the writer // harry styles au

chapter 23

(A/N: Okay, so just this once I'm continuing on with Alexis's point of view for another chapter!)

Alexis

When I arrived at Will's office he was hunched over, sitting on a couch in the lobby. I walked along the tiled floor, heels making an inconvenient amount of noise with each step. Will heard me walking towards him and stood up immediately, walking over to me.

He looked wrecked, absolutely broken. His eyes were red and puffy; his lips were shaking; and his shirt had two buttons undone and his tie was undone and hanging around his neck. It killed me, seeing this man who was always so strong and proud, so broken. He looked like he didn't care what mattered to him, that everything was so stupidly irrelevant. He didn't look like Will; he looked like a totally different man. One that needed me.

It broke my heart to see him so wrecked. Would he be like this if I left him and told him I was with Harry? Of course it would. Everything seemed so trivial with Harry now. We were acting like ignorant teenagers, except this time instead of sneaking around our parents we were sneaking around my fiancé.

Will brought me into his arms when he got to me, hugging me tight. I brought my hands up to his back and squeezed tight. I really did feel sad for him. It mad me sad to see him sad. I hate this.

"Hi," he whispered against my hair. I felt his lips press to my head, soft and tentative.

"Hey," I said. I pulled my head back from his chest, looking up into his blue eyes.

He smiled down at me and captured my lips with his in a sweet press. He didn't force it, didn't press my body further into his, begging to feel the curves of my body against him the way he loved. He just sweetly let his lips feel mine, only in comfort. He was only rarely like this. He hated being vulnerable. Around other people, like at work functions, he'd be purely professional when not around me, but when I was in an arms distance, he was the world's biggest softie. He told me about 3 months into the relationship that I was the best thing he's ever had, and all I could think about was how Harry was the best thing I never really had.

"Can we go somewhere? Just you and me?" Will asked. He had brought his hands up to tangle in the hair at the base of my head. His eyes looked desperate, so how could I deny him this simple request?

"Yeah, of course. We could drive down to the beach for a bit, maybe just get some coffee far away from the city?"

Will smiled down at me, quickly coming down to place a kiss on my lips. In this moment, I felt like I was cheating on Harry. I love the way Will was kissing me. Will was perfect, and was undeniably the person I should be with, but then there's Harry. Harry, the man I want to be with, the man I want to kiss me sweetly and cry on my shoulder when he needs it.

"How about.. Paris," Will says.

I don't register this for a moment, only nodding at his request because that's what he wants. I'll give him what he wants.

But then there's the logical side to this. His mum's funeral was sure to be soon, his family would need him at home, helping around and organising things. The mere thought of leaving his family with the burden of planning a funeral while we were off in Paris was ridiculous.

"No, Will," I said. "Your family needs to plan the funeral and get everything ready; you can't just leave for Paris."

He pouts playfully, and it's nice to see him in a playful state. "Not even with my fiancé who is just trying to make me feel better?"

I want to say yes to going to Paris, to just run off for the weekend and try remember why Will was the better choice over Harry, but I can't. Will needs to be here for his family.

"Nope." Will's face drops again into the horrible grimace and for a second I want to change my answer and do it, run off the Paris. "No. We'll go stay with your family for a while and help with the funeral."

Will brings me into his chest again in a tight hug. His lips find my forehead again and he presses a few short kisses to my lips.

"I love you," he said. "Now my family can meet you as my brilliant, caring fiancé."

And that's right. I'm his brilliant, caring fiancé.

(A/N: Hi! Sorry this chapter's a little short and with not much Harry, but all in good time! Filler chapters are horrible but, in every case, entirely necessary. Don't forget to vote and comment!!)