Pretty Boy

Chapter 13

Harley

Harley's chest tightened as he put his phone down from checking it for the hundredth time. Liam hadn't responded to his texts which was weird considering he had always responded as soon as he could, even if it was to just let him know he was occupied with something else.

Maybe he was busy.

Or maybe he was done with Harley.

He rolled his eyes at himself. That couldn't have been it, just because Liam hadn't texted him back in four hours didn't mean he was done with them, Liam did have a life outside of Harley.

His ex had never prioritized him, choosing to hangout with his friends instead of spending time with him. That had been completely fine, he understood that Declan had a social life and he encouraged it even, but sometimes he would ignore Harley for weeks on end and then come back saying he had been busy. It had taken a massive toll on his mental health, the aftermath of it bleeding into his relationship with his family. It had left him wondering what he had done wrong to deserve that, to be ignored and treated like he wasn't important. And for a while, Harley believed it.

He believed that it was his own fault for not being interesting enough, for being too clingy so he had never said anything to Declan and during the rare occasions where he had tried to communicate his feelings about it, Declan would laugh, demean his insecurities and tell him to get over it. Declan had been a ticking bomb; one he had never known how to approach and it taken him too long realise there was no diffusing him.

Harley should've noticed the signs, but he had been so ready to prove to his parents that he was mature enough, that he had ignored the red flags even as they hung over his head, bright and screaming at him.

He trained his gaze outside the window, fidgeting with his hoodie as the sunlight whitened his vision. He let out a choky breath as he tried to regulate his jerky breathing, hands tightening on his pillow case, as he seemed to do every time he thought of his past relationship.

Liam was different, he already knew that, he would never do to him what Declan had done. Being who he was, even if Liam had lost interest, he would say it to Harley's face. He would never lead him on, that was the kind of person he was. It was one of Liam's most admirable qualities.

Harley had always been fascinated with him, even before he had developed feelings. Liam had strong morals that he always stuck to and all his life, he had been the rock to Charlie's storm, calm and strong, not wavering in the face of Charlie's irrational anger but patient until he broke through.

He remembered small moments in his life that had left a lasting impression on him, things like Liam always making sure Charlie's cabinet was stocked with first aid supplies and Grace always had someone to drive her to school. Not many people had friends in their lives like that, someone who always watched out for them.

In the years Harley had known Liam, he had never let Harley feel like he was just his brother's best friend, he had treated him like a friend too. 

Harley paused as he walked past Charlie's room, straining his ear to hear more clearly as he heard a thump, which was weird considering Harley was the only one home. His brother had left for basketball and his sister was out with her friends and it was way too early in the afternoon for his parents to be home.

His breath quickened. Shit, had someone broken in? All while Harley had been too engrossed in Karaoke to notice? But even then, he would've heard the sound of glass breaking.

His fought the urge to run and hide as he reached for the umbrella that sat next to his door. He almost held his breath as he slowly pushed open Charlie's door, throwing a furtive glance at the window when he found no one else in the room.

He then noticed the light coming out the bathroom in the otherwise darkness of the room.

Here we go, he thought as he creeped into the room, his grip tightening on his makeshift weapon.

Harley pushed the door open, quickly, hoping to gain the advantage of surprise as he raised his umbrella to strike.

"What the!", The perpetrator yelped, turning back, just in time to get a face full of umbrella, "Harley!"

Harley paused halfway through his assault; wait he knew that voice.

"Liam?", he asked incredulously as Charlie's best friend grabbed his weapon from him and tossed it away, "What the hell are you doing here? Asshole!"

Liam held his arms up as he pointed to the umbrella, eyebrows drawn together, "I'm the asshole? You just tried to kill me!"

Harley snorted, throwing him a bored look, "Killed? Please, we both know it would've barely maimed you"

"Nope", Liam said, his lips twitching, "You almost killed me"

"Oookay", Harley said with a roll of his eyes, "What are you doin here anyway? Charlie's not home"

"Yeah", he replied sheepishly with a glance at Charlie's cabinet, "Just stocking some supplies"

That's when Harley noticed the rolls of medical gauze, bandages and cotton, almost like he had robbed a drug store.

It hit him

"Oh"

Liam shrugged, his eyes not meeting Harley's, "I know I'm like enabling him by making sure he has this shit but, I don't know how else to help"

Harley shook his head even before he had finished, "No no, Liam you're not enabling him, you're helping", he laughed drily, "Look at you, you're in his bathroom making sure he has the medical supplies he needs when he hurts himself, you're letting him know you're always there for him"

Liam looked almost helpless as he shook his head, "I'm his best friend, shouldn't I be making him stop hurting himself? Instead of fixing it, after"

"This is not something we can make him stop doing", Harley said, placing a hand on Liam's shoulder, urging him to look at him, "He has to do it himself, for him, not us and right now, we can only be there for him and hey, you're already doing a great job at that"

"Yeah, I guess so", Liam said, "Thanks Harley"

Harley nodded, removing his hand with an awkward chuckle, "Anytime"

He watched as Liam put the rest of the supplies in the cabinet and moved to leave the room. Something in Harley didn't want him to leave, he wasn't sure what he was expecting but he just knew he couldn't let him leave without saying anything else.

"Hey, Liam?", Harley called out.

Liam paused, brown hair falling back as he turned, "Yeah?"

"Next time, fucking tell me when you're in the house so I don't kill you"

Liam laughed, his back still to Harley, "You got it"

The laugh had Harley holding his breath as he watched him leave. 

Uploading every week is all fun and games until life fucks you in the ass. Anyway, new update, mwah have fun you heathens :3