Dancing With The Stars *Narry AU FanFic *Transgender!Niall

5 - Sleeping On The Job

"Why don't you go on home and take a nap then?" He reaches down and grabs my water for me. Instead of handing it to me like I had suspected he would, he uncaps it and pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his shoulder as I finally get the bottle out of his grip and bring it to my lips.

"It's my job, Harry. I can't just leave," I sigh, running a hand along the nape of my neck.

"But, everyone else does. I mean, we don't have to practice here all the time." At that moment, a camera crew decides to come into our room and pester us. I roll my eyes and take another gulp of the water.

"I know, but I just prefer to practice here. There's not much space in the flat I live in, and I have a feeling there's too many people around you half the time to get anything done at yours."

"There's a bunch of space! Don't always assume things, Ni. C'mon, I'll let you take a nap on the way there." Harry grins excitedly, taking my hand in his. "Plus, you can't get distracted by Louis or Derek at mine."

I roll my eyes, picking up my bag off the floor. The camera crew follows us out of the room and around the studio, until we finally disappear from their view when we exit the building. Once I know we're out of ear-shot, I say, "You know, they prefer us to parctice in the practice rooms so they can get video footage of us."

"They set up cameras in our houses that only the owner of the place can turn on. I'll turn them on when we get there and start practicing."

"Wow, I never knew that. All my Stars always preferred to dance in the practice room."

"Looks like I'm pretty special then," Harry smiles cheekily. I shove him a little, caysing him to swerve off to the side before bouncing back, due to his hand still being intertwined with mine. I roll my eyes - I seem to do the gesture more often than not when I'm around Harry.

"Don't always assume things, Harold." I use his earlier words.

"Well then, don't I feel loved." We both get in the car and start driving to Harry's place. I actually don't know where he's staying, I thought he just stayed in a hotel the whole time. My theory is quickly shot down when Harry pulls into a private neighbourhood.3

"You seriously live in a house in LA?" I mutter in disbelief. He sends me a confused look, nodding slowly. "You don't even live in this country!" I hate rich people.

"No, I don't. But I come here enough to be able to own a house out here. I'd get so sick of staying in hotels all the time."

"I hate rich people," I voice my thoughts.

"Wow, thanks for the stereotype." He actually looks a bit hurt, even though what he said was sarcastic.

"No, I don't mean it like - ugh." I groan. "I don't like the stereotypical rick person. Y'know, the one who throws their money around all willy-nilly just because they can. It makes me feel like a lower-class citizen, considering I live in a small apartment that I can barely pay the bills for in the first place." I sigh, trying to get my point across without offending him further. "I know you're not like that, but sometimes rich people get on my nerves. Like, you don't need 3 houses all in different countries. There's some celebrities that own numerous houses, while people in Africa and India sleep in a box if they're lucky."

My ramble has now turned into me just complaining about all the things I hate about society - going from topics like homsexuality, to homeless teens on the street. I hate when this happens, because it usually leads me to the one thing I hate about society that involves me: transgendered people.

"...and the fact that some people frown on others for being who they think they are sucks. It really does. They don't know what it's like; the struggles they go through daily to appear normal. How they try so hard to fit in with their desired gender, only to be laughed at and mocked if they make one little slip up! How sometimes, even our own parents don't call us by our real name because they don't agree with you!" Harry has already led me into his house and sat me down. I now have a cup of tea and a plate of Nilla wafers sitting in front of me, not that I've touched them at any point. Harry is sitting on the other side of the couch, while I'm curled up against the edge of the cushion with my arms around my legs.