[ASTRID REESE]
London, England

★ ★ ★

Somehow, the clock turned to 03:00 in the morning, and Astrid Reese couldn't hold her gasp back. Harry put his hand on her mouth to quiet her down, laughing in the delirious state he and Astrid, both found themselves drowned in.

"Be quiet," he mumbled to her amidst giggles, his legs tangled between hers under the warm duvet. "And rewind the last five minutes so I can understand why the hell she is running without her shoes."

"You rewind," she whispered back, fighting him until the last breath. They've been bickering like this ever since they started on their movie night. The bottle of wine they shared during dinner seemed to make its effects known in the dead of night. "And she is running without shoes because she lost them, you dingo!"

Harry inhaled deeply while he moved his fingers across the mouse pad of the laptop and rewinded the Netflix show. The sound was barely there to make sure the apartment's other inhabitants could get their fill of sleep. Ayla needed it especially with her going back to school tomorrow.

It was on Astrid's mind ever since she found out. Harry staying to help Ayla with her homework. Looking at Harry now, at 03:00 in the morning, his face lit bright by the laptop screen and the lights built into the bottom of Astrid's bed made her want to grab her phone and immortalise the moment.

Something, somewhere along the way, had shifted. Something, somewhere between Astrid falling ill and recovering, her heart and body decided to crave the one person she should not be getting emotionally attached to given her circumstances.

Yet there she sat, propped against a mountain of pillows. Pillows they nicked from the living room, and all the decorative ones from Sofia's bedroom that she didn't use to sleep. All so they could get comfortable, and binge a random show on Netflix together.

Astrid didn't exactly know how they ended up here. One thing led to another, she supposed, and she didn't think twice about it. Perhaps that had been for the better, seeing as she never would've experienced this otherwise.

A sleep-deprived, drunk Harry Styles. Perhaps one of the most chaotic sides of him that she had the chance to meet. Not that she was any better. Just because she had a quick nap the day before, and did nothing but watch TV all day, her body was still recovering, getting stronger. Exhaustion still very much ruled her every bone, and that mixed with alcohol didn't do her a lot of favours.

Astrid felt a quick squeeze on her knee and she whipped her head upwards to meet Harry's frantic gaze. "Is there someone behind me?" he whispered, not moving an inch in bed. Did he stop breathing altogether?

"What?" she whispered back, confused.

"Are we going to die?" he asked. Very seriously.

Bringing a hand to her mouth, Astrid laughed. It made Harry frown and scoot closer to her.

"Why would we die?" she questioned. "Have you forgotten to take your pills?"

"What pills?" he looked terrified. Oh my god. Was he really that drunk?

Just for the shits and giggles, she made sure to look behind him long enough to frighten him. Slowly, she widened her eyes, and pretended like someone was standing behind Harry. He claimed that side of the bed, which put him right by the door.

"Do not move," she warned, barely sounding the words.

"Astrid... it is the devil's hour."

"Be quiet!" she scolded him, brows furrowing. Harry grabbed her hand and started squeezing it so hard she thought it would simply tear on its own. "I'm going to tackle it to the floor."

"It?" his mouth dropped wide open. "What is it?"

"Out of this world," she said. "I'm going to save you."

"Good," he nodded rapidly, his grip still deathly on her. "Go on, then."

It took everything in her to not burst out in a loud cackle. Keeping it together was the most torturous thing she's ever had to do. Astrid's self-control in this moment felt strong enough to put on her resume as an outstanding skill.

When she finally pulled free of his hold, she pushed the duvet back and then—

Screaming.

Loud screeching.

Coming from Harry.

Coming from beneath Astrid.

Because she decided to jump on him, and tackle him.

She was most certainly not about to get out of the warm bed, and jump around like a dickhead at the ass crack of dawn. And maybe it was worse that she'd done this, because Harry's scream was loud, the reaction leaving Astrid in tears from laughing so much and so hard.

"Are you fucking crazy?" he hissed, throwing her off to the side. Astrid couldn't help the way her body gave over to gravity, the weight of her laughter pulling her down with even more intensity. One leg bent at the knee, the other stretched over the pile of duvet. One arm hanging off the edge of the bed, the other being tossed on to her stomach from where it landed on Harry's body first. "Christ's sake, woman."

She laughed. Because nothing else seemed appropriate. And while that wasn't the best thing to do, given she had roommates, she couldn't stop.

Not until she heard a loud bang on the wall.

That stopped her.

"That was you, wasn't it?" he sighed, now sounding less annoyed.

"No."

"Don't fucking mess with me," he said, his voice going higher. "Astrid Reese, I will jump off of your balcony before I let another worldly creature kill me."

Turning her head that was half on her pillow, half off of it, she looked at him with amusement in her eyes, and said, "You are so drunk."

"I'm not even—"

Astrid didn't hear the footsteps or the door opening. The tired voice, the annoyance laced within, however, was crystal clear and very fucking terrifying.

"Can the two of you, for the love of fucking God, if it exists, go to sleep?"

Standing in the door, with one hand on the wood, the other on the side of the wall, was Sofia Jameson. She flicked the main light on and squinted at them. Immediately, Astrid went to hide her face in a pillow, and Harry groaned.

"I wouldn't care on any other day but Ayla's got school tomorrow," she said. Scolded Astrid, and she thought possibly Harry, too, in a whisper but it was effective. "She is nervous as it is, and she couldn't fall asleep for a while. So, please—act like dickheads in silence."

The light switch clicked off. The door locked in place. Sofia Jameson was gone, and silence took her place. Just as she wanted.

Until, of course, Astrid met Harry's widened gaze and they both lost themselves to a fit of giggles, only toned down by the duvet they pressed against their faces.

★ ★ ★

The next morning, Astrid wouldn't have woken up so early if it hadn't been for her bed creaking every other second. Twisting, and throwing himself from side to side, it appeared Harry couldn't find a comfortable position in bed.

Harry.

He stayed the night. Whatever was left of it, anyway.

Astrid's eyes popped open at the sudden realisation, her body tensing, her heart rate accelerating.

"You need a new mattress."

She scoffed, "Good morning to you, too, dick."

"My back is in pieces," he continued to complain, curled under the duvet on his side. The very body part he mentioned remained facing Astrid—or it would've, if she turned from her own to look at him.

"Welcome to my life."

"I might have to ask for a refund," he teased.

"Wow," she reacted, pushing herself up until she could flick the nape of his neck with her finger. Harry yelped in surprise, and slammed his hand on top of hers, trapping her fingers between his neck and palm.

"I feel worse than I do after a night out," he continued. Harry turned on his back. They both stared up at the ceiling. The hand Harry trapped before now laid on the bed, between their bodies, fingers loosely intertwined. Softly, Harry opened and closed his fist so each of his fingers brushed against hers, caressing her ever so gently.

Astrid groaned. "What do you sleep on, then? One of those water mattresses?"

"The thought of it bursting while I'm sleeping is terrifying, so no," he said. "I have a custom-made mattress, though, and it fits and feels perfect."

"Of course, you do," she mumbled. Of course. What else would he have slept on? Already made mattresses? Please. "I'm guessing you also have an in-house chef making you breakfast every morning as well."

Harry let out a little giggle. Astrid groaned.

"I did have a private chef for a year but with my hours at work, it didn't make sense."

"Not surprising at all..."

"The toilet in my en-suite lights up when you lift the lid, and there's a setting to warm the seat in less than a minute."

"Yes, because that's so crucial to have," she said, smiling despite the comment. It was amusing to find these things out, and she couldn't help but press for more, "Any other luxuries?"

The question made him think. Perhaps longer than Astrid could control her need to go to the toilet. She told him to have a think, then physically ran to the bathroom.

When she got back, Harry laid in the same position with his phone in hand, a frown between his brows.

"You okay?" she asked him while she opened her wardrobe and looked through it for something to wear.

Monday off before Tuesday came, and she needed to screw her work head on. She usually preferred to do that if she had time off so she could use that start of the week day to catch up on some things, help herself ease back into the swing of things.

"Yeah..." he mumbled, then suddenly said, "So, listen," while he moved in bed, clearly showing in his reflection in the mirror by Astrid. "I was invited to a Gala Dinner tonight, and I wondered if you'd be my plus one?"

"And what will I be wearing?"

"Hm?" he raised his brows in question. "It's a high-profile event, so no short dresses. Not that that's my rule, but based on previous experiences, it is best to fit in than stand out."

"No, I get that," she chuckled. "I just don't have any clothes to wear."

The look on his face would've sold millions. Those green eyes of his slipped past Astrid's stare as if to tell her there was a fully filled wardrobe behind her. Of course, he didn't understand what she meant.

While she had clothes to wear, none of them would've been ideal for what he proposed. Astrid knew she wouldn't have felt comfortable in wearing any of those pieces of clothing, though if she had absolutely no other options, she would make the sacrifice.

A second and some silence later, he seemed to realise this predicament. "Alright. Get dressed. We're going shopping."

★ ★ ★

Between the wind pushing against Astrid, and the number of people piling on the streets, it was a miracle that she could hold on to Harry's hand and not lose him.

Central London was always packed. This morning especially. Something interesting must've been happening, because tourists leaked from every corner, in-hurry suits rushed down the pavement with white buds sitting tightly in their ears. Except for when they screamed down the phone. Because John forgot to send over his proposal, and now the whole project was fucked. Someone was going to have to pull an all-nighter to get that proposal done and submitted before nine o'clock tomorrow morning.

Turning down the corner gave Astrid a moment to catch her breath. They have been running up and down, back and forth all over the city like maniacs. Did they purchase anything yet? Not exactly. Were they having fun? A lot of it.

Her hand clutched in Harry's, fingers intertwined loosely, he looked back at her when he noticed she walked slightly behind him. Slowing his step until he halted, Harry smiled softly while he lifted his arm before her, then draped it over her shoulders.

"Still with me?" he wondered, pulling her closer to his chest to kiss her forehead. Astrid's right hand sneaked up on his back then smoothened across his trench coat, ever so carefully leaning into him and his warmth. "Hm? Should we sit in for a coffee or tea?"

"I'm okay," she reassured him with a grin, neck slightly craned upwards to catch his eyes. Harry silently looked over her face like he'd find something there that she didn't say. Thank Hell I put some makeup over those eyebags. "I promise. But I will never say no to a coffee. Iced only, though."

Harry chuckled and closed the distance between their mouths. "Iced only," he swore against her lips, and kissed her once more, his hand sliding under her jaw and gradually tangling his fingers in her loose strands. Astrid's eyes opened lazily when Harry nudged his nose against hers, leaving little kisses just above her upper lip, closer to the corner of her mouth, on the apple of her cheek.

One last kiss to her forehead, and they were on their way once more. Their pace noticeably slowed and Astrid couldn't help but wonder if it was because he didn't believe her. After the week she had, she definitely felt much better, and ready to take on life, but it had been some time since Astrid physically left her home. Activity and fresh air got the better of her.

The closest establishment that served coffee was Starbucks. It wasn't until they stood in line to pay that she noticed. No one was subtle about it so it shocked her that it took so long to figure but people were staring. Unbeknownst to her as to why, though. At first, anyway.

She followed their line of vision. It hit Harry. That also took embarrassingly long to figure out. Who else would they look at? Astrid? Please. The man stood slightly behind her, as if to shield her, his shoulder and chest touching her back. Tall. Handsome. Lost in his many smiles and kind glances at whoever fell in his line of vision.

It would've been incredibly hard to do anything but stare at him, so Astrid understood the crowd entirely.

Somewhere between those thoughts, Harry curled his arms around her and gave her a warm squeeze. The jacket she wore curled around her body tighter, the air that filled the café now gone and overtaken by the sweet scent of him.

"Where do you want to look next?" he questioned, leaning closer to rest his chin on her shoulder. Something shifted in Astrid's chest at his proximity. Pure heat radiated off of him, then seeped into her body. Comfort nestled within her as she eased into him, letting go of some of the weight she held on her feet.

"The last time I had to go out and buy a dress had been for my graduation. It took me seven months of looking and filtering and stressing before I found something I thought could potentially work," she shared with him because it felt like what she wanted to do. She shared because she found herself wanting to tell him everything—except the true aim behind her initial pull towards him.

Harry chuckled softly, and brushed his thumb over the back of her hand that rested on top of his. "I'm afraid we don't have seven months to find you a dress."

"For future reference," she said to him while her eyes followed the barista moving behind the counter. She'd seen her choice of drink being made enough times to know it was time to pull away from Harry, and prepare to grab her coffee. "Give me at least a seven-month notice."

Again, Harry chuckled and stepped up to the barista alongside her. Both of them overcompensated as they thanked the staff and wished them a nice rest of their day. Harry and Astrid shared a knowing glance at this, then decided last minute that they no longer wanted to sit at the tables outside.

They walked until they came across a quieter part of the park nearby, then settled on one of the benches. Coldness seeped through Astrid's jeans as she gave her feet the much-needed rest they begged for, and she shuddered and pulled her coat tighter around her body.

"So, this Dinner..."

"Mhm."

Astrid sat with her legs crossed. Then dropped her right foot back onto the asphalt. Slid down. Thighs spread. A relieved sigh erupted from between her slightly chapped lips when the back of her head fit perfectly against the bench.

If Harry thought anything of her lazy appearance, he said nothing. Perhaps the amusement filtered through his gaze was all.

"Are we just going to eat?" she wondered, pushing the straw toward her mouth. Astrid took a sip then swallowed. "Or will I be on your arm while you chat and I stand by awkwardly, then eat?"

"I can forward you the agenda if you'd wish."

Astrid scoffed, then shook her head. "Not what I asked."

"Right..." he sighed. "Chit-chat is important to keep myself involved, so awkwardness first, dinner second."

The straw between her lips, Astrid zoned out as she drank but still listened to him. Great. The dread of standing around with a forced smile didn't appeal to her at all.

"But of course, you don't have to come with me," he added as though he read her thoughts. "I asked because I missed you, and I wanted to spend more time with you before work made us too busy. I imagine you have plenty to catch up on."

I asked you because I missed you.

What the hell was Astrid supposed to do with that information? While he said many things, none of them seemed to stand out as much as those words did. The realisation she allowed to flush through her made her shiver more than the icy bench did.

"I won't mind," she said. She would mind. No part of her wanted to go just to stand around in silence. But she had things to get done, a revenge to bring to life. If feeling uncomfortable presented to be the cost, she would pay upfront. "Small talk comes easily to me—it kind of has to with my job, right?"

Harry hummed like he agreed. "Though, I have to admit, you absolutely suck at it."

"Uh," her head spun to the side as she looked at him completely offended. "I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, come on, honey," he reached out and draped his left arm around her shoulders. Astrid let him when he pulled her closer to him, right over to his chest until she fit perfectly under his chin, his lips on the crown of her head. "The first time we met at the pub?"

"What about it?" she pulled away and looked up at him. The coffee remained in her right hand strapped by her hips and hovered above his thigh. Not realising until she curled her fingers, the other hand rested on his thigh, hidden in dark trousers.

Amusement twinkled in his eyes once more, the green sparkling like diamond. "You skip the pleasantries and go straight to business," he said—mumbled, as he became much more interested in brushing Astrid's hair back from her face. From the corner of her eye, she saw her rested his arm on the back of the bench, the coffee held in that hand. "I must say," he inhaled sharply, his gaze focused on hers. "I found it exhilarating."

"So much so that now you put up with me?"

"So much so that now I put up with you," the corners of his mouth inched up. Almost as if he couldn't stop himself, Harry leaned down and pressed his warm lips to her forehead. The wind blew over them, bringing the strands of her hair back across her face.

"Hmm—lucky me."

"Lucky you, indeed," he winked, and tilted his chin upwards to take a sip of his coffee. His throat worked as he swallowed once... twice... then the tip of his pink tongue rolled between his lips, wetting them, before he rolled them in his mouth. Without realising, Astrid's breath hitched, her jaw slightly lowered.

She didn't mean anything by it. Maybe Harry did. For he smiled before his free hand reached upward, his pointer finger gently perked her chin higher and kissed her open mouth. The coffee in her hand nearly spilled all over him, and he drew a soft gasp from her lungs with each short, little kiss.

Astrid could've done this for hours.

And hours.

And hours.

The soft feel of his lips fit against hers like a dream. Each time, his tongue swept forward and touched hers, barely, before he pulled back, tilted his head in the other direction, and kissed her once more.

Torture. He chose to torture her while he tasted of coffee and comfort. Eventually, it loosened Astrid's grip on the coffee which she knew when Harry gasped, and not because she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth.

No.

Her coffee cup tilted, and her beverage dripped onto his crotch. The dark material darkened even more. Without a second thought, her hand reached over as if to brush the coffee off of his lap but achieved something else entirely.

The breathless laugh leaving his chest left goose bumps to scatter all over Astrid's body. At the same time, his body seemed to tense and he leaned down, closer to her ear until his breath fanned against her skin.

"You don't need to seduce me, you know," he said. "I'm already yours."

Astrid laughed. While the words sent butterflies soaring in her stomach, she couldn't help but find his words extremely corny. The chuckle erupting from her sounded genuine, and it felt genuine. Harry joined her soon enough, though only for a couple of moments.

The next thing Reese knew, his lips touched the gentle length of her neck where she wore a golden chain necklace. Once more, the coffee threatened to spill but as if he knew better, Harry reached up and steadied her wrist.

"Careful," he warned, his voice barely above a whisper. It carried on the wind lightly.

"Or what?" she asked.

Harry chuckled, and it sounded like he couldn't believe she had the audacity to ask that question. To tease him like this.

Still, he left her without an answer. No words came from those gentle lips as they hovered over neck. Slowly traced over to where it met her shoulder, shortly after his fingers brushed her scarf to the side. Astrid's heart accelerated. Chest arched into his.

Harry pulled back before anything could've gone further. Perhaps his rational thinking saved them from being the public's main topic of conversation, but it still failed to weigh on Astrid's disappointment. Parts of her wished they gave something for others to talk about, and that almost terrified her.

The look in his eyes as he let his gaze roam over her face said many things she couldn't decipher. Thankfully, she didn't need to do any of it. Not when he stole her moment to think as he stood and offered his hand.

"What?" she asked as she looked up at him but placed her hand in his regardless.

Once she stood, he interlocked their fingers with ease and simply said, "I know where to get you a dress." 

★ ★ ★

[A.N.]

[Ah. I can't deal with these two. Why are they actually so cute. I love them.] 

[17 chapters in and I'm ready to marry them together lol. Only if they knew how much emotional trauma is coming at them hehehe.]

[Hope you enjoyed today's chapter! Do leave a little star behind for Astrid's namesake <3 and I'll see you next week.] 

[With love, B.]