How's the epilepsy fic going? Does Niall ever have a seizure on screen?
hiii hi!! I figured it’s about time to give you guys another little bit, so, without further ado:
Those flashes aren’t good for Niall. There’s so many of them and they seem like they go on for miles. They’re nearly in Niall’s face and they haven’t slowed, not once.
Flashes are triggers, they set something off in his neural activity. It’s far worse in airports, but usually he has his sunglasses which provide a bit of protection or he’s able to block it out from the barrier of fans.
Niall stumbles again and Harry is grateful when he catches himself, hoping for best, but he recognizes the sudden shift in the way Niall’s walking and it all becomes too authentic. He’s walking like the rest of his body is too heavy for his legs to hold up.
It’s becoming obvious that his muscles are tense, Harry watching his fists open and close in a rhythmic fashion. He can see the way his shoulders are unnaturally tight, his feet shuffling like he can no longer pick them up. He begins to slow down and Harry can see security gently urging him to hurry up.
Niall’s losing control over his body, which is clear to Harry, and means only one thing.
Niall’s going to have a seizure, and much sooner than Harry thinks he can get them to safety.
Harry’s about to grab Basil, hoping he can hustle things along, when he notices Liam drop back and offer Niall a piggyback ride.
Brilliant, brilliant Liam.
Liam picks Niall up, making airplane noises, trying for an inconspicuous joke, but also keeping Niall from falling on his own. It’s not perfect, because if he starts to seize, Liam is in trouble, but then Liam takes off at a run for the plane, continuing to make it a laugh, and nobody suspects anything.
Brilliant.
Harry tries to maintain a normal pace, as much as he can. Liam can handle it for a minute, he’s sure. Ish.
As soon as he enters the plane, he can hear a long, low moan. Niall is tucked up with his back against the seats in front of him, with his knees pulled to his chest. He’s already in the midst of a seizure, his eyes blown and unseeing. Liam’s sitting beside him, panting.
“Sorry, H, I just-” Liam starts.
Harry interrupts quickly, “No, Li, you did great. That was amazing, good thinking.”
Niall comes out of it at that point, giving Harry a shaky grin. “Doesn’t feel like a big one at least, pet.”
Harry nods, grasping his hand. He runs his thumb over the back of Niall’s trembling hand, measuring his own breathing to try and help Niall slow his.
Niall has two more absence seizures, his eyes glassy and unforced for a few seconds, and then he stretches his legs out and sighs. “All good now, lads. ‘M fine.”
“Are you sure, Ni?” Liam asks, worrying his lower lip.
Niall nods his head, running a hand through his hair. “That was a close one, but thanks, Payno, really. Owe you one for that.”
Liam smiles, brushing it off. “No worries, you know that. Anything I can do to help.” With that, he gets up, knowing Harry needs to be a helicopter mom for a moment and check Niall over, as is customary for the pair after a seizure.
Niall laughs as Harry scatters kisses around his body, simultaneously pushing him off and pulling him closer. “‘M fine, H, you know I didn’t fall.”
“Just checking, love. Making sure everything’s in functioning order.” Harry says through a smile.
Niall catches Harry’s lower lip in a quick kiss, laughing through it when Harry mumbles in surprise. “Everything’s working just fine.”
They get a pillow thrown at them from the back of the plane, and they break apart, laughing. Harry helps Niall stand, and they teeter down the aisle, joining their band mates now that Harry’s been assured Niall is in once piece.
