#ivyseries

[narrycherries]

ivy: for moments that we stole

She was trying to figure out how to understand her own body, and he was attempting to help as much as he could..

(part 9)

masterlist // ivy series

word count: 29.7k

warnings/tags: harry x oc, fluff, angst, enemies to lovers, alcohol use, jealousy, (slight hints at smut but no smut yet)

[a/n:: hi sorry it took so, so long for this to come out, hope it’s worth the wait <3!! I’m never writing a part that’s this long ever again lol!]

It hadn’t been quite a week since Harry came over in the middle of the night. Ivy was walking through the door of Niall’s store Thursday afternoon solely to see Harry. Due to her work schedule and him picking up shifts at the store after his regular job, they haven’t been able to physically see each other. Harry was devastated that he couldn’t see her, but he understood that she was tired after work. Every night, though, they talk on the phone and catch each other up on their days. 

Niall gave her a wave as she walked past the register. She quickly returned the gesture but didn’t waste time stopping to talk to him. Her destination was the back room where Harry told her he’d be at. He didn’t have a shift today, but he had a few lessons scheduled. Niall conducted the sessions at the store. Ivy strolled to the back, excitement firing up her body. She was ready to see him. Looking at his face on a screen during a video call or hearing his voice over the phone wasn’t enough to hold her over anymore. When she reached the back, she slowed down in the doorway and peaked into the room. Harry was sitting with his back to her on a stool, his hands holding a guitar. There was a young boy, most likely in his early teen years, sitting on the small couch across from him. Harry was talking to him about their progress, saying how he was doing a good job. 

“I think in a few more sessions you’ll be playing confidently.” Harry said, resting the guitar he was using on a stand before standing up. 

The boy smiled and jumped up, grabbing the soft case he carried his instrument in with. 

“I hope so. See you next week.” 

Harry chuckled. “You will. Remember, practice those sheets.”

Once the boy zipped his case up and walked towards the door, Ivy stepped out of the way and waited for them to be alone. 

Harry told her he had about fifteen minutes in between his lessons today, so she was eager to get to him as quickly as possible. When she walked into the room, he turned around and met her with a bright smile. He didn’t expect to see her so soon. 

“Hi.” She said happily while practically running over to him. 

Harry grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into a tight hug. “Hey, sweet girl.”

“I’ve missed you.” She grinned against his chest, her arms snaked around him. 

“I missed you more, love.”

Ivy grunted as he squeezed her extra tight. “You smell good.”

Harry let out a laugh, pressing a kiss to her temple. She pulled back, reaching up to grab his face with both hands. He gave her control, allowing her to pull him down for a kiss. They were both mindful of the fact they were in public, so their tongues stayed behind their lips. Harry hummed against her mouth, savoring the feeling of her thick lips mushed into his. When she pulled away, he furrowed his brows and let out a disapproving sigh. Ivy pinched his dimple and dropped her hands to his chest. 

“I don’t like being away from you for this long.” 

Harry smirked, licking his lips to soak up the flavor of her lip gloss that’s now mostly on his mouth and not hers. “It’s definitely not fun.”

“We can spend the weekend together.. if you want.” She offered, batting her long eyelashes at him.

He was easily enticed by the idea. “We can do that.”

Ivy was about to reach up for another kiss when Harry’s hands both moved to her waist, squeezing her on either side. He was staring deep into her eyes, a longing silence growing between them. She could tell he was thinking about something. 

Harry cleared his throat and dipped his head down, pressing a kiss to her ear. “Can I take you out on a date tomorrow?”

She let out a soft giggle, blush coating her face. “A date? Yeah, I guess so.”

“If you want to.”

“Of course, yeah.” Ivy turned her head so she could meet his lips. 

Harry laid a few kisses on her mouth before leaning back up. “We can get ice cream or something after, whatever you want. Maybe go back to my place for a movie.” 

She lifted an eyebrow. “Back to your place, hm?” 

“Yeah, take a turn in my bed.” He smirked back.

Her eyes rolled as her arms snaked around his torso. “Maybe.” 

“You can stay the night.. if you want to.” Harry kept his eyes on her despite her hiding her face. “My bed isn’t as comfortable as yours.. but m’sure you being in it would make it better.” 

Ivy shook her head, burying her face into his chest again. He didn’t have to look to know she was flushed and uncontrollably smiling. Even before they started doing all of this, Harry was well aware of the effect he had on her. His words, his glances, his touches - every little thing he did drove her mad. 

“I’d like to have a sleepover.” She finally mumbled back, a smile weaved into her words. 

“Then it’s a deal.” 

Harry could see through the doorway that there were a few customers walking around. As much as he wanted to hold on to her forever, until they morphed into one being and the world stopped spinning, he knew he couldn’t do that here. With a huff, he withdrew his arms and inched backwards, while keeping his hands on her waist. She frowned, trying to step closer, but Harry shook his head to stop her. 

“I have to get ready for my next lesson, love.” 

Ivy groaned, throwing her head back. “No, not yet.” 

“I don’t want to, believe me. I’d much rather be with you.” 

She understood that he had priorities and commitments that he couldn’t just abandon because she wanted to spend time with him. It was a struggle, especially with it being the first week they’ve been together, but she had to deal with it. Harry gave her waist a squeeze, trying his best to give her affection that was more appropriate for their setting. 

“Do you have any preferences for where you want to eat tomorrow?” 

She shook her head. “Whatever you want to do.” 

“I’ll text you later and let you know what time I’ll pick you up.” 

Ivy gave him a cute smile. “Call me.” 

“Alright, I’ll call you.” 

“I’m glad I got to see you for a little bit.” Her lips rolled to a pout, making his heart sink. 

“M’gonna spend every waking moment with you this weekend.” Harry wanted to wrap her in his arms and squeeze her tight, but he opted not to. 

“Guess I have to go now, hm?” She frowned, wishing he’d say no but aware that he wouldn’t. 

“Not before I kiss you goodbye.” His wink made her laugh, which eased his worry. 

It took so long for him to admit his feelings to her, and he hated having to be away from her now. But he had a job to do and she needed to get home and handle some chores. They couldn’t spend every day together.. Since he knew it would be an entire day until he saw her again, he wanted his goodbye hug to leave a good impression. Ivy laughed as he pulled her back into his body, squeezing her tight and placing several kisses on her temple. Her arms were squished between them, her hands pressed on his body as she giggled and squirmed, trying to get free. Ivy snuck her hand up to his face and grabbed his chin, angling his head down so she could kiss him. This time, she let her tongue slip out and he gladly lapped it up with his own. It was a long thirty seconds, a magical moment frozen in time. 

“Lovebirds, break it up.” Niall’s voice broke the trance and forced them apart. 

Harry groaned, his hands falling from her body, “What do you want?”

“I just got off the phone. They want us to do a show Saturday night. Their other booking fell through.” He explained, looking at his phone as he typed a message to send to the band’s group chat. 

“We just did a show.” Harry huffed out, not excited about the idea. 

“I know, but it wouldn’t hurt to do another.” Niall was obviously fine with the idea, and he thought the money would be worth it. Usually they did shows once a month, so extra income would be nice for everyone. 

“I just made plans for the weekend.” Harry glanced at Ivy, feeling her stare on him. 

“You can do the show. I can come watch.” She clasped her hands around his right hand, squeezing tight and pulled herself against him. 

“Ivy, I.. I wanted to be with you.” 

“You will be, technically. I love watching you sing.” The way she smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling as she gazed up at him, made him melt. He couldn’t tell her no. He couldn’t deny her of this, or anything if she used that adorable expression. 

Harry sighed and licked his lips. “Are you sure it’s not a big deal? 

“No, it’s fine. I promise.” She grinned back, visibly excited about the idea. 

He looked back to Niall, who was waiting for an answer. “I guess we can.”

“Good. Everyone else is on board.” Niall smirked, knowing that Harry would be the only difficult one to convince, especially now that he has someone else to occupy his time. 

“Have you told everyone about us?” Ivy asked curiously, her fingers crawling up his forearm.

Niall chuckled. “He hasn’t.”

“Niall.” Harry wasn’t pleased by that. “Can you go away?”

“Are you embarrassed of me?” Ivy had the biggest smile on her face. 

Harry shook his head, turning to face her. “M’not embarrassed. I haven’t seen any of them.”

“I know, I’m just picking.” Her smile dropped slightly. It was easy to notice the difference in his tone. 

Niall already walked off, leaving them alone. Harry avoided her gaze, choosing to stare off behind her. Ivy felt a familiar feeling creeping in. Whenever she used to talk to Harry, she would be afraid that something would happen and he’d get angry. Right now, that thought was threatening to take over. 

Harry didn’t say anything. He brought her into another hug, silence growing between them. She wasn’t sure if he was irritated or if he was just being quiet. She made sure to squeeze him tight. A minute passed before he finally let her go. He kissed her for just a moment, mumbling how he’d miss her. She returned the sweet words, trying to push away the worrying thought. Harry had a lesson and Ivy had to leave.. 

That night, just as she was getting under the covers to get comfortable, Harry called her. They talked for a while about random things, he told her about the lessons and she rambled about the grocery shopping she did after she left the music store. Harry listened to every word, enjoying the sound of her voice. He apologized for how he acted earlier in the day, but she assured him it was fine and she wasn’t upset in any way. 

After that, before they said their goodbyes, he told her he’d be there to get her at seven o’clock for their dinner date. He wouldn’t share the details of where they were going, just told her to trust him. Ivy was nervous about the date but she was excited, too. Harry could tell she was tired, so he eventually let her go with the promise to see her soon. 

—•—

Ivy had never breathed so hard before. Her eyes burned holes through the mirror as she looked her body up and down. She could feel her heart fluttering from anxiety as she contemplated how she felt about her appearance. Did she like this dress? Was it too much for a first date? If Harry was taking her somewhere that was casual, this would be considered over-dressed. Just as she was about to rip it off to try another one on, Emma walked into her bedroom. 

“Hi, getting ready for your date?” She grinned as she walked up behind Ivy in the mirror. 

She huffed back. “Yeah.”

“What’s wrong?”

Ivy shrugged, rotating to see how she looked from the side. “Can’t decide what I wanna wear.”

“This dress is gorgeous. Dark blue always looks good on you.” Emma adjusted a piece of her curled hair, putting it in place. “And your hair is gorgeous.”

Ivy chewed on her cheek for a few seconds as she stared at herself. She was confident with her emotions and feelings, yet she was confused about her outer appearance. Did she like this dress? Was it too nice? Was the color decent? Would Harry like this color? She shook her head. 

“What if Harry doesn’t like it?”

Emma met her eyes in the mirror. “If you wore a potato sack Harry would love it.”

“But.. what if he doesn’t?” Ivy’s lips fell to a frown. 

“He will, Ivy. He’s obsessed with you. He’ll love it.” Emma playfully grabbed her waist, keeping a smile on so Ivy would feel better. 

She shrugged, looking down at her heels. Maybe they were too tall for this kind of thing? They were very comfortable, the thick heel made them easy to balance in. Would Harry think it’s too much? 

“You look perfect, I promise.” Emma whispered out, trying her best to pump some positivity into Ivy. 

Although she didn’t believe it, she thanked Emma and said a quick goodbye. Niall was there to pick her up. They were going on a date themselves and planned to spend the night together here since Ivy will be going with Harry if all things go well. 

Ivy sprayed on her favorite perfume and adjusted the necklace around her neck, setting the pendant flush to her skin. She applied her favorite lipgloss, opting for a shade a bit of a deeper pink than her usual. The curls in her hair weren’t tight. They flowed down her back and over her shoulders, perfectly spiraled. Maybe he would like the dress and the shoes and the perfume and her hair and her.. Maybe he would really, really like her tonight. 

“Hello?” She answered as she put the phone to her ear. 

“Hey, sweet girl. I’ll be there in two minutes.” Harry’s deep voice made her stomach turn cartwheels. 

“Okay. Should I wait outside?”

“I’ll come to the door and get you.” His smile was laced perfectly through his words. “Have to be traditional.”

She laughed softly. “Okay, I’m excited to see you, but don’t call why you’re driving. Be safe.”

“Alright, I’ll see you soon. Bye, Ivy.”

“Bye, Harry.” 

Speaking to him didn’t ease her worry at all. The thoughts of not looking pretty enough and not dressing appropriately and not being what he wanted - everything was spiraling in her mind. Ivy sat down on the couch and glued her eyes to the door, waiting to hear a knock or two hit against the wood. She nearly held her breath the entire time. It was supposed to be easier now that they got along, that they admitted to caring about one another. It was supposed to be easy..

It had been a long time since she went out on any official dates with anyone. All those had failed her in the past, she was hopeful that this one would be different. There was that lingering fear that Harry would suddenly not want to be with her and that he’d disappear, but she was fighting hard to keep that out of her mind. Worrying about her appearance was enough to keep her mind occupied, unfortunately. Everything vanished and her heart froze as a sudden knock on the door echoed through the room. There was no turning back. She gulped down her fears and walked to the door. It was comforting to know that Harry was on the other side and soon they’d be reunited. 

Ivy opened the door and smiled brightly as she finally saw him. He looked incredibly handsome tonight. He was wearing a nice shirt, all but the top button were fastened, and a pair of trousers. It was unusual seeing him in something other than jeans, but she thought he looked wonderful. He smiled back, nervousness already seeping through his veins. In his hand was a bouquet of pretty pink tulips. 

“Hi.” 

Ivy’s cheeks flushed as he extended the flowers out to her. “Hi.” 

“I got you these.” He said, referring to the tulips. “I hope you like them.” 

She took the flowers from him and lifted the bouquet to her nose. The smell was beautiful and fresh, something she was relieved to experience. Ivy held the flowers in one hand as her other arm went around him, grunting as he embraced her tighter. 

“Thank you, I love them.” She grinned as her head fell back, her pretty eyes met his instantly. 

“You’re welcome. A little bird might’ve told me these are your favorite.” He winked, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. He hoped he didn’t disturb her hair or makeup. 

“A little bird who splits the rent with me, I assume.” 

He shrugged. “That’s a secret.” 

Ivy teasingly rolled her eyes and looked down at the flowers. “Is it okay if I put them in a vase real quick? I don’t want them to die.” 

“Yeah, go ahead.” Harry nodded, following her inside as she turned on her heel and headed to the kitchen. 

He chose to stay by the door as he waited for her. All he could think about was how perfect she looked tonight. He thought the shade of blue was stunning on her and the dress was fitted perfectly. Her hair looked so soft and pretty, and the whiff he got when he hugged her was wondrous. She smelled, looked, sounded, and felt like heaven. He watched with an amused smile as she scrambled to find a vase in the lower cabinet and fill it with water. She was rushing so he wouldn’t have to wait too long, but little did she know he’d wait forever if she needed him to. Once she got the tulips in a vase and placed on the counter near the window, she rejoined him and took hold of both of his hands. 

“Thank you for being sweet.” She said in a soft voice, puckering her lips for him. 

He chuckled, placing a few soft pecks on her mouth. “Have to treat you like a princess.” 

“Well, this princess is hungry.” 

“C’mon, let’s get going.” He kept hold of one of her hands and walked her out to the car. 

“Oh, my bag.” She quickly walked to the couch to grab the small duffle bag she packed for the night. 

Ivy was surprised when Harry opened the car door for her, gesturing for her to get in. He waited until she was situated and her seatbelt was on before he shut the door. She couldn’t wipe the grin off her face as she watched him walk around the front of the car. He looked so good, so put together and happy. 

“You’re so beautiful.” Harry smiled at her as he backed onto the street. 

“Thanks.” She rested her hands on top of each other on her lap, looking down at the fabric of her dress. “Not too dressed up, am I?”

“No, love. You’re perfectly dressed.” 

Ivy let her eyes trail over to his side of the car. She looked over his thigh and up his side, still surprised to see he had a long sleeve shirt on without pushing the sleeves up. He looked so nice. 

“So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing?”

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. “You’ll see when we get there.” 

“What about after?”

“Ivy, you have to be patient, sweetheart.” Harry glanced at her, already aware she was staring at him. “Trust me.”

“I do trust you.” 

Harry gripped the steering wheel with one hand and reached over with his other one. She didn’t hesitate to rest her palm on his, sliding their fingers together. She stayed quiet for the rest of the drive. Although he was worried that something was bothering her, he didn’t want to pry. If she wanted to tell him anything then she would. 

Ivy spaced out quickly, her eyes were fixed on their joined hands but her mind was lost. All she could think about was if Harry liked her dress or not. Did he like her hair like this, was her makeup too light, were her shoes ugly? She swallowed harshly, forcing down all the worry. She didn’t want the night to be ruined by her spiraling thoughts. 

She squeezed Harry’s hand as they pulled into a familiar place. When she looked at him, he chuckled and gave her a quick glance. 

“The first time we ate here together I was an asshole. I figured the second time should be better.” 

Ivy let out a shy laugh. “I.. I didn’t expect this.” 

“Good.” Harry grinned back. “That means I’m good at surprising you.” 

There was a rush of excitement flooding through her. For weeks on end, she replayed that night with him in her mind wondering what went wrong, what she could’ve done differently. It was one of those memories that haunted her. But now he’s giving her brain the chance to replace it with a much better experience, if all goes well. Once he parked and turned off the car, Ivy grabbed the door handle, but he stopped her. 

“Wait, stay there.” 

She hesitated at first, but lowered her hand to her lap. He practically flew out of the car, racing to her side. She giggled to herself as she watched him adjust his collar before opening the door for her. 

“Harry, you didn’t have to do that.” She sighed out as he offered his hand to her, she gladly took it. 

“But I should do it, and I’m going to.” Harry squeezed her hand as he waited for her to stand up. 

He looked down at her shoes, just now getting a good view of them. They reminded him of the other heels he’s seen her wear. He really liked the way she looked in them. He shut the door as she fixed her dress and swept her hair over her shoulders. He wanted to give her a kiss, but he was trying to wait until after dinner. 

They walked hand in hand to the door, Ivy was telling him about the muffin she ate for breakfast. He was amused by her excitement, finding it rather precious that she enjoyed such trivial things. It was good to know small things made her happy. She savored the details of life, and he admired that so much. 

They were guided to a table quickly, Harry had worried that they would have to wait. Blush coated her face as Harry pulled out the chair for her. She felt like she was being treated like a queen, like someone important. She was important to him.. 

“You’re being rather sweet tonight.” Ivy smiled when he sat down across from her. 

“Trying to make up for all the times I was a dick to you.” Harry only half smiled back. 

She licked her lips and looked down at the menu, scanning her eyes over the words. “You’re doing good, I promise. I’d tell you if you weren’t.” 

“I hope you’d give me absolute hell if I did that to you again.” 

Ivy glanced up at him. “Oh, I definitely would.”

For some reason, she felt like she didn’t want to bore him with random, meaningless conversation. She let herself get side tracked on a muffin just minutes ago. Surely that’s not something he wants to hear all the time. She absentmindedly started to pick at her nail polish. It would annoy her tomorrow when she sees the chipped paint. 

“What are you going to get?” Harry asked as he lifted the menu to read over it. 

Nervousness crept through her, threatening to ruin the entire night. “Um, I don’t know yet.” 

Harry peeked at her over the top of the menu, obviously hearing the uncertainty in her voice. He could tell something was on her mind. Maybe she was really just trying to decide what she wanted, and that worried look on her face that she wasn’t good at hiding meant nothing. Or maybe it meant something.. 

“Are you feeling okay, love?”

She lifted her head, expecting to catch his stare. “Yeah, just trying to pick something.”

“Take your time. It looks like we won’t get any service tonight.” 

Harry’s huff made her gulp. He sort of seemed irritated and she hoped he didn’t lose his control. Ivy decided to attempt to ease the tension he was clearly experiencing.

“We just got seated. I’m sure someone is coming soon.” 

He chose not to reply. Her heart began to beat faster than it had been, worry was spilling into her stomach. Keeping him calm would be the best thing, so she opted to try. 

“So, have you picked a movie for us to watch later?” 

He sighed. “No, I was going to let you pick.” 

“Oh.”

“Unless you don’t want to.. then I’ll just choose something.” His tone wasn’t what she wanted to hear. 

For a handful of minutes, they were both quiet. Ivy wasn’t quite sure how to approach him. If he was irritable, she didn’t want to set him off. It would be a dream for his mood to magically change. She worried his lack of control over his emotions would make this hard for them - and not just during dinner.. 

“Is.. is that a new ring?” Her voice broke out suddenly, grabbing his attention. 

Ivy was staring at his hand, her eyes fixated on the decorations littering his fingers. He looked down, the lion shaped ring was one he hadn’t worn in a while. He assumed that was the one she was referring to. It caught the light from above them. 

“Um, no. I just don’t wear it a lot.” Harry relaxed his brows and let his lips shape to a soft smile. “You notice my rings?”

Ivy grinned back, reaching across the table to touch him. He didn’t shy away, he let her take hold of his hand so she could examine the ring. 

“Yeah, of course. I notice everything about you. I spent a long time.. staring at you.” She said with a soft laugh, slightly embarrassed by her admission. 

“You’re so.. perfect.” He squinted his eyes as he stared at her. “Just everything about you is perfect.”

She shook her head. “To me, it sounds like I’m a creep.”

“You know I stared just as much.” He saw a waiter approaching them, his eyes shifting to stare the person down. “About fucking time.” 

Ivy sighed and quickly mumbled back to him. “Be patient, okay? Don’t.. don’t get so irritated over this.”

“Ivy.” He said through a breath. 

“Harry. Please.” 

He flicked his gaze back to her. “Alright. I’ll try.” 

“Try hard, for me, okay?” She got the words out just as the waiter got to the table. 

“Okay. For you.” 

Ivy paid close attention to Harry as he told the waiter what he wanted to drink. She watched the way his eyes held a cold glare and his lips were straight. He was annoyed and it was obvious to her, so it must be obvious to this other person, too. She squeezed his hand, glad he was still letting her hold it. He returned the squeeze, but didn’t let up on his expression. She asked for water, keeping a smile on her face to be polite. 

Once they were alone again, Ivy took a deep breath and started talking. As he heard her voice, he shifted his eyes to her and let his features soften. 

“I’m excited to stay the weekend.” 

“Yeah? I’m excited, too.” 

She felt a lump forming in her throat. He didn’t seem to be all that happy or joyful anymore. She dropped her eyes to their hands. Her skin appeared more pale than usual when compared to his sun kissed complexion. The cold metal of his rings stung her fingers, but she enjoyed the feeling. When she lifted her eyes, he gave her a slight frown. 

“M’sorry, I.. I’m acting like we’re strangers.” Harry’s voice was gentle, almost a whisper. 

Ivy licked her lips and gave him a sweet smile - maybe he deserved it, maybe he didn’t. “You’re fine. It’s our first.. date, so it's okay to be nervous.” 

He nodded slowly, but his stare fell down to the table. “I’ve never done this before.” 

“What? A date?”

He shrugged. “Yeah.”

She was surprised by his words, it was almost unbelievable. Harry was so attractive and confident. She’s witnessed him flirt with women and show off his charisma. From what she’s heard, he’s well versed in sexual relationships, was that the extent of it? 

“You’ve never been on a date?”

He shook his head, his stare still fixed elsewhere. She wanted him to look at her, wanted to hold eye contact as they spoke. But she knew that was probably not going to happen. 

“That’s kind of.. shocking. You seem like.. you could get a date easily.”

Harry laughed for a moment. “It’s not that I couldn’t. I didn’t want to.”

When Ivy adjusted in her chair, a piece of her hair fell forward. She sighed softly, wrapping her finger around the strand to twist it. Harry wondered if she was bothered by what he said. Was it too forward? Honesty was supposed to be the best thing. Maybe he was too rough. 

“Why not?” She slightly lifted her brows. “Never.. never found anyone worth the trouble?” 

He smirked, but it wasn’t malicious. “The whole.. being someone’s boyfriend thing never really.. intrigued me. Kinda felt stupid and pointless.” 

She moved her eyes to stare at the piece of hair she was handling. “I hope, um, your perspective has changed.”

Harry rubbed his thumb over her skin, her small hand encased by his hold. “I promise, you’re the only one who can change that for me. You’re worth everything. Every risk, every fear, everything.”

Her stare moved back to him and she let go of the curl. It fell back to the place it was before she messed with it. Harry wanted to reach over and fix it, put it with the rest of the curls and make everything perfect, but he didn’t. 

“M’trying my best to.. to do this right with you. To be a boyfriend and be.. be good to you.” He was afraid that her silence meant he was scaring her off. 

Ivy let out a soft laugh and lifted her lips to a smile. “Boyfriend, hm? You never asked me if you could be my boyfriend.” 

“Well, can I be your boyfriend?” He smiled back, lifting his brows in question. 

“I suppose so.” She lifted her shoulders nonchalantly, trying to play as a tease. 

He watched her closely, picking up on her cheeky grin and gentle giggle. “You’re so funny and.. and cute. Just makes me want to try even harder.” 

She parted her lips to speak, but they were interrupted by the same waiter that came by earlier. Ivy let go of his hand and carefully placed both of hers in her lap. She didn’t want to knock the glass over and make a mess on the table. Harry breathed out heavily, nervousness crawling into his body. Did he mess up? No, it was just going so well. Maybe she was tired of holding his hand? Maybe her arm was sore from the position? He wasn’t sure, and not knowing why was bothering him. 

“Thank you.” Ivy said with a kind tone, thanking the waiter. 

Harry bit down on his cheek as he witnessed it. It shouldn’t be such an annoying thing for him, but something about the way the man looked at her was irritating. There was a high possibility he was just being dramatic and jealous. He tried to shake the thoughts out of his mind as she gave her food order. 

Once they were alone, Ivy thought it would be a good idea to continue their conversation. She wanted to know more about him, more about his past and why he didn’t do certain things. Were relationships really such a bad idea in his mind? Or was he just being stubborn and not willing to give himself to someone in that way? She hoped he’d tell her everything without her having to ask. 

“So, I’m your first real date.” 

He let out a breathy laugh. “Yeah, you are.” 

“And your first real girlfriend.” 

“My first and only, hopefully.” 

Ivy cocked a brow at him, but didn’t say anything. She hadn’t noticed he didn’t move his hand off the table until just now, when she glanced down and saw it still laying in the same spot. As much as she wanted to give him that affection, she knew she needed to focus and have a serious conversation with him. 

“I hope you.. take this really seriously with me. I.. I don’t want us to.. to be like we were before.” 

His smile dropped to a frown and his brows furrowed. “I promise, we don’t have to be that way ever again.”

“I don't want to be.” 

“Ivy, I swear.. I’ll never treat you that way again. You mean so much to me.. and I have so much to make up to you.” Harry turned his hand over, his palm to the ceiling. 

She looked at it for a long moment, considering everything in her mind before making a decision. It was obvious to her that he struggled talking about his feelings, but whenever he was with her he seemed to do it better. He liked to touch her, liked to squeeze her, liked to feel her body cruve against his hands, liked to push his lips into hers and all over her face.. he loved touching her. She would be cruel and evil to deny him of that physical touch that he craved and needed so much. 

“As long as you remember to be patient and calm and.. and nice.” 

“I’ll never treat you wrong again.” 

She smiled a little, finally moving her hand into his. This time, their fingers didn’t lock up. She rested her palm in his and let her fingers carefully drape over his wrist. When their eyes met, Harry felt his stomach churn. Was she not believing him? Was he not saying the right things? He’s trying so hard. 

“I mean.. with everyone, not just me. I want you to be nice.. and funny.. and sweet.. to everyone.” Ivy licked her lips, glancing away from him for just a split second. “Well, maybe save the sweetness for me.” 

His frown turned up. “Only for you. But, yeah, I will. I’m.. trying not to be such an.. ass.” 

“I can help you if you need me to. I want to do what I can.” 

He shook his head lightly. “You don’t have to fix me, Ivy. It’s not your job. I.. I did this on my own.” 

“But I’m not going to leave you alone. I want you to get better. If you have a better outlook on everything around you then you’ll be so much happier and positive.” She explained, hoping her words held meaning to him. 

“I know. I.. I feel better with you. You sorta.. do fix it, I guess.” 

She smiled a bit bigger. “I know, Harry. I can see how much better you are with me.” 

He swallowed gently. “You’re saving me, love.” 

Ivy smiled back, sinking her nails into her skin. “You’re letting me.” 

While waiting for their food to arrive, they kept up small talk about random little things. Ivy was the one doing most of the talking, while Harry listened and smiled at her expressive words. He thought the way she described things and told stories was incredible. Of course, he couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous she was and how her eyes sparkled when she laughed. Everything about her was captivating, he was lost in her existence. 

She spoke so much because she was nervous. This was really only the second time they were actually alone together while not being mortal enemies. She felt as though it could be messed up at any second. She feared that he would get tired of her or find her boring and he’d leave, or never come back after the date was over. Maybe she should’ve stayed away from him after he avoided her - no, that was insane. That would’ve driven her mad, made her lose her mind. 

Harry was so fixated on her details and words that he didn’t realize she was rambling because she was nervous. He just thought she wanted to tell him these things to fill their silence. He didn’t mind it, he quite enjoyed it. She was paying attention to him, making a point to conversate and interact. There had been many times when they were in the same room that she ignored him, that she hated him. It was because of his own behavior, of course. He cherished every second with her now, appreciated every ounce of attention she gave. 

They ate their food while mumbling about the next night’s show. Harry told her he wasn’t really thrilled about doing it, but she convinced him it would be fine. She was excited to attend a show as his girlfriend instead of a person he couldn’t stand to be around. Although he said he didn’t have an issue with anyone knowing about them, he told her, after she asked, that he wasn’t sure who knew about their new found relationship. As far as he was aware, Niall and Emma were the only two people who knew. Whether they told everyone else or not wasn’t something he knew. Ivy wanted to ask why he didn’t tell his friends, but she refrained. Perhaps it was just a private thing that he didn’t want to spread around like a teenage boy. 

After they ate and Harry insisted he’d cover the bill, he walked her to the car and opened the door for her. She felt special, yet undeserving. He drove them back to his place, glad that Niall wouldn’t be home tonight. When they arrived, he rushed to her door and opened it yet again before grabbing her bag to carry it in for her. She brought a change of clothes for the night, but told him that she’d need to go home to change tomorrow before the show. 

“We’ve got the place to ourselves tonight, Dad is out.” He chuckled as he shut the door behind her, turning the locks. 

Ivy laughed, imagining how intense Niall might be at times. She looked around the space, somewhat remembering what it looked like. She only came by once, the night that Harry came out of the bathroom and ran into her. Unfortunately, every place they go together seems to hold bad memories for her. She pushed it aside and turned to face him. 

“Is it okay if I change?” 

“Yeah. Um, you can go up to my room or the bathroom.” 

“Okay.” She took the bag from his hand and excused herself up the stairs. 

Harry went to the kitchen to gather a few items. He wasn’t sure what she would want as a sweet snack. They decided not to get ice cream, she was full after their meal and wanted to get out of her dress. He knew Niall had a candy stash in the back of the pantry, so he stole some of that. He grabbed her a bottle of water and sat a bag of popcorn on the counter, intending to ask her when she returned if she wanted any. 

Upstairs, Ivy hesitated at first on which room to go into. She didn’t want to feel like an intruder, so she chose the bathroom. She would eventually end up in his bedroom tonight anyway, so she’ll just wait to see what hides behind the door. Changing into a pair of yoga pants, although she didn’t do yoga at all, and a t-shirt was a relief. Her feet weren’t really tired from her shoes since she didn’t have to walk or stand a lot, but it was nice to get them off and slip on a pair of socks. She was glad she packed some makeup wipes. Once her skin was cleaned and her teeth were brushed, she packed her items into the bag and zipped it up. 

When she walked out, her eyes moved over to the door she knew led to Harry’s bedroom. She thought about dropping her bag in there, but she still had that intruder feeling burning in her gut. So, she left it in the hall outside of his room, intending to pick it up later. As she came down the stairs, she saw him adjusting the hem of a t-shirt he changed into. He snuck down the hallway to the laundry room to change while she was gone. Sweatpants covered his lower half. 

“Hope I don’t scare you.” Ivy said with a laugh as he looked over and saw her. 

“Scare me?” He held his hands out, waiting for her to join him. 

She crossed the room to where he stood in front of the couch. She saw the arrangement of candies and the water he laid out, it made her heart swell. Ivy wrapped her arms around his torso and giggled as he embraced her, squeezing her tight. 

“My makeup is gone.” 

He huffed. “You’re gorgeous.” 

She didn’t say anything back, just bolted her eyes shut as she savored the feeling of being against him. He could tell she was tired, but he hoped she at least wanted to start a movie with him. As he pulled back, she grunted and yanked him back against her. He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her head as he gently rocked them from side to side. Ivy had dreamed of this moment, of just being close to him and holding on tight. She never wanted it to end. 

“Thank you for going with me tonight.” Harry sighed out, being patient with her. 

“Thank you for asking me to.” She mumbled into his chest, not caring how long she was holding their hug. 

One of his hands fell down her back, he missed being this close to her. “Maybe we can go out once a week. Do different things.” 

“I’d like that.” 

He hummed, kissing her head again. “Or more than once. I just want to see you as much as possible.” 

“Sorry, this week was just busy.. I’ll have more time soon.”

“Don’t apologize.” He grunted, sliding his hand to her hip. 

“I want to say sorry for apologizing.”

The laugh Ivy let out made him smile. He thought she was the funniest, cutest person on the planet. Harry pulled back, touching his palm to her jaw. She naturally leaned into his touch, moving her eyes up to look at him. The sight was marvelous, he loved to see her smiling at him. 

“You’re something else, y’know.”

Ivy grinned back, then puckered her lips for a kiss. He would be a fool to pass up the opportunity. It was gentle and sweet at first, just a series of pecks and soft laughs. But like the previous times, it quickly turned into something more. The gentleness went away as the hunger and desire to have each other took over. Harry shoved his tongue into her mouth, being greedy with the taste of her.  

Her hands went wild, running up his front to his neck, holding onto him on either side. He could feel her nails digging into his skin, leaving indents in what belonged to her. The feeling of her skin against his just made his hunger grow. He gripped her waist as tight as he could, shaping his hand perfectly to her body. He wanted to melt onto her, wanted to soak her up inch by inch. She didn’t once hesitate as he started to move. Harry backed up until he reached the couch. She grunted as he broke the kiss, but he didn’t let her slip away. He sat down on the couch and pulled her onto his lap. Instinctively, her legs fell on either side of his and she grabbed his neck, holding onto him as they reconnected their mouths. 

Her small hands held onto his jaws now, tilting his head back as she shoved her tongue into his mouth. She wanted the control, and he so easily gave it to her. Harry’s mind was long gone down a path it probably shouldn’t have ventured on, and his judgement was clouded by his own desires. While Ivy was just as lost in the bliss, she was becoming more aware of what he was doing with his hands. She grunted as he let one fall further down than it ever had. At first, she thought she was being dramatic, it wasn’t so bad. But his touch turned into kneading and she was becoming anxious about what he was going to do next. It felt nice, so she didn’t stop him. 

Harry’s kissing quickly became sloppier, spit pooling in the corners of their mouths, dripping down onto their skin. He was swiping up as much as her taste as he could, wanting to savor the flavor forever. 

Ivy was fine with everything. She was enjoying the kissing and how dirty it turned, she liked how he gripped her ass cheek and her waist at the same time, his heavy hands putting pressure against her body. She loved the way his face fit into her palms, how her hair fell over her shoulders onto him as she held him back. But it all started to fade when she realized something was happening. 

Harry was lifting his hips into her crotch, groaning as he pressed his growing bulge against her. She had never kissed someone so intensely before, especially in this position. She had never sat on anyone’s lap and let her body move against theirs before. It was new and it frightened her more than it probably should. She reached down to grab his wrist, pulling his hand off her ass. He furrowed his brows, not sure what she was doing. 

“Baby.” He grumbled out as she suddenly turned her head, ripping their lips apart. 

“No, Harry.” Ivy’s heavy breathing fanned over his skin. 

She shifted her head back, but her mouth stayed away from his. Her forehead pressed on his, her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath. So much had happened in such a short time, she wasn't even sure how they ended up on the couch. Harry was good at giving her that affection she never knew she needed, so good at making her stomach drop and her heart flutter. He made her feel things nobody else had. He made her toes curl and wet spots form on her panties. She was afraid his sexual advances were too strong for her. What if she couldn’t keep up with him? What if he wanted something now and she refused, would he leave her? It must be tiring having to wait, and must be irritating getting denied. 

“Not here.” She whispered out, not quite sure how to turn him down. 

“Do you wanna go to my bedroom?” He reached for her lips, but she didn’t allow it. 

“No.. I.. No, I don’t want to do anything.” Her words came out in a sigh, her eyes squeezing shut as she mentally screamed at herself. 

She wanted this with him more than anything, more than with anyone before. Why was she being so hesitant, so afraid? Her mind began swirling, her heart still racing. There was no way he would put up with his for much longer. He was going to grow sick of her games, of her leading him on and going along with his actions just to deny him. Of course, it had only happened twice.. surely it wasn’t that irritating. Her mind was too busy to consider any other possibility. 

He felt a pinch in his heart, only because he was embarrassed he took it so far again. “Oh, m’sorry.” 

Her lip was quivering, tears threatened to build up in her eyes. “I’m sorry, I.. I can’t right now.”

“Okay, that’s fine.” He calmly spoke. 

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and leaned back, giving him a bit of space. 

At first, he wasn’t going to move his hands from her body, but when she looked over at the cushion next to him and started to move, he let her go. She fell on her butt next to him, her hand sweeping her hair over her shoulder. A heavy sigh fell from her lips, he could see how sad she was. 

“Baby, it’s alright. I promise.” He carefully touched her thigh, hoping not to frighten her. 

“I didn’t mean to.. to lead you on again.” Her voice was frail, almost like she was going to cry. 

“Ivy, it’s fine. We got a bit heated again, that’s all. No worries, okay?” Harry didn’t know how else to say it. He didn’t want to get her riled up over nothing. 

“Are you sure it’s okay?” 

He splayed his fingers on her leg. “It’s perfectly okay.”

“You’re gonna get tired of waiting.” She whined softly, her head turning towards him. 

Instantly, his heart fell to the bottom of his stomach. A single tear slipped down her cheek, her skin was flushed as her emotions raged inside of her. He shook his head and leaned against her, wanting to put his arm around her but he didn’t want to scare her off. 

“No, I won’t. I’d wait forever for you, Ivy.” Harry pressed a kiss to her temple. 

Her eyes fell down to his hand, she wanted to hold it so bad. She’s come to realize recently that holding his hand might be her favorite thing. He does so much with his hands. He plays the guitar, holds a microphone, runs them through his hair, grips the handles of his motorcycle.. She’s seen his fists clench in anger, felt how comforting his warm palm is on her skin, watched how he taps them on his leg absentmindedly. She loved his hands.. and she wanted them all over her body, but not tonight. 

“Do you want to.. keep kissing?” He was still leaning into her, his voice soft as he spoke next to her ear. “We don’t have to.. to do anything else.” 

The idea was intriguing, but she was unsure about it. What if it happened again? They were quick to go off the deep end. It wasn’t possible to just softly kiss and carefully touch each other.

She shrugged. “I.. I dunno.”

Harry stared at the side of her face for a moment, thinking of what he could do to fix her mood. Maybe she was just anxious and needed to calm down. She didnt appear to be tired, but maybe she’d rather go lay down than risk anything else happening on the couch. He took a deep breath and bit on his cheek as he thought about what to say. Ivy picked at her fingernail, not wanting to rip it but fighting the instinct to. 

After a few seconds, he finally spoke. “Do you want to watch a movie or.. or go to bed? Either is fine with me.” 

She already knew the answer she was going to pick. Carefully, she placed her hand on top of his, copying the positioning of his fingers. He let a smile come to his lips, seeing her do that was more magical than he could ever explain. There was a time when he never imagined this could be real, yet here they are now. 

“Can we go to bed? I’m tired.” She looked over at him, a resting pout on her lips. 

“Yeah, of course.” 

She swallowed. “Sorry, I keep changing the.. the plans you made.” 

“What do you mean?” His brows furrowed slightly. 

“First, no ice cream now this.. no movie.” 

Harry let out a light laugh, shaking his head at her. “Oh, love, that’s fine. It’s not a problem, I promise.” 

She gave him a sad look, not believing what he was telling her. He closed the space between them and placed a kiss on her lips. It was nothing too crazy, just a gentle peck. She wanted to beg him for more, but she didn’t open her mouth as he leaned back. 

“Any time I get to spend with you is special.. no matter what we do.” 

Even though she felt bad for her decision, she was ready to be next to him under his covers. Harry took a minute to clean up the stuff he got out for them, with Ivy apologizing several times for making him do all this work. He told her it wasn’t a worry and they could easily make up their movie date some other time. She wasn’t convinced he was actually okay with her decision, but she tried to ignore it. He didn’t appear irritated on the outside, so maybe he wasn’t. 

Harry guided her upstairs, letting her go in front of him. She grabbed her bag that she left outside of his door. He gestured her to go in first, so she did. It was dark when they walked in, but Harry flicked on the light before shutting the door behind himself. Ivy looked around the room, curiosity consuming her. Harry leaned against the door as he watched her. His room was interesting to her. The walls were an off white shade, she wondered if he was allowed to paint with his rental agreement or not. Of course he had the usual pieces of furniture like a dresser, a desk, and a short bookcase, but her attention went straight to the details. There was a band poster in a frame on one wall, but the rest of the walls were nearly bare. He had a collection of vinyl records resting in the bottom slots of the bookcase. The rest of the shelves were filled with CDs. A turntable sat on top of the case. She thought the collection was impressive, and she was wondering what all it entailed. His desk caught her eye. It was plain as far as the build went, but what sat on top of it was interesting. He had a metal cup full of pens and other writing utensils, plus a pair of scissors. There was a short stack of books sitting there neatly, and beneath the desk on its shelf sat a bigger assortment of books. She could tell they weren’t regular books, but rather journals or notebooks. It was hard not to think about what was inside those books. Did he keep a diary similar to how she did, or was it more of a creative outlet? 

She wondered if this was how he felt in her room, curiosity bubbling and her mind taking in every single detail. It was like she was getting to know him even more by just looking at his belongings. Of course, in the corner he had a guitar resting on a stand and another one hanging on the wall near it. There was a loose piece of paper resting on the desk, a pen next to it. She wasn’t even aware of her movements until her fingers gently pressed on the paper and slid it on the desk. She turned it so she could read the jotted down note. 

pick up Ivy’s flowers at 5 shop closes at 5:30

A sweet smile covered her lips as she read over the words he wrote. She thought it was adorable that he put down a reminder for himself. Harry pushed himself off the door and crossed the room. He took the bag out of her hand and sat it on his desk chair. 

“My curious little cat, hm?” 

Blush appeared on her face and she let out a gentle laugh. “You have a lot of journals. Do you write?” 

He lifted a shoulder, trying not to be too serious about it. “Just.. stuff. Like.. notes, poems, lyrics.”

“Poems and lyrics?” She lifted a brow, that curiosity was just eating her alive. 

Harry chuckled, a smile shaping to his lips. “Yeah.” 

“You write songs?”

“I mean, sorta, I guess. Nothing serious.. M’not pursuing it. Just do it for fun and to get stuff off my mind.” He explained. 

She slowly nodded as she looked around the rest of the room. For the most part, he was neat and tidy. She noted the stark difference between his bed and hers. His was a size smaller and covered only by the usual blankets and pillows, while hers was littered with plush animals. She definitely didn’t expect him to have those sort of things, though, it was just notable. 

“What do you write about?” 

Her question made his chest tighten. Although he wanted to be completely honest with her, he’d be lying if he thought it wasn’t nerve wracking. What if she thought his answer was strange, what if it made her mad? He licked his lips and pushed down a gulp. 

“Lots of stuff.. including you.” 

Her head turned towards him, her sparkling eyes went wide. “Me?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, sometimes about you.” 

Without saying anything, she turned her attention back to what she had been gazing at. But there was a smile stuck to her lips and a warmth in her heart that pulsed hard. He wrote about her? He didn’t specify if he wrote poems or songs or notes about her, but something in her mind told her it was all three. Of course, it was all three. 

“Not too weird, am I?” He said with a laugh. 

Ivy turned to face him, a smile on her face. “I think I’m the weird one between the two of us.”

He took a few steps closer, reaching out to touch her waist. “You’re adorable, not weird.”

One thing he loved doing was watching her as she trailed her eyes over his body. She was a curious girl after all, it was in her nature to explore. Her eyes fell to his arm as she wrapped her hand over his elbow. His tattoos caught her attention so easily. It was like it was the first time she'd seen them. 

“Are you alright?” He asked. 

“Mhm.. just looking.” Her fingers started tracing down his arm, slowly and steadily. 

Harry had an idea lurking in his mind. It was something he wanted to do the last time her eyes scanned over his tattoos, but he was too nervous to bring it up. Now, things were different. He felt more confident with her. 

“I can show you all of them.. if you want.” 

Her eyes flicked up to his. “Really?”

“Yeah. There’s some you haven’t seen.”

“I’d love to look.”

He took a breath and clenched his jaw as he waited to ask her a question. His eyes poured into hers, his focus so sharp and intense. She felt her cheeks blushing red hot, her eyes stuck to his despite wanting to look away in shyness. 

“Is it alright if I take my shirt off and change into some shorts?” He gently lifted his brows. 

She nodded, not saying anything, just putting on a cute smile for him. He squeezed her waist once before letting her go. She watched as he went to his dresser and pulled out a drawer. Did he want her to leave the room while he changed? She didn’t know what to do. Her stomach started to churn as she contemplated how to react. Maybe he didn’t care. Just as she started walking to the door, he turned around. 

“Running off already?”

She froze, looking back at him. “I didn’t want to be in the way.”

Harry smirked. “You can stay, love. I’ll turn away from you.” 

She felt embarrassed. He could see she wasn’t completely comfortable with her own behavior, so he made it simple for her. He turned back around and dropped the sweatpants to the floor. A pair of gym shorts replaced them. He normally slept in just his underwear, but he knew it was too much for her right now. He wanted her to be comfortable and relaxed, not stressed or tense over his clothes or lack thereof. She didn’t watch him, despite not twisting around to avoid getting a glimpse. When he let out a sigh and his footsteps filled the room, she thought he was done. She looked up in time to witness him pull his shirt over his head. Their eyes met as he tossed it on the desk, intending to put it away later. She had never seen him with his shirt completely off, and it was an incredible sight. 

Her throat began to close in as her mind drifted. He was so toned, his muscles built and his physique was perfect. He was stunning, she felt as though her physical appearance would never compliment his. He held out his hand and nodded his head towards the bed. She took it with ease and followed behind him. 

Harry sat down on the foot of his bed, parting his knees to drag her between them. She held her breath as he carefully moved her closer, his eyes locked on her face to make sure she was comfortable. He wanted to catch every expression, whether major or subtle. Ivy ran her eyes over his collarbones. She’s seen those birds peak out from beneath his shirt before, but she hadn’t seen them in full. With more confidence than she had all night, she lifted her hand and pressed her fingertips to the bird inked on the right side of his chest. 

“Yours are.. a lot more detailed than mine.” She mumbled softly, her gaze shifting to the other bird. 

“Hiding yours, hm?” He smirked as her eyes shot to his. 

Ivy chose to ignore him, and instead just return to her exploration. Even though she had seen most of them, she was still intrigued to get a better look. She ran her hand over the butterfly on his stomach, that was still her favorite one, then carefully down to the laurels resting dangerously low on his abdomen. He chuckled slightly as her delicate touch tickled his skin. She grinned back, amused by his innocent reactions. It was hard to believe at times that such a hardened soul like his could express such simple reactions. She knew it was possible, though, she just had to work hard to get it out of him. 

“You got this the first time we met.. well, sort of met.” She said with a sigh as she traced her fingers over his right arm, the snake curling around his bones and muscles was something she could never forget. 

“I remember. We should’ve met for real, but I was a dick.” He frowned when her eyes moved back to his. 

“Maybe so.” 

He dropped his gaze down to his leg. He knew she was more familiar with his arms, especially the usual exposed areas, so he wanted to make sure she saw the other things he had. Harry gently took hold of her wrist and moved her hand to his thigh, letting her touch the tiger sunk into his skin. She felt as though this was the most intimate spot she had touched him. Something about it was intense, bone rattling even. She gulped softly, wondering what this one meant to him. She didn’t want to intrude, perhaps it meant nothing or maybe it meant more than he was willing to tell her. That went for each of them. She just admired them, she didn’t ask. 

The gulp she pushed down was audible, her voice was as light as a feather. “Do you want to see? Mine aren’t as impressive.” 

“If you want me to see them.” Harry smiled sweetly as she sucked on her cheek and let her face go red.

For a split second, she screamed internally begging herself to stop before it even started. But it was quickly silenced as she grabbed his index and middle fingers, bringing his hand up to her hip. She smiled gently as she placed his fingers on her body. He rubbed his thumb over the waistband of her pants, his eyes locked on her. She pushed his hand down, forcing his fingers to move the fabric. He took over, but didn’t dare go too far. He slid the side of her pants down until he exposed the fabric of her powder blue colored cotton underwear. She bit down on her cheek as he carefully pulled the fabric down until he saw the little tattoo, a four leaf clover. It was a simple design, thin lines and no shading. 

“A lot of people don’t get to experience a full life. I’m lucky to be where I am.. even if it’s not forever.” She explained without him asking her to, but she figured he wouldn’t mind. 

He didn’t, of course. He thought the meaning was nice, it meant something special to her. She’s lost two very important people in her life, so reminding herself of the luxury of being alive was extremely meaningful. He pressed his thumb over the clover, the surrounding skin turning pale as he pushed into her. He let up the pressure and gently tapped it. He hoped he’d get to rediscover it soon, get to press his lips to it and make sure she knew how lucky he was to have her. 

“Some of that luck must’ve rubbed off on me. How else do I explain how I won you over?” His cheeky smile made her playfully roll her eyes. 

She pinched his cheek, going straight for his dimple. “Well, you do touch me there more than I think you realize.” 

Harry stared at her hip as he adjusted her pants back, covering the tattoo and her skin. He wished he could’ve seen more of her, but he was well aware that wasn't what she wanted right now. 

She sucked in a deep breath as she debated whether or not to show him her other one. He was literally in the room with her when she got the flowers on the back of her arm, and the one in the bend of her elbow, the small star, was clearly visible - but there was one more he didn’t know about. Ivy pushed away her fears and anxiety as she lifted her shirt. The second the cool air hit her skin, she felt her stomach churn. The waistband of her pants was thick and it came up high. She was thankful the part of her body she was the most insecure about was mostly covered by the fabric. Harry smiled gently as she grabbed his hand and brought it up to her torso, placing it beneath the edge of her bra. Her boobs were covered by her shirt, she didn’t want him to see anything beyond the tattoo. He moved his eyes to the spot and shifted his thumb, revealing the small tattoo. The style of the butterfly matched the clover, and the flowers on her arm - fine line, delicate, thin. 

“That’s all.” She mumbled quietly, biting her cheek as she watched him stare at her skin. 

He wondered what was beneath her shirt, tucked into her bra.. but he had to force that thought out of his brain. It would be insensitive and disrespectful for him to sit there and think those sort of things when she plainly told him she wasn’t interested in any of that right now. Instead, his arms slid around her, locking her in place. She grabbed his face with both hands, placing a kiss on his puckered lips. 

“Are you ready to cuddle, little bug?” 

“Mhm.” Ivy was blushing, per usual. She tried to slip out of his grip but he wouldn’t let her go. She sunk her nails into his shoulder, almost forgetting he wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Harry.”

“Fine.” He let out a huff as he loosened his arms and pulled back. 

“Which side is mine?” She asked with a soft laugh as she crawled on the bed. 

“Whichever side you want.” He stood up in time to see her plop down on the bed. 

Unlike hers, his bed wasn’t in the corner of the room so both sides were open. She claimed the spot he normally favored at night, which made his heart skip a beat. Seeing her in his spot, her hair spread out over his pillow, was like a dream. 

He didn’t want to leave her waiting long, so he turned out the light and joined her. There was a street light that offered them a glow, peeping in through the space between the curtains. She watched him slide under the covers and roll over towards her, his greedy hands reaching out for her. 

“C’mere.” He muttered, dragging her closer. 

She sighed in content as she relaxed into his body, her face nestled in the crook of his neck. She liked the feeling of his warm bare skin, it gave her comfort she couldn’t describe, 

“Did you enjoy tonight?” He asked through a heavy exhale. “I know we didn’t do everything we planned.”

“It was lovely. I had a good time.” 

Harry pressed a kiss to her head. “Even though I was a bit of an ass at the restaurant.”

Ivy pulled her hand up, tucking it between their bodies. “You just have to be more patient, but yes, everything was great.” 

He could tell she was comfortable by the steady, slow breathing she was doing. It wouldn’t be much longer before she fell asleep. With one arm around her back and the other hand resting on her waist, he kept her close. His thumb rubbed slowly back and forth, soothing her so easily. 

“We can watch a movie in the morning before Niall gets back.. have the living room to ourselves.” He kept his voice low. 

She hummed. “That sounds good, yeah. Get more cuddles.”

He kissed her again, just to give her as much affection and attention as he could. She must’ve been more worn out than he thought, because she grew silent quickly. He wasn’t necessarily tired, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. And he sure wasn’t about to leave her in the bed alone. He’d lie awake next to her for the rest of his life if he meant he could hold her while she slept. 

There was a lurking thought in his mind, though, that was attributing to him staying awake. He thought he did something wrong during their date, that maybe he didn’t make it perfect. If he did make a mistake, he believed that she would tell him. She’s good at letting him know when he’s acting a certain way or when he’s in the wrong. But she seemed to enjoy everything, even the change of plans. Maybe he was just overthinking it. Disappointing her in any way was something he feared. 

“Harry..” Her soft voice broke the silence. 

“Yeah?” 

She shifted slightly, returning her hand to his waist. His stomach twisted as she gently rubbed her fingertips over his skin. 

“If I ask you something, will you be honest?” 

He licked his lips. “Of course.”

Her lips brushed his skin as she spoke, creating goosebumps and sending chills through him. “Are you mad that I.. stopped us earlier?”

“No, Ivy. I told you it’s fine.” He tightened his hold on her waist. 

“I don’t want you to leave me if I.. take too long to try.” 

He grunted, bringing his hand up to her head. He gently grabbed her jaw and tilted her head back so he could see her. She had a frown on her lips and a sadness in her eyes that made his heart drop.

“Baby, I wouldn’t do that.”

Hearing that pet name made her feel a little better, but that worry was still so intense. She pouted her lips out, her eyes closing to avoid his stare. His thumb rubbed slow circles into her cheek in an attempt to calm her. 

“I want to.. just not right now.”

Being open with people was something he struggled with, but he’s trying hard to be different with her. He wanted to ask her questions and get to the bottom of the issue or of her worry, not just assure her everything is fine. He had to open himself to be there for her. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

Ivy shifted her head back into his neck, wanting to be comfortable. “Yeah.” 

He waited a long moment before saying anything. The topic shouldn’t be one they avoid or are ashamed to talk about. It should be a normal, respectful thing. It was in both of their best interests if they knew certain things about each other. 

“Are you.. are you a virgin?” He asked with a light voice, not wanting to make too big of a fuss over it. 

Ivy let out a shaky breath that hit his skin. It was an inevitable topic that she couldn’t escape. If Harry wanted to know something about her, then she wanted to tell him. Clearly, it’s on his mind - for a reason she’s yet to know. 

“Um, no. Technically, no.” She replied with a gentle sigh. 

“Technically?” 

She dropped her hand to the small of his back, curling her fingers into her palm. “Just did it once.. and it was a while ago.” 

Harry thought maybe he went far enough. What if she thought he was being inappropriate? Despite having doubts, he kept on. 

“Was it.. was it bad?” 

She swallowed, pushing her face further into his neck. “Yeah, kinda.” 

“M’not trying to be.. invasive, just want to understand your mind. Why you might be unsure about it.” Harry was quick to explain. 

She nodded, relaxing her fingers against his back now. “I’m not unsure.. I just know I’m not ready. I want to, trust me, but it’s only been a week.”

“I know, and I don’t want you to feel rushed at all. It’s fine with me.” Harry gave her waist another squeeze. “And I definitely don’t want you to think I’m just trying to get in your pants.”

She let out a soft laugh that eased his nerves. “I know.” 

He tightened his arm around her back as she yawned, sleep threatening to fall over her. She hid her face in his neck, trying her best to bury herself in him. It wasn’t long before she yawned again, causing a smile to shape to his lips. She was even more adorable when she was tired. He wanted to snuggle her closer, but they were as close as humanly possibly already. When Ivy yawned for the third time, he knew she was tired and needed to rest. He didn’t want her to stay up late and worry with him. They could talk in the morning. 

“Go to sleep, baby.” He smiled as he kissed her forehead. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Harry.” Her words came out in a gentle murmur. 

Another kiss was placed on her skin before he closed his eyes, soon joining her in a slumber. 

—•—

Ivy wasn’t sure what was going on as she started to wake up. Her eyes slowly opened, the sun was shining bright through the window. She grunted and turned her face back down where it had been resting, right against Harry’s shoulder. He heard her little noises and felt her stirring. He dropped his phone and reached over to grab onto her. Sometime during the night they ended up like this - him laying on his back with her body draped over his. Her arm was tucked under him and the other around his torso. 

“Finally waking up, love?” He said in a groggy voice as she 

“Hmm.. what time is it?” She mumbled back, lifting her head to get a better look at him. 

He chuckled as he saw her messy hair, her bangs all over the place. “Little past eleven.”

She groaned, letting her face fall back on him. “Why did I sleep so long? We weren’t even up late.”

Harry smiled as her hand moved from his side to the butterfly inked onto his skin. He wasn’t sure if she purposely did that or if her hand just so happened to land there. 

“You slept like an angel, only moved a few times.” 

Her breaths were still slow and heavy. “You’re just comfortable and good at cuddles.”

“Who would’ve known?” He playfully pinched her hip, making her hum. 

“M’glad I just know.. nobody else.” 

There was a certain feeling of pride and triumph that lived in her when it came to knowing she was Harry’s first real relationship, the first person he’s held intimately. It made her feel like a queen, like she had some weird kind of power. Nobody could know him in that way - maybe with other things, but not in this way.

“Jealous, huh?” He teased. 

“Maybe.” She picked her head up again, her pretty eyes finding his. “How long have you been up?”

He shrugged. “Since nine, I think.”

“You could’ve woke me up.. didn’t have to stay here with me.” 

He scoffed, putting on a dramatic expression. “Are you kidding? I wasn’t gonna pass up the opportunity to be next to you, baby.” 

Ivy rolled her eyes and pushed her lips on to his. They shared a few sweet pecks, both laughing as she started to plant a trail down his jaw. His fingers dug into her hip as he tried to drag her closer, but she was already molded onto him. When she caught his gaze again, she gave him a cheeky smile. 

“What movie are we going to watch?” She curiously asked. 

“Whatever you want.”

She sighed, but kept her smile. “Always that answer, hm?”

“You get whatever you want, princess.” He winked, spending her cheeks into a blazing fire. The simplest things drove her wild. 

It wasn’t long before he guided her down the stairs to the kitchen. He offered to make her a quick late breakfast and since she was starving, she didn’t pass on it. It was a nice meal consisting of fried eggs and a few pancakes he mixed from a box. It filled her up so good that she was yawning when Harry joined her on the couch. 

It took a few minutes for her to decide on a movie, but once she did, she got comfortable against him. Her legs were pulled up on the couch, her arm tucked around him. He held onto her shoulders like she was going to slip away if he didn’t. He was less focused with the movie and more concerned with Ivy. There wasn’t anything specific that he could pick up on, but he just had a worry in his gut. Maybe this was normal for people who are in relationships, maybe it was something that just happened. Worry, concern, care, caution - he wasn’t quite sure what to call it.

When he draped his arm over her shoulder, she didn’t hesitate to reach for his hand. He smiled as she started playing with his fingers. Her eyes were glued to the television screen, but her mind was going fuzzy. She wasn’t tired, but rather she was content. It was hard to think of a time when she’d been this relaxed before - there wasn’t a time to reminisce about. He made her calm, happy, and comfortable. He was just sitting next to her with his hand around her, yet it felt like her world was exploding with euphoria and butterflies and rainbows and everything happy. Was it love? She couldn’t determine that just yet. 

Harry didn’t realize he had dozed off until the sound of keys rattling in the door woke him. He grunted, trying to move his hand but Ivy’s grip was too strong. He stopped attempting and let her keep hold of him. She was awake, despite feeling so peaceful she never fell asleep. The movie wasn’t long from its end. 

“You alright?” He mumbled just as Niall opened the door. 

“Mhm.” She squeezed his fingers. 

Niall appeared next to them, an amused look on his face as he saw Harry’s expression. “Look like you just woke up.”

“I’ve been up.” Harry sighed back. 

“He was just snoring.” Ivy chimed in with a laugh, tugging on his hand. 

Harry smiled, amused by her comeback. He didn’t defend himself, only because he knew it was true. Niall didn’t bother them anymore, he waved them off as he mentioned going to his room. Before he exited, though, he reminded Harry that he needed to practice one of the songs they would be playing later on that night. 

“Are you hungry?” Harry asked her, a deep exhale following his question. 

“No, I’m okay.” 

“Guess I need to go mess around on the guitar.” He didn’t seem excited. 

Ivy sat up, letting go of his fingers so he could stretch his arms out. “Do you need me to go home?”

He furrowed his brows and reached up to grab her waist. “What? No.”

“Don’t you need to be alone?”

“Who said I needed to be alone?” He said with a chuckle, sitting up to join her on the edge of the couch. “You can stay, babe.”

Every time he used one of those sweet names her heart would swell and butterflies swarmed in her stomach. She smiled as she felt her cheeks warm up. 

“I don’t want to be in the way.”

“You won’t be.” He closed the space they shared and gently pushed his lips on her. “I promise.”

Ivy let him kiss her for a few moments, humming as he grabbed her jaw to hold her still. As much as he wanted to swallow her whole, he knew he had to get upstairs. He let her go and took her hand to lead her upstairs. 

She was quite curious about his ability to play the guitar, something about it was so interesting and intriguing. She wasn’t opposed to watching him, in fact she was excited to. The possibility of him wanting her to leave almost felt like a fear. She didn’t want to miss out on the experience of watching him. 

When they got to his room, he told her she could do whatever she wanted while he got the guitar off of the stand. He pulled out an amp and set everything up. Ivy chose to stand in the middle of his room on his rug, her hands folded behind her back as she observed his every move. As he turned around, he didn't expect to see her standing still. She grinned at him, pulling a chuckle out of his mouth. He thought she was just the most adorable thing ever. 

“Can I sit here?” She asked. 

Harry sat down in his desk chair after he turned it to face the amp. He gave her a nod and a smile, not sure why she was so giddy about this. Maybe she thought it was cool that he could play the guitar? It wasn’t a revolutionary thing in his mind, but maybe she thought so. 

Ivy sat down on the rug, just a few feet from him, with her eyes stuck on his hands as he rested his fingers over the strings. He glanced around at everything to make sure it was all set up properly. When he was sure that he did everything right, he ran his fingers down the strings, the sound spilling from the amplifier.

Although he was very familiar and comfortable with the song he was about to practice, he had never had such an intense audience before. He’s played plenty of shows, done many band practices, had Niall’s hard stare watching every move of his finger when he first learned to play - but nobody was as intimidating as Ivy. He was feeling anxiety pour into his veins. What if he messed up and she thought he was stupid? The thoughts were endless all of a sudden. 

Harry was trying not to look directly at her, but it was hard to resist her. She was sitting with her legs crossed and her hands resting in her lap. Those sparkling eyes were fixed on him as she waited patiently for him to start. He took a deep breath and slowly pushed it out, not sure how this was going to go. If he thought about her any longer, his heart was going to explode. 

He didn’t tell her what song he had to work on, but she knew what it was the moment he started the opening chords. She smiled big as he played the riff so confidently. He seemed very sure of himself. While she had only been to a few shows, she knew she’d never heard them play this song before. Niall wanted to add it last time but they didn’t end up doing it, so he told everyone yesterday after confirming they’d do the show tonight that he wanted to perform it. Ivy quite enjoyed the Def Leppard song and she was excited to see them do it live later on. 

It had been a long time since they last did the song, so Harry was trying to loosen up his memory of it. He didn’t do the lead singing during the song, Niall preferred to do it instead. Right now it was almost like he suddenly forgot what he was supposed to be doing. His fingers slid off the strings, making him groan and shake his head. He should’ve grabbed a pick but he forgot to. He looked down at Ivy, whose eyes were just as wide as when he started. She smiled sweetly, hoping to give him some silent encouragement. 

He started over from the start. Everything was going well, he even got further than he did in his first attempt. But that all came crashing down when his eyes fell down on her and she was biting down on her lip, still smiling like she was witnessing a miracle. She was so happy to be in the room with him, and to be able to watch him do this just made her even more excited. Ivy was just as obsessed with him as he was of her, and right now that was obvious. 

“Fuck.” He uttered under his breath as he missed a few chords. He tried to keep going, but it messed up his momentum. 

Harry shook his hand, trying to loosen up his fingers. Maybe he was a bit rusty. He picked up where he messed up, getting it correct this time. He kept going, tapping his foot to keep his pace right. He tried to keep his eyes glued to his guitar, but Ivy being in the room was forcing him to think about her and not the song. He shot his eyes to her again, her cheeks were rosy and her hands were clasped together. She was so entertained and content with this, yet he was struggling to keep ahold of himself. 

“Damn it.” His curse was a bit louder than the last one. 

Her smile fell down to a subtle frown. Harry pushed his hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. He wasn’t sure why he was fucking up so much - well, he knew, he just didn’t want to admit it or seem like he was blaming her. She wasn’t doing anything. She’s literally just sitting there watching him, her lips sealed. There were no audible distractions, she wasn’t walking around or calling his name. She was just there. He thought it would almost be better and easier if she were jumping around or messing with stuff in his room or doing anything other than putting her pretty eyes on him. 

“Am I distracting you?” Ivy asked in a soft voice, fearful of the answer. 

“No.” He quickly replied. 

“You keep messing up.” 

A laugh slipped out with his breath. “Yeah, thanks, love. I know.” 

“Sorry.” She mumbled back, her eyes falling down to her own hands. 

“Nothing to be sorry about.” He sighed, disappointed in himself for making her suddenly uncomfortable and nervous. He had a way of doing that, unfortunately. 

Ivy’s hair fell over her shoulder as she hung her head. She wasn’t trying to be in his way, she even offered to leave before he ever started. Perhaps he was just being too nice to her. He should’ve told her to go home. She felt an uneasy feeling building in her stomach. 

Of course, seeing her like that made him feel like shit. He propped his guitar against his desk and got into the floor with her. She huffed as he got closer, slipping his hand onto her neck to get her to look up. She didn’t at first, though, she didn’t want to be in the way. 

“You’re a great distraction, babe. Just so pretty.. can’t stop looking at you.” He tilted her head up and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “Don’t be sad, Ivy.” 

The way he said her name made her heart drop. She frowned harder, a confusing sadness filling her up. Harry pressed another kiss to the spot, not moving his lips away at all. 

“What’s the matter, sweet girl? You were just smiling so big f’me.” 

She let out a whimper as she curled her fingers around his wrist. “I’m in the way.” 

“No, you aren’t.” 

“I should go home for a while.” 

Harry shook his head. “I don’t want you to go home yet.” 

“I’m making you mess up. I.. I don’t want you to get mad.” She kept her voice so light and gentle, it broke his heart to hear her speak that way - almost like she was afraid. “Don’t like it when you get mad.” 

He was upset with his own actions now. He had a tendency to lose his control and unfortunately Ivy was too familiar with it. But he didn’t feel that way right now, he wouldn’t do that to her over this simple situation. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. 

“M’not gonna get mad at you, baby. You just make me a little nervous, s’all.” 

She closed her eyes. “Is it okay if I go home?” 

Had he done too much? Had he messed up again? Maybe he was making an expression that made her feel this way, something he didn’t notice he was doing. Or perhaps she was just nervous about a potential blow up from him? There had to be a reason she was so upset with him, but he had no clue what he did. Was it too complicated for her to explain and for him to understand? 

“I.. I really don’t want you to go.” He leaned back some to give her space, but he kept his hand where it was and she didn’t try to let it go. 

“We’ll be together later, though.” 

“Ivy, what’s wrong? I.. I’m sorry, I don’t know what I did.” Harry’s brows fell as worry sank into him. “Why do you wanna go?” 

It was hard for her to tame her wandering mind, and it was disappointing to know that she had failed to control it yet again. She dropped her gaze down to her own legs, trying to vanish into thin air. She didn’t want to confront her fears and admit to Harry what was on her mind, but there was no escape. 

“Because, I’m in the way and you won’t tell me that. You don’t wanna hurt my feelings and that’s okay, but.. I know I’m in the way and you need to practice.” Her explanation was heartbreaking for him. 

Maybe it was true in some sense. She wasn’t literally in the way or doing something to purposely distract or annoy him, but her presence made it hard for him to focus on anything else. There was nothing done to put blame on. She didn’t purposely do anything to him. It was his fault, if anything. He can’t focus on anything else when Ivy is around. She took up every inch of his mind, filled in every space. She meant everything to him, how could he try to put his attention on something else? Maybe her being here would make things difficult. Was it safer for their relationship and his mood to let her go for a while? 

“I guess if you want to go, you can. I can’t make you stay.” He exhaled slowly, wishing this was happening another way. 

“I’m sorry, Harry.” 

He smiled, shaking his head lightly in disbelief. “You always apologize when you don’t need to.” 

“I can’t help it.” She grinned back, glad to see that he was at least appearing to be okay with this. 

“I, um, I can drive you home and.. you can have the afternoon to yourself until tonight. I’ll pick you up.” He offered, not sure of what else to say. 

“I can get Emma to come get me, so you can keep practicing.” 

He thought about debating it with her and offering his services over and over until she agreed, but he chose not to. There was no point in adding any fuel to this small, simmered down fire. 

“I’ll text her.” She grabbed her phone from the spot on the rug where she abandoned it earlier. 

Harry watched as her fingers tapped on the screen. Although it bothered him to know she was wanting to leave, he completely understood why. He just hated it. He didn’t want her to go so soon. They hadn’t been able to spend much time together and this weekend was supposed to make up for it. He felt a bit of irritation towards Niall for pressuring him to practice the song. He had sent Harry multiple texts the past two days insisting and reminding him to practice. It was his own fault that he waited until the day of the show to do it. 

“Okay, she said she’ll be here in about twenty minutes.” Ivy tossed the phone back down and turned her attention back to Harry. 

“Hey, m’not mad at you, okay?” 

She felt a lump start to form in her throat. “I know.” 

“I promise. I don’t want you to think you did something wrong.” 

Ivy didn’t really want to discuss it, in fear that it would lead to a disagreement or a misunderstanding, so she just reached down and took hold of his other hand. She leaned into him, her lips pushing into his. He hummed gently as she held the kiss for a few long seconds. 

“Can we kiss until it’s time for me to go?” She asked it so innocently. 

He smirked, releasing her hand to grab onto her waist. “Definitely.” 

She moved onto her knees, giggling as she grabbed his face on either side to pull his head back. He groaned into her mouth when she shoved her tongue past his lips. He was starting to believe that she was getting more comfortable and confident with him, that she was doing what she wanted to do rather than waiting for him to do it. 

There was a desire to relax into her, to lay her down on the floor and show her how special she was to him - but he couldn't do that. She didn’t want that yet. So, he let his hands move up and down her waist, toying with her hips without going too far. While he was hesitant with his placement, Ivy was running her hands all over him. She kept coming back to his neck to hold him on either side, her thumbs pushing up under his ears. She loved to feel him in her hold, loved to know she had him all to herself. There was a sense of possession she felt. Harry had no issue with whatever she wanted to do. She was in control. 

“Mm, Harry.” She gasped as she pulled back from his mouth. “I.. I wanna try something.” 

He lifted his brows as his eyes opened. “Whatever you want.” 

She nodded gently, a smile shaping to her lips as she pictured the idea in her mind. It was something she wanted to do so badly, something that was becoming irresistible. He waited quietly for her to tell him, figuring she would since she mentioned it. 

“Promise, anything?” 

Harry smirked and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Anything is fine with me, promise.” 

Ivy took that as permission and approval. She grabbed his face by his jaw again and yanked him back to her. His hand slid to the small of her back as she started the kissing back. He was confused at first because nothing seemed to be different. He was leading the kiss, his tongue sweeping through her mouth so easily. It wasn’t until she moved her hand to the side of his head did he realize what she wanted to do. 

She slid her fingers into his hair, scraping her nails against his scalp as she guided her touch to the back of his head. She wrapped her fingers in his hair and gave him a light tug. He let out a light moan, the feeling of her fingers in his hair was doing incredible things to him. He squeezed her waist tight and spread his fingers out on her back, hoping to send her a sign that he was enjoying it. Ivy couldn’t stop herself from pulling harder after a few minutes. At first, she was only going to use one hand, but as she realized how much she liked doing it, she added her other one. Harry let out a groan as she raked her fingers through his hair and tugged at his roots. 

There was a strange feeling she was experiencing as she did it. Her brain interpreted it as some kind of comfort, like doing this was giving her a boost of serotonin. Harry’s long, curled hair was one of favorite things about this physical appearance, and being able to do whatever she wanted with it felt surreal. Neither of them were certain or aware of how long it went on, but eventually Ivy had to take a break to wipe the corners of her mouth off. Harry chuckled as she carefully slid her hands out of his hair. 

“Was.. was that too much?” She asked as she relaxed her hands on his shoulders. 

“No, that was pretty nice.” He licked his lips, flicking his eyes down to her mouth. 

She took a deep breath and slowly pushed it out. “I really like your hair.” 

“Yeah? It’s all yours to pull on, baby.” He wasn’t shocked to see her cheeks flush up and her eyes dart away from his. 

“I wish I wasn’t so scared.” Her lips pouted out. 

Harry gripped either side of her waist. “You don’t have to be, Ivy, but it’s okay to be.” 

She pushed out a huff and rested her temple against his. “Soon.. but not now.” 

It was unfortunate that Emma drove a bit faster than Ivy expected she would. When she called to say she was outside, Harry mustered up his courage to fake a smile and assure Ivy he would be fine. They shared a tight hug, swaying from side to side for a few long, drug out moments. Harry kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, then all over her face until she was giggling and trying to fight him off. It ended with a kiss to her lips, one that he wished would’ve lasted forever. Before he knew it, she went out the door with her bag and headed home. 

Niall had stepped outside to talk to Emma while she waited for Ivy, so he joined Harry in the kitchen once the girls drove off. He could tell Harry wasn’t happy and that his mood from this morning had greatly shifted. He had a straight line on his lips and no expression on his face. He was back to his usual self, who he was when he wasn’t with Ivy. Niall didn’t bother him, instead he went back to his room to give him as much space as he needed. The last thing Niall wanted to deal with tonight was Harry’s sour mood at their show. If he let him be, maybe he’ll get over it. 

“So, how was your date?” Emma grinned as she quickly glanced over at Ivy. 

“It was nice. We had a good time.” 

She hummed back, then brought up something she had been curious about. “Did you guys.. do anything after?” 

Ivy shrugged. “Just went home and talked.”

“Talked? That’s all?” Emma laughed a little. “No like.. kissing or anything?” 

There was a pinch in her stomach as she replayed the memories of her time with Harry in her mind. It didn’t last long enough and it was her fault. Sure, they’d be together in a few hours and will be able to spend another night together in his bed, but he wasn't here now. It hurt her more than she was willing to admit. She shouldn’t have let her anxiety get to her. She could still be sitting in his floor watching him play his guitar. 

“Yeah, just that. I don’t really want to talk about it right now.” 

“Did you have a fight?”

Ivy shook her head. “No.. we didn’t.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to Emma about it, it was more so she was hoping to forget it all happened. Not the date or the cuddling and kissing, but the disagreement they had. No matter how good things seemed to be with him, she couldn’t shake her worry off. 

“Okay, sorry.” 

She was battling the thoughts. She knew it would do no good to bottle it up. Emma was her best friend, she knew how to help her if she needed it. Maybe she could just vent and Emma would listen without offering any advice. Ivy didn’t want advice, she just needed someone to know what was going on. She opted to stay silent. 

When she got back home, she decided it would be a good idea to take a shower and handle all of her personal business before it was time to get ready for tonight’s show. She had a few hours, Harry had reminded her of what time he’d pick her up before she left, but she wanted to make sure she got everything done with plenty of time to spare. That extra time would definitely be spent on an internal freak out. She would worry about her hair, her outfit, her makeup, her skin, every single thing. Not only that, but she’d get anxious about being around Harry. It was almost like he was still that person that hated to be around her, or pretended to hate it. She had to constantly remind herself that he wasn’t that way anymore, and neither was she. 

Her shower was incredibly relaxing. The steaming hot water washed away all of the tension she held in her body. It was like a refreshing start for the evening. She would be lying if she told someone she wasn’t thinking about Harry every second since being apart from him. She hated herself for being so stubborn, for wanting to leave him when it would’ve just been so easy to stay there. She could’ve gone downstairs and watched something or went to his bed and laid down on her phone while he practiced. There was no need to run away, yet she did. 

That horrible cycle of anxiety and worry was unstoppable. As she combed the conditioner through her hair, she reminded herself of how her fingers wrapped into Harry’s hair. She wondered what he was up to, if he was still practicing or if he even started back once she left. As she ran the razor up her legs, she thought about how Harry had gripped her through her pants, kneaded her flesh hard. She had really liked the way it felt when he touched her that way, touch her like she was all his - because she was, of course. She was all his and she wanted him to know that.. 

When she washed herself in a certain place, her mind started to drift off. She imagined how it would play out, how Harry would coax her into it, how he’d guide her to the bed and slowly start the whole process. Maybe he would be gentle with her, or perhaps he preferred it rougher? She didn’t know for sure, but she pictured him being more gentle at first, easing into it since he knew she had very little experience. Harry was very possessive with his hands. She thought about how he’d grab her and squeeze her all over. And his lips, she couldn’t ever stop thinking about kissing him. What would it be like to have his lips trail below her chin, to her neck and under her collarbones? It was an intriguing idea, would he tend to each of her breasts before kissing down her stomach? How would it feel to have his lips linger around her pelvis? 

Ivy snapped out of her trance as she realized her fingers were circling her clit. She blinked a few times, trying to bring herself back to reality. She withdrew her hand and picked up on where she left off with bathing herself. She wasn’t intending on doing that now, she had to get this shower over soon. That brought back memories of the handful of times she found herself thinking about him and slipping her hand into her panties. Most of the instances occurred before they made things official, before he even spent that time with her that night. No matter when it happened, she quite enjoyed it each time. 

Figuring out what to wear was more of a challenge than it had ever been, even more than last night when she had to choose a dress for their date. Currently, she was trying on a square cut top, the hem lined with tiny lace and a pair of light denim shorts. There was a thin cardigan she paired with it just for coverage. The straps of the top were short, they didn’t come down her arms very far at all. She wondered if her cleavage was too much. She posed in the mirror, bending forward to see if too much would show. It was definitely more than she usually put on display, but the thought of Harry actually liking it was making her lean more towards it. She had to remember she wasn’t dressing for everyone else, just for herself and Harry. If she liked it, or if he liked it, then she’d be fine. 

“Do you think a skirt would look better with this?” She turned to face Emma, who was seated on her bed with her eyes glued to Ivy. She wanted to be as much help as possible. 

“You can try one. Maybe one of those faux leather ones you have, those are always cute on you.” Emma suggested, trying to picture the combination in her hand. “Aren’t you wanting to wear heels? I think they’ll go better with a skirt.”

Ivy walked to her closet, sighing heavily as she realized Emma was right. She had been so worried about her top that she forgot about the shoes she planned on wearing. Her favorite part of any outfit was her shoes, and tonight she had picked a pair of tall, chunky black heels with skinny ankle straps and closed toes. They would make her significantly taller than her normal height, like most of her heels did. She loved the way she looked in them, and how comfortable it was walking in a thicker heel. Shoes were never something she was unsure about. 

She came back to the middle of the room with a few options in her hands. She tossed them down on her vanity chair and looked over at Emma. 

“A flared or a tight one?” 

“Try a tight one first.” Emma smirked, prepared to convince her to chose that one. 

Ivy was her best friend, and she had finally gotten herself into a relationship. She wanted Ivy to be the hottest she possibly could for Harry, especially while going out. She knew that if Ivy walked out of the house in a garbage bag Harry would still be in love with her, but she wanted her to wear something eye catching. Emma was trying her best to encourage Ivy’s sexual exploration, without actually saying anything about it, so maybe she could channel it though the clothing. If she felt confident, felt hot, and knew Harry thought she looked stunning, then maybe she’d ease up on her worry and go there with him. Emma wasn’t going to pressure her or make fun of her for not trying, but she knew she’d love it - especially with Harry - if she gave herself the chance to try. 

Ivy rolled her eyes with a smile as she caught on to Emma’s intentions. She knew Emma was going to push for her to wear the hottest items, she always did that whenever Ivy asked for advice or assistance. She picked the black skirt with a small slit on each thigh. She knew black would look the best with her shoes and her light purple shirt. An excited cheer and clap came from Emma as Ivy pulled the skirt up her legs, adjusting it on her waist. 

“It’s definitely tight.” She frowned slightly when she turned towards the mirror. 

In actuality, she looked perfectly fine. But to her, it looked like a mess. She gulped quietly and just stared at her stomach. Was it too unflattering? She felt like it was definitely drawing a lot of attention to a place she didn't want it. 

“You look great! I love it.” Emma said with a hopeful tone, wishing that Ivy would stop being so insecure. 

“Harry’s going to think I’ve gained twenty pounds since this morning.” She lowered her eyes down to her thighs. The rest of her body was fine, she didn’t have any bad thoughts about anything. It was just her stomach. “I don’t like this.” 

“Ivy, c’mon, you look beautiful.” Emma jumped up and quickly ran over to her the second Ivy started to pull down the skirt. 

Emma stopped her and fixed it back to where it was. She grabbed Ivy by her hips and rotated her back to face the mirror. Her hands gripped Ivy’s waist as she stared into the mirror. 

“You look stunning. You always look stunning.” 

Ivy shook her head. “I look fat.” 

When she pressed her hand over her stomach, Emma grabbed her wrist and pulled it back down. “Stop, you look perfectly fine.” 

“Harry’s not gonna want to have sex with me.” Her words were soft, barely audible. 

Emma felt her own heart sink as she saw the sadness coat Ivy’s features - the same ones she knew Harry adored more than anything. It was obvious to see that Ivy was no longer feeling any sort of confidence. She was starting to consider not even going tonight. Everything was going wrong. 

“Did something happen with him?” Emma kept her voice just as light, in case Ivy was close to breaking down. She didn’t want her to ruin her makeup. 

“What do you mean?” 

Emma licked her lips and stepped between the mirror and Ivy, who’s eyes were fighting back tears at this point. “Did you try.. something and he.. didn’t want to?” 

Ivy dropped her eyes to the floor. She wasn’t sure what to say, so she tried to occupy her mind by picking at her nail polish. She had just freshly painted them today after her shower, but she didn’t care. Emma thought of the worse possible answers that could come from Ivy’s mouth, and it was all making her very angry. She furrowed her brows and carefully grabbed both of Ivy’s elbows to get her attention. When her eyes lifted, Emma saw how watery they had become. She shook her head gently, silently telling her not to get upset. 

“I’ll fucking kill him myself if he said something about your body.” Emma was serious. 

Ivy frowned again. “No, it wasn’t that.”

“Ivy.” 

She didn’t believe her. Emma was sure that something must have been said to make Ivy feel this way. She had been anxious about her outfits before, but this felt different. Emma was afraid of what had happened.  

“He didn’t say anything.” Ivy defended him, because he had truly done nothing wrong. “He wanted to. I stopped him.. again.” 

“Again?” 

She looked away from Emma, too embarrassed to face her. “He wanted to.. the night he came over here. He.. he wants to, so bad, Emma.” 

“It doesn't matter if he does. You have to want to, too.” 

Ivy let out a humorous laugh that resembled more of a sigh. “I do.” 

“So what happened then? If you want to and he wants to.. then what? Are you just trying to wait a bit longer?” 

Ivy shrugged, she really didn’t know how to explain it. “It’s only been a week. I.. I would feel like a whore if I tried to do it this fast.”

Emma sighed. “That’s not what a whore is, Ivy. You aren’t going out and hooking up every night. If you want to do that with him, then you can. He’s your boyfriend.” 

Her lip was quivering but she was fighting so hard to stop it. She spent so long trying to finalize her makeup look, she didn’t want to have to do any touch ups to it. 

“When he tried.. what was he doing? Just kissing you?” Emma wasn’t asking to be nosy, unlike earlier in the day when she wanted all the details. 

Ivy nodded. “Just.. kissing and touching. We were on the couch and.. I was on his lap. It.. it was perfect. I stopped him.” 

Emma was familiar with Ivy’s small amount of experience, and she easily remembers how upset Ivy was after her first time. They didn’t know each other then, but the story had been told to her. She was extremely insecure and afraid, and the fact that it sucked from the start to the end didn’t help. Why put so much effort into doing it again if it’s just going to be a bad experience? 

“When he touched you.. did you feel bad? Like, did you feel insecure?” 

Ivy felt her heart flutter as she recalled how it made her feel. There was nothing wrong with what Harry did. She loved every second of it. There was just something inside of her that made her stop, that made her afraid. 

“No, I actually didn’t. He touched me like.. like he loved everything about me. He always does.” 

Emma smiled genuinely. “That’s because he does, Ivy.”

Ivy pulled back from her grip and walked to her vanity. She sat down, pushing aside the skirts to rest her arms. She wanted to fall apart and sob, but she knew Harry would be here in less than half an hour and she couldn’t fix her makeup that quick. She had to pull it together. 

“Listen to me.” Emma started with a gentle sigh, she stayed put. “I understand that you think it’s too soon.. and there’s nothing wrong with that. But don’t let that ruin it for you. You spent a long time trying to figure out if you liked him or not. And I know you do, so much.” 

Ivy rolled her lips in, fully aware that she’d have to reapply her lip gloss before she left. It was frustrating to feel this way. She was so close to being dressed, to being ready to go have fun. Her brain got in the way, her mind took over and spiraled again. 

“Just.. don’t be scared. Harry’s in love with you.. he’s not going to care about how you look in the skirt. You don’t have to have sex with him tonight, but don’t be so nervous to let him do things with you. And, I know you get shy, but.. talk to him. Tell him what you want, how you feel.” 

All she could do was sit there. She couldn’t come up with anything to say or even an expression to put on. Emma grabbed the pair of heels she had sat out for the night and brought them to her. She dropped them on the vanity and huffed. 

“You look sexy. Stop being so sad. Harry’s going to explode when he sees you.” 

With those encouraging words, Emma left her room to give her some space. It was difficult to gather her thoughts, but she had no other choice. She took a few slow, deep breaths while staring at the heels. If anything, she was perfectly confident in her choice of shoes. Perhaps she could use that to boost her mood and give her the confidence back. A wild thought popped in her mind. If she was so worried, she could always call Harry to get his thoughts on her outfit. Surely he’d be honest, right? Ivy groaned to herself, her own thoughts were beginning to irritate her. She didn't need his approval, or Emma’s, or anyone’s. She snatched the tube of lipgloss out of her makeup bag and applied a new layer. 

She returned in front of the mirror after slipping and securing the heels on her feet. She flipped her long, slightly curled hair over her shoulders and smiled at her reflection. Harry loved her hair - he thought it was just so pretty and soft and shiny. She looked at her lips, smirking to herself. Harry loved kissing her - god, he loved it more than anything. Her lips were so thick and soft, her tongue so warm and the taste of her mouth was like heaven. The more she looked at each part of herself, the more she thought about Harry and how much he seemed to adore everything about her. Slowly, but surely, that confidence was building back up. 

It wasn’t her first time pacing at the door waiting for Harry to show up, but it seemed to get harder with each time. Ivy was alone in the house, Emma had already left with Niall. She would be coming back here, while Ivy would return to Harry’s place after the night was over. Her duffle bag was packed with similar things that it was full of the night before. She was trying to control her breathing before she got in the car with him. The last thing she wanted was for him to ask her if she was okay. She didn’t want to relive what happened earlier in her bedroom, she just wanted to have a good night. The ding of her phone made her heart jump. She looked down at the screen, a nervous feeling sinking into her bones. 

Harry: coming to the door now 

Not even thirty seconds had passed before Harry knocked on the door. Ivy composed herself the best she could and opened the door for him. She was met with his grin, but it wasn’t enough to distract her from how handsome he looked. He wasn’t wearing his usual dark t-shirt, instead he was wearing one the shirts he never buttons all the way up and pushes the sleeves to his elbows. She smiled nervously as he looked down her body slowly, then drug his eyes back up. 

“Damn, you look incredible.” He told her with a gentle smirk, reaching for her body. 

She let him grab her and yank her closer. The feeling of his warm body against hers made her worries fade. Her hand gripped his waist on either side as he mumbled another compliment in her ear before pressing a kiss to her jaw. 

“I missed you.” He added, pulling back to look at her. 

“I missed you.” She smiled a bit bigger this time. “Sorry I left so soon.” 

He shook his head and pushed his lips onto hers. She moaned softly into the kiss, wishing it would’ve lasted longer. She barely got a taste of him before he leaned back. 

“Don’t worry about all that. I’ve got you now, hm.” 

Ivy let out a breath as she checked the time on her phone. “We should probably go.” 

“Do you have everything?” He asked, glancing down at the duffle bag that was discarded on the floor. 

“Yeah, I’m ready.” 

Once she closed the door, Harry carried her bag to the car and tossed it in the back seat. He made sure to open her door and help her in, telling her yet again how good she looked. It was hard to resist her face turning to a blushing mess, his words just did that to her. 

The ride there was peaceful. She held onto his hand as he drove, his eyes staying on the road for the most part. He let her mess with the radio until she found something for them to listen to. Ivy would give him a glance every now and then, just making sure that he was okay. He didn’t appear to be in any bad mood, he was rather pleasant. She was glad, because there was that worry in the back of her mind that he was upset about what happened earlier. There was no way she was going to let something ruin her night, so she ignored all that and just gave him quick glances. 

At one point, she found herself staring at him for longer than just a moment. She admired his profile, how perfect he looked with the street lights and the moon glowing on his face. She thought he was just the most gorgeous thing ever. He didn’t have a hair out of place. His cologne filled the car - she loved it so much she’d be willing to drown in it. 

When they arrived, Harry told her he needed to get inside within a few minutes to set up everything and do a quick sound check. Ivy was willing to let him go whenever he had, but it seemed like he didn’t want to. He helped her out of the car and immediately grabbed onto her waist. He pushed her against the car, his height towering over her despite the heels she had on her feet. She pressed her hand to his chest, smiling sweetly as he stared down at her. 

“I thought you had to get inside?” She said with a soft laugh as he leaned down to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. 

“I can’t leave you yet.” He muttered back, playfully pecking her cheek a few times. 

“You said everyone was waiting on you.” 

He rolled his eyes and let a smirk cover his mouth. “They can wait a bit longer.” 

The softest moan slipped out of her mouth as he slotted his lips with hers. Within a second, they were swallowing each other whole. Harry’s hand fell down to her hip and he gripped her tight, pushing himself against her. There were sparks flying around them as they got lost in the kiss. Ivy was fighting her thoughts, and quickly losing because it wasn’t long until she was dizzy and mindless. The sounds of their mouths meeting and moving together always made her stomach fill with butterflies. It was so intimate, so special to hear it each time. Harry grunted when she reached up to grab onto his hair. Her fingers scraped his skin as she got a handful in the back, tugging hard. He wanted her to grab it all and do whatever she desired. It was taking every ounce of control he had to prevent himself from growing in his pants. He didn’t know it, but Ivy was creating a small damp spot in her underwear - something that happened so easily when he did certain things to her. 

Harry grunted when she finally slowed the kiss and pulled her lips away. A light gasp came from her as she realized she could breathe better now. He pecked her cheek again, sighing gently as he realized they needed to get inside soon. As much as he’d rather spend every second with her, he couldn’t do that yet. 

“M’gonna have a hard time keeping my hands off you later.” He said with a chuckle as she rubbed her hand back down his chest, stopping so she could settle it on his waist. She loved touching him there. 

“I don’t want you to keep your hands off me.” She bit down on her lip as she smiled, a redness covering her face. 

“Well, I.. I don’t want to do too much, y’know.” 

Ivy gave him a small shake of her head. “I want you to do whatever you think I’d like. I don’t.. wanna be scared anymore.” 

He licked his lips, tasting a bit of her gloss that he stole off her mouth. “As long as you’re honest with me. Tell me what you like, stop me when you don’t want it, all that, okay?” 

“I will.”

He pushed out a big exhale and gestured his head towards the building. “Guess we should go in?” 

Ivy replied with a nod, but when he took hold of her hand to walk her across the parking lot, she stopped him by grabbing his wrist and tugging on his arm. He looked back at her, not sure what she was doing. 

“Wait.” 

Harry turned back to face her, a concerned look on his face. “What is it?” 

All she could think about was the speech Emma gave her in her room earlier. There was no need to be so shy with Harry anymore. He wasn’t some stranger she didn’t like or a person who wasn’t considered her friend. He was way more than she ever imagined he would be. Harry had become her world, he had taken up every inch of space in her mind and in her heart. She could talk to him if something was on her mind, he’d listen with no hesitation. 

“Do you think I look alright?” She blurted the question out before ensuring herself she wanted to say it. 

He furrowed his brows and squeezed her tight. “You’re gorgeous.” 

She swallowed loud enough for him to hear. “Do.. do you like my outfit?” 

Harry moved one hand up to her face, cupping her jaw to keep her head steady. “Your outfit is perfect. I love it. You look incredible, as always.” 

“Okay.” She nodded lightly, not sure if she believed it or not. Maybe he was telling her the truth, but she didn’t agree with it. “I.. I was worried you wouldn’t.” 

Harry frowned. “Baby, why wouldn’t I?” 

“I dunno.” She uttered back. 

He planted a kiss on the center of her forehead, pushing her bangs into her skin. “Don’t ever worry about something like that, alright? I don’t want you to think that ever again.” 

Hearing that was a relief. A weight lifted from her shoulders. His calm, low tone was comforting to her worried nerves. It was no lie, he would never think bad of anything she decided to wear. Ivy felt better now, and she hoped her happy feeling carried on throughout the night. 

The taste of the alcohol slipping down her throat made her hum. Her eyes closed as she savored the sweet pineapple flavor accompanied by the burn of the liquor. Emma was standing next to her, talking about her recent date with Niall, as they waited for the show to start. Ivy was doing her best to listen, but she was spiraling in her own mind. For once, it wasn't anything bad or frustrating on her mind. Instead, it was all good things. She was thinking about the kiss they shared in the parking lot and how she’d get to see Harry on the stage soon. She thought about the promise they made, that alone was making all the good chemicals ramp up and rush through her body. The feeling of his hands on her body would return soon, and she was beyond ready. 

“I see you’re feeling better.” Emma said with a lift of her brow as Ivy opened her eyes. 

“Yeah, me and Harry talked.” She nodded, glancing down at the ice swirling in her plastic cup. “He likes what I’m wearing.” 

Emma dramatically sighed and threw her hand up. “Of course he does! You’re hot!” 

Ivy rolled her eyes and smiled. “Whatever you say.” 

“Whatever Harry says.” She grinned back, teasing Ivy was kind of fun but she’d never mean it in a bad way. 

“I told him I.. I want him to touch me more, like, um, he did last night.” 

Emma sipped her drink then put on a proud smile. “You’re being brave. I’m proud.” 

“I just want him to.. to do what he thinks I might like. Maybe that way it’ll be easier for me to realize or decide when I’m ready.” 

Emma nodded as she listened, completely agreeing with what Ivy was saying. She was rather glad that Ivy had come around to this idea. She knew that her lack of experience was hard to handle, but if Ivy would let herself open up, she might enjoy what could come from it. 

“So you don’t think you’re ready right now?” 

Ivy let out a sigh as she thought about that. She wasn't really sure because she had no idea what to expect. How can you know if you're ready? Do you just have some sort of feeling or little voice in your head screaming that it was time? How do you figure out that sort of thing if you’ve only had one bad experience? 

“I don’t know. What am I supposed to feel? How can I tell?” 

Emma swallowed the rest of her drink and took a deep breath, prepared to help Ivy out as much as she could. “Well, for me with Niall.. it was like I was comfortable and relaxed. I knew I wanted to share that with him. The best way I can put it is.. my body told me.” 

“See, I don’t understand that. I keep getting these feelings but then I get scared.” 

“What feelings?” 

She knew she could only tell Emma this and not Harry. She was open to talking about things with Harry, but this specific thing was not going to be one of them. It was very embarrassing for her to admit to herself, let alone say out loud to him. She was intending on keeping this between her and Emma only. 

“I get.. y’know.. wet, or whatever.” She shrugged, trying to remain as nonchalant as possible. 

Emma smirked, cocking a brow at her. “Wet? So.. just when he touches you or what?” 

“Even when he just gives me a quick kiss. I.. My stomach drops and.. I have this burning feeling.” 

“Hate to say it to you, girl, but.. I think your body is trying to tell you that it’s time.” Emma was being honest. 

“It’s only been a week!” 

“But you’ve known him for a while.” Emma reminded her, making her eyes widen as she emphasized it. “You’ve been wanting him. Admit it to yourself.” 

Ivy’s eyes rolled, a gentle shake of her head followed. “It’s too soon.” 

“Then relax! Just kiss the boy and have fun with him until you’re ready.” Emma gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Trust me, he’s too obsessed with you to go anywhere. You have plenty of time.” 

Maybe Emma was right and Ivy was just overthinking everything. Harry definitely had a possessive nature when it came to her. He wasn't going to just let her slip away or disappear himself. She had time.. 

Experiencing the show was much different for her tonight than it ever had been. She wasn’t a newcomer to the group, she wasn’t trying to avoid Harry’s stare, and she wasn't angry with his existence. Tonight, she was able to enjoy herself fully. She sang and danced with Emma like the world wouldn’t be there tomorrow when she woke up. Harry watched her for most of the show, smiling and shaking his head at her performance. She was confident and comfortable and definitely drunk. 

He had to remind himself to stay focused when he played his guitar, though, so he made sure he looked out at the crowd, too. Niall reminded him before they got on the stage to remain focused on his job and then he could give Ivy all his attention after. Since he knew she loved the shows and was excited to hear him perform, he agreed with Niall and kept himself on track with everything. Ivy was dancing like nobody else was in the room, and that alone was motivation for him to put on a good show. She wasn't dancing to music coming from the speakers, she was dancing to his voice singing the songs she loves. It meant something to him, it was special this time. 

When they reached the slower portion of the show, Harry used his minute long break to chug some water before kneeling on the edge of the stage to talk to her. It was still loud in the bar, but he was able to hear her. 

“You’re so good!” She grinned ear to ear, her voice loud as the alcohol increased her mood. 

“Gonna sing one for you next.” He winked, causing a blush to rise to her cheeks. 

“Can I give you a good luck kiss?” She asked sweetly, fluttering her thick lashes at him and making the cutest face. 

“I’d be sad if you didn’t.” He leaned down, chuckling as she reached up to grab his neck. 

She barely reached him, but when she did her lips connected to his. He wanted to pull her on the stage and handle it, but he couldn’t. The kiss was short, but sweet. She smacked her lips on his chin for an extra bit of luck before letting him go, knowing he had to get back to his microphone. 

Harry was sure he’d never been in such a great mood while performing before. He had something to really look forward to after like everyone else, aside from just wanting to drink the night away. He had someone waiting for him to get off that stage and join her.

Niall started the first of the slower songs by picking up his guitar. Harry had abandoned his for this portion of the show, not wanting to get distracted by Ivy. He knew he could sing perfectly fine while looking at her, but playing the guitar was another story. Her heart swelled as she heard the lyrics coming from Harry’s mouth. She loved this song so much, and he had promised her he’d sing it the next time she was there. She will always hold some regret in her heart for missing that show, but she had a feeling that things wouldn’t be the way they are now if she hadn’t missed it. 

“Lips of an Angel” was one of her favorite songs, she considered it a classic that everyone should know. She’d play it in her room or in the car and sing every word. Hearing Harry sing it was breathtaking. He made all of her favorite songs even more special than they already were. And of course, his eyes were pouring straight into hers as he sang. There was nothing quite like getting his intense stare in such a meaningful moment. 

For the remainder of the show, Ivy cheered him on and continued to dance with Emma. They were both worn out by the time it came to an end. Emma told Ivy that everyone would be out to join them within a few minutes, and the best place to wait for Harry would be at their usual reserved table. So, they headed that way once everyone walked off the stage. She pushed the beaded curtain out of the way and sighed as she entered the familiar section of the building. They went straight to their table and each claimed a spot. Emma sat next to her, instantly sparking up a conversation. 

“Harry’s so cute with you. I saw you guys kissing.” She giggled excitedly, her mind a little boggled from her drinks. 

Ivy couldn’t do anything but grin. “He’s so sweet. He’s the sweetest thing ever.”

They shared a laugh, both very giddy about the topic. Emma leaned in closer, her finger moving to lure Ivy in. She moved further in until their heads almost touched. 

“He’s gon’ be all over you.” She said with a cheeky laugh. 

“I hope so!” Ivy was just as happy about the idea. 

“Can’t believe you turned Harry into a sweetheart!”

Ivy let out a laugh and shook her head. She didn’t say anything though because she was easily distracted by Harry, who appeared from the crowd with a smile on his handsome face. She completely ignored Emma and stood up to greet him. He grunted as her arms wrapped around his neck, one set of fingers going to the back of his head. He snaked his arms around her body, so glad to finally be with her again. This time, he wouldn’t have to leave her. They could stay together the rest of the night. 

“Missed you.” Ivy said in a quiet voice as her arms slowly fell from his neck. She drug one down his chest, touching his exposed skin. “You did so good.”

“Thanks, love. You had a good time, didn’t you?” Harry chuckled as she looked up at him with red eyes and a sleepy look. “Someone’s a bit drunk, yeah?” 

She shook her head. “No, not yet.”

“M’not too sure about that, babe.”

“Sit down with me! Wanna be close.” She begged with the pout of her lip. 

He nodded, which immediately prompted her to sit down and pull on his hand, wanting him right next to her. He laughed as she manueved his arm around her shoulders and positioned him so his hand was dangling over her. She took hold of it and turned her head to see him. She had the most precious look on her face, stars in her pretty eyes, 

“Thank you for singing the song for me.” 

“You’re welcome, babe.”

“Baby.” She corrected him with the lift of her brows. 

He smirked back, leaning forward to kiss her temple. “M’sorry, baby.” 

“So, I heard it’s official!” Michelle yelled with joy as she approached the table. 

Ivy leaned into Harry’s shoulder, hiding her bashful face as he laughed and replied to Michelle. He knew that having this kind of attention would make Ivy feel shy, but he hoped she would be okay with it once everyone got their initial reactions out. She tapped his hand, trying to get his attention. 

He looked back at her. “Hmm?”

“Just wanna see you.” She bit down on her lip, her eyes fixated on him.

He furrowed his brows gently. “Everything okay?”

Ivy didn’t say anything, just nodded and smiled. He wasn’t sure what was happening but he assumed the alcohol had a lot to do with it. He told her earlier she could drink as much as she wanted and he’d drive them home. He didn’t feel the need to get drunk tonight. She was with him now, so there were no feelings to fight against. 

Unlike previous times, Cory and Niall were the ones to bring the free trays of beer gifted by the owner to their shared table. Ivy instantly received a look from Michelle, a smirk plastered over her red painted lips as she lifted a brow. Ivy shook her head, already knowing what she was going to say. Harry laughed as everyone started to chant Ivy’s name, expecting at least one chugging battle. She was trying to ignore them, but even Harry was encouraging it.

“Just do one, c’mon.” He said with a laugh, finding it hard to believe all of this was real. 

For once, there was no awkward tension amongst the group. He wasn’t trying to sneak glances at her or avoid her gaze. Nobody was expecting an outburst from him. It felt really good to not have to worry about any of that anymore.

“Okay, fine, just one.” She sighed as she took the cup of beer from Niall, who started the countdown. 

Michelle was quick to bring the cup to her lips, but she wasn’t quite fast enough to keep up with or outdo Ivy. It didn’t take long for her to finish. The empty cup fell to the table and a proud smile covered her lips. Niall offered her another cup, and she took it with hopes of actually enjoying this one. 

Harry eyed her, wondering if she’d accept anyone’s competition, but she shook her head at Zayn who was trying to get her to cave in again. When Ivy leaned up to talk to Emma, Harry’s arm fell to her back, his hand sliding to her waist. He kept a hold on her, not wanting her to get too far. He stayed quiet, which was somewhat part of his usual behavior, and just listened to her talk. They were talking about something Niall said to Emma the night before that made Ivy blush. Emma had always been open with her about certain things, and even though it embarrassed her, she always listened to the stories. Harry wasn’t necessarily listening to them, mainly because he couldn’t hear over the music, but his focus was starting to shift elsewhere. 

Across the table was Cory, and his eyes seemed to be placed on something that didn’t belong to him. If Harry couldn’t hear the girls clearly, there’s no way Cory could. So he wasn’t listening to them talk, he was just staring at Ivy. Harry slid his tongue over his teeth as he tried to relax himself. He could feel a fire lighting in his gut. He couldn’t stand when Cory looked at Ivy like that before they were together, and now that they were he was even more annoyed. There should be some respect shown now. It was obvious they were together, and it should be understood that Cory had no chance. He tightened his hand on her waist, his fingers digging into her body. She noticed how the pressure changed, but she didn’t check on him. Maybe he was just giving her some affection. 

“I told him I’d try.” Emma said with a squeal, shooting her eyes over at Niall who was standing up talking to Zayn.

Ivy grinned back, grabbing her leg to squeeze it excitedly. “You’re insane.”

“It’s just a position, Ivy. You’d probably like it.”

Her eyes widened and she gave Emma a stern look. “No! We’re not making this about me.”

Emma giggled, covering Ivy’s hand with her own. “You have no idea what’s coming for you, honey.”

“I know what I’m not going to do.”

Emma was amused by the redness covering her face, it wasn’t just the alcohol that had her flustered. Her eyes dropped to Ivy’s waist where Harry’s hand was glued to her body. 

“The way he touches you.. you’re gonna have the time of your life.” 

Ivy shoved her gently, bringing her hand back to her own lap. “Shh, I don’t want him to hear this.”

Emma leaned slightly to peek around her. She lifted a brow as she saw Harry’s hardened expression. While his touch was clearly on Ivy, his attention was not. He looked as if he would rip someone’s head off if they spoke to him. His jaw was clenched and his brows were low. Emma followed his eyes and instantly saw what he was staring at. 

She hit Ivy with her knee, her eyes shooting back to her. “He’s pissed.”

Ivy leaned in closer to hear her whisper. “What?”

“Harry’s not happy.” Emma gave her a slightly concerned look. “Someone’s got his eyes on you and it’s not Harry.” 

Ivy looked from the corner of her eye, even though she already knew who Emma was referring to. “Ugh, why?”

Emma shook her head and pursed her lips. “He’s stupid if he thinks nobody notices.”

“He always does this.” Ivy sighed out, wishing it was different. 

She didn’t want Harry to get upset with his friend, but she knew it would happen if Cory didn’t stop. He shouldn’t want to stare at her, especially now that things have changed between her and Harry. It didn’t make any sense. She’s expressed several times that she’s not interested and that definitely hasn’t suddenly changed. 

“We’ll finish this later.. you better tend to Harry.” Emma warned, nodding her head towards him. 

It was unfortunate that she had to pause her conversation to deal with this, but she had no choice. If she didn’t intervene now, there’s no telling what could happen. Harry’s emotions are very sensitive, and when it came to Ivy he could be a ticking time bomb. Ivy shifted so she was facing him now, fully surprised when he didn’t immediately look at her. She placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a squeeze, still not getting his attention. 

“Harry.” She said his name in a sweet tone, widening her eyes and putting on a soft expression. That didn’t work. 

She sighed, tired of her failed attempts already. She reached up and grabbed his jaw, angling his head towards her. He didn’t stop her, of course. He wasn’t going to ignore her for too long. When his eyes met hers, she gave him a smile. She expected his hard features to soften, but they didn’t. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked with a pout, pretending to not be aware of the issue.

“M’about to go off.” 

Ivy leaned up so she was blocking Cory from his view. “It’s okay.”

“It’s fucking not.” 

She chewed on her cheek as she looked over his expression. He was still clenching his jaw and furrowing his brows. His eyes were full of anger but she knew it wasn’t directed towards her. She wanted to sweeten him up, wanted to make him chuckle and grin. It didn’t seem like he was willing to do that now. 

“Are you mad?”

“What do you think?” He snapped back, his anger getting the best of him.

Ivy gulped softly, her hand falling to his chest. “I think.. you’re being mean to me for no reason.”

“There is a fucking reason.” Once again, he was quick with his remark. 

“I didn’t do anything.” She couldn’t stop her lips from dropping to a frown.

The moment he saw her do that, he felt a blow to his gut. He closed his eyes and tried to compose himself. His hand loosened on her waist as he moved it to the small of her back. She wasn’t sure what to expect, part of her was extremely nervous. As his eyes opened, she was somewhat relieved to see he wasn’t as angry looking. 

“I know you didn’t, m’sorry.” 

Ivy grabbed his other hand and guided it to her thigh, letting him decide where it should go. He moved it to her hip and smirked as he pulled her closer. 

“Don’t be shy.” He said with a laugh as she looked down at his lap. 

“If we were alone, I would.” 

Harry leaned into her, his lips heading straight for hers. She turned her head in time for him to hit her cheek, making him smirk against her skin. 

“You’re being a tease, hm?”

She put her hand on his elbow, wishing she could do more but the fact they were in public made her nervous. She didn’t say anything, just moved her lips to his dimple. He felt the slickness of her lipgloss on his skin. 

“We could always sneak away.” He suggested, smiling as she pinched his skin. 

“Harry.” A nervous breath followed. 

Before he could say anything else, Michelle tapped on Ivy’s shoulder and interrupted them. Ivy pulled back from Harry to look up at her, kind of irritated that she was getting in the way. 

“We’re going to dance. Are you guys joining us?” 

Ivy saw everyone getting up and heading towards the crowd. She looked back at Harry and he lifted his brows lightly, silently letting her know it was her decision to make. She gently shook her head before replying to Michelle. 

“Not right now.”

Michelle smirked, giving them both a suspicious look. “Alright, have fun.”

It was a relief to know they were going elsewhere. Ivy didn’t have an issue with everyone but she was glad to be alone with Harry, or so she thought she was alone. She realized quickly when everyone else filed away that someone stayed behind. Cory was still in his seat, his eyes on his phone. Harry noticed, too, and rolled his eyes. Ivy caught his look and gently sighed. 

“It’s okay.”

“He’s fucking obsessed with you.” Harry grumbled out, his eyes narrowing and his lips fell to a straight line. 

It hurt her to see how quick his mood could shift. It wasn’t the first time she’d witnessed it, but it was still hard to deal with. She didn’t want Harry to be so consumed by anger or frustration. They were supposed to have fun tonight and be together, not worry about someone else. 

“Hey, don’t get mad.” 

“It’s hard not to, Ivy.” He huffed back.

“Don’t look at him. Just look at me.” 

Harry grunted, the control he had on his mood wasn’t very stable. “If he starts staring at you again m’gonna break his face.”

Ivy took hold of his jaw again and gave him a serious look. “No, you aren’t.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his lips before reaching down to pick up the cup of beer she sat on the floor. Harry let her move away, but not because he wanted her to. She brought the cup to her lips and took a long drink. Harry shot his eyes in Cory’s direction, making sure he wasn’t watching. Ivy moved back to where she had been sitting, Harry’s arm wrapped around her waist to keep her next to him. 

“Next weekend, I want you to stay with me at my place.” She said with a smile, the idea had been in her mind all day. 

“Alright. Any plans for us?” 

“Not sure yet. Just wanna be with you.” 

Harry couldn’t stop his gaze from moving back to Cory, and this time he was staring back. He leaned into Ivy, his hand tight on her waist. She held back a giggle when he rubbed his nose against her temple. 

“I really need you closer, baby.” He tickled his fingers against her waist, making her laugh and fall into him. 

“Do you want me to sit?” She asked innocently, her hand tapping his thigh. 

“If you want to, yeah. I’d like that.” 

“I’m sure you would.” 

Harry gripped her waist before she started to climb on his lap. He made sure to grab the outside of her thigh to keep her legs together. She rested the side of her body against his chest, laughing as he started kissing her cheek over and over. Ivy adjusted her skirt and made sure her knees were touching, in case someone tried to catch a peek between her legs. She feared Harry would be uncontrollable if something like that happened. 

“Are you comfortable?” He asked, furrowing his brows as he watched her. 

“Mhm, I’m okay. Are you? Not squishing you, am I?” Ivy was way more concerned with his comfort than her own. 

“M’fine, babe.” He assured her with a soft peck to her jaw. 

“Not the best way, but it’ll do for now.” She said, glancing at her legs as they laid propped up on the bench. 

“Sit how you want.” 

“I.. I can’t.”

Harry licked his lips. “How do you wanna sit?”

Ivy took a deep breath and leaned into him, her mouth next to his ear. He tightened his grip on her body, not sure what to expect from her. She was just as easy to get heated as he was. 

“Like we did on your couch.” Her whisper made his skin crawl in the best way possible. 

“We can do that.”

“Not here.”

He smiled, pushing his face into her neck. “Said who?”

Ivy tried her best to stand her ground, but Harry’s touch on her body was more than enough to change her mind. His heavy hand moved to the dip in her back, almost touching her butt. The way that his warmth pushed through the fabric covering her body was comforting. She felt completely safe with him, like nothing could ruin this moment. With a shake of her head and a blushing grin, she decided to sit on him the way she actually wanted to. He guided her by her waist as she got up, not letting her get too far away. She threw one leg over him then the next, sitting on his lap like she did on the couch. 

“There we go, that’s better.” He said with a devious smirk as she got comfortable, pulling at her skirt to keep it down. 

He plastered his hands on her hips, securing the fabric of the skirt against her skin, it wasn’t going anywhere as long as he was holding it. Ivy emptied the cup of beer into her mouth, her head falling back as she filled her mouth. Harry nearly busted as he saw her neck stretch, her hair fall over her shoulders, and the small drops of beer that escaped her lips. When she tossed the cup next to them, he leaned up to clean up her mess. 

“Harry!” She shrieked as he swiped his tongue up her chin, clearing the beer residue from her face. 

“Just cleaning you up, babe.” He chuckled out, unable to resist a grin as she hid her face against his. 

Her cheek was hot as it burned into his skin. “You’re so crazy.” 

Ivy put her arm around his neck, her fingers instantly locking around his hair. He held her close, humming in her ear as she took slow, deep breaths. He wondered if she was starting to get tired. Maybe all the alcohol she had consumed while he was singing had caught up to her. She was quiet for a few long minutes, just stayed like that with his arms around her and her hand in his hair. It was perfect, for a while. Harry figured it couldn’t get much better than this. He had the girl he adored sitting on his lap, her body molding into his as he held her close. She was content, nothing was bothering her. It was almost like a dream. He was afraid one wrong move would interrupt it and he’d wake up. Ivy couldn’t really believe it was real either, it was quite hard to comprehend. She never pictured herself as the type of person to do this much display of affection in public, yet here she was doing it. When she was with Harry, it was like the rest of the world froze around them and they were the only two people. 

Harry thought he was imagining it at first, but Ivy started to gently press her lips into the side of his neck, just below his ear. He moved one hand up to the small of her back and gently slid a few of his fingers under her shirt. Her skin was on fire, yet it felt like heaven touching it bare. 

“Being sweet, hm?” He said in a deep voice, his breath rolling over her in a rather tempting way. 

She led her lips a bit lower, leaving behind a trail of lip gloss. Marking her territory felt incredibly powerful. The part she liked the most was the fact Harry was letting her do it. When she was around, and only when it came to her, he let his control go. He let her do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. 

“Can we kiss?” She lifted her head, her eyelashes fluttering as she gave him a sweet look. 

“Don’t have to ask me.” He told her, leaning into her mouth. 

As they started to kiss again, she was sure that nothing could ruin this. Harry’s tongue poked in her mouth to explore, and his lips moved in perfect sync with hers. Her fingers danced on his neck, curling around his nape and dropping to his collarbones every now and then. She wanted to touch every inch of him that she could, but she was keeping herself somewhat tame. With each shove of her tongue into his mouth, her body rocked on his lap. The movement and the friction was getting intense on his crotch, so much so that he considered stopping her for a while. All he could imagine was her getting upset, so he chose to ignore his growing bulge and just let the girl get all the kissing she wanted. 

Harry quite enjoyed it when Ivy went off the deep end with him. Her version of it was different than most people’s, but that didn’t matter. He loved when she was greedy with her hands, scratching and clawing at his skin. There was her newly explored liking of running her fingers through his long hair and tugging on it that sent chills down his spine and pulses of pleasure straight to his crotch. And her lips, god her lips were his favorite thing. She was so good with them, knew exactly how to use them. The more he thought about her and the kiss deepened, the closer he was to a full boner growing in his pants. 

“Mm, Ivy.” He grunted as his lips ripped from hers.

“No, more.” She muttered into his cheek, trying to get his lips back. 

“Give me a few minutes, baby.” He said with a nervous laugh, glancing down at his crotch. 

She followed his eyes without thinking, and as she saw what he was concerned about, her stomach started to churn. Did he want her to move? Was she hurting him? There were so many things flooding her mind all of a sudden, but Harry didn’t say anything about it. He put his hand on her jaw, his thumb rubbing soft circles into her cheek. She easily leaned into his touch, admiring how his big hand was capable of such a delicate touch. 

“Sorry.” She mumbled, her pretty eyes held such an innocent look. 

“Don’t be sorry.” He licked his lips. “Just need a minute to calm down ‘fore I explode.” 

Ivy took the time he needed to observe him. She looked down at his forearm, his tattoos deep into tanned skin. Her mind began to drift as she imagined what it would feel like to have that same skin pressed against her own, no clothing between them. She could very clearly picture herself kissing and sucking marks over his tattoos, tracing the lines with her tongue and biting into his flesh. She knew he’d let her do whatever she wanted, and that was starting to become a thought she wanted to make a reality. She didn’t realize her eyes had closed until his thumb was toying with the corner of her mouth. She softly pushed out a breath, lifting her eyelids to get a look at him. Harry gave her that signature smirk, that up to no good look that made her panties dampen. 

The way he looked at her was like nothing else she had ever experienced. Her hand grabbed his forearm and she slowly brought her touch up his arm. He watched her movements, always liking when she touched him like that. She would hold on to him like she owned him, and that was something that made his heart melt. This girl had his heart in a way no other ever could. 

As her fingers curled around his wrist, she shifted her sultry gaze back to him. She smiled, the blush pretty much permanent on her cheeks by now. Harry was curious about her intentions as she grabbed his thumb with her fingers, moving it across her skin until the tip sat on her bottom lip. The thoughts entering his mind were far from pure. He held his breath, his eyes locked with hers. Without saying a word, or even blinking, Ivy pushed the tip of his thumb past her lips. 

A jolt of excitement shot through his body as she closed her lips around his thumb and gave it a soft suck. If he thought any harder about this, he would bust in his pants. Her tongue swirled around his digit a few slow, taunting times. Harry couldn’t do anything other than stare at her with lust pooling in his eyes. She placed his thumb between her teeth and bit down slightly, making his subtle smirk grow. 

“Naughty little kitten, hm?” The low tone of his voice mixed with the words he used made her tingle in all the right places. `

He swore her eyes lit up with stars at the use of the new name. She seemed to enjoy it more than he expected. He was pushing her limits, trying to see what she would like or what was too much. That was something she liked. 

Harry sat up, his body closer to hers without disturbing her position. He closed the space they shared, his lips next to her ear as he spoke in low, deep whispers. Every word he let out made her toes curl and the wetness between her legs grew. 

“Y’like using that pretty mouth on me, yeah?” 

She bit down harder on his thumb as a response, pulling a heavy chuckle from his throat. Ivy couldn’t stop thinking about his body, about sharing that experience with him. She was sure that if they had been at home doing this, she would’ve caved in to him. She would’ve allowed him to explore her body and show her things she never knew she could experience. But they weren’t at home.. 

“Like poking your tongue out on me.. biting down on me.” 

She nodded lightly, not even sure if he could tell. He was deep in the side of her neck, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her scent. He could die in this very spot and be a happy man. 

“Gonna be so good with your mouth, I just know it.” That time, her stomach dropped and she felt a familiar feeling come over her. 

It happened when she was in the shower earlier, that intense desire to touch herself at the thought of him. Well, now it wasn’t so much the thought of him as it was actually him. She considered disappearing into the bathroom to handle it, pull her skirt up and just rub herself until she came. But the thought of leaving him, of stopping this very moment was enough to keep her still. She could deal with it later. 

“Tell me something, baby.” He put his lips on her ear, speaking as soft as he could. “Tell me what you wanna do with your mouth.” 

Ivy let a nervous breath escape her mouth, the warmth of the air coated his thumb. “Harry.” 

He lightly chuckled back. “Don’t be shy, angel.” 

She shifted his thumb to the inside of her cheek so she could talk. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to gather the courage to say what he wanted her to, to admit what she desired to do with him. When her eyes opened, she was met with the wall behind them. The strobing lights from the ceiling and the colorful flashes reflected off the wall reminded her of where they were. 

“Hm? I know you wanna tell me.” He added, kissing the shell of her ear. 

“Wanna.. wanna kiss you all over.” She started with a nervous laugh, keeping his thumb pressed into her cheek. “And.. and make little bites.” 

“Little bites.” He copied her. “Sink those pretty teeth in me, baby.” 

“Harry, I..” 

She could feel his smirk against her skin. “What is it, baby?” 

Ivy had a pounding thought in her mind. She wanted to tell him how she felt, she wanted him to know how wet she had become between her legs and how hard her nipples were behind her bra. She wanted to tell him she would invite him in to explore her body if he asked her. Was she having that feeling Emma tried to describe? It couldn’t possibly be that, it was too soon.. She pushed the thoughts away and decided to just give his thumb another bite, making him smile. 

“Torturing you, aren’t I?” He said as he finally leaned himself up, his eyes meeting hers to find they were wide and as sparkly as ever. 

“A bit.” She nodded, an anxious laugh following her words. 

“I’ll give you a break.. before you explode.” 

She pulled his thumb out of her mouth. “M’close to it, I think.” 

“You don’t have to stop doing that.” He said, tapping his damp thumb against her chin. 

“For right now.. maybe I can do it again later, if you want me to.” 

He shook his head in disbelief at how adorable and innocent she was, despite what she was just doing and saying to him. “You know I want you to.” 

Ivy grabbed his wrist and placed his hand back on her waist. She loved how it felt to have him hold her there, so she wanted it back. He immediately tightened his grip and gave her a subtle smirk. He had to go easy on her before she really did lose her control and mess up her panties. He wasn’t aware of how intense it was for her, but he could see she wasn’t alright. 

They stayed quiet for a little bit, just looking at each other with hungry eyes. Harry was refraining himself from doing too much while Ivy was trying to encourage herself to do more. Maybe if she chewed on his thumb when they got home he’d say more filthy things to her. She kind of liked the dirty statements and teasing words he said. It turned her on more than she ever thought it could. Perhaps that’s why people have sex so easily - they get turned on and fall deep into the lust. It was possible, and she was starting to think she could achieve that special feeling Emma talked about. 

Harry watched her with a soft smile on his lips as she occupied herself with messing with his necklace. She had pulled the pendant out of his shirt and started rubbing her finger over it. She was engrossed in the moment, letting the way it glimmered in the lights distract her from everything else. It was peaceful, until something caught Harry’s attention. He could feel a stare coming towards him, and he just knew who it was coming from. Ivy wasn't paying him any attention, so he looked past her shoulder and snarled as he saw Cory’s eyes peering their way. It was no secret that he was focused on Ivy. It made Harry’s chest turn to stone, anger began to boil in his gut. He sat up, securing his grip on Ivy so she wouldn’t fall backwards. She instinctively grabbed his shoulder to catch herself, even though he had her stable. 

“Get your fucking eyes off her.” Harry raised his voice so it would be clearly heard over the distance they shared. 

Ivy snapped her head around, huffing as she saw Cory give Harry an annoyed look back. She was about to interrupt when Cory decided to take a stab back at him. 

“Get a fucking room.” He gave him a disgusted expression that just irritated Harry even more. “Practically screwing her.” 

“Don’t fucking worry about what I do with my girl. Fuck off.” He got louder, and of course it made her anxiety shoot through the roof. 

Ivy grabbed his face gently, keeping her touch soft to remind him that she was right here. “Harry, shh.” 

He was stronger than her, and he easily moved his head in her weak grip. “If I catch you staring at her again, I’ll beat your fucking face in.” 

“No, you won’t, stop.” Ivy let out a soft whine as she tried to tame him. 

It was a harder task than anything else. Harry was angry now, and he was beyond controllable. He had this raging look in his eyes that scared her. Not long ago, she would’ve backed away in fear of him hurting her. But now, as she sat on his lap with his hands stuck to her body, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. 

To their surprise, Cory got up and left the table. Harry didn’t give a damn about his feelings. He shouldn’t have been staring at Ivy that way, like he was jealous or like he wanted her to himself. Over Harry’s dead body would that ever happen. Ivy pressed a soft kiss to his lips, hoping that would help but he was still pouting as the anger lingered on his face. 

“You don’t have to get so upset, Harry. M’not worried about him.” She told him, kissing him again despite not getting anything in return. That really wasn’t her point anyway, she just wanted to give him some affection to calm him down. “He does it because he knows it bothers you.” 

“It bothers me a fucking lot.” 

She bit down on her cheek for a moment as she looked at him. His eyes were back on hers, and the longer she stared at him, the softer his gaze became. He wanted to apologize to her for being so reactive, but he couldn’t find the words. It was embarrassing for him to see how quick he could get angry. He has always been very aware of it, but now that Ivy was more involved in his life, it made him feel worse. They had been having such a nice, private time together. He let someone barge in and ruin it, even if Cory never actually got in the way. 

“What can I do to help? Kisses?” She asked seriously, furrowing her brows as her hand pressed into his chest. He was breathing very hard, like he was going to blow up. “Wanna make you feel better.” 

At first, he was just going to accept the offer of kissing, but as he sat there and looked at her gorgeous face, he couldn't stop thinking about her mouth. Having her bite on his thumb made him completely forget about everything else. It was like that was her magic cure for him. Perhaps it could be that.. He hesitated at first, but as she batted her lashes and rolled her lips out to silently beg him for a reply, he became putty in her hands. 

“Take my thumb.” He pressed his digit against her lip, smirking as she parted her mouth for him. He slipped it in and sucked in a breath as she closed her lips around him. “There you go, kitten.” 

The rest of the night was enjoyable for them. They weren’t alone very long after Cory made an exit. Everyone returned to take a break and have some drinks. Ivy had another beer, but Harry declined the alcohol. He had to be sober to drive her home. He opted to just watch her chug the beer in competition with Emma. It was amusing, just like all the other times. 

Ivy did end up slipping away to go dance with Emma and Michelle, while Harry stayed behind to give her some space. He wasn’t irritated at all, he actually encouraged her to go have some fun. Niall had asked him about Cory, and he explained what happened. Niall was surprised that it didn’t get any worse than it did, but he knew Ivy had a lot to do with that. When she got done dancing, they sat around the table for a while longer before finally calling it a night. Ivy ended up having two more drinks while she was dancing, so she was stumbling around as Harry took her to the car. He held onto her waist, trying to keep her upright. She was giggling, the feeling of his fingers was tickling her. Usually she wasn’t so sensitive there, but right now she was being silly. 

It took a bit of coercing to get her in the car. She didn’t want to do anything other than wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him in the parking lot, but he promised her they could save that for when they got home. She was whiny at first, claiming that he was being mean to her, but he knew she didn’t mean it. She was just being difficult. Eventually, he got her in the car and buckled her in.

When they got back to his place, he had to help her inside. She was a giggling mess, trying to grab him and kiss him before he could get her to the door. He knew she’d crash out as soon as she landed on the bed. He stayed behind her as she went up the stairs, in case she tripped or lost her balance and went tumbling backwards. He pushed his hand on her back, encouraging her to go up. As they got to the top, she practically ran into his bedroom, rambling about wanting to take her shoes off and lay down. 

Harry followed her, laughing as he watched her plop down on the end of his bed and start messing with her shoes. She was struggling to get the ankle straps undone. After a short time of trying, she became frustrated. Ivy let out a groan and looked Harry’s way. 

“Please, help me.” She said softly, her lips in a pout. 

He shut the door behind him before walking over to her. She was waiting patiently for him. Harry got on his knees in front of her, lifting one foot at a time to unbuckle the straps. Ivy chewed on her bottom lip as she watched him. She was rather ticklish on her feet, so as he pulled the shoe off, his skin brushed hers and she giggled. He glanced up at her, once again amused by her behavior. She was cute, even when she was drunk. 

“Thank you.” She said sweetly as he took off the other one. 

He sat them up side by side, coming to his feet as she hopped up. Ivy didn’t even realize he had carried her bag up when she started digging through it. He figured she wanted to change her clothes, so he told her he’d step out and go to the bathroom before he joined her in the bed. 

Harry didn’t take too long in the bathroom. He got rid of his shirt in there, but kept his pants on until he got back to his room. He found Ivy in the bed, her eyes already closed as she yawned. She was beneath his covers, waiting for him to get next to her. She wasn’t paying him any mind, so he quickly got rid of his pants and chose a pair of gym shorts. 

Ivy hummed in satisfaction as he finally laid next to her, his warm body lighting a fire she was ready to get cozy with. He grabbed her, pulling her into him like he knew she liked. 

“Goodnight.” He muttered out as he pressed a kiss to her lips. 

She returned it, but ultimately wanted more. She grunted, slipping her tongue between his lips. He let her do what she wanted for a few long moments, then pulled back to tell her to go to sleep. She furrowed her brows and gave him a funny look. 

“Mm, kiss me more.” 

He let a light smile coat his lips. “You’re sleepy, angel.”

“Want kisses, please.” She begged in the sweetest tone she’d ever used on him. He melted quickly for her. 

“Okay, sweet girl.” He leaned forward to give her another, but she spoke before he could start it. 

“Love when you say cute names.”

“Yeah? C’mere, baby.” He reached up to grab her jaw, leading her into a kiss he knew would make her even more tired. 

As he predicted, she kissed him for about two minutes before finally breaking away and closing her lips. She curled up next to him, her hands on his body and her face nuzzled in his neck. Although he didn’t drink tonight, he was exhausted. From singing on stage to wrangling her - it was a long night. He wouldn’t have it any other way, though. Maybe he was on the right track with his sneaky attempts at opening her up, or maybe it was just all the drinks she had. He wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter. Slowly, day by day, she was getting more comfortable with him. Before he knew it, he’d probably have to peel her off himself every time they’re together. He could handle it though. Ivy fell asleep almost instantly, and Harry wasn’t far behind her. 

[a/n: omg I enjoyed writing this one so much! the more comfortable she gets the better this will be :) hope u like! also realized that I gave myself way too much work with this insane word count.. I could have made this 2 parts but I didn’t want to lol. Reblog, comment, like all that good stuff!! see u soon .. xx]

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[narrycherries]

ivy: clover blooms in the fields

she needs help and he just so happens to be the only one available..

(part 6)

mastermind / ivy series

word count: 12.3k

warnings/tags: harry x fem oc, angst, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, surgical procedure/recovery

[a/n: hi, sorry for missing a week but here u go! this is a very important part of the story so I hope u enjoy it. less angsty but still tense and frustrating for them, be patient with me we are getting to the good stuff I promise! part 7 is so good I can’t wait to give it to you!]

Waiting in a hospital room to be prepped for surgery was not how Ivy expected to spend her Wednesday evening. She had been experiencing painful aches in her stomach for the past few days, and she was familiar with the feeling but she hoped it was nothing. Maybe her period was messing up and the dates had shifted, it did that sometimes when she least expected it. The cramps and pulls of her muscles were worse than her usual period symptoms. She didn’t want to go to the emergency room, but when Emma found her in the bathroom crying her eyes out and holding her stomach, she forced her to go.

“Dad, it’s okay.” She mumbled into the phone as she closed her eyes, not wanting to be blinded by the bright hospital room lights.

Emma kept an eye on her as she sat on the uncomfortable couch across the room. She hated knowing that Ivy was feeling this bad and that she was having to have this procedure again, but she was glad to be by her side. Ivy pushed out a breath as her dad began worrying more and more.

“I can’t make it to you right now, honey. I’m.. I’m trying my best to get my boss to work with me.”

“Dad, I’m not alone. Emma’s here.. I’m going to be alright, I promise.”

“What did the doctor say? How many is it?” He was worried, and it broke her heart to know he was so far away and couldn’t get to her right now.

She took a deep breath, the pain medicine pumping through the IV in her arm was making her a little dizzy, in a good way. “Just the two.. they didn’t see any other ones.”

“I’ll try my best to-“

She cut him off. “Dad, please don’t.. it’s okay. I know you can’t change your schedule.. it’s fine, I promise. I’ll be alright. I’ve done this before.”

“You weren’t alone before.”

Her eyes opened, staring up at the ceiling. She didn’t know how to tell him any other way. She was familiar with the surgery she was going to have soon, she had been in this situation before. It wasn’t anything too serious, they caught it in time before any major issues occured. Her dad was a few hours away and she didn’t want him to try to rush to make it to her. His work schedule was tough to negotiate, so she didn’t want him to worry about it.

“Dad, please. I’m fine. I’ll call you when I get out. They said I’ll stay overnight and probably go home tomorrow afternoon.”

They went back and forth for a few more minutes, it was mostly him trying to figure how he could get to her and Ivy trying to convince him that she was going to be okay. It took a lot of bargaining, but eventually she assured him everything was fine. He didn’t want to agree to her terms, but he could tell she was getting frustrated with him. The last thing he wanted was for her to stress out and make things worse on her body. When she ended the call with her dad, her head shifted on the pillow, her eyes finding Emma.

“Is he upset?” Emma asked in a soft voice.

She sighed. “He’s not happy but.. I’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, I promise I’ll do my best to help.” Emma stood up, her arms folding over her chest as she walked to the hospital bed. “I won’t leave you alone, I promise.”

“Except tonight.. you can go home. I’ll have nurses to look after me.”

“Ivy, I don’t want you to be by yourself.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want you to sleep on that couch. I’ll be fine here.”

Emma knew there wasn’t anything else she could say to change Ivy’s mind. She was rather stubborn at times. She looked around the room, her eyes scanning over the IV tube and the medical equipment surrounding the bed. She was terrified that something could go wrong, but she didn’t want to cause any more stress to Ivy’s mind.

“Okay. Just promise me you’ll call me if you need anything.”

Ivy smiled sweetly, glad to have her in the room. “I will, Em.”

Emma’s phone dinged in her back pocket, so she fished it out and read the text. “Niall says he hopes you feel better soon.”

“Thanks.. and don’t worry.. I’m not letting you miss your little trip with him.” Ivy said with a grin.

Emma’s brows furrowed. “I have to sit with you when you’re back home. Niall can plan it for another weekend.”

“No. You’re going. He’s put a lot of thought into it.”

“Ivy, your dad is going to freak out if he finds out. I can’t leave you for that long.”

She did the quick calculation in her head. Emma and Niall had a weekend trip planned for just the two of them. He wanted to take her someone nice and just enjoy time alone. They would be gone just the weekend, Friday evening to Sunday morning.

“I’ll just need help tomorrow night and Friday morning. Then I’ll be okay to move on my own. I’ve done it before.”

Emma was not pleased with what was being suggested. “No. You were just ten minutes from your dad the last time this happened.”

Ivy let out a gentle laugh, everyone was so worried for her when she wasn’t concerned at all. “I’ll be okay. I’ll be able to get out of bed by tomorrow night anyway. I’ll be fine, Emma.”

There was no more time to argue about the arrangements anymore. They’d have to continue on after the surgery was over. The nurse came in and told them it was time to get ready. Ivy wasn’t nervous, partly due to the fact she had pain medicine spilling through her body. She was calm and collected, whereas Emma was starting to worry herself into a panic. She called Niall as soon as the nurse gave her directions on where to wait. He was going to come up to the hospital if he could get someone to cover his shift at the store, he didn’t want them to be alone.

Ivy was wheeled to the operating room, where they went over everything again with her and assured her she’d be fine. It didn’t take long for them to put her to sleep and begin the surgery.

Emma’s heart was racing as she sat next to Niall, his arm secured around her shoulders as he tried his best to comfort her. She was worried beyond belief for Ivy. He was grateful that one of his employees was able to come in and take over his shift so he could be here for them. Emma was waiting half an hour before he was finally able to come.

“So.. what exactly is going on?” He asked with a bit of confusion, Emma had really explained it to him yet she just called and told him there was an emergency.

She took a deep breath and shifted so that she was leaning on him, her body feeling exhausted from all the constant worrying. “She was hurting really bad.. and when we came to the ER they did some scans and stuff. She has two cysts on her ovary.”

“Is that a bad thing? Like, are they dangerous?”

“I mean, they’re not dangerous but.. they can be. She’s had them before, a few times actually. She said they can get really big and they sorta weigh on the area. They cause crazy cramps and aches. She was hurting really bad, Niall.”

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “But they can remove them, yeah? Get it all out before it causes any damage?”

“Yeah, they can. It’s a good thing they found them. She said sometimes cysts aren’t a big deal. I could have one right now and it could never bother me. But sometimes they just get.. in the way and cause issues.”

Niall nodded his head slowly, absorbing all the information. He wasn’t familiar with the subject matter, but he was glad that Ivy had successfully made it through this before and it didn’t sound too bad. With anything, though, it could’ve gotten worse. Ivy had a close call when she was a teenager, and that was the scariest moment of her life. Thankfully, the few other times she’s had to deal with the cysts, they’ve been much smaller and less aggressive.

“Was she scared before going back?”

Emma smiled gently at the thought of how relaxed Ivy had been. “No, she was calm. I mean.. the medicine helped that. But even before.. when they told her what was going on.. she was calm.”

“Experience plays a role in that, I’m sure.” Niall mumbled back.

“She doesn’t want me to stay with her this weekend. She wants us to go on our trip.” Emma turned her head to look at him, a pout evident on her face.

“We can reschedule, babe. I don’t mind.”

“She refuses to let me stay home. She wants us to go.”

Niall let out a sigh, not sure what he could really do about it. If Ivy didn’t want Emma to miss their trip and insisted she go, then he’d just go along with it. If Emma felt uncomfortable going out of town during her recovery, then he’d be fine with staying home. Apparently, Ivy wasn’t going to let that happen. She didn’t want them to stop their lives for her.

“If we stay home.. she might get angry with me.”

“How long do they expect her to stay here?” He asked, a thought popping into his mind. Before he could bring it up, he needed some details.

“If all goes well, she’ll be discharged tomorrow. They said it's a quick procedure with low risk complications. She’s had it before and never had an issue.” Emma said, picking at her thumbnail as she considered the what ifs.

“So.. you’ll be home tomorrow with her.. and Friday until it’s time for us to go.” Niall said, thinking his way through a plan that might benefit everyone. It would keep Ivy looked after and calm Emma’s nerves. “We can ask Michelle if she can check on her. Maybe stay with her Friday and Saturday night.”

Emma sat up, Niall’s arm falling from her shoulders. “I didn’t think about that. Do you think she’d do it?”

He laughed a little. “M’sure if we ask and she’s available, she’ll do it. She loves being around Ivy.”

“I just can’t leave her alone. I’d worry too much. Her dad can’t get out of work until Monday. She’d really be by herself, Niall.”

“We won’t let her be alone.” He assured her, reaching up to press his hand on her back. “Don’t worry too much.”

“Can you text Michelle?” The desperation in her tone made him softly smile. He was admiring her concern for Ivy, how much this was affecting her. Emma didn’t want anything to happen to her.

“Yeah.”

Her eyes went straight to the clock on the wall a cross from them, she was very impatient and wanted to know what was going on in the operating room. The doctor promised he’d let her know if anything bad was going on. She was just sick to her stomach at the thought of Ivy experiencing some kind of bad complication. Niall sent a quick text to Michelle, explaining briefly the situation they were in. He was hoping she wasn’t busy and would answer fast.

“She’s typing.” He uttered under his breath, capturing Emma’s attention.

She leaned over, her eyes burning holes through the screen of his phone. A message popped up and Niall read over it, a subtle frown shaping to his lips. Michelle was unfortunately unable to help out. She had already made a commitment to other plans for the weekend.

“Damn it.” Emma groaned, that worry building up higher and higher.

“Relax, sweetheart. I’ll see if anyone else can help out.”

Emma sat back in the chair, her head falling against the wall. She knew Ivy didn’t have anyone else in her family she would rely on during a time like this. Her dad was stuck, unable to get out of his scheduled work hours. She was the only person Ivy had that could take care of her. It was scary to think about leaving her alone.

After a little while of texting back and forth with everyone in their small circle, Niall came up short with a solution. He let out a sigh as one final idea popped into his mind. There was no other option left, aside from them staying home for the weekend. Ivy didn’t want that to happen, though. Maybe she’d change her mind if she knew what her only choice was.

“Well.. I have an idea.. but I don’t know if Ivy will like it.” Niall said as he handed Emma his phone so she could read over the text he just sent.

Her eyes widened and she looked over at him. “She’s going to hate this.”

—•—

The following day was going better than Emma ever could have imagined. Ivy was awake eating some of the soft foods the hospital provided for her, since she couldn’t eat a lot for a couple of days. She was in a rather pleasant mood, despite all she had gone through in the past few days. Ivy had been checked out by her doctor just an hour ago and he assured them that she was on the right path of healing. Her incision was looking well. Luckily, they didn’t have to add another scar to her body. They were able to go through the healed cut from her last surgery. She knew how to take care of it, how to make sure it stayed clean. They approved her discharge for later in the evening.

“Niall’s going to come get us and take us home.” Emma said with a hesitant voice, she hadn’t mentioned the arrangement Niall made for Ivy yet. “He can help you get inside and to the bedroom.”

“Okay, thanks. I really appreciate it.” She smiled back, content with the idea.

The only thing Emma could come up with as a lie. “Niall’s going to see if Alyssa can come over while we’re gone and check on you.”

Ivy nodded. “That would be nice.”

“He’s waiting for her to get back to him.” Emma continued her lie.

“This morning when they came in before you got here.. they told me I might experience some soreness for a few days, but they’re giving me a prescription for pain medicine. I don’t want you to worry too much about me.”

Emma sighed. “I have to worry, Ivy.”

“I’ll be okay.” She tried to give her a comforting smile, but she could tell Emma was stressed.

As much as Ivy wanted to keep assuring her everything would turn out fine in the end, she didn’t want to upset her. So, they both went quiet and just watched whatever was playing on the television hanging on the wall. Ivy didn’t know how her pain tolerance would be once she was out of the hospital, but she was hoping it was good. She never had any recovery problems with her previous surgeries, so she highly assumed this one would be good, too.

While they waited for the discharge to begin, she got a call from her dad who was still very much upset over the whole situation. Ivy calmed him down though by letting him know someone would be taking care of her over the weekend. She mentioned Emma, even though she wouldn’t be there, just to make sure her dad knew someone would be there. If he knew Emma was leaving, he would just freak out more.

After the call ended, she closed her eyes just to relax and sink back into her thoughts for a bit. Her dad wasn’t very emotional with her while she was growing up, and it got worse once her brother passed. But that didn’t necessarily mean he didn’t care about her, of course he did. He just had an odd way of showing it most of the time. Now, he was very worried and made sure to let her know he was going to come see her as soon as he could. She was grateful for his care, but she didn’t want to disturb his life. Just like with Emma and Niall, she didn’t want them to cancel their plans just to sit with her for a few days. She hated feeling like a burden, and she tried her best to explain that to Emma.

In the late afternoon, when everything was finalized with her discharge, Niall came to pick the girls up from the hospital. He had dropped Emma off that morning, so she didn’t have a way back anyway. He assisted the nurse in getting Ivy safely into the car from the wheelchair they brought her out in. Emma insisted she sit in the front since it would be easier to get out of the car once they got home. Ivy didn’t want to at first, but Niall gave her no choice.

He shut the door and met Emma at the back of the car. “Have you told her yet?”

She shook her head, keeping her voice to a whisper just in case. “No.. I’m waiting until tomorrow.”

Niall sighed. “Why? What if she doesn’t want it to happen?”

“Then we’ll stay home this weekend and reschedule.”

He wasn’t thrilled with Emma’s decision to hold off on the conversation he deemed to be very important, but he didn’t intervene. They both got in the car and soon started the trip back to their house. Ivy was comfortable for now, the pain medicine numbing any possible aches in her stomach. She felt odd riding in the car after getting so used to sitting in a bed, but she was ready to be home. The hospital bed was not as comfortable as her own, plus she wanted to be surrounded by her personal belongings and not light grey walls and sanitized counters.

It was nerve wracking trying to help Ivy get inside and to her bedroom, but Niall tried his best to be gentle with her. Emma held the door open, watching carefully as Niall guided her in. He was much stronger than Emma and could hold Ivy upright, assisting her as she walked carefully step by step. She wasn’t trying to rush inside, she was patient with herself and glad that Niall was, too.

“Sorry, Niall.” She muttered out as he finally got over the threshold of the door.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re doing fine.” He assured her as Emma moved behind them to shut the door.

She quickly ran to Ivy’s room to open the door. She cut on the light and went to the bed, pulling the covers back and adjusting the pillows so she’d be comfortable. Niall was moving at Ivy’s slow pace, reminding her every few moments that she was doing well. He didn’t want her to get into a hurry and hurt herself. Emma was making sure things were tidy in her room, just in case there were clothes laying around she figured Ivy wouldn’t want Niall to see. But her room was clean and there was nothing in the way. She looked around, thinking of other things she can do to help out.

They finally made it to the bedroom, Niall’s arm still wrapped around Ivy’s waist as he helped her make it to the bed. She let him go and carefully sat down on the side of the bed, a small grunt coming from her mouth.

“That wasn’t so bad, yeah?” He said with a smile as she looked up at him, she appeared to be exhausted.

“It was alright.”

“Do you want me to get you anything right now?” Emma asked as she watched her scoot back in the bed, trying to find a comfortable spot.

Ivy winced, her stomach slightly aching from all the moving around. “No, not right now.”

“Remember to move around as much as you can.” Niall said, giving her a stern look. “You don’t need to sit here all weekend.”

She let out a laugh. “I know, I know. But right now.. I need to rest.”

After a few moments, she got adjusted in the bed and felt like she could actually relax and hopefully get some sleep. She didn’t need to sleep all day, nor sit in the bed. The doctor made it clear that she needed to move around and be active when she could, but it was okay to rest when she needed to. She was familiar with the recovery plan and kept in mind all the things she did previously.

“Do you girls need anything else?” Niall asked.

Emma shook her head. “I don’t. Ivy?”

“No, I’m okay. Thanks, Niall, for helping.” She gave him a polite smile.

“No worries. If you need anything, let me know.”

Emma walked Niall to the door, telling him multiple times how grateful she was for his help. He was glad to know he could be of assistance. They hugged and said their goodbyes, but not before Niall reminded her she needed to tell Ivy the plan soon. She ignored him and said she’d get to it eventually. Once he was gone, Emma returned to Ivy’s room with a reusable bottle full of ice water and a small notebook.

“Alright.. tell me some things you want me to get at the grocery store. I know you’ll need some softer foods for a while.” She said as she sat down at Ivy’s vanity, a pen in her hand as she was waited to start the list.

Ivy tried to tell her it wasn’t a big deal and she could eat what was in the house already, but Emma wasn’t going to accept that. She wanted to make sure she had everything Ivy needed and wanted for the weekend. So, after a bit of nagging, Ivy finally gave in and listed off some items.

—•—

Ivy let out a grunt as she stood up from the toilet. She was not having a good day at all. The morning was tough, she tried to get up and move around the house but every step she took sent a shock wave of pain through her body. She didn’t wake Emma up, just suffered on her own as she tried to scramble a couple of eggs. Emma did get up when she smelled the food, rushing to find Ivy leaning on the counter with her face scrunched up, holding in the pain.

She was not pleased with Ivy doing all this work on her own, despite her claiming she was fine. Emma finished the cooking and then helped her back to the bedroom afterwards. They sat in her bedroom for a while, talking about different things to try and distract her from the uncomfortable feelings. Emma was deeply concerned about her, but Ivy kept pushing it off.

After refusing to eat anything for lunch, Ivy tried to make it to the bathroom to get in the shower. Although the doctor approved her for taking one after Emma insisted she call and double check, Ivy was being talked out of it. Emma was terrified she’d lose her balance and be too weak to catch herself, resulting in her falling and hurting herself even more. She tried her best to convince Emma it would be fine, but she lost the battle. Emma said she should just wait until the next day. She helped Ivy wash up with a wet hand towel, but Ivy wasn’t pleased with the outcome. She wanted to be clean.

Niall was supposed to come pick Emma up for the trip in an hour, so she figured it would be best to mention the plan to Ivy. She tapped on the door and heard a quiet ‘come in’. Emma put on a smile as she saw that Ivy was sitting up in the bed, her journal resting on her lap. She was glad to see she had busied herself with something.

“Hey, feeling okay?” Emma’s smile dropped to frown as Ivy’s head lifted and she saw how sad she looked. “Ivy, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “ I.. I thought I’d feel better.. but I don’t know. I’m really sore.” Ivy had tears swelling in her eyes as she pressed her hand over her covered incision.

“Do you want me to stay home?” Emma felt like she was letting her down. “I swear, it’s no big deal.”

“No, Emma.” She whined out, squeezing her eyes shut as a wave of dull pain flooded through her torso. It was much more bearable than the aches the cysts had caused. “You said.. something about.. Alyssa coming over? I can.. I can pay her.”

A lump began to grow in Emma’s throat as reality was quickly crashing in It was no longer an option to keep the secret from her. Guilt was building in her gut as she realized she shouldn’t have waited this long to begin with. Ivy didn’t notice how nervous Emma got, her eyes were closed as she tried to fight through the pain.

“Well, she can’t. Niall asked around and.. everyone is unavailable.. except.. one person.” Emma’s voice trailed off to a whisper.

“Who is it?” Ivy’s brain was so fogged from all the medicine and the uncomfortable sensations happening in her body that she couldn’t come up with any ideas on her own. She tried to think of people she knew, but she was coming up short.

Emma started to fumble with her own fingers, a nervous feeling taking over. “Ivy, I.. I think I should just stay. You’re not going to like the idea.”

Ivy groaned at the mention of the trip being canceled. “I don’t care who it is, Emma. Just need someone to check on me.”

There was a quiet moment that seemed to last forever. Emma had to gather up the courage to finally tell Ivy what was going to happen while they were gone. There was no turning back now.

Niall chuckled as Ivy pushed out a huff once she landed softly on the couch. She wanted to get out of the bed for a while and attempt to move around. She figured it wouldn’t be hard to navigate from the couch to the kitchen. Emma came in with her bag, sitting it next to the door before going to give Ivy a hug.

“I’ll text you as much as I can.” She whispered into her ear before standing up.

“Don’t spend your whole trip thinking about me.” Ivy grinned, shifting her eyes to Niall. “Keep her occupied.”

A smirk shaped to his lips. “That’s the goal.”

“We’ll check in.” Emma added, still nervous about leaving her.

Ivy opened her mouth to say something back, but a knock on the door stopped her. Niall looked over his shoulder, already knowing who was behind the door. He walked away from the girls to answer it. Everyone seemed to be a tad bit on edge, especially Ivy, who’s smile faded to a straight line on her face. Her eyes moved down to her own lap, looking at her chipped nail polish.

“Hey.” Niall’s voice filled the quiet room. “Thanks for coming over.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it.”

The remnants of physical pain were pushed aside as anxiety claimed possession of Ivy’s body. She never thought she’d hear Harry’s deep voice roll through her house like thunder filling a stormy sky. She held her breath as footsteps tracked in. Niall shut the door and turned to face him. Emma just stared at Ivy, trying to figure out how she was feeling.

Harry was their only option. Everyone else had things they couldn’t get out of for the weekend. Earlier, when Emma told Ivy about Harry, she figured her mind would change and the plans with Niall would be rearranged for another time. But Ivy didn’t cave in to the fear. She was determined to not let herself care or worry about it. He was just going to check on her, surely she could handle that.

She was listening as Niall was explaining to him what all he needed to do and what he needed to watch out for. He mentioned how the soreness and pain could come in sudden waves. Ivy wasn’t too concerned with what Niall was saying until a specific response from Harry made her head spin towards them.

“So, I’m staying the weekend, right?”

“Yeah. Emma’s gonna grab some blankets for you before we leave. Couch is actually comfortable. I’ve napped on it a few times.”

Ivy interrupted the conversation, her voice wasn’t as loud as she hoped but she still caught their attention. “Nobody said anything about staying the night.”

“Ivy, you can’t be alone right now.” Emma started, carefully resting her hand on Ivy’s leg. “You hardly made it to the bathroom by yourself earlier. I don’t want you to fall or trip or anything like that. If you get stronger by tomorrow, then he can go home and just stop by.”

“Nobody asked me about this.”

Emma felt a punch to her gut, she had made another mistake. “I know, I’m sorry. Please don’t be upset. Ivy, you can't be by yourself right now.”

“You’re a lot weaker than you might realize, Ivy.” Niall walked over to them, a half smile on his face as he tried to be helpful and not make things worse. “If someone is here to help you walk around, you can build your strength up a lot quicker.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.” Harry took a few steps forward, his eyes landing on Ivy as he spoke. “As promised.”

“He won’t do anything stupid or I’ll kick his ass.” Niall gave her a chuckle, and it actually made her smile. “And.. there’s something he has to say to you.”

Watching Niall give Harry a stern look pulled a giggle from her, she was amused by how Niall acted like a father figure in this moment. Emma couldn’t help but laugh, too. Harry rolled his eyes and gave Niall a lift of his middle finger. Niall just smirked and crossed his arms, waiting for the statement he made Harry agree to give.

Ivy’s heart skipped a beat as Harry’s eyes moved back onto her. She didn’t know what to expect from him. This entire situation was insane, she couldn’t wrap her head around it. How did she end up in this predicament? Nobody else could stay with her aside from him, that was just her luck..

“I’m sorry for.. yelling at you. I was drunk and overreacted.” He said, not too thrilled about having to apologize to the girl but glad he finally got it off his chest. Even if it wasn’t his initial idea to say it, he wanted to..

Her mind brought up memories of that night just a few weeks ago. She so easily remembered the anger that covered his face and the loud yells that he couldn’t seem to hold back. She wanted to be furious with him now like she had then, and the days following when her diary caught hell about it. But she couldn't find it in her to be angry at this very moment. Perhaps it was the medicine lurking in her veins, clouding her judgement and making her more susceptible to being nice.

“It’s alright.” She finally mumbled out, her eyes falling from his.

“Good, now everyone’s back on good terms.” Niall clapped his hands together. “Let me show you where everything is.”

Niall gestured for Harry to follow him down the hall, leaving the girls alone. Emma instantly turned to Ivy and started to apologize.

“I’m sorry. I really am, Ivy. I know you.. you can’t stand to be around him, but please, please just let him look after you.” She was trying to make up for everything, despite Ivy actually not being that mad. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

She let a smile cover her lips. “Emma, it’s okay.”

“Are you sure? God, that medicine must be strong.”

“Yeah, I think it’s working too well.”

They shared a laugh, even though it hurt Ivy to contract the muscles in her stomach. She pushed her hair out of her face, wishing it was pulled back altogether. The plan to have Harry stick around for a few days was not something she would have come up with on her own, but she was somewhat glad he was going to be there. As much as she tried to act like she was fine all day, it was tough on her body. She was struggling, no matter how hard she tried to lie to Emma and Niall, it was painful to move sometimes. The medicine only worked for so long, and there was a waiting period she had to take in between doses. It was going to be a long weekend, but at least she wouldn’t be alone..

After they left, Ivy started to regret agreeing to let Harry be the one to look after her. His imposing stature and cold demeanor were already seeping into every inch of her home. There was an obvious opposition from him, his presence alone was causing resentment. She tried her best to look past it, hoping maybe he’d warm up to her and get used to be in her home. When she stopped by his shared space with Niall that time, she felt awkward being in their home. Perhaps this behavior was normal in a different way for him.

He sat down in the armchair adjacent to her, his body falling against the back of the chair and his hands hitting his thighs. He looked around, somewhat curious about the room. Without looking her way, he spoke.

“So, what’s the plan? What am I supposed to do?”

She took a deep breath and remained courageous - this was her home after all, he couldn’t intimidate her here. “I have two rules. One, don’t come in my room.”

He let out a short laugh. “How am I supposed to check on you if I can’t come in your room?”

“Knock and I’ll come to the door, I need to move around anyway.”

Harry lifted his brows, not sure why she was making this more difficult than it had to be. “You could fall, you know. That’s the point of me being here.. to make sure you don’t hurt yourself.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine. I can make it to the door.”

“Whatever, what’s the second rule?”

She was somewhat surprised he was engaging in a conversation with her, but it was obvious they couldn’t get away with ignoring each other this time. He still wasn’t looking at her, he opted to stare at the books on the coffee table that were neatly stacked. He figured they were just for decoration, but he had a small wonder if they had been read by her eyes

“Don’t wake me up. If I’m asleep, just leave me alone.”

He made a confused expression. “How will I know if you’re awake or not if I can’t open the door?”

“Text me. I’ll have my phone next to me the whole time.” Her sass returned to her tone.

He smirked lightly, but she wasn’t paying him any visual attention. “I don’t have your number.”

“Well, give me your phone.”

Harry was amused by her quick and sharp replies. He was used to her hesitant mumbles and nervous glances. He stood up and reached into his pocket for his phone, quickly unlocking it before handing it to her. He watched as she opened his contacts and added her name and number into a new listing.

“There, now you have it.”

He sighed as he sat back down. “There’s only two rules?”

She pursed her lips as she thought about it. “For now, yeah.”

“Alright, well.. what do you want to do? Stay here or go to your room?” Harry didn’t quite know what to expect from her, but he assumed she wouldn’t want to be around him.

“Stay here for now.” She said, picking up the remote from beside her.

He rose to his feet again. “I gotta go get my bag. Don’t fall off the couch before I get back.”

A chuckle rolled past his lips as she snarled her lip and rolled her eyes at him, finding no humor in his comment.

He was only gone a few short minutes, but Ivy couldn’t help herself from getting lost in her thoughts. She didn’t want to think about him, didn’t want to get so obsessed with her admiration for him. Why wasn’t he being more rude to her? Why wasn’t he treating her like he usually did? Was he doing this only because he owed Niall a favor?

When Harry came back in, he dropped his bag next to the armchair and sat down again, this time his eyes shifted to where Ivy was placed on the couch. Before he could say something, she blurted out a sentence.

“I don’t think I need much help.. I don’t know why they insisted on someone being here.”

He furrowed his brows slightly. “Niall said your knees were weak and shaking when you got out of bed earlier. Sounds to me like you need help.”

She crossed her arms on her chest, avoiding his eyes. “My legs were asleep.. that’s all.”

“Sure.” His response was sarcastic, but the words that followed seemed more genuine. “What happened to you anyway?”

She turned her head, meeting the stare she could feel burning through her skin. “I had emergency surgery.. I had a few cysts that were hurting me. Niall didn’t tell you?”

He shook his head, changing his stare to just a gaze as he blinked. “He didn’t specify.. said he didn’t want to tell your business without your consent.”

Ivy was appreciative of that. As much as she trusted Niall and wouldn’t have minded if he told everyone what happened, she was glad he was mindful of her privacy. She decided to look away from him.

“It’s nothing serious.. I’ve had them before. Sometimes they become aggressive and have to come out.”

“Where were they?”

“Um, on my ovary.”

Harry listened with more intensity than he ever had when it came to her. He wanted to understand what was going on in case an emergency unfolded while he was on duty here. Plus, he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t concerned for her. She is a human being after all, not just a soulless body.

“But you’re alright? Like.. they’re not tumors?”

Ivy felt a spark go off in her chest. Why did he seem so concerned? No, she was just overthinking it. She had an emergency surgery, people were going to be curious about the reason. She pushed aside the feeling and let out a soft sigh.

“No, they’re not tumors.”

He went quiet after that, just gave her a nod when she glanced his way. There was still apprehension radiating from her, still that what if feeling. What if she said something he didn’t like and he went off on her? What if he was just pretending to care so he can use it against her when he’s mean to her again? What if he actually cared..

Neither of them spoke for over an hour and a half. Ivy kept her eyes on the television and Harry stayed on his phone, mindlessly scrolling. She didn’t want to be the one to break the silence. He ended up asking her if she wanted anything to eat, but she said she was fine and she ate earlier. That was a lie. She was too nervous to eat. He made sure she didn’t want anything a few minutes later, double checking just in case she changed her mind. She hated feeling like a bother, she didn’t want to burden him with making her food. She assured him she was fine.

It wasn’t much longer when she stretched her arms above her head and yawned, catching his attention. She shifted closer to the edge of the couch, about to stand up when Harry got up to help her. He held his hand out, but she just looked up at him.

“M’fine.”

He sighed lightly. “Do you need my help?”

As she stood up, still ignoring his hand, she turned away from him so she could head towards her room. “No.. just walk behind me.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he took a step closer to her, she wasn’t moving very fast so he didn’t have to go far. “You don’t need to risk falling.”

“I’m okay.”

“Why are you being so stubborn?”

Ivy grunted, wanting to scream but she refrained. “Because I had surgery on my stomach, not my legs. It was a minimally invasive procedure.. they didn’t chop me up.”

She was glad he didn’t give her a snarky remark. He stayed behind her, his hand out in case he needed to grab her, and followed her to her room. Ivy’s steps were delicate, her eyes glued to the floor. She was able to walk on her own, but after a few feet her legs began to get weak. She stopped to take a quick break.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.” She quickly said, squeezing her eyes shut.

She had to gather up all her strength before walking again. This time she was moving faster, in hopes to get it over with. The doctor instructed her to walk as much as she could to gain her energy. While her legs weren’t operated on, the scar on her lower torso was painful as her body shifted - each press of her foot to the floor created pressure.

“Okay. See, I made it.” She said with a sigh of relief as she reached her bedroom door.

He moved beside her so he could see her face. “And you’re sure you can make it to your bed?”

“Yes.”

Harry didn’t believe her, but he wasn’t going to go against her rule. She didn’t want him in her private space, and he was going to respect that wish. Maybe her bed was close to the door and she could get there quickly?

“Alright.”

She turned the handle, about to push the door open, when she stopped and looked up at him. “Did they give you the pillow and blankets?”

“Yeah.”

“If you get cold.. you can turn the air up.”

He gave her a nod. “Alright, but I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll, um, text you when I get up.”

Harry licked his lips quickly. “Call me.. in case I’m asleep.”

“Okay. Thanks for sort of helping me.” She shrugged her shoulders, then slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her.

As much as he wanted to wait until he knew she was in the bed, he didn’t want to intrude on her privacy, so he went back to the living room. He shut off the lights after laying the covers on the couch. It felt odd to be on a couch, but he easily got comfortable. Ivy was already bundled under blankets. She drank a bit of water with her nighttime dose of pain medicine, getting in a comfortable position so she wasn’t hurting. Before long, they were both asleep.

—•—

Ivy hoped it had all been a dream, that none of it ever happened. Her stomach wasn’t healing from a surgical cut, her body wasn’t exhausted, and Harry wasn’t in her living room sleeping on the couch. But unfortunately for her, it was all real. A groan slipped through her lips as her phone buzzed on the nightstand, the volume was purposely lowered so that nobody would disturb her slumber. She wanted to sleep in as long as possible so she could be away from Harry. To her dismay, his name was lit up on the screen when she brought it close to her eyes.

She answered with a groggy voice. “Hello?”

“Are you awake?”

She huffed back. “I am now.”

“You need to come eat something. What do you want?” He said through a sigh, hoping she wouldn’t be as difficult today as she had been the evening before.

“Nothing.. M’not hungry.”

“It’s past eleven.. you need to come eat something.”

She felt like she could sleep for another ten hours, but she knew she couldn’t do that. She had to get up and be active, it was the only way she would get her energy back to normal.

“I don’t want anything.” She told him again. “But m’getting up.”

“Are you coming out of your room?” He asked with a less stern voice than he had been using.

“Yeah. I can’t lay down all day.”

“Alright.”

She wondered if he would just come to her door or if she had to ask him, since she was so insistent on not needing any help before. She could tell she would be weak once her feet hit the floor.

“Can you.. come to my room?”

“Yeah, that’s my job, isn’t it?” He wasn’t cocky with his words, he spoke in a normal tone.

She smiled softly. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll be right there.” She swore she could hear a smile.

Ivy hung up after that, telling him she needed a few minutes to get dressed. She knew she’d have to use the bathroom before she went to the living room, so she tried to mentally prepare for that. It didn’t take her very long to put on a tshirt and a pair of cotton shorts, something she’d be comfortable in all day. She moved carefully as she dressed and soon found herself at the door. She wasn’t feeling too bad yet, but she knew she’d need to take the medicine before she left the room.

She held back a groan as she twisted around to go back to the nightstand where the orange bottle was waiting for her. She took one of the pain medication pills, making a mental note of the time so she wouldn’t take it too early later on. Finally, she made it back to the door where Harry had been waiting with his shoulder pressed against the hallway wall.

“Admitting to yourself that you need help today?” He said with a smirk she didn’t find appealing.

“M’tired, not weak.” She muttered out as he bent his arm and stuck it out for her. “I need to use the bathroom.”

Ivy tried to be confident with her movements, hoping to not make a big deal out of it in her head. So, she grabbed onto the inside of his elbow and secured her other hand on his forearm, holding on so that he could assist her to the bathroom. He led her at a steady, slow pace so that she wouldn’t trip over her feet. She was mindful of her steps, glancing down every so often to check her footing. She slipped off his arm as she reached the bathroom, leaving him in the hall to wait patiently. As much as he didn’t want to be here, he wasn’t completely irritated by having to help her. He wouldn’t want someone to leave him alone if he were in a similar situation, and just because they didn’t get along doesn’t mean he wanted the girl to get hurt even more.

“Have you decided to eat now?” He said as she came out of the bathroom.

She pushed out a deep breath. “No.”

He shook his head lightly, not believing her at all. He let her take his arm again, she returned to the same position. It wasn’t as awkward as either of them expected it to be. She was focused on not falling or straining her stomach, instead of on the fact she was touching his very strong, toned arm. And Harry was just watching her closely, not thinking about anything other than not letting her fall. He knew he’d be quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground.

When they got to the living room, he guided her to the couch and she chose the spot on the left side so she could prop up against the corner. He asked her if she needed anything and her only request was a cup of ice water. She was very content with his decent behavior, he didn’t seem to be as vicious as he normally was.

“Have you taken your medicine?” Harry asked as he sat down in the armchair, claiming the spot as his own for the time being.

Ivy was looking at the neatly stacked pile of the two blankets and pillow that he used to sleep with last night. It sat perfectly on the other end of the couch. She shifted her eyes to him, realizing how far away he was.

“Yeah, I took it before I left my room.”

He slowly nodded, looking down at his phone for a moment before moving his eyes up. “I don’t want this to be weird for you.”

Her brows dropped a little. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home. I know this.. isn’t what you wanted to happen, and you probably don’t want me around, but I don’t want you to feel awkward about it.”

Ivy was slightly taken aback by what he was saying. He didn’t give her the impression of being someone who considered another’s feelings or thoughts. She looked away from him the moment he ran his hand through his long hair, pushing it back from his face. What could she say that was nice and not rude in any way? She didn’t want to be unintentionally mean.

“I mean it’s not.. my ideal situation, but it’s fine. I’m kinda glad someone’s here with me. I’m not uncomfortable.”

He was no longer looking at her either. “I know we don’t necessarily get along, but I just want you to know I wouldn’t do anything on purpose to make you uncomfortable while I’m here.”

“Harry, I’m not uncomfortable. I have to get used to it, yeah, but it’s not that bad. Like I said, I’m glad I have some help. I.. I’m a bit worse off than I thought I’d be.”

He was silent for a long moment, making her fear that she didn’t say what he wanted to hear. What if he blew all this out of proportion and left her stranded? A nervous feeling bubbled in her gut, was he going to get frustrated if they kept talking about this? It wasn’t an easy conversation and she knew he didn’t handle that sort of thing well.

“I’ll do my best to help, but I’ll give you some space.” He sat up in the chair, about to stand but he stopped when she looked towards him.

“Are you leaving?” Her voice had softened since the last time she spoke.

“No, I’m just going to sit at the table for a while.” He made it to his feet this time. “I’ve got something I need to work on.”

“Okay.” She watched as he reached into his bag and pulled out a thick book she thought resembled a journal.

Harry gave her one last look before he walked past her, heading to the kitchen. Ivy was confused to say the least. What he brought up sounded so sincere and serious. She was surprised by it, but she was glad he said what he said. Maybe he didn’t hate her that much after all? It was evident he knew they shared a lot of tension.. but perhaps it was more bearable than she thought.

For almost an hour, Harry sat at the table and quietly wrote in his journal. Ivy wasn’t sure what exactly he was writing, and she didn’t dare ask him. Maybe it was something personal or just work related. She kept her eyes on the movie she picked to watch, but after a while her stomach started to grumble. She bit down on her cheek as she felt a layer of drowsiness fall over her brain. She was feeling the effects of the medication, the subtle pain from her incision was gone for now and her brain was a tad foggy.

She couldn’t stand it anymore, she needed something to eat. She thought about getting up, but she was entirely too comfortable. She had maneuvered herself on the couch so her legs were stretched out and she was leaning into the corner, a throw blanket over her.

“Harry.” She said his name, but she was unaware of just how soft she was speaking.

He didn’t answer her right away as she expected, so she tried again. Maybe he was focused and just didn’t hear her.

“Harry.” Her chirp was more audible this time.

“Yes?” He called back from the kitchen, his eyes lifting up to peer her way.

The open layout made it easy for him to see her from the small table. She hadn’t moved at all, she was in the same spot as when he looked at her the last time. He gave her glances every now and then to make sure she was alright. She was talking again, but he couldn’t hear her over the television. He stood up and started the short trip to the living room. She furrowed her brows and frowned as she realized he wasn’t talking back to her. Just as she was about to move to sit up, he appeared in front of her.

“I couldn’t hear you.” He said, his towering height made her feel small.

“M’kinda hungry.” She mumbled out, her eyes were wider than usual, her lips rolled to a pout.

“What would you like?”

“I dunno.”

He was being patient with her, since it was obvious her mentality had changed slightly. He could tell she was drowsy. He wasn’t a stranger to the common side effects of painkillers, so he easily recognized she was experiencing them.

“Pick something. You need to eat.”

Ivy rolled her lips in as she thought for a minute about the options. She could eat solid food by now, it had been long enough since the surgery but she didn’t want something that was too heavy as she was dealing with gentle waves of nausea.

“Can you make me some oatmeal?”

He couldn’t resist the subtle smile that tugged on his lips. “Where’s the stuff in the cabinets?”

She shook her head. “We have some packets.”

“You want instant oatmeal?” He asked with a light laugh.

She felt a little unsure about his reply, it made her feel silly. Was he making fun of her? Of course, it was just the worry in her mind mixed with the dazing effect of the medicine that was causing this.

“Yes.. The apple cinnamon one if there’s any left. That’s my favorite.”

Harry realized she was speaking very calm and gentle, like she was unable to speak any louder. Her eyes had dropped to her lap where she rubbed her fingers against the back of her other hand. This wasn’t the usual girl he was used to dealing with - even when she became shy with him, she was never this quiet. Her demeanor was very different, more fragile than ever before. He didn’t want to risk talking too harsh to her, so he tried his best to stay calm and on a level she would appreciate.

“I could make you some fresh oatmeal, you know.” He tried offering.

She frowned. “No, I want the packet, please.”

He let out a soft sigh. “Okay, where are they at?”

“The pantry.. next to the cereal.”

A feeling he so rarely got occurred when she tilted her head back and looked at him - a feeling he had only a few times, all of which were because of her. A flutter in his heart nearly stopped it, his chest tightened and he felt his lungs weighing down. Something about the way she looked at him, her face so softened, her eyes wide - she looked like an angel.

“Alright.” He managed to get out something. “Do you want me to add any sugar?”

She considered it, but shook her head. “No, but just a little bit of extra cinnamon.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks, Harry.” She whispered to him.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

Ivy waited patiently as Harry microwaved the oatmeal for her. He wasn’t too keen on her eating the prepackaged stuff when he was perfectly capable of cooking it fresh for her, but it was her choice. She seemed to be used to it, especially her favorite kind. He was just glad she was finally eating something.

When he brought it to her, he made sure to ask if she needed anything else. She requested a banana from the basket on the island, so he went and got it for her.

“Thanks.” She muttered as she sat the banana next to her.

“You’re welcome.”

“Thanks for making this.” She said, sniffing the oatmeal she scooped onto the spoon. “It smells good.”

“You don’t have to thank me for everything.” He reminded her.

She didn’t say anything, just gave him a glance before focusing on the oatmeal. She had to blow on the spoonfuls to cool them down. Harry had already walked back to the table when she called his name, turning her head to look for him.

“Yeah?” He hadn’t sat down yet, so he made his way back to her.

“Can you get me a napkin?”

He nodded, turning back to go to the kitchen. He was actually glad she was utilizing him, he didn’t want her to be nervous to ask him to do something. When he gave her the napkin, she mumbled a soft thank you in return.

Ivy ate the oatmeal slowly, savoring the bites each time. Harry had returned to the table, picking up where he left off with whatever he was writing. After sitting for a bit once the food was gone, she realized she needed to use the bathroom, all the water she had been drinking was catching up to her.

“Harry.” She called his name, this time turning her head in his direction.

“Yeah?”

“I need to use the bathroom. Can you help me?”

He got up from the table and walked over to her again, giving her a confirming nod. She was able to stand up on her own, but her legs were feeling stiff as if they couldn’t move. She chose not to say anything and just started to walk. Harry kept a close distance, holding his hand out behind her in case he had to catch her. She made it past the couch, but that was it.

“Wait, Harry.” She froze, looking over her shoulder.

“What is it?” He asked with a drop of his brows. “Are you hurting?”

“I don’t feel.. as strong as I thought.” Ivy gave him a slightly worried look.

“I’ll help you.”

Harry gently pressed his hand to her lower back, then placed his other on her elbow to guide her. She was nervous at first, but she took a few steps. She was grateful there was no pain right now, but the fear of her legs giving out was just as scary. But she couldn’t give up, she needed to move around.

“Go on, you’re alright.” He said in a calm voice as she tried to stop.

“I don’t wanna fall.” She whined softly as they moved toward the hallway. They weren’t far from the bathroom, yet she was taking her time.

“You won’t. I’m right here.” He tried to assure her, but she was not trusting her legs.

Ivy felt a wave of anxiety flood her body. “Harry, don’t let me fall.”

Harry took a deep breath, his patience was fine, he was just disappointed that he couldn’t help her more. He slid his hand to her waist to give her more support.

“I won’t let you fall, love. You’re fine. I got you.” The words that came from his mouth made her heart drop.

What did he just call her? No, there was no need to overreact. He said it so casually, like it was a fixed word in his vocabulary. He must say it a lot or use it in a friendly way.. Ivy couldn’t wrap her head around it. She swallowed hard, trying to think of anything else. She failed at doing so.

After a couple slow minutes of her trying to gain strength, they finally made it to the bathroom. Harry let her go and opened the door for her.

“I’ll walk back in here.” He mumbled to her as she stepped over the threshold.

“Why?”

A smile pulled on his lips. “Give you some privacy.”

“Oh.. right.”

Once she handled her business and washed her hands, Ivy stood at the sink and stared at her reflection. Her hair was messy, most likely tangled up. She saw how tired her eyes appeared. She felt unclean. The routine of showering had been disrupted by the surgery. She hasn’t been able to submerge her sewn incision yet, so having a hot bubble bath was out of the picture. Maybe she can gather enough energy to shower before bed tonight.

When she opened the door and peeped her head out, she was somewhat disappointed by not seeing Harry. He wasn’t lying about stepping away to give her some personal time alone. She licked her lips and called out for him.

“Harry.. I’m done.”

He appeared in the hallway, walking straight towards her. She was relieved to know he was there. While it was not too hard of a task for her to walk on her own, the fear of tripping or losing her balance was frightening.

Harry assisted her back to the living room. She chose the same spot on the couch to sit down on. He asked her if she needed anything, but she didn’t. He was about to walk back to the kitchen when she said his name.

“Harry.” Her voice was as soft as ever.

He realized she had never said his name as much to him as she has today. He liked the way it rolled off her tongue, how sweet it sounded in her voice. It was hard to not think about that.

“Yeah?”

Ivy’s eyes fell from him. “M’sorry if I’ve been mean since you got here.”

He kept a gentle smile on despite her not looking. “I wouldn't say you’ve been mean.”

She huffed, pulling the blanket up to her collar bones. “You’re being really nice to me with helping and all that and I don’t wanna be mean.”

Harry had to keep in mind that her medicine was making her somewhat loopy. She wasn’t the bold, energetic girl he knew she could be. She wasn’t even the super shy, locked away girl he’d witnessed either. She was soft and quiet and delicate.. He didn’t want to say anything wrong or that would make her believe she’s right.

“You haven’t been mean, Ivy.”

There it was again, that little spark in heart that popped in whenever he said her name. She nodded softly, and surprisingly moved her gaze back to his.

“Can.. can you tell me something.. before you go back in there?”

Harry didn’t know what to expect. “I guess, what is it?”

Maybe it was the medicine that made her so open with him right now. She didn’t have to battle with her anxiety or face any worrying thoughts. She was free to just speak to him like nothing else mattered.

“The other night.. why did you.. get so mad at Cory?”

The question rubbed him the wrong way. He didn’t want to hash it up again. He shook his head and tore his eyes away from her.

“Ivy, I don’t want to talk about it.”

She hesitated at first, unsure if he would get angry at her right now. She was in such a vulnerable state, surely he’d show her some grace. “I.. I just want to know.. were you mad at me?”

Harry didn’t want to get into it. “No, I wasn’t.”

“You.. you screamed at me.” She mumbled right back.

“And I apologized to you.”

It didn’t go unnoticed by either of them that the volume of his voice increased slightly. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she stared down at the coffee table. Maybe asking him that wasn’t a good idea. Things were going so well, why did she have to jeopardize that? Harry watched her for a solid minute, taking note of how she seemed to be sad about it. Her eyelids were heavy, her lips had rolled to a pout, and her hands were rubbing each other in her lap. She was trying to get out of the situation, but he was standing there staring at her.

“The way you told him to get off of you..” His voice almost frightened her, she didn’t think he’d speak back. “I just immediately thought about the night that guy was chasing you. I didn’t want you.. to be that scared again.”

Sincerity was rare when it came to him. He never let it be seen how he really felt. Nobody got any special treatment, he kept things to himself and didn't explain his actions if asked - but Ivy got that treatment. He’s found himself again telling her more than she should know. For just a split second, her eyes met his. She didn’t reply to him, didn’t even give him an expression. Her gaze fell to the pile of things next to the armchair.

“Is that.. the stuff people got for me?”

He was grateful she let the previous topic go. “Yeah, Emma told me to help you put it away but since I’m not allowed in your room.. I left it there.”

She hummed to herself, looking at the collection of gift bags. She knew that she received a few things from everyone and she was appreciative of that. There hadn’t even a chance for her to go through it yet, she had been so tired since she got home.

“Can you bring it to me? I wanna look at the stuff. Please.” She added the final word in a quick chirp.

Harry gathered the gift bags and brought them to the couch, sitting them next to her. He wasn’t sure what she was going to ask him to do next, if anything, so he chose to sit in the chair and watch her open the stuff. She started with the bag she recognized, the one from Emma. She got it at the hospital but didn’t go through it. She pulled out a stuffed teddy bear that was honey brown, attached to it was a pretty pink ribbon bow. She smiled sweetly as she read over the card Emma left for her. The second bag was labeled as being from Michelle. It was an assortment of snacks and candy that she was excited to dig into it. A card was also left, wishing her a quick recovery and a girls night soon. Alyssa put together a snack collection for her, too, with Zayn adding a short get well message to the card. She felt spoiled, but it was a relief to know they cared enough to send her things.

The last bag was a small one. The outside was covered in pink flowers, the bag itself being white. She reached inside and let out a shriek as she grabbed the small stuffed animal. It was a very pale shade of pink with big plastic, glittery blue eyes.

“Look at this one!” She was talking to herself, squeezing the pig with both hands. She thought it was the cutest looking thing she’d ever seen. It had an odd look to it that made it even more adorable.

She checked the bag, but there was no card or anything. There was nothing written on the outside of the bag either. “I wonder who got this. There’s no name on it. He’s adorable.”

Harry watched her as she rubbed her thumbs over the soft material of the plush, her eyes wide with joy and amazement. She had never seen something so cute before.

“Do you know who got this?” She glanced at him quickly.

“No, Niall brought it all in together.”

Ivy sighed, wishing she knew who the gift giver was. She wanted to thank them for blessing her with the pig. She decided to keep the teddy bear and the pig on the couch with her, politely asking Harry to put the candy and snack bags on the kitchen counter. He complied with her request and just smiled to himself as she mumbled about how much she liked the pig.

Later that night, Ivy was able to stand up on her own in the shower and take care of her basic need. Harry stood in the hallway just in case something happened to her. Once she was out, he went back to the kitchen so she could walk across the hall in the towel. She hated the feeling of drying off completely and getting dressed in the bathroom, the steam from the shower lurking in the air making her uncomfortable. So she carefully walked with her body wrapped up in a towel to her room.

Harry decided he’d work on dinner while she was doing her routine. She wanted something soft and easy on her stomach, so she requested macaroni and cheese. Harry found that somewhat amusing, that was all she wanted. But nevertheless, he agreed to making it for her.

There were no more deep conversations like the one they had earlier. She remained quiet and he kept to himself. She ate the food he made for her and watched the television until she was tired. Harry guided her down the hall and made sure she was in her bed before he went to get comfortable in his own makeshift bed. Ivy didn’t stay awake much longer, she was exhausted and ready to sleep.

When morning came, Ivy was way more confident in her walking. She realized that her legs felt much better and the pain from her sewn skin had gone down drastically. Everything was falling back in place, a sense of normality was slowly returning. She found Harry sitting at the kitchen table like he had spent most of the previous day doing. He closed his journal when he saw her come in.

“Sleep alright?” He asked, quickly noticing how swift her movements were . “You’re walking better, yeah?”

She nodded. “Slept good and yeah.. I feel so much better.”

“Well, that’s good. Niall called me earlier and said he’d let me know when they were heading back, should be around lunch.”

She licked her lips and let her eyes stroll over to the stove. “Okay. I’m kinda hungry.”

“What do you want?” He stood up, ready to do whatever she asked of him.

“I can try to do it.”

“You might as well use me while I’m here.” He chuckled very lightly. “Take advantage of my services.”

She thought about for a minute. He’s been washing the dishes he’s used for cooking. He’s cleaned up the kitchen, handled the garbage, done the little tasks she was so used to doing on her own. It was nice to have a break.

“You’re right.” She shrugged. “I just want some eggs.”

Their Sunday morning was much quieter than the Saturday had been. Like Niall estimated, it was a bit past lunch time when they arrived home. Emma practically ran inside to make sure Ivy was still alive and her and Harry hadn’t killed each other. She was relieved to see her on the couch, appearing much better off than when she left her. Emma demanded a full list of every moment from Harry. She had to ensure that he took well enough care of her. She was pleased to hear how everything went and how Harry made her walk around to gain her strength back.

Niall spoke to Ivy quietly on the couch, making sure that he got her side of the story. He was ready to pounce on Harry if he heard any negative comment that was made or any instance of attitude given. He was delighted to hear that Harry had behaved.

Not long after they arrived, Harry made his departure and Niall wasn’t far behind him. Emma made sure Ivy was comfortable before going to her room to unpack her bag. The crazy, unplanned weekend was finally over and everyone could get back to their normal lives. Before she forgot, though, she sent him a quick message that Sunday night.

Ivy: hey, just wanted to say thank you for staying with me. I really appreciate it.

Harry: you don’t have to thank me.

Ivy: but I’ll thank you anyway :)

She went to sleep shortly after that and when she woke up the next morning, she was surprised to see a message from him. He had sent it probably ten or so minutes after her last one, but by then she was passed out. Her heart skipped a beat as she read over the words. She was so stunned that she couldn’t come up with a response. How could something so simple suddenly mean the world to her?

Harry: you’re welcome. by the way.. I got you the pig. glad you like it.

[a/n: I’ve been waiting weeks for this update!! I hope you enjoy it.. the forced proximity is obviously very prominent in this part. things are shifting hehe see you soon!] click here to see the pig plushie

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[narrycherries]

ivy: crescent moon, coast is clear

She was struggling to let go of her worrying thoughts, but he was determined to help her through it.

(part 7)

masterlist // ivy series

word count: 15.2k

warnings/tags: harry x fem oc, enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, alcohol use

When the week of Emma’s birthday rolled around, Ivy assumed Niall would put something together for her. Perhaps a nice dinner with everyone or something along those lines. She was both surprised and proud when Niall called her to fill her in on his plans. He had been working on a surprise party for the past few weeks - gathering up decorations, planning the party itself, getting every detail perfect. He wanted Emma’s birthday to be celebratory and exciting.

Ivy was all for the idea and offered her help in any way needed. Niall said he’d have her do a quick favor for him the day of the party that involved picking up the cake. She was thrilled for the week to end so that Saturday could begin. Emma was going to be so happy about the arrangements Niall has made.

But of course, when it came to her and this group of friends, something was always working against her. Niall called her around lunch and said that he wanted someone to go with her to help get everything. Zayn, Alyssa, and Cory were already tasked with jobs to prepare for the party. Michelle was over the decorations, since Niall thought he wouldn’t do a good job on his own. Niall couldn’t get the cakes because he had to distract Emma with a day of fun shopping. She had no clue what was going on, and he wanted it to stay that way.

So, Ivy wasn’t very excited when she got a text from Harry saying he was outside to pick her up. She checked her appearance and outfit one last time before grabbing her purse and heading outside. There was always a lot of anxiety that crept in her when she got around Harry. Even after their rather pleasant time together, she was so fearful of something bad happening. Niall insisted that Harry help her out since it was a lot to cover. He was willing to do it, just to be a good friend.

“Hey.” She mumbled a quiet greeting that wasn’t returned in any way.

The moment she shut the door, Harry backed into the road and started the journey to the bakery. Ivy sighed softly as she clicked her seatbelt in. Her eyes roamed around the front of the car, just taking in the sights around her. She offered to use her car, but Harry didn’t agree to it.

They stayed silent for the first few minutes as he drove towards the downtown area. The bakery wasn’t far from Zayn’s shop, so he knew how to get there easily. He kept his eyes trained on the road while she stared out of the window, watching buildings and cars slide away as they drove. It was about an hour and a half before Niall planned for the party to begin. They expected the bakery stop to last no more than ten minutes, but there was a lot of preparation Niall needed them to do as a group. Everyone aside from Emma was in a group text so they could coordinate. Ivy didn’t realize she was holding her breath until Harry spoke to her.

“Are you back to normal.. from your surgery?”

She was shocked that he cared enough, or at least pretending to, to ask that. She sucked on her cheek for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts that suddenly went wild. Every time he spoke to her, she lost control of her brain.

“Yeah. My scar’s not hurting me anymore. I’ve been alright.”

It had been a handful of weeks since she last saw him walk out of her front door. She returned to work that Tuesday and had been doing well ever since. Her scar has improved over time and will continue to heal for a while. As long as she doctors it, watches it closely, and goes easy with lifting heavy things, she’ll be fine. It wasn’t a surprise that he didn’t say anything back. She’s noticed that sometimes he’ll do that.

“I forgot to thank you for.. for the gift. The little pig.” She said with a louder tone, her confidence not completely gone yet.

“Don’t mention it.” He said back, that was a phrase he liked to use.

“Why didn’t you tell me you got it for me?”

He pushed out a huff. “Why does it matter?”

“I was just asking.”

“Well, don’t.”

And just like that, the Harry she knew all too well had returned. That gentle, calm person who helped her walk down the hall and made her whatever food she asked for and did every little thing for her was no longer there. It was too good to be true, anyway. She knew that then, she was just too afraid to admit it to herself. There was a craving for that side of him, she wanted it to stick around so bad.. but it was gone.

When they arrived at the bakery, they both went inside. Ivy had the money Niall had given her to pay for the order. Harry stood away from the counter as she told the woman what she was there to pick up. It was a small cake and a dozen cupcakes of various flavors. Emma loved all kinds of cake, so Niall wanted to get a lot of options for her. It wasn’t much in terms of quantity, but only because the gathering would be small.

After she paid, she got Harry to carry the cake to the car as she took the cupcake boxes. She thought that it was an easy job that one person could’ve done on their own. Maybe Niall expected it to be more of a hassle?

“Be careful.” She sighed out as Harry put the cake in the car.

He rolled his eyes and chose to ignore her. He didn’t throw the box in there, why was she acting like he was tossing it around? They got back in the car and he checked his phone for a few minutes before leaving. Ivy looked at the time, they were doing well. They needed to get there so they could help set everything up.

Ivy’s attempt to keep to herself had been more of a struggle than she imagined it would be. After being talkative with him last time they were together, she had a desire to speak to him. Unlike before, when she’d wish he wouldn’t give her a glance and prayed he’d wouldn’t say a word to her.. she craved it now. They hadn’t gotten far from the bakery when she decided to talk.

“So, I was told there will be karaoke.” Ivy said as she released a deep breath, hoping her attempt at small talk wasn’t wasted.

“Yeah. As much talk as you’ve done about your karaoke experience, I expect to see you perform tonight.” Harry didn’t have a particular tone to his voice, nor did he give her any kind of glance.

She was surprised to hear him say that much to her. She assumed he’d just ignore her or say a short, simple reply. Maybe he was more used to being around her now after their stint together that weekend.

She laughed softly, a blush coating her cheeks. “If I get drunk enough.”

He cocked his brow up. “From what I’ve seen, you won’t have an issue doing that.”

Her eyes rolled and she crossed her arms, her stare going out the window. She thought his remark was rude, but at least she knew he was acting normal. She contemplated saying something else. She didn’t want him to get the last word.

“Do you have any favorite karaoke songs?”

He scoffed, almost as if he were offended. “I don’t do karaoke.”

Ivy pursed her lips and turned her head towards him, her eyes squinting suspiciously. Harry had his gaze locked on the road, he wasn’t concerned with her. She was baffled by his little comment. It made no sense in her mind.

“But you sing in a band.. that covers songs. That’s basically fancy karaoke.”

“You’re saying I’m mediocre? Karaoke takes no skill, it’s just for fun.” He was quick to defend himself, giving her a disgusted expression. It was like he couldn’t believe she was insinuating that his band was below average.

“I never said you weren’t good.. You’re a great singer, actually. But karaoke isn’t that much different than what you do.”

Harry let out a laugh that was louder and stronger than any one she had heard come from him. She furrowed her brows, somewhat confused by him. He shook his head, his cheeks dented in with dimples as he grinned at the road, slowing the car to stop at the light. He felt her staring at him, so he looked over. She didn’t blush or shy away like he was used to, instead she tilted her head slightly and tried her best to read him.

“Was that a genuine laugh?” She asked, her brows raising on her forehead as his grin shaped to a smirk.

“That’s for you to decide.”

She accidentally smiled. “You usually don’t laugh around me, I can’t tell what’s real or not.”

Harry was quick with his replies, which was throwing her off guard. “You’ve never done or said anything particularly funny to me.”

Ivy didn’t want him to have the upper hand, so she continued responding to him just as quick as he was. Her tone was slightly snappy, but he could pick up on the humor.

“You hardly talk to me. I don’t get the chance to be funny.”

Harry licked his lips and tried his best to keep his eyes focused ahead of him. As much as he wanted to catch her smile or see her cheeks that he would bet were blushing, he didn’t want to get distracted.

“It seems like you don’t have a problem talking to me when we’re alone. You’re the one that always goes mute.” He shrugged,

“I do not.”

He let out another laugh, this time she was sure it was real. “You don’t speak to me anywhere else.”

“That’s because you always end up-” Ivy caught herself before her remark came out. She looked back out the window, not wanting to risk catching his glance.

“What? Say what you’re thinking.” His words were laced with a smile, he was genuinely amused.

The thought of keeping her mouth shut was not something she wanted to entertain. This whole time, ever since they met, she’s wanted to be able to hold her own and be confident when it came to talking to him. There was no reason to be shy anymore. She knew his game.

“You always end up blowing up.. Why would I risk talking to someone if they’re just going to be rude or get loud with me?” Ivy finally said, a sigh following her words.

Harry didn’t really know what to say back. His snarky comments seemed to disappear from his mind. All he could do was clench his jaw and gently shake his head. He knew she wasn’t looking at him, so she wouldn’t catch his irritated reaction. Although he didn’t like what she was hinting at, he couldn’t blame her for feeling that way.

—•—

Ivy was very excited for the party. Niall had reserved their usual table at the bar they perform at along with a karaoke set up. The VIP area would still be open, but he knew Emma wouldn’t mind. She loves crowds of dancing and singing people, especially if they’re her audience during karaoke. He got special decorations including a balloon arch that was behind the karaoke area, balloons that were loose to float around (most of which hit the ceiling already), and other things. He reserved a few bottles for the night and prepared a some food orders for the kitchen. The owners quite enjoyed Niall and they were very accommodating with everything.

“Does this look okay?” Michelle asked as she adjusted the cake’s placement on the table, it was still in the box to reserve freshness.

“Yeah. The confetti stuff is super cute.” Ivy smiled as she looked at the colorful pieces of shiny plastic that were shaped like balloons and cakes.

“Niall got them to give us an ice bucket for the drinks. So fancy.” She smirked back.

“He’s doing everything so well. She’ll love it.”

Michelle walked away to talk to the employee who was setting up the karaoke equipment. They moved in a small stage and placed it on the back wall, next to their reserved table. Ivy took the chance to sit down and take a break. She had been helping Zayn make sure everything was correct with the bar and food orders. As much as she was happy for Emma and waiting for the surprise to happen, she was getting tired.

Her head lifted as someone walked past her, sitting down in the middle of the semi circle seating. When her eyes hit him, she instantly regretted it. He didn’t say anything, nor did he look at her, but the simple fact that it was him that was sitting there drove her crazy. Harry had ignored her since they arrived, and even before then.

He leaned back, his head propped against the wall. Ivy furrowed her brows subtly to herself, curious to know what was on his mind. But of course, she didn’t say anything. She pulled her eyes away, focusing on the decorations on the table. Harry didn’t appear like he wanted to be bothered, she didn’t want to cross a line.

“How’s everything look?” Zayn walked up after a few minutes passed.

Ivy gave him a smile and a nod. “Looks great.”

“I hope Niall is satisfied.”

“I’m sure he will be.” She moved her eyes back to the cake box on the table as Zayn sat down closer to Harry than to her.

“What have you been doing lately?”

Harry sighed back. “Not a lot.”

“Been practicing anything?”

Harry shrugged, his head coming off the wall as he sat up. “Not really. Haven’t had the motivation.”

Zayn seemed surprised by that. “Really? Usually you don’t stop til you nail it.”

“Got a lot on my mind lately.” Harry mumbled back, not really wanting to discuss it with an audience - even if Ivy was hardly paying them any attention.

“You can always drink it away.” Zayn said playfully, giving him a chuckle.

Harry shrugged. “M’not drinking a lot tonight. I got to drive home.”

“Sober Harry’s no fun, huh?” Zayn teased again.

Harry just rolled his eyes and let a smile shoot across his lips for a moment. “No fun at all.”

It was time for Emma to arrive. Niall sent a quick text letting everyone know to be ready. The plan was to surprise her with a trip to the bar, Niall using the excuse of wanting to have a few drinks and dance with her before they ended the night, then actually surprise her with everything else. Everyone aside from Harry was gathered near the karaoke set up - he chose to stay seated. Ivy stood in between Michelle and Zayn, a bright smile on her face as she saw Niall’s head all of a sudden as they weaved through the crowd. It wasn’t too busy in the back room tonight, but there would be a good crowd for the karaoke.

When Emma’s eyes landed on everyone and she realized she knew the people staring back at her, she squealed and started clapping her hands together. In unison, they screamed ‘surprise’ and everyone was laughing and cheering for her. Niall guided her to the back table, telling her the karaoke machine was theirs for the night. She yelled happily and gave him a hug, followed by a kiss.

Ivy embraced her with a tight hug as if she hadn’t seen her in years. “Happy birthday!” She whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Thank you, Ivy! Oh my god, you knew about this?” Emma asked with wide eyes as she grabbed Ivy’s arms, squeezing her as she leaned back.

“Of course! Niall had his little elves working all day.” She grinned back, glad to see that Emma was so happy about everything.

“I love you guys!”

“First shot for the birthday girl.” Zayn appeared next to them, a shot glass full of tequila in his hand.

Emma gladly took it and threw it back, receiving a cheer from everyone. She took a quick minute to look at everything that was put together for her. She was beyond excited and grateful, and sort of overwhelmed in a good way. Ivy didn’t want to overdo herself together, so she sat back down and gently pressed her hand to her lower stomach, near her healing incision. The moment she did that, Harry happened to glance her way. He furrowed his brows as he realized the spot she was touching. He started to wonder if she was sore or hurting. She hadn’t moved around too dramatically today, was it possible that something else made her start hurting? She planned on drinking and singing with Emma tonight, but there would be very little dancing and jumping.

“Oh, look at the cake!” Michelle grabbed Emma’s hand and drug her to the table.

Ivy watched with a happy smile as they removed the top of the cake box and revealed the design. It was a circular cake with white icing, accented with soft pink roses. A happy birthday message was written across the top. Emma’s face was red from all the shrieking, the joy was taking over her entirely. Niall went with Cory to talk to the bartenders about the drinks they preordered for the night. When they returned, they each had a tray of beers that they started to hand out to everyone. Although Harry wasn’t planning on drinking a lot, he accepted the cup from Cory. Ivy took hers as well and gently bit the inside of her cheek as he sat down next to her. The memory of Harry screaming at him crept into her mind.

“Are you having chugging contests tonight?” Cory asked with a laugh, his intentions were friendly per usual.

She smiled back. “Perhaps. I think I owe Michelle one.”

Michelle’s ears perked up. “I heard my name.”

“Ivy’s got a contest for you.” Cory said with a smile, lifting his beer in the air before taking a drink of it.

Michelle hopped up from where she was sitting across from Ivy and gave her the biggest smirk she could. “C’mon, hot stuff! You promised me!”

She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s a bit early.”

“We have to start the party somehow.” Michelle laughed.

“Okay, okay.”

Ivy received a few cheers and claps as she stood up, her cup of beer in her hand. Michelle positioned herself to face her, their eyes locked as they did a quick cheers with their plastic cups. Zayn was laughing from amusement and Emma was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone was watching, including Harry. He wasn’t concerned with Michelle at all, his eyes were stuck on Ivy.

Cory did a countdown. Ivy closed her eyes and relaxed the muscles in her throat, allowing the liquid to spill down rapidly. She knew she wouldn’t take long, she never did. When she pulled the empty cup from her mouth and opened her eyes, Michelle had about a third left. She gave up though when she saw Ivy’s cup. She groaned, throating her head back and cursing at the ceiling. There was something about the way a few drops of the beer slipped from the corners of Ivy’s mouth that made Harry’s chest tighten.

“The reigning champion!” Niall exclaimed, amused by the spectacle taking place before him.

“Who’s next?” Ivy said, giving everyone a quick glance.

Niall shook his head, mentioning something about having to go easy so he could drive Emma home. Zayn thought about it, but he didn’t want to chug on an empty stomach. Michelle sat down, crossing her legs as she tried to catch her breath. Ivy was about to give up, a proud smile on her lips, when someone finally spoke.

“Someone’s got to beat her.” Harry stood up, running his free hand through his hair to push it away from his face.

It sort of took them all by surprise. Sure, they were used to Harry being a party animal and having fun, but to willingly interact with Ivy was shocking. She, however, didn’t seem as surprised. She rolled her eyes and grabbed one of the extra cups off the table. Harry toasted his glass with hers as the countdown ended.

The cheering was mostly for Ivy, hopeful for her victory against him. Niall was laughing hysterically, the scene seemed like something from a movie. Harry was actually being a good sport for once. But he was too messy with his attempt, beer was dripping down his chin and onto his clothes. Ivy let out a laugh as she threw her empty cup down on the table, throwing her arms in the air.

“Fuck.” Harry grunted as he finished just a few seconds after her.

When their eyes met again, she gave him the sexiest look he’d ever seen cross her features. She licked her thick, wet lips and dropped her eye to a wink. He shook his head and felt a grunt come up his throat.

“I knew I’d beat you.” Ivy’s smirk shaped to a smile.

“Barely.” He pointed out, he really wasn’t that far behind her.

“A win’s a win.” She lifted her shoulder as she sat down, her eyes still on his.

All he could do was chuckle, surprised that she actually beat him but not disappointed that she did. It was amusing for everyone, including him. It wasn’t like the first time he witnessed it where he had a negative reaction. This was fun, this was exciting, this was.. different. Harry sat back down, his stomach bubbling from the beer. He probably shouldn’t have done that.

“Can’t believe you’re not insulting her for winning.” Cory said with a smile, locking his eyes with Harry’s glare.

He opted not to respond. One thing he was trying so hard to control was his reactions. He’s realized, all through his shared moments with Ivy, that sometimes he easily went overboard. He glanced at her to see if she expressed any emotion in response to Cory. She had a slight furrow in her brows.

“Food’s here!” Niall interrupted, he was grateful for the perfect timing. The last thing he wanted was for someone to ruin Emma’s party.

They brought a few appetizers for everyone including wings that most of the guys went straight for, a basket of mozzarella sticks, and chips and salsa. Ivy wanted to eat something, but she was distracted by Harry’s dulled energy. For just a short time, he had been up beat - now, he was quiet and sulking.

“You want some?” Cory asked her, gesturing to the food.

“No, not right now.” She faked a smile and scooted back on the bench seat, her body pressing against the back of it.

“Are you performing for us tonight?” He shifted to face her.

She wasn’t exactly thrilled about being talked to right now, but she wasn’t going to be rude. “Yeah, probably.”

“If you’re any good, we can do a duet.”

Ivy didn’t catch the way Cory’s eyes watched her so intently, his lips stuck in a smile as if he were infatuated with her. Harry could hear the flirtatious tone in Cory’s voice and it was not sitting well with him. He leaned up, his elbows on his knees as he tried to hear over the music and the conversations around him.

“Well, I only really sing with Emma. We have our songs.”

He shrugged at her. “C’mon, at least think about it. I’ve got a lot of song ideas.”

Just as Ivy let out a nervous laugh, Harry pushed himself to his feet and walked away from the table. His exit caught everyone’s eyes. Niall let out a heavy sigh and tried to ignore it. Nobody else was aware that Harry had been listening to Cory, so they weren’t sure why he got up and left so suddenly. Ivy swallowed the lump in her throat. Although she considered Cory a friend.. his attempt at talking to her was rubbing her the wrong way. Maybe she was just on edge because of the scary experience she had before.

Cory narrowed his eyes as he watched Ivy’s head turn towards the direction Harry went in. She stared at his back for as long as she could before he slipped into the crowd. Her eyes fell down to her lap, her hands clammy from her nerves.

“Did something happen with Harry that I missed?” Michelle asked everyone, a confused expression on her face.

“He probably saw someone he wants to take home tonight.” Cory said with a smirk, glancing at Ivy.

She didn’t react, instead she shifted so her body was facing away from him. She didn’t care what he said, she didn’t care to be around him. Her effort at trying to be polite to his small talk had died out.

It was always so easy for her mind to slip deep into thoughts about Harry, and right now was no different. She wondered if he was tired of sitting around or if he just went to get a drink - maybe he didn’t want any of the beer left on the table. Was there something on his mind or was he thoughtless? Where did he go? He would never need her help the way she needed his that night.. but what if he did? No, he doesn’t need her..

“Ivy!” Emma’s cheerful tone interrupted her spiraling mind.

“Yeah?” She looked up to find Emma standing in front of her, holding her hand out.

“Let’s do some karaoke!!”

Ivy gave her a smile. “Give me a little bit.. you go ahead and start. It’s your birthday.”

Emma shrugged, then let go of her hand. She made Niall follow her so he could help set up the song. Ivy watched with a grin as Emma impatiently stood behind Niall as she waited. As much as Ivy wanted to pay attention to her friend, the thoughts of where Harry ran off too quickly resurfaced in her mind. She pushed a sigh through her lips as she took her phone out of her pocket. She wondered if it would be too much to send him a text. Would it be crossing some sort of line?

She held her breath as she opened the messages she had with him. It was not many at all, just those few from the weekend he stayed at her house. Her thumb hovered over the keyboard, a heavy feeling of fear weighing down on her suddenly. She couldn’t do it. It wasn’t her place to ask him where he went or what he was doing. He wasn’t her friend. She wasn’t Niall or Zayn or anyone else in their circle. It wasn’t her place..

Emma sang a few songs on her own, which actually drew attention from the strangers in the room. Most were cheering her on and dancing to her versions of the songs. Niall joined her for a few duets, but he was easily outshined by Emma’s energetic performances. Michelle moved seats early on in Emma’s karaoke session to be next to Ivy. She had noticed that Ivy was somewhat quiet, just clapping and smiling at Emma every now and then. She didn’t want her to feel alone.

It had been about half an hour since Harry disappeared and there wasn’t a second that went by without Ivy thinking about him. She tried her best to ignore it, but there were constantly things that reminded her of him. Emma sang one of the songs the band covers during their set, and she couldn't help but think about how Harry sang the song - how he gripped the microphone stand and tilted his head back in between verses, his veins sticking out and sweat rolling down his throat.. There were a few random bar patrons watching that she could see - one of them had a black t shirt on that reminded of her Harry’s signature choice, and another had on a leather jacket that resembled the one she’d seen Harry wear. Everything and everyone reminded her of him in some way.. It was torture.

“Do you want a shot?” Michelle leaned into her unexpectedly, making her jump.

“Um, sure.” She laughed lightly, trying to ignore the fact she had been so lost in her trance.

Zayn had just returned with a tray of shots, and he offered them to everyone. Ivy had missed the offer, not even realizing Zayn had appeared in front of her. Michelle grabbed two and gave Ivy one. They emptied the plastic cups and both scrunched their noses at the taste. Michelle laughed before suggesting they do another. Ivy didn’t oppose it, so it wasn’t very long before they threw back a second shot.

“Have you been alright tonight?” Michelle asked curiously. “You seem a bit down.”

Ivy shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m just trying to stay awake for Emma.”

“If you get too tired or feel bad, let me know and I can get you an Uber.”

Ivy was appreciative of the offer, so she just nodded and smiled, but she was sort of annoyed by the nagging. She said she was fine, why wouldn’t they just believe her? She shook her thoughts away, they were rude and not what she wanted to have on her mind. There was no reason to be irritated by Michelle, she hadn’t done anything wrong. Harry was just stuck on her mind and she didn’t want anyone to interrupt.

If anything could get her mind distracted or less focused on Harry, it would be another drink. She looked at the table, pleased to see a tray sitting there with a cup of beer on it. She scooted to the edge of the bench and reached for the cup, knowing it was up for grabs for whoever wanted it. Ivy immediately brought the rim to her lips and guzzled a bit of the liquid down.

“Having a competition on your own?” Cory’s voice cut into her thoughts.

She brought the cup down and looked his way, faking a smile. “Just trying to get drunk.”

He was surprised by her sassy tone, but it wasn’t enough to turn him away. He smiled back and brought his own cup to his lips, his eyes locked on her face as he took a drink. Ivy shifted her head back to where it had been, trying her best to ignore him without being too rude.

“Why?”

She huffed. “It’s a bar. People get drunk at bars.”

Before he could reply, Emma’s voice blared over the speakers. “Ivy! Come on!”

Although she didn’t really want to get up and sing, she wanted to get away from Cory and anyone else who could potentially bother her. She stood up, keeping the beer in her hand, and made her way to where Emma was. Niall was glad he could take a break, so he gave her an encouraging high five as she approached them.

“Niall’s got our songs lined up!” She said away from the microphone, giving Ivy a quick hug.

“Okay, perfect.”

The shots she had definitely opened her up some. She was forgetting about the situation with Harry - the one that only existed in her mind of course, nobody else was concerned with him. Ivy wasn’t sure how Emma had any energy left after all she did with Niall, but she was still excited to see her enjoying it. She couldn’t stop herself from laughing as the first song started, she knew it all too well. “Beverly Hills” by Weezer was the very first song they ever sang together. It was a song that Ivy’s brother loved, and one she grew to love herself, and Emma just so happened to love it just as much. It was always a crowd pleaser - meaning it made everyone laugh and cheer them on. Emma started off the song, her hand gripping the microphone like she was a rockstar.

Ivy watched her, keeping track of what parts Emma was singing so she could come in at the right time. She was grinning, trying hard not to laugh into the microphone. Emma was drunk and it was very obvious, but it was quite entertaining. Of course, she was so caught up in the scene playing next to her that she wasn’t aware that Harry had made his way back to the table - empty handed and empty armed. He wasn’t concerned with getting a drink or finding some woman, he had his attention on someone else.. From the table, he had a perfect view of them without being too obvious. He wanted to be out of her direct line of sight, it made it easier for him to watch her. As odd as it seemed, he knew she’d be more comfortable if she never found out he was staring at her.

Harry had to bite down on his bottom lip to contain the smile eating away at his lips. Ivy was very into her performance and it was an interesting moment to witness. He was alone at the table, so he felt comfortable expressing his real emotions about the girl. She was gorgeous and she was funny, and right now she looked the most beautiful he’s ever seen her. She was being herself, not holding back for anyone. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was because it was her best friend’s birthday, or maybe he didn’t know the reason at all. The reason didn’t matter, he was just glad to see she was having fun.

Just as the girls started a new song - one of Ivy’s favorite Joan Jett songs - Harry caught a glimpse of Cory. Something about the way he watched Ivy just pissed him off every time. He wanted to throw him through the wall, the jealousy easily fed into his rage. But he knew that Ivy wouldn’t want that. No matter how annoying Cory could be, she didn’t want to be the cause of any problems. He opted to ignore him and focus on the girl he had quite the obsession with. Her long hair was slightly wavy tonight, almost like she forgot or maybe purposely didn’t run a flat iron through it. She was stunning, per usual, and he couldn’t keep his greedy eyes off her. The way her thick, gloss covered lips moved as she sang into the microphone made his heart flutter. There was nothing he liked more than to see her smile. Even when it’s not directed towards him, it hardly ever was, he loved to see it. And her sparkly blue eyes, how they fill with stars when he says certain things to her or go wide when he intimates her - they were perfect to him.

He was undercover for a while, almost through the entire set of preselected songs, until Ivy finally got her eyes on him. The crowd had parted in a way that allowed her access to him - and as she sang the lyrics to “Lips of an Angel”, her eyes landed on his broad frame. He was leaned back against the booth with his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk plastered over his lips. She didn’t believe that he was looking at her at first, that is until his eye dropped to a wink. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly looked away, trying to focus on something else. It was a challenge because she liked staring at him as much as he liked staring at her..

It was just her luck that she had gone this entire time without being nervous, and now it’s ruined. There was no one else on the planet that could cause her to feel this way, nobody but Harry. Even in a room filled with strangers, she could pick out his gaze. It was almost magnetic, she just knew when she turned her head it would be his eyes that were locked on her. And he didn’t let up at all, he stayed fixated on her as she sang into the microphone, her voice a tad shaky all of a sudden. Emma didn’t notice, she was too far gone in her own bliss. Ivy’s chest was tight, her head was spinning as the thoughts of Harry flooded her mind yet again. It was a feeling she had gotten used to over the past few months, something she wished was easier to manage than it was. For the rest of the song and through the final one, she kept her eyes out on the crowd and not near Harry.

As the chords to a Britney Spears song started to blare through the speakers, Harry pulled out his phone and brought up the same texts that Ivy had stared at earlier in the night. The very same thoughts were spiraling in his mind. Should he text her and tell her something nice? Maybe compliment her outfit or her karaoke? Or should he say something more risky, tell her how he feels? No, he shouldn’t do any of that. He locked his phone and shot his eyes back towards her. Unfortunately, someone had moved to block his view. He was irritated that he couldn’t see her, but he didn’t do anything to change it. Maybe that was a sign from the universe that he didn’t need to look at her.. that he didn’t need to be so intense and fixated on the girl.

Ivy felt untouchable. The adrenaline from singing in front of a bunch of strangers ran rampant through her body. She was breathing heavily, trying to calm down her racing heart as the air pumping out of the vents above them sent blasts of cool air over her warm body. A few beads of sweat had popped up on her forehead and her hands were clammy from grasping the microphone. Emma thanked everyone for putting up with them and offered the karaoke machine up to whoever wanted to sing. A duo who had been cheering them on the whole time volunteered to take over for a while.

“That was so fucking fun!” Emma squealed as they got back to the table, her hand squeezing Ivy’s arm.

She laughed back. “It was awesome.”

“You two did great!” Zayn patted them both on the shoulder. “I’ll go get you girls some water.”

“Thanks!” Emma was relieved to hear that.

Everyone crowded the table and claimed a seat. The only space available wide enough for her to fit was between Cory and Harry. Ivy gulped quietly as she sat down. When her eyes fell to look at her thighs, she noticed she was much closer to Harry than she was Cory. It made her heart skip a beat - Cory didn’t even exist in her mind anymore.

Emma grabbed the cupcakes off the table and offered them around. Ivy declined, but Harry decided to take one. She couldn’t help but let her eyes roam in his direction - she tried to be subtle with it - to watch him. He peeled the wrapper off and balled it up before tossing it on the table. He bit into the chocolate cupcake, giving Emma a thumbs up when she asked if it was any good. Seeing him do such a simple thing was so intense for her. She wasn’t necessary focused on the act of eating the cupcake, just on how his jaw moved beneath his skin and his head nodded slowly when he chewed, enjoying the taste. He was perfectly sculpted from every angle, so handsome and eye catching.. She was lost.

Per usual, she wasn’t aware of how long she had been staring at him but it was long enough for Zayn to return with their waters after waiting for a bit at the bar. Ivy took hers and mumbled a thank you. Emma guzzled half her bottle within a few seconds, making a concerned look appear on Niall’s face. The girl was worn out, she needed to hydrate. Ivy, on the other hand, barely took a sip of hers. Harry looked over in time to see her screwing the cap back on the bottle. He frowned slightly, nudging his knee against hers. The action made her jump, her eyes shot to his instantly.

“You should probably drink more of that.” He told her with a baseline expression, no level of irritation or kindness showing.

“I’m fine.” She shrugged back, moving her eyes down to the water bottle.

“When you’re puking later don’t cry about it.”

It was somewhat disappointing that he got up and silently left the table. He received a few glances, but no one was really worried about where he was going. He was known to disappear and do his own thing. Ivy didn’t like it, though, the thought of him possibly talking to a stranger in a flirtatious way made her stomach churn.

She opted not to think about it, although it was a tough challenge. Michelle offered her a great opportunity to distract herself. She moved seats to be next to Ivy.

“I loved your karaoke.” She smiled sweetly.

“Thanks. I’m tired now.”

Michelle laughed. “I understand why. You guys are wild.”

Ivy glanced over at Emma, she was eating something as Niall rubbed her back. She was trying to recover with a snack and her water.

“It’s always wild with Emma.”

Michelle perked up suddenly as she remembered something she wanted to discuss with Ivy. “I heard Harry was your nurse. How was that?

A jolt of electricity shot through Ivy’s heart as she thought about the time spent with him. She nervously laughed and pushed her hair over her shoulder, trying to come up with something to say. She figured the word got around that Harry stayed with her, but she never expected one of them to bring it up.

“It was fine. He was a big help, actually.” She opted to speak truthfully, there was no point in lying.

“That's good. I’m glad he acted right.” Michelle’s eyes were burning holes through Ivy, and she was becoming flushed from the intense glare.

“He was very polite the whole time.” She sighed back, hoping that the conversation would shift to something different.

Michelle’s lips turned to a grin and she let out a soft laugh. Ivy looked over, curious to know why she was laughing. She could tell that Michelle was thinking about something. The expression she saw made her nervous.

“Hm.”

“What?” Ivy quickly blurted out.

“Nothing.”

She felt her stomach knot up. “Michelle, what? You can’t look at me like that and not tell me.”

Michelle wasn’t going to give in at first, but after seeing how hard Ivy’s brows were furrowed and how nervous she appeared, she felt bad. She took a deep breath and glanced around, making sure nobody was paying them any mind. Everyone seemed to be occupied in their own worlds, so she leaned closer to Ivy.

“It’s just..” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I think Harry likes you, like he’s attracted to you.”

“What?” Ivy’s eyes went wide and her heart began to race. Although she’s talked about Harry with Emma and Michelle, even with Niall, she’s never heard any of them say something like this before.

“I’m serious. He’s different with you, I know he’s been a dick at times but.. I’ve seen how he reacts when you’re brought up.” Michelle told her with a genuine smile, she wasn’t trying to pick on her in any way.

“When I'm brought up?”

Michelle nodded softly, then explained. “I was at Niall’s store the other day and he was telling me about the party plans.. He mentioned that he wanted one of us to go with you to the bakery. When he said your name, I swear Harry’s eyes almost popped out of his head. He volunteered to do it.”

Ivy recalled the conversation she had with Niall and he definitely didn’t mention that part. She started to wonder why Niall would avoid that part, or if he told Emma and the secret was kept from her. No, there was no way - she doesn’t believe Emma would do that..

“Niall told me nobody could do it but Harry.”

A smirk grew over Michelle’s lips and she lifted a brow. “Of course he’s going to tell you that. He’s not going to rat out his friend.”

“That doesn’t mean he likes me.” Ivy quickly shot back, trying to act like this wasn’t bothering her immensely.

A silence grew among them for a short moment as Michelle comtemplated something in her mind. Ivy was fighting the trance in her head - the circling thoughts of Harry haunted her so easily. There was no way she’d be able to function properly the rest of the night with this new idea implanted into her brain. Harry can’t possibly like her. How could he like her if he has to force himself to be nice when he’s around her? He has to endure the torture every time they’re near one another, there’s no possible way he likes her..

Michelle finally spoke, pulling her from her thoughts. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.” She lifted her head, not even realizing she had been staring at nothing, to meet Michelle’s curious gaze.

“Do you like him?”

“Michelle!” Ivy chirped, her cheeks engulfed with flames.

A laugh rolled out as Michelle reached over to squeeze her knee. “It’s okay if you do. I won’t.. say anything to him or anyone.”

Ivy squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head to herself. There was no way she could answer this. What if Michelle thought it was weird and she made fun of her for it? They weren’t teenagers, surely she wouldn’t mock her for something like this.. What would Emma think? Would she be happy or would she be disappointed? Her chest was moving rapidly as she sucked in breath after breath, her nerves getting the best of her.

“Before I answer, I have a question.” Ivy found herself talking before she even realized what was happening.

Michelle nodded. “Alright.”

Was it worth it to lie? After all this time, all these shared moments, all these complicated situations.. after all of this was it worth it to make up a lie? It was hard enough to try and convince herself she had no special feelings towards him, it would be close to impossible to make someone else believe it. If Michelle noticed it on Harry’s part, then she most likely picked up on it from Ivy, too. And if she did, surely everyone else did too. Ivy licked her lips and tilted her head back, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. She didn’t want to look at Michelle, she didn’t want to face the truth.

“Is it obvious?”

Without making it seem like such a big deal, Michelle calmly answered. “Most definitely.”

”Great.” A humorless laugh busted past her lips.

Michelle sighed, leaning closer to her. “That’s not a bad thing, Ivy. I’m almost one hundred percent certain the feeling is mutual.”

She laughed again, unable to believe any of this was actually happening. “I don’t think it is.”

“Then open your eyes and look closer.” Michelle gave her knee another squeeze before letting her go.

The conversation about Harry was short lived, and she was grateful for that. Michelle talked to her a bit longer about other things, realizing that she was too embarrassed to talk about Harry anymore. After a while, she excused herself and left Ivy alone at the table. Everyone had either gone to dance or watch Zayn do his karaoke songs. She was content with being alone, the celebration wasn’t her focus any more.

Ivy sat there with her eyes closed allowing herself to track through her thoughts. She wanted to get to the root of her feelings, determine what was real and what wasn’t, and be truthful with herself. There were a lot of things to sort through, but she was trying her best. Even when trying to recall older things, she couldn’t let the thought of where Harry was now slip past her. It was extremely difficult to focus once someone joined her at the table, opting to sit right next to her.

“Feeling alright?” Cory’s voice broke her tranquil, yet chaotic, bubble.

She glanced over at him, wishing he was anyone else at this point. “Yes.”

“You look tired.”

“I’m not.. just relaxing for a bit.”

He hummed back, choosing to just stare at the side of her face for a long few seconds. Ivy thought about jumping up and finding somewhere else to go, but she didn’t want to be rude. As much as she enjoyed Cory’s friendship, she was irritated with him. His actions throughout the night had annoyed her.

“We need to get some energy in you.” He said with a smile. “Do you want to go dance out in the main room?”

She swallowed, composing herself. “No, thanks.”

“Are you sure?” He laughed slightly. “You need to have some fun.”

The small distance they shared on the bench was driving her insane. She didn’t want anyone to touch her or be near her right now. She had a lot of stuff happening in her head, the last thing she needed was someone to piss her off. A heavy inhale filled her lungs as she checked the time on her phone. The screen was bright, almost blinding, but she stared at it longer than she needed to. A frown was threatening to shape over her lips.

Ivy turned her head, meeting Cory’s eyes. He offered her another smile, but she didn’t return it. Without saying a word to him, she stood up and walked away from the table. He called her name a few times, but she ignored him. When she slipped into the crowd, a sigh of relief came out. She wasn’t afraid to be near him, she just simply didn’t want to be.

Although she would probably enjoy watching everyone else do karaoke, she didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want to dance by herself or even escape to the bathroom. She just wanted something to distract her, and one of the easiest ways to do that here would be getting a drink.

Ivy was comfortable going to the bar alone, since she had grown quite familiar with this establishment. She maneuvered through the beaded curtain and entered the main part of the building. Thoughts of what drinks she could get started to pop in her head, maybe something light and fruity would be enjoyable - although something strong would probably work quicker.

It was really bothering her that Cory ruined her alone time. Was it not noticeable that she was perfectly okay while sitting there? Did he not realize she was purposely keeping to herself? It forced a huff out that flared her nostrils. The bar was in her sight now, and she was glad to see it. She walked the short distance and noticed an open spot at the end closest to her.

“Excuse me.” She said with a huff as she approached the bar, her arm brushing the person standing there.

“Ivy.” Harry’s voice made her heart skip a beat.

She lifted her head, their eyes meeting under the dim lights. She didn't open her mouth. He stared at her for a few seconds, then the bartender interrupted their moment. Ivy looked towards them and gave her order. Harry of course didn’t tear his eyes off her just yet.

“What’s wrong?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nothing.”

“Whatever.”

As much as she wanted to be angry with everyone at the bar, she was only irritated by one person. Harry was lifting a beer bottle to his mouth, emptying it before gesturing for another one. Ivy let out a groan and turned towards him, catching his attention immediately.

“Your friend is what’s wrong.”

“What?” He furrowed his brows, not quite sure what she meant by that.

“Cory.” The way she coldly said his name made Harry smirk - clearly she wasn’t fond of him.

Harry waited a few seconds, holding back a chuckle. “What about him? Finally get tired of him flirting?”

“You could tell?” She felt somewhat embarrassed yet again.

“He’s shit at it, but yeah. He’s got a thing for you.. apparently.” Harry looked past her, an annoyed thought in his mind.

He’s noticed since the first time Ivy came around that Cory was flirtatious with her. It made his blood boil at times, he was extremely jealous of someone who wasn’t even his. Knowing that Cory gave her glances the same way he did didn’t sit right with him.

“Well, I don’t have a thing for him.” Ivy declared, almost assuring Harry that it wasn’t true.

He sat his beer down, leaning his elbow on the bar. “Is he bothering you?”

“Yes. It’s very invasive.” Ivy chewed on her cheek as she moved her gaze down to Harry’s hand as it hung over the side of the bar, his wrist resting on the edge.

“What did he do?”

She paused the conversation to thank the bartender and pay for her drink. When she twisted to face him, she wasn’t surprised to see that he was still looking at her. “He just.. won’t leave me alone. He keeps.. talking to me when I don’t want anyone to talk to me.”

It sounded childish as she said it aloud, but she knew Harry would be on her side. He might not always be the kindest person to her, but he had a habit of taking up for her.

“I can tell him to tone it down.. if you want me to.”

“No, just leave it alone.” She quickly said, the fear of drama starting was unsettling. “I don’t want to cause any more fights.”

“Whatever you say.” He gave her a nod and actually spoke in a normal tone, instead of being cocky or irritated.

She took a napkin from the dispenser and started to turn away from him.

“Hey, are you going back to the table?” His question made her freeze.

She looked back at him. “Yeah.. I guess.”

“Do me a favor.. and be careful.” He gave her a serious look, his brows set on his forehead and lips in a straight line.

Ivy had to move her eyes down to his shoulder, she was getting flustered just from looking at him. “You think he’d.. he’d do something?”

“Cory? No. But.. just be careful.” He sighed this time, hoping and praying that his point got across to her.

“Okay.. I’ll try.” She put on a soft smile for him, she wanted to do more but she was nervous now. Harry easily did that to her.

He kept his eyes on her as she walked away, making sure that she was heading back in the direction she came from. While he did have a strong feeling of wanting to keep her safe, he knew that he had to respect her boundaries and let her do her own thing. He’d be around if she needed him, and he fully believed she knew that.

—•—

As the night went on, everyone was enjoying themselves. Emma had returned to the karaoke with a stranger who complimented her performance from earlier. The girl was just as drunk as Emma, but promised she’d do good with whatever song was picked. Niall watched in amusement, actually surprised that Emma hadn’t crashed out yet. She wasn’t worried about anyone for a while, she was doing her own thing and having fun.

That changed when she ended her karaoke session and joined Niall at the table. Nobody else was there, and for a few minutes she didn’t think anything of it. But suddenly, she sat straight up and started looking around frantically. Niall struggled to get her attention at first, but eventually he did.

“Where’s Ivy?” She asked him.

“M’not sure.”

“Let me call her.” She was quick to dial Ivy’s number and hold her breath as it rang.

She hoped that she was just in the bathroom or maybe she was with Michelle. If she were sober, she wouldn’t be worried, but she knew Ivy had been drinking. All Emma could think about was the night that stranger tried to chase her down. She didn’t answer after two calls.

Niall assured her everything would be fine, and he suggested they go look for her. They were supposed to go together, but she was moving faster than Niall could keep up with. She was looking around as she practically ran through people, but she didn’t see anyone Ivy could be with.

Emma saw Harry leaning on the bar, talking to the bartender he was friends with. She ran over to him, shoving past a few people. Harry was confused when she grabbed his arm and started shaking him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, turning towards her.

“I can’t find Ivy. Have you seen her?”

Harry’s chest immediately tightened up. His eyes trailed around the room, but he couldn’t really see much because of the low lighting and the crowd. Emma said something else, but he wasn’t listening. It had been over an hour since he last saw her. He wasn’t sure if she ever reunited with Emma or if she had been gone this whole time. A massive amount of worry filled his gut. He let her walk away alone.

“I’ll look for her.” He said, dropping his eyes down to her for a moment. “Relax.”

“Okay, please call me if you find her.” Emma had tears swelling in her eyes. She was drunk and overwhelmed.

“I’m sure she’s around, Emma.”

He was trying to keep his composure but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t care about where Ivy might be. It was actually driving him up the wall, his mind was racing with thoughts - what if something happened to her? That one time he was able to intervene and save her, but what if he couldn’t do that now? He couldn’t think about that right now, he had to focus. She’s not a child, she can choose to be alone if she wanted to, but that wasn’t enough to calm him down. Anything can happen to anyone at any time, especially in an environment like this.

The worry was extremely strong and controlling, it was consuming him. Just the thought of this girl alone could make him lose his mind. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

He searched around in the crowd for close to ten minutes before deciding to go elsewhere. He wondered if she made her way outside or close to the entrance. There really wasn’t a reason for her to go outside, but there was a possibility she did. He rushed to the front, hoping that his suspicion was correct. When he got there, the security guard was talking to someone so he didn’t even waste time trying to ask if he’d seen someone matching her description. He pushed the door open and started looking around.

A sigh of relief flew out his mouth as he saw her. To the left of the entrance was a bench placed against the wall, underneath a light that stuck off the building. She was laying down, her knees bent and her arms tucked against her chest. Harry shook his head in disbelief as he walked to her. He was not very pleased with the fact she was out here by herself and that she had blindly disappeared from everyone’s view. When he approached her, she didn’t react or notice him. Her eyes were closed, her thick lips parted as she breathed. He sent Emma a quick text, informing her that he was with Ivy and she was fine.

“Ivy.” He said her name loud enough to wake her up.

She wasn’t asleep though. She groaned, opening her eyes to peer up at him. He gave her a soft frown, glancing down her body to make sure she hadn’t been undressed in a way she didn’t give consent to. Thankfully, she looked the same as when he last saw her inside.

“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”

“M’fine.” She mumbled back, her voice cracking from the strain the karaoke performance caused.

Harry gestured for her to sit up, at first she didn’t move at all. He did it again, giving her a look that let her know he was being serious. She rolled her eyes and pushed herself up on the bench. She moved over to one side, letting him have access to the free space. He sat down next to her, closer than she figured he would. Her eyes fell down to her feet.

“You’re not fine. Why are you out here?” Harry kept his stare on her, his body shifting to face her.

“It’s hot in there.. and I feel sick.” She said quietly.

“I don’t believe that.”

“What do you want?” She groaned when he kept on.

“Nothing.” He mumbled back.

“Then go away.”

He licked his lips as he watched her closely, intending on catching every subtle change in her expression and to not miss a single thing. He wanted to talk to her, and had such an intense feeling of wanting to help her.. be there for her.

“I.. I saw you touching your stomach earlier. Are you okay?”

She swallowed softly, not expecting him to have noticed that or even remember it. “Yes. My stomach is fine.”

“So, you just had too much to drink then.” His response wasn’t laced with attitude, yet she was annoyed by it.

“No, I didn’t. Go away.” Ivy turned her head in the opposite direction, staring off at nothing as she wished he’d vanish into thin air.

If he’d give her some space, she could just get over the feelings. She thought about looking up at the clear night sky, the stars shining bright above them. She could distract herself, if he’d go away.

“I’m not going to leave you out here alone.” Harry’s thick, low voice made goosebumps cover her arms.

“I don’t need you to babysit me.”

“I don’t need you getting hurt.” He was quick to counter her.

She let out a heavy but quick sigh, whipping her head around. “Why do you care?”

“Is it wrong to care about you?” His brows twitched, almost like he was going to furrow them. He didn’t really know how to react to her.

“For you to, yeah.” She stole the expression, her brows dropping as she stared back at him.

“Why?”

Ivy felt like screaming. He wouldn’t leave her alone when she asked for him to, and now he was making her overthink things. She felt like screaming.. yet her voice came out soft.

“Because.. you don’t like being around me.” She let her eyes move down to the ground once again, there was no way she’d be able to look at him. Her desire to scream changed to a feeling of wanting to cry.

“I’ve never said that.” Harry’s mouth turned to a frown, but Ivy wasn’t looking.

“You don’t have to say it. It’s obvious.” A humorless laugh fell past her lips.

Harry gulped in an attempt to hold down his feelings, hold back what he really wanted to tell her. “Well, is it wrong to not want something bad to happen to you? Or to anyone, for that matter.”

“I dunno.”

It went quiet for a short few moments, Harry just stared at the side of her face as she gazed mindlessly at her feet. He wanted to speak truthfully to her, wanted her to know everything he thought about her, but he chose not to say anything too revealing. He still hadn’t gotten to the root of her mood, that was his goal - just find out what’s wrong and fix it if he could.

“M’not leaving you out here alone so something can happen to you.” He said with an exhale, his eyes never leaving her.

He caught the gentle smile that tugged at her lips, but he wasn’t sure what emotion it was tied to. She threw her head back suddenly, her eyes connecting stars in the dark sky. Harry admired the curve of her lips and the flush of her skin, how freely her hair fell messily over her shoulders and the way her hand was clutching the edge of the bench. He took in the sight of her like he’d never see her again. Sometimes that was his biggest fear, that he’d mess up everything and she’d never want to be around him again. A life without her in it didn’t seem very appealing to him.

Harry let her have a couple minutes of pure silence. He chose to look away from her after some time, his own stare shifting upwards to the night sky. He couldn’t help but ponder what she was thinking, if anything. Was she spaced out or was she deep in a trance? What was going on with this girl that had her wanting to be isolated from everyone?

“Tell me what’s going on Ivy. I’ve seen you have fun before but.. tonight’s different.

She finally looked his way as she felt his stare return to her. “It’s none of your business.”

“You’re being rather sassy with me tonight, hm? Is it your turn to be the mean one?” He teased gently, not sure if she would find it funny or insulting. He wanted to ease the mood, not make it worse.

A smile, one bigger than the last she had, crossed her lips but it quickly faded. She shook her head lightly. “You wouldn’t get it.”

Harry thought about moving closer to her on the bench, considered reaching out to touch her but he stayed still. “I might. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Ivy had never talked about what was currently on her mind with anyone before, not Emma and not even her dad. These were recurring thoughts that sometimes paralyzed her entirely - her mind, her senses, her body. There was something inside of her that was screaming, practically begging her to say something. Just talk to him, he’d listen. She bit down on her quivering lip, hoping he didn’t notice but of course he did. It was so easy to see she was barely holding on, one little thing could tip her over the edge and she’d break apart.

“Did Cory say something?” He asked, clenching his jaw at the thought of something inappropriate or unwanted being said to her by anyone - not just his friend.

Ivy gave him another small shake of her head. “No. He didn’t do anything.”

“Tell me, please.”

Maybe it was the soft spoken please he added that made her feelings shift, or maybe it was something else. She wasn’t sure why, but she chose to tell him. He’s expressed enough genuine care and concern to her tonight, something she appreciated more than she could ever explain. She wanted to pour her heart out to him.. she knew he’d listen.

“This.. this Wednesday.. is.. is the anniversary of my brother.. my brother’s death.” Speaking those words felt like someone was pulling out her teeth. She was so reclusive when it came to this subject, she was afraid to say anything else.

“So.. you’re upset and sad.” Harry kept his tone gentle for her.

He didn’t know much about her private life, just a few things that Emma had told Niall that got back to him. But this was certainly something he hadn’t been very informed on, something he never heard her speak of before. He was cautious to say anything else, but he was willing to if she needed someone to vent to.

“Yeah.” Her shoulders shrugged almost nonchalantly, but he could tell it wasn’t that.

“I’m sorry that you have to go through that.. m’sure it’s not easy.”

“It’s fucking hard. My brother was my best friend.” Ivy’s voice was straining, she didn’t want to fall apart right now.

“I’m sorry.” He was surprised that she kept talking to him, but he was grateful. He let her take as long as she needed.

“Sometimes.. I.. I can go weeks.. without thinking about him.. or my mom.. then all of a sudden.. the smallest thing can trigger.. can trigger me. I.. fall apart. I want to have fun tonight.. but I can’t anymore.” She dropped her head into her hands, her elbows digging into her thighs. Harry wanted to press his hand to her back, rub comforting circles into her body, but he stayed still. “I.. I checked the time and.. saw today’s date.. and it just hit me.”

Even though he always put on this hard front, Harry had sympathy and a heart that felt a lot of emotion, especially when it came to Ivy. Something about the girl just brings out every little piece of him that he’s tried so hard to keep hidden. He wanted to speak kindly to her, try his best to be there for her.

“It’s okay to feel upset.. even when you think you should be happy. And it’s perfectly fine if you aren’t able to balance the sadness with the happiness.”

Her heart swelled as his unusually kind words filled her ears. She realized how much he was toning down his usual mood for her, how much he was showing her that he actually cared. The previous times he’s done this, she thought he was just good at pretending and putting on a show for her. But now was different, her heart felt it in a way she hadn’t felt it before. Harry cared about her.. more than she ever imagined.

“I.. want t-to cry, Harry.” She picked her head up and looked at him, tears already filling her pretty eyes.

He felt his own heart sink, he’s never seen her this broken before. With a soft voice, softer than he’s ever used, he leaned forward and whispered to her.

“Then cry. It’s okay to get it all out.”

Her lips pouted out, a tear escaping down her cheek. “I don’t wanna cry alone, not here.”

A very delicate smile pulled his lips up, his eyes fixated on hers. “I’m right here, Ivy. I’ll stay if you need me to.”

“Will you? Please?” She hesitated to reply, but she figured she only had this once chance.

“Yeah.. I’ll sit with you.” He assured her with a nod. “I won’t go anywhere.”

Harry didn’t really know what to expect, but he certainly didn’t think Ivy would voluntarily slide over to him so that their legs were pressed together. Her head gently laid on his shoulder, she felt comfortable and extremely vulnerable at the same time. Harry didn’t protest in any way, he let her do what she needed to do. She closed her eyes and let the tears flood her face. He stayed frozen for a few moments, listening to her silently cry and take quick breaths. He knew he couldn’t just let her do that, though. With a deep breath, he carefully put his head against hers, his hand moving to rest on her leg. He closed his fingers into a loose fist in case she didn’t want him to touch her that way. She was fine with it, in fact it made her stomach erupt with butterflies and her heart nearly explode.. Ivy didn’t touch him back, just let herself relax against him.

Harry’s never given himself to anyone in this way, never been someone’s literal or figurative shoulder to cry on. It felt odd in a way since it was his first experience, yet he was completely content with it at the same time. He was relieved that he was the one Ivy was with right now, not in a jealous sense though. He knew that everyone else would not be able to just let her have her moment. They’d beg her to tell them how she felt or try to talk her through it. They’d bother her and it would just upset her more. Not him, though. If anyone could go mute for a while, it was him. She needed someone to be with her, not to convince her she was fine.

They stayed like that for longer than they either realized. Harry had closed his eyes, too, just appreciating the silence they shared. Ivy’s crying was in no way hysterical or dramatic, it was quiet and soft. He wasn’t sure of the time, but he knew he’d stay like this with her as long as she needed.

Ivy surprised him when she brought her hand to her thigh, resting it next to his. When she purposely pushed the edge of her hand on to his, he reacted. She watched him carefully move his hand over half an inch, making it seem like he didn’t want her to touch him. She felt a pinch in her heart, maybe that was too far?

“M’sorry.” She uttered out quietly, he almost couldn’t hear her.

He opened his eyes to look down at their hands. He hadn’t realized she did it on purpose. As she tried to lift her head off his shoulder, he grunted and quickly spoke.

“You don’t have to move.”

Ivy pulled her bottom lip into her mouth for a moment, her eyes still staring down at his hand. “Is.. is this okay?”

A lump began to grow in his throat as her hand carefully touched his again, indicating she wanted his fist to open. What could go wrong, surely nothing? He had waited so long for this moment, tried so hard to let himself make it happen sooner.. Why would he stop it now? There was no point in trying to escape her anymore, she was a part of his life now.

He softly sighed. “Yeah.. you can touch me however you want, it’s fine.”

At first, she thought he was joking or trying to be cocky with her. But that feeling subsided when he turned his hand and opened his fist, exposing his palm to her. She weighed the options quickly, but none of the cons she would think of were worth missing this opportunity. One by one, Ivy placed each of her fingertips on his forearm, carefully gliding them over his skin. The way she so delicately moved her skin against his was making chills race down his spine. She was so soft and gentle with him, like he’d break if she touched him too hard.

Harry witnessed her fingers dip and curve around his hand, molding against his own as she lined the bottom edge of their palms. He smiled gently, realizing that she was comparing the size of their hands.

“Your hand is.. a lot bigger than it looks.” She spoke quietly, almost like it was a thought that accidentally escaped her lips.

“Is that a bad thing?”

She smiled, turning her head so that her cheek was pressed into his shoulder. “No.. just not what I expected.”

“Thanks.. I think?” His smile was evident in his words.

He waited for her to speak, but she didn’t. She was too busy being completely infatuated with the fact her hand was pressed against his. He wasn’t making an effort to force her into anything, he let her do what she wanted with him. It was almost shocking to think he’d give up control so easily, especially to someone like her.

“Your skin’s pretty soft, hm?” He said quietly, not wanting to be too loud with her now. “But.. I already knew that.”

A layer of blush appeared on her already warm skin. The alcohol flowing in her veins warmed her up even with the breeze playing around them. Ivy was not entirely convinced this moment was real. Not only had Harry chosen to stay with her while she cried, but he actually let her get this close. He let her do this. It was something so small, yet so special to her. This was more meaningful than any moment she’d spent with anyone before. She was afraid it would mean nothing to him..

“Can I..” Her voice trailed off quickly as her fingers moved in between his, but she waited for his permission.

He laughed lightly. “I said you can do what you want, love.”

There it was again - that term of endearment he used while he was helping her walk at her house. Was there another meaning to it? Was it a special word? Ivy wasn’t sure, so she just moved past it in her mind and let her fingers slot in between his, lacing their hands together. His palm was warm, almost hot against hers. She felt a wave of comfort wash through her - any hesitation or worry she had was now gone.

Ivy turned her hand so she could see the back of Harry’s. She wanted to observe every inch of him that she was able to. It didn’t take very long for her to furrow her brows.

“Is.. is this a scar?” She asked curiously, her thumb reaching to rub over the mark on his skin.

“Yeah.. freak accident, I guess. Guitar string snapped and cut me.” He told her, surprised that she noticed the faint mark.

“Did it hurt?”

He smiled. “Not really.”

“Can you.. talk about something? I don’t want to think about.. my brother right now.”

Her request was what he was waiting on, what he had been debating if she’d ask or not. He thought maybe she’d just like to sit in silence with him, but clearly she had other plans. He took a breath and thought of something to say.

“Well, I was thoroughly entertained by your performance. You should join us on stage sometime.” Harry let a chuckle follow his words.

“Absolutely not.” Ivy grinned for the first time in what felt like ages. Her mood was lifting, but her eyes stayed glued on his hand. His complexion, the texture, the hairs sticking out of his forearm, the rings stuck on his fingers, every detail.. She pressed her thumb against the small scar. “I.. I knew you were watching me.. I usually notice when you do that.”

Harry felt heat rising to his cheeks, he doesn’t usually get embarrassed. “Do I do it a lot?”

“Yeah, probably more than you think.” She softly laughed, accidentally squeezing his hand.

He hummed, then returned the gesture. “It’s hard not to.. Something about you.. captivates me.”

She gulped softly. “Is it something bad?”

“No.. you’re just alluring.. and intriguing.”

“That kinda sounds.. bad. Like I’m a freak or something.” She giggled back, making his smile grow.

“No, definitely not that.. just think you’re.. a very interesting person.” His gentle words were so foreign to her ears, but she was loving the way he was being so sweet with her.

“Why?”

Harry knew he could say a lot of things back, but he didn’t want to seem weird. He thought about something that he ponders often, something that’s been a prominent thought in his mind for a while now.

“For instance, I’ve been.. curious as to why you get so shy around me.. but you’re so bold and energetic with everyone else. I think about that a lot.”

Ivy’s throat felt like it would close up, she was trying hard to push down the nervousness and be brave, be open with him. “I don’t know.. you’re kinda intimidating.”

“How so?” Harry had a few ideas, but he wanted to hear her take on it.

“Sometimes you don’t seem very approachable.. Your tattoos make you look scary, not in a bad way.. just in a stay away from me way.”

“So you’re saying you don’t like my tattoos?” Harry picked his head up when she moved hers. He was afraid she’d pull away from him, but she actually turned her head so she could look at him. He felt her eyes, so he shifted his head, too.

“No, they’re actually very cool. I like them. But.. y’know what I mean.. the whole tattoo, leather jacket, mean aesthetic. I’m not trying to offend you.” She gave him a soft smile, hoping she didn’t overstep any lines.

“I get it. I can be.. a bit hostile, m’sure.” He nodded, letting his smile get bigger.

“Sometimes.” She bit down on her lip for a split second as a new layer of blush coated her skin. “Not right now, though. You’re.. very sweet right now.”

Harry lifted his brows. “Sweet?”

“Yeah.. It means a lot to me. Just.. knowing that you’re willing to sit with me. Thanks.” She didn’t notice how quiet her voice became, but he did.

“You don’t have to thank me.” His eyes narrowed as his smile made his dimples sink into his cheeks.

Ivy rolled her eyes in a light hearted manner. “I know. You always say that.. but I’m always going to thank you anyway.”

Harry took a slow breath while his eyes lowered to look at their joined hands. He was somewhat surprised she was still gripping him as tight as she was. The feeling she created in him was the strongest thing he’s ever felt, the greatest sensation in the world. She deserved to know how he felt, she deserved to be treated right. He had messed up so much with her, done so many stupid things that he feared she’d never forgive.

“I’m doing this because I care. You know that, right? Not because m’pretending or whatever.” His heart skipped a beat as he awaited her answer.

“I know that, Harry.” She whispered back.

Ivy moved so that her back was straighter, this is when she noticed the state of her hair. Throwing herself on the bench and mindlessly pushing it around made it messy and slightly tangled in the back. She grunted to herself, not wanting to let go of his hand, but her hair was annoying her. Harry held in a chuckle as she carefully released his hand and started to mess with her hair.

“Sorry, this is bothering me.”

He watched her flick her hair over her shoulder after running her fingers through it in an attempt to fix it. Once she was done, she reached for his hand again. He lifted it before she could take it, though, and carefully grabbed the chunk of hair she missed. Ivy’s stomach dropped as he gently moved the hair over her shoulder, dropping it behind her.

Her eyes locked on his and she felt like the world had stopped spinning. The way he was looking at her was so different than any other time. She couldn’t quite explain it to herself, but she knew it was good. He kept the stare going for a long time, longer than she expected him to.

“Your hair’s long, yeah?” He mumbled, smirking as a nervous giggle came from her.

“You wouldn’t know much about that, huh?” She cocked her brow, making his smirk grow.

“Yours is nicer than mine.”

Harry’s mind was clear of those racing thoughts, all but one. He admired the way her eyes sparkled like glitter - it felt even better to know she was looking at him that way and not at someone else. He can’t do it though, what if she didn’t want him to? Ivy held her part of the stare, never once looking away from him. Although her face was bright red and her heart was shaking in her chest, she didn’t break it.

It was difficult for Harry to think about anything else. If he tried it and she didn’t like it, then he’d stop. But if he tried it and she did like it, it would make everything so much easier. He took a quick breath and slowly leaned forward, his eyes latched onto hers. She was unaware of what was going on at first, she was lost in the pretty color of his eyes and in her own spiraling mind. This wasn’t the stranger she met at the tattoo shop, this was Harry - who he actually was, not a facade he put on. He was gentle and sweet, he was concerned and worried, he cared about her.. This is who she wanted to meet that very first time.

His hand suddenly touched her jaw, throwing her off guard and making her flinch back. She gasped, grabbing his forearm to stop him. He froze, not sure what to do.

“Ivy. Why.. why did you.. flinch?” He dropped his brows and the corners of his mouth, afraid that he had messed this up.

Her nails sunk into his skin as a lump began to form in her throat. “I thought you.. were going to.. hurt me.”

His heart fell to the pit of his stomach. He thought he was doing a good job, thought he was doing this perfectly. Did she not trust him? Had he hurt her so much that she lost the ability to trust him? He was angry with himself, but when he watched her eyes fall from his he felt even worse.

“I would never hurt you. Ivy, look at me. I’d never do anything like that to you.”

“Harry.” She uttered his name, carefully picking her eyes up.

“I’m sorry. I.. I know I’ve been an asshole to you.. but I never want you to think I’d hurt you, love.” Harry was unsure of what to do, of what she wanted to happen. Hearing the sadness in his voice made her heart sink.

“I.. I don’t know why I.. I thought that, m’sorry.” She eased the pressure of her nails, instead letting her fingers press against his skin.

“Don’t apologize. I’ve.. I’ve done something wrong.. to make you think I’d do that.” He couldn’t look at her anymore as the guilt started to build.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” She tried to get his attention, but he leaned back. “Wait, Harry!” Her fingers coiled around his wrist as she tugged his hand back, pressing it to her jaw.

“Ivy.” Harry muttered her name quietly, confused by her.

“Kiss me.”

“Ivy, I-“

She cut him off. “Kiss me, please. I want you to.”

Their eyes reconnected and he got lost in them so easily. He held the stare for a long minute, then flicked his eyes to her lips. She had the prettiest lips he had ever seen. They looked so soft and thick, and the thin layer of gloss hanging on intrigued him. The girl begged him to kiss her, begged him to do what he was dying to do - how could he deny her?

“Are you sure?” He asked just to be certain.

She took a leap of faith and closed the distance between them. Harry grunted as her lips brushed his, she hesitated to push them together. “I’m sure.”

He applied pressure, molding his lips to hers and letting his thumb glide across her cheek. Her lips felt the way he knew they would, even better than what he expected - soft, plump, warm. Ivy reached for him with her other hand, firmly placing her palm on his chest. She puckered her lips more as he kissed her over and over again. He didn’t know if she wanted to go any further, so he kept his tongue in his own mouth. She felt those familiar butterflies storm in her stomach as his touch found her waist. It wasn’t the first time he had touched her there, but it felt extra special this go around.

Ivy never thought her desire would come true. She had spent countless nights imagining what it would be like to do this with him - to touch him, to laugh with him, to see him smile, to feel his skin on hers. She dreamt of this, wrote about it in her diary, pictured it in her mind.. It was insanely surreal.

He planted kiss after kiss onto her lips, letting her give him some every now and then. With each peck, her smile grew and soft sighs floated out. It felt magical, like a dream - she feared she’d open her eyes and be met with her bedroom ceiling. They were both well aware of the sparks flying around them, of the intensity they each felt in their chests, they were on the same page for sure. She never wanted it to stop. Harry parted his lips, waiting for her to give permission. As much as she wanted to, she was afraid to keep going. She shook her head and pulled away, but not before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Did I go too far?” He asked when their eyes found each other.

Ivy smiled sweetly. “No, it was perfect.”

Harry wanted to keep going, he wanted to explore her mouth and taste every inch of her, but he also wanted to respect her wishes. Either she didn’t want that or she wasn’t ready for it, no matter the reason he wasn’t going to do something she didn’t want. He was content with what he got, quite happy about it actually. It was incredible.

“I, um, enjoyed that.” He admitted with a blushing smile.

“Me, too.”

Ivy took hold of his hand again, lacing her fingers with his like it was second nature. He tightened his grip and kept his other hand on her waist. She didn’t seem to mind it. She didn’t appear to be upset anymore. Perhaps he was successful at fixing her problem, to a certain extent of course. He couldn’t bring people back to life or make her sadness disappear forever, but he could at least help her through it. It felt just as good as the kiss did to know that he made her feel better.

“I don’t think I would’ve ever noticed this.” She said through a laugh as her thumb pressed over the scar, still amazed with the tiny detail she discovered.

He thought about the guitar string that cracked his skin and it made something else pop back into his mind. He removed his hand from her waist and shoved it in his pocket. She watched him curiously, not sure of what he was doing.

“Can I give you something?”

Ivy nodded. “I guess, yeah.”

She was surprised to see what he was holding between his thumb and index finger. Harry had the guitar pick that she grabbed off the stage at their last show - the same green one with his initials on the back that she so kindly returned to him.

“I want you to have this.”

Ivy was slightly confused. “Why?”

He sighed, then smiled at her. “I just want you to.”

She held her hand out and he dropped it on her palm, much like she did when she returned it to him. She brought it closer so she could see it, it was definitely the same exact one. Maybe it was special to him and he had acted like it wasn’t that night, or maybe he was just giving her something to remember him by. Ivy never thought a piece of colored plastic could make her heart pump so hard.

“Okay. I'll take care of it.” She promised, giving his hand a squeeze.

Harry licked his lips and smiled back. “I know you will, love.”

[a/n: so sorry for the wait! hope u enjoy this! I’m super excited for the next part.. I think it’s my favorite one so far. — I hope you like sweet Harry as much as I do, he’s trying his best! (but don’t worry the angst isn’t over just yet!) see u soon xx]

taglist: @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite

@victoriasigaard

@ariiscringe

@harlowsgirl

@lomllover

@haniaaa04

@sideboobrry11

@tenaciousperfectionunknown

@fangirl509east

@fruity-harry

@lizsogolden

@prettygurl-2009

@sincerely-yours-marsbar

@mypolicemanharryyy

@angelbunny222

@mads3502

@harrysredroom

@inlikea-coolway

@matildasatellite

@imaginexxharry

@sassamanda77

[narrycherries]

as promised, here are some more ivy inspired photos & a bit of info about the next few parts (no spoilers of course!) ↴

𓇢𓆸𓇢𓆸𓇢𓆸𓇢𓆸𓇢𓆸

(8) - you’re going to love this one. a bit of angst mixed with lots of fluff & soft h. definitely the one you’ve been waiting for! lots of dialogue, lots of sweetness

(9) some time is spent together & she learns a lot about him - mostly fluff, not much angst if any at all

(10) something happens that causes a rift between them… (I told you the angst wasn’t over! h has a tendency to ruin things, as previously mentioned, & make his own life more difficult than it has to be) all I can say about this one!

I’ll keep parts 11 & 12 a secret for now <3 — keep in mind that 12 will be the final official part of the series, once it’s posted I’ll take some blurb requests for them! until then, enjoy the series!

ivy series masterlist (link also contains the playlist & more photos!)

[narrycherries]

first ivy blurb is coming Thursday 7/24 at 9am central ❤️

[narrycherries]

hi, so I know I’ve been consistent with the ivy series updates, but this week will be different. my birthday is Saturday and I’m trying to spend the whole week doing things to relax. editing and preparing updates does take some time and while I enjoy doing it, I want to make this week about myself. (I have to make up for last year’s birthday it was not very good)

I didn’t want to just skip an update without telling you guys. >>No ivy update this week!<< I will continue updates next week!! As a substitute, here’s some pics I pulled from my ivy Pinterest board! love u and see u soon with part 6! 🩷 (part 6 is long and 7 is also very long! I’ll feed you with the content soon just not this week!)

((if you’re behind or haven’t checked it out yet, here’s my ivy series! enemies to lovers trope))

ivy taglist:

@boopookie @mypolicemanharryyy @angelbunny222 @mads3502 @harrysredroom @inlikea-coolway @matildasatellite @imaginexxharry @sassamanda77

[narrycherries]

ivy related..

hi everyone.

just checking in while I’m on a little drive (going somewhere fun for my birthday weekend!) since I’m not actually the one driving I have plenty of time to write! I’ve been working on ivy of course. I’m working on part 8!! can’t believe I’m actually at this point already. I love writing this series. I’m trying to determine when exactly I want to “end” the series.. I’m thinking it might go over 10 parts, but I can’t guarantee that.

while I know it’s not coming soon, I want you guys to think about the end too.. because I’d like to do blurbs for this pairing! I’ve seen other people do this and i love the concept! Like writing little additions without it being tied directly to where the series ended. If you’re confused by that I’ll post more about it later! Also pls don’t sent in requests for this just yet (so that I don’t lose them in my inbox or forget them!)

Anywayssss, see u soon!! Ivy update next week!! ♥️

check here for a little teaser

[narrycherries]

ivy part 6 mentions something that was gifted to her & I wanted to show you guys what it looks like, but be cautious — if you haven’t read it yet this will spoil it for you! —

I just couldn’t help myself. this thing is so cute and so weird at the same time, I felt like it fit ivy’s character and that Harry would definitely buy this for her. it’ll come back in the story soon.. :)