I'm with the band

08

As soon as I say that, Harry swoops me off my feet, carrying me bridal style.
I wrap my arms around his neck and nestle my head into his bare chest.

"You're okay, you're okay." He coos, setting me gently on his bed.

I didn't even have the energy to be humiliated right now, I just wanted to feel calm and sleep.

He takes a seat on a chair next to his bed, I notice he's wearing nothing but boxer briefs.
I furrow my eyebrows.

"What are you doing?" I ask him, my voice completely broken from crying.

"The beds all yours, I'm only gonna watch you sleep so you don't get anymore nightmares." He says.

"No, come here." I whine, patting the bed on the spot next to me.
"I don't want you to leave."

"Sunshine, I'm not gonna leave." He says, his arms folded.
"Where would I even go?"

"Please?" I whine, at my grown age.
"I want you next to me."

"Okay." He says grinning, getting on the bed too.

He lays down next to me, as our eyes interlock yet again.

Only, it was harder to see the green in his eyes since it was dim.

And I found myself looking down at the tattoos on his chest and shoulders.

"Close your eyes." Harry says, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind my ear.

"I can't." I say, afraid of having that same dream again.

"Maybe talking about your dream will help you get through it." Harry suggests.
"Knowing that it's make belief."

I hesitate.
"Simon had kicked me out of the band. And you guys were saying I was at fault for the whole fake dating situation happening." I begin.
"That and a whole bunch of other things, and an evil man with a shadowed face came and took me."

"Lizzy-"

"I wasn't allowed to see you guys anymore because of what happened, and then I even lost my career." I say, crying more.

"Lizzy, you know that wouldn't happen." Harry says.
"Simon wouldn't do that, I promise you."

"But that's not even what I cared about the most." I say.
"I hadn't cared that I lost my place in the band, what I cared about was losing you guys."

"Lizzy." Harry begins.
"No matter what we do or where we go in the future, you'll never lose us."
"We'll always have each other."

"Promise?" I say, muffled into his pillow.

"I promise." He says back, his index finger grazing my jawline.
"Now go back to sleep, you need your rest."

"Can you sing?" I ask him.

He raises his eyebrows and hums.

"Can you sing?" I ask again.
"Your voice is really soothing to listen to."

He pauses for a moment to think.
"Okay." He says, sitting up a bit.
"Whispered something in your ear, it was a perverted thing to say, but I said it anyway. Made you smile and look away." He begins keeping the same eye contact as we always do, as I give him a warm smile.

"Nothings gonna hurt you, baby." He sings, playing with my hair, as I began to get more and more sleepy.
"As long as you're with me you'll be just fine."
"Nothings gonna hurt you, baby." He sings, as my eyes close, feeling the comfort of his touch, with his hand on my head, playing with my hair, and his thumb caressing my temple.

"Nothings gonna take you from my side."

I feel him kiss my forehead again.
And just like that, my heart rate slowed down, I stopped shaking and my tears were gone.

I felt myself slowly but surely falling asleep...

***
No perspective

Harry hadn't gone to sleep at all last night.
He stayed up for six straight hours, admiring Lizzy and watched her as she slept peacefully.

He didn't care if he didn't get enough, or any sleep at all.
His main priority was making sure that Lizzy did.
That she was protected.

Harry knows that Lizzy is very insecure about her vulnerability, and she often tries to show that she can manage just fine on her own.

But the truth was, she often had panic attacks, thinking that everything's a lie.

What helped for her was being with the boys.
They helped distract her from all the negative thinking.

These thoughts came from the nightmares she has, but this was the only time where she confided in one of the boys for help.

Because otherwise, she wouldn't be telling anybody about this.

"I really hope you're doing okay, Lizzy." Harry whispers as she slept, admiring her yet also knowing that she couldn't hear him.
"You gave me a real scare tonight, I've never seen you like this before."

He turns his head, continuing to observe her.

"I really hope that you know you can tell me anything." He whispers.
"I will always be here for you."
"Normally, I'd be telling you this while, you're awake, but I doubt you're gonna wanna talk about it in the morning."

He pauses a moment, and forms his lips into a line
"I love you, Lizzy Walker." He says, shaking his head.
"I loved you since the moment I first laid eyes on you at bootcamp, with your magenta uggs and twin braids." He says, shaking his head and laughing.

Harry and Lizzy first met on XFactor.
She had performed before he did, she was a nervous wreck but still did well.

He walked up to her afterwards and said that she did a fantastic job, which made her blush.

Right after, Harry took the chance and asked her if she wanted to hang out, to which she said yes.
They went for a walk outside, to a nearby forest and a ladybug happened to land on her.

She used to be afraid of the orange ones, because they'd bite her.

"Wait, don't move." Harry had said, putting his finger on her shoulder, so it could crawl upon it.

"Oh gosh, ladybugs used to freak me out." Lizzy laughed.

"Why? They symbolize good luck." He had said.
"And love."

From then on, they became good friends
"If one day, I man up like Liam says I should, end up telling you when you're awake and you don't say it back, I'll understand."
"But I'll always love you regardless."

He hums.

"Goodnight, Lizzybug."