The Collection- Harry Styles

{Et In Ius} iii: bottom of the bottle

Even when Y/N isn't whisked away to a wondrous dream-world by a certain demon, he still finds a way to maneuver into her unconscious. When she wakes, she knows it isn't really him in the dream because that version of him manages to go the whole time without a sarcastic or inappropriate comment.

Truth to herself, she wishes it was the real Harry in the dream.

Sunday night is the first night in a while he'd broken their stride and didn't visit her in a dream. She wonders if she said something wrong, or acted out of turn to make him abandon their only true peace. Maybe it was the kiss, the one outside the dream. On the college campus.

Not as...explicit as the one from her dream in the garden, but soft-natured and demure. A simple brush of their lips together. Yes, perhaps that was the issue. It wasn't riveting enough for him.

Maybe...maybe she wasn't riveting enough for him? Perhaps he's bored of her already? Then what? Would he still help her or does he need to stay enamored with her to do so?

Great, now she has to worry about that too.

She's supposed to spend the day at the local community outreach charity event. As the pastor's wife, she's in charge of the entire event, which means running around the whole place like a chicken with no head in order to make sure everything is prim, proper, and running smoothly. However, she doesn't much feel like going.

Her magical illness from yesterday hasn't shown back up since Harry snapped his fingers, so she can't very well blame her absence on that.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better." Jonah comments as she places a heap of scrambled eggs on his plate. "Everyone was so worried about you yesterday, you've never missed a service."

She swaps out the cast iron of eggs for the plate of fresh bacon and adds several pieces to his breakfast plate, along with two pieces of sausage. "I did hate to miss it but I didn't wholly forgo my Sunday services. I read through the Book and prayed heavily. Though," she pauses as her eyes catch movement outside the kitchen window, "I know it isn't the same."

He raises an eyebrow but doesn't speak on the matter. Rather, he goes another direction. "Eleanora seemed to hope you were taken to your bed in the early hope of certain news...?"

The statement is almost enough to make her drop his two pieces of toast to the floor. But she recovers quickly from the shock and places them next to his eggs. He eyes her carefully, watching like a spider on a web as she retrieves the coffee pot and refills his cup.

"Well?" He asks impatiently. "Have we news to share of a blessing from the Lord?"

Not so regretfully, but artfully practiced in sounding so, Y/N tells him that it could be too soon to tell, but she hopes that soon, they'll have that news. Jonah gives a limited version of a satiated smile, seemingly pleased with her answer. Y/N gives her own pleased little grin, but only at the fact that she's becoming a rather good liar.

The impatient knock on the door distracts her from her bragging thoughts. She watches her husband frown and go back to eating his breakfast. Clearly, he isn't expecting a visitor and neither is she. And clearly, he expects her to answer the door.

Y/N puts the coffee pot down and wipes her hands on her apron. Her heels click as she heads through the house to the front door. By the time she's opening the door, she's annoyed at the thought of company when she's got so much to do and no will to do it.

And then she sees him.

Harry.

"Oh, my-."

He wags a finger at her, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Ah-ah, let's not go making false identity claims." His nose wrinkles as he sniffs the air and his eyes light at the sight of her apron. "Aren't you the sauciest little homemaker? Are you going to invite me in or should I just bask out here in the light where the whole neighborhood can see me?"