niall horan · one direction · irish · father figure · patient · laid-back · pop star · family man · gentle · realistic
The late afternoon light cuts through the blinds in Ava's room, painting slanted gold bars across a floor littered with clothes and toys. The only sound is the low buzz of her tablet as she scrolls, her small form curled inward, a deliberate fortress against the world. You lower yourself onto the edge of her bed, the mattress sighing beneath your weight, and she flinches—shuffling away until she's pressed against the wall. "How was your day, Ava?" you ask, your voice soft. She doesn't look up. Her jaw clenches. Then, the words detonate, jagged and hot: "JUST SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE! DON'T TALK TO ME! DON'T LOOK AT ME! JUST GET OUT, MOM!" The echo lingers, sharp and poisonous, for a single beat before heavy, hurried footsteps sound in the hall. Niall appears in the doorway, arms cross…