Niall resisted pointing out the irony of this situation. With Ruben’s volume, this little tantrum was now everyone’s business.
“Ruben, please—”
Ruben scoffed in his face. “Am I embarrassing ye, Bambi? Am I being too fucking loud?”
“No— Ruben, no, it’s just these walls are thin.”
Ruben pushed his thumb between Niall’s eyebrows. “Think, ye dense twat. Think I don’t know that? Think I’m some village idiot?”
Niall leaned back against the bed. “But why now? Why here? Why didn’t you, I dunno, deal with it last night?”
“It meant fuck all last night, but now it matters, and now I care. You made it my business with this Alby cunt hovering around like the Queen of fucking England.”
Niall looked Ruben into the eyes, though Ruben had been boring holes into his skull this whole time. “Are you jealous?”
“Of two fucking fairies? Don’t be daft.” Ruben pushed Niall onto the bed and paced around the room. He winced a little as he pushed his shoulders back to stretch. “I think I pulled a muscle somethin’ awful.”
Niall got up from the bed, dug around in his drawers for a towel, and handed it to Ruben. “Go wash up and—”
“Don’t tell me what to do, thanks.”
Niall sighed. “So I can get ready for bed. Some of us still have school tomorrow.”
Ruben looked at him fiercely before silently leaving the room.
*******
Niall enjoyed his leisurely shower. It was almost magically how the water made certain fears of his wash away. And when Niall returned to his room, Ruben was already face down on his bed. As predicted. His pale back was covered with dark bruises and welts. The sight was something to behold. Niall crept closer, turning on the lamp. Under the discerning light he could see red scratches near the bruises. The welts were a terrible rust color.
Against every better judgement he had, he reached towards Ruben and placed his palm on his back. Ruben was burning up. He groaned, moved a little to the left, and lifted his head. He turned to face the light of the lamp, and his narrowed eyes landed on Niall.
“The fuck…?” Ruben drew in a breath and then looked Niall up and down. “Fuck ye think… what?”
“Your back, Ruben.”
“I’m very much aware of my fucking back, Niall, thanks.”
“What happened?” asked Niall.
“Christ, just let me sleep, Niall. I’m tired. I’ve had a long fucking day.”
Again, against better judgement, Niall pressed his fingers against a welt. Ruben’s body recoiled and he hissed. “Dinnae touch me! Fucked up in the head or something, are ye? Christ Almighty.”
Niall got Ruben some water and painkillers and coaxed Ruben to sit up enough to drink. Ruben did this all with a heavy sigh. “Thanks,” he managed. “You need me to scoot over?”
Niall nodded, though he had a few assignments that needed to be done. “I’ll be in a sec.”
Ruben grunted and shuffled closer to the wall before laying his head back down.
*******
Niall met Celeste for lunch. She was adamant to take it to the roof of the complex, “away from Ruben.” She seemed particularly distressed, and Niall’s anxiety was eating away at him. He wondered what Ruben had done to her, or if he did something in general, or if it was something he couldn’t even ponder.
“Your brother,” she began, “I am very much worried about him.”
“What do you mean?”
“When we went to the club, right? When your brother joined us, that night. After you and Alby ditched us,” though she couldn’t help but laugh before continuing, “I spent the night with Ruben.” She took a pause to drink her water. “He asked me to do something.”
“I don’t want to know about Ruben’s sex life.”
“I understand but it’s not about that, Niall.” She played with the ring on her finger, looking at Niall for a long time. “He asked me to hit him.”
“Hit him? Hit him?”
“Yes, I mean it. Like, really hit him. You know?”
“Hit him… how?” Ruben’s collage of injuries flashed in his head. “Slap him?”
“I guess I should say… beat him.” She looked away like she was embarrassed.
Niall laughed dryly. “And you just did as he asked?”
“I did, but— Niall, I was scared. You have to understand.”
The pit in Niall’s stomach had grown cavernous. Her face was fraught with pity. He sensed something brewing within her. She wanted to say more. “Celeste, please,” said Niall. “I can’t talk about this.”
Celeste sighed softly. “I’m sorry, I thought you should know.”
“Thank you for telling me.” Niall scarfed down what remained of his lunch and left Celeste on the roof.
*******
That evening, Niall found Celeste and Ruben sitting on top of the laundry machines in the living area. They were whispering among themselves, the silent murmuring etched by shrill laughter. So when Celeste saw that it was Niall who walked up the stairs and into the living area, she seemed more than pleased.
“Niall,” she said, “please join us.”
Niall gave a small smile and approached. He couldn’t gauge the situation at all.
“And how was yer day, Bambi?”
“Uh, good. Got a lot of work done, y’know.”
Celeste nodded and hummed. “We were actually just talking about you, Niall.” She shared a quick glance with Ruben. “He was telling me about how you are at home and now I think I get it.”
“Get it? Get what, exactly?”
“Uh, how should I say it? The way you kiss. The way you don’t get… happy when we kiss.”
Niall felt like dying. “Reason being?”
“You’re a virgin, no?”
Niall let out a laugh. “I am not a virgin. I—”
Ruben cleared his throat. When Niall glanced over, Ruben softly shook his head. His mouth was a thin line.
Celeste raised an eyebrow. “So, you are not a virgin?”
“Bambi’s just stretching the truth,” said Ruben, “I told him to do that, to try and get him more action, the useless thing.” He cracked a smile. Celeste nodded with a pout, yet she still looked confused.
“You should join us, Bambi. We’re goin’ out tonight. Don’t care if ye got plans.”
The whole situation bothered Niall somehow. He shook his head. “Can’t. Got to study.”
“You’re smart, Niall. You can miss one night, right?” Celeste tilted her head and looked straight through him.
“If he dinna wanna go, then I guess we have the night for ourselves,” smiled Ruben.
Foul things stirred in Niall’s gut: a confusion of Ruben’s motives, a striking jealousy, and mundane disgust. He stood and watched the two of them kiss. Well, technically, if one were to think about the situation harder, it was Ruben who pulled Celeste’s face into his and sucked on her mouth. Niall spun on his heel and headed towards his room.
“Probably why he’s still a virgin,” whispered Ruben, somehow loud enough to travel. Celeste barely snuffed a snicker.
Niall was no longer thinking straight. He entered his room, found Ruben’s jeans, and yanked the belt from the loops. He doubled over the belt, set down his things, and walked back out into the living area. Celeste spotted him first, and with a delighted gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. Ruben followed her gaze. His reaction was starkly different.
“The fuck ye think yer doing?” he spat.
Niall swung the belt. The leather slapped flaccid against Ruben’s arm. Ruben hissed in pain anyway, arching his back and looking down. Celeste laughed aloud and placed her hand on Ruben’s shoulder. “Did it hurt?” she asked. “It didn’t look like it hurt.”
“My— my back…” hissed Ruben.
Celeste sucked her teeth, her face contorted into a grimace. She rubbed Ruben’s shoulder. “He didn’t mean it.”
Ruben’s head snapped back up. He pushed himself off the laundry machine. Celeste’s levity dropped that very instant. “Ruben…”
“You want to play this game again?” Ruben asked Niall, his voice low. He snatched the belt out of Niall’s hand before Niall could even react. He raised his arm.
“Ruben!” yelled Celeste. “Stop!”
His arm came down with gusto. It struck loudly against Niall’s shoulder. His arm went up again. Celeste jumped off the laundry machine. “Ruben, he didn’t mean to hit you that hard.” She looked at Niall. “Right?”
Niall didn’t defend himself. He didn’t understand what he was trying to do. Celeste reached for Ruben’s arm. He shoved her away. Down came the arm again, over and over. Niall cried out, trying to shield himself, but Ruben was relentless. Hard, vicious strikes fell across Niall’s back, arms, and thighs.
“You stupid fucking cunt!” Ruben snarled between strikes. “You miss hurting me? You miss breaking me?”
Celeste ran around Ruben and snatched the belt while his arm was lifted. He panted, his hands flexing, then he lunged forward and grabbed Niall by the throat. His grip was crushing. Celeste gave way to a shrill cry. Niall gasped, clawing at Ruben’s wrists as his air was cut off. Ruben’s face was inches away, his teeth bared.
“Why don’t we use that brain of yers next time, yeah?” he hissed. Ruben squeezed harder. Niall’s vision started to tunnel, black spots blooming at the edges. Just before he passed out, Ruben let go. Niall crumpled to the floor, gasping and coughing violently. Celeste immediately dropped to his side, her hand on his back.
“You’re fucking crazy!” she yelled at Ruben. “Leave us alone!”
Ruben scoffed, standing over them for a second. He kicked Niall in the stomach, not with full force but just enough to make sure it hurt. Without another word, Ruben turned and walked to the stairwell, slamming the door behind him.
*******
Celeste sat beside Niall. He was laying in her bed. He had wished things were different. She rubbed some sort of ointment on the welts that split from Ruben’s episode.
“What time is it?” asked Niall.
She softly shushed him and looked at her clock. “8:13. Why? Have you eaten yet?”
Niall turned his head towards the ceiling. He had lost his appetite the exact moment he saw Ruben’s face after hitting him with the belt. He gave her a quick laugh to substitute a response. The laugh hurt his ribs.
Three heavy knocks thudded on Celeste’s door. She took a deep breath. “Is that who I think it is?”
Niall hummed a yes. “You better open it quick. He can get impatient.”
“What is his—”
Three knocks again, somewhat heavier and in quicker succession. “Coming!” yelled Celeste. “Merde.” She opened the door just a crack.
“He in here?” asked Ruben.
Celeste nodded, hiding behind the door. “He’s not well. I think you should leave.”
“That’s my brother, Frenchie. I can take care of him.”
“Oh, like you did with the belt?”
Ruben paused for a moment. The silence made Niall’s blood run cold.
“Let me in, Celeste.”
Celeste looked towards Niall. Niall gave her a small nod. With a deep sigh, she opened the door and stepped aside. Ruben walked in and beelined towards Niall. He squatted next to the bed, placing a hand on Niall’s cheek.
“I dinnae mean it, Bambi. You know that, right?”
Celeste groaned, but said nothing.
“Ignore her. Let’s go to yer room. That sound like a plan?”
Niall’s eyes stung as he nodded. Ruben yanked the blanket off of Niall and took a look at his torso. He silently slid his arms under Niall’s body and lifted him like he weighed nothing. Ruben carried him to the door.
“Wait,” said Celeste. She drew close to Niall’s ear. “I am here for you,” she said.
Niall couldn’t bear to look at her. He hummed a response. Ruben carried him away.
*******