✓ wings -narry au-

3

Take these broken wings and learn to fly again.

the house

Harry found Niall's house the night after.

Niall was busying himself by cleaning his bedroom (because his parent's threatened him. That was fine though, because he swore he was going to do it anyway). He was sitting in the center of his bedroom, his hands holding his broken Spiderman figure. Harry was watching him through the window of the balcony, his body swallowed by the night and his eyes bright green with curiosity. He didn't know Niall very much, but he thought he liked him.

Niall paused from trying to stick the arm of his toy back where it belonged, feeling quite different. He was used to the feeling, so he immediately smiled and lifted his head toward the large glass door, standing to his feet and walking over the mess of other toys toward Harry. He unlocked the door and the first thing he noticed was the absence of his friend's wings.

Harry walked into the room with little ease. He was leaning a little to the right; looked unbalanced. "Niall," he greeted quietly. "Hello."

"Are you hurt?"

"My parents and their friends don't trust me down here."

Niall frowned, not knowing what that meant. Did he live in the same building as him? Was he not allowed to hang out with friends?

"I need to be watched for a while."

That was when Niall noticed how different his eyes were. The bright green he was used to seeing seemed tired and faded. "Have you been crying?"

Harry scowled, lips twisting and eyes darkening for a moment. He puffed out his chest. "I don't cry," he said slowly. "Never have. That's showing weakness and we're not allowed to show weakness."

Niall nodded, though he didn't believe him. "Have you got tired of your wings?"

His eyes widened and he was quick to respond with, "No! No, never. Just can't wear them out here anymore." He reached down and his fingers slipped under the neck of his black shirt before bringing out a chain. There was only one charm, a black, heavy looking wing. It was rather small and very pretty, but Harry didn't seem to like it. "Only the ones being watched have to wear their wings on their chest."

Niall didn't feel as happy as he was when he saw Harry standing outside of his balcony because he thought maybe they'd play a game and make jokes, but he was sad and he didn't have his wings and that seemed to somehow make it worse. "I'll make you wings."

"Not the same," He mumbled under his breath. He leaned against the wall, but awkwardly. It was quiet for a moment after that until Harry's voice spoke up. "Does crying make things better for you?"

"Sometimes."

"Crying won't change what's happened."

Niall nodded and walked back to his broken spidey figure, grabbing it and walking back toward the window. "After you cry about what's broken," Niall turned the toy over and held the broken arm in the palm of his other hand, showing Harry. He looked up and offered a really small smile. "You see you can't fix it, and..." He moved to the side to drop the toy in the garbage basin. "You can't do anything with something that's broken."

"That's very Achlys of you. Very morbid, that's what my dad says."

"Achlys," Niall repeated. "What's that?"

"The only weak one of us all. Goddess of Sadness and Misery."

"Oh."

Harry reached down to take the toy, looking down at it before looking at Niall. "I can't see you for a while until it's allowed."

"How long?"

"For a while, but I'll come back. Don't forget about me, yeah?"

"Never."

"Is that your word, Niall? I will hold it above your life."

Niall took a step back. "What does that mean?"

"Ypérocho eínai i zoí mou , kai eilikrinís eínai i luxe sas."

He rolled his eyes. "Gaelic and English. I don't know what that means."

"I'll see you again."

"Is that what that means?"

Harry smiled childishly. "No." He walked over to the balcony and closed the window behind him, waving a hand before climbing down.