'they head straight for your heart, like a bullet in the dark, one by one, i take them down.'
(wolves - one direction)
-
A.
"Harry," I rushed to his side, wrapping my hand around his wrist, "Come on, you don't have to do this," I tried to coax him as Gemma only watched in disbelief. He didn't dare to look at me, but I couldn't tear my eyes from him.
Harry's voice was low to begin with, shaky before he raised it, "Tell me what you're doing here, you sick fucking bastard!" he lurched towards the man in front of us all of a sudden, and I gripped his arm as best as I could, holding him back.
I tried to get through to him again, "Harry-"
"Tell me!" he roared, taking another step towards him as Celia rushed from the other room, Ben and Liam closely behind her.
"What is going on here- oh my God," she took a step back against the wall and brought her hands to her mouth in disbelief, the fear in her eyes just as bad, if not worse than Gemma's.
"What the fuck?" Liam's eyes widened, clearly recognising Harry's father and attempting to step in.
"I'm not here to argue with you, Haz," Ken spoke for the first time, and I felt Harry tense under my touch. 'Haz' - so that was why Harry hated the nickname so much.
"How fucking dare you," he seethed, and Ken's eyes widened in response, clearly not having expected this reaction.
I looked at Harry's father properly for the first time, and there was no denying the physical similarities between them. He had the same piercing green eyes Harry did, and the same sharp bone structure, his hair falling in grey wisps around his face. His eyes were bloodshot, yet they remained narrowed as he watched Harry carefully.
"You're drunk," Harry spat, "you came here to what? Reason with us? What fucking nerve do you have?"
"I wanted to talk," his father suddenly appeared vulnerable, and I forced myself to remember all the horrible things he had put Harry through as a child; scarred him with.
Harry was the only one who dared to speak to him - Gemma, Celia and Ben only watching in disbelief as Ken tried to reason with Harry.
"Nobody has a thing to say to you," Harry snarled, and I had never seen him so furious in his life, "you what? Ran out of money? Couldn't afford another round at the pub, so you decided to come here? How did you even find us?"
"I found out you were in Seattle and tried to head there a few months ago, and when I realised you weren't - I asked around here, too," Ken swallowed, and as I looked up at Harry his fists were shaking, pure rage overtaking his senses, "I wanted to see how you were doing. And I see you're doing well," he added, glancing at me now.
Harry finally noted that I was beside him, wrapping a protective arm around me as his glare intensified, eyes not leaving his father, "I'm giving you five seconds to get the fuck out of here, before I put you through a mere fraction of what you put us through," Harry threatened now, and I could tell he meant it by the way he took an intimidating step towards Ken, and I held an arm out in front him, desperate to cease any physical confrontation he was planning.
Ken raised his arms in surrender, "Son, I don't want to-"
"I'm not your fucking son!" Harry roared even louder than before, and had this been anybody else he was screaming at, I'd have tugged him away and tried to reason with him - but this was his father. Harry had spent years suffering through the pain and memories this man had left with him, and now he was finally face-to-face with him, and this was his chance to clear his own head.
"You are," Ken croaked, "Harry, you'll always be my son-"
"You have two fucking seconds, and I'm really warning you," Harry didn't back down, but seemingly neither did Ken - he did seem afraid, though, as if he'd come back here and find the small, fearful boy he'd left behind.
"Gem?" Ken turned around now to face Harry's sister, and she quickly turned her head to look away from him, desperate not to meet his eyes.
"Ken, please just leave-" Celia spoke up, cut off by Harry lunging forward to grip Ken by the throat, slamming him effortlessly into the wall.
"I fucking warned you, you sick fuck," Harry seethed again, his grip on Ken tightening until his knuckles turned white and he brought his fist to his jaw multiple times, the only sound to be heard was the cracking of knuckles against skin and Celia, Gemma and Ben shouting in unison.
"Harry, no," I rushed forward at the same time as Liam, the both of us tugging him away with all the strength we had, interrupting what would've been the seventh blow to Ken's face as I pulled Harry backwards, "Look at me, H."
His eyes, though dark, were puffy from the welling tears he'd refused to let fall, his skin a deep red with rage and fury, his chest rising and falling quickly as he struggled to breath, and his lips shaking as he finally brought his eyes to mine, an angry gaze - though similar to the one he'd given me at the bar that night, it somehow held more fury.
"Look at me," I repeated, bringing my hands to his face, blocking out the sound of Ben shouting as he tugged Ken towards the door. Harry's chest still rose upwards and downwards quickly, but his eyes softened as they met my own, "Breathe," I tried to soothe him, as his lips continued to shake, and he buried his head quickly in my shoulder. I knew by the look in his eyes he was on the verge of crying, and I knew he wouldn't want anyone to know that, as I wrapped my hand around his wrist and tugged him quickly out into the backyard.
"Fucking hell," he cursed loudly as soon as I'd shut the door behind us, kicking a garden gnome in his path as he ran his hands over his face, and I took steps towards him, taking my hands in his.
"Hey, it's okay," I mumbled, drawing him into a hug, "you're okay."
"Why did he come here?" Harry asked weakly, "I haven't seen him for almost ten years, I dunno - fuck."
"I don't know," I said honestly, "but he's gone now. He's gone, and you don't have to see him again."
"Never?" he asked suddenly, and I noticed the tears now visibly welling in his eyes as I reached up to wipe them.
"Never," I told him, "you owe him absolutely nothing, and to confront him the way you did was so brave, H."
"I don't feel brave," he let out a breathy, humourless chuckle as I drew circles on his cheeks, reaching up to kiss the tear-stained skin. I'd only ever seen Harry cry during our breakup, and it broke my heart to see him in so much pain - I hated it. I hated that he didn't know how strong he was, and that he thought it was dumb for him to cry - that it would make him weak.
"I always knew I hated him," he said, chewing on his lip, "but now seeing him again - in the flesh - it reminded me of just how much I really do.. he ruined my life - and Gem's, and Mum's."
"I know," I nodded, not wanting Harry to start reflecting on all the physical and emotional abuse he had to endure for so long, as I knew it would only bring more upset - he didn't have to explain anything, "but look at you now. Look how amazing you've still managed to become," I took his hand in mine, suddenly catching sight of the open surface, dried with blood that wasn't his own and bruised and cut from the impact he had hit with, "are you gonna let me clean you up, or are you too much of a big man for that?" I asked teasingly, desperate to lighten Harry's mood.
"Far too much of a big man," he remarked, sending me a half-hearted smile, "but I'll still give you the satisfaction."
"Thank you," I led him inside, stopped almost immediately by Gemma.
"Bloody hell, Harry, I'm so sorry," Gemma winced, "I should've done more, but when I saw him-"
"It's okay, Gem," Harry blew out a breath, "I probably should've done less."
Gemma stepped forward, pulling him into a tight hug which he seemed to accept, as she mumbled something into his ear, and he nodded, glancing back at me for a moment.
"Where's Mum?" he asked Gemma, and she sighed.
"Liam took her on a walk to calm her down - she's really freaking out."
"Shouldn't her boyfriend be the one doing that?" Harry scoffed, and I nudged him, shooting him a look.
"Probably," Gemma smiled weakly, "are you two staying tonight?"
"I don't know," Harry shrugged, glancing at me, "if that's what Ana wants to do."
"Well, I think you two should," she sent me a smile now, "Mum's already nattering about wanting to go to breakfast tomorrow morning so we can at least have one nice meal before you go."
"We'll stay," I nodded, smiling at her in return as Harry brought his hand back around my waist to signal for us to go upstairs.
"Great, um - well," she shifted from foot to foot, "I'll see you two in the morning."
"Goodnight," was all I could manage before Harry dragged me up the stairs, "Hey, I was talking to Gemma!" I protested once we were in the bathroom with the door closed.
"But I can't make out with you in front of my sister," he tried to justify himself, and I rolled my eyes.
"You can't make out with me at all," I shot him a grin, "at least not until your hands are cleared up."
"Not fair," he dragged out the second word, lifting me up onto the sink with ease, pushing my legs apart to stand between them and tilting his head upwards to immediately slide his tongue into my mouth.
"Harry," I giggled against his lips, causing our kiss to break as he chuckled, winding his arms around my waist, "Come on, let me clean you up."
"No, let's just take a shower," he raised his eyebrows suggestively, and I rolled my eyes, exhaling.
"We can shower if you behave yourself," I shot him a look, and he raised his hands in surrender.
"'m on best behaviour, baby. Promise," he grinned at me which I returned, as he pushed himself away from the sink and reached into the shower to turn it on.
Harry's mood had lifted incredibly from a mere half hour ago when he had been pummelling his fists against his father's face - he was now acting happy, playful - he was clearly trying to forget what had happened, or just move along from it.
"Baby?" I asked skeptically, "are you okay?"
"Mm?" he hummed, turning around and walking back towards me, "I'm fine, pretty girl," he promised, pressing a kiss to my forehead, "I just want to end this night on a good note, and go to bed."
I watched his eyes carefully, his green irises piercing into my own. Months ago, if this had happened to Harry - if his father had shown up, it would unmistakably have sent him into a far darker place; over the edge, even. Harry would've drank and smoke until he couldn't anymore, and he would be entirely blinded by his rage - and though he was furious earlier on, he was able to move past it, and forget it, which I was so proud of him for.
"You coming?" he asked, ripping me from my thoughts as he eyed me carefully, tearing his shirt over his head to expose his inked skin that I admired so much.
I nodded, removing my own clothes and stepping into the shower - I couldn't help but notice the way he tugged his lip into his mouth as he watched me, running a hand through his hair as I stepped under the water.
"Do you know how much I love you?" he asked suddenly as the water rushed over his skin, droplets coating his shoulders and chest.
"I have an idea," I replied with a grin, every time he told me he loved me it brought butterflies to my stomach and made me feel giddy.
"Well, I love you," he grinned, bringing his hands to my waist to spin me around, my back to his chest as he squeezed some shampoo into my hair, massaging it into my scalp.
"And I love you," I responded, tilting my head back as he rubbed the product in.
"How did I get so lucky with you, Ana Grace?" he wound his arms around me from behind, pressing a kiss to my bare shoulder, and I smiled softly as he brought the shower head over my hair, rinsing the shampoo from it.
"I'm the lucky one," I said honestly, turning to face him, "I'm so proud of you, H."
"Mm," he hummed as I reached up to return the favour and wash his hair, "I'm just trying to be better, Ana, baby."
"And you are," I told him, before adding, "I really don't know what I'd do without you."
"Good thing you'll never have to," he murmured, as I ran the water over his hair, and he solemnly added, "and college.."
I blew out a breath, "I'm still going to SCC."
"And I still plan to," he nodded, pressing a kiss to my nose, "it'll work out."
"I know," I sent him a soft smile, bringing his lips to mine.
"I swear, baby - we'll never, ever be apart again."