Work Text:
Niall ends up getting sentenced thirty years in prison for a crime he hasn’t committed. If anything he was just really unlucky for being where he was when he was the time the murder happened. A young couple and their nine year old son were killed. Niall was walking by in that moment and the murderer ran before he could harm the four year old girl too.
All Niall had wanted was to help, but the only thing he had achieved with trying to help was getting their blood everywhere, and his fingerprints and DNA on the victims. He had also wanted to get the knife away from the little girl, but in the same time he picked up the knife, a woman had screamed and a couple of seconds after the woman’s husband had knocked Niall out.
When he woke up he was in a cell just waiting for it to be the time for the court. Both his lawyer and himself had tried all they could to convince the jury that he didn’t do it and that he should be able to walk away as a free man, but the ‘evidence’ had been too strong. His DNA and the victims and their blood on him plus two eyewitnesses that had seen him holding both the little girl and the knife, and the little girl saying that it was a blond man who had hold the knife then his destiny was sealed.
Thirty years for something he didn’t do, and the only reason he didn’t get lifetime was probably because he’s as young as he is and because there was nothing to find on his criminal record before this happened.
So yeah that’s the reason Niall is now on his way to one of the most guarded prisons there exist, and really Niall is a shaking mess. He’s only eighteen years old, he’s small of his age, has never had anything there even looked like muscles or strength and he gets terrified of literary everything. He’s going to die in that prison before a week as passed.
Anyone who has just looked at him for a second would say the exact same thing, but still here he is. Only his family and his friends believed that he didn’t have anything to do with the kills, but they also knew that he can’t even hurt a fly even when he really wants to.
There’s not a bad bone in Niall, but no one believed a thing he tried to say.
The worst thing isn’t even that he’s going to be locked in for the next thirty years, but more who he’s going to be locked in with. These people aren’t here because of the same reason as Niall is. No, the people who end up here is actually criminals. Murderers, assailants, rapists, robbers, just really a lot of dangerous people, Niall wouldn’t be able to do anything against, if they decide to attack him for some reason.
Luckily for Niall he ends up getting his own cell, because like it was said in the court: ‘he’s dangerous and shouldn’t be left alone with anyone’. Seriously that’s just some crap, but Niall is grateful anyway. He would like to not end up getting either raped or killed while trying to sleep. The first day he gets away with being left alone in his cell, but when he wakes up the day after it isn’t to breakfast being served at the cell door, but to a guard waking him up to take him to breakfast with the other inmates.
Before they’re leaving though, the prison officer frisks him, which is just stupid because where the actual fuck should he had gained anything worth using as a weapon? Well okay maybe someone who wasn’t him would be able to find something to use, but really Niall doesn’t even have an idea where he should start looking, especially because he has only been in his cell so far.
To say it as it is, Niall is a trembling mess once they reach the dining hall.
“Please, don’t make me go in there,” he begs the guard, which just makes the man look at him with a funny expression. Without a word he pushes Niall into the hall, making Niall stumble through the door.
For some odd reason it seems like the whole room become quiet once Niall is in there. Every single person is looking at him, and really it’s so creepy. Not even when he begins walking to the place where the food is do they stop watching and starts talking.
When he’s standing with a plate with food in his hands he feels so fucking lost. Everyone look so unwelcoming, and he doesn’t really dare to just go sit down next to someone, especially because everyone still is watching him like a hawk watching its prey.
“Are you going to stand there all day, pretty boy?” someone yells, making Niall flinch and everyone else laugh.
To be totally honest, he feels like crying right now.
“What’s wrong, Blondie? Missing your mummy?”
“Why are you here? Did you steal a candy bar, while being on a trip with the kindergarten, Twink?”
Everyone just keeps yelling insulting things at him and after each thing, laughter are following right behind. If he was able to he would have taken his food with him back to the cell right now and stayed there the next thirty years. Actually the food isn’t even important. If just he could be alone, then he would be more than just happy. That’s probably a first, because really Niall normally hates being alone.
“You know if you don’t fight back, then you’re going to be eaten alive,” a voice whispers in his ear. Niall jumps slightly, and turns his head to look at the man behind him. And yeah, Niall is not gay or anything like that, but even he has to admit that the guy is attractive.
His hair is jet black, and his eyes have a beautiful hazel brown colour. He’s a little higher than Niall, and his skin is tan like Niall’s has never been and never will be. He honestly looks a bit like a Greek God, or something in those lines. Probably something in those lines, because he’s also tattooed all over, and Niall doesn’t really think that the Greek Gods were tattooed like that.
“Just leave me alone,” Niall mumbles, and avoids the lad’s eyes.
“Everyone needs friends in a place like this. Especially when you look like you do.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Niall narrows his eyes irritated. He doesn’t know where the sudden bravery comes from, but he turns to glare at the gorgeous man.
“How old are you, kid? Can’t be a day over eighteen, can you? Look like a fourteen year old, though. How did you manage to end up in a place like here? You don’t look like someone who could even hurt someone who tried to hurt you, nor someone who would have the heart to rob from anyone, so tell me; why are you in here?”
For some reason the lad actually looks like he’s interested in Niall, but it just makes Niall feel uneasy.
“Why don’t you tell me first?”
The man smirks, and leans in so his mouth is right beside Niall’s ear, making him shiver lightly. “Anger issues, babe. I’m in here for violence. Have hurt seventeen people; last one almost died. Got five years, and have two and a half back. Now it’s your turn.”
“Uh...” Yeah, what exactly is he going to say? If he says he didn’t do anything at all, then this stupid guy will be right in everything he just said, and even though he actually is right, then Niall doesn’t want him to know that. The only problem is that he honestly didn’t do anything, and that he has never been a great liar.
“Uh? That’s your answer? Come on, you can do better than that,” he mocks.
“I murdered three people. A young couple and their little son. Almost killed their little baby girl too, but was caught before I got that long. Got thirty years,” Niall hisses angrily, and laugh in a way that make him sound kinda crazy.
Surprisingly enough it makes the man take a step back, and look warily at him.
“So you’re the Horan boy. They said you’d first be here next week. I’ve heard you’re a bit of a psycho.”
“Psycho?” Niall mumbles, not quite happy with the title, but maybe it’ll help a bit on the respect the other inmates are showing him. “You obviously know who I am then, but I still don’t know your name.”
“Zayn Malik,” the man says, smirking again.
“Hello, Zayn Malik. Well then are you going to show me where we are sitting today?”
He’s going to die. This Zayn guy is going to beat him to dead, he’s sure about it. All Zayn does though, is to laugh lightly before he shows the way to a table a couple of feet away. First when he sits down at the table the name calling and the funny comments from the other prisoners stop.
For a couple of seconds there’s totally quiet once again, but then people just begin talking normally to each other while continuing eating.
The tables in the hall are quite small actually. There’s only space for six people at each table, but at the table he sits down at, only three people is sitting there before he and Zayn joins them. All quite beautiful, Niall has to admit that, even when you think about them being men and Niall not being gay. There’re also all quite young too. Not nearly as young as Niall is, but none of them can’t be older than twenty-five.
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” the feather haired and blue eyed man asks when Niall doesn’t make any sign to start talking without encouragement.
“Niall Horan,” Niall just mutters hoping that it’ll be enough and that he won’t have to say any more.
“Uh, the Horan kid. I’ve heard that they wasn’t really sure if you were a psychopath or not, and just ended up sending you here instead of getting you checked, because they wanted you locked up as soon as possible,” the man says, suddenly really interested in Niall. It’s like he isn’t only a bit curious any more, but that he really would like to know everything.
“Then you have heard more than I have.”
“A shame. Would have liked to know more, but I could also just wait and see. If you really are a psychopath then something funny must happen soon enough.”
Okay then, Niall can already know say that he doesn’t really like this one. If anyone it must be him who’s the psychopath and not Niall. He does sound a bit crazy.
“Stop fucking around, Lou,” a curly haired lad says. He’s the one, who looks the youngest out of the four men, and this Lou person looks the oldest, but of course Niall can’t be totally sure. It’s most of all a guess, but if it’s true, then Niall is more than just a bit surprised that it seem like ‘Lou’ accepts what the curly haired says.
“Okay everyone knows who Niall is, and why he’s here. I’ve already told him why I’m here, so your turn lads,” Zayn says, once ‘Lou’ stops his mumbling protest.
“I want to start,” ‘Lou’ says excited. “My name is Louis Tomlinson. I’m twenty-four years old. Four years ago I was caught after robbing over forty different banks all over the country. At the last robbery where I was caught, obviously, I might by accident have shot three people, one of them being a policeman. I got teen years.”
After Louis, the curly haired lad begins talking. “Okay, I’m Harry Styles and I’m twenty-two. I’ve raped four women, and two men, and killed one of the women. Or well the killing was an accident. She just wouldn’t shut up,” the lad - Harry - says with a shrug like it doesn’t mean a thing. “I’ve been here a year so far, and have twelve back.”
Almost afraid to know what the last one is here for, Niall turns to the brown haired and eyed lad, who actually looks quite nice, everything considered. He has a cute smile, and look a bit like an over grown puppy. If he wasn’t a criminal, and Niall had met him somewhere home, then he would probably have tried to become friends with the lad.
“Uh... I’m Liam... uh Payne. Err... I’m also twenty-two, and well...” after that the lad just mumbles something so low that Niall can’t hear a thing. To say Niall is surprised by his behaviour would be an understatement. He actually becomes unsure about whether Liam is really a criminal or if he’s here because of similar reasons as Niall himself.
Those hopes are quickly destroyed, when Zayn commands: “Drop the acting, Payne. We all know you’re not an innocent little boy, and Niall will figure that out no matter what anyway. Just tell him why you’re here.”
Niall looks horrified at all of them, but Liam just blinks at him before he smirks and continues telling. This time without sounding like someone who’s afraid. For some reason Niall liked him better before.
“Don’t really know what it was I actually got caught for, there’s quite a lot possibilities, but it could have been the drug dealing, or the hacking maybe? It could also have been because someone busted me, when me and three others tried to assassinate some politicians. The others got caught before we got to do anything, but I don’t really think any of them would put me in jail, because they know how it would end them if I found out. I’ve also stolen some quite valuable paintings, and other things from museums or rich people. Maybe it w...”
“Well if you haven’t figured yet, then Payno is quite the mastermind, and haven’t really used it to anything good at all. He could probably continue guessing for the next hour, but all you have to know is that he has been doing a lot of stupid shit and got away with it thirteen years,” Harry interrupts.
“Why do I never get to tell everything?” Liam frowns. The three other all open their mouths, but Liam just says: “Never mind. Okay I’ve been here two years by now, and I got around twenty-five years, but if I act good, then maybe I’ll just have to be here for twenty years.”
“You began when you were seven?” Niall asks surprised.
“Yeah, but only little things. Like the hacking began when I was seven, and I stole small things. Not really anything to brag about.”
“Wow.”
“It’s nothing,” Liam shrugs.
The next half an hour or so, they mostly eat in silence. From time to time, though, either Louis or Harry comes up with a funny comment, that makes Niall chuckle lightly. It takes weirdly short time for him to feel fairly comfortable with the four older lads.
All of a sudden the dining hall becomes quiet again, and everyone stands ad begin leaving. A little lost Niall hurries up, and follows. He tugs the sleeve at Liam’s prison uniform. “Where are we going?” he asks a bit lost.
“Breakfast is over. We have to get back to our cells the next hour or two, before we’re allowed to get outside,” Liam explains with a sweet smile, but Niall has by now figured that he can’t really count on how Liam acts all the time. By now he has after all seen an adorable Liam, a nervous Liam, a sly one, and now a sweet one.
With that Liam quickly disappears, which leaves Niall back to find his cell alone. Luckily for him there’s prison guard everywhere, who’s more than willing to push him in the right direction. Like literally push him in the right direction. Maybe he isn’t that lucky after all, but if they hadn’t been there, then he would never have found the cell, and he doesn’t really want to be out here risking whatever.
No, it’s much better to go back to his cell and be all alone for the next thirty years. Oh God he won’t survive this! He’s going to end up crazy, and although everyone already think he is crazy, then he definitely do not wish actually being it.
For two and a half hour, Niall doesn’t do anything that look at nothing than grey walls. It’s not really like there’s anything to do here, and he’s not really tired enough to go to sleep considered he slept only a couple of hours ago.
When the guard finally open his cell door, he could kiss him... or well maybe not. That guard is not attractive at all. And most important he’s not a girl, so just no.
It’s better getting out in the yard than it was to go into the dining hall. This time no one pays him any attention, and he can find a corner to sit in, without a word being spoken in his direction. It’s nice being outside again, also when it’s just as gray and boring as it was inside, but at least there’s sunshine and warmth out here.
“Hello there, pretty boy,” someone whispers in his ear, making Niall jerk and open his eyes in shock. In front of him is Harry standing with a crocked smile on his lips. To be honest, then Harry is actually one of those Niall is most afraid of.
At least the three other didn’t kill nor rape anyone, so in Niall head that makes Harry the most dangerous out of the four.
“Uh... hello?” Niall says making it a question even though it really wasn’t what he wanted. He has to seem strong, so others won’t hurt him, but going by the grin on Harry’s face then he’s not doing a very good job at doing that.
Niall’s sitting on the ground, and Harry sits down next to him. Uncomfortable close, if you ask Niall. If he had anything to say, then Harry would be at least ten meters away all the damn time. Harry seems to have other thoughts though, because almost unnoticeable does he move a bit closer to Niall, which should have been impossible, but obviously isn’t.
“Have anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” Harry asks just like that. Niall crackles in surprise, and his eyes are wide open. “I’ll take that as a no, but you are. You know beautiful.”
“T-thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Have you ever had sex with a bloke before, Niall?”
Niall is gobsmacked really. Never in his entire life has he ever had anyone doing this to him before, and he does not like it one bit. It’s outraging, especially when Niall knows why exactly Harry is in here.
“No,” he spits angrily. “And trust me when I say that it’s something that’s never going to happen. I’ll kill you if you as much as lay a finger on me in a way that’s not approvable.”
“Little lion, I wouldn’t touch you if you don’t want me to. What do you think of me? That I’m some sort of rapist? I’m hurt,” Harry laughs, very clearly not hurt at all.
“I’m serious.”
“And I don’t think you could do it. You’re too goddamn good to hurt anyone let alone kill. There’s something odd about this whole thing. People like Liam can be really good actors and can make everyone doubt that they could ever do anything bad, but if you want to you can see through the act. With you it’s different. It’s like there really only is goodness and innocence.”
“You’re wrong,” Niall whispers desperately.
“And by that you have just proved to me just how right I am, little lion.”
Harry reached out and touches Niall’s cheek lightly. Niall’s heart beats so damn fast, and even though he really wants to, then he doesn’t move at all. Harry’s fingers then brush his lips and Niall trembles a bit, not quite yet ready to admit how afraid he is right now, but not brave enough to keep standing still either.
“You’re a brave little one, aren’t you? Just wanting to survive in a world that isn’t your. Survival of the fittest, isn’t that how it’s being said about the animals? I think you’re a brave little thing, and that’s what’s going to keep you living while you’re being here. Some people like Liam tries to look innocent, but your job is to act like you’re 7 ft. high,” Harry says somewhat fascinated.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” Niall whispers pleadingly.
“Just remember, my brave little lion, that not everything is as it seems.” With that Harry presses his lips to Niall’s before getting up from the ground to leave Niall sitting there feeling noting but dumb.
His lips burns like crazy, but something tells him it’s not in a bad way, and really that’s what’s making him feel so damn stupid.
¤¤¤
The next couple of days Niall almost don’t see anything to the four men, and he doesn’t really know if that’s something good or something bad. On one side it’s four less people to be worried about, but on the other he’s terrible lonely, and they would be better than no one at all like right now.
Niall just isn’t made to be alone as much as he is right now.
The only thing is that when the other inmates finally give him attention, then he wished that they didn’t, because their way to do that is not exactly what Niall like it to be. You see as it’s no secret that Niall isn’t anywhere near as big as any of them, and since this is an all male prison, then they’re all horny and have the thought that Niall would like to help them with that, which he wouldn’t like in a million years.
The times someone tries to touch him though, is also the only times he really sees his four new ‘friends’. Or well not at the same time, but it seems like that even though he never sees any of them, then there’s always someone who keeps an eye on him, because if he needs the help then it’ll be there not even two second later.
He’s begun having the thought that Harry has told the others about the whole ‘Niall not really being a criminal’ thing.
“Hey, Blondie!” a voice yells right behind him, and as Niall turns around he sees one of the men who has tried to touch him once before.
He’s on his way back to his cell, and chose to go a little before he had to in a try to avoid this, but obviously that didn’t work out very well. Actually you could say that it just ended up worse, because right now it’s only him and the man in the hallway. Not even any prison guards are anywhere in sight.
In a try to get away, he begins walking faster. The only problem though, is that the man walks a lot faster than him no matter how quickly Niall moves. It doesn’t take long before the man is touching Niall’s arm. He grabs him, so Niall can’t move anymore, and holds him to the wall.
“Where’re your little protectors now, Horan?” he hisses, before punching Niall right under the eye with a clenched fist. Before he can do anything at all another punch is hitting him in the stomach, making him lose his breath.
“Maybe they’re all too busy to even be thinking about you, and when they finally got time enough for you it’s be too late, because I’d got what I wanted.”
“Don’t touch me,” Niall spits, and really tries to get away from the man, but he’s a lot stronger than Niall will ever be. A hand opens his trousers, and grabs him where Niall had never thought a man would ever touch him.
He starts screaming, but it only makes the man strangle him, so he can’t breathe let alone come with any sounds that might would have been able to save him from this situation.
“I’m gonna fuck you so hard, that you won’t be able to walk for days,” the man moans, and grinds against him. By now Niall’s trousers is down by his feet, and his pants is quickly disappearing too.
It’s like Niall isn’t even in his own body anymore. He can still feel and see every touch, but it doesn’t matter. He knew from the beginning that this would end up happening. The only question had been when it would happen. His four ‘friends’ had given him a couple of days to adjust, but not even they could have stopped this from happening in the long run. After all they’re all gonna get out of here long before he will.
So he goes pliant. He stops fighting against, and just closes his eyes while the man turns him around to get better access to his arse. Greedy fingers touch him, and Niall waits on the pain which will come when he penetrates, but it never comes.
Instead when he opens his eyes, he sees Louis punch the man so hard in the jaw that he passes out immediately.
“Sorry it took so long, baby cake. Was a bit... occupied,” Louis laughs, but stops in the second he sees the look in Niall’s face. His trousers and pants are still down, and he can feel the touch of the man’s fingers all over him.
“I think I’m gonna throw up,” Niall whimpers, holding a hand in front of his mouth in a try to not throw up his supper.
“C’mere, babe.” Louis gently moves Niall around a little, so when he actually ends up throwing up it’s all over the fainted man. That’s so gross, but Niall can’t really make himself care about it at all. All he cares about right now is to get his clothes back on, and to be alone in his cell.
He’s shaking so much when he tries to put on his clothes that Louis has to help him doing it.
“Come with me. There’s still some time left to we have to be in our cells, and I don’t think you should be alone right now.”
“I want to be.”
Niall’s eyes are looking so empty, that Louis could just as well be looking a doll into the eyes instead of a human being. It’s terrifying to see, Louis has to admit that, and he has shot three people and laughed at it right after. It’s just different with Niall. Both he and the others agree with that. Somehow the young blond boy has forced himself into their hearts without even knowing that he did so. In just a couple of days has Niall made the four of them feel almost like a normal person.
“No you don’t. No one wants to be alone. Not really. Especially not when something like this has just happened. There’re times when it’s okay to be alone, but trust me this isn’t the time,” Louis says determined. He holds lightly around Niall’s wrist, to make sure the younger boy follows when he begins walking, but not tight enough to make Niall afraid, because he would never want him to be afraid. Not of him or anything else.
He leads the boy to the cell he shares with Harry, where he knows all the others will be. They’re probably going to be angry with him for letting it get so far, but it wasn’t really his fault. He tried all he could to keep an eye on Niall all the time, but in the second the boy had left the dining hall, then two big men had walked to him, in a try to pick a fight.
“Did Niall c... What happened?” Zayn asks a bit out of it, when he first sees Louis and then Niall following after slowly and looking almost dead.
“We ran into some troubles,” Louis says hesitant.
“What kinda troubles?” This time it’s Harry who asks.
Louis opens his mouth to answer, but Liam beats him to it. “Isn’t it obvious? The same kind of trouble we have made sure not happened all week. The only real question here is: Why the fuck weren’t you there to avert the problems?”
“If you think you are so damn smart, then why can’t you answer that yourself, your stupid idiot,” Louis spits angrily.
“Please just stop fighting,” Niall whispers without really looking at anyone. Instead the floor can consider itself lucky, because that’s the only thing which has the enjoyment of seeing Niall’s beautiful blue eyes.
“Are you okay, little lion?” Harry asks gently. He takes a couple of steps closer to Niall, but he’s a bit afraid that he’ll scare the boy. After all they both know why he’s in here, and if he has understood everything right, then he’s probably not the person he would like to have close right now.
“No. Not really. C-can... can you hug me please? Just for a moment?”
Not even a second after Niall is surrounded by four bodies there’re all hugging him like it’s their lives they’re risking if they don’t hug him tight enough. Surprisingly enough he doesn’t feel scared when he’s in the middle of the four. He actually feels quite comfortable and protected. Not even when Harry kisses him on the forehead is he the slightest afraid.
It’s like he belongs there, with those four men.
Niall doesn’t really know how long they’re standing there, just hugging each other, but at one point he closes his eyes, and he falls asleep still standing there. When he wakes up, he’s oddly enough still surrounded by bodies. They’re all huddled together in one of the tiny beds in the cell.
It’s surprising that they’re all still there, because unless he has only slept for a minute, then the prison guards should have taken him pack to his cell by now. He knows, though, that he hasn’t only slept for a minute, because in of the small window is light streaming in, which means that he has slept for the entire night without anyone waking him up.
He looks at the four men who are all still sleeping, and he can’t help but wish that they would all be in here with him for the next thirty years, but he’s not stupid. He knows that they’re all gonna get out of here long before him, and they’re gonna forget all about him.
He still wished though, and hopes that they won’t just forget, because he sure won’t.
¤¤¤
Zayn’s the first one out of there. Exactly two and a half years later he can walk out of there as a free man. Exactly one week after he has said goodbye to his four lovely boyfriends, he’s standing in front of a jury, and ends up getting teen years in prison for being violent once again.
They’re all happy for the next three and a half year that goes before it’s Louis’ turn to get out of there. Only three hours after he has walked out of the prison, he’s been caught trying to rob the queen of England. Two days later he’s back with his family, after being sentenced twelve years.
When the time comes to Harry, he doesn’t even get to leave the prison before he’s back in a cell. How he managed he won’t tell any of them, but Niall just thinks he should be grateful for that, because it can’t have been pretty at all, and he’s not even sure he wants to know.
After that it’s like there has just been made a silent agreement about not letting anyone out before they’re all free to go.
It’s a weird day, the day Niall has been there for thirty years. He’s free to leave the prison hand in hand with his boyfriends. It’s incredible to be able to walk around without anyone watching him all the time. The first thing they do after being let out is going home to Niall’s family.
They have all been there to visit him all they could, but they have never been able to meet his boyfriends, so now they have the chance, then he’s going to take them home with him.
To say it’s a funny sight, seeing his four kinda big and totally tattooed and danger looking boyfriends sitting in his mother’s living room, would be an understatement. To say it’s hilarious wouldn’t even describe it enough, but it doesn’t really matter how it looks like, because all that really matters is how it makes him feel. And trust him when he says that he has never been happier than the moment he’s sitting there in the kinda small room, surrounded by the people he loves, being free for the first time in what feels like forever.