Niall is autistic. (Only Paul knows, by the way. I don't know why I keep doing this, honestly.) At the end of a long day, he relaxes in his room. His SECRET room. Inside, there's a small couch, his own, extra, bed, a little collection of books, a telly, and even soundproof walls! He also has his own bathroom in there. The only person who knows about the room is Paul, but he does his job keeping it a secret. But, after a while, the boys notice how often they don't see Niall. They ask Paul about it, but he plays it off as nothing. (Am I even using the saying (or whatever it is) right?) the boys find this suspicious. They ask more, Paul doesn't budge. Eventually, they decide to just follow Niall. They find the room, marked as the storage room. When he's out of the room one day, the boys decide to check it out. They find it pretty cool, and decide to start hanging out there as another room. Now Niall has no place to relax. His life changes dramatically, and the boys notice, but don't think anything about the room. Eventually, his anxiety gets too bad, and Paul can't help anymore. He kicks the boys out, but they get annoyed, and they all start fighting. Niall has an autism meltdown.

(This was kinda based of the novel, "The Stars Beneath out Feet," written by David Barclay Moore. Based off as in, I was reading it, and randomly thought of this chapter. If I didn't say anything, I honestly don't think anyone would notice, but yea, just mentioning.)

NIALL POV:
We get back home from the interview.

"I'm tired," I say.

"Ha, yea, we all are," Harry says.

"Guys wanna watch a movie or somethin'?" Zayn asks.

"Sure," all the others say.

I want to watch the movie with them, but I know I'm too tired and I should probably destimulize (is that a word? Destimulate..? Anyone know?) in my room. My other room.

"I- nah, I'm good I think."

"Oh, alright then."

When we get home, I hang out in the kitchen for a bit, to make sure the boys are busy when I enter the room. I never told the boys about the room. Or anything about my ASD. They wouldn't understand. I don't even understand.

"Are you just gonna hang out in here then?" Louis asks, walking by.

"N-no I'll probably just move around the house or something..."

"Ok."

Thankfully he leaves and I quickly go to the room. I look around to make sure no one's watching, and step in.

I immediately sit down on the couch and turn on the TV.

I quickly fall asleep.

LIAM POV:
"Hey guys, before we start the movie, I've been thinking," I say.

"Mhmm," they all say, turning their heads towards me.

"Have you ever thought about how little we see Niall when we're not working? Like, he barely ever watches movies or does whatever with us."

"Yea, I did kinda notice that a bit ago, didn't think any of it though," Zayn says.

"Same," Louis says.

"Me too," Harry says.

"Y-you guys don't think anything is wrong or anything though, right?" I say.

They all seem to think for a second.

"Should we maybe go check on him?" I ask softly.

"Yea, that's a good idea, thanks for bringing it up mate," Louis says.

I smile.

"Maybe after the movie? What about at dinner time?"

"I think dinner's a good time."

"Ok."

I start the movie and we watch, but all I can think about the whole time is Niall, and I know the others are a bit distracted too.

At Dinner
NIALL POV:
I quickly come out of the room.

Thankfully, there's a bathroom right next to it, so I always try my best to pretend I was in there or something.

As soon as I walk into the kitchen, all the boys stare at me.

"What? A-are you mad at me for not watching the movie? I'm sorry! I was just a bit tired and-and-"

"No, no, Niall, we're not mad at you. But, but we were talking about you. We're just wondering, why do you always seem to disappear and not hang out with us when we're not working? Is anything wrong?"

"N-no, nothing's wrong! I'm fine, I just get tired after a long day."

"Oh, alright."

"Where did you go just now though?"

"I-I... I was in our room..?"

"You were? I didn't see you..."

"I don't know! Can't we just eat," I say, tears pricking my eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

I pull at my hair, angrily.

"Woah, what's going on Niall?"

"NOTHING'S GOING ON!"

Without really knowing it, I run to my secret room, completely forgetting about the "secret" part.

"Did he just run into the storage room?" someone asks.

That's when I realize it.

I quickly come out.

"I-I meant to go to the bathroom!" I say, but it kinda sounds like a question, which the boys easily notice.

"Niall, come here, we're sorry for asking you so many questions."

I slowly walk out.

"I ran into the storage room on accident..." I say.

"Ok, ok, it's no biggie Ni."

"Hey, come 'ere Nialler," Louis says, putting his arms out.

I shake my head.

"No, no, NO HUGS."

He looks confused.

"I-I mean... um... ya' know what, I think I'll just skip dinner tonight..."

The boys exchange worried glances, but I ignore them, and I go back to the bathroom, so I can sneak back into my room later.

"What the hell just happened..?"

"I'm just as confused."

I wait to hear them all stop talking, and sitting, until I go back into the room.

(I don't know how I thought of this prompt.)

LOUIS POV:
Yesterday we confronted Paul about how little we see Niall. I mean, if anyone knew about it, it would be him.

But he refused to talk.

We easily saw he was lying, but he didn't say anything. He just kept innocently saying, "What do you mean, boys?"

Today, I'm going to secretly follow Niall to wherever he disappears off to and see what he's up to.

At the End of the Day
NIALL POV:
Another tiring day.

Again, I wait for the boys to go off doing their own thing, then I head to my room.

I look around to make sure no one's watching, then go in.

LOUIS POV:
We pretend to be watching another movie, and Niall tries to sneakily walk to the storage room/bathroom area.

My eyes keep following him, and luckily he doesn't notice.

I see him look around a bit, then go into... the storage room.

"He just went into the storage room," I say softly to my other bandmates.

"What?"

"Maybe we should go in there when he comes out and see what he's up to..." I say, a mischievous grin spreading 'cross my face.

"Louis, Louis, Louis... of course we're going ta' do that!" Liam says.

We laugh, and continue watching the movie, waiting for him to come out.

NIALL POV:
Again, I don't come out of the room until dinner.

Again, the boys stare at me as soon as I walk in the kitchen.

A worried look spreads across my face.

"What did I do today? I'm sorry..."

"Nothing, never mind, come get some food."

I hesitantly nod and get some food.

Today we have spaghetti.

"Nood'as!" I shout, giggling.

The others laugh at me.

LOUIS POV:
The only reason we made "Nood'as" for Niall, is because we know how long he'll spend eating it. He eats quickly, but we'll eat faster than him if we don't eat his same three plates.

I don't even know how he eats that much, and still looking so good...

ANYWAYS, we quickly finish, and pretend to get back on the couch.

When we know he isn't looking, we go to the storage room and open the door.

"Oh, uh," Liam says.

"Huh?"

"We're gonna go to the gas station to get something, alright Ni?" he shouts out.

"Mhmm," he says without looking at us.

We enter the room.

"What the..." I immediately say.

Inside the room is a TV, a friggin' bed, a couch! And some books, and are those... SOUNDPROOF WALLS!?

"Why are there soundproof walls in here!?"

"AND A PRIVATE BATHROOM!?"

Just then, we hear the door open.

Shit...

He sees us as soon as he walks in.

"Oh... you guys found it..."

"Why did you keep us from this? It's bloody amazing!"

"I- well, it's for-"

"Where's the remote for the telly?" Zayn asks.

"No, stop, you guys can't be in here! This is my priv-"

"That's unfair."

"I- can you let me finish my sentence!?"

"No."

"AARGH!"

He leaves the room and slams the door as hard as he can.

"He's probably just embarrassed that he kept this from us or something."

"Yea."

After a while, I get bored and go to the living room where Niall is laying on the couch with a pout on his face.

"Hey Ni! Wanna play some video games?"

"No thanks. Are you going to?"

"Yea I am!"

"Oh, ok, then."

He starts to stand.

"Where're you going?" I ask.

"Our room."

"Oh, alright then, see you!"

"Mhmm."

A little while later Liam comes out.

"I got bored. Where'd Niall go now?"

"Well he was here laying on the couch, but then I came in and started playing video games and he left. He should be in our room now."

"Oh, ok."

LIAM POV:
I go up the steps into our room.

"Hey Ni," I say, walking in.

"Hey, what're you gonna do?"

"Probably practice my guitar for... no reason, I guess," I say, chuckling.

"Oh..." he says.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," he says, and walks out of the room.

That was weird, I think, but ignore it.

NIALL POV:
Ughh, now where do I go?

I quickly go the back porch and ring Paul.

"Hey bud, something wrong?"

"Yea, the boys found my secret room and now two of them are in there, and the other two are making noise too in the living room and our bedroom. Also the kitchen is close to the living room so I would still be able to hear it. I just don't know what to do! Where should I go? What's a calm place, Paul? Please help me..." I say, near tears at this point.

"Ok, where are you right now?"

"Back porch."

"Ok, you should be ok there for a bit. Want me to come over?"

"Yes please, and I think that I should-should tell them when you get here... about everything."

(This is going so off the rails (Like, disconnecting from the prompt a bit, I mean.).)

"Yea..."

We don't say anything for a bit.

"Alright, I'm outside, I'm gonna hang up."

"Mhmm," I say.

He hangs up and I immediately rush over to the door.

"Who's out there?" Louis asks.

"Paul," I tell him, without looking over.

I open the door, and Paul rushes towards me.

"Hey, how ya' doin' bud?"

"Not good," I say, pouting.

"Hmm, well here, I brought you some noise-cancelling headphones if you want to try them?"

I shake my head.

"I don't like stuff over my ears or whatever, it's weird and uncomfortable. I just-just want my room back."

He nods.

"So how should we go about this? Should we just tell them about everything, why you need your space, and all that?"

I nod.

"Ok."

"Thanks..." I whisper.

He just nods back.

"Boys!" he calls.

They all come into the living room area with us.

"What's up?" Harry asks.

"We have to talk to you."

"We?"

"Niall and I."

They nod, signaling him to continue.

"Ok, so you guys know that room, the one labeled as the storage room?"

They nod.

"Yea, why was Niall keeping that from us!?"

"Well, you see, it's not that he was being selfish, or wanted it all to himself, he kinda... needed... it all to himself."

"Huh?"

"I don't get it."

"Yea, what are you talking about."

"Niall, he has autism."

"Wait, what?"

I look down at my feet.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you angry! I'll- I can deal with it, I'll just wear the headphones and-and you guys can make as much noise as you want! You can have the room, I don't-don't need it..." I quickly spit out.

Heavy tears fall from my eyes.

I sit down with my back against the wall and continue crying.

"Are you guys gonna do anything?" I hear Paul say, "He's your bandmate."

The boys come over.

"No, Niall, we're not at all mad at you. We were just a bit surprised, we didn't know that."

"Mmm," is all I say.

"So then, what does he use the room for?"

"Well, I gave it to him a few weeks after, like, the start of us. He uses it at the end of a long day, as a quiet place to calm down."

"We're sorry for trying to take that from you Niall. But, why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought you would-would judge me and make fun of me and-and-and kick me out of the band..."

Someone puts their arms around me.

"We would never do anything like that."

"Take the room back, Nialler, go on, it's yours anyways, we won't bother you in there."

"I'm sorry for making you have to do extra work just for me..." I mumble.

"Niall, stop with the sorries, we're the ones who should be sorry."

"Yea, now why don't go and relax now, we'll talk more about this later, alright?"

"Ok, thanks guys."

I get up, walk into the room, and immediately pass out onto the bed.

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