you're my last shot

harry defends her

Y/N can't think of a worse place to be at right now.

When she agreed to be Harry's date to his office's holiday party, it was mainly because he was borderline pouting. Ever since they kissed and confessed feelings to one another (well... attempted to, anyway — Harry's gloating kind of got in the way), she's found it increasingly more difficult to say no to the silly things he wants to do. And now that Christmas is rapidly approaching, he's far more keen on requesting her presence at things, like those drive-thru light shows that cost $70 a car, or, in this case, clutching a Diet Coke and pretending to be interested in whatever Harry's co-worker is talking her ear off about.

Thankfully, Harry can tell from across the room that she's on the cusp of falling asleep from this person's incessant droning — were they talking about... computer parts? Y/N really couldn't tell — and he quickly traipses across the room, his hand finding the small of her back.

"Hey, Jason!" he greets in mock excitement, the volume of his voice enough to make Y/N jump, "I see you met Y/N."

Jason's eyes dart between the two, confusion clear on his face. Y/N's posture straightens some and she assumes her typical defensive stance with one hand cradling her baby bump.

"I didn't know you two came here together," Jason, apparently, replies through slightly squinted eyes. "Wait... is this the girl you're having a baby with?"

It's an odd question, but one that they've become semi-used to. Harry's willing to be more patient about it, while Y/N's quicker to tell someone off for asking. In her defense, he understands; you likely wouldn't ask a couple that question, and the definition of their relationship was still a bit... blurred.

"Is there a problem with that?" Y/N snaps, her grasp tightening around the cheap plastic cup in her hand.

"Well— no, we just heard that Harry was having a baby but it wasn't with a girlfriend or anything and— well, it's kind of weird that you brought her but then she's not really your date, is she?"

In the time that they've known each other, Y/N has rarely seen Harry get angry. She can actually count it on one hand actually, and they've all been fueled by silly tequila-fueled encounters, like when Dom wouldn't let him eat chicken nuggets because he's a pescatarian and it was for his own good.

This, though... this is different, and Y/N can immediately tell. He immediately looks more defensive and shifts his body slightly so that he's standing in front of Y/N, covering her stomach. He crosses his arms over his chest, his head cocked to the side as a perplexed facial expression appears.

"I don't really think it's any of your business, Jason," Harry responds easily, a clipped tone to his voice, "Regardless of whether we're dating or not, you don't really get to have an opinion on that, hm?"

"Well— yes, I suppose you're right, it just seemed like she's single—"

"She's right here," Y/N cuts in, crossing her leg over the other. "And why the fuck would you care if I'm single? You never had a chance with me to begin with."

Jason's lips part, shock and confusion written all over his face. It seems like he's in some sort of weird man stare-off with Harry, one that she quickly grows tired of, so she reaches up to tug at the sleeve of Harry's sweater. Immediately, he peels his gaze away and looks down at her.

"'s fine," she murmurs, quietly enough so he's the only person that can hear, "Okay?"

He nods curtly. In an instant, his arm loops around Y/N's shoulders as he guides her away from that dumb fuck in the engineering department.

"You alright?" he asks softly, motioning for her to sit down at one of the high-top bar stools. She nods.

"I'm fine. You seemed pretty pissed, though."

Harry shrugs his shoulders. "He's a prick anyway."

She snickers and shakes her head, "You're kinda hot when you're mad, you know that?"

"Shush," he mumbles, waving down the bartender as he wills a flowering blush away, "Want another soda?"

"Please."

He orders them both a refill — he decided to stop drinking a few weeks into her pregnancy in solidarity — and leans back against the bar. His eyes flicker to her, realizing that she's watching him intently. He can't help that he's reflecting on the minor argument, but his eyes brighten slightly when he remembers something she said.

"So, he never had a chance?"

Y/N lets out a loud laugh. "Nah. Kind of have my eyes on someone else."

"Oh? Spill the deets, girly."

She smirks, "Hm, brown hair, tall, always reading pregnancy books... sometimes he texts me random questions or name suggestions at like 2 am. Last night he asked if he can record a podcast for the baby so they can get weekly updates."

"God, sounds like a nerd," Harry replies with a toothy grin.

"Mm, yeah. He definitely is."