I Want It Bad - Narry

Chapter Nine

Harry rolls his eyes. “Same difference.”

Harry soon caves in after being sucked into the guilt trip Niall gives him. A simple pout and an innocent stare can cause the most irrevocable guilt to set deep inside him. Though, Niall’s the same way, so neither can really judge.

Harry reappears with a damp cloth, wiping away all the clay he could off himself and Niall. As he’s doing so, Niall couldn’t but notice a rectangular instrument case set off in the corner of the room. The lock on it was open, ultimately defeating the purpose of the item’s usage, leaving the case slightly ajar. The glare of the overhead light fixture glints off of something shiny and metal inside. As he strains his neck to look, his eyes catch a tuning peg sticking out, only meaning one thing.

“Is that a guitar in there?” he questions curiously.

Harry barely has to glance over to know what he’s talking about, giving his head a quick nod as he tosses the cloth he just used into the bin that he puts his dirty laundry in. “Yeah, it’s Josh’s.” It’s quiet, so Harry adds, “that’s my roommate’s name, by the way.”

Niall stiffens, inevitably noticeable to Harry. He bends down and pecks his cheek lightly, the gesture seeming to relax Niall.

“D’ya mind if I take a look?”

As if he doesn’t really care what Harry’s response may be, he walks over and picks the guitar up, turning it over in his hands to inspect it. He grins, fingers stretching over the neck of the guitar as they press down above three different frets, the other hand strumming down on the strings to release a melodic sound.

“Do you know how to play?” Harry asks from his bed, his head lying against the palm of his hand.

“Yeah, but it’s been awhile,” Niall mumbles, switching to a different chord. ”Forgot how fun it was, though.”

Niall remembers how to play parts of one of his favorite songs by The Eagles, which is still, and forever will be, one of his favorite bands.

He gives it a go and so far it sounds pretty good, a surge of warmth coiling in his chest when he sees Harry gawk up at him in amazement, tapping his hand to beat on his thigh. A smile makes its way onto Niall’s lips, and now he’s laughing and strutting around the room, a natural cordial glow radiating from him like he’s some sort of ball of sunshine, but really, he is. Or, at least he is in Harry’s eyes.

Harry’s never seen him so happy before, genuinely happy – which is a close second to the happiness Niall usually feels when he’s with Harry.