baby [h.s.]

twenty two

            Two weeks went by in the same fashion. I would watch Harry work; pick up on things he did. I watched him question people and he taught me tricks I couldn't have noticed on my own. I had learned a lot.

He would test me. I had mock sessions in which he would tell me a story, a lie or the truth, and I would have to question him to figure it out. I got the first few wrong, but since then, I had nailed him.

I hadn't only learned to tell when people were lying; he taught me tactics on intimidation. I narrow my eyes a certain way or use my body language to give someone the vibe that I wasn't messing around.

It felt empowering to be able to do this. I wasn't anywhere near the skill level of Harry, but I was a stronger person than I had been two months prior.

Harry stayed at my flat nearly every night. It had become a ritual between us; we would come home, cook dinner or go out, and go to bed. He said he slept better when he was with me. I never questioned it; I enjoyed the company.

The days were swapped between physical training and mental preparation. Some days were more exhausting than others, but I could put up a good fight with Harry, and each day I became more and more strong.

It was one night that we were lying in bed that he told me of our weekend plans.

"We're going out of town tomorrow." he said. He was lying on his back, staring at the dark ceiling. I was on my side, facing him.

I hummed. "Where to?"

"Barcelona," he said. "We have business to tend to."

"Business?" I echoed. I heard him sigh.

"I'll explain in the morning, love." he said. "I'm right tired."

"Me too."

At some point, we fell asleep.

I awoke to his tattoo-covered chest. He wasn't awake yet, as he lied on his back. I took the moment to admire the intricate ink. My favorite had to be the butterfly. The details looked so delicate; it was beautiful. I hadn't asked him about it because I didn't want to. I liked to be able to wonder every time I saw them.

His body shifted and I scooted back a bit, surprised by the sudden movement. He groaned, but he wasn't awake yet. I knew because his nose didn't scrunch up, as it did every time he woke up.

Instead, he rolled onto his side, throwing his arm around my middle and pulling my body into his. I chuckled.

Harry was tough as nails, and I had found that the only time I could truly see him at peace was when he was asleep. He couldn't put his guard up when he wasn't awake.

I loved learning about Harry. Every word he said had me hooked. He didn't like to tell me about himself, but I always asked him to. During a training session a few days prior, he had told me about his favorite music. As small of a step as it sounded, I thought it to be huge.

We'd been in each other's lives for a couple of months by now, and I could honestly say he was the most important person in mine. Often I thought that was pathetic, but at the same time, it was nice to have someone I could say felt mutually about me.

I had never been able to trust someone like I could trust Harry. He trusted me, too, even though he didn't like to say it. We made an interesting pair, the two of us. I needed him, and I'd like to think he needed me too.