Petal [h.s.]

SIX - BRIGHT BLOODY RED FLAGS

My brain reminded me of Harry's reaction to the ones he saw on my skin at Apartment X. They were a lot fresher back then, there were even some that were merely scabs at that point. He brushed over them intentionally and his fingers felt cool against the harsh lines, they felt soothing. That was all he did, though. He just traced them once and then he went back to kissing me, his kisses a little harder afterwards. It wasn't until later on in the night that he decided to ask about them.

My chest tightened as I remembered all of the things I told him and the things he told me. The way we unloaded everything onto each other willingly was rare for both of us, I could tell. I hated that I told him all of those things now that I knew the person he really was when he wasn't in that room with me. I wondered which version of him was real. I wondered how many versions of him there really were.

I could hear Finn the second he walked into the shop. He was so loud already, but when he got around River, he turned into a twelve year old kid. They were best friends and it warmed my heart that our group meshed so well together.

"The Ferris wheel is running!!" Finn was telling River and Buffy. I smiled at his excitement, shaking my head slightly and knowing he would make his way back here.

Sure enough, the door creeped open a little bit and I saw his cheesy smile through the gap.

"Belly! My best friend in the whole wide world..." He slid a pack of my favorite grape bubble gum into view.

"I'll take the gum, but it's not happening." I laughed, leaning back in my seat and tapping my pen against my smiling lips.

"C'mon, you said you'd go with me last year!!" He whined, stomping one foot like a child. He pushed his way into my office and shut the door behind him, giving me a second to admire him from head to toe.

He had the best style, and most days I wished my stomach was flatter or my hips were smoother so I could steal his wardrobe from him. Dani was always wearing his clothes and the intimacy in that act made my chest burn.

I smiled when I saw his pink socks, which he always wore for me because pink was my happy color. I was rarely happy and therefore I never wore it myself, so he wore it for me. He'd been wearing strictly pink socks ever since I first listed the color as one of my reasons. It was how he showed me that he always wanted me around.

"Mmm. That doesn't sound like something I'd say..." I stood up from my chair, tossing the pen onto my desk now as I kept my eyes on him. "Gum, please."

"Come and get it." He grinned, holding it up in a teasing manner.

I smiled back brightly, loving his playfulness, moving quickly to run my fingers over his ribs where I knew he was the most ticklish. He jerked and barked out a laugh as his arm came down and I was quick to snatch the gum from him.

"Thank you!" I smiled, dropping the package on my desk happily.

"Brat. Absolute terror to society. You're getting on the Ferris Wheel this year, Arabella." He ordered me, using my full name so I would know he meant business.

"Mmm... I think not, pet." I replied with a laugh, sitting back down in my office chair as he walked around behind me.

"You left my bed last night. What happened?" He asked softly, his fingers touching my shoulders, running over them.

I tensed up, from both the question and the touch, feeling my body go on high alert as I remembered my nightmares the night before. I hadn't had them in a long time. I assumed they started again because I brought up Harry's past on the balcony the other night. In turn, that made me remember my own past and the way I unloaded it onto him. It was the last time I talked about what happened in depth. It was the only time I ever told anyone all of the details and I never understood why it was him that I chose.