Solace ~ h.s.

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"Go to your room, Edward."

My voice holds no conviction as I watch the youngster stomp off in the direction of his room. My body is tired and tense from the day we've had, and it's only two in the afternoon. I find myself tossing my bag to the side and falling face first onto the sofa with a large groan.

"Are you alright?" Not only did Harry drive us home, but like usual he's found himself standing comfortably in our flat.

I hear him drop Edward's rucksack onto the floor before his footsteps are heard coming closer in the direction that I'm lying. I'm too lazy to answer him, only signaling that I heard him with a moan through the cushions of the sofa. A light laugh is heard before I feel my heels being tossed onto the hardwood.

"Turn over." He orders lightly, barely allowing me to answer him before his hands are on my shoulders and guiding me to lie on my back. Once I can finally see his face again, I'm greeted with a cheeky smile. He lifts my legs from the sofa and takes a seat before laying them onto his lap.

I don't say anything to him, simply throwing my arm over my eyes to shield myself from the world around me. I can feel Harry running his hand up and down my shins, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I know he knows what his touch does to me, especially since the shiver sent my back slightly arching to get more comfortable.

"Let's talk." Harry suggests.

"I'm stressed." I whine, peeking out from under my arm to see Harry looking towards my face. "Oh my God, am I so stressed." I want to cry, but my body is physically too tired to even produce tears at the moment. "I just don't know what I'm doing."

"I know, I know." Harry soothes.

I reach my free hand out, blinding searching for Harry's hand. The only comfort I want right now is his hand in mine. For some reason as long as we're touching in some way, I begin to feel a bit more relaxed.

Maybe he just has a healing touch.

"You're doing your best."

"Am I?" I wonder.

In the five years that my parents raised Edward, he never once got into a fight. Arguments and bickering conversations were heard occasionally with some of his friends, but never this. I know when I was a child I never got into fights, so my parents obviously did a better job raising me than I am Edward.

"He's getting into fights now. Clearly, I'm doing something wrong."Harry sighs heavily, giving my hand a squeeze as his eyes examine my fingers absentmindedly.

"Belle, we went over this; you're not to blame for Edward's actions." His words do little to reassure me.

"I know, but I can't help but feel responsible. I mean, did you see the way that woman spoke to me. Never have I seen my mum or dad get spoken to in that way, never. Actually, I can't recall ever seeing someone get spoken to that way." I ramble, taking my arm off my eyes to massage my temples. The headache I was getting before was returning full force. "Maybe he needs a therapist." I say above a whisper. "Maybe I need a therapist."

"Shhh." Harry shushes, lightly tugging my hand towards him.

I get the memo that he wants me to sit, so I pull myself up so I'm huddled beside him. With my hand now detached from his, he throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls my head down to his shoulder. I pull my knees up to my chest and lean into him, breathing in his everyday scent, a musky cologne.

I feel comfortable in his arms. We've been through a lot together and I'm lucky to have him by my side.

"I'm serious though. I mean Edward now has Kate to talk to, but I don't. I hate talking to people, but maybe, I don't know."

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Harry wonders, his voice a mere whisper now that we're so close. I nod my head in response to his question. "Don't keep everything from me, because I promise you I can take it. Whatever you've got to get off your chest, I can take it."

"Don't wanna scare you off." I mumble to myself, joking lightly. If there was ever a time to scare Harry off, surely we would have done it by now.

"Nothing you do, or say, could possibly scare me off." He responds with a chuckle, his chest vibrating against my side. "As for Edward talking to someone other than Kate, he's got Niall. For some reason they seem to get on really well, perhaps it's because they're both children at heart."

"I suppose he did benefit from hanging out with Niall the last time. Whatever he's doing, he needs to teach me how to do it."

"See."

I pull my head up from Harry's shoulder to look up at him. My grey eyes meet his green eyes, both of us holding each other's gaze for a moment.

"What are you suggesting?" I wonder, seeing something behind his eyes flash.

"Let Niall take him for an evening again. He's not a psychologist, but he seems to know Edward."

"I just feel bad. That's not Niall's job." I pout, hoping that Niall won't get fed up with us one day.

I wouldn't blame him if he did though, I'm asking a lot of a person I haven't known for all that long. Same goes for Harry as well.

"It doesn't hurt to ask." Harry adds as I drop my head back down on his shoulder. My eyes fall closed and I know if I stay in this position for too long, I'll be fast asleep in no time. "You need a day off."

"I just had two days off."

"I mean a day, or just an evening, away from things here."

My eyes open again, sensing that this conversation was going in a certain direction of another possible date. I can't lie, I've been wanting for what seems like decades to go on another date with him, even though it's only been a couple of days. The last date was absolutely wonderful, a great distraction from everything too.

"Are you offering something?"

"You know our first date was cut short."

"I'm aware."

"How about we have another go then? This time I won't be on call." I find myself smiling, just thinking back to our first date.

We spent so much time just talking and getting to know each other, well mainly Harry getting to know me. I'm beginning to notice that I barely know all that much about him besides some of the basics and things we've already gone over. I want to know more about him.

"Only if I can find someone for Edward." Harry chuckles before hovering up from the sofa a bit to retrieve the phone in his pocket. He unlocks it before tapping away. "What're you doing?"

"Texting Niall to see when he's free to watch Edward."

"He's going to hate us."

"Let him."

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