Coin-Operated Boy (Narry)

Ready to Fall

-Niall’s Point of View-

“W-What you’d do to him? Fix him! Fix him now.” I panic, the blood draining from my face.

“Calm down, lad. A kiss on the lips the way you turned him on the first time will bring his memory up to speed.” Robert says calmly.

I gaze at Harry. His green eyes gaze back at me curiously the way he did on that first day. How can everything be wiped away so easily? The memory of every touch, every feeling gone in a second. It’s supposed to put things in perspective but honestly, it just hurts, like someone ripped my heart out of my arse. I hesitantly give Harry a kiss on the lips.

I stare into his emerald eyes waiting for the glint of recognition to hit him.

“Niall, I’m sorry.” He dives into my lap and just like before, he begins to sob black ink.

“Shhh, it’s alright.” I whisper, kissing the top of his head.

“It’s not! I-I forgot you Niall, I’m sorry.” He clung to me helplessly.

“Ah, this is not good.” Robert mutters staring at Harry.

I wipe Harry’s face off with my navy blue shirt not caring whether it stains or not.

“What do you mean it’s not good?” I question.

“This oil that Harry leaks from his eyes is the oil that enables his joints to move to freely.” Robert explains pulling a poster board with the shape of a typical robot but with the insides visible.

“What? What’s gonna happen?” I ask.

“Have you seen The Wizard of Oz?”

“Er…yes?”

“You know the tin man? Harry’s gonna be stuck in the same position unable to move a muscle…well, his insides won’t move the way they ought to.”

“That’s a fucked-up analogy! And when do you think this will happen?!”

“Hm, has this occurred before?”

“Yes, once.” Harry replies.

“I’d say he has about two weeks left before he freezes up like the tin man.”

“Can’t you just replace the oil inside of him?”

“To do that we have to completely take him apart and he wouldn’t be the same once we pieced him back together.”

“What kind of shit engineer are you then?” I scream.

Two weeks. Two weeks left with Harry. My breaths become shallow and my heart palpitates. Two weeks is nothing. Everything blurs and I pass out.

 “W-What happened?” I ask groggily.

“You fainted.”

I blush furiously. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked all around the room in confusion.

“How’d we get back to the dorm?”

“I drove us back.”

“You drove?”

“It looked easy enough.”

A knock on the door interrupted us.

“Who is it?” Niall called.

No answer.

I get up to answer the door. Zayn’s leaning on the doorway looking apologetic. Right as I’m about to shut the door, he sticks his motorcycle boot covered foot in front of the door.

“You can’t ignore me forever Nialler.” His voice is insistent.

“What do you want?” I question refusing to look him in the eye.

“I want to talk….just you and me, the sooner the better.” He says.

“Okay, give me a minute.” I give in.

I shut the door.

When I turn around, Harry is sitting on my bed looking at his hands.

“I don’t want you to go.” He whispers.

“It won’t be for long, love.” I assure him grabbing my jacket.

“Give me a kiss.” Harry shuts his eyes and waits for me with a slight smile.

He puckers his pink lips up adorably. This rush of emotions hit me. I don’t know if it was because of what happened today but my heart starts to ache. I feel like Harry could wait in that position for me forever, just waiting for me to kiss him.

I grab his face and kiss him deeply. When I finally need to pull away for air Harry leans his forehead against my own.

“I love you.” He whispers.

“I love you too.” I sigh.

I leave before I decide otherwise. Zayn’s just hanging outside smoking a cigarette.

Zayn nods toward the hallway and I follow behind him. Wordlessly he leads me up flights and flights of stairs until we reach the top of the flat building. The door is held open by a cinderblock. I’d been up here with Lou and Zayn a few times when we were freshman.

The view isn’t that spectacular since the building is a mere five stories but it’s a calm feeling up here. Besides the gravel crunching under our sneakers there isn’t a sound.

“I’m really sorry.” Zayn begins placing his hands on the red brick edge that borders the top of the building. He leans on it since it reaches just below his chest.

“What’re you sorry for?” I question bitterly looking up at the overcast clouds, crossing my arms.

“I don’t know…a lot of things.” Zayn says and I can just feel his eyes probing me.

“It hurt….the things you said.”

“I know. I was angry when I said them and I’m sorry.”

“If it makes you happy, Harry is going to be gone in two weeks.”

“Why would that make me happy?”

The gravel crunches beneath his feet as he approaches.

“I don’t know. You didn’t like him even before you know he wasn’t real.”

“But you’re upset, I don’t like to see you upset.”

“The thing is, he’s not real and this isn’t some fucking fairy tale that I can just wish him alive.”

For once, I think Zayn understands. He wraps me in a tight hug.

“Maybe there’s a moral to all of this.”

“Like what?”

“Like...sometimes it doesn’t matter how bad you want something.” Zayn says pull back a little bit to make eye contact with me.

I stare at him confused. What the fuck kind of moral is that?

Zayn sighs and brushes his thumb across my bottom lip.

My jaw drops at the realization. He bites his lip and gives me this pleading look before closing his eyes and turning his head slightly before inching closer.

My breath catches in my throat.

Sorry for the super short chapter but something is better than nothing right? Lol sorry guys. Anyways, I’ve been sick lately so I haven’t been in the mood to write. I have an ending in mind that I’m hoping you’ll all like but I’m gonna stretch it out a bit so this book isn’t too short. Is there anything in particular you guys wanna see before it all ends? Some cheating? Fluff? Smut? More of the other characters? Let me know please! Vote, comment or whatever if you feel like it!

Stay lovely. xx

P.S Holy shit guys, all those votes and comments on the last chapter?!? You guys are nuts but I love you so much for your support on this story. The next chapter will kick ass I promise! xxxxxxx