as it is || harry styles au

fifty

i v o r y

Harry made me promise that if I was going to be wearing the six-year-old engagement ring, then I would let him exchange it with a brand new one in the future.

     I would've said yes to him back then, and I sure as hell would make the promise to a life with him now. Today. Tomorrow. Yesterday. And I told him so.

After dinner, Emerson came to let Harry know that Jamie requested he go back to the hotel with him for bedtime. My left hand with the ring had an IV in it, so it was tucked at my side out of view anyways. For now, I wanted to keep this between us two without being asked a dozen questions.

"I'll see you in the morning," I murmured.

     He leaned back from our kiss. "I'll see you in a couple hours. I'll be back."

     "No, you're staying in the hotel tonight." He wasn't sleeping in here again.

He opened his mouth to argue, but I spoke first, "You need to sleep in an actual bed, Harry."

"I'll stay with you tonight, babes," Em jumped in.

I didn't want anybody sacrificing a comfy mattress in a cool, air-conditioned hotel room, but I hadn't had an opportunity to talk lucidly one-on-one with Em.

"I'll be just fine," I repeated, touching his waist. "I promise. I've already eaten and soon enough it'll be time for me to go to sleep. Jamie needs your company."

He relented then, kissed me one more time, gave Em a hug, then went on his way.

     Em sighed and folded their long figure into the chair previously inhabited by Harry. "How are you doing this evening, gorgeous?"

     I smiled. "Oh, we have so many things to talk about, beautiful."

     There was something different about Em. Their eyes looked lighter and brighter. There seemed to be a permanent lift to their lips. It was subtle, but as their best friend, it was plain as day to see.

     I gave them an extra pillow of mine, so they could prop their legs up on the mattress and lean back against it. "What would you like to discuss?"

    "Your apartment. Have you been back? Do they still have it marked off as a crime scene? I'll help you get a new couch. I'm sure there's some good ones on Facebook Marketplace. God, I'm so sorry, Em."

     "Take that apology back right now and don't worry about the couch."

     I huffed. "I know I'm not personally responsible, but I still feel bad."

     "I love you, Ivy, but I don't want to hear it."

  I knew they didn't, but it still needed to be said. "Okay, okay."

     "My landlord called me a couple days ago to let me know the police cleared everything up. She hired a trauma clean-up crew and locked my doors after."

     My eyebrows shot up. "Wow, that's really nice of her."

     They shrugged. "We all pay a shitload of money for rent. She takes care of us in return."