#mellamolayla | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

harrywavycurly · 2 months ago

Text

Handle With Care: What Have You Heard?

Masterlist: Here

CW: Language, one tiny moment of anger/jealousy, mentions of how your ex treated you and so much fluff it might make you sick😂

A/N: I left this open to revisit these two weirdos because I have truly loved writing them. Thanks for allowing me to take a stab at frat Harry! This has been a very fun mini series and I’m glad y’all enjoyed it! I hope you’re happy with their ending✨

Tag List: @gmikaelson @ell0ra-br3kk3r @tulips4harry @mellamolayla @mads3502 @empathyroad @idk199o @sassamanda77 @maudie-duan @macy-tpwk @namoreno @coralferrio1 @stylesftcher @mema10 @cherryloveshs @umadirectioner @styleswithaseaview @sunflower-tia @fangirl509east @howling-wolf97 @outofthisworl-d @triski73

Summary: Harry is determined to get you to like him while you are more worried about the fact he hasn’t kissed you yet✨📦

It’s only been a little over twenty four hours since you asked Harry to leave your apartment and it’s as if all of a sudden the universe doesn’t want you to have the chance to forget about him. You’ve seen him everywhere possible in the apartment complex the two of you live in, the first time was in the elevator which is understandable since you live two floors under him. You were bound to see him on his way down to the lobby or the gym, but you just weren’t expecting it to happen so soon and what you really weren’t expecting was for him to look so distraught when his eyes met yours. The look on his face was as if he wanted to reach out and touch you but he had to hold himself back resulting in an almost painful looking smile making you just look away and down at your feet as the two of you endured a silent ride down to the parking lot.

The second time you saw him was at the gym that same evening, and the embarrassing thing about this moment was the fact you weren’t even there to work out. You just finally had a chance to go take a look at it, figuring that maybe one day you’ll want to use it so it would be nice to be sorta familiar with the space and he just so happened to be there running on a treadmill that was facing the door. It was as if he could just sense you had entered the room because he looked up and immediately you felt a flush cover your face because he was extremely shirtless allowing you to see every inked inch of his torso including the butterfly on his stomach and then there were his arm, his very well defined arms. You know he saw you because his eyes lit up and a small smile formed on his face while you tried to figure out how to leave the space as quickly as possible without making it seem like he was the reason you were leaving in such a hurry.

Now it’s been a full two days and you have managed to run into him in the mailroom. You silently curse your amazon addiction because of course Harry is also down here getting his package since they got delivered by the same delivery person. But unlike the other times he’s seen you Harry decides that this time the two of you should talk because clearly the two of you aren’t going to be able to avoid each other as easily as you thought while living in the same complex.

“I’m sorry.” The moment the words leave his mouth you find yourself freezing in your spot by the shelf that has your box on it. “I shouldn’t have assumed some flowers and a box of plates was going to be enough get you to forgive me and want to ride off into the sunset together.” He lets out a sigh as he basically talks to your back since you don’t make any moves to turn around and look at him.

“I do forgive you Harry.” You tell him as you turn so you can face him, keeping your eyes on the floor. “It just doesn’t change how you acted and-and that’s why I’m not riding off into the sunset with you.” When you finally look at him he just nods his head because he knows he can’t change how he acted towards you, he can only show you how it’s not how he normally acts.

“I just want you to get to know me. Because that’s the only way you’ll understand that I’m not full of shit when I say I’m usually not like that.” Harry really doesn’t care how desperate he sounds because honestly that’s exactly how he feels.

He knows he should give you all the space and time possible for you to be the one to want to get to know him but he just can’t risk that never happening. Something inside of him knows the two of you aren’t meant to never speak again, he knows there’s something there and he’s not going to give up on it even if it means begging you to give him another chance.

“Maybe we can go have coffee or something simple like that? It doesn’t have to be anything besides two people getting to know each other.”

“I uh don’t know Harry I’m-I’m sorry I have to go.” You look away from him so you don’t have to see the utter disappointment on his face as you turn and grab your box off the shelf before you walk out of the mailroom door.

“Smooth Harry real fucking smooth.” Harry mumbles to himself as he runs a hand through his hair before he grabs his packages and leaves the mailroom, making sure to use the stairs so he doesn’t end up making you feel uncomfortable by sharing an elevator with him.

When you get back to your apartment you do the only thing you can think to do in this situation. You reach out to Niall who shockingly also happens to be in your complex, at least for the evening. So with a promise from him to stop by in the morning on his way out you begin to relax a little. You know that Niall will help you come to a decision about what to do about Harry because he’s known him for years so if anyone can shed light on how Harry really is it’ll be his bestfriend, Niall Horan.

Niall tries not to look at you like you’re crazy as you stand in the middle of your kitchen holding your mug of coffee while you tell him everything that happened when you saw Harry a few days ago. He nods along to your story as he leans against your counter with his arms crossed over his chest, giving you his full attention as you tell him one of the oddest stories he’s heard in a while because he’s not sure he’s ever experienced anything like the tingling and warming sensation you’re describing all because Harry touched you. But this isn’t the first time he’s heard about the odd zap like feeling because Harry described something very similar happening to him whenever you touched him so he knows it has to mean something he’s just not sure what exactly.

“Okay so he was an asshole to you because he likes you so much? That’s what he said?” Niall asks making you just nod your head before taking a sip of your coffee. “So you’ve somehow made the wires in that small little brain of his all crisscrossed makin’ him act like a right jackass.”

“I just don’t think that’s a good excuse for how he acted.” You argue as you walk over and place your mug in the sink. “I don’t want to let someone who can be mean like that into my life again.” You explain as you look down at your slippers, not wanting to see the sad and sympathetic look Niall is going to give you because it’s one you’re used to getting once people realize who your ex is because he isn’t known for being the nicest or the most caring.

“Now I know Harry was a bit of a twat but trust me love I’d never suggest the two of you get to know each other more if I thought for a second he was anything like that actual wanker of an ex of yours.” Niall says in hopes it’ll reassure you that Harry isn’t as bad as he made you think he was, he just had some issues going on that he couldn’t get control of such as his brain not telling him when to keep his mouth shut.

“I don’t know Niall he acted just like him.”

“Ever since he’s realized he likes you he’s been nothing but nice right?”

“Yes but that doesn’t change how he acted before he realized how he felt about me. We aren’t kids anymore we don’t go around being mean to girls we have crushes on.” Niall can’t say anything to that because you’re right, Harry has some things he needs to really make up for.

“I get that. But let me ask you this. What all have you heard about Harry Styles?” You let out a sigh as you send Niall a glare as he quirks a brow at you waiting to hear what all you’ve heard about his bestfriend.

“That he’s charming and nice.”

“What else?”

“He’s handsome and at parties he plays good music and uh I think some girls said they’d feel fine leaving their drink alone with him at a party. He’s funny uhm-oh he gives good hugs.” Niall has to hold back his laugh at your last thing because it’s one he’s also heard about Harry and he would have to agree, the man gives a damn good hug.

“It’s because he doesn’t pull away until you do-the hug thing. That’s why they are so good.” You feel your cheeks get warm as you imagine Harry holding you until you feel ready to let go, wondering if he’d really let you stand there for however long you needed or if he’d get annoyed with your clinginess after a minute or two. “But do any of those things sound like someone who’s that big of an asshole? I don’t think Cody has ever been called charming a day in his bloody life.” Niall points out as he walks the short distance so he’s closing the gap between the two of you allowing him to place a hand on your arm.

“Maybe just let him try to show you the Harry he normally is? Because you can’t deny that there’s something going on between you two with your tingles and his zaps.” You smile as he gives your arm a gentle squeeze. “And if you get to know him a bit and still think he’s a raging asshole then so be it. Just kick his lanky ass to the curb and move on.” Niall smiles when you let out a little giggle as he runs his hand up and down your arm a few times before letting go.

“I guess I-I could maybe try to get to know him a little more.” You say giving in to Niall’s sweet talking about how if all else fails you just tell Harry to leave you alone for good and move on with your life.

“M’gonna be honest with you love I think he’s like proper smitten with you so uh-don’t be all shocked if he comes on a little strong.” He warns as he turns to make his way towards your front door, you feel your tummy do a weird flip thing as you try to think of Harry being so far gone for you while you don’t even know if you want to be around him or not.

“But he’s still a gentleman of sorts so if you tell him to fuck off he will. Just wanted to give you a warning that’s all.” He rushes to explain when he turns to glance at you over his shoulder and sees a panicked look on your face.

“Thank-” Your words are cut short by a knock on your door that makes Niall instantly turn to answer it as if he was the one expecting company at your apartment. You tighten the belt of your robe as Niall swings the door open only to reveal a very startled looking Harry.

“Niall? Wha-what the hell are you-” Harry stops talking as he looks over Niall’s shoulder and sees you standing in your kitchen in a colorful robe that ends a few inches past your knees with your hair in a messy bun as if you just woke up. But it’s when he looks at Niall who is in just jeans and a wrinkled shirt with his hair all over the place that he begins to feel a surge of anger corse through his veins.

“Now don’t go overreactin’ Harry I just came by to see how she was doing and she made me some coffee that’s all.” Niall quickly explains once he can practically see the steam coming off Harry as his green eyes stare into his blue ones.

“Really? You just happened to be in the neighborhood is that is?” You furrow your brows as you cross your arms over your chest and watch the two men standing in your doorway have an intense staring contest.

“I was actually. Just a floor above if you must know so I figured it would be rude if I left the building without popping by.” Harry raises a brow at Niall who just gives him a playful wink as he reaches out and pats him on the shoulder. “Now if you don’t mind I’m gonna go do my walk of shame back to my car. Call me whenever you’re done bein a prick.” Harry’s glare softens as he finally puts together exactly what Niall is saying, you just shake your head as you watch Harry move to the side so Niall can make his way out the door and into the hallway.

“I hope you were safe because the world doesn’t need anymore Horans yet!” Harry shouts down the hallway at Niall who responds with flipping Harry the bird as reaches the elevators.

“Good morning Harry.” Your voice brings Harry back to the whole reason he’s standing in your doorway, you can see him physically become more relaxed as soon as he turns his head and makes eye contact with you. His shoulders slump the slightest bit and his eyes get this soft look to them while the corners of his mouth turn upwards giving you a hint of a smile.

“Good morning.” He says with a smile as he brings his hand up to give you a small wave while he looks at you with a fondness that has a small blush beginning to creep its way onto your cheeks.

“You can come in if you’d like.” Harry eagerly steps inside your apartment, closing the door behind him before he takes a few small steps towards where you’re standing in the kitchen.

You can tell he is nervous and you can understand why, when you saw him last night he was asking you to give him a chance to get to know him and you walked away, making you still a little shocked that he decided to come knock on your door this morning. But then you remember what Niall said about him being smitten with you and it makes a little more sense as to why Harry just can’t let you go.

“Do you maybe want to take a walk with me? Through the park across the street?”

“A walk?”

“Uh yes or do you-you prefer the word stroll instead? I can call it whatever you want.” He fumbles a bit as you stare at him with an expression he can only take as confusion. You chew on your bottom lip as you look down at your robe and the slippers on your feet, of course this doesn’t go unnoticed by Harry so he tries to offer a solution. “I can wait at my place for you to get ready if you want? Or if you don’t want to go that’s fine too I can-”

“You really came here at eight in the morning to see if I wanted to go on a walk?” You question as you look back up at him not fully understanding why he would bother asking you on a walk when he mentioned wanting to get coffee just last night.

“I figured it would be better if we hung out in open places so if you uh get-get upset or something you wouldn’t feel trapped with me you could just walk away.” As odd as his reasoning sounds you can’t help but feel a small smile want to form on your face at the fact he doesn’t want to make you feel like you’re stuck anywhere with him if you suddenly feel uncomfortable.

“That’s very thoughtful of you Harry.” He smiles at your kind words, you move around the kitchen and begin heading for your bedroom making Harry wonder if you’re about to kick him out or just leave him standing there like the idiot he’s beginning to think he is. “I’ll just be a few minutes. Feel free to have some coffee if you’d like.” Your words make a sigh of relief escape Harry’s lungs as he gives you a nod before you disappear into your bedroom to get dressed.

There’s an odd but also comfortable silence surrounding you and Harry as you walk through the park across from your apartment complex. You can feel his eyes on you every now and then but you haven’t let yourself look over at him yet, knowing that the moment you do you’ll get distracted by the way his hair looks pushed up and out of his face or how nice his arms look in the fitted black t shirt he has on with his usual skinny jeans and boots. And right now you want to try to just enjoy his company without any distractions but Harry seems to have other plans because just at you’re about to turn down a little path that passes the fenced in dog park he stops walking.

“Can I test something out really quickly?” He asks while he motions towards a bench behind you. You just nod and follow him, sitting down next to him but with some space between the two of you. It’s when he holds his hand out towards you, palm up that you begin to feel nervous, not sure what he wants you raise a brow at him as your eyes glance from his outstretched hand up to his face to meet his stare. “May I have your hand please? Just for a moment.”

“Uhm okay.” Your voice is shaky as you slowly hover your hand over his, not entirely ready to actually put your hands together. Harry sensing your nervousness gives you a smile and you swear his eyes turn a whole shade brighter as they stare into yours.

“You look really pretty today.” His voice is soft as his eyes dart down to the pink t shirt you have tucked into a pair of denim shorts. “I mean you always look pretty but I really like you in pink.” You know he’s trying to distract you from your nerves with his random compliments and normally you’d roll your eyes at someone giving you more than one in a row but coming from Harry as he looks at you with such adoration in his eyes your heart can’t help but want to melt.

“Thank you.” Harry just smiles as you look down at your hand that’s still hovering over his, you let out a deep breath and in one quick motion you press it against his and immediately you feel the tingling sensation begin to spread over your palm followed by a warmth that goes all the way down to your fingertips.

“What’s it feel like for you?”

“Like a uhm bee sting but without the pain. It’s a little tingly and warm.”

“Tingly and warm huh? That doesn’t sound too bad.” As he talks Harry slowly interlocks his fingers with yours so he’s fully holding your hand causing the warmth to spread up to your wrist.

“It’s not bad it was just a lot the uhm first time it happened and that’s-that’s why I was so out of it afterwards.” You explain as you try to ignore the slight tingle that hits your elbow when Harry gives your hand a gentle squeeze. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Why can’t you move on from me? You don’t even really know me.”

“I don’t know why I can’t move on from you. All I know is that you’re all I think about when you’re not around and anytime you touch me it’s like a lightning strike that goes all the way through me. I know that there’s something here and that you feel it too but you’re scared and that’s okay.” You swallow the small lump forming in your throat as Harry releases your hand so he can stand up and step over so he’s right in front of you. “I get why you’re scared. I was an asshole and you deserve better and you don’t even know if I can give you what you deserve because you don’t really know me either.” He kneels down so he can be eye level with you as he places a hand on your knee making a light tingling sensation go down to your toes.

“But all I’m asking is for you to give me a chance. To give this a chance.” You don’t know if it’s the way his voice hits your ears and sends a slight shiver down your spine, his hand on your knee that’s spreading a warmth down to your ankle, the way his eyes feel as if they can see right into the deepest parts of your heart as he stares at you or a mixture of all three that makes your mind suddenly forget all about the fear of getting hurt again.

“Okay.” You can tell by the look on Harry’s face that he wasn’t expecting the hear what you just let slip out of your mouth.

“Really? You-you’re serious? You want to give this a chance?” Harry’s eyebrows are raised in shock as the hand on your knee reaches for your hands that you have resting on your lap, placing his warm palm over both of them and giving them a soft squeeze.

“Yes.” You don’t give yourself time to overthink it, you know deep down that everything Harry has said is right. You know there’s something that keeps pulling you back to him so it’s worth taking a chance to get to know him and see where it goes because he’s worth taking a chance on. “You know I uhm saw you drop the flowers off because I was coming back from knocking on your door to talk to you about what happened the night of your party.” You confess as Harry looks at you like you’re the only person in the world that matters and in this moment he would say that’s true, or really anytime you’re around he’d say that’s true because if you’re anywhere near chances are you’re all he’s paying attention to.

“You went to my door? After I stormed off like a jerk?” He asks as he stands up and offers his hand to help you off the bench. You just nod and take his hand and feel your cheeks get warm when he doesn’t let it go, instead just slips his fingers between yours as the two of you begin walking.

“I wanted to see if you were okay and apologize if-”

“You have nothing to apologize for. I was just frustrated that you didn’t feel what I did but it turns out you just hadn’t felt it yet.”

“I didn’t mean to make you feel frustrated I just didn’t understand what you were talking about and then I felt uhm a little uh weird because I was just standing there in my nightgown and slippers and you kept staring at me with this-”

“Your nightgown had me frustrated in other ways but I’m sorry I didn’t even realize I was staring.”

“Harry.” He laughs as you reach over with your free hand and smack his arm making the familiar jolt go straight down to his fingertips. “You can’t say things like that.” You say with a small smile as you look away from him and down at your feet but Harry knows you’re not really upset because you give his hand a very small but still noticeable squeeze.

“I can’t? Why not? It was a very cute nightgown love.” He asks as he looks down at you with a playful grin. Harry decides right there as the two of you are walking down the path in the middle of the park near your apartments that he likes being the reason you smile and he really likes it when he’s the one causing the light pink tint that’s dusting your cheeks.

“You know I heard you were charming but this is way more than I expected.” You tease making Harry let out a scoff.

“I’m not being charming I’m just being honest. What else have you heard about me?”

“I just told you the charming thing so it’s your turn. What have you heard about me? If you’ve even heard anything about me. I know I wasn’t nearly as popular as you around campus.”

“You don’t like parties because there’s too many people and loud music annoys you. You like to read a lot and you want to be a teacher.” You weren’t sure what Harry was going to say but you didn’t expect it to be things you know he heard from the one person who oddly knows you the least even though you dated for over a year. So it hits you a little harder than you thought it would and you feel the need to let him know a few things he said aren’t true.

“I don’t mind parties. I like being around people and loud music can be annoying but only if it’s being played next door while I’m trying to sleep. I do enjoy reading but I didn’t want to be a teacher I wanted to be a school counselor.” You correct him with a smile, one that doesn’t quite reach your eyes and that Harry has come to learn is the one you give when you’re trying to make it less obvious that you’re upset.

“I’m sorry it’s just what he told us.”

“You don’t have to apologize it’s okay.” This time when you smile Harry notices it’s genuine. You stop walking next to the fence that separates the dog park from the rest of the park. You reluctantly let go of Harry’s hand so you can turn and place your them on the top of the fence while letting out a sigh. “He used to breakup with me on the weekends there was a party he wanted to go to without me. Normally he’d do it on Friday with some excuse about needing space because I’m too clingy and then on Monday or Tuesday he’d be at my door begging for me to take him back because he missed me so much.” Harry feels his jaw clench as you tell him one of the ways your ex mistreated you, it’s no real surprise considering Harry only knows Cody from his visits to the parties thrown by the fraternity Harry was in and he was always alone when arriving but not when leaving.

“And I used to take him back every single time. Until about two or three months ago he told me he needed some distance so he could figure out a few things and when he came crawling back a few days later I told him I was done. He didn’t believe me of course he just said I was being dramatic and he’d come back when I was done being dumb.” You let out a shaky breath as the memories of him ending your relationship every few months and how you would be devastated while he was just out getting drunk and hooking up with other people come rushing back.

“I know people thought I was an idiot for staying with him for so long but I just liked the-the comfort of not having to worry about trying to find someone because even though he was an asshole most of the time he was nice-sometimes and he was still my boyfriend. God that sounds horrible-”

“Hey you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” You feel Harry’s hand on your shoulder as suddenly he’s standing next to you. “I know he’s an asshole but if I would’ve known he was treating you like that I would’ve-well honestly I would’ve kicked his ass and-”

“Really you would’ve kicked his ass? Even though you had no clue who I was?” You ask as Harry drops his hand from his shoulder as you turn so you’re facing him while leaning against the fence. Harry wants to roll his eyes at your question because every time Harry saw your ex at one of his frat’s parties or just lingering around the house he’d want to kick him out but never had a solid reason to, so if he would’ve known all this back then he would’ve had reason to not only ban him from the fraternity’s house but also kick his ass and he would’ve loved every moment of it.

“I might not have known who you were but do you really think I didn’t notice you around campus? Like I never saw you walking around with that bright pink backpack with all those jingling keychains hanging off it? Or around the coffee shop enjoying your book while wrapped up in that yellow jumper with the white flowers all over it in the corner booth that has the most comfortable seat because the rest are lumpy and just horrible? I noticed you every time I saw you. I just didn’t know that I had been hearing about you from Cody all those times he’d come to the house and mention his girlfriend.” Harry smiles when he sees your cheeks turn a deep shade of pink as he lists off the times he saw you around campus but just didn’t know your name.

“My keychain collection is a bit out of control.” You admit making Harry laugh and nod his head as he reaches out and brushes a few hairs out of your face, tucking them behind your ear.

“So to answer your question. If I would’ve known the girl with the pink backpack and the odd ability to always snag the best seat in the campus coffee shop was the one that prick was talking about I wouldn’t have hesitated to punch him in his annoying mouth.” Harry feels a wave of protectiveness hit him as he looks at you, wanting to save you from ever having to deal with anyone who would dare talk poorly about you or treat you in a way that makes you upset.

“I’ll happily go beat him up now if you’d like? I know where he lives.” The playful glare you give him is all the answer he needs, fighting your ex isn’t allowed.

“He’s not worth it.”

“Oh I know he’s not. But you are. Your happiness is worth a few bruised knuckles.” You don’t know what to say back to him as he grabs one of your hands. “I’d do anything to make you happy.” He explains as he brings your hand up to his lips, you watch as he gives the top of your hand a quick and soft kiss making a tingling sensation spread to your fingertips.

You know he means the words that just slipped out of his mouth, you know Harry would probably do just about anything for you and instead of that making you feel nervous like it did when you first realized how much Harry liked you it makes you feel a strange sense of relief. As if now that you’ve allowed yourself to let Harry in and let him show you how he can treat you the way you deserve, your happiness is no longer something you have to worry about all on your own. It’s now something you’re willing to allow Harry to have a say in because as you stare into his emerald colored eyes you get this feeling that you can trust him with the most breakable parts of yourself.

It’s been four days since your walk with Harry and since then he doesn’t think there’s been a time in his life he’s ever felt happier. Sure there’s been times when he’s been happy and felt content with his life, but nothing compares the the feeling he gets in his chest when he sees you staring at him with a smile on your face or when he gets you laughing so hard you get tears in corners of your eyes. He doesn’t know what the two of you are doing exactly, if you’d say he’s someone you’re dating or if it’s more but he also doesn’t really care because you let him hold your hand whenever he wants and he even got to kiss your cheek last night when he walked you to your door after taking you to dinner.

Harry can feel your presence behind him as he stands outside your shared apartment complex, a smile stretching across his face as he turns around just to see you smiling right back at him and he watches your cheeks get a bit pink as his eyes roam over your frame. Something Harry has learned about you is that you enjoy wearing bright colors so it’s not shocking to him that you’ve decided to go with a pair of jeans and a yellow top with a sunflower on it. It makes sense to him that you enjoy wearing colors that are warm and inviting, just like sunshine.

“Sorry I got stuck on the second floor talking to Ms. Tucker about her cat.” You explain once you’re standing in front of him.

“Ah how is Mr. Jelly doing? I heard he’s in a bit of a grumpy mood since he started his diet.” Harry asks as he grabs your hand and interlocks his fingers with yours. You just give him a look that tells him the poor cat isn’t handling his new lifestyle very well.

“Still grumpy.” You answer as the two of you begin to walk down the sidewalk.

“You look pretty.” Harry says with a squeeze of your hand making you smile as you look down at your feet as the two of you walk, not wanting him to see how his compliment made a blush creep its way onto your cheeks.

“Thank you.” You glance over at him as he looks around to make sure it’s safe to cross the intersection, you take this opportunity to let your eyes take in his appearance. It’s not lost on you how attractive Harry is, you notice the double takes people do when he walks by and a small part of you feels a little out of place with him but you also feel a since of pride knowing he wants you to be the one standing next to him with his hand wrapped around yours. You find your eyes lingering on the practically see through black long sleeved shirt he’s wearing that lets you see all his tattoos, and when you look down you can’t help but want to let out a chuckle at the very familiar boots his extremely well fitting black jeans are tucked into.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Harry’s voice makes your eyes dart up to meet his as the two of you reach the other side of the street, feeling only slightly embarrassed you got caught staring at him but you can tell but the playful smirk on his face he doesn’t mind at all. “Do I own any other shoes? The answer is yes but honestly these are just the most comfortable.” You laugh as he gives you a wink before going back to leading you down the sidewalk.

“So you mean you would actually kick people out at the end of your parties by having someone stand on a table and-”

“Not just someone sweetheart it’s a designated brother for each party.” He corrects with a smile as the two of you sit across from each other in a cozy booth at the little ice cream shop a few blocks away from your apartment. “It’s their job to tell everyone to get out so they have to really mean it when they’re yelling while standing on top of a table. Not just anyone can get a living room full of drunk college kids to leave.” He explains and you can’t help but lean closer to him as he talks, something about how Harry explains things has you paying extra close attention and you wonder if it has anything to do with the deepness of his voice that accentuates his accent.

“Is the table necessary?” Harry smiles at your genuine interest in the different rules and odd traditions of his fraternity. “What if the person is very tall or has a loud enough voice that they don’t need to be standing on a table for people to hear them?” You begin firing off questions making Harry chuckle as he reaches over and grabs one of your hands from across the table.

“There’s been one person that I’ve seen not need the table to break up a party.” He tells you as he begins to mess with the little silver band that you wear on your index finger.

“Really? Who?”

“Niall Horan.” His answer makes you lean your head back and laugh because you can vividly imagine Niall shouting loud enough and with a slight edge that a whole house party freezes and then begins to clear out. “He’s a bit terrifying when he needs to be.”

“I can only imagine.” You say between laughs making Harry smile as he watches you try to get ahold of yourself.

“I like your laugh.” You would think by now you’d be used to Harry’s random compliments but the way even the simplest ones make your cheeks get hot has you doubting if you ever will because with his compliments comes his undivided attention as he stares right at you with a grin on his face.

The way he is always paying attention to you is still something you’re getting comfortable with. Having noticed over the past three days that even when you think he’s not really paying attention as you ramble on about something unimportant, he shocks you by asking a question or giving his opinion letting you know he was in fact listening and paying attention. Your last relationship left you feeling as if what you had to say or do wasn’t of any importance but with Harry he makes it seem as if anything that has to do with you is of the upmost importance, wanting to know every little random thing that pops into your head and checking in with you during the day to ask what you’re up to and if you need anything. The constant checking in is something you have quickly adjusted to because you like knowing Harry cares enough to text you or sometimes even call you during the day when he’s free just to see how you’re doing and to not so subtly tell you he misses you.

But that’s how your nightly meetups became a thing, him mumbling how he missed you and you telling him you’ll see him when you’re done at orientation for your new job and you two can go have dinner or take another walk. He quickly asked if dinner and a walk would be acceptable and of course you said that was fine because a part of you missed his company as well, probably not as much as he missed yours but still you found yourself missing the warmth of his touch. So that’s how you find yourself sitting across from him in the well loved ice cream shop with your sundaes long forgotten about while he tells you bits and pieces of his life in the fraternity. Already sharing with you that he’s not quite willing to fill you in on all the nitty gritty details because he doesn’t want you to see him as some asshole frat brother but still letting you in on what it was like living with Niall and ten other brothers in one house.

“Are you ever going to stop doing that?” Harry raises a brow at your question as he continues playing with the ring on your index finger.

“Doing what love?” You let out a sigh at his teasing tone because he knows what you’re talking about he just likes to make you a bit of a flushed mess.

“Just complimenting me all the time? Is this something I should get used to or is it just temporary?”

“I’ll stop complimenting you when you stop doing things that are worthy of a compliment. But honestly I don’t see that happening anytime soon or really ever. So yeah you should just get used to it.” You playfully roll your eyes at his so very Harry like answer making him give your hand a squeeze.

“Well fine then two can play this game.”

“Oh really? Hit me with it then love let’s see what you’ve got.” He teases as he lets go of your hand so he can lean back in his seat and cross his arms over his chest with a smug looking smile on his face.

“I think your hair looks really nice today.” You start off simple making him give you a slight nod of approval as he runs a hand through his curls to push them up and out of his face. “I like your shirt.” The moment the words leave your mouth you know you’ve made a mistake as Harry looks down at his shirt that leaves very little to the imagination with how sheer it is.

“Do you really?” You just nod once his eyes find yours and you can see the smile slowly stretch across his face at the same time your cheeks begin to feel warm. “What do you like about it?” He asks as he places his forearms on the table, clasping his hands together letting you get a glimpse of the rings he has on his fingers as he leans in towards you.

When you don’t respond right away due to the sudden nerves that are swirling around in your tummy, Harry decides he’s done teasing you and reaches for both of your hands.

“You don’t have to be nervous to tell me what you’re thinking. I won’t ever judge you.” He reassures you, and you instantly begin to feel a little more relaxed as the warmth of his touch travels up to your wrists. “Like right now I’m thinking about how lucky I am to be out with you because you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen and I’d tell you that at least a hundred times a day if I didn’t think you’d get sick of hearing it.” His confession has the nerves turning into butterflies that begin going off in your tummy.

“You’re very handsome.” You swallow down the nerves as Harry’s thumbs gently rub over your knuckles. “I like your tattoos and you are just uhm very-very good looking.” Your face feels like it’s one fire but you feel good letting Harry in on the fact you thinks he’s attractive, not that he’d ever have a reason to doubt how you felt about him with the amount of times he’s caught you blatantly staring at him when you thought he wasn’t looking.

“I’m very happy to hear that you think I’m handsome. I’d have to go into hiding if the girl I’m infatuated with thought I was hideous.” You let out a small laugh at Harry’s lighthearted way to ease the tension that was beginning to surround the two of you, something you notice he is very good at, reading the energy of the room he’s in and knowing just when to crack a small joke or to ask a question that gets the conversation flowing in a different direction.

“Now come on.” He lets go of your hands so he can slide out of the booth and stand next to the table. “Let’s get you home before you say something really wild like you think my accent is sexy or-”

“It is.” It’s Harry’s turn to look shocked as you quietly interject on his silly little rant as you slide out of the booth and grab his hand that he’s held out for you.

“Oh stop you’re going to make my ego even bigger than it already is.” He says brushing off your compliment but the grin and slight pink hue to his cheeks is all the evidence you need that he wasn’t prepared for it so you feel good in giving him just a tiny dose of his own medicine.

“You know there’s uhm one more thing that I’ve been thinking about.” Harry looks over at you as the two of you walk out of the shop and turn onto the sidewalk.

“Let’s hear it then.” You try to calm your nerves down with a deep breath as you stop walking making Harry nearly stumble a bit as you pull at his hand that’s securely wrapped around yours to get him to stop walking. “Are you-”

“You haven’t tried to kiss me yet and I’m just wondering if it’s because you don’t think it’ll be good or is it because-”

“Hold on a minute love.” You feel as if your heart is going to beat right out of your chest as Harry stands directly in front of you with a rather serious expression on his face, one you don’t see very often. “You’ve been thinking about why I haven’t kissed you?” His voice has a gentle sort of sternness to it as he reaches up to place a hand on the side of your face.

“Yes? Do you uhm not-not want to? Because-”

“Of course I want to kiss you.” He cuts you off with a chuckle as he shakes his head in disbelief. “I just didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable since we haven’t really established what’s going on between us that’s all. But please believe me when I say I do want to kiss you it’s something I’ve thought about since the night of my party if I’m being honest.” You feel relief wash over you as Harry softly explains why he hasn’t tried to make any moves on you, all while his thumb gently strokes over your cheekbone.

“Well Harry how am I supposed to know if I want to be your girlfriend if I don’t know how you kiss?”

“Girlfriend? I was thinking more like soulmate or life partner depending on how you feel about marriage and all-”

“I’ll tell you how I feel about it after you kiss me.” Your words have Harry letting go of your hand so he can place that one on the other side of your face, his eyes stare into yours as a small smile takes over his face making you have no other choice but to return it. You watch it all happen in what feels like slow motion, he leans in and softly brushes his nose against yours before he places his lips on yours in the sweetest kiss you think you’ve ever experienced in your life. It has your lips slightly tingling and a warmth spreading throughout your whole body as your hands reach out to grab a hold of him so you can pull him closer. When Harry slowly pulls away he makes sure to keep his hands on your face, his thumbs leaving trails of tiny tingles as they run over your cheeks.

“I thi-think I uhm wouldn’t-wouldn’t mind the whole marriage thing.” You mumble in a hushed voice as Harry rests his forehead against yours. He lets out a breathy laugh as he pulls away so he can get a better look at your flushed face.

“Yeah? Should we stop by a jeweler on the way back home then? Get you sized up for a ring and all that?” Harry says only to gently tease you but when you nod your head as the hands you have fisting his shirt pull him back down so you can place a kiss to his lips he thinks maybe you’re being serious.

“Sounds good.” Harry can’t help but grin at how breathless you sound when he pulls away for the second time. His hands drop from your face making you pout at the loss of contact.

“Okay well come on sunshine we better get going before they close.” He shoots you a wink as your hands let go of his shirt so he can take his spot standing next to you on the sidewalk.

“Sunshine?” You ask as he grabs your hand and brings it up to his lips to give your knuckles a few kisses as the two of you begin walking again.

“Yeah. You’re my sunshine.” You smile at his answer and give his hand a squeeze. “Want to know what I’m thinking right now?” He asks with a playful smirk on his face.

“Yes.”

“I’m thinking that was one hell of a last first kiss.” You laugh and reach over and give his arm a little smack making him chuckle. “What? You’re the one asking to go ring shopping love so I think it’s safe to say that was our last ever first kiss.”

“You’re so lucky I find you attractive even when you’re being cocky.”

“Yeah.” You look over at him and it’s no surprise that he’s already looking at you with nothing but what you can only assume is love in his eyes. “I’m very lucky indeed.”

186 notes · View notes

unabashegirl · 10 months ago

Text

Enticing 46 — Harry Styles CEO

Summary: Harry is a young billionaire and CEO of his own company. He mostly keeps to himself, he is stern and very meticulous when it comes to business. He also likes to keep his personal life very private for the sake of his newly born son Oliver Styles. It isn't until he meets Y/N Y/L/N that everything changes. She becomes his new nanny after his previous one quits due to personal reasons. She is young, caring, and sweet. Will they ignore their feelings? Will Harry's girlfriend accept their love and leave them? Will she be able to cope with his busy agenda? What about Oliver's mother? Where is she? Who is she?

— masterlist of enticing —

word count: 1.5K

TAGLIST: @0oolookitsme, @kennedywxlsh, @hsfics, @stylesbrock, @sucker4angstt, @bluemoonedwings, @cherriesrae, @vornilla, @mellamolayla, @harryscurls21, @stilesissaved, @be-with-me-so-happily, @harryssattelitestomper, @jerseygirlinca, @tenaciousperfectionunknown, @n0vaj3an, @breezykpop, @kathb59, @sassamanda77, @sherbitdibdab

"Do you think it's a girl or a boy?" Y/N inquired as Harry gently brushed his fingers across her bump. They were seated at a cozy Italian restaurant conveniently located near both of their offices, having planned to share a lunch together.

"I'm hoping for a girl," Harry admitted, expressing his desire to have both a son and a daughter, just like he and Allison. He recognized the joy of having a sister, and he believed that Oliver would relish the companionship and growing up together. "But if it's not, that's perfectly fine too," he quickly added, not wanting his words to be misconstrued. Harry was genuinely excited this time. He felt blessed to be involved in every aspect of the pregnancy.

"I don't mind either way. I'm honestly not sure," Y/N replied with a slight frown before picking up her fork to savor the carbonara pasta before her.

"Speaking of the baby, we'll need to start getting everything ready," Harry noted.

"I'm sure we won't need that much stuff. We can use Oliver's things," Y/N suggested, assuming Harry had saved all of Oliver's newborn essentials.

Harry's expression shifted to one of confusion. "I mean, you kept all of Oliver's newborn stuff, right?" she inquired.

Harry smiled at her and looked down at his food, feeling a pang of guilt. He hadn't retained any of it; the majority had been donated. He hadn't anticipated having another child.

"That's absurd," she remarked, rolling her eyes at him.

"I donated it! It's not like I threw everything away, darlin'," Harry replied, his smile wistful as he took a sip of his wine. He had reservations about drinking in front of Y/N, but she had insisted, essentially making him share the moment. "When's your next doctor's appointment?"

"It's later this week," Y/N shared, her anticipation building. Perhaps they would find out the baby's sex this time. She hoped the baby would be more cooperative during the ultrasound. "Can you make it?"

"I'll make time. Wouldn't miss it," Harry assured her, reaching out to hold her hand and tenderly kissing the top of it.

"Is Allison mad at me?" Y/N asked bluntly, her thoughts consumed by the question over the past two days since Allison's departure. She knew she had stepped in when it wasn't her place, but Allison's disrespect toward Harry had pushed her to speak up.

"No, darlin'," Harry reassured her. "I think she realized she went a little too far." Y/N couldn't quite understand, but she suddenly found herself in tears. Sometimes, the weight of it all felt like too much. She had an aversion to conflict and despised making Harry feel bad, so she often kept her concerns close, not wanting to be a burden or cause him any distress.

"Oh, darlin'," Harry sighed, his heart aching at the sight of her tears. He was accustomed to her joyful smile, making the contrast all the more poignant. "Everything is alright. She's not angry or anything. Maybe she was just taken aback by everything. Would you like me to talk to her so she can apologize?"

Y/N shook her head, big tears streaming down her face. "No, don't. I'll just make it worse," she pleaded. "It might just be the hormones," she added with a self-aware nod, realizing how silly it all sounded. Harry gently wiped away her tears.

"You're just feeling a bit sensitive today, and that's perfectly fine," Harry assured her. "How about if I finish work earlier than usual today, and we spend the evening watching movies and indulging in some comfort food at home? Will that make you feel better?"

Y/N nodded enthusiastically through her tears, a soft laugh escaping her. Harry empathized with her, unable to fathom the challenges of pregnancy. All he wanted was for her to be as comfortable as possible. Despite his reluctance to leave work early, this time he was determined to do so, as she needed him.

After their lunch, Y/N and Harry returned to their respective offices, each with their own set of responsibilities. Y/N had an important meeting scheduled with William and some potential investors. She needed to pitch a significant deal to them and had meticulously prepared her proposal, backed by data confirming it was a worthwhile investment. She felt a mix of nervousness and excitement about showcasing her potential.

On the other hand, Harry had his hands full with various external issues to address. He had to meet with his associates in London, as their construction project had encountered several setbacks, including permit issues. Harry was sincerely hoping he wouldn't have to travel for this matter.

"What's going on, Thomas? I need some good news," Harry said, leaning forward in his chair. "What's happening with the construction crew?"

Thomas had been incessantly calling Harry over the past few days, reporting that construction had slowed down due to heavy rain in London. An unfortunate incident had occurred where a worker accidentally damaged a gas pipeline, necessitating a call to the fire department. The pipeline was temporarily sealed, suspending the gas supply to the building. This, in turn, delayed the laying of the concrete foundation and pushed back the permits by about a month.

Thomas was visibly anxious, fearing that Harry might reprimand him severely. He had always been meticulous in overseeing the workers, and Harry appreciated his attention to detail. However, this time, a momentary lapse in attention had led to a major issue.

Harry let out a deep exhale, running his fingers through his hair. He was growing weary of the challenges that came with the expansion project and simply wished it would be completed.

"I'm surprised, Thomas," Harry began. "How much is this going to cost us?"

"I'm truly sorry, Mr. Styles," Thomas apologized sincerely, and Harry could sense his genuine regret. It was the first time he had encountered a problem with Thomas in charge of construction. While it wasn't entirely his fault, he was the one responsible and had to bear the blame in front of the boss. "It won't happen again. I swear."

"I understand, Thomas. Everyone makes mistakes, and I was genuinely surprised that it hadn't happened sooner after all these years of working for me," Harry reassured him with a smile. "Sometimes, situations get out of our control. Now, tell me the cost so we can get it resolved."

Thomas proceeded to share the detailed cost estimates he had prepared for the meeting, relieved that Harry hadn't reacted with anger and fired him.

As the day transitioned into evening, the sky grew darker and colder, and the first drops of rain began to fall from the gray heavens. Harry parked his car in front of the apartment building and scrolled through the menu of a restaurant he wanted to try, all the while eagerly anticipating a cozy evening in pajamas, cuddling with Y/N.

"Y/N? I'm home!" Harry called out as he entered the apartment. He noticed Mrs. Johnson, their housekeeper, looking weary and troubled. Concerned, he inquired, "What's going on?"

"I tried, Mr. Styles, but he was very persistent," Mrs. Johnson replied, her voice lowered. "He basically let himself in," she whispered, nodding toward the office.

Determined and already angered that someone had upset Mrs. Johnson, Harry made his way into the office, only to find his father and mother inside. His father stood by the window with his hands in his pockets, while his mother sat on the couch, elegantly dressed in Chanel, with her ankles crossed.

"Does no one in this family respect privacy?" Harry blurted out, startling both of his parents. "First Allison, and now both of you?"

"That's no way to talk to your parents, Harry," Mrs. Styles chided, setting down a cup of tea that Mrs. Johnson had prepared for her after some disagreement. "It's good to see you."

"Why are you here? Did Allison spill the beans already?" Harry questioned, his frustration evident as he hurriedly untied his tie.

"She might have mentioned that your girlfriend is pregnant," Mr. Styles replied, his gaze intense. "So?"

"It's just very surprising. Is this really what you want, Harry? To have another child? To add more responsibility to the already intense load you carry?" Harry was taken aback. He felt betrayed by his own mother, as he had always considered her an innocent angel caught in a challenging relationship. Suddenly, his father seemed to have influenced her. "Because I'm sure your father and I can do something to fix this situation."

In response, Harry silently made his way to the small bar in his office and began pouring himself a glass of whiskey on the rocks. He was beyond angry.

"You don't have to stay with her, son," Mr. Styles finally spoke, his words laden with implication.

ENTICING HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED ON PATREON. ALL CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN UPLOADED ALL THE WAY TO CHAPTER 66! WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ENDING. FOR ONLY $3.00 YOU'LL GET FULL ACCESS TO ALL CHAPTERS AND HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THEM ALL. The best thing about it is that you can cancel right away and make a one time payment!

54 notes · View notes