Narry: One Shots

Chasing Happiness

By: NarryMusings

 Summary: 

Niall is a popstar, gone to find his happiness in Hollywood and Harry is just his best friend back home.   

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"And the winner for Breakout Artist of the Year goes too..."

Harry watches, with bated breath, waiting for the current presenter on the American Music Award show to name the winner. He hates this part. He truly hates the waiting game they always play, those five, six, seven seconds of unadulterated, painstaking anxiety before they finally announce the winner.

It's for Breakout Artist of the Year and Niall is up against some of the best solo artists and bands in the world right now. Harry feels like he's going to throw up because he knows how much Niall wants this – needs this – and he can't even imagine what's going through Niall's mind right now. Is he sick? Is he going to pass out from the anxiety? Is he hyperventilating like the time they waited for the results of their Eighth Grade Talent Show? (Niall had won the talent show, by the way.)

Harry leans forward, staring intently at the TV screen, his gaze settled on the blond-haired, blue-eyes boy sitting next to his manager, Paul.

"...NIALL HORAN!"

X

Niall's always been a dreamer. He's always wanted bigger and better things for himself; mostly, though, he's just always wanted to get out of his too-small hometown.

Ever since Harry could remember, Niall had dreamed of fame. He'd dreamed of singing and touring the world and living the dream. He'd dreamed of his name in lights, standing under spotlights basking in the sounds and the energy of a live show.

It was one of the first things he'd learned about Niall. Niall loved to sing. Liked to perform. Adored being the center of everyone's attention. And he was all dyed-blond hair and blue eyes like the ocean and a crooked smile that could rival the brightness of the sun, so of course it was easy for Niall. Hell, Niall was the sun.

So it came as no surprise when Niall told him his dreams, just three weeks into their newfound friendship. At the time, Harry had just smiled and shrugged and told him that of course he'd be a famous singer, because how could he not? The boy was incredible.

And then Niall's parents got divorced when they were 12 and his father moved out and Harry let Niall cry into his shoulder night after night because he knew how it felt. He'd witnessed his own parents' divorce when he was 9, so he was familiar with those kinds of tears and sobs and 'what did I do wrong's. And that's when Niall became truly determined – obsessed. That's when Niall decided that he was going to be a singer and he was going to play music and he was going to tour the world and get the hell out of Mullingar.

Get the hell out of Mullingar.

Niall didn't hate, Mullingar. Not really. It was just...too small. And Niall didn't want small.

Harry tries to understand and, in a way, he does. He understands that Niall is passionate about music – how can he not when the boy takes his guitar literally everywhere he goes? And he understands that Niall wants to make a career out of singing and playing guitar and performing. And he understands how badly Niall wants it – because there are a few things in Harry's life that he thinks he wants just as badly. But he doesn't understand why he just wants to leave.

Harry doesn't understand it because he loves Mullingar. He's found a home here and it made his family happy again after the divorce; his mum found a new man to love her and his sister doesn't cry the way she used to and he's happy.