(no subject)

[captain_fucking_magic]

It's been a weird few days for Harry. But weird in a good way, which is sort of what makes it weird. He's not really used to so many good things happening at once like that. He and Harmony are going out on Saturday (which, ok, that's going to be awkward since he's down to like, his last $40), he's got a job that doesn't involve moving heavy boxes across some nasty warehouse, and no-one's tried to shoot at him in several weeks.

He's celebrating by taking over Perry's sofa with a book he found in the office. He's half-way through The Sign of Four and wondering why no-one ever told him that the Victorians were into more than just melodramatic romance. He might have actually read these earlier if someone had bothered to tell him that there was actually a decent plot to them.

Comments

[captain_fucking_magic]

Harry looks up at him, not quite able to hide how much that just hurt.

"Is that what you want?" he asks. "Christ, I thought you were my friend. Why'd you hire me then, if you don't want me working for you? Or is this your chickenshit way of telling me that I'm fired?"

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

There it is, the f-word. "If I was going to fire you, I'd just shoot you."

That's... Probably a joke. And okay, the rest of it. Perry shifts in his seat.

"I don't get that. You think I'm your friend. I'm not a nice guy, Harry. You don't want me as your friend. Can't you get that into your thick fuckin' skull?"

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Uh-huh," Harry says, now paying more attention to his book than Perry. Then, after a few moments, he says, "If you want me out, just say it. I'll find a shelter or something. Maybe beg Harmony to let me stay with her."

That's right, Perry. You've been nicer to Harry than his own girlfriend, lately.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"I don't want you out-- Christ, why are you so stupid? Did you even listen to what I said?" Perry taps Harry on the leg. Not very hard. Just so he'll get his head out of that damn book.

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Yeah. You asked why I don't go back to New York and then said that you're not my friend." He finally looks up at Perry. "Or did I miss anything, because I'm too fucking stupid to follow a conversation?"

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

Okay, Perry definitely feels guilty now. And annoyed, because nothing is going the way he wants it to.

"I'm not saying that. I..." And he rolls his eyes because jeez doesn't he sound like a sap right now. "I am your friend."

Be happy Harry, even if it does sound like a root canal.

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Would you make up your fucking mind already?" Harry asks, his attention once again mostly on his book. "Maybe I have no idea what the fuck is going on because you keep changing your story. If you don't want me gone, why do you keep asking me why I'm here?"

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"Because it doesn't make sense. When have I ever given the impression that I want you around? But here you are. On my couch. Reading my book." How can he not see that's weird?

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Fine. Fine. I get it." Harry says as he tosses the book onto the table. "Fine. I'm out of here, then. I can take a fucking hint."

One of the best things about being able to fit all of one's possessions into a single backpack is that it's easy to gather up all of your things and leave. Harry quickly gets to his feet and snatches up his bag from beside the sofa, and on his way toward the door, grabs his hat from Perry.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"The hell are you doing?" Perry sticks out a leg, and when Harry trips, hooks his backpack and throws him back down on the couch. "Don't be so fucking stupid." Augh, what will this take? "You'd only get mugged or sold into white slavery or something."

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Get off me, you sissy bitch," Harry growls as he rights himself. "What the hell do you want from me? Tell me, because I don't fucking know and I'm sick of trying to figure it out."

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"Don't call me a fucking sissy. I'm not the one flouncing off in a huff like I just lost the lead in Xanadu. Look, you're welcome to stay for as long as you need to, idiot." If Harry's watching, he'll notice that Perry looks like his seat is suddenly sharper than it was before. (Note for the observant: He always looks like that if he thinks he's gonna have to be nice to someone. Well, Harry, anway.)

[captain_fucking_magic]

Harry levels his gaze on Perry. "Are you saying that because you want me here, or because you're worried that if I fuck up, it'll just come back to your precious image?"

Harry really will walk out that door if Perry even hints at the second one.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Perry could probably tackle him before he got anywhere near the door.

"For fuck's sake, just stay, willya?"

Also Perry could probably disown Harry pretty easily, not gonna lie.

[captain_fucking_magic]

Harry just settles in to have a sulk on his end of the sofa.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

That face. Good lord. Perry rubs his face and comes to a decision. Another one to lose sleep over. Mainly because he's so okay with it, but fuck off, who asked you?

"I gotta clean out the spare room. No, wait. You gotta clean out the spare room."

[captain_fucking_magic]

The look on Harry's face right now? It's the one he wears when he has no idea what the fuck just happened.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Perry sees that a lot.

"Did you hear me, Chief? You got work to do." Perry picks up his phone, and dials a number.

"Hey, it's me. Remember that thing with the guy in the place? Yeah you do, don't fuck me around. Right, yep. Bedroom. Fuck off." And he hangs up. "You're still here? Get!" And he gets up off the couch to point the way.

[captain_fucking_magic]

"I... can't really afford rent, unless you're taking that out of my pay cheque, too," Harry says cautiously.

And then he realises that if that is the case, he's probably gonna wind up working to pay Perry off for the rest of his life.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"You already owe me most your pay. I'm not gonna charge you rent. For now. But you'd better not fucking screw me. Now go and clean your damn room."

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Yeah, all right, mom. Jeez." He gets up and starts heading toward the spare room. "What do you want me to do with the stuff that's in there? I mean, if it's all right, the books can stay in there, but like the desk and files and stuff?"

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"You can put the files in the other office. And probably the desk too. And the chair. Leave the books, but you'd better not bust any of them, or drop them in the bath, or any shit like that because I will fucking end you."

The office upstairs is pretty big, everything should fit okay.

[captain_fucking_magic]

"Yeah, yeah, fine. You gonna help, or make me lug that shit upstairs by myself?"

Still, he's not really complaining. He's still not even sure how he talked Perry into this deal at all.

[thereal-lapi.livejournal.com]

"I'm busy." Doing what, exactly? Fuck you, that's what.

Not watching him work, for sure. Because Perry is a professional.

[captain_fucking_magic]

Harry half-heartedly glares at Perry before getting to work. Once he gets all the old files and shit out of the way, the room actually turns out to be a fairly decent size.

He does pretty well with getting everything out of the way until it comes time to move that big fucking desk out of the way. Even trying just pulls on his chest so bad that he almost feels like he tore something.

"I'll keep the desk for now," he declares. "Fuck this."