Aftermath // h.s

Chapter 4

You couldn't bring yourself to fall asleep. Harry was knocked out beside you, but no matter how heavy your eyes were, there was too much anxiety making your stomach twist to make it comfortable to even attempt to sleep. You rolled over, facing your sleeping boyfriend and debated on waking him up. He was right there, but unless he was awake, you felt lonely.

Reaching out, you shook his shoulder gently, feeling your eyes grow wet with tears. He only shifted slightly so you shook him a little bit harder, finally feeling him move around.

"Babe?" he croaked, lifting his hands up to rub over his eyes.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." you said. It wasn't just for waking him up. It was for what happened, for how you treated him after, for how cold you had been. You were sorry for how you were letting this affect the relationship between the person who had always been there, big or small.

"Sweetheart," Harry frowned, sitting up and reaching to turn the small light on.

You sat up slowly and wiped under your eyes, your arms tightly pressed together in front of your chest, a shield.

He carefully reached out and wrapped his arms around your closed up frame, not making any moves that you didn't agree on. You dropped your forehead down against his shoulders and cried out, letting him hold you together for you. You struggled to stop the tears, the fear overtaking the anger you had been feeling earlier.

"Let it out," he murmured, his hand rubbing firm circles on your back, creating a comforting warmth that made you feel safer to let things go, to be vulnerable.

Your cries turned to sobs, and you let your arms loosen a bit, giving you the opportunity to use him as a shield from the rest of the world instead. His arms remained enveloped around you, his cheek pressed against the side of your head. You were ready for a long, sleepless night.