A Rose for the Prince | Larry Stylinson

003

Harry did not even know how it started, that his nails were no longer natural but wore bright colors. It was strange as he thought about it, it wasn't that he was not feeling well in his skin and he was one hundred percent sure that he was a he. It was more that Harry was fond of colors, all the colors, the more color the better. He found it strange that women could wear those beautiful colors as they pleased, but it was a taboo for him.

Personally, Harry didn't see how this made him less of a man, but as long as he risked losing everything because of painted fingernails, he kept it quiet. To him, it was special enough that Noek knew about it and it could be called a wonder that Harry liked it when she did his nails. The girl had had narrow and small hands, making them a lot more precise in what they did, more than he ever could.

Tiredly he sat on his bed and put his head in his hands. Knowing Niall the 'I'll be back soon' wasn't true, that boy was honestly slower than a snail when he came across someone he knew he would be talking for hours. Harry compared him more than once with his mother and getting slapped at the back of his head wasn't unsual.

He thought about taking this time for himself, but it simply gave too much risk. Harry could only afford that if Niall was a weekend at his parents or if he himself was at Noek's place. It was so terribly frustrating that he couldn't be himself, but he had to learn to live with it. For now at least.

Restless as Harry was he stood up and walked to the living room, where he quickly turned on the fan to make it more bearable. The weather was just not doable if you were used to ten degrees all year round, maybe fifteen tops. For a moment he sat with his face towards the fan, just because he could. Niall found it always fun to point out how Harry's hair blew as dramatic as in a romantic film.

He smiled at the thought of how they always did Titanic at the slightest breath of wind on the tiny balcony and complained how the iceberg was allowed to come if it was as hot as it was now. Harry hummed while enjoying the breeze and then climbed off the couch to go get something to drink. After all, you had to stay hydrated.

Tap water was good enough, it wasn't necessary to waste other things and it was healthier too. He stretched his back and grabbed a glass to fill. Only when Harry put it to his lips he noticed how thirsty he had been and he emptied the glass in one go, he didnt understand why some people had such an aversion to water. Yes, cola and things like it were tasty, but so was water and it wasn't full of sugars.

Maybe Harry was a health freak, but he didn't harm anyone with it, as far as he knew. He didn't forvce anyone to live the same way and he wasn't exaggerating it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and put the glass back on the counter.

He'd already hoped the blonde would be home by now, the apartment was quiet without him. And although Harry liked silence from time to time, this wasn't the time for it. Because of that it was better if he sat by the fan again, which gave a little noise and it was nice and cool. He strolled back to the couch and sat as close as he could to the thing.

He leaned his head on one hand and groaned frustratedly. He decided to become active again when when it had cooled down and you could move without drowning right away in your own sweat. His gaze fell on his other hand, which Harry didn't really know what he had to with because everything was too hot. Red always stood him well, it showed that his hands could also be delicate. The only question was if he could flaunt it openly without being noticed too much.

"Jesus, Haz. You look like a corpse," Niall's voice sounded after Harry had heard the front door slam. He didn't look up and only made a sound like a dying pterodactyl, maybe he lied about his headache, but he really didn't feel great. It just had nothing to do with being physically ill. Harry couldn't bring himself to go help his friend to unpack the groceries, too hot.

"You know what you need? A night out to leave  everything behind you." Harry raised an eyebrow, when Niall said something like that it couldn't end well. He plopped down beside him on the couch and put a hand on his shoulder. Harry knew that look, that meant he understood, he saw that something was wrong and that it was okay if he didn't want to talk about it. That kind of stuff left Harry doubting whether he should tell how it really was, but Noek also discovered it by accident, otherwise she still wouldn't know.

"And what exactly do you mean with that? Ni, I have to work tomorrow," Harry complained quietly, but Niall gestured that he should keep his mouth shut.

"One evening, just one. I know how stressed you are," he continued, and Harry sighed. He couldn't do anything against those pleading, big blue eyes staring at him, so he sat up and pushed the hand off of his shoulder. Niall grinned and looked at him triumphantly, knowing very well how powerful his influence was. Harry ran a hand through his hair to get it out of his face and looked at the boy beside him, his head slightly tilted to the side.

"Alright, but on one condition."

"That is?"

"Make sure that this time it ends in your own room, I'll never get those stains out of my sheets."

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A/N Sorry for the wait and all, I am just a very lazy person, that's the only explaination really. Plus it was too hot (hot damn.) And don't worry, Louis will appear soon enough. ^-^ Dedicated to a very sweet person who I only met recently, but feels like a lifetime.