Harry: You’re leaning against the counter of your New York boutique, having officially moved back home, when your employee informs you she is going on her lunch break. “Want anything?” She questions, already on her iPhone as she stands in the doorway to your swanky yet cozy boutique in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. “No thanks Jill, having a good lunch… actually, bring me a coffee whenever you’re heading back, please and thank you!” You say with a bright smile, watching as she returns the gesture and steps out into the chilly October air of New York. You lean forward, forearms braced against the glass counter top of the front counter as you watch the people of Manhattan mill about on their lunch breaks. You’re going through a box of samples your designer had sent over for the winter selection when the door chimes. “Welcome to Pish Posh… hi,” you state in shock after looking up to find Harry loitering about in the closed doorway of your store. “This is nice,” he says simply, glancing around the whites and grays of your store. You drop the sweatered onesie you had been holding back into the box and awkwardly cross one foot over the other as you stare at him. “I wanted to get something for Lux while I’m in New York… figured I might as well stick with what I know,” Harry offers. He walks about the store, picking up the items you had predetermined would be best suited for his godchild when they had first arrived. “You did something different, with your hair,” Harry questions, watching as you methodically ring up his items and you nod. “I cut it all off,” you state, glancing up to take in his features. His infamous curls are obscured by his famous black beanie, dressed in all black as usual, and the familiar beat up brown leather boots cover his feet. All in all, he looks the same. Noticing a few recent inked additions to his neck and wrists, you swallow the lump in your throat and continue to ring up his items. “You’re beautiful, with or without all that hair,” Harry says gently, reaching a long finger out to swipe the bangs of your bobbed haircut out of your eyes. “I miss you,” you admit in a whisper, wrapping his items in tissue paper and you hear him chuckle. “You’re not the only one who feels that way,” he states, leaning forward against the counter and you’re reminded of all those times in your London store when he would come in before you’d agreed to date him. “Don’t be afraid of me… don’t hide like that,” Harry whispers softly, reaching across the counter to turn your face to his as he explores your eyes for some kind of sign. His lips press to yours before you can register what’s happening and you allow yourself to melt into the kiss. “Don’t shut me out this time… I won’t shut you out. Don’t let the world keep us apart anymore,” Harry pleads in a broken whisper, swallowing the lump in his throat as you let your eyes flutter open. “The world didn’t keep us apart, we did,” you remind him sadly, leaning away from him but he doesn’t allow the space as he keeps you in place by cupping your cheeks in his large hands. “Whatever it was, don’t let it. Come home, stay with me, we’ll be better. I’ll be better at making sure I don’t let work take over my life and you’ll be better at not needing to be in every store all the time,” he pleads, forehead pressed to yours and you let the smell of his cologne wash over you as you nod. “Can we really do that?” You whisper, heart thumping loudly against your chest and Harry chuckles. “With you, I can do anything,” Harry reminds you, nudging your nose with his and you giggle. “Stay?” You question, eyes fluttering open to find that Harry’s bright eyes are already gazing at you. “Only if you promise to come home, to London,” He questions, stepping back to watch you nod simply. “I see the two of you are back together,” Jill sing-songs walking in on the two of you mid-embrace. You watch as Harry pulls a one-hundred dollar bill out of his wallet and hands it to Jill and you realize it’s only 9am and way too early for any kind of lunch break. “You set me up and you… you bribed my employee!” You accuse with a grin that slowly spreads across your face as Harry shrugs. “I’m sneaky that way,” he chuckles, slapping his hand against Jill’s as they high-five.
Liam: “Why won’t you stay?” Liam asks groggily early in the morning and you sigh while dressing yourself. After the grocery store incident followed by a chance drunken encounter at Andy’s birthday party, the two of you had been having what you had demanded be no strings-attached sex. Even when demanding this from Liam you had realized there was no chance you could have sex with one another and it be no strings attached. There was too much between you, too much history, and too many feelings. “You know why,” you say softly, pulling the sweater over your head and stand from the edge of the bed you had once shared with him. “Please… stay, stay with me,” Liam asked, as he did every time you dressed to leave. You stopped midway through pulling your boot on, still hunched over as you turned to look at him. He had stood from the bed, a first since these encounters had started almost two months ago, and was watching you with soft eyes. “Liam… I can’t,” you remind him, hand over your heart to symbolize the damage he had done during your break up when he had all but kicked you out. “I know… I know what I did and what I didn’t do, but… I’ve changed. I grew up, I realized what I needed and that’s you,” Liam stated gently, staying in his spot as you stood up fully and stared at him. You stared at one another for several minutes, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth you nod at him to continue with the speech he had obviously prepared. “I know I hurt you when I didn’t stop you from leaving and I should have but, you’re right. I was a little boy and I was scared; I let my father’s sins stain my own heart. I’m sorry and I love you… I never stopped,” Liam states, stepping closer until he can touch your bare wrist before he leans forward to press a kiss to your cheeks. “I’m sorry I stained your cheeks with your expensive makeup… I’m sorry I hurt your heart but if you give me one last chance, I promise I’ll never do it again,” Liam assures you, kind words and a gentle smile. He steps back after that, allows his words to sit in, and doesn’t protest when you turn and leave. He spends the rest of the day in bed, paisley sheets he had never changed except to wash still covering him as he listens to the rain pelt against the windows. The movie he had been watching drones in the background and at the sound of the banging against his front door, he shuts it off completely in favor of greeting his visitor. Once the door is opened, you fling yourself over the threshold and into Liam’s waiting arms before pressing your lips hard to his. He stumbles back with a chuckle as you climb into his arms, knees pressing against his hips as he leans against the back of the couch as you clutch at him desperately. The front of his bare chest is damp from your wet shirt and his cheek his wet from where your tears are pressing against his skin. “Don’t ruin your mascara over me love,” Liam chuckles softly, honestly and you lean back enough to trace the lines of his face with your eyes. “I’m not wearing any mascara,” you tell him, letting the words and their meaning wash over him until he’s grinning. “I’m coming to you bare faced and natural, baring myself and falling with the hope that you’ll catch me and never let me go again,” you whisper against his neck, leaning into him as he clutches you against him tighter. “Promise you’ll stay,” Liam whispers against the hair curled around your temple and you smile against him. “Always,” you whisper.
