#conversation ft. harry styles.

[horansni]

i need your advice, mate. i'm doing a show in mexico tonight and i was wanting to sing a one direction song to please the die hard fans, but i can't decide which one. which one would you suggest? and if you have any practical spanish phrases i should know, then i'm all ears. i struggle enough with english to throw another language in there. | @liightsups

[jennerskendall]

one of my newer friends asked me what it was like to date you, and i thought you should know i told her to find out for herself and gave her your number. i also happened to tell her to share it with as many people as possible so merry early christmas in the form of your number being leaked in a day or two. | @liightsups

[stokeschase]

what does it take to write a hit single? totally asking for a friend. he wants to be on top of the charts, but can't sing. seriously... it sounds like cat being dragged by the tail, but he thinks he has an idea for a song that could go number one. so maybe he could do it as a songwriter with guidance from the great harry styles? | @liightsups

[dreamofzndaya]

I saw a video of you singing "Stockholm Syndrome" on tour a few weeks ago, and I'm offended that you performed it without me there, making me feel jealous of everyone who got to witness that live again, I'm still holding out hope for a reunion someday. @harstyles

[webslingingslasher]

JZNXNDNBDHS i have GOT to send this to you 😭😭

peter and trouble ft. her harry styles obsession. this is a conversation they would definitely have at one point LMAOO

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3tmT9aLCq4/?igsh=NXE3YnoybjRhMjVo

-🧚🏼‍♀️

😭😭😭 STOP

“tell me how much you love me.” PETER COREEEEE

[celiaelise]

idk if I'm gonna watch h***tstopper bc it IS kind of cringe, not in "this thing is bad and shouldn't exist" way but in a "I think I'm aging out of some media intended for young people" way. Which does make me kind of sad, that's not a part of growing up that I was anticipating, tbh! (I've failed to grow out of a LOT of stuff viewed as childish or made for children, after all)

I did end up watching and somewhat enjoying s1, though, despite the cringe. I think maybe I just have to be in the right mindset. (Watch, I bet now that I've written this I'll end up watching it today or something 🙄)

Also, did they recast the Tao character?? I've seen, like, a single gifset with part of his face. tbh I usually find that pretty jarring, but I remember actually kind of disliking the original actor's performance specifically? But I couldn't tell if the writing for that character was just awkward, or if perhaps the chemistry with the other actors was off, or something. Idk, I don't quite recall, but I wonder if that was a real thing I observed, and the casting decision was related? (Unless they just changed his hairstyle, in which case scratch all of this. Listen I may not be fully face blind like my dad but I will admit I struggle sometimes!)

Also my coworker mentioned liking it, so it could at least provide a conversation topic! Maybe others there will have also seen it. They all like T*ylor Sw*ft and Harry Styles and kpop, and I certainly don't have enough knowledge to discuss those topics!

[flopughz]

share a cup of hot chocolate with me, yeah? @harstyles​

[namusthetic]

The Four Elements

Are they four different entities or parts of one single being?

Air

easily distracted and very curious

carefree and flexible, also very kind and patient

due to their extreme adaptability, various knowledge, and genuine curiosity, can hold a conversation with pretty much anyone

craves mental and sensory stimulation

acts cute when they want something

can't really stand those who refuse new experiences and dislike things without trying them out first

emotionally very unstable, has sudden mood swings

likes abstract concepts and ideas

has a surface knowledge of everything, but not enough to excel at anything

is always ready to spend time with you, doesn't really care when or where

channels their sadness and pain into being kind and not letting it affect them

forgets stuff most of the time

got used to being misunderstood

chronic procrastinator, runs away from problems

their thinking process is jumbled and chaotic

always smiles and cares about others but is actually deeply consumed by an overwhelming sense of sadness

Aesthetic:

Wind chimes and dandelions, white clouds and deep breaths of clean, cold air, the chill of the first days of autumn and the shy warmth of the first days of spring, afternoon naps and soft pillows, the gentle breeze on a hot summer day, carefree laughter and afternoon naps

Playlist:

Buttercup by Jack Stauber

Sunflower by Rex Orange County

Cherry by Harry Styles

Mariposa by Peach Tree Rascals

Adore You by Harry Styles

4:00A.M. by Taeko Onuki

Love Poem by IU

YKWIM? by Yot Club

One Summer's Day by Joe Hisaishi

Monsters in the Dark by MyKey

Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine

Island In The Sun by Weezer

Comfort Chain by Instupendo

Let Go by Ark Patrol ft Veronika Redd

Runaway by AURORA

Wake Up by Aylior and Sebastian Kamae

BOKE by CIKI

The Path of the Wind by Joe Hisaishi

Our Summer by TXT

Between Days by Far Caspian

Some by BOL4

Ylang Ylang by FKJ

Stay Alive by José González

Fire

gets angry if things don't go their way

their first reaction to problems is to scream or throw something

spends most of their time improving themselves and their skills in order to be the best and to be able to beat everyone else while they're at it

can't really stay still, has an hard time staying focused if their emotions are not involved

sore loser, has very strong and emotional reactions

may provoke arguments for the fun of it

really passionate about what they truly believe in and their values

thinks quickly and acts sometimes too quickly as well

the more they want to hide their emotions the louder they become

hates those who don't pick a side during arguments

outspoken and unafraid to stand their ground

has the craziest ideas and tends to jump from one to another

sometimes can be insensitive, unintentionally hurting others with their straightforwardness

looks tough and bossy but is actually soft and protective for those who matters

will turn up at your house at the weirdest hours just because they felt like it (they actually missed you)

takes you out skateboarding at night and always brings something sweet to eat after

shameless, doesn't really care about others' opinions

Aesthetic:

the gleam of a spark in the darkness, jewelry and tattoos, the translucent glow of skin under neon lights at night, a slow exhale and the constant drumming of your own heartbeat, smirks and eye contact, loud music and city lights

Playlist

Arsonist's Lullabye by Hozier

Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man

Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish

Pretty Please by Jackson Wang ft. Galantis

MAMMAMIA by Måneskin

R U Mine? by Arctic Monkeys

Burning Up (Fire) by BTS

My Ordinary Life by The Living Tombstone

You Right by Doja Cat ft. The Weeknd

Nowhere to Run by Stegosaurus Rex

Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene by Hozier

ZITTI E BUONI by Måneskin

My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark by Fall Out Boy

Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! At the Disco

People I Don't Like by UPSAHL

Enemy by Imagine Dragons ft. JID

Venom by Eminem

DRUM GO DUM by KDA

Burning Pile by Mother Mother

I'm So Sorry by Imagine Dragons

UGH! by BTS

Close Eyes by DVRST

Water

has no patience at all, especially when explaining stuff

looks very calm and detached but gets annoyed very easily

likes activities that don't require unnecessary movement

can't stand airheads, nonsense and indecisive people

willing to accept and consider opinions that are different from their own as long as they make sense

always tries to please people whom they look up to although in a very subtle way

way too hard on themselves and wants to achieve impossible standards

actually has a soft spot for cute things but nobody has to know

a stickler for rules, would report their own mistakes even if they'd get in trouble about it

always remembers important dates and helps you organize your schedule

doesn't know how to handle emotions

asks you to come over on rainy days to read together in silence and take a nap

they often blame themselves, even for things they don't really have any control over

sticks rigidly to a precise step-by-step everyday routine

tries not to have any expectations because has been let down too many times already

their thoughts are too deep sometimes and they drown in them

Aesthetic:

The sound of flowing water and of a shishi-odoshi, the silver reflection of the moon mirrored on the surface of a pond, the absence of sound caused by the falling snow, morning mist and the sensation of walking barefoot, limpid eyes and direct eye contact, the soft glow of lights in the fog and the gleam of a single tear falling

Playlist

An Xi by Hai Lin

everything i wanted by Billie Eilish

Stigma by Smyang Piano ft. Bibimbeats

idontwannabeyouanymore by Billie Eilish

feel something by Bea Miller

Fix You by Coldplay

4am by girl in red

Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey

Gimme Love by Joji

Wait a Minute! by WILLOW

Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey

pluto by Aidan ft. Ivri

He Won't Go by Adele

Somebody Else by The 1975

Jealous by Eyedress

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye ft. Kimbra

Cry Me a River by Julie London

Take One to the Head by Sabrina Claudio

Gymnopédie No.1 by Erik Satie

The Less I Know the Better by Tame Impala

WINTER FLOWER by Younha ft. RM

Moonsea by PHIDEL

Kith by Hilary Woods

Earth

tries to keep everyone and everything together

sometimes really just wants to smack someone

the most down to earth and realistic of the four

Impatient with inefficiency

can't stand idealists that have big dreams but have no clue on how to achieve them

prefers a stay-home-date to cuddle and watch TV together and order takeout

gets angry when people interrupt them

the parent friend, ready to take care of you if they require it necessary

always serious except for rare moments in which they relax and let go

dedicated and strong-willed

brings you out regularly to different restaurants and coffee shops to try them out

moves only with a purpose in mind, otherwise prefers to sit on the nearest sofa

won't calm down nor rest until they've found the solution to the problem

looks done with everyone but they know it would be boring and lonely without all the mess

Aesthetic:

Proud smiles and fond chuckles, the softness of fresh grass near a stream of cool water on a summer day, the heartwarming sensation of sitting near the fireplace on a cold winter night, birch wood and slants of golden light, linen sheets and silk dressing gowns, a firm hand on your shoulder

Playlist

Lights Up by Harry Styles

Circles by Post Malone

Any Song by ZICO

Know Your Worth by Khalid ft. Disclosure

Jupiter by The Marías

Golden by Harry Styles

From Eden by Hozier

Supalonely BENEE, Gus Dapperton

Yellow by Coldplay

we fell in love in october by girl in red

I'll Keep You Safe by sagun

By This River by Brian Eno

Bloom by The Paper Kites

Homage by Mild High Club

To Build a Home by the Cinematic Orchestra ft Patrick Watson

Hearthside by Plastic Patina

These Times by Far Caspian

Ophelia by The Lumineers

Trouble by Cage The Elephant

Mystery of Love by Sufjan Stevens

Be by Hozier

NAN CHUN 난춘 by SE SO NEON

Six Forty Seven by Instupendo

Sweet Night by V

___________________________🌀

And it's done!!!✨

If you are wondering if it's related to Avatar, it's not really, although it certainly has some traits that resemble some characters. My main inspiration were actually some characters from MDZS (ofc you don't need to know MDZS to enjoy the character traits nor the playlists), I just wanted to mention it as a fun fact.

I guess I've bored you enough, to anyone who is reading this, thank you and I hope you have a wonderful day ❤️🌼

[moneymasnn]

Updated Masterlist: Monday the 14th February 2022

FINALLY I UPDATED IT!!!!1

like I said last time all my works on here are for mason mount but I take requests for anything or anyone, don't be shy to ask xxx

I love taking requests by the way<3

Mason Mount:

Fluff:

Why the f*ck would I say no?

One where y/n is confused about masons extra amount of nerves for the game, but then she figures out why.

The proudest girlfriend in the world

One where mason comes home after a hard defeat, and just wants to relish in the feeling of his girlfriends love.

You don’t like your boobs?

One where mason doesn't seem to understand why you arn't as obsessed with your boobs as he is.

I’ll try to fix you

One where you and mason are childhood sweethearts, but you break up when masons choses the party life over you. After a year of not being together and mason being labelled as 'wasted potential' in the press, masons mum calls you asking for help, as a last resort.

My best friends teammate

One where your best friends teammate has had a huge crush on you for a while now, but now you've moved back into town freshly single and he realises he can finaly make a move.

Initials

When 16 year old mason and y/n exchange Christmas presents.

Match day

Just and average day of y/n supporting her boyfriend at the bridge.

wether you like it or not

Mason is adamant about sharing the rest of his life with you.

10 things I love about you

On your birthday mason decides to write you a very thoughtful card.

You make me human

Where you feel insecure about al the women that are pining over your boyfriend, but mason assures you that you are the one for him.

Because I’m yours

(Longer fic) Mason starts to grow jealous of your relationship with your colleague Daniel Ricardo, causing him to let his insecurities show.

Pay backs a bitch (Part 1- An Audiance- contains smut) (Part 3- Make up time)

Where you and mason get back at his room mate Nathan.

This is how we do it (coming soon)

godfather ft benchilwell/Declan rice (coming soon)

surprise? (coming soon)

wedding speech ft Declan rice (coming soon)

lockdown hair cut (coming soon)

Angst:

Wherever you go, I go too

One where mason starts to distance himself from you, in fear of hurting you... or himself.

only I can

Where a rapper mentions you in a song and Mason feels an overwhelming sense of jealousy.

Didn’t get to say goodbye

One where your labor doesn't go as expected.

Shut up and kiss me

One where you’ve loved mason all your life but suppressed you feelings at the risk of rejection and ruining your friendship, but what happens when he finally admits he’s in love with you too.

stay (coming soon)

what about me (coming soon)

Smut:

I mean it

One where you realise friends with benefits never works, or does it?

Experimenting (only hints of smut)

When you and mason have a conversation in the car about experimenting before you were together.

I read it somewhere

Where moas out about the kind of books you read and feels the need to pleasure you better than the man in the book.

Lazy dayz

Mason comes home from a match horny and tired, resulting in lazy sofa sex.

Begging game

When your boyfriend won’t pay attention to you, so you make him…

hotter than harry styles?

You despise mason mount, but what happens when you get slightly drunk and admit your feeling for him?

Drunken mistakes (part 2 on the way!)

When the hotel rooms mess up your booking and the best mason and the maid of hour have to share a room.

Sex education

When you and your best friend mason are talking about you ex boyfriends ability in bed, until mason feels the sudden urge to please you in a way he never did...

An Audience - (part 2: Pay backs a bitch contains no smut)(Part 3: Make up time contains no smut)

When you and mason get a bit to carried away on the sofa, forgetting he has a room mate.

ice baby (coming soon)

on tape (coming soon)

*

*

My series fics:

The babysitter and the brother| Mason mount (A short series: completed)

Part 2 (Contains smut)

Part 3

*

*

A holiday romance| Mason Mount

*

*

Flower Girl And Her Football Boys|A mason Mount And Ben Chilwell Love Triangle (Click for chapters: Warnings -some chapters contain smut) completed

*

*

No matter how hard I try, it will always be you|Mason mount childhood lovers story

*

*

I need you to be okay series (In the process of rewriting in better quality.)

I need you to be okay

I need you to be okay pt2

I need you to be okay pt3 (coming soon)

*

*

[only-kiwi]

hi! can i be on the sour tag list please? :)

SOUR SERIES PART SIX - jealousy, jealousy

sorry for the wait i’ve been super busy!! trying my best to get these last few done <3 (low-key a filler chapter so if you hate it i’m sorry)

also me & my bestie made a youtube channel if you guys want to check it out. we reacted to SOUR prom!! <3 here’s the link <3

sour masterlist

[REQUESTS ARE CLOSED]

Liked by yourbff, madisonbeer and 2,726,678 others

yourinstagram all ur friends r so cool

View all 65,017 comments

ynfan1 ANGELS

ynfan2 girl power purrrrr

yourbff u go out every night

yourbff2 @/yourbff in ur daddy’s nice car

harryfan1 i want her life

harryfan2 PRETTY

arianagrande i’m invited to the next one right??

yourinstagram @/arianagrande oh absolutely

Liked by yourinstagram, wiffygriffy and 3,826,197 others

taylorswift Style (Taylor’s Version) ft. Y/N Y/L/N out now. So excited about this one, @/yourinstagram I love you!!

View all 71,882 comments

taylorfan1 THIS IS EVERYTHING

taylorfan2 they said fuck harry lives !!

yourinstagram AHHHSJSJSJ IM CRYING I STILL CANT BELIEVE THIS

ynfan3 omg

ynfan4 no way

harryfan3 the shade though 😭

Liked by conangray, madisonbeer and 2,728,061 others

yourinstagram i think i think too much

View all 67,829 comments

ynfan5 so cool

ynfan6 it’s giving ‘who says i can’t wear my converse with my dress’

yourinstagram @/ynfan6 i was very much channeling demi i love them so much

harryfan4 loving the new music

harryfan5 finally a song not about harry. i love them but i’m glad you’re showing range!! this song is so relatable <3

conangray heather

yourinstagram @/conangray omg from the king himself

1,338 likes

harryposts Harry with Olivia in Italy 😍 They’re so cute!!

View all 148 comments

harryfan6 nooo we want y/n back

harryfan7 new y/n song coming after she sees this lol

ynfan7 god let them be happy guys y/n literally said to stop being mean

*****

taglist:

@wobblymug @afterglowrry @jgtfvhsg @dontworrysunflower @annesauriol @harryhub @vasilikir5 @simonsbluee @chesca-791

[flopughz]

stylesglhq​:

So, I'm currently on break from filming a music video at the minute. And if you've never met how extra I am, you're in for a real treat. Currently there's a huge ass bed in the middle of a blocked off parking lot, I'm in pajamas, so is my guitarist and we're just vibing and creating a masterpiece. Am I going to tell you anymore than that? Nope. But I'm pretty excited for what it's for. So, tell me what's going on with you? Are you up to anything exciting? @theglamliststarters

i’m quite shocked you haven’t asked me to create a masterpiece with you. i can sing, you knoooow.

[kazuwhora]

HS SONGS — TOKYOREV

ft. baji, mikey, chifuyu, draken, & kazutora

cw: mention of death, suicide, little bit of angst, (baji and mikey) little bit of fluff (chifuyu, draken, kaz)

summary: short blurbs about the harry styles song I think best matches the character and the context in which it's applicable!

an: inspired by my confessions post and this </3 I highly recommend listening to the songs the characters are affiliated with before/during reading!!

cherry- baji

"Don't you call him baby We're not talking lately Don't you call him what you used to call me I, I confess I can tell that you are at your best I'm selfish so I'm hating it"

BAJI ─ who watches down on you years after his death. who watches the way you laugh, the way you smile, the tears that prick at the corners of your eyes when your partner hugs you when you're down.

BAJI, who watches down on you as your memories of him slowly begin to fade, past traumas and tribulations replaced by sweet tasting souvenirs of love and affection.

BAJI ─ who struggles to move on, because he's afraid of losing the echo of your candied voice that would coo both soft praise and scold at him, afraid of losing the touch of your silky fingers that never hesitated to tend to his wounds.

BAJI, who can't accept that you can't be his in this world, even as your presence at his grave slowly begins to die.

falling- mikey

"What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? I'm falling again And I get the feeling that you'll never need me again"

MIKEY ─ who's broken.

MIKEY, who's alone.

MIKEY ─ who's defeated.

MIKEY, who's hurt you too many times to forgive himself. who's pushed himself so far to the edge in fear of hurting you one more time. who will hate himself every second he finds happiness. who wants nothing more than your love and acceptance for who he is and what he's done.

MIKEY ─ who can no longer look at his reflection and see the boy he used to be, nor can he see the man you need. who knows that no matter how hard he tries he will never match the nature of your soul, will never compare to the joy that emanates from you no matter where you are.

MIKEY, who's last falling thought from the edge is that he will never be what you deserve.

canyon moon- chifuyu

"Quick pause in conversation She plays songs I've never heard An old lover's hippie music Pretends not to know the words And I keep thinking back to A time under the canyon moon"

CHIFUYU ─ who's face turns red when your name is mentioned, who stumbles on his words, who struggles to find an explanation for his emerging nerves sparked from the simplest hint of your presence.

CHIFUYU, who could listen to you talk for hours, who gets butterflies whenever he hears your laugh resonate through the air, who goes to bed with dreams of you and pictures dancing behind his eyes of dancing with you in the middle of the street at 3 in the morning.

CHIFUYU ─ who wants to drive for hours with your hands snaked around his waist, skimming the coastline as the sun creeps below the horizon and the cool air tangles your hair in the wind ─ who wishes he could bottle up these moments and keep them in a glass jar for eternity.

CHIFUYU, who is madly in love with you.

adore you- draken

I'd walk through fire for you Just let me adore you Like it's the only thing I'll ever do

DRAKEN ─ who has dedicated the entirety of his being to worshipping you, and only you. the man, who's emotions are damaged goods, yet still finds a pedestal to set you on with complete devotion to your heart.

DRAKEN, who would kill for you, die for you, change for you. who finds himself aching to his very core at the slightest change of emotion in your face, who is internally begging to see you smile, but will never show it.

DRAKEN ─ who's embrace is enough to heal even the deepest of wounds, who is uncomfortable with physical contact but shares his vulnerability with you just to see you smile and feel the warmth your heart brings to his soul.

DRAKEN, who will finally break down and admit just how much he adores you.

she- kazutora

She's the first one that I see She lives in daydreams with me And I don't know why I don't know who she is

KAZUTORA ─ who's passion has been suppressed, degraded, hidden for so long. who is touch starved, love starved, drunk on this feeling of desire. who barely knows you, who craves your mind, who wishes every night to see you just one more time.

KAZUTORA, who doesn't know what to call this feeling, who has been traumatized and broken by his emotional burdens, who struggles to find the words to define the feelings you evoke from him.

KAZUTORA ─ who finds himself yearning for your gaze, dazed by your beauty, enamoured with the entirety of you, wishing, hoping, praying that he would someday become a man who is deserving of your attention.

KAZUTORA, who shelves you in his daydreams, forever pining for your love.

[dreamofzndaya]

Genuine question, I know the world was just blessed with Harry’s House last year but when is the next one coming out? I need some more Harry in my life  and will pay for at least a sneak peek of anything you have done so far. @harstyles​

[hrina]

Something Strange

PAIRING: Harry x Reader RATING: R WORD COUNT: 6.3k+ REQUESTED: no

uhhhh hi. so. this is my (first ever) halloween fic, ft. infuriatingly cocky ghostbuster!harry. i really hope you guys enjoy it, and just like every other writer on this godforsaken site, i’d love to hear any feedback that you might have. ok im done now lol go forth and read :)

warnings: cursing, brief nsfw content, a nasty habit of jumping to conclusions, and harry being an asshole with a secret heart of gold.

~*~

    October 2nd, 2021

Your attention is first caught by the massive, obnoxiously-coloured truck parked in Mindy and Gerald’s driveway. The entire vehicle is a shade of navy blue, though its sophistication is ruined by the neon green bubble lettering streaked across its doors.

Spooked? Call Styles’ Scares!

Beneath that, there’s a promise painted in bright pink:

Lasting results or your money back!

“What the hell?” you mutter.

You unbuckle your seatbelt and exit your car, momentarily forgetting about the groceries sitting in the trunk. Mindy and Gerald are standing on their porch, absorbed in a light-hearted conversation. When they catch sight of you trekking across the lawn, they smile brightly and offer up a pair of welcoming waves.

“Hi, there!” you call, shoving your hands into the back pockets of your jeans. “What’s all this?”

“Good afternoon, dear!” Mindy replies. She quickly descends the front steps, meeting you halfway and enveloping you in a tight hug. “How are you? It’s been a while since we last spoke.”

“You can drop in whenever you want,” you say, chuckling. “It’s not like I live very far away.”

“How have you been?” Gerald follows his wife, steadily making his way off the porch. “How’s school?”

“It’s alright.” You shrug. “Things are picking up, now, but I’m trying my best to stay on top of them.”

You toss your thumb over your shoulder, gesturing to the bright pickup truck parked in their driveway. (It really is ugly, you think. Probably one of the ugliest vehicles that you’ve ever had the displeasure of perceiving.)

“What’s going on?”

“Oh!” Mindy lifts her hands to her mouth, gazing at you with wide, serious eyes. “Our house is haunted.”

You balk. “Pardon me?”

“I know, I know,” she sighs, shaking her head. “It sounds silly. I didn’t believe it at first either, but—something keeps knocking our picture frames off the wall. And the lights! They start flickering at random intervals throughout the day.”

“Are you sure it’s not just rats?” you joke.

Gerald, who has now joined you on the lawn, holds up his hand solemnly. “We tried using traps, but they haven’t been touched at all.”

“Exactly.” Mindy nods, turning back to you. “We’re already worried about Joseph’s wedding next week, so one of the ladies at the community centre recommended Harry. That same day, Gerald gave him a call, and that was the end of it.”

“Who’s Harry?” you ask, brows knitting together in confusion.

“Er—” A deep voice sounds from behind you. “I am.”

When you turn around, you come face-to-face with one of the prettiest men you’ve ever seen. He’s got mossy green eyes, dark pink lips, and brown hair that curls around his temples and behind his ears. Smooth skin stretches out over high, chiseled cheekbones and a sharp jaw. He’s wearing a pair of light-wash jeans and matching white sneakers. A black hoodie covers his broad chest; upon taking a closer look, you note that the two front strings have been tied into a picturesque little bow.

Mindy wastes no time, introducing the two of you immediately. When Harry holds out his hand for you to shake, you don’t hesitate.

“Did you want my card?” he asks, peering at you curiously.

You study his expression. Beneath his seemingly sincere exterior, arrogance runs wild and unchecked. You know this man. You’ve met him a hundred different times under a hundred different circumstances, and you’ve learned to recognize a lost cause when you’re staring it square in the face.

“Not at all.” You shoot him a fake smile. “I’m just the neighbour.”

“Right.” His lips twitch. He steps back, rolling his shoulders and lifting his chin in the direction of the house. “Well, I should probably get to work. It was nice meeting you, babe.”

Your nose wrinkles as the pet name sinks in.

When you turn back around to resume your conversation with Mindy and Gerald, they’re gone. Your eyes bounce to the right, where you find them guiding Harry up the porch steps. Mindy has one hand on his bicep whilst gesturing animatedly with the other. Gerald opens the front door and holds out his arm, welcoming Harry inside.

You scoff, shaking your head in disdain.

“Ghosts aren’t real,” you mumble as you make your way back across the lawn. The trunk of your car squeaks when you pull it open, and plastic bags rustle as you gather your groceries into your arms.

Ghosts aren’t real. And Harry is obviously a scammer, based on…well, based on everything. The tacky design on his truck. The unprofessional wardrobe. The self-assuredness emanating from every cell in his body. Babe.

But Mindy and Gerald truly believe that their home is haunted. Trying to change their minds without a shred of physical proof is pointless. You blow out a soft sigh, accepting the grim reality of your situation.

Your neighbours are gullible, trusting people. And for the next few days—whether you like it or not—Harry is here to stay.

      October 5th, 2021

You’re approximately two seconds away from chucking your textbook against the far wall.

You’ve been trying to finish this chapter for the past hour. And though you pride yourself on being tolerant when it comes to petty annoyances, your patience is wearing thin. A quick glance out of your bedroom window reveals Harry’s hideous pickup truck parked—yet again—in Mindy and Gerald’s driveway.

You roll your eyes. Of course.

The piercing, raucous whirring starts up again; you release a frustrated yell, slamming your book shut and leaping off your bed. You’re muttering obscenities under your breath as you stalk down the hall, stopping briefly to slide on a pair of fuzzy slippers. When you yank your front door open, the chilly autumn air settles into your bones.

The clamour grows louder as you stomp across your shared lawn. When you knock on Mindy and Gerald’s door, the commotion is nearly unbearable. A few seconds go by, during which your presence remains unacknowledged; you rap once again on the wood, hoping that the sound will be conspicuous enough amidst all of the background noise.

Sure enough, everything goes quiet. Your shoulders slump with relief just as the door opens. Mindy greets you with a friendly smile.

“Hi, dear,” she says kindly. “What can I do for you?”

“Hi.” You force yourself to mirror her affable expression, hoping that she can’t see the pained exhaustion brewing in your eyes. “Could I just—could I speak with Harry, please? It won’t take long.”

“Of course.” She nods before peering at you anxiously. “Don’t tell me that you’ve got ghosts, too.”

“No.” You shake your head. Ghosts aren’t real, you want to say, but you hold your tongue. “No, I just—I just need to have a quick word with him, that’s all.”

“Alright. I’ll go fetch him.” She turns around and totters away.

You hear her call his name, followed by the telltale sound of shuffling. After a few long moments, he’s there, leaning against the doorway with a bemused look on his face.

“Evening, babe,” he says coolly. “What’s up?”

“Don’t call me that,” you snap, folding your arms over your chest.

Harry’s eyebrows shoot upward. He hadn’t expected you to greet him with such animosity, you suppose. His outfit is nearly identical to that of the other day, save for the red bandana perched atop his head. He buries his fingers into the pockets of his jeans, shrugging nonchalantly and pinning you with a blasé, unimpressed gaze.

“Noted,” he says. The corners of his lips curl up into a crooked smirk as he repeats, “What’s up?”

“You need to keep it down,” you say flatly. “I don’t know what kind of fake ‘exorcism’ bullshit you’re trying to pull off, but the noise is driving me insane. I need to study.”

“‘Fake’?” Harry parrots. “You don’t believe in spirits?”

“No,” you deadpan. “I don’t.” You narrow your eyes, studying the subtle movements of his face. “And if I had to take a wild guess, neither do you.”

“Really,” he says, chuckling softly. It isn’t a question.

“Really.”

Harry watches you, tickled by your obvious exasperation. “I get the feeling that you don’t like me very much.”

“Look at that,” you say, rolling your eyes. “He does have a brain.”

“You’re so judgmental.” He laughs, shaking his head. “How can you dislike me when you barely even know me?”

“I know enough,” you reply, scowling. “I know that you’re a fraud who takes advantage of people and their fears. And for what? Just so that you can take home a paycheque at the end of the day?”

“Ouch.” Harry feigns injury, placing a large hand over his heart. “That hurts, babe.”

There it is again. Babe.

“You know what?” Your nostrils flare. “Forget this—it’s like trying to explain rocket science to a toddler.”

He grins. “Yeah, I suppose. I’m much cuter, though, don’t you think?”

You scoff, pedalling backward. “In your dreams.”

His delight only seems to grow when your retort sinks in. You whip around, descending the porch steps and storming back toward your house. When you chance a glance over your shoulder, Harry is still standing in the doorway, a shit-eating smile stretched wide across his cheeks.

“Just keep it down, okay?” you call irritably.

He raises two fingers to his temple in a mock-salute, and you march away without another word.

      October 8th, 2021

“You’re sure?”

You laugh. “Yes, Mindy, I’m sure. I promise.”

“Alright,” she assents, blowing out a quiet sigh through the phone. “I went grocery shopping today, so our cupboards are fully stocked—help yourself to anything you’d like. Also, when you flush the downstairs toilet, the water may look like it’s rising, but it goes down after a second or two.”

“Noted.” You snicker. “Anything else?”

“That’s it,” she says. “Thank you so much.”

“No problem,” you reply. “Tell Joseph and Amy that I said congratulations, yeah?”

“We will! See you later, dear.”

“See you later.”

      October 9th, 2021

When Mindy and Gerald get back tomorrow afternoon, you’re going to wring their necks.

Agreeing to housesit whilst they celebrated their son’s wedding a few cities away? Sure. Fine. You had a long night full of nothing planned—sitting in front of the television, munching on some snacks, relaxing for the evening and trying to forget about all of the schoolwork waiting for you at home. You were in the middle of watching a Golden Girls rerun when, suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“Coming!” You stood, setting your bowl of popcorn aside. The knocking continued as you made your way to the front entrance, wiping your buttery fingers against the dark leggings covering your thighs.

“I’m coming,” you said exasperatedly. You opened the door, ready to shoo away whoever it was—a salesperson, probably.

Instead, you came face-to-face with Harry.

And now, you’re here—slumped on the couch, angrily shovelling popcorn into your mouth. You keep your gaze trained on the television, trying your hardest to avoid the man who is setting up his “equipment” in the middle of the room.

“Can’t you do this in the kitchen?” you deadpan.

He flicks a switch on his machine—it looks an awful lot like a standard centrifuge. What a fraud.

“Spirit energy’s strongest in here,” he grunts. His knees scuff against the carpeted floor.

A derisive laugh falls from your lips. “Mindy and Gerald aren’t here—you can drop the act.”

Harry glances up at you, his pretty green irises glimmering. “What act?”

You roll your eyes and look away, fixing your attention back on the grainy screen.

Neither of you say anything for the next few minutes; tension builds, saturating the air and making it hard for you to breathe. Eventually, Harry breaks through the awkward silence. You want to scream.

“Er—” he starts, expectant. “Do you mind stepping out for a second? I need the room.”

Your nostrils flare. “Excuse me?”

“I need the—”

“I heard you,” you say, sitting up straight. “You don’t need anything. What the hell are you playing at?”

“I’m not quite sure what you mean, babe.” His tone is genuine, but you can sense the mirth simmering just beneath the surface. His lips twitch, and your frustration boils like water over a stove.

“Stop calling me that,” you snap, folding your arms across your chest. “And stop playing dumb. Other people might put up with your pseudo-spooky bullshit, but I won’t. Ghosts aren’t real!”

The lights go out.

You gasp, straining your eyes in an attempt to regain your bearings. Slowly, blurry shapes and shadows materialise in front of you. You fumble around for your phone, picking it up and tapping the screen. A moment later, the device’s flash lights up the room. You shine it from side to side, eventually settling on Harry, who is looking up at the ceiling in complete and utter bewilderment.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath. “Now you’ve done it.”

“Done what?” you squawk, glaring at him. “The power went out. Big deal.”

The lights flicker fleetingly, and then the room is dark again. Your eyes drift over to Harry; he’s smirking.

“This isn’t a ghost,” you say stubbornly, waving your phone around. The bright light bounces across the walls before you steady yourself, positioning the beam back on him. He stands, sinking his hands into the deep pockets of his sweatpants.

“And how would you know?” he teases, cocking one eyebrow challengingly.

“Because,” you scoff. “Ghosts aren’t real.”

Something crashes to the floor. You yelp in surprise, your head snapping to the right. When you shine your light in the direction of the noise, you find a shattered picture frame lying on the ground.

“What the fuck?” Harry murmurs, advancing toward the mess.

“Careful!” you say, holding up your hand. He stops in his tracks, peering over at you in confusion. “There’s glass, idiot,” you explain, climbing to your feet. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

He shoots you a crooked smile. “You do care.”

“I don’t.” Your response is curt. “I just don’t feel like driving you to the hospital so that they can remove fragments from your foot.”

Harry chuckles.

You sigh, squinting at the fallen frame. “We can clean it up when the lights come back on,” you say, mostly to yourself. “I don’t want to risk anything.”

He nods and yawns, stretching his arms out above his head. “Suit yourself, babe.”

“The next time you call me that, I’m going to—”

“What?” he asks, padding over to the sofa. You watch him approach with a deep scowl on your face. He collapses onto the couch, slouching and spreading his legs obnoxiously wide. “You gonna beat me up or something?”

You shake your head in disbelief, stepping away from him. “You’re a piece of shit.”

“So you say,” he replies, unbothered.

“You’re so—”

You break off, producing an angry noise in the back of your throat. Harry winks at you; in response, you whip around and storm away, carving out a path from the living room to the kitchen.

You shine the light from your phone across the cupboards, making a beeline for the fridge. When you pull it open, the cold compartment is dark. Squinting, you reach for one of the many water bottles stacked on the top shelf.

Stupid Harry, with his stupid smile and his stupid eyes and his stupid attitude and his stupid bogus business. You can’t believe that Mindy and Gerald were naïve enough to fall for his bullshit. You need to have a long talk with them when they get back, you think—to ensure that they never swallow a pill this big ever again.

“Thirsty?”

You nearly jump out of your skin, pointing your phone toward the kitchen’s exit. Harry is standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest. You bring one hand up to your sternum, trying to calm your racing heart.

“Jesus Christ,” you hiss, shaking your head. “You scared the shit out of me!”

He snickers lowly. You turn your attention back to the fridge, grabbing a water bottle and uncapping it quickly. Through the darkness, Harry watches you gulp down the cool liquid; you pretend not to notice.

“Can I help you?” you finally ask, wiping your mouth with the heel of your palm.

“No.” He shrugs. “Just…looking, I guess.”

“That’s creepy,” you reply flatly. He laughs.

“May I steal a bottle?” he says, padding across the tiles. “I’m parched.”

You chew on the inside of your cheek. “I—sure. Whatever.”

And though you try, you can’t seem to tear your gaze away from him. He hums as he opens up the fridge, leaning forward to get a better look inside. You play with the hem of your sweater, standing behind him awkwardly. When he peers over his shoulder, you quickly look away, feigning interest in the marble countertop next to the sink.

“Er—” he starts. He fixes you with an inquisitive look, glancing down at the device in your hand. “Would you mind? I can’t see anything.”

“Don’t you have your own?” you ask.

“Yeah, but you’re already holding yours. Come on.”

You roll your eyes. “Fine.”

You draw nearer, lifting your phone and shining its flash into the fridge. Harry hums, plucking a water bottle off the top shelf with a satisfied smile. When he turns to face you, a puff of air catches in your throat; he’s awfully close, his torso brushing almost imperceptibly against yours.

You stare up at him, stunned. There’s a small mole beneath the left corner of his mouth. Part of you—an insignificant, microscopic part—fights the urge to reach out and run your thumb over the mark.

“I’m sorry for calling you a piece of shit,” you blurt.

He inhales deeply, chest expanding and fitting a bit more firmly against your own.

The contact snaps you out of your trance. You retreat, backing up against the counter to maintain your balance. Harry clears his throat and glances away.

“Thanks,” he says, his voice hoarse.

Unable to find the right words, you simply nod.

The two of you stand there for a long moment, sinking into a pool of uncomfortable silence. Just when you think that you’re going to choke on the invisible tension, a faint buzz resonates through the air. Less than a second later, the power returns, illuminating the kitchen in a wash of warm, brilliant light.

“Thank God,” you mutter. You shut the flash on your phone, sliding the device beneath the waistband of your leggings.

Harry blinks rapidly, disoriented. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” you ask, tilting your head to the side.

He waves your question away. “No, it’s—it’s nothing.”

And you don’t really feel like pressing the subject, so you let it go. A tired sigh falls from your mouth as you scan your surroundings.

“Help me find a broom,” you tell him. “We need to sweep up the glass in the other room.”

His lips twitch. “What’s the magic word?”

There he is. The same insufferable man who has been pushing your buttons all week. You scowl, shooting him a displeased glare.

“Forget it.” You drag your fingers down the left side of your face. “I’ll do it myself.”

~*~

“You sure you don’t want my help?” Harry calls, kicking his feet up onto the sofa.

You grunt, crouching next to the shattered glass on the floor. “Positive.”

The broom and dustpan that you’ve acquired from the laundry room are old and frail, but you suppose that they’ll get the job done. You set the dustpan down on the ground, wrapping your fingers around the broom’s handle and trying to maneuver it in an efficient way. It’s no easy feat, but eventually, you manage to create a small, compact pile of shards. Gingerly, you reach for the picture frame, plucking it up from the ground and setting it off to the side. Next, you take your time sweeping all of the fragments into the dustpan, inspecting the floor for any lingering bits.

“Struggling over there?” Harry asks.

You grit your teeth.

“No,” you counter in a matter-of-fact tone. “I think I got it all, actually. No thanks to you.”

You throw the last part over your shoulder, coupling it with an accusatory frown. Harry holds up his hands in surrender, suppressing his amusement.

“Shouldn’t you be exorcising spirits?” you ask. Sarcasm drips from your words.

He chuckles. The couch squeaks as he shuffles around; a moment later, the sound of approaching footsteps reaches your ears. You stiffen when he stops next to your squatted form.

“To be quite honest,” he begins, and you can practically hear the smirk in his voice, “I’m having a much better time watching you.”

“Creepy,” you say. “Again.”

He laughs, lowering himself to his knees. In the periphery of your vision, you watch him pick up the abandoned picture frame, turning it around and studying the photograph inside. His cheeks lift with the slope of a familiar smile, but somehow, this one is different from the others that you’ve witnessed.

It’s real. Sincere.

“Nice, don’t you think?” Harry asks, pulling you from your thoughts.

He extends his arm, revealing the photograph. Mindy and Gerald’s beaming faces stare up at you, a balance of bright grins and crinkled eyes. Subconsciously, your lips curl upward, and you take the frame from Harry’s hands.

“Yeah,” you murmur, running your fingertips over the photo. “They look happy.”

“How long have you known them?” he asks. There’s no malice behind the question.

“Since I moved in,” you say absentmindedly, admiring the ornate frame around the picture. “A few years, now.”

He hums in response. “They talk about you a lot.”

“All good things, I hope.” You cast a wry look in his direction.

He chuckles and nods. “Yeah. They look out for you, it seems.”

“I try to look out for them, too.” You sit back on your haunches, groaning quietly. “Which is why I was surprised that they didn’t come to me when they first thought their house was ‘haunted’.”

Your intonation changes on the last word; you still don’t believe that your neighbours are being plagued by spirits, despite the plethora of peculiarity that you’ve witnessed tonight.

“Maybe they didn’t want to worry you,” Harry suggests.

You roll your eyes. Even now, he refuses to drop the act.

“Sure,” you say. “So, hiring a spirit exterminator—or whatever you pretend to be—was a better move?” You snort softly, climbing to your feet. “How much are they paying you, anyway?”

He purses his lips. “They’re not.”

You freeze.

A beat of silence drags out, during which you swallow your shock. You clear your throat and lift your chin, staring down at Harry banally.

“You’re lying.”

“Nope.”

“You are!” you insist. A short, incredulous laugh tumbles off your tongue. “You are one hundred percent fucking with me.”

“I’m afraid not,” he says.

“Your truck, though...” you say. “‘Lasting results, or your money back’?”

“I’ve got to make it look legitimate, don’t I?” He smirks. “But it’s cute that you remembered.”

Your eyes lock with his, and suddenly, it’s almost impossible to breathe. His gaze is deep, open, and honest. Your lips part, but no sound comes out. Instinctively, your legs carry you a few paces back, veering toward the sofa. You plop down onto the plush cushions, clutching the picture frame tightly between your fingers.

“Then, why—?” you break off, shaking your head. “Why would you—?”

“Peace of mind,” Harry shrugs, still rooted to his spot on the floor. “Ever heard of the placebo effect?”

“You admit it, then,” you say, sitting up straight. “There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

He nods, blinking languidly. “There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

“So,” you start, trying to make sense of the situation, “you let them believe that you’re actually cleansing the house—for free, too—just to—?” You glance around the room, searching for the right words. “—just to put them at ease?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s…”

Sweet. Thoughtful.

“…ridiculous.”

Harry chuckles. “Thanks.”

“I—” You hesitate, depositing the photograph next to you on the couch. “This whole time, I thought you were just…”

“A con?”

You bring your fingers up to your mouth, nodding silently and studying him with big, rounded eyes.

He shrugs.

“I mean, I never really got the chance to explain myself. You’d already made up your mind about me, hadn’t you? So, I thought I’d just let you stick with your assumptions—it didn’t bother me much.”

“I’m a horrible person,” you say, mostly to yourself.

Harry laughs, shaking his head. “No, you’re not. You’re just a bit judgmental, that’s all.”

“You’re right.” You nod again, bowing your head in shame. “I am. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, babe, really.”

You stand abruptly, abandoning your spot on the sofa.

“I should finish up,” you state, embarrassed beyond belief. Harry watches you closely as you approach. You crouch down next to him, reaching for the dustpan with shaky hands. A few small shards of glass are littered at the brink of the collector; you nudge them away from the edge, trying to be as careful as possible.

“Ow!” you suddenly hiss, retracting your arm quickly. You twist your wrist, fixing your attention on a thin cut engraved into the pad of your index finger.

“What happened?” Harry asks, leaning forward.

You shake your head, waving away his worries. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just got nicked, that’s all.”

“Let me see,” he requests, holding out his own hand.

You pause, taking your bottom lip between your teeth and stealing a quick glance at his face. His expression is concerned, but neutral. Your hesitation is silly, you think—he may be a bit of a jackass, but he’s not going to hurt you. You’ve already condemned him once before, and you were wrong.

You don’t want to make that mistake again.

After a brief moment, you give in, sliding your knuckles into his open palm.

“It’s alright, really,” you say, speaking around the lump in your throat. “The piece was tiny—it hardly broke the surface.”

Harry inspects the laceration closely, and you fight the urge to roll your eyes.

It’s not that serious, you want to tell him, but you refrain from letting the words escape. Part of you is enjoying the way your hands fit together so perfectly. You don’t want it to end—not yet.

“You’re bleeding a bit, babe,” he announces faintly, brows cinched in concentration.

“I am?” You try to tug your arm back, but he keeps a firm grip on your wrist. A low, confused noise echoes in the back of your throat; Harry peers up at you, his features unreadable.

“It’s just a spot,” he murmurs. “Let me.”

And before you can say or do anything else, he’s taking your finger past his lips and giving an easy, gentle suck.

You squeak.

The sound snaps Harry out of his trance; he releases your hand and recoils hastily. You exhale, driving out the stale air gathered in your lungs. When you peek up at him from beneath your lashes, he’s already watching you, shoulders taut with anxiety.

“Sorry,” he stammers. His nostrils flare. “That was weird—sorry.”

“It’s okay,” you say, shaking your head. “Er…thanks.”

“No worries.” He swallows.

“Alright.”

Awkwardly, you wipe your clammy palms against your thighs. Harry seems to be looking at everything except for you; his gaze flits to the ceiling, then to the couch, then to the floor. You gnaw on the inside of your cheek and push yourself up off the ground. The room is painfully quiet as you slowly slink back toward to the sofa.

“I should probably put this somewhere safe,” you mumble, picking up the forgotten picture frame.

Warm air floats over the nape of your neck. You gasp and spin around, nearly toppling over in your haste. Harry’s hands find your shoulders, steadying you and crowding you closer to his chest. You glance up at him; your shallow breaths mingle together in the narrow space, noses only inches apart.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice no higher than a gruff whisper. “Tell me. Please.”

In response, you fumble for one of his hands, grappling at his wrist; he loosens his hold on your arms, confused but willing. He’s motionless as you lift his knuckles up to your mouth. You glance down, tilting your head to the side and studying them carefully. Harry says nothing when you press a soft, feathery kiss to the pad of his index finger.

But then you’re dipping the tip of the digit between your lips, and suddenly, he’s undone.

“Fucking—”

He grabs your face in his palms and seals his mouth to yours.

The two of you stagger backward, tumbling onto the couch. Mindy and Gerald’s picture frame slips from your grasp, landing on a neighbouring cushion with a faint thud. Reflexively, your legs part; Harry takes his rightful place between them, slanting his body accordingly. When he applies the faintest hint of pressure, you moan.

“Fuck.” He draws back, his warm breath wafting over your chin. “Don’t.”

“‘Don’t’ what?” you ask, puzzled.

He shakes his head. “Don’t make those noises. It’s—you’re—I’m—”

He curses quietly and reaches for one of your hands. You allow him to guide your palm lower, inhaling sharply when you feel the slight bulge protruding from his trousers. Instinctively, your fingers close over the subtle ridge of his cock. His shoulders stiffen, and his eyes squeeze shut.

“You’re hard,” you murmur, as though it’s the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Not fully.” He swallows. “But I’m getting there.”

“Because of me?” you ask, peering up at him innocently.

“Yeah.” Harry expels a wobbly, disbelieving laugh. “Yeah, babe—because of you.”

Your teeth sink into your bottom lip as the familiar moniker falls from his mouth. He notices your unusual reaction, mouth curling into teasing smirk.

“What?” he says, lifting one eyebrow. “No nagging, this time? I thought you hated that nickname.”

You grip the collar of his sweater and give a gentle tug, guiding him down for another kiss. When the two of you finally break apart, you shrug. “It’s growing on me.”

He smiles.

“Do you—?” you pause, pursing your lips. The question sounds silly—presumptuous, even. Rather than finishing your sentence, you lift your chin, gazing up evenly into Harry’s green eyes and declaring, “I think I want to sleep with you.”

His cheeks dimple with a wide grin. “Is that so?”

You nod.

“Right, then.” He kisses your nose and pulls away. “There’s a condom in my wallet, but…I may or may not have left it in my truck.”

You groan, allowing your head to fall back against the sofa with a heavy thump. Harry chuckles at your theatrics. After a brief moment of contemplation, you compose yourself and sit up quickly.

“That works, actually,” you say, tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear. “Grab your wallet, and then we can go to my place. I don’t think my neighbours would be very happy if we fucked on their couch.”

He laughs, climbing eagerly to his feet and shooting you a smug wink. “You got it, babe.”

      October 10th, 2021

It’s nearly half past noon when you step out onto the porch the next day. You yawn, squinting up at the sun shining brightly in the sky. There are no clouds in sight; the slight chill of the autumn air tickles your exposed arms. You tug on the waistband of your sweatpants, keeping the material seated firmly on your hips.

“Good morning, dear!”

You jump, head snapping in the direction of a familiar voice. Mindy and Gerald are sitting on their veranda, nursing twin cups of coffee and looking awfully cozy. Gerald smiles at you, folding up his newspaper and setting it on his lap.

“Good morning!” You wave before re-evaluating your words. “Well, it’s technically past twelve, so good afternoon.”

Mindy laughs.

“How was the wedding?” you ask, approaching the side of your deck. You lean against the thin metal railing, combing your fingers through your messy hair. “I wasn’t expecting you to be back this soon.”

“We woke up early,” Mindy explains. “And the wedding was fabulous. Amy wore the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?” You grin. “Do you have any pictures?”

“Of course! Just let me run inside and grab my phone—”

“Mornin’,” a gruff voice says from behind you.

You gasp and spin around, bringing a hand to your chest. The sight laid out before you has your heart speeding up, galloping wildly and battering against the confines of your ribs.

Harry’s wearing that same hoodie from last night. Your gaze trails lower—he’s also sporting a pair of grey boxers and white socks. There’s a mug nestled in each of his large hands, his spindly fingers wrapped around the handles comfortably. Your eyes lock with his sleepy ones, and your breathing hitches in your throat.

“Morning,” you whisper, unable to muster up anything louder.

“I—” Harry clears his throat, stepping closer and extending his left arm. “I, er, took the liberty of making us some tea. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, it’s—” You swallow as you accept one of the mugs, suppressing a giddy smile. “It’s completely fine. Thank you.”

“Of course.” He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. “Sleep well?”

“Mhm.” You nod shyly.

He chuckles. “Good.”

His gaze wanders over your shoulder, and it’s then that he notices Mindy and Gerald sat on the neighbouring porch. Without even batting an eye, he lifts his hand in a friendly wave. “Morning, you two. How was the wedding?”

You turn back toward the couple, a sheepish look on your face. Mindy is beaming, and Gerald is trying to hold back a laugh. Heat creeps up your neck; you wish that the ground would just open up and swallow you whole.

“It was wonderful!” Mindy trills. Her enthusiasm has skyrocketed. You pinch the bridge of your nose, utterly mortified.

“Yes.” Gerald finally pipes up, smirking knowingly. “It was great. What about you, though? How was your night?”

“Fine,” you blurt before Harry can respond. “It was fine.”

The duo share a look, and then Mindy giggles girlishly. You bring your mug up to your mouth, taking a long sip and groaning into the cup. Harry’s arm snakes around your waist, making you jump. You steal a glance at him out of the corner of your eye; he’s fighting a smile.

“Well—” Gerald clears his throat, plucking his folded newspaper from his lap and rising to his feet. “I think I’ll be going, now. Need to catch up on those few extra hours of sleep.”

“Me too,” Mindy says, nodding fervently. She directs her next words at you. “If you pop by later, I’ll show you those photos, okay?”

“Okay,” you croak.

She shoots you one last grin before disappearing inside.

“God,” you say immediately, hanging your head. “That was torture.”

Next to you, Harry laughs. You aim a weak swat at his chest. He snickers, catching your palm and ducking down to drop a gentle kiss against your knuckles. You exhale shakily, twisting your body around so that you can face him.

“Your hair’s a mess,” you murmur, running your free hand through his dishevelled curls.

He cocks one eyebrow. “And whose fault is that?”

You scoff. “Shut up.”

He chuckles quietly and steps closer to you, holding out his mug. You smile in assent, mirroring his movements and clinking your cups together.

“So,” Harry starts, sipping his tea casually, “you gonna let me take you out on a proper date, sometime?”

“That depends,” you say, trying to ignore the flurry of butterflies flapping around in your stomach. “I’ll go—but only if we take my car. I refuse to drive around town in your tacky truck.”

“It’s not that bad!” he protests.

“It’s awful,” you tell him, shaking your head. “It looks it was decorated by a preschooler during arts and crafts.”

“Fine.” He rolls his eyes playfully, giving in. “Any other requests?”

You pause, lost in thought.

“One more, actually,” you say, fixing him with a challenging stare. “You need to come clean to Mindy and Gerald.”

He doesn’t miss a beat. “Alright.”

“Really?” You balk, taken aback by his compliance. “That’s it? But I—I had a whole speech prepared.”

Harry laughs softly, cradling your face with his free hand and kissing you slowly. Your fingers tighten around your mug. When the two of you break apart for air, he shrugs.

“I started considering it after everything that happened last night. Keep your speech, though.” His lips twitch. “You’ll be needing to scold me again in no time, I’m sure.”

Your shoulders shake with a silent giggle. “You’re probably right.”

“Also—” Harry clears his throat, soothing the ache with another sip of tea. “You may want to suggest that they hire an exterminator.”

“An exterminator?” you repeat, blinking in surprise. “But…they don’t have rats. Gerald said that the traps hadn’t been touched.”

“Not rats,” he hums. “Squirrels, I believe. Living in the walls.”

“And how did you reach that conclusion?”

“I’ve been doing this for a while, babe—I’ve seen my fair share of pests. Plus,” he clucks his tongue, “they like to chew on wires.”

“Really?” You sigh distantly, pinching your bottom lip. “God, that sucks.”

“It does.” He nods, wrapping his fingers around your forearm. “But you can tell them later.”

“Later?” you say, brows knitting together. “Why not right now?”

“Because,” Harry grunts. You squeal when he crowds you up against your front door. He cups your jaw and tilts your chin up with his thumb, handsome face splitting into an easy, salacious grin.

“Right now, I’m taking you back to bed.”

~*~

thanks for reading! if you enjoyed this piece, please consider donating to my ko-fi! and as always, don’t forget to share your thoughts. thank you bunches <3

[underestimated-heroine]

6th General Reference Post 😳💀 (have ideas and pretty sure I'm gonna organize all these this week~)

(sorry if I reblog, it's only to keep from losing this to the sands of time! Also anyone's free to reblog or save this as is the mode on Tumblr Dot Com. Links go to my blog because it's the best, easy way I have to make sure I don't lose posts to deletion.)

General

Little Fart Woman

Menu upside-down This bitch is gone

Miss Officer and Mr. Truffles scam

Bowing to women (simp diatribes)

Tumblr Users' Favorite Drawing Reference Sites--large and helpful list!

Disney Vault

Pair Demonstration Sword Demonstration TikTok (China)

We came full circle with cable & streaming

Whole foods employee tries to restrain me

God said rip that baby up

Shork

Wiiwish recipe

Easter nunchuks parking lot video

Good advice for depression anxiety exec function disorder

I Wanna Marry Harry

Do You Love The Color Of The Sky Bee Movie Script

"I want him dead but I don't want society run by my worst impulses" is an important principle people need to learn

Jonathan Frakes Tumblr posts

How to Weave (instructions and reference)

Cops @ pride

My 3 girlfriends yes they smoke weed comic

Human Pet Guy

Every Lake Is A Graveyard

Masks do protect you actually

Edible invasive species

Put the punchline at the end of the sentence (usually) writing advice

Every Dark Souls NPC conversation

Mpreg harry styles comic

Evil Villain Instructions

Haunted Photograph

"People on the internet will believe anything!" Finger suck

TEE-HEEING like SCHOOLGIRLS video

The crisis situation in Hawaii with links

Poaching is a humanitarian problem too

Wabi-Sabi

Yellies

I'd kill Hitler for the bit

Pro-Life Sticky Butter Baby

Twilight on a badly hung projector

Cars is Like Omega-verse

6 ft woman

Capitalism and luxuries

Things illegal for employers to do/threaten

Extreme makeover home edition horses

Tumblr FAQs

Chicxulub (probably spelled wrong sorry)

#you're all just food to me original post

no he don't!!!

On "ageless blogs will be blocked"

Men will see a mouse and eat it

She Texas on my chainsaw

Read the damn thesis

Nyan Cat origin

Punched themselves in the huge cock

Taika Waititi won't save the MCU

Getting a safe ab0rtion in Chicago

Elijah Woods wig video

What's happening to the planet you wouldn't get it

Buses are iconic post

Try and one-up me again bitch

On the Confederate Flag

On "everyone commenting and trying to be a goddamn comedian"

You can always count on the righteous anger of someone wrong on the internet

Climate Change IS reversible

[rowansparrow]

By Any Other Name: Playlist

Hello darlings. I had lots of people send me songs that reminded them of BAON, And I think I mentioned every now and then I had certain songs in mind when writing chapters, so I thought I’d compile everything into a playlist for those of you who might be interested. :) If there are lyrics underneath a song, then that means it’s one I was actively listening to/daydreaming to when writing that scene so take that however you wish, lol. 

(My personal favorite picks have stars by them, so if you listen to nothing else I’m BEGGING you to listen to those but it’ll hurt you probably)

Enjoy, and I hope you get some cool new tunes out of this lol. 

Chapter One

***(Flashback) Reader Meets Rose: Human - The Killers “Wave goodbye, wish me well, you’ve got to let me go”

Chapter Two

Opening Night at the Rose Lounge: Yeah! - Usher (Ft. Lil John & Ludacris) ***Fives Takes the Stage: oops! - Yung Gravy Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse dance: Good Girls Bad Guys - Falling in Reverse The Captain Arrives / (Flashback) Rex tells the reader: Turn to Hate - Orville Peck “Dumb enough to take the bait, don’t let my sorrow turn to hate” 

Chapter Three:

(Flashback) Playing Sabacc: Everybody Lost Somebody - Bleachers “There’s a reason I see myself in a million faces, I reason I can’t stop it all from changing, so come on motherfucker, you survived, you gotta give yourself a break.”  Rex Calms Reader Down: Don’t Let Me Cave In - The Wonder Years

Chapter Four: 

(Flashback) Depression and Loss: The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson “Promise not to promise anymore, and if you come around again, then I will take, then I will take, the chain from off the door.” 

Chapter Five: 

***Fives and Reader in the Office: Fire Meet Gasoline - Sia “It’s a bad bet, certain death, but I want what I want and I got to get it.”  (Flashback) Rose and Reader on the Roof: Love and War in your Twenties - Jordy Searcy

Chapter Six: 

(Flashback) Rose and Reader on the Roof: Photograph - Ed Sheeran “You won’t ever be alone, wait for me to come home” Forgiving Captain Rex: Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but I was just kidding myself.” 

Chapter Seven: 

***(Flashback) Reader meets Captain Rex: Line Without a Hook - Ricky Montgomery “She’s a lady, and I am just a boy. I am just a line without a hook.”  ***Rex and Reader on the Roof: If the World Was Ending - JP Saxe (Ft. Julia Michaels) “Would you love me for the hell of it? All our fears would be irrelevant.” 

Chapter Eight: 

Fives/Reader/Echo Together: Easy - The Commodores The Helmet: Unshaken - Christian Larsson

Chapter Nine: 

(Flashback) Broken Glass, Bandaged Hands: Falling - Harry Styles “What am I now? What am I now? What if you’re someone I just want around?” ***Fives’ Confrontation on the Roof: Insomnia - IAMX “You could see the madness in my eyes. I’ve lost control, please save me from myself.” 

Chapter Ten:

***(Flashback) Rose and Reader’s First Time: Dustland - The Killers Ft. Bruce Springsteen “Is there still magic in that midnight sun, or did you leave it back in ‘61? In the cadence of a young man’s eyes, out where the dreams all hide.”  ***Rex and Reader with Fives: A Letter to Georgia - The Airborne Toxic Event “Afraid of this truth that love could cause you so much pain, darling I wish it wasn’t true.” 

Chapter Eleven: 

Fives and Rex Fight: Toxic - Britney Spears (Flashback) Rose and the Children: Father and Son - Cat Stevens “From the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen. Now, there’s a way, and I know, that I have to go away. I know I have to go.”  ***Rex Tells the Truth: The Night We Met - Lord Huron “I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you. Take me back to the night we met.” 

Chapter Twelve:

The 501st at War: Vode An (Epic Version) - Samuel Kim The Garbaks: Once Upon a Memory - Kan Gao (instrumental) Defending the Garbak Village: Bang Bang - Green Day ”Give me death or give me head. I’m daddy’s little psycho and mommy’s little soldier.”  ***Rose Sees the Missiles: A Conversation with Death - Khemmis ”As long as God in heaven dwell, your soul, your soul shall scream in hell.”  ***Rose’s Final Moments: Deadman’s Gun - Ashtar Command “You’ve given them all you can give, and luck won’t save them tonight.”

Chapter Thirteen:

(Flashback) Marry Me: Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift “Say you’ll see me again, even if it’s just in your wildest dreams.”  ***The Ring: Runaway Horses - The Killers (Ft. Phoebe Bridgers) “Head first into the unknown, like runaway horses, in a fever till the end.” 

Chapter Fourteen:

Rex After Umbara: Everything I Love is Broken - The Airborne Toxic Event ***The Mountains and the Sea: Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie “I need you so much closer.” 

Chapter Fifteen: 

***Fives Knows: Achilles Come Down - Gang of Youths “Throw yourself into the unknown with a pace and a fury defiant.”  The Outlander: Boba Fett’s Theme (The Book of Boba Fett) - Samuel Kim (Besties I am begging you to listen to this one)

Chapter Sixteen:

Out of the Fire: ONCE AGAIN, Boba Fett’s Theme (The Book of Boba Fett) - Samuel Kim. See above link. Just let the scenes segue together with this playing in the background it’ll change your life I promise. “They Called Me Rose”: Open the Door - The Mandalorian Season 2 Soundtrack.

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