monicaalexandraaa

[monicaalexandraaa]

ARYNNNNNNNN😭🥹oh my gosh that would be so fun🤭I really do be talking to myself while reading and then just add it to my notes for a reblog lol! I’ll put my phone down and look around the room being like yall seeing this ??!🤣I so wish I could read fic with all of you irl and we could just go crazy together🤩

lovesick (part six)

summary: y/n confronts harry and things don't go the way either of them expect them to

10.6k words

warnings: ANGST, i'm sorry, that's really it lol (they both get a little mean 🫣)

Harry has called (Y/N) twice since he woke up this morning and he hasn’t gotten a call back. Or a sign of life at all, actually. 

Normally, that might make him nervous but he knows (Y/N) might just be sleeping in today. He had her up late on the phone, she probably hasn’t left the bed yet or checked her phone. So, he remains patient and busies himself with his email inbox. 

There was enough to have him distracted until he had to leave for the airport. His flight had one stop but the layover was only about an hour so he still wouldn’t reach (Y/N) until about dinner time. It was completely worth the wait, he’d been missing her since he left the driveway Tuesday morning. 

It’s crazy to him that in such a short time, he has fully integrated (Y/N) into his life. Into his home, into his routine. She fits in so nicely. 

He was probably coming on strong at the club. Sitting for hours at the bar, just to catch a glimpse of her. Harry has never felt for someone like he does for (Y/N). She’s so different. And he will admit that he liked the chase. Just a little bit. Even though he had to step away because of it. 

That was the hardest part. But he didn’t want to be a bother and he felt like he was at times. Always being there and wanting to occupy all of her attention. She was working, yes, but he didn’t know of another place where he could see her like he did at the club. 

His sleep schedule did suffer. Most nights, he wasn’t home until after three, and he was supposed to be up for work at five. He found himself working from home a lot and not regretting his lack of sleep if it meant he was near (Y/N) for the few hours he was. 

When he found her in the lobby of his office building, he was shocked. He thought she made a mistake and happened there by chance. But to hear that she came just for him, he was ecstatic. Devastated to know that she planned on leaving after seeing him, but he knew she would come around to his proposition. He just had to ease her into it. 

And he knew that she would need time to warm up. She was very wary of everything he did in the beginning and he understands why now. He still wouldn’t have done anything differently because she’s home now, waiting for him, and that alone is enough for him to know that he did something right. 

He landed just before six and tried to remain patient while everyone exited the plane and during the excruciatingly long walk to baggage claim. He didn’t bring much with him in the first place and he would have just brought a carry on, but the company was paying for his bag and he didn’t fight it. 

It took him a few minutes to remember what level in the garage he parked on but when he did, he was gone, driving as fast as he was able to. 

He left his bag in the back, deciding that he would come get it after he got a hold of (Y/N). He did try to call her again on the drive there but he got her voicemail again. It didn’t bother him too much, he would be seeing her in just minutes now. 

The car was barely in park before he was rushing from the seat and to the front door. Her car was where it always was so he knew she was home, she was probably just making him wait on purpose. 

The lights were on back in the kitchen and he was just about to call out for her when he saw something. In the foyer, steps from the door really, two suitcases and two duffle bags. All that she’d brought with her to move in. He was confused, but he didn’t pay too much attention because he was worried about seeing (Y/N) after being gone for far too long. 

“Baby. I’m home,” He called out, starting to ascend the stairs when she suddenly appeared at the top of them. Her arms were crossed and she honestly didn’t look the least bit excited to see him. Which was the complete opposite from how she sounded on the phone less than twelve hours ago. “There you are—”

“Save it.” She cut him off. Her tone was one he’s never heard before and one that was entirely unexpected. He stopped right where he was on the stairs and shot her look. 

“Save what? I missed you so much. What’s all that down there?” He gestured behind him to her bags. He really didn’t know why she would even have them out, but the longer she looked at him like that, the harder his heart started beating. 

“You really don’t know?” She took one step closer so she was on the top step. “How fucking stupid do you think I am?” 

“(Y/N). Sweetheart. I have no idea—”

“Your wife stopped by.” 

“What?” 

“You sound shocked. You heard me. Your wife, Sienna. She came by with a set of keys, a ring on her finger, and she told me all about you.” 

It suddenly all made sense. The last phone call he had with Sienna, she told him he would regret brushing her off the way he had. Most times he called her bluff, but he really had no idea that she would ever stoop this low. 

“I’m confused.” He didn’t know what else to say. What could Sienna possibly have to say about him? Sure, their separation was nasty to say the least and it’s still not a hundred percent over with but the more time (Y/N) lets him think, the more he’s starting to piece together what might have happened. 

“Aw, you are? I was confused too when some random woman walked in last night and told me that you’re married to her and have been for the past fifteen years.” Her voice wavered the tiniest bit. He knew she probably didn’t want him to see her upset and he didn’t want to either, but if she just gives him a minute to clear things up, she’ll see that this is just one huge misunderstanding. 

“I’m not married to Sienna, (Y/N). I was, but we’ve been separated for almost eight years now. Whatever she told you wasn’t true.” 

“That’s not what she said.” 

“That doesn’t even make sense. If we were married, where the fuck has she been for the past three months?” He didn’t mean to curse, but this whole ordeal could have been avoided. He thought when Sienna gave back her key, she didn’t have any copies but he really did give her the benefit of the doubt by not changing the locks. Not saying she still wouldn’t have gotten to (Y/N), but there’s nothing he can do now to change the situation except to try to put out the massive fire she started. “I, just, whatever she said to you, I don’t know, but we’re separated, not married anymore. Maybe in her twisted mind, we are, but (Y/N)—”

“Listen, I’m gonna go. Okay? I’m not interested in being anywhere near a married man or a man that would lie to my face for months and tell me he loves me when that’s just bullshit.” 

“I didn’t lie to you. We’re separated—”

“You keep fucking that, but it doesn’t mean anything to me! You’re not married, okay, but you’re not divorced either, Harry. And I refuse to be in the middle of anything like that.”

“There’s nothing to be in the middle of, (Y/N). I haven’t seen her in almost a year. She only comes back to try to make my life hell and get more money out of me.” It was true. She wasn’t happy with the agreement they signed when they got married, but Harry also didn’t have as many assets as he does now, years later. And Sienna wants a cut of something that doesn’t belong to her and never has. So, she does things like this to try and get her way. 

“Yeah, that still sounds like something I don’t want to be a part of. I’m leaving.” She went to pass him, but he stepped right in her way. Like she thought he’d just let her go in the first place. 

“Can we please just talk for a second? I know none of it makes sense right now and I know what she probably said, but please. Let’s not do anything too fast, okay?” He went to rest his hand on her shoulder, hoping that it would settle things. She has to know that he would never keep something like this from her to hurt her. It did occasionally cross his mind but he never thought it would turn into something like this. 

She jerked her shoulder out of his reach and took a step back up so she was eye level with him. 

“Don’t put your hands on me, I mean it. I don’t want you to touch me right now.” Her voice was even now, like she’d made her mind up. 

“Okay, I understand. I won’t touch you. Can we talk? Just for a second.” Harry didn’t know what to do with his hands now. He wanted to soothe her however he could but he didn’t think his words would be enough. 

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Her anger was valid. He couldn’t argue with that. He wouldn’t be happy to hear similar news either. But he would listen. “Were you ever going to tell me?” 

“Yes, eventually. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.” Sienna isn’t worth mentioning at all, but he knows that’s not a good enough reason to not tell her something like that. 

“You just do! Like an adult, Harry. You don’t have to dance around it or anything, you just say it.” 

He tried to keep calm. He was supposed to come home and they were supposed to be happy to see one another. They would have had dinner and she would’ve asked him about his trip and then they would get cozy on the couch and watch whatever show she wanted before bed. 

But no. Sienna did as Sienna does. Ruined something so good and pure. He didn’t know what to do. (Y/N) seems like she’s not willing to give him the space to explain right now. He doesn’t know what he can say to fix this but he still wants to try. 

“Please, just let me explain.” 

“That would be the fair thing to do, wouldn’t it? Except I don’t feel like waiting around for you to do that. I want to leave and get as far away from you as I can. I know I should let you talk but I just can’t—I don’t want to hear some kind of excuse. I’m already so tired, Harry. I don’t want to do this, I just want it to go away.” Her hands covered her eyes and for a moment, he thought she might cry and that would just send him over the edge. 

“I know. This wasn’t meant to happen—” He started to say but she dropped her hands, a sarcastic smile on her face. 

“It wasn’t meant to happen? Why? Because then you’d get to be a liar for a little bit longer? Honestly, fuck you, Harry. I can’t believe I almost—nevermind. I just can’t believe it.” She tried to step past him again but he got in her way. 

“You almost what?” He wanted to just grab a hold of her to get her to stop moving but he didn’t want to make her even angrier with him. “What do you mean?” 

“It’s not worth talking about right now. I must have been out of my mind anyway,” Her hand nudged his shoulder. “Excuse me. You’re just prolonging this whole thing and all you’re going to do is piss me off. Move.” 

“I can’t let you go. I don’t—I’ll do whatever you need me to do, please.” 

“Harry. Move. I’m leaving, there’s nothing you can do or say right now, just get out of my way.” Her arm pressed into his side, pushing him to the side lightly so she could slip past him. He didn’t know what else to do but grab her shoulder, but she pulled away and hurried to the bottom of the stairs. He followed, running a shaky hand through his hair. He knew she was going to leave, no matter what he said. And it was going to hurt more than anything had ever hurt in his entire life. But he was hopeful that he could fix this. He doesn’t know how yet or when, but he’s going to do whatever it will take to get her to come back. 

“I love you, (Y/N).” A last ditch effort. Another reminder that he loved her and it was genuine. She sent him a glance over her shoulder just as she grabbed the handle of one of her bags. 

“Yeah. I thought I loved you too. That’s what I was going to tell you when you got home.” 

“You love me?” It was music to his ears, to hear it back. These circumstances are terrible and he wished this could have gone any other way but it didn’t. 

“I thought I did. Did you catch that part? I can’t imagine saying it now.” She scoffed, another bitter smile on her face. 

“But you mean it? Don’t you?” 

“Harry. I don’t know anything right now, okay? All I know is I want to get away from you. So let me go,” She slung a bag over her shoulder, giving him a pointed look. “I’ll be back for the rest of my things later.” That sent him into a panic. 

“Please, don’t go, please—” He made the mistake of reaching for her again but she shoved at his chest, causing him to stumble back just a step. 

“I told you not to touch me once already, Harry, fuck. Don’t.” 

“I don’t know what else to do, I don’t want you to leave.” He could cry. He really could. And he hasn’t felt the need to in a long, long time. When he thinks about (Y/N) sometimes and how sweet she is, he does have to blink a little extra because he knows he’s so lucky to have her. But this now…sooner or later, tears are coming. 

“Okay but I am. There’s nothing for you to do. Nothing. Just stand there and let me walk out the door.”

“I don’t think I can. You love me. And I love you. We can—we can work this out just give me a second—” 

“You sound fucking stupid. Do you know that? Why would I stay when I can’t stand to look at you? I don’t want to be near you, I don’t want to hear your voice. The thought of having to sleep next to you tonight makes me sick. Let me go.”

Harry would beg on his knees if he thought it would do him any good but he knows how definitive (Y/N) is and this won’t be anything close to easy. 

He followed her outside to her car, his eyes wet now. He rubbed at them, feeling a headache coming on. There was no way he’d sleep tonight. 

But the time he caught up with her fast strides, she was placing the two bags in her trunk and then turning to go get the other two. He stepped in front of her again. 

“Where are you going to go? It’s late.” He forced his hands to his sides, wanting so badly to reach out and touch her. There were countless places she could go and he was sure she wasn’t going to tell him where she was going to end up but it was worth a try. 

“I don’t know but I’m not staying here.” 

“Come on. At least wait until morning and we can figure it out then,” He would probably say anything at this point to get her to stay. “There’s nowhere to go, (Y/N). Just stay. If you don’t want me to talk to you, I won’t. But just don’t leave.” 

“You’re right. There is nowhere to go. You made it almost impossible for me to be able to do anything without you. I should’ve never moved in. That was a bad idea.” She slid the other bag on her shoulder and avoided his eyes to step around him again. 

“Call me tomorrow morning then. Or…I’ll call you.” He rushed after her, watching her place the one her shoulder next to the other in her trunk. 

“Don’t call me,” She slammed the trunk lid down, giving him a stern look. “I need time away from you to think through some things. Calling me and following me around is only going to upset me more. So stop.” 

“But what can I do? I can’t just sit here and wait. I  want to make this right. Please let me.” If she would give him five minutes, he could clear some of this up. It might not totally fix it and she might still want time away but at least she would know what really happened and what his relationship with Sienna is like now. Which doesn’t exist at all anymore, by the way. 

“Maybe later. I have to go.” 

His jaw clenched tightly and he tried to take a deep breath. It probably is best to let her leave and cool down. But it hurt. It hurt that she would think he would do something like this to her. But he knows how deceiving Sienna can be so he doesn’t blame her. He doesn’t know what all she said but he knows it was too much for (Y/N). 

It hurts to know that he’s hurt her also. It makes his skin crawl. Why didn’t he just say something? Mention it early on, just so she knew. He never thought this would happen though, so while he did feel the need to tell her sometimes, he couldn’t see Sienna actually showing up and doing anything. But he was wrong. And he’s going to give her an earful as soon as he can get his hands on his phone. 

He watched silently as she shut herself in her car and started it. She did look exhausted and he hates that it’s all his fault. Maybe time away will be good for her. As long as she talks to him soon. 

His hand raised and he waved, not knowing what else to do with himself, but he couldn’t just stand there. She looked down from her mirror and for a slight moment, it looked like the last thing she wanted to do was leave. 

“I love you.” He said, knowing that she couldn’t hear it anyway. But she saw it and then quickly moved her gaze away, back to the mirror to reverse out of his driveway. 

He turned his back to her, a hand covering his eyes. There was no reason to torture himself and watch her leave. He couldn’t bear it. He could bear the thought of it, let alone seeing it in real time, knowing there was nothing he could do to get her to stay and talk. 

He shut the back door behind him and took another deep breath before holding it for three seconds and letting it go. Five times he did this and it didn’t slow the racing of his heart or stop the shaking in his hands. It did nothing but draw tears out of his eyes. 

There was nothing to do but wait. He could cry, he could force himself to sleep, but none of that would bring her back. It would give him something to do but it wouldn’t be productive. 

He could work, check his email, make himself dinner, watch tv, go for a swim, run around the block. But it wouldn’t change her mind. The only thing that would help do that is to wait. And that’s his least favorite thing to do. 

But he’s going to. Because he would do anything for (Y/N).  

****

(Y/N) hasn’t moved from her spot on the bed since she checked into the hotel. 

There really wasn’t anywhere else for her to go, so she drove until she got tired and called it a night, two hours away from the city. 

It felt dramatic, having driven so far, but she didn’t know what else to do other than drive mindlessly and not stop until she physically didn’t feel like driving anymore. She knew there was nothing dramatic about it. She felt betrayed and she was, in the worst way. 

She questioned everything now. Everything he said, did, every time he touched her. It made her sad and she hated that. Because she liked him so much, and to now have these conflicting emotions over all of it made her nauseous. 

Despite being exhausted from barely sleeping the night before and spending most of the day packing her things and trying to think of what her next steps would be, she wasn’t any closer to falling asleep. 

Her eyes were dry. She thought she’d be a mess, but she honestly just felt numb and lifeless. Another fail. Another man who she felt like used her. 

The thing was, he sounded so genuine. He told her he loved her without any hesitation, ever. And maybe he did. But how much can you really love someone if you’re able to lie to them for so long? (Y/N) doesn’t know. It makes her head hurt to think about it, to second guess all of it. It was so easy with him and now, she can’t imagine being in the same room as him at the moment. 

When the hotel room ceiling got boring, she shifted to her side, staring instead into the darkened bathroom. She used it when she first checked in before slipping into the bed and trying her best not to overthink. Unfortunately, that was all she was capable of for the time being. 

Her eyes shifted to her phone on the night stand next to her. She shut it off hours ago, before Harry even got home. It was probably filled with missed calls and unread messages even though she told him to leave her alone. She knew he’d try. Or he might not. Maybe she truly doesn’t know anything about him. Apparently she doesn’t, but she hoped that he showed her true parts of himself at some point during their time together. 

She didn’t bother touching her phone but she did sit up, reaching for one of her bags that she sat on the bed. Her laptop that she hasn’t touched in months still somehow came to life when she switched the button on. She immediately opened a blank document and sat for a second. 

She’s made a life here. Friends, some of her favorite restaurants and coffee shops, bars. It all felt tainted now, ruined by the memory of her time with him. Which is all it would be. A memory. Something that she’ll forget soon and only remember occasionally. One day, that is. For now, she’ll relive every moment with him. Cycle everything he’s ever said to her round and round in her head until it doesn’t mean anything special anymore. 

She told him she just needed time to think, that they would talk when she was ready and that she would hear him out. But that was only so he’d let her out the door. She didn’t mean any of it. She is leaving the city for good. Without speaking a word to him, without hearing any of his excuses. She’s just going to let it roll off. It’ll be forgotten soon enough and she can go back to how she was before. Afraid to trust, walls built high and strong. That has only burnt her in the past, she’s not sure why Harry made it so easy to open up, but she’s never doing it again. It hurts too much. 

Her fingers moved across the keyboard. She’d give him one last gift. A resignation letter. 

****

(Y/N) waited three days before going back to the city. She still has things to grab at Harry’s and she hoped he wasn’t there. He’d probably keep her there for good if he caught her inside. 

Luckily for her, his car wasn’t in the driveway in the early hours on a Monday. He had to work. She searched her purse for her key that she hopefully would never need again and let herself in. 

She packed a lot up the other day. There wasn’t much at his house, a lot of her things were in storage that she’d have to figure out sooner or later, but now was about removing the rest of her belongings so she’d never have to face him again. 

Last night, she canceled her credit card, the one he always paid off. That way, he’d have no connection anymore. No more favors. 

She hurried up to his room, finding her things were all placed neatly back where they were before she packed them up. Her bags were gone, her clothes were hung back in his closet like he honestly thought she’d be coming back.

A scoff let her mouth. He really is delusional.  

The duffle bags she previously used were dragged back out so she could repack her remaining clothes. It didn’t take long. She spent maybe an hour making sure everything was put up. Everything he bought her was left on the hanger, next to his long line of clothes. 

It hurt all over again. Standing there and knowing she wouldn’t be back. But she had to go. She really didn’t think there was any way for him to talk himself out of this one. 

Once everything was packed into her car, she knew there was one last place she had to go. And she could leave the keys there too. 

It was early enough that no one was at the club. The first shift of employees wouldn’t come until four pm and it was just now nearing two. She has plenty of time to get in, get her things, leave the keys and be gone for good. Just like his house, there wasn’t much she needed but she didn’t want any trace of herself left behind. 

Just as she anticipated, no one was there when she pushed her way inside. To be here now, in these circumstances, left her chest feeling hollow. It had been a big reason she stayed the first time but now there was no other option than to leave it behind. It was all she knew, it had been kind to her, for much of her time here anyway, besides being fired. But she always made her way back. 

All the renovations had the club looking like something out of her dreams. It was exactly how she pictured it. And she’d never get to see it again. 

The upstairs office was still. She breathed a sigh, taking in the space. There was much to reminisce about but she knew she was on a time crunch. The longer she stayed trying to memorize everything about the room, the longer it would take for it to be forgotten. 

She opened the top drawer and didn’t see anything she thought she wanted to take with her. The second drawer had nothing important either. The third which she never looked in had tons of paper in it. Filed away, probably employee files that she didn’t bother with much. Harry took care of things like that. The folder with her name marked on the tab had her stopping right before she shut the drawer. 

There wasn’t much inside. The contract she signed early on, a few other documents she signed right when she started working. There wasn’t anything here that she wanted to take, she only really wanted to take the space in one last time. But now it’s best that she goes. Before she makes another mistake. 

Her eyes caught the photo frame on the desk. It was a picture of her and Harry on opening night of the club. His arm was over her shoulder, her arms were wrapped around his middle, and they were both smiling into the camera, faces pressed together. She didn’t even want to take the picture in the first place but Ria insisted, holding up her reusable camera and gesturing for the two of them to get together. Harry whispered something in her ear right before Ria was shouting for their attention over the loud music. 

I’m so happy you’re doing this with me.

And before she could return the sentiment, because she was so happy as well, Ria was waving her hands at them. It was the first time she really, really considered kissing him. That thought stuck in her head for the rest of the night but obviously she didn’t do anything about it then. 

The picture is probably the only physical copy of a picture they had. Ria printed it off and put it in a sparkly frame and gifted it to them during her next shift. Harry put it right on the desk and it hasn’t moved since. (Y/N)’s looked over it hundreds of times while she was sitting at this desk but it never struck her quite like it did now. 

(Y/N) hadn’t seen herself like that before, until this photo. So happy you can see it in every part of her. It makes her eyes sting with tears. She would probably never find that again. So, she put the frame in her bag. It was the least he could give her. If she was going to remember this part of her life at all, she wanted to remember them like that. 

She sat back in the chair for a second. To breathe and clear the moisture from her eyes. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to gather herself. Maybe coming here wasn’t a great idea. But how could she have known she’d get so emotional. She was doing so well up until now. In her own way. 

“I knew I’d find you here.” His voice had her freezing, body tensing. She didn’t want to look at him after she was set on never seeing him again. It could’ve been so easy, to just leave and never cross paths, but of course, nothing can ever be easy for (Y/N). 

“I don’t want to talk.” She already wanted to cry. It’s something she’s put off even though she knows that it’ll happen sooner or later. She just didn’t want to give herself the time to because then she would have to admit to herself that she’s deeply upset and disappointed with the way things went. If she could just pretend none of it meant anything to her she might spare herself a little heartbreak. 

“I got your email,” Of course he did. She sent it last night. Something short, sweet, and to the point. She was quitting the club and he’d need a new manager. Effective immediately. It felt like the professional thing to do. And (Y/N) wanted him to know that she was serious about taking a step back without telling him she was leaving for good. “You don’t have to quit, (Y/N). We can work this out. I know you love this place.” 

She stood from the desk and fixed her bag on her shoulder. He looks tired. Like he’s slept just as much as she has. (Y/N) knows that he is upset. She knows that this is the last thing he wants, but this is necessary for both of them. Even though it cuts deep. 

“I can’t work here anymore, Harry. You know that.” Her eyes refused to go any higher than the collar of his shirt. Maybe his chin, just able to see the downturn of his lips. 

“I know you want time away and that’s okay. We can take a break until you’re ready to talk. But you don’t have to quit. That’s too far.” He leaned against the doorframe. He probably wouldn’t let her slip past him like he did at his house. He probably had a feeling just like she did. This was the last time they’d see each other. 

“I’m glad you’re sort of giving me space, I appreciate it, but it’s…too late,” She crossed her arms, still not able to meet his eye. “I don’t want to do this anymore. You weren’t honest with me. You have to understand how that might make me feel.” 

“Of course I understand. But you haven’t let me explain yet. Sienna has no reason to tell the truth about anything so I don’t know what she told you, but it probably was only partly true.” 

“It’s fine. You don’t owe me an explanation. I wasn’t supposed to stay this long anyway. It’s perfect timing.” She stepped closer to the door and he shifted so he was directly in front of her. 

“I want you to stay.” 

“I can’t go back to the house you shared with your wife, Harry. Maybe that’s immature, I don’t care. I don’t want to be there,” It probably was silly. But she did live there for years she said and it just made (Y/N) so uncomfortable and it felt like she was intruding even more than she already was. “I just want to drop it, alright? It’s fine. I forgive you, clean break.” 

“You don’t forgive me. You’re angry, I can see it. And you’re hurt and upset and it’s my fault. But we have to fix this. I can try if you just let me talk.” His thumb grazed over the back of her hand and she let him. Having him touch her, just barely, had her heart racing. She knew this would be hard to do but she didn’t want to stay. That wasn’t an option anymore. 

“I don’t want to even think about it, Harry.” Her throat felt like it was getting tight. She wouldn’t be able to stand up straight for much longer. The tears were coming. And she would rather not cry in front of him. 

“I know, I’m sorry. But you can’t…you can’t just leave, (Y/N). I need you here. I love you. I can’t lose you over this.” He didn’t move from his spot in the doorway and she can tell even though she hasn’t turned toward him yet. He’s still giving her space, in some way, but him being here now is making her chest feel tight. 

“You’re right. I am angry. But I’m over it and I don’t care. I just want to go and get away from you.” Her tone was flat again. She had to pull herself together and get the waver out of her voice. Everything she was saying was what she rehearsed in her head just in case. It wasn’t honest but she needed him to go away. 

“I know I messed up, but you can’t mean that. I mean, you were going to tell me you loved me—”

“And that was a mistake,” This time she looked at him. She wanted to say this and make sure it stuck. Twist the knife a little. She knew it would get him off of her back if she just said the most hurtful thing she could think of. “I don’t love you, Harry. You lied to me for months. Maybe I thought I loved you but I don’t. I know that for a fact.” 

It was harsh. She could see that he wasn’t taking it well. His frown deepened into something that made her feel ill and nauseous. His brow dipped like what she just said devastated him, like he was unbelieving in what he was hearing. 

“Don’t say things you don’t mean just to make yourself feel better.” He said it like a warning, taking one slow step closer to her. 

“I mean it. I don’t love you and I want you to go away.” 

“I love you.” He grabbed her hands, squeezing them but she didn’t return it. She let her arms go limp. 

“I don’t believe you.” 

“You don’t believe me?” He dropped her hands, expression incredulous. He took a step back, shaking his head. “(Y/N), I—”

“I told you I didn’t want to talk about it. Now let me go and this can all be over. No use in getting angry about it.” Her shoulders rose in a shrug. She knew she was only making him more upset but part of her felt like he deserved to be a little frustrated, at the very least. She was being difficult and he hated it, but it was the only way she could get back at him. If you could even count this as getting back at him. 

“I’m trying to make this easy for both of us. Please don’t do this.” 

“What are you not getting? I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. I don’t love you, I don’t care that you apparently love me either. Why don’t you worry about your wife instead and fuck off?” (Y/N) could be mean. And if that got her what she wanted, she’d do it. She’d say it. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t nice, she knew but she didn’t care about that either. 

“She’s not my wife. I already told you that.” His jaw got tight. (Y/N) knew that she was one more comment from making him actually angry. She’s never seen him angry before and the fact that she was trying to get him there on purpose was only going to make the situation worse.

“I think we’ve already had this conversation three separate times. And it’s gotten us nowhere yet. I need to be away from you. Is that too much to ask? Is that crazy to want?” Her arms crossed. She knew that he was stressed but she was too. Having to uproot her life all over again just because a man claimed he loved her turned out to be the opposite of what she thought he was. It infuriated her that she pretty much let it happen all over again. 

“No, but give me some kind of something. Talk to me.” 

“I don’t see the reason we need to talk. You lied, I’m taking a step back.” It felt logical. And she knew he was trying to be understanding but he was still too close. She tried everything to push him away and he was still trying. She could give him credit there. 

“I didn’t lie.” 

“Oh, yeah. Right. You just didn’t tell me. Got it,” Her eyes rolled and she anxiously fixed the strap of her bag on her shoulder again. It sounded simple in her head. He’s still married. He doesn’t get to make any demands. “Bye, Harry. I have somewhere to be.” 

He still didn’t move. (Y/N) could tell by the tense line of his shoulders that he was past being civil with her. 

“This is just an excuse for you to leave anyway. You don’t want to be here and you don’t want me,” It was like he was reiterating what she’d been saying since he got home from Nevada. Like he had to say it out loud to be able to comprehend what it meant. “You don’t want to talk because you don’t want to have to apologize when I tell you what really happened.” 

“Why would I ever apologize to you? Are you forgetting why we’re in this mess? It’s your fault! You’re the one who’s married and didn’t tell me!” He’s frustrating and she can see it now that he’s trying to push her buttons. He’s only mad because he hasn’t convinced her to speak to him yet. 

“For fuck’s sake, we’re separated!” His voice raised and it felt like everything stopped. He’s never spoken to her like that. His voice has never gone over a regular talking volume. She knows she’s done it now. “You only know what she told you and that probably does make me seem like a dick. But you haven’t given me the opportunity to say anything about it!” His tone didn’t let up. The pinch between his brows was now a permanent fixture. It made her take a step back from him. Yelling makes her nervous but she knows she dragged this out of him and pushed him too far. 

“Stop yelling at me!” Her voice caught in a way that took her right back to arguing with her ex. And she never wanted to see Harry in that light and she would never compare the two, it’s just the arguing. He seemed to realize that it was getting out of hand but he said nothing. He leaned against the doorframe and kept his expression free of any emotion. He probably felt the same way she did, numb. “You could’ve at least warned me. I might have been okay with it if you were honest from the beginning but now, no. I’m not okay with you just being separated. You’re still married.” Her voice was much calmer but it didn’t ease any of the tension between the two of them. This would be over soon enough. 

“I understand,” He repeated, keeping his gaze to the floor. “But doing this to us,” He pointed between them. “Isn’t going to make it better. Not letting me explain or anything isn’t helping and it’s only making all of this more complicated than it needs to be.”

“I’m not ready. And I don’t know if I ever will be. I’m going and there’s nothing that can make this better. Nothing that I can think of anyway.” Her first instinct was to get away from him and she was going to follow that wherever it led her. It hasn’t steered her wrong yet. 

“But you’re not trying. You just want to ignore it. We can’t do that if we want to make this work.”

“I don't want it to work, Harry,” Brutal. She almost felt bad but then she remembered what it had taken to get where she is now. “I’m going, good luck,” She took the keys to his house and dropped them at his feet. It was petty but she wasn’t going to leave without pissing him off just a little bit more. His hand wrapped around her wrist right when she tried to walk through the door. His grip was tight and when she tried to pull away, his hand didn’t budge. “Get off of me!” He let go. 

“Ungrateful. That’s what you are.” 

“You’re fucking crazy. I’m leaving.” Ungrateful was the last thing she was. Sure, he’s helped her out a lot but she thinks she’s made up for it. Not with money but with everything else she did. She definitely pulled her weight. Plus, he told her she didn’t owe him anything. But of course, as soon as they’re laying all their cards out, he has to let her know how ungrateful she is. Just because he’s not getting his way.

“All I’ve fucking done for you, I mean—look at this place. All of this is for you because I care about you! Is that so hard for you to understand? I care about you, I love you, I’m trying to be here for you and understanding but you’re making it so difficult and I know you’re doing it just because you can but I’m not going to stand here and let you talk to me like that.” 

“Then let me leave.” 

“I will. You can just run like you always do instead of fucking talking to people. You run because you’re scared and you’re saying all these things just to push me away,” (Y/N) officially pushed him over the edge. She can tell by his tense shoulders and how his face is pulled into a deep frown. “Well done.”

“I don’t need you to psychoanalyze me. You lied to me.” 

“And I understand. But you’re not willing to let me talk and that’s the part that pisses me off.” Like she told him. It was unfair for her to just leave and not hear anything he had to say. Other than that he isn't married, he’s separated, and Sienna lies. But there’s no reason she can think of that would make it okay for him to keep something like that from her. So he can be pissed off but he can’t be mad at her. 

“I’m not sorry for doing what I think is best for me. And I never will be.” Another jab at him. It wasn’t even true. Deep down, she just wanted to rush into his arms and tell him she didn’t care for an explanation. She just wanted everything to go back to normal. She genuinely did believe he wasn’t with Sienna anymore and there was no current relationship. But being separated wasn’t enough. 

Harry sighed, taking another step back into the hallway. He looked like he was thinking for a moment and then his eyes went back to her. 

“You know what,” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I want you to go. Leave and don’t fucking come back. Don’t come back when you need a favor either. Because that’s all this was, right? Just to get you back on your feet, right? And I did that and then some. Now you can leave like you’ve been waiting to do.”

“You know that’s not—”

“No, I don’t need an explanation (Y/N). I just want you to leave,” That stung. He was doing to her what she’d been doing to him now. And while she knew what it felt like already, having him do it right back was the last thing she thought he’d do. It hit her deep in her gut and she felt like she couldn’t take in a full breath. “Get the fuck out of my club.” 

“Harry, I—”

“No. You wanted to leave so leave. I’m not holding you back anymore. It’s a waste of time.” 

She knew she couldn’t just stand there and stare at him in disbelief but she really wanted to. He’d never talked to her that way but she knows that she had to leave. She kept her eyes to the floor as she walked past him and out of the office. 

She didn’t bring her eyes up until she was standing on the sidewalk outside of the club. She felt like collapsing right there, falling to her knees and letting everything out. All her anger and sadness, the betrayal. 

If she were feeling a little less hopeless, she’d march back in there and give him a piece of her mind. Because they both know what the last few months have been and what they haven’t. It wasn’t her taking advantage of him. But he just wanted to be a dick and succeeded. 

Just like she’s been doing for the past few days. Maybe she deserves that too. 

She thinks about that all the way back to the hotel.

****

It’s been one week since she’s been back home. 

Her despair must have been evident because her mother hadn’t bugged her at all. Not about a job, not about anything really. (Y/N) hadn’t explained much about why she stayed longer in the city. She only said a friend was helping her out for a little bit but that was it. She didn’t know anything about Harry. 

She pretty much left her alone. She wasn’t the type to press for answers, she let her be. (Y/N) almost wanted her to ask what was wrong, just so she could pour her heart out to someone. 

Ria texted her a few times and asked what happened. And she responded but not in much depth. Just that she needed to go home for a while and she quit the club. Ria left it there and told her she hoped she was doing okay and to message her anytime. It was nice of her and (Y/N) really needed somebody like that. At a distance but still cared enough to check in. 

She went to the beach once a day. Happy to see the endless water after so many years of living in the city, far, far away from the shoreline. It silenced her mind, listening to the waves crashing and watching the push and pull of the tide. It was the only thing that was consistent anymore. She knew if she came here everyday, she didn’t have to wait for something unexpected to happen. It was always the same, no surprises. 

Her phone was switched on days ago and there was nothing from Harry. Three calls the day he got back from Nevada and a couple text messages but nothing new. Which she should expect after he practically banned her from the city and accused her of using him. 

But she wasn’t angry at him for it. She kept pushing him and pushing him. And it only made sense for him to snap a little bit. She would be shocked if he hadn’t said something to the effect that he did. She didn’t want to stay, so he told her to go. Always giving her what she wants. 

She thought about him constantly despite vowing on the drive home that she wasn’t going to give him anymore of her time. She should’ve known that would be impossible. Perhaps it would get easier eventually but for now, she’s willing to feel it all and feel it fully. If she doesn’t now, it will only hurt her later. 

She cries at night when there isn’t anyone around to witness it. Nothing too exciting. A few tears will slip from her eyes when she thinks about what her life was like a few weeks ago. But she doesn’t overdo it. It hurts and she cries about it but she tries not to get too lost in it while not suppressing anything at the same time. 

(Y/N) almost called him one night. 

Her mom was working a late shift, she had access to a bottle of wine, and the world felt over with. She knew crying into his voicemail box would do nothing to help either of them. It would just let him know how pathetic she is. So she refrained after typing and deleting his number three times over. Some sliver of her sober self must have stepped in to stop her. 

One week turned to two and then before she knew it, a month had flown by already. 

She got a job at a cafe close to home. It was much different than the club. Slow paced and quiet. She did have to get used to waking up for an opening shift but it was good for her. Instead of late nights, she had early mornings. And it felt good. To flip her routine on its head and start fresh. It helped occupy her time and anything that did that was gold. 

This new routine got boring fast but there wasn’t anywhere else for her to go. She would have to deal with it. Even though she felt like the city was more of a home than this one had ever been. Things change and (Y/N) had to adapt quickly. This wasn’t at all what she pictured for herself, but being with Harry wasn’t either. In the beginning. But things do change and that’s okay. She’s survived this long and she’ll continue to. 

That didn’t mean that some nights weren’t harder than others. Some nights she had his number dialed, ready to call with one press of a button. Some nights she had three paragraphs typed out, ready to apologize if that meant that things would go back to normal. And some nights she was so angry that she couldn’t believe she considered apologizing to him at all. He’s the one that wasn’t honest. He’s the one who got upset just because she didn’t want to hear him out. And that wasn’t fair to either of them. 

She’s not sorry for the way she reacted and she’s not sorry for how things ended. But she can mourn the loss of something that she was waiting for and finally got. Only for it to be ripped away from her before anything got too serious. And there must have been a reason for that.

****

Sienna always has a drink in her hand, he noticed. 

He thinks she’d probably have to drink to cope with how terribly she’s ruined his life. No remorseful person could do what she does so consistently. 

She hasn’t said a word yet. It’s been thirty minutes of sitting at this small table in the city, watching her down two cocktails. She’s talking, but nothing about what he’s asked her. 

For a reason that must have been just to irritate him, she would only talk to him if it was in person. And it had to be at the daytime bar twenty minutes away from his house. Close to the club and only a few blocks from his office building. 

He ended up calling her a week and three days after he last saw (Y/N). He originally wanted to do it right away, but he also wanted to give himself time to calm down. He wasn’t sure what he’d do or say if he saw her too soon after everything. And while he detested her more than anyone he’s ever met, the last thing he wanted to do was piss her off. Because then he didn’t know what she would do. Sienna is unpredictable and while he isn’t exactly afraid of what she’s willing to do to get back at him, he’d rather not get her stirred up. 

“Can we get back to the reason we’re here?” He cut her off. She was talking about something, he didn’t know anymore. He checked out ten minutes ago and was just nodding periodically. Truthfully, he wasn’t curious about what she was doing now, or her job, or the new car she just got, so he suffered through all of that just to appease her. If he rushed her or tried to interrupt her, he knew she wouldn’t take that well. So if this is what she thought was them “catching up” he’d rather her just think that. 

“Oh, right,” She laughed, putting a hand to her forehead, like she forgot why they were there in the first place. “You’re pissed at me.” 

“I was gone in Nevada and you came to my house, Sienna.” She wasn’t exactly forbidden to come onto his property, but he’d made it clear that he didn’t want her dropping by or sneaking around at all. Especially while he’s not home. “And you still have a key. I thought we talked about that.” 

He’s livid, but if he comes at her like that, she won’t be as willing to cooperate. And this whole thing will be drawn out. 

“Yeah…I kept it just in case. You know.” She shrugged, going back to her drink. It was nearly ice now, he’s not sure why she keeps sucking at the straw like that will magically refill her drink, but that’s annoying too. 

“I don’t know,” He answered, trying to reel it in. “You scared my girlfriend half to death.” That stung, but he kept his expression stoic. He could break down here if he really allowed himself, but doing that in front of Sienna would only cause more trouble. 

“Did I? She did look a little startled,” She paused, as if trying to remember that night and her reaction. “She didn’t sound too happy with you either. I can’t believe you didn’t tell her about me.” 

Harry tried with everything in him not to roll his eyes, but he couldn’t help it. He had to. So he did and she sent him a look. 

“Yeah, that was my bad. You didn’t have to tell her we were still married and act like you’re in any part of my life anymore though. That’s fucked up.” 

“Well, I didn’t know you two were so serious. I thought she was just a hook up or something. Just wanted to scare her a little bit,” Sienna laughed, finally setting her glass down and motioning the server over for another. “I guessed it worked, huh?” 

“That wasn’t any of your business and it definitely wasn’t your place to tell her that. She…she’s gone.” He bit down on his tongue. If he acted affected, she would zero in on that and make it her mission to make him even more miserable. 

“Believe me when I say I would never want to cause trouble for you,” Yeah, right. “I honestly thought she was just your flavor of the week or something. I wanted to visit the old house, I didn’t know you weren’t there, and I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” 

He was sure she wasn’t that evil and now that she’s saying it, he knows that she didn’t have any motives to do anything purposely. But it still did irreversible damage. He wasn’t going to explain that part to her though. 

“Okay. I’m selling the house, so you can visit it all you like.” He made the decision a couple nights ago. He didn’t want to be there after (Y/N) left. It felt so empty and quiet. There wasn’t a corner of that house he would miss once it was sold. If (Y/N) wasn’t there, it wasn’t worth keeping. 

“Wow. But you did so much work on it.” She snatched up her drink as soon as the server set it on the table and kept her eyes locked on him. 

“Doesn’t matter. I need a change of scenery,” There’s nothing in front of Harry. Not even a glass with water. He declined when the server asked because he wanted to keep this meeting short and to the point. That hasn’t happened so far but he wants to keep things going. “I wanted to meet today because I think it’s time to end this. Once and for all.” He wasn’t really asking anymore. It was like pulling teeth for her to sign the separation papers and the divorce papers were even worse and still unsigned. And there hadn’t been a reason for him to push for her to sign in the past eight years, but now he knows he should’ve gotten it over with a long time ago. None of this would’ve happened if he did. 

And if she refused now, he’d call his lawyer and have it filed anyway. With or without her signature. This was her last chance. He had new papers faxed from his lawyer and he signed them last night. All it needed was her to sign. And if she didn’t want to, he’d still proceed.

“I was thinking the same thing. You should’ve seen that poor girl’s face.” Sienna frowned for a second and then put her drink back to her mouth. “Speaking of. I have something for you. Don’t be mad at me.” Her glass was set aside, finally, and she reached for something by her feet. A folder. 

She laid it on the table in front of her before opening it. Harry could have fallen out of his chair. Papers. Divorce papers. 

Sienna looked almost apologetic as she pulled the paper out and slid it over to his side of the table. He held all of his excitement in. Her signature was already neatly printed on the line above a blank space for his name. 

“I met someone, so…it’s time. Don’t you think so?” 

Harry wanted to laugh, but he knew that would probably upset her so he just took a deep breath instead, skimming over the paragraph above her signature. Fortunately, she wasn’t asking for anything other than a mutual agreement for divorce. What he’d been begging for for years. But he would let her think it was her idea. 

“You met someone?” He asked, not really caring, but slightly curious as to who pushed her to this conclusion. It felt like she’d never sign and now she was the one serving him. 

“Yeah and he’s…great—no offense. It’s time to move on though,” She nodded to herself, nervously watching him look over the paper. It seemed fine to him. He would sign and then hopefully never have to see or hear from her again. “That’s part of why I stopped over too.” 

It felt like all the tension melted from his shoulders. This wasn’t a joke. She wasn’t doing it just to hold something over his head. It seemed easy. Too easy, but he wasn’t going to dwell on it. 

“Okay.”

“Okay,” She smiled, looking relieved. “Do you need a pen—”

“Nope.” He grabbed the one from his pants pocket that he put there right before she sat in front of him. He wanted to have it on hand. In case he needed to be quick about it. 

The paper was slipped right back to her and she nodded at him, putting it safely back in the folder. 

“My lawyer will get in contact with yours once this is ready to be processed, but I think we’re done here besides that.” 

“Cool. Bye.” Harry stood. Sienna looked a little surprised by how easy it had been. He could’ve really made that hard for her. Just like she’d done to him for years. Even while they were married and she was cheating on him with her boss. He hadn’t thought much about her until (Y/N) came into the picture and he knew he would have to do something about it. But he was too slow and the only one he can blame is himself. There was no reason to do the same to Sienna just because she’s done it since they met or because she was the cause of (Y/N) leaving. Which isn’t even true. If he was spiteful and only wanted to make himself feel good momentarily, he could think that. Mess up something for her, just because. 

But that wouldn’t bring (Y/N) back either. Nothing really would. 

“Oh, wait. Here’s your key. I promise I don’t have any more copies.” She dropped it in his outstretched hand and he nodded at her. For a second, just a second, he remembers why he married her. Because she was fun. And silly. At least until they got married. And somehow things went downhill. He’s probably to blame for that too. But he wouldn’t ever really know why. And that’s okay with him. 

Harry left the cafe feeling the tiniest bit of reassurance. The divorce wasn’t final yet, but it would be. And then he wouldn’t have anything tying him to anyone else. He wouldn’t have (Y/N), but he’d wait. He’s still waiting actually. 

Though he is ashamed of the way he treated her when she had every right to react the way she did and want space from him. He said horrible things to her, things that he didn’t believe to be true either. He was angry, but that doesn’t make it right and he wished he could tell her that. That he was so sorry and that he knows that doesn’t mean much, considering. 

Harry just hopes that she’s okay. And that if she never gets back to him, he’ll understand that she deserved more than he could give her. 

****

love you see you in my inbox <3

tags: @vamprry @loverofhsandallthings1d @sunflowersloverr @tenaciousperfectionunknown @caynonmoondreams @elidoho @peterbenjaminparke07 @daydreamingofmatilda @kissitnhekitchen @amberbambridge @danaehldy @straightontilmornin @forgetdelaney @me-undiscovered @80s-outsiders @littlenatilda @outofthisworl-d @butdaddyilovehim-hs @cherrys4suckers @harrystylessslut @hssunflowervol6 @indierockgirrl @satellitelh @daphnesutton @opheliaofficial07 @nathalielovesonedirection @velvetballaspark @watermelonlover @kathb59 @harrysolaf @szoszi2004 @buckyssbestgirl @ellaorchard @trooooye @daylighthazzz @prettytulips @stylesfever @mayamonroem @slut-for-artists @in-omn1a-paratus @lunaharrygurl @uncassettodiricordi @sassamanda77 @adore-you-hs2 @voniikg @adore-you-hs2 @m0mmyfromtarget @savannahwendel @harryshoneybee @illicitverstappen

[monicaalexandraaa]

NOW THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT !!!!!!!!

Leigh……just, forgive me alright?……forgive me……this is a lot

I love how you start this and Niall being the voice of reason!

From the moment Jo had been assigned as Harry's partner in Chemistry their freshman year of highschool, he had been under her spell. A spell she probably didn't even know she had been casting.

I loveeeeeeeee !!!!!

There had been several times in the friendship where he had almost mustered up the courage to tell her how he felt, but he always managed to talk himself out of it. What would happen if she didn't feel the same way? Not only would it make things awkward between the two of them, and change the dynamic of their friendship forever, but it would also put a strain on the friend group. Harry couldn't imagine being the cause of any of that, and that's what led him to the decision of keeping his feelings tucked away for so long.

Ahhhhhhhh !!!!! His feelings are so valid. He values the friendship they all share so much and it’s scary risking that in a situation like this!

Several months after they had been 'dating', the toxic cycle that is their relationship started, and it hadn't stopped since. Ignored texts and phone calls from both sides, witnessing Bennett flirt with other girls and brushing who knows what else under the rug quickly became their norm. After a while of trying to coax Jo into seeing things for what they truly were, everyone decided to give up. It pained Harry most of all to see Jo when Bennett would get her to her lowest, and he always made sure to be there for her when it happened, but he never let anyone know that witnessing one his best friends in such a relationship had taken a toll on him as well.

Ugh it’s so hard. Her friends can see what’s going on and they just want what’s best for her. She wants to see the best in everyone and that push and pull is very real. And it’s absolutely taken a toll on Harry🥺I can feel the pain😭

He was constantly worried about Jo. Was she okay? Was Bennett actually hurting her in more ways than emotional ones? Did he leave her at a party again after a fight so she had to find her own way home? All these thoughts, and more, kept him up more nights than he'd like to admit, but again, he kept his concerns tucked away. He knew ultimately if he expressed them to Jo, it would probably upset her for many different reasons, and he wouldn't allow himself to add more stress into her life.

&

"I just don't want to make her uncomfortable, Ni. Whether that be talking to her about my feelings towards her, or my feelings towards her current relationship, I don't want her to get upset with me. I don't want her to feel like I'm pushing." Harry lifted a hand to run it through his cropped curls while looking up at the stars in the sky. "You and Jo are my best friends, and I don't know what I would do without either one of you. I can't afford to compromise what I have with her just because I feel something deeper."

The way he is so concerned but doesn’t want to push or overwhelm her at the same time😫😫😫 !!!!!!! Oh gosh you write his emotions and feelings sooooo incredibly well in this !!!!!!!

"How do you know she also doesn't feel something for you?" Niall raised a brow. "She could be scared like you are. Maybe the reason why she has that soft spot for you is because she knows there's something more there. That could be her way of showing you."

Niall just gets it !!!!!!!!! I’m soooo happy they both have him as a friend🥺

"I really needed tonight," Jo said as she rested her cheek against Harry's bicep - her arm still tight in his. "You guys help everything feel better."

Harry felt his heart warm and ache all at the same time. He was happy that they could all be such a safe space for Jo, but he hated that she needed to feel better in the first place.

Love that last line. Also love that he reminded her they can meet separately from the group.

"I just don't want to inconvenience anyone. You all are busy with your own lives."

Harry peeked over at Jo as one of the streetlights illuminated the curve of her cheekbones. "You're never an inconvenience Jo. Not to any of us. Not to me."

"Yeah, well...I've been told that I-"

UGHHHHHHH GO THE FUCK AWAY BENNETT. Her being afraid to feel like an inconvenience is SO REAL😭

This is what he does. He chooses the most inopportune times to try and fuck with me, but then he'll text me tomorrow and say how I'm the problem because I didn't answer any of his calls when he's ignored me every single time I've tried to reach out to him since our fight three weeks ago."

I HATE BENNETT

Jo didn't open up about the toxicity of Bennett much anymore since the friend group had tried to rally together once to help her put an end to the relationship, so the fact that she was telling Harry tonight meant that she needed someone to talk to. It caused Harry's skin to crawl when he heard how manipulative Bennett still was, and now it seemed like it was even worse.

😫😩

Knowing how vulnerable Jo currently was, the last thing he would want to do was take advantage of that, and try to sway her in a direction she might not want. As much as he wanted her to be done with Bennett, Harry would be no better than him if he used this time to plant seeds of doubt in her head. They'd both be manipulators at that point, and that was someone Harry could never be.

&

"I know you don't like to talk about it often, but I'll listen to whatever you want to say about Bennett, and if you don't want me to say my opinion, I won't. We all...I just want what's best for you, Jordana. If you ask what I think, I'll tell you, but in the end, it's your own decision. Whether or not I like it, I'll stand by you - no matter what."

HES SO SWEET !!!!!! AN AMAZING FRIEND !!!!!!! I SOB !!!!!!!!!!

"I hope you know how much I appreciate you, Harry," she whispered before meeting his eyes. "I appreciate all of our friends, I do, but you've always taken such a calm approach when it comes to things with Bennett. I promise the older I get, I'm trying to stand my ground against him. It's just hard when he's all I've known, you know?"

I do know😫I love that she acknowledges all of Harry’s efforts.

Talking about how they’ve only been with one other person and he’s so understanding🥺🥺

As he drove home that night, he thought more about what Niall said. About this being his chance with Jo once and for all. Harry decided that he would give it another week or two. If Jo didn't get back with Bennett, then he'd find the courage to tell her how he felt. He had to remind himself that yes, Jo was his best friend, and even if she didn't feel the same, the length of their relationship would still hold them together. Or at least that's what he hoped.

YESSSSSS GOOD PLAN AND TEAM !!!!!!

When Jo texted him !!!!

I loved the detail of him thinking about how she would’ve sounded in person :)

Niall being Niall

"Not often that she texts you and not the group chat, aye?" Niall smirked as he turned in his computer chair to face Harry fully. "Maybe your conversation in the car the other night got through to her."

&

"Oh, nothing." Niall turned his chair and scooted closer to his computer. "I just love that I get to watch this play out. Harry and Jo finally getting together. Who would have thought?"

I love him

Harry's heart was thumping in his chest at the thought of him and Jo hanging out alone. It wasn't the first time they would be doing it by any means, but it had been a long time since they had. Years at this point considering Bennett didn't necessarily like her hanging out with Niall or Harry one on one. Harry and Niall both knew that Jo hated having to separate herself from them in that way, but it was easier for her to do so because she didn't have to worry about getting hounded by Bennett if she just did what he said.

Of course Bennett has something to say about her friends🙄🙄they’ve been so understanding and supportive of her no matter what😩

This was hands down the most nervous he had ever been when it came to seeing Jo by himself. He knew that things probably weren't going to change between them, and even if they did, it wasn't going to happen overnight, but what if this really was the start of them realizing they were more than just friends?

IM HERE FOR ITTTTTT🤭🤭him being nervous is so cute

Harry was quick to start running cool water in the sink, and he carefully wrapped his hands around Jo's wrist to maneuver her palms underneath the stream - her back pressed against his chest. He could feel her body relax against him once the water had been running over her tender skin for a while before she looked up at him.

Loveeeeeeee

The flashback ughhhhhh and how she excused herself and then came back ready to go as if it never happened ugh so real

He could instantly tell that Jo was embarrassed to tell him by the look in her eyes, and he reached forward to take one of her hands - just like he had in the car the other night. Harry felt the tension in her body release, and then she met his eyes before starting to speak.

🥺

"He started yelling and accusing me of accusing him of cheating - which I never did. The only question I asked was what he and Nora were talking about. That was literally it, and he just started belittling me. He told me that I should trust him. That I was being insecure when I had no reason to, and that's one of the things he really dislikes about me. Of course, he flipped the switch and said he didn't know if he could be with someone that didn't trust him. Then he left, and I haven't seen him since."

&

"Nope." Jo shook her head. "And now I'm irritated with myself because why the hell did I text him asking him to come back so we could talk? As if I had said all those awful things to him that he had said to me. Even with me giving in and acting like the bad guy, just like he wanted me to, he still didn't want to talk to me."

BENNET YOU BETTER HOPE YOU NEVER RUN INTO ME BECAUSE👹👹👹👹her being frustrated with herself is so real.

Considering the fact that Harry was still right in front of Jo, he tried to keep his anger at bay. Harry wasn't an angry guy. He had never wanted to hurt someone in his life, but right now, he could see himself throwing a punch in Bennett's direction over what he had just heard.

GOOD

Ugh my heart breaks for her learning about what happened. Bennett’s behavior is so textbook of a toxic man. They twist everything possible and manipulate to get away with what they’re doing. Gaslighting at its finest. But her still reaching out anyway because she has a good heart and then he doesn’t want to talk to her UGHHHHHH IM PISSED she deserves so much more😫

"Please consider letting this be the end, Jordana. It's already been this long since you've seen each other, and look, you're alright without him. If anything, I think you seem more at ease - not so stressed. And you still have all the people who matter most. Niall, Ginny, Easton and I. We're not going anywhere. Not ever."

Harry saying all the right things in this scene. Regardless of the crush he has he’s genuinely being such a good friend!🥺

"That would be nice." Jo nodded. "Thank you for listening to me tonight, and for your advice. You've given me a lot to think about, but in a good way. I needed to hear all of that."

&

"Anytime, Jo, I mean it." Harry pulled her in for a hug, and he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head - something he had never done before. He figured that it would scare him that he just did that, but it felt so natural that he didn't second guess it at all. "I'll text you when I get home."

I LOVEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!!

Jo and Niall talking after and Niall asking if she liked Harry and her not giving a straight answer ahhhhhhh !!!!!!

She knew he was right about all of it, and it frustrated her that she was still contemplating whether or not writing him off completely was the right thing to do.

THIS IS SO REAL LIKE UGH

Maybe hanging out with Harry more, just the two of them, was what she needed in order to fully move on. Maybe there was something deeper there after all this time, but how could she be sure he felt the same? Was she even sure of her feelings?

Ahhhhhhhh all the feelings! I totally get her being in her head about it all.

I loved the flow of changing the POVs. It’s done really well!

Harry had promised himself after the night at Jo's apartment that he would try to be more forward with her from that point on. Nothing to overwhelm her, but to drop hints that he was interested in being more than just her friend.

Jo's lips parted at Harry's compliment, and she felt her stomach swirl in a way she never had before when it came to being around him. "Thank you, Harry," she said softly while resting her hand against her chest. "I was a little unsure about the dress when I was getting ready this morning, and I-"

“The dress is perfect." Harry cut her off while sending her a smile. "Very you."

I love this soooooooo much !!!!!!!

BUT THEN UGH MEG

For the rest of the time that Harry and Niall were at the event, they both could see that Jo had started to act differently. When they said their goodbyes, Jo hardly hugged Harry, a stark contrast to the hug they had engaged in when he had first arrived.

The way my stomach flipped😫

Getting back into Harry's car, Niall buckled up his seatbelt and then looked over at his friend as they started down the road. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

&

"Why did you give Meg your number? You and Jo were having such a good day together, and then you ruined it by doing that. Did you hit your head or something when you went to the bathroom? Because that's the only explanation I can think of as to why your brain seemed to stop working."

I fucking love Niall in this !!!!!!!!!!!!

I understand Harry can be shy and Meg was definitely forward but UGHHHH

"We don't even know if Jo feels the same way, and that's what has me anxious. Today I tried to step out of the box and compliment her more, and I think she liked it, but she could've also thought I was just being extra friendly or something. I don't know." Harry shook his head. "I really don't think she feels the same way, Ni."

IM GOING MAD

Harry stayed silent as he thought over what Niall had said. He did notice that he was one of the only people to call Jo by her full name, and the reason why he did was because he thought it was beautiful, and that it suited her so well. If she had ever asked him to stop, he would have, but she never did.

Niall working overtime dropping the hints the absolute MVP

"I didn't want to text her," Harry stated as he stared into Jo's eyes. "I didn't really want to give her my number, honestly. I've never really had someone flirt with me the way she did before, and it scrambled my brain a bit. Next thing I knew, our phones were in each other's hands and I felt stuck.

Jo's brows knitted together as she looked up at him. "You...you weren't interested in her?"

"No." Harry shook his head. "Not even a little bit. I mean, she's nice, don't get me wrong there, but no, I'm not interested."

GOOOOOOOOD

I love that she admitted to being jealous because that was good for Harry to know and shows that she felt comfortable / safe saying that.

OMG

When Harry pulls her outside for some air😩and he can’t hold it in any longer and wants to talk😩and then😩

"I was wondering if you ever would want to go on a-"

"There she is!"

UGHHHHHHHHHHH

Harry losing his confidence and walking away I sob but I’m glad he turned around the second he heard Jo panic trying to get Bennet to let go of her and stood by just in case.

"Jo, do not apologize for him, alright?" Harry tucked a strand of hair behind Jo's ear. "Don't you ever apologize for him. Nothing happened. We're alright."

LOVE

I’m so happy Jo tells him she still wants to have the talk and they agree to leave to have privacy and her asking where he would feel more comfortable🥺

"Oh, wait! Can I use the restroom real quick?" Jo asked, giving Harry's hand a squeeze. "I'll be quick, I promise."

OH DEAR SOMETHING IS COMING

AND LOOK WHO IT FUCKING IS

Quickly turning to reach the front door, Jo pushed her way through people with tears burning in her eyes as she made her way out of the house. Harry had just pulled up in his car as she walked onto the porch, and he got out immediately when he could see how upset she looked.

Love that he got out right away🥺

AND HE HAS THE AUDACITY TO RUN AFTER HER AND SAY

"Come on, babe. It's not like we've been talking anyway. So what if she wanted to make out with me?"

IM SEEING RED LEIGH

"I'm not going to allow you to try to lie your way out of this, or for you to try to twist things once again and make me seem ridiculous. This has gone on long enough. I'm done."

IM PROUD OF HER ! It’s so tough because sometimes it has to take seeing it for it to finally click. She has such a pure heart and she didn’t want to believe that Bennet would really do something like that (even though how horrible he’s been already) and gives the benefit of the doubt to easily (I get it). Friends and family can try their hardest but people like her love hard and they want to try to do everything to be there for that other person even though that other person doesn’t deserve it. It’s an awful thing to witness but I’m not sure if she would’ve officially ended it if that never happened and I don’t fault her for that.

Harry didn't even get a chance to ask his if she wanted him to walk her up as Jo let out a sob and scrambled out of the car. He watched as she ran across the parking lot and into her building, and once he saw the light in her living room come on, like always, he started to make his way to his house.

😭😭

The night had been a disaster. He hated that Bennett had to show up and ruin Jo's time. She had been doing so much better without him, and then he came back and pulled her right back into the toxic cycle - even if she had told him that she never wanted to see him again. Harry knew this was going to take her a while to get over, and he would be patient with her.

As selfish as it was, he couldn't stop thinking about whether or not he'd get another opportunity to tell her the way he truly felt again, and even if he did, who knows how soon it could be?

I totally get him. He’s going to be patient and supportive but also having those thoughts of if they could get back to the tipping point they were at. Or did Bennet ruin it? UGH!

The gig !!!!!!!

To say that he was crushed would be an understatement. Jo had stopped showing up at their Friday night pub dates, and only Ginny had heard from her - only because she showed up at Jo's door and refused to leave until she let her in. As much as Harry wanted to pry, he didn't. He knew that if Jo wanted to talk to him, then she would.

😩😫I get both sides😫😩

And ahhhhhh she’s there !!!!

Sure, she felt bad about avoiding Niall, but she felt terrible about ignoring Harry.

I understand her being overwhelmed from that night. A major conversation was about to happen and then everything crashes and burns from Bennet

The almost confession from Harry had confused her. She knew that she hadn't been obvious about her feelings towards him, but up until recently, she didn't even think it was a possibility that Harry felt the same way towards her. As much as she wanted to explore what could potentially be there, she wondered if they could even be compatible if they both waited this long to say something.

Very interesting! I didn’t even think of this but I appreciate this take

I loved Ginny’s reassurance when she’s nervous about seeing the boys for the first time since everything went down.

NIALL THE LEGEND

"I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen," Niall said firmly. "You're my best friend, and I will always be here for you, and you can ignore me all the fuck you want. But what I won't have is you ignoring Harry. Do you know how worried he's been? He's been coming to work every day for the past month with dark circles under his eyes because he can't stop thinking about you.

"You know that he's almost bailed on the Friday night pub dates too? I had to beg him not to because I know if he did, it would just be another repeat of you, except I'd be the only one to see him since we work together."

Jo thanked the bartender for her drink, still acting as if Niall wasn't there, and she lifted the straw to her lips.

"Seriously, Jo?" Niall raised his voice. "I never thought you could be like this. And over Bennett? Of all people? You're going to let that piece of shit ruin something that could actually be good for you. Someone who wants what's best for you?"

"How do you know Harry wants what's best for me, huh?" Jo snapped, looking over at her friend. "He doesn't need to be worried about me. Obviously you all know Ginny has been seeing me, so I'm alive, and I'm fine. Harry can stop-"

"He's worried about you because he's in love with you, Jordana!"

MOVIE MOVIE MOVE MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE !!!!!!!!

Niall feeling bad but IM SO HAPPY

BUT THEN FUCKING MEG UGHHHHHH

Approaching them but then freezing😫😫😫

She felt out of control of everything, and honestly, she had since the last time Bennett had walked out of her apartment. From that night forward, it seemed like everything was crashing down around her.

😭😭😭😭😭

I truly love me some miscommunication that all comes together🙂‍↕️especially when sealed by a kiss !!!!!!!!!!!

"Was I extremely hurt by you ignoring me? Yes, I was, but I get it. However, I'm not letting you shut yourself away from me again. Got it?"

"Yes." Jo nodded as she clutched to Harry's shirt. "Can you kiss me again?"

"Yeah," Harry chuckled as he lightly pressed Jo against the building again. "I can do that."

🤭🤭🤭

"Harry," Jo whimpered softly as her mouth hovered slightly over his. "I have to tell you that I've felt like there was something there, but I was just scared to say anything. I'm sorry I allowed myself to be blinded by Bennett for so long. If I had known, it would've been you - always."

Harry felt a lump grow in his throat at Jo's words, and he shook his head. "I'm to blame too. I should've told you how I felt a long time ago. I've been so in love with you, Jordana. You have no idea."

I loveeeeeeeeee this🥹full name too🥺😩🤭

Niall couldn't help but playfully shove Harry in excitement before giving Jo a tight hug.

Even after everything Niall is their biggest cheerleader and I will be sobbing over that for the near future.

Now that he knew how her mouth felt against his, Harry felt like something new in him had ignited. The only thoughts consuming his mind were being able to kiss Jo all over - to have her body in his hands.

OBSESSED !!!!!!!

LEIGH YOUR SMUT ALWAYS HAS ME BY THE FUCKING THROAT !!!!!!!!!

Bringing her other hand down, Jo began to rub against her clit as Harry continued to dip his tongue into her, but once he saw what she was doing, he quickly captured her wrist and pinned it beside her hip. She gasped and her eyes shot open to look down at him - just in time to see him lifting his head to lick over his lips.

"That's my job," he stated with a hunger in his eyes.

🫠😵‍💫

Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head while his grip tightened on Jo's hair, his other hand sliding down her back to knead one of the rounds of her ass. Jo hummed around Harry's prick before that turned into a soft squeal when she felt the tips of his fingers trail down her slit until he was slowly pressing one inside of her.

😵‍💫😵‍💫

Both them admitting to being nervous🥺🥺🥺

Sitting back onto the heels of his feet, Harry slid one hand to Jo's back to keep her arched as he pulled her into his lap. She held onto his shoulders for support as she started to grind herself over him - forehead resting on his.

😵‍💫😵‍💫

She let her mouth drop to his while taking control, and she quickly turned them over - pressing a hand against Harry's shoulder to have him laying back against the mattress. Resting her hands on his chest, Jo started to bounce up and down his cock. Harry whined as he gripped to Jo's hips, but not enough to dictate her movements. He still wanted her to be able to choose how she rode him.

😵‍💫😵‍💫

Harry’s nerves afterwards worrying if she regrets it 😭😭but I love how she cuts him off with a kiss🤭taste of his own medicine🙂‍↕️

NIALLLL

"Well, I'll tell you something," Niall started as he bit into his sandwich, causing everyone at the table to make a face with the way he ripped the bread apart like a wild animal. "I've just been waiting to see these two cuddling in the booth like this."

I love how everyone wanted them to stop resisting and just be happy and lovey dovey🥺and how at first the transition was a little awkward but then it became so normal as if it’s always been like this🥺

Eventually, she blocked his number, but that didn't stop him from showing up at Jo's apartment one evening. Harry was there, thankfully, and set him straight. Jo had never seen Harry speak to someone the way he spoke to Bennett that day, and once he had shut the door and locked it back up, Jo pounced on him and begged him to take her into her bedroom.

YUP YUP YUPPPPPPP🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️

Harry was more than grateful that he was the one who was able to show Jo what it was like to be treated properly in a relationship. He did things for her without her asking. He had even managed to show her how to cook his own recipe that he had for spaghetti since he knew she wanted to learn how to make at least one dish properly. He was over the moon at the fact that he was getting to love her the way he always wanted to.

🥺🥹

THE MOST PERFECT ENDING !!!!!!!!!

Leigh……LEIGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is remarkable !!!!! It’s soooo easy for me to dive deep into any work of yours. The characters, the storyline and just the overall flow is always so well done. It’s always so immersive but especially this one. You write about some very real and relatable topics and feelings here and I applaud you for how beautifully executed this is. I know this whole thing is SO EXTRA of me but every time I felt like I had all the notes, I couldn’t help myself and added more! I loved this sooooo much. SO MUCH. Thank you for this🩷🩷

More tags I couldn’t fit:

"I do know that," Niall laughed. "I was mostly asking to see if you wanted to move and hide somewhere?" LOL exactly

Jo froze at not only Niall calling her by her full name, something he never does, but also because of the words that came before it. 🥹😭

Jo looked over to see Harry standing there - his hand outstretched like he wanted to touch her, but he wasn't sure if she wanted him to. 🥺

When Harry pulled away after a moment, he couldn't help but smirk softly as Jo tried to jut her chin forward, and chase his mouth. LOVE

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears due to his nerves, and he just hoped that Jo couldn't tell how anxious he felt at the moment.🥺

"You're so beautiful, Jordana," he whispered. He leaned down to press his lips against her stomach, and he smiled as he watched goosebumps coat her skin. "So stunning." I meannnnnn cmonnnnnn !!!!!😫😩

There was something so erotic to her about the fact that she was laying underneath Harry, completely naked, and he was still fully clothed. Girl I get itttttttttt

She couldn't help but kiss over his abs while pushing the denim down his legs, and Harry groaned as he pulled Jo's hair back into a makeshift ponytail. PLSSSSS

He cursed softly to himself as he had to open the box of condoms with one hand as his other was caressing Jo's side I LOVE R U KIDDING

Jo's back arched off the bed, and she dropped her hands beside her head to claw at the pillow underneath it.😍

Jo laid herself flat against Harry, and he moved her hair out of the way so he could see her properly. I loveeeeeee

"Will you stay the night with me? Please?" Harry asked. "Wouldn't dream of leaving."🥹

🩷🩷

“Just the Girl”

Word Count: 16.9K

Warnings: Angst, talks of a toxic relationship, talks of being cheated on, oral sex (m&f receiving), brief fingering & protected sex

A/N: I posted this over on WP a few months ago, but realized I never posted it over here. I hope you all enjoy!

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

"She's complaining about Bennett again," Niall stated as he bit into his French dip sandwich - grease dripping down his chin.

Harry looked over and grimaced at the scene in front of him. "Hm?" He hummed as his mouth was full with a bite of his grilled cheese he had just dipped into his side of tomato soup.

"Jo." Niall wiped his mouth with a napkin before taking a large swig of beer. "You didn't hear her talking to Ginny just now before they went to get another round?"

"Uh, no." Harry cleared his throat as he took a sip of the water he had beside his own beer. "Must've zoned out."

Niall gave him a look of skepticism as Jo and Virginia, Ginny for short, returned from the bar with a shot in each of their hands.

"You should just cut him off, Jo," Ginny stated as they sat back down, and Harry could see Niall staring at him out of the corner of his eye. "And for good this time."

"I know," Jo sighed with a shake of her head as they separated the shots among the four of them. "It's just...it's hard after how long we've been together, you know?"

"Yeah, but on and off again isn't a real relationship. You know that right?" Ginny squeezed Jo's hand. "He uses silence and ignoring you as punishment, and he only does it when you've called him out for something that he did wrong. It's not fair. I hate it for you."

"I hate it for you too," Niall chimed in with another mouthful of food. "Right prick that one."

Harry elbowed his friend, and Niall looked over at him with a shrug.

"Trust me. I hear everything you guys are saying." Jo twisted her shot glass back and forth between the palm of her hands - staring down at it so she wouldn't have to make eye contact with her friends. "It's just complicated."

Ginny glanced over at Niall and Harry, and they all held eyes for a moment before she looked back over at Jo. "Let's take these shots and forget about him for the night then, yeah?"

"Yeah," Jo said as she looked up, and her lips twitched into a slight smile. "Thank you guys for always being here for me."

The four friends clinked their shot glasses together before downing the liquid.

When Jo and Ginny got back up to add songs to the TouchTunes machine on the wall, Niall turned to face Harry - balling up his napkin and tossing it into the now empty basket that once housed his food.

"Look, I know you're super private when it comes to your feelings about Jo. Hell, you haven't even admitted to me that you like her, but I know you do." Niall reached over to clap a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Her and Bennett aren't talking again, and it's been a while since they've gone this long without doing so. This is your chance, Harry. Swoop in there. Get your girl."

Harry nervously raised his index finger to press the tip of it against the nosepiece of his glasses so they were properly sitting on the bridge of his nose again. "I can't do that."

"And why the hell not?" Niall asked while draining the rest of the ale in his pint glass. "I reckon it would do her a lot of good to date a fella like yourself. You've been in love with her since high school. Don't you think it's time you tried to act on it?"

"I have not," Harry mumbled as he looked down at his hands in his lap - picking at his cuticles. "And she clearly doesn't want to end things with him. If she did, she wouldn't be talking as if there's a possibility that the two of them could get back together."

"Maybe if she knew she had other options, one of them being a way better option at that, she wouldn't feel like she has to go back to Bennett." Niall grabbed his empty glass and tapped his shoulder against Harry's. "Now budge up. I need a refill. You want anything else?

"No, I'm good," Harry shook his head. "I've had my two since I'm driving tonight."

Harry watched as Niall made his way back over to the bar once he let him out of the booth, and then he glanced over at Jo and Ginny over by the machine on the wall - the two of them giggling to each other.

This was how it was every Friday. They would all meet up after work for drinks and food as a way to stay connected with each other. Niall, Harry and Jo had all gone to high school together, and then when they all went off to the same college, they also met Ginny and Easton. Easton usually attended these Friday hangouts as well, but he was currently out of town for work.

Niall and Harry were fortunate enough to also get jobs together at a local firm after college - both of them the heads of the computer science department. Jo managed to snag her dream job at the local zoo as she took on the research assistant position.

Life had gotten a bit hectic after they all had graduated college. Niall and Harry probably wouldn't have seen each other if they weren't working together, and for the first time since meeting, almost a month had gone by since they had seen Jo. Because of this, it was actually Harry who had suggested making plans every Friday so they wouldn't go without seeing each other for so long, and for the past three years, they've all stuck to it.

Given they were all very much settled in their lives now, they managed to see each other here and there outside of the organized meetup. Whether it be the original trio hanging out - which usually only happened when Jo and Bennett were on a break, or Harry and Niall just having a movie night at one of their places, they still remained incredibly close.

Although Niall had picked up on Harry's feelings for Jo, he had never flat out admitted that he liked her as more than a friend. From the moment Jo had been assigned as Harry's partner in Chemistry their freshman year of highschool, he had been under her spell. A spell she probably didn't even know she had been casting.

There had been several times in the friendship where he had almost mustered up the courage to tell her how he felt, but he always managed to talk himself out of it. What would happen if she didn't feel the same way? Not only would it make things awkward between the two of them, and change the dynamic of their friendship forever, but it would also put a strain on the friend group. Harry couldn't imagine being the cause of any of that, and that's what led him to the decision of keeping his feelings tucked away for so long.

Not to mention there was also Bennett. Jo's 'boyfriend' since their sophomore year of college. Boyfriend was a relatively loose term to use when it came to him, considering he was pretty adamant about them not having labels, but he sure as hell made sure he staked his claim over Jo. When they first met, he seemed like a nice enough guy, and as much as it hurt Harry to see her with someone else, if Jo was happy, then he was happy.

Several months after they had been 'dating', the toxic cycle that is their relationship started, and it hadn't stopped since. Ignored texts and phone calls from both sides, witnessing Bennett flirt with other girls and brushing who knows what else under the rug quickly became their norm. After a while of trying to coax Jo into seeing things for what they truly were, everyone decided to give up. It pained Harry most of all to see Jo when Bennett would get her to her lowest, and he always made sure to be there for her when it happened, but he never let anyone know that witnessing one his best friends in such a relationship had taken a toll on him as well.

He was constantly worried about Jo. Was she okay? Was Bennett actually hurting her in more ways than emotional ones? Did he leave her at a party again after a fight so she had to find her own way home? All these thoughts, and more, kept him up more nights than he'd like to admit, but again, he kept his concerns tucked away. He knew ultimately if he expressed them to Jo, it would probably upset her for many different reasons, and he wouldn't allow himself to add more stress into her life.

As the night started to come to a close, and the friends were paying for their tabs, Harry could see that Jo was staring at her phone with a hard expression.

"Jordana," he said her name softly, causing her to look up at him - her brows softening as their eyes connected. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Ubers are just a lot right now." She shook her as she tapped on the screen of her phone with her bottom lip now wedged between her teeth.

"I can take you home. I've only had my two beers and a shot tonight," Harry explained, and Jo looked back over to him.

"Oh really? You wouldn't mind? I know I'm kind of out of your way."

"Not at all." Harry shook his head. "I'd rather know you got home safely anyway."

He could see a soft pink tinting her cheeks before sending him a smile. "Thank you, Harry. I really appreciate it."

When Ginny and Jo stepped away once again to use the bathroom, Niall and Harry stepped outside to wait for them.

"You should really talk to her on the ride home," Niall suggested as he leaned against the brick exterior of the building. "She's always had a softer spot for you than the rest of us. Maybe you of all people could get through to her."

"I just don't want to make her uncomfortable, Ni. Whether that be talking to her about my feelings towards her, or my feelings towards her current relationship, I don't want her to get upset with me. I don't want her to feel like I'm pushing." Harry lifted a hand to run it through his cropped curls while looking up at the stars in the sky. "You and Jo are my best friends, and I don't know what I would do without either one of you. I can't afford to compromise what I have with her just because I feel something deeper."

"How do you know she also doesn't feel something for you?" Niall raised a brow. "She could be scared like you are. Maybe the reason why she has that soft spot for you is because she knows there's something more there. That could be her way of showing you."

Harry opened his mouth to speak again, but the front door opened to reveal Jo and Ginny stepping out onto the street. As soon as Jo's eyes landed on Harry, the smile that was already on her lips widened, and she walked over to him - looping one of her arms around his own.

"You ready?" She asked while staring up at him.

"Yeah, I'm all set." Harry nodded before looking over at Niall and Ginny. "See you guys later."

"See you." Niall gave Harry a salute as he started down the street down his apartment that was only a couple of blocks away, and Ginny let them all know that she was going to wait inside until her girlfriend came to meet her for a drink or two before they went home.

Harry and Jo went the opposite way of Niall towards the parking garage that was on the corner. He could tell that she was a little tipsy given how she would almost double step every few seconds to keep up with Harry's long legs. About halfway to the garage he slowed down, and he noticed that helped her pace her steps better.

"I really needed tonight," Jo said as she rested her cheek against Harry's bicep - her arm still tight in his. "You guys help everything feel better."

Harry felt his heart warm and ache all at the same time. He was happy that they could all be such a safe space for Jo, but he hated that she needed to feel better in the first place.

"You know we can always see each other outside of our Friday meetups if we're not busy," Harry commented as they approached his car, and he opened the passenger side door for her.

Once he was sure all her limbs were inside, he shut the door and rounded around the front to slip into the driver's seat. He started up the car, and buckled his seatbelt, before pulling out of the spot and heading out onto the road.

"I just don't want to inconvenience anyone. You all are busy with your own lives."

Harry peeked over at Jo as one of the streetlights illuminated the curve of her cheekbones. "You're never an inconvenience Jo. Not to any of us. Not to me."

"Yeah, well...I've been told that I-"

The sound of a ringtone flooded through the interior of the car, and Jo dug her phone out of her purse. Harry could see out of the corner of his eye that she was staring at the screen for a while before hitting the decline button, and then hitting the switch on the side of her phone to silence it. It wasn't even ten seconds later that her device lit up again. This caused her to let out a muffled squeal of irritation before shutting her phone off entirely - throwing it back into her purse.

"Bennett?" Harry asked while rubbing the pad of his thumb against the steering wheel as he rested his other forearm on the console separating the two of them.

"Yeah," she huffed while crossing her arms over her chest. "Of course he'd choose tonight of all nights to call me when he knows this is my night out with my friends. Who's to say I still wouldn't be at the pub with all of you right now? This is what he does. He chooses the most inopportune times to try and fuck with me, but then he'll text me tomorrow and say how I'm the problem because I didn't answer any of his calls when he's ignored me every single time I've tried to reach out to him since our fight three weeks ago."

Harry really didn't hear how long Jo and Bennett hadn't been speaking earlier, and his eyebrows raised at her statement. Three weeks was actually a long time for the two of them. Probably the longest time since their college years. It was usually a week and half to two at max. Maybe Niall was right. Maybe this could be his chance to show Jo things didn't have to be like this.

Jo didn't open up about the toxicity of Bennett much anymore since the friend group had tried to rally together once to help her put an end to the relationship, so the fact that she was telling Harry tonight meant that she needed someone to talk to. It caused Harry's skin to crawl when he heard how manipulative Bennett still was, and now it seemed like it was even worse.

"He knows exactly how to get under your skin." Harry took a deep breath before continuing to speak. "And he shouldn't use that against you. That's not fair, and he knows that."

"Trust me, I know." Jo turned her head to stare out the window as she dug her fingertips into her biceps. "This time feels different. I can't put my finger on what it is, but something is telling me that we might not get back together."

Knowing how vulnerable Jo currently was, the last thing he would want to do was take advantage of that, and try to sway her in a direction she might not want. As much as he wanted her to be done with Bennett, Harry would be no better than him if he used this time to plant seeds of doubt in her head. They'd both be manipulators at that point, and that was someone Harry could never be.

As he turned into the parking lot of Jo's apartment complex, he put his car in park before turning to look at her. Jo ended up doing the same, and slowly Harry reached over the console to take her hand - grazing his thumb over the back of it.

"I know you don't like to talk about it often, but I'll listen to whatever you want to say about Bennett, and if you don't want me to say my opinion, I won't. We all...I just want what's best for you, Jordana. If you ask what I think, I'll tell you, but in the end, it's your own decision. Whether or not I like it, I'll stand by you - no matter what."

Jo looked down at Harry's hand intertwined with hers, and she felt what she could only label as a relief in her chest.

"I hope you know how much I appreciate you, Harry," she whispered before meeting his eyes. "I appreciate all of our friends, I do, but you've always taken such a calm approach when it comes to things with Bennett. I promise the older I get, I'm trying to stand my ground against him. It's just hard when he's all I've known, you know?"

Jo's lips parted softly when she realized what she had said, and she could only hope that Harry wouldn't read too much into it. Bennett was the only boyfriend she had ever had, and honestly, Harry knew that. Throughout high school, Jo didn't date, no matter how many guys tried to get with her. She was intelligent, and more focused on her studies than anything. That's why it was so hard for Harry to wrap his head around her staying with a guy like Bennett.

"I understand." Harry linked their fingers together so he could give her hand a soft squeeze. "You know...I've only had one girlfriend. Junior year of college. You remember, Mika, right?"

Their eyes connected again as Jo nodded, and Harry gave her a soft smile.

"She was the only girlfriend I've ever had. Our breakup was mutual, but I still felt tied to her for a very long time, and she admitted she felt the same for me, but we knew we weren't compatible anymore. I know that with you and Bennett it would be a lot harder because you've been together longer. Just know I get it. I understand, and I'm here for you."

Smiling, Jo reached across the console with her other hand to cup one of Harry's cheeks, moving his head to the side so she could press a kiss to the other like she always did. "You're my best friend."

"And you're mine," Harry whispered back with a palpitating heart. "Do you want me to walk you up?"

Jo giggled and shook her head. "No, I'll be alright. You text me when you get home though, okay?"

"Of course. Just remember to turn your phone back on," he joked.

Harry watched as the girl of his dreams unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed her way out of his car. He stayed in his parking spot until he watched her head inside, and then he looked to her window to see the light come on in her living room.

As he drove home that night, he thought more about what Niall said. About this being his chance with Jo once and for all. Harry decided that he would give it another week or two. If Jo didn't get back with Bennett, then he'd find the courage to tell her how he felt. He had to remind himself that yes, Jo was his best friend, and even if she didn't feel the same, the length of their relationship would still hold them together. Or at least that's what he hoped.

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

It was only the Wednesday after Harry had driven Jo home from the pub that his phone vibrated on his desk at work - her name appearing on the screen. It wasn't uncommon for her name to be on his phone. Niall, Harry and Jo all had a group chat together that they talked in daily, but an individual text from her didn't happen often. His fingers immediately ceased on his keyboard so he could grab his phone with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. Swiping on the notification to open it, he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips as he read over her message.

From: Jordana 2:37 pm Remember when you said if our friends weren't busy, we could hang out on a day other than Friday?

Harry couldn't help but laugh as he read - imagining the playful tone that Jo would've had if she had been asking him the question in person.

"What's got you giggling at your phone?" Niall's voice caught him off guard. For a minute, he had forgotten that he was still at work considering he was so enraptured with one simple message from Jo.

"Nothing." Harry shook his head. "Just a text from Jo."

Hearing the chuckle that left Niall, Harry quickly looked back over at him.

"Not often that she texts you and not the group chat, aye?" Niall smirked as he turned in his computer chair to face Harry fully. "Maybe your conversation in the car the other night got through to her."

Harry contemplated what Niall said as he started to type out a reply. Never in his life had he been nervous to text Jo, but for some reason, today felt different.

To: Jordana 2:41 pm I do remember saying that, yes. Why? Want to make plans with everyone?

Although he was hoping that Jo was only looking to hang out with him, and that's why she had texted him specifically, he didn't want to seem too desperate. He looked back over to Niall who's smirk had now turned into a grin, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." Niall turned his chair and scooted closer to his computer. "I just love that I get to watch this play out. Harry and Jo finally getting together. Who would have thought?"

"Let's...let's not get too ahead of ourselves, alright? It was just a text."

"Mhmm."

Harry felt his phone vibrate again in his hand, and he looked down to see another message from Jo - his screen hadn't even locked again yet before she had responded.

From: Jordana 2:42 pm Not everyone actually. I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight? I'll cook. Or if you don't trust my cooking, we can order something, but I promise I'm getting better!

That actually caused Harry to press his fist against his mouth to disguise the loud laugh he wanted to let out as a cough, and he shook his head. Jo was terrible at cooking. It was probably the only thing that she couldn't succeed in, and it frustrated her for a long while. Jo, Harry and Niall had even taken up a couple of cooking classes in their senior year of college, deciding to go in all together on it, and even then Jo couldn't get the hang of it.

To: Jordana 2:44 pm I trust that if you say that you're getting better then you actually are. I don't have any plans tonight. What time do you want me to come over?

Harry's heart was thumping in his chest at the thought of him and Jo hanging out alone. It wasn't the first time they would be doing it by any means, but it had been a long time since they had. Years at this point considering Bennett didn't necessarily like her hanging out with Niall or Harry one on one. Harry and Niall both knew that Jo hated having to separate herself from them in that way, but it was easier for her to do so because she didn't have to worry about getting hounded by Bennett if she just did what he said.

From: Jordana 2:46 pm Does between 6:30-7:00 sound okay? Gives us each time to get home and get cleaned up a bit. You won't believe this...but maybe you will actually because it's just my luck. LMAO. I had a baby goat pee on my leg today while bottle feeding it.

This time Harry couldn't help but throw his head back with a laugh, and he didn't even care that he could see Niall still grinning at him out of the corner of his eye. Jo loved animals, and he had heard her mention a couple of weeks ago that she volunteered to help bottle feed the new round of baby goats at the zoo while on her lunch break. Like she had told Harry, one of them peeing on her leg actually took him by no surprise, but he knew it didn't deter her away from her field. She embraced it.

To: Jordana 2:49 pm You're so right. I can absolutely believe that. I'll see you at 6:45 ;)

Maybe the wink emoji was too much, but Harry had felt good about their conversation. He placed his phone back down, and started at his work again with a wide smile on his face.

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

Harry glanced down at this watch as he stood in front of Jo's door. 6:43. He had pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex at 6:30 and just sat in this car until it hit 6:40, but he couldn't stand just sitting there any longer. That's how he ended up standing in front of her door for the last three minutes. This was hands down the most nervous he had ever been when it came to seeing Jo by himself. He knew that things probably weren't going to change between them, and even if they did, it wasn't going to happen overnight, but what if this really was the start of them realizing they were more than just friends?

Once he could see it was a minute past their meeting time, not wanting her to think he had just been lingering around by making his presence known too early, he knocked on Jo's door. He could hear her footsteps approaching after a while, and soon the door opened to reveal his best friend standing there with an apron tied around her neck and her waist over a loose, cotton tank top jumpsuit - her feet bare and her hair up in a messy bun.

"I think you might be just in time to see me burn the whole building down," she panted as she moved out of the way so Harry could step inside.

"And here I trusted you when you said you were getting better," he said playfully as he followed her into the kitchen after shutting the door - placing the bottle of wine he had brought down on the dining table.

Walking over to the stove, he could see that Jo was boiling pasta in one large pot, and then heating up an alfredo sauce in a smaller sauce pan. As she tried to stir the sauce, his eyebrows narrowed when he saw that it was sticking to the bottom of it. He flashed his eyes up to the temperature knobs, and they widened immediately.

"Jordana!" Harry exclaimed as he reached forward and turned the knob for that particular burner to low heat. He then wrapped his hand around Jo's own that was on the handle of the sauce pan - moving it to another burner that was off. "You had it on full heat."

"Yeah, I was warming the sauce," she explained just as the pasta began to boil over. "Shit!"

Harry turned that temperature knob off completely but not before Jo went to grab the two large handles on the side of the pot to move it - not even thinking about how hot they would be.

"Wait, don't-"

He was too late as he watched her small hands clamp down around the metal, but her body jumped back as the heat singed her palms while she hissed out in pain.

"Okay, that was stupid," she mumbled to herself while staring down at her hands to see them slowly turning pink.

Harry was quick to start running cool water in the sink, and he carefully wrapped his hands around Jo's wrist to maneuver her palms underneath the stream - her back pressed against his chest. He could feel her body relax against him once the water had been running over her tender skin for a while before she looked up at him.

"So...what should we order for takeout?"

An hour later, Harry and Jo were seated on her couch with Chinese takeout boxes lining the coffee table. They both had a glass of wine they were sipping from as they faced each other with their legs in a criss cross fashion.

"Sorry that I ruined dinner." Jo stabbed at her container of lo mein. "I'm really trying to figure out how to cook, you know? One of Bennett's biggest complaints about me is that I don't know how."

This was the first time all night that Jo had mentioned Bennett. Up until now, they had been laughing about her failed attempt at a pasta recipe she had found on Pinterest while on break just this morning at work. Once Harry had made sure her hands were okay, and the food had been ordered, the two of them just sat on the couch and talked about anything and everything until now.

"Not everyone is a cook," Harry stated with a shake of his head as he picked at his rice. "Is Bennett?"

When Jo didn't answer, he looked up and saw her staring at him - taking a pause on eating. "No...he's not."

"Then he shouldn't get angry at you for not knowing how when he doesn't either. And if his excuse is some misogynistic bullshit about how the woman should be the one making the meals then-"

"Harry!" Jo gasped while slapping a hand to her chest.

"W-What?" Harry stammered, thinking that he had said the wrong thing, or made her upset.

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk so aggressively about Bennett before." She was fighting off the urge to smile at just how defensive Harry had gotten, but he could see the twitching of the corners of her lips. "It's a bit shocking."

After a second, the both of them broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I'm just saying...." Harry continued once they started in on their food again. "If you're with someone who still holds those standards when it comes to relationships, then that's not fair to you."

"I still haven't spoken with him," Jo admits before biting into her eggroll. "He tried texting me Saturday morning after I ignored his calls, and I ignored those too. All they said was that I was the one who was wrong because I didn't answer him, but like I said, he didn't respond to anything I had tried to do to reach out to him up until that point. I'm not letting him turn this around on me. Not this time. Not even if this is the longest we've ever gone without speaking."

For a second, Harry was transported back to the first fight he had ever witnessed between Jo and Bennett. Their junior year of college was about to begin, and the two of them had been together for almost ten months. Niall and Harry had come to Jo's apartment that her parents had rented out for her off campus, as it was closer to the internship she had taken that sometimes required her to work late nights, and they could already hear them yelling through the door.

Niall and Harry only shared one glance at each other before they checked to see if the door was unlocked. Once they saw they knew that it was, they stepped inside to see Bennett and Jo standing at the kitchen - their faces red as they stared at each other.

"I saw the videos of you with her, Bennett! Stop trying to make me look like I'm crazy. They were all over social media when I woke up this morning." Jo's hands were clenched into fists as she stared up at Bennett, and her chest was heaving.

"And I'm telling you those are old videos from before you and I even started seeing each other. Besides, I'm not your boyfriend, and you're not my girlfriend. We haven't labeled anything. I would be free to do what I wanted anyway."

"Oh yeah? Then why is it such a problem for me to hang out with Harry and Niall, huh? You know they're my best friends, and you still give me such a hard time whenever I tell you we're going to do something together."

"Because I'm not a fucking idiot, Jo! You really think they just want to be friends with you? If they had the chance, they would-"

"I really don't think you should finish that sentence, Bennett." When Niall spoke up, Bennett and Jo both looked towards the front door, and Harry could see the humiliation all over Jo's face.

Bennett ended up storming out with another word after that fight, and Jo excused herself to the bathroom for almost twenty minutes. She came back out like nothing was wrong - changed and ready to go to the movies with her best friends like they had planned. After that night, Niall and Harry always stayed on high alert when it came to Bennett.

Harry cleared his throat as he realized he had gone a while without responding to what Jo had said. "Do you want me to tell you what I think? Or do you just need to vent? I told you I'd be here for you either way."

Sighing, Jo leaned over and put her almost empty container of lo mein on the coffee table before slapping her hands down on her thighs.

"Give it to me straight, Harry," she said, and he quickly took her up on the opportunity - discarding his food next to hers.

"Alright." Harry nodded nervously. "I know I never ask about your fights, but if you want my honest opinion now, can you let me know what happened?"

He could instantly tell that Jo was embarrassed to tell him by the look in her eyes, and he reached forward to take one of her hands - just like he had in the car the other night. Harry felt the tension in her body release, and then she met his eyes before starting to speak.

"I saw that he had text notifications on his phone from that girl, Nora. She's been at some of those parties that I've taken you all to. You know? The redhead who always gets up on whatever kitchen counter she can to dry hump the air once she has a few shots in her."

Harry nodded as Jo spoke. "Yeah, I remember her. Niall caught her when she slipped and almost fell and hit the ground that one time."

"Yes!" Jo snapped her fingers on the hand that Harry wasn't still holding. "That's her. Anyway, I didn't realize they even really spoke to each other, so I asked what they were texting about, and you would've thought he had seen notifications on my phone from someone other than you or Niall.

"He started yelling and accusing me of accusing him of cheating - which I never did. The only question I asked was what he and Nora were talking about. That was literally it, and he just started belittling me. He told me that I should trust him. That I was being insecure when I had no reason to, and that's one of the things he really dislikes about me. Of course, he flipped the switch and said he didn't know if he could be with someone that didn't trust him. Then he left, and I haven't seen him since."

"And you never got your answer, did you? He never told you what they were talking about."

"Nope." Jo shook her head. "And now I'm irritated with myself because why the hell did I text him asking him to come back so we could talk? As if I had said all those awful things to him that he had said to me. Even with me giving in and acting like the bad guy, just like he wanted me to, he still didn't want to talk to me."

Considering the fact that Harry was still right in front of Jo, he tried to keep his anger at bay. Harry wasn't an angry guy. He had never wanted to hurt someone in his life, but right now, he could see himself throwing a punch in Bennett's direction over what he had just heard.

"Jordana." Harry's hand squeezed hers. "I'm going to say the main thing I want to say to you, and then I'll explain, but bottom line? Bennett isn't good for you - at all."

He could see that she sucked in a deep breath, as if she was trying to keep herself calm, and he ended up taking her other hand in his as well.

Holding her eyes, Harry started to speak again. "From what you've told me, and from what I've seen over the years, any time you call him out on doing something wrong, he flips it around and manipulates you into thinking you're being unreasonable. The fact he would tell you that you're insecure when he was texting Nora, someone you've clearly never seen him text before, is toxic. He's a narcissist, and he doesn't want to take responsibility for his own actions. I know you had doubts of him cheating on you our final year in college. Do you have those doubts often?"

"All the fucking time, Harry." Jo's bottom lip started to tremble. "And every time I ask, it's the same thing. I'm being ridiculous for asking, and I'm clearly not as confident as he is in what we have if I ask that about every girl I see him with. But it's not every girl. I know what I see. I know the texts I've glanced at when we've been sitting on the couch. There's blatant flirting going on every time I bring it up."

"He doesn't deserve you." Harry moved forward to wrap his arms around Jo to pull her into his chest as she started to cry - burying her face into his neck. "It's clear he isn't loyal, and I know he doesn't like labels, but he clearly only wants to apply any type of relationship standards to you. I'm sure if he were to see you flirting with someone else, he'd blow up instead of trying to ask you about it like you do. He wouldn't try to have a conversation."

"You're right. He wouldn't." Jo sniffed, and Harry reached over to the coffee table to grab her a tissue. She took it with a soft 'thank you' before wiping underneath her nose. "He would probably get rid of me over it."

It was silent for a moment as Harry just held her, and he rested his cheek on the top of her head while caressing a hand up and down her back.

"Please consider letting this be the end, Jordana. It's already been this long since you've seen each other, and look, you're alright without him. If anything, I think you seem more at ease - not so stressed. And you still have all the people who matter most. Niall, Ginny, Easton and I. We're not going anywhere. Not ever."

Jo lingered on Harry's words as she continued to melt into his embrace. They stayed like that for a while before she finally cracked a joke to try and lift their spirits. Once they separated, they cleaned up the Chinese food and sat back down on the couch to watch the movie they had picked out while finishing off the bottle wine.

Considering it was a work night, they both decided to call it a little after ten o'clock. Harry lived about twenty minutes away from Jo's apartment, and she honestly would've felt bad keeping him anymore longer.

Jo walked him over to the door and opened it, leaning against it as he walked into the hallway. "I'll see you Friday then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then. Do you want me to pick you up?" Harry asked as he fished his keys out of his pocket. "I don't mind."

"That would be nice." Jo nodded. "Thank you for listening to me tonight, and for your advice. You've given me a lot to think about, but in a good way. I needed to hear all of that."

"Anytime, Jo, I mean it." Harry pulled her in for a hug, and he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head - something he had never done before. He figured that it would scare him that he just did that, but it felt so natural that he didn't second guess it at all. "I'll text you when I get home."

"Please do." Jo nuzzled her cheek into his chest just a little bit longer before she pulled away. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight."

Jo shut the door behind Harry and locked it before turning around to rest her body against the wooden surface. She had felt things tonight between her and Harry that she never really had before. Last Friday after Harry had driven her home, she spoke with Niall the next day, and she could tell that he was picking up on hints of things here and there. He flat out asked her if she liked Harry, and she didn't deny it, but she didn't admit to it either.

It scared her a bit because Harry was the sweetest friend she had. All of her friends meant something to her, but there was always something about Harry that had her feeling a bit differently.

After turning off all the lights in the living room and kitchen, Jo headed into her bathroom to take a shower and change into some pajamas before crawling into bed. As she stood under the stream of water, she continued to reflect on what Harry had said to her about her relationship with Bennett tonight. She knew he was right about all of it, and it frustrated her that she was still contemplating whether or not writing him off completely was the right thing to do.

Maybe hanging out with Harry more, just the two of them, was what she needed in order to fully move on. Maybe there was something deeper there after all this time, but how could she be sure he felt the same? Was she even sure of her feelings?

As Jo tucked herself into bed that evening, she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but she had a hard time shutting off her brain. All she could think about was one thing.

And that was Harry.

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

It had been two weeks since Jo and Harry had the movie night at her apartment, and now Harry and Niall were making their way through the local zoo to the courtyard for an event Jo had invited them to. Since she had been so busy with said event, she and Harry hadn't had time to hang out with each other alone again - only seeing each other at the Friday night pub dates with their friends.

Harry had been so anxious after leaving Jo's house that night, hoping that he hadn't overstepped any when expressing how he felt about her relationship with Bennett, but when she continued to text him one-on-one, he knew things were okay. She had promised him that once this event was over, they could have another movie night, and Harry was more than excited about that.

The event at the zoo today was a fundraiser for the research department that Jo was a part of. There would be food trucks and cocktail stands, and Harry had driven that way Niall could indulge however much he wanted when it came to the alcohol.

As they approached the courtyard, Harry's eyes scanned over the crowd to try and locate Jo, and once he did, he couldn't help but stop right where he was standing. Her hair was up in a bun with a few pieces framing her face, and a bright yellow sundress was hugging her torso. She was laughing at something the woman next to her had said, her head thrown back for a moment before her eyes met Harry's. Her eyes stayed on him as she said something to the woman next to her, and then she started in Harry and Niall's direction.

"You guys made it!" She exclaimed while pulling Niall into a hug first. "Thank you so much."

"Of course, Jo," Niall responded as he gave Jo a squeeze. "We wouldn't miss it."

Jo released Niall before wrapping her arms around Harry's neck. Harry placed one of his hands on Jo's back - the other resting on the back of her head as Jo pressed one of her cheeks against his. "I'm really happy you're here."

"Me too," he commented while gently grazing his thumb underneath her ear.

After they released each other, Jo clapped her hands together with excitement. "Well, the food trucks are over there," she said, pointing in one direction. "And the different cocktail bars are over there. Niall, there's some tiki drinks I think you're really going to enjoy over at one of those."

"Oh, say less!" He exclaimed before heading in that direction.

Harry chuckled as they watched him walk towards one of the bars, and then he looked back down at Jo. "This turnout is great. I'm really happy for you."

"Isn't it?" Jo beamed as she looked back up at Harry. "We've worked so hard to put this together. It looks like everyone is having a good time."

"They are. Most definitely." Harry nodded while shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans. "And you look...you look beautiful, Jo."

Harry had promised himself after the night at Jo's apartment that he would try to be more forward with her from that point on. Nothing to overwhelm her, but to drop hints that he was interested in being more than just her friend.

Jo's lips parted at Harry's compliment, and she felt her stomach swirl in a way she never had before when it came to being around him. "Thank you, Harry," she said softly while resting her hand against her chest. "I was a little unsure about the dress when I was getting ready this morning, and I-"

“The dress is perfect." Harry cut her off while sending her a smile. "Very you."

It had been so long since Jo had received a compliment like the ones Harry was currently throwing her way. She couldn't remember the last time Bennett had tried to build her up instead of tearing her down.

"Thank you," she repeated - finding herself at a loss for words.

As the event continued on, Harry and Niall kept each other company as Jo bounced around. She had managed to get a lot of donations from the various investors they had invited, and she was ecstatic as to how much that was going to help with the research they were trying to do.

Taking a break, she found herself over by one of the bars with her co-worker, Meg, and she heard her give a small hum.

"What?" Jo asked while retrieving her drink, and when she looked over at Meg, she could see she was staring in a particular direction. When she followed her eyeline, it was obvious she was looking over at Harry and Niall.

"He's so cute," Meg stated while take a bite of the pineapple that was hanging off the side of her cocktail glass.

Although Jo wasn't sure which one of her best friends Meg was talking about, there was an unfamiliar feeling dwelling inside that hoped she was talking about Niall, and not Harry.

"Which one?" Jo asked while taking a large sip of her drink.

"The one with the glasses. Those dimples..." Meg trailed off, and Jo felt jealousy for the first time ever when it came to Harry. "Do you know them? I saw you talking to them earlier."

It took Jo a minute to focus again on the conversation, but she nodded as she came to. "Yeah, they're my best friends. The one you're talking about is Harry, and beside him is Niall. We've known each other since high school."

"Just friends with him?" Meg's eyebrows raised as she looked over at Jo. "You've known that man for that long, and you've only been friends with him?"

"Well...yeah." Jo swallowed harshly as she looked back over at Niall and Harry, watching as the two of them laughed with each other as Harry sipped on a beer. "It's never been like that with him."

"Jo!" Jo turned to look in the direction that her name came from, and she saw the head researcher from the lab, Devin, heading her way. "There's someone I want to introduce you to. Follow me, please."

"I'll be right back," Jo said to Meg as she followed behind Devin.

Meg watched as Jo walked away, and then she looked back over to Niall and Harry. After knocking back half of her drink, she started in their direction, and she found herself over by the picnic table they were seated at.

"Hi there," she said with a bright smile, and Niall and Harry turned to look up at her.

"Well, hello," Niall spoke up first with a grin. "I don't think we've met before."

"No, we haven't," Meg stated with a shake of her head. "I'm Meg. I work with Jo here."

Meg stuck her hand out in Niall's direction first, which he took and shook it. "I'm Niall."

"Nice to meet you, Niall." Looking over at Harry, Megan now extended her hand to him.

"Harry," he said while shaking her hand as well.

"Pleasure to meet you both." Meg took another sip of her drink. "Jo said that the three of you went to high school together?"

"Been talking to Jo about us, aye?"

"Well, I looked over and saw the two of you. Mentioned how I thought one of you was pretty cute." Meg flashed her eyes over to Harry for a moment, and she saw how his cheeks flushed.

As Jo was still away, Meg took a seat at the picnic table with Niall and Harry and continued talking with them. She talked to the both of them equally, but she was definitely sending flirty comments in Harry's direction every now and then.

Jo finished up her own conversation, and when she looked around, she saw that Meg was now over with Niall and Harry. She started in their direction, and just as she approached the table, she saw that Meg and Harry were handing each other their phones back. As much as she could feel her face falling, she tried her best to smile through it.

"I see you all have met," she said while sitting down on the bench next to Meg - putting her across from Niall.

"We have." Meg had a flirtatious smirk on her face as she glanced back over to Harry. "Your friends are very nice, Jo."

"Yeah...they're the best." Jo looked down at her drink that was super watered down at this point, and she stirred the straw around.

For the rest of the time that Harry and Niall were at the event, they both could see that Jo had started to act differently. When they said their goodbyes, Jo hardly hugged Harry, a stark contrast to the hug they had engaged in when he had first arrived.

Getting back into Harry's car, Niall buckled up his seatbelt and then looked over at his friend as they started down the road. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Harry quickly looked over at Niall before looking back through the windshield. "I'm sorry?"

"Why did you give Meg your number? You and Jo were having such a good day together, and then you ruined it by doing that. Did you hit your head or something when you went to the bathroom? Because that's the only explanation I can think of as to why your brain seemed to stop working."

"I...I don't know, okay? Meg was a little forward, and she kept dropping hints about wanting my number. When you got up to grab your last drink, she shoved her phone into my hand and then told me to unlock mine and snatched it from me. I panicked. I had already entered my number in by the time you sat back down, and then of course Jo came over and had to see the end of it." Harry tightened his grip on the steering wheel as his pulse picked up.

Niall sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he slouched back in the passenger seat. "Harry, I understand you're a shy dude, alright? But you've got to do something. You need to get your shit together and tell Jo how you feel before Bennett weasels his way back in, or someone else comes along."

"We don't even know if Jo feels the same way, and that's what has me anxious. Today I tried to step out of the box and compliment her more, and I think she liked it, but she could've also thought I was just being extra friendly or something. I don't know." Harry shook his head. "I really don't think she feels the same way, Ni."

"You want to know the one particular thing that makes it super obvious to me that she does feel the same way?"

"Sure. Go right ahead," Harry scoffed. He was pretty convinced Niall would say anything to try and get him to tell Jo how he felt at this point.

"Jo doesn't let anyone else call her by her full name," Niall stated firmly. "If anyone else calls her Jordana, even me, she quickly corrects them. Whenever you say it, it's almost as if she doesn't notice because it's you. She clearly likes it when you call her that."

Harry stayed silent as he thought over what Niall had said. He did notice that he was one of the only people to call Jo by her full name, and the reason why he did was because he thought it was beautiful, and that it suited her so well. If she had ever asked him to stop, he would have, but she never did.

"Also, I may have spoken to her recently about you," Niall continued. "And I'm not going to go into details because it's not my place, but just keep trying Harry, please. I don't think either of you realize just how good you could be for each other."

After dropping Niall off at his place, Harry found himself overthinking on the entire drive back to his house. He wished he could've spoken up and told Meg that he wasn't interested, but her flirtatious nature and straightforward personality had completely overwhelmed him. It was like he couldn't get his thoughts straight after that.

Once he got home, part of him wanted to text Jo and apologize, but he wasn't sure just how upset she was with him. As much as she tried to disguise it, he could see what he had done caused her attitude to change, and after talking with Niall, he knew he had really messed up.  He just hoped that he could make things right, and the way he planned on doing that was to actually work up the courage to tell Jo exactly how he felt.

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

"Are you sure that Easton said we didn't need to bring any drinks?" Harry asked as he drove down the street - the destination being the house of one of Easton's friends where a party was being held tonight.

"For the third time, Harry, yes." Niall rolled his eyes in the backseat as he scrolled through his phone. "He said his friend has enough beer and liquor to fill a warehouse at this point."

"He's just being considerate, Ni," Jo said while reaching behind the passenger seat to pinch at Niall's leg. "Keep having an attitude and we'll leave your ass there."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about giving me a ride home," Niall commented as Harry parked along the street. "I'll be crashing at a girl's house tonight. Just you wait and see."

Niall popped out of the car and started towards the house while Jo let out a loud sigh. "He has to be the most confident person I've ever met in my life."

"That's putting it lightly," Harry laughed as he looked over at Jo to see her pulling the visor down to fix her lipstick in the mirror.

Once again, he was finding himself mesmerized by her beauty tonight. Her hair was done in loose waves, and she had on a high-waisted faux suede skort in rust color that accentuated her perfect legs. On top she had a cropped black tank top with a quarter-sleeved black cardigan over it.

Things had been okay between the two of them since the event at the zoo. At first her texts to Harry individually had slowed down, but he made it a point to keep the conversation going, and not let her pull away from him. It took a few days, but now they were back to where they were before everything had happened with Meg.

"You ready?" Jo asked as she flipped the visor back up, and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, let's go."

He got out of the car as Jo got out of the passenger side, and they met around the front of the car so they could walk up to the house. Harry had to park a little ways down the street due to how many people were already there, but it was a nicer night so neither of them minded.

"Meg was asking me about you," Jo spoke up after a moment.

"Oh really?" Harry prepared himself for whatever Jo was going to say next.

"Yeah, she said you haven't texted her."

Harry lifted a hand to push at his glasses as he had been looking down at his feet, and they had started to drop down his nose. "Well, that's because I haven't."

It went quiet between the two of them, and Harry could see that they were getting closer to the house. He stopped for a moment - reaching out to take Jo's wrist in his hand to stop her as well.

"I didn't want to text her," Harry stated as he stared into Jo's eyes. "I didn't really want to give her my number, honestly. I've never really had someone flirt with me the way she did before, and it scrambled my brain a bit. Next thing I knew, our phones were in each other's hands and I felt stuck."

Jo's brows knitted together as she looked up at him. "You...you weren't interested in her?"

"No." Harry shook his head. "Not even a little bit. I mean, she's nice, don't get me wrong there, but no, I'm not interested."

"Oh." Jo looked down at Harry's hand around her wrist.  Taking in a deep breath, she moved her arm around to where her hand was now in his, and she intertwined their fingers. "I'm sorry if I seemed short with you after that happened. I just...I don't know. I guess I was jealous?"

Harry bit down on the inside of his cheek to try and stop the smile that wanted to crawl its way onto his lips. "Well, I can promise you there was no reason to be. I don't intend on texting her."

Jo felt a giggle bubble inside her chest, and she couldn't help but let it slip out. "Okay."

Neither of them said another word as they walked into the party, still hand in hand, and Jo's eyes widened at just how many people were there.

"I think this is the biggest party we've been to since college!" Harry said to Jo over the music, and she peeked over at him with a nod.

"I think you might be right!"

They made their way into the kitchen where the drinks were set up, and Harry grabbed himself a beer while Jo grabbed one of the canned spiked seltzers that were also in one of the coolers. Harry looked around the crowd to see if he could spot Niall, but he was nowhere to be found.

"How much do you want to bet Niall's already somewhere dancing with a girl?" Jo stood up on her tiptoes to talk into Harry's ear.

Harry laughed while wrapping his arm around Jo's waist to keep her close as Ginny, her girlfriend, Stefanie, and Easton walked over. They could both see the way their friends were eying the close proximity between the two of them, but neither of them faltered away from it. Eventually Niall did make his presence known, a girl already hanging onto him, and then he disappeared once again.

About half an hour into the party, the friend group had separated a bit, and Harry and Jo found themselves together on the couch in the living room. They had been talking over the music all night, but Harry knew that he needed a quieter place to have the conversation that he wanted to have with Jo.

"Hey," Harry leaned over and rested his hand on Jo's knee as he spoke into her ear. "Do you want to step outside for a minute? Get away from the music for a while?"

"Sure!" Jo nodded with a smile.

Harry stood up first and extended his hand to her which she took, and their fingers laced together once again as they walked into the backyard. There were a few people out there playing beer pong, but other than that, it was way quieter than it was inside the house.

Finding two lawn chairs a little further into the yard, they sat down and Jo took a sip of her second seltzer of the night as she looked up at the sky.

"This isn't necessarily the place I wanted to talk to you about this, but I don't really think I can wait any longer," Harry stated, and Jo looked away from the stars and over to him. "I wasn't sure how to approach this before because I was scared. I've tried to do my best to get over that so...here we are."

"Harry." Concern etched itself over Jo's face. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's okay." Harry smiled and reached over to trace the tip of his finger over the back of one of Jo's hands. "I know that you and Bennett haven't spoken since your argument, and things might still be fresh there, but I wanted to talk to you about us?"

Jo felt her heart palpitate in her chest, and she did her best not to get too worked up yet. "Okay. I think I'd like to talk about us too."

"I was wondering if you ever would want to go on a-"

"There she is!"

Harry watched as Jo's expression immediately changed into one that almost resembled fear, and they both looked over to see Bennett walking through the backyard with a few friends following behind him.

"Jo," Harry said her name, but he could that she was fixated on the man that was heading in their direction.

"You haven't been returning my calls, babe." Bennett approached the two of them, and Harry watched as he leaned down and wrapped an arm around Jo's back - pulling her up from her seat. "It's been a little over a month since I've seen you. I missed you."

Harry felt every shred of confidence he had gathered over the past couple of weeks vacate his body, and he looked away from the couple next to him. Pushing himself up from his chair, he started back across the yard, but he stopped when he heard Jo's voice.

"Bennett, please let go of me!" Pressing her hand against his chest, Jo managed to get Bennett to take a couple of steps back. "I'm not interested in talking to you. Especially not tonight. I've been having a great time, and I'd like it if you left me alone."

"Seriously?" Bennett laughed and then glanced over his shoulder to see Harry still standing there, but he was now facing in their direction instead of the house since he had turned around. "Did you come here with him?"

Jo could've easily said she came with both Harry and Niall, but she didn't want to. "Yes, I did. And you were rude to interrupt my conversation with him, so if you'll excuse me..."

Moving around Bennett and his friends, Jo made her way back over to Harry. He placed his hand on her lower back once she was close enough, and he peeked over his shoulder at Bennett before they made their way into the house once again.

"I'm so sorry about him, Harry," Jo said with a sadness in her voice. "I really didn't know he was going to be here tonight. I didn't know he was friends with Easton's friend."

"Jo, do not apologize for him, alright?" Harry tucked a strand of hair behind Jo's ear. "Don't you ever apologize for him. Nothing happened. We're alright."

Jo felt her body relax at Harry's words, and she stepped a bit closer to him. "I really wanted to hear the rest of what you had to say, but maybe we can do it at one of our places instead?"

"Sure. Do you want to go to your apartment or my house?"

"Well, where do you feel more comfortable?"

Harry felt a warmth come over him at her question. "How about my house?"

"Perfect." Jo smiled as she tossed her empty seltzer can into the nearby trash bin. "Let's go."

Harry and Jo made their rounds saying goodbye to Ginny and Easton, and they even managed to track down Niall to make sure that he did have that ride he was so sure of getting before they started towards the door.

"Oh, wait! Can I use the restroom real quick?" Jo asked, giving Harry's hand a squeeze. "I'll be quick, I promise."

Harry nodded. "I'll go ahead and get the car and pull around the front, that way you won't have to walk so far."

"Sounds good."

Jo made her way back through the people that were piled into the living room, and she saw the long line gathered in front of the one hallway bathroom. Looking around, she saw there was another hallway off the side of the kitchen, and she started to make her way over there instead. Walking down the hall, she could see the bathroom door was open, but as she passed one of the bedrooms, she saw a couple making out from the corner of her eye.

It was the red hair that caused her to stop, and when she looked over, she saw Bennett pressing Nora against the wall - her leg hitched up around his hip. Jo stood there frozen for a moment, but a drunk guy came along and ran into her, causing her shoulder to hit against the doorframe with a thud. Nora and Bennett looked over, and all Jo could do was shake her head.

"Go fuck yourself, Bennett."

Quickly turning to reach the front door, Jo pushed her way through people with tears burning in her eyes as she made her way out of the house. Harry had just pulled up in his car as she walked onto the porch, and he got out immediately when he could see how upset she looked.

"Jo, what's wrong?" He asked, cupping her elbows in his hands once she was in front of him. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I just want to go, Harry," she cried, resting her hands against his chest. "Please, just get me out of here."

The sound of the front door opening again captured Harry's attention, and he looked to see Bennett standing there.

"Jo, it wasn't what it looked like," Bennett said as he made his way down the steps. "She got the wrong impression from me, and she thought I liked her."

"Oh really?" Jo snapped, turning around to look at him. "Is that why you had her pressed against the wall? And why you allowed her leg to be thrown over you like that? I'm not a fucking idiot. I know exactly what I saw."

"Come on, babe. It's not like we've been talking anyway. So what if she wanted to make out with me?"

"Because I know this isn't the first time that's happened, and you were probably fucking her while we were still together!" Jo practically screamed, but she tried her best to wrangle her anger in. "I'm not going to allow you to try to lie your way out of this, or for you to try to twist things once again and make me seem ridiculous. This has gone on long enough. I'm done."

"Done?" Bennett let out a laugh. "Don't be like that. Stay with me until the end of the party, and you can come back to my place and we can talk about this."

"I don't want to talk to you. I'm going home with Harry, and I never want to see or speak to you again."

Jo turned around and walked to Harry's car, and Harry followed right behind her. He opened the passenger door for her to get in before getting in the driver's side, and he drove away from the house.

The car ride was quiet except for Jo's occasional sniffles, and Harry wanted to reach over to try and console her, but he also didn't want to push. He can only imagine what she had seen between Bennett, and who he figured had to be Nora, and he didn't want to make her even more upset.

"D-Do you think you can just take me home? I'm sorry. I just...I need to be alone."

"Yeah, of course, Jordana. Whatever you need."

Once Harry got to Jo's apartment, he parked the car and they sat there for a moment.

"Do you want me to-"

Harry didn't even get a chance to ask his if she wanted him to walk her up as Jo let out a sob and scrambled out of the car. He watched as she ran across the parking lot and into her building, and once he saw the light in her living room come on, like always, he started to make his way to his house.

The night had been a disaster. He hated that Bennett had to show up and ruin Jo's time. She had been doing so much better without him, and then he came back and pulled her right back into the toxic cycle - even if she had told him that she never wanted to see him again. Harry knew this was going to take her a while to get over, and he would be patient with her.

As selfish as it was, he couldn't stop thinking about whether or not he'd get another opportunity to tell her the way he truly felt again, and even if he did, who knows how soon it could be?

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

Harry and Niall stood against the back wall of the venue where Ginny's girlfriend, Stefanie, was having a gig with her band tonight. It had been almost a month since the party they had all attended, and as many times as Harry had tried to reach out to Jo afterwards, he hadn't heard from her. At first he had just tried texting her, but then he tried calling a couple of times, but he received no response.

To say that he was crushed would be an understatement. Jo had stopped showing up at their Friday night pub dates, and only Ginny had heard from her - only because she showed up at Jo's door and refused to leave until she let her in. As much as Harry wanted to pry, he didn't. He knew that if Jo wanted to talk to him, then she would.

He just hoped that she hadn't gotten back with Bennett, and was hiding so that Harry and Niall didn't know.

"Isn't that the girl that gave you her number at the zoo?" Niall asked Harry, and Harry looked over to see Meg walking through the door with a couple of other girls.

"Yeah." Harry cleared his throat. "I never texted her though. You know that."

"I do know that," Niall laughed. "I was mostly asking to see if you wanted to move and hide somewhere?"

Harry chuckled with a shake of his head. "No, it's fine. If she wants to approach me, I'll be honest with her."

Jo was currently backstage with Ginny and Stefanie while Stefanie prepared for the gig. She knew that Niall and Harry were going to be there tonight, and she wasn't ready to approach them just yet.

Sure, she felt bad about avoiding Niall, but she felt terrible about ignoring Harry.

The night of the party had blindsided her. Between Bennett showing up, and more than confirming that he had been seeing Nora behind her back, she also knew that Harry was probably going to admit that he felt the same way for her that she did for him. It was a lot to take in all at once, and it caused her to shut down.

Throughout her entire relationship with Bennett, she had always worried about him seeing other women, and knowing that he had been hooking up with Nora pretty much told Jo it wasn't the first time he'd seen someone else while they were together.

The almost confession from Harry had confused her. She knew that she hadn't been obvious about her feelings towards him, but up until recently, she didn't even think it was a possibility that Harry felt the same way towards her. As much as she wanted to explore what could potentially be there, she wondered if they could even be compatible if they both waited this long to say something.

"Are you ready to go out there? Stefanie said the opener is about to go on," Ginny said as she walked over to Jo.

"Yeah, sure."

Jo followed Ginny out the backstage area, and as soon as they walked into the main room of the venue, she saw Niall and Harry standing there. Her nerves fully set in, and she looked over at Ginny.

"Do you think I should have waited to see them somewhere else? Maybe I should leave and ask them to come over so we can talk first or something," Jo rushed out as she grabbed her friend's hand.

"Jo, you have to face them sometime. Whether you explain it here, or you explain it elsewhere, they're going to listen. Yes, their feelings might be hurt by you right now, but you guys have been friends for so long. They're not going to cut you off because of this, trust me. They're more worried about you than anything."

Jo could feel her chest growing tight as she stared in Harry and Niall's direction, and then she looked back at Ginny. "I'm going to the bar first. I need a drink.

Ginny sighed sadly as she watched Jo head to the bar on the opposite end of the venue before approaching Harry and Niall.

"Still avoiding us?" Niall asked with a slightly clenched jaw.

"Not avoiding...she just-"

Niall handed his beer off to Harry before walking to the same bar Jo was standing at. Once he reached it, he turned so that he was facing her, and although Jo could feel him staring, she didn't say anything.

"I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen," Niall said firmly. "You're my best friend, and I will always be here for you, and you can ignore me all the fuck you want. But what I won't have is you ignoring Harry. Do you know how worried he's been? He's been coming to work every day for the past month with dark circles under his eyes because he can't stop thinking about you.

"You know that he's almost bailed on the Friday night pub dates too? I had to beg him not to because I know if he did, it would just be another repeat of you, except I'd be the only one to see him since we work together."

Jo thanked the bartender for her drink, still acting as if Niall wasn't there, and she lifted the straw to her lips.

"Seriously, Jo?" Niall raised his voice. "I never thought you could be like this. And over Bennett? Of all people? You're going to let that piece of shit ruin something that could actually be good for you. Someone who wants what's best for you?"

"How do you know Harry wants what's best for me, huh?" Jo snapped, looking over at her friend. "He doesn't need to be worried about me. Obviously you all know Ginny has been seeing me, so I'm alive, and I'm fine. Harry can stop-"

"He's worried about you because he's in love with you, Jordana!"

Jo froze at not only Niall calling her by her full name, something he never does, but also because of the words that came before it.

"What...what are you talking about?"

"Fuck." Niall slammed his hand down on the bar top which earned him a look from the bartender, and he quickly raised his hands in surrender. Looking back over at Jo, he shook his head. "I shouldn't have said that. It's not right for me to be the one to tell you. Just...please. Talk to Harry before it's too damn late."

Niall turned and walked away, leaving a shocked Jo standing by the bar. Had she suspected feelings from Harry? Sure. But she never thought that he could be in love with her.

Sucking down more of her drink, Jo stayed on her own for a bit longer before finding it within herself to join up with her friends. As she got closer to them, she could see that Meg was now standing beside Harry - the two of them engaged in a conversation. She had no idea Meg was here, and she couldn't help but think that Harry had invited her because she had been so absent.

Now she just felt awkward. How was she going to approach him when he was clearly here with someone else? She didn't want to make a fool of herself, and seem desperate by inserting herself when she may not be wanted. Looking over, she could see that Ginny and Niall were speaking , and both of their eyes were on her. She looked back over to Harry, and she decided to be brave and walk over to him.

Once she was in front of him and Meg, she opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the words. Harry and Meg stopped talking and looked over to her, and Harry's brows narrowed as he could see she was struggling.

"Jo," Meg spoke up, placing a hand on Jo's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I'm...." Jo started, but the words were still escaping her.

Quickly turning on her heel, Jo tossed the little bit of drink she had in her plastic cup into the trash can that was closest to them, and she darted out the patio exit that led to a smoking area outside. As the fresh air hit her lungs, she took in a deep breath and leaned against the rough exterior of the building - pressing her palms into it to try and ground herself. She closed her eyes as tears of frustration pressed against her eyelids.

"Fuck," she whispered to herself with a shake of her head.

She felt out of control of everything, and honestly, she had since the last time Bennett had walked out of her apartment. From that night forward, it seemed like everything was crashing down around her. Like she couldn't do anything right. She slammed her fist against the building with a groan before dropping her chin to her chest as she heard the first band starting to play inside.

"Jo."

Jumping at the sound of her name, Jo looked over to see Harry standing there - his hand outstretched like he wanted to touch her, but he wasn't sure if she wanted him to. The silence continued to hover over them before Harry moved to stand in front of her.

"Are you alright?" He asked while tapping his fingertips against his thigh nervously.

"I'm fine, Harry," she croaked out before clearing her throat. "You don't have to be out here with me - not when you're with Meg. You should go back in and be with her."

"Meg?" Harry's voice was laced with confusion. "I told you I wasn't interested in her."

"Yeah, but...she's here. You clearly invited her, and I-"

"I didn't invite her. Her sister's boyfriend is playing in one of the band's tonight. Niall and I were already here when she showed up."

Jo looked away from Harry and towards the street as she tried to gather herself. "I...fuck..." She pressed her palms into her eyes with a deep breath before dropping her hands away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off after the party. I just felt like I was drowning after everything. After finding out Bennett that had been cheating on me, and then knowing that you probably were going to talk me about something more between us, I got so in my head and I-"

A gasp of surprise left Jo's mouth as she felt Harry's lips upon hers - his hand firmly around the back of her neck to hold her in place. Her eyes widened for a moment as she processed what was happening before it really sunk in, and she hummed softly. Reaching forward to rest her hands on Harry's sides, she allowed her eyes to slip shut while closing any bit of space between the two of them.

When Harry pulled away after a moment, he couldn't help but smirk softly as Jo tried to jut her chin forward, and chase his mouth. He watched her eyelids flutter open while he lifted his other hand to cup her cheek.

"Was I extremely hurt by you ignoring me? Yes, I was, but I get it. However, I'm not letting you shut yourself away from me again. Got it?"

"Yes." Jo nodded as she clutched to Harry's shirt. "Can you kiss me again?"

"Yeah," Harry chuckled as he lightly pressed Jo against the building again. "I can do that."

Leaning down, his mouth sealed against hers again, and he felt a warmth growing in his lower abdomen at the soft moan Jo let out - having it vibrate against his lips. Keeping the hand on her cheek, he dropped his other to grip one of her hips to pull her against him. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears due to his nerves, and he just hoped that Jo couldn't tell how anxious he felt at the moment.

"Harry," Jo whimpered softly as her mouth hovered slightly over his. "I have to tell you that I've felt like there was something there, but I was just scared to say anything. I'm sorry I allowed myself to be blinded by Bennett for so long. If I had known, it would've been you - always."

Harry felt a lump grow in his throat at Jo's words, and he shook his head. "I'm to blame too. I should've told you how I felt a long time ago. I've been so in love with you, Jordana. You have no idea."

Jo pushed onto her tiptoes to press a couple soft pecks against Harry's mouth. "Can we get out of here?"

"Mhmm," Harry hummed against her lips before pulling back.

The two of them walked back inside the venue with their hands locked together, and when they located Niall, Harry let him know that he and Jo were leaving. Niall couldn't help but playfully shove Harry in excitement before giving Jo a tight hug. Ginny let Harry know that she and Stefanie could give Niall a ride home after the show, and once everything was worked out, Jo and Harry started down the street towards his car.

Now that he knew how her mouth felt against his, Harry felt like something new in him had ignited. The only thoughts consuming his mind were being able to kiss Jo all over - to have her body in his hands.

The ride back to Harry's house went by in a blur, and the minute they were inside, their lips were locked again. Harry guided Jo into his bedroom - kicking the door shut behind them as he lowered her down onto his bed.

"Is...is this okay?" He panted while hovering over her, and Jo nodded while smoothing her hands over the tops of Harry's shoulders, and down his arms.

"Yes. This is more than okay. I really want this with you."

With shaking hands, Harry pulled at the hem of Jo's top, and she lifted her arms to allow him to pull it off. The top she wore tonight didn't require her to wear a bra, and she could see Harry's eyes widen slightly at the sight of bare breasts.

Biting down on his bottom lip, Harry tossed the garment to the side before grazing his fingertips up her sides before allowing his palms to cradle her breasts - giving them a soft squeeze. Jo let out a mix between a mewl and a hum when feeling Harry's hands on her in such a way. She clutched to his forearms for a moment, but let go as he reached down to pop open the button on her shorts. Once he had the zipper down, he maneuvered down the bed to get them off, and he couldn't help but stare at the small wet spot that was prominent on her light yellow underwear.

"You can take them off," Jo instructed him. "Please...take them off."

After lifting her hips, Harry removed the underwear from her body - scrunching them up against her hip in his fist for a moment before discarding them. He gave himself a second to take Jo in completely, and he shook his head.

"You're so beautiful, Jordana," he whispered. He leaned down to press his lips against her stomach, and he smiled as he watched goosebumps coat her skin. "So stunning."

Moving lower, he kept his eyes on hers before planting a kiss to her mound. Jo wiggled as she stared down at Harry, and her lips parted with a moan when she felt his tongue sliding between her folds.

"Oh...oh god." Jo dropped her head back onto the pillows as her eyes slipped shut.

Running a hand down her body, stopping to squeeze at her breast for a moment, she threaded her fingers through the front of Harry's curls - giving them a slight tug. He groaned against her at that, which sent a vibration up her spine. There was something so erotic to her about the fact that she was laying underneath Harry, completely naked, and he was still fully clothed. A surge of lust jolted through her body when she thought about what Harry would look like underneath those jeans. She had seen him with his shirt off plenty of times during their friendship, but thinking about seeing all of him caused her thighs to tense around his head.

Bringing her other hand down, Jo began to rub against her clit as Harry continued to dip his tongue into her, but once he saw what she was doing, he quickly captured her wrist and pinned it beside her hip. She gasped and her eyes shot open to look down at him - just in time to see him lifting his head to lick over his lips.

"That's my job," he stated with a hunger in his eyes.

Those words shocked Jo, but she cut herself off with a whine once Harry's lips locked down around her throbbing bud. He sucked at it for a while before letting off and running the pad of his tongue over it instead.

"Harry." Jo's hips bucked up against his face. "I want you inside of me, please."

Harry kneeled up on the bed to remove his glasses, and once they were off, he tossed them onto his nightstand. As he pulled his shirt over his head, Jo sat up and scooted closer to undo his belt. Once she had the buckle loose, she pulled it through the belt loops and threw it off the bed before starting in on the button and zipper of his jeans. She couldn't help but kiss over his abs while pushing the denim down his legs, and Harry groaned as he pulled Jo's hair back into a makeshift ponytail.

Looping her fingers around the waistband of his briefs, Jo looked up at Harry as tugged them down, but as soon as his cock bounced up against his stomach, she glanced back down with a slack jaw. Quickly clamping her mouth shut, she wrapped her hand around his shaft which caused Harry to be the one to moan this time, and once she spit down on his tip, she began to work her hand over him.

"I know I said I wanted you inside of me, but do you mind if I put my mouth on you for just a little bit?"

"Yes," Harry practically blurted out, causing them both to laugh before he spoke again. "Only if you're okay with that."

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," Jo responded playfully before dipping her head down to glide the head of Harry's cock along the pad of her tongue.

Closing her lips down around his tip, she worked the bit of him she couldn't fit into her mouth with her hand - slicking him up nicely. Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head while his grip tightened on Jo's hair, his other hand sliding down her back to knead one of the rounds of her ass. Jo hummed around Harry's prick before that turned into a soft squeal when she felt the tips of his fingers trail down her slit until he was slowly pressing one inside of her.

He pumped his finger in and out of her as she continued to glide her lips up and down his length. Pulling back, she continued to get him off with her hand as she looked up at him once more. Jo slowly moved herself to lay back down, Harry's finger slipping from her as she positioned his cock at her entrance.

"Please," she whispered. "I want to feel you."

"Okay." Harry reached over to the drawer of his nightstand and opened it up. He cursed softly to himself as he had to open the box of condoms with one hand as his other was caressing Jo's side, but once he managed to do so, he ripped one of the foil packages off the strip.

Jo took it from him and opened it before rolling it down his shaft with ease. They stared into each other's eyes as Harry tip gently nudged into her, and Jo started to shake.

"Hey." Harry stopped his movements, and he lifted one of his hands to cup her face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just nervous," Jo giggled as she held onto his biceps. "It's just hitting me how long I've wanted this without even realizing it fully."

"I'm nervous too," Harry admitted as he looked down to where they were slightly connected before looking back up. "It's still crazy to think we're doing this, but I'm happy that we are."

Jo nodded softly, and Harry took that as his invitation to push in further. Her nails started to dig into his skin as he sank himself into her entirely, and he moaned into the side of her neck when he felt just how tight she was around his cock.

"You feel so good." His voice was muffled.

"You too." Jo ran one hand through the back of Harry's hair. "So fucking good."

Once Harry gathered himself, he sank into his knees and started to delve into Jo properly. His pace was not too fast, but it was precise, and his eyes fell to the way that her breasts bounced each time their bodies clashed together. Working himself around the mattress, Harry lifted his chest just a bit, but still hovered over Jo as he brought one of her calves up to rest on his shoulder - securing her other leg around his hip.

"Yes," Jo moaned. "That feels...oh my god."

He rested his hand on the top of her mound to press the pad of this thumb against her clit, and then he started to move it in tight circles. Her walls were already starting to pulse around him - making him feel like he could lose his head. Jo's back arched off the bed, and she dropped her hands beside her head to claw at the pillow underneath it.

"Harry," she gasped as her toes curled. "You're already gonna make me come."

Not that Harry had much experience, but his ex had never come this early. He used to have to really work for it, not that he minded, but hearing Jo say that she was already close had his cock twitching inside of her.

"You come anytime you want, baby," he panted as he continued his thrusts. "Can already feel you squeezing me."

Harry hadn't said anything too filthy, but just hearing him talk dirty at all took Jo by surprise, and had her even more turned on than before. She fluttered her eyes open to look up at Harry, and seeing the lustful look on his face, and the hunger in his eyes, sent her over the edge.

"Oh...fuck."

With how loud she had moaned, Jo was grateful that Harry had taken her back to his house, and they weren't doing this at her apartment. She knew she'd end up with a noise complaint if that were the case.

Wanting to work her through, but not wanting to come yet himself, Harry slowed his thrusts as he continued to circle Jo's clit. "There you go," he praised her. "So gorgeous, Jo. I can't believe I get to see you like this."

Sitting back onto the heels of his feet, Harry slid one hand to Jo's back to keep her arched as he pulled her into his lap. She held onto his shoulders for support as she started to grind herself over him - forehead resting on his.

"This feel good?" She asked breathlessly, and Harry hummed.

"Perfect." Harry was starting to struggle to speak - euphoria brewing at the base of his spine. He massaged one of her breasts in his palm while leaning forward to kiss over her collarbone. "I'm...I-"

"I know." Jo pressed a kiss to his temple before pulling him back to look up at her properly. "I know."

She let her mouth drop to his while taking control, and she quickly turned them over - pressing a hand against Harry's shoulder to have him laying back against the mattress. Resting her hands on his chest, Jo started to bounce up and down his cock. Harry whined as he gripped to Jo's hips, but not enough to dictate her movements. He still wanted her to be able to choose how she rode him.

Jo angled herself to where her clit hit against Harry's pelvis as she started to just roll her hips, and her hands trembled against him. "A-Are you close?"

"Yeah," Harry choked out. "I'm so fucking close."

"I want you to come with me this time." Jo laid herself flat against Harry, and he moved her hair out of the way so he could see her properly. She was on her knees a bit more now so she could continue sinking herself down onto his shaft.

Staring into each other's eyes, Harry could feel his cock starting to pulse, and he knew he was right there at the edge. Dropping her mouth, Jo captured Harry's in a searing kiss and that's what caused his climax to plow into him when he felt her tongue roll against his. Jo met her second orgasm not even a second later, coaxing Harry though his with the way her walls rhythmically gripped around him.

Once they came down, Jo collapsed against Harry's chest, and he held her tight as they tried to catch their breath. It remained quiet between the two of them while Harry ran his fingers through Jo's hair, but when she didn't move against him in any way, he felt a sense of doubt filling his chest.

"Do...do you regret it?" He asked hesitantly, and that caused Jo to quickly pick her head up to look at him.

"What?"

"Do you regret it? I know we were kind of in the moment, and I just hope that you don't feel like-"

With the roles now reversed, Jo took this opportunity to cut Harry off with a kiss like he had with her earlier. She gave him a few extra soft ones before pulling back.

"I do not regret it. Not at all, Harry," she told him honestly. "I'm just trying to gather myself. You wore me out."

That caused the both of them to break out into laughter as she rested against him again, and he sighed happily when he felt her palm grazing over his chest hair.

"Will you stay the night with me? Please?" Harry asked.

"Wouldn't dream of leaving."

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

"Well, I'll tell you something," Niall started as he bit into his sandwich, causing everyone at the table to make a face with the way he ripped the bread apart like a wild animal. "I've just been waiting to see these two cuddling in the booth like this."

Jo rolled her eyes playfully as she looked up at Harry who was already smiling down at her.

The two of them had been together for a little over four months now, but they weren't sure how their friends would deal with any sort of PDA, so they had been trying to keep their touches to a casual level while in group settings. Eventually their friends scolded them for resisting, so just recently they were starting to show affection a lot more during their Friday dates at the pub.

Their relationship had been going more than well. At first there was still a bit of awkwardness that came with the transition of just treating each other as friends to now treating each other as lovers, but once that fell away, it was like they had been with each other like this all along.

After the party where Jo had told Bennett that she never wanted to see him again, he had still made several attempts to contact her. Eventually, she blocked his number, but that didn't stop him from showing up at Jo's apartment one evening. Harry was there, thankfully, and set him straight. Jo had never seen Harry speak to someone the way he spoke to Bennett that day, and once he had shut the door and locked it back up, Jo pounced on him and begged him to take her into her bedroom.

Harry was more than grateful that he was the one who was able to show Jo what it was like to be treated properly in a relationship. He did things for her without her asking. He had even managed to show her how to cook his own recipe that he had for spaghetti since he knew she wanted to learn how to make at least one dish properly. He was over the moon at the fact that he was getting to love her the way he always wanted to.

"As much as I wanted to be with her for so long, I think we were meant to get together like this," Harry told Niall while taking a sip of his beer.

"I agree." Jo nodded. "However, I would've much rather been with you all those years over he who must not be named. He was just a waste of time."

The group made a unanimous hum in agreement at Jo's statement, and as they carried on in conversation, Harry pulled his girlfriend into his side even more.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Harry."

♥ • ♥ • ♥ • ♥

Taglist: @daydreamingofmatilda @prettygurl-2009 @slutstachrry @lillefroe @gem1712 @lemoncrushh @namoreno @mellamolayla @idklilili @angeldavis777 @michellekstyles @freedomfireflies @triski73 @daphnesutton @harrrrystylesslut @giitterysuits @hannah9921 @mema10 @fruity-harry @fangirl509east @babegoals @sassamanda77 @lunaharrygurl @this-is-tiny-mia @2601-london @stylesftcher @mads3502 @harryyloverrr @haliastyless @rach2699 @gilwm (if you’d like to be added to my taglist, please DM me!)

[monicaalexandraaa]

Ahhhhhhhhh so sexy and sweet !!!!!!!!🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

So happy to have another part to this !!!!

Harry looking at the flannel like

They are very fun. I loved all the teasing🤭

“That’s the thing Harry-” Your words are soft but with a teasing edge to them as you lock eyes with him, you lower the zipper on his jeans making him swallow thickly when he feels your hands start to pull them down after he lifts his hips just a bit to help you as much as he can. “If you didn’t like the way I talked to you then you wouldn’t be this hard for me now would you?” You ask with a knowing smile on your face as you place your warm palm over the very noticeable bulge in his boxers.

Absolutely loved her energy in this one🤩🙂‍↕️

“Missed you too-don’t ever do that stupid shit to me again okay?” Harry has to hold off a laugh as you pull his face out of the comfort of the crook of your neck so you can find his eyes, the moment his bright eyes lock with yours he just nods and leans down to place a sweet kiss to your lips.

“Never again sweetheart.” You can’t help but let yourself feel all the emotions as Harry stares down at you, and it’s almost as if in this moment the two of you never spent anytime apart.

🥺🥺loved this. Loved the paragraph after this too. Even though they both struggled during that time, once they’re together they fall right back into it😌

“I’m sorry I made us spend two months apart all because I didn’t know what to do with the fact that…that I’m in love with you.” Your eyes go wide as he stands up and cups your face in his hands, leaning down until he’s resting his forehead against yours. “I’ve never been in love before-I’m probably going to fuck it up sometimes but I promise I won’t push you away again.” You feel a lump form on your throat as you wrap your hands around his wrists.

“I love you too Harry…and it’s okay if we fuck it up sometimes-as long as we’re just there for each other whenever it happens.” You say with a few sniffles, Harry moves his head so he can place his lips to your forehead.

AHHHHHHHHH🥹I love them this was such a sweet moment !!!!!!!

And finding out where the flannel is really from and why she got it😩🥺

Harry’s ready to get back on that horse and let everyone know that he is hers and she is his !!!!!!😂🙂‍↕️

Also I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your smut. It’s always so good and has such a good flow. Loved this so much🩷🩷

10/10 Would Come Again: Thirty Minutes

Part 1: Here

Pairing: frat!Harry x fem!reader

CW: frat Harry, smut, minor language, tiny dash of jealousy and possessiveness.

Word Count: 3.6K

Tag List: @umadirectioner @styleswithaseaview @sunflower-tia @tulips4harry @gmikaelson @fangirl509east @howling-wolf97 @outofthisworl-d @namoreno @blckburd @triski73 @mema10 @angeldavis777 @maudie-duan @mads3502 @likea-silhouette

A/N: This is the check in that was requested here and I hope y’all enjoy how this turned out!✨

Summary: You and Harry enjoy your first evening together after the two months you spent apart✨

Harry’s green eyes roam around a room he’s very familiar with but hasn’t had the privilege of being in over the last few months, your bedroom in your sorority house. He watches with a smile on his face from his spot in the doorway as you move around the space like a gust of wind, rushing to finish getting ready for the party that’s taking place downstairs. He notices the small changes, there’s a few extra pillows on your bed and the photos in the frames have been switched out but the most noticeable thing that sticks out to him is the flannel shirt that’s casually draped over the chair at your little desk tucked in the corner of your room, a flannel that he knows isn’t yours and one he knows sure as hell isn’t his. It has him wondering if you put it there on purpose, as a silent way to remind him that he’s not the only one who’s had other lovers during the two months you spent apart and it makes a different type of jealousy begin to bubble up in the pit of his stomach.

It’s not the usual jealousy that has him wanting to toss a few punches at the man who had the audacity to pursue you, it’s a type of jealousy that has Harry wanting to prove to you just how better he is than anyone else you’ve ever been with. It serves as a challenge in Harry’s mind, a challenge against someone he doesn’t even know the name of but already hates because of the fact you felt so comfortable with this person you kept their shirt. And it’s that jealousy that has him stepping into your room and closing the door behind him, the soft click making you stop mid swipe of some fruity smelling gloss on your bottom lip and turning your head to look at him over your shoulder as you stand in front of the full length mirror that’s on the back of your closet door.

“I know that look.” Harry doesn’t say anything as he crosses the room so he’s standing right behind you. “We don’t have time for any funny business Harry.” You tell him as he grabs ahold of your hips and spins you around so you’re facing him.

“What I wanna do to you is very far from funny baby.” He says with his trademark smirk, the one that caught your attention all those months ago as he reaches for the lipgloss tube in your hands, you watch as he carelessly tosses it behind him letting it land on your floor. “We’re already late so what’s a few more minutes gonna hurt?” You let out a laugh as you place your hands on the silky material of the black dress shirt he has half done up letting you see a decent amount of his chest.

“Is that all you need? Just a few minutes?” Your voice is low and teasing as you run your hands down his chest until they hit the smooth leather of his belt that’s holding up his favorite pair of black skinny jeans that hug his thighs in a way that drives you just a little bit wild. “I thought your stamina would’ve improved with all that…practice you had the past two months.” Harry’s cock twitches in his jeans as you look up at him with your big rounded eyes, his focus flickers down to your lips as you bite down on your bottom one just as your hand slides down so your palm is cupping him over his jeans.

“Keep it up sweetheart.” You bite back a smile as he leans down so his lips are right next to your ear, letting the mixture of his cologne and the faint hint of mint from the gum you saw him chewing on earlier cloud your senses. “And I’ll show you just how good my stamina is.” He whispers before pulling away but before you can open your mouth to say anything his hand is gripping the side of your neck and his lips are crashing into yours.

Your hands are gripping his shirt pulling him down towards you while his on the side of your neck keeps your face tilted upward allowing him to control the kiss. His tongue gives your bottom lip a teasing swipe before slipping past and licking into your mouth, you feel one of his strong hands grab at your hip before sliding down and firmly squeezing your ass. While Harry has been focusing on maintaining control of the kiss he doesn’t notice your hands on his chest have slowly been pushing him backwards towards your bed until the back of his knees hit the edge of the mattress.

“Thirty minutes.” Is all you say as you abruptly pull away from him, his lips automatically chasing after yours with a pout having not been ready for the kiss to end yet, you ignore his little huff and give Harry’s chest a solid shove making him all but fall backwards onto your bed.

“Jesus-what the hell was that? No need to shove me love I’d happily get in bed with you-all you had to do was ask.” His tone would have you thinking he’s annoyed but the way his lips curl upward and his eyes darken as they stare into yours lets you know he didn’t mind it one bit.

“I’m serious Harry.” You say with a huff as you place your hands on his knees so you can spread his legs wide enough for you to stand between them as they hang off the side of your bed. “We have thirty minutes before I have to give a speech so if you can’t make it happen in that amount of time then we should just stop now.” You tell him, your voice coming off almost as if you’re taunting him. Harry’s brows furrow as your hands rest on his belt, waiting for him to answer before you begin to undo it and shimmy his jeans down to his ankles, not wanting to bother with the task if he doesn’t think he’s capable of meeting your time restraint.

“Why are you saying it like that?”

“Saying it like what? I’m just asking if you can get me off in half an hour or not?”

“No you’re saying it like you don’t think I can-that’s a bit rude sweetheart considering one time I got you screaming my name in less than ten so-”

“You are so delusional I have never screamed your name-I may have shouted it…I’ll even say I’ve moaned it a bit loudly a few times but screamed it?….yeah no…never done that.”

“I love the way you sweet talk me baby it really gets me in the mood hearing how I’ve never made you scream my name but you’ve shouted it once or twice.” You roll your eyes as he sits up onto his elbows, his eyes falling from your slightly pink cheeks down to your well manicured fingers that are working on undoing his belt with a practiced ease making him twitch in his pants in anticipation of getting to see those same pretty fingers wrapped around his cock.

“That’s the thing Harry-” Your words are soft but with a teasing edge to them as you lock eyes with him, you lower the zipper on his jeans making him swallow thickly when he feels your hands start to pull them down after he lifts his hips just a bit to help you as much as he can. “If you didn’t like the way I talked to you then you wouldn’t be this hard for me now would you?” You ask with a knowing smile on your face as you place your warm palm over the very noticeable bulge in his boxers.

“Fuck.” He says with a groan as you start to rub him over the fabric of his boxers. “I can do it-I can get you off in thirty minutes.” He says confidently making you let out a small chuckle when he sits up and frantically reaches out for you to try and pull you onto his lap.

“Now it’s more like twenty five.” You correct him making him roll his eyes as you maneuver yourself so you’re straddling him, your knees hitting the soft sheets on either side of his thighs as he rests his back against the wall your bed is pressed up against.

“Then we better get to it.” He says with a smile as his hands slide under the hem of your skirt pushing it up so he can get a better view of the skimpy bright pink panties that don’t do much at covering anything. “Wore these just for me didn’t you baby?” He asks as he leans down and presses his lips to your jaw, he hears you let out a gasp and reach out and grab onto his shoulders when he pulls the fabric to the side and slides his middle and index finger into your soaked cunt without a warning.

“Know you like them-wanted to surprise you.” You answer with a soft moan as Harry pumps his fingers into you at a pace that he knows will have you whining out in frustration soon because it’s too slow and you want more. It’s not until his lips find your neck that his eyes are able to see the very object that has his head spinning and a surge of jealousy running through his veins.

That fucking flannel.

“Time?” He asks as he slides his fingers out of your wetness making you let out a soft little huff of annoyance but just as you open your mouth to answer him he is placing a hand on the back of your head and the other on your hip, rolling you onto your back with him settled between your legs. “Come on sweetheart how much time do we have left?” He asks again as he leans down and places a kiss to your forehead as he hovers over you.

“Twenty minutes.” You answer with a teasing smile as your hands reach for the waistband of his boxers so you can tug them down enough for him to work them the rest of the way off, Harry lets out a groan when he feels your hand wrap around his hard cock giving him a few slow strokes.

“Missed how good your hand feels wrapped around me.” His voice is strained as you tighten your grip on him while he rests his forehead against yours. “But I missed something else a whole lot more.” He says with a smile and it’s as if that’s all you needed to hear, your hand let’s go of his hard shaft and quickly begins sliding your panties down your legs making Harry let out a chuckle when one of your feet gets caught making him lean back onto his knees so he can unhook it from around your ankle.

“Focus Harry we-” your attempt to get him to stop laughing is cut off by his lips pressing against yours in a kiss that has your insides melting as his hand slides down the side of your thigh, bending your leg at the knee as he positions the tip of his cock right at your entrance. His eyes find yours as you bring a hand up and run it through his hair, Harry uses this moment to push all the way into your needy cunt with one harsh thrust making you let out a moan that nearly has him bursting before he’s even really started.

“Holy fucking shit.” He says with a sigh of relief at finally getting to feel you like this, something he honestly wasn’t ever sure he’d get the honor of experiencing again. “Feel so good baby-missed you so fucking much.” He confesses before pressing his lips to the side of your neck, you let out a moan as Harry finds a steady pace that has the tip of his cock hitting a spot deep inside you that’s almost reserved just for him, since no one else has been able to even come close to reaching it.

“Missed you too-don’t ever do that stupid shit to me again okay?” Harry has to hold off a laugh as you pull his face out of the comfort of the crook of your neck so you can find his eyes, the moment his bright eyes lock with yours he just nods and leans down to place a sweet kiss to your lips.

“Never again sweetheart.” You can’t help but let yourself feel all the emotions as Harry stares down at you, and it’s almost as if in this moment the two of you never spent anytime apart.

Like you didn’t go weeks with a deep ache in your chest from how badly you missed him and didn’t hang around his fraternity brothers and their friends until you found someone to help take your mind off him, never long enough to stop the hurt from creeping back into your chest a few days later but long enough to let yourself enjoy it for the short time it lasted. It feels like Harry didn’t fill his nights with pointless hookups trying to get rid of all the memories of you that turned out to be worthless because every single time he had someone else in his bed all it did was make him think of you, hearing your voice in his head and seeing your face whenever he closed his eyes. It feels like just another Friday night for the two of you, enjoying being wrapped around each other while the world goes on around you.

“I’m not going anywhere okay? You’re stuck with me now baby.” He says between little pecks to your lips, you smile as he pulls away and leans back onto his knees and in one smooth motion he has your calf resting on his shoulder letting him go even deeper with the new angle earning him a loud cry of his name. “Come on baby you can do better than that.” His voice is playful as he leans down pressing the top of your thigh against your chest, his thrusts growing more determined as he watches your eyes close and your hands grip the sheets at your sides.

“Oh god.” You moan as he pounds into you as if he’s not only trying to beat the time limit you put on him but also like he’s trying to prove something, you’re just not sure if it’s to you or himself. “Ten-ten minutes.” You tell with him as your eyes open and you reach your hands up and tangle them in his hair giving it a harsh tug that has him groaning and turning his head and placing his lips on the inside of your wrist.

“So close-can feel how much you wanna let go for me baby.” He mumbles against the soft skin of your wrist, giving it a little nip. “Let me feel you make a mess-missed how good it feels when you soak me-come on sweetheart make a mess all over my cock.” You feel yourself slipping closer to the edge as Harry slides a hand between your two bodies until his thumb is rubbing tight circles on your clit.

“Harry-oh yes just like that don’t stop.” Harry feels you start to pulse around him as his hips keep up their brutal pace, wanting the soreness he knows you’re going to feel to serve as a reminder of this night for the next few days.

“Fuck baby you’re perfect little pussy is squeezing me so good-shit oh yes that’s it love there you go.” His eyes watch your face contort into a look of pure bliss, your lips part and his name rolls off your tongue over and over as your cheeks get a flush to them while your eyes snap shut, a feeling of pride hits him in the chest that he’s the one making you feel this good. “So pretty when you’re coming all over my cock baby-god you’re so fucking perfect.” He pants as he moves your leg from his shoulder, keeping it bent at your knee and planting your foot flat on the bed as he fucks you through your orgasm, adding pressure to your sensitive clit making a satisfied grin take over his face when you all but scream his name. “There you go baby I knew you had it in you.”

“Shit Harry that-oh fuck.” His lips attaching themselves to the spot right below your ear has your back arching into him. “Five-oh god we-we have five minutes.” You warn him as you give his hair a nice tug that has a curse word being mumbled against your neck as his hips start to get sloppy with their thrusts, you wrap your legs around him and pull him closer making him moan into the crook of your neck.

“Oh shit shit I’m gonna come-fuck I’m so close.” He says with a groan as he feels you flutter around him, when he just feels your hands claw at his back your name falls from his lips.

“Want to feel you fill me up Harry-have you dripping down my legs all night so everyone knows who I belong to.” You whisper in his ear and he lets out a choked moan as his hips still and you let out a soft moan when you feel his warm load coat your walls.

“All mine.” He groans as he feels your walls clenching around him, milking him of every last drop he has to offer you. You turn your head and place a kiss to his cheek before looking over to your nightstand to check the time. “Did we make it?” He asks with a smile as he collapses on top of you making you laugh as your arms wrap around his shoulders pulling him closer, having missed feeling the weight of him on top of you like this.

“Two minutes to spare.” You answer making him turn his head so his cheek is resting on your shirt covered chest, you laugh when he raises a hand up for you to high five. “Not happening.” He chuckles as he rolls over so he’s laying on his back next to you.

“So..would you count that as screaming? Or was that just another loud cry?”

“If I say it was a scream will you grab my panties off the floor by my lamp for me?” Harry rolls his eyes as he rolls over to his side so he can look at you.

“I’ll do that regardless but-we both know that was a scream.” He informs you before leaning over and kissing your cheek, making you smile as you watch him sit up so he can look for his boxers and slide them back on before undergoing the annoying task of putting his jeans back on. As he turns around to grab your sad excuse for underwear he spots the flannel, but oddly he doesn’t feel a sense of jealousy as he reaches over and runs a hand over the soft material of the shirt.

“Isn’t it soft? I got it at the thrift store last month.” Harry quirks a brow as he bends down to snatch the pink fabric off the floor before turning to face where you’re sitting on the edge of the bed with a totally blissed out expression on your face. “It reminded me of that red one you have that you used to let me wear.” Your words have Harry’s heart dropping to the bottom of his chest, the thought of you buying something just because it reminded you of him so you could have it during the days you spent away from each other.

“You wore that thing more than I did-it still smells like you.” He tells you with a smile as he kneels down to help you back into your panties, your hands gripping the tops of his shoulders as you stand up and let him drag them all the way back up to where they rest below your hips, fixing your skirt once he’s done. “I’m sorry I made us spend two months apart all because I didn’t know what to do with the fact that…that I’m in love with you.” Your eyes go wide as he stands up and cups your face in his hands, leaning down until he’s resting his forehead against yours. “I’ve never been in love before-I’m probably going to fuck it up sometimes but I promise I won’t push you away again.” You feel a lump form on your throat as you wrap your hands around his wrists.

“I love you too Harry…and it’s okay if we fuck it up sometimes-as long as we’re just there for each other whenever it happens.” You say with a few sniffles, Harry moves his head so he can place his lips to your forehead. “Think that’s doable?”

“Yes that’s doable.” You smile as he pulls away just enough to let him look at you. “Now not to be rude but…you can’t go give a speech like this you look like you just got good and properly fucked…” He tells you with a playful smirk on his face that has you rolling your eyes and shoving him away from you so you can walk over to your mirror.

“You’re so annoying.”

“Yeah but you love me.” He teases as he walks up behind you and places his hands on your hips, you look up at him and smile when you see he’s already looking down at you.

“Yeah. I do.”

[monicaalexandraaa]

ON MY WAY📢📢📢

MAKING TOMATO SOUP 📢📢📢

[monicaalexandraaa]

I LOVE THAT SO MUCH IT LOOKS DIVINE SAVE ME A BOWL📢📢📢

MAKING TOMATO SOUP 📢📢📢

[monicaalexandraaa]

HAPPY FOR YOU📢📢📢

MAKING TOMATO SOUP 📢📢📢

[monicaalexandraaa]

THE ANGST HURTS BUT ITS SOOOOOOO GOOD

I LOVED HOW BACK AND FORTH I WAS WITH THIS LIKE I SEE BOTH SIDES AND IT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER AND I LOVED IT The beginning was super sweet getting his pov and how much he loves and cares about her and how he’s adjusted a lot of his schedule to just be physically near her BUT HELLO SIR WTF IS GOING ONNNNNNNNNN

“Listen, I’m gonna go. Okay? I’m not interested in being anywhere near a married man or a man that would lie to my face for months and tell me he loves me when that’s just bullshit.” 

“I didn’t lie to you. We’re separated—”

“You keep fucking that, but it doesn’t mean anything to me! You’re not married, okay, but you’re not divorced either, Harry. And I refuse to be in the middle of anything like that.”

I so get it. Like it’s still an ongoing issue regardless if he hasn’t seen her in so long. It’s a huge deal and he sooooo should’ve brought this up from the jump.

And when he says she only comes back to make his life hell and get more money like yeah I wouldn’t want that drama either !!!!!!!

Her anger was valid. He couldn’t argue with that. He wouldn’t be happy to hear similar news either. But he would listen.

Ughhhhhh yeah like maybe listen ? But likeeeee

“You just do! Like an adult, Harry. You don’t have to dance around it or anything, you just say it.” 

Exactly

“That would be the fair thing to do, wouldn’t it? Except I don’t feel like waiting around for you to do that. I want to leave and get as far away from you as I can. I know I should let you talk but I just can’t—I don’t want to hear some kind of excuse. I’m already so tired, Harry. I don’t want to do this, I just want it to go away.” Her hands covered her eyes and for a moment, he thought she might cry and that would just send him over the edge. 

With everything she’s been through I can understand this behavior from her. She wants to run away from it all and that might not be the best decision and I bet later she’ll be like damn but this is a very fight of flight moment and I really do get it.

I realllyyyyyyy love the dialogue throughout this whole part !!!!!!!!!!!! Like wow !!!!!!!!!!

He followed, running a shaky hand through his hair. He knew she was going to leave, no matter what he said. And it was going to hurt more than anything had ever hurt in his entire life. But he was hopeful that he could fix this. He doesn’t know how yet or when, but he’s going to do whatever it will take to get her to come back. 

He’s so panicking but this is sweet😭

“I love you, (Y/N).” A last ditch effort. Another reminder that he loved her and it was genuine. She sent him a glance over her shoulder just as she grabbed the handle of one of her bags. 

“Yeah. I thought I loved you too. That’s what I was going to tell you when you got home.” 

“You love me?” It was music to his ears, to hear it back. These circumstances are terrible and he wished this could have gone any other way but it didn’t. 

“I thought I did. Did you catch that part? I can’t imagine saying it now.” She scoffed, another bitter smile on her face. 

“But you mean it? Don’t you?” 

RIP MY HEART OUTTTTTTTTTTT

“I don’t know what else to do, I don’t want you to leave.” He could cry. He really could. And he hasn’t felt the need to in a long, long time. When he thinks about (Y/N) sometimes and how sweet she is, he does have to blink a little extra because he knows he’s so lucky to have her. But this now…sooner or later, tears are coming. 

Noooooo I was like so distraught over him being distraught BUT ALSO MAD AT HIM SO LIKE IM A MESS

“You sound fucking stupid. Do you know that? Why would I stay when I can’t stand to look at you? I don’t want to be near you, I don’t want to hear your voice. The thought of having to sleep next to you tonight makes me sick. Let me go.”

She’s standing on business she’s stomping on it actually but also breaking my heart but also like period girl fuck him but also actually fuck him pls thx

He followed her outside to her car, his eyes wet now. He rubbed at them, feeling a headache coming on. There was no way he’d sleep tonight. 

😩

“You’re right. There is nowhere to go. You made it almost impossible for me to be able to do anything without you. I should’ve never moved in. That was a bad idea.”

No but likeeeeeee yeah but also it’s because that man would eat your literal shit babes HE LOVES YOU !!!!!!!!!! OBSESSED WITH YOU !!!!!

“But what can I do? I can’t just sit here and wait. I  want to make this right. Please let me.” If she would give him five minutes, he could clear some of this up. It might not totally fix it and she might still want time away but at least she would know what really happened and what his relationship with Sienna is like now. Which doesn’t exist at all anymore, by the way. 

&

His jaw clenched tightly and he tried to take a deep breath. It probably is best to let her leave and cool down. But it hurt. It hurt that she would think he would do something like this to her. But he knows how deceiving Sienna can be so he doesn’t blame her. He doesn’t know what all she said but he knows it was too much for (Y/N). 

Like yeah I get it😫I understand his frustrations but I’m glad he’s also recognizing she does have a right to feel how she does.

It hurts to know that he’s hurt her also. It makes his skin crawl. Why didn’t he just say something? Mention it early on, just so she knew. He never thought this would happen though, so while he did feel the need to tell her sometimes, he couldn’t see Sienna actually showing up and doing anything. But he was wrong. And he’s going to give her an earful as soon as he can get his hands on his phone. 

WHY DIDN’T HE JUST SAY SOMETHINGGGG

He could work, check his email, make himself dinner, watch tv, go for a swim, run around the block. But it wouldn’t change her mind. The only thing that would help do that is to wait. And that’s his least favorite thing to do. 

But he’s going to. Because he would do anything for (Y/N).  

😭😭he’ll waitttttttttt I want to hug him and slap him😭😭

She questioned everything now. Everything he said, did, every time he touched her. It made her sad and she hated that. Because she liked him so much, and to now have these conflicting emotions over all of it made her nauseous. 

So reallllllllll

Her eyes were dry. She thought she’d be a mess, but she honestly just felt numb and lifeless. Another fail. Another man who she felt like used her. 

&

The thing was, he sounded so genuine. He told her he loved her without any hesitation, ever. And maybe he did. But how much can you really love someone if you’re able to lie to them for so long? (Y/N) doesn’t know. It makes her head hurt to think about it, to second guess all of it. It was so easy with him and now, she can’t imagine being in the same room as him at the moment. 

So real and valid feelings. You’re explaining what she’s feeling perfectly.

She told him she just needed time to think, that they would talk when she was ready and that she would hear him out. But that was only so he’d let her out the door. She didn’t mean any of it. She is leaving the city for good. Without speaking a word to him, without hearing any of his excuses. She’s just going to let it roll off. It’ll be forgotten soon enough and she can go back to how she was before. Afraid to trust, walls built high and strong. That has only burnt her in the past, she’s not sure why Harry made it so easy to open up, but she’s never doing it again. It hurts too much. 

Her fingers moved across the keyboard. She’d give him one last gift. A resignation letter. 

NOOOOOOOOOO😭I get it but NOOOOOOOOO

She hurried up to his room, finding her things were all placed neatly back where they were before she packed them up. Her bags were gone, her clothes were hung back in his closet like he honestly thought she’d be coming back.

This^ I sob🥺

All the renovations had the club looking like something out of her dreams. It was exactly how she pictured it. And she’d never get to see it again. 

Leaving the club😩that place is so special to her and both of them really and it breaks my heart🥺😭

THE PICTUREEEEEE OMGGGGGGGG

(Y/N) hadn’t seen herself like that before, until this photo. So happy you can see it in every part of her. It makes her eyes sting with tears. She would probably never find that again. So, she put the frame in her bag. It was the least he could give her. If she was going to remember this part of her life at all, she wanted to remember them like that.

MY HEARTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

“I don’t want to talk.” She already wanted to cry. It’s something she’s put off even though she knows that it’ll happen sooner or later. She just didn’t want to give herself the time to because then she would have to admit to herself that she’s deeply upset and disappointed with the way things went. If she could just pretend none of it meant anything to her she might spare herself a little heartbreak. 

Again very fight or flight. She doesn’t want to feel the immense pain so getting away from it totally feels like the better option. She doesn’t want to believe this man who she adores would allow this to happen and it’s just a mess I GET IT

This talk at the club is so heartbreaking and it escalated real quick😫

“I know I messed up, but you can’t mean that. I mean, you were going to tell me you loved me—”

“And that was a mistake,” This time she looked at him. She wanted to say this and make sure it stuck. Twist the knife a little. She knew it would get him off of her back if she just said the most hurtful thing she could think of. “I don’t love you, Harry. You lied to me for months. Maybe I thought I loved you but I don’t. I know that for a fact.” 

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“Don’t say things you don’t mean just to make yourself feel better.” He said it like a warning, taking one slow step closer to her. 

&

“What are you not getting? I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. I don’t love you, I don’t care that you apparently love me either. Why don’t you worry about your wife instead and fuck off?”

&

“For fuck’s sake, we’re separated!” His voice raised and it felt like everything stopped. He’s never spoken to her like that.

&

“I don't want it to work, Harry,”

&

“Ungrateful. That’s what you are.” 

&

“I will. You can just run like you always do instead of fucking talking to people. You run because you’re scared and you’re saying all these things just to push me away,” (Y/N) officially pushed him over the edge. She can tell by his tense shoulders and how his face is pulled into a deep frown. “Well done.”

&

“I’m not sorry for doing what I think is best for me. And I never will be.”

&

“You know what,” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I want you to go. Leave and don’t fucking come back. Don’t come back when you need a favor either. Because that’s all this was, right? Just to get you back on your feet, right? And I did that and then some. Now you can leave like you’ve been waiting to do.”

&

“No, I don’t need an explanation (Y/N). I just want you to leave,” That stung. He was doing to her what she’d been doing to him now. And while she knew what it felt like already, having him do it right back was the last thing she thought he’d do. It hit her deep in her gut and she felt like she couldn’t take in a full breath. “Get the fuck out of my club.” 

&

“No. You wanted to leave so leave. I’m not holding you back anymore. It’s a waste of time.” 

&

Because they both know what the last few months have been and what they haven’t. It wasn’t her taking advantage of him. But he just wanted to be a dick and succeeded. 

Then her being back home😩

But she wasn’t angry at him for it. She kept pushing him and pushing him. And it only made sense for him to snap a little bit. She would be shocked if he hadn’t said something to the effect that he did. She didn’t want to stay, so he told her to go. Always giving her what she wants. 

She’s understanding his behavior but it doesn’t make it easier😩

That didn’t mean that some nights weren’t harder than others. Some nights she had his number dialed, ready to call with one press of a button. Some nights she had three paragraphs typed out, ready to apologize if that meant that things would go back to normal. And some nights she was so angry that she couldn’t believe she considered apologizing to him at all. He’s the one that wasn’t honest. He’s the one who got upset just because she didn’t want to hear him out. And that wasn’t fair to either of them. 

Those back and forth feelings are sooooooo real !!!!!!!

This dinner with Sienna was honestly kinda hilarious. She’s crazy and knows exactly what she’s doing but it was funny.

“Okay. I’m selling the house, so you can visit it all you like.” He made the decision a couple nights ago. He didn’t want to be there after (Y/N) left. It felt so empty and quiet. There wasn’t a corner of that house he would miss once it was sold. If (Y/N) wasn’t there, it wasn’t worth keeping. 

Selling the house😭I get it plus she said she couldn’t be in that house anymore so he’ll do whatever it takes.

“I was thinking the same thing. You should’ve seen that poor girl’s face.” Sienna frowned for a second and then put her drink back to her mouth. “Speaking of. I have something for you. Don’t be mad at me.” Her glass was set aside, finally, and she reached for something by her feet. A folder. 

She laid it on the table in front of her before opening it. Harry could have fallen out of his chair. Papers. Divorce papers. 

Sienna looked almost apologetic as she pulled the paper out and slid it over to his side of the table. He held all of his excitement in. Her signature was already neatly printed on the line above a blank space for his name. 

“I met someone, so…it’s time. Don’t you think so?” 

THIS WAS UNREALLLLL🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭but I love how he just took it to get this done as quick as possible

HE HAD THAT PEN READYYYYYYY

Sienna being surprised and bummed too like plssss

For a second, just a second, he remembers why he married her. Because she was fun. And silly. At least until they got married. And somehow things went downhill. He’s probably to blame for that too. But he wouldn’t ever really know why. And that’s okay with him. 

Kind of tea🫢

THE ENDINGGGGGG

Harry left the cafe feeling the tiniest bit of reassurance. The divorce wasn’t final yet, but it would be. And then he wouldn’t have anything tying him to anyone else. He wouldn’t have (Y/N), but he’d wait. He’s still waiting actually. 

Though he is ashamed of the way he treated her when she had every right to react the way she did and want space from him. He said horrible things to her, things that he didn’t believe to be true either. He was angry, but that doesn’t make it right and he wished he could tell her that. That he was so sorry and that he knows that doesn’t mean much, considering. 

Harry just hopes that she’s okay. And that if she never gets back to him, he’ll understand that she deserved more than he could give her. 

😭😭😭

I ate this up !!!!!!!!!!! The angst is INCREDIBLE! I loved feeling so invested and understanding both sides and being mad and sad and all of it !!!!!! The best part of angst for me is being so hooked onto the characters and their emotions and you did exactly that and wrote this beautifully. I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT PART WHATS GONNA HAPPEN AHHHHHHHH🩷🩷

lovesick (part six)

summary: y/n confronts harry and things don't go the way either of them expect them to

10.6k words

warnings: ANGST, i'm sorry, that's really it lol (they both get a little mean 🫣)

Harry has called (Y/N) twice since he woke up this morning and he hasn’t gotten a call back. Or a sign of life at all, actually. 

Normally, that might make him nervous but he knows (Y/N) might just be sleeping in today. He had her up late on the phone, she probably hasn’t left the bed yet or checked her phone. So, he remains patient and busies himself with his email inbox. 

There was enough to have him distracted until he had to leave for the airport. His flight had one stop but the layover was only about an hour so he still wouldn’t reach (Y/N) until about dinner time. It was completely worth the wait, he’d been missing her since he left the driveway Tuesday morning. 

It’s crazy to him that in such a short time, he has fully integrated (Y/N) into his life. Into his home, into his routine. She fits in so nicely. 

He was probably coming on strong at the club. Sitting for hours at the bar, just to catch a glimpse of her. Harry has never felt for someone like he does for (Y/N). She’s so different. And he will admit that he liked the chase. Just a little bit. Even though he had to step away because of it. 

That was the hardest part. But he didn’t want to be a bother and he felt like he was at times. Always being there and wanting to occupy all of her attention. She was working, yes, but he didn’t know of another place where he could see her like he did at the club. 

His sleep schedule did suffer. Most nights, he wasn’t home until after three, and he was supposed to be up for work at five. He found himself working from home a lot and not regretting his lack of sleep if it meant he was near (Y/N) for the few hours he was. 

When he found her in the lobby of his office building, he was shocked. He thought she made a mistake and happened there by chance. But to hear that she came just for him, he was ecstatic. Devastated to know that she planned on leaving after seeing him, but he knew she would come around to his proposition. He just had to ease her into it. 

And he knew that she would need time to warm up. She was very wary of everything he did in the beginning and he understands why now. He still wouldn’t have done anything differently because she’s home now, waiting for him, and that alone is enough for him to know that he did something right. 

He landed just before six and tried to remain patient while everyone exited the plane and during the excruciatingly long walk to baggage claim. He didn’t bring much with him in the first place and he would have just brought a carry on, but the company was paying for his bag and he didn’t fight it. 

It took him a few minutes to remember what level in the garage he parked on but when he did, he was gone, driving as fast as he was able to. 

He left his bag in the back, deciding that he would come get it after he got a hold of (Y/N). He did try to call her again on the drive there but he got her voicemail again. It didn’t bother him too much, he would be seeing her in just minutes now. 

The car was barely in park before he was rushing from the seat and to the front door. Her car was where it always was so he knew she was home, she was probably just making him wait on purpose. 

The lights were on back in the kitchen and he was just about to call out for her when he saw something. In the foyer, steps from the door really, two suitcases and two duffle bags. All that she’d brought with her to move in. He was confused, but he didn’t pay too much attention because he was worried about seeing (Y/N) after being gone for far too long. 

“Baby. I’m home,” He called out, starting to ascend the stairs when she suddenly appeared at the top of them. Her arms were crossed and she honestly didn’t look the least bit excited to see him. Which was the complete opposite from how she sounded on the phone less than twelve hours ago. “There you are—”

“Save it.” She cut him off. Her tone was one he’s never heard before and one that was entirely unexpected. He stopped right where he was on the stairs and shot her look. 

“Save what? I missed you so much. What’s all that down there?” He gestured behind him to her bags. He really didn’t know why she would even have them out, but the longer she looked at him like that, the harder his heart started beating. 

“You really don’t know?” She took one step closer so she was on the top step. “How fucking stupid do you think I am?” 

“(Y/N). Sweetheart. I have no idea—”

“Your wife stopped by.” 

“What?” 

“You sound shocked. You heard me. Your wife, Sienna. She came by with a set of keys, a ring on her finger, and she told me all about you.” 

It suddenly all made sense. The last phone call he had with Sienna, she told him he would regret brushing her off the way he had. Most times he called her bluff, but he really had no idea that she would ever stoop this low. 

“I’m confused.” He didn’t know what else to say. What could Sienna possibly have to say about him? Sure, their separation was nasty to say the least and it’s still not a hundred percent over with but the more time (Y/N) lets him think, the more he’s starting to piece together what might have happened. 

“Aw, you are? I was confused too when some random woman walked in last night and told me that you’re married to her and have been for the past fifteen years.” Her voice wavered the tiniest bit. He knew she probably didn’t want him to see her upset and he didn’t want to either, but if she just gives him a minute to clear things up, she’ll see that this is just one huge misunderstanding. 

“I’m not married to Sienna, (Y/N). I was, but we’ve been separated for almost eight years now. Whatever she told you wasn’t true.” 

“That’s not what she said.” 

“That doesn’t even make sense. If we were married, where the fuck has she been for the past three months?” He didn’t mean to curse, but this whole ordeal could have been avoided. He thought when Sienna gave back her key, she didn’t have any copies but he really did give her the benefit of the doubt by not changing the locks. Not saying she still wouldn’t have gotten to (Y/N), but there’s nothing he can do now to change the situation except to try to put out the massive fire she started. “I, just, whatever she said to you, I don’t know, but we’re separated, not married anymore. Maybe in her twisted mind, we are, but (Y/N)—”

“Listen, I’m gonna go. Okay? I’m not interested in being anywhere near a married man or a man that would lie to my face for months and tell me he loves me when that’s just bullshit.” 

“I didn’t lie to you. We’re separated—”

“You keep fucking that, but it doesn’t mean anything to me! You’re not married, okay, but you’re not divorced either, Harry. And I refuse to be in the middle of anything like that.”

“There’s nothing to be in the middle of, (Y/N). I haven’t seen her in almost a year. She only comes back to try to make my life hell and get more money out of me.” It was true. She wasn’t happy with the agreement they signed when they got married, but Harry also didn’t have as many assets as he does now, years later. And Sienna wants a cut of something that doesn’t belong to her and never has. So, she does things like this to try and get her way. 

“Yeah, that still sounds like something I don’t want to be a part of. I’m leaving.” She went to pass him, but he stepped right in her way. Like she thought he’d just let her go in the first place. 

“Can we please just talk for a second? I know none of it makes sense right now and I know what she probably said, but please. Let’s not do anything too fast, okay?” He went to rest his hand on her shoulder, hoping that it would settle things. She has to know that he would never keep something like this from her to hurt her. It did occasionally cross his mind but he never thought it would turn into something like this. 

She jerked her shoulder out of his reach and took a step back up so she was eye level with him. 

“Don’t put your hands on me, I mean it. I don’t want you to touch me right now.” Her voice was even now, like she’d made her mind up. 

“Okay, I understand. I won’t touch you. Can we talk? Just for a second.” Harry didn’t know what to do with his hands now. He wanted to soothe her however he could but he didn’t think his words would be enough. 

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Her anger was valid. He couldn’t argue with that. He wouldn’t be happy to hear similar news either. But he would listen. “Were you ever going to tell me?” 

“Yes, eventually. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.” Sienna isn’t worth mentioning at all, but he knows that’s not a good enough reason to not tell her something like that. 

“You just do! Like an adult, Harry. You don’t have to dance around it or anything, you just say it.” 

He tried to keep calm. He was supposed to come home and they were supposed to be happy to see one another. They would have had dinner and she would’ve asked him about his trip and then they would get cozy on the couch and watch whatever show she wanted before bed. 

But no. Sienna did as Sienna does. Ruined something so good and pure. He didn’t know what to do. (Y/N) seems like she’s not willing to give him the space to explain right now. He doesn’t know what he can say to fix this but he still wants to try. 

“Please, just let me explain.” 

“That would be the fair thing to do, wouldn’t it? Except I don’t feel like waiting around for you to do that. I want to leave and get as far away from you as I can. I know I should let you talk but I just can’t—I don’t want to hear some kind of excuse. I’m already so tired, Harry. I don’t want to do this, I just want it to go away.” Her hands covered her eyes and for a moment, he thought she might cry and that would just send him over the edge. 

“I know. This wasn’t meant to happen—” He started to say but she dropped her hands, a sarcastic smile on her face. 

“It wasn’t meant to happen? Why? Because then you’d get to be a liar for a little bit longer? Honestly, fuck you, Harry. I can’t believe I almost—nevermind. I just can’t believe it.” She tried to step past him again but he got in her way. 

“You almost what?” He wanted to just grab a hold of her to get her to stop moving but he didn’t want to make her even angrier with him. “What do you mean?” 

“It’s not worth talking about right now. I must have been out of my mind anyway,” Her hand nudged his shoulder. “Excuse me. You’re just prolonging this whole thing and all you’re going to do is piss me off. Move.” 

“I can’t let you go. I don’t—I’ll do whatever you need me to do, please.” 

“Harry. Move. I’m leaving, there’s nothing you can do or say right now, just get out of my way.” Her arm pressed into his side, pushing him to the side lightly so she could slip past him. He didn’t know what else to do but grab her shoulder, but she pulled away and hurried to the bottom of the stairs. He followed, running a shaky hand through his hair. He knew she was going to leave, no matter what he said. And it was going to hurt more than anything had ever hurt in his entire life. But he was hopeful that he could fix this. He doesn’t know how yet or when, but he’s going to do whatever it will take to get her to come back. 

“I love you, (Y/N).” A last ditch effort. Another reminder that he loved her and it was genuine. She sent him a glance over her shoulder just as she grabbed the handle of one of her bags. 

“Yeah. I thought I loved you too. That’s what I was going to tell you when you got home.” 

“You love me?” It was music to his ears, to hear it back. These circumstances are terrible and he wished this could have gone any other way but it didn’t. 

“I thought I did. Did you catch that part? I can’t imagine saying it now.” She scoffed, another bitter smile on her face. 

“But you mean it? Don’t you?” 

“Harry. I don’t know anything right now, okay? All I know is I want to get away from you. So let me go,” She slung a bag over her shoulder, giving him a pointed look. “I’ll be back for the rest of my things later.” That sent him into a panic. 

“Please, don’t go, please—” He made the mistake of reaching for her again but she shoved at his chest, causing him to stumble back just a step. 

“I told you not to touch me once already, Harry, fuck. Don’t.” 

“I don’t know what else to do, I don’t want you to leave.” He could cry. He really could. And he hasn’t felt the need to in a long, long time. When he thinks about (Y/N) sometimes and how sweet she is, he does have to blink a little extra because he knows he’s so lucky to have her. But this now…sooner or later, tears are coming. 

“Okay but I am. There’s nothing for you to do. Nothing. Just stand there and let me walk out the door.”

“I don’t think I can. You love me. And I love you. We can—we can work this out just give me a second—” 

“You sound fucking stupid. Do you know that? Why would I stay when I can’t stand to look at you? I don’t want to be near you, I don’t want to hear your voice. The thought of having to sleep next to you tonight makes me sick. Let me go.”

Harry would beg on his knees if he thought it would do him any good but he knows how definitive (Y/N) is and this won’t be anything close to easy. 

He followed her outside to her car, his eyes wet now. He rubbed at them, feeling a headache coming on. There was no way he’d sleep tonight. 

But the time he caught up with her fast strides, she was placing the two bags in her trunk and then turning to go get the other two. He stepped in front of her again. 

“Where are you going to go? It’s late.” He forced his hands to his sides, wanting so badly to reach out and touch her. There were countless places she could go and he was sure she wasn’t going to tell him where she was going to end up but it was worth a try. 

“I don’t know but I’m not staying here.” 

“Come on. At least wait until morning and we can figure it out then,” He would probably say anything at this point to get her to stay. “There’s nowhere to go, (Y/N). Just stay. If you don’t want me to talk to you, I won’t. But just don’t leave.” 

“You’re right. There is nowhere to go. You made it almost impossible for me to be able to do anything without you. I should’ve never moved in. That was a bad idea.” She slid the other bag on her shoulder and avoided his eyes to step around him again. 

“Call me tomorrow morning then. Or…I’ll call you.” He rushed after her, watching her place the one her shoulder next to the other in her trunk. 

“Don’t call me,” She slammed the trunk lid down, giving him a stern look. “I need time away from you to think through some things. Calling me and following me around is only going to upset me more. So stop.” 

“But what can I do? I can’t just sit here and wait. I  want to make this right. Please let me.” If she would give him five minutes, he could clear some of this up. It might not totally fix it and she might still want time away but at least she would know what really happened and what his relationship with Sienna is like now. Which doesn’t exist at all anymore, by the way. 

“Maybe later. I have to go.” 

His jaw clenched tightly and he tried to take a deep breath. It probably is best to let her leave and cool down. But it hurt. It hurt that she would think he would do something like this to her. But he knows how deceiving Sienna can be so he doesn’t blame her. He doesn’t know what all she said but he knows it was too much for (Y/N). 

It hurts to know that he’s hurt her also. It makes his skin crawl. Why didn’t he just say something? Mention it early on, just so she knew. He never thought this would happen though, so while he did feel the need to tell her sometimes, he couldn’t see Sienna actually showing up and doing anything. But he was wrong. And he’s going to give her an earful as soon as he can get his hands on his phone. 

He watched silently as she shut herself in her car and started it. She did look exhausted and he hates that it’s all his fault. Maybe time away will be good for her. As long as she talks to him soon. 

His hand raised and he waved, not knowing what else to do with himself, but he couldn’t just stand there. She looked down from her mirror and for a slight moment, it looked like the last thing she wanted to do was leave. 

“I love you.” He said, knowing that she couldn’t hear it anyway. But she saw it and then quickly moved her gaze away, back to the mirror to reverse out of his driveway. 

He turned his back to her, a hand covering his eyes. There was no reason to torture himself and watch her leave. He couldn’t bear it. He could bear the thought of it, let alone seeing it in real time, knowing there was nothing he could do to get her to stay and talk. 

He shut the back door behind him and took another deep breath before holding it for three seconds and letting it go. Five times he did this and it didn’t slow the racing of his heart or stop the shaking in his hands. It did nothing but draw tears out of his eyes. 

There was nothing to do but wait. He could cry, he could force himself to sleep, but none of that would bring her back. It would give him something to do but it wouldn’t be productive. 

He could work, check his email, make himself dinner, watch tv, go for a swim, run around the block. But it wouldn’t change her mind. The only thing that would help do that is to wait. And that’s his least favorite thing to do. 

But he’s going to. Because he would do anything for (Y/N).  

****

(Y/N) hasn’t moved from her spot on the bed since she checked into the hotel. 

There really wasn’t anywhere else for her to go, so she drove until she got tired and called it a night, two hours away from the city. 

It felt dramatic, having driven so far, but she didn’t know what else to do other than drive mindlessly and not stop until she physically didn’t feel like driving anymore. She knew there was nothing dramatic about it. She felt betrayed and she was, in the worst way. 

She questioned everything now. Everything he said, did, every time he touched her. It made her sad and she hated that. Because she liked him so much, and to now have these conflicting emotions over all of it made her nauseous. 

Despite being exhausted from barely sleeping the night before and spending most of the day packing her things and trying to think of what her next steps would be, she wasn’t any closer to falling asleep. 

Her eyes were dry. She thought she’d be a mess, but she honestly just felt numb and lifeless. Another fail. Another man who she felt like used her. 

The thing was, he sounded so genuine. He told her he loved her without any hesitation, ever. And maybe he did. But how much can you really love someone if you’re able to lie to them for so long? (Y/N) doesn’t know. It makes her head hurt to think about it, to second guess all of it. It was so easy with him and now, she can’t imagine being in the same room as him at the moment. 

When the hotel room ceiling got boring, she shifted to her side, staring instead into the darkened bathroom. She used it when she first checked in before slipping into the bed and trying her best not to overthink. Unfortunately, that was all she was capable of for the time being. 

Her eyes shifted to her phone on the night stand next to her. She shut it off hours ago, before Harry even got home. It was probably filled with missed calls and unread messages even though she told him to leave her alone. She knew he’d try. Or he might not. Maybe she truly doesn’t know anything about him. Apparently she doesn’t, but she hoped that he showed her true parts of himself at some point during their time together. 

She didn’t bother touching her phone but she did sit up, reaching for one of her bags that she sat on the bed. Her laptop that she hasn’t touched in months still somehow came to life when she switched the button on. She immediately opened a blank document and sat for a second. 

She’s made a life here. Friends, some of her favorite restaurants and coffee shops, bars. It all felt tainted now, ruined by the memory of her time with him. Which is all it would be. A memory. Something that she’ll forget soon and only remember occasionally. One day, that is. For now, she’ll relive every moment with him. Cycle everything he’s ever said to her round and round in her head until it doesn’t mean anything special anymore. 

She told him she just needed time to think, that they would talk when she was ready and that she would hear him out. But that was only so he’d let her out the door. She didn’t mean any of it. She is leaving the city for good. Without speaking a word to him, without hearing any of his excuses. She’s just going to let it roll off. It’ll be forgotten soon enough and she can go back to how she was before. Afraid to trust, walls built high and strong. That has only burnt her in the past, she’s not sure why Harry made it so easy to open up, but she’s never doing it again. It hurts too much. 

Her fingers moved across the keyboard. She’d give him one last gift. A resignation letter. 

****

(Y/N) waited three days before going back to the city. She still has things to grab at Harry’s and she hoped he wasn’t there. He’d probably keep her there for good if he caught her inside. 

Luckily for her, his car wasn’t in the driveway in the early hours on a Monday. He had to work. She searched her purse for her key that she hopefully would never need again and let herself in. 

She packed a lot up the other day. There wasn’t much at his house, a lot of her things were in storage that she’d have to figure out sooner or later, but now was about removing the rest of her belongings so she’d never have to face him again. 

Last night, she canceled her credit card, the one he always paid off. That way, he’d have no connection anymore. No more favors. 

She hurried up to his room, finding her things were all placed neatly back where they were before she packed them up. Her bags were gone, her clothes were hung back in his closet like he honestly thought she’d be coming back.

A scoff let her mouth. He really is delusional.  

The duffle bags she previously used were dragged back out so she could repack her remaining clothes. It didn’t take long. She spent maybe an hour making sure everything was put up. Everything he bought her was left on the hanger, next to his long line of clothes. 

It hurt all over again. Standing there and knowing she wouldn’t be back. But she had to go. She really didn’t think there was any way for him to talk himself out of this one. 

Once everything was packed into her car, she knew there was one last place she had to go. And she could leave the keys there too. 

It was early enough that no one was at the club. The first shift of employees wouldn’t come until four pm and it was just now nearing two. She has plenty of time to get in, get her things, leave the keys and be gone for good. Just like his house, there wasn’t much she needed but she didn’t want any trace of herself left behind. 

Just as she anticipated, no one was there when she pushed her way inside. To be here now, in these circumstances, left her chest feeling hollow. It had been a big reason she stayed the first time but now there was no other option than to leave it behind. It was all she knew, it had been kind to her, for much of her time here anyway, besides being fired. But she always made her way back. 

All the renovations had the club looking like something out of her dreams. It was exactly how she pictured it. And she’d never get to see it again. 

The upstairs office was still. She breathed a sigh, taking in the space. There was much to reminisce about but she knew she was on a time crunch. The longer she stayed trying to memorize everything about the room, the longer it would take for it to be forgotten. 

She opened the top drawer and didn’t see anything she thought she wanted to take with her. The second drawer had nothing important either. The third which she never looked in had tons of paper in it. Filed away, probably employee files that she didn’t bother with much. Harry took care of things like that. The folder with her name marked on the tab had her stopping right before she shut the drawer. 

There wasn’t much inside. The contract she signed early on, a few other documents she signed right when she started working. There wasn’t anything here that she wanted to take, she only really wanted to take the space in one last time. But now it’s best that she goes. Before she makes another mistake. 

Her eyes caught the photo frame on the desk. It was a picture of her and Harry on opening night of the club. His arm was over her shoulder, her arms were wrapped around his middle, and they were both smiling into the camera, faces pressed together. She didn’t even want to take the picture in the first place but Ria insisted, holding up her reusable camera and gesturing for the two of them to get together. Harry whispered something in her ear right before Ria was shouting for their attention over the loud music. 

I’m so happy you’re doing this with me.

And before she could return the sentiment, because she was so happy as well, Ria was waving her hands at them. It was the first time she really, really considered kissing him. That thought stuck in her head for the rest of the night but obviously she didn’t do anything about it then. 

The picture is probably the only physical copy of a picture they had. Ria printed it off and put it in a sparkly frame and gifted it to them during her next shift. Harry put it right on the desk and it hasn’t moved since. (Y/N)’s looked over it hundreds of times while she was sitting at this desk but it never struck her quite like it did now. 

(Y/N) hadn’t seen herself like that before, until this photo. So happy you can see it in every part of her. It makes her eyes sting with tears. She would probably never find that again. So, she put the frame in her bag. It was the least he could give her. If she was going to remember this part of her life at all, she wanted to remember them like that. 

She sat back in the chair for a second. To breathe and clear the moisture from her eyes. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to gather herself. Maybe coming here wasn’t a great idea. But how could she have known she’d get so emotional. She was doing so well up until now. In her own way. 

“I knew I’d find you here.” His voice had her freezing, body tensing. She didn’t want to look at him after she was set on never seeing him again. It could’ve been so easy, to just leave and never cross paths, but of course, nothing can ever be easy for (Y/N). 

“I don’t want to talk.” She already wanted to cry. It’s something she’s put off even though she knows that it’ll happen sooner or later. She just didn’t want to give herself the time to because then she would have to admit to herself that she’s deeply upset and disappointed with the way things went. If she could just pretend none of it meant anything to her she might spare herself a little heartbreak. 

“I got your email,” Of course he did. She sent it last night. Something short, sweet, and to the point. She was quitting the club and he’d need a new manager. Effective immediately. It felt like the professional thing to do. And (Y/N) wanted him to know that she was serious about taking a step back without telling him she was leaving for good. “You don’t have to quit, (Y/N). We can work this out. I know you love this place.” 

She stood from the desk and fixed her bag on her shoulder. He looks tired. Like he’s slept just as much as she has. (Y/N) knows that he is upset. She knows that this is the last thing he wants, but this is necessary for both of them. Even though it cuts deep. 

“I can’t work here anymore, Harry. You know that.” Her eyes refused to go any higher than the collar of his shirt. Maybe his chin, just able to see the downturn of his lips. 

“I know you want time away and that’s okay. We can take a break until you’re ready to talk. But you don’t have to quit. That’s too far.” He leaned against the doorframe. He probably wouldn’t let her slip past him like he did at his house. He probably had a feeling just like she did. This was the last time they’d see each other. 

“I’m glad you’re sort of giving me space, I appreciate it, but it’s…too late,” She crossed her arms, still not able to meet his eye. “I don’t want to do this anymore. You weren’t honest with me. You have to understand how that might make me feel.” 

“Of course I understand. But you haven’t let me explain yet. Sienna has no reason to tell the truth about anything so I don’t know what she told you, but it probably was only partly true.” 

“It’s fine. You don’t owe me an explanation. I wasn’t supposed to stay this long anyway. It’s perfect timing.” She stepped closer to the door and he shifted so he was directly in front of her. 

“I want you to stay.” 

“I can’t go back to the house you shared with your wife, Harry. Maybe that’s immature, I don’t care. I don’t want to be there,” It probably was silly. But she did live there for years she said and it just made (Y/N) so uncomfortable and it felt like she was intruding even more than she already was. “I just want to drop it, alright? It’s fine. I forgive you, clean break.” 

“You don’t forgive me. You’re angry, I can see it. And you’re hurt and upset and it’s my fault. But we have to fix this. I can try if you just let me talk.” His thumb grazed over the back of her hand and she let him. Having him touch her, just barely, had her heart racing. She knew this would be hard to do but she didn’t want to stay. That wasn’t an option anymore. 

“I don’t want to even think about it, Harry.” Her throat felt like it was getting tight. She wouldn’t be able to stand up straight for much longer. The tears were coming. And she would rather not cry in front of him. 

“I know, I’m sorry. But you can’t…you can’t just leave, (Y/N). I need you here. I love you. I can’t lose you over this.” He didn’t move from his spot in the doorway and she can tell even though she hasn’t turned toward him yet. He’s still giving her space, in some way, but him being here now is making her chest feel tight. 

“You’re right. I am angry. But I’m over it and I don’t care. I just want to go and get away from you.” Her tone was flat again. She had to pull herself together and get the waver out of her voice. Everything she was saying was what she rehearsed in her head just in case. It wasn’t honest but she needed him to go away. 

“I know I messed up, but you can’t mean that. I mean, you were going to tell me you loved me—”

“And that was a mistake,” This time she looked at him. She wanted to say this and make sure it stuck. Twist the knife a little. She knew it would get him off of her back if she just said the most hurtful thing she could think of. “I don’t love you, Harry. You lied to me for months. Maybe I thought I loved you but I don’t. I know that for a fact.” 

It was harsh. She could see that he wasn’t taking it well. His frown deepened into something that made her feel ill and nauseous. His brow dipped like what she just said devastated him, like he was unbelieving in what he was hearing. 

“Don’t say things you don’t mean just to make yourself feel better.” He said it like a warning, taking one slow step closer to her. 

“I mean it. I don’t love you and I want you to go away.” 

“I love you.” He grabbed her hands, squeezing them but she didn’t return it. She let her arms go limp. 

“I don’t believe you.” 

“You don’t believe me?” He dropped her hands, expression incredulous. He took a step back, shaking his head. “(Y/N), I—”

“I told you I didn’t want to talk about it. Now let me go and this can all be over. No use in getting angry about it.” Her shoulders rose in a shrug. She knew she was only making him more upset but part of her felt like he deserved to be a little frustrated, at the very least. She was being difficult and he hated it, but it was the only way she could get back at him. If you could even count this as getting back at him. 

“I’m trying to make this easy for both of us. Please don’t do this.” 

“What are you not getting? I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. I don’t love you, I don’t care that you apparently love me either. Why don’t you worry about your wife instead and fuck off?” (Y/N) could be mean. And if that got her what she wanted, she’d do it. She’d say it. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t nice, she knew but she didn’t care about that either. 

“She’s not my wife. I already told you that.” His jaw got tight. (Y/N) knew that she was one more comment from making him actually angry. She’s never seen him angry before and the fact that she was trying to get him there on purpose was only going to make the situation worse.

“I think we’ve already had this conversation three separate times. And it’s gotten us nowhere yet. I need to be away from you. Is that too much to ask? Is that crazy to want?” Her arms crossed. She knew that he was stressed but she was too. Having to uproot her life all over again just because a man claimed he loved her turned out to be the opposite of what she thought he was. It infuriated her that she pretty much let it happen all over again. 

“No, but give me some kind of something. Talk to me.” 

“I don’t see the reason we need to talk. You lied, I’m taking a step back.” It felt logical. And she knew he was trying to be understanding but he was still too close. She tried everything to push him away and he was still trying. She could give him credit there. 

“I didn’t lie.” 

“Oh, yeah. Right. You just didn’t tell me. Got it,” Her eyes rolled and she anxiously fixed the strap of her bag on her shoulder again. It sounded simple in her head. He’s still married. He doesn’t get to make any demands. “Bye, Harry. I have somewhere to be.” 

He still didn’t move. (Y/N) could tell by the tense line of his shoulders that he was past being civil with her. 

“This is just an excuse for you to leave anyway. You don’t want to be here and you don’t want me,” It was like he was reiterating what she’d been saying since he got home from Nevada. Like he had to say it out loud to be able to comprehend what it meant. “You don’t want to talk because you don’t want to have to apologize when I tell you what really happened.” 

“Why would I ever apologize to you? Are you forgetting why we’re in this mess? It’s your fault! You’re the one who’s married and didn’t tell me!” He’s frustrating and she can see it now that he’s trying to push her buttons. He’s only mad because he hasn’t convinced her to speak to him yet. 

“For fuck’s sake, we’re separated!” His voice raised and it felt like everything stopped. He’s never spoken to her like that. His voice has never gone over a regular talking volume. She knows she’s done it now. “You only know what she told you and that probably does make me seem like a dick. But you haven’t given me the opportunity to say anything about it!” His tone didn’t let up. The pinch between his brows was now a permanent fixture. It made her take a step back from him. Yelling makes her nervous but she knows she dragged this out of him and pushed him too far. 

“Stop yelling at me!” Her voice caught in a way that took her right back to arguing with her ex. And she never wanted to see Harry in that light and she would never compare the two, it’s just the arguing. He seemed to realize that it was getting out of hand but he said nothing. He leaned against the doorframe and kept his expression free of any emotion. He probably felt the same way she did, numb. “You could’ve at least warned me. I might have been okay with it if you were honest from the beginning but now, no. I’m not okay with you just being separated. You’re still married.” Her voice was much calmer but it didn’t ease any of the tension between the two of them. This would be over soon enough. 

“I understand,” He repeated, keeping his gaze to the floor. “But doing this to us,” He pointed between them. “Isn’t going to make it better. Not letting me explain or anything isn’t helping and it’s only making all of this more complicated than it needs to be.”

“I’m not ready. And I don’t know if I ever will be. I’m going and there’s nothing that can make this better. Nothing that I can think of anyway.” Her first instinct was to get away from him and she was going to follow that wherever it led her. It hasn’t steered her wrong yet. 

“But you’re not trying. You just want to ignore it. We can’t do that if we want to make this work.”

“I don't want it to work, Harry,” Brutal. She almost felt bad but then she remembered what it had taken to get where she is now. “I’m going, good luck,” She took the keys to his house and dropped them at his feet. It was petty but she wasn’t going to leave without pissing him off just a little bit more. His hand wrapped around her wrist right when she tried to walk through the door. His grip was tight and when she tried to pull away, his hand didn’t budge. “Get off of me!” He let go. 

“Ungrateful. That’s what you are.” 

“You’re fucking crazy. I’m leaving.” Ungrateful was the last thing she was. Sure, he’s helped her out a lot but she thinks she’s made up for it. Not with money but with everything else she did. She definitely pulled her weight. Plus, he told her she didn’t owe him anything. But of course, as soon as they’re laying all their cards out, he has to let her know how ungrateful she is. Just because he’s not getting his way.

“All I’ve fucking done for you, I mean—look at this place. All of this is for you because I care about you! Is that so hard for you to understand? I care about you, I love you, I’m trying to be here for you and understanding but you’re making it so difficult and I know you’re doing it just because you can but I’m not going to stand here and let you talk to me like that.” 

“Then let me leave.” 

“I will. You can just run like you always do instead of fucking talking to people. You run because you’re scared and you’re saying all these things just to push me away,” (Y/N) officially pushed him over the edge. She can tell by his tense shoulders and how his face is pulled into a deep frown. “Well done.”

“I don’t need you to psychoanalyze me. You lied to me.” 

“And I understand. But you’re not willing to let me talk and that’s the part that pisses me off.” Like she told him. It was unfair for her to just leave and not hear anything he had to say. Other than that he isn't married, he’s separated, and Sienna lies. But there’s no reason she can think of that would make it okay for him to keep something like that from her. So he can be pissed off but he can’t be mad at her. 

“I’m not sorry for doing what I think is best for me. And I never will be.” Another jab at him. It wasn’t even true. Deep down, she just wanted to rush into his arms and tell him she didn’t care for an explanation. She just wanted everything to go back to normal. She genuinely did believe he wasn’t with Sienna anymore and there was no current relationship. But being separated wasn’t enough. 

Harry sighed, taking another step back into the hallway. He looked like he was thinking for a moment and then his eyes went back to her. 

“You know what,” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I want you to go. Leave and don’t fucking come back. Don’t come back when you need a favor either. Because that’s all this was, right? Just to get you back on your feet, right? And I did that and then some. Now you can leave like you’ve been waiting to do.”

“You know that’s not—”

“No, I don’t need an explanation (Y/N). I just want you to leave,” That stung. He was doing to her what she’d been doing to him now. And while she knew what it felt like already, having him do it right back was the last thing she thought he’d do. It hit her deep in her gut and she felt like she couldn’t take in a full breath. “Get the fuck out of my club.” 

“Harry, I—”

“No. You wanted to leave so leave. I’m not holding you back anymore. It’s a waste of time.” 

She knew she couldn’t just stand there and stare at him in disbelief but she really wanted to. He’d never talked to her that way but she knows that she had to leave. She kept her eyes to the floor as she walked past him and out of the office. 

She didn’t bring her eyes up until she was standing on the sidewalk outside of the club. She felt like collapsing right there, falling to her knees and letting everything out. All her anger and sadness, the betrayal. 

If she were feeling a little less hopeless, she’d march back in there and give him a piece of her mind. Because they both know what the last few months have been and what they haven’t. It wasn’t her taking advantage of him. But he just wanted to be a dick and succeeded. 

Just like she’s been doing for the past few days. Maybe she deserves that too. 

She thinks about that all the way back to the hotel.

****

It’s been one week since she’s been back home. 

Her despair must have been evident because her mother hadn’t bugged her at all. Not about a job, not about anything really. (Y/N) hadn’t explained much about why she stayed longer in the city. She only said a friend was helping her out for a little bit but that was it. She didn’t know anything about Harry. 

She pretty much left her alone. She wasn’t the type to press for answers, she let her be. (Y/N) almost wanted her to ask what was wrong, just so she could pour her heart out to someone. 

Ria texted her a few times and asked what happened. And she responded but not in much depth. Just that she needed to go home for a while and she quit the club. Ria left it there and told her she hoped she was doing okay and to message her anytime. It was nice of her and (Y/N) really needed somebody like that. At a distance but still cared enough to check in. 

She went to the beach once a day. Happy to see the endless water after so many years of living in the city, far, far away from the shoreline. It silenced her mind, listening to the waves crashing and watching the push and pull of the tide. It was the only thing that was consistent anymore. She knew if she came here everyday, she didn’t have to wait for something unexpected to happen. It was always the same, no surprises. 

Her phone was switched on days ago and there was nothing from Harry. Three calls the day he got back from Nevada and a couple text messages but nothing new. Which she should expect after he practically banned her from the city and accused her of using him. 

But she wasn’t angry at him for it. She kept pushing him and pushing him. And it only made sense for him to snap a little bit. She would be shocked if he hadn’t said something to the effect that he did. She didn’t want to stay, so he told her to go. Always giving her what she wants. 

She thought about him constantly despite vowing on the drive home that she wasn’t going to give him anymore of her time. She should’ve known that would be impossible. Perhaps it would get easier eventually but for now, she’s willing to feel it all and feel it fully. If she doesn’t now, it will only hurt her later. 

She cries at night when there isn’t anyone around to witness it. Nothing too exciting. A few tears will slip from her eyes when she thinks about what her life was like a few weeks ago. But she doesn’t overdo it. It hurts and she cries about it but she tries not to get too lost in it while not suppressing anything at the same time. 

(Y/N) almost called him one night. 

Her mom was working a late shift, she had access to a bottle of wine, and the world felt over with. She knew crying into his voicemail box would do nothing to help either of them. It would just let him know how pathetic she is. So she refrained after typing and deleting his number three times over. Some sliver of her sober self must have stepped in to stop her. 

One week turned to two and then before she knew it, a month had flown by already. 

She got a job at a cafe close to home. It was much different than the club. Slow paced and quiet. She did have to get used to waking up for an opening shift but it was good for her. Instead of late nights, she had early mornings. And it felt good. To flip her routine on its head and start fresh. It helped occupy her time and anything that did that was gold. 

This new routine got boring fast but there wasn’t anywhere else for her to go. She would have to deal with it. Even though she felt like the city was more of a home than this one had ever been. Things change and (Y/N) had to adapt quickly. This wasn’t at all what she pictured for herself, but being with Harry wasn’t either. In the beginning. But things do change and that’s okay. She’s survived this long and she’ll continue to. 

That didn’t mean that some nights weren’t harder than others. Some nights she had his number dialed, ready to call with one press of a button. Some nights she had three paragraphs typed out, ready to apologize if that meant that things would go back to normal. And some nights she was so angry that she couldn’t believe she considered apologizing to him at all. He’s the one that wasn’t honest. He’s the one who got upset just because she didn’t want to hear him out. And that wasn’t fair to either of them. 

She’s not sorry for the way she reacted and she’s not sorry for how things ended. But she can mourn the loss of something that she was waiting for and finally got. Only for it to be ripped away from her before anything got too serious. And there must have been a reason for that.

****

Sienna always has a drink in her hand, he noticed. 

He thinks she’d probably have to drink to cope with how terribly she’s ruined his life. No remorseful person could do what she does so consistently. 

She hasn’t said a word yet. It’s been thirty minutes of sitting at this small table in the city, watching her down two cocktails. She’s talking, but nothing about what he’s asked her. 

For a reason that must have been just to irritate him, she would only talk to him if it was in person. And it had to be at the daytime bar twenty minutes away from his house. Close to the club and only a few blocks from his office building. 

He ended up calling her a week and three days after he last saw (Y/N). He originally wanted to do it right away, but he also wanted to give himself time to calm down. He wasn’t sure what he’d do or say if he saw her too soon after everything. And while he detested her more than anyone he’s ever met, the last thing he wanted to do was piss her off. Because then he didn’t know what she would do. Sienna is unpredictable and while he isn’t exactly afraid of what she’s willing to do to get back at him, he’d rather not get her stirred up. 

“Can we get back to the reason we’re here?” He cut her off. She was talking about something, he didn’t know anymore. He checked out ten minutes ago and was just nodding periodically. Truthfully, he wasn’t curious about what she was doing now, or her job, or the new car she just got, so he suffered through all of that just to appease her. If he rushed her or tried to interrupt her, he knew she wouldn’t take that well. So if this is what she thought was them “catching up” he’d rather her just think that. 

“Oh, right,” She laughed, putting a hand to her forehead, like she forgot why they were there in the first place. “You’re pissed at me.” 

“I was gone in Nevada and you came to my house, Sienna.” She wasn’t exactly forbidden to come onto his property, but he’d made it clear that he didn’t want her dropping by or sneaking around at all. Especially while he’s not home. “And you still have a key. I thought we talked about that.” 

He’s livid, but if he comes at her like that, she won’t be as willing to cooperate. And this whole thing will be drawn out. 

“Yeah…I kept it just in case. You know.” She shrugged, going back to her drink. It was nearly ice now, he’s not sure why she keeps sucking at the straw like that will magically refill her drink, but that’s annoying too. 

“I don’t know,” He answered, trying to reel it in. “You scared my girlfriend half to death.” That stung, but he kept his expression stoic. He could break down here if he really allowed himself, but doing that in front of Sienna would only cause more trouble. 

“Did I? She did look a little startled,” She paused, as if trying to remember that night and her reaction. “She didn’t sound too happy with you either. I can’t believe you didn’t tell her about me.” 

Harry tried with everything in him not to roll his eyes, but he couldn’t help it. He had to. So he did and she sent him a look. 

“Yeah, that was my bad. You didn’t have to tell her we were still married and act like you’re in any part of my life anymore though. That’s fucked up.” 

“Well, I didn’t know you two were so serious. I thought she was just a hook up or something. Just wanted to scare her a little bit,” Sienna laughed, finally setting her glass down and motioning the server over for another. “I guessed it worked, huh?” 

“That wasn’t any of your business and it definitely wasn’t your place to tell her that. She…she’s gone.” He bit down on his tongue. If he acted affected, she would zero in on that and make it her mission to make him even more miserable. 

“Believe me when I say I would never want to cause trouble for you,” Yeah, right. “I honestly thought she was just your flavor of the week or something. I wanted to visit the old house, I didn’t know you weren’t there, and I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” 

He was sure she wasn’t that evil and now that she’s saying it, he knows that she didn’t have any motives to do anything purposely. But it still did irreversible damage. He wasn’t going to explain that part to her though. 

“Okay. I’m selling the house, so you can visit it all you like.” He made the decision a couple nights ago. He didn’t want to be there after (Y/N) left. It felt so empty and quiet. There wasn’t a corner of that house he would miss once it was sold. If (Y/N) wasn’t there, it wasn’t worth keeping. 

“Wow. But you did so much work on it.” She snatched up her drink as soon as the server set it on the table and kept her eyes locked on him. 

“Doesn’t matter. I need a change of scenery,” There’s nothing in front of Harry. Not even a glass with water. He declined when the server asked because he wanted to keep this meeting short and to the point. That hasn’t happened so far but he wants to keep things going. “I wanted to meet today because I think it’s time to end this. Once and for all.” He wasn’t really asking anymore. It was like pulling teeth for her to sign the separation papers and the divorce papers were even worse and still unsigned. And there hadn’t been a reason for him to push for her to sign in the past eight years, but now he knows he should’ve gotten it over with a long time ago. None of this would’ve happened if he did. 

And if she refused now, he’d call his lawyer and have it filed anyway. With or without her signature. This was her last chance. He had new papers faxed from his lawyer and he signed them last night. All it needed was her to sign. And if she didn’t want to, he’d still proceed.

“I was thinking the same thing. You should’ve seen that poor girl’s face.” Sienna frowned for a second and then put her drink back to her mouth. “Speaking of. I have something for you. Don’t be mad at me.” Her glass was set aside, finally, and she reached for something by her feet. A folder. 

She laid it on the table in front of her before opening it. Harry could have fallen out of his chair. Papers. Divorce papers. 

Sienna looked almost apologetic as she pulled the paper out and slid it over to his side of the table. He held all of his excitement in. Her signature was already neatly printed on the line above a blank space for his name. 

“I met someone, so…it’s time. Don’t you think so?” 

Harry wanted to laugh, but he knew that would probably upset her so he just took a deep breath instead, skimming over the paragraph above her signature. Fortunately, she wasn’t asking for anything other than a mutual agreement for divorce. What he’d been begging for for years. But he would let her think it was her idea. 

“You met someone?” He asked, not really caring, but slightly curious as to who pushed her to this conclusion. It felt like she’d never sign and now she was the one serving him. 

“Yeah and he’s…great—no offense. It’s time to move on though,” She nodded to herself, nervously watching him look over the paper. It seemed fine to him. He would sign and then hopefully never have to see or hear from her again. “That’s part of why I stopped over too.” 

It felt like all the tension melted from his shoulders. This wasn’t a joke. She wasn’t doing it just to hold something over his head. It seemed easy. Too easy, but he wasn’t going to dwell on it. 

“Okay.”

“Okay,” She smiled, looking relieved. “Do you need a pen—”

“Nope.” He grabbed the one from his pants pocket that he put there right before she sat in front of him. He wanted to have it on hand. In case he needed to be quick about it. 

The paper was slipped right back to her and she nodded at him, putting it safely back in the folder. 

“My lawyer will get in contact with yours once this is ready to be processed, but I think we’re done here besides that.” 

“Cool. Bye.” Harry stood. Sienna looked a little surprised by how easy it had been. He could’ve really made that hard for her. Just like she’d done to him for years. Even while they were married and she was cheating on him with her boss. He hadn’t thought much about her until (Y/N) came into the picture and he knew he would have to do something about it. But he was too slow and the only one he can blame is himself. There was no reason to do the same to Sienna just because she’s done it since they met or because she was the cause of (Y/N) leaving. Which isn’t even true. If he was spiteful and only wanted to make himself feel good momentarily, he could think that. Mess up something for her, just because. 

But that wouldn’t bring (Y/N) back either. Nothing really would. 

“Oh, wait. Here’s your key. I promise I don’t have any more copies.” She dropped it in his outstretched hand and he nodded at her. For a second, just a second, he remembers why he married her. Because she was fun. And silly. At least until they got married. And somehow things went downhill. He’s probably to blame for that too. But he wouldn’t ever really know why. And that’s okay with him. 

Harry left the cafe feeling the tiniest bit of reassurance. The divorce wasn’t final yet, but it would be. And then he wouldn’t have anything tying him to anyone else. He wouldn’t have (Y/N), but he’d wait. He’s still waiting actually. 

Though he is ashamed of the way he treated her when she had every right to react the way she did and want space from him. He said horrible things to her, things that he didn’t believe to be true either. He was angry, but that doesn’t make it right and he wished he could tell her that. That he was so sorry and that he knows that doesn’t mean much, considering. 

Harry just hopes that she’s okay. And that if she never gets back to him, he’ll understand that she deserved more than he could give her. 

****

love you see you in my inbox <3

tags: @vamprry @loverofhsandallthings1d @sunflowersloverr @tenaciousperfectionunknown @caynonmoondreams @elidoho @peterbenjaminparke07 @daydreamingofmatilda @kissitnhekitchen @amberbambridge @danaehldy @straightontilmornin @forgetdelaney @me-undiscovered @80s-outsiders @littlenatilda @outofthisworl-d @butdaddyilovehim-hs @cherrys4suckers @harrystylessslut @hssunflowervol6 @indierockgirrl @satellitelh @daphnesutton @opheliaofficial07 @nathalielovesonedirection @velvetballaspark @watermelonlover @kathb59 @harrysolaf @szoszi2004 @buckyssbestgirl @ellaorchard @trooooye @daylighthazzz @prettytulips @stylesfever @mayamonroem @slut-for-artists @in-omn1a-paratus @lunaharrygurl @uncassettodiricordi @sassamanda77 @adore-you-hs2 @voniikg @adore-you-hs2 @m0mmyfromtarget @savannahwendel @harryshoneybee @illicitverstappen

[monicaalexandraaa]

teach me slowly series masterlist

Summary: Harry doesn't mind waiting, as long as it's you he's waiting for. a harry styles x inexperienced!reader series

Status: Main storyline completed, bonus parts and check-ins likely still coming.

Based on: this ask!

Warnings: lots and lots of smut, please read the warnings for every part of this series accordingly! not sure how many parts this one will have yet, i'm basically figuring it out along the way. enjoy x

...

teach me slowly

Harry doesn't mind waiting, as long as it's you he's waiting for.

explore me slowly

Firsts aren't always easy. Lucky for you, Harry's got patience— and a plan.

please me slowly

Before he teaches you how to take him, he teaches you how to taste him.

guide me slowly

One hand around your throat. The other between your legs. Turns out, Harry's very good at listening.

break me slowly

Anger burns hot. So does desire. They're not that different when his mouth is on yours.

love me slowly

Some storms you weather together.

more coming soon?

...

[monicaalexandraaa]

Hello love! Me again!

I just wanted to ask if you have any Patreon recommendations? I’m already in @gurugirl ‘s but I’d love to support and enjoy some other writers too!

(I still owe you answers to those last questions (the ones I asked you early this week) 😭 but I’ll have some time to do it later!)

Hiiii lovely!!!

Patreon recs! You've come to the right place !!! At one point I was on 9 Patreons🤩I'm all for supporting writers and this is the best way to go about it IMO!!

Here's who I'm currently subscribed to:

@gurugirl because DUH THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND

Patreon

@jarofstyles I love them so much!!!

Patreon

@jawllines so much content omg

Patreon

@erodasfishtacos a legend!

Patreon

@moonchildstyles sooo good

Patreon

@narrycherries She just started up again and there's already so much planned !!!! Loving everything so far!

Patreon

I HIGHLY recommend all of them !!! It really is a beautiful community over there, across all accounts. Very positive and fun!

No rush!! I'm looking forward to it😊

I hope you're having a great day/night😌🥰

🩷🩷

[monicaalexandraaa]

I am blownnnnnnn away😮this is A MOVIE !!!!!

I love where this part starts. Both of them missing eachother so badly, feeling so empty in their homes.

He thought of your laugh first, always your laugh, genuine and unfiltered. It carries him back to your tiny kitchen, where you'd perch on the counter with a glass of wine while he moved around the room, cooking yet another disastrous recipe he'd found online. You'd rolled your eyes when he insisted he could make pasta better than you could, but you'd eaten every bite and let him preen. He smiles at the memory despite himself, despite the knot tightening in his chest, because, God, he misses that. He misses you.

It scares him, how close they'd come, how badly he'd wanted to forget the world and just give in. But it scares him even more to think of losing you for good. No amount of silence or distance, no amount of screaming headlines, could undo the fact that he wants you.

And she feels the same way…

You thought space would feel like relief, but instead it eats at you, an ache that keeps circling back to one definite truth: you miss him. Even after the whirlwind of the media craze, even after the huge, blinding spotlight on your age gap, even after the messy almost-sex that left you breathless and ashamed. You miss him.

Seeing them both at the exact same moment hurting🥺the writing throughout is just magical.

The thought crystallizes into urgency. He can't just sit here, not when you're out there, hurting just like him, because of him. He doesn't care that the sun is already setting, that it's raining sideways, that he'll look like a fool. He has to see you. Has to see if you'll let him.

So he grabs his jacket and bolts out the door.

YESSSSSS !!!!!!!!!

Running out the house, getting soaked from the rain and hauling a cab to get to her !!!!!!!! MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE !!!!!!!!!

He's standing on the sidewalk like some ridiculous movie cliché: curls dripping, shirt plastered to his chest, jacket sagging uselessly in his hands. His head tips back, squinting and scanning the windows until his eyes land on yours. And even from this distance, through the blur of rain, you see it: the desperation. The apology. The love.

EXACTLY !!!!!!! MOVIE AND I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!

''Doesn't matter,'' he cuts you off, shaking his head almost frantically. ''I messed up. I know I did. But I can't just pretend like I don't lov— Fuck, I can't lose you over fear. I don't care what they're saying. I care about you. I want to be with you. Doesn't that count for somethin'?''

Your throat tightens, your grip on the window frame trembling. He looks ridiculous: drenched, desperate, adjusting the soaked jacket he's holding over his head. And yet, it works. It's clumsy and a little dramatic, but that's what makes it so heartbreakingly earnest.

''Harry,'' you whisper, barely audible over the rain.

''Please,'' he says, almost begging. ''Let me come up. Just… let me try.''

This visual is incredible. Absolutely just pouring his heart out to her in the pouring rain. It’s so honest.

Harry Styles is always beautiful. You've had to remind yourself to stop staring when he's laughing or when he's casually leaning against your kitchen counter more often than you're proud to admit. But like this, shirtless and dripping, curls plastered to his forehead, body carved in soft strength… it feels unfair. Like he doesn't belong in your small bathroom, but in a painting that hangs in a museum.

BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!

Asking her to help him dry off omggggg

You drag the towel over his arm, down to his wrist. His muscles flex faintly as he watches you, and you can feel the weight of his gaze on your face. When you finally glance up, your eyes catch on his mouth, soft, parted slightly, like he's holding back.

The towel slips, and when your knuckles accidentally graze his skin, bare against bare, Harry doesn't move away. If anything, he leans into it, just slightly, just enough that you know it's not an accident.

The sound of rain outside fades into the background as the feeling of him, clean and soft, mixed with something warm and familiar, fills your head. You feel like you're standing too close, but you don't pull back.

The towel hangs uselessly between you now. Your hands linger at his chest, trembling faintly, and you swear his heart is pounding as hard as yours.

''Y/N,'' he says, and your name sounds rough on his tongue.

The imagery !!!!!! The charged energy, it all feels so intense. Just looking at eachother and their surroundings feelings heavier.

''I'm sorry,'' he finally whispers, voice hoarse, as though it's scraped raw by everything unsaid. His mouth is so close to yours you can taste his words, warm and sweet. ''I should've never let it get that far, love. I panicked, and I thought I was protecting you, but I was just… hurting you instead. Driving you further away. I want you back. I can't stop thinking about you. Every bloody second, it's you.''

His words tumble, clumsy and desperate, lips brushing yours without quite claiming them. He rambles, spilling everything he's been holding in, his voice rough but tender. And for once, you are the steady one. You're calm while he trembles. Grounded while he flounders. You can see the fear in his eyes, fear of losing you, fear of being too much, fear of not being enough. And you know, with a clarity that wipes away every doubt, that you love him.

I LOVED THIS! Her being the calm and collected one. Harry being the vulnerable one. This felt so special.

I love that she kisses him !!!!!!!!

He stumbles over words against your mouth. ''Didn't mean to hurt you, love, I swear. I can't lose you—''

You hush him with another slow kiss, steady and sure. Your lips part and meet again as he wraps his arms around your waist hesitantly, and you take it all, grounding him in the certainty of your touch.

''I love you,'' you whisper, breaking away just enough to let him hear it. The words slip out of you easily, without fear, like they've been waiting for this exact moment.

Harry freezes. His forehead presses to yours, curls dripping onto your cheeks, his mouth open as though he's searching for breath. His eyes, glassy and stunned, lock on yours.

And then he breaks out into a slow, boyish, utterly devastating smile and kisses you again, deeper this time, teeth grazing your bottom lip. His voice is muffled against your mouth, but the words are clear.

''I love you. God, I love you.''

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE MOVIE

Your knees part to cradle him closer, your hands threading into his wet curls, and the world outside, the rain, the city, the noise, fades away. It's just him. Just you. Just the weight of his love pressing into every kiss, the press of his body anchoring you to the moment, every nerve ending in your body attuned to the rhythm of Harry's pulse beneath your palms. And as his mouth claims yours again, slower, deeper, more certain with each pass, you know, absolutely, irrevocably, that you're ready.

OMG THIS MOMENT !!!!!!! Again, the imagery is spectacular. Everything feels so heightened.

''You don't understand,'' he rasps the words tumbling out. ''If we do this, if I… there's no taking it back. It's not something I can let myself do lightly, not with you. And what if—'' His throat works like the rest of the sentence physically hurts. ''What if I'm not what you thought? What if it hurts? What if I ruin it for you?''

The role reversal startles you. The man who always carries himself with surety, with poise, suddenly unsteady in the face of your trust. You feel a strange calm wash over you, a certainty that eclipses the nerves buzzing beneath your skin.

''You won't ruin it,'' you say softly. ''You couldn't. Not with how much I love you.''

You watch as the words crack something open in him, and then he kisses you again, this time slower, deeper, his hands cradling your face like you're made of something fragile and holy.

''I love you,'' he whispers back again, his lips ghosting over yours with every syllable. ''You have no idea.''

He’s soooo cautious🥺he knows how big of a deal this is. Worrying he won’t be enough😭😭more of the role reversal here. I love how she’s able to be the person for him that he’s been for her all this time. Grounding him and making him feel safe and secure. This is all so beautiful😫

He’s really so perfect during this. Going slow and gentle, the bra straps moment, always checking in. I love how he’s shy but also fully immersed and captivated.

Harry sits back to unbuckle his belt, and your breath falters at the sight of him above you, skin golden and damp from the rain, droplets clinging to the black ink on his chest, catching the light. He looks unreal, like something carved by an artist. But it's his vulnerability that truly floors you, the way his eyes seek yours for reassurance, hungry but tentative, silently asking again and again, Are you sure? Do you still want this? Do you still want me?

Sooooooooooo good omgggggg😩😩😩😩

Clothes are shed gradually, clumsily at times, your laughter muffled against his mouth when your shirt catches on your elbow, his curses said through soft laughs when his jeans tangle around his ankle. The awkwardness only softens the edges, makes the moment feel more yours, less like something scripted and more like something lived.

LOVE THIS^ !!!!!!!!!!!! Such precious moments

He’s so attentive. Every time he noticed something off, he went slower. Reminding her to talk to him and to breathe !!!! And above all else, not wanting to hurt her🥺

You feel his gaze, intense and loving, drinking you in as he slowly works you open. He doesn't rush, his eyes flicking to your face every few seconds, reading every twitch of your mouth, every sharp inhale. You cling to his shoulders, grounding yourself in the weight of him above you.

LOVE

''Slow,'' you whisper. ''Just go slow.''

''I know. I love you,'' he whispers back.

HIS RESPONSE😭

He kisses your hairline, muttering gentle encouragements against your skin and rubbing soothing circles into your hip. He doesn't move, not an inch, until you exhale and nod for him to continue. Even then, he moves painstakingly slow, shallow, his eyes locked on yours as though anchoring both of you in the exchange.

So reassuring and picking up on all her cues !!!!

''That's it,'' he murmurs, kissing your jaw. ''There you go, darlin'. Just let me take care of you.''

🫠🫠🫠😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

This entire scene is perfect and so well written👏👏

The aftercare ahhhhhhhhh !!!!!!! Of course this is perfect too

When he finally slips out of bed, you notice the way he moves carefully, silently. He pulls on his boxers, fetches a warm cloth from the bathroom. He doesn't say anything about the faint streak of blood that's there when he wipes you down, just presses a kiss to your knee after, as if to wordlessly tell you it's nothing to be embarrassed about. He cleans himself, too, then pads quietly into the kitchen. You hear the fridge open, water pouring. By the time he returns, he's got two glasses, one for him, one for you.

Asking if she’s okay and wanting to know what she thought of it😫how she felt😫

You lean into him, clutching the sheets to your chest. ''But it was special, because it was you. Because it's ours. That's what I wanted.''

He exhales like he's been holding his breath all night, his fingers drawing lazy circles on your thigh. ''Thank you for trusting me.''

😭😭😭

I love the talk they have at the end. He’s so worried for her with all the outside noise. I love how she reassures him. It feels so confident and coming from a place of security, like this happening put all the pieces together and she’s completely at ease.

''Harry. I don't,'' you repeat, firmer now. ''I knew what I was doing. I waited 23 years, and I chose you. If I was going to give this part of myself to anyone, it was going to be you.''

&

''They can say whatever they want. But I'm all in. I'd rather face storms with you than sit safely on the sidelines without you.''

😭😭😭

I knew this series was gonna be special. Wow. This one is most definitely my favorite part. Thank you for sharing this with us and for all the time and effort you put into it🩷🩷

love me slowly

(final part of the teach me slowly series)

Summary: Some storms you weather together.

Warnings: early stages of a relationship, age gap, fingering, brief oral (f!receiving), protected sex, loss of virginity, a mention of blood, pain and soreness, slight size kink and praise kink

Based on: this ask!

A/N: i'm so excited for you guys to read this finale!!! i hope it's okay because i had a major headache while writing this. also, there's a new section down below called 'playlist' with a few songs i used while visualizing and writing this part. i'll always add this section from now on, for those who enjoy reading with music :) i know it's a lot of taylor swift but in my defense she has songs for like every situation, which is extremely useful while writing. anyway, hope you like it x

Playlist: Back to December- Taylor Swift, False God- Taylor Swift, Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)- Taylor Swift, ''Slut!'' (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)- Taylor Swift, (yes, in this order)

Word Count: 6,435

...

The apartment feels bigger without him. Too big, almost, like the walls had stretched overnight just to remind you of what you'd lost. You curl into the corner of your couch with a blanket wrapped tight, the TV flickering and silent because you can't bear to hear voices that aren't his. It's not about the fight anymore, not really. It's the silence that gnaws at you, his absence that's haunting. Every creak of the floorboards, every car passing by your street, every hollow second that stretches between breaths only reminding you of how much louder, brighter, warmer life had been when Harry was in the room.

You tried to shake him from your mind, but memory was a cruel thing. It dragged you back to better nights: the way he'd sit on your couch with his guitar balanced on his knee, fingers idly coaxing half-formed chords while he hummed melodies under his breath. The way he'd grin shyly when he caught you smiling at his voice, cheeks heating before reaching behind his back to grab a cushion and throw it at you with a laugh. The way he'd lean back and watch you when you weren't looking, eyes glinting like he couldn't believe you were real.

It was those little things you missed most, the ordinary moments, the lazy mornings, the bad jokes over a cup of tea, the books he'd leave behind with messily scribbled annotations for you to read, because somehow, with him, they had felt extraordinary.

Across the city, Harry lays sprawled on his own sofa, staring at the ceiling like it might offer him some solace. His flat is silent in a way that doesn't suit him. Too still. He rubs a hand over his face, exhaling long through his nose, but the ache in his chest refuses to ease.

He thought of your laugh first, always your laugh, genuine and unfiltered. It carries him back to your tiny kitchen, where you'd perch on the counter with a glass of wine while he moved around the room, cooking yet another disastrous recipe he'd found online. You'd rolled your eyes when he insisted he could make pasta better than you could, but you'd eaten every bite and let him preen. He smiles at the memory despite himself, despite the knot tightening in his chest, because, God, he misses that. He misses you.

He'd told himself this undefined break was for the best, that maybe you deserved something easier, quieter, without the spotlight or the constant scrutiny that follows his every step.

The fight replays in his head, the regret in your eyes, the way you'd stormed out without looking back. But underneath that memory was another: the feel of you pressed against him, the way your breath had stuttered when his hands had pulled you closer. It scares him, how close they'd come, how badly he'd wanted to forget the world and just give in. But it scares him even more to think of losing you for good. No amount of silence or distance, no amount of screaming headlines, could undo the fact that he wants you.

...

The storm starts without warning. You're sitting on your bed with the curtains half-drawn, the room dim except for the city's flickering lights bleeding through the rain-streaked glass. Your phone is face down on the duvet, untouched for hours, as if ignoring it could silence the whirlwind of articles, tweets, and strangers' opinions that haven't left your mind since the night you walked out.

Your bedroom feels cavernous without him, too quiet, too neat. There's no guitar leaning against the couch, no mug with tea bags left on the nightstand, no soft singing coming from the bathroom while he showers. You thought space would feel like relief, but instead it eats at you, an ache that keeps circling back to one definite truth: you miss him. Even after the whirlwind of the media craze, even after the huge, blinding spotlight on your age gap, even after the messy almost-sex that left you breathless and ashamed. You miss him.

You don't know that, across the city, Harry is standing at his own bedroom window, rain cascading down the pane in long streaks. His flat feels wrong. Your favorite blanket is still thrown over the couch from where you curled up against him last week, his favorite hoodie still faintly smells like your perfume, and the kitchen is too quiet.

He's spent days replaying it, but he knows what hurts most isn't the fight itself, it's the silence after.

The silence that used to be filled with your laughter as he burned toast and pretended it was intentional. The way you'd shove his shoulder when he teased you, pretending to be annoyed but biting the inside of your cheek to keep from smiling. Your voice, half-asleep, mumbling against his chest, insisting you were wide awake. Those small, stupid, perfect moments have burrowed under his skin, and no headline, no whisper of judgment from the outside world, can make them untrue. He loves you. It's that simple, that complicated.

The thought crystallizes into urgency. He can't just sit here, not when you're out there, hurting just like him, because of him. He doesn't care that the sun is already setting, that it's raining sideways, that he'll look like a fool. He has to see you. Has to see if you'll let him.

So he grabs his jacket and bolts out the door.

The rain hits him instantly, sharp and cold, plastering his curls to his forehead. He holds the jacket over his head like a makeshift umbrella, but within minutes that's soaked too, and his shirt clings to his chest, the denim of his jeans heavy with water. He hails a cab with a frantic wave, sliding in with breathless urgency and giving your address before the driver even asks.

By the time he's standing outside your building, he's drenched, shivering but determined. He rings the buzzer, chest heaving, jacket uselessly dripping above his head.

Upstairs, you hear it, the insistent chime snapping you out of your pathetic reminiscing, and at first you ignore it. Who could possibly be at your door at this time? But something pulls you toward the window, and when you part the curtain, your breath catches.

He's standing on the sidewalk like some ridiculous movie cliché: curls dripping, shirt plastered to his chest, jacket sagging uselessly in his hands. His head tips back, squinting and scanning the windows until his eyes land on yours. And even from this distance, through the blur of rain, you see it: the desperation. The apology. The love.

You push your window open, rain splattering on your upper body as you lean out of it. ''What the hell are you doing here?'' Your voice is sharper than you mean, but you can barely hear yourself over the pour of the rain and the hammering of your heart.

He looks up at you, water dripping down his jaw, and shakes his head with a breathless laugh. ''I don't know. Couldn't stay away. I had to see you.'' His voice cracks on the last word, raw and unpolished.

''Harry, you're soaked—''

''Doesn't matter,'' he cuts you off, shaking his head almost frantically. ''I messed up. I know I did. But I can't just pretend like I don't lov— Fuck, I can't lose you over fear. I don't care what they're saying. I care about you. I want to be with you. Doesn't that count for somethin'?''

Your throat tightens, your grip on the window frame trembling. He looks ridiculous: drenched, desperate, adjusting the soaked jacket he's holding over his head. And yet, it works. It's clumsy and a little dramatic, but that's what makes it so heartbreakingly earnest.

''Harry,'' you whisper, barely audible over the rain.

''Please,'' he says, almost begging. ''Let me come up. Just… let me try.''

You hesitate for all of two seconds before sighing and disappearing inside without announcement, closing the window definitively, and disappointment sinks Harry's shoulders. You don't want to see him. He's about to turn around and walk away when he hears the buzzing of the door through the clamorous sounds of the rain. He huffs out a relieved laugh, bursting through the door before you change your mind and racing up the stairs, two steps at a time.

He's already standing in your doorway when you open the door, rehearsing his speech under his breath, puddle forming around his shoes. His curls drip onto the floor, his chest rising and falling, lips parted when his eyes lock onto yours. You don't give him the chance to speak. You turn quickly, leaving the door open.

''Come with me,'' you call over your shoulder as you head to the bathroom, rummaging for a towel in the cabinet. You grab it along with the sweatpants and t-shirt he left last time he slept over, back when things weren't so screwed up between you.

When you return, he's standing awkwardly in the doorway of your bathroom, and you press the towel and folded clothes into his hands without meeting his eyes. ''Here. Before you catch pneumonia.''

''Thanks,'' he murmurs, voice low, and peels the clinging shirt from his body. You should look away, you know you should. But your body betrays you before your mind can stop it, your gaze flicking up just as he drags the hem over his head. His chest and shoulders emerge slowly, skin gleaming in the dim light, drops of rain running down the tattoos on his skin like they're tracing the black lines.

Harry Styles is always beautiful. You've had to remind yourself to stop staring when he's laughing or when he's casually leaning against your kitchen counter more often than you're proud to admit. But like this, shirtless and dripping, curls plastered to his forehead, body carved in soft strength… it feels unfair. Like he doesn't belong in your small bathroom, but in a painting that hangs in a museum.

You suck in a breath without meaning to, and he notices. His head turns slightly, curls dripping against his jawline, eyes catching yours. He doesn't smile. He doesn't say anything. And suddenly the silence is no longer heavy with apology, it's thick with something else.

You immediately turn, heat rushing to your face.

The air changes in an instant. The apologies hover, unfinished, but underneath them something else rises. Your pulse thrums in your ears. The room feels suddenly smaller, warmer, charged with the unspoken. You can't see him, but you can sense every movement, the rustle of fabric, the quiet exhale he lets out.

You swallow, forcing yourself to almost desperately reach for the towel he'd set aside. ''Here,'' you say, holding it out without looking, head turned toward the wall. But when his hand brushes yours, it's cold and damp and your pulse stumbles.

He doesn't take the towel right away. His fingers linger just slightly over yours, and that pause is dangerous. Electric.

You turn to him before you can stop yourself.

His chest is still damp, water sliding slowly down the ridge of his collarbone. You see him move, his hand taking the towel at last, but he doesn't lift it to himself. He lifts it to you.

''Help me?'' he swallows harshly, voice low, threaded with something heavy. ''My hands are frozen.''

Your lips part. For a moment, you just stand there, towel in hand, staring at him like your brain's been wiped clean. He waits, gaze steady, and the silence stretches until you give in.

You press the towel to his shoulders, dabbing gently at his skin. He's warm under your touch, the heat of him pulsing through the terry cloth despite the cold rain coating his skin. Your movements are awkward at first, nervous, but as you sweep the towel across his collarbone, his breath hitches, subtle, and your stomach flips.

You drag the towel over his arm, down to his wrist. His muscles flex faintly as he watches you, and you can feel the weight of his gaze on your face. When you finally glance up, your eyes catch on his mouth, soft, parted slightly, like he's holding back.

The towel slips, and when your knuckles accidentally graze his skin, bare against bare, Harry doesn't move away. If anything, he leans into it, just slightly, just enough that you know it's not an accident.

The sound of rain outside fades into the background as the feeling of him, clean and soft, mixed with something warm and familiar, fills your head. You feel like you're standing too close, but you don't pull back.

The towel hangs uselessly between you now. Your hands linger at his chest, trembling faintly, and you swear his heart is pounding as hard as yours.

''Y/N,'' he says, and your name sounds rough on his tongue.

Your breath stutters. He's inches away, curls dripping down his temples, chest bare and heaving, and you realize that neither of you can pretend anymore. Time stretches thin, as if the world itself is begging you to make a choice.

The space between you is so small his breath mingles with yours, warm and shaky, carrying apologies he hasn't yet spoken. You can feel the tremor of restraint in him, like he's holding himself back on a thread that could snap at any second. His curls drip against his forehead, water tracing down the slope of his neck, his collarbone, the firm plane of his chest. He doesn't even bother to wipe them away, too focused on you, eyes wide, lips parted. You've never seen anything like it. He looks like every prayer you've ever whispered in the dark, standing here, waiting for your verdict.

The room seems to tilt, and you're aware of everything: the patter of rain against the window in your bedroom, the cars passing by, the tiny hitch in his breathing, and your own pulse pounding so loudly you wonder if he can hear it.

''I'm sorry,'' he finally whispers, voice hoarse, as though it's scraped raw by everything unsaid. His mouth is so close to yours you can taste his words, warm and sweet. ''I should've never let it get that far, love. I panicked, and I thought I was protecting you, but I was just… hurting you instead. Driving you further away. I want you back. I can't stop thinking about you. Every bloody second, it's you.''

His words tumble, clumsy and desperate, lips brushing yours without quite claiming them. He rambles, spilling everything he's been holding in, his voice rough but tender. And for once, you are the steady one. You're calm while he trembles. Grounded while he flounders. You can see the fear in his eyes, fear of losing you, fear of being too much, fear of not being enough. And you know, with a clarity that wipes away every doubt, that you love him.

So you kiss him.

It's soft at first, barely there, like the two of you are testing a fragile bridge. His lips are wet, chilled by the rain, and they press to yours with a reverence that steals your breath. He groans faintly into the kiss, one hand coming up to delicately cup your jaw as if to anchor himself to the fact that this is real.

He stumbles over words against your mouth. ''Didn't mean to hurt you, love, I swear. I can't lose you—''

You hush him with another slow kiss, steady and sure. Your lips part and meet again as he wraps his arms around your waist hesitantly, and you take it all, grounding him in the certainty of your touch.

''I love you,'' you whisper, breaking away just enough to let him hear it. The words slip out of you easily, without fear, like they've been waiting for this exact moment.

Harry freezes. His forehead presses to yours, curls dripping onto your cheeks, his mouth open as though he's searching for breath. His eyes, glassy and stunned, lock on yours.

And then he breaks out into a slow, boyish, utterly devastating smile and kisses you again, deeper this time, teeth grazing your bottom lip. His voice is muffled against your mouth, but the words are clear.

''I love you. God, I love you.''

The sound of it cracks something open inside you, floods you with warmth. You gasp softly as he grips your waist, strong and certain, and in one fluid motion he lifts you onto the counter. It's not rushed, not rough. It's deliberate, reverent, his hands gentle.

Your knees part to cradle him closer, your hands threading into his wet curls, and the world outside, the rain, the city, the noise, fades away. It's just him. Just you. Just the weight of his love pressing into every kiss, the press of his body anchoring you to the moment, every nerve ending in your body attuned to the rhythm of Harry's pulse beneath your palms. And as his mouth claims yours again, slower, deeper, more certain with each pass, you know, absolutely, irrevocably, that you're ready.

His lips linger near yours, swollen from the pull of them against your own, and though you can feel the tremor of restraint inside him, you can also feel the heat, the kind that simmers and begs and makes the world feel smaller, as though it has been reduced to this room, this moment, this body against yours.

You feel the last vestiges of warmth from your lips pressed to his, the taste of rain and his nervous murmurs clinging to your tongue as he pulls back just slightly, foreheads touching, breaths mingling, chest against chest. He trembles, and you notice for the first time that it's not your nerves that flutter, it's his. His wide, desperate eyes flicker to yours, and you suddenly understand the depth of his worry, the way he's carrying all of the responsibility for this moment.

When his thumb brushes the corner of your mouth, you think he might lean in again, but instead he draws back just enough to speak. ''We shouldn't—'' His voice is quiet, ragged. ''Not if you're not sure.''

But you are sure.

''Harry,'' you whisper, cupping his jaw, feeling the faint rasp of stubble against your fingertips. ''I want this. I want you. I'm ready.''

He shuts his eyes like the words wound him, his forehead pressed to yours, and you can feel his chest rise and fall in uneven rhythm, the tremble of his breath hot against your skin.

''You don't understand,'' he rasps the words tumbling out. ''If we do this, if I… there's no taking it back. It's not something I can let myself do lightly, not with you. And what if—'' His throat works like the rest of the sentence physically hurts. ''What if I'm not what you thought? What if it hurts? What if I ruin it for you?''

The role reversal startles you. The man who always carries himself with surety, with poise, suddenly unsteady in the face of your trust. You feel a strange calm wash over you, a certainty that eclipses the nerves buzzing beneath your skin.

''You won't ruin it,'' you say softly. ''You couldn't. Not with how much I love you.''

You watch as the words crack something open in him, and then he kisses you again, this time slower, deeper, his hands cradling your face like you're made of something fragile and holy.

''I love you,'' he whispers back again, his lips ghosting over yours with every syllable. ''You have no idea.''

You intertwine your fingers with his, and the spark ignites anew. You jump off the counter, and he follows silently as you guide him toward the bedroom. Every step feels elongated, the space between you charged with quiet anticipation.

Once inside, the lighting is soft, casting golden shadows across the walls, the room smelling faintly of rain and the lingering scent of him. He pauses, taking in the small, intimate space, and then finally sets himself in motion, fingers brushing the hem of your top. Slowly, deliberately, he lifts it over your head, careful not to rush, giving you the chance to meet his gaze if you're having second thoughts.

Your pulse thrums in response, rapid and alive, and you feel the flush spreading from your chest down to your thighs. His eyes are fixed on you, careful, reverent, like he's memorizing every inch.

When he guides your bra straps down, his hands linger on your shoulders longer than necessary, thumbs brushing against your skin, and you shiver. You take in the dripping wet curls clinging to his temples, the smooth planes of his skin and the lean strength of his shoulders. He's still nervous, still watching your face for any hint of discomfort, but he's captivated as he steps closer, pressing gentle kisses along your collarbone, your shoulder, letting them linger until you're gasping softly. Every small movement is deliberate, unhurried, building tension like the slow draw of a bowstring.

You reach up, threading your fingers into his wet curls, tugging him down gently for a kiss. It's slow, consuming, your lips molding to his as his hands ghost over your waist, your hips, careful not to push too far. But you're ready, and the certainty in your touch seems to settle him a fraction, letting him believe it's okay to follow.

He pauses, inhaling sharply, then pulls back enough to search your eyes. ''You're sure? You really want this?''

''Yes, I do,'' you breathe, voice low, steady, grounded.

He swallows hard, and for a moment it seems like he's holding his breath. Then, slowly, he starts guiding you toward the bed, hands sliding along your sides, every movement measured, aware, responsive to the subtle shifts in your body.

The sheets are cool when they meet your skin, the air scented faintly of him, sandalwood and clean laundry and something deeper that you've come to associate with the comfort of his arms.

Once on the bed, he kneels between your legs, gaze flicking up at you constantly, lips brushing yours in quick, soft kisses. His hands move to cup the inside of your thighs, spreading them gently, brushing up toward your hips, teasing, warming, exploring. Every brush of his fingers makes you ache in anticipation.

He kisses you for a long while, unhurried, mouths moving together like a slow tide. His fingers thread through your hair, down your neck, splaying across your collarbones, pausing each time, giving you room to pull away. When you don't, when you arch closer instead, aching to erase the space between you, his breath hitches.

''Still okay?'' he asks, voice low, careful.

''More than okay.''

That was all he needed.

Harry sits back to unbuckle his belt, and your breath falters at the sight of him above you, skin golden and damp from the rain, droplets clinging to the black ink on his chest, catching the light. He looks unreal, like something carved by an artist. But it's his vulnerability that truly floors you, the way his eyes seek yours for reassurance, hungry but tentative, silently asking again and again, Are you sure? Do you still want this? Do you still want me?

You answer in the way your hands roam, over his shoulders, the slope of his back, the firm plane of his stomach. He trembles under your touch, and when he bends to kiss the hollow of your throat, you can feel the smile tugging faintly at his lips.

Clothes are shed gradually, clumsily at times, your laughter muffled against his mouth when your shirt catches on your elbow, his curses said through soft laughs when his jeans tangle around his ankle. The awkwardness only softens the edges, makes the moment feel more yours, less like something scripted and more like something lived.

By the time you lay bare beneath him, Harry's gaze roves reverently over you, so tender it makes you want to hide, but he doesn't let you. His fingers trail the length of your arm, down your waist, pausing at your hip with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

''You're beautiful,'' he murmurs, and there's no doubt, no hesitation. He pauses, tilting his head slightly. ''I'm going to start slow, okay? I need to make sure you're ready, that it'll feel good for you.''

You nod, heart hammering, and he begins with one finger, tracing delicately along your entrance, slow circles. You shiver at the way his finger stretches you, hips angling instinctively toward his hand, and he watches your face carefully, adjusting pressure, angle, speed. Every time he senses tension, he slows, murmuring reassurances.

''Tell me if it's too much,'' he says, kissing your cheek, your jaw, your shoulder, each word punctuated with devotion. ''You don't have to be quiet. I want to hear you. And don't forget to breathe for me.''

You do, matching your inhale and exhale to the rise and fall of his chest. The sensation is intense, still unfamiliar, but you feel safe, cared for. He slides a second finger inside slowly, watching your face for every microexpression, pausing if he sees any hint of hesitation.

''Does that feel okay?'' he asks, his thumb brushing your clit just lightly, teasing.

''Yes,'' you gasp quietly. ''Yes, it feels good.''

He hums against your neck, satisfied, and starts moving with deliberate patience, fingers curling inside you, pressing at spots he knows will make you ache in the right way, while his soft kisses continue to trail along the valley of your breasts. You feel his gaze, intense and loving, drinking you in as he slowly works you open. He doesn't rush, his eyes flicking to your face every few seconds, reading every twitch of your mouth, every sharp inhale. You cling to his shoulders, grounding yourself in the weight of him above you.

When he leans lower, pressing soft kisses against your inner thighs, you feel a rush of heat and your breath stutters. His tongue is gentle, deliberate, mapping you like he has all the time in the world. Pleasure unfurls slowly, and you find yourself clutching at his hair, unsure whether to pull him closer or push him away.

He teases you with his mouth, letting the soft, wet pressure make you shiver and squirm, every flick of his tongue intentional, focused on making you feel pleasure before anything else. You're close, and yet not fully there, and he smiles into the warmth between your legs.

''God, you taste so good,'' he murmurs, voice husky. ''So fucking beautiful, Y/N.''

It's overwhelming, but not frightening, not with the way he murmurs praise against your skin, not with the way he smiles when you gasp his name like a prayer. By the time he eases back up to kiss you again, you're trembling, lips swollen, thighs slick, tasting yourself on his lips. His forehead presses to yours, and for a moment he just stays there, panting softly, grounding himself.

''Still with me?''

''Yes,'' you breathe. ''Please, Harry. I want you.''

The conflict tears across his face again, raw and unhidden. ''I don't want to hurt you.''

''You don't. I trust you.''

Those three words undo him, even more than your earlier whispered 'I love you'. He swallows hard, nods once, then reaches for the drawer. You tug him back into another kiss as he fumbles with the condom, until, finally, he positions himself at your entrance. Your body tenses, a mix of excitement, nervousness, and that raw vulnerability of being completely exposed to someone for the first time.

''Slow,'' you whisper. ''Just go slow.''

''I know. I love you,'' he whispers back.

With a careful, deliberate movement, he pushes in, slow and measured, letting you adjust to him at your own pace, and it's exactly what you expected and nothing like it at all. It's a stretching, burning feeling, and your breath catches, eyes squeezing shut. Harry freezes instantly, every muscle rigid.

''Talk to me,'' he urges, voice rough.

''It hurts,'' you admit reluctantly, your nails digging into his back. ''But it's okay. Just… give me a second.''

He kisses your hairline, muttering gentle encouragements against your skin and rubbing soothing circles into your hip. He doesn't move, not an inch, until you exhale and nod for him to continue. Even then, he moves painstakingly slow, shallow, his eyes locked on yours as though anchoring both of you in the exchange.

He exhales shakily, forehead pressing to yours as he eases in, inch by inch, pausing every few seconds to let you breathe through the burn. The sharp stretch makes your eyes sting, but beneath it all there's a heat, a fullness you've never felt before. He kisses your neck, murmuring apologies against your lips like prayers.

''God, you're so tight,'' he rasps, voice breaking with restraint. His arms tremble on either side of you, body locked in place as if one wrong move could shatter you. ''Tell me if it's too much.''

You nod, wrapping your legs around his waist despite the ache. ''I want this,'' you whisper. ''Just… don't stop.''

So he doesn't. He sinks deeper until he's fully seated inside you, and you both go still, chests heaving in unison, the stretch overwhelming. You cling to him, nails biting into his shoulders, gasping against his neck. For a while it's just breathing, adjusting.

And then he moves. Slowly at first, shallow thrusts that test the limits of your body, his lips never leaving yours, as if kissing is the only way to anchor you both. The sting lingers, sharp and insistent, but gradually it dulls into pressure, into friction, into something that makes your toes curl. Every movement is gentle, mindful, attuned to your responses. He presses kisses to your temple, your shoulder, whispering encouragements, murmuring how proud he is of you. You arch into him, moaning softly, letting the pleasure and the intimacy mingle with the sharp realism of your first time.

It's a little uncomfortable, your bodies clumsily finding a rhythm together, your nerves jangling. But threaded through it all is care, his hands steady, his voice low and sweet, his lips finding yours each time you falter.

Still, it's not easy. The pleasure isn't immediate, and frustration bubbles under your ribs when your body doesn't react the way you thought it would. He notices instantly, the way your brow creases, the way your moans falter into shaky exhales, and he stills, pressing a kiss to your throat.

''Hey,'' he whispers, voice steady even as his own body trembles with need. ''It's okay. First times are hard. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Let me help, yeah?''

Before you can answer, his hand slides down between your bodies, thumb finding your clit with practiced precision, circling gently in time with his slow thrusts. The sting begins to ease, melting into a deeper heat, and your hips twitch helplessly against him.

''That's it,'' he murmurs, kissing your jaw. ''There you go, darlin'. Just let me take care of you.''

When the sharpness eases into something gentler, your body finally begins to soften around him, and the weight of him, the warmth of his breath, the depth of his gaze, it all becomes overwhelming in a different way. You kiss him with every ounce of feeling you have, and he kisses you back like he's coming up for air.

The stretch of him inside you and the insistent rhythm at your clit begins to tip you over the edge. But he doesn't stop there. He lowers his mouth to your chest, lips closing around your nipple, tongue flicking, sucking gently until you gasp his name. The stimulation sends sparks racing across your body, and you clutch him tighter, arching into his mouth, into his hand, into his cock.

The pleasure builds slowly, stubbornly, but then all at once, it floods you, a messy, overwhelming release that makes your whole body seize around him. You whimper, thighs trembling, eyes squeezing shut as the world narrows down to the relentless combination of him filling you and coaxing your body into surrender.

''That's it, that's my girl,'' he breathes against your skin, thumb still circling until you're shaking, overstimulated, clinging to him like a lifeline. ''So fucking beautiful when you come for me.''

Only when you collapse back against the pillows, boneless and gasping, does he let himself go. He buries his face in your neck, movements growing ragged, rhythm faltering until he spills inside the condom with a broken groan, holding you so tightly it hurts.

The room goes silent except for your mingled breaths, the aftershocks rolling through your body, the stretch still present but softened by the warmth of him, the care in his touch. He doesn't move, doesn't pull away. He lays on top of you, trembling as much as you are, whispering praises against your damp skin.

The silence is heavy, not in a suffocating way, but in the way that only comes when something monumental has occurred, when something has shifted inside of you. The air still smells like rain and sex and his cologne, and your body aches in places you didn't know it could.

Harry doesn't pull away immediately. He stays pressed against you, his chest damp with sweat and his heartbeat thundering where it meets yours. For a moment, he just breathes you in, hand stroking over your ribs as if to remind you he's still here. Then he kisses your hairline softly, once, twice, and his hand comes up to cup your cheek, thumb smoothing over your temple.

''You did so well, love,'' he whispers, smiling down at you fondly. You can't even form words yet, your throat raw, your body heavy, but you hum, letting your eyes flutter shut.

When he finally slips out of bed, you notice the way he moves carefully, silently. He pulls on his boxers, fetches a warm cloth from the bathroom. He doesn't say anything about the faint streak of blood that's there when he wipes you down, just presses a kiss to your knee after, as if to wordlessly tell you it's nothing to be embarrassed about. He cleans himself, too, then pads quietly into the kitchen. You hear the fridge open, water pouring. By the time he returns, he's got two glasses, one for him, one for you.

''C'mon, baby. Sit up for me.''

Your limbs protest, but he slips an arm behind your back, helping you. You take the glass, fingers brushing his, and gulp greedily. You're thirstier than you realized, your throat dry and sore. He chuckles, brushing your damp hair from your forehead. His smile is warm, but his eyes are scanning your face, searching.

''Was it okay?'' he asks finally. His voice is low, tentative. ''Are you okay?''

It's not the first time he's asked you something like that. You remember months ago, the way you panicked after your first orgasm, terrified you were losing pieces of yourself too quickly. He'd held you then, too, reassured you that firsts weren't disappearing, that they were building into something bigger.

But this... this feels different.

You take a shaky breath. ''It… hurt. More than I expected it would.'' He nods, jaw tightening, but you rush to add, ''But it got better. You made it better,'' you smile, squeezing his arm reassuringly.

Relief flickers in his features, though he still looks cautious, still bracing himself. ''And… the rest?''

''It... wasn't like in the movies,'' you admit, a nervous laugh slipping out.

Something in his face softens. ''It never is.''

You lean into him, clutching the sheets to your chest. ''But it was special, because it was you. Because it's ours. That's what I wanted.''

He exhales like he's been holding his breath all night, his fingers drawing lazy circles on your thigh. ''Thank you for trusting me.''

For a while, the two of you just sit there. The rain outside hasn't let up, tapping steadily against the window. It should be enough, this cocoon of serenity, but your mind wanders, unbidden, to the storm waiting beyond these four walls.

''They're going to eat us alive.''

There's a long pause. When he finally speaks, his voice is rougher, more vulnerable than you've ever heard it.

''I know. I'm... terrified, honestly,'' he huffs out a quiet laugh. ''Not of us. Never of us. But of dragging you into my world. I've had over a decade to come to terms with it, to learn how to shut it out, and I... I still haven't fully mastered that. I can't even imagine...''

You glance over. His gaze is averted, staring at the streaks of rain on the window, like he's ashamed of saying this out loud.

''They'll twist everything. My fans… they love me, but they can be overprotective. Especially when it comes to women in my life. And the press...'' His throat bobs. ''They'll make the age gap sound scandalous. Predatory. Like I've trapped you.''

Your chest aches. You shift, turning toward him, squeezing his arm softly. His eyes are damp, his expression almost boyish in its worry.

''Harry,'' you whisper. ''I don't feel trapped.''

His gaze searches yours, desperate.

''Harry. I don't,'' you repeat, firmer now. ''I knew what I was doing. I waited 23 years, and I chose you. If I was going to give this part of myself to anyone, it was going to be you.''

He swallows hard, his lips parting, but you keep going.

''They can say whatever they want. But I'm all in. I'd rather face storms with you than sit safely on the sidelines without you.''

For a second, the silence stretches. Then his hand comes up to cradle your face, almost reverent. He kisses you, not hungry, not lustful, but slow, deep, sealing your words into him.

''God, I love you,'' he breathes against your lips.

''I love you too.''

And it feels simple. Like the truth should.

Eventually, exhaustion tugs at your bones. He slips out of bed again, makes tea this time, insists you drink a few sips even as your eyelids droop. You steal one of his shirts, the fabric soft and far too big, and curl up against his chest, your legs tangling with his.

Outside, the storm hasn't stopped. Rain lashes against the glass, thunder rumbling faintly. But inside, there's only the steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his arms, the gentle, absent-minded drag of his fingers along your spine. For the first time in weeks, the world outside doesn't matter. It's just him and you, no storm to weather but the one you choose to face together.

...

thank you so much for reading! i appreciate any and all support so remember to like, comment and reblog. requests are open! 💕

general tag list

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teach me slowly series tag list

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...

[monicaalexandraaa]

Wowwwwwwww !!!!!!! Beautiful !!!!!!!!

Just from the synopsis I was hooked !!!! This was so touching. I get so weak in the knees for a mafia Harry who’s able to break down and be vulnerable behind closed doors.

I love how gentle and understanding she was. It broke her heart seeing him like this. Regardless of his actions, she knows the kind of person he is deep down.

You discarded the bottle on the counter, cradling his face in your hands, your voice barely above a whisper. “You can’t destroy yourself like this, baby,” he blinked away unshed tears as you continued. “I love you too much to watch you break alone.”

You watched as his face contorted with emotional agony at your words. On his best days he couldn’t understand how you could possibly love a man like him—a man who had taken the lives of so many people and broken their families’ hearts in the process.

Sooooooooo good😫😫😩😩

“You deserve s-so much more than me,” his voice shook, leaning into your delicate hands. “But I’m a selfish man, my sweet girl,” more tears fell. “I-i can’t let you go. I need you.”

You leaned your forehead against his. A few of your own tears fell without your permission. “I’d never ask you to let me go. You’re everything to me, y’know that?”

&

“Don’t cry. Please don’t cry,” he whimpered, gently prying your hands from his face to intertwine with his own, and he leaned back to press continued gentle kisses to your forehead. “You’re too good to me. My beautiful, precious girl. I n-need you so bad.”

The love they have for each other !!!!!!! I really loved the dialogue. She reassured him every time he spoke, making sure he knows that she feels the same exact way he does. She was matching his vulnerability and I loved that.

Scars on display. Blood of a dead man stuck to his body like a taunting reminder.

To you, he was gorgeous. An art piece, truly.

I just loved this^ so much !!!!!!

"You have no idea how truly incredibly you are, pretty girl," he murmured, dropping his head into your shoulder as your delicate fingertips rubbed shampoo into the back of his hair. "Your touch is like medicine. My only peace in this fucked up life I lead."

"I'll always be here, love. You mean more to me than I could ever express with words,"

I’m so obsessed😩😩

"No clothes. Just us. Skin to skin. If that's okay with you, my love?"

The way he was a little shy !!!!!!!😫if that’s okay😭😭😭

"I love you, my precious girl," he murmured between soft kisses to the back of your shoulder. "You're my everything. The empire—my status, none of it matters. I could lose it all tomorrow, and I'd still be a happy man with you by my side."

"I love you too, sweet boy," you softly replied, basking in his affection. "I am so, so grateful for you."

His hand wandered, caressing every inch and curve of your skin. "So grateful for you too, you have no idea. Is this okay, love?"

You felt a shudder through you body as his fingers danced along your pubic none. "Mhm, it's okay, darlin'."

The love !!!!!!! The adoration !!!!!!! Again, the dialogue is everything in this😌

The smut is so lovely. It felt so passionate and meaningful. I love the importance of a physical connection between them. It’s so special to them.

He gently cut you off, pausing his motion. "No, baby, I want to. If it's okay with you, of course. Bringing you pleasure makes me happy, you know that."

Your turn over, now facing him and his hand falls from your intimate area. "It is okay with me, you can carry on as long as it's what you want."

He leant forward, pressing his lips to yours in a tender, firm kiss. "It is what I want, pretty girl. I need this—need you."

He’s sooooo gentle🥺😫not wanting to overwhelm her. With everything he just did and endured (and is still going through the motions of it) he still makes sure to prioritize her and only do whatever she wants, as much as he needs it😩

THE TEARSSSSSS😭R U KIDDINGGGGGG😭

He lifted his head from your neck, tears streaks on his pink-tinted cheeks. "No-no, it's okay. I just," his words trailed off, words broken from pleasure as he continued moving his hips slowly. "I love you so fucking much, it's overwhelming. I live and breath for you, y/n. Everything I do, it's all for y—"

His words cut off from a low whimper escaping the back of his throat, his brows furrowed as his face contorted in pleasure; his orgasm came from an intense feeling of love and devotion for you.

Oh this part right here^ is GOLD !!!!!!!! Incredible !!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved this soooooo much! The writing is excellent. Amazing🩷🩷

BLEED INTO YOU | H.S

Pairing: harry styles x fem!reader

Cw: mafiarry!, soft/emotional smut, emotional vulnerability, showering together, tears during sex, minimal mentions of alcohol use, mentions of violence, mentions of blood, mentions of mafia, praise kink, angst with comfort

Wc: 3.1k

Synopsis: Harry comes back to his wife—y/n—after having to kill a man he used to have respect for, who ended up owing him a lot of money that he couldn’t pay back. Despite who he is—a ruthless, feared mob boss—even Harry has his breaking point. He seeks comfort in his wife’s words and touch. Needing her to ground him and make him feel human again.

A/n: I finally finished writing it lol. I really hope you enjoy. I loved writing this, and I’m genuinely so proud of how it turned out <3

© 2025 faithscherry—all rights reserved. Reproduction, redistribution, or translation without permission is prohibited.

The door slammed shut behind him with a weight that rattled through the walls, but Harry didn’t move. He stood there in the dim glow of the hallway.

Chest heaving. Hands trembling.

Blood of a man he had once respected stained his clothes, his heart ached with unfamiliar guilt. He often got his hands dirty at work—being a mob boss wasn’t pretty—but this time it was different.

He once considered the man he killed tonight as a friend. Those didn’t come easily in his world.

But mercy was never shown on those who owed and could not pay up.

He reached the kitchen, panting through breaths and grabbed a bottle of scotch from a cupboard. He didn’t bother with shot glasses, instead taking gulps of the liquor, feeling it burn down the back of his throat.

The hard slam of the cupboard had woken you from your sleep. You groggily slid yourself out of bed, putting on some slippers and a dressing gown before making your way downstairs.

He didn’t notice the sound of your footsteps padding on the steps, only recognising your presence once you were stood in the kitchen doorway.

Your gaze raked over his appearance; blood-stained clothes, unshed tears in his eyes, the bottle of scotch in his hand. His grip on the bottle tightened, leaning against the counter with a guarded expression. Your heart sank.

It wasn’t often you saw your husband so worn down.

You parted your lips to speak, but he beat you to it. Quiet. Weary. “Go back to bed. Don’t look at me.”

“What’s happened, love?” you asked softly, ignoring his order.

He shook his head, a bitter, humourless laugh leaving his lips. “Nothin’ you need to hear.” His jaw clenched, shoulders slumped, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “He was my friend. I killed him anyway.”

His clear despair and guilt made your chest constrict. He was a man who did bad things. But that man was also the one who held you while you slept every night.

“You did what you had to do, love. You wouldn’t have done that for no reason.” You attempted to reassure, wearily stepping closer. “You wouldn’t be hurting like this if you didn’t care. That means something, Harry, it means you were still human.”

He took another gulp of scotch, avoiding your gaze. “Human or not, I watched the life fade from a man’s eyes that I once trusted.”

You reached for the bottle, gently prying it from his blood-stained hand. His calloused fingers trembled as he allowed you to take it.

You discarded the bottle on the counter, cradling his face in your hands, your voice barely above a whisper. “You can’t destroy yourself like this, baby,” he blinked away unshed tears as you continued. “I love you too much to watch you break alone.”

You watched as his face contorted with emotional agony at your words. On his best days he couldn’t understand how you could possibly love a man like him—a man who had taken the lives of so many people and broken their families’ hearts in the process.

His eyes fluttered open, tears spilling down his cheeks and softly landing on your hands still cradling his face.

Your own threatened to spill.

“You deserve s-so much more than me,” his voice shook, leaning into your delicate hands. “But I’m a selfish man, my sweet girl,” more tears fell. “I-i can’t let you go. I need you.”

You leaned your forehead against his. A few of your own tears fell without your permission. “I’d never ask you to let me go. You’re everything to me, y’know that?”

His calloused thumb swiped across your cheek, wiping away a tear with his trembling hand.

“Don’t cry. Please don’t cry,” he whimpered, gently prying your hands from his face to intertwine with his own, and he leaned back to press continued gentle kisses to your forehead. “You’re too good to me. My beautiful, precious girl. I n-need you so bad.”

His kisses to your forehead completely melted your heart, blood of a man you’d never met staining your skin from the physical touch between the two of you—but you didn’t care.

All you cared about was the man in front of you; capable of such horrific things, yet the only one able to make you feel the safest and most content you’d ever felt.

He felt both content and desperate in that moment; holding your hands and staring into your loving eyes was heaven to him. But he needed more. He needed to feel your skin against his.

He needed to be as close to you as physically possible.

You softly broke the silence. “Let’s get you cleaned up, baby. You need a shower.” Referring to the blood on his clothes.

He gave you a weary smile. “Y-yeah you’re probably right.”

You walked hand in hand to the bathroom—if he wasn’t touching you it felt like the world was going to shatter around him.

Once you reached the bathroom, you turned the shower on and asked for his permission before gently undressing him until he was stood naked and vulnerable before you.

Scars on display. Blood of a dead man stuck to his body like a taunting reminder.

To you, he was gorgeous. An art piece, truly.

Your clothes followed, ending up in a messy pile beneath your feet. He took a moment to admire how utterly beautiful you were standing naked in front of him.

Every curve. Every crevice. You sent his nerves into shockwaves.

The two of you stepped into the shower, the water cascading around you like a warm cup of coffee on a rainy Sunday morning.

But to him, nothing compared to your bare skin against his. Tender. Gentle. Loving.

You took your time bathing his skin—washing away the blood, pain and anguish. Every touch of your hand felt so incredibly adoring.

The sponge ran over his body in soothing motions; he felt your love and affection in every circle. It was almost agonising.

He whole heartedly believed that he didn’t deserve you. Or your love. But he needed you.

"You have no idea how truly incredibly you are, pretty girl," he murmured, dropping his head into your shoulder as your delicate fingertips rubbed shampoo into the back of his hair. "Your touch is like medicine. My only peace in this fucked up life I lead."

"I'll always be here, love. You mean more to me than I could ever express with words," she smiled, bittersweetly while she grabbed the shower head and began to wash away the suds from his brunette curls. "Can you lift your head, baby? Need to wash your curls at the front."

He reluctantly lifted his head—weary, tired eyes meeting yours. "Mhm, sorry."

You shook your head, running the water over his curls that were now sticking to his forehead. "No need to apologise, baby."

Harry leaned into your every gentle touch, allowing you to rinse all of the shampoo from his hair; feeling so wanted. So loved. Things he'd never had the pleasure of having until he met you. Once you were done, you bathed your own body, and washed your hair. He could barely keep his hands off of you—only moving them when you needed to wash certain areas of your skin.

You felt the same way. Skin to skin with you was the only thing that kept him tethered to reality, and kept the demons at bay.

The two of you stepped out of the shower, steam filled the air and the smells of both of your soaps mingled in the air; almost like a sensual representation of the two of your souls intertwined.

That's how it felt for both of you. You were one of the same. Two puzzle pieces that fitted perfectly together.

You grabbed a towel from the rack, wrapping it around your body and allowing water droplets to fall from your hair, before grabbing another to dry off Harry's skin—now clean, untainted by blood. You took your time drying every inch of his skin, a content sigh escaped his lips as he realised moments like this with you were the safest and most content he ever felt.

You'd finished drying his curls with a small towel, he also retrievd one and curled your locks around the towel; dabbing it dry so that you hair wouldn't tangle—he was very etentive with every thing when it came to you.

"C'mon, love," you said, gently guiding him out of the bathroom, the two of you still wrapped in towels around your clean body's. "You deserve a lie down, it's getting late now too."

He allowed you to guide him, the two of your reached the bedroom and he softly, almost cautiously murmured. "No clothes. Just us. Skin to skin. If that's okay with you, my love?"

You unravelled your towel, dropping it into the nearby washing basket. "Of course, baby."

He followed suit, both of you now naked and vulnerable before one another once again. Harry's gaze raked over you from head to toe; there was no lustful glint in his eyes, just pure appreciation for his beautiful wife standing infront of him.

He placed a hand on the small of your back, guiding you towards the bed and gently pulled you down with him. Your back was against his bare chest, his chin rested on your shoulder while your legs were tangled together.

"I love you, my precious girl," he murmured between soft kisses to the back of your shoulder. "You're my everything. The empire—my status, none of it matters. I could lose it all tomorrow, and I'd still be a happy man with you by my side."

"I love you too, sweet boy," you softly replied, basking in his affection. "I am so, so grateful for you."

His hand wandered, caressing every inch and curve of your skin. "So grateful for you too, you have no idea. Is this okay, love?"

You felt a shudder through you body as his fingers danced along your pubic none. "Mhm, it's okay, darlin'."

He was desperate to feel you—all of you. He needed the physical connection, the desire he felt was so farm from lust. Every fibre in his being craved you being as close to him as humanly possible; you were the only thing that made him feel like a man, not a monster.

His middle and ring fingers began rubbing slow, gentle circles over your clit while his lips pressed off kisses to the back of your neck; his free hand brushed your hair out of his way, granting more access for him to place more continuous kisses.

A soft whimper escaped you lips as he sped up his movements on your clit, but you couldn't help but feel bad; he had been in such a vulnerable state tonight and you didn't want him to feel like he had to please you.

"H-harry, you don't have t—"

He gently cut you off, pausing his motion. "No, baby, I want to. If it's okay with you, of course. Bringing you pleasure makes me happy, you know that."

Your turn over, now facing him and his hand falls from your intimate area. "It is okay with me, you can carry on as long as it's what you want."

He leant forward, pressing his lips to yours in a tender, firm kiss. "It is what I want, pretty girl. I need this—need you."

Then his hand trailed back down your sensitive skin, returning to your now soaked clit.

"You're so wet, darlin'," he stated softly, sliding his middle finger between your slick folds, collecting your arousal before circling your clit once again. "You need this as much as I do, hm?"

Your voice came out more of a whimper. "A-always need you."

He pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, sliding his middle finger inside of you effortlessly while he watched your every reaction intently. "So, so beautiful, my love."

He curled his finger, hitting the spots you love so much and a low groan of his own escaped his lips as he watched your lips part with a silent moan of pleasure. His ring finger followed; slick enough with your arousal that it slid through your entrance easily.

"Feel good, baby? Not too much?" He asked, curling his two fingers with practiced easy, earning soft whimpers from you.

"Y-yeah, feels so good."

His fingers continued pumping inside of you; he knew exactly how to angle them and what speeds would have you coming undone. He knew your body like the back of his hand; as if it were his own. Not in a possessive way—he took his time learning about you from the inside out.

He felt your walls fluttering around his fingers, soft whimpers fell from your lips as the familiar pool of heat swarmed in your stomach.

"H-harry, i'm—im gonna—"

Your words died in your throat as he increased his speed, continuously hitting your g spot. "I know, baby. I know, good girl. Cum for me, yeah? I need you too."

He peppered hot open mouthed kisses to your neck, gently nipping and sucking at your delicate skin while your body began to tremble uncontrollably. He pulled away from your neck when your inside walls gripped his fingers; your orgasm washed over you like a tidal wave on a beautiful sunny morning.

Bliss.

His fingers slowly, deliberately kept moving inside of you—pro longing your orgasm as much as he could. You were a panting, shaky mess in front of him; he'd never seen anything as beautiful as you every time he made you cum.

He shifted you and his own body, resting above you—careful not to put his whole body weight on top of you. His arms wrapped around you in a loving embrace as you attempted to catch your breath.

You stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other; feeling like nothing in the world could ever top the feeling of being skin to skin with the one person who loves and understands you.

Once you'd recovered from your orgasm, Harry began placing gentle kisses to your jawline. "Can we—I really want you closer," he murmured between kisses. "As close as possible, baby." He pulled back, looking into your eyes intently. "Need to be inside you. Need to feel you.”

You could feel the desperation in his words and his kisses; it mirrored your own, having sex with Harry was an explainable feeling of ecstasy that the English dictionary could never put into words.

It wasn't just about sex. It was about connection. Intertwining your very souls.

You brushed a few loose curls from his forehead, smiling softly. "Yeah, yeah. I want too. Need to feel you too."

He positioned himself between your legs, rubbing his hands along your thighs soothingly. "You sure, my love? I mean you did only cum like ten minutes ago."

You nodded. "I'm sure."

With that, he teased the head of his cock along your wet folds before ever-so-slowly pushing just the tip in; watching your reaction intently, making sure you were comfortable. You closed your eyes with contentment and a smile on your face, which encouraged him to keep going.

He gently slid further inside of you, allowing you to adjust to his large size; just like he always did. He leant his torso forwards—no chest to chest with you—as if trying to somehow be even closer to you. One hand rested next to your head, the other cupped your face as his lips met yours in a tender, slow dance.

He allowed his hips to move, now sliding every inch inside of you as he thrusted slowly; he wanted to savour every moment. Both of you wished you could stay like this forever. You softly moaned into his mouth, he broke the kiss only to watch your expression fill with pleasure.

"My perfect girl, you take me so well," he whimpered. "Being like this with you, fuck, it's just- it's beautiful. You're beautiful."

You moaned softly as he continued to rock into you. "Wish we could stay like this forever."

He nodded, sweat beading across his forhead. "M-me too, baby."

His hands slinked beneath both of your legs, lifting them to hook over his shoulder and he angled his hips; thrusting inside of you just a little faster. He felt his own release approaching, getting you off earlier had gotten him so worked up. He knew he wouldn't last long.

You were there with him, legs shaking around his head and your breath came in short pants. Every nerve ending was on fire; you were sensitive considering your last orgasm wasn't so long ago. You couldn't hold on much longer.

He buried his face in the crook of your neck, thrusts becoming sloppier and much more eratic. Then you heard it—the soft sobs and sniffles right next to your ear, your heart dropped.

"Baby, what's wrong? We can stop."

He lifted his head from your neck, tears streaks on his pink-tinted cheeks. "No-no, it's okay. I just," his words trailed off, words broken from pleasure as he continued moving his hips slowly. "I love you so fucking much, it's overwhelming. I live and breath for you, y/n. Everything I do, it's all for y—"

His words cut off from a low whimper escaping the back of his throat, his brows furrowed as his face contorted in pleasure; his orgasm came from an intense feeling of love and devotion for you.

When he spilled into you—your own release followed almost instantly, the sheer love and desperation in his words brought you to the edge. You felt him everywhere—his tender affection washed over you like a blanket of warmth on the coldest night.

His head fell to the crook of your neck, you felt his hot sharp breaths and tears against you skin; matching your own as you both lingered in the blissful peace of finding your release together.

After a moment—still softening inside of you—he gently flipped you around so you were on top of him, he cradled you close to his bare chest; wrapping you in a comforting embrace as you both struggled to catch your breaths. He didn't want to pull out—didn't want to lose the closest physical connection between you.

"I love you, so, so much," he shakily whispered, tears subsiding as he ran his fingers softly along your spine. "You did so well, sweet girl. So perfect."

"I love you too. So much." You said softly, pressing a gently kiss to his neck while you were burrowed in his skin.

Once you both caught your breaths, his hands found your hips to lift you slightly and gently pulled out of you once his cock was completely soft.

He placed a kiss to your temple. "I'll clean you up in a minute, my love. Just want to hold you for a moment longer."

If you enjoyed, please like and reblog so that it reaches more people <3

- faith xoxo

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[monicaalexandraaa]

can you tag the author of the fic called Roll Call if you know who it is pleaseeee. I saw it suggested to me earlier but her account disappeared from my dash before i could like it to read later. :( xoxox it’s okay if you don’t know though!!

The Author is @temptress-writes

Roller Call Part One<-

Roll Call Part Two<-

Sorry, I had to work just seeing this!!🫶🏽

[monicaalexandraaa]

As promisedddd

1. Favorite trope: age gap, forbidden love (yesss please). I also love shy/popular — feeds my brain since I’m shy as hell 🤭

2. POV: Anyway is fine, but I do write in second tho 🤔

3. Faves: Mafiarry, Shyrry, Ceorry! Oh yes!!

4. Harrys: Current Harry is making me shakyyyy, but I also love me some LHH. And let’s be real — I’d be on my knees in seconds for Harry at the My Policeman premiere.

5. Enemies to loversssss, of courseeeee.

And out of context, but yeah I had a super busy week, a bit of a breakdown on Thursday, but I’m fine now and that’s what matters 🥰🥰

Ahhhhhh yay!!!

I loveeee some shy/popular as well!! And omg shyrry and ceorry how could I forget those two😩😩I eat those uppppp !

SHAKYYYY no seriously😵‍💫the My Policeman look was everything😍

I read all ways, I just prefer third! I always have a good time regardless🙂‍↕️

Oh no😢I’m sorry it was so busy and that you had a bit of a breakdown. Sometimes we just need those moments to let it all out. I’m happy to hear you’re doing better now. You’re always more than welcome to reach out through here or dms🫶

I hope you have a really nice weekend😌

🩷🩷

[monicaalexandraaa]

HELLLOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!😵‍💫😵‍💫😩😩🫠

This was SO HOT !!!!! The desire 🤌🤌

“I’m on my way. Can’t wait to make you feel every second I’ve spent starving for you.”

Obsessed with this^

I loved the ending so much. “Honey…” “I’m…” “Home…” 😍😍

Your writing is always out of this world. This was so good🩷🩷

Summary: "Because the truth was, time was more vicious than distance could ever be—a slow-burning game that always seemed to tease fate, that gave as many reminders as distance, only deepening the hunger until you were gnawing at the bone with it..."

Based on this request:

Word Count: 2.6K

Warning: None really, just horny smut between two lovers who have been apart.

You were no fool to distance—knew all the ways it tortured. Knew the cruel way it turned desire into a taunting ache that never stopped pulling between your thighs. Because let’s face it, there was only so much a screen could do; only so much that a stolen glance over a pixelated check-in could cure when all you craved was the warmth of a real body pressed to yours—the weight of a touch from familiar hands that knew the map of your body, knew all the places that needed him most.

He had told you, “Baby, I’ve been so starved for your touch…” and you laughed, brushing him off, thinking his plane would land here tomorrow night, because in your mind that felt like nothing compared to all the time that had passed, and you said “Babe, you’ll be here in no time… don’t be so dramatic…” but god, what a silly thing to say, because here was the reality of time laughing in your face as you watched the minutes tick by as the longing for him grew more and more urgent.

Because the truth was, time was more vicious than distance could ever be—a slow-burning game that always seemed to tease fate, that gave as many reminders as distance, only deepening the hunger until you were gnawing at the bone with it, counting every second that passed as if your life depended on it, marking away the hours in your mind until there was only one.

Just one hour until he was home.

And then you were counting down the minutes, excitement turning into a desperate terror of want—a horny thrill racing up your spine the second you got the text saying, “I’m on my way. Can’t wait to make you feel every second I’ve spent starving for you.” and it didn’t take long before you heard the sound of tires pulling into the driveway, and you bounded to the window, peeking out the curtains.

There he was, your person; your man. The man that was sure to sweep you off your feet, because you felt it, felt the last words he said to you, sparking up your legs, and pooling between your thighs, your tongue heavy in your mouth with anticipation, that want sharp and bright behind your eyes—an electric hum racing over your skin the closer he got, and when you heard the key in the lock, you nearly froze there, your body suddenly overwhelmed by a moment you had played out in your mind hundreds of times, yet they were only daydreams to pass the time.

Because here he was finally… a real man, made of flesh and bone, and when he walked through the door, there was no hesitation on either of your parts. You both knew this game, knew how it would play out. When he dropped his bag and reached for your waist as he kicked the door closed behind him, you both knew it was game over, because now time had turned to an ally, closing the distance between you both the second he pressed his mouth to yours, and backed you against the wall.

“Missed you,” He breathed against the corner of your mouth as his lips trailed along your jawline, and he pushed his hips forward, pressing his hardening bulge into your thigh.

Your first instinct was to open yourself up in any way that you could, guide him to your throbbing core. When you began to raise your leg, trying to draw him closer, he followed your cue, grabbing at your ass as his hand traveled down your leg to wrap it around his waist. Then he lifted you, pressing you hard against the wall as the anticipation turned to greed, and as your mouths moved together.

Now, the only distance between you was the breath leaving your bodies as you wrapped your legs around him tighter, your pussy seeking the hard mound pressing into your panties. Because it could all be that easy, for him to take you right here against the wall; You in nothing but an old, worn t-shirt, and the underwear stretched taut across your ass, because the truth was you wanted to be naked, but you knew what he would want—He had told you once that anticipation for him was the most underrated turn-on, that it was the moments right before that he loved most—when your skin was humming and shaky, a blushed fever spreading over your flesh, fidgeting hands that could never stay put. He liked when he could see the tension in every muscle as you waited for his touch, and that’s what you wanted to give him.

Even if you wanted nothing between you, you understood the draw, how his hard dick teasing you through the material of your panties could amplify the moment. You could feel yourself getting wet, the fabric sticking to your pussy every time you rutted your hips down to meet his movements—your kiss as sloppy as two teens fighting to find purchase against one another’s bodies for the first time—both of you so turned on that you would rub against any part of his body just to find relief. The desperation almost embarrassing if he wasn’t matching your energy, but he was, and so you let the desperation take over.

You loved this part, that jumpy feeling building in your chest, that feeling that moved like fire and honey all at once—an electric urge that couldn’t be shaken for days whenever he got home. Because this had been his longest stretch on the road, the longest you guys had spent apart since the day you guys made it official, and yes, you visited, but the two of you were never as free as when you were home, never as free as when he walked through that door; when you could do or say whatever you wanted, when you could be as loud as you needed.

“I need it—” You force into his mouth, reaching between you both, and your hand fumbles into the waistband of his shorts as Harry presses your spine into the wall— a brutal force as he creates enough space for you to stroke down his dick, and when the warmth of his cock fills your hand, you both moan out as a ache inches up your chest, a visceral longing that had been pulling at you both.

Harry bit down hard on your lower lip, the pain harsh, and welcomed as you wrapped your arms around his neck, holding on tight. When he pulls a hand away to push down his shorts, you watch him struggle to free himself, and you force your weight into the wall, your thighs already burning from the effort, but god, you wanted it so fucking bad, in fact, you needed it, had to have it. Would suffer through any degree of ache to make it happen, right here and now.

When you started to slip, Harry stopped his movements and bucked you higher up his body, breaking the kiss as your eyes met his—a mirror to yours, because you could see the wild desperation blown wide, his eyes filled with a hunger he was soon to satiate as he freed his rock-hard dick, and he thrust you up higher, making you gasp, as he knocked the air from your lungs with the force, his hand biting into your flesh, sure to leave marks later, but let him, you thought.

You wanted it to hurt, you wanted to see the marks later—wanted the reminder that he was here, that he had taken you, that you were his to do whatever he pleased, and when he pinned you against the wall with more muscle this time, you both were determined. Because that’s when your hand made a path between the narrow space between you both as you pulled your panties to the side, your spine lengthening as your grip around his neck tightened, and god, you guys were so close, both your chests heaving as you struggled to reposition, gravity working against you, but this wasn’t stopping either one of you.

Because struggle in this moment meant promise; the promise that his dick would be inside you as your shaky hand struggled with the fabric of your underwear, your hot breaths, stoking the fire heating up between your bodies. Because your entire body was on fire with it, Harry’s hands slipping against your skin as he pushed you higher up the wall, pushing you up until you felt the head of his cock nudge against the slick lips of your pussy, “Oh Fuck—” slipping past your lips as Harry buried his face into your shoulder.

Harry’s entire concentration was devoted to pushing his way inside you, and as you felt the hard tip of his dick press into your entrance, you stifled the moan building at the back of your throat, the noise now a loud whimper sealed behind your lips. Then Harry’s teeth were sinking into your shoulder through the cotton of your shirt, as his hungered groan filled your ear, his bite just as harsh as the stretch burning between your legs, and you sank down onto his cock, letting the pain take way as your walls fought the force of his hips.

“Harry—Fuck—” You breathed, slamming your head against the wall as you squeezed your eyes shut, “Baby, don’t hold back,”

God, this was the part you loved, that first stretch. Call it sick, call it masochistic, call it whatever the fuck you wanted, but you fucking lived for it, loved the time it took—the knowing that would ache into pleasure. Loved the way your body responded, knowing that even if you were wet now, you would be soaking that dick in seconds, because fuck, you were so turned on, and dammit, when you hit the hilt of his dick, he stilled you both, his whole body shuddering against yours as his dick pulsed inside you, and this was the knowing:

You knew that you had him, that he was already close, but fuck, so where you, and as soon as you gripped a handful of his hair at the nape of his neck, you pulled his head back and brought your mouth to his—the kiss slow and deep as Harry’s hold on you tightened, his fingers digging into your skin as he pushed into you deeper, making you cry out his name, as he filled you completely, holting his hips again as your walls clenched around his thick dick.

“I’m—” He forced, dropping his forehead to your shoulder as he pressed you against the wall, “I’m already close, love.” He told you with a pained rasp as he lifted his gaze to yours, and you both let out a laugh, sharing an aching look of recognition, because you both knew neither one of you would last very long, because he was already hitting that spot, the one that made your toes curl, the one that only he could hit—the one that you had been desperate for weeks to feel, because there was nothing like the warmth of his dick inside you, never a feeling you could recreate no matter how hard you tried.

“Me either, baby—” You whispered out, nodding your head, and Harry slowly drew his hips back, your grip around his neck steadying you, and you watched the tortured pleasure draw between his brows.

His lips part, and when his head falls back, your eyes trail down the length of his neck, watching as his Adam’s apple bobbed with the restraint he was holding, “Promise I’ll make it up to you…” And then he pushes back inside you, the stroke is short and precise. Harry already narrowing his focus to getting you off as you gasped out the words, “Don’t stop—”

As soon as he finds a rhythm, your hips begin to move with his, the weight between your bodies shifting back and forth—a smooth give and take as your mouths move with the messy rhythm rising between you both, your thighs on fire, Harry’s arms shaking, but the gruesome effort never wavers.

“Just like that—” You belt out, desperate for more, needing it faster, and you forced your hips down, landing with more of a bounce as you straighten your spine, sucking your tummy in to take him deeper, then rutting your hips up and down like a fucking animal—Harry’s dick like a pogo stick you were just getting the hang of, the excitement running up your spine as you chased the thrill—a new surge of energy coursing through you, and he let you take over, your hips rocking up and down, up, and down, each movement a strained struggle as your frantic pace picked up, but it was perfect, and when he started matching your energy, you nodded, biting down on your lower lip as your low back began to tingle with your mounting orgasm.

Because this was it, this is what you both had been starving for, the hunger shuddering through you as your walls started pulsing around his dick—a loud moan stretching up your spine, promising your undoing as the first wave hit, your pussy gripping Harry tight as you felt him burst inside you, and it only made it better, his hot load filling you up, your movements slowing as the staggering force of your orgasm stole your words as you both came undone right there in the doorway.

“Fuck—” was all he could say as he pumped one last thrust inside you, burying his face into your body, as you fought to keep your legs wrapped around him…

And then there was silence, nothing but the sounds of your breaths catching up, your heart pounding in your ears, as pure elation seeped into your bones, because the love of your life was back, and what a perfect way to welcome him home. Then Harry’s body is trembling against yours. “What is it?” You giggled as his laughter rasped near your ear.

“It’s nothing—” He tells you with a wide grin, dimples dipping.

Your grip loosens around his waist then, your legs going weak, and Harry pushes you up the wall just enough to pull out, and you gasp at the swift exit, not quite ready to part as he gently lowers your legs, and then he’s laughing again, shaking his head as he pushes a kiss into your cheek, “Tell me…” you whine, trying to find stability on shaky legs, but Harry’s hands are already on your hips, holding you upright. “What’s so funny? Was it something I did?”

“God no, Darling, you were perfect… it’s silly… it’s nothing…”

“Oh, yeah?” You poke, your grip around his neck, drawing him close.

“Yeah… I just keep hearing the same line over and over in my head…” He chuckles, pressing a kiss to your temple, then to the center of your forehead, breathing you in.

“This little voice inside my head that keeps saying—” he starts as he peppers tiny kisses along your jaw, the gesture soft and sweet, and you can feel yourself getting lost in him all over again, eyes flitting shut as his warm breath fills your neck, and you turn your head, giving him access. “It’s saying… Honey… I’m home…” he finishes, nipping at the lobe of your ear, and you let out a lazy laugh, caught up in the hazy spell he was putting you under.

“Honey, I’m home…” He repeats, pulling back to take your face between his palms, “Honey…” He says, pressing a delicate kiss to the corner of your mouth, “I’m…” and then he moves his kiss to the opposite side, pressing just as delicate as the one before as your body melds into his touch.

“Home…” He whispers across your lips before pressing a tender kiss to yours, and this was exactly what you missed, what you needed, and as your lips moved against his, you knew you were never going to let him go…

At least not anytime soon.

Taglist: 🌻 @sassamanda77🌻 @harryyloverrr 🌻 @panini 🌻 @unfuckwitablenarry 🌻 @triski73 🌻 @haleyannaw🌻 🌻 @dipmeinhoneyh 🌻 @lizsogolden 🌻 @spinninc 🌻 @iloveharrystyles04 🌻 @mema10 🌻 @avas-daniel 🌻

🌻 @starshollowgazette 🌻 @practistyles 🌻 @mads3502 🌻 @evas1ncenewyork 🌻 @indierockgirrl 🌻 @harrystyleshotwife 🌻🌻 @bethiegurl19 🌻 @fangirl509east 🌻 @makytka 🌻 @sittinginthegardern 🌻 @angeldavis777 🌻 @osorto 🌻

🌻 @vikiii07 🌻 @bluemooonsstuff-blog 🌻 @thatkochunni 🌻 @xojennyboo 🌻 @shesanangelmyonlyangel 🌻🌻 @hoolabalooba 🌻 @avensgreenvans 🌻 @stylesftcher 🌻🌻 @kiwirryy 🌻 @boredhsblog 🌻 @run-for-the-hills 🌻

🌻 @itgirlrecommendations 🌻 @sparklejumpropequeen1113 🌻 @likea-silhouette

One Shot Masterlist<-

Taglist For Future Stories<-

[monicaalexandraaa]

Hello love! Me again!

I just wanted to ask if you have any Patreon recommendations? I’m already in @gurugirl ‘s but I’d love to support and enjoy some other writers too!

(I still owe you answers to those last questions (the ones I asked you early this week) 😭 but I’ll have some time to do it later!)

Hiiii lovely!!!

Patreon recs! You've come to the right place !!! At one point I was on 9 Patreons🤩I'm all for supporting writers and this is the best way to go about it IMO!!

Here's who I'm currently subscribed to:

@gurugirl because DUH THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND

Patreon

@jarofstyles I love them so much!!!

Patreon

@jawllines so much content omg

Patreon

@erodasfishtacos a legend!

Patreon

@moonchildstyles sooo good

Patreon

@narrycherries She just started up again and there's already so much planned !!!! Loving everything so far!

Patreon

I HIGHLY recommend all of them !!! It really is a beautiful community over there, across all accounts. Very positive and fun!

No rush!! I'm looking forward to it😊

I hope you're having a great day/night😌🥰

🩷🩷

[monicaalexandraaa]

OH I LOVE THESE TWO😍😍😍

I’m obsessed with this !!!!! Poor Harry was just trying to get out of there and home to his wife😩Mallory had me cackling🤣she really didn’t have to pretend she was confused and needed help lololol. And Julia with the invisible lint😆so good. It was kind of hot how internally he was trying his best not to freak out with all the interruptions🤭his priority is at home !!!!!!

His face lighting up when he gets a message🥺

It’s not until he walks into the living room, rolling up the sleeves of his white button up that every remaining ounce of tension and stress leave his body and is replaced by feelings of happiness and a love so pure and strong it nearly takes him out at the knees as his eyes land on you.

Ahhhhhhh !!!!! I loved this🙂‍↕️Waiting a moment to take her in🤭

“You know how much you mean to me don’t you?” He asks softly as he brings a hand up to cup your cheek, his eyes staring into yours. “You know you’re the one who’s on my mind all day-the one who I try to rush home to everyday because I can’t wait to see you and get my hands on you.” You playfully roll your eyes as he leans down and places a kiss to your forehead, your hands drop down to his hips. “The one who is so precious to me that I don’t like to share you with the world-like to keep you all to myself.” He adds as he tilts your head upward, his thumb running up and down your cheekbone as you watch his eyes darken and feel his hold on you turn more possessive as he grabs at your hip.

&

“No one at that school or hell-the world has my attention or my heart besides you my love.” His voice is laced with a sense of affection that runs so deep you can feel it in your chest as he stares down at you, an expression on his face that is all but begging you to believe the words that are coming out of his mouth.

SO GOOD😍sweet and the perfect touch of possessiveness😍You can feel his desire. He’s obsessed and I love it !!!!!!!!

“I like that they all think I’m this quiet professor who doesn’t get out much and probably hasn’t been laid in years.” His tone is playful but with a slight edge that has your insides tingling as he leans down so the tip of his nose can bump against yours. “But the truth is that I just prefer to come home and turn my pretty little wife into a mumbling moaning mess for me…so I can’t be bothered with their invitations to grab a drink or their pathetic attempts at flirting-no I have much more important things I need to tend to.”

“I know it can be a lot sometimes.” He whispers when he pulls away and rests his forehead against yours, his hands sliding down to grab at your ass. “I’m sorry and I’ll do more to let it be known I’m really not interested in anyone other than the beautiful wife I have at home.” He assures you making your mouth turn upwards into a smile letting Harry know he’s well on his way to being forgiven.

🥺🥺Love that he’s hearing her and acknowledging her feelings !!!!!

The smile he gives you before leaning down and placing a kiss to your forehead has your heart pounding in your chest. You take a moment and relish the fact that the man standing in front of you in nothing but his boxers and a white button up shirt is your husband, the man who ruins you in all the best ways and loves you more than anything or anyone else.

LOVEEEEEEEE🙂‍↕️😍😌

This smut !!!!!!! I cannot get over the way he talks in this😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨it was everythingggg😵‍💫

“I don’t know how I got so lucky.” His voice is full of awe as he runs a hand down your spine, his sock clad foot moving your feet just a bit so you feel more stable as you bend over so your chest is pressed against the armrest. “You’re perfect in every single way imaginable and yet you picked me to spend your life with.” Your cheeks get hot as he continues to praise you, the anticipation building in your tummy rises when you hear the sound of his boxers being kicked to the side with his slacks. “So the least I can do as your husband is make sure you’re properly taken care of.” You let out a loud moan as the tip of his cock nudges your entrance.

All the praise !!!!!! I was eating up every single word he said to her🫠🫠

Harry looks at you with a grin on his face as he leans in and kisses the tip of your nose making it scrunch up just a bit before he presses his lips against yours in a sweet kiss that’s full of nothing but love.

Loved all the soft moments :)))) this one made me smile

Such a treat !!!!!! This was so great😍🤩You’re so great, Sarah !!!!!🩷🩷

The rest of my tags because I really don’t shut up 😃

“I flirt with a married man all the time.” Cute & “Just me right? M’the only one?” Very cute

“Who’s the only one who can get you wet like this with just a few kisses?”&“That’s right. Just me.” 🫠😵‍💫

“What’s wrong Princess?…hmmm? Tell me what you need baby.” 🫠🫠🫠 He coos in your ear softly before pulling away so he can

look at you, he already knows what you want having dedicated more hours to studying your body and learning what all your

pretty little noises mean than all the hours he spent researching for his dissertation back in his college days. OBSESSED

“Need something thicker maybe?” & “Something that can go deeper?….is that what you need my love?” Plssssss😵‍💫

The reassuring smile I’m on my knees

“Shh shh it’s okay baby I’ll give you what you need.” He promises between pecks to your lips, distracting you from the

empty feeling you get when he slides his fingers out so he can unbutton his slacks.😩😩I’m HOOKED on this man

“Been thinking of this all day.” Same (I just got here) & “Only care about you baby-don’t even notice anyone else. You’re the only one

I want to have wrapped around me like this-just you.” Need him !!!!! & you know it’s silly that him telling you how you’re the only one

he sees makes you turn into an emotional mess while he’s got you bent over the couch but you can’t help it. GIRL I GET IT

His voice is husky as he slides his hand up to the back of your neck giving it a little squeeze. 🤌🤌 & You moan as his grip on the back

of your neck tightens just a bit as his hips slow their pace letting him hear the sounds of his release mixed with yours being

pushed back into you with each thrust.😮‍💨😮‍💨& “But you better not be late again tomorrow or I’m going to show up at your school

and cause a scene.” Good for her !!!! & “M’just not ready to share you with them yet-I know they’ll want to meet you and I just don’t think

I’d be able to control myself if one of them tries to put the moves on you or…looks at you for too long.”🤭🤭

“That’s fine…I kinda like being your little secret.” 🤭🤭

🩷🩷

Little Secret: A Professor!Harry One Shot

CW: smut, possessive/obsessive vibes, Harry doesn’t tell people about you (at least not at work) and minor language.

Word Count: 5.2K

A/N: I couldn’t help myself when I saw the photos of Harry at his friend’s wedding he was giving history professor vibes, inspired by this post also if you see any mistakes no you don’t because I wrote half of this in 45 minutes during naptime at work✨

Tag List: @umadirectioner @styleswithaseaview @sunflower-tia @tulips4harry @gmikaelson @fangirl509east @howling-wolf97 @outofthisworl-d @namoreno @blckburd @triski73 @mema10 @angeldavis777 @maudie-duan @mads3502 @likea-silhouette @amateurduck

Summary: Harry is a college history professor who is only trying to do one thing, go home to his wife that no one knows about ✨

Harry feels eyes on him the entire time he’s gathering the miscellaneous pieces of paper off his desk and sliding them neatly into his messenger bag, not bothering to look up from his desk to check who the straggler is because he has a fairly good idea on who it is that’s taking their time leaving his classroom. So instead of giving them the attention he knows they are so desperately seeking he just clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair before slinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder and turning towards the door. As he glances down at his watch he hears it, the soft call of his name three rows away from where his desk is situated at in the middle of the room in front of the chalkboard.

“Professor Styles can I ask you something really quick?” Mallory Turner, a student that is currently tanking his European History class, asks with her unnaturally high pitched voice that makes Harry’s jaw tick just the slightest.

“Of course you can.” He answers without missing a beat as he turns around to face her while she slowly makes her way down towards him, she takes the steps one by one while making an effort to show off her long legs and her extremely short skirt as if it has any effect on the man that’s waiting for her at the bottom of them. “What’s your question Ms. Turner?” He asks politely, trying in the most professional way possible to hurry this along because as the semester has gone on he has learned two things about Mallory and one of them is that she doesn’t know how to do anything quickly, especially ask questions and the second is that she undoubtedly has no interest in history and is only in his class because it had a few slots left open at the beginning of the year.

“You can call me Mallory remember?” Her tone is teasing as she stands in front of him, a smile on her face and her tote bag pulled over her shoulder with a notebook held close to her chest that he recognizes as the one she doodles in while trying to look as if she’s taking notes while he’s giving his lessons.

“Right. So Ms. Turner what question do you have for me?” He notices the way her smile falters ever so slightly when he doesn’t call her by her first name, but she quickly brushes it off and holds out her notebook far enough so she can thumb through a few pages until she gets to one that Harry already knows is blank minus a few scribbled hearts he can see in the very top corner.

“The French Revolution-” Harry rubs his lips together and gives her a slow nod as she glances down at her notebook as if she’s reading over something that makes her brows furrow in confusion before looking back up at him. “I think I need some help just understanding it a bit more…the dates are giving me a bit of an issue.” She explains as she reaches over and gently places her hand on his forearm, smoothing her thumb over the material of his green blazer.

Now Harry thinks of himself as a nice person, he lets people skip in front of him in line at the store if they have fewer items than him, helps people find their away around the sprawling campus when they look utterly lost on their first day, he even lets more than one car in at a time when forced to merge but even nice people like him have their limits. And one of those limits is being tested as the girl standing in front of him tilts her head to the side and blinks her long lashes at him a few times while chewing on her bottom lip as she waits for him to offer her some advice all while keeping her hand on his arm, something he isn’t comfortable with at all. So Harry can’t exactly help himself when he shrugs her hand off by adjusting the strap on his arm before running a hand through his hair and giving the girl a reassuring smile before opening his mouth and delivering an answer he knows she wasn’t expecting but is well deserved.

“That’s because we aren’t covering the French Revolution Ms. Turner. We are still covering the profound spread of scientific and philosophical thoughts of The Enlightenment-so that’s why you’re having issues with the dates and I think it would help if instead of drawing little flowers and hearts in your notebook-” He gestures to the one in her hand before continuing. “You use it to actually take some notes.” He says it all with a smile so she doesn’t take his words too harshly even though at this point Harry wouldn’t really mind if she did because maybe it would help her take his class more seriously.

“Oh right-right yes The Enlightenment!” She lets out an awkward laugh as she clutches her notebook tight to her chest, her cheeks a bright pink and her smile no longer matching the flustered look on her face. “Sorry I must have-” Harry holds up a hand to politely stop her from going any further.

“It’s okay.” He tells her softly making her let out a sigh of relief because he knows she didn’t really know what she was going to say next. “But if you don’t have a real question for me I’m afraid I have to get going.” When the girl just shakes her head Harry offers her one more polite smile before turning back around so he can head for the door. “Have a good evening and maybe ask Mr. Thomas if you can borrow his notes.” He suggests on his way out still trying to come off as the polite professor who cares about his students, even the ones who spend their time daydreaming instead of listening during his well thought out lectures. He doesn’t wait to hear her response before pushing the door open and exiting the classroom with a heavy sigh.

He runs a hand over his face and lets out a little chuckle at the look of shock that melted into one of embarrassment on poor Mallory’s face as he digs into the pocket of his tan slacks for his car keys, he hums to himself as he walks down the hall and out of the building to the parking lot. He thinks he’s home free when he reaches his car and quickly unlocks it tossing his bag over into the passenger’s seat but just as he’s about to get in he hears it again, his name being called out but this time it’s from the side walk across the street near the entrance of the building he just walked out of.

“Professor Styles!” Julia Hanes, a fellow history professor shouts as she waves at him while crossing the street and heading right for his car.

He tries his best to put on a face that wouldn’t let anyone in on the fact he is about to fully lose his cool if he has to deal with one more unplanned interaction with someone while all he is trying to do is go home. He returns the smile she gives him as she moves so she’s in front of his open driver’s side door, the slight breeze makes Harry get hit with the overly sweet smell of her perfume causing his nose to twitch as he brings a finger up to scratch at his brow, keys still in his hand.

“Oh you’ve got something-” Harry watches her hand reach over his car door and brush a nonexistent piece of lint off his shoulder before using that same hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “All better-so I was seeing if you’d like to join me and some of the English Lit professors for a drink tonight at the little bar down the street?” She asks with a hopeful grin on her face as she eyes him up and down full on checking him out, something she doesn’t think he notices but he does because it’s not the first time she’s done it and he has a feeling it won’t be the last.

“That’s kind of you to ask but-”

“Oh come on Harry you never come out with us-just one drink? Please?” The obnoxious pout she gives him makes him have to hold back from rolling his eyes but instead he just shakes his head and looks down at the watch on his wrist.

“Sorry Ms. Hanes but I’m running late to a meeting-but next time.” He says with a soft smile making the woman in front of him let out a huff as she slowly takes a step backwards.

“Okay but I’m holding you to that-next time you’re coming…no excuses.” Harry just nods and gives her a chuckle before she turns to head back across the street. “See you tomorrow Harry.” She shouts over her shoulder, Harry just gives her a little wave before getting into his car.

“For fuck sake can’t a man just leave work in peace?” He mumbles as he buckles his seatbelt and pulls his phone out to plug it into the charger. As Harry gets ready to pull out of the parking space he sees the screen light up, a grin spreads across his face as he reads the message before backing out, finally being able to leave the stressful day of work behind him and head to the place that brings him the most joy.

As soon Harry pulls into the driveway he feels the stress of the day begin to melt away, all the mindless small talk with his fellow colleagues, the pointless questions asked in the middle of a lecture just to try to waste time with getting the class back on track and the sad attempts at trying to get his attention with numerous dropped pencils from the girls who dominate the first few rows of his evening class that result in them having to bend over or lean down in a dramatic fashion he knows is reserved for the times when they feel like he hasn’t given them enough little glances or sent an adequate amount of smiles in their direction. The moment he opens the front door and drops his keys in the decorative bowl near the entryway he lets out a deep sigh, the familiar and comforting scent of home fills his nose and his ears perk up as the soft sound of someone humming hits him while he’s placing his bag down next to his shoes, he smiles to himself while slipping off his blazer so he can hang it on the coatrack near the door. It’s not until he walks into the living room, rolling up the sleeves of his white button up that every remaining ounce of tension and stress leave his body and is replaced by feelings of happiness and a love so pure and strong it nearly takes him out at the knees as his eyes land on you.

His wife.

You’re lounging on the plush couch with a book in your hand, not having noticed Harry’s arrival yet and he takes this opportunity to let his eyes take you in. Your mouth is turned upwards into a smile as you quietly hum a little tune while your eyes scan over the page you’re currently reading, your legs are covered by a soft throw blanket but Harry knows by the silky pink fabric of your top that you’re already in your pajamas so he can rightfully assume a matching set of pink shorts are hiding under the blanket making his hands flex at his sides in anticipation of getting to feel the silky material under his fingertips. He tries to be quiet as he walks further into the room, not wanting to disturb you just yet but the creak in the floorboard near the doorway gives him away making you turn your head just in time to catch him mid step.

He watches your face light up the moment your eyes catch his, the book in your hand being placed on the coffee table before you toss the blanket off of your legs so you can stand up. A grin replaces the small smile that was on your face as Harry readies himself for you, knowing that you tend to miss him just a little extra on the days he has to teach an evening class making his arrival home later than you’d like so your usual hug and kiss hello is pushed to the side for a more dramatic but welcomed greeting.

“You’re home!” Your voice is bouncy and full of nothing but happiness as you practically jump into Harry’s open and waiting arms. “Missed you.” Harry instantly wraps his strong arms around your shoulders and pulls you firmly against his chest until your cheek is flat against the material of his shirt as your arms snake around his middle.

“I missed you too love.” He feels your hold on him tighten as he presses a few kisses to the top of your head. “I’m sorry I’m a little late-had the hardest time getting out of there today.” His voice tells you exactly the kind of day he’s had, it’s deep with a faint hint of scratchiness to it from having to repeat the same hour and a half long lecture three times throughout the day along with going over pages of notes with a few students who booked one on one sessions with him.

“Oh I’m sure you did.” You lightly tease as Harry runs his hands down to your elbows as he pulls away from you just enough so he can see your face. His bright emerald eyes roam over your features as if he hasn’t seen you in days when in reality it’s only been since this morning when he woke you up to kiss you goodbye before rushing off to go give his first lecture of the day.

“You know how much you mean to me don’t you?” He asks softly as he brings a hand up to cup your cheek, his eyes staring into yours. “You know you’re the one who’s on my mind all day-the one who I try to rush home to everyday because I can’t wait to see you and get my hands on you.” You playfully roll your eyes as he leans down and places a kiss to your forehead, your hands drop down to his hips. “The one who is so precious to me that I don’t like to share you with the world-like to keep you all to myself.” He adds as he tilts your head upward, his thumb running up and down your cheekbone as you watch his eyes darken and feel his hold on you turn more possessive as he grabs at your hip.

“You don’t like to share me with the world yet I have to share you with classrooms full of people who do just about anything-including letting too much skin show in the middle of winter just to get your attention.” Harry watches your chest rise and fall as you let out a huff of annoyance. “Oh and then there’s the other professors at your school…don’t even get me started on the lengths some of them have gone to just to try to get you to socialize outside of work-calling you on weekends to see if you’re free for a drink or dinner.” You rest your hands on his chest as you tell him some of the things that his students and colleagues do that bother you, a small but noticeable pout forming on your face by the time you finish.

“No one at that school or hell-the world has my attention or my heart besides you my love.” His voice is laced with a sense of affection that runs so deep you can feel it in your chest as he stares down at you, an expression on his face that is all but begging you to believe the words that are coming out of his mouth.

“I know but…sometimes it’s just a bit much.” You admit timidly, not wanting to make Harry upset but also needing him to understand how you’re feeling.

“You want to know the real reason I don’t talk to people at work about you?” He asks as he cups your face with both hands, when you just quirk an eyebrow at him a slow mischievous grin starts to spread across his face. “I like that they all think I’m this quiet professor who doesn’t get out much and probably hasn’t been laid in years.” His tone is playful but with a slight edge that has your insides tingling as he leans down so the tip of his nose can bump against yours. “But the truth is that I just prefer to come home and turn my pretty little wife into a mumbling moaning mess for me…so I can’t be bothered with their invitations to grab a drink or their pathetic attempts at flirting-no I have much more important things I need to tend to.”

Before you can even fully register the words that have flowed effortlessly out of Harry’s mouth he is pressing his lips against yours for a kiss that is anything but soft. His hold on your face lets him be in control tilting your head up just a bit so he can deepen the already hungry kiss, sliding his tongue past your parted lips making a deep groan come from his chest as your hands grip his shirt pulling him closer. His hands drop away from your face so he can snake his arms around your waist and grab at the silky material of your sleep shorts earning him a soft little noise of pleasure from you that goes straight to his cock.

“I know it can be a lot sometimes.” He whispers when he pulls away and rests his forehead against yours, his hands sliding down to grab at your ass. “I’m sorry and I’ll do more to let it be known I’m really not interested in anyone other than the beautiful wife I have at home.” He assures you making your mouth turn upwards into a smile letting Harry know he’s well on his way to being forgiven.

“You’d think wearing a wedding ring would do the trick but-well…actually I don’t really blame them I’d probably still try to flirt with you too if you were my professor or my colleague.” Harry’s eyes go wide at your confession making your cheeks turn pink as he stares at you in a way that makes you feel a spark of desire ignite low in your tummy.

“That’s naughty of you baby…admitting you’d flirt with a married man.” He teases as his hands give your bottom a firm squeeze before sliding back up to your hips.

“I flirt with a married man all the time.”

“Oh really? Who might that be?”

“You.” Harry can’t hold back his smile as you reach up and cup the sides of his face, his stubble tickling your palms.

“Just me right? M’the only one?” He asks as he lets you pull his face down towards you until his lips are a breath away from yours.

“Yes you’re the only one.” With that he closes the gap and captures your lips in a hungry kiss that has your hands tangling in his hair as he slowly starts to walk you backwards until the backs of your thighs hits the armrest of the couch.

Harry smiles against your lips when he hears you let out a small moan when he slips a hand under the waistband of the front of your shorts. His lips work their way down your jaw to the side of your neck as he teases you with the tip of his middle finger, running it up and down your slick folds making one of your hands reach down to grip the edge of the armrest for support while the other keeps Harry’s face tucked into the crook of your neck where he’s nipping and licking at your soft skin. The faint whine that slips past your lips has Harry finally putting an end to his teasing, sliding his middle and index finger into your soaked center.

“Who’s the only one who can get you wet like this with just a few kisses?” His voice is husky in your ear as your hands grab onto his shoulders as he quickens the pace of his fingers pumping in and out of your wetness.

“You. Just you.” You moan making Harry’s cock twitch in his pants, he smiles to himself as he presses the pad of his thumb against your clit.

“That’s right. Just me.” His voice is equal parts taunting and reassuring as he nips at your ear, well aware that you enjoy the fact he’s the only person that can make you feel so good with such little effort.

“Harry.” Your voice is strained as you try to grind your hips down to meet the steady pace of Harry’s fingers, feeling the familiar ache that’s slowly turning into a burning need to feel him deeper than his fingers will allow.

“What’s wrong Princess?…hmmm? Tell me what you need baby.” He coos in your ear softly before pulling away so he can look at you, he already knows what you want having dedicated more hours to studying your body and learning what all your pretty little noises mean than all the hours he spent researching for his dissertation back in his college days.

He just likes to hear you beg a little.

“Want-need more.” Your words are rushed as Harry curls his fingers inside of you letting him hit the spot that has you arching into him. “Oh god.” Harry smiles as he watches your face tilt up towards the ceiling and his name falls from your lips. “Feels-feels so good.” You moan, Harry leans down and presses his lips to your jaw.

“But it’s not enough is it?” He murmurs against the smooth skin of your jaw, his fingers moving at a quicker pace that sends a wave of pleasure through you as you tightly grip onto the top of his shoulder.

“N-no not enough.” Harry gives your neck a teasing nip as the words fall from your mouth like a soft whine, too lost in the way Harry has your insides burning with a wild need to care how desperate you may sound.

“Need something thicker maybe?” He hears you let out a loud moan as he moves his thumb in torturously slow circles over your clit. “Something that can go deeper?….is that what you need my love?” His words are wrapped in a velvety type softness as they hit your ears making you nod your head, but Harry loves your voice too much to let you get away with answering him with a simple nod. “Come on baby use your words…tell me what you need…wanna hear you say it.” His voice is gentle and encouraging as he pulls away so he can lock eyes with you.

“Need-” You pause taking a deep breath making Harry give you a reassuring smile as he works his fingers in and out of your cunt at the exact pace he knows will have you coming undone with just a few thrusts. “Need your cock Harry-please please please let me have it I need it so-” Harry’s lips on yours cut off your begging, not being able to stand you looking so needy for him with your big rounded eyes that are a tiny bit glassy and your flushed cheeks.

“Shh shh it’s okay baby I’ll give you what you need.” He promises between pecks to your lips, distracting you from the empty feeling you get when he slides his fingers out so he can unbutton his slacks.

You quickly slide your sleep shorts down your legs and kick them to the side, licking your lips as you watch Harry pull his slacks down to his ankles, stepping out of them before placing his hands on your hips. The smile he gives you before leaning down and placing a kiss to your forehead has your heart pounding in your chest. You take a moment and relish the fact that the man standing in front of you in nothing but his boxers and a white button up shirt is your husband, the man who ruins you in all the best ways and loves you more than anything or anyone else. Before you can get too lost in your thoughts Harry is gently pulling you towards him, his hands guiding your hips to turn around so your hands can grab at the armrest you were just perched on.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky.” His voice is full of awe as he runs a hand down your spine, his sock clad foot moving your feet just a bit so you feel more stable as you bend over so your chest is pressed against the armrest. “You’re perfect in every single way imaginable and yet you picked me to spend your life with.” Your cheeks get hot as he continues to praise you, the anticipation building in your tummy rises when you hear the sound of his boxers being kicked to the side with his slacks. “So the least I can do as your husband is make sure you’re properly taken care of.” You let out a loud moan as the tip of his cock nudges your entrance.

“Oh my-oh my god.” You moan as Harry starts to slowly push into you, letting you savor the feeling of every inch of his thick shaft sliding into your wet cunt. Harry’s grip on your hips tightens and he lets out a deep groan at how good it feels to finally have you wrapped around him.

“Been thinking of this all day.” He says with a sigh as he pulls his cock out to just the tip, a cry of his name leaves your lips when he pushes back in with one harsh thrust of his hips. “Was trying to get home to you-to this as fast as I could.” You bite down on your bottom lip as the pace of his thrusts quickens, his cock hitting the spot deep inside of you that has the ache in your tummy fading away with every harsh thrust. “Only care about you baby-don’t even notice anyone else. You’re the only one I want to have wrapped around me like this-just you.” His words have your eyes stinging and a lump of emotions stuck in your throat, you know it’s silly that him telling you how you’re the only one he sees makes you turn into an emotional mess while he’s got you bent over the couch but you can’t help it.

“I’m all yours Harry. Just yours.” He smiles and leans down to place his lips on your back as your voice fills with emotion.

“That’s right sweetheart you’re all mine.” You let out a choked moan as his thrusts turn harder, more determined. “This sweet little cunt is all mine but don’t worry baby-my cock is all yours.” His voice is strained as he pounds into you at a delicious pace that has your eyes closing and his name flying out of your mouth when you feel his hand move away from your hip, his index and middle finger finding your clit rubbing it in tight hard circles.

“Oh just like that-please don’t stop Harry….oh god.” He can tell your close by the way your words are all mumbled and he can feel you pulsing around him.

“Not gonna stop till you make a mess all over my cock baby-fuck I can feel you squeezing me.” He pants as he gives your clit a few more tight circles, his hand on your hip slides down and grabs at the fleshy part of your ass before giving it a smack that makes you cry out his name as you feel the intense pressure finally give way in your lower belly. “That’s it baby-just like that…come all over my cock sweetheart.” His voice is husky as he slides his hand up to the back of your neck giving it a little squeeze.

“Shit you feel so good.” Your orgasm hits you hard, you push your backside into Harry and you swear you see stars as he continues to fuck you through your release trying to pull every ounce of pleasure he can from you. He closes his eyes and gives you a few harsh thrusts, chasing his own release. When he hears his name tumble out of your mouth over and over as you soak his cock he feels himself toppling over the edge. His eyes open and he looks down at where the two of you are connected, watching the way his cock disappears into your tight cunt has him moaning your name as he coats your walls in his warm release.

“So-so full I love it.” You moan as his grip on the back of your neck tightens just a bit as his hips slow their pace letting him hear the sounds of his release mixed with yours being pushed back into you with each thrust.

“Could listen to this all day baby-fuck you’re so damn perfect.” He tells you between kisses down your spine as he leans over you, his hand on the back of your neck loosening its grip. “I love you-so so much.” You smile as he stands up and places his hands on your hips and slowly begins to pull out. You hear him quietly curse under his breath as he watches some of his release drip down the inside of your thigh. You turn around so you can face him as he grabs your shorts off the floor, your hands automatically reach out for him as he helps pull them up your legs.

“I love you too.” You tell him quietly, your hands on his shoulders. Harry looks at you with a grin on his face as he leans in and kisses the tip of your nose making it scrunch up just a bit before he presses his lips against yours in a sweet kiss that’s full of nothing but love. “But you better not be late again tomorrow or I’m going to show up at your school and cause a scene.” You tease as he pulls away making him laugh as you drop your hands from his shoulders so he can turn and grab his boxers.

“Promise I’ll tell Julia to bugger off the next time she tries to invite me out for a drink.” He states as he slips his boxers back on before cupping your face in his hands. “M’just not ready to share you with them yet-I know they’ll want to meet you and I just don’t think I’d be able to control myself if one of them tries to put the moves on you or…looks at you for too long.” You playfully roll your eyes as he tells you a little more about why he doesn’t exactly want to tell his colleagues about you.

“That’s fine…I kinda like being your little secret.”

[monicaalexandraaa]

AHHHHHHHHHH🤭🤭🤭THIS PART🤭🤭🤭

Really reallyyyyy lovely!!! This was such a sweet part🥰

I was super interested to see what the surprise was! I felt like it could’ve been anything lol

The moment where he told her she was doing well and she said I hope so was really cute🥺I feel like I did a lot of🥺during this part hahaha! And I love it !!!!!

He licked his lips as he quickly looked her way. It only lasted a second, but he could tell how nervous she was. Her cheeks were red and her hands were fiddling with her purse strap. Whenever she was anxious, she would do something with her hands - like play with her fingers, rub her finger pads against her necklace, twist her earrings, mess with whatever was laying close around. He thought it was cute.

I loveeeeeee how he’s noticed all these little things about her🤭she anxious but there’s truly no reason to be when he thinks she’s precious🥺😩I just wanted to yell TELL HER !!!!!!!😆

When she realized what he was referring to, she felt a knot form in her stomach. He was going shopping and bringing her along with him? For good company - but what exactly did that mean? Was there something deeper to it, something more personal that she needed to figure out?

“I, um, don’t really.. know anything about watches.” She nervously laughed, telling the truth.

“Well, I’ll trust your judgement anyway.”

Ahhhhhhh!!!! Shopping !!!!!!!! And she wants her opinion !!!!!!! I’m obsessed with this. I love how they just left the office to go have a little fun🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️even though Iris is panicking LOL

Before she could respond, the woman brought out a device to measure her finger. She reached over, waiting for Iris to place her hand into her opened palm. She didn’t want to, but she knew she’d feel bad for being rude. So, she let the woman measure her finger. Her heart was racing in her chest. She knew one thing for sure, she wouldn’t be leaving this store with a purchased item. It was going to be very embarrassing for her to deny the lady’s help.

I so get this though !!!!! Such a tough and kind of awkward situation where it’s like no really I’m fine but then they’re super nice (want to make the sale) and just start doing things for you and then you’re like ahhh I wanna walk away. I totally understand how she felt about this, especially knowing how she is.

Mr. Styles turned around in time to see the woman sliding open the back of the display. He excused himself from the conversation and walked across the store to the rings. Iris had no idea he was walking up, and as he got close he could hear her apologizing to the woman. She was always saying sorry for something.

Oh he sprinted over !!!!!!!🤣I knew in this moment he was definitely going to buy her something🤭🤭he was deff so thrilled to see her looking at the displays🤩🤭I also loved the last bit of she’s always apologizing. He just wants her to feel however she wants and do whatever she wants !!!!! It’s endearing too though😌

Iris was lost in her own thoughts, looking around mindlessly as she waited next to him. He wanted her opinion, so he looked over at her. She was literally staring at the ceiling. She didn’t seem bored, but he thought maybe she wasn’t interested in this sort of thing. Well, she wasn’t interested in the watches.

“What do you think?” He asked her. He only caught her attention by touching the dip in her back, making her perk up immediately. His touch went away as quick as it happened. “These two right here.”

Eeeeeeee !!!!!! All the soft touches in this have me swooningggggg🤭Harry wanting her opinion is the sweetest. It feels very soft dom directing her while she can be lost in her own thoughts and I’m HERE FOR THAT🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️

“This one.” She tapped her finger on the tray in front of the watch.

“Alright then.” Mr. Styles was pleased with the choice. “I’ll take that one.”

LIKE YEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH🫠😍It’s that easy. Whatever she likes he gets. I’m obsessed

Walking her out toooooooooo I loved <3

“Do you know which one she was looking at?” He asked, glancing down at the rings.

“I believe this one here. She whispered something about the blue one.” She told him, reaching her hand into the case to grab the ring.

She handed it to him and waited as he admired the piece of jewelry. He had only ever bought rings for his mother and sister. He didn’t have a lot of experience, but if she liked it then perhaps it was a fine choice.

“I measured her ring size.” She added, grinning when he looked up at her.

“Good. Thank you for that.” He chuckled, giving her the ring back. “I’ll take that as well.”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!! I COULD NOT STOP SMILING !!!!!!!!!!!!!! She’s gonna die over it omg. I can’t wait to see when this rings come into play😬🤭🤩

He seemed very comfortable with her, more so than with the man at the jewelry store. He tugged off his suit jacket and went to toss it in a chair, but Iris was sitting in the only one. She held her hand out, her eyes moving up to meet his. He didn’t want to bother her with it at first, but something about her kind smile made him change his mind. He gave her the jacket and turned towards the mirror. A sigh slipped past his lips as he stepped onto the platform. In the reflection, he saw Iris carefully drape his jacket over her lap, resting her hand on top of it to keep it in place. Seeing her touch his clothing made his heart beat faster.

Being the gentleman he is not wanting to burden her with holding his stuff but Iris will literally do anything for this man (same) !!!!!! And she means well by it too! She just wants to make him happy and his life easier when he wants the exact same thing for her😫😩

She slid it back into the bag and got the next one out. Iris was quite intrigued by this process. She figured he got his suits and other items tailored, just based on how nice he dressed, but she didn’t realize how personal the transaction could be. He seemed very pleasant while here, like he was just someone’s loyal customer enjoying their services.

I loved this!!!! How Harry was interacting with Mrs. Lydia, it wasn’t just business. We see a very personable side of him in this part which I love.

He had been looking at himself, but he couldn’t resist shifting his gaze to Iris’s reflection. She was watching him, so when she saw his eyes she looked down at the jacket laid over her lap. She was so bashful at times. He thought it was adorable. Two weeks working in the office and she still hadn’t gotten used to him.

🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

Iris looked up from her lap, a different kind of curiosity sparking in her mind. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing in the mirror. Mr. Styles was unfastening the buttons of his shirt one by one until it was opened. He pulled his arms out and turned towards her. There was only one reasonable place for his shirt to rest.

She held a breath in her lungs as he held the shirt out for her to take. Trying to stay calm and appear unaffected, she took hold of the shirt and laid it over the jacket.

YUP YUP YUP🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️I could see exactly how Iris was reacting in my mind lol!

She was deff eating it up for a moment but then started to feel guilty and anxious about it which is understandable. I bet Harry was hoping she’d get a good look though🤭🤭

The bookstore ahhhhhhhh !!!!!!!! This was so good !!!!!!!!

The small, cozy inside of the store didn’t match the bright interior of the jewelry store, and the recreational feel didn’t coincide with the practicality of the seamstress shop.

I just loved this sentence^

THE DONATIONS !!!!!😭🥺🥹

Mr. Styles was talking quietly with the old man, telling him about the book he was currently reading. He tried to come by at least once a month to make a donation to the store and purchase a few things. He enjoyed the atmosphere and the selection. He’s never left without buying at least one book.

MY HEARTTTTTTTTT<333333333333

“I’ve been coming here for years. The owner doesn’t ask for donations, but I know it helps with expenses.” Mr. Styles gently shrugged.

She could tell it wasn’t in a careless way. He was obviously very invested in this place, and not in the same way he was literally invested into others. This was such a different place for him to end up. If anything, she’s had a few of her wonders solved. In his spare time, no matter how much that actually was, he had a hobby. He liked to read.

“That’s very kind of you.”

“I like to think so. Makes me feel like a good person.” He looked her way after sliding the book back in its place.

“You are a good person.” Her brows gently furrowed as she silently questioned why he would think otherwise.

“I don’t know about that.”

Iris was never the kind of person to make any sort of move on anyone, whether platonic or not. But in this moment, as his eyes stared through hers, she could tell that he needed some form of reassurance. He was so good at making her feel comfortable, of making sure she knew she wasn’t doing anything wrong. Maybe he needed someone to assure him things were okay.

She lifted her hand and gently touched his elbow. “Well.. I think you are and I’m sure he does, too.”

THIS RIGHT HERE IS INCREDIBLEEEE !!!!!! There’s actually so much to unpack here. Him making the donations is absolutely very kind but he doesn’t to feel like a good person. So we see that he’s struggling a bit internally about himself which I wasn’t thinking about! He’s very assured and confident but seeing that moment of vulnerability was refreshing! Will make me think more into whenever we get to see his thoughts and if it could be coming from a place of insecurity. Him looking to her for reassurance😩😩AND THEN IRIS WITH THE MOVES !!!!!! Like she did that !!!!!! That definitely took a lot for her to touch him. It’s a simple gesture but like we all know that’s huge for her. And she really wanted to do it because she didn’t want him thinking that way about himself😭😭😭I sob

Then Harry wanting to buy her lunch and her being so shy about it🙈

She just could not muster up the courage to give any requests.

&

There was no way she would say anything different. She didn’t want to disappoint him at all.

Lolololol I love her. If only she knew Harry’s already locked in for life HJSJSJSKSKS

He chose the spot in the corner, so she could have her back to the rest of the restaurant. He’d do whatever he had to do to ease her nerves, even if he didn’t directly tell her that or make it obvious.

A GENTLEMAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!! LIKE AHHHHHHHH !!!!!!

Mr. Styles gave her a smile. “Thank you for coming with me today.”

“Well, you asked so.. but, thank you for asking. I’ve had fun.” A nervous laugh laced her words. She seemed hesitant to say what she wanted to at first, but he thought she was adorable.

He was well aware that he requested her to come with him and she pretty much had no choice but to accept. She wasn’t going to question, she wasn’t going to deny him, she wasn’t going to go against him at all - and he found it rather amusing that she didn’t want him to know that she was aware of that.

“Good. Maybe we can take a break like this every few weeks. Give us both some time out of that damn office.” He suggested, sipping his water.

“Sounds good to me.”

Their dialogue throughout this part is just so sweet! Harry knowing exactly how’s she’s thinking🤭and he’s just gushing over her in his head🤭completely enamored🤭I’d love to see more days like this for them and hopefully her getting more comfortable😌

He gave her a couple of minutes to read over the menu. Her eyes slowly read over each option, debating what she was in the mood to eat. He thought the way she stuck her tongue in her cheek as she concentrated was cute. She had her little things that she did, things that he’s picked up on since giving her the job in his office. When she was on the phone, she would twist a piece of her hair around her finger if she was wearing it down. If it was put up, she would toy with whatever necklace she had clasped around her neck. When she typed, her eyes glued to the screen, her tongue would slightly poke out between her lips or hide in her cheek, like it was now.

The longer he sat and stared at her, the more he thought about how much enjoyed looking at her. It felt so natural to just watch her, to see what she was doing. He loved noticing those small things. It was like he was getting to know her without her having to tell him anything. Having her in his office, keeping her in such close proximity to him was a great decision. Probably the best decisions he’s made. It tops any complex negotiation deal or smart investment. She was the best decision he’s ever made.

😭😭😭

Like do I even need to explain ?!?!!! That^ is perfection !!!!!!!!!!! SHE WAS THE BEST DECISION HE’S EVER MADE !!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HIT IS WITH THAT !!!!!!!😫😫😫

Harry asking if she’s working at the club but of course she overthinks it’s him asking her to do more so she offers when he really just wants to be around her always I SOB I SOB I SOB I WANT TO JUMP THROUGH THE PHONE AND BE LIKE HE LOVES YOU AND SHE LOVES YOU !!!!!!!!!!!

He didn’t expect her to say that. As much as he wanted to say yes, he knew it was too much. He had to keep himself tame when it came to her. Doing too much all at once would push her away.

AND THEN

She smiled gently. “Are you sure? I.. I wouldn’t mind if it was.. just for your table.”

First of all this was so fierce and bold of her I’m so proud. They’re just sooooooo cute! I’m absolutely living for both of them overthinking this when they both truly want to see each other later🥺😭

They locked eyes for a long minute, both of them just staring at the other like it would be the last time they ever saw one another. He was mentally cursing himself for not telling her to come in to work. She was battling her confused thoughts and feelings.

“Mr. Styles, I’m serious. If you want me to, I can come in.” Iris offered again, her smile made his heart flutter.

He wasn’t used to that feeling. There were a lot of feelings and sensations Iris created in his body that he wasn’t used to before meeting her. He lightly chuckled and shook his head, sticking to his decision despite wanting to say otherwise.

“No, it’s alright. I can make it one night without you.” He licked his lips, glancing at her mouth for just a split second. “I think.”

Eeeeeeee hehheheh!!!! This whole scene at the table is just so good !!!! They’re both crushing so hard. And both of them in their heads a bit about the other, all these feelings !!!!! I love the dialogue and it’s just feels so innocent and sweet and ahhhhhh !!!!! My babies🥺☺️

I’m loving everything about this story !!!!!!!🩷🩷

woman: there’s been a glitch

Mr. Styles decides it’s time to get out of the office for a while.

(part 4)

woman series

word count: 6k

warnings/tags: sugar daddy h, h x fem

The second week of working as Mr. Styles' personal office assistant went surprisingly well. There were a few stressful moments here and there, but Iris felt as though she did everything to her best ability. He also thought she did quite well. She was able to start taking calls for him. She was a quick typer, so she easily typed up what the call was about to send a report to him. She also quickly mastered the art of creating emails in his likeness - which he thought was fascinating. It made him wonder if he was as unique as he might think at times, or maybe she was just good at figuring him out.

When Friday rolled around, Mr. Styles had something different in mind for the day. They were only in the office for about an hour when he stood up from his desk, grabbing his discarded jacket from the back of his chair. She was working on an email response when she heard him shuffling around, but she kept her eyes steady on the screen.

“Iris.” He appeared in front of her desk, his height towering over her.

“Yes, sir?” She asked, not looking away from the words she was typing.

He was glad to see she was focused and willing to stay busy even when he approached her. As good as that was, he needed her to end what she was currently working on. There was something way more exciting that he wanted her to be apart of.

“What are you working on?”

“The email reply to Mr. Card and his team.” She said, never looking his way.

“I need you to put that on pause.”

The moment the words left his mouth, her fingers stopped moving on the keys and she shifted her head towards him. “Okay.”

He smiled, amused by her behavior. “Shut off your computer. I need you to go with me.”

She furrowed her brows, slightly confused by his request. She had never shut off the computer when leaving the office, even if it was for an hour. She only turned it off when it was time to go home for the day. Because she didn’t want to question him, she did as he asked.

“Grab your purse.”

“Yes, sir.” She mumbled, still confused.

Without explaining anything to her, he gestured for her to follow him out of the office. So, she did without hesitation. Whatever he wanted or needed her to do, she was going to oblige. He didn’t speak to anyone they passed by, didn’t stop to spare anyone a glance either. He was on a mission that led them straight to the elevator.

As the doors closed, she expected some sort of statement from him, but he stayed quiet. He checked his cell phone, scrolling on the screen during the ride down to the main lobby. Iris was quite curious about what he was doing, if it was even anything important. She couldn’t imagine him being the type of person to mindlessly swipe on a screen, to engross himself in social media or even a mobile game.

He headed towards the front entrance, her following close behind. She was glad she wore flat shoes today because he was walking sort of quick paced. When they got outside, she saw the same man that always brings his car to the front - as well as hers. Mr. Styles thanked him, then turned to face her. She was still very confused by what was going on. Didn’t Daniel tell her yesterday that there was supposed to be a big meeting this afternoon?

“I have some things to do and I need you to tag along.” He said with a smile.

Iris stood there, still quiet as a mouse, and watched him open the passenger door of the fancy car. He motioned for her to get in. She gave him a funny look at first, hestiating to move forward. A chuckle left his mouth as he let go of the opened door and walked back to her.

“C’mon, don’t be shy. I’m a good driver.” He lifted his hand and touched the small of her back.

A tingle ran down her spine as she felt the warmth of his skin through her dress. Her tongue darted out to coat her lips, her nerves freezing over in shock. He gave her a gentle push, just enough to get her walking to the car. She knew she couldn’t tell him no, and it must be important if he wanted her to join him, so she got in his car.

He shut the door and walked around the front to the driver’s side. She watched him through the windshield, stuck in a state of disbelief. The first thing she noticed was that the car smelled just like him - like his cologne.

He gave her a quick glance as he got in. She jumped at the loud sound of the engine roaring. While the car he gave her for work was nice, it was nowhere near that loud. He slid a pair of sunshades on his face before pulling into the road. Iris had her purse resting on her lap, her hands clutching it as she stared out the window. She wanted to know what they were doing, but she was entirely too shy to ask that.

“I canceled that meeting today.” He said with a sigh as he stopped at a traffic light.

“Well, um, just let me know when I need to reschedule it and I’ll get it done.”

He let out a soft laugh. “Are you enjoying the job so far?”

“Yes, sir. It’s.. not as hard as I thought it would be.” She gulped quietly, praying he didn’t hear it.

“You’ve done everything well from what I’ve seen.”

“I hope so.” Her voice was soft.

He licked his lips as he quickly looked her way. It only lasted a second, but he could tell how nervous she was. Her cheeks were red and her hands were fiddling with her purse strap. Whenever she was anxious, she would do something with her hands - like play with her fingers, rub her finger pads against her necklace, twist her earrings, mess with whatever was laying close around. He thought it was cute.

“I figured you deserved a break from the office. We’ve had a busy week.”

Iris didn’t say anything back, only because she was unsure of how to reply. Where exactly were they headed? Did he have some other business to attend to that she needed to be involved with? She had no clue at all.

After a few quiet minutes, he finally told her what they were doing. He took a deep breath and pushed it out while making a turn. She wasn’t afraid of being in the car with him. He seemed like he was a mindful driver, and he was careful with his surroundings on the road.

“I need to run and get a few things. I thought you’d be good company, perhaps help me out with some items.”

“Items? She questioned, her brows furrowing as she wondered what he meant by that. Her gaze stayed on the window, as much as she wanted to stare at him.

“I’m getting sick of the watch I’ve been wearing. If I can’t find one that I prefer, I might have to get your opinion.”

When she realized what he was referring to, she felt a knot form in her stomach. He was going shopping and bringing her along with him? For good company - but what exactly did that mean? Was there something deeper to it, something more personal that she needed to figure out?

“I, um, don’t really.. know anything about watches.” She nervously laughed, telling the truth.

“Well, I’ll trust your judgement anyway.”

“Is.. is that the only thing you need to get?” She asked curiously, almost stopping herself at first.

“No. Just the priority item.”

She was honest. She didn’t know a single thing about watches. She didn’t know how expensive a nice one could be. There was literally nothing about watches that she was familiar with. Iris stayed quiet for the rest of the drive, her eyes lost out of the window as she waited to see where they would end up.

Walking into a very nice jewelry store was not on her agenda for things she was going to do today, but she wasn’t going to complain. At least she wasn’t in the office working. Mr. Styles held the door for her, smiling as he saw her flushed cheeks. She felt extremely out of place. This wasn’t the kind of store she was used to being in.

“Mr. Styles, welcome! Haven’t seen you in a few months.”

A man appeared from a large doorway, a smile on his face as he came to greet them. He looked at Iris, but didn’t recognize her.

“Figured it was time for something new on my wrist.” Mr. Styles said with a smile, holding up his forearm to show the watch.

They began to talk about things not pertaining to the watch. Iris didn’t want to eavesdrop on his conversation with the man, so she walked away slowly. Her eyes moved over the display cases. She had never really been in such a nice jewelry store before. Actually, from what she can recall, she’s never been in a jewelry store. This place seemed extremely fancy, somewhere she’d never end up on her own.

She ventured off, ending up in front of a case of rings. Her eyes fell down to gawk at the display. The lights were reflecting off the stones and the metals, sparkling like stars in a night sky. Her eyes widened as she saw a beautiful blue stone on a silver band. She assumed it was a sapphire, though she didn’t know much about stones. Maybe it was something else?

“Wow.” She mumbled to herself. “The blue one is pretty.”

“Are you interested in anything, ma’am?” A voice spoke suddenly, nearly giving her a heart attack.

She placed her hand over her heart, trying to catch her breath. A woman was smiling at her from the other side of the case. Iris pushed out a sigh and gave her a smile in return.

“Oh, no, no. I.. I’m just.. um, just here with him.” She looked over towards Mr. Styles, whose back was facing her as he was lost in a conversation.

“Are you sure? You may try something on if you’d like.” The woman was very polite, probably because she thought she was going to make a sale.

“I.. I don’t even know my size.” Iris said with a shaky laugh, that anxiety coming alive inside of her.

“We can check.”

Before she could respond, the woman brought out a device to measure her finger. She reached over, waiting for Iris to place her hand into her opened palm. She didn’t want to, but she knew she’d feel bad for being rude. So, she let the woman measure her finger. Her heart was racing in her chest. She knew one thing for sure, she wouldn’t be leaving this store with a purchased item. It was going to be very embarrassing for her to deny the lady’s help.

She grinned while telling Iris her size, removing the device and gesturing to the case. “Are you sure you don’t want to try anything?”

Mr. Styles turned around in time to see the woman sliding open the back of the display. He excused himself from the conversation and walked across the store to the ringa. Iris had no idea he was walking up, and as he got close he could hear her apologizing to the woman. She was always saying sorry for something.

“Got your eyes on something?” He asked with a smirk, knowing he would frighten her.

She flinched, snapping her head in his direction. He was standing closer than she thought he was. He always found it quite cute when she would get spooked by him.

“My eyes are on a lot of things.. I’ve never seen so many beautiful rings.” She let her gaze fall back down to the case, only admiring the jewels. There were no intentions of getting anything.

“There’s a lot of beautiful things in here.” Mr. Styles lowered his voice, keeping it between them.

She didn’t react, he wasn’t even sure if she heard what he said. Her attention was fixed on the rings. She thought they were all just so pretty. Jewelry was never really one of her interests. She owned a small amount of nice things, but nothing this fancy. They were mostly gifts and heirlooms, never anything she purchased on her own.

“We just got a few new designs in. I think you might find them interesting.” The man was behind one of the displays now, pulling out a tray of watches to show Mr. Styles.

He was annoyed that his moment with her was being interrupted, but he came here for a reason. He gestured for her to follow him over to the watches. She trailed behind him, her curious eyes sliding over every item she could see.

“I know you prefer silver.” The man said. “But there are some new gold ones.”

“Silver is a better match for me.” Mr. Styles mumbled as he stared down at the options. “These are nice here. The two on the end.”

Iris was lost in her own thoughts, looking around mindlessly as she waited next to him. He wanted her opinion, so he looked over at her. She was literally staring at the ceiling. She didn’t seem bored, but he thought maybe she wasn’t interested in this sort of thing. Well, she wasn’t interested in the watches.

“What do you think?” He asked her. He only caught her attention by touching the dip in her back, making her perk up immediately. His touch went away as quick as it happened. “These two right here.”

She looked to where he was pointing, seeing two watches that looked oddly similiar. She pursed her lips, leaning down to get a closer look. Was she missing something? They looked the exact same. He watched her expression change as she tried to figure out the designs.

“Um, they look.. they look the same to me.” She lifted her eyes, first looking at the man before turning her attention towards her boss.

He gave her a smile. “The faces are different.”

“The faces?” She questioned, clearly not familiar with the design aspects of a watch.

“This part.” The man held in his laugh as he tapped his finger over the face of one of the watches.

“Oh.” She lifted her brows, then leaned back down to stare at them again.

They still looked very similar, but she noticed the difference now. With a few long moments of thinking and comparing, she chose one that she thought was nicer.

“This one.” She tapped her finger on the tray in front of the watch.

“Alright then.” Mr. Styles was pleased with the choice. “I’ll take that one.”

“Would you like to see the catalog for what’s arriving in the next few months?

“Of course, yeah.” He looked her way again. “Iris, how about you go get in the car? I won’t be much longer.”

“Okay.” She smiled back.

“I’ll walk you out.” He nodded towards the door before speaking to the man. “I’ll be right back.”

Iris didn’t expect him to lead her to the car. Maybe he wanted to make sure she got there safely and without any interference from anyone. He opened the door for her and gave her the key so she could start it if she wanted. She locked the car when he walked back into the store. She wondered what else he had to do today. Did he need to go to any other fancy stores? Did he need to do more personal errands? Although it was hard to picture, she assumed he had a life outside of his work. Maybe he needed to pick up something or go buy a random item from a grocery store.

Back in the store, Mr. Styles declined the offer to look at the catalog. Instead, he chose to approach the ring display. The same woman came over to help him as his watch was being packaged up.

“Do you know which one she was looking at?” He asked, glancing down at the rings.

“I believe this one here. She whispered something about the blue one.” She told him, reaching her hand into the case to grab the ring.

She handed it to him and waited as he admired the piece of jewelry. He had only ever bought rings for his mother and sister. He didn’t have a lot of experience, but if she liked it then perhaps it was a fine choice.

“I measured her ring size.” She added, grinning when he looked up at her.

“Good. Thank you for that.” He chuckled, giving her the ring back. “I’ll take that as well.”

Iris lifted her head as he came out of the store. She saw the small bag in his hand, assuming the purchase of the watch went well. When he got in the car, he placed the bag behind his seat and turned the key. He thought it was odd that she didn’t start the car. Perhaps she was too afraid to touch something that didn’t belong to her.

“Alright. The next stop is a bit more boring.” He warned her with a chuckle. “Nothing shiny for you to look at.”

The second place he took her was to a seamstress shop. Iris followed him inside, opting to stay quiet and patient. He was greeted by name again, which made her stomach twist. He was well known. The woman asked them to come to the back with her. Iris felt her curiosity growing again as they entered a room. There was a rack of items hidden in garment bags on one side, and a wall of mirrors on the other. A circular platform was centered in front of the mirrors.

Mr. Styles gave her a quick glance before helping the woman with the first bag. “Just have a seat.”

Iris sat down in the chair next to the rack. Her eyes watched him unzip the bag slowly, revealing a dark grey sports jacket.

“I got it.” The woman shewed him away.

He seemed very comfortable with her, more so than with the man at the jewelry store. He tugged off his suit jacket and went to toss it in a chair, but Iris was sitting in the only one. She held her hand out, her eyes moving up to meet his. He didn’t want to bother her with it at first, but something about her kind smile made him change his mind. He gave her the jacket and turned towards the mirror. A sigh slipped past his lips as he stepped onto the platform. In the reflection, he saw Iris carefully drape his jacket over her lap, resting her hand on top of it to keep it in place. Seeing her touch his clothing made his heart beat faster.

The woman brought him the first jacket. He actually liked trying on clothing items, so this errand didn't really seem like an errand to him. Once he got it adjusted on his body, she stood back and tapped her finger against her chin.

“How’s the fit?”

“It’s perfect.” He nodded, admiring the jacket in the mirror. “This is my assistant, Iris, by the way.”

She swallowed softly as her name was said. The woman looked her way and gave her a warm smile.

“Mrs. Lydia is the best seamstress in the whole city.” He said with a laugh while making eye contact with Iris in the mirror.

“Oh, please! I’ve just been doing this for ages.” She shook her head and took the jacket from him.

She slid it back into the bag and got the next one out. Iris was quite intrigued by this process. She figured he got his suits and other items tailored, just based on how nice he dressed, but she didn’t realize how personal the transaction could be. He seemed very pleasant while here, like he was just someone’s loyal customer enjoying their services.

“Here’s the navy one.” Lydia gave him the next jacket.

He slid it on, fixing the bottom of the sleeves. It felt nice, just like the other one. The fit was literally perfected to his build.

“Another amazing fit.” He told her, swiping a hand through his hair.

He had been looking at himself, but he couldn’t resist shifting his gaze to Iris’s reflection. She was watching him, so when she saw his eyes she looked down at the jacket laid over her lap. She was so bashful at times. He thought it was adorable. Two weeks working in the office and she still hadn’t gotten used to him.

“Two more for you today.” Lydia said while taking the jacket back.

Mr. Styles tried on the items, making sure they all fit him appropriately. He didn’t have any negative comments to make or any criticism to give. While he did that, her eyes remained on the jacket she was holding for him. She didn’t want to be too nosy or seem like she was staring at him.

“And then, I have the two shirts ready.”

Iris looked up from her lap, a different kind of curiosity sparking in her mind. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing in the mirror. Mr. Styles was unfastening the buttons of his shirt one by one until it was opened. He pulled his arms out and turned towards her. There was only one reasonable place for his shirt to rest.

She held a breath in her lungs as he held the shirt out for her to take. Trying to stay calm and appear unaffected, she took hold of the shirt and laid it over the jacket.

Seeing his body was definitely not something she thought she’d see today, or any day for that matter. And it was so damn hard to resist staring at him as he waited for the first shirt to be given to him. He was checking his phone, his eyes down on the screen. It gave her the perfect opportunity to observe him. She may never get this chance again.

His back was toned to perfection, like a marble statue. His muscles were sculpted under his skin. She saw the tattoos littering his body, making her wonder if there were any hiding under his pants. His left arm caught her eye the most. It was covered in different tattoos. Some looked more interesting than others, but she would still love to know the story behind each. She was a victim of curiosity.

His arms were bigger than she thought they’d be, but it made sense. His abdomen was just as nice as the rest of him. He was fit and toned, his health must mean a lot to him. Maybe he was arrogant about his physical appearance? No, she didn’t think that was the case.

Lydia gave him the shirt, ending Iris’s entertaining show. She felt guilty for gawking at him like that, especially when he wasn’t paying attention. It started to eat away at her, forcing her eyes down to the floor for the rest of the fittings.

He had to have a few other things pinned and measured as well, so that took some time to do. Iris kept quiet and waited patiently for him to be finished. She tried her hardest not to look him in the eye when he reached for his shirt. He put it on, then took possession of his jacket. He chose to leave that off. Lydia made sure he had all of the finished suits with him before they left the room.

Mr. Styles paid for the items and thanked her before exiting the store with Iris hot on his heels, of course. He laid the garment bags in his trunk, hoping they wouldn’t get wrinkled by the time he got them home. Iris was quiet in the car as he continued their journey.

The next place they arrived at was a bookstore. She was definitely thrown off guard with this one. The small, cozy inside of the store didn’t match the bright interior of the jewelry store, and the recreational feel didn’t coincide with the practicality of the seamstress shop.

As they walked in, Mr. Styles decided to tell her why they were here. “I make donations here every month.”

She wasn’t sure what to expect, but it wasn’t that. Her heart softened as she saw an elderly man come from one of the aisles. He smiled happily as he saw who was standing in the front of his store.

“Harry, always good to see you.”

Iris was surprised to hear his first name being said. She has never heard anyone say it before. A blush rose to her cheeks when the man looked at her.

“Wow, who’s this beautiful lady you’ve got here?”

“This is Iris, my assistant.” He introduced her, smiling at the compliment that he was sure embarrassed her.

“Hello, Iris. I’m Joseph.” The man politely said, giving her a smile.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” She replied, feeling more comfortable with him than the others she met today.

“Why don’t you take a look around for a bit?” Mr. Styles did it again - his hand touched her back for just a moment.

“Alright.” She nodded, deciding to just walk down the closest aisle.

She enjoyed reading, so being surrounded by books on all sides was nice. There was a mix of books in the store. Currently, she was strolling down the newest releases. Nothing really caught her eye. She reached the end of the aisle and turned onto the next one. This one was more interesting. It seemed to be majority preowned or one off copies of books. Some seemed older and more worn than others. They were neatly organized on each shelf, a small price sticker stuck to the spines. She didn’t know this little gem existed. She’s been to a few bookstores in the area, but this one has never been recommended or even noticed by her.

Mr. Styles was talking quietly with the old man, telling him about the book he was currently reading. He tried to come by at least once a month to make a donation to the store and purchase a few things. He enjoyed the atmosphere and the selection. He’s never left without buying at least one book.

He excused himself from Joseph after a few more minutes of chatting, mentioning that he wanted to browse the new inventory. What he really aimed to do was find Iris. It didn’t take long, due to the small size of the store, to find her lingering in the section of photography books. She was reading over the spines.

“In to photography?” He asked as he walked up.

For once, he didn’t scare the living hell out of her. She saw him come up from the corner of her eye, and his footsteps were loud in the quiet space.

“Not necessarily.. just looking around.” She mumbled back.

He turned towards the other side of the aisle. There was a section of historical books. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular.

“You must like to read?” She said, looking over her shoulder as he grabbed one of the books to flip through it.

A sigh came from his mouth. “When I have the time, yeah.”

“I didn’t know this place existed. It’s lovely.” Iris turned around to be next to him.

“I’ve been coming here for years. The owner doesn’t ask for donations, but I know it helps with expenses.” Mr. Styles gently shrugged.

She could tell it wasn’t in a careless way. He was obviously very invested in this place, and not in the same way he was literally invested into others. This was such a different place for him to end up. If anything, she’s had a few of her wonders solved. In his spare time, no matter how much that actually was, he had a hobby. He liked to read.

“That’s very kind of you.”

“I like to think so. Makes me feel like a good person.” He looked her way after sliding the book back in its place.

“You are a good person.” Her brows gently furrowed as she silently questioned why he would think otherwise.

“I don’t know about that.”

Iris was never the kind of person to make any sort of move on anyone, whether platonic or not. But in this moment, as his eyes stared through hers, she could tell that he needed some form of reassurance. He was so good at making her feel comfortable, of making sure she knew she wasn’t doing anything wrong. Maybe he needed someone to assure him things were okay.

She lifted her hand and gently touched his elbow. “Well.. I think you are and I’m sure he does, too.”

The final stop he had intended for them today was lunch. It was a little past noon, but he was starving and figured she wanted to eat, too. After they left the bookstore, he asked if she had any preferences on where she wanted to eat. She refused to tell him anything, and wouldn't even give him a hint of what she liked. She didn’t want to make the decision, especially once he told her he’d buy it. She just could not muster up the courage to give any requests.

So, he picked a local Italian restaurant that he had never had a bad meal from. He figured it was a safe place. Iris was fine with his choice. There was no way she would say anything different. She didn’t want to disappoint him at all.

When they arrived, they stood at the front for a moment as the hostess checked the availability. Mr. Styles motioned for her to walk first when the hostess began to guide them to a table. Being in front of him made her anxious, as did most things. The table they were seated at was tucked in the back corner. He chose the spot in the corner, so she could have her back to the rest of the restaurant. He’d do whatever he had to do to ease her nerves, even if he didn’t directly tell her that or make it obvious.

After ordering their drinks, both of them chose water, Mr. Styles decided it would be a good time to have a conversation. He cleared his throat and rested his hands in his lap.

“So, how have you really liked the past two weeks?”

Iris adjusted the hem of her dress, her eyes avoiding him as she replied. “I love it. I’m really glad it didn’t take long to get used to everything.”

“That’s great. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” He smiled, even though she didn’t see it. “And the club, how’s that going?”

“Oh, for the most part it’s okay.”

His brows furrowed. “For the most part?”

She finally looked up at him. “Melanie can be.. annoying at times but she hasn’t been rude to me.”

“Are you sure she hasn’t?” He gave her a look, insisting she be honest.

“Yes, sir.” She muttered out, not realizing how quiet her voice was.

“Remember, you can tell me anything.” He reminded her.

“I know.”

The waitress approached with their drinks, causing the conversation to die down for a few moments. Neither of them had even glanced at the menu, so they weren't prepared to order any meals just yet. When she walked off, he picked up where they stopped.

Mr. Styles gave her a smile. “Thank you for coming with me today.”

“Well, you asked so.. but, thank you for asking. I’ve had fun.” A nervous laugh laced her words. She seemed hesitant to say what she wanted to at first, but he thought she was adorable.

He was well aware that he requested her to come with him and she pretty much had no choice but to accept. She wasn’t going to question, she wasn’t going to deny him, she wasn’t going to go against him at all - and he found it rather amusing that she didn’t want him to know that she was aware of that.

“Good. Maybe we can take a break like this every few weeks. Give us both some time out of that damn office.” He suggested, sipping his water.

“Sounds good to me.”

He gave her a couple of minutes to read over the menu. Her eyes slowly read over each option, debating what she was in the mood to eat. He thought the way she stuck her tongue in her cheek as she concentrated was cute. She had her little things that she did, things that he’s picked up on since giving her the job in his office. When she was on the phone, she would twist a piece of her hair around her finger if she was wearing it down. If it was put up, she would toy with whatever necklace she had clasped around her neck. When she typed, her eyes glued to the screen, her tongue would slightly poke out between her lips or hide in her cheek, like it was now.

The longer he sat and stared at her, the more he thought about how much enjoyed looking at her. It felt so natural to just watch her, to see what she was doing. He loved noticing those small things. It was like he was getting to know her without her having to tell him anything. Having her in his office, keeping her in such close proximity to him was a great decision. Probably the best decisions he’s made. It tops any complex negotiation deal or smart investment. She was the best decision he’s ever made.

The possibility of getting to see her again today was on his mind. Though he owned the club, he didn’t care to ever check the schedule. That’s why he had managers, to do the things he didn’t want to bother with.

“Are you working tonight?” He asked as she closed the menu. He assumed she chose something to order.

“No, I’m scheduled to be off.” Her head lightly shook.

“Oh, okay.”

Iris wasn’t sure if she was reading him wrong or not, but he seemed sort of disappointed by her response. She looked down at the table, her thoughts starting to spiral off. Was that his way of insisting he wanted her to work? She really didn’t know how to properly access it. Was this just a form of small talk to keep things from being silent and awkward?

“Do you want me to come in? I can.”

He didn’t expect her to say that. As much as he wanted to say yes, he knew it was too much. He had to keep himself tame when it came to her. Doing too much all at once would push her away.

“No, no, it’s fine.”

She smiled gently. “Are you sure? I.. I wouldn’t mind if it was.. just for your table.”

“You’ve worked hard this week, you deserve a night off.”

They locked eyes for a long minute, both of them just staring at the other like it would be the last time they ever saw one another. He was mentally cursing himself for not telling her to come in to work. She was battling her confused thoughts and feelings.

“Mr. Styles, I’m serious. If you want me to, I can come in.” Iris offered again, her smile made his heart flutter.

He wasn’t used to that feeling. There were a lot of feelings and sensations Iris created in his body that he wasn’t used to before meeting her. He lightly chuckled and shook his head, sticking to his decision despite wanting to say otherwise.

“No, it’s alright. I can make it one night without you.” He licked his lips, glancing at her mouth for just a split second. “I think.”

[a/n: hehehe hi! I’m so glad this part is out!!! writing them has been so fun. the ring will make an appearance again in the future, don’t worry ;) see you soon with more! 🤍 thank u for all the positive feedback and love for this series so far!!! - if you’re able to support, check out my patreon ]

cover image made by me.

title: glitch by taylor swift

reblog banner credit: cafekitsune

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