the brave ones // h.s.

item five

Harry flicks on an unseen lightswitch to reveal a small but clean hotel room. A few of his clothes are strewn onto the unmade bed and the provided desk is scattered with an assortment of small notebooks and writing utensils, but otherwise the room is surprisingly free of clutter.

"Sorry it isn't much," he grimaces over his shoulder at Eden. "But like you, I'm just passing through town."

"It's honestly great," Eden chuckles, brushing past him and dropping her duffel bag on the pull-out couch. "I'm just happy I won't have to sleep in my car now."

"I'm glad you won't have to either," he laughs breathily, closing the door behind him. He then points to a half-open door across the room. "Bathroom is in there, there's shampoo and such if you'd like to shower."

"Thanks again," Eden says gratefully, turning on her heel to face him. "I realize this is a bit strange, us having just met, but I appreciate it a lot."

Harry waves his hand dismissively. "Don't mention it," he smiles. "Listen, I have to step out for a phone call, will you be alright on your own a moment?"

Eden nods and tugs some clean pajamas from her bag. "Yeah, I'm just going to shower." With that, she scurries into the bathroom and carefully locks the door behind her. As she starts the water and steps under the spray, she hears the muffled thud of the hotel door closing behind Harry.

Thirty minutes later, Eden emerges from the bathroom with damp hair and a refreshed soul. The room is dim and quiet, illuminated only the the soft glow of the television, which she presumes Harry left on for her. She glances around the room, expecting to find him in the bed but instead she sees him curled up on the pull-out couch, snoring lightly. She realizes he's moved her bag to the bed and cleared it of his things; her heart softens at his selflessness, especially when she's a stranger to him. She dries her hair with a towel then tiptoes to Harry on the couch. She gazes at his profile, her lips curling up in a slight smile, before she takes the spare blanket from the bed and carefully drapes it over his form. Then she crawls under the covers and quickly falls into a deep sleep.

***

The next morning arrives too soon. Eden wakes to bright sunlight pouring in through an open curtain. Her eyes blink rapidly, struggling to adjust to the overwhelming light surrounding her.

"Good morning," a raspy voice chuckles from across the room. Harry's presence had flown from her thoughts overnight, leaving her startled by such an unexpected reminder. Her apparent surprise elicits another laugh from him.

"Forgot I was here, ey?"

She rolls over in the bed and sees him standing in the bathroom doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hands as he dries his hair. Eden feels her breath wind out of her lungs as she gapes at the plethora of tattoos adorning his bare skin. She'd caught a glance of the ones on his arms the night prior but hadn't realized his chest and stomach were also covered.

"Don't take it personally," she simpers jokingly after finding her voice. She sits up in bed and runs her hands through her morning hair. "It's not often I wake up with a man in the same room as me, much less a strange one."

"I think I'm hardly a stranger now, we've had dinner together and you know my name." He flashes her a crooked grin.

There are those damned dimples again, she thinks. How are you real?

"Thanks for giving me the bed, by the way," Eden says, changing the subject. "You didn't have to do that."

Harry winks at her. "Again, don't mention it."

Enough with the winking, my heart can't take it.

She takes a moment to stretch her arms and legs before asking, "So what's on your agenda for today?"

Harry shrugs and shakes out his hair while Eden watches on admiringly; the ends of his drying hair dangle just below his shoulders as loose curls begin to take shape. "Are you hungry?"

Say no more, that's all the motivation I need. Eden tosses the covers off her legs and clambers to her feet. "Always."

After dressing and placing her things back in her car, she and Harry carpool to a nearby restaurant for an early lunch. They sit at a table near the front window, allowing Eden to people-watch while Harry scans the table's only menu.

"So you mentioned you're also just passing through town," Eden muses, garnering Harry's attention. "Where are you off to?"

Harry's expression wavers for a nanosecond before returning to a neutral state. Something in Eden thinks she wasn't meant to see his lapse in thought.

"Atlanta," he replies evenly. "I was considering returning home."

Eden isn't sure what she expected to hear but this answer is utterly disappointing. Harry's company was actually rather lovely. Besides Amenkha, he's one of the few people who seemed to show real interest in her as a person.

"To England?" she murmurs.

"Yes," Harry confirms. "There is a flight from Atlanta to London tonight that I may take."

"May?" Eden squeaks. He hasn't booked it yet?

Harry's lips turn up in a ghost of a smile. "Plans change, you never know."

Eden fights a smile before gently plucking the menu from his hands. "My turn, I'm starved."

"While you decide," Harry begins casually, "would you now care to elaborate on why you're going cross-country to see a waterfall?"

The conversation with her grandfather echoes lightly in her ears. "It's more than just a waterfall," she says calmly.

"Why drive if you could fly?" he presses, clearly not satisfied with her vague answer.

Eden sighs, closing her eyes and retreating into her mind. Be brave, she reassures herself. You can tell him.

"You're probably going to think I'm a little insane," she starts, peeking open her eyes. He's watching her with a curious, intent expression.

"Try me."

Eden pauses before reaching into her pocket, where she'd placed the list for safekeeping the night before going into Harry's hotel.

"I have a list," she explains, gauging his reaction. His face is unchanging and placid. "That I'm following. And it's a list of all the things I would do if I were brave."

She unfolds the paper and clears her throat. "Item One: quit a job - which I did, yesterday morning. Item Two: run away - which I also did yesterday. Item Three: go on a road trip. That's what driving to Niagara is for. And Item Four: befriend a stranger."

Harry's eyes crinkle in delight as a smile breaks on his face. "And I'm your lucky stranger?"

"Yes," Eden says softly, also smiling. She's more than relieved at his positive reaction.

"That's it though? Only four items?"

"No, there are others," Eden says with an enigmatic smile. She folds the list and hides it away again. "But I've only completed four so far."

"Well now you've certainly piqued my interest," he says, resting his chin in his hand and studying her with a steady gaze.

Eden doesn't say anything; her cheeks are burning and surely have turned red from his undivided attention. She drops her eyes and stares at the checkered tablecloth adorning the table.

"What's item number five?" Harry asks, genuinely curious. Eden raises her eyes and peers at him through her lashes.

"Eat squid," she answers with an awkward laugh.

Upon hearing this, Harry snatches up the menu and points to a sushi section with a mischievous smirk. "Well lucky for you, this place has ika."

Item Five - Eat Squid
~~

I'm watching Hawaii Five-O while editing this. What's a food you've always wanted to try?

*double update bc i'm just so excited for this story*