Baby Blue

VIII.

Sunday, 1 March 2020

Venus had always thought that the biggest changes were those you didn't pay immediate notice to. Like the changing of the seasons, aging on your birthday, when the clock struck 12 and a new day began. Changes that were caused by time; that could not be prevented. Loads of changes couldn't be prevented, but it was impossible to escape time. Manmade to make life simpler to live, and yet it's what kills us in the end. However, Venus had come to learn that some changes – the biggest and worst of them all – pained you so much, they didn't fully leave your body. Like a volcanic eruption, they'd come every now and again, but would leave you scorched and burning for days. She chose not to think about those changes.

But it was hard when she was out shopping with her younger sister and said younger sister would not stop bloody chattering. The first day of spring had brought nothing but clouds and the occasional fall of some rain. Venus wasn't impressed. Wasn't a new season supposed to bring something else? So far it just felt like any other winter day in south England.

"Venus?"

"Yeah?"

Looking up at Portia, it was painfully obvious Venus hadn't been paying attention to anything her sister had been saying.

Portia raised her eyebrows. "Are you taking the mick right now?"

"What?!"

"You're not even listening to what I've been saying." Portia scanned her Oyster card and walked on into Haggerston station, leaving Venus sighing behind her. Venus scanned her own card and followed, knowing that her sister would not stop being annoying unless she asked what she'd been talking about. The second she began talking again, she'd forget Venus wasn't listening to begin with.

The two were on their way to Victoria Station, Portia was going back home after having stayed with Venus in her shared flat in Hackney for two weeks, having had some modelling jobs to attend to. And now that she was done, she would be going home to their mother and staying there for a week until she had to come back down to London for some more jobs. Venus was getting rather sick of her little sister staying with her when she could easily find her own flat, but she figured she'd bring that conversation up another time. A time when she hadn't pissed her sister off already that day.

"Tia," Venus said as they reached the Southbound platform, the windy remnants of the storm that had just been making it freezing to be taking the Overground and wait outside for the next tube to arrive. "What were you saying?"

"Do you even care?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you."

Venus rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"This bloke I've been going on dates with while I've been here, right," Portia started crossing her arms over her chest as the tube started approaching, knowing that a gust of wind would accompany it. "He's got this friend that's been eyeing me up the two times I've met him. He's fit and everything, but I'm seeing Azeem, you know."

"Tell Azeem his mate makes you feel uncomfortable and he'll do something about it till next time you meet."

"But he doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, that's the thing." Portia sighed as the two girls walked up to the yellow line, waiting for the train to stop so they could get on. "I just think it's annoying."

"That men find you attractive?"

"That the fit one's are always the ones I can't have."

"Oh, my days, Portia." Venus mumbled, getting on the Overground and sitting down in one of the orange and brown seats. Portia sat down next to her, putting her bag on the ground beside her feet.

"What, V?"

"You just sound like a bellend."

"How?"

Venus gave her a look.

"How?!"

"'The fit one's are always the ones I can't have'? At least you're dating someone, and they're interested in you."

"And Azeem is delicious, but his mate's got..."

"Got what?"

Portia sighed. "Got nice arms."

Venus leaned her head against the wall behind her, it swayed with the moving coach.

"I know it's not all about looks."

"It really is not."

"But I still can't help myself."

"You're such a prick."

"Don't be rude." Portia nudged her sister's shoulder. "If you'd just go out and date people as well, you'd have the same problems."

Venus huffed, looking at Portia. "Doubt it."

Portia rested one leg on top of the other, examining her nails. "You're so boring sometimes, V."

"Cheers."

"No," Portia glanced at Venus again. "But isn't it boring to just be sat inside all day?"

"Oh, it's incredibly boring to get an education."

Portia rolled her eyes.

"Go out of my mind going to lectures, writing my dissertation, doing other assessments, and applying to thousands of jobs a day."

Portia crossed her arms, looking ahead.

"So boring."

"I know you pride yourself on the fact you're gonna be a vet."

"Shouldn't I?"

Portia sighed, refusing to answer. The two kept quiet after that. Venus knew in order to make Portia shut up, she just had to bring up her education. Portia was fully aware that Venus was the smartest one out of the two of them – quite frankly, the smartest one in their entire family – and if Venus rubbed it in, Portia would keep quiet. Reminding her sister how she'd gotten into the University of her dreams and was doing great, was a low blow, Venus knew that. But at the same time, Portia just pissed her off so much sometimes that she simply could not help herself.

The two got up as they reached their stop at Canada Water, and walked off towards the Jubilee line once the tube doors opened. Portia's bag kept bumping into Venus as they walked, and though she would normally tell her to piss off, to keep her bag closer, she didn't know. Giving Portia a reason to start shouting at her in the middle of a tube station was not ideal. She was mad enough as it was.

They got on the escalator, Venus was just about to tell Portia what direction to walk in once they reached the bottom since her little sister always forgot, but Portia gasped before Venus got the chance. Looking up at her sister, Portia's eyes were wide, a small smile lingering on her lips. She pointed to the digital posters that lined the wall along the escalator, making Venus look to her right to see what had gotten her sister all excited.

It was the colour that stood out first. She remembered the exact shade of it. The painting stood out second, then the colour of the person's hair, the shape of their body, the shoes. The landscape, the warm colours. It was her. It was the same day she'd found Viola. The same day Harry had supposedly... No, she couldn't even finish that thought. She'd tried not to think of him for months now. As they passed another one of the posters, she looked at it again. In white and bold letters, the text on the poster said 'H. Styles' exclusive and limited new exhibition. 11:00-18:00. 23rd February – 1st March. Dover Street, Mayfair. £10 admission.'

"Venus, what the fuck?" Portia said, tapping her finger against the screen multiple times as they passed yet another one of the posters. "What the fuck?"

The exact same statement was going on repeat in Venus's head as well. Seeing the painting, seeing herself on that poster, it brought back so incredibly many memories from a time she had tried to forget.

Ever since they had parted ways, Venus and Harry had only talked on a handful of occasions. They would text one another – very early on, Harry even called her twice (only after making sure the time zones weren't fucked and she wasn't asleep) -, and they did so for a long while, but then Harry's answers got shorter and shorter, and Venus felt like he might be falling out of love. She didn't want to ask him in case she was reading too much into things, afraid of what the answer might be. She was still in love with him, would probably be so till the day she died, but she didn't want to force him to talk to her if he wasn't feeling it anymore.

As time went on, their text conversations got less frequent, and by Christmas, they weren't talking at all. Venus had tried to forget about him, thinking that he might have just viewed what they had as an intense summer romance and that was it. After all, he was a passionate and artistic man, maybe he fell in love with the thought, image, and what she represented to his summer more than her person. It all hurt to think about, which was why she rarely allowed herself to think about him at all. She hadn't seen him in almost seven months, she was terrified of what that distance had done to them. To his heart. Because hers still longed for his in every way a person could yearn for another. It proved hard living apart from a person whose name you had etched onto the organ that kept you alive.

They reached the bottom of the escalator and the two girls stepped off, Venus blinking a few extra times because she simply could not hold tears back when she was thinking about Harry. Portia walked beside Venus, mouth agape.

"V," she said. "We have to go."

Venus sniffled, pretending it was because she'd caught a cold. "Why?"

Portia glanced at her as if she was insane.

"What?"

"Don't even start, Venus. We're going. I need to see those paintings and so do you." Portia walked onto the Jubilee tube, Venus following straight after. They held onto a pole, and when Venus averted her eyes to the advertisement on the walls of the coach, she saw Harry's poster again. They were everywhere, how hadn't she noticed them before?

"Dover Street." Portia said. "Right by Piccadilly, innit?"

"Yeah."

"Brill, we just jump off at Green Park and walk for like five minutes and we'll be there."

Venus sighed, suddenly feeling like she needed to throw up.

Portia grinned, looking at Venus. "I'm excited now."

"Portia, this is a bad idea."

"It's a splendid idea." Portia corrected. "I need to see all the paintings. I'm sure they're amazing."

Venus had never told Portia she hadn't seen the paintings herself, that Harry hadn't let her. But then again, there were a lot of things she hadn't told Portia about last summer and H. Styles. Her heart was beating way faster than normal, she was suddenly sweating. The notion that Harry might be there was overwhelming, that he had probably been in London for a while now but not contacted her made her entire body ache in a way it had never done before. Though Harry being at his own gallery didn't make sense on any other days than the opening one, Venus was still sick thinking about meeting him. He wouldn't be there, but she still was wary of going.

"What's gotten into you, you look faint." Portia pointed out, raising her eyebrows.

"I think it's a really bad idea to go to that exhibition."

"What the fuck, V?" Portia groaned. "These are paintings of you. You're literally the star of the whole thing."

Venus shrugged.

"Besides, I don't think we have to pay a tenner since you literally spent all summer with him so he could paint you. Free admission equals 'why the fuck not'."

Would Harry even want her there? They hadn't talked after all; he hadn't told her he was in London. Maybe he didn't want her to come see the paintings. Maybe he just wanted her to stay away.

She hated how much she was overthinking this. The last thing she wanted to do was step on Harry's toes, especially now that they hadn't spoken in a while. Especially because she loved him and was afraid he didn't anymore. However, realising the reason she was overthinking in the first place, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It was because Harry meant so much to her. Never could she face him now without knowing if he felt the same way about her.

Portia dragged Venus off at Green Park, walking towards the exit with an excited gleam in her eyes. Venus's stomach hurt so much she didn't know what to do. She wanted to lay down in a foetal position and die. This was all so sudden, so overwhelming. They exited the underground, and as they reached the outside again, the sun was shining and the wind didn't seem as horrible. It didn't ease Venus's nerves one bit, though.

It took them a total of three minutes to reach Dover Street, and the exhibition was one of the first things that caught Venus's eyes. The entire front was made of glass, covered in a baby blue sheet that read 'H. Styles' new exclusive exhibition.' Portia gripped Venus's arm, squealing before she looked both ways and crossed the street. Venus knew Dover Street was known for having numerous contemporary art galleries, but looking down the street, none stood out as much as Harry's. It was impossible to view any of the paintings through the windows, undoubtedly leaving people wanting to pay the 10 quid to do just that. Venus was torn between actually wanting to walk inside or sprint back to Hackney.

"Why're you hesitating? Come on!" Portia took Venus's hand and opened the door with the other, forcing Venus in first.

The reception was dark, absolutely everything covered in black from the floor to the ceiling. There was nothing on the walls, nothing that stood out. But in the middle of the room stood another black wall, covering the proper entrance to the actual exhibition. In front of it stood a reception desk in the same colour, and behind it sat an old man, but he was accompanied by a figure Venus recognised right away. Portia walked straight up to the desk, a huge smile on her face.

"Good afternoon, miss," the old man said, smiling right back at her.

"Hi, my sister and I would love to just enter the exhibition, please."

"20 pounds, then." Jamie said, standing bent over a pile of papers that they were signing and reading over.

"No, you don't understand," Portia started, turning around and beckoning Venus over. "My sister is a good friend of H. Styles."

Jamie looked up, their eyes immediately landing on Venus. And just like that, she was brought right back to last summer and everything Jamie had told Harry on one of her last nights there. So many memories washed over her that it made her a little dizzy. The car rides where she and Jamie would sit in the backseat and discuss animals, life, or anything else that would've caught their attention. The other times when they'd wait for Harry to get ready downstairs. She didn't know how to act. Did she give them a hug? Did she smile? Did she say something? This was exactly why she didn't want to go.

"Venus," Jamie said, standing up straight.

"So you recognise her!" Portia was elated. "Can we just walk on in then?"

Jamie and Venus didn't break eye contact, both at a loss for words. It was clear that something went down between them, that there was something unspoken in the air of the reception hall. Venus looked away, not wanting to have Portia ask her about Jamie once they entered the gallery. She didn't want to tell her; didn't want to recount anything from her time in Italy.

"Yeah," Jamie hastily reached for two brochures, locking eyes with Venus again as he handed them to her. Portia raised her eyebrows, catching on that something was going on. She looked at Venus. "Don't take any photographs, if any of our guards see you do so, you will be asked to leave and pay a fine. Other than that, I hope you enjoy." Venus knew they were talking to both her and Portia, but by the look in their eyes, she felt as though they were talking to her alone.

"Thank you very much." Portia smiled, taking one of the brochures and walking away from them.

Venus looked at the brochure, just as baby blue as the sheet that had covered the front of the gallery, the same writing on it as well. Her eyes met Jamie's again, and there was something about the way they glanced at her that was so sad. Somewhere in the wrinkle between their eyebrows Venus saw an apology of sorts. Regret so deep and intense that she could feel it herself. They didn't say anything, but Venus felt the agony; saw something in their eyes that she hadn't experienced herself, but that they needed her to see. She gave them a small smile before following Portia and walking around the wall behind the reception desk, keeping her eyes on the brochure in her hands.

If meeting Jamie had her shaken up this bad, she didn't even want to begin to think what an encounter with Harry would bring. The leaflet was shaking in her hand, begging for her to open it. What would it even hold? Copies of the paintings? No, if they weren't allowed to take pictures inside, why would he have them attached in leaflets for anyone to see?

"Oh, my word, V." Portia said, making Venus look up.

The entrance to the gallery had her halting. Just like everything else, she recognised it right away. All over the wall was a painting she'd seen on her first week last summer; seen on one of her last days when she'd shown it to Harry.

"When I first moved into the flat, I found a painting in this wardrobe." She pulled it down, taking a glance at the autumn painting depicting a gravel path leading nowhere into darkness. Turning around, she walked back over to the bed, handing the painting to Harry. "That's only one of like, two of your paintings I've really seen, other was one of the sea back in your house. Mind if I ask what inspired this one?"

A projector planted it on the dark surface, welcoming the guests to the gallery. A gravel path leading off far into the dark distance, tall oak trees surrounding it, filled with the rich colours of autumn. Though it was filled with yellow and green, two colours that would normally have positive connotations, Venus couldn't help but get quite the opposite vibes staring at it, just like all the other times she'd seen it. There was something about it she couldn't put her finger on. Like there laid a secret at the end of the path; an explanation in the black of the unknown.

"It's the drive to my house back in Manchester. The drive up to my childhood home, or... this is facing the other way." He explained, dragging his finger gently along the gravel path. "It's what you see when you're leaving." He shifted the attention of his finger to the trees of different colours. "Autumn, the dull colours..." he trailed off, as if reliving a memory he'd almost suppressed; something he'd pushed so far into the back of his head it had almost vaporised and disappeared into nothingness. "This was when I left home, when I first moved to London." He pointed at the darkness at the end of the gravel path. "That's the end of the road, I couldn't make it out clearly. My future, I mean. It's all supposed to represent uncertainty."

Portia looked over her shoulder at Venus, squealing. The darkness at the end of the painting was a hallway, a dark corridor that seemed to be leading off into nowhere. Her sister stood there waiting for her, reaching her hand out so they could walk through the darkness together. But Venus needed to take a moment and just look at the wall, because it was one of the very first of his paintings she'd ever seen, and now she was about to see all of the other paintings he had refused to let her see. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward, took Portia's hand, and the two walked into the dark hallway. Venus felt her grip on Portia's hand tighten for each step they took

"Why didn't they just put some bloody lights in here?-"

But just as Portia said that, the exhibition was revealed to them. It was black. Dim white lights lit up the room on the walls and ceiling, illuminating the floating balls that were lined up down the room. Looking at the walls first, Venus realised the light appeared as stars. Dotted along the walls and ceiling, lighting up the room and revealing the huge round objects that appeared to be floating, but was held from the ceiling and the floor by metal poles. The first one was completely dark, and as the two sisters walked on closer, Portia gasped a little.

"Venus,"

"What?"

"How many planets are there in our Solar System?"

Venus frowned, but as her eyes met Portia's she understood immediately. Taking a step to the side, she looked down the room, seeing that there were quite a few others visiting the gallery as well. Harry was an immense painter, after all. Everyone knew who he was. However, Venus couldn't focus on the other people in the room with her, she started counting the different sized round objects that were nicely lined.

"Eight." Venus answered.

"And how many-"

"-Eight."

Portia squeezed Venus's hand, eyes wide with some kind of realisation. The sisters looked at one another for a minute before Portia opened her mouth to speak again.

"Why the fuck has he done that, Venus?"

Venus shook her head. "Dunno.-"

"-You do." Portia said. "That's why that person back there looked at you all intense as well, wasn't it? What happened last summer? You never spoke of it."

Venus sighed, closing her eyes. "Portia, it's... it's incredibly complicated and... and it's a long story."

Portia groaned, clinging to Venus's arm. "I don't care, V. I want to know. For fuck's sake, look around you,"

Venus opened her eyes, doing as her sister told her to.

"It's so painfully obvious, V."

Venus refused to believe it was. She didn't want to believe that what Portia was insinuating was true, because it would mean the last few months had been for nothing. It would mean the countless hours she'd cried, the times she stopped herself from thinking about him, from yearning for him, from going back to a time spent with him and cursing herself for doing so; it was not worth it. Trying to forget him had meant nothing.

Portia tapped Venus's arm, catching her attention. She gestured at the painting they stood in front of, giving Venus a little smile. Venus looked at it, and she was immediately taken back to the exact moment of it.

There was a hole in the planet in the shape of the canvas, white light washing over it to reveal it completely to the gallery visitors. Portia opened the catalogue as Venus studied the painting Harry had never let her view. His first painting of her.

"Miss Sweeney," Harry said, pointing at the hill. "You-"

"-You can just call me Venus."

"You need to stand far away."

Shocking. But there was no use making that comment. She took her cardigan off, putting it along with her purse in the backseat of the car.

"You will find a tree further down if you just walk straight ahead, it's got a blue ribbon on it. Stop there with your back facing me. And don't move until I tell you so."

As she started walking down the hill, she could feel Harry watching her, studying her every move and every surface of her body. She supposed he wanted to make sure she found the ribbon, as well as to see what he was working with.

An abundance of colours surrounded her; green, grey, yellow, brown. She could barely make out the baby blue dress amongst the nature swallowing her, there was no way of knowing the colour of her hair, the proper colour of her skin, or any of her characteristics. The only thing that stood out was the colour of her dress, but even that wasn't as prominent as she remembered the colour to be.

"Won't that smear the paint everywhere?"

Harry looked at her, those two familiar lines appearing between his brows. "How?"

"Shouldn't it be left to dry or something?"

"It's dry."

She frowned back at him. "Already?"

"I finished a while ago, left it to dry for around an hour."

The memory made her smile some, regardless of how infuriated she remembered being. It was the fact that they had started out like that; polar opposites with absolutely nothing in common. Two people who couldn't see eye to eye on anything. That fact was easy to note in the first painting, seeing the insignificant role she played in the actual painting. The Tuscan landscape could've done fine without her presence in it, she wasn't even placed in the middle of the painting where nature parted to reveal Fosdinovo, but somewhere to the right of it, in the middle of the trees.

Portia tugged at Venus's sleeve, motioning for her to follow her to the next painting behind the first one. It was the same as the first one; a rectangle shaped hole in the dark planet, lights surrounding it to show it off. She smiled again.

"It's beautiful here."

"Do you see that rock over there?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"Sit there facing me."

She knew there was no use saying anything back, so she simply walked over to the rock and sat down like he wanted her to. It wasn't comfortable to sit on, and she didn't think she'd be able to sit there for two hours straight. Then again if she decided she needed a break, the painter would undoubtedly show his annoyance in some way. He instructed her to straighten her legs, crossing them at the ankle, leaning back on her hands. He said he wanted her to "be looking directly into the sun."

"That could literally ruin my eyes."

"Art goes beyond comfort."

"I want to be able to see said art."

Venus felt like she was transported right back to the moment of the painting, like she could feel, see, smell everything. Though she had known that would probably be the effect once she saw the collection, she hadn't been aware it would be this intense. The notion Harry had painted these of her; that he had painted them before, during, and after everything happened between them, it struck her. He'd been working on these for so long; she had been a forced part of his life for so long. Maybe that was why they'd stopped talking. He'd gotten tired of her. Gotten enough of her.

The colour of her dress was the same as the previous painting; it stood out, but not in a contrasting way like you thought the colour of baby blue would when surrounded by woods. The white sunlight lit up most of her surroundings, making them blend well with the dress, but then again, she could recall quite clearly how bright the sun had been that day. Though she had hated the heat of the Italian weather in the beginning, towards the end she'd gotten kind of used to it. It was almost cold coming back home to a normal British summer.

Venus groaned, positioning her head like he wanted her to. "Went to this baker Wednesday." It just slipped out. She had genuinely not meant to say it, but now that she'd already mentioned it, she might as well go all the way.

Harry didn't respond.

"Said you were known around town as the grumpy Brit."

She didn't see him stop painting, but she could tell he halted a little. "Who said that?"

Trying not to smile as she had somehow managed to capture his attention. "Does it matter?" Venus didn't know why people wanted to know what someone else thought of them. It was out of their control. Then again, she supposed, she'd brought it up so it was partly her fault he asked in the first place.

Harry huffed.

"What?"

"Hm?"

"What was the –" Venus imitated his exasperated huff.

"Whoever said that," Harry said, bending down a bit and disappearing completely behind the canvas. "They're a fucking knobhead."

Venus nodded her head, pursing her lips before she clicked her tongue loudly. Harry glanced up. "Great argument."

It was weird how there had been a time prior to how she was feeling now. That at the time of this painting, she hadn't been in love with Harry. The hands that had created this artwork hadn't yet touched her; hadn't yet loved her. She wanted to reach through the glass that separated the canvas from them; wanted to feel the paint and the memories that came with it.

But Portia was impatient, having already started walking around the planet to the next one. She looked down into the brochure, a furrow to her brows and concentration on her face as she read something on it before taking in the third painting. This was the one Venus almost remembered best. This was the one that changed her and Harry's relationship in a way neither of them was made aware of till after. You don't realise the pivotal moments in your life till after they've happened, but as they're happening, you don't understand their incredible impact. Harry nor Venus knew how big of a role Viola would play in their lives. What her presence would do to them.

"Is that a smile I see?" she teased. "You got a rise out of me, and now you're pleased with yourself?"

He bit his bottom lip, shaking his head without looking away from the painting before him.

"Right then." Venus said, eager to get the conversation going again. "What're you best at? There's a lot of stuff you can do with gymnastics, innit?"

Harry wasted no time. "Swing bar."

Venus's eyebrows immediately shot upward. Trying to be subtle, she let her eyes fall to his muscular arms, his broad shoulders and the curve of his slight biceps. The tan he'd gotten did wonders to the outline of his muscles. Stop, stop, stop-

"Explains the arms."

Oh. My. God. Immediately she felt her cheeks heat up. And her blushing got worse when Harry looked up at her. He huffed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been checking me out."

She rolled her eyes. "I have not."

She walked closer, feeling her bottom lip start to wobble as she saw the painting. Harry had depicted the cliff, the ocean, the forest, the atmosphere of that clifftop perfectly. It was exactly as she remembered it. Just looking at it brought her back to finding Viola, to watching Harry pet her to calm her down, the closeness in the back of Gioele's car. How willing Harry was to help. How good he'd smelled. How hot his skin had been against hers. That was the first time she'd ever seen him smile; first time she'd seen him happy. It was the first time she saw him show compassion; saw him worry. She hadn't known then, but she knew for certain now, that if Viola hadn't stepped out of the woods at that second on that day while Harry and Venus hadn't been talking, then none of this would've happened.

"What?" His voice was a whisper, the small word leaving his lips like a simple puff of air that hit her jaw, sending a storm of goosebumps up and down her back.

"Your..." she started, swallowing thickly before looking down at the cat in her arms. "Your moped."

"I'll get it later."

She hated that he sounded like he wasn't faced by the close proximity at all.

"What if someone steals your painting?"

Looking up at him, she realised once again how close they were. They might have been close earlier when he helped calm the cat down outside, but this... this was close. She felt his hot breath against her lips, in her nose; felt his eyes on her like there was nowhere else to look in the car; felt everything too much. He was... so handsome. So incredibly good looking. There was undoubtedly sweat along her hairline and cupid bow, but she literally could not reach up to remove it right now. She was unable to move, not only because of the cat, but because of Harry.

"Don't worry about it."

"Venus," Portia said, pointing at the painting. "What's that?"

Venus walked over, looking at what Portia had asked her about. Though she didn't see it at first, having mistaken it for a dark rock or something alike, Venus gasped a little when she realised what it was. Small pointy ears, fur a dark brown with some striped black and desert brown and a tail swaying upward. The cat was so tiny, hidden amongst the tall grass by the forest, looking at Venus with big pleading eyes. Venus had almost forgotten what Viola looked like, but seeing her on the canvas, it was like being back in Fosdinovo, walking the cobblestoned streets with the little kitten following her every step.

"Viola." Venus answered, blinking a few times as her eyesight started to blur.

"What?"

"A cat."

"A live one?"

"I, uhh," Venus nodded. "The day of that painting we found an injured cat in the woods and brought her to the nearest vet so I could help nurse her. She'd broken her foot."

Portia looked at Venus, raising her eyebrows. "And you called her Viola?"

"Yeah," Venus didn't take her eyes off the cat. "She stayed with me the rest of the summer."

Portia turned to face her sister. "Where is she now?"

"Dunno." Venus sighed. "I... dunno."

Venus looked at Portia, giving her a little smile before walking towards the next painting. Looking at Viola and knowing that she'd left the cat in Harry's house in Fosdinovo, also knowing Harry had most likely moved out of the Italian mountain village, it hurt. She had no idea what happened to the cat after she left. Absolutely no idea of how she was doing or who was taking care of her now. There were many times when Venus had cursed herself for not bringing Viola back home with her. After all, they had created a little bond between them that Venus now realised would stay with her forever.

Walking up to the fourth painting, Venus felt herself halt some, watching as Portia walked right up to it to study it properly. Venus wasn't sure if it was because Harry had taught her about how he painted during the summer, if she was getting an eye for these things, or if she was just that observant, but she could swear there was something about this one that set it apart from the other few she'd seen up till now.

It dawned on her that for each painting, her figure had gotten closer and closer to Harry. As if the focus shifted from the nature around her to her alone. From far away in the first one, to taking up the whole lower half of the canvas in this fourth one. Her figure was the first thing you saw. The baby blue dress that only barely covered her bum, her bare legs, her white knee socks, her white docs.

"Don't bend your knee that much."

Venus readjusted her knee.

"No."

"Then how?!"

The grass shifted behind her, and looking to her right, she noticed Harry walking over. For some reason, Harry getting closer got her heart beating so hard she heard it in her ears and her muscles tensing. He sat down before her, a concentrated furrow to his brows that wasn't at all intimidating. He just looked focused, deep inside his own head, constructing and planning his new painting.

For some reason, she hadn't thought of the reason for Harry coming over, only that he was. So when he reached for her leg, she almost jumped.

She blinked as she remembered the first time Harry touched her willingly like that. How he had barked orders at her in the beginning, to coming over and moving her leg like he'd done. It made her thigh seem very cold all of a sudden.

"You're not being serious right now." Portia hissed, sliding her finger in the air along with the outline of the mountains at the far back of the painting.

They were dark against the pink, orange, and blue sky, so was the forest, making Venus stand out majestically against everything else. The hint of a small white outline in the sky showed the presence of the early moon, welcoming the oncoming night. Venus couldn't remember seeing the moon that afternoon, but then again, she didn't remember much besides the fact that she laughed with Harry that day and he touched her bare thigh. But Portia had miraculously seen what had captured Venus's attention as well. The landscape in the painting, though it wasn't blatantly obvious, it resembled her figure. It swayed where her hips did; dipped where her legs did. It did so in a natural manner, Harry had made them seem like actual mountains and not just a replica of her curves, but Venus couldn't see anything else.

"The blue," Portia said, pointing at Venus's dress and then at the slight streak of blue in the sky. "Kinda looks alike, does it not?"

Venus didn't pay much attention to it. She started walking away, eager to see the next painting, which she knew was a very special one because it might be the one she remembered the most clearly. As she rounded the planet and started walking toward the fifth one, a huge white orb caught her attention. The detail in all of Harry's creations caught her off guard, but the moon she was looking at right now looked so real it took her breath away. She saw herself standing in the water; saw the baby blue dress; the knee socks and her Dr Marten's in the sand. It all looked like a photograph, only the moon was abnormally big. But all his paintings looked so real it was almost like if you stripped the display of the glass protection, you could walk right into the world he'd created on the canvas and live there forever.

"What about you?" he asked again, voice low like a mumble.

Venus hoped he couldn't tell how fast her heart was hammering, how every nerve in her entire body was on high alert, how every cell was screaming for him to get closer. "What about me?"

"You're never as alone as your head makes you believe. The moon is always there." He said, eyes searching her face. "What about you?"

"Will I always be there?"

He just looked at her, clearly thinking that his look was answer enough.

Her breath hitched somewhere in her throat, and she hoped the rush of emotions that was running through her didn't show on her face. Portia looked at her with an open mouth before taking in the fifth painting. Venus knew exactly how her sister was feeling; that overwhelming need to ask herself and everyone else in the room if this was an actual painting, or something from someone's most desired fantasy captured exactly as it was and printed onto canvas. And maybe it was. But Harry had taken days, weeks, months to finish these paintings, Venus knew. She remembered those times when she'd watch him paint and he'd refuse to let her see them. She didn't know why he didn't want her to see them.

It was so beautiful it was hard to believe someone had made it; it just seemed too celestial for it to be real. She wanted to touch it where Harry had touched it, feel the strokes he'd made, the lines of paint. There was something about this one that sent a shock of pain through her heart no medicine could cure.

"I'd stay up only to get a small glimpse of you."

She balled her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into her skin to hold herself back from crying. Because all she could remember was how fast Harry had kissed her back when she'd kissed him, the feeling of his lips against hers, and the taste of peach tea on his tongue. His hands roaming her body, gripping onto her thighs as she hooked her legs around his waist. His body against hers, their cells mingling, the moon shining her white light down on them, and the ocean swaying around them.

Portia walked around the planet and onto the next one, and giving the moon one last glance, Venus followed her. Venus couldn't even remember this one. Maybe it was because everything that happened after the wedding blurred together, or maybe she'd just not thought about it enough for it to take up space in her head. But as she got closer, the idea of her being a model for this painting seemed unlikely.

The canvas was black as night, a huge moon in the centre of it like the one before. A figure was floating in the middle of the white moon, a baby blue gown clinging to its form and floating up behind them like they were sinking. As she got closer, Venus saw that this wasn't her. All the other paintings were of her, but this one wasn't. This was Harry.

His arms were floating at an almost 90-degree angle, the baby blue gown hovering behind his arms and torso, just barely covering some of his thighs and crotch. One of his knees was bent a bit more than the other, and the tattoos he had up and down his muscular legs were very visible, making Venus think back to a time she'd been allowed to touch them. His neck was craned backward, eyes closed and mouth parted ever so slightly, bubbles of air leaving him and making a hasty return for the water's surface. She remembered his fright of the dark, how much he hated the ocean, but his facial expression showed one of peace. He didn't seem afraid; didn't seem like he dreaded any of it. It seemed like he was okay; ready to reach tranquillity and the ultimate meaning to life. He was surrendering himself, it seemed.

"Venus, I swear to you," Portia said, pointing at different places on the painting. "Look."

"At what?"

"You mean you don't see it?"

"See what, Portia?" Venus knew she must sound irritated, but with everything going on and all the emotions she was feeling at once, she simply could not hold her anger back.

"The painting," Portia directed Venus's attention back to the canvas. "Do you see?"

Venus took a closer look.

"Do you see all the blue?"

And it was like her little sister flicked a switch, and suddenly, Venus saw it. Blue. Baby blue. It was hidden in the waves along the top of the painting, in the shadows of the water, in and around the moon, in his hair, his body, his gown. Taking a few steps back, Venus wondered how she hadn't picked up on the blue right away. It was all over the painting. Most of the details on that canvas were baby blue.

Quickly, Venus walked all the way back to the first painting. Portia just watched her, unsure what was going on, but not wanting to interrupt something if Venus had come to some sort of realisation.

The only blue in the first one was her dress, in the second one, the sky resembled her dress some. In the third, the sky, ocean, and a bit of the grass surrounding her held the same colour as her and her dress, and in the fourth the landscape swayed along with her form, the sky, the woods, and certain highlights were the exact colour of the dress. How hadn't she seen it all the first time around? Because once she took a few steps back, the baby blue stood out starkly against everything else. Marching straight past the fifth and the sixth, Venus wanted to see the last two. Because the second to last put the finishing touch on everything.

The entire canvas was baby blue. Her form was outlined in white, but none of her features were shown. Her breasts, face, or any other part of her body was not included. But Venus would remember that exact pose till the day she died and long after that also. Because it was the one where Harry had drawn on her; her arms above her head, her knee bent, leg resting over the other. She wondered if this had been the one he'd painted when she laid on the floor of his loft, but why had he been so incredibly detailed when he painted on her if he was just going to erase it forever? Not include it in one of his masterpieces? It didn't make any sense.

"You let him draw you like one of his bloody French girls." Portia hissed, about to burst out laughing when she stopped herself. The room was silent as people walked through the exhibition, neither of them wanted to be thrown out or something to that effect.

Venus looked at her sister. "Yes."

Portia's eyes got wide. "Shut the fuck up."

"He painted on me."

"Shut. Up."

Venus glanced at the painting again, noting that the only thing on that canvas was the very careful outline of her.

"Exactly how well did you fuck him for him to do that?"

"Portia!" Venus hissed. "Leave off."

"I'm serious, V, this seems like the summer of your entire life." Portia smiled, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "Did he do you good at least?"

Venus only gave her a look.

"Oh, come on." Portia pouted. "I just found out my sister has been shagging with my boss all summer, I want the deets."

"Can that happen another time? I'm a little busy-" Venus gestured around her and Portia nodded, clearly eager to be done here so she could hear Venus explain everything to her over the phone on her commute home.

"You know," Portia started, holding up the leaflet. "If you'd just bothered and taken the time to look in the brochure, there's a lot of information about all the paintings."

Venus frowned.

"I kind of had my suspicions about the two of you before you even said something just now."

Venus looked down at her brochure, reading the front of it again as she walked toward the last painting. She wanted to go through everything one more time and read the leaflet, she needed to know all the details and all the reasons why Harry had done what he'd done. When she glanced up again, the first thing she noticed was how the planet surrounding the canvas was glowing. A dark golden colour, looking a little like the moon, but as if it was on fire on the inside, the surface of it pure gold. She turned around and looked down the row of planets, meeting Portia's eyes right after.

"The first one is black," Portia said. "And the last one is golden."

Venus felt her heart hammering faster, felt herself begin to sweat.

"With each planet, you slowly fade into-"

"-Venus." She finished, looking at the last planet she'd been named after. She was so overwhelmed she felt a little faint, though she hadn't known what to expect from the exhibition, this – all of it – was not it. She didn't want to draw conclusions and think this whole collection was about her, but right now, looking at everything around her, it was hard to think anything else.

She still had one more painting to go, so she grabbed the leaflet and walked to stand in front of it. Instantly, she remembered it. She'd seen this one before. It seemed like ages ago, but she had seen this painting. It was the same one Gioele had stolen from Harry's house and given to Salvatore and Carina as a wedding gift. Venus had no idea why that one would be in the collection, what had made Harry put it there. She was just about to open the brochure and read what it said about this particular one when she heard a commotion behind her. The screeching of joggers against the floor as if someone was running, some gasps, Jamie shouting something.

Venus turned around, and she recognised him right away. Her heart immediately started screaming his name. He walked down the row of planets in a haste, frantically scanning the crowds surrounding each quickly till he came to the last one where she stood. He stopped abruptly as his eyes landed on hers, a sigh of relief leaving him in between pants for air. Had he been running? Quickly, he swallowed, trying to regain his composure before he did anything. While he did that, Venus took him in.

His hair had grown, he must've trimmed it some since last summer, but his curls were lush, his hair thick, and just as brown as she remembered it. He was wearing a colour-block patchwork cardigan with all the colours of the rainbow, a white tee shirt with some blue artwork printed on it, washed denim jeans, and his signature pink Converse. He looked healthy, maybe not as tan as she remembered him to be, but he looked good. He looked like the same Harry she had fallen in love with back then; it was still him. He was here. Right before her. After months apart, he was here.

"Venus." He said, voice faint as he took a reluctant step forward. It was like he realised what he was doing – getting closer to her when he had no idea if she still wanted that - and was almost about to take a step backward again but stopped himself.

She was unable to say anything at all. One second she had been about to take in the last painting of the collection, and the next Harry had rushed into his gallery and now he stood right in front of her. It didn't seem real. The months they hadn't talked, the months they hadn't seen each other. They all hung in the air between them, pushed them apart from one another; demanding them to keep separated. She wanted to defy their distance, wanted to fling herself into his arms and melt into him like she had done so many times before, but the uncertainty, the separation, and the many curious eyes watching them stopped her.

Harry was about to say something else when his eyes fell on something behind her, clamping his mouth shut.

"Hi," Portia said. "Don't know if you remember me."

"I-I do, I..." Harry's eyes fell to Venus again as he trailed off, glancing back at Portia after clearing his throat. "Portia."

"And you're H. Styles." Venus could hear the smile in Portia's voice, and Venus knew instantly she was taking the piss, telling Harry she knew exactly who he was and why he was here. Whispers were heard, as if the visitors all suddenly realised who they were looking at. Someone gasped and someone on the other side of the room started walking closer. Harry looked around him as if he just understood what he'd done by coming here. Their eyes met again, and Harry let out a sigh.

"Can we talk?" he asked, eyes big and pleading. "Please."

Venus looked at everyone around them, then back at Harry, hoping he'd understand that she didn't want to do it in front of everyone else. Taking a few steps backward, Harry began walking towards the exit of the exhibition, making sure Venus caught up with him before he started walking normally. Venus glanced at Portia over her shoulder, but Portia was grinning so widely Venus knew her sister was okay with her leaving her behind for a bit.

The next room they entered was just as dark as the first one, but the paintings were huge projections onto the walls, ceiling, and floor, showcasing all the details each of them portrayed. Harry walked quickly through the room, having seen this multiple times before – having created this -, but Venus slowed. The attention to detail was incredible; it looked so real, yet it still looked like art. She was never able to really put her finger on it, but then again, she supposed that was what creativity was. The lines between what was certain and what was a craft from someone's imagination, blurred to the point of doubt, yet it's human nature to find an explanation for everything; but in art we find an excuse not to have one. Maybe that was what drew people to it; it was real, but not real enough to need reason.

He held the door open for her, leading her to a smoking area in the back of the gallery. Two trees rose up, some dead grass sprung up between the stone flooring, and, thankfully, no one was there. The sun was still shining, and somewhere not too far off, an ambulance siren was going off. It was weird to be with Harry in an environment other than quiet, warm, rural Fosdinovo, it was almost as if she associated him with the peace of the Italian countryside now. But she didn't mind having him here in London. Not in the least. In fact, she liked it very much.

"Venus," he repeated, almost as if he didn't really know what else to say; almost as if he had to repeat her name over and over and over again to tell himself that she was really here. He just looked at her, studying her intently, probably to make sure she was okay.

"I didn't know..." she started, blinking a few times. "Didn't know you were in London."

"I'm in London."

"But I didn't know you were."

"But I am."

"You didn't tell me."

Harry sighed. "No."

"Why?"

Harry opened his mouth but hesitated. "I... I just... It's not as if I..." he ran a hand through his hair, sighing again. "I didn't know if you wanted me to."

She frowned. "What made you think that?"

"We haven't talked in a couple of months, have we? Maybe you'd forgotten about me."

"You think I'd forgotten about you?" Venus crossed her arms. "I'm not the one who got disinterested and pulled away."

Harry's face screwed up into that familiar scowl she had seen so many times before. "I never bloody lost interest, what're you on about?"

"Seemed that way over text."

"Those are text messages!" Harry gestured with his arms, very obviously frustrated. "How much can you tell from a text?!"

"A lot!"

Harry groaned. "Venus, please."

She stood her ground, looking at him and waiting for him to say something that would change her mind. How had they gone months without talking, months before that with barely any communication, and he didn't think she'd be annoyed at him for that. She was annoyed at herself, too. It takes two to communicate.

"I don't want to fight." He said. "I... I just... I don't want to fight. Can we just talk?"

"We're talking."

Harry's eyes fell to the ground, nodding a bit before he dared look up at her. "What've you been up to?"

Though she wanted to yell at him, tell him that she'd been busy writing and researching her dissertation, that she had been busy missing him, she composed herself. She might be frustrated, but Harry was trying, so she should as well.

"Uni," she simply said. "And you?"

Harry let out a short breath through his nose. "Figured, stupid question, really."

She couldn't help the slight tug at the edge of her lips.

"Been travelling the world, showing off the exhibition." He gestured back at the gallery. "It's been wonderful, but I'm glad it's over now. Can relax for a bit before I start painting for clients again."

"It's quite the exhibit."

Harry nodded.

"Almost a little too extra."

He let out a chuckle, eyes falling to the ground again. "You think?"

"Wasn't it hard travelling around with all of that?" Venus asked, thinking about the huge planets – or rather Venuses – back in the exhibition. Seemed unlikely that they travelled far distances with all of that, but then again, what did she know, she hadn't talked to him in a long while. And when they did talk, it wasn't about the transportation of his collection from country to country because he never talked about it.

"No, we drove around most of the time, then by plane when it got to travelling from continent to continent."

She nodded. "Fair enough."

His eyes flicked between hers, inhaling slowly. The sun hit the top of his hair, making his locks shine like gold, and Venus remembered the countless number of times before she'd seen his hair like that in the early morning light, or a bright sunset. Memories are supposed to bring you joy, especially those remembered with fondness, but those are also the ones that hurt the most to relive.

"Are we really gonna chat about anything but what we want to chat about?" Harry asked, face very serious all of a sudden.

"Which is?"

"Us." Harry said, something in his throat making the word almost sound choked. "And... and..."

She waited, feeling her heart beat harder in her chest.

"And us some more."

She let out a small chuckle.

"What?"

"Start then."

She could tell he wanted to frown at her, as if he wanted her to have a certain reaction. But he didn't, instead he let his shoulders fall a bit, taking her in for a few moments more before he decided to start talking again.

"I thought you'd forgotten about me."

It hurt every time he said that, as if he didn't believe that what she'd felt this summer wasn't half of what he had.

"Tortured me to think about you."

She took a little step backward, not wanting to listen to him talk on about how she'd hurt him.

"But the thought of you also brought me peace, as it always has. Brought me inspiration and motivation." He took a step closer to her. "I miss you. I've missed you since the day I was brought into this world, I never knew I did till I was without you."

Those three words radiated throughout her entire body, her heart screaming them right back at his. I miss you I miss you I miss you I-

"Please don't..." he trailed off, balling his hands into fists as if he was mad at himself for not finding the right words for what he was feeling. "Don't leave."

She swallowed, not wanting the hundreds of butterflies and warm feelings in her chest to get the better of her when she answered. "Don't leave... now? In general?-"

"-Don't leave me. If not as a lover, as a friend. I need you in my life to some capacity."

"Harry-"

"-I'm in love with you, Venus." His voice was so soft, yet urgent. He needed her to feel the same way, to understand what he was talking about. "I love you."

Every cell in her body vibrated with the effect of those words, telling Harry she felt the same. In every way one person could love another, she loved him.

"If you even feel a fragment the same, please tell me." His eyes were so big, pleading with her.

She felt so much all at once, finding the right words – finding words at all – was difficult. Every single part of her tried, her brain working hard and fast so she wouldn't leave him hanging. But that was exactly what she did. So overwhelmed with absolutely everything today had brought, she couldn't do anything but feel.

Harry's jaw visibly tensed with the lack of response. "Or don't."

She opened her mouth, brain working a hundred miles a second to find words for him.

"If you don't, then that's fine. I won't pretend it's not gonna hurt and I'll need some time to come to terms with it." He sighed, eyes falling to the ground as if he couldn't look at her now. "I... I was terrified this would happen."

She couldn't just stay fucking silent, she had to say something. Speak you bloody nonce, don't do him like this. "Harry-"

"-What I've been most scared about since we stopped talking is that I played an insignificant role in your life, when you played the most significant in mine." His eyes were still on the flooring, gripping the ends of his colourful cardigan. "A part you won't talk about with others, that you keep a secret."

"I'm not ashamed of this summer, Harry-"

"-I feared you'd never need me like I need you." He said, voice thick with something resembling torment. "Because I just... I know we have no power over who we end up loving, you meet someone and before you know it, they're so important to you that imagining a life without them in it is like staring uninspired at a blank canvas. But I've chosen to pour every ounce of my love onto you. I've chosen you, and I'll continue to choose you without hesitation and without fail, for the rest of my life."

She felt her eyes sting, fearing that she'd start crying if he continued on talking. Why was it that before their first kiss, Harry hadn't been one for talking, but after it he hadn't dithered? Everything he'd told her since had been so heartfelt and true, she felt like he was putting words to her very own feelings.

The right words wouldn't come, and she felt like the longer she left him standing there in silence, the longer she let him ramble on, the more catastrophic this would get. Because she felt the same for him, but what she felt was so enormous and she was afraid she'd never find words for it. She wasn't one for art or expression. She studied science and medicine and animals, she knew all that, but she didn't know how to tell someone like Harry what he wanted to hear. Most of the time, at least before, he didn't need her to say anything. Her presence, her touch, her comfort was enough for him. He never expected anything else from her but to reciprocate his feelings. Which she did. Oh, did she love him. More than she thought possible.

"I-" she started, but cut herself off as she didn't know where it was going. Harry looked up at her instantly, instant hope in his eyes. "Your exhibit."

Not the appropriate thing to be talking about right now, she thought to herself, but better than nothing.

"Could you explain it to me?"

He blinked. "Explain it?"

"Yes," she said, feeling every surface of her body heat up. "Because I knew you were painting me, but I didn't..."

His eyes lingered on her lips for a second, but he quickly composed himself, a slight redness appearing along his cheekbones. A wave of goosebumps ran up her spine.

"I didn't expect..."

"Didn't expect the whole exhibition to be about you?"

She just looked at him, biting her bottom lip.

Harry let out an amused chuckle. "You're the smartest person I know, thought you might get it right away, to be completely honest with you."

"It took me off guard."

"Right, should I walk you through it, then?" Harry gestured at the gallery. "Want to see it?"

She sensed irritation in his voice and sighed. "You don't have-"

"-Don't fucking say I don't have to. You asked about the exhibit. You don't understand, even though I just made it very clear for you. So, let's."

He walked toward the door, flinging it open and beckoning for Venus to walk through it first. Walking first, he stomped straight through the entire exhibition, right past people who were leaving. They all looked over at Venus and Harry as they walked the opposite way, a few raised eyebrows and some whispering. Portia still stood in the first room with the eight planets, looking up as Venus and Harry came back. A smile first graced her features, but seeing the look on Harry's face and how fast they were both walking, she quickly pieced together that something was happening.

"This," Harry said as they reached the reception, pointing at the wall with the projection of that painting Venus had found in the flat in Fosdinovo. The drive to his childhood home in Manchester. "You recognise this?"

"Yes."

"Good."

She gave him a look to tell him she didn't appreciate his tone. He didn't seem to care.

"Told you the path leads to uncertainty, hence the darkness at the end of it. I didn't know where my life would lead me and I was terrified. Now," he pointed to the dark corridor. "What does that lead to?"

Venus blinked a few times, looking up at Harry when he didn't continue talking. But he was already glancing down at her, raised eyebrows and a stoic look on his face. Though she was tempted to tell him to shove it if he was going to keep that attitude up, she didn't. She needed to tell him how she felt, that he wasn't alone in wanting more. She needed to find the right words. But right now, knowing Harry, he'd just get furious with her if she told him now that he was putting the effort in and showing her what everything meant.

"The paintings."

"It leads to the exhibition."

"That's the same thing."

Harry didn't respond, he just walked towards the corridor without looking back. Venus felt her anger bubble up, but she tried to control it as she followed him to the first room of the exhibition.

"Hope you know what the solar system is." Harry shouted back to her.

She dug her nails into the palm of her hands, gritting her teeth from responding. Portia was standing at the other side of the room, watching them with wide eyes. Everyone else had left, she realised. The gallery was closing, and Harry's exhibition needed to be taken down so the next one could be put up. This was his very last day showing his collection. Venus gave her a look to keep quiet, the last thing Harry needed now was Portia intervening.

"Our solar system's got eight planets-"

"-I bloody know how many planets there are in our solar system-"

"-But to me and my life," Harry walked to the side of the room, pointing down at the last planet. The full Venus. "In my universe, there's only one."

She didn't know what to say to that.

"They each fade more and more into Venus. Notice how the first one's black."

"Like the end of the painting I found in Fosdinovo."

Harry's arm fell to his side, having proven his point on why he'd chosen space to be the theme for his exhibition. He walked on over to the first painting; straight past Venus, jaw still tense and the look in his eyes enraged. She realised this was torturing him. Going through everything without knowing how she felt, and probably fearing – and believing – the worst. She had to say something.

"This one," he pointed. "We can barely see you. You were a fucking pain in my arse."

"Hey!"

"There's only one dot of baby blue, you're far away from where I'm standing."

"If you don't-"

"-Next one," he walked onto the second one without Venus even having reached him and the first painting. "You're closer to me, still not very close, still not a lot of blue. Only some in the sky. Didn't do it on purpose."

"Harry, slow down-"

"-Third," it seemed he was on a mission, wanting this to be over with as quickly as possible. "You're close. You can see baby blue in the sky, ocean, your dress, some in the grass. Still not doing it on purpose."

She jogged over to the fourth as he did, really wanting to take a grip of his arm and tell him to calm down. But she had no right. Not now. But she was still getting annoyed with him.

"Fourth is when I start doing it deliberately. Realised I caught feelings for you, and you can see that in the landscape, how it follows the outline of your body." Harry pointed just as the lights inside the planets went out. "There's baby blue in quite literally everything."

The lack of lights to showcase the paintings didn't stop him, Harry walked on. She ran after him, about to tell him to slow down again when he walked right past the beach painting with the huge moon.

"The night you changed the moon for me forever. Now I do as you said you do; I talk to her. Every night."

Venus felt her heart ache. She wondered, if they were both talking to the moon at the same time, if they were talking about one another, why didn't the moon whisper Harry's words into her ear and hers into his? Why didn't she help them?

"You're further away in that one 'cause I realised I'd have to let you go at the end of the summer, didn't want to get too attached." A dry laugh slipped past his lips. "Look how well that worked out."

They stopped in front of the second moon painting, where he was floating in what looked to be the middle of a huge and dark ocean.

"You once told me the moon knows all your deepest secrets and biggest desires," Harry pointed at himself in the painting. "Here's me surrendering myself to her."

"Why're you in the ocean?"

Harry chuckled, running both hands over his face as if he couldn't believe her.

"What?"

He looked at her for a few seconds while clenching his jaw. "I used to be terrified of the dark and the ocean. You taught me monsters won't magically appear just 'cause you can't see. They're just as likely to show themselves in sunlight." He glanced at the painting again, blinking a few too-many times as he looked away from her. "If you take your time to understand and truly look at this painting, you'll understand it."

She was about to open her mouth when Harry said, "And don't use your 'I only know science, I barely know how to interpret art' rubbish."

"Well, it's true." She mumbled, but Harry only clicked his tongue, disinterested in her insistence on not understanding art. He walked on to the next one, the one that was completely baby blue, where her body was carefully outlined in white.

"Here you can clearly tell-"

"-I have a question," Venus said, making Harry shut up. "That painting of me... the one where I'm... Where's that one? I mean..."

Harry stared at her for a few seconds, waiting for her to continue, but when she never did, he mumbled another question right back at her, "You think I'd put a painting of your naked body on display in my exhibition?"

She just looked at him, seeing something in his eyes that was vaguely familiar but too far away to fully grasp.

"I'm keeping that one-" he stopped himself, swallowing hard. "It's private."

She nodded.

"Anyway," Harry went back to the painting before them. "You represent baby blue to me, so here's your colour – you -," he paused for a second. "Becoming everything."

She looked at him, feeling everything within her wither and bloom at the same time. The painting seemed to take him back to a time long ago, every urge he had to do this as quickly as possible seemed to leave him when he looked at that painting. They still had one left, but he forgot about that, losing himself in a memory. And Venus lost herself in him. Suddenly, proper lights lit up the room and the stars that had illuminated everything prior, disappeared.

"Harry!"

Harry didn't meet Venus's eyes as he stepped away from the row of planets, looking up at Jamie how had shouted his name.

"Closing time. We need to pack up, mate."

Harry nodded, looking over at Venus who suddenly felt her heart pick up speed.

Jamie clapped their hands together. "Come on, you lot, you need to leave."

For a few moments, it was like the two of them moved in slow motion. Harry took a few steps so he could face the other way, ready to leave through the backdoor, not breaking eye contact with Venus. Once they looked away from one another, the rest of the world would resume being and they had to leave. Venus had to say something, she had to tell him. But everything was clogged up somewhere in her throat, she wasn't able to say anything. This whole exhibit... it was about her. Harry had cared so much about her and he still did. But she couldn't find the right words. She had to say something. Had to let him know she felt the same way.

Harry's jaw clenched again before he looked away from Venus and started walking back down the way he'd taken Venus before. Everything inside her went into panic mode.

"Harry." She said, but he didn't turn around. She started jogging after him. "Harry."

"Venus-"

"-Just a sec, Portia!" Venus continued to follow Harry through the now lit exhibit. "Harry!"

He didn't turn around still.

"Harry, please." She took a grip of his arm.

Harry stopped, dragging his arm out of her grip. "Venus, stop."

The force of his words took her off guard and it took her a few seconds to compose herself. "I'm sorry."

Harry nodded, looking behind Venus at the closing exit door. "What?"

"I... I need to tell you that..." she swallowed, feeling her palms get clammy. "You said earlier that..."

Harry looked at her expectantly, something in the frantic way his eyes moved over her face and the quick breath he took made her think he detected reciprocation in her voice. "Yes?"

Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Her heart was beating hard and fast, she was beginning to sweat.

"What, Venus?"

"I can't, I-" She ran both hands over her face, frustrated with herself. She groaned.

"What?"

"I know how I'm feeling, but I don't know how to say it."

Harry took a small step towards her. "Say what?"

"How I feel for you."

He let out a small breath. "And how's that?"

"Just how you feel about me."

There was a single second when Harry's eyes were filled with elation; like he was ready to embrace her, kiss her, and never let her go. Wanted to become one with her right then and there, to never leave her side again. A ghost of a smile graced his features and his shoulders lowered; his entire composure seemed to relax. As if all the anger he'd been carrying around with him in the gallery disappeared. But the next second, realisation sunk in and he glanced away for a second.

"Need to hear you say it." He said, voice weak. "Know you say you're not one for words, but there are moments in life when words are everything."

Venus felt a drop of sweat run down her back. Her head was spinning.

"I deserve to hear you say it yourself." Harry said.

"I know! That's why I'm trying so hard to say something!"

Harry nodded, eyes falling to the floor. "You're not ready."

Venus frowned, sure her panic showed on her face. "I am ready. That's why I followed you out here, isn't it?"

"No, Venus, you're clearly not. You might feel it, but being vulnerable is hard for you. Admitting to being vulnerable isn't something you know how to do."

Venus's mouth fell open.

"Your whole life you've put up this cold and hard exterior to protect yourself from feeling too much. You've had a hard time receiving the love you needed while growing up, and you've been burned in the past-"

"-Don't psychoanalyse me." She pointed a finger at him. "You know I have a hard time opening up to people completely."

"You have a hard time admitting to letting your guard down. You do it willingly, but there's a part of you that just doesn't want to admit it."

"I said don't psycho-"

"-I know, I'm sorry." Harry took a few steps back, as if getting ready to walk away from her. "I'll wait."

She blinked. "For what?"

"You."

"Me?"

Harry nodded, just about to turn around and leave when she called his name again.

"You just begged me to tell you I felt the same way, and I did." Venus said, taking a few steps toward him, but stopping herself. "I told you."

"That you felt like I did."

"Exactly."

Harry let out a small chuckle and though it sent a swarm of butterflies straight to Venus's stomach, it also hurt because she knew the next few words would send her into a panic. "And thank you for that, but I told you how I felt. Now you need to tell me. Physical show of affection is nice, but proper verbal confirmation that someone loves you..." he trailed off, looking at her in silence for some seconds. "It's key."

"Harry-"

"-I love you."

She fell silent, taken off guard. But the words warmed her so that she was sure she'd never freeze again. He started walking away.

"I'll wait, you need to figure this out on your own. I know," smiling he continued, "Now I need you to comprehend."

Mouth falling open as she tried to force herself to say something, she cursed herself over and over again for having built up that humongous wall around her. Being vulnerable was like admitting that you were weak, and she knew those two weren't the same thing at all, but she'd associated them with one another her whole life. She needed to stop.

"I'll wait for you."

And just like that, Harry left her this time. She was tempted to run after him again, but to what purpose? To have him tell her yet again that he needed her to tell him she loved him when she couldn't bring herself to? To hurt him again? No, she was going to deal with her struggles to admit vulnerability herself. He deserved to hear her say everything he'd just told her and much more. And hopefully Harry would still love her the way he did now by that time. How terrified she already was that he didn't.

But if that was the case, at least she'd have taught herself the importance of vulnerability.

Thursday, 10 September 2020

"Smile, baby." Elaine brought her phone up, snapping a picture of Venus with her diploma in hand, standing in front of her University.

It was a nice day; the sun was shining through a thin layer of clouds and the temperature was high, but not so high that Venus was struggling to breathe. All her course mates were milling around behind, beside, and around her, saying their last goodbyes before everyone was to part ways after this. It had been bittersweet saying goodbye to her mates. She knew she was going to see them again and knew she would be happier now that she didn't have to care about uni, but it would be sad not seeing them and not knowing when she would meet them next. Though she hadn't really been close with any of them, she still counted them as her friends and would miss their time together.

Portia stood beside Elaine and gave Venus a little applause, grinning from ear to ear as her sister walked over to them again. "Look at you, all smart."

"Yes," Venus said, doing a little dance with her diploma. "I'd like to think I am."

"Look," Elaine begged Venus over so she could look at the pictures she'd taken of her. "You look lovely, don't you think?"

"Yeah, the lighting's amazing."

"So peng." Portia said, zooming in on Venus's face.

Venus playfully hit Portia in the head with her diploma, making the two sisters chuckle before they turned back to their mother. Elaine smiled at Venus, there was a look in her eyes Venus wasn't accustomed to seeing on her mother's face when looking at her. It was something she often directed at Portia, but Venus rarely got this. Pride. It almost made Venus's eyes sting with oncoming tears.

"Come on, girls," Elaine said, taking each of her daughters' hands. "We need to celebrate. What's a good pub around yours, Venus?"

"Hmm," Venus thought for a few seconds. "There's a Gregg's two minutes away."

"Sausage rolls!" Portia exclaimed.

"We're not celebrating you getting a degree at bloody Gregg's, are you dim?" Elaine huffed, unlocking the car once they reached it. "We need to get a pint each, and a fancy dinner later."

"Reckon we could afford a fancy dinner in London, Mum?" Venus sat down in the car, putting her seatbelt on as Elaine started the car. "I'm skint."

"Well, you're not the one paying for the dinner, are you?" Elaine raised her eyebrows at her, driving away towards Venus's flat in Hackney. Portia reached into the backseat where Venus sat, squeezing her knee before she sat back and focused on the city they were driving in. Venus leaned forward and squeezed Portia's shoulder.

"Thank you for coming, P. Know you have a lot going on at the moment, but it meant a lot to me that you bothered to come."

Porta looked over her shoulder at Venus, studying her sister for a second before she smiled. "Might be busy, but it's your graduation. It's important to me."

Venus felt her cheeks heat up a bit, something they always did when she managed to discuss her feelings. "Thank you anyway."

"You're very welcome." Portia's smile widened, and she grabbed Venus's hand, kissing it before turning to look ahead again.

Venus smiled herself, sitting back in her seat and looking out the window.

She'd never really gotten attached to London. Maybe it was because she didn't really have anyone she was close to, or the constant fast-paced lifestyle you had to lead to live there. Venus had always preferred a slow life, like the one she had grown up knowing in Maldon. Essex was calm, it was what she'd known her whole life and what she wanted to know forever. Regardless of where she wanted to live and where she felt she belonged; she'd gotten a job at North London Veterinary Clinic so she didn't really have much of a choice in where she could settle down for a little while. North London wasn't as busy as Central, so she wouldn't be as overwhelmed as she usually was. She'd have to move and though the thought stressed her out, she was ready for a little change. It would be good for her.

"Do you remember that guy I was chatting to for a little while?" Portia suddenly asked, snapping Venus out of her reverie.

"Drake?"

"No."

"That Felix lad?"

"Not him."

"Ezra?"

Portia shook her head.

"Jackson-"

"-Oh, for fuck's sake, Venus," Portia turned around in her seat. "Do you have to rub it in?"

"That you date a lot of men? I don't have to do that; you know it perfectly well yourself."

Portia rolled her eyes. "Azeem."

"Ahh! Azeem!" Venus nodded her head, giving her little sister a smile. "Remember you talked about him, yes. Ages ago, though."

Portia seemed to think back to the time she was talking to Azeem, getting lost in her own thoughts for a few short seconds before she blurted out, "Anyway, I met him on a night out like two days ago."

"You did? What'd he say?"

"Just that it was nice to see me again." Portia said. "Told me I looked good. And then he walked me home."

In an attempt to come to terms with how she was feeling and letting other people know, it had been one of the first things Venus had done. She sat Portia down when she came back to London, told her she loved the fact her sister came down and that they got to spend time together because it brought them closer – and she wanted to be close to her sister since they'd struggled being just that growing up -, but Portia needed her own place. If she was going to spend that much time in the capital, she might as well move there permanently. Elaine had struggled to come to terms with the fact that her youngest daughter would be moving out, especially considering how much time and resources she'd put into Portia and her career. But both the sisters had convinced their mother that this was what Portia needed to do. She needed to become independent. And besides, Portia wouldn't be alone in London, Venus lived there as well.

"And...?" Venus urged, raising her eyebrows to show she was eager to know what happened next.

"He asked me out on a date."

"He did?!" Venus grinned. "Why did you stop seeing each other in the first place?"

Portia sighed. "It was hard to not see him very often, we lived far away from one another, and all that. But now that I live in London, maybe it'll work out."

"Is he a decent bloke, Venus?" Elaine looked in the driving mirror back at Venus. "I won't take Portia's word for it. You know she's blinded by a good shag when she's got one."

"Mum!" Portia exclaimed. "Don't say that! You're not allowed to say that!"

"Say what? What you always tell me? You talk about lads and your sex life constantly."

"I do not! Oh, my God!"

Venus laughed, zoning out as her little sister and mother started arguing in the front. They soon reached Hackney and Venus's flat building. It felt weird knowing that Thursday next week, she'd be moving out of this flat and into a new one. Though Hackney wasn't the nicest place to be living in London – or the nicest place to just be walking through – it had been Venus's home for five years now. Sure, she spent loads of time in Maldon and Essex, but this was her place in London. But soon, Hampstead would probably be it. It wasn't that the commute would be horrible from Hackney and up to North London, but she would rather have a stroll to work in the morning instead of using public transit. It was bloody unbearable on the tube in the mornings sometimes.

They exited the car and Venus rummaged through her purse for her keys, giving them to Portia when she reached her hand out for them.

"Thanks, babes." Venus said, getting her diploma out of the car seat before closing the door and letting their mother lock the car.

Portia glanced at Venus for a little while, a grin spreading out over her lips.

"What?" Venus asked, gesturing for her sister to unlock the door so they could walk on in.

"Dunno," Portia shrugged, putting the key in the hole and turning it. "You never call me 'babe' or anything like that, but you've started recently."

"Been watching too much Love Island."

Portia laughed, holding the door open for her mother and sister. The lot of them walked up the stairs to the second story, about to let Venus change out of her heels so they could go have a pint and then go out to dinner. Though she wouldn't look as smashing as she did with her heels on, they would ultimately kill her feet and she was not about that life today. She'd just gotten a degree, she was going to feel good all day. So fuck heels.

They reached Venus's door and she let Portia unlock that one as well. Her flat was as simplistic as always; one single room with a small kitchen, a bed, a desk, and a door to a small bathroom. Elaine walked over to the desk, sitting down in Venus's office chair while Portia bent down and picked up something behind the door.

"Mail." She said, giving Venus a few envelopes.

"Thanks." Venus took it, looking through the envelopes to see nothing interesting. A couple of bills, some rubbish, and...

"Where are we going after this then?" Elaine asked, looking from Venus to Portia. But Venus didn't hear what Portia was answered because she was too busy reading the small slip of paper that told her she'd gotten a parcel. Everything that was too big to slip through the mail slot was out into a cupboard on the outside of Venus's flat. Beside her front door was another, smaller door where her electricity metre was. If she wasn't in to receive the parcel herself, she'd written on her mail slot to just pop it in there.

She put all her mail down on the kitchen counter before walking outside to check the cupboard. Upon opening it, she saw a single brown parcel, though it looked more like a gift than anything. She reached for it, bringing it out into proper lighting. She read her own address on the front, and when turning it around, she found it a little hard to breathe. Had he...

Venus walked back into the flat, closing the door behind her and placing the package on the kitchen counter so she could unpack it. She knew Elaine and Portia were talking behind her about something, probably where they were going to go have their pint, but Venus could not focus on anything but what was right in front of her. Ripping the paper off, a sea of colour was revealed to her and she recognised what she was looking at right away.

"A sunny morning in Essex." Venus smiled, looking at him. "The most beautiful sight in the world, if I may say so."

"Oh, is it?" he asked, putting the brush away and placing his hand on her thigh, turning to face her.

"Uh-huh." Her smile widened some as he moved closer to her, brushing his nose gently against hers.

"I can think of more beautiful sights than a sunrise in bleeding Essex."

She ran her hand over it, feeling the strokes of paint she'd put there with Harry's help. It wasn't nearly as beautiful as the paintings in his collection, but it was the most breath-taking creation she'd ever laid her eyes upon. It was something she'd made with Harry. It was art. Picking it up, something fell to the kitchen counter. An envelope.

"What's that?" Portia asked, but Venus couldn't answer.

She put the canvas back down on the counter and reached for the envelope, tearing it open. It was his handwriting and she suddenly longed for him again. Months had gone by, but she thought about him every day. He was always with her, always motivated her; made her want to be better. And seeing something the two of them made a year ago, reliving the memory of them sitting close and creating something beautiful in the warm Italian summer night, it made her yearn in a way she never had before.

'Complimenti per la laurea, celeste.'

Looking down on the canvas again, she suddenly recognised it. The landscape resembled the one in Tuscany, the one she had walked through and lived in all last summer. And in the corner was a white house, almost like a mansion of sorts, but not as big as some of the houses she'd passed on the countryside. She didn't remember painting that. In fact, she barely remembered painting anything but the colour of the sunrise. Orange, yellow, blue. Harry must've completed the painting after she left.

"Venus," Portia said, now standing by her sisters' shoulder. "Is that one of his paintings?"

Venus just looked at he canvas, unable to say anything.

"Is that one of his fucking paintings?" Portia gasped, looking at Elaine and back at Venus. "Imagine how much that is worth!"

"I'm not gonna sell his painting, Tia."

"No, but-" Portia gestured at the artwork, squealing. "What'd the card say?"

"Think he's congratulating me on graduating." Venus put the card down, looking at the painting again. The room fell silent as nosy Elaine probably didn't know which of her questions to ask first, Portia looked dumbfounded at the canvas, and Venus yet again lost herself in daydreams of Harry. He knew she was graduating today. Sent her their painting. He congratulated her on finally getting her degree. He was still thinking about her like she was thinking about him. One of Venus's fears with taking so long to figure herself out, he'd somehow move on. But she believed in him enough, knew how she felt well enough, to know that they'd see each other again.

"You have to leave." Portia said. "Venus, it's been six months."

"I know."

"You have to go to bloody Italy right this second." Portia looked around Venus's flat. "Where's your bag?"

"What about my life here? I'm starting a new job next week, I'm moving."

"Figure that stuff out next week." Portia smiled. "You've grown so much in the last few months, Venus. You're softer now, not so prone to fighting people for not having the same opinion as you, but you listen and you're willing to change. Not for the world, but for yourself. Harry didn't tell you to embrace tenderness just so you could admit how you were feeling about him, but also so you'd be nicer to yourself."

"But I already am."

"I know, but he wanted you to allow more love into your life. By seizing love and allowing yourself to feel, not only self-love, but the love of others, you allow yourself to live fully and completely." Portia squeezed Venus's shoulder. "Without regret, without apology."

Venus smiled a little at her sister, studying her face. "Portia Cressida, when the fuck did you become so wise?"

"Can't let people know I know shit or else I'll ruin my dumb image."

The girls laughed, and Portia rested her head on Venus's shoulder, glancing at the painting Harry had gifted her sister.

"Go, Venus."

Saturday, 12 September 2020

She remembered Italy to be hot, but something about Italy in autumn was almost unbearable. Everything was still a lush green, nothing had changed outdoors since last year it seemed, everything still looked the same. But Venus wondered how that was possible when she wasn't even in the southern part of Tuscany anymore, she was in Veneto, a county further up north. North-west Italy looked as summery in autumn as Venus would've expected it to, and she loved it. Though she didn't like the sun much, she'd come to appreciate it more than the rain of England. Besides, she could stand the heat if it meant meeting Harry again.

She'd called Jamie yesterday, asked them where she'd be able to meet Harry. She knew she could've just asked Harry, but she also wanted to see the surprise on his face when he saw her on his doorstep. So, she hadn't told him she was coming. Which could either end with them living happily ever after or him saying he didn't feel the same anymore. Thinking about the latter gave her a panic attack.

She hadn't brought much with her, just a small bag as a carry-on and the clothes she was wearing. A see-through red, yellow, white, and pink tie dye crop top, showing off her cute black bralette underneath, a washed-out pair of high-waisted boyfriend denim jeans, and a black pair of Dr Marten's. Though it had gotten a bit chilly on the plane, she knew Italy would be hot, and she had been very right about that. Besides, she needed to look extra cute now that she was seeing Harry again for the first time in six months.

The bus ride wasn't as bumpy as the one she'd taken to Fosdinovo, the bus was new, and she trusted the driver to know if something was wrong. She hadn't trusted Gioele to know the same, which she applauded herself for in retrospect. The bus was fairly new and the road to Padua, Veneto was nice. She'd done some research and figured out the reason why Harry might've moved up north and close to Padua. It was a city known for art; spectacularly pretty and often overlooked by Venice, a mere hour-drive away. Knowing Harry, he'd probably walk through the quieter streets of Venice to get inspiration or sit on a corner café in Padua to people-watch. She knew he wanted to get out of Fosdinovo, but he hadn't been able to remove himself entirely from the Italian culture he had immersed himself in. His love for that country was too great for him to ever truly leave.

Reaching Padua, Venus got off and got a taxi right away. She told the driver where she was going, and though it was a bit out of town and onto the countryside – not to Venus's surprise, Harry liked quiet after all – he agreed to get her there. It took them about 30 minutes to reach the house, and when they did, it was a simple gravel path. She obviously had to walk for a bit to get there, but she was glad she got to take in Harry's new residence in the calmness that was the outskirts of Padua. She could make out the white house at the end of the road, the newly sown trees that lined the path, and knew when they had grown to their full height, they would envelope the drive like a tunnel of green leaves and nature. Venus smiled a little to herself as she imagined it, knowing that Harry most likely had the exact same thought in mind.

It was nice seeing how he decided to live now, especially after everything that happened in Fosdinovo. Secluded, but a couple of neighbours a few minutes' walk up or down the cemented road she'd just been on. It was undoubtedly his new paradise. And by the looks of it, the closer she got, it seemed he was still working on the house. White and grand, with huge French windows and sheer curtains on either side of them all, there was still some construction work going on on the outside, though the workers weren't working today it seemed. It was only 12pm, but maybe Harry wanted them to take the day off to relax. She'd ask him, she told herself, because she was now in the driveway, viewing the red front door, looking in through the windows to see if she saw him. Her heart was hammering so fast in her chest that she noticed her tie dye top vibrating with each beat.

Reaching forwards, she pressed the doorbell, taking a step back so the door wouldn't hit her in the face when he opened it. Nearly as quickly as it had gone off, she heard something very familiar inside the house. Spending time around animals nearly all the time, Venus's puppy radar went off when she heard the tiny barks of a baby dog inside. Immediately, her mouth fell open, and she walked to the closest window to look inside.

Down a white tiled corridor, the light from the massive windows on the other side of the house shining down on him, a puppy came running down on his big paws, his tail wagging so wildly his little bum moved with it.

"Hi." Venus cooed when he reached the window, standing on his back-paws to get a better look of her and bark some more. "Who're you then? What's your name?"

He sniffed the glass as if trying to get a sniff of her, but he whimpered when he couldn't. And as Venus got a good look of the little guy, she realised something very quickly that made her almost fall backward onto the gravel of the driveway. A Scottish deerhound.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Venus said under her breath, walking back to the front door and ringing the doorbell again. Why was it that Harry had trouble answering the bloody door every time? She stood her ground this time, the puppy still barking at her and watching her in anticipation, ready to jump onto her the second Harry opened the door. But he didn't. So this time she knocked on his door with her fist, not about to wait around for hours. She knew he was in. A puppy couldn't be left alone in a big house like this, he'd either have to put him in a cage or take the pup with him.

With no response, Venus decided to explore the outside of his house. Giving the pup a little wave, she stepped down from the front step, taking in the marble pillars on either side that held a small roof above the front door. The house was incredibly elegant and new. Had he built it himself? She walked around the side, admiring the huge garden and the tall stone fence that secluded it from everything else. There were a couple of trees that stood around a tiny pond, and it seemed he'd taken the time to put a grey stone bench beside it. The rest of the garden was newly trimmed and grand, though pretty empty still. There seemed to be the start of a pretty big doghouse beside another tree, and something else that might be the start of a veranda. Maybe he'd just about moved in. It would explain why everything looked so new, anyway.

It felt like Harry, though. All of it. Elegant yet simple, big but not too much. He was a simplistic person who loved grand things. The thought of him moving into a new house, probably a little anxious to meet new people and to get acquainted with his new life in a new town, it made her smile. He was restless and would move in a few years, but for now, this was exactly what he needed, she knew.

Faint, but Venus still heard it with every single part of her being, a meow sounded from behind her. Turning around, there stood a striped cat looking over at her. She hesitantly moved forward and Venus felt like breaking down crying.

"Viola," Venus hunched down. "Hi, baby."

The cat made her way over quite hastily when she recognised who the person was, rubbing herself against Venus's outstretched hands. She'd grown, yet Venus would know this little creature anywhere. She'd often wondered what happened to Viola, because when she left, she assumed Harry would take care of her till he left. But here she was. Had he brought her with him everywhere? She reached down, pressing a soft kiss to Viola's forehead like she always did, and the cat meowed in response. Venus giggled, the feel and sound of Viola brought her right back to her time in Fosdinovo. The cat had been there for her every single day, putting a smile on her face. They gave each other a home for a month.

Thinking she might explore more of the grounds, she stood upright, and Viola immediately perked up, ready to follow Venus wherever she decided to go. Her eyes suddenly landed on a glass house attached to the mansion, and then on the figure standing by the open door leading into it. The inside of the winter garden was fully furnished, unlike the rest of the property that lacked the same attention. She couldn't believe this. Not only was this Harry's dream home, it was hers as well.

Their eyes met, and a jolt so intense rocked through Venus's body that it shook up everything. She fell in love with him all over again, seeing him there, looking right back at her with a look of startlement and longing and relief. She couldn't wait any longer, she had to be close to him. Taking the first few steps, she felt the inside of her tummy vibrate as the butterflies inside her came to life again. The closer she got to him, the more every single part of her body tickled, itching to hold him again. And when it seemed to have dawned on Harry that this wasn't a dream, he started walking toward her as well. The closer they got the more they picked up the pace. It had been too long, they had taken too much time, they had worked on each other for one another and for themselves.

Venus threw herself into his chest and Harry wrapped his arms around her so tightly she was sure she'd fade into him. Though it had taken them so much to get to this moment, it had taken them a while for a reason. People needed to work on one another and for each other to make a relationship work, it didn't just magically happen. And sometimes people need to be apart for a little while to gain perspective and mature enough to return. Harry needed someone who could be as open as him, and Venus needed someone who wasn't afraid to be himself to the fullest, without apology.

They broke apart, eager to look at one another again. Harry's eyes moved over her frantically, taking her in again. He was wearing another silk shirt, tucked into high-waisted washed out denim jeans, and barefoot. Something about his bare feet was adorable. And the fact they were basically wearing the same jeans made her stifle a laughter.

"Hi," she said, unsure how else to greet him.

He chuckled. "What the fuck, Venus."

"What?"

"You're here." He said, smiling at her. "I... I had no idea. But you're here."

"I'm here."

He took her hand, squeezing it, looking her up and down. "Here."

She smiled as well, feeling her hand heat up here his skin met hers. When he looked up at her again, eyes glistening, face lit up more than she'd ever seen before, dimples as deep as ever, she felt like tearing up. This was the man of her dreams; the man she wanted to spend every day with till death. And even after that she'd find him in their next life, or she'd find him in her afterlife, or wherever else they'd end up. There was no one else. Would never be anyone else.

"This is a big place." She said, gesturing at the house and the rest of the estate.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, still looking at their joined hands. "Started building it back in March."

"Big place for a big lad."

Harry laughed, looking up at her again. "Need enough space for Viola and Gopher to wander."

Venus's heart did a dreamy sigh. "Gopher?"

"Oh!" Harry pointed behind him at the house. "He was the one barking."

"The puppy?"

"Yeah."

She bit her lips together, looking down at their hands. "You adopted a puppy."

Silence for a few moments before Harry said, in such a soft voice she swore it felt like a caress, "He's been waiting for you."

She glanced up again, happiness so overwhelming filled her to the point that she felt like flying. Eyes landed on the house and then back on Harry as he ran his thumb over her hand.

"Don't you remember that day in the car last summer, when you first met Jamie?"

She didn't at first, but it hit her like a truck and she almost gasped out loud. Harry only smiled a little at her, having remembered her words this whole time.

"A Scottish deerhound."

"They're quite big, aren't they? Can't remember how they look, but I think I know." The phone was in Jamie's hand, typing the name of the breed into the Google search bar.

"I've always wanted one. Always wanted to move to the outskirts of Maldon with two deerhounds. That's where I want to settle down, I think." She said. "With a winter garden and a big property so the dogs can run freely."

She shook her head, not wanting to believe Harry had done this.

"Harry..."

"It's not Maldon, or Essex, or England for that matter," he said, stepping aside so she could look at the house. "But I tried to make it like you said, with some pieces of me in it, if that's okay."

The resemblance it held to the last painting of Harry's exhibit was incredible, the same painting that had been stolen by Gioele. The painting Harry had an emotional attachment to of sorts. It was because it was this. It was the house. It was the place he hoped she'd settle down. With him.

"Wanna take a look inside?"

She smiled at him. "Please."

He smiled back, letting go of her hand so they could walk into the winter garden. Viola followed them, strolling in through the door before Harry closed it. He took her into his arms and walked over to the door that led into the house, opening it and letting Viola walk away before closing the door again. They were left in silence, a few of the windows were open to let some air in or else the room would undoubtedly get incredibly hot with the sun shining right in. The roof was shaped like a spire, the whole glasshouse a half-circle, and green plants lined the window wall. Vines hung gracefully along some of the stiles, and in the middle of it all stood a big blue velvet ottoman. The whole place had a gothic feel to it and Venus absolutely adored it. When she'd pictured a winter garden, she'd just wanted a place she could relax outdoors during wintertime, but this was something else entirely. It had a Harry feel to it, but it also felt like her.

"What do you think?" Harry asked, leaning his back against the windows.

"It's amazing." She mused, looking around. "Harry... I'm speechless."

"Tried to make it into something that I knew you'd like. That's why I painted it first and had an architect sketch the outline of the house after." Harry explained. "Hope it falls into liking."

She looked over at him, for the first time in ages, seeing the hint of doubt in his eyes again. Simply not able to help herself, she walked over to him, hesitating a bit before placing a hand to his cheek. He leaned into her, closing his eyes for a second and letting a sigh of relaxation leave his lips.

"I love it, I haven't even seen the inside of the house, but I love it." She told him, studying his dark eyelashes against his cheekbones. "And I love you."

Harry's eyes shot open, looking straight into hers. The absolute joy in them made the colour of his irises more radiant, and it was almost as if the sun shone a little brighter. As if the world fell into place; like how it was supposed to be all along.

"I love you." She repeated, softer this time around.

"Yeah?" Harry's voice sounded like a whisper; a plea for her to really, really, really feel it – what was between them – like he did.

"I'm in love with you, Harry."

He grabbed the back of her neck, swallowing hard. "I love you, too."

She couldn't help it when the sides of her mouth tipped upward. "I know."

Harry smiled. "Smug bastard."

She laughed, leaning her forehead against his, feeling his fingers stroke her scalp tenderly. God, it felt good to have him touch her again. It felt good to be close to him. It felt good to not be ashamed of saying 'I love you'. It felt amazing to let someone else know how deeply you cared for them and see them light up in response because they felt the same way.

"Now fucking kiss me before I go out of my mind." Harry said, an undertone to his voice that made a hot tingle run up Venus's spine.

"How about you kiss me?"

Harry frowned.

"After all, if I hadn't kissed you in the ocean that night, would we even be here?"

"You take pride in that, don't you? I would've kissed you eventually." Harry said, and Venus raised her eyebrows at him. "I would've!"

"Yeah, alright. When? The opportunity presented itself a couple of times, but you only had the nerve to kiss my hand."

Harry gripped her hair hard in his hand, bringing her lips to hover above his. She gasped, looking down at his lips and then feeling it against her thigh. Very quickly, she felt hot all over, and the need to be closer to Harry grew so fast it made her dizzy.

"Got the nerve to fuck you good now, don't I?" Harry said, voice so deep she felt it vibrate through her bones.

Venus bit her lip. "What gentleman talks like that to a lady before he's even kissed her for the first time in a year?"

"You want a gentleman?"

She ran her hands down his torso. "Depends on the situation."

Harry kissed her jaw, leaving wet kisses down her neck. "Hmm, does it now?"

"Want a gentleman to walk the little puppy with, to make breakfast with, or to take me out for dates."

"Do you want a gentleman between your thighs, baby?"

She closed her eyes at the feel of Harry's lips on her, bit her bottom lip as he pressed her body closer to his. "Depends on how well that gentleman knows how to treat a lady."

Harry chuckled, the feeling of his laughter against her skin was like heaven. "I'll be a gentleman, the devil, an angel; I'll be whatever you want me to be."

She huffed. "Thought we were doing dirty talk, and here you go turning it romantic."

"I need you to shut up," Harry said as his lips hovered above hers. "Because I'm about to kiss you and then fuck you on that sofa."

She grinned, tilting her head to fit perfectly against his. "Kiss me."

And he did. Hard and passionately. They wasted no time, slipping their tongue into one another's mouths, clinging to one another, touching all over. They tasted the other, felt them right there. There were some birds singing outside, rustling of some leaves, but the two of them didn't care. Harry pushed her backward till her legs hit the couch, but she stopped herself from falling back into it. Instead, she turned them around, pushing Harry back onto the ottoman.

"Let me show you how much I love you." She said, and Harry let out a shaky breath at her words.

He quickly undid the buttons of his silk shirt, threw it somewhere behind him before he leaned on his elbows. "Nothing you've ever said has turned me on more."

She giggled, taking her jeans and knickers off and straddling his lap. He sat up, attaching his lips to hers once again, grabbing onto her bum, begging her to grind against him. They both wanted some friction, and she knew that if he pressed her harder onto him, there would be wet marks from her left on his jeans. But in the moment, neither cared. They just wanted to be as close as humans could be, wanted to feel ecstasy. She buried her hands in his hair, dragging out the tongue filled, wet, lustful kisses. It was excruciating, and the heat between her thighs got more and more intense the more time went on. A wave of excitement and adoration ran through her as she felt Harry's hand run up her back, reaching for her bra. He wanted to see all of her.

She let him, throwing her shirt off and letting her bra fall to the floor. Harry kissed her the second she was done undressing, moaning her name against her lips. She felt her centre ache, reaching for the zip of Harry's jeans as quickly as possible. She couldn't bare it any longer, she needed to be skin to skin; soul to soul. Venus found that the people she had sex with, she formed an emotional attachment to them in a way that was unexplainable. There might not even be real feelings there, but you'd shared an intimate moment with someone, and it was a moment neither of you would ever forget. But with Harry, it was more than that. It wasn't just a single moment she shared with him when they were like this; it felt like sharing an entire lifetime. It felt like happiness; it felt like the rest of her life. And she knew she was right to have spent time away from him, because she would tell him this over and over and over again, and she wouldn't be ashamed or feel weak for admitting how much she loved him.

They got Harry's jeans and boxers off, and as she took a grip of his cock, Harry stiffened. Their eyes met.

"A condom." He said, reminding her what they were about to do.

She shook her head. "It's fine."

Harry gripped her thigh, squeezing her.

"You pay for the pill."

He smiled, kissing her for a long time. "Fuck me, please."

Slowly, she sat down on him, gasping at the familiar feeling of him inside her like this. Harry didn't take his eyes off her the entire time, mouth opening wider for each centimetre he moved inside her. Positioning her feet on the floor, she started moving her hips over him. He instantly moaned, not able to help himself because it felt so good. He moved his hands up her thighs, her sides, her back, wanting to feel every single little part of her. Wanted her to know how much he appreciated every little thing about her. There wasn't a single part of her body, of her soul, of her existence he didn't love. She felt all his emotions in his touches, in the kisses he left along her collarbone, in the soft way he moaned her name.

She tried to push him down onto the ottoman, wanting to have him watch her as she rode him, but Harry stopped her. He shook his head, curls tickling her jawline and cheek.

"No," he simply said, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm staying right here."

And though he hadn't meant it that way, Venus still took it as him telling her he'd stay with her like this forever. After all, she'd been the one to leave him in the first place, but they were here now. Never was she going to leave him. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, the truest thing in her life, and her best influence. Had she ever been happy before she'd met him? Had she known true happiness till now? Because right now, feeling Harry's bare skin against hers and hearing him repeat her name, she wasn't so sure the happiness she'd felt before him could be counted as just that, happiness.

Harry squeezed her hips. "Like that," he moaned, burying his face in the cook of her neck.

Nothing mattered besides the magic they were creating between them; nothing mattered but Harry and eternity. The soft skin of the inside of Venus's thighs against Harry's hips and sides, pressed to him, sweaty. His tattooed body against her bare one. Heavy breathing, the occasional moan.

The burn in her core was really starting to build up now, and she knew it would burst any second. Harry moved his face so it was right in front of hers, studying her moving form above him. Her sliding hips, her desperate hands, her exclamations of pleasure. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy, all of them flying wildly in a single circle to intensify the oncoming orgasm. Harry's hips moved more with hers, staring at her as she closed her eyes, digging her nails into his shoulders.

"You're so fucking beautiful." Harry said, hands trembling against her back.

She didn't know why that almost brought her to tears, but it did, and she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. No one had ever made her feel as stunning as Harry. Though she was confident in her body and on her own, being with Harry made her feel on top of the world. His love, his encouragement, his compliments, it all made her feel so incredibly good about herself in a way nothing ever had before. She had no idea how she could ever thank him for that.

Their hips moved rhythmically, hard against one another, desperate for release. Everything felt electric, everything felt hot. Venus wanted to melt into him and have the two of them sitting like this forever. Wanted to feel him close, feel his love, feel his skin. Having him inside her like this, feeling him grip her hard, whimpering against her lips, moan her name; she felt powerful, beautiful, strong, and so so so good.

"Harry," she moaned, looking into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." He said, bringing her closer. He reached between them, knowing that in order to come properly, she needed him to flick her bud. "Let me watch you come."

"Oh, God." She gripped his shoulders harder, moaning loudly as he rubbed her clit like he knew she loved so much.

"Yeah?" He watched her, flicking her faster. "Come for me, baby."

She came hard. Harry watched her intently, clearly holding back his own release till he knew she was completely done with hers. She grinded on top of him, looking deeply into her eyes as hot flames lashed threw her body, rocking up her entire reality. She gasped for breath and moaned and repeated Harry's name over and over and over again until it let like it was the only word she knew. Her legs were shaking, and it was hard for her to move properly so he could come to.

"Say it." Harry said, his neck vein about to show and his face reddening with the oncoming climax. "Tell me."

She knew exactly what he needed to hear. "I love you." She whispered against his lips, pressing a tender kiss to the side of his lips as she continued to rock over him. "Everyday, for the rest of my existence, I'll love you."

"Fuck." Harry moaned, not able to look away from her. "Venus. My love."

She held his face in her hands. "Never leave me. I love you too much."

"Never." Harry said, a moan escaping his lips. "Shit."

He came, not looking away from her. A furrow appearing between his brows, lips parted, and Venus had never seen anything so hot and beautiful. He stilled, neck vein showing, and he moaned and moaned and moaned. She watched him till he came down, feeling his cum inside her, feeling his breathing against her, his arms around her.

"You need to go meet Gopher now." Harry said after a little while.

"My puppy."

Harry laughed. "We're gonna have a house filled with fucking animals, aren't we?"

"And what about it?" Venus smiled. "Don't you want to see me happy?"

Harry's eyes softened, smiling slightly up at her as he took her hand, bringing it up to his lips. He kissed her hand, then her palm, then the pulse of her wrist. "For the rest of my life, celeste." His smile widened as he felt her beating hearts against his lips. "My baby blue."