Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

SEVENTY-ONE

Harry couldn't fall asleep. He wanted to take it all in. Reagan's lavender scent, the feel of her soft hair, the touch of her skin. He didn't want to fall asleep because he knew that the moment that he did, that morning would come, and once more they would pretend as this had never happened, and he was fucking sick of it. He just wanted to do this every night. To be able to kiss her whenever he damn well pleased. To take her out to dinner and have her wait for him every night after a show. He didn't want this to end as every other encounter did. He just wanted to be with her. Why was that so fucking hard?

Eventually, though he did unwillingly drift into a light sleep. One that was easily broken by Reagan gently calling out, "Harry?"

He awoke, still bloody tired, but incredibly pleased. She was still in his arms, her face tilting slightly upwards to look at him. He smiled as he spoke, "Yeah?"

"It's five." She said, her voice a light, sleepy whisper.

"I don't have to go til half past the hour."

'You can't leave when everyone else is leaving.They'll know."

"Know what? That we're together? The boys already know how I feel about you, Rae. I don't think-"

"What about management? What about Hailey?" She didn't say it in an accusatory time as he was accustomed to hearing, instead she was merely stating facts. Management would surely fire her, but Hailey? Would Hailey knowing really change anything?

"What about them? We just keep it a secret from management until you're done with your internship. And Hailey? Would it really matter if she knew?"

Reagan's eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

"She's a nice girl."

"Right."

"You don't think so?"

"No comment."

"What if I just sat her down and told her? She does know that this is a publicity stunt after all, you don't think she's expecting me to fall in love with her, do you?"

She sighed, "I don't know, Harry." Even though she clearly did. It was just too early in the morning and she was still jet-lagged.

"Reagan?"

"Oh, full name. Must be serious." She joked.

"It is." He said, tightening his grip around her.

She rested her head upon his chest, listening to his heart beat more rapidly.

"Rae?"

"Yes?"

"When I get up and leave, what's going to happen?"

"You're going to go record and I'm going to work on some promo stuff. Then you'll come back and pack, and we'll leave for Sweden in the morning." She said, rattling off their itinerary.

"And we'll forget this ever happened?"

Reagan didn't respond.

"So it's going to be like that again?" He asked, his tone immediately changing.

"Harry." She tried. She honestly thought he was going to unwrap himself from her. That he was going to get up and leave. That he was done with playing this stupid little game and that he was tired of her already. After all, last night they had almost...well...But they didn't. It was obvious he wanted to. So what if that just added on to everything? What if her constant pushing him away had finally done it? What if he was finally done with trying to be with her?

But instead, he wrapped her tighter to him, pushing back her hair with a hand, and kissing her forehead with his warm lips, "I don't want you only sometimes, Rae. I want you all the time, always."