pyrite (harry styles) [completed]

thirty nine.

And then, just like that, he appears. Still clad in his white stage t-shirt, I spot him nearly half a football field away, on the same plane as the mere mortals had been less than an hour ago.

"Alright, I'm off. So happy for you two, love." Lou takes her cue and squeezes me tight. "G'night! Have fun!"

I say bye, but my eyes don't ever catch on her. They're stuck on him.

And then somehow miraculously it really is just him and I. In this massive stadium. Where this massive night just unfolded.

Once he's one section ahead I launched myself toward him, the happy tears making a triumphant return, and wrap my arms around his still-damp t-shirt.

"Hi," he says, softly, into my hair, and I pull back because I've been aching to see him up close.

"Can you say it again?"

"Say what again?" he teases, dimples popping.

I roll my eyes and try to feign annoyance but I can't shrink the massive smile on my face, and I don't need to ask again because my eyes settle on his lips as he does just that.

"I love you, Lex," he smiles, adorably pleased with himself for this monumental step in both his maturity and our relationship.

"One more time," I say, gnawing at my lip while my eyes well up again.

"I love you, puppy," he smiles again before noticing my damp eyes and shifting into protective mode. "Wait, are you crying? What's the matter?"

"Oh, no," I shake my head and hastily wipe them away. "Just happy."

"Oh," He tilts his head back to catch his breath and running his hands up and down my arms. "Thank God. Thought I may have done something wrong."

"No. You're perfect," I insist. "I don't think I've ever been this happy."

"What if I tell you I've got the best bagels in town in the back and Sarah baked a chocolate cake?"

"I'd tell you to marry me," I teased, but then got startled by the look that flashed across his face.

"I'm kidding Harry! Totally. Kidding. It took this long to get you to say 'I love you,' I know it will probably take double to get you to say 'I do,'" I joke.

But there's no humor on his face. He looks terrified. So I backpedal some more.

"Shit, I'm sorry. That was not funny. At all. Leave it to Lexifer to completely ruin the mood. I'm sorry. Let's rewind. Where are the bagels?"

He smoothes out his expression and takes a step back, taking my hands in his.

"They're uh, they're um, they're in the back. C'mon, kitten," he takes my hand in his and I follow blindly, and then fill the silence with lighter commentary. A stuttering Harry Styles? A Harry Styles unsure of himself? This was unchartered territory and it was making me uneasy.

By the time we were backstage he seemed to have shaken off the nerves, and he retrieved a brown bag full of bagels before leading me to his dressing room.

I had zero expectations for the rest of the night, so when I stepped into the dressing room my mouth popped open. "Harry?"

Assembled in front of me was one of the most impressive forts I'd ever seen, with twinkle lights along the perimeter and an adorable picnic display arranged in the center.

My eyes yanked from the fort to Harry's goofy grin to the fort again. "You did all this for bagels?"

"No, silly. I did all this for you," he shrugged, and since his hands were full of our picnic menu he leaned down to give me a kiss before continuing further into the tent.