Harry stops the car at a gas station that's connected to a grocery store. His hands ache a little and he's a bit shaken up from what happened minutes ago. The moment the tires screech on the cement, Astraya's door is open and she's walking away. He gets out of the car himself and watches her disappear into the building with her head down and hands in the pockets of her sweater.

He stands lost for a moment as he tries to get into her mindset, figure her out without having to ask her. He leaves the car on idle and walks into the store, finding the cashier behind a plastic barrier in the station. A $20 bill is slipped onto the counter for some gas as he scans the small space. There are only six other people scattered around different aisles besides them. Astraya's eyes are wide and her lips part when her gaze meets his from where she's standing.

Her bottom lip trembles a little and he takes small strides closer until he's in front of her, backing her up softly in the corner so she doesn't see anything but him. It's clear that she's anxious and nervous, and Harry doesn't know what to do. He's never had to know what to do in a situation like this. It's all so new; this feeling and the girl that comes with it.

"Hey," he whispers, bringing his fingers down to remove her hands from her pockets. They're limp and warm and he tries to comfort her by running the pads of his thumbs over them.

"They're staring at me," she says quietly, voice shaking and eyes wild.

Something doesn't feel right in his chest but he ignores it and keeps his attention on her instead. The cashier is trying to get his attention somewhere in the background noise but he's too occupied to want to properly acknowledge the other man. Right now it's just Astraya. "No one is looking at you," he lowers his voice further. "You're okay."

"They know." She drops her head to hide her face from him. He wonders if she feels embarrassed. "They know what I did."

Harry frowns at her words and tries to think back to his first kill. He remembers having Joshua there afterward and going through his own stage of guilt and disgust for himself. Remembers not wanting to talk to anybody for two weeks, so he doesn't know what to do since Astraya obviously isn't like him. She needs to talk this out and he's not the person to help her do it. Harry's not comfortable with confrontation. He moves a hand up to pick her head up so she's looking at him again. "You didn't do anything wrong. Keep your eyes on me. Great, don't look anywhere else. You did nothing wrong."

He turns with her and walks out from the secluded aisle. She nods but keeps to his side just in case she decides to look up. People are surely looking at them now. Trying to find out what just transpired between the rough looking man and the scared girl next to him. They walk back to the cashier who eyes them suspiciously. Harry tells him which pump to put the money in, and then they walk back to the car slowly.

Once she's sitting in the passenger side, he fuels up on gas and gets behind the wheel again, this time waiting before pulling out onto the road.

"Liam will meet us at the house," he decides to inform, keeping his tone low and gentle.

She looks up at him with glossed eyes, bottom lip caught between her teeth. The forefinger and thumb of her right hand begin to pinch the skin of her left hand but Harry doesn't say anything to stop it. "Really?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Both of you are staying there for a few days. It's safer that way. Maybe you can talk to him."

She's silent for a minute and he takes the opportunity to start the car and drive back onto the road.

There aren't many cars on the highway so the drive is shorter than it usually is at this time.

"Does he hate me?"

Harry closes his eyes and pretends he didn't hear the question. When he looks over at her, her head is pressed against the window on her side and her hair is tucked behind her ear.

◦

As soon as they're back at Harry's house, Astraya is brought up to her temporary room.

She doesn't fight his hands as they guide her down onto the bed and under the covers. Doesn't say anything when he turns off the light even though the darkness makes it harder to sleep. She's always been scared of the dark but in some odd way, before she finally falls asleep clutching the blankets, she thinks she deserves to be scared before sleeping.

She thinks she deserves the worst of nightmares so when she wakes up hours later lying in cold sweat, there's this sense of belonging. She belongs here; scared and in such an unfamiliar setting.

Her cramped fingers pull the covers away and she stands up before blindly walking to the door and hauling it open. The light she expects to be on the other side isn't there so she walks the hallway with her left hand on the wall, eyes wide as she tries to make out anything.

Further down the hall is a small light. It's fast in moving but suddenly comes to a stop. She squints her eyes and feels her heart skip a beat when she recognizes the build of the person. He's holding his phone out with his flashlight application on and she frowns to herself when it shuts off.

"Shit," he mumbles, his voice almost distorting and barely sounding like his.

"Liam," she whispers. She keeps walking until she feels his fingers lacing around her wrists softly. Cautiously. He's wearing rings tonight; cold metal that brushes her clammy skin and gives her some relief. She doesn't realize how hot she is until then. "I'm sorry."

He doesn't say anything but he doesn't let her go either so she takes that as him waiting for her to elaborate, this time louder.

"For what happened last time I saw you. I wasn't right and I kept thinking about it ever since it happened." Her hands move away only to be hooked around his neck for a hug she desperately needs.

His palms go to her back hesitantly as she hugs him, pulling him close even though he seems to be resisting.

"I can't sleep," Astraya admits quietly. Her eyes begin to water from feeling so hopeless. She's never had to rely on anyone but she doesn't want to be alone tonight. "I can't...get it out of my head. The gun and...and pulling the trigger. I can't get that man out of my head and I can't sleep. I know you won't forgive me so easily, but I would really appreciate it if you were to just stay the night with me. Just tonight."

He pulls away and then a small tap is heard. A light is suddenly turned on and her first reaction is to part her lips and take two steps back.

Goosebumps rise on almost every part of her body as her eyes travel up to green ones instead of brown.

She hangs her head and swallows thickly. Realizing what she's just asked Harry to do, she turns her back with lips parted, embarrassment flushing through her entirety. "I-I'm so sorry. I thought you were Liam."

Just as she begins to walk away, her wrist is captured and she looks over her shoulder at Harry whose face is now illuminated by the lamp. "I'm not the plague," he says slowly. His voice is softer than it usually is. "Let me show you something."

"I should try to catch some sleep," she says just as quietly. The lie is weak and she hopes he won't call her out on it.

"It won't be too long. It's just one flight up." His hair is sticking up at odd places, eyes rimmed with red. She wonders how tired he is. If he's having trouble sleeping like she is.

She's frozen where she stands, gaze falling to his face. She silently traces his features starting from his eyes and ending at his slightly chapped lips. He looks so exhausted. Drained.

Before waiting for a response, Harry's hand drags her forward and toward the staircase. They ascend one flight of steps and immediately round a corner before walking through a door. The only light coming into the room is the moonlight, but it's enough for her to make out what's inside.

The first thing that catches her attention is the large, peach-colored piano resting against the otherwise naked wall. It looks old but well-kept and she turns to look at him just as he disconnects their hands.

He walks closer and then pulls up the top before sitting down on the bench. "Have you ever played?" His voice stays gentle.

Astraya doesn't move from where she's standing. She hides her hands under her arms and tilts her head back. "No."

"Do you know anybody who has?"

"No."

One of his slender fingers press down on one of the keys. "Would you close the door?"

Uncertainty burns the back of her neck. "Why?"

"I don't want to wake anyone."

His tone drives her to close the door. She hasn't known him for long but this side of his personality is so new to her. He doesn't seem hostile or dangerous. He looks soft in the subtle light of the moon; so gentle with blanket creases on the side of his neck. For a moment she forgets why she knows him. How they've managed to meet each other. She forgets who he is and who she's just become.

His back hunches slightly as he begins to press more keys than one, tip of his tongue slipping past his lips and to the corner of his mouth.

She's caught in a daze as he plays something that sounds so familiar but also so new. Her eyes widen and her lips part, feet carrying her closer to where he's seated. She keeps her gaze on his fingers, watching the way they make delicate dips down onto the keys, quickly and swiftly passing them. She doesn't know how his hands are so gentle after using them for a job so rough.

"I was taught how to play when I was seven years old. My father locked me in the music room for two days consecutively every week for two years, and wouldn't let me out until I played something new for him every time. After I played the piano he forced me to play the guitar, and I remember begging him to let me out because my fingers would shake and they'd end up bleeding."

Astraya frowns down at him. She feels bad for pitying him but it's all she can do at the moment.

He never stops playing as he meets her gaze. "He was a dirty man and he put me through a lot of disgusting things. I hated him but I'm thankful that he taught me how to play the piano because I can still be gentle here. I can do this and still do what I do. I-"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Harry drops his hands on his lap while still looking up at her. He sighs and points to a chair against the wall. "I thought I was making a point, but I guess not. Take a seat."

Astraya looks back to the door and then takes a seat on the chair, pulling her legs up so her knees press against her chest. She takes small peaks at him in curiosity. She hasn't figured him out yet. Hasn't even thought about it until now.

Harry begins to play again and she closes her eyes and silently praises the soft tune. Her thoughts fall silent and she lets go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding, slowly losing consciousness while his playing descends into a gentle hum.

After a while, it fades to nothing.

(A/n: This was more of a filler, sorry! I'll put up an early update in like two days to make up for it, I promise! I've started school today so I'll have to make a schedule to update.

Also, I'm stuck between posting a fic of Hamlet!Harry where he falls in love with Ophelia, or Faerie!Harry where he pulls a Peter Pan and drags a girl with him to his world.

Goodnight! Have a great day/night!)