Dark (Harry Styles Fanfic)

Chapter 55

"What the hell happened?"The first accusation hit the hardest, implying that I had a choice in the matter. I didn't, it's what anyone else would have done.

"She was being horrible to Hayley, I wasn't going to let her mouth-off. She wasn't even invited and when Hayley asked her to leave, she nearly pushed her to the floor, Harry."He wasn't convinced, thumb and index pinching the bridge of his nose as he listened to my recital. I was aware of the likeness it portrayed to a playground dispute; he said, she said, a quarrel over who sprinted to the swings first.

"So you hit her?"

"She started it!" I nearly shouted at the risk of sounding like a spoilt brat.His head shook in disregard to my objection.

"You should have called me if there was a problem," he exasperated.A crinkle formed between his eyebrows, but it wasn't a symptom of vexation, but of disquiet. His eyes softened, lowering his head to address me in a more intimate manner than he had before.

"You're not going to be there all the time, I have to do some things on my own," I explained.My hand was delicately taken, thumb rubbing soothingly over the back.

"I understand that, but I don't want you fighting anyone."

"That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"I was ready to yank my hand from his. Harry kept his voice steady, unprepared to raise it. It amazed me at how well he was doing at reigning in emotions that could have gotten the better of the circumstance.

"I'm trained to give and receive hits. It's part of my job, not yours."

"You were the one that taught me how to do that," I gestured to the area in which the ruckus had taken place,"to defend myself."

It appeared the state of uncivilised affairs had calmed, people going back to drink and conversations of a more casual nature.

"Bo, you punched her in the stomach," Harry almost sighed.Shit. I couldn't really proclaim that was in self-defence, a fact I had been replying on to prop-up my case. I had kicked her in the shin as well, I hoped it would bruise.

"I didn't know that you'd seen that," I shifted uncomfortably on my toes.

"But hey, I remembered to keep my thumb outside my fist, like you showed me."The inside of my cheek was bitten as I shyly looked to Harry. He was fighting a smile, and when it burst, my stomach flipped. It surprised me to hear his rough laughter, catching in his throat as he reeled me into a squashed hug."Good girl," he praised, kissing the top of my head.

"You're something else, Bo."My right cheek flattened to his chest, welcoming the sound of his low humming voice and thumping of a vital organ. He'd told me countless times of my standing in the shares of his heart, not bought but given. The left side was mine; he'd said he could make do and survive with the smaller right half, just so long as I kept it safe. I don't think he realised just how little I was living on. A tiny piece of my heart was for me, the rest for him, under Harry's guard. I trusted him."You do know that I'd take the hits for you, I'll stand in front and take whatever comes," he stated.I wanted to tell him he didn't need to; I didn't want to be locked away like a princess in a tower, protected by a one-man army. I'd stand with him, hold his hand and we could battle the dragons together.

"You wouldn't feel a thing." Harry admitted in a breathless, promised whisper.The prodigious comfort felt after those words was like no other. I'd never met anyone that held my safety and contentment above their own, apart from my parents. And Harry continued to go beyond any expectation I had.A staggered movement into nearby bushes caused me to raise my head from his chest. The hand that wincingly clapped to my shoulder took me somewhat by surprise, and had Harry glaring at the mystery person before shoving their drunken contact from my body.