A Touch of Cinnamon ✓

t h i r t y - f o u r | the suit and the cry

 ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶　　 ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ 

HS

The air is silent, the two moving about the room as they dress themselves. The distant sounds of Louis and Liam chatting quietly in the kitchen are noticed, but ignored. They need the quiet right now.

Harry looks sadly at the suit in front of him, and he knows he will never be able to wear it again.

It's a nice suit, too. Beautiful, really. A work of art. Worth far more than what he paid for it, and to know that he will never be able to put it on again sends a pang to his heart.

Across the room, sitting on the edge of the bed, Niall's movements are lazy as he works on doing his tie. His hands fall to his lap when he messes up again. He can't even get angry. He doesn't want to scream or shout or throw things in frustration, he just wants to cry. He stares at his hands as they lay limp in his lap, and wishes he could just do something right for once.

It's the smallest thing, and it sends him over the edge.

When a pair of hands land on his knees, a body lowering to kneel on the floor in front of him, he lifts his gaze to meet a pair of green eyes already looking back at him.

With a tense, sad, comforting smile, Harry begins to tie Niall's tie for him. Niall's heart gets hit by another pang, but not a sad one.

This one makes him feel loved.

They're both so sad, and they're both so lost right now, but they have each other. Even when they don't know how to feel, they have each other.

Niall focuses on Harry's face while he works, taking note of how his eyebrows are furrowed ever so slightly and his tongue is poking out the corner of his mouth as he works. He sees how his eyes narrow a little when his hands slow, movements deliberate as he struggles, and how they widen in a near happy manner when he finishes successfully.

Niall sends him a quick smile to say thank you, Harry returning it. Niall reaches out and brushes the hair off Harry's forehead before his hand rests on his cheek. Harry leans into the touch, Niall's thumb caressing the top of Harry's cheekbone.

Harry rests his hands back on Niall's lap before pressing a kiss to the palm of Niall's hand, then standing up to finish getting himself ready.

Niall stares blankly at his dress shoes laying before him, knowing that he's going to have to put them on in the next few minutes. Then he looks to the coat hanging on the door, and he knows that he has to put that on, as well.

And then he will never be able to look at this suit the same way again.

He had to buy it just for today, and never again will he consider putting it on.

Tabitha is sleeping on the bed and Papaya is walking around the room before making her way over to Niall and pushing her head into his leg, as she does when she wants attention, but Niall can't give her any right now.

His gaze flits over to Harry, who is avoiding looking in the mirror as he puts his cuff links on. Niall can see the small frown he's sporting from across the room, and his heart hurts again.