sugar baby [h.s]

thirty eight

Harry disappears from my side briefly to hunt down some drinks for us, despite the fact that he had already decided that the drinks at these sorts of events are always terrible.

"They've watered it down completely, it's basically cheap boxed wine" Harry huffs as he reappears beside me in front of a large canvas coated in yellow with flecks of gold and green. I take the wine gratefully from him, if it's crap to him then it might be something my unqualified palate will enjoy. One sip later though, the opposite point has been proven.

"That just tastes weird" I try and hide the grimace on my face, I widen my eyes as I see Harry take another sip. "Why are you still drinking it?" He stares down at the plastic wine glass for a second before he raises his shoulders in a shrug.

"It would be rude to not at least try and finish it, plus there isn't really an alternative. I knew I should have snuck a flask in" he murmurs with a slight hint of amusement in his tone. His eyes grow more curious as he focuses them on the art in front of us.

"You like it?" I ask him, nudging his side with my shoulder slightly.

"No, I can't figure out what it is" he replies with a hint of confusion.

"It's not one of those ink blot tests, it's art, it's whatever you want it to be" I reply with a light smile. A ghost of a smile appears on Harry's lips too as his head nods slowly.

"Well I like knowing what things are, I do too much thinking already" He huffs in mock exasperation. The thought is amusing to me; Harry likes things to be straightforward and uncomplicated. I already figured that out when I had to sign a contract with an extensive set of rules, but I guess it's amusing that it's the same with his artistic preferences.

"Alright then, so that's a no, I'm sure we will find something in here" I reply optimistically, my good mood diminishes somewhat as we walk away from the canvas as Harry fishes his vibrating phone out of his pocket. He frowns at the screen before he turns to me.

"I've got to take this, look around I'll find you" He breathes out hurriedly before he presses a soft kiss to my forehead. In a flurry of movement he raises the phone to his ear and makes his way towards the exit, trying to find somewhere quiet to talk.

I scan the room around me, looking for something that peaks my interest when I discover a staircase off to the side leading to the second floor. I move past the small clusters of people and head for the stairs, I'm sure Harry will be able to find me up here when his call is finished.

There's only one room upstairs that contains more artwork, and no one else is in there when I walk through the archway. There are three canvases on the back wall, they appear to be a part of a set. Very large, very delicate watercolour paintings of the seaside. They remind me of my home and it warms me from the inside out. I miss my hometown, though I don't have a home there, I need to go back and visit. Maybe they'll let me take my mum out for the day and I can take her to the beach, she used to love going to the beach before she got sick.

"Beautiful work isn't it?" A disembodied voice surprises me, causing me to turn my body around to the unfamiliar sound. It's a tall older man with sleeked back hair and large brown eyes. He wanders closer to me, clutching his own glass of wine between his long fingers, giving me a knowing smirk.

"Uh, yes it's lovely" I mumble politely in response, turning my attention back to the work. The man stands directly beside me, letting out a sigh as he faces it as well.

"He has some rather beautiful pieces in here, none quite as beautiful as you but still" his every syllable flirts with me, his suit jacket brushes against my shoulder. He's standing so close and I don't really know what to do. I'm the last person who's going to make a scene at Harry's friends event.