Eight | W2S

FORTY THREE

You know I'm a sucker for a time skip hehe 

OCT 5th, 2024 

"Are you definitely sure there's nothing I can do to persuade you to let me come on tour with you?" Harry asks, not long before I have to leave for the airport. 

I give him a look. "We've been over this so many times, Harry. If it was a realistic and feasible option, I'd have you there in a second. But it's not," I explain gently, although we both know that already. 

"And why are you leaving today? Your show isn't until Saturday," he says sadly. "Can't you leave tomorrow?" 

"Because I've got to meet all of my touring crew, practice, get my costume fitted...there's so much to do. I've already postponed it by a day," I reveal, having not told him this information. 

"You did?" He asks, evidently surprised at my disclosure. 

I nod my head. "Blue Horizons wanted me to fly out first thing yesterday, but I knew you had a day off yesterday so I delayed it. I really can't delay it anymore," I laugh, rubbing his shoulder. 

"I didn't know that," he murmurs. "Thank you."

"Hey," I say gently, moving closer to him. "You're coming to see me at the end of October. That's only like, three weeks away. And then you're coming for you birthday, and after that I'm back in the UK. It'll be okay," I say. "I'm sorry I can't come back. I did ask management, they just -"

He interrupts. "I know, and I know you tried. Don't stress about it, I'll be fine," he says, the sudden change in demeanour surprising me. 

"Course you will! And phone me whenever, I'll pick up if I hear it," I promise him, kissing him gently, but meaningfully. 

It lasts longer than it usually does, and he's reluctant to pull away. "Shit, I'm going to miss being able to do that."

"Harry, you're acting like I'm leaving for war and never coming back - it's only three weeks," I joke, but I say it gently, so not to diminish his feelings. 

To be fair to him, he had been staying over at mine so frequently I couldn't actually remember the last time he hadn't. 

Our friends had noticed the trend too, and especially with his actual flatmates, who had teased him relentlessly about not bothering to pay rent anymore. 

"I know - it's just...I don't have a good history with long distance," he finally says, and suddenly it all makes so much sense. 

I can't believe I hadn't thought about it. The entire reason he'd broken it off with his ex girlfriend of nearly ten years was because he'd moved to London and she'd stayed in Guernsey, and ultimately their relationship had broken down.

"Harry - this isn't permanent, I promise. Three months and done - and then, hey! At the end I'll be in Guernsey with you for a couple of weeks for Christmas," I say encouragingly, my hand caressing the side of his face. 

His face lights up momentarily as he's reminded about the Christmas holidays, and it makes me melt that he's so excited to spend time with me. 

"Yeah, yeah, that's true I suppose. I can't wait to see your outfits," he says, sounding a lot more like himself than he had the entire morning. 

"Don't worry, you'll get a sneak peek every show," I tell him. 

I'd met with my costume designer once and told her the general idea of what I wanted my outfits to look like, but I hadn't met with her since, so it would be a surprise to me as well.