AN: Hi! Sorry about the cliffhanger last chapter, but I wanted to leave you all on the edge of your seats!
There's one last chapter after this <3
I love you bunches and bunches and bunches <333333 Thank you for everything <3
~Alex
●●●●●
What do I do instead of running into his arms even though my entire body is screaming at me to do so?
I run away.
The second he takes a step, I turn in the opposite direction and run away. Why? I'm not sure. But as soon as I saw him take that one step towards me, I bolted for the exit in an attempt to escape having to confront him.
"Aurora!" Harry calls after me as I push my way through the sea of people, desperately trying to locate the door so I can leave the building that confines us together.
Tears stream down my face in a never-ending river, my vision blurry and muffled sobs falling from my lips. I want to turn around and face him. I want to stop and fall into his arms. But something inside of me is holding me back from doing that, and I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the fear of actually having to stand in front of him and speak, finally having him standing there in front of me rather than in my dreams. I'm not even sure what I'm going to say to him, or if I'll even be able to get any words out.
"Aurora, stop! Please!" His voice is closer and filled with desperation, but my hand is already on the handle to the door, pushing it open and running outside.
The rain immediately soaks through my dress and wets my hair as I come to a stop in the middle of the street. Raindrops mingle with my tears now that my head is tipped back towards the sky. My chest heaves up and down while I try to catch my breath, the piercing cold of the rain penetrating my skin like sharp needles and clearing my head of the fogginess that has been clouding my mind ever since I first stepped on the plane to Paris. I keep my eyes closed and continue to face the darkened sky.
It feels magical. It feels as if I've entered an alternate reality where all it does is rain and fill the atmosphere with enchanting concoctions of euphoria and ecstasy. Like the rain is the magical potion that casts a spell to all of those victim to the outside weather without an umbrella to keep them dry. But you don't care because you get to feel the rain soak into your skin as if it's some sort of drug seeping its way into your veins and making you feel as if you're on this unimaginable high.
Turning slowly around, I open my eyes and see Harry standing a few feet away from me, his long curls sticking to his cheeks and growing in length as the water weighs them down. His green eyes are trained solely on me as raindrops dot his eyelashes and run down his cheeks. My breath gets taken away just as quickly as it had arrived now that he's only an arm's length away. I could reach out right now and feel the smoothness of his skin underneath my fingertips if I wanted to.
"So this is what Paris in the rain feels like?"
He doesn't say a word and keeps his eyes trained on mine, tears still evident as they form along his waterline and leave streaks down his cheeks.
My body is practically pulling me towards him like a magnet, that gravitational pull I've always felt between us kicking into full force and drawing me to him. I subconsciously take a tiny step forward, keeping my arms by my sides no matter how desperately they wanted to reach forward and feel the warmth of his skin.
"You're here," he finally speaks, his voice cracking slightly.
"I'm here," I nod my head slightly and blink a raindrop out of my eyes.
He squeezes his eyes tightly shut and rubs them with the back of his hands, shaking his head as if he's thinking he's dreaming and I'm just a figment of his imagination. But when he opens his eyes again and looks at me, I'm still here.
His entire body starts to shake and his chest starts to rise and fall rapidly, more tears creating an ocean in his viridescent irises. "H-How?" His voice shaking as his body begins to tremble even more.
"Well... I took a plane," I grin slightly. "And then I took a cab. Then I walked-"
He shakes his head, cutting me off, "I know that part. How did you know about this? About my art exhibition?"
"Liam and Louis."
"And you... you came here to..."
"I came here to see you, Harry," I say softly and feel myself start to tear up again. "I came here for you."
Faster than my brain can process, I'm being pulled into his arms and throwing my own around his neck, a sob tumbling freely from my lips and landing in the crook of his neck as I nuzzle my nose against him. He squeezes me like his life depends on it and buries his face into my soaking wet hair, his own sob tainting the air as he finally loses his grip on his control.
"My Flower," he whispers, curing every cursed thing in this world and bringing peace in his wake.
"My Capolavoro," I whisper back and hold him even tighter against me.
"I've missed you, Flower. I've missed you so much," Harry sobs into my hair while shakily running his fingers through it, keeping his other arm wrapped firmly around my waist. "My beautiful, beautiful Flower."
I swallow thickly and squeeze my eyes shut to contain the helpless whimper that rests in the back of my throat, "My masterpiece. I've missed you, Capolavoro."
"Please don't let go of me."
"I wasn't planning on it."
And so we stand in the rain, clinging onto each other like we're the last two people on Earth who have been lonely for years, finally seeing someone again and holding them close because we've missed what it felt like to be in another person's arms. My tight grip around him never loosens and neither does his. He smells like jasmine and rain, an addicting mixture that has me inhaling deeply and wishing I could somehow be closer to him than I already am.
He continues to run his hand through my soaking wet hair. My curls are now gone and I'm sure my makeup is a runny mess down my face, but I don't care.
Because the Flower is back in the Capolavoro's arms.
"Your hair is long," I breathe out onto the skin of his neck and twirl the ends of his hair between my fingertips.
"You asked me to grow it out. So I did," he replies and squeezes me even tighter. "I told you I would in the letter I wrote you. Did you ever find it?"
I nod my head, refusing to pull away from him, "I did. I read it."
We fall back into a comfortable silence, still clinging onto each other tightly, if not even tighter than before. I feel him run his hand down my back and along my side, the action causing goosebumps to appear on my skin, although I was sure they had already been there from the freezing rain.
My hands run themselves through his long hair, slightly pulling my head away from his neck to examine the curls as they travel in between my fingers. I pull my head all the way back to look at his face and smile as I play with his curls, "You look so beautiful with long hair."
He smiles weakly, still looking at me as if he doesn't believe I'm really here. It almost feels like I'm not. This feels too surreal and magical for it to be true. I'm surprised I'm not more of a mess than I am right now. I fully expected myself to pass out or throw up from nerves.
"Aurora," Harry says my name as if he hasn't said it in years. It's almost as if he's relishing in the fact he can say my name and I'll be right here in front of him instead of hundreds of miles away.
"Harry," I sigh and gaze into his eyes, wanting him to see exactly how much I've missed him and how much I've been hurting since we've been apart. Because I can see it in his eyes. I can see all of the pain and misery he went through and how much he's missed me.
"I can't believe you're here," he whispers.
I smile softly at him and cup his face in my hands, running my thumbs across his cheeks, "After a year apart."
"Actually, it's been a year and five months," he grins and I roll my eyes.
"Someone's been counting," I quirk an eyebrow at him and remove my hands from his face to run them through his hair. "I bet you know how many weeks and days have passed too, hm?"
His eyes close briefly as I run my fingers through his hair, a shiver traveling down his spine once I brush my nose along his jawline. "One year, five months, two weeks, and six days," he hums and opens his eyes to look at me again. "I missed you. So much, Rora."
I hum softly and glance down at his lips that are glistening with raindrops, wanting nothing more than to place my lips on his and get lost in the feeling of him finally being in front of me. "Don't think I don't know I missed your birthday. Twice."
"I missed yours twice too. I guess we're even," he smiles and glances down at my lips as I curl them into a smile. I shiver both from the cold and the feeling of him placing his hands on either side of my face. He stares so deeply into my eyes I'm sure he's seeing straight through me and into my soul, "Are you seeing anyone?"
"No," I shake my head.
"Neither am I," he breathes out softly, training his eyes on my lips. "Can I just try something?" He asks before placing his mouth on mine, using the same words he had that night on the beach.
Everything seems to stand still and I become completely oblivious to everything except Harry, not even feeling the raindrops hitting my skin now that I'm finally falling into a world of jasmine and ecstasy. I pull him closer to me and conform my body to his, savoring every ounce of what it feels like to be in his arms once again with his lips slotting perfectly around mine. His hands caressing my cheeks warms me inside and out and causes warm honey to ooze into my soul and drip straight to my core.
Even with the rain still in a constant downpour, seeping in between our lips and falling onto our eyelashes, I feel nothing but the softness and gentleness of his kiss. It feels exactly like our first time on the beach except with more longing and need, that one year and five months apart leaving a certain craving for each other inside of us that was begging to be released. Now that it's finally been released from its cage, it's refusing to go back inside and craving even more.
"I love you, Aurora. I still love you," Harry mumbles around my lips and wraps his arms around my waist to slightly lift me off of the ground. "I love you, Flower. I love you, I love you, I love you."
I release a sob of happiness and pull away from him with a smile on my lips, "I still love you too, Harry. I never stopped loving you. My beautiful masterpiece."
It's Been A Long, Long Time starts playing faintly through an open window somewhere nearby, just loud enough for the trumpet to reach our ears and echo down the street. The streetlamp casts a radiant glow in Harry's eyes and on his skin that's littered with tiny raindrops while his lips are swollen and pink. He looks ethereal and godlike as his long curls frame his cheekbones and jawline perfectly.
"Please dance with me. Dance with me in the rain," he says softly and I immediately nod my head, kissing him again as he keeps me lifted off of the ground and spins us slowly around in a circle before placing my feet on the ground again.
Taking my hand in his, he keeps the other wrapped around my waist as I keep mine wrapped behind his neck. Our feet move in sync as we start swaying slowly around in a circle, still staring into each other's eyes almost too afraid to blink. Too afraid to briefly close our eyes in case this is all a dream and we're going to wake up any second now alone in our beds.
But it's not a dream. He's here and I'm here, slow dancing in the rain smack dab in the middle of the street... in Paris.
"Look at us. We're in Paris together," I smile up at him and watch as a raindrop lands on his forehead and travels down the length of his nose.
"We're in Paris together," he grins, leaning down to nudge his nose against mine. "Slow dancing in the rain."
I tilt my head back slightly to meet his lips and kiss him softly. A sigh falls from his mouth and lands on mine, one of his curls leaving its place from behind his ear and coming to rest against my cheek. I pull away from him and tuck it behind his ear again, letting my fingertips linger on his skin and trace the path of a raindrop.
"I'm still not fixed, Harry," I admit and keep my eyes trained on the zigzag path of the raindrop. "I'm still not ready to completely give myself to you again."
He nods his head and takes his hand out of mine to place it underneath my chin, resting his thumb on my bottom lip and tilting my head up to look at him, "That's okay. I'm not either. We both still need more time away from each other."
"It hurts being away from you though," I whimper and feel my bottom lip begin to quiver.
He leans down to quickly touch his lips against mine before pulling away again. "I know. It hurts being away from you too," he says while running his thumb along my chin. "It's for the best, Flower. I can see in your eyes you've grown without me, even though it's only a little bit. But you have, and eventually, you'll be ready. Just like how eventually I'll be ready."
I slip my bottom lip in between my teeth to hold back more tears, staring up at him with glossy eyes and blurry vision, "Can we pretend like we're okay for tonight? I just want to remember how it feels to be yours again."
"You'll always be mine, Aurora," he assures me before placing a kiss to my nose. "Remember how I told you in the note that you have my heart now?" I nod my head, having read the note every single day for six months. "That's still true. You still have my heart, Flower. You always will. I'll always be yours, and you'll always be mine."
"But you said you wanted me to move on," I counter and start twirling his hair nervously between my fingertips.
"I do. I want you to feel what it feels like to be in a healthy relationship and to be with someone who has their shit together," he sighs, briefly closing his eyes before opening them to look at me again. "I want you to at least try. Try for me. You don't have to marry them... not unless you want to."
I shake my head and thumb the rings on his fingers, "I want to marry you, not someone else."
He smiles shakily, bringing my hand up to kiss it softly, "I want to marry you too. Remember that morning on Gianicolo Hill when I fucked up and brought up Niall? Remember the words 'épouse-moi'?"
"Yeah. I think you said it means kiss me?" I knit my eyebrows together as I try to recall that night the best I can.
"It doesn't," he smiles and confusion weaves its way around my mind. "It means marry me."
"Y-You asked me to marry you?" I whisper while my feet come to a halt.
"I did," he nods his head. "And I meant it too. I didn't care that we hadn't been together for that long. I knew from day one that I wanted to be with you until the end of time."
My lungs constrict and I fight back the tears that want to fall from my eyes like an endless river, "I... I would've said yes. Why didn't you tell me? I would've married you the second you asked."
"I know you would have. That's why I lied and told you something different. You would've said yes even if it would've completely ruined you," Harry says while tucking my wet hair behind my ear. "I had to save you, Flower."
I take a deep breath and close my eyes to hold myself together, immediately shivering as Harry starts pressing soft kisses to my closed eyelids and across my face. His lips fall onto my cheeks and travel down my nose, angling my head up so he can reach my chin and jawline. The faint sound of the trumpet fades away as the song comes to an end and is soon replaced with When I Fall In Love.
"I had to save you," he breathes softly across my skin and I open my eyes to see him staring at me. "And I'm so glad I did."
"I'll try. I'll try for you," I whisper but immediately wish I hadn't, already feeling a pang in my heart and the thought of being with someone else other than Harry.
He tries to smile but it falters and he chokes back a sob, "I just want you to feel what true happiness is, Flower. It's all you deserve."
"You need to feel it too, Harry," I point out and wipe away the tears from his eyes, his bottom eyelashes tickling the tips of my thumbs.
"I already have," he shakes his head and smiles wearily at me. "Now it's your turn."
My bottom lip begins to tremble again and I wrap both of my hands behind his neck to bring his lips down to mine. He threads his fingers through my hair and rests his thumbs on the tips of my cheekbones, softly gliding them across my skin as he kisses me deeply and puts every once of his love for me into the kiss. I kiss him back just as passionately and entangle my fingers into his hair, still not over the fact of how long it is and how beautiful he looks.
"Oh my god," I gasp and quickly pull away from him with wide eyes. "Don't you need to be inside talking to people?"
"Fuck no," he rolls his eyes before placing his lips on mine again. "They're nowhere near as important as you are. Nowhere fucking close."
I can't help but to smile and laugh softly against his lips, "Harry, you can't just abandon everyone at your own art show."
"The hell I can't," he scoffs. "Watch me."
Without a second thought, he picks me up bridal style and starts carrying me down the street. I squeal and throw my arms around his neck, feeling my heels starting to slip off of my feet. He buries his face into the crook of my neck and starts placing kisses along my throat while running the tip of his nose along my jawline.
"My shoes," I laugh and slightly kick my feet to show Harry that they're slowly sliding off. He chuckles and stops walking to let me quickly grab them before they fall. "Where are we going?" I ask him once he starts walking again.
"My apartment," he replies and looks down at me with a smile. "Is that okay with you?"
"You're walking there?" I gape at him and turn my head to stare down the street.
"It's just around this corner, Flower," Harry laughs, turning his head to kiss my wrist. "Wait. What's that?" He stops walking and nudges my wrist with his nose.
"Oh," I smile and hold my wrist out in front of him to let him get a better look. "It's a tattoo."
He furrows his eyebrows together as he observes it, glancing down at me with confusion lacing his features, "It's a peony."
"Mhm," I grin and look at the small peony inked onto my skin.
"But... you said you'd never get another tattoo unless it's sentimental. How is that sentimental?"
My smile widens as I look at him with a knowing look, "The morning after our first kiss on the beach, I had asked you what your favorite flower is. You said a peony and you drew one for me. Well, I kept that drawing, and about a month after we split, I got it tattooed on my wrist."
An unrecognizable emotion flashes through his eyes as he glances at the tattoo and me, almost as if he's trying to process that I got a tattoo because of him. "I didn't realize you kept it," he says in awe.
"Of course I did. You drew it for me," I nod my head and caress his cheek with the palm of my hand. "It was sentimental. Hence the reason I got a tattoo," I giggle and lean forward to kiss the tip of his nose.
"Did it hurt?" He asks softly and starts walking down the street again with me still in his arms.
"Like a bitch. But it was tiny and didn't take too long," I assure him, watching him as he keeps glancing down at me every few steps he takes.
I feel weightless now that I'm in his arms once again, still a bit shocked to see and feel how much his muscles have grown since I've last seen him. He looks healthier and more lively, the shirt he's wearing practically straining around his muscles as if it's going to burst at the seams with one wrong move. It's nothing like the last time I saw him where his shirt was baggy and he looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
"We're here," Harry says, breaking me out of my trance.
I turn away from looking at his face and gaze up at the tall apartment building, "It looks nice. I'm guessing you live on one of the top floors so you have a view?" I grin at him.
"Of course. You can see the Eiffel Tower perfectly from my bedroom window," he says proudly before stepping through the door that leads inside. I immediately shiver from the warm air passing over my chilled body, snuggling even closer into Harry and burying my face into the crook of his neck to feel his body heat. "Don't worry. We'll get to my apartment and I'll run you a warm bath."
"What about you?" I ask and feel my teeth start to chatter slightly. Damn, I'm cold.
He shrugs his shoulders and hits the elevator button with his finger, "I'll just change and wrap a blanket around myself."
"Harry-"
"No arguing. That's what I'm doing," he raises his eyebrows at me as if he's challenging me to speak another word.
I huff and roll my eyes but don't say anything, still clinging tightly onto him, "You're so difficult."
"Thank you," Harry grins and places a kiss to my forehead.
The elevator beeps after each floor it passes, releasing a soft humming sound as it steadily increases. I watch the numbers as they rise and wonder when it will stop, "Exactly what floor do you live on?"
I get my answer as it finally stops on the very top floor, opening to reveal a rather large apartment. I hadn't expected the elevator to open right into Harry's apartment, but I guess today is full of surprises.
"The top one," he says and steps into the large open area, finally placing me on my feet. "You can go look around while I get your bath ready," Harry adds before walking away and leaving me to explore.
My feet immediately carry me into his kitchen and my mouth falls open at the size of the counters and large windows that showcase an amazing view of Paris. Granted, I can't see the Eiffel Tower, but I can see pretty much everything, including the people walking down the street with red and black umbrellas in their hands. Watching the raindrops fall onto the windows is almost therapeutic as the soft sound of water filling up a bathtub rings in the distance. It feels like what a normal night in Paris would consist of and I find myself wishing I lived in the City of Love.
I somehow manage to tear myself away from the mesmerizing view and wander into the wide living room, running my fingers over the soft material of his couch and looking at the pieces of art hanging on the walls. I can tell straight away they're not Harry's, but I find myself observing them and wondering who had created them.
They were paintings of flowers and I smile once I realize they're hydrangeas-- the blue ones. Two almost exact copies of each other hang on either side of a window that overlooks the street. They rather fit the mood of Harry's living room... soft and comforting. I wonder if maybe Harry remembered that I said blue hydrangeas are my favorite. I'd only told him once and smile once I remember telling him they look like clusters of tiny butterflies.
"Ready?" Harry asks softly and I turn around to see him standing in the doorway. He had changed out of his formal attire into grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt, a baby pink blanket hanging over his shoulders that reaches the ground. White socks cover his feet and I hold in a laugh once I notice they have tiny paintbrushes littered over them.
I smile once I notice he has his hair pulled into a bun, "Don't you just look adorable."
"Don't make fun. I'm comfortable," he rolls his eyes with a smile tugging at his lips. "Now come get in the bath before the bubbles dissolve," he takes my hand and leads me down the hallway that leads to his bathroom, stopping right outside of the door. "I'll wait out here until you're ready."
I nod my head and quickly kiss his lips, still not over the fact that I can do that again. He shuts the door behind me once I step inside and I quickly strip out of my soaking wet dress. I fold it neatly along with my undergarments before stepping into the hot bathwater, sighing in relief as it instantly warms my frozen toes and fingers. The bubbles smell like honey, the candles resting along the edge of the bathtub smelling like flowers.
"You can come in now," I say and watch as he slowly opens the door and peeks his head inside. "Thank you. This feels like heaven."
He sits down on the floor beside the bathtub, keeping the blanket wrapped around his shoulders, "No problem. You probably needed it after the plane ride anyways."
I eye him as he sits on the ground beside me, observing how he's thrown his hair up into a bun. "Turn around," I grin as an idea passes through my mind.
"Why?" He asks with a smile, slightly tilting his head to the side.
"Just do it," I say and motion for him to turn around. He does and rests his back against the edge of the tub, my fingers immediately taking out his bun and allowing his curls to fall around his shoulders. "Mind if I braid it?"
"Of course not. That's why I grew it out in the first place," he says. I smile to myself and gently kiss the top of his head before I begin to French braid it, softly raking my fingers through his hair to rid it of any tangles along the way.
"It's a lot easier to braid now that it's longer," I hum softly, wishing I had tiny flowers so I could braid them into his hair.
"I wish I had some flowers so you could braid those in too," he says as if he read my mind.
I laugh softly and nod my head, "I was just thinking that, Capolavoro."
He tilts his head back to meet my eyes and I lean slightly forward so I can see him better. "I missed hearing you call me that," he admits and my features soften.
"I missed calling you that," I say softly and kiss his forehead. "Now lean forward again so I can finish this braid. Your hair is thick as fuck."
He laughs before leaning his head forward again, my fingers picking up where they left off. "Can I braid your hair next? I've been practicing on my own hair and I learned a new one. I think it's called a Dutch braid?"
A smile graces my face at the thought of Harry braiding his hair, just imagining the frustrated curses falling from his lips as he stares in the mirror while watching his hands maneuver his hair into braids. I wonder if he watched videos online of people teaching tutorials on how to do different braids, rewinding the videos if he didn't understand something, or making sure he did it right.
"Of course. You may have to brush it a bit first because it gets all tangly when it's wet," I tell him, furrowing my eyebrows a bit as I focus on finishing up his braid. "All done! Look in the mirror and see what you think," I sit back and observe the braid. Right as he stands up I get an idea, "Oh wait! Sit back down!"
He huffs and glares at me but sits back down. I scoop a handful of bubbles into my hand and try my best to form it into the shape of a mohawk, giggling to myself and watching Harry slightly shake his head. "Okay now turn around for a sec," I tap his shoulder and he turns around to face me with an uncontrollable grin twinging at his lips. "I just have to make sure it looks okay from the front and pull out your little baby hairs to complete the badass part cupcake look," I wiggle my eyebrows at him as I fix the bubbles and pull his baby hairs out from around his ears. "Magnifico! Now you can look," Quickly pecking his lips and motioning for him to get up.
I look at him expectantly, observing his reaction as he stares at himself in the mirror, "What do you think?"
"Mm, I love it. The bubble mohawk really brings everything together," he grins at me and I smile at him. "Your turn, Flower. Turn around," Harry says and sits on the floor again.
Turning my back to him and bringing my knees up to my chest, I tilt my head slightly back and shiver once I feel him run a hairbrush through it. He does it so gently it feels as if he's not even doing anything at all. I close my eyes and revel in the feeling of his fingers combing through my hair after the brush, feeling him graze his fingers along my neck and shoulders occasionally.
"That feels nice," I hum while keeping my eyes closed. "You sure you haven't been practicing on other women?"
"Positive," he chuckles and plants a kiss on my shoulder. "Only you."
His fingers start braiding my hair after he's done brushing it, and I hear him mumbling words underneath his breath as if he's talking himself through the steps. It keeps my smile planted permanently on my face and continuously sends shivers down my spine every time his fingers graze my neck or travel through my hair.
This feels like something we'd be doing constantly if we were still together. Me sitting in the bathtub filled to the brim with bubbles as he braids my hair and sits with a baby pink blanket draped over his shoulders. I could spend forever doing exactly this and never grow tired of it. Because even just having him here-- knowing that he's in my presence-- is enough to make me smile and wish I never have to leave.
"Okay, done. But wait, I'm going to make a bubble crown," Harry says and scoops some bubbles into his hand to place them on top of my head. I laugh as I feel him maneuvering the bubbles around before sighing in frustration and blowing them off of my head. "Nevermind. They won't work," he huffs and I turn around to face him.
"It's the thought that counts," I grin at him and lean forward to capture my lips with his, taking the bubbles off of his head in the process.
He leans into me and cups my face in his hands, kissing me with so much passion it causes my head to feel dizzy. "Thank you for braiding my hair, Flower," he says softly once he pulls away.
"Thank you for braiding my hair, Capolavoro," I reply and quickly kiss him again. Resting my elbows over the edge of the tub, I place my chin on top of my hands, now only a few inches away from his face as he stares at me, "It smells like flowers and honey in here."
His cheeks turn red as an embarrassed smile forms on his lips, "Busted. I told you I missed you and this was the only way it could feel like you were still here."
"And the paintings of the blue hydrangeas in the living room?" I raise an eyebrow at him and smile.
"My way of still having you around," he admits. "I also have a bouquet of yellow roses in my bedroom."
I reach out caress his cheek in the palm of my hand, "I guess it's safe to say you missed me?"
"Definitely," he sighs and stares at me with glossy eyes, leaning his head into my hand and closing his eyes. "It still doesn't feel like you're here. I'm so scared I'm dreaming."
"You're not dreaming, Capolavoro," I assure him and run my thumb across his cheekbone.
"It feels like I am," he breathes out and opens his eyes. "I swear it feels like my brain is playing some cruel trick on me and I'm just making this all up that you're here. I'm scared that if I close my eyes for too long or leave you alone for long enough, you won't be here anymore. When I came back to find you after running the bath, I was terrified I'd walk through an empty home."
I sit and stare at him for a few moments, debating on what to say or what to do to assure him I'm really here, even though I'm feeling the exact same feelings he is. It does feel like my mind is playing a trick on me, a completely cruel one at that. How do I know this isn't all a dream? How do I know this isn't that chapter in a book where the writer leads you on to think that this is all real, then completely catch you off guard to reveal that it was all a dream or something the character had imagined?
"What if we stay up all night? We don't have to sleep. We can just stay up and talk. That way we'll never have to sleep and wake up to see if we're dreaming," I suggest.
He smiles softly and nods his head, "I'd like that, yeah. I'm not sure I'd be able to sleep anyways."
"Me neither," I smile before removing my hand from his face. "Now, let's get this slumber party started shall we? What should we do first? Watch a movie or make ice cream sundaes?"
"Definitely ice cream sundaes. I know you. You'll be asleep ten minutes into the movie," Harry chuckles and stands up from his place on the floor. "I'll be right back with some clothes for you."
My eyes watch him as he leaves the bathroom and I feel a warm spark of happiness ignite in my chest, smiling to myself as I pull the drain and rinse any extra bubbles off of my body. I step out of the tub and wrap a towel around myself, observing my braid in the mirror in complete awe at how well he did it.
Harry knocks on the door and I open it, taking the shirt and boxers from his hands. "Thank you, Capolavoro. I'll be right there," I kiss him briefly before closing the door again and changing. Laughing at the socks with tiny flowers imprinted on them, I slip them on my feet before leaving the bathroom and finding my way into the kitchen again.
"Did you like the socks?" Harry grins childishly at me as he rakes his eyes over my body. "I kind of grew a sock collection this past year."
"I can tell," I giggle and hop onto his counter. "Let me guess. You have ones with little Eiffel Towers all over them too?"
His smile widens as he hands me a bowl, "I wore those yesterday actually."
I shake my head and wrap my arms around his neck as he comes to stand in between my legs, "What else have you done this past year, hm?" I ask while slightly tilting my head to the side as I look at him. "Start an underground drug business and become a gang leader?"
"Secrets, darling, secrets," he chuckles before placing his lips on mine, slipping his hands underneath my shirt to ghost his fingertips across my skin. "I'm afraid if I told you that I'd have to kill you."
"Oh?" I giggle and trace my finger down his chest. "How would you do it? I personally think choking would be the best way to go. The image of you with your hand around my throat wouldn't seem all that bad as I die."
Harry laughs and shakes his head, stepping away from me and picking up his own bowl, "Okay, Aurora. I'll keep that in mind."
"Please do. I think I'd thank you instead of being mad at you," I admit with a laugh and pull a tub of vanilla ice cream towards me.
"Oh my god, Rora. Stop," he laughs and throws some sprinkles at me before scooping chocolate ice cream into his bowl.
"What? I'm just saying," I say while raising my hands in defense. "I'm just telling a possible gang leader how I'd like to die if they chose to kill me."
He rolls his eyes playfully before pushing the cherries towards me, "Shut up and fix your sundae. And don't eat all of the cherries. I know how much you like to eat those instead of the actual ice cream."
"Guilty," I grin right as I pop one into my mouth and scoop even more onto my ice cream. I drizzle caramel on top too and sneak two more cherries before he hops onto the counter beside me, handing me a spoon and quickly kissing my lips.
"See. You already taste like cherries," he says and shakes his head while pushing the cherries out of my reach.
I lay my head on his shoulder and look out the enormous window, watching the raindrops hitting the glass while occasionally eating a few bites of my ice cream. It feels rather homey here, and I know I shouldn't be thinking that. Because I'm not staying, no matter how badly I wish I was. I curse myself for taking so long to heal, wishing that I would've tried harder so I can finally be with Harry again and live in Paris with him. So we can stay up all night and eat ice cream because we don't want to go to sleep. So we can braid each other's hair and make random shapes with bubbles on top of our heads. So we can experience Paris in the rain together every time it rains.
"What are you thinking about, Flower?" Harry hums softly and sets his bowl down to wrap both of his arms around me.
"Nothing really," I sigh and turn my head to rest my chin on his shoulder. "I'm mainly thinking about how you bragged about having a view of the Eiffel Tower but I've yet to see it," I quirk an eyebrow at him, watching as a smile forms on his lips.
"Well let me show you then," he says before hopping off of the counter and taking my unfinished bowl of ice cream out of my hands. He turns around and I wrap my arms and legs around him, giggling as he carries me down the hall on his back. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to." I bury my face into his shoulder and hear him open a door before coming to a halt, slowly unwrapping my legs from around him and pulling me to stand in front of him. "Okay. Open your eyes."
He wraps his arms around my waist right as I open my eyes, my breath immediately getting taken away by the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower in the night. It looks beautiful against the night sky as its lights twinkle like stars, almost becoming the sun and brightening the world. The buildings add to the beauty of the view, a few lights coming from the windows as if there are couples slow dancing by the window.
"Wow," I whisper. "And you said this was better than Rome? There's no fucking way."
"It is. Because of you," he hums and rests his chin on my shoulder. "Anywhere you are is where I want to be."
I close my eyes as I a pang shoots through my heart, turning around and looking up at him with sad eyes, "Too bad that can't happen right now, huh?" I laugh sadly and stand on my tiptoes to bury my face in his neck. "How long is the walk from here to the Eiffel Tower?"
"About five minutes. Why? Do you want to go there?" Harry asks while running his hands down my back.
"Mhm," I nod my head. "I know we just got back from being in the rain, but I want to stand outside in the rain with you in front of the Effiel Tower."
His chest vibrates as he hums, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, "What are you going to do about shoes and clothes?"
I look down at my attire, noticing how his shirt reaches the middle of my thighs and his boxers are hidden underneath while I only have socks on my feet. Looking back up at him, I smile and shrug my shoulders, "I'm only going to be in Paris for one night. Might as well make the most of it."
Harry shakes his head and picks me up by my waist, causing me to wrap my legs around his torso, "You're going to have wet socks."
"I'll suffer so I can dance with you," I grin and place my lips on his.
"People are going to stare," he adds once he pulls away from my kiss.
"Fine. I'll change back into my dress and uncomfortable fucking heels," I roll my eyes playfully.
"Too late. You already said you'd do it," he wiggles his eyebrows at me before placing me back on my feet. He takes my hand and drags me out of his bedroom and down the hall, slipping on his shoes and practically tugging me into the elevator while I immediately wish I had decided to change.
I look up at Harry with wide eyes filled with regret, "Harry, no, stop. I think maybe I should change so-"
"Ah, ah, ah," he shakes his head, his smile widening as the numbers decrease. "You said you wanted to make the most of it. Your idea. Not mine."
"Can you at least carry me until we get there?" I whine slightly and give him a desperate look. "Please. I so regret saying I'd do this."
Harry laughs and nods his head, bending down slightly for me to hop onto his back, "Only because I don't want you to step on a rock and hurt your feet."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I grin and kiss his cheek, resting my chin on top of his head and staring down at the tiny flowers on my socks.
The elevator doors open and I sigh in relief to see that no one is waiting outside, tightening my grip around Harry as he starts walking through the lobby and back into the rain. I shrink into Harry once the cold rain hits my skin for the second time tonight, resorting to burying my face in his neck as he walks down the deserted streets. I'm thankful there aren't any people around and wonder what time it is now that no one is walking with umbrellas in their hands.
"Will there be a lot of people there?" I ask him, hoping he'll say no.
"Maybe. I'm not sure. It's past midnight so probably not too many people," he says and turns his head to look at me. "And just so you know, I'm taking a shower first when we get back."
"Deal," I laugh softly and kiss his lips. My excitement grows once I see the Eiffel Tower now only a few feet away from us, gazing up at the twinkling tower of lights in amazement.
Harry sets me down and I continue to stare at the tall tower, the lights twinkling and illuminating my face in a golden glow. Turning my head to see if Harry is looking too, I smile to find him already looking at me with a look of awe in his eyes, a subtle smile forming on his lips.
"What?" I ask and turn my attention back to the multitude of lights in front of me.
"Nothing," he says softly before taking my hand and pulling me into his chest. "Just admiring the breathtaking view," he whispers against my lips before lifting me up and resting me on top of his shoes, preventing my socks from getting even wetter than they are now.
I smile and wrap both of my arms around his neck as he starts swaying his feet slowly from side to side, "You weren't looking at the tower."
"You don't say," he grins and nudges his nose with mine. "I'm so glad you decided to come to Paris to see me, Flower. I'm not sure how much longer I could've gone without seeing you."
"I'm glad I came. I think I needed to see you so I could realize I need to try harder. So I can be with you," I admit and nudge his nose back. "Sorry I ran."
He shakes his head, looking at me with forgiveness in his eyes, "Don't be. I know it was probably a lot to take in at one time."
"It really was," I breathe out with a laugh. "The paintings were beautiful though, Harry. I'm still speechless."
"Thank you, Flower," he grins and pecks my lips. "I'm glad you didn't think I was a total creep."
"Don't think I don't remember your title of 'Harry Styles - Aurora Honeycutt's Stalker' that you gave yourself," I giggle.
"Mm, I remember that. I still think it has a nice ring to it," Harry laughs.
I instantly shake my head, scrunching my nose up playfully, "It definitely does not. And it never will."
He laughs again and slightly picks me up to twirl us around in a circle before setting me back down on his feet, "People are watching."
"I don't mind," I admit, not even tearing my eyes away from Harry to look at our surroundings. "I'm dancing in the rain with my Capolavoro. They can shove a baguette up their ass."
"Aurora!" Harry gasps before laughing loudly, my own laugh mingling with his while I bury my face in his shoulder.
"Sorry! Oh my god, I shouldn't have said that," I giggle and wipe the tears from my eyes. "I hope no one heard that."
His soft laughter continues to ring in my ears as I keep my face buried in his shoulder, tightening my grip around him once I realize I'm leaving in the morning. I'm having to leave him for a second time and it's not going to hurt any less. Saying goodbye for a second time isn't going to make me not cry. Watching his face disappear for a second time isn't going to make me not want to run back into his arms and stay there forever.
"Hey, Flower," he hums softly and I pick my head up to look at him.
"Yeah?" I ask and stare into his viridescent irises that are filled to the brim with so many emotions.
"I love you. Please never forget that."
"I won't. I promise," I shake my head and force a smile. "I love you. Never forget that either."
"I won't," he whispers with a sad smile. "I promise."
"Hey, Capolavoro?"
"Yeah?"
"Is this what Paris in the rain feels like?"
Puddles form underneath our feet as he continues to sway us back and forth underneath the moonlight and twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower.
Raindrops dot our skin and fall into our eyes.
Our arms hold each other close while we travel into an alternate reality.
The streets are empty while laughter can be heard from open windows.
We fall in love over and over again each time we blink.
I look at him and realize I'll want him forever.
He looks at me like the whole world stops spinning whenever I'm in his presence.
Tiny flowers litter my socks while tiny paintbrushes litter his.
I'll always love him.
He'll always love me.
Somewhere in the distance, I think I hear I Love How You Love Me.
"This is what Paris in the rain feels like."