Dear Daisy| WW2!Harry Styles

Chapter 4

Daisy's buttering up toast for Harry's late breakfast, radio playing the news through static speakers when the dreaded words are spoken. It's Chamberlain's address, the one they've been waiting for for a couple months now, but that doesn't mean she's at all prepared to hear the news.

"... consequently this country is at war with Germany."

She freezes, looking up at Harry with wide eyes. He's dropped the newspaper he was reading, the paper now laying in a heap on the table, but he looks unfazed. Picking at his bottom lip, brows furrowed, it appears as if he'd been expecting the declaration. Maybe he did know it was coming. After all, he's got good connections with government officials and media personnel.

They're both silent as the Prime Minister finishes his speech, claiming that Hitler is a threat to peace in all countries and needs to be stopped. He says that he expects the people of Britain to cooperate with courage, and that they're unwavering faith is what will restore peace in Europe. It's always about peace.

Harry doesn't speak until the radio has returned to regular news broadcast, notifying everyone of the weather conditions for the next week. "S'about time I suppose, that fucker's been walking on thin ice for awhile."

His nonchalance is calming, enough to have her finishing up his breakfast and carrying the plate over to him. He thanks her quietly, and she retreats back to the kitchen for her cup of her tea. She ate this morning while Harry was still sleeping in. She sits in her usual seat across from him, heart thumping. A war? She was barely a baby during the Great War, not even as old as Kitty, and she can't recall what it was like at all. But war is no good, it's scary. It's death and blood and separation of families.

"Are you going to have to fight?"

Harry looks up at her, a bite of sausage halfway between his mouth and plate, obviously caught off guard by the question. She mumbles an apology, eyes dropping to the table top as he finishes his bite.

"Suppose so. S'only a matter of time before they announce men over 18 must sign up." Once again he speaks as if it's no big deal, as if packing up and strapping a gun to his back to go kill Germans is just an average day-to-day activity.

"And if they don't? If they only call for volunteers?"

This time Harry doesn't look up, eyes still floating over the newspaper. "Then I'll volunteer." He takes another bite of food, chewing slowly. Daisy sips her tea, hand trembling pathetically. She doesn't know why she's so nervous. They've won a war before, crushed Germany into smithereens that left it in a depression worse than theirs. Maybe it's because this time she's aware of the war. Or because she knows Harry will be going to fight.

"You're acting like this is nothing more than a business meeting with competition."

Harry shrugs, flipping the paper to the next page. "My father fought in the war to keep my mum and sister safe, and I'll proudly do the same for them..."his eyes briefly flicker up to her, piercing over the edge of the paper before he hides behind it again, "and you."

Daisy's whole body rushes with heat, butterflies swarming her chest and she stutters on her breath as she tries to find a response. As her fiancé it's sort of his privilege (and curse) to protect to her, but he almost sounds proud to offer himself up for her, and that's not really something she'd expect from an arranged marriage. Shouldn't he feel like he's being forced to fight for her just as he's being forced to marry her?

"T-that's..." she says quietly, throat tightening when he actually looks at her this time. He looks apprehensive, perhaps embarrassed by what he said, and it makes her heart beat even faster. He's being vulnerable with her. Just a tiny bit, but still. He's showing her a part of him, one she didn't know existed. She thought he was just prideful and rude, but there's something more. Not a lot of people could look upon an incoming war with their chin up and chest out, but Harry doesn't it easily. "That's really brave." She finally finishes, and for the first time in her life, his arrogance pleases her.