Together

Just Tired

And here's where things start to go downhill.... no trigger warnings particularly until next chapter, but please, for the next five or so chapters, make sure that you're in a healthy mental state before reading. I'll outline any triggers in the authors notes. Stay safe xxxx I love you all. Enjoy this chap, I guess? Don't forget to comment and vote... but don't kill me *quite yet.* save that for later x
-ab

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October 24, 2025

Patrick

I squeeze Harper's hand as we emerge out of the tube station, onto the streets of London. The pavement is illuminated by the last bit of daylight before the sun goes to sleep. We are headed over for a nice little dinner with Taylor and Joe.

"Are you sure rehearsal was okay today, hon?" I ask her. "You were so quiet on the tube over."

"I'm fine," she insists. "I'm just really tired, and honestly just want to sleep."

"Do you want me to cancel with Taylor and Joe? They won't mind," I tell her instantly. I don't think that she's keeping anything from me. She's genuinely tired, and I don't blame her. She ran through the entirety of Anastasia three times today. That's a lot.

"No cancelling," she states. "I'm fine, and we are all the way over here, now. Plus, I'm sure that Taylor's put effort into cooking and all."

"We don't have to stay into the night," I tell Harper. "I promise, we will go home at a reasonable hour so that you can get some rest."

"Thanks," she replies.

After a bit more walking, we find ourselves at the door to Taylor and Joe's flat. I knock, and Joe comes to open the door.

"Hey kids," he smiles. "Come on in."

"Kids," I scoff, rolling my eyes. "We are twenty-three years old."

"Hush, children."

"Just don't fight it," Harper whispers to me, with a little laugh.

"Tay's in the kitchen just finishing up the dinner," Joe informs us. "I was told to entertain."

"I'm going to go see if Taylor needs any help," Harper excuses herself. I give her a weird look as she walks out of the room.

"She's been weird today," I shrug to Joe. "Just, really quiet and looking for reasons to be antisocial, it seems."

"Hm," Joe shrugs. "That's strange. Probably just that time of month."

I blush a bit, shaking my head 'no.' "That was at the beginning of the month," I mutter, suddenly wishing to be discussing literally anything else.

"Well, then I don't know what else it could be," Joe tells me. "Do you think she's keeping something from you?"

"I just really don't know," I reply, feeling nothing short of frustrated as I talk this out with Joe. "I don't think she's lied to me about anything, but perhaps she just hasn't told the whole truth."

"Taylor's good at that when something's bothering her," Joe tells me. "I've learned the warning signs for it, but they're different for every girl. Just show her some extra love, I suppose."

"I guess," I shrug.

Joe and I chat for a few more moments, before Taylor sticks her head into the room. "Food's ready."

We stand up and walk towards the table, but as we are moving, Taylor catches me and grabs my sleeve, pulling me aside. "Is Harper okay?"

I let out a groan. "Oh my god, I don't know. She won't talk to me."

"What? Did you have a row?"

"No, not like that. I mean, she's talking to me, but she won't open up to me and tell me what's wrong. She's insisting that she's just tired."

"She's definitely tired, but there's also definitely more than that."

"I know," I tell Taylor. "She's been really antisocial ever since she got back from rehearsal today."

"She was super quiet with me, too. I just had to have her go set the table because I couldn't stand seeing her sit silently in the corner."

"Oh gosh, okay..." I say. "Did she say anything?"

"All she did was ask if I need help, and I told her no, so she just sat down on the stool and watched me, silently."

"Okay, that's weird," I mumble. "Even for her."

"Don't call your fiancee weird," Taylor teases me, playfully slapping my arm. "Well, we had better get to that table before the other two start suspecting anything."

"True," I nod, following Taylor to the table. I sit down as she grabs the dishes and begins serving up the food to all of us.

As Taylor, Joe, and I make conversation, Harper just sort of picks at her food. I know that she's engaged in what's going on, as I notice a small smile creeping onto her face every now and then, when somebody tells a particularly funny joke.

After dinner is over, Taylor realizes that Harper clearly needs to go home, so she immediately serves dessert. Even with her sweet tooth, Harper barely eats at the slice of chocolate cake placed in front of her. She takes a few bites and quietly compliments Taylor's cooking: enough to be polite, but no more. Just like she did with dinner.

"Alright, love, let's get you home for some rest," I tell her once we are done. "This week really beat you up."

"We don't have to go if you don't want to. I don't want to be a burden..."

"Nope, come on. We have to get you to bed."

"Fine, whatever," she says. "Dinner was great, Tay. Thanks."

"You're welcome, love," Taylor replies. "Rest up, okay?"

"Okay."

I grab Harper's jacket and hold it as she sticks her arms through the sleeves, then put on my own jacket and link my fingers through hers. We bid farewells to Joe and Taylor, then head back to the tube.

Once we are in our apartment, I walk with Harper to our room. "Into bed. I'll join you, even."

"You go. I have to do something," she says, her eyes darting wildly around the room as she avoids eye contact.

"Please hurry," I tell her.

"It's just something for work. It shouldn't be long," she assures me. I watch as she walks to her laptop and turns it on. Then, I leave to go brush my teeth before bed.

A few minutes later, just as she promised, I watch Harper place her laptop down on the table and go prepare herself to get some rest.

I can't help but hope that tomorrow, everything will be back to normal. I know, deep down, though, that it won't happen. I'm terrified to see what tomorrow is going to bring, but I'm sure it'll be another day of this awkward silence between Harper and I.

I don't like that idea. We are going to be married, but she's still doing this. I just know that there's something she's not telling me.

If only I could figure out what it is.