Niall had been suffering quietly all day. He'd mentioned that his head hurt, but he didn't say anything when it got worse and worse and eventually turned into a migraine. The boys didn't have a concert or anything, which was a miracle for Niall really, but their schedule was still busy. He'd endured an interview and a 2 hour meeting after waking up well before 7:00. He was tired and mind numbed and above all, in pain.
For as much as they'd gotten done, they were finish pretty early. It was only 1:45 when they all piled into the car to return to their temporary home for the next week or so. Their last concert for two weeks had been last night, but not having to perform every night didn't really mean they had a break. The two weeks were full of press and photo shoots and busy work.
Niall had fallen uncharacteristically quiet on the way back. He was usually the one to keep up the mood and make plans for the rest of the day, but he'd laid his head against the front passenger seat window without a word. His eyes were shut and he didn't speak until being directly asked something.
"Niall, you alright up there? You've gone quiet," Louis asked him.
"I'm okay," Niall answered quietly, his voice noticeably softer than Louis's.
Harry leaned forward from his seat in the center and put a hand on Niall's arm. Something wasn't alright.
"Hey, whats wrong? Is your head still bothering you? You look pale, love."
The driver didn't regard what was happening, he just kept quiet.
Niall nodded a little bit.
Harry pushed closer and turned the nob to shut off the radio that was playing. He didn't want anything making Niall's head hurt worse.
"Yeah, you're not looking too hot, Ni. How bad are you feeling?"
Niall pushed his palms into his eyes and let out a strained breath.
"Bad, feels like a migraine," he murmured.
That wasn't good.
Liam and Louis were both trying to get looks at the blonde boy.
"Does the light hurt?" Harry asked. Niall hadn't opened his eyes.
He nodded again. Even with his eyes closed the sun was bright enough to deep the dark out.
Liam took his sunglasses off and handed them to Harry, pointing diagonally to Niall to show what he was offering.
"Would sunglasses help, love? Here, try these. You might be able to fall asleep a while if you block the light," Harry told him.
Niall, with shaky hands, took the sunglasses. Harry saw his first glimpse of Niall's blue eyes since the car ride started as he took them and frowned. He looked sick.
Niall tucked himself back against the window with a quiet, "thanks," and pulled his legs up on the seat.
Everyone was quiet on the way back. Niall fell into a light sleep, vaguely aware of the sound of cars on the street but not really coherent.
He was jostled back to reality when the van was stopped though, and could hear Louis whispering and the van door opening. Seconds later, his own door was unlatched and gentle hands were carefully prying him away from his seat.
He groaned as he opened his eyes, light harsh on his head.
"Liam," he groaned.
"Aw, Nialler, keep your eyes shut, love. Come here," Liam quietly said.  He lifted Niall slowly from the car and Niall let himself get scooped up into Liam's arms. He pulled off the sunglasses and nuzzled his hurting head into Liam's neck, chills running through his clammy skin.
"Would you rather be on the couch or in bed?" Liam asked him. Louis and Harry were already inside.
"You wouldn't have any fun with me around," Niall's muffled voice spoke, "I don't think I can handle very much right now."
Liam hiked Niall up a little higher in his arms, trying not to move him around too much.
"Where would you be most comfy? Don't worry about us, Niall. We'd be happy with a lazy day with you. What do you want?"
Niall felt bad forcing his friends to have a lame, quiet afternoon because of him, but he really really didn't want to be cooped up alone in his room.
"I think I'd rather stay with you," Niall confessed.
Liam nodded.
"Good. I didn't want to leave you alone anyway. If you get much worse... I don't know, I'm just a little worried about you.  Not used to our blonde feeling so lousy."
Niall cuddled a little closer.
"I'm not used to feeling like this either," he said.
Liam carried Niall into the house and to the couch. He got him situated with a light blanket and Louis came in with a cool rag to lay over Niall's forehead.
"You think you're getting ill?" Louis asked him. They were all keeping their tones quiet.
Niall shrugged.
"Anything else feel bad?" He offered instead.
"My stomach, kinda. I don't know I just don't feel like myself," he spoke.
Liam came and sat beside Niall. Niall slumped against him without thought, he was sleepy.
"Aw, we'll take care of you, Ni. Why don't you take some ibuprofen? That might help some," Liam offered.
Niall nodded lazily and waited while Louis called for Harry to bring the pills and a glass of water.  He thanked Harry and took the medicine without a complaint before returning to his previous position, Liam pulling him into a protective hold.
Niall had to force every breath. His head pounded so fiercely it was driving him crazy and he couldn't hold back the few whimpers of uncomfortable pain.
"Aw, buddy," Liam cooed. Niall had never looked so small against Liam's chest, his eyes were scrunched shut.
"The meds should take some of that edge of, Ni. Just breath," Harry reminded soothingly. Harry's voice always sounded so calm.
But Niall couldn't relax. The longer he sat the more his stomach began the churn sickeningly, and he stifled a burp against his drawn up hand.
"Li," he choked.
Liam looked down and pulled slightly away from Niall.
"Hey. You alright?"
Niall stared back at him with glassy eyes and shook his head a little.
"Talk to me, Niall," Liam said softly. He wasn't panicking.
Niall took a deeper breath and mumbled, looking embarrassed, "I feel really sick, Li. Can-" he paused to hold back another burp.
"Can y-you bring me to the b-bathroom? Please. I'm gonna throw up."
Liam didn't waste any time. He gently scooted Niall off of him so he could stand up before taking away the cloth on Niall's forehead.
Niall looked at him, seeming unsure about himself, but Liam just took him under the arms and helped the boy into a somewhat standing position. Niall was lightheaded and unsteady on his own feet, but Liam never allowed the blonde's full body weight to stand on its own.
Before Niall could complain about his nauseating dizziness, Liam picked him up and started toward the bathroom.
"Close your eyes, love," he told him. Niall did.
"Niall feeling nauseous?" Louis asked as they walked away.
Liam looked back at Harry and Lou for a moment to respond.
"Thinks he's gonna be sick. Definitely a migraine."
Harry and Louis nodded but didn't follow. With Niall in so much pain and being as clingy as he was with Liam, they didn't was to make him claustrophobic by all squeezing into the small bathroom together.
If Niall was able to focus on anything he would have been thankful.
Liam set Niall in front of the toilet and opened the lid up for him. Niall leaned back into Liam the second the older boy was close enough and let out a shaky puff of air.
"Don't wanna throw up," Niall mumbled.
"I'm sorry, love," Liam comforted, running his hands up and down Niall's arms, "I'll be right here if you need to."
That wasn't good enough though. Niall didn't want to puke in front of Liam and have that foul taste in his mouth.
"I really really can't do this," Niall groaned. He felt overwhelmed. The nausea had hit so suddenly he didn't feel prepared for the consequences. He hiccuped warningly.
"It's alright, Ni. There's nothing we can do, just breath."
Niall twisted in Liam's hold and pulled his arms around his neck. He tucked his pale face into Liam's top and tried to breath steadily. Maybe if he calmed his anxiety down his stomach would settle enough.
"I'm sorry, Nialler. I know this sucks," Liam told him, swaying a little. Niall nodded a little. Liam had his own experience with migraines in the past and they hadn't been pretty. Liam was a scrambled, overworked mess and as much as he tried, Liam couldn't seem to slow his day down enough for a nap longer than 30 minutes. He was somehow still functioning, but he'd have to excuse himself from multiple events to puke from the pain. Interviewers felt horrible for him, and they would offer water and a sympathetic smile every time he forced himself to return. Somehow he held himself together the entire day until the car ride home, when he let the entire weight of his discomfort to hit him all at once.
Niall didn't think he'd last that long. His migraine had only just hit full peak when they were coming home and he'd felt close to tears since. 
"I never get headaches like these," Niall complained. Why was this happening to him? His stomach twisted sickeningly.
"Probably that fever you've got," Liam shrugged, "You've felt warm since we came home. You have probably been ill all day, love."
Of course Niall had a fever. He'd been more than uncomfortable all morning with his headache, he should have known something was wrong.
"I've been cold..." Niall said simply. How had he been so out of it?
"You've been shaking," Liam nodded.
Niall didn't answer. His belly wasn't settling at all and he knew he wasn't going to be able to stop himself from getting sick.
He pulled away from Liam, holding onto his shoulders at arm length and taking a few rushed deep breaths. He didn't look at Liam.
Liam looked at Niall though. He saw the frightened look and the panicked breaths, the boy was about to vomit.
"Alright, Ni, lets get you back over the toilet, yeah? Common, you're okay."
Liam slowly helped Niall turn back to the porcelain bowl.
His tummy gave a sick rumble and Liam was quick to push a hand over Niall's forehead, pulling his hair from his face before sweat plastered it there.
"Take it easy," Liam reminded. "Jerking around will make your head hurt worse. Steady, steady."
Niall squirmed to his knees and dry heaved. Every heartbeat echoing through his head made him feel worse. He retched again.
Liam winced when he heard something come up. Poor Niall was really sick.
Niall was whimpering at the end of every breath he managed to take before puking again, the bitterness sending chills down Niall's spine.
"Breath, breath," Liam told him, he could see Niall loosing his cool very quickly.
"I-I don't like it-" Niall gasped.
"I know, I'm sorry love. You're okay," Liam comforted.
Niall made a horrible noise before getting sick again. Liam hoped he was almost finished.
Liam and Niall sat in the bathroom for another 10 minutes before Niall felt well enough to detach from the toilet rim.
"Are you finished?" Liam asked quietly.
Niall's eyes were rimmed red, he was still out of breath.
"That hurt," he whispered. Liam hugged him from behind.
"You need to rest, love. Can I take you to bed?"
Niall shuddered.
"Back to the c-couch? Don't w-wanna be alone," Niall asked, he sounded pathetically upset. Liam hated seeing Niall that way.
"Okay, bud. Back to the couch it is."
Liam picked Niall up slowly. He was even worse off than before and for a moment Liam was certain he was going to pass out. When the boy was comfortably in Liam's arms, he could feel silent tears soaking through his shirt. Liam didn't mention it, Niall just clung to him.
Liam sat on the couch with Niall in his arms. Niall didn't move really, he didn't want Harry or Louis to know he was crying.
"Is he alright?" Harry asked.
"Threw up a few times. He's got a fever I think," Liam answered.
"I hope he held the medicine down long enough to work. He probably couldn't handle another dose with his stomach so ill," Louis said.
Liam nodded. "I think the only thing he could handle right now is a nap," he laughed.
Harry brought the blanket over to the two boys and splayed it across both of them. Liam would probably be a little hot, but he'd endure it for the little blonde.
It took a long time for Niall to fall asleep, but once he did he was out. All the boys hung around the living room, nobody wanting to take their eyes off of the boy. They watched a movie on low volume and were nearly half way through another when Niall finally woke back up. He was dazed and uncomfortable and burning up. Instead of staying awake, Liam brought the sick boy upstairs to his room and had him lay down again. The living room was as dark as it could be, but it was still too bright for Niall's pounding head.  It was obvious now that Niall had thrown up the medicine he'd taken earlier, so Liam coaxed him into another dose before cuddling in bed. Liam wasn't convinced that Niall had ever even properly woken up, so he was asleep again in minutes and snoozing against Liam's chest.
Niall's migraine stuck around for another day, which resulted in very little sleep that night and an emotional, feverish Niall. He threw up throughout the following day before passing out on the couch at around 8. He slept the entire night and woke around 11 feeling a little worse for the wear with a lingering fever, but no migraine. The boys were all relieved when Niall finally went back to his optimistic energetic self again.
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Whoop all done! This wasn't a request cause I started it before I had any, but I'm working on another Niall fic right now also. Sorry for the long waits, just need to find the groove of things.
Let me know if you have any requests! I've done a ton of Harry recently but I'm good with anything(:
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a good day((((: