Assassin's Asylum ✔

28

Harry had never liked birthdays, much less his owns.

But when Horan and Payne announced that they wanted to get drunk and throw a birthday party to Harry, not necessarily in that order, Harry couldn't argue with them. How do you say "no" to an Irishman who has decided to party and drink like a devil? Harry didn't have an option, he had to let Horan and Payne inside his apartment and fill it with pizza and booze and send embarrassing invitations to all the people Harry knew and almost knew.

He wasn't happy about the party but he didn't say it out loud. Who would be happy when they turn twenty-seven, anyway?

On 1st of February, around 8pm people started arriving at Harry's apartment. Soon his small apartment was full of people and everyone were chatting happily and drinking booze. Harry smiled at people, thanked them for coming and all those things.

Around 11pm they moved from Harry's apartment to the nearest club. All the people split up, everyone going here and there, some of them went to talk to the ladies, some went to buy more drinks and some, the bravest ones, went on the dance floor.

Harry ordered a beer and sat by the counter, looking at Horan and Payne who were chatting with some unfamiliar women. Harry shook his head, smiling.

He remembered the times when he was very smooth with women. He would always get company if he wanted to. It was never a problem because Harry knew he was good with women.

Was.

After that one specific trip to Fuerteventura nothing had been the same. Harry had developed a close relationship with his right hand because he was too confused to make a move on women but too scared to flirt with men. He had lost his touch. Once he went to a gay bar but ran away immediately when a first guy made a move on him.

Why was it so easy and simple in Fuerteventura? With...him? Harry couldn't understand it.

"Harryyy!" Horan yelled, swinging his arm around Harry's shoulder. "Do you see any beautiful ladies?"

Harry nodded.

"Lot's of them", he said. "But none of whom I'd be interested."

"Bummer", Horan laughed.

Harry grinned at him and let him understand that Harry was just too picky. He hadn't talked about his confusion about his sexuality with anyone and he wasn't going to start now. He would much rather dwell on it by himself.

But in all honesty, when Harry was chatting with all the people he hadn't seen in a long time, he felt, for the first time in a very long time, happy. He felt truly happy. He enjoyed his time and he enjoyed seeing Devine, Richards, Swift, Sheeran and all the other friends he barely got to see because he was a workaholic. Sometimes he forgot he even had so many friends.

"Harry!" someone yelled.

Harry looked around and spotted Stewart. "Hi, Kristen!"

"Hi. I'm actually about to go, I have work tomorrow, I just wanted to wish you happy birthday one last time", she said and hugged Harry.

"Thank you and tell my best wishes to your better half", Harry replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I will", she smiled. "I had lots of fun. Hopefully we'll see more often. Bye!"

Harry waved and then Stewart disappeared into the crowd. Harry turned his attention to Niall who was ordering a beer behind him.

"Thank you", Harry said.

Niall raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For this party. It means a lot to me to see all my friends and spend time with them."

"It was our pleasure", said Payne, popping next to Harry out of nowhere. "I'm just happy that you're enjoying this."

"I really am", Harry assured. "Thanks. How about we take some shots, then?"

"Hell yes!" they replied.

***

When Harry arrived home after the party he noticed that his mail was on the floor in front of the door. Everyone had stepped and walked on them and they were dirty and shabby. He had to lean on the wall when he picked them up because he was drunk. Thanks to the shots!

He looked through his mail. Some bills mainly but then there was one letter that caught his attention. It didn't have address on it so someone must have come to Harry's door and drop it through the letterbox.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows and placed all the other letters on the table and proceed to open the one with no address.

He found a card which had a picture of a random man wearing only jeans and someone had drawn a balloon next to his head and wrote in it, "Happy birthday, Mr. Styles". Goosebumps appeared on Harry's skin when he read it.

The only one who called him Mr. Styles was...Red Machete. When he turned the card over he saw the signature. The fucking assassin had literally wrote Red Machete behind the card.

Harry froze in place.

Red Machete had been behind his door at some point of the day.

Red Machete gave him a birthday card.

Harry had no idea what the fuck was going on and what he was supposed to think or do.

Tell the police? What's the point.

Tell Horan and Payne? Again, no point.

Ignore and forget? Well, now that sounded like something Harry could do. He placed his hand on his chest. He hadn't even noticed that his heart had started beating faster. Adrenaline in his blood made him breath heavily and he felt very much sober.

Red Machete had contacted him, again.

Harry walked in the living room and wondered what Red Machete was doing now that he wasn't being blackmailed anymore.

In all honesty, he was probably doing the exact same thing he was before. People hired him, he killed. Over and over again.

"Jeez." Harry sighed. He was oddly excited about the fact that a killer had wished him happy birthday. But unfortunately this killer was his only connection to exciting things and that's all Harry craved back from all that shit that had happened a year ago; excitement.