[Narry One Shots]

Freaks and Fools (in Love), Inc.

AN: This is for y'all. Thank you for voting for my One Shots in the Bromance Awards! :) Enjoy! x
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In which Harry works somewhere very, very special.

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Freaks and Fools (in Love), Inc.

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"So, this is where you'll work from now on. Congratulations, by the way. Mr Horan apparently doesn't accept every silly bod that turns up at the job interview.", Harry's new colleague, Mr Payne, says with a fond smile and one wouldn't believe that this guy just kind of insulted his employer and also Harry because with his brown eyes and gentle face, Mr Payne rather resembles a puppy and no one would hurt a puppy and a puppy wouldn't hurt anybody either, so Harry finds himself in a short situation of utter confusion.

"Uhm, thank you.", Harry replies then after Mr Payne doesn't say anything else and just continues to point towards the desk next to him. The brown-eyed man nods then with another of these weirdly cheerful smiles and gives Harry a thumbs up.

"And it is great to see that you know about the dress code. Suit and tie.", Mr Payne eyes Harry's grey suit up and down. "I know it might seem boring and dull and also kind of uncomfortable, but you'll get used to it, I promise. And I know because I did get used to it. Mostly because my girlfriend thinks I look dashing in a tailored suit and she really likes when I come up to her in an all businessman manner and take her over--"

"It's alright, it's alright, no details please, Mr Payne, I can imagine what you do.", Harry quickly lifts his hands in defense and he really, really doesn't want to know more about Mr Payne and his girlfriend. Not only because he isn't interested in heterosexual coitus in the slightest, but also because people just don't tell strangers stuff like this and make them feel more uncomfortable than they ever could in a tight suit and an even tighter tie. He chokes inwardly.

"Oh, you can call me Liam. Only my girlfriend calls me Mr Payne when we're--", and great, Harry thinks, Mr-- Liam is at it again and he certainly is not going to call Liam "Mr Payne" anytime soon again. Or ever again. He almost suffocates inwardly when he only thinks about what exactly Liam and his girlfriend-- no. No. Stop. Full stop.

"Very well then, Liam, if there isn't anything else, then I'd like to, uhm, get accustomed to, uh, my surroundings. Thank you for showing me my working place.", Harry tries his best to get rid of the annoyingly blatant man but it's the truth. He needs to work his way into this new company and he doesn't want to fail just because of a stupid clodpole like Liam. He's sorry to think so but Liam deserves no better for a behaviour like that.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Okay. See you then, Harold.", Liam says before he finally leaves and somehow Harry is quite satisfied that he doesn't sound as cheerful as before but he also can't remember to have offered his first name to the puppy guy. Be that as it may, Harry thinks and sighs and glances around the office where he is the new graphic designer. He has two computers on his desk and a lot of folders and a cup with pencils and other writing utensils. With another sigh he straightens his tie, sits down in the chair and turns on one of the computers.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.", a high-pitched voice behind him suddenly pipes up, making Harry turn around in a swift movement. Another guy with a smile on his face stands there, but this time the smile is more cheeky than fond and the whole face it belongs to looks rather mischievous than puppy-like.

"Yeah, hello.", Harry forces a smile on his own and can't help but stare at the Ferrari red suit and the neon green shirt and the yellow dotted tie the blue-eyed man is wearing. Yet again, Harry is confused and starts to doubt that this office is normal. First of all, he doesn't quite understand why everyone has to wear a suit and a tie if they're journalists and graphic designers and other employees of the media world. Second of all, he doesn't quite understand why everyone is so weird here. Apparently at least.

"You're the new guy, right?", the colourful freak grins cockily and leans against Harry's desk. "Of course I'm right. I'm Mr Louis William Tomlinson but you may call me Louis or Tommo."
Harry, a bit intimidated by all of this, nods and blinks a few times. "And, uhm, I'm Harry Styles."

"Harry? I thought Mr Horan mentioned someone called Harold. Is Harry short for Harold?"
Harry can't help but frown at that. What else would Harry be short for? "Eh, yes. Yes it's short for Harold.“, he replies slowly and blinks a few times more. To blink away his confusion somehow, maybe.

"Great! Nice to meet you, Harry short for Harold!", Louis sneers, punches Harry in the back and ruffles him through his curls. "I'm the main photographer here and not the office clown, as you might think! I'm just trying to stand up against the dress code rules without actually breaking them. Quite smart, right?", but before Harry can answer the rhetorical question, the shorter bloke in the colourful costume is gone.

With a loud groan, Harry buries his face into his hands. Where did he land here? Alright, he thinks then, get a grip Harry, this is your first day of work, your employer has yet to make an appearance, everyone here is insane probably, but you're not going to fuck this up.
New motivation floats through Harry's veins and he sits up straight and checks for e-mails from his new employer, which he hasn't really met because the one doing the job interview was apparently an assistant of Mr Horan.

After also looking through the spam, he finally finds an e-mail from his boss, which reads:

Aye, Mr Harold Edward Styles:

Welcome on board of the SS Horan, Inc.!

It is great to have a new member, friend and employee on our ship towards success.
Here we have a few treasures for you to search!

...

At this point the one who wrote the mail added links, onto which Harry clicks immediately. Finally, something he could make use of! Design commissions. A sigh of big relief escapes his mouth.

...

I hope you'll enjoy your cruise with us and I also hope we'll enjoy the cruise with you. If not, then you'll probably have to walk the plank.
Until then, matelot!

Captain N. J. Horan

...

And Harry's hope that Mr Horan is normal just vanished into thin air.
"Just my luck.", he deadpans and finally gets to work, hoping that he won't screw up this job, even though only freaks are working here with him.

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The next three days since Harry's start on Monday were suspiciously uneventful and almost normal, well, if it wasn't for Louis' colour explosions in all matters suits and his tendency to photograph Harry in the most outrageous circumstances. Liam in the meanwhile wasn't so much of a bother because he had to do head journalist stuff elsewhere and Harry could only pray that he won't come visit him anytime soon.

His other co-workers aren't as normal as Harry'd like to have but he accepts them most of the time. He accepts Zayn Malik's constant non-attendance and he's only seen the man because of Taco Tuesday, just coming to deliver the most beautiful piece of art Harry's ever seen and then to stuff his face with as much tacos as possible and one wouldn't believe that because Zayn Malik is as thin as a stick. Harry wonders how he does it, he personally has to work out like a maniac to not gain weight and let's be honest, he still does. Muscles, though, of course. Not fat.

He also accepts Josh Devine's complaints about whatever, really, may it be his own height, Harry's height, their heights in comparison or just whatever. Trust Josh to complain about it.
Harry almost finds himself complaining about such a nonsense as height and why Zayn gets more tacos than others, but he restrains himself from becoming like Josh all too much.

Harry tries to hide his knowledge about what Louis and the model Eleanor do in their break, while they're at work and just when they think no one sees them, as well. It reminds him a bit of Liam and his girlfriend, only that Harry's never seen Liam's girlfriend and begins to doubt her actual existence, but her existence is not the only one Harry doubts.

He also isn't all too sure if Mr Horan actually exists and is part of Horan, Inc. because he's not seen him once and come on, all right, it's a company but not big enough to not see the boss sometimes. Harry asked Louis about Mr Horan's absence, but the short brunette only shrugged and said: "He comes when he feels like it.", what an amazing answer.
But oh well. It's not as if Harry cares that much, as long as he gets to have the job and earns enough money to feed himself.

It's Thursday afternoon and Harry edits a few pictures for the animal magazine Horan, Inc. apparently produces. Not that he's heard of this magazine before, but okay.
He also wonders if his co-workers Josh and Danielle ever really work on something and where the hell Zayn Malik is and also what Simon and Jack, those who are responsible for the print, are up to at the moment because Harry hasn't seen them in quite a while. He really, really wonders if anyone actually ever works here except for him and maybe Louis, but Louis just takes pictures of absolutely everything and screws Eleanor in the box room.
Harry rolls his eyes and scratches the back of his neck, beneath his pearl white shirt. He got used to the dress code and seeing that the others have to wear suits, too, makes it more bearable.

Then, all of a sudden, the office door gets slammed open. Harry whips around, expecting a huge problem or an attack or whatever, just to see that a blond lad his age walks in with swagger, wearing ripped skinny jeans, a sleeveless shirt and a blue snapback, a grin bright on his face.
"Greetings, my friends! I have returned and am ready to work hard for my daily bread!", he exclaims in a thick Irish accent and lifts his arms as if he's expecting applause.
Harry frowns at that guy's behaviour and his audacity to want to work here but not abide by the dress code.

"Oh boy, the suitless king's back!", Josh jeers from his desk and Danielle agrees loudly. If they're like that, then Blondie can't be much more than a bad joke. Said joke pulls the snapback off his head and bows a little.
"Thank you, thank you, my people. I am glad to see you again, too.", he smirks and places his stupid hat back onto his head and looks around, Harry apparently manages somehow to catch the blond's eye because he approaches him.

"And who're you?", Blondie asks in a flirty tone and winks. Harry snorts at that.
"I'm the new graphic designer, Harry Styles. And who're you to think you're the cat's whiskers, Your Highness?", he mocks the other bloke and raises an eyebrow. Blondie's grin only widens.
"Oh man, would you look at that? You've got quite the spirit, I like that!", he drawls and licks his lips, distracting Harry for a moment from being annoyed with the guy, who then turns around swiftly, holding his arms up once again.

"Joshua John Devine! Tell the newbie who I am!", Blondie shouts and shakes his hips to a rhythm only he seems to know.
"You're Niall James Horan, boss of everything and Horan, Inc., fake blond, Irish, kind of short, kind of skinny, kind of--", Josh lists but Blondie interrupts him.
"Enough! I think the new graphic designer Harry Styles knows now who I am and is also aware that I could fire him for insulting the employer. Which is me. I am the boss!"

Niall turns around again to face Harry and smiles gleefully. "I'd hate to fire you, you're quite the pretty bloke and you seem intelligent enough and also willing to work. Unlike some others here...", Niall shoots Josh and the others a glare. "Where's Zayn anyway?"

"Well, it's not Tuesday, so...", Danielle interjects and Niall nods. "Oh, yeah, right. I forgot."
Niall nods a fews time more until his head perks up and he stares intently at Harry. "You!"
"Me?", Harry asks a bit frightened.
"Follow me into my very own office!", the blond proclaims and walks off to the door with the name 'Horan' written on it, where Harry's never been in.

Harry rises slowly from his chair and follow his employer, who holds up the door for him. Josh whoops.
Niall shouts at Josh for whooping. Harry doesn't know what to do with himself and just sighs and waits for Niall to enter the head office, too. When they're both sitting across each other at the huge desk in the room.

"So, Mr Styles. I hope you like working here.", Niall says in a surprisingly professional way and shuffles with a few sheets laying on the desk. "Any questions?"
Harry doesn't really understand Niall's sudden change in behaviour but what else is new in this working place besides bipolarity?

"Uhm, yeah, I think I've got one.", Harry replies and frowns lightly. "Why aren't you wearing a suit?"
This obviously amuses the blond. "Because I'm the boss, of course. I can do whatever I want. Also, this wasn't exactly my rule but my dad's rule, you know? I'm quite young, you see, I inherited this whole company from my dad. I mean, he's not dead but he didn't want to do this anymore. So, here we are."

Harry nods understandingly. "I see."
"Well!", Niall smiles then and stands up, his singlet sliding a little deeper, revealing a nipple and god, no, god, Harry feels a tingle in his belly that only means one thing.
"Do you want to grab a pint after work? As friends and not as employer and employee?"

Harry almost faints at the question because Niall leans over the desk and while he of course doesn't have boobs, he still has a body underneath the barely there clothing and he has perky little nipples and goddamn, if Harry isn't tempted to lick them. He gulps. "Uhm, what?", he stammers and tries to control the wave of lust that washes over him, which he really doesn't know where it comes from.
Plain attraction, he hopes, this is just plain attraction.

"Oh, eh... I asked if you-- never mind, sorry!", Niall stutters now as well and straightens himself, reaching up to scratch the back of his head, flexing his lean muscles while doing so.
Harry doesn't drool. "Ehrm... do you want to... hang out-- oh god, you're the boss, oh my g--"

Niall stares at him incredulously out of pretty blue eyes. "But that's what I just asked you!", he exclaims and shakes his head. Harry blushes furiously.
"Oh, oops, uhm!", he glances down at the floor. "I'd like to.", he says then and pulls on his black tie awkwardly.

"Sweet!", Niall cheers and jumps happily into the air, which makes Harry's heart swell in a very confusing way. "I'll leave now again but I'll pick you up after work, yeah?!", the blond smiles brilliantly and Harry smiles back.
"Yeah.", he agrees and follows Niall, who skips merrily out of the office and then out of the other office, too. Harry stays and feels on top of the world and doesn't let Louis nor Josh nor anyone else ruin his good mood that day.

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After work, Harry waits in front of the company for Niall and wonders if he'd be over-dressed in suit and tie for wherever they're going to. That'd be awkward but he's sure Niall wouldn't care much what others think about them, yet Harry wants to dress more comfortably.

When Niall arrives, though, also dressed in a suit and a dark green tie, he's stunned. Because Niall looks fantastic and also very, very kissable. Which Harry wouldn't admit to anyone, of course.
The blond gets out of a rather fancy black car and greets Harry with a shy hug. Harry doesn't expect the hug and almost goes in for a formal handshake, but then he has already Niall's arms around him and he can't help but melt into the hug a bit embarrassingly.

"Before we do this, I want to get one thing straight. I'm not.", Niall says after he pulled away and looks Harry deep into the eyes, who needs a second to get the joke. Then he grins. "Me neither."
"Could this be a date then?", Niall asks and his blue eyes go wide, as does Harry's heart.
"Yes, it definitely could, Mr Horan."

"Nononono, call me Niall, please!", Niall corrects him quickly and grabs his hand, shaking it a little. "When my romantic interest calls me Mr Horan, I can't not think about Liam and his girlfriend, ugh", Niall shudders at the thought and Harry shudders, too.
"Does this so-called girlfriend actually exist?", he wonders then and glances swiftly at their intertwined fingers.
"Yes, she actually does exists, to everyone's disbelief. Her name's Sophia and she's pretty and stayed with Liam even through his beard and looking like a lumberjack phase."

Harry gapes at him and Niall laughs. "I kid you not!", and Niall's laugh was probably the most wonderful thing Harry's heard in a long, long time. Niall is weird, yes of course he is, but he also is positively endearing in every way imaginable.

"Uhm, I think we should get going, okay? I booked a place in this kind of fancy restaurant, but if you want to drink a beer in a bar, then that's fine with me, of course.", Niall shrugs nonchalantly and Harry grins.
"Well, let's go to your fancy restaurant then, alright?", he says and Niall's features brighten even more than Harry thought was possible.

In time they get to the restaurant in Niall's car, they've talked about literally everything, not caring that Niall's the boss and Harry's the employee, no, they're friends now and that's that.
Their stay in the restaurant was amusing and good fun for the both of them, Harry asking more about the dress code and why Louis has the need to dress like a clown.
Apparently Niall has told his employees that they could dress how they wanted, but nobody had listened to him and Louis just wants to be an eejit. Also Liam and his girlfriend's sexual intercourse habits. No avail.

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Niall pays for the two of them, even though Harry doesn't want him to.
"What! No! I'm not letting you pay, Harold Styles! This is not a question but a demand, understood?"
And Harry understood. With a big, loud sigh.

After they leave the restaurant under slight bickering about the bill, Niall drives Harry home.
Standing in front of Harry's flat, they have to say goodbye at last, even though neither Harry nor Niall want to. Harry isn't sure if he should ask Niall to come up with him, because after all he's his boss and--

"Do you kiss on the first date?"

Harry gulps and flushes crimson. "Depends on whom I'm with..."

"Would you kiss me?", Niall asks and yes, directness and honesty is good but--

"Yes.", Harry hears himself saying and feels himself leaning in.

Their lips meet and their teeth clash a little but the awkwardness is quickly overcome and they find themselves in a passionate and lingering kiss, their hands roaming over each other's body and soon they're breathless.
"Do you want to come up?", Harry mumbles against Niall's lips and presses yet another wet kiss against them. Niall smiles softly and pulls away after kissing Harry longingly.

"No, I'm not that easy", he grins and winks cheekily. "Only after the second date... maybe..."
Harry laughs hoarsely and grabs the blond's buttocks. "Tomorrow then", he says which gets Niall laughing, too.
"We'll see", he smirks and his lips are damp and red and swollen after having kissed them, his hair a bit disheveled and Harry can't wait to have Niall like this again.

"See you tomorrow in the office, Harry.", Niall bids Harry goodbye and bows a little. Harry lifts his eyebrows. "You'll be there?", he questions and cocks his head to the side.
"See you tomorrow in the office maybe, Harry.", the blond corrects himself then and enters his car with a tiny laugh, waving at Harry, starting the motor and then he's gone.

Harry feels light and giddy and happy and easy.

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"Did you do it? Did you do it with the king?", Louis bombards Harry as soon as he enters the office the next day. "How was it, Harry short for Harold? Was he any good? I heard he's big down there.", and of course the photographer has to point at his crotch. "Do you get a promotion now because you're sleeping with the boss? I tried that once, didn't work out."

"I wonder why.", Harry sighs and rolls his eyes, sitting down at his desk.
"Young Harold!", oh no, it was Liam, out of all people. "I heard about the rumours! And I've got to mention that this is against the rules, I'm sure!"
"Oh, for god's sake Payno. Homosexuality is not against the rules, you prat!", Louis groans and shoves Liam away from Harry's desk, pulling down the man's raised finger.

Harry is quite thankful for Louis sometimes. Not often, but sometimes. He tries to start working but the peace doesn't hold on for very long, only until Louis comes back.
"So. You're welcome. Did you screw Niall now or not?"
"No.", Harry replies briefly and ignores Louis' heavy sigh.
"Who didn't want to? You or Niall?"
"Oh god, just leave, Louis!", Harry groans and runs a hand through his curls. "This is none of your business!"

"It really isn't, Mr Tomlinson!", Niall's voice echoes through the room and Harry sees him standing in the door of his very own office. They exchange secret little smiles and Louis leaves Harry alone, muttering under his breath things that Harry probably doesn't want to hear.
Niall wears skinny jeans again but this time not a singlet but a real dress shirt and he looks good as always.

"See you tonight.", Niall mouths at Harry and winks. Harry grins brightly and winks back.
"See you tonight", he mouths, too and after another exchange of smiles, Niall retreats into his office and Harry can't help but think about the things they could do in there if this relationship between him and Niall goes like he imagines it and wants it to go.

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AN: I SWEAR TO GOD IF THIS IS NOW RATED R IM GONNA CUT A BITCH