Run (Harry Styles AU)

Run

They were both on the living room. He was sprawled on the sofa talking about some game she missed yesterday. The TV was on and the faint sound of reporters talking about some of the major local news could be heard as a background of that one-sided conversation. Neither of them was paying attention to the TV, but that wasn't a weird thing for them to do; the same scenario was repeated every night.

She was sitting on the floor zoned out in her own world, thinking about that piano presentation she was practicing for while absent mindedly playing with his hair, a gesture that both of them secretly enjoyed.

She loved how his soft hair felt between her sensitive fingers and he loved how comfortable she felt around him; he loved that closeness and that trust he felt emerging from her every time they were together, especially because he knew how difficult it was for her to act like that. To admit she needed him as much as he needed her.

They were both laying there, so calmly and so peacefully that she felt herself about to drift away and succumb into the slumber of sleep. But just before she felt herself giving away, that's when the itching started. She couldn't tell exactly where it came from but she could feel it as strong as if there was fire on her skin. Embarrassed, she excused herself from him and ran towards the bathroom.

"I just need to figure out what part of my body is the one itching" she told herself in an attempt to calm down but she never found the source for the itch and the only remedy she could think of was to scratch. She took her clothes off until she was left in only her bra and panties and started scratching and scratching until she was sure she looked as if she had a very bad sun burn. She finally gave up and directed her focus into finding some ointment or maybe even a pill that would help her stop that burning feeling the scratching had left, she was desperately searching through the cabinets for that ointment until she heard a knock on the door.

Shit. Shit. Shit

"Hey baby, are you okay in there?" she could hear the concern in his voice and instantly knew that a frown was carved into his beautiful features.

"Uhh, yeah babe" She muttered the first thing that came to her mind. "Thanks for asking, you can go back to the couch now" Even as she pronounced those words she knew he wouldn't go back to the couch without her, but she never lost hope because just like a french writer once wrote long time ago "Hope is the last thing that dies in man".

He laughed, that relaxed and carefree laugh she loved "Not a chance baby, the couch feels empty without you".

She felt a smile creeping its way to her face, a reaction her body seemed to have whenever she was around him.

"Jake don't be stupid, I'm sure you can wait for me on the couch" The only thing she wanted him to do was go back to the couch, watch the TV and wait until she got back from upstairs where she was sure she'll find something to kill the burn.

But the only thing on her mind was 'how stupid it is that after living with him for almost six months you cannot tell him about a little itching?'

"No thanks C, I'll wait by the door" She could practically see him seating like a child outside the bathroom door but oh hell, he was so stubborn and there wasn't anything she could do about it now. He was determined to stay with her and she knew it.

"Jake" She slowly opened the door so that her face was the only thing popping out. He instantly diverted his attention to hers, frowning, probably because the door was hiding her body. "I may or may not have a clinical urgency"

"As in are you on your period?" He was on his feet on a matter of seconds. "Do you need me to get you pads or something?" A warm feeling spread on her chest and she was smiling like a fool at her bluntness right away. 'They call it love' Her bestfriend had told her once, of course at the time she just blew her off but now she knew what she meant, and that it was, indeed, called love.