Chapter Text
Ruben's old man came back a few times, and every time Ruben looked petrified. He had a look in his eyes, utter fear. It haunted Niall more than he could ever say.
Underneath the Ruben that threatened Niall's school mates, the Ruben that had shagged more lassies than Niall had hot dinners, the Ruben that snorted coke off the back of his hand like he was licking up the last of a DibDab… Underneath all that, he was a scared teenager, forced to grow up too quickly then held back two years.
The second time Ruben had demanded Niall come into his bed, “Come here Bambi, don't want you running to your mami.” Niall had gripped him tight, like a child that should have outgrown his favourite stuffed teddy but couldn't part with it when the darkness came.
The third time Niall didn't wait for the command, just slowly lifted his covers, waiting for Ruben to ask what the fuck he was doing. He didn't, just stared at him until Niall had crossed the tiny distance between them and pulled back his own duvet to allow Niall to lie down in a position that was becoming far too familiar.
The single bed was toaty, almost too wee for one almost-grown man, nevermind two, but it worked.
It worked too well.
They never talked about it, Niall was always out of bed before Ruben was awake, off to have a wank in the shower - if he hadn't already cum in his sleep.
After about two months they stopped waiting for Ruben's dad to show up in another drunk stupor, it became routine.
One time Niall tried going to his own bed, determined to put an end to the madness that was Ruben spooning him every night like it was normal.
“The fuck you think you're doing, Bambi?”
Niall lay there pretending he hadn't heard him, eyes closed tight, praying that sleep took him soon.
His heart, rapid as it was, only got about ten beats in before Niall heard the rustle of a duvet, a muttered “fuck's sake” and then his bed dipped, having to force himself against the wall to make room for Ruben.
Sleep took him quickly as soon as a large hand was splayed over his stomach, calming nerves that only ever seemed to settle when Ruben was around.
Niall was back in Ruben's bed the next night.
Ruben had stopped bringing girls home, after that encounter with Mona. Niall wasn't sure when Ruben was hooking up with girls, he didn't care to ask.
They rarely moved in their sleep, always waking up the same way they fell asleep. Sometimes Ruben was hard against Niall's back. Niall tried to tell himself it meant nothing, even as he came under the steam of the shower before school.
It was a sleepy Sunday morning that, in hindsight, was the day they crossed a line.
Niall had rolled in his sleep, a rare occurrence, but he could feel himself being watched before he fully gained consciousness. His eyes snapped open to see Ruben's barely two inches from his, that familiar expression that Niall was never quite sure how to read, if he was about to get a kicking or a joke with a grin.
“Always knew you'd have a massive cock, Bambi.” The smell of weed lingered on Ruben's breath as he lay trapped.
“S-sorry-” Niall started, pulling away as he realised far too late that his morning wood was poking against Ruben's thigh, precum dampening the front of Niall's boxers, maybe even leaking through them and onto Ruben's own underwear. He tried pulling away but Ruben moved too quickly, a hand flying to the back of his neck, pinning him in place.
“Nuh-uh, Bambi, you're not getting away that easy.” Ruben rocked his hips against Niall's, a stuttered, shocked moan leaving Niall's lips as he realised, with terrifying clarity, that Ruben was also hard.
“Can I see it? Let me see it, Bambi,” Ruben insisted as the hand left the back of his neck and moved to the waistband of Niall's boxers, thumb hooking in but waiting for permission.
“Why?” Niall whispered, scared any loud noise might break whatever spell had been cast over Ruben.
“Because Mona was in the way last time.” Ruben said it like it was obvious, like he wasn't the one that had encouraged Mona to climb on top of Niall and ride him until he came in her.
That explanation seemed to be all Niall was getting, and he nodded, just a slight movement in his neck, but it was all the permission Ruben needed to push Niall's boxers down, Niall's cock springing free of the cheap Tesco Essentials material.
Niall had barely blinked, much less looked away from Ruben. Ruben pushed the duvet away next, shuffling back the tiny fraction that he could so he could look down and stare at Niall's cock.
“Fuck me, bet that gets all the girls drooling,” Ruben admired, his hand on Niall's hip heavy and warm.
“Now you,” Niall spoke before he could stop himself, curiosity getting the better of him.
Ruben looked up from where he had been staring. “Now me what?”
“You've seen me, only fair that I get to see you.” It was now or never and Niall wasn't really sure this bravery was coming from.
He always felt braver when Ruben was around.
There was a pause, and Niall once again braced himself to land on his arse.
The shove never came, Ruben just made that familiar grunt of agreement, “Yeah, that's fair.”
It took more effort for Ruben to get his own boxers fully off than it had Niall's, though they were still half way down his hips.
Ruben's cock, while not as big as Niall's, was still a considerable size, not small by any means. Niall noted that Ruben's pubic hair was neat and trimmed, not like Niall's which was still surrounded by dark blonde curls. But it was just as hard as Niall's was, curving up towards his tummy.
“Well?” Ruben asked, almost like he was looking for a reassurance that Niall was certain he didn't need, not if his sex life was as prolific as Ruben had boasted it was.
“Y-yeah, aye, looks good,” Niall nodded, swallowing as he looked away from it. He wondered how it would feel compared to his own, if he could fit it all in his mouth.
Ruben huffed a laugh, more of a grunt than anything, like he was thinking.
“Just good? Aye cheers, Bambi.” Ruben pulled the covers back over himself, “Now fuck off will ye so I can have a wank in peace?”
Just like that, the tension broke and Niall stumbled his way from the bed and to the bathroom. Cum splattered on the shower floor less than three minutes later and he didn't see Ruben for the rest of the day.
That night Niall tried for his own bed, thinking Ruben already asleep. He had spent the whole day thinking about what had happened. Why was he such a freak that he would let his own sort-of-step brother see him naked? Not only that, to top it all off he then asked for Ruben to return the favour.
It turned in his mind every minute of the day. So much so that by dinner time he was considering the sofa and by the time he was climbing the stairs to his bedroom he was considering just chucking himself in front of the X25 to Glasgow, that would be easier than continuing whatever fucked up game they were playing.
So, when Niall entered his bedroom and found Ruben asleep, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Quiet as a pin drop he undressed, laying everything down gently. He climbed into his own bed slowly, until a bed spring betrayed him, crunching under his knee.
He paused, glancing over his shoulder to find Ruben staring at him.
“Dinnae ‘hink so, Bambi, get over here.” The command was paired with Ruben lifting the cover and Niall had little choice but to go and crawl in beside Ruben and let the older boy take whatever perverse comfort he got out of… whatever it was they were doing.
A week or so had passed and Niall was almost starting to chalk it all up to a weird morning.
Until it happened again.