-Harry's POV-
I follow the rest of the lads off the stage, screams following us as we jog down the stairs and through the back stage door.
"Ace sound check mates!" Niall's eyes are wide as he basically bounces off the walls.
I don't blame him.
It was our first sound check of the tour. Adrenaline is running high. Our nerves making all of us anxious to get the first show done and under our belts.
Every show is a rush, but the first show... nothing compares to it.
"Yeah ace.. until Haz forgot the words again." Louie pipes up, smacking me across the back of the head playfully.
"Honest mistake." I push him away from me to avoid getting hit again.
"Honest mistake my arse." Louie scoffs at me, "We've only been singing that song for what?... Five years now?"
"Ease up mate." Zayn speaks up, "You're the one who chucked that shoe back into the crowd and hit that bird smack on the nose."
"I was returning it to her. Not my fault her face got in the way." Louie laughs as he leads the way into our large dressing room. Niall heads on down the hallway, yelling about his guitar needing tuned.
We one by one fall into the various chairs and couches in the room, all eager to get a bit of rest before the show. None of us slept much last night, not with the first show merely hours away.
"The girl's not here yet?" Liam questions a staff member who hands us each a water bottle. "Was wanting a haircut before the show."
"I saw them arrive awhile ago. Not sure where they went. Want me to check?" She asks.
"No, it's fine. I'm sure they'll turn up soon enough." Liam nods at her with a smile before she exits the room.
I pull out my phone to ring Ava, but decide against it. She's already here, so I'll see her soon enough. We had to be at the venue early this morning, so her and Lou decided to just head over this afternoon.
I shut my eyes as I lay across one of the scratchy yellow couches, finally making myself comfortable enough to fall asleep. I've barely drifted off when I hear Niall's voice calling my name.
"What?" I ask, opening one eye reluctantly.
"Come here will ya?" He asks quietly, motioning me to follow him out of the room.
I sigh as I nod, hauling myself up off the couch and carefully walking around the various bodies asleep and sprawled out across the floor. As soon as step out of the room, Niall closes it behind me.
"What's up Ni? Just fell asleep." I rub my eyes as I yawn.
"Just come on." He sets off down the hallway with me in tow.
He stops in front of a dressing room with a sign taped to the door that reads 'First Aid' and pushes it open.
"I'm not the one that told you alright?"
"Told me what?" I raise an eyebrow at him, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy.
"Just go in. I'll see ya back in the dressing room." He nods at me before heading back down the hallway.
I quickly push the door open and walk down a small hallway that opens up into a large room. My eyes scan the room, landing in the far corner.
I quicken my pace when I see Ava sitting on a stool, a medic wiping aniseptic on her arm. Lou spots me first, pushing off the wall she was leaning against.
"What the fuck happened?" I question.
Ava's eyes shoot up to meet mine, jumping slightly from my tone.
"Calm down. It's nothing. Just a scrape. She didn't even want to come in here." Lou speaks up.
I bypass her and stop next to Ava, taking her arm and looking at the small scratches running across it.
"Doesn't even hurt." She smiles up at me, lightly slapping her skin to prove her point.
I grab her hand to stop her, pulling it away so I can look more closely at her arm.
"Are those nail scratches?" I question, my eyes finding Av's.
"Harry, it's nothing."
"Did a fan do this?"
"Doesn't matter. I'm fine. Stupid really." Ava shrugs as the medic wraps a light bandage over her arm.
"It matters to me. Did a fan do this?" I repeat my question.
I hear Lou sigh as she steps up next to me. "There were a few fans when we got out of the car..."
"Lou.." Ava cuts her off.
"He'll find out either way." Lou looks at her sternly, the same way she looks at Lux when she wants her to be quiet. "Like I said... was a few fans. Security hadn't arrived yet, but there wasn't enough to bother us. As we were heading inside more showed up, crowded in on us a bit. Some started yelling at Ava, clawing at her a bit. One got a hold of her arm, I shoved her off then we came inside."
"Fuck." I run my hand through my hair as Ava stands up, immediately pulling her into me.
"This is ridiculous." Ava mumbles against my chest. "It's a scratch. Not like I got stabbed or anything."
She leans away from me as I narrow my eyes at her. "Not funny Av. I don't want this happening again. What were they yelling?"
"Nothing. Not a big deal." Ava shrugs.
I glance over at Lou who has a frown on her face. "Out with it Lou."
"She got a death threat." Lou answers me as Ava groans. "Didn't see who said it, but I heard it."
"Are you shitting me?!" I shake my head in disgust before holding Ava out at arm's length so I can look in her eyes. "Fuck. I'm sorry... You alright?"
"I'm fine. Doesn't bother me." She leans in to kiss me, but I hold her away.
"Well it bloody well bothers me. From now on you don't put yourself in a situation where you're around fans unless you're with me or a member of security. Got it?"
"Harry you're over-reacting."
"No.. I'm not. Just do what I say alright?"
"Fans come up to me on the street. I'm not going to have a bodyguard with me to go to the grocery store." She frowns at me.
"You will if I say so." I try to hide the anger in my voice, but I'm not doing the best job of it. I can't believe she's fucking putting up a fight about her safety.
"No I won't." She shakes her head at me as she pushes my hands off her. "What are they going to do? Beat me with a One Direction backpack? She was probably twelve. It's absurd we're even having this discussion. It's a scratch. I'm fine. Stop being so dramatic about everything."
"Dramatic?" I chuckle, but there's no humor in it.
"Yes! This is why I didn't want you to know. I knew you'd flip out about it. Stop treating me like I'm so fragile. I'm fine."
"This..." I grab her bandaged arm, holding it between us. "Is not fine. Won't have it happening again."
"Stop." She pulls her arm away from me. "She barely even touched me. I love you for being so concerned, but really... it isn't a big deal. I don't want security following me around everywhere."
"Not your decision." I shake my head. I won't have her hurt again.
"Harry... she really is alright. Maybe just let security know they need to step up a bit. She's always with one of us anyway, don't think she needs one shadowing her all hours of the day." Lou touches my arm to try to calm me down.
"Yeah and what if something happens to her?" I look over at Lou, feeling panicked at just the thought.
"Nothing is going to happen." Ava speaks up, drawing my attention back to her.
"No it won't.. cause you're going to do what I ask."
"Didn't realize you requested it, sounded more like a demand to me."
"Take it however you want. You're getting a bodyguard." I look down at her sternly.
"No, I'm not." She folds her arms over her chest and I just want to slam my fist into the wall.
She's so fucking stubborn.
"This isn't up for debate Ava."
"You know what Harry? If you want to live the rest of your life in fear of something bad happening, so be it. But I will not spend my life looking over my shoulder, always afraid I'm going to get hurt again. I won't dwell on what happened. I can't. I have to get over it. And so do you."
With that she storms out of the room, leaving me practically seething with anger.
"Please tell me you know you're being a complete wanker." Lou pipes up, an almost amused expression on her face.
"Sod of Lou."
"Look... I get that you're worried about her. You both went through some really tough shite. But she can't live like that. And that's her decision, not yours."
"You have any fucking clue how I would feel if something else happened to her?" I look down at the floor, trying to focus on anything other than how furious I am.
"Nope, not going to pretend I do. But maybe you should think about how she feels instead of yourself. Now go find her and ask forgiveness for how wretched you just were. Was awful."
I roll my eyes at her. I have every intention of finding Ava but I won't apologize for wanting to keep her safe.
I search the hallways for her, only growing more annoyed by the minute. Her being sore at me over this is bullshit. I force a smile as I pass a few of the food staff, not wanting to seem rude.
I find her right where I expect to. In the dressing room with the lads, laughing about something Louie said.
"Av, can I talk to you for a second?"
Her eyes narrow at me slightly before she plasters a fake smile on her face, "Maybe later, am a little busy right now."
"Doing what?" I look her over as she picks at her fingers and avoids my gaze.
"What ran up your arse mate?" Louie chuckles at me.
I ignore him as I walk over to where Ava's sitting, holding my hand out to her. "Come on love. Please?"
She glances up at me, her forehead crinkling up in confusion at my soft tone. She hesitantly takes my hand and lets me pull her up. I hold her hand firmly in mine as I tug her out of the room.
Checking several rooms down the hallway, I finally find one empty. Locking the door behind us, I take a deep breath as I turn to face her.
Once again her hands are on her hips in annoyance. Her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as her eyes are narrowed on me. I always seem to forget how hot angry Ava is.
"I'm waiting." She huffs.
"For?...."
"An apology."
I scoff, trying not to laugh. "I'm not apologizing."
"You're unbelievable." She throws her hands up in the air.
"Sorry I can't fucking stand the thought of you getting hurt again? That what I'm supposed to apologize for?" I move towards her but she just takes a step back.
"You were a jerk Harry."
"So I'm a bastard for caring so much?"
"I know you care. But that doesn't mean you can order me around and make decisions for me. I won't let that happen again."
I frown, staring at the wall past her. "I'm not... I'm not trying to control you. I'm worried... I'll always be worried. Am not... I don't mean to be like him."
"Harry that's not what I meant." She sighs.
"I know. I just... Fuck." I run my hand through my hair in exasperation. "I mean well. Didn't mean to yell. You're just.. so bloody frustrating."
"And you're a bit of a control freak."
"And you're getting a bodyguard."
"I'm not. Stop pushing this." She purses her lips at me as she shakes her head.
"Don't know how many times I have to fucking say this... I won't have you getting hurt."
"And I don't know how many times I have to say that I won't."
"God, you're so fucking stubborn!" I raise my voice.
"We're done here." She pushes past me, moving to open the door.
I beat her to it, blocking her from reaching it. "We're not done."
"Move."
"Nope."
"Please move." She glares up at me, making something stir in my chest.
"We're not done." I repeat myself.
"We are."
She pushes against me, her tiny body trying to shove mine to the side. I don't budge.
"Doing a brilliant job at proving you can protect yourself right now." I try not to laugh.
"You're such an asshole." She groans as her hands push into my chest. Another useless attempt to get me to move.
"Just want you safe love."
"I'm not getting a bodyguard."
I grab her hands to stop her shoving as I sigh, "Alright... yeah.. alright. But at least meet me in the middle here."
"What's the middle?" She questions as she stops fighting against my grip on her.
"Grocery shopping.. no. Times when there's alot of fans about... yes."
"And who decides what alot of fans is?"
"I do."
"Figures." She rolls her eyes.
"I'll ease up about it." I promise, leaning down so she looks into my eyes. "Just let me do what I need to yeah?"
"Fine. But no more being so controlling."
"And no more stubbornness from you." I set my hands on her hips as she lets out a deep breath.
"No promises, but I'll try if you will."
"Done." I smile at her.
"Good. Now can we stop fighting?"
"Yessss please." I press a kiss to her jaw, "What shall we do instead?"
She gasps as I pick her up, spinning around and placing her on top of a table next to us.
"You so are not getting some right now Styles." She tries to push me away as I kiss her neck.
"Don't sound to confident about that love."
She chuckles as my hands roam her body, "Do I ever?"
I smile against her jawline, knowing I won't be getting a bit of rest before the show.
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