Short Stories

5:27 am

A groan left your dry lips when you sensed the light cut across the previous darkness. Your hand came up to cover your eyelids since your sleep had been effectively disturbed.

Rough fingertips ran across your forehead to push the hair out of your face before they came to softly rub your cheeks.

"Baby," his voice was near and just a whisper.

"Baby, get up please. I wanna show you somethin'" Deep and slow, the words took a second to register in your brain.

"No," you moaned out and pulled the comforter in closer to your body.

The bed shifted under Harry's weight as he leant forward to press delicate kisses against your cheek.

"Baby, please." his kisses followed your skin into the crevice of your neck until you finally let out a giggle he had been waiting for.

"Harry!" you whined, "It's four in the mornin'! Wha you want?"

His breath tickled as he let out a soft laugh.

"It's a surprise but I promise you'll love it."

Huffing in response, you stayed put for a few more seconds until Harry's large hand creeped down to spay against your back. His fingers moved further across to find the patch of skin that was exposed by your gathered-up t-shirt.

"Baby," he whispered again, nudging his nose into your neck, "Please?"

Finally opening your eyes, you looked up to see the soft, puffy skin surrounded his wide green eyes. Despite the tiredness shown on his face, he still looked at you with an excited smile.

"Fine." Harry moved up and gave you room as your climbed out from under the mountain of warmth and padded into the bathroom.

You had been driving for fifteen minutes without an idea as to where you were headed. Harry hadn't said much from the moment you walked out of the bathroom to now. His palm was resting on your thigh and you had made yourself comfortable leaning against his arm.

"You're still not gonna tell me?" you asked in the quiet car.

Glancing over at you with a smile, he shook his head.

The drive was smooth and steady in the early morning since there was no one else on the roads. Streetlights whizzed by in a blur.

Harry had parked the car behind an old brick building closer to the core of the city. Grabbing a black backpack from his trunk, he came around to hold your hand again as he told you to follow him.

Walking passed the brick building, he lead you to the front of a much more modern, glass building that stood several stories higher. The hum of the elevator was the only sound around you in the sleeping atmosphere.

On the top floor, you followed Harry's long strides to the stairwell where he went to climb.

"Harry." he could hear the hesitation in your voice as you stared at the narrow steel ladder that trailed straight up to a square in the ceiling.

"Come on, love. I promise it's safe. I've got you." He stood behind you as your foot stepped onto the first rung. Shaking hands slid up the squeaky ladder but your hammering heart finally made it to the top where the door was propped open an inch. Pushing up, the gust of wind was welcomed as you climbed up to stand on the pebbled roof.

Harry was steps behind you. When the both of you were standing on the roof, he leaned forward to kiss you on the lips before walking to the other side.

You laughed quietly before walking over to him, "I should've known."

Harry opened his tripod to its full height before shooting a smile over his shoulder to you.

Fidgeting with his camera, he took a quick shot of you before setting the camera onto the tripod plate and tightening it.

"Come 'ere." his hand reached out to you with his rings glinting slightly in the minimal light.

Across the sky, the blackness was fading slightly into softer hues.

Harry pulled you in against his chest so his arms were holding you around the waist. You stood there for god knows how long watching as the started to mount over the horizon. His lips were planting kisses against your cheek and neck the entire time and you couldn't help but kiss his pinky red nose when you turned back to look at him.

As the hues turned into a breathtaking blend of pink, purple orange and red, you stepped back to take a picture of your own. Harry was lost in the world of his camera as he tried to get the perfect shot.

Your phone captured the moment as he stood tall looking straight at the view from his own eyes. The wind tousled hair was a dark contract as was his silhouette against the bright painted colours of the sky. Mist hung in the air and created a slight chill on your skin but you still couldn't be happier that Harry had brought you out here.

Stamped 5:27 am, you saved the picture and smiled at the view of your lover and the beautiful sunrise.