To Begin Again (narry)

blueberry muffins

"You have a lot of catching up to do, mate." Lorin tells Harry, watching him slowly sip an old fashioned. "Niall and Wil are already pissed drunk and I'm slightly buzzed. You're still on your first drink."

"I don't drink to get drunk." Harry swirls his drink, his eyes glued to Niall. The brunette on the other side of club dancing away with strangers.

"Do you not like us because we're not as rich as you?" He asks with a raised brow.

"Sorry?" He snaps his gaze over to the redhead.

"You seem like you're not enjoying yourself, s'all." Lorin shrugs, picking up a lime to suck on it. "I've seen the magazines about you, you're a celebrity or summat. Which now that I think about it, how did you and Niall meet? Because no offense, you and Niall aren't... you know. You're upper class, he's not."

"Money has nothing to do with Niall and I." Harry is quick to clarify, feeling quite offended Niall's friend would think he'd care about anyone's social status. "And to answer your first question, no I'm not enjoying myself and it's not because of you or anyone in particular. I'm just not the clubbing type."

"You're so different from what Niall usually likes, but I reckon it's good." He pats his arm.

"You mean I'm different from Breslin?" He sees him tense up and squirm uncomfortably in his seat. He almost feels sorry.

"I uh.. didn't mean... I'm sorry— yeah, yeah you are." Lorin gulps down his drink. "Bressie and Niall have always had this complicated relationship but weirdly enough, they made sense. You and him don't make sense."

"Not to you." Harry looks away from him to calm down, his eyes meeting Niall's blue, blue ones. It takes him a minute to realize Niall was dancing very closely with some bloke.

"Bit weird you're letting him dance with someone who's clearly trying to shag him." Lorin is surprised when Harry turns to him with an unreadable expression.

"They're just dancing, nothing wrong with that." He keeps a straight face even when he looks back at Niall and sees the stranger kiss Niall's neck. It lit a fire in his chest.

"I like you," The redhead smiles softly. "You're different, maybe a bit odd but you're a good lad. I really hope you and Niall last."

Harry doesn't pay much attention to what Lorin is telling him, he's too focused on Niall. His hand tightness around the glass as he keeps watching Niall and the stranger dance, talk, laugh and touch each other.

"It's fecking hot!" Wil plops down next to Lorin with a lazy smile, fanning himself with his hands.

"Why aren't you with Nialler?" Lorin asks, amused by his drunk friend.

"He forgot about little ol' me when that attractive lad approached him." He pouts, laying his head on Lorin's shoulder.

Harry clenches his jaw, irritation spreading over his skin like an annoying itch. He's never felt this way, so angry at seeing someone dance. "Who is he?" He asks sounding as nonchalant as he can.

"Dunno, said he's straight but finds Niall sexy," He laughs loudly. "And all he's looking for is a quickie."

He glances back at Niall and this time he can't sit back and watch, not when Niall is looking troubled as the stranger whispers into his ear. He stands up and strides over to them, pushing through sweaty bodies. His eyes never leaving Niall, not risking losing sight of him. As he approaches him, he hears the stranger moan loudly and that's when he sees him rubbing his erection on Niall's bum.

"I reckon we go to the loo, you can take care of this."

"You're not going anywhere with him," Harry says loudly, making sure he hears him over the loud music. "Let go." He glares at him when he doesn't let go of Niall.