It was raining, again, she had been sitting in this costa coffee since she arrived, when she had got out of the ridiculously priced taxi into central London. From a tumblr search she knew that Harry lived in Hampstead and frequented Primrose Hill, so here she was.  But, unless she really got her degree in stalking, she was unlikely to cross his path. Alysia still hadn't heard from him, but her phone didn't seem to be working here.  She had wifi in the coffee shop, but she realized she had no idea how to contact him. She had imessaged when she got on wifi, but she didn't have his email, and contacting him on social media was a fool's errand. One comment among a sea of thousands.  They had never followed each other on social media, a hallmark of the millennial couple. Their relationship was much more face to face, which she liked. But this uncertainty underscored all of her fears.  She didn't know where he lived, or how to find him in his other home city. She had spent the last minute flight freaking out about what she had said on his voicemail. Alysia had had valid points when they argued, he endangered both of them and they did not talk enough, always getting carried away with the feel of each other. She couldn't find it in herself to take it back though. She was in love with him, she held back because she had been burned, but he was irresistible.  Not just because of who he was, more inspite of it. He was thoughtful and sweet, and sexy and goofy and so slick but a total clutz. He was charming, but so genuine, he was everything, and she was gone. He knew her better than he had cause to, because he studied her like she was his favorite subject.

She had confessed to his voicemail out of desperation, but after a fruitless search of LAX and a tearful sobbing return to Simi Valley, she knew she meant it.  Maureen had known before her, as she always did. More than a sister, Maureen had raised her after their mother died while they bounced from place to place. When Alysia walked into the door and broke down at the threshold, her big sister had held her close and rocked her through it, before handing her the ticket.

"Go, your flight leaves at 11:05."

"What?" Alysia was dumbfounded. "Maureen, you can't, you worked so hard to save that money."

"Alysia, I know you love me and the kids, but you are 23 years old, and you spend all your time raising my kids and taking care of me.  Harry lights you up and breaks you open in a way that I never even hoped to see. You have to go, if he rejects you, even then it won't be a waste." Maureen chuckled at Alysia's expression, "he won't, he loves you too. Get on the plane, go get your boy."

"Thank you, I need to pack," Alysia stirred, but Maureen handed her a backpack.

"Done! It's a one-way ticket. I expect Mr. Styles to fly you home. I mean I wasn't gonna kill my whole savings," she grinned.  "That ticket is a hell of a lot of massages."

"Maureen," Alysia looked at her laughing out loud while tears streamed down her face, "thank you!"

"Thank me by getting on that plane, you're going to miss your flight," Maureen stressed.

"My passport," Alysia remembered.

"In the front pocket, get the hell out of here."

So Alysia went, wiped her tears and rode the red eye British airways flight to Heathrow. Got in a black cab, and here she was, had been for 6 hours.  She had a small savings, but a hotel anywhere nearby would wipe her out. There were hostels, but they were in central London. She was in a holding pattern until she heard from him, or decided to risk arrest by going to his door.  The internet was a scary place, someone must know where he lived, or had seen him.  The crazier directioners may be her only hope here. So she kept drinking coffee, not even switching to decaf. She spent the flight trying to talk herself out of going to Harry, maybe she should just wait until he came back. Every time she came to that decision, she thought of the pained look on his face as Will claimed her and felt sick to her stomach. She would see this through, if only to explain herself. Maybe if she could stop crying she'd see what London looked like, or realized she hadn't slept in 36 hours. The flight attendants had taken one look at her and found her an open row in the back, offered here tea and blankets, she'd have to find a mirror before she found Harry.

Once more into the breach she thought as she searched his name one more time. Shit, he was here. Harry had been spotted at a bootcamp, she cringed, that morning, and another fan had spoken to him somewhere.

An hour later, she was still the only person besides the barista in the coffee shop, and she was sure they would have kicked her out if she didn't look so crazy and hadn't bought a salad to go with her coffee and water refills. She was gonna have to find a place to sleep, it was nearing 12, they were going to close. One more search, 'please' she sent up into the sky. Pictures, a flood of them, of him in a suit, and fuck, velvet boots, god! Albert's, she could find that.

"Do you know where Albert's is?" She asked the bearded boy behind the counter who was side eyeing her while cleaning.

"The club?"

"I guess," she rejoined.

"Central London, 30 minutes drive. They are not gonna let you in there like tha."

He was right on all accounts, but they were not going to let her in there at all. It was a private party. That Harry was hosting. Harry had something in London indeed. Alysia knew so much, but so little about him. But they never talked about his plans. She knew what was common-knowledge. She was disheartened, but she thought back to the studio, he let her in, trusted her. Hell, he risked a pregnancy with her. She had to reach him.

Not getting in, she'd wait.

She missed him, not like he'd see her for all those lights. She was blinded on the sideline. A new metaphor for her life. His eyes must still be watering.

The oracle of tumblr pointed to The Toy Room. A club, she could get into a club, she hoped. She just needed a dress. She hoped Maureen was as savvy as always.

Thank Christ, There was her favorite and briefest LBD. She took another exorbitant taxi, giving the driver a show as she changed and coiffed in the back of the cab. She didn't tip, the view of her tits would have to be enough. She got there, and walked out of the cab with every bit of confidence she could muster, Channeled Beyonce and thought about the way it felt when Harry watched her move above him.

She skipped the line, the bouncer was moving ropes and trying to lean in as she walked by.

Now, where was her boy. At that moment, an edm version of 'Starving' boomed over the speakers and her determination renewed . This was worth it, he was worth it. She walked to the bartender and put on a come fuck me smile, "What does it take to get a drink delivered to Mr. Styles with compliments included," she leaned against the bar to ask.

"Love, you look good enough to eat, but you are not my flavor, if you get me," the bartender smirked, "I'll do it though, if only to compliment your swagger. So what drink and who from?"

"Um....," They had drank vodka at the bar that night, "Vodka red bull, and it's from Alicia Keys."

Jack the bartender quirked a brow and flagged down the cocktail waitress serving the flanked around Harry. Shouting the request into her ear. She took a look at Alysia and shrugged, gathering the new drink with what she had come to retrieve,
"He's been drinking tequila, not sure he'll take it, pet."
"Just tell him the name, please," she looked the girl in the eye, and Daisy,as her name tag read, softened. "Okay doll, they've got a bit of a wall around him, but I'll try."
'Good,' Alysia thought to herself, 'he has good friends,' while she nodded. He had once whispered he wanted the best for her into her ear, she felt the same. Only wanted that for him.
When Daisy made it to the group, a path cleared to the right of Harry, and she sidled in, nodding to Alysia. She handed him the drink, he was shaking his head, as Daisy leaned in to shout something in his ear. His head shot up, eyes searching, then Daisy raised her arm at her. She locked eyes with him, and her breath stopped. She couldn't even muster a smile. Her heart beat her rib cage and she swore the cacophony went dim. He looked unbelievable, he looked shocked. He tilted his head to his right and she looked over to find a ring of table roped off and raised above the floor.
Alysia took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and headed to the spot he indicated. Harry had already crested the stairs, but he must have left word because the bouncer moved out of her way.
Her rabbit heart raced, what would she say?

He was standing, waiting for her.

"Harry...." the word died on her tongue when she looked in his eyes. He looked different, guarded, wary.
"Did you get my message?" She finally sputtered out.
He nodded, "yeah, just this morning." And he stopped.
Well, that was underwhelming. She had been tying herself in knots for almost two days and he had nothing to say?
"Um, ok. How was the party?"
"You knew about the party?"
"Well, no, but I was looking for you and I went there first, but I missed you, so I waited until you were spotted here, so I came. Charmed the bartender into sending you a drink."
At that he pursed his lips, "Alicia keys, huh, cute."
"Harry, will you please look at me?" He had been avoiding her eyes for every awkward secondof this conversation. "Please, just, look at me. Did you hear me , I love you. I'm here, I flew to London, for you. You could at least look at me."

His emerald eyes glinted when he raised them to hers, " three days ago we weren't even together, and now you love me? This is a huge night for me, and i was already 'a moody ass' as Glenne put it, but now, rather than dancin and drinkin, I'm up here, fightin with you." His voice had picked up steam his accent thicker, but not raised or changed pitch.
"Harry, I didn't fly here to fight. I just....I wanted you to know, Will was my professor, and my ex."

"Yeah, I caught that when he all but pissed on you in front of me," he interrupted, clipped and cold.

"I fell really fast and hard for him, and he just pulled the rug out from under me. And nothing I accomplished meant anything, unless it had to do with him, and he was so much older and more educated, and our power balance was so off. And then, he was gone. But not so gone that he didn't pop up every time  I was moving on. Like yesterday, but even that was to see his new me," she tried to explain, "fucking with us was just a bonus."

"I could read all that just by watching him look at you, well, not even you, his idea of you, but what does this have to do with me," Harry looked at her finally.

"You terrify me. You are sweet and kind, not right at this second, but I've never known a man like you. We've just met, and we were moving so fast, and you are so much bigger than me, again. But I want you. I want to not be scared and be with you. But we need to agree babe. We have to talk. Neither of us can make decisions about our relationship alone. Harry, you get how crazy that decision was, right? No matter what, we have no business risking a baby. Even though I love you, and I think you might feel the same way?" She looked at him hopefully.

"Alysia, this is not the place for this, I'm working, and I am drunk, and I'm so angry," his eyes fairly glowed,"can we do this tomorrow? Where are you staying." He asked, voice finally softening.

"Um, don't know, I'll try to find a hostel, I guess."

"Wait, where did you sleep today?" He asked.

" I haven't, just drank coffee at costa for hours and hours," she smiled through her barreling back exhaustion.
"Oh, ba..... I'm sorry," there was her Harry, "go to my house, I'll be home in a couple hours, we can talk tomorrow, let me get you a car."
She was so relieved, she felt like his shell was cracking. "Yeah, ok, um that sounds good, thanks."

He walked her down to the stairs, giving her instructions, "back door, black range, you know the gate code. Get some sleep." And he kissed her longingly on the forehead. She melted into him until he pushed her kindly away, wary eyes looking about. "Go, lysia."

So, here she was, in his pristine, unlived in 3 story house. She had changed into a pair of yoga shorts and was fairly tempted to sleep in one of Harry's shirts, but didn't feel right rifling through his things, wasn't sure how he'd feel about it. She had just made it to the couch before her eyes dimmed.
She woke up to a light caress on her jaw, she could smell him, tequila and tom ford. She thought he might say something, but instead, he climbed over her to spoon up behind her, like that first night.
"If you're not here in the morning, I don't know what I'll do," he whispered.
"I'll be here."

When alysia awoke, the sky was dark again, and she was in an unfamiliar place. Well, it smelled familiar, but that's because of who it smelled like. The bed linens were familiar to, white and fluffy like clouds. He knew what he liked. He must have moved her while she slept, and it seemed she was hanging out with Morpheus for some time. Alysia listened for sounds but heard only silence and wondered if he had left her. Only one way to find out she reasoned to herself. She found a bathroom pulling her hair up into a messy top knot, splashing her face, and running some toothpaste over her teeth with a finger. She focused on her face, she looked sleepy. "It's just Harry," she tried to tell herself. But, last night had been gut wrenching, if he dismissed her again..... until the end, she had promised herself in that flight, she'd go until her asked her to stop.

She walked down the stairs with an even, measured tread, propelling herself the same way she did the last few feet of a sprint. Harry wasn't in the living room or the rooms connected to it, she heard a beep, and headed towards it, the kitchen.

He was topless, in jogging pants with bare feet. The deshabille suited him, she'd never seen him like this and her heart stuttered and restarted. He must have heard her gulp, because he turned around and stared at her. Ran his eyes down across her from top to toe. She heated pleasantly in her brief shorts and tank, realizing she was braless.
"Hey," she started.
"Good Evening, I was making you some tea, was gonna try to wake you again, you've been sleeping for like 16 hours," he handed her the delicate cup carefully, "it's hot."
"Thank you," god this was uncomfortable. He leaned back against the counter and she let her eyes roll over his torso. She realized she'd never really seen them, only in pictures, the only times they'd bothered to get naked she'd missed them. Alysia raised her hand to the tip of a sparrow wing, felt and heard his breath catch. She traced over the delicate broken heart and trailed down to the detailed butterfly.

Harry allowed her perusal until her digits landed on the ferns at his v lines, grabbing her hand and holding while his lungs worked over time.

"I've never seen them," she explained.

He nodded, "yeah, we're always rushing, except the last time," he smiled before the expression morphed into a grimace. "So, I guess we should talk?" He suggested, shuffling his feet.

"Can we skip it?" She stopped holding back and surged into his space, "I'd just like to be kissing you," she said connecting their mouths.

Harry allowed it, she felt him melting into it for a moment, before he pushed her back by the shoulders, "No."

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