Empire /h.s/

thirteen

Katherine

"What?" Josh and Harry both say to me in unison, stupid smiles on both of their faces

Well, Harry cleaning my apartment wasn't on my bingo card. But here we are I guess.

The shower that Harry suggested was very much needed. As the water dripped down my back and to the drain, I felt all of my worries leave my mind. Sure, the worry of talking to Harry was still very much there, but it helped put me at ease even if it was just a tiny bit.

As I stood under the water, I went through my head of every question I was planning on asking Harry. All the 'why' and 'what' questions falling into place.

But with the scene unfolding in front of me, I have a new one.

"What's going on?" I say with a bit of a laugh, looking between my brother and Harry.

Josh shrugs his shoulders, "Just cleaning as you asked, sis," Josh picks up the bucket of what I'm assuming is soapy water to go with the mop that is sticking out of the top.

I walk into the kitchen, feeling my lips twitch as I try to hold back my smile. Grimacing when my feet touch the wet tiles. "Has he been helping you this whole time?" I raise my voice for Josh to be able to hear me over the sounds of Harry using the vacuum, but not loud enough for Harry to hear.

"Kinda," Josh tilts his head, "I was joking with him about cleaning, but then he just kind of..." he drifts off pointing to Harry behind me.

I look over my shoulder, seeing Harry fight with the vacuum cord while he rolls the vacuum across the carpet, while his tongue is poked out the side of his lips in concentration.

Seeing Harry be so domestic, humming along to the songs that Josh is most likely playing, seeing him struggle to fit the vacuum into the tiny space under the couch. It brings out a humanized version of himself. I don't see the same man that yelled at me, making me feel small. But nor do I see the man who was so nervous when telling me goodnight. I see a man who's good at hiding.

Hiding that he can do things for others than himself. Hiding the big scary façade that he plays every day. If you were to ask me, I'd say he's being himself. His true, genuine self. And I can't help the smile that lifts on my face.

Josh comes up to me out of the corner of my eyes, wiping a dirty rag on my mouth.

"Josh, what the hell," I swat his hand away.

"Sorry, you just had a bit of drool," Josh gives me a bright smile, turning back around to resume whatever he was doing, flipping him the bird after his back is turned to me.

I glance back over at Harry, wondering to myself; why does this feel so normal?

For the next hour, Harry and Josh switched off cleaning around the apartment between the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, while I sat on the couch, annoying them as I watched them. At one point, I had to barricade myself in front of my bedroom door to keep the two boys out, begging me to let them clean it.

"No, it's not happening!" I shake my head, laughing at the two idiots standing in front of me. I have a death grip on my door frame, refusing to let either of them in.

"Oh c'mon Kat, I wanna show Harry all your dirty hiding spots. No doubt they haven't changed since living at home," Josh says suggestively, raising his eyebrows up and down.

My cheeks go into flames, feeling all the heat from my body travel to my face. I fold my lips into my mouth, giving Josh wide eyes. Because he's not wrong. Can you blame me? I like to keep things in their same spots, even if those same spots just happen to be my underwear drawer, and one of my bedside tables.