FALLING, FALLEN [h.s]

cinquante-et-un

𝖥𝖾𝖻𝗋𝗎𝖺𝗋𝗒 2022
𝖧𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗒𝗐𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗁𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗌, 𝖢𝖺
𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗒'𝗌 𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾

Harry was walking through the crowd of people who had come to celebrate his 28th birthday when he spotted Niall and Louis standing by the bar, drinks in hand. He made his way over to them, that familiar smile on his face, dimples showing.

"Niall, Lou-how have you been, mates?"

"Harold! Great, mate-and you?" Louis said excitedly, pulling him into a quick bro-hug before stepping back.

Niall looked at Harry for a moment before finally speaking. "Good, mate."

Harry met Niall's gaze, already knowing there was still tension there-especially after everything that had happened with Iris. He shifted his attention back to Louis, his smile easy.

"Great-just been busy touring and working on some new music."

Then Niall spoke up again, though his attention had drifted past Harry's shoulder.

"Did you, by any chance, invite Iris?"

Harry glanced at him before answering casually, "Yeah. Why?"

"Because she's here. But she didn't come alone-she came with her new partner. Or more like... her fiancé," Niall said, finally looking back at Harry before glancing past him again.

Louis let out a low whistle, following Niall's gaze as he took a sip of his drink.

Harry turned to look-and there she was.

As always, she looked effortlessly stunning. And beside her stood a tall man, his hand resting on her lower back.

Déjà vu.

"Not gonna lie, mate... her fiancé is quite something," Niall said, taking another sip.

"What do you mean?" Louis asked, looking at him.

"He's super overprotective-and low-key a douchebag."

Louis laughed. "Wow, it must be bad if you, Mr. Niall Horan, are saying that."

Harry stayed quiet, his eyes lingering on the couple. They looked... put together. Like they fit.

Then he noticed the ring. It was impossible to miss. A rock.

His jaw tightened slightly before he looked up-and locked eyes with the man beside her. The guy was already glaring at him.

Harry broke the eye contact first, turning back to Niall and Louis.

-

Iris and Benjamin stood in an empty hallway. Most of the guests were outside, but Iris had pulled him in here-she didn't want him making a scene in front of everyone.

Especially not in front of Harry.

That would've been humiliating.

"Why the hell did you bring me here? Huh? So I could see your damn ex?" Benjamin snapped, looking down at her.

Iris kept her gaze lowered-for now.

"He invited me, and I didn't want to come alone. So I brought you with me... because you're my fiancé," she said quietly.

"Maybe you shouldn't have come at all. For God's sake, Iris, he's your damn ex," Benjamin said, his tone sharper than before.

The edge in his voice made Iris flinch slightly.

Before she could react, Benjamin grabbed her jaw roughly, forcing her to look at him.

Her eyes widened in shock.