Into The Fire [H.S.]

47

Harry's POV

Seeing Echo's mum walk through the door made me smile.

She was a small woman. With a bright smile and an attitude I never knew she had.

I quickly learned where Echo got her take no shit nature from.

She was currently teaching me how to make jook.

I lifted the lid on the rice steamer.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Oma's hand came out and popped mine. "Do not lift the lid." She clicks her tongue and shakes her head at me.

I put my hands up and step back. She says something in Korean. I know enough from Echo and her siblings to understand she is calling me a dumb ass.

She walks me through everything step by step. While it cooks she has tea with my mum and Gemma.

"Oma?" Echo's sleepy voice says from the living room.

All of us look up at Echo.

She looks beautiful, but tired, and pale.

I stand and go to her. Cupping her face in my hands. "You doing okay baby?"

She nods. "Just worn out."

Without even thinking I lift her in my arms and carry her to the couch.

"I can walk. I'm not an invalid."

I give her a look.

She snaps her mouth closed on whatever other protest she was about to spew out.

"Let me take care of you."

Her eyebrows scrunch together. "Fucking mother hen."

I let out a growl. Aspen narrowed her eyes, and then they went big. She looked up at me. Her face had gone slightly green.

I grabbed the decorate bowl from the coffee table. Dumped the fucking pine cones or whatever the fuck were in there on the floor and held it out to her.

She leaned over the bowl and got sick.

I held her hair.

She heaved for what seemed like forever.

Watching her little body tremble and shake as she emptied the contents of her stomach made me ache for her.

When she was finished I took the bowl away. Cleaned it up. Brought her out a cool washcloth, cleaned her up. Helped her brush her teeth.

Mu curled in front of the couch while she snuggled into the cushions.

I kissed her forehead. "Sleep more, baby."

"Bossy ass." She mumbled.

I walked back into the kitchen and Echo's mom looked at me. "You better take care of her and that baby."

I nodded. "I will."

"Good. If you fuck it up, I will kill you."

I nodded again. "Fair enough."

Since when had I become so soft that no one feared me?

Or was it just the women in my life were afraid of nothing?

--- 

Harry made me jook. He'd called my mom to come over and help him make it.

My stomach had been so uneasy lately.

Everything I eat comes back up.

Harry is the only thing that doesn't smell abhorrent to me.

The fact that he cared enough to find out what Oma made me when I was sick as a kid... The fact that he called my sister, and my cousin to ask questions... The fact that he had then called my mom... Learned how to make this... It took a long time to make it properly, and I knew how persnicketity Oma could be...

He really did love me.

After I'd eaten as much as I dared, with my stomach still being tender, I went and grabbed our laundry from our bedroom that needed washed.

As I walked by Harry's office the door was slightly ajar.

I heard Harry talking quietly.

"I know... I know... Fuck, Luis I know that too... Conference in Niall, and Javi, Zayn, and Liam too. We're all going to have to be on the same page for this to work... I know she will hate me... If this is what I have to do to keep her safe..."

I bumped the door all the way open.

Narrowing my eyes at my husband when his head snapped up and he gave me a guilty look.

"I have to go. I'll text you when I can meet up."

"What the fuck are you up to, Tink?"

He glares at me. "Put that down."

I glare right back at him. "Eat me, Rumpleforeskin."

I stomp as loudly as my nauseated, injured self can stomp away, and move into the laundry room. I slam the door behind me as I start shoving clothes as aggressively as I can into the washer. "Thinks he can tell me what to do, all the fucking time. Expects me to just be a whole fucking open ass diary. Wear my heart on my fucking sleeve. Fuck him. Fucking pickle dick, cock sucking, twat monger."

"You have a dirty fucking mouth, Little Shit."

I turn to glare at him. "And you are a hypocritical, egotistical, egomaniacal, asshole."

Harry growers at me. "You're a brat."

"Eat. A. Dick." I turned around, added soap, started the water, slammed the lid shut.

Harry moved behind me. His hands sweeping over my arms. His chest pressing into my back. His chin resting on my head.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy."

"You're supposed to not hide things from me." I shrug him off. Move away.

I don't give him a chance to protest. I slip on a pair of shoes and grab Mu's leash.

"Echo..."

"Harry..."

I saw his jaw tick. I was pushing him. Challenging him. Pissing him off.

Good.

He couldn't take it out on my vagina like he usually would.

And he couldn't fuck my face either.

He would just have to stew, which was fine with me.

"I'll come with you." He started to walk towards me.

"No."

"If you think I'm letting you out of my sight..."

"Louis has agents stationed all over the place. I'm going outside, by myself, because I need to be away from your face." I snap at him.

His eyes flash with hurt. 

Which makes me feel guilty.

But fuck that.

He's being a grade A dick waffle, hiding shit from me.

As I push the elevator button I squish the guilt down with anger.

I'm not going to put up with him lying to me.

I don't care how much I love him.

That is not negotiable.