hiii! this is a part of @1dffchallenges’s valentine’s day challenge 💘 this is a concept ive been thinking about writing for a very long time and i hope you enjoy reading it just as much as i enjoyed writing! i’d love to hear your thoughts and hope you all have a very happy valentine’s day 💘
word count: 2.2k
warnings: mature sexual content
challenge prompt and dialogue: late for a date and “I think you’ll be happy to know that I’m not wearing any underwear.”
You were sitting at the bar at your favorite hotel, Corinthia London, the first place that you had a date with your then boyfriend. You can’t help but think back to those times that you first started dating, the butterflies in your stomach when you’d receive a text from him, the late night phone calls, the random bouquet of flowers that would show up at your door just because. He was a sucker for romance. You have a list of reasons why you love him but his ability to find a new way to sweep you off your feet was up there. Tonight, it was your turn.
You watched your phone light up with a message just as the bartender places your drink on the napkin in front of you.
Sorry, I’m running late x
You smile at the text, shaking your head before taking the first sip of your drink. You feel good, excited for the night ahead of you. You spent extra time getting ready, wearing one of his custom button down shirts with his name embroidered on the top right corner, it hight right in the middle of your thighs and you had a black blazer over top to keep you warm.
A few moments later, you heard the door of the restaurant open again turning your head towards the direction of the person walking through the door. He was wearing tan corduroy flares, a white and maroon striped top with a green jacket on-top with different plants embroidered on it. You watched him as he ran his hands through his hair after saying a small, thank you to the hostess and making his way over to the bar you were standing at. You can still feel those butterflies at the pit of your stomach. The man takes a seat a few stools down from you. You watch him out of the corner of your eye as he orders his drink, calling the bartender back as he begins walking away from him.
Before you know it, the bartender is walking over to you with a drink in his hand. He places it under the napkin that is already in front of you, “He asked me to give this to you.” He looks over and your eyes follow his towards the guy that walked into the bar a few minutes earlier. He’s leaning over the bar this time, flashing you a peace sign before signaling you for coming over.
You make your way over to him, hesitating before taking a seat, “Is this your thing?” You ask.
“My thing?” He responds with a chuckle, “just saw a pretty girl alone at the bar on Valentine’s Day, just thought you could use some cheering up is all.” A smirk is plastered on his face, he knows exactly what he’s doing.
You take the seat next to him, “and what’s a handsome guy like you doing alone on Valentine’s Day?” You take a sip of your drink waiting for him to say something.
“Afraid, I got stood up.”
“Oh, really?” You raise a brow waiting for him to continue.
“It sucks, had this entire night planned for her, we were going to have dinner here and then I was going to take her back home to show her all the different ways I love her.”
“Sounds like she had quite the night ahead of her.”
“What about you? What did you have planned?” He asked, raising a brow in curiosity.
“Well, he also loves this place, and was going to let him order whatever he wanted. I even wore this shirt,” You look down at the silk top that is on your body, “because I know it drives him mad.”
You watch him shift in his seat, leaning forward before introducing himself, “I’m Harry,” he reaches his hand forward.
You repeat his name, “Harry?” You begin to smile trying your hardest to keep your laughter in.
Harry leans in further and you do the same, moving your head to the side so he can whisper something in your ear, “the game doesn’t work if you start laughing,” he leans back with the most self-satisfied smile on his face.
You smile back at him, shaking your head and then taking a sip of your alcohol.
“So, how long have you guys been together?”
“Three years.”
“And he’s already doing this? Looks like he doesn’t appreciate the things around him.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Leaving his misses on a holiday like this, for any man to swoop in and take her.”
“Oh? You think you have a chance with me?”
Harry leans over again, your knees knocking together before moving to whisper in your ear again, “I know it darling.” He leans back in his chair, his legs spread apart arms crossing in front of his chest.
You shake your head at his smugness, “Are you asking to take this somewhere else?”
“How will he feel about that?” Harry asks.
“I must admit, I haven’t been thinking about him since you invited me to come sit over here,” you take a pause, “I can tell you haven’t been thinking about your misses either,” you say as you look him up and down, “nice of your friend to join us.”
Harry raises a brow, his green eyes growing wide as you take a look down his body before meeting his eyes again, “Are you going to come join me?” you ask as you begin to get up from the seat at the bar and begin walking towards the elevators. You wait to hear for Harry’s movements, looking over your shoulder once more before exiting the restaurant and heading towards the elevators. Harry quickly follows behind you.
You get inside the elevator and click the button for the presidential suite, “He’s really missing out.” Harry speaks up from the opposite side of the elevator, his body leaning against the wall as you both watch each other. The sexual tension is in the air, neither of you wanting to be the one to break.
“I don’t really want to talk about him right now.” You say as you walk towards him, not shifting eye contact, his green eyes looking deeply into yours. You get close enough to watch him look down at you, his long brown eyelashes touching the tips of your cheek, you wait for the elevator to ding, opening to the front of your suite, “I think you’ll be happy to know that I’m not wearing any underwear right now,” You watch as he licks his lips, mind trying to look for a response to your confession.
“I’d say thanks for making the job easier.”
You shake your head and walk out of the elevator and in the suite. The city lights illuminate the room, the bed is set in the middle with the couch facing the wall of windows, you’re up high enough for no one to see you even though you know the possibility excites you both.
“Is this your thing?” Harry asks, mimicking your question from earlier before taking a seat on the bed as you take a seat on the couch opposite of him.
“What?” You ask.
“Inviting guys you meet at the bar back to your room, give them a night to remember, leave them in the morning to think about it for years to come.”
“Is this your way of encouraging me to give you a night to remember?” You ask and watch Harry nod his head yes. You love seeing him like this, ready, willing, needing you. You move your legs apart feeling the cool air of the room hit you, Harry doesn’t hesitate to look.
“You weren’t lying about the no underwear,” he says slowly shifting his legs together.
“Are you just going to sit there and stare or come over here?” You say with a smile on your face.
He walks over, fast, his lips meeting yours immediately, Harry pushing the shirt up as his hands find where you need him most as his mouth pushes into your’s deepening the kiss between you two, “Am I showing you enough now?” He grunts in your ear, his accent low and drawed out.
“Not sure, think I need you to show me a little more.”
“Watch me,” He says as he moves down your body leaving kisses in his wake. You spread your legs further apart as he kneels down in front of you. The shirt that you have on was halfway off your body, he leaves a kiss between your cleavage and down your stomach, he moves to your inner thighs his hands moving up and down with him. You watch him get lost in you, breathing you in and taking his time which always drives you mad.
His tongue meets your clit and you jerk forward at the motion. You can see the smugness in his face as he moves his hands over to your center. His middle finger moving up and down your slit collecting wetness before pushing two fingers inside as his tongue sucks on your clit.
“Oh my god,” you try to labor your breaths at the feeling, slowly moving your hips to try and find a good rhythm. You love the feeling of his scruff hitting your inner thighs all the sensations sending chills down your spine. He loves it, you can see it in his eyes. His hands, fingers, tongue, working in overdrive to get you there, pumping in and out. You move your hands in his hair encouraging him to keep going. You love watching him like this getting completely lost in you as he does the thing that is always working, moving his tongue in figure eights as he curls his fingers inside you bringing you to the other side of your orgasm.
“Did I show you enough now?” He asks again with the same smugness.
“Now it’s my turn to show you,” You say to him, noticing he still has his clothes on something that you need to change fast. You grab his face and start kissing him, moving him off the floor and onto the couch. The kisses are sloppy as you try to take the clothes off each other, you go for his zipper first, releasing him from the confines of the flares. Harry works to get his jacket and top off, tossing them across the room to deal with later.
You move down his body, your hand reaching to pump up his length before opening your mouth to take him. You rest the tip of his length on your tongue as your hands work to pump him. The sounds of Harry’s grains as he pushed your head back to see your face. You take him in as much as you can as your hands work to wrap around the rest of him Harry hit his head back as he moaned, “Want to be inside you.”
You love how watching his body react to you as you release him from your mouth with a pop before moving up his body to meet your hips with his.
“Love seeing you like this,” he says as you tease his dick against your center and Harry’s hands find their way to your boobs.
“Thought the game didn’t work if we step out of character,” you smile down at him as you slowly tease your way down his length.
“Don’t care about the game anymore, just want you.” He says as you guided him into you, the both of you let out a sigh at the familiar feeling. You slowly grind before adjusting to a rhythm as Harry’s hands move down your back before palming over your ass. You love this feeling of control as you grind, watching Harry bite his lip and moan underneath you knowing that you’re the one making it happen.
“Harry,” You moan as he moves his head up to start kissing down your neck as you tug at the back of his hair. His hands move to where your bodies are connected, circling over your clit as you ride through your second orgasm and Harry meets you there shortly after, a whisper of “I love you” leaving his lips as you both catch yourself in the waves of the aftermath. Your bodies stay a tangled mess on the couch as Harry lays back and you get off of him.
“Happy Valentine’s Day baby,” You whisper before moving to lay next to him with your head on his chest.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he says with the same dimpled grin that caught your eye all those years later, “you almost had me second guessing if you were actually there for me or if there was actually another bloke waiting to steal my wife from me,” he laughs.
“Unfortunately, I’m afraid I’m stuck with you Styles,” you laugh.
“Hey, s’not very nice to talk to your husband that way,” he frowns.
You move in closer for a kiss, “Husband, I love the sound of,” you say as you continue kissing him, staying there for what felt like hours, mouths moving against each other as hands continued to explore your bodies like you were that young couple that was just starting to get to know each other.
And here you were now, a few years older and wiser, married and still so stupidly in love.
hey, lovies! i’ve been so excited to post this fic because i am in love with Harry and Jules and i hope you will be too (and excuse the lousy banner i just wanted to have something lol)! this is a part of @1dffchallenges’s valentine’s day challenge, so i hope you enjoy reading it and happy valentine’s day, it’s all about spreading love around so here is some love from me to all of you ❤️
a special thank you to @fireproofrry @bodejacketharry @strawberryystyles for beta reading and giving feedback, you are absolute angels <3
word count: 7.7k
warnings: none!
challenge prompt and dialogue: strangers alone on valentine’s day + “I’m allergic to chocolate. And roses.”
It’s official, valentine’s day is the worst.
At least that’s what Jules thought as she adjusted herself on the bar stool, trying to get into a comfortable position while she waited for her drink to be served.
It wasn’t in Jules’ agenda to spend what was supposed to be the most romantic day of the year alone at a bar ten minutes away from her apartment. If she was still with Leon, they would have been having a nice dinner somewhere, laughing over whatever funny story one of them had to share about their day at the company.
But alas, Leon was someone else’s now and Jules was only left with her own company.
Truth be told, though, Jules never minded being alone, in fact, she enjoyed being by herself because people were simply exhausting.
But being alone and being lonely were too completely different things, and Jules hated feeling lonely.
And valentine’s day only made that worse. Seeing loved up couples around her, flashes of red and pink everywhere she glanced, hearing cheesy love songs blasting through the speakers of the shops she passed by. Everything about valentine’s day just seemed to remind her of her lonely status.
Instead of staying at her apartment all night long doing nothing but watching rom coms and feeling sorry for herself, Jules thought of a better alternative, which was to get pissed drunk. So when she got up in the morning to go to work (because even on valentine’s day duty calls), she put on her favourite black dress, one that was sleeveless and had a deep v-neckline, and put on enough makeup to feel confident in the way she looked before pulling on her coat and venturing into the cold streets of London.
If she was going to get pathetically drunk by herself at a bar after work whilst everyone else was being all lovey dovey, then she would look hot doing it.
The sound of a glass coming in contact with the wooden surface broke her out of her reverie and she glanced up, finding that the bartender had placed her drink in front of her and he was beaming at her. “There you go, love, happy valentine’s day.”
After squinting at the name tag (she’s never seen him here before, he must be new), Jules forced herself to return his smile and lifted her glass. “Cheers, Jonah.”
Poor guy must have thought she was waiting for a date or something. Too bad, no one was going to be joining Jules on this fine evening. Just me, myself, and I.
Setting her glass back on the counter after taking a big gulp, Jules scowled as she was reminded of the items she had received earlier in the day. For some reason, Leon thought it was a good idea to give her a box of chocolates and a rose, even though they were no longer together and he had another woman by his side.
She appreciated the thought behind it, he probably just wanted to be nice or maybe he felt guilty, but his gift was staring at her, almost laughing at her misery and she wasn’t having it.
That is why she instantly asked Jonah for a fork, which caused him to send her a confused look but he complied nonetheless, and she proceeded to stab the pieces of chocolate placed perfectly in the box, taking out her frustration on the sweets.
Once satisfied, she dropped the fork with a clunk and heaved out a sigh, lazily resting her chin in her right hand before looking back at Jonah. He was staring at her with wide eyes as he dried off some shot glasses, surely thinking that she was a lunatic, but Jules just flashed him a sweet smile and shifted her eyes back to the chocolates she had just assaulted.
Poor chocolate, but oh well.
“Are you alright there?”
“What the fuc-“ The sudden voice caused her to jump in her seat and she almost fell off the bar stool if it weren’t for the hand that magically materialised behind her, holding her steady.
Before she had a chance to slap the hand off her back, the stranger retracted it and returned to his seat and she had the chance to take a proper look at him.
The man stared back at her with concerned eyes, a stool separating the two of them, but he was still not that far away from her. Jules wondered when he had gotten there because she certainly didn’t feel him arrive. Perhaps it was during her chocolate rampage.
What really surprised her though, more than his sudden appearance, was the fact that she knew who he was. In fact, she believed everyone knew the man sitting beside her because it was none other than Harry Styles.
Many questions ran through Jules’ head, the most important being what on earth was a guy like him doing at this bar on valentine’s day? Jules never believed in the image the media painted of him, but surely he has something better to do than be here, all by himself it seems?
As big of a fan as she was, the fact that he was right before her didn’t faze Jules all that much, her mind was more preoccupied by other matters. So, she ended up doing what she would’ve done if it was any other person: she glared at him and wordlessly turned back in her seat, pretending as if he wasn’t there.
He didn’t seem to take the hint.
“You were quite aggressive with the chocolate there.” His deep voice floated in the empty bar as he pointed at the box in front of her.
Jules inhaled deeply before responding in a flat tone. “I’m allergic to chocolate.” Glaring at the single rose lying beside the box, she grabbed it and tossed it on the floor beneath her, silently cursing Leon once more. “And roses.”
She felt guilty for littering, but she’d pick it up when she leaves. Eventually.
“Are you really?” The man beside her questioned, leaning forward in his seat, his body completely turned towards her at this point. She could tell from her tone that he was skeptical of her supposed allergies and she honestly couldn’t blame him.
“No,” she found herself shaking her head, signalling for Jonah to get her another drink, still keeping her body facing forward and only glancing at him from her peripheral vision, “I’m just fucking with you.”
To her surprise, he let out a small laugh, not seeming to be upset. Jules couldn’t help but turn her head a bit to look at him, finding a dimpled smile on his and she wondered what was wrong with this guy.
“May I ask why you were stabbing the poor sweets then?”
Figuring she should just put him out of his misery and answer his question, Jules huffed and crossed her legs, not missing the way his gaze flickered down for a split second before returning to her face. She ignored it and sighed, “Well if you must know, my ex gave them to me this morning.”
“Trying to get you to take him back?”
“Oh god no,” Jules laughed at the notion, her hand waving off his wrong assumption, “he’s as happy as can be with his new girlfriend.”
The blatant confusion on his face prompted her to provide more explanation.
“We broke up a couple of months ago, he left me for someone else. So he probably just felt guilty.”
“He left you for someone else? And before the holidays?” When she nodded in confirmation, he shook his head with a frown. “Bastard.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Valentine’s day just sucks, it’s just a reminder of how lonely you are,” she muttered with bitterness, “Of how lonely I am.”
“Well if it’s any consolation,” Harry said, pausing to ask the bartender for another drink, “I’m lonely tonight too.”
“Well, obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t be here getting drunk on your own.” With a few drinks already in her system, Jules practically had no filter whatsoever (not that she really had one in the first place).
“Touché,” he clicked his tongue, then leaned back to chug down the rest of his glass. Jules was almost concerned by how quickly he downed his drink, but she’s not in a position to talk, after all, she’d been doing the same. “But I’m not getting drunk on my own now, am I? You’re right here.”
She scoffed, eyebrows raising at his words. “Who said I’m keeping you company? Or that I’m not leaving any second now?”
“I don’t think you are.” He responded with much conviction that it almost threw Jules off.
“You think too confidently about a stranger you just met.”
“Let’s fix the strangers part then, shall we? I’m Harry.” He extended his ring-clad hand and Jules noticed a coat of red nail polish on his fingers. How ironic.
She sighed before deciding to entertain him, grabbing a firm hold of his surprisingly warm hand. Maybe she’ll allow him to keep her company tonight. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to leave her alone anyway.
“Jules.” She simply responded before turning back to her drink, swirling the pink straw around. She made a mental note to thank Jonah later for the cute straw.
“Jules” Harry repeated, as if testing the name on his lips and Jules would be lying if she said that she didn’t like the way it rolled off his tongue. “Is that a nickname for Julie? Julia? Short for Juliann-“
“Juliet. It’s Juliet.” She interrupted his ridiculous ramble. He surely was inquisitive. And did she really look like a Julianne?
“Huh,” he hummed, gliding a finger over the rim of his glass, staying silent for a few seconds and Jules thought he was maybe done for the night.
She thought wrong, it seems.
“Oh, Juliet, oh, Juliet, where art thou, Juliet?” He dramatically recited, voice going deeper as he stared upwards at a spot over the bar. Simply put, Jules thought he looked ridiculous.
She could hear Jonah snickering in the background.
“It’s where art thou, Romeo, but nice try.” She rolled her eyes in response to his theatrics. Almost everyone she’s ever encountered has commented on her name and made a reference to the infamous Shakespearean tragedy that she’s never been too fond of. It’s why she mostly went by Jules.
No one’s ever recited that line though, however wrong it was. That was a first.
“I knew that,” the curly-haired man mumbled beside her, swirling his glass and watching the ice cubes swim around, “was just joking, geez, tough crowd.”
Jules couldn’t help but roll her eyes again in response. That joke got old a long time ago.
She’s beginning to regret coming to this bar tonight. Maybe she should’ve just headed straight home and cuddled into her blankets.
“It’s pretty, though,” he added a few moments later, “beautiful name for a beautiful woman”
No way. She huffed, spinning in her seat to face him once again. “That’s your line? Tell me, Mr. Rockstar, has that really worked on anyone before?”
She could tell he was a bit surprised but tried to hide it; unluckily for him, Jules was a very observant person, hardly anything passed her.
“I-I didn’t mean it like that-“
She interrupted him again and leaned in closer, resting her elbow on the countertop and raised an eyebrow. His eyes flickered for a fleeting second to the charm bracelet adorning her wrist. “So you don’t think my name’s beautiful? Or that I’m beautiful? Sheesh, Harry, you’re not looking good here.”
Harry spluttered, staring at her with eyes blown wide in panic and Jules almost felt bad for messing with him; it was just hard not to, she was lonely and he was right there annoying her with his lousy jokes, so he has the unfortunate fate of being her victim tonight (and truthfully, he brought it on himself). And if she was being honest, messing with Harry Styles was just too entertaining of an opportunity for her to pass on.
To be fair, she was a little annoyed by his presence in the beginning, having originally planned to wallow in her misery all by herself, but now she’s having fun. She might just enjoy her time with him.
“No- no of course I think you’re beautiful, y-your name too,” he responded in clear panic, seemingly trying to figure out how he can redeem himself. Jules’ attention was momentarily caught by the way his rings glimmered under the light as he flexed his fingers, still fumbling for a response. “I was just-“
“Styles,” she interrupted him, yet again, with a light-hearted laugh and shook her head, hair falling forward on her shoulders, “Relax, was just messing with you.”
His shoulders visibly relaxed and he heaved out a sigh of relief; his eyes then narrowed and he lifted his hand, pointer finger wagging in her direction. “You really like messing with people, huh? Not very nice of you.”
“Made you sweat, no? Was just having fun. I can now say that I’ve made the infamous Harry Styles stumble over his words. How much do you think they’ll pay me for that hot gossip? Reckon it would be a lot.” She said as she turned back in her seat, now facing the bar once again, but she knew he caught the smirk on her face and the teasing lilt in her tone.
Coming to the bar was definitely a good decision.
Harry felt like a proper idiot.
Here he was, sitting at a pub with a lovely woman that clearly didn’t want to be bothered, yet he had to fuck things up and be a git.
And the Juliet bit? Harry had never been more embarrassed, he didn’t know what he was thinking, or if he was thinking at all. He made sure to remind himself that he wasn’t that funny and should just stop trying to be. You’re making a fucking fool of yourself.
In spite of his rather embarrassing advances, Harry found himself enjoying Jules’ company immensely, even if she had barely looked his way when he had arrived at his spot.
She might’ve looked irritated by his insistent attempts to start a conversation with her in the beginning, but from the way her body has been facing him for the past half an hour and the smile or two she’d thrown his way, Harry had a feeling she was warming up to him.
He discovered that she was an accountant, which thoroughly surprised him because she didn’t seem like one. Harry doesn’t like to judge a book by its cover, but Jules definitely didn’t scream accountant, more like a Greek goddess or something. Her black dress hugged her body in a way that almost made Harry dizzy; he had noticed her the second he walked into the nearly empty pub – and before he could even think about it, he found his legs carrying him in her direction (he was already headed to the bar anyway, or so he told himself).
Admittedly, the way she was stabbing the chocolates had him fearing for his life for a split second, but Harry brushed it off and figured she just wasn’t a fan of valentine’s day, if her apparent disdain for the sweets and the rose before her was any indication.
He was also surprised to learn that she’d moved here from America about five years ago and this pub was one she often frequented, yet Harry had never run into her somehow despite coming here a lot and living not too far himself.
He’s glad their paths have finally crossed tonight, though.
That being said, Jules was definitely keeping him on his toes. He never knew what she was going to say next, and she certainly did not hold back from saying exactly what was on her mind.
Harry found himself liking that about her, even if her forwardness came at his expense sometimes (he couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it). Oftentimes, people acted cautious around him and treated him differently just because of his status. Not Jules, though.
But now he could tell that she had something on her mind, from the way she looked at him then shifted her eyes elsewhere a second later.
“What is it?” He questioned, deciding to put her out of her fidgety state. He wasn’t sure what was holding her back, she certainly had no problem handing his ass to him earlier.
“It’s just,” she started, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, the movement catching Harry attention for a second before he reminded himself to be respectful, “what are you doing here by yourself tonight? I find it hard to believe that someone like you doesn’t have anyone to hang around on a day like this.”
Someone like him? Harry furrowed his eyebrows, not sure what she was implying with her words but he didn’t believe she meant it in a negative manner necessarily.
“That came out wrong, I didn’t mean anything like that,” she quickly defended, face becoming redder by the second and Harry was a little endeared by the sight. The woman before him was confident all throughout their conversation, having no fear in expressing her thoughts, yet now she was the flustered one. And Harry couldn’t help but enjoy it.
Time to give her a taste of her own medicine.
“What, thought someone like me had a flock of women at their beck and call and that I’d be off with one or some of them tonight?”
He gave her a blank look afterwards, pretending that he found offence in her words and he almost blew his cover at the way her face visibly fell.
“N-no!” she exclaimed, voice rising a few octaves and Harry could see the bartender, Jonah, suddenly flinch behind her from the sound. He pressed his lips together to silence the chuckle that threatened to escape and continued to stare Jules down.
“Of course I didn’t mean it like that,” she added in a much calmer tone, though Harry could detect that panic lacing her voice and he was starting to feel guilty. “I never believed that you were like that, I just,” she paused, averting her gaze away and staring at the lights above them instead, “never mind, just ignore me.”
Harry figured that she already knew of who he was and his status, and despite having just met her, the fact that she just said she doesn’t believe the rumours about him filled him with inexplicable warmth and he had to remind himself again that he’d only just met this woman. He shouldn’t feel anything of the sort towards her.
He could tell by the way her eyebrows were furrowed that she felt bad about what she’d said, so Harry called out her name and waited for her to look at him again.
When she did, her face holding an apprehensive look, he smiled at her and leaned a bit closer, which made little difference because there was still some space separating them.
“I was just messing with you, Jules,” he reached forward and flicked her nose, causing her to instinctively scrunch her face in a cute manner that had Harry’s stomach fluttering. “Doesn’t feel that nice now, does it?”
Jules chuckled in disbelief, wide eyes staring back at him and a smile was slowly stretching on her lips. “Touché. I see how it is then.”
Harry just shrugged, his own lips twitching as another smile threatened to appear. “Just having some fun, eh?”
Jules was now beaming at him and if Harry was standing, he was certain that his knees would’ve buckled at the sight. He already knew that Jules was gorgeous, and he was sure anyone would agree with him, but when as she smiled at him like that, eyes shining bright under the warm orange lights, brown hair cascading loosely yet somehow perfectly on her shoulders, there was no doubt in Harry’s mind that there was an angel sitting before him.
“Truce then?”
Her voice brought him back to earth and Harry chuckled before he shook her outstretched hand, marvelling for a moment at the way it felt enveloped in his. “Truce.”
“But to answer your question,” Harry said after a few beats of silence, glancing at her to find her eyes already set on him. “I didn’t have anything planned, haven’t been on many dates recently to be honest, so I just figured I’d come here and spend time with my good friend,” he lifted his drink with a wide grin on his face, “alcohol, the one thing that never let me down.”
Jules threw her head back in a laugh, the sound being music to Harry’s ears and he wished he could record it just to hear it again and again. “Amen to that.”
The two clinked their glasses together, laughing stupidly for no reason, before they threw their heads back to drink.
“Another round, then?”
Jonah suddenly appeared in front of them, startling Harry a bit. Sometimes he forgot that the man was lingering around behind the bar.
Jules took the liberty to respond for the both of them, exclaiming a “hell yeah, buddy!” that had the two men laughing, and soon enough their glasses were refilled.
After taking a sip, Harry leaned his head on the palm of his hand and set his eyes on Jules again, “So, are you a fan? Of me or of the band?”
He had to ask, he couldn’t help but wonder. If she was indeed a fan, she certainly didn’t show it.
Jules shrugged, playing nonchalant it seemed, but it didn’t escape him the way her cheeks seemed to redden. “Eh, I dabble. You’re alright.”
Her response made him chuckle. “Good to know.” Call him a narcissist, but he really wanted to know whether or not she liked his music. Perhaps he’ll inquire further later.
Because Harry knows that there’s no way he’s letting Jules go anytime soon.
Getting to know Harry was fun.
Sometime during the night, Harry had migrated from his seat onto the bar stool beside her, their thighs brushing against each other every now and then.
Tapping his fingers around his glass, Harry’s rings clinked against it and Jules couldn’t help but be slightly captivated by the action. She wasn’t one to stare at anyone’s hands, but she had to admit that Harry’s were fascinating to look at; his long and slender fingers, adorned by a number of his infamous rings, were truly a sight to see.
She took the chance to also admire his outfit, something she was too busy to do earlier on. His coat was long discarded on the stool beside him, which allowed her eyes to run over his figure. His upper body was covered by a plain white t-shirt with the word “Sex” displayed on his chest, a pair of pair of wide-legged black pants covering his long limbs; it was a simple fit yet it made it difficult for Jules to take her eyes off him. And his hair just looked so soft that her fingers were begging her to touch the fallen strands on his forehead.
Hearing Harry clear his throat broke her out of her trance and Jules realised from the smirk that stretched on his lips that she’d been caught in the act.
She tried playing it off, as if she hadn’t been shamelessly checking him out for the last couple of minutes and smoothed her hands down her dress, adjusting in her seat because honestly, her butt was starting to ache.
But she didn’t want to leave just yet.
Seeming to notice her discomfort, however, Harry downed the last bit of his drink before setting his glass down with a smack, causing Jonah, who was still lingering around them, to shoot Harry a warning glance and a low “careful!”, to which Harry smiled sheepishly before turning to face her again.
“Want to get out of here?”
Jules’ eyebrows shot upwards in surprise, having not expected him to want to continue spending the night with her.
“Sure there’s nothing else you’d rather be doing?” She couldn’t help but question, still struggling to grasp the fact that he still wanted to be around her. Her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her dress, eyes staring into his emerald ones as she waited to hear his response.
Truth be told, she was enjoying his company far much more than she had anticipated and she didn’t want to part from him just yet.
To her relief, a dimpled smile adorned Harry’s face as he took in her words before he shook his head, “Trust me, Jules, there’s no one else I’d rather be with tonight.”
She’d be lying if she said her heart didn’t skip a beat at that.
The two got up from their seats after thanking Jonah and fighting over who’s paying because Harry insisted on paying for her drinks. As she was gathering her things, she felt Harry’s presence behind her and she realised, after looking at him over her shoulders, that he was holding her coat up for her.
Heat rushed into her cheeks at the gesture, finding it sweet that he was helping her when he didn’t really have to. “Thank you,” she whispered, turning to him with a smile after feeling him adjust her hair.
His only response was a faint “No need” and he quickly turned to shrug on his own coat, the bashful smile on his lips not going unnoticed by her.
Flashing Jonah another smile, Harry extended his arm towards her and nodded his head towards the exit. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
The two stepped into the night, the biting London air hitting Jules’ cheeks immediately and she was positive her nose was already red from the cold.
Jules reached into her pocket to grab her phone, realising that she hasn’t checked the device since she walked into the bar. There weren’t any notifications that she missed, which wasn’t surprising since her friends (all four of them) were out on dates or staying at home with their partners, so she was sure no one was thinking of her at the moment.
Noticing that it was already 8 in the evening and they were aimlessly walking down the street, Jules turned to Harry with a questioning gaze. “Where are we going?”
Leaning his head down to look at her (or perhaps to be closer, Jules wasn’t sure), he paused, seeming to think, before shrugging his shoulders. “Dunno if I’m quite honest.”
Jules found herself chuckling at him. How did her day end with her walking around with no purpose with a man she’d just met?
She looked at the sign closest to them before she turned to him and did something she rarely ever did. She found herself inviting him to her apartment because they were quite close.
A smirk found its way onto Harry’s lips and she started to regret her decision. “Already trying to get me into your bed, Juliet?”
She mentally cursed at the way her heart leaped upon hearing her name roll off his tongue. Almost no one called her Juliet anymore, except for her parents when they were being serious, but she found herself wanting to hear him say her name over and over again.
Shaking her head at the thought, Jules reached her arm out and lightly slapped his shoulder. “Oh come off it, you idiot. You can just go ahead and cry alone in your mansion if you want.”
Harry raised his hands in surrender and muttered an apology, although the smile lingered on his lips and Jules tried to ignore the fluttering feeling in her chest.
“Lead the way, then.”
“Make yourself at home, I’ll get us something to drink.”
The walk to her apartment was full of smiles and laughter. She’s come to the conclusion that Harry loves making people laugh, even if his jokes were actually awful, but she found it endearing; he was like a ray of sunshine bringing joy to those around him.
She was glad that she had cleaned up the place a couple of days ago, it would’ve been embarrassing to have someone over to see pyjamas and junk strewn over her furniture. Suffice to say, Jules was a bit of a mess around the house.
After hanging up her coat and Harry’s, she made her way into her kitchen and looked for the good wine she reserved for special occasions. She easily grabbed it, along with two glasses, but then Jules found herself lingering by the kitchen island.
It dawned on her that there was a man in her living room, and he wasn’t just anyone. This was Harry Styles, someone she’d long admired and holy shit was this really happening?
And as sad as it may sound, she’s never felt this connection with anyone before, never felt like the person before her got her and could keep up with her. Yet with Harry, it felt different, and that scared her because she’d only just met him a couple of hours ago.
And he was bound to forget all about her after tonight. He’s just looking for some company, and Jules didn’t think she was that special. Eventually, he’s going to leave. Just like everyone else.
Feeling like the black marble of the island was starting to swirl in her vision, Jules snapped out of her thoughts and sucked in a deep breath before moving back towards the living room.
Harry had his hands interlocked behind his back, perusing through her record collection and it made her inadvertently smile. She was proud of her vast collection of vinyl records, a good portion of them handed down to her by her father; they both had a deep appreciation for records that her mum often made fun of them for.
“Found anything you like?” He jolted at her voice, not having noticed her presence behind him, but then his shoulders immediately relaxed.
Turning towards her with a wide grin, Harry gestured to the shelf behind him. Jules liked the way he seemed to glow underneath the dim lights and she wished she could take a picture of this moment as a keepsake. “This is amazing, there are records here that I couldn’t even find.”
“You can thank my dad for that,” she told him, making herself comfortable on the couch but not breaking eye contact once, “he’s been collecting them for decades and I’m so glad he let me have some, like you should see his collection back home, it’s even more impressive.”
“Hope I’ll get to someday.”
His response caught her off-guard. Before Jules could react, Harry’s teasing voice carried through the room.
“You dabble, you said?” He smirked, turning the Fine Line record in hand to show her and also nodding to the space that held One Direction records. Jules groaned out loud and flopped against the back of the couch.
“A little yeah. Sue me.”
She blushed under his amused gaze, a little embarrassed that he’d found her collection of the band’s records and his own solo music.
“It’s okay,” he assured her, dimples adorning his cheeks, “think it’s cute that you’re a big fan.”
“Don’t know why that makes me cute but okay if you say so.” She mumbled under her breath, realising that he heard her when he chuckled.
“Mind if I put on something then?”
Jules shook her head, signalling for him to go ahead while she poured their drinks. Soon afterwards Stevie Nicks’ voice filled the silence and her lips tugged up at the choice.
The couch dipped beside her when Harry sat down, the scent of his cologne invading her senses. Jules doesn’t think anyone has ever smelled as good as him, but she chose to keep that thought to herself and instead handed him his drink.
A few moments of silence passed after he quietly thanked her, Stevie’s voice the only thing that can be heard.
“So,” he started, throwing an arm on the back of the couch, a shit-eating grin on his handsome face, “would I find any 1D posters if I went into your room?”
“Oh fuck you.” She threw one of the cushions at him, smiling at the way he threw his head back in laughter.
Jules did not mind his company at all.
“Hold on a minute,” Harry straightened up from his previously relaxed position on the couch, “you all work together and you see him and his new girlfriend every day?”
“Yup, you can imagine how fun that is.” She loved her job as an accountant, having always been fascinated with numbers, but she hated having to see him every day in the office across from hers.
It’s not like she hated him, they actually ended on good terms, all things considered. Leon wasn’t bad, he never cheated on her, but the feelings between them just died out, a flicker of something that dwindled into nothing. So, they were friendly with each other and that’s probably the reason why he brought her a box of chocolate and a rose.
But Juliet just didn’t like the daily reminder that she was in fact much lonelier than he was; it’s like rubbing salt in the wound.
“Shit, Jules, that must be hard,” he frowns, leaning forward to pat her hand, “I’m sorry you have to go through that.”
“It’s not that serious,” she mumbles, feeling heat rushing to her cheeks at the simple touch and she mentally cursed herself. She had sworn off men for the unforeseeable future. “I’m over him. You know, I actually think I was never really in love with him to begin with.”
“Why’d you think that?” He questions, his thumb still softly caressing her hand; Jules wasn’t sure if he was aware of that or was absentmindedly doing it. Either way, the touch warmed her.
“I think,” she started, setting her glass of wine on the coffee table so she could sink in further into the couch, the move unintentionally bringing her body closer to Harry’s. “I think I was just happy to have someone around, someone to spend time with. I’ve spent a lot of my life alone and I think I just clung onto him because he kept me company.”
A few beats of silence passed before she continued. “That makes me sound horrible, no, it’s not like I used him, I did enjoy his company and we had a lot of fun together, but I think I was just in love with the idea of him, not him.”
Harry nodded his head, leaning back and mirroring her position, “I understand. That’s how I felt in most of my relationships actually. I longed to have someone around so I wouldn’t be lonely, but I’ve learned over the years that having company doesn’t mean that you won’t feel lonely.”
“You sounded pretty heartbroken on your last record though.” If she wasn’t as inebriated as she was, Jules would have probably had some filter and wouldn’t have said that.
Luckily, Harry chuckled in response and relaxed further into the couch, retracting his hand from hers (she instantly missed the warmth), but he didn’t seem upset. “I was. I would say that I was actually falling in love with her, so I was a bit of a mess when she left me.”
His words made her frown. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t know how anyone could leave you.” She muttered under her breath, forgetting that she was usually louder than normal after she’s had a few drinks.
“Could say the same thing about you.”
With her cheeks flushed, Jules forced herself to look him in the eye again. “You don’t even know me.”
“But I’d like to get to know you.” He almost instantly shot back, resting his chin on his hand and his dimples made an appearance, “I think you’re very interesting.”
“Pfft, me? Interesting?” She laughed, waving him off with her hand. “I am anything but.”
“That’s not true!” Harry vehemently denied, sounding almost offended at the thought, which admittedly made Jules’ heart skip a beat. Just a little.
“I’ve spent a few hours with you now and I can already confidently say that you’re one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met,” his eyes shone bright as she stared into them and she could somehow tell he was being sincere, “and trust me, I’ve met a lot of people.”
Dramatically placing a hand over her heart, Jules flashed him her biggest smile. “Oh how special that makes me feel, I can just die happily now.”
Even though she was being melodramatic, his words did cause Jules’ heart to flutter. In the past, some people told her she was annoying, or brash, and some others would make her feel invisible and undeserving of attention.
Harry, though, was unlike anyone she had ever known. From the moment they met, Harry made her feel like the centre of his attention, never once ignored her or brushed her off, even when she was taking the piss; his emerald eyes were always set on her, giving her his undivided attention as he listened to every word that came out of her mouth.
Jules was definitely not used to that.
Harry threw his head back in laughter, a sound that Jules found to be a beautiful melody, and gazed at her with those bright eyes. “Oh you’re insufferable, I take it back.”
She gasped in feigned shock, crossing her arms with force. “No backsies.”
Another melodic laugh left Harry’s mouth and she couldn’t stop the smile forming on her lips; right then and there, Jules decided that his laugh was one of her favourite sounds.
“Backsies?” He echoed, his tone still laced with laughter, “what are you, five?”
“Shut your pretty mouth.”
“Oh so you think I have a pretty mouth?” His smirk caused his skin to flush and she cursed herself for saying those words. She really needed to think before she spoke, something her parents always reminded her of.
She recovered quickly, bringing her glass closer to her mouth. “I mean, it’s fine, your lips are a little on the thin side but-“
“Heyyy now,” he protested, pink lips forming a pout and Jules definitely thought about kissing them at that moment. “That’s not nice.”
“Never claimed I was nice now, did I?” Jules smirked, feeling a sudden surge of confidence as she took another sip from her drink.
Jules did not miss the way Harry’s eyes seemed to darken just a little, his jaw tensing as she continued to stare him down. Harry leaned forward, mouth opening to respond when suddenly a shrill tone burst their bubble.
Patting the couch cushions, Jules was trying her hardest to forget the look on Harry’s face as she searched for her phone. Stop it, Jules, he’s an international rockstar and he won’t even remember you after tonight.
She sighed in relief when her hand made contact with the device, but that quickly turned into a groan upon seeing who the caller was. Looking back at Harry, who was leaning against the armrest simply staring at her, she shot him an apologetic look before she answered the call.
“Hey, mama” she closed her eyes, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Not that she was expecting anything to happen between her and Harry, but the mood was definitely ruined now.
“Hello, honey, how are you? Are you home yet?” Her mother’s calming voice sounded from the other side of the line, making her smile a bit despite the interruption. Ever since the breakup, her mom made sure to call her frequently to check up on her, even though Jules insisted that she didn’t have to.
“I am home, mom, yes,” she responded, shifting her gaze back to Harry who was now leaning his head against the back of the sofa with his eyes closed.
“Good, good. Just checking on you, cariña, how was your night then?”
“It was fine,” she paused for a second, not sure if she should mention meeting Harry now, but she decided it was best not to, “had a few drinks then went straight home. Think I’m gonna go to bed in a few actually.”
She could tell by the way Harry’s lips twitched that he was awake and listening.
“I won’t keep you up then,” some noise was in the background and she heard her mother whisper to someone, “okay, honey, good night! And your dad says good night too.”
“Good night, mama,” Jules smiled, finding herself suddenly missing her family that she hasn’t seen since the holiday season. “Tell dad I said good night too, and that he better spoil you today.”
Her mother’s laugh ringed loud on the other side, “We’re going to dinner tonight, cariña, and he even got me a large bouquet of my favourite roses! Joseph shh- Alright then, bye bye, sweets, love you!”
“Bye, mama, love you too.”
A few seconds passed after she ended the call before Harry spoke up, head tilted to the side. “That sounded sweet. Does she check up on you often?”
Jules hummed in response, resting her head sideways on the sofa so was mirroring his position. “Especially after the breakup. She just worries too much about me.”
“I don’t think she needs to,” he shot her a gentle smile, one that made her want to wrap her arms around him and bask in his warmth, “her daughter’s a very strong woman.”
Not finding any words to say in response, Jules continued tracing Harry’s features, lazily admiring the slope of his nose, the curve of his brows, the sharpness of his jawline; everything about the man before her was mesmerising.
Turning her gaze back to his eyes, Harry flashed her another smile before sitting up straight, the smile slowly dropping. “I should probably go now, it’s getting late.”
Jules immediately wanted to shout “no!” and ask him to stay, but the rational part of her mind told her that she shouldn’t, that she would only set herself up for heartbreak when he finally leaves her.
So the only thing she could say was a faint “Okay.”
As they stood up, it seemed like Harry was holding back from saying something, but she didn’t know if she was just reading too much into things. It was probably just her hazy mind (though she’d argue her head has never been clearer)
They silently made their way to her door, Jules feeling deflated at the prospect of his departure. Would they keep in touch? Would she just become a distant memory, a miserable woman he spent a lonely valentine’s day with?
“Can I-“ Harry abruptly stopped in his tracks, causing Jules to almost run into his back because she was trailing behind him. His demeanour was suddenly all shy when he turned to face her, cheeks flushed crimson.
Jules waited with bated breath and wide eyes for him to continue, heart beating loudly in her chest.
“Can I have your number?”
Relief washed over Jules and Harry visibly relaxed at the bashful smile on her lips. Jules didn’t know why he was so nervous, but the sight was so endearing to her.
She added her number after he handed her the device, secretly smiling at her contact name Juliet x. She already earned herself an x after her name after a few hours? Jules’ heart was beating so loudly she feared Harry would hear its calls for him.
Jules watched him put his shoes on, wishing the night wouldn’t end so soon and wondering if it would be too forward to ask him to stay longer.
Deep in her thoughts, Jules didn’t register that Harry was standing in front of her, bodies close enough that the scent of his cologne engulfed her senses once more.
“I should go now.” Harry whispered, leaning down and wrapping his arms around her and Jules had never felt so whole. She’s heard about Harry’s incredible hugs and now that she’s experiencing it, she never wanted to let go of his warmth.
Harry broke their embrace much too soon for her liking, but not before peppering a gentle kiss on the side of her head. “Good night, Juliet.”
Say something. Don’t let him leave. “Good night, H.”
And then he was gone and Jules was left on her own once more.
After staring longingly at the closed door, as if he would suddenly appear behind it, Jules sighed and made her way back to the living room, slumping against the couch cushions and wishing Harry’s arms were around her again.
Her phone dinged on the coffee table, signalling the arrival of a text. A simple “Hey. I really enjoyed tonight. H” was staring back at her.
Jules contemplated for a few seconds, heartbeats picking up their speed again, before she whispered “fuck it” and clicked on his number.
“Juliet?”
Deciding to go after what her heart wants for once, Jules didn’t hesitate to respond, “Do you want to-“
But an insistent knock interrupted her and Jules wanted to scream at the intrusion. Who on earth would be knocking at her door at this hour?
“Harry, hold on just-“
She takes frustrated strides to the door, ready to yell, but the sight behind it made her anger immediately evaporate.
“H-Harry? What are you doin-“
“What were you going to ask me?” He interrupted, sounding a little out of breath and she wondered if he ran all the way back to her apartment.
Feeling emboldened by his return, Jules took a few steps towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands immediately grabbing her face and pulling her closer, their lips joining together in a gentle yet eager kiss.
Jules felt her body melt in his hold. Their kiss only lasted for a few seconds before they pulled apart, still lingering so close that she could taste his wine-stained lips.
“Stay?” Jules asked, rubbing her nose against his, her heart thudding in her chest as she waited for his answer. Her words carried more weight than she had intended them to and she hoped they wouldn’t scare him off. But her worries vanished when she felt him smile widely against her lips.
“For as long as you’ll have me.”
Maybe valentine’s day isn’t so bad after all.
thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed it and please come talk to me about Harry and Jules and tell me your thoughts!
Author’s note: HELLO! This is my part for the Valentine’s Day challenge that @1dffchallenges put together. Make sure to keep an eye out for any other pieces published by other authors. Enjoy! And happy Valentine’s weekend! (:
Summary: Harry agrees to go on a blind date set up by his friends in hopes that it will help him move on from an unrequited love.
Word count: 3K
Challenge prompt and dialogue: blind date set up by friends. “I don’t want this to end...”
There’s a first for everything. Harry’s had his fair share of them at the age of twenty-seven. First time on an aeroplane at the tender age of six for a family holiday in Rome. First kiss on his home town’s park with someone he deeply cared about. First time in a recording studio. First time going on tour. The first night spent alone in his new and barely furnished home. The first morning he laid eyes on the girl next door. The ugly heartbreak after she got married, certainly felt worse than his first one.
Life is full of firsts, Harry knows that, and he wishes to have been the first to sneak his way into Jane’s heart, all those years ago.
"You love her" it almost sounds like an accusation coming from Jeff, though the last thing he wants is to make Harry feel guilty. The musician doesn't reply, he shrugs, eyes never leaving her no matter how deep into the ocean she seems to be. "Does she know?" Harry shakes his head in denial. "Did you bring her along just so you could tell her?"
"I enjoy writing music with her, that's why she's here," his tone leaves no room for more questions, the manager knows and sighs defeated. Harry stands from his spot on the beach and heads back inside the house, alone.
Is he being that obvious?
He reviews the past few days and wonders where he slipped, nothing rings any bell. Harry completely and conveniently forgets how he doesn't nag her for having a smoke after dinner, instead he just opens the window and stands close to it, or how he's been making her a cuppa everyday at noon. But it was the time when Jane asked him to help her French plait her hair when something clicked in Jeff's brain, the way Harry beamed at such a simple request left no room for questioning. Yet he asked him, because there was that tiny chance of it all being part of the manager's imagination, but when he looked back on it, the little things now made more sense to him and in a way he always knew.
They've been in Port Antonio for two weeks now and everything was going just dandy, Harry was writing more than ever, the first week he had a new song every day, he even polished the old ones and had a tune for his favourites, thanks to Mitch's help. When Jeff Azoff got there earlier this week, he spent a good two hours talking to Jeff Bhasker about how much of a good idea the trip was.
"Harry is on a writing spree." He complimented Azoff's client, it was nothing but the truth. However the reason for it all, was now heading back to the house to join the others after a good surfing session.
Jane went straight to take a shower, ready to rinse all the ocean's saltiness from her body, thinking how wonderful it would've been if her own worries could be washed away with her tangerine shampoo. In contrast to Harry's good spirits and excellent mood, her own cloud of trouble seemed to follow her all the way from London. She still hadn't heard from her husband, so it is safe to say he was still upset about her going away to work in Harry's album. It was impossible for her to forget the argument they had, at first thinking it was a joke on his side, insinuating that they were ‘shagging behind his back’.
After her shower, wearing comfortable clothes, Jane joins the others for supper but keeps to herself, still with the dichotomy about calling Alex or letting him be. He will eventually come to his senses and apologise.
What if he doesn't?
The thought alone of her clothes being packed in boxes by the time she gets back home almost makes her cry, perhaps she can call or text him just to test the waters. It is ridiculous how she seems to be more mature about this than him.
"Penny for them?" Harry's voice brings her back to the now empty dining room, the voices from the rest of their party can be heard from the living room.
"God I'm sorry H, lost myself out there for a moment," she is embarrassed, with him, the others and herself for letting this situation get under her skin. And she's also avoiding talking about it, with Harry or anyone. "I was just thinking about the tempo for Sweet Creature."
"Liar," he hates to be shut down by her more than anything. "Is it because I didn't let you eat the last peanut drop the other day?" It would've been easier for her to say it was, than to address the actual reason. But Harry hasn't lied to her, ever.
"No love, although I was a bit hurt because of that, it's actually this thing with Alex we are, I don't know, he was upset with me and said some things," Jane couldn't finish, her speech was cut short by a quiet sob and Harry was quick to pull her from the chair onto his lap and hold her tight. His own heart speeding at the sight of her distressed.
"When was the last time you spoke to him?"
"Two weeks ago." Her voice barely whispers on his chest, "he's being a wanker to be honest, just because he's not going on tour with any of his bands I'm supposed to be a stay at home wife!"
"Why don't you explain this to me, from the beginning, please?" He asks rubbing her back soothingly, and she spills it all, the having kids now or never argument, to her wanting to have a proper wedding party and finally the latest fight where Alex suggested an affair going on between her and Harry, the latter had to do his best not to put the option on the table, since her husband so kindly suggested it. Might as well, he thought. "It all sounds like a big misunderstanding, I know you're a great communicator sunshine, so it baffles me that you've let this go on for so long." He's got a point.
"You're right, but I feel like it's his turn, you know?" Jane's done weeping, but remained on her friend's lap and arms, head resting on his shoulder. "He's always forward, mature, a proper thirty year old except when it comes to arguments where we ought to reach an agreement," she plays a bit with the cross hanging from his neck, a scowl on her pretty face. "Like with the children thing, we only stopped arguing when I said that maybe in two more years we could have one instead of, you know, my early thirties." It's good that she can't see how upset Harry is.
"You gave into that one, he should do the same but it's his choice," Harry sighs and can't believe what he's about to say. "Take the day off tomorrow, call him or FaceTime, Skype whatever you choose, but have a proper conversation with him." She wants to argue and say it's not necessary to be absent the whole day, she can spare a few hours. But she will need time to think about what to say, make her point clear so they are on good terms until she goes back to London.
"Fine, but if he is still acting like a dickhead afterwards, I'm not going to let it into my head anymore, we will continue to bask in this great work environment going on here." Jane states, pulling away from his embrace just enough to give him that stern look she uses when trying to make a point, and Harry nods with a warm smile, the one she never gets tired of seeing. "I'll call it a night now, gonna be asleep in seconds now that I've got that out of my chest." She stands from his lap, missing his warmth instantly. "Thanks for that."
"Anytime honey pie." Harry says before leaving a kiss on her left hand that burns her skin from then till morning.
Jeff joins the musician in the dining room right after the girl walks away to her room, he takes a seat across from him and scrutinises the look of adoration his friend still sports once she is out of the room.
"She'll never know, if you never tell her." Jeff is right, but the thought alone of going through that again scares him to death. Or so he says, because there's a part of him that is fond of the thrill it makes him feel.
"It's not like I haven't tried, just last year I told her," Harry remembers that night vividly, how pretty she looked even with her makeup all smudged under her eyes. "I'm not sure if she heard, it was too loud like where we were at the time." He was also pissed out of his mind.
"H, there's nothing wrong with being in love."
"I'm not saying it is, but even if she did love me I– I would find a way to hurt her. Anyway. she's happily married now, it's too late." Saying it out loud doesn't hurt him any less like he thought it would. Harry sighs in defeat before rising from the chair, "she's everything to me, I wouldn't mess with her head by confessing my feelings, deep down I always knew she deserved better and now she has it and that's good enough for me." The musician disappears through the corridor where his everlasting love did just a few minutes ago, he paused for a moment outside her room, pondering whether to barge in and just follow his instincts, kiss her like he should've done after winning that award back in 2014.
Harry shakes his head and goes straight to his room, he reminds himself that it was time to let her go. It's for the best. He is not good enough for her, he can't even write a song for her, about her. He mustn't love her that much then.
What Harry doesn't know is that he can't write a song about her because he loves her too much, the poor lad can't even figure out where to start. But he's about to get rid of that curse in a day or two, he just needs to be patient.
The reward for it came, all of a sudden Harry wrote too many songs about her until she inevitably became aware of the situation they were in. Harry vowed to stay away from Jane’s life after recording the album. He dated people that didn’t remind him of her, and even moved temporarily to Japan. But despite all his efforts, four years later Harry still finds himself thinking about her, everything seems to be tainted by her. The music he adores, the new dinner recipes he cooks, the books he chooses to read.
Completely out of options he agreed to this blind date his friends set up for him.
He arrives at the modest restaurant they so kindly chose for the occasion. “All you have to do is wear something nice and show up.” Alexa reminded him over the phone last week.
This is a new first for him, it is also exciting, to take a seat at a table for two conveniently placed at the back, pretend to pay attention to the menu but let his green eyes avert to whoever approaches. Harry is having a great time, he knows that soon his date will arrive. He wonders what they’ll be like.
According to Alexa and Pixie, the person arriving is the perfect match for their young friend. Harry can only hope they like Vietnamese cuisine because that’s apparently this place’s special offer this week. If he’s lucky enough the date will agree to share a starter and perhaps two main courses, that way he doesn’t have to choose between one or the other.
“Here’s your table.” Harry hears the waiter speak and his gaze meets a very familiar figure standing beside him. It can’t be.
“Excuse me, there must be a mistake, I’m waiting for someone else.” Harry protests.
The waiter shakes his head and shows him the notepad with some specifications written down. “Nothing wrong, got specific instructions from Miss Chung, a lady will come in to say is here for Geldolf’s blind date, you are sitting at the table they reserved. I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order.” He is quick to explain and disappear.
Jane sits because there is no way she can stand any longer, her legs are about to give out from the commotion. This was not the blind date she was expecting either. It’s been at least four years since she last saw Harry. The night after he finally admitted being in love with her, waiting for a reaction, anything from her, after what seemed like hours but was only ten minutes later, he walked out of her house and entire life, leaving her confused and upset.
“How’ve you been?” she asked after confirming that Harry wasn’t going to up and leave.
“Pretty fantastic, until you arrived.” He’s never spoken to her like that before, with so much affliction in his tone. “What are you doing here?”
“I was set up on a blind date by Pixie—
He interrupts her. “That’s fucking convenient, did you all went to this much trouble, just to mock me? I thought they were my friends, you know, that even after everything, they cared about me.” Harry stops, his voice breaks, he’s so angry, hurt and confused by the situation. “Did your husband come along, to witness my humiliation too?” He looks around, trying to find the man of Jane’s dreams.
“I wouldn’t know if he’s here, haven’t seen him since we got divorced three years ago.” She snaps before hiding behind the menu from a gobsmacked Harry.
The words he’d been waiting to hear were finally out of her mouth. Unlike the million times he dreamt about this happening, Harry is not sweeping her off her feet and running away into the sunset holding her hand. Instead he reaches out to touch her arm, testing the waters. He waits for her to lower the menu and surprisingly there are no tears in her eyes. Perhaps only a bit of sorrow that is quickly replaced with confusion, at how fast her heart raced after Harry’s touch.
“Do you want to talk about it?” His voice is back to oozing the tenderness he reserves just for her. Jane nods.
“But can we share a rice bowl and Pho noodle soup?”
“Yes, and dessert too!” Even after four years Harry’s sweet tooth hasn’t changed, Jane sighs before the waiter is back to take their order.
Keeping a conversation between the two of them is not hard at all, even if it is an awkward topic —her not so recent divorce. “We didn’t have anything in common anymore, there were so many fights every single day. When I finally suggested the separation, he seemed relieved and I felt like a complete fool.” Jane remembers the sigh of comfort that came out of the man she once loved with all her heart before that rainy afternoon, when she finally decided that she’d had enough. “He left that night, hadn’t seen him since, his lawyer took care of everything,” a sour laugh escapes her lips, Harry’s eyes are full of sympathy for her. “I’m sorry for ruining your blind date, I know you’ve never been to one before.” Of course she did, she knows him better than anyone.
“This has to be the greatest date I’ve ever been to.” He speaks without a second thought.
All those years Harry spent away from Jane were not going to be in vain. He was not going to neglect the feelings he still had for her. That affection he felt for her, only her. Harry shifts in his seat, this is not at all how he planned it, in a restaurant full of people on fucking Valentine’s day. It almost seemed like a tacky move.
But after all this time of pining for her, hating her and himself at times. Harry was brave enough, it was now or never, he didn’t want to wait any longer, not after his friends schemed and executed this soppy plan to bring the two soulmates together. Before she could take the final bite of dessert that Harry kindly left for her. The world stopped.
“I don’t want this to end...” Harry says with a dimpled smile she can’t look away from. “I’d like to take you out on a second date, a third, fourth, fifth. Believe me when I tell you, I have planned up to a thousand of them.” He takes her hand in his and can feel her pulse race along his own. The smile splits his face again, because he knows, he feels, he sees it in her beautiful eyes. “Janey, you’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to hold on to. I know there is a name for this emotion, I’ve written songs about it, but now I don’t think it’s a word big enough for us.”
She squeezes his hand and breaths out a laugh, tears of joy brimming out of her eyes. “Let’s call it love, until we come up with a better name for it.” Harry agrees and just then, Jane brings up his hand to her lips.
His skin tingles where she kisses him for the first time and he beams at her.
There’s a first for everything, and although it feels like it for Jane and Harry, this isn’t by any means the first time they confess their love for each other. It was always there, in every laugh they shared, every song they wrote together, every touch. It was on Harry’s unwavering devotion, on his impatience and selfless actions throughout the years.
They were bound to be together, their story didn’t begin on that initial blind date, it did years ago after he caught a glimpse of her shiny black hair on the morning she moved into the house across the street.
Harry drives her back to her new flat on the other side of the city, enjoying every minute of the long ride, happy to hear her ramble about her newest obsession with romantic novels and burst out laughing after Jane confesses that sometimes she doesn’t finish reading books she likes, just to pretend the story keeps going. With a quick kiss to the back of her hand he completely agrees.
No tale is more compelling than one that never ends.
a quick last minute challenge in which authors must write a standalone oneshot revolving around valentine’s day and both a prompt and line of dialogue from the list below the cut
HOW IT WORKS
check out the prompts below the cut and send me your desired prompt and line of dialogue. i will then add your url against them to show you’ve claimed them.
you will have until february 14 to complete & post the challenge on your own blogs (note: feel free to post whenever you’re done! you don’t need to wait until the due date)
when posting the challenge, please tag this blog and use the hashtag #1dffvalentine to ensure it will be reblogged. if it isn’t reblogged within two days, please contact me as i may have missed it due to tumblr’s sucky tagging system
if you would like to post a preview for your challenge or start an inspiration tag or whatever else you wanna do to excite your readers, go ahead! it doesn’t have to be anonymous as it has been in previous challenges
IMPORTANT NOTES
as this is a “1dff” challenge, this means it must include at least one member of one direction
if you are unable to complete your challenge, that is okay! just let me know and i can remove your name from the prompt
all challenges should be at least a minimum of 1000 words
both ofc and y/n fics are welcome
you can write fluff, smut, angst, or whatever you like. just make sure you use appropriate warnings!
if you have completed your challenge and think you can complete another in time, then feel free to request another!
GOOD LUCK!
PROMPTS
blind date set up by friends ( @bumbershots )
late for a date ( @harrytheehottie )
strangers alone on valentine’s day ( @burberryharold )
surprise date while working late ( @soysauceharry )
stood up by date ( @adoremp3 )
testing positive on a pregnancy test
first date where everything goes wrong ( @thefangirlingbarista )
date cancels at the last minute ( @beautifulletdownfics )
galentine’s day
getting very drunk to forget you’re lonely ( @honestlyperfectionstyles )
movie night with friend turned something more ( @sunflwrvolume6 )
double date ( @hsogolden )
one forgets it’s valentine’s day, one goes over the top ( @sweetlygolden )
first attempt at speed dating ( @prismdreams )
a sexy surprise ( @prismdreams )
DIALOGUE
“I’m allergic to chocolate. And roses.” ( @burberryharold )
“So let me get this right. You want to hire me as your date for a Valentine’s Day Party?” ( @hsogolden )
“I don’t even know you, why should I say yes?” ( @adoremp3 )
“That better not be a pity rose. Pity chocolate I’ll take, but that’s it." ( @sunflwrvolume6 )
“Do you ever stop and think about me?”
“Yes, I got your letter.” ( @prismdreams )
“We’re not just friends and you fucking know it.” ( @thefangirlingbarista )
“Stay with me.” ( @honestlyperfectionstyles )
“Why are you so jealous?” ( @beautifulletdownfics )
You watch him shift in his seat, leaning forward before introducing himself, “I’m Harry,” he reaches his hand forward.
You repeat his name, “Harry?” You begin to smile trying your hardest to keep your laughter in.
Harry leans in further and you do the same, moving your head to the side so he can whisper something in your ear, “the game doesn’t work if you start laughing,” he leans back with the most self-satisfied smile on his face.
You smile back at him, shaking your head and then taking a sip of your alcohol.
“So, how long have you guys been together?”
“Three years.”
“And he’s already doing this? Looks like he doesn’t appreciate the things around him.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Leaving his misses on a holiday like this, for any man to swoop in and take her.”
“Oh? You think you have a chance with me?”
Harry leans over again, your knees knocking together before moving to whisper in your ear again, “I know it darling.”
💘 LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY COMING SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14 FOR THE @1dffchallenges VALENTINES DAY CHALLENGE 💘
a quick last minute challenge in which authors must write a standalone oneshot revolving around valentine’s day and both a prompt and line of dialogue from the list below the cut
MORE INFO ON THE CHALLENGE HERE
lovefool by @bumbershots
prompt: blind date set up by friends // dialogue: “I don’t want this to end…”
mean it by @sweetlygolden
prompt: one forgets it’s valentine’s day, one goes over the top // dialogue: “Just shut up and kiss me.”
unexpected by @prismdreams
prompt: first attempt at speed dating // dialogue: “Yes, I got your letter.”
