Poppy/H.S

Chapter 19

Never in my life have I ever thought I'd end up painting Harry Styles' nails, but with his right hand laid on a pillow while he's sat next to me on my couch, I'm starting to think that fate had other plans. Harry's surrounded by both me and Poppy, each of us having the privilege of painting the nails on one of his hands.

"Can we file your nails first?" I ask.

"Sure," he coughs, his eyes focused on the TV.

"Poppy, I'll file the nails on his right hand first, so that you can watch how it's done, okay?" I suggest.

"Okay," she whispers, watching me take the nail file in my hand.

"Honey, remember, nail files are used to gently grind down and shape the edges of nails," I explain, "We need to be gentle with daddy's nails, because we don't want to hurt him by being too harsh with the nail file."

"Why is filing so important anyway?" Harry wonders, taking his eyes off of the TV and focusing them on me instead as I start filing his nails gently.

"It keeps your nails strong and healthy, and it also protects them from breaking."

"Oh," he breathes out when I'm finished with the last nail on his right hand.

"Your turn, honey," I smile, passing the nail file to Poppy who takes it from me way too excitedly.

She starts filing his nails, but all of a sudden, Harry hisses in pain. Poppy ignores his reaction, too focused on the task I've given her.

"Poppy," I say her name to get her attention, "You need to file in one direction," I put emphasis on the expression, making Harry forget about the uncomfortable pain and chuckle instead.

"Don't file back and forth across the entire nail tip because it can damage the nail. You don't want that, do you?" I ask her.

"No, Valentine," she shakes her head, "I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you, daddy."

"That's okay, Poppy. I can handle some pain for my baby," he smiles, his cheeks turning red.

After Poppy finishes filing the nails on his left hand, the two of us apply some base coat to Harry's nails.

"I feel as if I were in a nail salon," Harry points out, making me laugh.

"You're going to get the best manicure of your life, daddy!"

"I would never doubt that, especially when you have such an experienced assistant like Valentine," he smirks.

"I think we're a great duo, Valentine," Poppy states happily.

"I think so, too. Maybe I should give up being a lawyer so that the two of us could open a nail salon. What do you think, Pops?"

"That would be amazing," Poppy breathes out dreamily.

"Where did you use to work when you didn't have your law degree yet?" Harry asks, his eyes looking for mine.

"Well, studying in the UK turned out to be more expensive than expected, even though I was granted full scholarship. I would bake my way through university, if that even makes sense," I smile.

"What do you mean?" Harry asks for clarification.

"I've always loved baking. Back at home, it's something me and my mum would do every weekend. She's taught me an enormous number of recipes. It's something I could never repay her for," the smile on my face widens at the thought of my mother, reminding me that I'll be seeing my parents in less than two months.

"So your mum got you into baking?"

"Yeah, she has taught me the best way to make almost all of the typical Slovak desserts. When I first came to England, I've realised that there's nothing special about the English cakes and desserts, no offence," I say cautiously, not wanting to offend Harry, who laughs instead.