You//H.S

5.

{song; ocean eyes by billie eilish}

"Hilo!" harry said excitedly as he opened the door for alice.

it was saturday evening, and alice was wearing a pale blue dress with white socks, and black ballet flats. harry wore a black tuxedo with black sneakers, and alice couldn't help but smile when she saw him. she could tell that he tried very hard to look nice, and accomplished.

"hi harry, you look great!" alice said shyly, feeling slightly nervous, though she wasn't sure why.

harry only smiled brightly in response, and then he did something he never did much to anyone, not even to his own family. he slowly held out his hand to alice, causing her eyebrows to raise. "can i?" she asked him, just to be sure. harry nodded shyly, and alice carefully took his hand into hers.

anne walked into the room just in time to see harry's gesture. her eyes widened as she watched her son hold hands with the girl he had met just a month ago. harry found it uncomfortable if anyone even patted his shoulder, let alone hold his hand. anne smiled at the scene being played in front of her, and quietly tiptoed back into the kitchen.

as alice's soft skin touched harry's, he jumped slightly, but didn't pull away.

harry slowly guided her into the dining room, his body shaking rapidly, though he tried not to show it. alice could tell how nervous harry was, and she started to say something, but decided against it.

harry reluctantly let alice's hand go and pulled her chair out for her when they reached the dining room.

anne walked into the room, holding fancy silver trays. "classy." alice said while wiggling her eyebrows at harry, causing him to giggle.

anne placed the food on the table and began to walk out.

"momma, sit. you need to eat." harry said with a small smile. anne was clearly taken back by how clearly harry had said the words and tried to hold back her proud smile. "i have some work to do baby, it'll be you and alice tonight okay?" anne said with a wink.

harry's eyes widened and he shook his head. "no...no work." he said, clearly frustrated, for this wasn't what he had in mind.

anne only shook her head and smiled at alice before she walked out of the room, leaving harry and alice alone again.

harry ran his fingers through his hair as he inspected the tablecloth.

"harry?" alice questioned.

"a-alice?" harry responded, mentally kicking himself for stuttering.

"can i move closer?" she said with a small chuckle.

the table was very long, which alice didn't understand, considering only harry and his mother lived in the house. it spread far, and alice sat on one end as harry sat on the other. the tension between the two was noticeable, but not thick.

"yah?..." harry said, sounding more as if he was questioning himself than responding.

alice didn't want to get too close, so instead, she sat 5 chair-lengths down.

"closer, maybe?"

alice nodded and moved two more chairs down, so that only 3 seats were between her and harry.

alice took in a sharp breath of surprise when harry moved closer, closing the space between them.

"we eat now." he said simply.

alice nodded in response and helped herself to the mashed potatoes which sat on the sliver plate in front of them.

"this is very yummy." harry said after a couple moments of silence. alice couldn't help laugh at the sight of harry, mashed potatoes on the corners of his mouth and on the tip of his nose. "why are you l-l...laughing at me?" harry said with a small pout.

"babe, you have potatoes all over your face!" alice said loudly, beginning to laugh even harder.

harry smirked and looked at alice. "you have some on your f-face too." he said while rubbing his hands together.

alice immediately stopped laughing and her smile fell off of her face. "where?" she questioned.

harry quickly and swiftly lifted his hand to grab a handful of mashed potatoes, and smeared them across alices face.

alice gasped and squeezed her eyes shut as his hand wiped across her face.

"everywhere!" harry said with a giggle.

alice opened her eyes, wiping the potatoes from her cheeks with her right hand. "you want war? lets go." alice said, grabbing a handful of potatoes and smearing them through harrys hair. "not the hair!" harry groaned, causing alice to smirk.

alice jumped out of her seat, taking a bowl of the mashed potatoes with her, and ran to the corner of the room.

"the war begins...NOW!" harry yelled with a loud laugh.

mashed potatoes flew threw the air, occasionally hitting either alice or harry, but mostly smashing into the walls.

alice and harry laughed in harmony, a beautiful sound it was.

and for once in harrys life, he didn't feel like the awkward man with autism who stuttered and didn't have many friends. For in this moment, he knew that he was the friend of a girl who called him babe, and liked him just the way he was...

and that was perfectly alright with him.