Sweet to the Bitter || Harry Styles AU

chapter three: when things go south.

"You need a break." I make an effort so my voice sounds demanding. As his does all of the time. "One break. Then, you can come back and decide."

I barely see his nod, but everyone breathes in relief when he takes a step back and makes his way to the door.

It takes me less than a second to turn to Margareth. "Hold on for two minutes. I've got to make a call real quick."

I mirror Dr. Styles' steps, hurrying to my phone and dialing the second contact on my favorites. I have about five minutes before he comes back, which makes my heartbeat increase with every second I'm forced to wait.

"'Lo?"

"Niall." I breathe out, relieved to hear his voice. "I need you. Now, right now. Come to St. Paul's, please, as fast as you can."

"What do you mean? What happened?" He sounds alarmed. "Did the surgery already end? No. Please don't-"

"It barely started," I rush the words out, cutting him before he can imagine the worst scenario. "Dr. Styles has stood still for the last eight hours. I need you to unfreeze him. Just... I don't know, talk to him. He likes you, you're his friend. I'm sure it'll help. I- he barely tolerates me, I'm afraid I'll only make things worse."

"Lo, honey, I'm out of town." Niall is gentle, sensing I'm about to break. "I'm on my day off, Vera and I came for a relaxed day out."

I refuse to believe it. "No."

"Loren, listen to me." I do. "You can do it. Believe me, you can. Despite what you think, he'll listen to you. You're enough."

"Niall-"

"You're enough, Dr. Rhodes. Go." He encourages me. "We'll go back to London as soon as we can, anyway. Only because I want to be there to meet you guys after the surgery. Now, go. Don't be afraid to make him angry, either. Be yourself."

I sigh. "Ok. I'll try. Thanks, Niall. See you soon."

He mutters a goodbye and I'm back on my feet, running to scrub back in before Dr. Styles comes back.

I do it, beating him for a few short minutes, all of which I spend thinking about what I should say when he comes back. I could make him think out loud again. Rewind, rethink, replan. But it didn't prove to be a good idea a few minutes ago - when he all but concluded we should close up. No, I need to take another tactic. Rile him up.

As soon as he's back on his spot, I say it.

"Why don't you cut the cord?"

It's a dangerous game, I know. I'm not sure he cleared his head enough to see it as I mean it. A provocation.

"He has full leg function. I'm not going to do that." He states, seeming offended that I even dared to suggest such a thing.

"I know, but he'd live longer." I continue, shrugging. "Is that not the point?"

"No." He looks me dead in the eye. Then, he pauses. "Yes. But, no. I'm not cutting the cord. I won't do that to him."

"Dr. Styles," I stop him from another rant. "you said you didn't want a plan because it would increase the chances of you freezing. I'm sorry, but you seem pretty frozen to me. You said so yourself, it's been too long. Either you do something, or you close up. And I don't think he'd want you to close up without taking this tumor out. So," I'm glad I have his full attention, when I say the next words again. A dangerous dare. "Cut the cord."

His glare is hard, mirroring mine perfectly. "No."

It's his final answer.

I smirk under my mask.