Achilles Heel |h.s|

45. Astar - Ballerina

"Fuck,"

I bring my thumb up to my lips, placing my tongue against the paper cut to get rid of the blood that was threatening to escape. I scrunch my nose up a bit as the metallic taste fills my mouth. Harry takes notice of this and a small chuckle falls from his lips.

"What?" I ask, giving the man a look as I cap my pen and move to reach for a marker so I can write on the whiteboard. No more post-its stuck on a tacky board. Now we have a whiteboard, minimal upgrades.

"I don't know. You weren't grossed out by the blood when you bit me so hard last night...or when your fingers tore my back up and I made you clean your own fingers,"

There's a smirk on his face and I have never experienced the feeling of my ears turning red, however, I'm positive that they're red right up to the tips at that moment.

Louis' cackles, throwing his head back as he starts to clap. "I knew I wasn't the only one with a blood kink," he snickers, moving to clean the table free of the weed since he had just rolled two perfect joints.

"Harry knows I have a blood kink," I hum, moving to lift my shoulders up into a shrug. "Also, everyone here knows you have a blood kink, Louis," I move to look at Louis pointedly before letting my eyes drift over to Liam.

My studio apartment now houses all five boys. Liam's still in his work outfit, picking incessantly at the skin around his nails. I wonder how he's feeling after knowing that Sapphire is gone. He hasn't spoken much.

"How about a drink? A little break from the planning?" I speak, a small smile growing on my face as I tear my gaze away from Liam.

I place down the blue dry erase marker, walking into my kitchen. At no surprise to me, Harry follows after me and grabs glasses for everyone whilst I move to grab the whiskey so I can make whiskey on ice.

I make five glasses, one for each of the boys and then just a glass of red wine for myself.

Harry moves to stop me before I walk out, his hand on the small of my back as he crowds me against one of the counters. "Hey," he grumbles, setting down the glasses of whiskey he was holding in favour of moving to push a piece of my hair behind my ear. "How's my little devil doing up here?" he whispers, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead. His lips linger there for a few moments before he's withdrawing to look at me.

He seems to take my silence as an answer, eyes combing over every inch of my face before he moves to pull me in for a hug. I'm stoic in his arms, not moving an inch but eventually, I move to wrap my arms around his body and bury my face in his chest.

I've grown to appreciate the warmth and sense of safety that comes with being close to him.

"You'll be okay," he whispers into my hair, pressing another kiss to my head. "We'll be okay,"

I want to believe that, so why can't I bring myself to?

I'm the first to pull back, moving to grab my glass of wine and one of the glasses of whiskey so he isn't carrying so much.

"Let's go," I breathe out, making my way back into the living room. I move to hand a glass right to Liam, giving the man a small smile. My presence seems to break him out of his head because he looks up from his fingers, making eye contact with first the drink in my hand and then me.

"Oh," he breathes, moving to take the glass of whiskey on ice from me. He swirls it around the glass a few times before bringing it up to his lips to take a few sips. His eyes seem to be looking past me though. "Thanks," he mumbles once he swallows, moving to set the glass down on one of the coasters I have for drinks with ice.