i.
Y/N shouldn't stare.
It's not like she's meaning to -- she just looked up from her sandwich and he was there in the shadows, with a cigarette loosely between two fingers like he was apart of some fucking indie movie. The beanie he wears never comes off, she notices, even when the weather is getting warmer and he's rather intimidating with all the tattoos and lip piercing. His face seemed soft even though it doesn't really fit his whole tone and essence but it all somehow was whisked together in the cake that is teen rom com cliché Harry Styles.
Tuna fish isn't as intriguing as it should be when she looks up and sees that. . . him. But she doesn't know why, and that pisses her off, so she takes an incensed bite of her sandwich, yelling at herself to stop when she looks up again. Only this time, he's staring at her with this knowing smirk and a hand in his pocket and it makes her even angrier because what does he know? She could be staring his way for a completely different reason than what he's thinking, even if every living, breathing human wants to fuck him, that doesn't mean that's what she wants to do.
So her eyes cast downward, back to the anatomy book opened in front of her, trying to figure out a mnemonic for the cranial nerves (so far she's got 'Oh, Oh, Oh, To Touch And Feel Virgin Girls' Vaginas and Hymens' or Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, to touch and feel very good velvet. Such heaven! and she figures while the first makes her giggle, the latter she can write on her paper without her professor thinking she's a 13 year old boy before giving her points off), when she hears the grass smushing beneath someone's feet and she assumes it's Niall.
At least she does, until there's a clear of a throat and her head darts up, looking to see the indie movie himself staring back at her, "Hi Bunny," he begins smoothly, voice dripping like molasses from his lips, "Is there something you wanted? You'd been staring awful hard."
"I was just wondering when your friend was gonna tell you your fly was down." She looks pointedly at his crotch, thanking God that she'd been observant for once in her life.
It doesn't deter the confidence brooding inside of him, as he zips himself with a chuckle, shaking his head, "Oh, I like you already Bunny, but I doubt you could've seen that far. You wear glasses usually, you aren't wearing 'em now."
That stops her, face twisting confused. . .since when has Harry known she'd existed? Looking down she takes another bite out of her sandwich begrudgingly and avoiding his gaze, even when he sits down besides her, hand pressed to his face, "So what was it, Bunny?"
"Nothing," she answers to quickly, "I was staring off into space is all."
Harry laughs again, nodding slowly like he understands, getting up with a, "You know your rather cute. Might have to nab you for a night."
She watches him leave, scolding herself for thinking his butt was kind of cute and how broad his shoulders were gave her fantasies of really, really wicked piggy back rides. Scrunching her nose at him when he turns around to wink at her, sealing her fate as one of Harry's teasing targets, and she doesn't know if she likes it or not.
Y/N really shouldn't stare.
+
"Staring again, Bunny?" Harry hums, dropping his bag in the seat besides her and she knows it's very intentional. He'd caught her attention walking in, with a pink and white polka dotted top on which should lessen his intimidation points, but people still make sure to get out of his way. There were plenty of seats, the lecture hall being practically empty given the big "rager" or what have you that'd gone on last night, that it appears everyone had gone besides Y/N and maybe this non-hungover Harry.
Y/N shakes her head, "You look like a punk version of Minnie Mouse." She grumbles at him, and he clutches his hand to his heart.
"That's exactly what I was going for! You're the first one to notice."
The professor comes in as he finishes his sentence, and Y/N doesn't think she's ever been more happy to see Mr. Carson's mediocre bearded mug before. Sitting up a little straighter in her seat so that she could focus on the lecture, and while Sensation and Perception aren't the best things to learn about, nor the most interesting, it was better than feeling self conscious with Harry besides her. She could go without wondering if she smelled nice, or if she remembered deodorant that morning, or if her hair was looking at the very least subpar. All those feelings she usually doesn't allow herself to have, but with this boy -- this dumb, beanie headed bad boy -- makes her nervous.
That's what she gets for staring, she guesses, but he just catches her eye so what is she supposed to do?
She'd heard the rumors and all about Harry before -- how he'd knocked some kids teeth out for looking at him funny, or when he'd broken some kids nose at a party because he took the last shot Harry was going for. That he'd fucked a girl in the headmaster's office or all the one night stands he'd been privy to. All the crazy shit he'd done at parties, or in class, or just walking down the hall.
But right now, he just seems normal. Like a normal Minnie Mouse wannabe, who was poking her with his pen and when she looks over, he eyes down at a folded piece of paper on his desk.
She unfolds it, reading his scratchy hand writing.
Thinking about me?
Y/N's like 96% sure he's a bleeding psychic.
Clicking her pen, she writes her response just below his.
Thinking about grilled cheese. Haven't had one in a hot minute, and now I'm craving it.
Harry snorts at her, folding the paper back up and jamming it into his pocket. There isn't an inkling of an idea in her head that would explain why he needed to keep it, but she guesses that it doesn't matter. He wasn't threatening to knock her teeth in, or trying to seduce her in the direction to the headmaster's office, so she guess it was just playful stuff.
Though she can feel eyes on the back of her neck, burning holes into her skin and she finally turns around in her seat to confront it, seeing Liam up a few rows with his eyebrow raised looking pointedly at Harry, to which she shrugs. Her turning makes Harry turn too, smiling between the both of them and wiggling his fingers as a hello to Liam, who waves nervously back.
Y/N and Liam were -- well, friends, sort of. He'd driven her home once after she'd gotten a little too drunk at a party when Niall had gone home earlier and even provided napkins when he had to pull over so she wouldn't pee herself. Didn't make fun of her or bring it up the next day, and Y/N wouldn't have even remembered it if not for the little sore spots where he had held a little too tight so she wouldn't fall over. Liam was really Niall's buddy, so he was just hers by default and she guesses he felt somewhat responsible for her that night.
Sliding lower in his seat, Harry sighs easily, "Didn't know you had body guards," he hums, "Should've expected it though. Precious cargo, you are."
With a roll of her eyes, Y/N turns herself back to the professor, trying to not block out the three parts of the inner ear in favor of wondering what the heck Harry was talking about.
+
"You and Harry fucking, then?"
"Hi Niall, how are you, do you want some of my fries?"
Y/N had a feeling this would happen soon, because while Liam means well he talks too much for his own good. So really it's no surprise when Niall rolls up to her with the question, but it isn't something she technically wants to discuss. She doesn't even understand what it is herself -- knows for a fact they aren't fucking, but isn't sure what he wants from her.
Niall raises his brows, sliding his books down besides her on the blanket she'd laid down on the grass, "Y/N, don't keep the goods from me."
"There's no goods to keep from you," she admits, flicking a fry in his direction, "He just sat next to me in class is all."
"Heard he came 'round to talk to you the other day at your lunch period." He plucks the fry from his shirt, shoving it into his mouth with a happy hum ("Your fries are always better than mine, I think they plot it." he told her once), before leaning back against the tree trunk she'd set herself against. Her next class wasn't for an hour so she decided to take a little break from studying, and had been messing about on her phone when Niall decided to interrogate her -- which was probably for the best because she was far too close to buying a necklace, the pendant being a little jar of glitter, that she really didn't need.
Y/N rumbles her lips, "Everybody keeping tabs on me now or summat?"
"Everybody keeps tabs on Harry, Love, you know that." Niall does that thing -- that thing where he gets so serious all of the sudden, which is so annoying, because he's normally the most laid back person in a 10 mile radius, so when he looks at her like he's worried then she knows she's fucked up. "You need to be careful with him."
"I know that already, but it's not like we are even doing anything! I told him his fly was down and he looked like Minnie Mouse, he was the one who kept coming to me." She pats his thigh, "Nothin' to worry 'bout Moppet."
Niall looks at her, gaze still uneasy and troubled, but eventually he nods and taps at her phone, "What were you lookin' to buy then?"
"You a muzzle." She hums, and Niall laughs one of those loud laughs like their previous conversation didn't happen at all. It made her feel better, especially when he relaxes and pull his bag in front of him.
"If you got me a muzzle, then how would I order us donuts?" He asks with a grin, pulling out the box and Y/N claps excitedly.
She reaches for the fruity pebble one, wriggling to sit up a little straighter, "Who walked into the store that made you walk in too?"
"I am a taken man, Y/N, why do you question my honor?" Niall pouts at her for a minute, but when he sees her staring he huffs, "Anna, did, but to be fair, she looks like Meredith a whole lot so like really was I being so terrible?"
Y/N speaks around her mouthful.
"The worst."
+
Y/N hates falling in public.
Not only does she make this ridiculous little noise, or this face where her eyes widen and she freaks out, or that she'll laugh at herself but she's the only one laughing, but the aching embarrassment in her bones that lasts for at least an hour afterwards. It's not like nobody has ever fallen before, and she knows that the people who see her probably forget about it thirty seconds later, but Y/N never claimed to be completely reasonable.
She finds out that she hates falling in front of Harry more.
The coast had been clear as far as she knew, the night weighing heavy as she trekked back to her dorm from the library. Really she should've called Niall or Liam (her proclaimed body guard) to walk her home, but it was close to 12AM and she knew for a fact Niall had a test tomorrow morning, and she didn't want to bother Liam if he were asleep. So she figured she could walk the mile or so back to her dorm room with little threat, with stray students here and there, and lamp posts leaving not really any dark spaces.
There was a particular ledge on the sidewalk that she never saw day or night, which pisses her off because normally she watches her feet while she walks, but she gets distracted by the neon sign hanging over one of the frat houses. It's a blazing green that gives her a headache, she doesn't know why she persists on staring at it.
So she's staring at that sign, when the toe of her shoe catches on the ledge and she falls forward. With more of a squawk than a squeal and her arms flailing, her notebooks falling to the ground and she was right behind them. She feels the scrape on her knees before she can see it, and her eyes water as she sits on the ground, huffing angry at herself.
And she's about to thank the heavens that she fell alone this time around, when she hears a small chuckle and the click of shoes on the ground, "It seems like I should be calling you Bambi instead of Bunny. You've got them cute wobbly doe legs." Harry's voice rings out like caramel melting down the side of a mountain, and as soothing as it is, she's upset and tired and that dumb light is glowing in her peripherals.
"Leave me alone, Harry." She grumbles, pressing hard to her eye to get rid of any thoughts of tears before looking down to her knee and pouting.
Of course he doesn't listen, bending down into her line of sight with that dumb beanie and this concerned look on his face, "Oh, Jesus, you actually hurt yourself."
Y/N's about to say something when he grabs her leg, lifting her knee and she hisses in pain, wincing away from him but he holds her steady, while he tuts his tongue, shaking his head. "You've got to be more careful, Y/N. Need to be more observant, even more so around frat houses."
"It came out of nowhere!" She defends herself, "The sign was just -- who puts a damn neon green sign right on the front of their house, it's so unattractive."
"Even injured you're a lil feisty one, aren't you Bug?" He hums, sliding off her bag from her shoulders and unzipping it, and she watches helplessly as he stuffs her notebooks inside.
"What're you doing?" She asks him.
He's slinging her bag around his own shoulders, before bending down besides her, "Arms around my neck."
Eyes turning into saucers, "You want to carry me? Is this apart of your seduction process or something, because. . ."
Harry looks at her like she's an idiot, "I don't see you walking well, both of your knees are down and out Sweetheart, and it's night time, next to several frat houses, so if you're scared of being with me, you've got a better chance with me than you do out here all night."
As if to punctuate Harry's analyses of the situation, someone calls towards them, "You need help with that Mate? A threesome looks mighty fine on a starry night like this." And laughter following.
Y/N rolls her eyes, ready to ignore them, but Harry stands straight up, letting the lamp light glow across his face, "Sod off fuckers!" He shouts back, and with a collective mutter of, "fuck, that's Harry" they scurry off.
So she gets his point, but at the same time with the reaction those boys had at seeing him, she wonders who would be safer.
Now when Harry crouches down to her, he doesn't wait for her to put her arms around his neck. Instead he slides his arm underneath her knees and holds one at the her back, lifting her with ease and her arms sling around his neck out of instinct. Clung tight to him with another small squeal, and Harry titters a bit, "Just relax and enjoy the ride."
There is no way she can relax, she thinks, but she leans into him without getting too comfortable, "Please don't drop me."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
+
Y/N notices early on that they are not headed to her dorm, and instead are turning out onto the street besides them and she's about to question him before he says, "Taking you to mine. Got a wicked first aid kit." And that was that. Y/N would argue but she was tired and her knees hurt badly, and she doesn't even have band-aids at her house so she figures she'll let him patch her up and she'd be on her way. Nothing more nothing less.
She doesn't know what she expects -- some dodgy flat, with boarded up windows, and maybe a gang or two sitting out on the stoop, but he brings her up to these friendly little brick flats. The one he turns into looks terribly homey, and she would doubt it was his if not for the curvy 'Styles' written on the mailbox. "You live here?" She wonders aloud, and Harry nods, reaching in his back pocket for his keys and slipping it into the door.
"Not what you expected?" He hums, lifting her in and she shakes her head. From what she can see so far it's very pretty and cozy, a big comfy couch with what looked like a soft throw and it smelled like lavender in here, which really didn't fit the whole persona that he had made for him but that was fine, because he sets her down on the couch and it's nice. She bounces a bit, stopping herself from giggling too much but obviously he catches her and smiles himself, "You're cute Bambi."
"Don' call me that!" She yells after him, but he's already out of the room, and she presumes to get the first aid kit and whatnot. It gives her a minute to look around the living room, eyeing a big tv and a WII, the laptop besides her seemed to be a Mac and he even had a recliner on top of a fuzzy rug. It was spacious -- very roomy, and there was a coffee table but he had it pressed off to the side like he'd moved it to sit on the floor or something.
All of this brings her to the conclusion that the only way a college student could have this money is if he were a drug lord of some sort, which makes her tense up. If she uses his Band-Aid will this submit her into some drug cartel? The money would be nice sure, but she's not tough enough to get into fights and from all the movies she's seen, she knows that things get intense, and she nearly cries on every episode of Biggest Loser so how was she supposed to handle that?
Looking to her knee, she tries to examine how hard it would be to make a run out of his home, but there's a droplet of blood trickling down her shin and it reminds her how much it hurts (gives her bad flashbacks to heavy periods too), and it looks like she's stuck. Sure, if there were imminent danger she would run out as quick as she could, but she figures she'll wait for it to happen (which is dumb on her part but she is the biggest baby when it comes to pain).
Her other knee wasn't bleeding like that quite yet, but it was going to happen soon she knew, and she worries for a split second it'll get on his carpet before Harry comes out again. He's has the full kit (which was pretty big) and a washcloth and she watches as he plops down before her, grabbing on of his couch pillows and requesting she sits on it. "Doctor Styles, at your service." He hums, before taking the cloth and wiping away the blood. Tossing the rag to the side when he was finished and he takes out the dreaded spray, squirting once at both knees and she winces, whimpering quietly and he looks up, "You're okay." He hushes, and it makes her feel like a little kid, so she scowls at him.
It goes unnoticed to Harry, however, because he takes out a small packet of petroleum jelly and squeezes it over the scrapes. Another small laugh leaves her because she remembers being small, when her mom would put it over her cuts and Y/N always squealed that it feels like worms (it fucking does). Harry takes two big bandages out, unwrapping them and easily fitting them over where she's hurt, crumbling the paper in his hands and tossing it to the ground with the other trash.
Then with feathery, gentle touches that completely contradict everything she knows about Harry thus far, he lifts her knee to his mouth and presses a tiny kiss over each. "There, there, all better."
"Thank you." She replies softly, going to stand but she plops right back down on the couch with a little nudge from Harry.
"Let me get you Paracetamol, then you can spend the night here."
Her brows furrow, "Harry I can walk --"
"It's too dangerous the way back by yourself, and I don't feel like worrying about you," he tells her, and she feels herself flush, "And my car is in the shop. I don't really feel like walking you home then walking back here, so you can stay the night," then he holds up a pinky, "Promise not to seduce you."
Y/N thinks about it and well, despite the rumors and everything else (including Niall and Liam's worrying) he seemed relatively harmless. In a cute brick apartment, with cozy couches and warm lighting, and he'd just bandaged her scrapes up instead of telling her to suck it up and do it herself -- how could he be the same bad boy everybody else is always going on about?
She weighs the pros and cons of it -- staying here with Harry in a warm cozy home and possible movie channels, or chancing herself outside with raccoons and frat boys which can both be invasive and little demons, and she figures sticking with Harry would be best for her own sake. He's quite nice, by what she can tell, so would it be so terrible? She could just sleep on this couch and be fine.
Harry walks back in, with two tablets and a glass of water, "Take this, Bambi."
She holds out her hand, "Don't call me that."
Harry reaches up, strokes her head even though she furrows her brows at him, "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he hums, "You're mighty tough aren't you? A little lion." His fingers stroke through her hair, and she pats him away when she's done taking the pills.
"You said no seducing." She grumbles, "Pinky promised, not even five minutes ago."
Chuckling, Harry rubs his thumb over her eyebrow before backing up, sitting on his heels, "Was it working?" He asks.
"Hardly."
She's lying -- Y/N loves it when people stroke her hair, and even that eyebrow thing wasn't completely upsetting, and she's 87% sure he knows she's lying if the way he laughs is anything to go by.
+
Y/N isn't sure what time she fell asleep, but she figures it was after him turning on the TV and when he wrapped a blanket around her because she was shivering (it was so cold in his place). All she remembers was lying her head down on something after he eyes had closed, before that something moved and she was on a more solid something, with a thumping sound that was steady and nice and soothing. Something wrapping around her that was not a blanket -- and her hair is being played with, it was so nice, she liked it. Somewhere in her head she is thinking its Niall, even though it doesn't smell like Niall, and this person isn't as fidgety as Niall.
But it didn't matter at the time, she was so tired and it was nice.
So when she wakes, her body is a little crooked and her face is smushed up against someone's very bare chest, and she thinks she might've been drooling a bit. Lifting up with a snort and a squeak, wiping at her face with the back of her hand and her eyes squint against the light streaming into the room she was in. Looking around, it takes her a minutes to figure out where she's at as Harry lifts up with his eyes practically shut too, rumpling his lips at the air as he looks around, "G'morning Bambi."
"Wha-- where is your shirt?" She exclaims, and he looks down, eyebrows raised.
"Must've taken it off." He answers, "Don't go getting mad at me, you're the one who initiated the cuddle, I just followed through."
Pouting, Y/N knuckles at her eyes, "I did not."
"You did," he persists, stretching out his sleepy heavy limbs, "I put the blanket around you 'cos you were shivering, and you laid down on my shoulder, but that wasn't comfortable so I let you lie on my chest and you fell asleep." He turns and grins, "C'mon and lay down a bit more.
he opens up his arms, "I'll play with your hair."
It's tempting -- it really is -- but she's totally going to deny it.
Or she was, but Harry pulls her back down into him, "Took ya too long to say no, that means you didn't want to say it."
"You're awful chummy with me, and we've not known each other for more than a week or two." She grumps at him, though she lets him manipulate her body in a way comfortable for the both of them. His fingers carding through her hair gently.
Harry shushes her, and she looks up to see his eyes are falling closed again, "Mm, wanna know you better Baby. Just let me."
+
Niall had invited Y/N to the little fair their pet adoption center was holding (raising money for animals included exploiting those animal's cuteness for tickets that cost outrageous amounts for rides that are sticky and have a scary rattle, but Niall offered to pay so it was okay), so she fully expected to be grilled at least part of the night. She didn't know he would wait until they were on the scrambler, and she was squawking and pressing really tight against him because her body was flying around the damn seat while Niall got the corner.
"You spent the night at Harry's house!" He shouts, a statement rather than a question and she can hear the disappointment in his voice.
Y/N would sigh, but she's pretty sure the wind of the ride would make her suffocate, "Nothing happened, he just bandaged my knee, is this really the time?"
"I told you to be careful!"
"And I told you nothing happened!" Y/N tries to scowl at him the best she can, "What're we in 6th grade, since when are sleepovers a crime?"
Niall eyes her, "You slept in separate beds right? Like him on the couch and you in the bed -- actually, no I prefer you on the couch, or if you stayed up all night that would've been --"
"Different places Ni!" She lies, and not because she has anything to hide. Just wants him to shut the hell up about it, since that was his favorite topic nowadays.
He seems happy with that, resorting back to helpless screams of joy and fear cradled into one and trying his best to minimize Y/N's sliding around on the seat. Y/N thanks god that they're on this dumb ride now, because then he can't see the face she's making when she's obviously not telling the truth because she's shit at lying. Holding tight to the bar and tight to her tongue, because she hates lying to Niall, he's far too trusting and it makes her feel terrible when she's able to pull it off.
But for now she tries to ignore that, because she was telling the truth about one thing -- they really didn't do anything, besides cuddle, and that doesn't count.
At least, she doesn't think so.
+
"Bambi," Harry singsongs to her, and it startles her immensely, given it's right in her ear and she's getting frozen yogurt and he hadn't been there a second ago, "Frozen yogurt by itself it's healthier, so don't go putting any toppings on unless it's fruit -- but even that I think they soak in some sugar mix."
Y/N can feel his breath on her neck, as he reaches around and dips his finger on the top of her treat, and she presumes he tastes it. Humming soundly, "Get more of the cotton candy flavor and I'll pay for it, we're gonna share."
"You know, I think I preferred Bunny more." She grumbles, but finds herself actually pressing down to get more cotton candy (telling herself it's because she actually really loves the flavor and not because Harry told her to), "And I have enough money to pay for my own yogurt."
Harry grabs it from her hand though, after she'd finished filling it to the brim and she gasps with a "Hey!" but he's already at the register, setting it on the scale and flipping out his wallet. Y/N hates it when people buy her things, especially people she doesn't know well because then she feels like she owes them and that's not a great feeling. So she strolls up to him angrily, scowling though this doesn't intimidate him in the slightest.
He pats her cheek in a way that feels loving, caressing it for just a minute before humming, "You're cute. Come sit outside with me."
And she thinks he knows what he's doing -- making her all flustered on purpose -- and she knows she shouldn't let it show. . .shouldn't actually follow him outside and sit down across from him at the table. Or take the spoon from him and get a spoonful of it, but she shows him her distaste by saying, "What do you want?"
He makes her wait until he finishes swallowing the frozen yogurt in his mouth, "Told you I wanted to know you better." He hums, "So in the next ten minutes tell me everything you can about yourself as a starter." Then he smiles sweetly, "Yeah?"
Y/N's brows furrowed deeply, "You want to hear about me?"
His face twists up, "Yeah, course I do. So, start."
The topic of herself is awkward a bit, because she really isn't used to anybody wanting to know much about her. Sure, she would tell people about her it wasn't like she had some secret life, but sometimes she drew into herself when noticing they didn't care. This is the first time somebody just wanted to know about her, and it feels fucking bizarre really.
Slowly, Y/N drops bits and pieces about herself. Goes from little things like favorite colors to what she wants to be, then easing into animals somehow, and then she started going on about froyo, before diving into a quick segway on Niall, then topping it off with how she still cuddles with a stuffie at night (but that slipped out, she really didn't mean to).
In ten minutes Harry has some weird facts about her, but he doesn't look confused or disturbed in any way. Only smiles and makes sure she takes breaks to eat, laughing a little with somethings and his knee bumps into her frequently, "You're kind of really great." He hums sweetly, looking at her with these eyes that make her jittery and shivery despite the sun beating down on her shoulders, warming her skin. It's an abrupt sentence, since he hadn't really said much during her speaking so she was taken aback and snorts just a bit, "What?"
"Nothing," she says quietly, leaving out the part where she doesn't think anybody has ever said that before to her and while it wasn't the most fantastic sentence it still made her feel good, "You've got some on your upper lip."
Harry is about to stick his tongue out for it, before pausing, "Maybe you should lick it off for me?" The suggestion is cheeky enough to shove that warm, fond feeling that had been washing over her. Glowering, she takes her spoon, dips it into more of the cold treat before leaning forward and wiping it against his chin. Sitting back triumphantly as his eyes widen and a smile breaks out on his face, "Oh, you're so mean Bambi!"
"And you're naughty." While Y/N was proud of herself for doing that to him, ultimately she's a big ol' softie and he's giving her these puppy dog eyes so she's digging through her purse for napkins, handing them over to him, "Take 'em, then."
He stares at her like he doesn't understand what she's saying, and it's then that Y/N is 100% sure he just likes making her flustered. With a huff, she sits up a bit, leaning in to wipe over his face a few times before tossing the soiled napkins into a bin besides them.
"You're the best, Bambi." He says and she rolls her eyes.
+
Y/N doesn't do parties, really. The only time she goes is when Niall needs someone there to settle the tension between him and Meredith, or if they're on one of their break ups and Niall doesn't want to show up alone if the party blows. And while it isn't her scene in particular, she does drink little bits of Niall's drinks and if they're good enough she'll get her own, but mostly she's the semi designated walker -- walks him to his dorm and make sure he's safe before stumbling a bit back to her own.
Tonight she thought would be no different, though the tension between Meredith and Niall was thick as smoke they separated from each other quickly as the party started, and Niall made Y/N a drink that tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch (it was Rumchata and Fireball, she thinks, but it makes her warm inside so she really doesn't care what's in it) before he soon trailed with his own friends so she'd been left on her own. With her legs tucked beneath her body, and a girl from her Biology course offering to make her more of the drink when she finishes, if she just "stay[s] put and keep an eye on Jeremy please. I want to know if him and that girl are together or if I've got a chance at a happy ending tonight".
So she sits on the couch, drinking more than she probably should have and tuning in to someone else's conversation beside her, about cranberry farms and how their father's friend owns one that they visit for a week every summer. She almost has have the mind to turn and tell them that that was a terrible party story and they should probably revamp it a bit, say it had an underground part to it with the best raves or something spectacular so the person they were talking to wasn't bored shitless and wanting the conversation to end (much like she felt right now, but then again she wasn't even supposed to be listening technically).
Something stops her though, and it's certainly not a clear mind. No, she spots a familiar face, with an olive beanie and a Rolling Stones t-shirt -- her proclaimed very personal indie movie cliché -- only he wasn't alone. Instead, there was a girl -- a brunette, with long hair and a really cute top (which pisses Y/N off, she wants it to be ugly), a face that wasn't so bad to look at and she bets Harry just fucking loves that. Loves that and the way she's hanging off of him, kissing his neck and Harry is smiling that smile, she wants to punch him in the mouth.
Really, Y/N isn't sure what makes her seethe about it. What makes her blood boil about Harry letting this girl hang off and cling to him, giving a smile she thought had been reserved for herself. Which was selfish, sure, but he'd -- he'd been so nice to her and gentle and caring. . . Y/N had just assumed that she was an object of his affections . . . that he wouldn't want anybody else until he got what he wanted from her.
She blames the Rumchata for making her stand up, and the Fireball for her shoving people out of her way as she more or less stumbles up to the both of them. Harry catching sight of her, and with a grin he starts, "Hi Bambi! I didn't know --" but it falters when he sees her face, hard as stone, lacking the happy luster she feels she has when she sees him. Y/N doesn't speak, only pries the girl off of him and ignores her angry grunts and attempts of resisting until Harry moves easily away from her and with Y/N (who was way, way drunker than she thought she'd been, he was more leading her than she was him) outside to an uncharacteristically clear patio.
There was no plan for when they got out here, but her hand lifts faster than her brain can catch up with, smacking him across the face and Harry's eyes widen, his own lifting to hold his cheek. "You're so aggravating!" She tells him, mind rumbling with all the anger she feels for absolutely no fucking reason, but it felt like a reason now. Knowing she'll regret this in the morning, there is an automatic decision to not worry about it now and let whatever feeling is weighing on her chest out, "You say all these things -- telling me I'm great, or cute, all those dumb things with your dumb beanie and smile and then you'll fucking. . ." she trails off, and god she's frustrated but she doesn't know why. Really wishes she could handle her liquor better, because then maybe this wouldn't be happening.
Tears on her cheek confuse her, when she lifts a hand up after feeling something drip off her face (and while tears are embarrassing she had thought for a second it was drool, so it was far better than that), because she hadn't thought she'd been upset enough to cry. Squeezing her eyes shut and running her hand over her face, hoping that he didn't see that.
"Christ, Bambi I didn't --" his starts quickly, reaching out to keep her steady, "How much did you have to drink?"
"Mind your business," she snuffs, before sadly answering, "A lot, kinda."
Harry nods, taking a step closer to her despite her having slapped him and yelled at him like a proper emotional tumble into the sewer, holding out his hand, "Lemme grab my stuff, yeah? I'll take you home."
Y/N grumbles something incoherent, rubbing at her eyes. He'd told her to stay where she was at, but she doesn't listen and walks back into the party, blinking away at the smoke that had been cleared from the air outside. Her goal had been to find Niall and tell him she was going home, but she stumbles into a broad back that she thought would be Liam but when he turns around it's not at all. She really isn't sure who it is, but they smile impishly and curve their arm around her with the other occupied by a glass.
"Wanna take shots with me Baby?" He pulls her in close, and she hates it. Makes her feel gross -- not like when Harry touches her, that feel kind of good and she feels safe with him almost even though she shouldn't. But this boy smells like Axe and not peaches, and he's sweaty and his breath wreaks of beer (which is almost as terrible as the Axe).
His arm is too tight for her to get away from, especially with how tipsy she feels and she's saying, "Let go," but he isn't listening, and he's leaning in too close to her and she wants Harry now. Was mad at him before, but now she just wants to be besides him and out of the corner of her eye she thinks she can see Liam, who is the next best thing because he's strong and nice. However, there is no time for her to think about calling out his name, because the boys arm was torn away from her forcefully.
"What the fuck!" The boy squawks, pissed off that 1, Y/N was taken from him and 2, his drink had sloshed down his front, "Fuckin' --"
Then she hears Harry, his voice low and alarmingly virulent, "If someone tells you to let go, you let go of them you disgusting prick."
"Listen, it's not my fault your girl's a slag, she came onto --" the boy begins in his own defense, but Harry doesn't let him finish.
No, rather, Harry punches the boy in the face hard and there's a gross noise from it and there's blood on the boy's nose and on Harry's knuckles. Then Y/N starts freaking out, eyes practically popping out as she reaches for Harry's arm when he draws it back to swing again and her fingers cling as much as they could around his bicep. "Stop, stop, please --" she's dragging him away as much as she can, confused why he would punch the guy and distraught with the entire situation. How hard Harry hit him, and that sound, just sends a shudder down her spine, "C'mon, please, I don' wanna be here anymore."
Harry turns to her, and his face softens once more from the hard as stone gaze he was giving the guy clutching his nose, and he looks distraught in his own way. Like he wants to keep fighting this boy, but he wants to take care of Y/N too and she just wants them both away from here. Wants her head to stop being so muddled and wants to cuddle with Harry, she thinks, and sleep this off. Whispering one last, pitiful sounding, "please," before Harry gives the dirtiest look at the guy before taking her hand, slotting their fingers and tugging her towards the front door. She thinks she can hear someone call her name but she pays no mind to it, because she's startled and drunk and that was scary, the whole situation.
So now she's full on sobbing and Harry doesn't notice until she's breathing in a loud shaky breath. Stopping their walk to look at her. Y/N has one palm to her eye, trying to stop the tears, and Harry comes in close to her, "Baby doll, what's the matter?" He asks gently, tone now like petals rather than thorns.
"I -- I just," she hiccups, "I'm not good at drinking Harry, and that boy was so disgusting and he wouldn't let go but you punched him and that's -- I don't like fighting and your knuckles have blood on them and it's gross and I'm sleepy and I don't wanna walk all the way to my dorm." Listing it off, she is aware of how whiney she sounds but she knows he's aware of how drunk she is, and the conscious part of her telling her to chill is getting drowned out by the emotional plastered girl that weasels her way out in the worst times.
But Harry doesn't treat her like the emotional inebriated whiner she is, leaning in and picking her up like he did the night she'd scraped her knee, "You're okay now, yeah? I'd never hurt you, and I'd never force you into anything. If you want to go back to your dorm room it's fine, if you want to go back to my house it's fine, whatever you want Sweetheart, okay?" He swipes the hair clung to her face from sweat and tears, "We'll get you a nice glass of water and two Tylenol for the morning, and you'll have a nice warm blanket and a big comfy bed an a cuddle from me. That sound good?"
She doesn't hesitate to nod, face tucked into his neck and christ, tomorrow morning is going to be a fucking horror story.
That being said, she still whimpers a, "Can you play with my hair while we cuddle?"
Harry smiles warmly, leaning in to peck her forehead with a kiss.
"Course I will."
+
After they get to his car, the drive is relatively quick back to Harry's place but maybe Y/N is just a little too out of it to notice being in the car for too long. Entertained by the electric blue lights around all the knobs, his heated seats, and the way the windows went down and up and down and up, until he placed a hand on her thigh and murmured, "Tha's enough, Pet. You'll break 'em."
He helps her inside, a hand at the small of her back as he presses her onward and he lets her lean most of his body weight against him and he helps her plop down safely on his couch. Crouching in front of her on one knee as he presses the hair from her face, cupping her cheeks and running his thumbs over them lightly, "Oh Bambi," he says hushed, tutting his tongue and shaking his head, "You really did have a rough night, 'aven't you?"
Her brows furrow, "Do I look that bad?" she grumbles, turning away from his face a little but he tilts her back towards him, and she looks at him, through her floaty buzzed out mind. Eyes focusing in on him, not really knowing what she was expecting but what she sees isn't it. Just tender and doting, his thumb never ceasing and she notices his lip ring that makes her scrunch her nose. . .how would you kiss with one of those, she wonders. Wouldn't it be uncomfortable? Not that she wanted to find out but it intrigued her.
"No, no, no, s'not what I meant." He rolls his eyes, "Look gorgeous, you do."
"Guess you thought that girl was gorgeous too, yeah?" Y/N huffs sorely, but Harry shakes his head before she can even finish.
"She doesn't mean anything, Moppet, was just dancing with her," he explains easily, as if he knew it would be brought up again tonight so he'd figured out how to deal with it in the least messy way, "Wasn't gonna take her home, 'cos I knew I was going to take you home."
Fingers curling, she catches them on his forearm and let's them hang there, holding onto him, "Are your knuckles okay?" She asks him, looking down to where the blood had dried over on him, and it makes her upset all over again, "When you clean them, I'll kiss it better." With that she leans back into the couch, rubbing tiredly at her eyes before blowing a raspberry at the air, "M'taking my pants off," she warns him, popping open the button of her jeans, and when she sees his face she continues, "I hate sleeping with jeans on, it's terrible and stiff, so I'm taking them off."
"I was gonna say. . ." Harry begins, standing up, "If I can't seduce you, you can't seduce me either."
"Don' even know how to seduce." Y/N says it mostly saying it to herself, because Harry has already gone off towards the kitchen while she situates herself on the couch, tugging the throw cover down and flopping it over her bottom half the best that she could to cover up before he got back. She may be drunk, but she still would rather not be nearly naked on a really pretty boy's couch when her head isn't full there.
Honestly, she really shouldn't ever be able to make her own drinks, because she overshoots the amount she'll be able to handle. When it's a night Niall is always besides her then there is a fitting amount for her size and how much he knows that she can take without becoming the besotted melodramatic one at the party. And it's not that she gets emotional often in front of people -- she really doesn't like to, she saves that for being in her dorm room alone when she hasn't got to worry about tear stains or puffy eyes -- but when she's drunk all feelings are amplified tenfold. If one little thing makes her upset -- let's say, Harry with another girl (for some reason she can't really pinpoint yet) made her more jealous than she should've felt, or Harry punching someone made her more scared than would've been normal for her. She can't help it so she tries to avoid drinking so much.
Harry comes back with a glass of water and two tablets, handing her the water first and dropping the tablets into her hand, "Take these."
Swallowing both in one go, she hands him the glass and he passes it over to the coffee table, "Okay Baby, c'mere," his voice is sweet, holding out his hands for her and she takes them, letting him help her stand and she squeals a little when the blanket falls from around her waist. Though Harry pays no mind to it, situating himself on the couch before tugging her down on top of him, clicking the TV on before reaching for the blanket and fanning it around the both of them. Fingers finding her hair and carding through it easily, slowly, working out tangles with his fingers and she forgot she'd asked him to do it but is ultimately thankful he remembered. She feels better than she had, though she still sniffles and hiccups a bit from her crying spell, but she's sleepy and a warm and Harry smells like peaches and this is way better than any cinnamon toast crunch drink at a hot, smokey, sweaty, smelly party.
She looks up at him, seeing that for once she finally sees him with no beanie and she nearly gasps. His hair fluffy and soft, shorter than it had been when she'd seen him for the very first time but it didn't look bad. With eager fingers, she lifts up one hand and runs her fingers through it, mouth still agape, "Your hair," she says aloud, which she hadn't meant to, "Never seen you without a beanie before," her fingers are insistent and Harry gives a breathy laugh, his breathing evening out as while he scratches lightly at her scalp and she mocks his actions for a moment before pulling her hand back, "It's pretty, and soft, I like it."
"Thank you," he answers, "You're a Sweetheart, Bambi."
Y/N sighs comfortably, lying her cheek to his chest and listening to the rump and thump of his heartbeat that eases her to sleep.
+
"Why do you have Britney Spears' entire discography on your phone?" Y/N questions Harry, after he'd said he wanted to show her a song and that was his reason for sitting besides her during lunch.
"Why did you get so jealous of Jenna at the party?" Harry bites back swiftly, and Y/N groans.
"I was drunk, you know that," She tries to explain, for the hundredth time but it was falling on deaf ears and even she wasn't believing that was the whole reason anymore, "Besides, I wasn't jealous."
"Drunk mind, sober truth Moppet, and you so were!" Harry exclaims, moving his hands animatedly as he gives his voice a subtle slur, "You say all these things with your cute beanie and your fucking cute smile!"
Y/N kisses her teeth, "Wrong, I said dumb."
Harry rolls his eyes, "Either or, the only reason you'd take me and slap me was if you weren't happy I was with Jenna."
"Stop saying her name!" She tells him, and it really doesn't help her case in the slightest but Harry doesn't bring it up. Only smiles that dumb fucking cute smile and positions himself to lay with his head on her thigh not occupied by a book, grinning before tilting his head a bit to the side so he could peck a kiss at her thigh, in a very fond way.
When Y/N grunts at him, he hums, "Had half the mind to kiss you that night, to hush all your little sniffles and whatnot but decided against it," he says as an afterthought and as if to answer the impending 'why didn't you?' playing at Y/N's lips, continues, "but when I do kiss you, I want you to be there for it entirely. Not emotionally feisty, with my cheek still burning." Then his eyes flicker to hers, "Speaking of, will you kiss it better? Hurt me an awful lot, you got a hand on you Bambi."
Pressing a kiss to her hand, she pushes it onto his cheek and he pouts at her, "Oi, that wasn't proper nor the right cheek."
"Do you want to hear how blood travels through the heart?" Changing the subject isn't something Y/N is good at, but it's something Harry lets her get away with often. Nodding his head like he actually cared, which was nice, even if he zones out on her it helped to repeat things and she's almost positive Niall has heard it enough to recite it himself. So she told him about the blood flow through the heart without looking into her book, even going as far as using the tip of her finger to trace out where his heart was. Feeling it beat made her a little flustered, because it was just a bit quicker than it outta be and that means that it might be because she's touching him.
Harry grins, "You'll ace the test, I just know it." His hand comes up to cover hers, slotting their fingers together and letting them rest on his chest, smiling up at her, "You're very smart, Baby girl."
"Why do you call me that?" She asks him, though a shy smile creeps on her face before she can stop it because she likes it. Likes the tingles it shoots through her belly when he says it, even if she doesn't understand it completely, it gets her excited.
He reaches up, strokes her cheek before pinching it, "Dunno, just suits you," he hums, sneaking his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck, tugging her down and giggling at her squeal as he lifts himself up, lips catching at the corner of her mouth and she squawks and jumps up.
"Oi!" She squawks at him, hand flying over his mouth and cupping it, "Maybe I need to buy you a muzzle."
His tongue licks at the palm of her hand, and she snatches her hand back, and he's a muddle of giggles and laughs, holding to his tummy with his knees bending up towards his chest. Face turning into her stomach, kissing at the sliver of skin and Y/N whines at him, "Why do you keep kissing me?"
"Can't help it," he tells her, pressing himself upward so he's leaning on his arm, "Would kiss you all over if I could. From your ankles to your cheeks. . .all over." Her fingers trail over her legs, but he stops at her knees. Harry has been good at figuring where he can and can't go with Y/N -- where her limits are, so that he doesn't push them too much because he is. . .well, she doesn't know what he is to her. They've been hanging around with each other much more after the party incident. Maybe a friend? A very touchy feel, but ultimately sweet friend who takes care of her when she needs it and calls her cute pet names and how could anybody think he was a bad guy? Sure, he's gotten into fights but all the things he'd done for her is glossing over that.
Y/N shakes her head, leaning back into the rough bark, "You're. . .you're something, alright."
+
When Harry first proposed the idea of her meeting his friends, she really thought it was just him talking out of his ass because it was late at night and he was very adamant on talking to her on the phone until one of them fell asleep (it was always her). She didn't think the next day, when she is in her comfy clothes and there is a knock on her door that anybody but Niall would be there because he's the only one who comes around (her dorm mate switched schools, so she'd been by herself for a long while which was not terrible, actually).
Instead she gets Harry, who has a blue beanie on today and he looks her up and down, "You ready to go?"
"Go where?" She asks him, furrowed brows and itching at her nose, "Are we going to Baskin Robin's, because I love Baskin Robins, I just had a dream about them last night."
Harry rolls his eyes, shaking his head, "No, Bambi, but we can go after," he grins, "You're gonna meet my friends."
Eyes widening, Y/N looks down at herself, "Your friends? Aren't they like -- hardcore, or something?" His head tilts to the side, "I kinda look like a Japanese candy box." She had a sweater, a soft yellow color and light purple shorts, and she had a scrunchie in her hair, which seems exactly how she described it but Harry shakes his head. Slinging his arms around her waist, the jingle of his car keys the only noise besides her own affronted squawk before he starts talking.
"You look cute," he hums, "I like cute. They like rough and rugged, at least I think so this way I know they won't be hitting on you."
"What do you mean you think? You're friends, you should know their dating preferences, like for example I'm aware of yours," Harry raises his eyebrows, "Terrible people who cling onto necks and whine when they get pulled off." She's referencing Jenna, which she shouldn't but she's feeling a little spicy and salty about it still, and she doesn't mean to be so put off and grumpy by it which really isn't helping his accusation of her being jealous, but she thinks he likes it. If the smile he has is anything to go by.
"But Bambi, you're my preference." He tells her.
Y/N shoots utters back quick, "Even worse."
Chuckling, Harry swats at her butt, "C'mon Sweetheart, do it for Daddy."
With a roll of her eyes, she nudges him off and goes for her purse and phone -- he'd been calling himself Daddy for the past few days now and she tries to ignore the turmoil in her belly in regard to it. Thinks maybe he's just poking fun, trying to find all the ways he can make her squirmy and if that was a talent, he'd surely win something.
The drive there was Harry letting Y/N use the aux cord and Y/N singing and putting on what she wanted because she could. Oddly, she felt all too comfortable with Harry which she should probably see as a red flag but she doesn't. They've been through a decent amount together, and she figures of he were going to kill her he would've the past few times she's spent the night at his house or whenever he'd gotten her alone, but all that happened was loving touches and oodles of pet names. So she does consider Harry a friend -- a very friendly friend, who loves contact and running his fingers through her hair, and trying to kiss her when she least expects it.
She was halfway through her interpretive dance to Jag in a Jungle when Harry slows to a stop in front of a house. It wasn't a bad house per se. . .it just looked a bit dodgy, but maybe she's just letting the patches of grass missing from the lawn cloud her perception. Turning the music off and looking over to Harry, who is fixing the beanie over his head before turning to her, "I'm excited for you to meet them." He admits, and it hits Y/N right in her heart. The nervous like smile on his face very different than any smile he'd given her before, and her fingers twitch around her phone and by her side. It makes her want to reach out and do that think he does to her, where he cradles her cheek and lets her lean into it.
They get out of the car and Harry leads the way, not bothering to knock, instead just walking in. Y/N didn't bring her purse in so she just clings around a pack of gum and her phone, ambling in behind Harry and looking around a very smoky, sort of smelly room. Something right out of a college movie, she's positive. "Guys, this is Y/N," he introduces and Y/N feels like she sticks out a bit too much for her own liking. Maybe Harry likes that she looks "cute" but these people eying her up and down don't seem to fond of it. Besides two, one she recognizes as Louis who gives her a smile and Mark who gives a lazy handed wave that she returns, "Play nice."
Y/N avoids all eye contact possible, trailing him like a lost puppy to sit down on the bean bag in the corner. There were Christmas lights strung up, so the glow in the room was dim but enough and it was very calming save for some of the music. If it were just her and Harry she would lean up against him, let her eyes shut and enjoy herself but it wasn't just her and Harry and she feels eyes burning on her as she pretends to check her nails. Harry having already fallen into comfortable chatter with his friends as she sits near silently, only smiling when someone said something funny (or was supposed to be funny and she just didn't get the joke).
One girl in particular decided that tonight was the night to delve into inside jokes, and past experiences with Harry that Y/N had no clue of. It made her, well, jealous for one, because that seems to just be a prevalent emotion nowadays -- and dare she say a little sad? She doesn't know what Harry sees in her, or why he wants to be around her so often, because if she's going to be honest with herself, compared to these stories she was the saddest little bore. While Harry could be scaling rooftops and tripping off acid, he's dealing with a drag such as herself, who is most likely studying and has an apparent tendency to cry when she drinks. The comparison is -- well, there really is no comparison, his friends and this girl are so much better.
"Oi," somebody snaps in her direction, and it's the girl who might just be wiggled farther up Harry's ass then she thinks she might be (though she is quick to deny it), "What're you mute or something? Haven't said a word."
When she's opening her mouth to answer, Harry cuts in, "Leave her alone Kat, you lot are a hard pill to swallow." He tries lightening the mood, but this girl -- Kat -- is not having it.
"She seems boring. Why'd you bring a dud over for us to meet? This is the girl you've been raving about no?" Kat more or less sneers, looking between the two, lowering her voice like the next sentence was a secret, "You sure you're not on something mate?" Which Y/N could only assume was her implying that the only reasonable idea for him to be spending time with her was he was high. And while she also wondered what Harry saw in her, it hurt more coming from someone else. It's stupid, because Y/N hasn't drank anything but she feels tears start to claw up her cheeks and she really is digging in her mind to find something to snap back at her with, but nothing comes. Nothing at all, so she excuses herself from the now quiet bunch, hearing Louis (she recognizes his voice from before she was confronted) say almost angrily, "You never know when to lay off it Kat, it's fucking annoying. She did shit all to you, but you've still got to be so rude."
There are footsteps behind her but she tries to ignore them, going out to the backyard and blinking the smoke from her eyes, trying to reason with herself that's why they were watering. Tells herself that's why she sniffles too, pressing the heels of her palms in and knowing this totally did not help her case with them liking her. Then there's a familiar tutting before arms sling around her, turning her around so that her face was in his chest and Harry shushes her, "Oh Bambi, I'm sorry, I didn't know she was going to be so mean."
"She's right, though," Y/N mumbles sadly, and Harry's face drops into a deep frown, "I am a bore. You could be doing all this fun shit with your better friends but you always come hang out with me or come get me or take me home and I'm just -- I'm not even fun to be around, half the time, I'm studying and griping at you." She sighs, adding, "Dunno why you even wanna be around me."
Harry gives a gasp, showing he's in genuine shock by her statement, "Y/N, stop that!" He says, and it almost sounds like he's offended she would think such a thing, "You are fun. Sure, we aren't going out and doing crazy shit but I don't always want to do crazy shit! You're funny, and you're cute, and I have some of the best times when I'm with you, even if you're just in my lap watching TV. Don't listen to Kat, she's just pissed she can't make me feel like how you make me feel, and Christ, Baby girl, you make me feel all warm and mushy inside and I love that." Y/N looks down, but his fingers dart for her chin, tilting her up at him, "I like you, Y/N. . .a lot, and I don't just like people for no reason. Kat is just being a prick -- plus, the other's liked you so far. Someone too overbearing on the first day of meeting seems like they're trying too hard, and you were just listening and absorbing the situation, and they get that."
She looks to the side of him, staring off at a tree and trying to really take in what he's saying. It makes her feel good, sure, but she's still worried he's only saying it to make her feel better. For a moment she wonders if Harry notices, because then he goes on to say, "You know one thing that you do that's fun, that they won't and certainly Kat doesn't?" Y/N's eyes flicker back to him, waiting for him to finish, "You're more spontaneous. All those stories they told you were planned and calculated, scheduled and whatnot, but you let me take you places or buy you things, and you literally slapped me because I was touching someone Baby, you always keep me on my toes. Whether it'll be a snarky comment or you gettin' all cute and flustered when I do something -- I love it. I love -- gosh, I just love it."
Without much thought, Y/N wraps her arms around him and burrows her face into his neck, murmuring a, "Thank you. Sorry I'm such a cry baby." against his skin, but Harry tuts his tongue again. Running his thumb over her eyebrow when she draws back.
"You aren't a cry baby," he says gently, "You just like me but won't admit it to yourself yet, Moppet, but trust me, Daddy can wait."
Snorting, she lightly smacks his chest, "Way to ruin a moment, Harry, and I was seconds away from my knees."
"Ah, there she is!" He grins.
+
"Hey," Harry says, his voice quiet, "I'm outside."
"Harry?" Y/N rubs her eyes, having been brought from her sleep by the ring of her phone causing her to be more disgruntled then she probably should have, "S'three in the morning, wha's wrong?"
He sighs, a bit heavy, "Just need to see you."
Now, Y/N would be more angry with him if not for the way his voice sounded. Not his usual chirpy self, seeming more down and out than ever before and it worries her to the core, as she presses up from the bed, grabbing her purse and trying to find her shoes, "Okay, gimme a minute I just -- uh oh," her vision splotches black, "Stood up too fast."
Harry gives a halfhearted laugh, and it makes her worry even more. Sure, Harry does just show up sometimes unannounced but never at 3AM and never so monotonously, and usually he at least shows up at her door instead of sitting in his car outside. This makes her double her efforts, slipping on her shoes and stumbling her way through bright lighted hallways, squinting against the glow of them. She only hangs up the phone when she sees his car, hiking herself up inside it before turning to face him.
"You look cute, Bambi," he notes, nodding towards her attire. She looks down at herself and notices how rumpled she appears, in a shirt that she can guarantee is Niall's and flamingo pajama bottoms, "How was your night?"
"Harry," she begins, "What's the matter? I know m' a fun time but usually we do this not at 3 in the morning."
With another heavy sigh, he starts his car back up and starts backing out of the parking space, "I know, I'm sorry, just --" he shakes his head, "I was at a party, right? And Kat brought her friend long, which was annoying because he's a prick, but turns out she told him how I chewed her out --"
"Chewed her out?" Y/N cuts him off.
"Yeah, for being rude, I told her off the next day but she told him I said stuff I hadn't said. Tried ignoring them, but -- well, fuck they said something that pissed me off so I got in a bit of a scrap." Y/N looks at his face, noticing only a faint bruise on his jaw and he must notice she's looking because he shakes his head, "Doesn't hurt too bad. Messed him up a fair amount though, so she had to take him away to take care of him."
Y/N huffs, "I wish you wouldn't get into fights Harry," she admits, looking out the front window, not positive where they are going but she doesn't really care to ask him, "Don't like it when you're hurt."
A hand places itself on her thigh and she jumps a bit, the coolness of his rings chilling goosebumps on the skin, "I'm fine, Baby doll. Part of me wanted to come see you because -- well, this sounds cheesy but I feel guilty when I fight now. Keep thinking about how teary you got when it happened in front of you and I -- I don't know, I just really needed to see you. You make me feel better. . .less angry." Then he further explains himself, "You've just got the cutest -- your face is just very sweet, I don't ever wanna disappoint you."
She doesn't respond because she doesn't know what to say. Nobody had every really valued how she felt so highly like this -- she didn't think he gave a damn when she said she didn't like fighting at all, but to see that he actually gave a shit was making her feel nice and good and squirmy a little. A good squirmy.
So she doesn't respond, yes, but she does put her hand over his, and slip her fingers in between his own. It's the first time she's ever really initiated holding his hand, and it sparks a memory in her from when she was drunk -- a promise that she had made that she never fulfilled, When you clean them, I'll kiss it better -- so she lifts them up to her mouth, kissing each knuckle tenderly, caringly and Harry looks over with a small smile as she does it. She only stops when they turn into a parking spot just before a park.
Once he gets out of the car, she follows him. Watches as he opens his trunk and takes a bundle of blankets out, "Grab the pillows would you?" He asks and she reaches in for them, tucking one beneath each arm and they head towards a clearing, atop of one of the very green hills and she's out of breath by the time they reach it. Making him laugh at her, "You really need to walk more, Darling."
"I walk so much!" She defends herself through a breathless whine, flopping down on the blanket once he's spread them out, and she plops her head down on one of the pillows as soon as she does, handing the other to him. Rolling onto her back while he's situating himself and there are so many stars twinkling in the sky it amazes her -- each dot of light decorating the dark so nicely that her mouth falls open just a bit. She'd never gone star gazing before, only really seeing them by the off chance she looked at the sky instead of her feet while she was walking, but now she immediately regrets it.
They are all so pretty, for being so simple. Sure, they're only dots from this far away but she remembers paying at least some attention in an introduction to Astronomy course before the math started killing her, and she is just so overwhelmed right now by the beauty of hydrogen. That and the smell of Harry, which is so good she could bury herself alive with it and be happy forever, she thinks. Harry stretches his arm out around her, pulling her towards him and when she looks at his eyes staring up at the stars there are scintillating reflections glittering in his irises. His beanie off (which she notices he only does around her, and she secretly loves that), his features soft, and he looks a bit sleepy -- not beaten up or worn -- just sleepy. It makes her feel protective almost. He's always looking out for her. . .always taking care of her when she needs and he takes care of other people when they need it too, it's almost like he has everybody's back but nobody has his.
So she decides then that she'll have his back. Decides then that she doesn't care about rumors, and she doesn't care what Niall or Liam says, and she doesn't give a rat's ass if part of her brain is throwing up all these faulty warning signs, because Harry isn't a bad guy. He's beautiful, and soft sometimes, and when he laughs or smiles it throws a rabble of butterflies into her stomach that she'd been passing off and ignoring until right now.
Her head is on his shoulder, when he turns to face her, "What're you staring at, Bambi?"
"I like you." She divulges.
He grins at her, "I like you too."
"No, like," she starts, and she isn't sure how to elucidate what she means.
So she kisses him. Leans forward the little way and presses her lips against his, and it's her first kiss (or at least that's how she sees it because she's not counting when Niall drunkenly kisses her to express his love after she takes care of him). Her eyes are open for a moment, before Harry starts kissing back and then her own eyelids flitter shut like weak willed leaves clingy onto the stem during windy fall days. There's a roaring of her own heartbeat in her ears, thumping quickly and the adrenaline of making such a thoughtless move has tingles flying down to the tips of her fingers (which are digging into the chest of his shirt) and toes. There noses keep bumping, but it doesn't deter them any. His lips are smooth and warm, but he dominates the kiss though she started it, a hand coming down as he turns his body towards her, clinging to her hip and the pads of his finger dig into the skin. Parting his lips and biting over her bottom lip, making her squeak and he moves quick to slide his tongue in.
Harry moans into her mouth, and Y/N feels the pit of her stomach burning nicely. A hand reaching up to cradle her cheek, fingers digging into her hair as he tastes her and she can't even describe how she's feeling. A rush of different emotions making her wriggle into him, her own little whine makes him kiss even more fervently. He tastes like candies and icing and everything nice in the world, she figures out, if she knew how good this felt she would've done it as soon as he'd spoken to her the first time.
Eventually he draws back to breathe, but Y/N makes a pitiful noise trying to chase after his lips and he giggles through a pant. Eyes opening slowly to see each other again, and Harry's cheeks are flushed red, his eyes are big globes like the moon and his lips are spit slicked and kiss bitten red. It's one of the prettiest sights Y/N has ever seen, and she thinks, if she could take a picture of it she would. He's staring at he similar to how she is staring at him but he doubts that he has a better sight than she does right now.
He strokes his fingers through her hair gently, smiling as he murmurs, "I knew you liked me back," he says it triumphantly, "Daddy is always right."
Y/N groans long and drawn out as he laughs, "You're the absolute worst!" She grumbles at him.
Harry thumbs at the corner of her mouth, rubbing is nose disgustingly sweet against her own, "But you'll keep me, right?"
"Yeah," Y/N answers, nodding her head, "Yeah, I'll keep you."