All's Fair [ A Harry Styles AU ]

three

a/n: hello hello! the italics in this chapter are a flashback! there is smut in this chapter, please read with caution. happy reading and do tell me what you think ;) x

warning: this story will contain stalking, physical violence, and a character death.

Niall, Anna, and Liam are watching Priya and Harry from across the conference room table. They're huddled close together, with Harry looking on  as she shows him the tricks of the language developer code that Liam invented for their team. It's been a few days since they agreed to make an effort to work together, and while there certainly have been some blips, they're doing well so far.

Harry's glancing at the screen with intense concentration, brows furrowed and lips poised in a thoughtful pout. He has to move back when Priya shifts in her chair, mumbling low and showing him something on the notebook she has in front of her. A second of realization passes over Harry's face when he sees how close they've been sitting. He clears his throat and scoots his chair away. 

"Ya know," Niall begins, glancing at the other two to make sure he has their attention. He points his pen in the direction of Priya and Harry, "When they aren't yelling at each other, they're kind of good together, don't ya think?"

Anna snorts while Liam simply smirks, glancing back down at the phone call script he's supposed to be translating.

Niall frowns, "What? You two don't think they'd make a good couple?"

"Do they not teach you lot compatibility training over at covert operations at all, Agent Horan?" Anna counters, raising a single, miraculously crafted eyebrow at him. "Seems like a shame if you'd need those skills in the field."

Niall waits for her to continue, but Anna huffs in frustration and decides to stop talking. "Jesus," he says, letting out a low whistle. "What is with all you language agents being so stuck up?"

"Stuck up? Us?"

Niall shouldn't be surprised that Priya has supersonic hearing, but still he blinks at her as  she glares at him. He sees Harry shooting him a look too, but it's too late.

Priya leans over her notes, "Trust me. If anyone is stuck up, it's you covert agents."

"We aren't-" Harry begins, unable to help himself.

Priya rolls her eyes at him, "Please, you guys can only carry out your missions when all the other departments set them up. I'm not saying what you do isn't important, but without all of us, there'd be no mission."

Harry scoffs, fumbling with the cuffs of the ridiculously tight dress shirt he's wearing. It's pink. When he first walked into the room, Priya was staring at him so hard that Anna had to elbow her in the gut before he caught her. "Nobody ever said you guys weren't important. You just assume, love."

Priya scowls at him, "Don't call me that." She looks like she wants to say more, but Harry's eyes draw to the way she bites down harshly on her bottom lip before turning back to her work. "How far have you guys got?"