Magic || larry

03

Harry blocks out the sound of her giggle as he prepares their dinner. Sarah is a girl from the program he was in. Young and pretty, she's the new thing that caught Ricky's eye. She comes over so she can have "good food and see how good life is when you're out" but Harry knows it's actually because Ricky likes her. Harry was Sarah at one point.

"Your house is so like cute," she giggles and Harry forces a smile onto his face and nods his head.

"Thanks," he mumbles. He slowly stirs the noodles in the pot and hopes this night ends soon. Ricky loves him not her. She doesn't matter. She'll leave soon.

"So, like, do you have a job?" She keeps asking Harry questions and he wants to tell her to be quiet. Ricky just sits in his chair and reads the paper as she harasses Harry in his own home.

"No I, like, don't," Harry replies in a mocking tone and hurt flashes through her eyes, but Harry enjoys that. She gets to sleep with his boyfriend so he can make fun of the way she speaks.

"Harry," Ricky's voice carries through the room and Harry freezes at the warning. He swallows all the words he wants to scream and turns to the girl.

"Sorry. I don't have a job. I look after the house," Harry replies in monotone and she just nods, but thankfully backs away from him. He sighs as he hears Ricky start to flirt with her and his eyes move to look out the window. He can see his neighbours in their backyard barbecuing. Niall is at the grill and Sophia is laughing with him. Liam is sitting in a chair with a beer and Louis is sat on the deck with books scattered around him and his glass hanging off his nose. The sight makes Harry sad because he never got that.

"Almost done?" Ricky's gruff voice makes him jump, but Harry nods slowly and closes his eyes.

He loves it here. He loves Ricky. Ricky loves him. They're happy. Happy and in love.

"Yeah. If you want to sit down I can serve it," Harry manages to speak. He hears the chairs scrape behind him and he forces a smile on his face before he turns to face his boyfriend and the tramp. He really shouldn't have to feel like this towards her, but she's sleeping with the only person he has in the world.

He quickly brings everything over and sets it down in a neat fashion. The two talk to each other and Harry feels more like a server than an actual person. He sits down quietly when everything is out and he slowly starts to make his plate.

The two follow him, but their own private conversation continues. Harry wishes Ricky would at least glance at him, or compliment his meal. The man used to look at Harry like he was his world and now he seems like he wishes Harry wasn't even in it.

"Uh, Harry, we're going out. You okay to just clean up?" Ricky speaks and Harry wants to scream that he's not okay with that. He wants to throw his plate across the table and he wants to cry, but pure fear stops him. He doesn't want to be smacked or yelled at. He just wants to make Ricky happy.

"Yeah that's fine. You two have fun," he chokes out. He watches as they giggle and smile and he closes his eyes as he hears the front door shut. His heart slams down to his feet and a sob escapes him as a car starts. He quickly grabs his plate and he throws it at the floor -watching the glass shatter.

This isn't fair. They're supposed to be in love. Harry expected to be married by now. He expected happiness and strength and protection from this. His head rests on the table as he cries and his body shakes with the sadness filling him. He loves the man so much and he just can't be enough for him. He's never enough to for anyone.

He slowly calms himself down and stands on shaky legs. He bends down and picks up the pieces of his plate and the food that smears the tile floor. He collects everything from the table and wraps the leftovers. He cleans the house again and everything smells like disinfectant and it reminds him of his time in the godforsaken hospital.