treesandtheirberries

[treesandtheirberries]

so I got into grad school today with my shitty 2.8 gpa and the moral of the story is reblog those good luck posts for the love of god

[treesandtheirberries]

us at Harry any time his tits are out

[treesandtheirberries]

send some in and I’ll write subrry hehehe 😈

#100 NSFW/Smut Dialogue Prompts

So, I was looking through my old prompts and I haven’t done this in 2 years, so I thought I’d do an update! Some of you have requested smut prompts as well, so here you are~ I would say that this post is 18+, but I know that there will be people younger than that reading this, therefore there is no age limit, but this is adult content.

This is an explicit post.

As usual, this is a smut-based prompt list, SO PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. This is not for the faint of heart and it might be trash because I’m not someone who usually writes smut~

Keep reading

[treesandtheirberries]

Her beautiful, ruined boy.

Trope: sub harry x dom reader

This story contains: dirty talk, mommy kink, praising, thigh riding, hand job.

“Can we just cuddle for a while?”, he asks in small voice, looking at her with his lips pouted. Harry is always quite clingy but there are some days when it’s on another level. His voice is quieter than usual and eyes have that begging look.

Harry sits on her lap, with head resting on her shoulder, as she gently strokes his soft curly hair. He lets out an involuntary moan, when Y/N leaves a tender kiss on his earlobe. “You like it?”, she asks already knowing the answer.

She keeps placing wet gentle kisses around Harry’s ears, making him squirm on her thighs. This area has always been very sensitive, so Y/N tries to pay enough attention to it during foreplay.

Harry can't stop panting while his neck is being kissed, licked and sucked gently, leaving barely visible hickeys on the skin. These actions drive him crazy, making his cock twitch. He starts grinding on her thick thighs, trying to get some friction.

“Aw, baby. Already so desperate to cum, how cute”, she coos, pulling him into a hard kiss right after. Harry melts at the feeling of soft warm lips against his own. His lips parted slightly, allowing Y/N’s tongue to slip inside.

“Baby, how about you take your pants off so you can ride my thigh properly?” He reaches for the waistband of his pants, but suddenly remembers something. Y/N sees a slightly worried look on his face so she immediately asks, “What’s wrong, honey?”

Well, Harry fully understands that she won’t judge him, but this is something new, so he’s a little nervous. He wanted to try it for a long time and she knows it, he was gonna show it to her anyway today, so he quickly takes off his pants and sits back down.

Y/N stares at him adoringly, seeing pale pink lace panties that look so cute on him. She looks up at his face, glossy eyes and flushed cheeks make him even more beautiful that she wants to cry.

“You’re so pretty it hurts, baby. I love your new panties, you look amazing.” His eyes sparkle at her words and he says, “Thank you, mommy. I was a bit unsure at first but I really like it, I think I look cute.” Y/N smiles back, whispering into his neck, “The prettiest baby ever.”

Harry is so glad he has her in his life. A person with whom he’s not afraid to be honest and vulnerable, who makes him feel like the most loved person in the world, who always makes him feel safe. Harry really couldn’t ask for more.

His skin burns with each new touch, his breath hitching as she swirls her tongue over his pink, hard nipples. “You like it when i play with your nipples, don't you? I'll buy you pink clamps to match your cute panties, how does that sound?” Harry moans at the thought of it, saying, “Ugh..mommy..yes, sounds so fucking good.”

Harry starts to rock on Y/N’s thigh more confidently, hands gripping her shoulders and his whimpers are getting louder from all these sensations. He never gets enough of her touches, kisses and dominant tone, he always craves more of it. Harry is a pretty greedy slut for all these things , but he’s her greedy slut.

“Fuck, mommy…feels so good”, he says in high-pitched voice, as she bites his sensitive nipples and licks right after. Slight pain brings him a lot of pleasure, making him move his hips faster and harder. “Riding me so good, look at your pretty cock, baby.”

Harry sees his hard cock slipping out of his panties. It’s been hard for too long, he’ll cry from helplessness, if he doesn't cum. He looks up at Y/N with pleading eyes, murmuring “I need your hand…need to cum, please.”

Y/N doesn't need to be told twice, she reaches down and grabs his cock, stroking along his length. She moves her hand up and down, using the perfect amount of pressure. Y/N tightens her fist and keeps pumping him, looking right into his eyes.

Harry can only moan and whine, his head is empty, the only thought is his impending orgasm. “Ahh..so close, mommy”, he moans out, encouraging Y/N to move her hand harder. “Angel, you’re such a pretty mess for me. Cum for mommy like a good boy you are.”

That’s when he exploded all over her hand with a desperate cry. He’s trying to get back to normal breathing as he sees Y/N, licking every drop of cum from her palm and fingers, with a satisfied moan, “Fuck, baby, you taste so good”

This image can bring him to the grave. He’s incredibly overwhelmed by it all, his eyes are almost closed, lips are swollen from bites, and his breathing is still heavy.

He looks fucking wrecked and it’s all just from hand job. Y/N loves how easily he can get to that point. She runs her hand through his hair, pulling him into a slow soft kiss.

“My good boy, did so well for me”, she coos between kisses, making him blush even more. Her words warm his heart, truly making him the happiest boy in the world. “M’ your good boy, mommy. Only yours.”

Her beautiful, ruined boy.

[treesandtheirberries]

i Think this is probs one of my fav things ive written. more angst coming soon hehehe

the one where they realize they aren't compatible

pairing: florist!h & professor!reader

wc: 2.3k, fluff & angst

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

(y/n) was sat at her desk, smiling at her students through Zoom as they were currently engaged in a conversation about their own relationship experiences about compatibility. Today's lecture was based upon different theories of predictors of divorce, and it was always one of her favorite topics. Not only was she able to advise a group of young individuals about what they should strive towards, but she could also tell them red flags that were statistically necessary to avoid. It was also slightly amusing to her to see some students realize they were in relationships that wouldn't work out. It was always funny (although, sad) to see some students' eyes widen in realizing they needed to talk with their partner ASAP.

"As we come to an end, I want to talk about some more predictors that will really solidify a healthy relationship. As you all move towards marriage therapy in the future, these are topics you will hear about endlessly that tear partners apart."

Although the two were only together for four months, they both had keys to each other's apartments. They were very comfortable with one another despite being 'early' in the relationship, and they would often go to each other's homes in seek of comfort. Today, Harry had closed his shop early since he hadn't received a shipment of flowers. Realizing he wouldn't have much to sell, he decided to go see his love.

He knew she had a class to teach at this time, so he quietly made his way around her apartment, leading into the kitchen. After making a cup of tea as quietly as possible, he walked into her room. It was very comforting for him to hear her lecture, so he was looking forward to hearing her "professor" voice.

Thankfully, the way her room was arranged, did not allow her students to see Harry entering her room, but she offered him a smile nonetheless.

"So, as you can see on the PowerPoint, these are really the three things you and your future partner should be aligned on. When it comes to therapy, a couple will almost always come to you because they have some sort of disagreement on these three."

Harry had been fascinated with her area of focus as a professor, finding that marriage studies was something that suited her very well. Equally so, (y/n) was infatuated with Harry's job as a florist and now always had a lively home thanks to him.

"I'm going to go through each one very quickly, and then we'll go through questions so you all can finally get out of Zoom prison."

Harry sipped his tea as he heard the small chuckles from her class.

"First, money. I don't think many people realize how big of an issue this can become when they just start dating. This refers to how each party spends or saves it. Of course, you have your spenders that don't mind indulging in their pleasures whereas the opposed tend to save every penny they get. When two people are dating, they might note these differences and find them endearing but they will eventually become a big source of tension. In a marriage, finances are crucial and it can be difficult to be with someone who doesn't see your view on how to spend or save money. Especially when it comes to raising your own family.

"Next, we have sex." (y/n) gave a smile to her computer, already expecting her students to laugh. "I know, I know. But really, having an incompatible sex life can cause a divorce! What I mean by this is you typically see partners come into therapy because the other doesn't want to have sex as often, or maybe they want sex too frequently. Even, you'll hear about partners who want different things in bed," more laughter arose from her students, "so it's really important to establish what you like in bed." (y/n) didn't shy away from topics that were slightly uncomfortable, because she hoped students could learn from her not only for their profession but in their personal lives as well.

"Finally we have children. This one is kind of obvious, you either want kids or don't and a lot of arguments can come from disagreements about this. I've witnessed couples in therapy that are emotionally dysregulated because they agreed to have children when they never wanted to. Or, the complete opposite, where one party had to give up their dream to be a parent."

At this, a student spoke, "I see how all of these things can bring up problems, but I'm trying to figure out how I would even bring this up in my own relationship. It'd be kind of weird to bring it up now since we've been together for three years?"

(y/n) nodded along, Harry noting how she presented as more professional during her lectures. "This is a great question that I wanted to lead into. It really is recommended you have these conversations early. Some of these behaviors can be noticed early on, such as if your partner is a spender or is more frugal. You might also be able to observe stuff like sex behaviors, but there are partners who save sex for later in a relationship. So, although it might be strange, you should note from our prior chapter about those deep conversations we are meant to have with our partner once a week. These 'State of the Unions' as described in our previous book is so that we can talk about what went well and what could improve in the week. You can take this time to ask your partner how they prefer to spend their money, or what they want out of your sex life. A lot of people don't do this, but it really is necessary to establish how frequently you want to have sex each week and what you want to use in bed," at this, even (y/n) gave a small laugh, noticing her students faces. "Conversations about childbearing can definitely be sprinkled in, and you can talk more deeply to your partner about how you envision your life in the future as a parent. I see in your case you've passed the getting to know you stage, but I would recommend you sit down and get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. For others, I wouldn't talk about how many kids you want during the first date, but these three topics are definitely worth mentioning early!"

Harry was focused on what (y/n) was saying. He always thought that their relationship was surely one to last since she teaches others about the foundations of relationships. He has noticed that she's more rational than him, and does things with reason.

After some more quick questions, (y/n) finally let her class go a few minutes before they were meant to end. Sighing, she stretched and made her way to Harry on the bed. He was already sitting with his back against the headboard, making it easy for her to strip her top layers (she had pajama shorts, she never wore slacks/skirts during Zoom meetings, don't tell her students) and rest her body on his.

Instantly, Harry's hands made their way to massage her back, caressing her. "Last class, right?"

"Mhm."

He looked down, seeing her eyes closed.

"Hard day, baby?"

(y/n) rubbed her face further into his chest, breathing him in. "No, I just missed you."

With a breathy laugh, Harry said "saw me last night."

"Shush. Why'd you get out of work early? Not that I'm complaining of course" (y/n) could spend all day in his chest, it was the perfect combination of warm, soft, breathing in his musk/cologne.

He moved one hand up to massage her scalp, knowing that it tend to hurt the longer she was on Zoom. "Missed shipment. Lectures went well?"

Laughing, (y/n) smiles, "You caught the most entertaining part of my lectures. Other class dealt with grooming and the whole child predators thing."

"Yeah, I'm glad I was able to sit in, learned a thing or two." He gave a chuckle that made (y/n) move on his chest, making her smile too. "It's so nice dating a marriage professor, I don't know why everyone isn't."

(y/n) finally sat up to look at Harry, amused at his conversation. "There's not enough of us to go around, you're lucky, baby."

"Always lucky with you." he smiled, dimples prominent. "You mentioned talking about those three things with your partner earlier but we never had. Is it too early?"

Sighing, (y/n) looked at him with a guilty smile. "Sure I teach this stuff for a living but I'm not an expert on how to do it in real-time. But no, it's not too early, I always recommend new relationships talk about it roughly a month or two in."

"Oooh," Harry smiled, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively on the conversation they were surely about to have.

"Okay fine. I'll start with money. I always have wanted hefty savings as a backup of any and every worst-case scenario but you've already seen that I do like to indulge ... frequently."

The two looked at each other with such adoration, still in the beginning stages of their relationship. "I think I'm the same. But I really don't mind spending money on experiences, I think that's pretty important."

"Weird way of saying we should go on vacation soon," (y/n) laughed.

"Loser," he smiled back, "as for sex, I would say we're pretty compatible." Harry gave (y/n) a cheeky smile, causing her to let out a snort she was trying to conceal.

"Oh my god, Harry." She started to blush, shaking her head.

"Oh better yet, we should talk about frequency, no? I love loving on you whenever I can. Daily, if you'll let me."

"Daily? If you even have enough stamina." This elicited a fake hurt gasp from Harry, making the two chuckle. "As for what we like, we should be lucky we're especially compatible with that. I mean, two switches? Who would've thought."

"A girl who lets me fuck her senseless but also fucks me? Match made in heaven," he dreamily sighed. In response, (y/n) swatted at his chest with a smile.

"Finally, child-bearing." (y/n) resumed with the list.

"Definitely never," (y/n) stated at the same time Harry let out a happy: "I want four babies!"

The two looked at each other, although they weren't sure if it was out of fear or shock.

Harry was the first to break the silence, "what do you mean 'never'."

With a blank stare, (y/n) calmly answered: "It's never been a dream of mine to be a mother, Harry. In fact, it's a nightmare to give birth to a child. To raise them. I'm not made for it."

Instantly, Harry felt himself crumble at the thought of his future tumbling with the only woman he saw could be a part of it. "What? What do you mean by that?"

(y/n) eyebrows were furrowed, not expecting their conversation to take this turn. "I really don't know how else to explain it, Harry. That's not what I want."

"But I do." He felt frustrated, always assuming that they were so similar that this conversation wouldn't be any different.

(y/n) shook her head, sitting up to look at the bedsheets instead of his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I know what I want and I can't ask you to compromise your dreams because I wouldn't do the same."

"You don't want to have kids with me? I know it's early but, you don't see that for us?"

Exasperated, she looked at him, her eyes begging "I don't want that with anyone Harry! I've never wanted that!"

"But you study marriages and families!"

"That doesn't mean I actually want a fucking 'family,' I won't be content by having offspring, Harry!"

The two sat in silence, realizing the implications of the conversation. They both knew where this was going, but were both afraid to say anything more.

After a few minutes, Harry finally spoke up, although soft enough that (y/n) wouldn't be able to hear if she wasn't right by his side on the bed. "What ... does this mean for us, (y/n)?"

(y/n) knew exactly what it meant, she had been teaching the downfall of relationships for a few years now. "If we don't have a future, Harry, then we shouldn't continue."

He was expecting it, but it still tore his heart to hear those words come out of the girl he loves. He felt his eyes water, opting to squeeze them shut while praying the past ten minutes were a joke. Shortly, he heard the girl of his dreams sniffling at his side. Finally looking over, he saw her rubbing her eyes harshly. Harry slowly reached a hand up, moving her hands. "Please, baby, you're hurting your eyes."

As she looked at him, he saw the tears that kept spilling from her eyes without her control. Barely making out the words through her sobs, (y/n) cried to him, "I'm sorry- I'm so so sorry. I didn't think- it's just who I am, and- Harry, you deserve your family."

Sighing as silent tears fell on his face, he brought her into his arms once again, although the atmosphere had shifted from when she was in his chest moments ago. "It's okay, baby. Don't blame yourself, it's okay."

The two cried with one another, coming to the realization that they wouldn't be together anymore if they didn't have a future. Soon enough, they realized, their apartments would both lose the touch of one another.

Instead of facing the implications of this unexpected separation, they tightly held each other instead, warding off thoughts of their future without each other.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

ouchie! tell me what you think!!

[treesandtheirberries]

it’s men’s tits monday by the way… if you even care

[treesandtheirberries]

u think i am joking but this is genuinely how i look while writing: “god, you’re so fucking wet” and “such a good girl” for the hundreth time in my miserable existence

[treesandtheirberries]

firemanrry sneakie ????

[treesandtheirberries]

let us remember everything that got us here

[treesandtheirberries]

here we go :) 

(did it quite quickly so its not the best quality but it gets the job done!)

[treesandtheirberries]

Bathroom Floor Confession

request: harry helping y/n through panic attack on a date

word count: 3k

warnings: detailed description of anxiety, panic attacks/panic disorder

*** <– click throughout the story for visuals 

——

Y/N was already anxious as she peered out her apartment window for Harry. It was their first official date and the stomach-turning nerves were getting to her. She thought about texting him multiple times feigning a short-noticed illness but didn’t want to disappoint the boy she was infatuated with.

It’s just…this was so entirely out of her league. She hoped she was dressed appropriately for the restaurant that they were going to. A plunging black and white bodysuit tucked in tight black jeans - hoping to earn some brownie points with Harry for the Gucci belt. ****

When she googled La Cuisine de ma Mère, the whole menu was in French - which she did not speak so she attempted to google a few of the dishes to find something she could pronounce without sounding like an idiot.

It was in the heart of London, in a strip of buildings that were too high-end for her to have the need to go there. Let alone afford something in anyone of those shops.

Y/N was extremely outgoing and personable, it shocked most people that she struggled with a panic disorder. She was usually good at isolating herself when it got too overwhelming.

Keep reading

[treesandtheirberries]

I LOVE HURTING MY SOUL I AM NUMBER ONE ANGST ENTHUSIAST

the one where they realize they aren't compatible

pairing: florist!h & professor!reader

wc: 2.3k, fluff & angst

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

(y/n) was sat at her desk, smiling at her students through Zoom as they were currently engaged in a conversation about their own relationship experiences about compatibility. Today's lecture was based upon different theories of predictors of divorce, and it was always one of her favorite topics. Not only was she able to advise a group of young individuals about what they should strive towards, but she could also tell them red flags that were statistically necessary to avoid. It was also slightly amusing to her to see some students realize they were in relationships that wouldn't work out. It was always funny (although, sad) to see some students' eyes widen in realizing they needed to talk with their partner ASAP.

"As we come to an end, I want to talk about some more predictors that will really solidify a healthy relationship. As you all move towards marriage therapy in the future, these are topics you will hear about endlessly that tear partners apart."

Although the two were only together for four months, they both had keys to each other's apartments. They were very comfortable with one another despite being 'early' in the relationship, and they would often go to each other's homes in seek of comfort. Today, Harry had closed his shop early since he hadn't received a shipment of flowers. Realizing he wouldn't have much to sell, he decided to go see his love.

He knew she had a class to teach at this time, so he quietly made his way around her apartment, leading into the kitchen. After making a cup of tea as quietly as possible, he walked into her room. It was very comforting for him to hear her lecture, so he was looking forward to hearing her "professor" voice.

Thankfully, the way her room was arranged, did not allow her students to see Harry entering her room, but she offered him a smile nonetheless.

"So, as you can see on the PowerPoint, these are really the three things you and your future partner should be aligned on. When it comes to therapy, a couple will almost always come to you because they have some sort of disagreement on these three."

Harry had been fascinated with her area of focus as a professor, finding that marriage studies was something that suited her very well. Equally so, (y/n) was infatuated with Harry's job as a florist and now always had a lively home thanks to him.

"I'm going to go through each one very quickly, and then we'll go through questions so you all can finally get out of Zoom prison."

Harry sipped his tea as he heard the small chuckles from her class.

"First, money. I don't think many people realize how big of an issue this can become when they just start dating. This refers to how each party spends or saves it. Of course, you have your spenders that don't mind indulging in their pleasures whereas the opposed tend to save every penny they get. When two people are dating, they might note these differences and find them endearing but they will eventually become a big source of tension. In a marriage, finances are crucial and it can be difficult to be with someone who doesn't see your view on how to spend or save money. Especially when it comes to raising your own family.

"Next, we have sex." (y/n) gave a smile to her computer, already expecting her students to laugh. "I know, I know. But really, having an incompatible sex life can cause a divorce! What I mean by this is you typically see partners come into therapy because the other doesn't want to have sex as often, or maybe they want sex too frequently. Even, you'll hear about partners who want different things in bed," more laughter arose from her students, "so it's really important to establish what you like in bed." (y/n) didn't shy away from topics that were slightly uncomfortable, because she hoped students could learn from her not only for their profession but in their personal lives as well.

"Finally we have children. This one is kind of obvious, you either want kids or don't and a lot of arguments can come from disagreements about this. I've witnessed couples in therapy that are emotionally dysregulated because they agreed to have children when they never wanted to. Or, the complete opposite, where one party had to give up their dream to be a parent."

At this, a student spoke, "I see how all of these things can bring up problems, but I'm trying to figure out how I would even bring this up in my own relationship. It'd be kind of weird to bring it up now since we've been together for three years?"

(y/n) nodded along, Harry noting how she presented as more professional during her lectures. "This is a great question that I wanted to lead into. It really is recommended you have these conversations early. Some of these behaviors can be noticed early on, such as if your partner is a spender or is more frugal. You might also be able to observe stuff like sex behaviors, but there are partners who save sex for later in a relationship. So, although it might be strange, you should note from our prior chapter about those deep conversations we are meant to have with our partner once a week. These 'State of the Unions' as described in our previous book is so that we can talk about what went well and what could improve in the week. You can take this time to ask your partner how they prefer to spend their money, or what they want out of your sex life. A lot of people don't do this, but it really is necessary to establish how frequently you want to have sex each week and what you want to use in bed," at this, even (y/n) gave a small laugh, noticing her students faces. "Conversations about childbearing can definitely be sprinkled in, and you can talk more deeply to your partner about how you envision your life in the future as a parent. I see in your case you've passed the getting to know you stage, but I would recommend you sit down and get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. For others, I wouldn't talk about how many kids you want during the first date, but these three topics are definitely worth mentioning early!"

Harry was focused on what (y/n) was saying. He always thought that their relationship was surely one to last since she teaches others about the foundations of relationships. He has noticed that she's more rational than him, and does things with reason.

After some more quick questions, (y/n) finally let her class go a few minutes before they were meant to end. Sighing, she stretched and made her way to Harry on the bed. He was already sitting with his back against the headboard, making it easy for her to strip her top layers (she had pajama shorts, she never wore slacks/skirts during Zoom meetings, don't tell her students) and rest her body on his.

Instantly, Harry's hands made their way to massage her back, caressing her. "Last class, right?"

"Mhm."

He looked down, seeing her eyes closed.

"Hard day, baby?"

(y/n) rubbed her face further into his chest, breathing him in. "No, I just missed you."

With a breathy laugh, Harry said "saw me last night."

"Shush. Why'd you get out of work early? Not that I'm complaining of course" (y/n) could spend all day in his chest, it was the perfect combination of warm, soft, breathing in his musk/cologne.

He moved one hand up to massage her scalp, knowing that it tend to hurt the longer she was on Zoom. "Missed shipment. Lectures went well?"

Laughing, (y/n) smiles, "You caught the most entertaining part of my lectures. Other class dealt with grooming and the whole child predators thing."

"Yeah, I'm glad I was able to sit in, learned a thing or two." He gave a chuckle that made (y/n) move on his chest, making her smile too. "It's so nice dating a marriage professor, I don't know why everyone isn't."

(y/n) finally sat up to look at Harry, amused at his conversation. "There's not enough of us to go around, you're lucky, baby."

"Always lucky with you." he smiled, dimples prominent. "You mentioned talking about those three things with your partner earlier but we never had. Is it too early?"

Sighing, (y/n) looked at him with a guilty smile. "Sure I teach this stuff for a living but I'm not an expert on how to do it in real-time. But no, it's not too early, I always recommend new relationships talk about it roughly a month or two in."

"Oooh," Harry smiled, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively on the conversation they were surely about to have.

"Okay fine. I'll start with money. I always have wanted hefty savings as a backup of any and every worst-case scenario but you've already seen that I do like to indulge ... frequently."

The two looked at each other with such adoration, still in the beginning stages of their relationship. "I think I'm the same. But I really don't mind spending money on experiences, I think that's pretty important."

"Weird way of saying we should go on vacation soon," (y/n) laughed.

"Loser," he smiled back, "as for sex, I would say we're pretty compatible." Harry gave (y/n) a cheeky smile, causing her to let out a snort she was trying to conceal.

"Oh my god, Harry." She started to blush, shaking her head.

"Oh better yet, we should talk about frequency, no? I love loving on you whenever I can. Daily, if you'll let me."

"Daily? If you even have enough stamina." This elicited a fake hurt gasp from Harry, making the two chuckle. "As for what we like, we should be lucky we're especially compatible with that. I mean, two switches? Who would've thought."

"A girl who lets me fuck her senseless but also fucks me? Match made in heaven," he dreamily sighed. In response, (y/n) swatted at his chest with a smile.

"Finally, child-bearing." (y/n) resumed with the list.

"Definitely never," (y/n) stated at the same time Harry let out a happy: "I want four babies!"

The two looked at each other, although they weren't sure if it was out of fear or shock.

Harry was the first to break the silence, "what do you mean 'never'."

With a blank stare, (y/n) calmly answered: "It's never been a dream of mine to be a mother, Harry. In fact, it's a nightmare to give birth to a child. To raise them. I'm not made for it."

Instantly, Harry felt himself crumble at the thought of his future tumbling with the only woman he saw could be a part of it. "What? What do you mean by that?"

(y/n) eyebrows were furrowed, not expecting their conversation to take this turn. "I really don't know how else to explain it, Harry. That's not what I want."

"But I do." He felt frustrated, always assuming that they were so similar that this conversation wouldn't be any different.

(y/n) shook her head, sitting up to look at the bedsheets instead of his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I know what I want and I can't ask you to compromise your dreams because I wouldn't do the same."

"You don't want to have kids with me? I know it's early but, you don't see that for us?"

Exasperated, she looked at him, her eyes begging "I don't want that with anyone Harry! I've never wanted that!"

"But you study marriages and families!"

"That doesn't mean I actually want a fucking 'family,' I won't be content by having offspring, Harry!"

The two sat in silence, realizing the implications of the conversation. They both knew where this was going, but were both afraid to say anything more.

After a few minutes, Harry finally spoke up, although soft enough that (y/n) wouldn't be able to hear if she wasn't right by his side on the bed. "What ... does this mean for us, (y/n)?"

(y/n) knew exactly what it meant, she had been teaching the downfall of relationships for a few years now. "If we don't have a future, Harry, then we shouldn't continue."

He was expecting it, but it still tore his heart to hear those words come out of the girl he loves. He felt his eyes water, opting to squeeze them shut while praying the past ten minutes were a joke. Shortly, he heard the girl of his dreams sniffling at his side. Finally looking over, he saw her rubbing her eyes harshly. Harry slowly reached a hand up, moving her hands. "Please, baby, you're hurting your eyes."

As she looked at him, he saw the tears that kept spilling from her eyes without her control. Barely making out the words through her sobs, (y/n) cried to him, "I'm sorry- I'm so so sorry. I didn't think- it's just who I am, and- Harry, you deserve your family."

Sighing as silent tears fell on his face, he brought her into his arms once again, although the atmosphere had shifted from when she was in his chest moments ago. "It's okay, baby. Don't blame yourself, it's okay."

The two cried with one another, coming to the realization that they wouldn't be together anymore if they didn't have a future. Soon enough, they realized, their apartments would both lose the touch of one another.

Instead of facing the implications of this unexpected separation, they tightly held each other instead, warding off thoughts of their future without each other.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

ouchie! tell me what you think!!

[treesandtheirberries]

IM GOING TO SCREAM NEED THE NEXT PART ASAAAAAAAAAP

inertia

y/n found out something she wasn't supposed to and she wished she could take it back

part one (gravity)

part two (momentum)

part three (magnetism)

part four (tension)

previous part (impulse)

—————

(Y/N) had been filled with butterflies in her tummy and cotton-candy clouds since Harry picked her up for a lunch date before he had to go into work. He had told her he wanted to take her somewhere he loved, which made her all the more excited for the date than normal. She noticed he tended to plan around everything she liked (aside from the scary movie date, of course), taking her to places he knew would make her happy and centering the conversation around her. She was bubbling at the idea of getting more of a peek into his life outside of the classroom, hoping to add another piece to the green-eyed and curly-haired puzzle that made up her Harry.

"I've never been down here before," (Y/N) prattled as she walked with Harry down the sloping sidewalk a couple of blocks away from campus.

Harry swung their joined hands between them, a serene smile on his face as he took in the leaves falling around them. He was bundled comfortably in one of his knitted jumpers, this one a bright fuchsia shade that matched the laces he had threaded through his shoes, the heavy sleeves periodically falling over their hands. "I used to come out here all the time m'first year. I had a lot of time on m'hands, so I liked to explore. Only a little further down," he mused, peering through the slowly baring trees, "Y'can see the awning from here, actually. 'S that green one down there."

(Y/N)'s eyes followed the finger he pointed out towards an emerald green awning that had fading letters in a font that resembled wood grain. She couldn't make out the words, but she could see why Harry was drawn to a location like that. Just from that glimpse, she could see how well he would fit into that sort of environment.

As they drew closer, she found a coffee shop directly next door, a conjoined sign between the two spaces showing they were in business together and stop by the other if you go to one. A cute patio space was arranged just to the left of the business strip, leaving the wrought iron frames to be glazed over in the orange of the falling leaves with a couple seated at the middle table, cups of coffee in hand.

Mumbling, Harry pulled her along inside the store adorned with the green awning, an old-school brass bell dinging above their heads, "This is where I used to come study if I wasn't at the library. There's a corner in the back with these really soft pillows y'can sit and read at."

Looking around, (Y/N) took in the rich, warm tones that decorated the space. The high shelves were made of clean, stained wood to show off the intricate grain. Hand drawn signs were posted on the bookends of each shelf, delegating which genre was housed on the shelves, decorated with hallmarks of that specific category. Potted plants in shades of soft green were dispersed throughout the shop with the pots decorated to match the jewel tones accenting the space. Bright pops of gold mixed in with burnt oranges and the deep green that colored the awning, giving the space a soft-focus vintage ambiance that drew (Y/N) in.

"It's cozy," she whispered back, Harry's dimples digging deeper into his cheeks.

"Hi, Harry! How are you? We haven't seen you here in a while," the girl behind the checkout desk bubbled, a genuine smile on her features as she set down the book she was paging through to give them the full of her attention.

The tips of his ears were tinted pink, the dusting matching the flush that climbed up his cheeks. Harry glanced down at her, mumbling under his breath, "I didn't think I came here that much."

A breathy laugh was drawn from (Y/N) as she dropped her gaze to their joined hands as Harry greeted the attendant. She could hear that pleasant small talk happening beside her though she was hooked on the volumes lining the shelves. This wasn't the kind of place she usually found herself—not for years, anyway. She used to be a bigger reader when she was younger, but now she barely picked up a book for fun now that she was too tired or too busy to do so. (Y/N) hadn't even realized she was drifting towards the stacks until her grip on Harry's hand slipped an inch before he rushed to replace his hold.

"Don't go without me," Harry quietly laughed, catching up with her after putting to rest the small talk with the girl up front.

"Sorry," she smiled over her shoulder, gazing at the spines of the classics they were currently perusing, "What do you usually read, Harry?"

For a flick, she swore she saw his eyes pause on the romance shelves across from them with his nose gaining a dusting of blush before he paid his attention to her. "Usually fantasy and silly things like that, I guess."

"I'm surprised," (Y/N) started, letting go of his hand to drag her finger over the spines but not without a bump of her hip against his, "I thought you only read scientific journals and research papers."

An easy smile bloomed over his features at her teasing, the deep dimples on his cheeks stealing the show. "Oh no, I only read those to relax."

She shook her head with a curl stretching her lips as she drifted through the shelves and out of view of his friend up front. Classic titles were designed with fairytale-esque covers, with a few new additions being treated with the same grandeur that made (Y/N) want to shell out the money for a hardback copy of a book she didn't know anything about. Nineties paperbacks dominated the lower shelves of the romance stacks while contemporary pieces she remembered from her teenage years were shelved along the top. All the while Harry followed closely behind, his eyes glancing at her more often than they flicked to the shelves.

Just when she was about to steer the two of them towards the fantasy shelves, hoping to peek into Harry's life, she saw one of the smaller shelves towards the back, full of books covered completely in opaque brown butcher's paper. Each spine had the simple title scrawled along the length with peeks of sticky notes stuck to the covers. (Y/N)'s eyes widened when she realized what she had found.

Letting out a soft gasp, she rushed over to the concealed stacks, only halfway aware of the laugh Harry let out as he followed her.

"Harry, look," she rushed in a hush tone, "It's like those ones on instagram and Pinterest—those surprise book shelves."

She pulled out the first book she could settle her eyes on, the title including something about a court of flowers and grime or something. The sticky note pasted to the front denoted the genre of book with a few key points, detailing a side plot of a love story with fantastical elements and world building. The print of the cover was completely sealed, leaving only the librarian's praise and recommendations handwritten along the back and the short sticky note to help determine whether or not the book was her cup of tea.

"I know," Harry smiled, looking down at the addition in her hands, "I always want to grab one of these, but 'm too scared I'll only pick something I've already read or won't like."

(Y/N) looked up at him with what she was sure were wide eyes with hope swimming through the irises. "Could we pick books for each other? I'll try to pick something you haven't read!"

His smile turned lopsided as his softening eyes flitted over her features. "I'd love that. Pick whatever y'want for me—I trust you."

Practically bouncing in her spot, (Y/N) reshelved the book in her hand and didn't waste a second before her eyes were scanning over the covert volumes before her. She could feel Harry's gaze linger on her for a moment, the line of her body feeling the heat of his eyes before he averted his attention to the shelves.

"What do y'like to read?"

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, a lopsided smile catching at the corner of her lips that Harry had a hard time taking his eyes off of. "Would it surprise you if I told you I like romance or whatever it was that Twilight was considered?"

"Not at all," he teased. His own grin tugged at his lips; it's not like he could blame her, he liked the same stuff if he was being honest. He liked the thought of her curled up with a book in her small bedroom, heart fluttering over soft words and a world built off of romance.

She mumbled some retort he didn't quite catch before she fell into her job of finding the perfect book for Harry. He was just as eager to find something for her, hoping that with all the time he'd spent getting every story, every anecdote, every inside joke out of her that he could find something fitting for his flower.

At the thought of his secretly appointed nickname for her, Harry's finger stuttered over the parchment covered spine of a book entitled with something about roses. He'd been trying his best not to think of her with that name, fearing the word would slip out when he was actually with her. He wasn't sure she was ready to explain why he'd been adorning her with new nicknames in his head; half the time he was unable to think of her without calling her by one of the affectionate petnames.

"I think I found it!" (Y/N) chirped, standing the full of her height from where she had fallen to her knees searching through the bottom few shelves, "This one is yours!"

A bright smile stretched across her cheeks, lifting the rounded apples to cause crinkles to fold around her eyes and bring a glow to her skin. That smile was one of the first things that caught his attention when he saw her that first time in Prof. Stanfill's lecture hall. Naomi had made her laugh with a whispered joke under her breath while Stanfill was droning on at the front of the room, causing (Y/N) to brighten up and make him falter in his notes. That's why he took that seat beside her when he realized her friend was no longer showing up. He dreamed of making her smile like that, and now he had her looking up at him with stars in her eyes and her teeth bared in joy.

"Let me see, then," Harry requested, taking a half step towards her before she pulled the book tightly to her chest.

"No," she shook her head, "I want it to be a real surprise. I don't want you to know until you get home. I really think you're going to like it, Harry."

He didn't doubt for a second that he would like whatever she chose to give him.

With her eyes directed squarely on him, he felt flush. A blush crept up his cheeks as he dropped his gaze to the book he had absently pulled for her. Reading over the daffodil colored sticky note, he found the details of a supernatural romance recommended by the librarian working up front (her name was Erika, if he remembered correctly) between a human girl and a fae male. Not much else was given about the story, adhering to the mystery that went along with the nature of the shelves, other than how sweet it was and how "he falls first!". This would be perfect for her—or at the very least, be better than the physics texts she skimmed over with barren interest.

Though he tried to keep his brain in the present, Harry couldn't help but picture her bundled up in the bay window he was lucky enough to have in his bedroom (he was very lucky with apartment hunting he found). He could picture the makeshift cushions that lined the sill he had fashioned out of blankets he took from home when he moved out, nested around her while she had the book he had picked for her in her hands. In his head, he saw her with her eyes rounded out as she read the epic, a gasp falling from her mouth at a particularly romantic part or her hand fluttering to the base her neck when something broke her heart (in the best way possible of course, he wouldn't want her to read anything that made her sad). Maybe, she'd even let him read with her.

"I think I found yours, too, flower."

The second he processed what had come out of his mouth, Harry's cheeks went up in flames. The crimson coloring trailed over his neck and painted the tips of his ears while his heart worked double time in embarrassed beats. He knew he needed to be more careful.

Across from him, (Y/N) canted her head with a slightly narrowed gaze. Her smile sat unshakable on her lips. "Flower?"

He swallowed thickly at her small question. "Um—I don't know, I—," he floundered, feeling like a gaping fish under her gaze, "I shouldn't have said that, 'm sorry."

"But, why flower?" she prodded, her tone still quiet between the shelves. She hadn't looked at the book in his hands for even a second, her attention placed solely on him.

Harry was grateful for the fact there was no way for him to catch his reflection at that moment. He was sure the sight of him with his skin growing more and more red would only make him feel even more embarrassed as he stumbled for his words. He ran a heavy hand through his hair, itching to find anything to occupy his fingers before he resorted to picking his nail polish.

"I—You're jus'... You're pretty like a flower," he choked out, his tongue feeling lazy as he tried to voice the words, "and you're soft, and-and kind. And, y'always smell really nice too." Harry had never wished for anything more than a chasm to develop under his feet and swallow him underground in that moment. It appeared he couldn't be trusted to watch himself around her anymore. "'M so sorry," he stuttered out, "That's not what I meant to say. That was weird of me to tell you, 'm so sorry."

(Y/N) let out a bubbling laugh that rang through Harry's ears. The sound wasn't at all teasing or tormenting like the would have thought would happen after he minced his words so drastically. He peeked through his dark lashes to find her with glittery eyes and a her glossy lips drawn into an enchanting smile.

"Don't say sorry, I really like that, Harry. That was cute, thank you," she whispered to him, finishing the half step he had taken towards her, "I liked hearing you call me that."

An airy haze clouded his thoughts, the puffs tinted a sunset pink. They filtered through his body, making Harry feel light and lighter with every beat of his heart. Biting on the full of his bottom lip, Harry felt his smile return to his face. "Yeah?"

He watched on as she nodded her head softly, the curl of her lips mimicking his own with the white tips of her teeth peeking out as she bit at the pillow. She was backlit by the sun filtering through the wall of windows behind her. The decals that decorated the shop windows cast shadows in the shape of twirling vines and woodland grasses all around her. Orange and golden hues haloed her form, giving her the appearance of a long forgotten goddess who had returned to form right in front of him, ready for worship.

God, did he adore her.

The smallest of flaws could be picked at the top of her cheekbone, though it was no fault of her own. An eyelash had fluttered from the crown around her softened eyes and fell on the top of her cheek, clinging to her glowing skin.

He suddenly felt breathless as he tried to speak though he couldn't tear his eyes from her face. "You-You've got an eyelash on your cheek," he whispered out, his eyes reluctantly slipping from her own and falling to the offending hair that had taken home on her cheek.

A huff of a laugh was exhaled through her nose, "Where?"

Harry worked on auto-pilot as he lifted his hand to brush his fingertip against his own skin. "Right here," he directed.

A light entered (Y/N)'s eyes as she took a small step towards him. If Harry took a deep enough breath, he was sure his chest would brush against her. "Can you get it for me?"

Without thinking, he dropped the book he had picked for her onto a vacant section on the shelf beside him leaving his hands free to gently hold her. He looked for any sign of rejection as he cradled her cheek softly in his hand, though all he received was her leaning into his hold with her eyes trained on his face. Ducking his head to be level with her, he used his free hand to brush over her soft skin and glowing cheekbone. The dark lash stuck to the tip of his finger, a gentle curve to the hair that stuck up from his skin.

"You're supposed to make a wish now."

His fingertip was level with the full of her lips as he caught a glance she cast him through the vignette of her lashes. She pressed her lips together in a pout before she blew the lash off his fingertip. He assumed it fluttered to the ground somewhere behind him like the seed of a dandelion, but he was too transfixed with the vision in front of him to care.

"What did y'wish for?

Rising to the tips of her toes, Harry didn't get an answer before (Y/N) pressed her lips to his. His hand on her cheek tied him to the moment as he found it much too easy to float away when she kissed him. She'd never done this in such a public place, he realized, the thought only causing his muscles to liquify and relax further into her. They'd kissed in the university parking lot by her car and just outside her apartment before, but never in such a place where anyone could walk by and know that she was just as infatuated with him as he was with her.

By the time she pulled away from the short contact, Harry's face was surely flushed a deep red. He left his hand cradling her cheek, unwilling to fully step out of the moment they curated between the shelves.

(Y/N) looked up at him with a satisfied smile.

"My wish just came true."

Harry felt weak in the knees as he shook his head, looking for any slim grasp on stability he could find before he toppled over. He reluctantly dropped his hand to his side, though he'd rather she didn't feel how clammy his palm was growing as he tried to regulate his heartbeat. "Ar-Are y'ready, then? Or did y'want to look at anything else?"

"I'm ready," she smiled, looking a little too proud of herself over the flush that still colored his skin, "Are you? You picked something out for me, too, right?"

"Oh!" Harry puttered, having momentarily forgotten about the book he had stowed away on the shelf for her, "Yeah, I have one for you. Do y'want to see it?"

She was quick to shake her head, hugging his book closer to her chest, "No, it's okay. I want it to be a surprise for me, too."

Harry nodded his head with a shallow dimple denting only one of his cheeks as a lopsided smile tugged his lips. "If y'want, I can take care of all of this and y'can go next door and get us a table and some coffee?"

He'd found in the handful of dates they'd been on, that (Y/N) typically agreed to him paying for things a bit faster when he gave her something to do that she equated to paying him back. He thought she was the sweetest thing he'd ever come across, her big heart making him that much more smitten for her.

"Okay, I'll see you in a second then," Harry mumbled, hesitating for just a second as he reached for the book in her hands, "flower."

The same glow he had been hoping for settled over her skin at the return of the petname. He liked knowing he could draw those reactions from her.

"Okay, Harry," she smiled, handing over the book before rising to her toes. She planted a sweet kiss to the soft of his cheek, right over his dimple, before she turned towards the door. "Don't peek at your book!"

"I won't. I promise," he muttered after her, unable to tear his eyes off of the gold-soaked vision of his dream girl as she drifted through his favorite place.

She waved to him and said a quick thank you to the girl behind the register before she left for the cafe next door. Harry worked on autopilot, the butterflies in his tummy giving him enough gusto to carry him through the shop and towards the check-out.

Erika, the so-called expert librarian as her nametag appointed her, gave him a polite smile as she ran through her customer service script. Harry nodded along, only halfway listening as his heart was in the next store over along with his attention.

"So," she started, breaking from the familiar script Harry was used to, "Who was that? I've never seen you come in with anyone before."

Without permission, a large grin stretched over his lips despite the way he tried to bite it back. His eyes were trained on the book she had chosen for him; knowing she had thought of him as she grabbed the volume made his heart stutter. He didn't know how to introduce her when he barely had the words to describe how much she already impacted his heart.

"She—uh... She's m'(Y/N)."

A bubbling laugh left Erika's lips, "Oh, she's your (Y/N), I see. I should've known."

Harry didn't know what else to say but an airy yes, and a nod of his head. He watched as she bagged up the books and read off his total. He all but floated through the motions as he paid and waited as patiently as possible to return to his flower.

"Well, I hope you and your (Y/N) enjoy these, Harry," Erika smiled, passing off the paper bag that now held his most prized possession.

"Thank you," he sighed, already edging towards the doorway.

He decided in that moment that, though he still loved his Secret Garden bookshop, his favorite place now took the shape of a girl from his physics class.

—————

"Flower, I really do need to go to work now."

Harry's words fell on deaf ears as (Y/N) hooked her arms around his neck. She held him against her, pressing lingering kisses to the full of his lips in an attempt to persuade him to stay. He'd been hard pressed about studying this afternoon, their textbooks and notes splayed across the foot of her bed, but (Y/N)'s attention waned the longer they went on. He had struck a deal with her when they started reviewing the chapters, that he would reward her with as many kisses as she answered questions correctly.

In truth, she'd only got about seven out of the thirteen questions right, but she'd successfully drawn the last half hour worth of kisses out of him. With his arm wrapped around her waist while the other cradled the full of her cheek in his palm, she was warm in his hold as she tugged him to lay halfway atop her on her twin bed. He took very little convincing to let his lips linger over her's and twine his legs between hers.

(Y/N) knew their study session was meant to end when he had to go to work, but she couldn't find it in herself to pull away. Even when Harry whispered half-hearted reminders, he still drew his tongue along the seam of her lips, tightened his fingers around her waist and melted into her form. She wasn't going to stop him.

"Do you really need to?" she mumbled against his mouth, a slinking smile growing on her own as she ran her fingertips through the baby hairs on the back of his neck. "I was hoping you could stay and get dinner with me tonight."

His kissing mouth slid from her own to the full of her cheek and along her jawline. The length of his lashes felt like a butterfly's wing against her skin. "I know," he sighed, regret coloring his tone, "But I really can't miss tonight. Usually they're easy with me, but I have to go in."

Sucking in a deep breath, she finally relented. Her arms around his neck loosened until her hands slid to settle on the broad of his shoulders. "Fine," she sighed, reluctantly pulling away from his attention.

"I wish I didn't have to go," he mumbled, the full of his lips gently brushing against her skin before he dotted a single kiss on the apple of her cheek. He drew away with a soft smile on his face as he gazed over her features, his hand on her waist flexing around the curve. "You know I would stay if I could, right? I don't want to leave either."

(Y/N) dropped her eyes to where her hands gently adjusted his clothes she had ruffled and the curls of his hair she had dismantled from the careful waves around his neck. A crooked smile curled over her lips as she flicked her eyes to his through her lashes, "Maybe I could come see you tonight? On your lunch, I could come by and bring dinner and everything?"

If she hadn't been scanning so diligently for his reaction, (Y/N) would have missed the way the set in his shoulders tensed at her suggestion. The motion was minute and temporary as his muscles relaxed a split second later, though his features stayed stiff under the guise of nonchalance.

"I don't know, love," he started, untangling his limbs from hers, "I don't want to rush through m'lunch with you. I don't really have an uninterrupted break anyway, so I wouldn't get to spend too much time with y'even if y'came by. 'M sorry, flower."

His irises melted in apology, his hand on her face caressing over the bone in her cheek before he pulled away from her completely. He moved to sit on the edge of her bed, reaching for his collection of textbooks and notebooks at the foot of her bed. (Y/N) followed after, curling her feet under her bottom as she sat against her pillows. His motions seemed to be dipped in guilt, and (Y/N) almost felt bad for asking. If she had known he would feel this bad about rejecting her, she wouldn't have asked.

"It's okay, Harry, really," she crooned, settling a delicate hand on his bicep, "I was only wondering since we aren't able to see each other Friday night either, so I wanted to spend time with you. But, I understand, don't worry."

A lopsided smile tugged at Harry's lips, his fidgeting hands slowing now that his supplies were in a neat pile on her comforter. "I know, flower. 'M sorry that 'm busy this week; work can be a bit weird sometimes so it's easier to get through it before I make plans. I promise I'll be free soon, and we can see each other properly without school or work getting in the way."

"You don't have to promise me, I trust you," (Y/N) smiled, kneeing over her mattress to sit beside his dip in the mattress.

"I'll see you in class on Friday, anyway, right?"

"Right," she affirmed, beaming up at him, "And we still have our date for Saturday night."

Harry's own features brightened at the mention, nodding his head with his curls flopping over his forehead at the movement. "Can't wait, flower."

(Y/N) waited on him as he packed up his supplies, offering her hand when he was ready to be walked to the front door. Ny bid him her own goodbyes from where she was bundled on the couch, her phone pressed to her ear with Trystan's contact displayed across the top.

"Goodnight, Harry," (Y/N) said once they made it to the front door, her hand still cuddled in his as he stood just across the threshold, "Let me know when you get to work safe, okay?"

Harry's eyes dropped to their joined hands, a soft squeeze being delivered to her palm. "I will, flower. Goodnight."

She reached to her tip-toes and drew him in for a tender kiss, the contact lasting for only a moment before Harry broke. She watched as he made his way to the elevator. With the way he wasn't able to meet her eyes, even when he waved at her before the lift doors closed, she hoped she hadn't made him feel too bad about not being able to see him on his lunch.

—————

Now, when (Y/N) logged into the cam-site and tuned into one of H's streams, she couldn't help but feel a different kind of guilt layer over the usual skeeziness she experienced. With Harry in her life now (it had been almost a full month since their first date, actually), with him being the comforting, romantic presence that she had been craving when she found the site in the first place, she felt as if she was cheating on him in a way every time she watched the intimate moments of another man.

She made a point to rationalize it with herself whenever she felt especially bad. It's not like she and Harry were having sex at all—the most they did was heavy kissing for a few moments before pulling away—and she knew she wouldn't be upset if she found that he was still watching porn.

And, it's not like she could lie, H still did it for her. Until she had another outlet, she was going to take advantage of his content.

There wasn't much room for guilt at the moment anyway, she decided. Her muscles were entirely too lax and her mind too buried in a pleasantly fuzzy state to be worried about anything as she came down from her orgasm. H had just done his signature outro before the screen went black, leaving (Y/N) to work through her own aftercare with a dreamy smile on her lips. He had dipped into every little thing she loved this show, leaving her a puddle to be scooped up to be  put back together.

Despite the fact that she sought out H to bring her to this state, now that she had Harry, he was her main focus afterwards. She wanted nothing more than for him to be with her, pushing out all thoughts of the performer that had graced her screen. She decided she couldn't feel too guilty about tuning into the shows when all she wanted in the most vulnerable moments was her Harry.

With lazy limbs, she reached for her phone that was charging on her side table. She quickly pulled open Harry's text thread, typing out a message telling him that she missed him and couldn't wait until the next time she could see him.

He was at work at the moment, but maybe her text would be a bright spot during his shift.

—————

"Harry, are you sure you're okay? You promise you're not sick or anything?"

Harry let out a breathy laugh at (Y/N)'s prodding. He was walking her to her car with a slight slump to his shoulders, her bag hanging off his elbow with her extra textbook tucked under his arm. "I promise 'm okay, was jus' up late last night, that's all. You're making me nervous that I look bad or something, flower."

"No, no, that's not it at all!" she rushed, quick to take her things from him as they approached her car, "You look perfect! You're just not usually so forgetful with everything, so I worry about you. I even got to class earlier than you, and that's how I know something is wrong."

He shook his head, the curling tendrils of his hair catching on the frames of his glasses he forgot to take off. The tips of his ears tinted pink as he dropped his gaze to where her hands brushed his as she pulled her book from his grip."I promise 's nothing more than lacking on some sleep, okay? You're very sweet to worry about me, though."

(Y/N) shut her car door with her class materials stacked in the passenger seat. She lent against the frame, twining her hands together as she looked up at Harry. "So you're going to go home and sleep then, right?"

"Unless I get called into work, yeah," he murmured, his toes kicking at the pavement under their feet, "But no matter what, I'll call y'tonight, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled, satisfied with his promise. He gave her a soft smile, the apples of his cheeks tinted a baby pink as he nervously adjusted the heavy cardigan on his form.

(Y/N)'s eyes followed the path of his hands, looking at the details of the rainbow, patchwork pattern of the garment. Each square was knitted from a thick yarn, colored in deep oranges and reds with bright yellows and earthen greens breaking it up. Black boxed stitched in made for the rainbow pattern to pop, all tied together with strips of blue making room for the heavy black buttons to sit. Only one of the buttons was fastened at his waist, leaving the cardigan to slip off his shoulder if he wasn't paying enough attention.

"What?" he mumbled, speaking through a small smile when he noticed her lingering gaze.

"Nothing," she smiled, shaking her head with her own cheeks growing in warmth at being caught, "I just really like your sweater. It looks soft."

"Yeah?" he bubbled, brightening at the compliment, "M'sister made it for me."

"She made it?!" (Y/N) perked up, now looking with a more scrutinizing eye at the garment, "Like, she knitted the whole thing and put it together?" Harry nodded his head with a hummed affirmation, pride tinting his features at the praise of his family. "Did she use a pattern or anything like that?" (Y/N) pressed, catching the way the emerald green on Harry's fingernails almost completely matched the squares on his cardigan.

"Nope! Jus' her. She's really good at this kind of stuff—whenever I need something stitched or fixed, I send it to her and she has it done even better than before."

"Well, she's very talented," (Y/N) beamed, looking up at Harry's blushing face, "I really like it, Harry."

"Y'can wear it sometime, if y'want?"

"No, no," (Y/N) declined, shaking her head with fluttering hands, "It's your's, I can't take that from you. I just think you look really cute in it, that's all."

"Thank you, flower," he sighed, his voice wrapping around the petname that made her heart race, "I'll have to tell my sister how much y'love it."

She could feel her own skin beginning to glow at the thought of him mentioning her to his family. With her attention fixed on the butterflies swarming her tummy, she almost missed the way Harry took a step towards her. He placed his hands tenderly on her hips, fingers gentle against the curve as he dipped his head down.

"I'll call y'later, okay?" he reiterated, leveling the tip of her nose with her's in a cautious puppy's kiss in case she pulled away.

"But, only after you take a nap," she insisted, resisting the urge to tip her head and press her lips to his. She wanted him to know she was serious about this—there would be no exceptions to his health, not even her.

He did the job for her, kissing her through the smile on his lips. He gave a pulse of his fingers around the thick of her hips, a tickling sensation that drew her own smile to the surface.

"Bye, love," he mumbled to her, "Get home safe."

After finishing their goodbyes, (Y/N) lingered for a moment before resigning to head home. In her rearview mirror, he was a bright rainbow fleck in the view. She was entirely enamored by him, she decided, even as nothing more than a technicolor dot behind her, he made her heart skip a beat.

—————

(Y/N) sighed, falling into her bed after she finished putting away laundry. She felt restless in her own skin, an itch creeping through her muscles she was too familiar with. It was a growing trend now that after seeing Harry, she was left with a yearning need.

He had her stomach churning in the softest way possible every time she had to leave him. He was so cute and sweet and cloyingly memorable that she wanted nothing more than to kiss the life out of him and get tangled in her sheets with his limbs adding to the web. He was too loving for his own good, she decided; if he wasn't careful and smiled at her with his eyes too soft, she was going to have to jump his bones, there was no other choice.

Though she understood why nothing further had happened yet, it still left her muscles tight and her brain foggy when he would cut her off in the middle of kissing on his couch or in the tufts of her bedding. They had only been together exclusively for just over a month, making it a little soon to do too much more than indulging in kisses, but it still left (Y/N) with a pit in her stomach as she searched for relief. Even now, after seeing him in class and stealing a handful of innocent kisses in the parking lot, she was still plagued with the need for more.

She didn't think too hard about it before she pulled for her laptop and opened up a private tab. Her fingers worked lazily to type in the URL of the cam-site, going through the motions in an effort to distract herself from that lingering guilt she felt when tuning into H's shows. But, nothing in that moment could have compared to the relief she felt when she saw he had started a stream only seven minutes prior. She hadn't missed any of the good stuff.

With Ny out for the afternoon, (Y/N) skipped any of the drama of her usual set up, instead burrowing into her bedding and clicking the link. She planned on leaving any thoughts of her day behind in favor of throwing herself into whatever storyline H was displaying for the next hour, but the second he popped up on her screen, her mind went completely blank except for one thing.

The usual camera work of him sitting with his head out of frame and his clothed torso taking the main view greeted her. But, the only thing (Y/N) could manage to concentrate on was his clothes.

A heavy cardigan was draped over his torso, leaving his chest completely bare underneath. The knit of the chunky sleeves was caught in his hands, patches of color coming together in bright slashes that worked together harmoniously. She halfway heard his voice echoing through her speakers, detailing the mood of the day as being soft and gentle, that nothing would make him happier than to take care of the viewer. (Y/N) barely heard anything as her eyes were trained on the way he adjusting the falling shoulder, the green paint on is fingernails glinting in the low light

She knew that cardigan. She had just left that cardigan on campus after he had told her he was too tired to hang out tonight, but he would call her later tonight.

It was Harry's cardigan.

But that couldn't be right, could it?

Harry had told her his sister had gifted the garment to him, knitted it herself without the help of a pattern to imitate. H's nails were even painted the exact same shade of green she remembered was on her Harry's nails just a couple of hours prior. But, all of this had to be a coincidence, right?

Because that couldn't be her Harry.

Her Harry asked permission to touch her for months, and even now was unsure before he kissed her. It took him two dates to fully be able to hold her hand without asking to twine their fingers together! There was no way her Harry was the same guy that recorded himself jerking off for strangers. There was no way that the same sweetheart that took months to grow the courage to talk to her and begged for cheek kisses in the middle of study sessions could be the same person that called himself daddy for others and had sexted with her only a month prior.

But there's no way it could be anyone else, and she knew that.

Just as the performer started to shed the knitted cardigan from his body, (Y/N) snapped the lid on her laptop shut. She recoiled from the device like it had burned her, pushing the computer to slide to the foot of her bed as she curled up by her pillows with her knees to her chest. Her mind was swirling like a twister, too fast for her to comprehend anything before another bubbling thought worked its way in the mess.

As soon as she reasoned out some kind of coincidental explanation (maybe his sister had made a duplicate and gifted it to someone who just so happened to put on cam shows?) the vision of H—or should she call him Harry now?—draped with the unmistakable pattern over his shoulders shocked her again.

What was she supposed to do now?

—————

(Y/N) didn't realize how long she had sat curled up by her pillows until her phone buzzed with a thrumming pulse that pulled her from her thoughts. She jumped in her spot, finding the device bundled in the tufts of her bedding with the screen lit up and Harry's contact plastered across.

She hesitantly reached for it, her heart racing. Did he know she knew now? Was he calling to interrogate her and see why she'd never said anything before, as if she was supposed to have known the whole time?

Pushing her irrationality to the side, she shakily swiped her finger across the width of her phone and answered his call.

"Hello?" she started, hoping she had schooled her voice enough to hide the waver.

"Hi flower, what are you up to?" She could tell he was smiling on the other end. She could picture his dimples so clearly dented into his cheeks, though now the rest of the picture of him didn't make much sense.

"Just getting ready to work on that creative writing assignment I was telling you about," she lied, her nervous gaze unable to settle on anything for too long before darting across the room, "What about you?"

"I jus' got off work—got called in for a short shift, so I thought I'd give you a call before I went home and slept." In the background, she swore she could hear the sound of clothing rustling like he was bundling up a pile that had been discarded. "I miss you, love."

"I miss you, too, Harry."

He was at work, huh?

—————

(Y/N) felt off-kilter as she walked into Stanfill's lecture that Monday. Though the guilt followed her, she had canceled on her plans with Harry for the past Saturday since she didn't trust herself to sit with him and not blurt out the new suspicions that had taken root in her head. Today would be the first time she'd seen him since last Friday (both in class and on her computer screen it would seem). But, she had taken all weekend and coached herself through the newfound information.

Maybe it was naive of her, but she'd reasoned with herself all weekend, finding enough explanations (she didn't care how thin) to turn the whole thing into a weird coincidence in her mind. Now, all she needed to do was believe them.

In his usual spot beside her own unassigned-assigned seat, Harry was perched with a giddy smile on his face. A bright orange sweater was draped over the back of his seat, the piece assumedly having been used to cover him through the chilly morning, leaving him in only a thin, white t-shirt that was stretched over his chest, fitting of the heat that now dominated the afternoon. His grin only brightened when he caught sight of her scaling the stairs, his eyes following her.

"Hi flower," he crooned, his gaze warm as he tenderly flitted his eyes over her form and the planes of her features.

"Hi Harry," she smiled, taking her spot beside him. Before she had a chance to set up her materials, he fit an arm around her waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek in greeting.

"You're feeling better from this weekend, right?" Harry asked when he pulled away, referencing the excuse she had used to get out of their plans.

Her heart stuttered over the guilt that pumped through her veins at the mention of her sordid excuse. She nodded her head with her attention spent on setting up notes. "Yeah, I think it was just one of those twenty-four hour things, so I'm feeling better."

"Good, I was worried about you. Almost came over with some soup or something for you." He ended with an airy laugh, the warmth of his gaze trailing over her form.

(YN) finally chanced a look in his direction since sitting down. The thin material she had spotted at the landing of the stairs was much more see-through than she had realized, allowing black designs inked onto Harry's skin to shine through. Thanks to the heavy sweaters and thick knits he typically wore to class, this was the first time she had noticed he had any more tattoos than the fading cross etched on his hand.

She hated to think that she already knew what designs decorated his skin.

"What?" Harry smiled, catching the way her eyes lingered over his chest, "Is there something on m'shirt?"

"No, no," she shook her head, rolling her lips between her teeth before growing the courage to start the conversation she was scared to hear his side of, "I just didn't know you had so many tattoos."

"Really?" he laughed, angling his body towards her as if to give a full view of the muffled ink, "I thought y'knew. Have y'never seen the one on m'hand?" He offered up his hand as his to prove there was a tattoo on the skin, the stretch allowing for an inch of the ink on his wrist to be revealed as the sleeve rode up.

"Well, yeah," she smiled though the curl was tight, "I can just see a lot more than I ever have before through your shirt. How many do you have?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, curling up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the details of the darkened spots that had shone through his top. "I lost count, but I've got the most of them up this arm, then a few on m'chest and ribs, and some on m'legs."

The farther up he tugged the fabric, the more designs (Y/N) recognized. The topless mermaid she had seen stretched over taut muscles and thick veins, a beetle looking bug on the delicate underside, a large rose inked over his elbow, and the beginnings of the anatomical heart on the inside of his bicep. The small tattoos inked on his wrist and the delicate scripts that detailed out names of people she was sure were close to him rounded out the tattoos she recognized in the form of pixels through her laptop screen.

She resisted the urge to trail her fingers over the ink and catch the texture of the skin she had been admiring for longer than she had realized, instead flicking her gaze to his own. "What do you have on your chest?"

He brightened at her question leaning back to touch his fingers to the spaces just under his collarbones, "I've got a pair of birds on m'chest,"—his touch slid down to his tummy—"a butterfly right here, and a set of laurels on m'hips."

From the neckline of his top, (Y/N) was able to spot the very tips of the wings of his inked birds. Though her face was stuck in a pleasant smile, her heart was thrumming like a hummingbird's and her mind was quickly dissolving to something close to a plate of twirled spaghetti. She couldn't act naive anymore, she knew that.

This was the confirmation she had been looking for, but feared finding. Now she couldn't just write this off and forget what she'd seen.

"That's really cool, Harry. I had no idea."

—————

(Y/N) had to psych herself up as she approached Stanfill's door Friday afternoon. She and Harry hadn't seen much of each other since Monday's lecture, Harry having been conveniently busy with work leaving them only a spare couple of hours on Wednesday night to meet up at the library before he rushed out after claiming to be called in by his boss. (She tried to ignore it, but (Y/N) couldn't help but notice the way that the cam page was suddenly full of new content with promises of more coming soon that lined up a little too well with Harry's demanding hours). She was grateful for the distance, honestly.

Now that she had resigned herself to the truth, it was better for her to limit her time around him in case she suddenly burst out with an accusation. (She didn't know what was more embarrassing: being accused of being a cam-performer or admitting to being an avid viewer of one). She had prepped herself heavily, schooling herself into keeping her mouth shut around him in case she let something slip she wasn't supposed to, but she still felt a little too close to the edge for comfort. Despite her hesitation, she knew she didn't have much choice but to show her face for class and get through the lecture.

Harry, as per usual, was already set up and perched in his seat when (Y/N) drew the courage to quit pretending to look at her phone and step through the heavy doors to her physics course. He held a beaming smile on his features, his dimples only deepening the farther up the stairs she went.

"Hi, love," he crooned once she was close enough, reaching to pull her chair out for her like the gentleman she was familiar with.

"Hi," she murmured, a small smile on her face as she peeked at him through her lashes. As much as she was shocked by her revelation (and a bit perturbed at the ease of which he lied to her with), there was still a soft spot in her heart for him she didn't see hardening anytime soon.

"I've missed you," he whispered, leaning closer with a careful eye on her reaction before planting his lips delicately against her cheek, "How was your morning?"

"Good, good," she prattled, setting up her laptop even though she knew she was only going to copy off of Harry's notes later, "Just tired and everything. What about you?"

"'M much better now," he flirted, a shy pink tint coloring his cheeks, "But it was fine, jus' been waiting to see you."

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she processed his words, the beat fluttering like a pair of wings on a bumbling bee. Yeah, he still had her—definitely.

"You're sweet, Harry," she smiled, melting into her seat.

She was vaguely aware of him recounting a tale of one of his friends (she thinks his name is Niji, but Harry wasn't the best at reminding her of his friends she had never met) as her eyes trailed over his form and to the typical spread that covered his work station. His notebooks were neatly organized as she'd come to expect, though there was a new development with a tattered pencil bag now holding all of his pens and highlighters he was fond of. She could tell it was old with the graphite dusting that stained the canvas material and etchings of a bored teenager who doodled in class.

One of the blackened markings on the bag caught her eye and made her freeze for a beat.

It was a small spot with the letters scripted in a familiar handwriting: TPWK.

It was one of the more loved spots on the bag, the acronym having been traced over and over enough to have embedded the lead into the weaving. (Y/N) recognized it in an instant, the letters being the signature ending to majority of H's (or should she just start calling him Harry now, at this point?) posts on his site. She had figured it was nothing more than a reiteration of his username, but (Y/N) didn't think Harry would be etching his cam-site username into his school materials as a teenager. At least, she hoped.

"Are y'even listening to me, flower? I didn't think I was as boring as Stanfill, but you're really humbling me right now."

Harry's soft laughter pulled her from her mind, drawing her eye from his pencil bag to find him with a shrewd smile on his lips and a soft aura circling his iris.

"Sorry, sorry," she rushed, flicking her gaze back to the acronym without thinking, "I was just... What does that mean?" Without permission, her traitorous words slipped free in conjunction with her finger pointing out the etching on his bag.

"Oh," he sounded, his brows coming to a furrow as he realized what she was referring to, "It was jus' something my mum used to say to m'sister and I growing up. It means treat people with kindness."

Glancing through the frame of her lashes, (Y/N) rolled her lips between her teeth as she listened to his explanation. Her anxiety heightened as she realized this might be her only chance to confess to the knowledge she'd been holding back. This wasn't the best place—right in the middle of a lecture hall with their professor gearing up to start class—, but she didn't think she would ever have the courage again before the burden deteriorated her. She could barely even look at Harry, for crying out loud! She couldn't keep this in if she wanted to stay with him.

"Oh," she parroted, nodding her head as she directed her gaze to the letters, "I thought it stood for—um—treat people with kisses."

Harry's muscles immediately stiffened at the mention of his username, his hands becoming restless as he fiddled with the glasses perched on his nose. His eyes were clear as he scanned over her face, gauging for a reaction in a way she wasn't familiar with. "And why did y'think that?"

The sound of her heartbeat rang through her ears along with the sound of rushing water as her blood pumped through her veins. It was now or never.

"I've seen some things, and—um—there's someone who uses something really similar to that on their website, I've found." She capped her mouth before she could reveal any more in the middle of a packed lecture hall, sealing her lips together as she anticipated Harry's reaction.

That was when his facade seemed to crumble. He was realizing that she knew, that much she could tell from his expression as Harry nodded his head. He let out a string of mumbled okay's before he dropped his head to stare at the linoleum lining the floor, a heavy hand skimming through his hair. His fingers twitched as he delivered a tight tug at his roots.

"Fuck, okay," he swore, the first time (Y/N) had ever heard her Harry curse, "(Y/N), I—"

Before much else to fall from his lips, Professor Stanfill started class with a boom of his monotone voice. Unlike usual, Harry didn't rise to attention, his posture staying slumped with his gaze looking helpless as he fought for words. (Y/N) took the opportunity to break and face forward; she couldn't look at him struggle like that anymore, especially knowing that she was the reason he was having to face this in the middle of lecture.

As Stanfill started on the unit, (Y/N) could only halfway listen when her attention was placed on the boy beside her who couldn't seem to get comfortable in his own skin. His leg was restless as it bounced under the table, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, and his teeth chewing his bottom lip. She could feel his eyes flicking to her every few seconds, his gaze unable to settle before it was flitting across the room once more.

Harry had made it only ten minutes into class before he crossed the space between their chairs, leaning close to her though he didn't dare touch her. His lips were level with her ear, though she knew he was making a point to keep a distance, with only a tickle of his breath being felt against her neck.

"(Y/N)... I can explain. I jus' need t—"

"Mr. Styles, is there a problem back there?"

He froze for a moment under the attention, (Y/N) fully expecting Harry to back down and offer a polite no, sir, before melting back into his seat. Instead, she was shocked to find him shoveling his things back into his bag with frantic hands.

"Actually, sir," he started, giving (Y/N) a pleading look, "(Y/N) and I need to be excused. My apologies."

Harry grabbed for her elbow, urging her to grab her things in a scramble before he led her from the silent lecture hall. Not once did (Y/N) see even a tint of blush climb Harry's features.

Out in the hall, the clang of the heavy doors falling shut echoed loudly through the empty space. Harry didn't stop there, continuing to tug her through the doors leading to the quad, the corridor seemingly too small for the extent of his whirlwind feelings. Out on the green, only a small study group could be seen gathered in the far corner meters away beside the grandiose fountain (Y/N) passed on her way to the library, leaving them virtually alone.

She stayed back under the cover of the portico, her book bag tucked under her arm as she watched Harry pace over the grass that surrounded the building. His hands were relentless, digging through his hair and throwing the strands askew.

And, she thought she felt guilty keeping the information from him.

"So," he sighed, his feet coming to a standstill planted in the grass, "You know?"

"Mhm," she gulped, nodding her head despite the fact his eyes were trained on his feet, "I found you a few months ago but I just realized it was you."

When he raised his hands, (Y/N) expected another round of messing his hair, but instead he dug the heels of his palms into his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. He couldn't even look at her.

"And?"

She struggled with how to put her thoughts into words, unsure of how to make any of it make sense to him when it barely made sense to herself. "Well, it's definitely not what I expected... I never thought you'd..."

Her useless words trailed off, her half explanation hanging in the air when she realized she didn't know what else to say. What a supportive girlfriend she was; she couldn't even reassure him when he had so clearly taken her spot on the edge.

Harry's chest expanded with a shaky breath, his head shaking in jerking nods at her half-baked sentence. "Okay," he breathed, the words breaking under the weight of his anxiety, "Okay." When he finally managed to pull his hands from his face and look at her, his tear-sheened eyes were tinged with a red that matched the embarrassed hue of his cheeks, "I—uh—I have to go, (Y/N). I'll... I'll talk to you later."

"Wait, Har—"

Before she could even finish, he was rushing away with his bag banging against his knees and his  hand visibly tugging at his curls. He didn't stop or even slow at the sound of her protest—(Y/N) could have even argued that he walked away faster.

Shit.

—————

inertia is the law that dictates if any outside force is given to an object, its course will change

only one part left:( this one def has a lot of what everyone was waiting for and speculating over so I really hope it measures up to the ideas I heard!!! thank you so much for reading and sorry for any mistakes! lmk if you have any ideas for the next part or requests of your own!!

[treesandtheirberries]

SAME. i love to be emotionally torn apart

the one where they realize they aren't compatible

pairing: florist!h & professor!reader

wc: 2.3k, fluff & angst

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

(y/n) was sat at her desk, smiling at her students through Zoom as they were currently engaged in a conversation about their own relationship experiences about compatibility. Today's lecture was based upon different theories of predictors of divorce, and it was always one of her favorite topics. Not only was she able to advise a group of young individuals about what they should strive towards, but she could also tell them red flags that were statistically necessary to avoid. It was also slightly amusing to her to see some students realize they were in relationships that wouldn't work out. It was always funny (although, sad) to see some students' eyes widen in realizing they needed to talk with their partner ASAP.

"As we come to an end, I want to talk about some more predictors that will really solidify a healthy relationship. As you all move towards marriage therapy in the future, these are topics you will hear about endlessly that tear partners apart."

Although the two were only together for four months, they both had keys to each other's apartments. They were very comfortable with one another despite being 'early' in the relationship, and they would often go to each other's homes in seek of comfort. Today, Harry had closed his shop early since he hadn't received a shipment of flowers. Realizing he wouldn't have much to sell, he decided to go see his love.

He knew she had a class to teach at this time, so he quietly made his way around her apartment, leading into the kitchen. After making a cup of tea as quietly as possible, he walked into her room. It was very comforting for him to hear her lecture, so he was looking forward to hearing her "professor" voice.

Thankfully, the way her room was arranged, did not allow her students to see Harry entering her room, but she offered him a smile nonetheless.

"So, as you can see on the PowerPoint, these are really the three things you and your future partner should be aligned on. When it comes to therapy, a couple will almost always come to you because they have some sort of disagreement on these three."

Harry had been fascinated with her area of focus as a professor, finding that marriage studies was something that suited her very well. Equally so, (y/n) was infatuated with Harry's job as a florist and now always had a lively home thanks to him.

"I'm going to go through each one very quickly, and then we'll go through questions so you all can finally get out of Zoom prison."

Harry sipped his tea as he heard the small chuckles from her class.

"First, money. I don't think many people realize how big of an issue this can become when they just start dating. This refers to how each party spends or saves it. Of course, you have your spenders that don't mind indulging in their pleasures whereas the opposed tend to save every penny they get. When two people are dating, they might note these differences and find them endearing but they will eventually become a big source of tension. In a marriage, finances are crucial and it can be difficult to be with someone who doesn't see your view on how to spend or save money. Especially when it comes to raising your own family.

"Next, we have sex." (y/n) gave a smile to her computer, already expecting her students to laugh. "I know, I know. But really, having an incompatible sex life can cause a divorce! What I mean by this is you typically see partners come into therapy because the other doesn't want to have sex as often, or maybe they want sex too frequently. Even, you'll hear about partners who want different things in bed," more laughter arose from her students, "so it's really important to establish what you like in bed." (y/n) didn't shy away from topics that were slightly uncomfortable, because she hoped students could learn from her not only for their profession but in their personal lives as well.

"Finally we have children. This one is kind of obvious, you either want kids or don't and a lot of arguments can come from disagreements about this. I've witnessed couples in therapy that are emotionally dysregulated because they agreed to have children when they never wanted to. Or, the complete opposite, where one party had to give up their dream to be a parent."

At this, a student spoke, "I see how all of these things can bring up problems, but I'm trying to figure out how I would even bring this up in my own relationship. It'd be kind of weird to bring it up now since we've been together for three years?"

(y/n) nodded along, Harry noting how she presented as more professional during her lectures. "This is a great question that I wanted to lead into. It really is recommended you have these conversations early. Some of these behaviors can be noticed early on, such as if your partner is a spender or is more frugal. You might also be able to observe stuff like sex behaviors, but there are partners who save sex for later in a relationship. So, although it might be strange, you should note from our prior chapter about those deep conversations we are meant to have with our partner once a week. These 'State of the Unions' as described in our previous book is so that we can talk about what went well and what could improve in the week. You can take this time to ask your partner how they prefer to spend their money, or what they want out of your sex life. A lot of people don't do this, but it really is necessary to establish how frequently you want to have sex each week and what you want to use in bed," at this, even (y/n) gave a small laugh, noticing her students faces. "Conversations about childbearing can definitely be sprinkled in, and you can talk more deeply to your partner about how you envision your life in the future as a parent. I see in your case you've passed the getting to know you stage, but I would recommend you sit down and get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. For others, I wouldn't talk about how many kids you want during the first date, but these three topics are definitely worth mentioning early!"

Harry was focused on what (y/n) was saying. He always thought that their relationship was surely one to last since she teaches others about the foundations of relationships. He has noticed that she's more rational than him, and does things with reason.

After some more quick questions, (y/n) finally let her class go a few minutes before they were meant to end. Sighing, she stretched and made her way to Harry on the bed. He was already sitting with his back against the headboard, making it easy for her to strip her top layers (she had pajama shorts, she never wore slacks/skirts during Zoom meetings, don't tell her students) and rest her body on his.

Instantly, Harry's hands made their way to massage her back, caressing her. "Last class, right?"

"Mhm."

He looked down, seeing her eyes closed.

"Hard day, baby?"

(y/n) rubbed her face further into his chest, breathing him in. "No, I just missed you."

With a breathy laugh, Harry said "saw me last night."

"Shush. Why'd you get out of work early? Not that I'm complaining of course" (y/n) could spend all day in his chest, it was the perfect combination of warm, soft, breathing in his musk/cologne.

He moved one hand up to massage her scalp, knowing that it tend to hurt the longer she was on Zoom. "Missed shipment. Lectures went well?"

Laughing, (y/n) smiles, "You caught the most entertaining part of my lectures. Other class dealt with grooming and the whole child predators thing."

"Yeah, I'm glad I was able to sit in, learned a thing or two." He gave a chuckle that made (y/n) move on his chest, making her smile too. "It's so nice dating a marriage professor, I don't know why everyone isn't."

(y/n) finally sat up to look at Harry, amused at his conversation. "There's not enough of us to go around, you're lucky, baby."

"Always lucky with you." he smiled, dimples prominent. "You mentioned talking about those three things with your partner earlier but we never had. Is it too early?"

Sighing, (y/n) looked at him with a guilty smile. "Sure I teach this stuff for a living but I'm not an expert on how to do it in real-time. But no, it's not too early, I always recommend new relationships talk about it roughly a month or two in."

"Oooh," Harry smiled, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively on the conversation they were surely about to have.

"Okay fine. I'll start with money. I always have wanted hefty savings as a backup of any and every worst-case scenario but you've already seen that I do like to indulge ... frequently."

The two looked at each other with such adoration, still in the beginning stages of their relationship. "I think I'm the same. But I really don't mind spending money on experiences, I think that's pretty important."

"Weird way of saying we should go on vacation soon," (y/n) laughed.

"Loser," he smiled back, "as for sex, I would say we're pretty compatible." Harry gave (y/n) a cheeky smile, causing her to let out a snort she was trying to conceal.

"Oh my god, Harry." She started to blush, shaking her head.

"Oh better yet, we should talk about frequency, no? I love loving on you whenever I can. Daily, if you'll let me."

"Daily? If you even have enough stamina." This elicited a fake hurt gasp from Harry, making the two chuckle. "As for what we like, we should be lucky we're especially compatible with that. I mean, two switches? Who would've thought."

"A girl who lets me fuck her senseless but also fucks me? Match made in heaven," he dreamily sighed. In response, (y/n) swatted at his chest with a smile.

"Finally, child-bearing." (y/n) resumed with the list.

"Definitely never," (y/n) stated at the same time Harry let out a happy: "I want four babies!"

The two looked at each other, although they weren't sure if it was out of fear or shock.

Harry was the first to break the silence, "what do you mean 'never'."

With a blank stare, (y/n) calmly answered: "It's never been a dream of mine to be a mother, Harry. In fact, it's a nightmare to give birth to a child. To raise them. I'm not made for it."

Instantly, Harry felt himself crumble at the thought of his future tumbling with the only woman he saw could be a part of it. "What? What do you mean by that?"

(y/n) eyebrows were furrowed, not expecting their conversation to take this turn. "I really don't know how else to explain it, Harry. That's not what I want."

"But I do." He felt frustrated, always assuming that they were so similar that this conversation wouldn't be any different.

(y/n) shook her head, sitting up to look at the bedsheets instead of his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I know what I want and I can't ask you to compromise your dreams because I wouldn't do the same."

"You don't want to have kids with me? I know it's early but, you don't see that for us?"

Exasperated, she looked at him, her eyes begging "I don't want that with anyone Harry! I've never wanted that!"

"But you study marriages and families!"

"That doesn't mean I actually want a fucking 'family,' I won't be content by having offspring, Harry!"

The two sat in silence, realizing the implications of the conversation. They both knew where this was going, but were both afraid to say anything more.

After a few minutes, Harry finally spoke up, although soft enough that (y/n) wouldn't be able to hear if she wasn't right by his side on the bed. "What ... does this mean for us, (y/n)?"

(y/n) knew exactly what it meant, she had been teaching the downfall of relationships for a few years now. "If we don't have a future, Harry, then we shouldn't continue."

He was expecting it, but it still tore his heart to hear those words come out of the girl he loves. He felt his eyes water, opting to squeeze them shut while praying the past ten minutes were a joke. Shortly, he heard the girl of his dreams sniffling at his side. Finally looking over, he saw her rubbing her eyes harshly. Harry slowly reached a hand up, moving her hands. "Please, baby, you're hurting your eyes."

As she looked at him, he saw the tears that kept spilling from her eyes without her control. Barely making out the words through her sobs, (y/n) cried to him, "I'm sorry- I'm so so sorry. I didn't think- it's just who I am, and- Harry, you deserve your family."

Sighing as silent tears fell on his face, he brought her into his arms once again, although the atmosphere had shifted from when she was in his chest moments ago. "It's okay, baby. Don't blame yourself, it's okay."

The two cried with one another, coming to the realization that they wouldn't be together anymore if they didn't have a future. Soon enough, they realized, their apartments would both lose the touch of one another.

Instead of facing the implications of this unexpected separation, they tightly held each other instead, warding off thoughts of their future without each other.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

ouchie! tell me what you think!!

[treesandtheirberries]

the one where they realize they aren't compatible

pairing: florist!h & professor!reader

wc: 2.3k, fluff & angst

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

(y/n) was sat at her desk, smiling at her students through Zoom as they were currently engaged in a conversation about their own relationship experiences about compatibility. Today's lecture was based upon different theories of predictors of divorce, and it was always one of her favorite topics. Not only was she able to advise a group of young individuals about what they should strive towards, but she could also tell them red flags that were statistically necessary to avoid. It was also slightly amusing to her to see some students realize they were in relationships that wouldn't work out. It was always funny (although, sad) to see some students' eyes widen in realizing they needed to talk with their partner ASAP.

"As we come to an end, I want to talk about some more predictors that will really solidify a healthy relationship. As you all move towards marriage therapy in the future, these are topics you will hear about endlessly that tear partners apart."

Although the two were only together for four months, they both had keys to each other's apartments. They were very comfortable with one another despite being 'early' in the relationship, and they would often go to each other's homes in seek of comfort. Today, Harry had closed his shop early since he hadn't received a shipment of flowers. Realizing he wouldn't have much to sell, he decided to go see his love.

He knew she had a class to teach at this time, so he quietly made his way around her apartment, leading into the kitchen. After making a cup of tea as quietly as possible, he walked into her room. It was very comforting for him to hear her lecture, so he was looking forward to hearing her "professor" voice.

Thankfully, the way her room was arranged, did not allow her students to see Harry entering her room, but she offered him a smile nonetheless.

"So, as you can see on the PowerPoint, these are really the three things you and your future partner should be aligned on. When it comes to therapy, a couple will almost always come to you because they have some sort of disagreement on these three."

Harry had been fascinated with her area of focus as a professor, finding that marriage studies was something that suited her very well. Equally so, (y/n) was infatuated with Harry's job as a florist and now always had a lively home thanks to him.

"I'm going to go through each one very quickly, and then we'll go through questions so you all can finally get out of Zoom prison."

Harry sipped his tea as he heard the small chuckles from her class.

"First, money. I don't think many people realize how big of an issue this can become when they just start dating. This refers to how each party spends or saves it. Of course, you have your spenders that don't mind indulging in their pleasures whereas the opposed tend to save every penny they get. When two people are dating, they might note these differences and find them endearing but they will eventually become a big source of tension. In a marriage, finances are crucial and it can be difficult to be with someone who doesn't see your view on how to spend or save money. Especially when it comes to raising your own family.

"Next, we have sex." (y/n) gave a smile to her computer, already expecting her students to laugh. "I know, I know. But really, having an incompatible sex life can cause a divorce! What I mean by this is you typically see partners come into therapy because the other doesn't want to have sex as often, or maybe they want sex too frequently. Even, you'll hear about partners who want different things in bed," more laughter arose from her students, "so it's really important to establish what you like in bed." (y/n) didn't shy away from topics that were slightly uncomfortable, because she hoped students could learn from her not only for their profession but in their personal lives as well.

"Finally we have children. This one is kind of obvious, you either want kids or don't and a lot of arguments can come from disagreements about this. I've witnessed couples in therapy that are emotionally dysregulated because they agreed to have children when they never wanted to. Or, the complete opposite, where one party had to give up their dream to be a parent."

At this, a student spoke, "I see how all of these things can bring up problems, but I'm trying to figure out how I would even bring this up in my own relationship. It'd be kind of weird to bring it up now since we've been together for three years?"

(y/n) nodded along, Harry noting how she presented as more professional during her lectures. "This is a great question that I wanted to lead into. It really is recommended you have these conversations early. Some of these behaviors can be noticed early on, such as if your partner is a spender or is more frugal. You might also be able to observe stuff like sex behaviors, but there are partners who save sex for later in a relationship. So, although it might be strange, you should note from our prior chapter about those deep conversations we are meant to have with our partner once a week. These 'State of the Unions' as described in our previous book is so that we can talk about what went well and what could improve in the week. You can take this time to ask your partner how they prefer to spend their money, or what they want out of your sex life. A lot of people don't do this, but it really is necessary to establish how frequently you want to have sex each week and what you want to use in bed," at this, even (y/n) gave a small laugh, noticing her students faces. "Conversations about childbearing can definitely be sprinkled in, and you can talk more deeply to your partner about how you envision your life in the future as a parent. I see in your case you've passed the getting to know you stage, but I would recommend you sit down and get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. For others, I wouldn't talk about how many kids you want during the first date, but these three topics are definitely worth mentioning early!"

Harry was focused on what (y/n) was saying. He always thought that their relationship was surely one to last since she teaches others about the foundations of relationships. He has noticed that she's more rational than him, and does things with reason.

After some more quick questions, (y/n) finally let her class go a few minutes before they were meant to end. Sighing, she stretched and made her way to Harry on the bed. He was already sitting with his back against the headboard, making it easy for her to strip her top layers (she had pajama shorts, she never wore slacks/skirts during Zoom meetings, don't tell her students) and rest her body on his.

Instantly, Harry's hands made their way to massage her back, caressing her. "Last class, right?"

"Mhm."

He looked down, seeing her eyes closed.

"Hard day, baby?"

(y/n) rubbed her face further into his chest, breathing him in. "No, I just missed you."

With a breathy laugh, Harry said "saw me last night."

"Shush. Why'd you get out of work early? Not that I'm complaining of course" (y/n) could spend all day in his chest, it was the perfect combination of warm, soft, breathing in his musk/cologne.

He moved one hand up to massage her scalp, knowing that it tend to hurt the longer she was on Zoom. "Missed shipment. Lectures went well?"

Laughing, (y/n) smiles, "You caught the most entertaining part of my lectures. Other class dealt with grooming and the whole child predators thing."

"Yeah, I'm glad I was able to sit in, learned a thing or two." He gave a chuckle that made (y/n) move on his chest, making her smile too. "It's so nice dating a marriage professor, I don't know why everyone isn't."

(y/n) finally sat up to look at Harry, amused at his conversation. "There's not enough of us to go around, you're lucky, baby."

"Always lucky with you." he smiled, dimples prominent. "You mentioned talking about those three things with your partner earlier but we never had. Is it too early?"

Sighing, (y/n) looked at him with a guilty smile. "Sure I teach this stuff for a living but I'm not an expert on how to do it in real-time. But no, it's not too early, I always recommend new relationships talk about it roughly a month or two in."

"Oooh," Harry smiled, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively on the conversation they were surely about to have.

"Okay fine. I'll start with money. I always have wanted hefty savings as a backup of any and every worst-case scenario but you've already seen that I do like to indulge ... frequently."

The two looked at each other with such adoration, still in the beginning stages of their relationship. "I think I'm the same. But I really don't mind spending money on experiences, I think that's pretty important."

"Weird way of saying we should go on vacation soon," (y/n) laughed.

"Loser," he smiled back, "as for sex, I would say we're pretty compatible." Harry gave (y/n) a cheeky smile, causing her to let out a snort she was trying to conceal.

"Oh my god, Harry." She started to blush, shaking her head.

"Oh better yet, we should talk about frequency, no? I love loving on you whenever I can. Daily, if you'll let me."

"Daily? If you even have enough stamina." This elicited a fake hurt gasp from Harry, making the two chuckle. "As for what we like, we should be lucky we're especially compatible with that. I mean, two switches? Who would've thought."

"A girl who lets me fuck her senseless but also fucks me? Match made in heaven," he dreamily sighed. In response, (y/n) swatted at his chest with a smile.

"Finally, child-bearing." (y/n) resumed with the list.

"Definitely never," (y/n) stated at the same time Harry let out a happy: "I want four babies!"

The two looked at each other, although they weren't sure if it was out of fear or shock.

Harry was the first to break the silence, "what do you mean 'never'."

With a blank stare, (y/n) calmly answered: "It's never been a dream of mine to be a mother, Harry. In fact, it's a nightmare to give birth to a child. To raise them. I'm not made for it."

Instantly, Harry felt himself crumble at the thought of his future tumbling with the only woman he saw could be a part of it. "What? What do you mean by that?"

(y/n) eyebrows were furrowed, not expecting their conversation to take this turn. "I really don't know how else to explain it, Harry. That's not what I want."

"But I do." He felt frustrated, always assuming that they were so similar that this conversation wouldn't be any different.

(y/n) shook her head, sitting up to look at the bedsheets instead of his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I know what I want and I can't ask you to compromise your dreams because I wouldn't do the same."

"You don't want to have kids with me? I know it's early but, you don't see that for us?"

Exasperated, she looked at him, her eyes begging "I don't want that with anyone Harry! I've never wanted that!"

"But you study marriages and families!"

"That doesn't mean I actually want a fucking 'family,' I won't be content by having offspring, Harry!"

The two sat in silence, realizing the implications of the conversation. They both knew where this was going, but were both afraid to say anything more.

After a few minutes, Harry finally spoke up, although soft enough that (y/n) wouldn't be able to hear if she wasn't right by his side on the bed. "What ... does this mean for us, (y/n)?"

(y/n) knew exactly what it meant, she had been teaching the downfall of relationships for a few years now. "If we don't have a future, Harry, then we shouldn't continue."

He was expecting it, but it still tore his heart to hear those words come out of the girl he loves. He felt his eyes water, opting to squeeze them shut while praying the past ten minutes were a joke. Shortly, he heard the girl of his dreams sniffling at his side. Finally looking over, he saw her rubbing her eyes harshly. Harry slowly reached a hand up, moving her hands. "Please, baby, you're hurting your eyes."

As she looked at him, he saw the tears that kept spilling from her eyes without her control. Barely making out the words through her sobs, (y/n) cried to him, "I'm sorry- I'm so so sorry. I didn't think- it's just who I am, and- Harry, you deserve your family."

Sighing as silent tears fell on his face, he brought her into his arms once again, although the atmosphere had shifted from when she was in his chest moments ago. "It's okay, baby. Don't blame yourself, it's okay."

The two cried with one another, coming to the realization that they wouldn't be together anymore if they didn't have a future. Soon enough, they realized, their apartments would both lose the touch of one another.

Instead of facing the implications of this unexpected separation, they tightly held each other instead, warding off thoughts of their future without each other.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

ouchie! tell me what you think!!

[treesandtheirberries]

impulse

harry planned the perfect date, and (y/n) couldn't believe she'd waited so long to know him

part one (gravity)

part two (momentum)

part three (magnetism)

previous part (tension)

—————

"Do you know what you're doing tonight? Did he tell you or is it a surprise?"

Ny's rattling of questions worked as (Y/N)'s soundtrack as she made minor adjustments to her outfit and makeup. (Y/N) smiled at her roommate sprawled out over her bed in her mirror as she fluffed the pair of half-up pigtails that crowned her head.

"He's taking me to a movie and dinner, I think. But, I don't know what movie we're going to. He wanted to keep that part a secret."

Ny gave her a puppy pout, dropping her head to rest on her crossed arms with her feet kicking in the air. "Stop, that's so sweet, you're kidding."

"I know," (Y/N) cooed, dabbing an extra swipe of gloss over her lips, "He told me he wanted to take me on a 'proper' date."

"He's so cute," Ny bubbled, glancing at her phone as a text came in, "What time is he supposed to be here? It's almost seven-thirty."

"Not for another ten minutes," she mused, tugging on the high waist of her pants while twisting in the mirror, "He said he'd text me when he was here."

"Are you excited?"

"I'm so excited, are you kidding?" (Y/N) smiled, tightening the bow on her top that tied the whole shirt together, "I can't believe he even asked me out, especially with the way he was acting a couple of weeks ago."

"I told you he liked you."

(Y/N) rolled her eyes though she had to fight to keep her smile from growing, "I know. But, it doesn't matter now because everything worked out just fine."

She heard Ny in the background, singing under her breath I told you so! but she paid her no mind. While pulling on her white leather boots, her phone went off in her cherub painted back pocket. Her heart rate kicked up when she realized who would be on the other side of the notification. With shaky hands, she plucked her phone from her pocket and swiped open the message thread.

Harry

I'm here!:)

"Is that him?"

Ny jumped up from where she laid on (Y/N) bed, ushering to her side in an effort to peek over her shoulder.

She nodded her head as she rolled her lips nervously between her teeth. "He said he's here."

"Is he coming up?"

"I don't know, should I go down there?"

"Well, what did he say?"

"He just said he's here with a smiley face!"

"Then go down there! He's probably waiting for you!"

A sense of nervous panic took over (Y/N) as Ny laughed out her answer. She'd been so excited to see him (and she still was, of course), but now that he was here she couldn't stop the way her lungs squeezed and her mind was blank. Nothing was processing aside from the sound of her blood rushing in her ears with each pump. Suddenly, she found that her hair was mussed, the bell sleeves of her shirt were wrinkled beyond repair, and her shoes no longer complimented her outfit.

"Do I look okay? Am I forgetting anything?" she bubbled off, stress tinting her voice. Her hands fluttered over her clothes before counting off on her fingers if she had everything she needed in her bag before she left.

"You look perfect, and you're not forgetting anything just go!" Ny urged her out of the bedroom and towards the front door, "And send me your location when you get to the cinema!"

(Y/N) was sure she looked like a deer in headlights, stumbling over her feet like Bambi and struggling to find her head through the butterflies cocooned in her tummy. "Okay, okay, I will. Love you, bye!"

Ny reciprocated her sendoff before shutting the door in her face. (Y/N) was left standing in the hallway like a potted plant, more scatter-brained than she would like to be before going on a date she'd been waiting for. She worked on something like autopilot as she rushed towards the elevator, typing out a shaky text to Harry that she was on her way down. The few silent moments in the elevator made her realize just how off balance she was.

She'd been waiting for this date all week since he proposed it—and even before then, if she was being honest. She thought she'd be ready, especially with the way she'd been so eager to put the details of her outfit together and had Naomi act as her right hand when it came to getting ready. She hadn't even asked for details about the date, what movie they would see or where he wanted to take her to dinner before she agreed, eager to do really anything with him. But, it was a good thing she was this nervous right? That meant it was real—her feelings for him were real and not just a fleeting infatuation with one of the smartest people she'd ever met.

By the time she made it out to where he was parked against the curb in front of the complex, (Y/N) received a text from Harry telling her there was no rush with a smiley face tacked on the end. When she looked up without a response, she found him with his face buried in his phone, the illuminated screen lighting his features up through the tint of his windows. She could see his features fixed into a smile, dimples denting his cheeks with the raspberry of his lips in a dreamy curl.

He still hadn't seen her yet by the time he dropped his phone and started fussing with his hair and straightening inconspicuous wrinkles in his clothes. (Y/N) took advantage of her momentary stealth as she stalked towards his window, a sly plan coming together before she could feel too bad about the results. A tint of guilt followed after her as she tip-toed to his car, thankful for the first time for the lack of street lamps illuminating the complex's parking lot.

Tapping on his window, Harry started with a jump before whipping his head in her direction with wide eyes fixed on her devious expression. She could hear the intake of breath through the glass, his hands immediately coming up to defend himself over whatever enemy he perceived her to be. Once he processed it was only his date for the night, his shoulders sagged in relief with his hands falling to his lap. As expected, an embarrassed flush worked its way over his features and even tinted the tips of his ears. (Y/N) couldn't help the bright smile that covered her features as peals of laughter left her lips. A moment later Harry's expression began to match her own, the beginnings of a smile touching at his lips though she was sure his heart was still racing with leftover adrenaline.

Rounding the bonnet of his car, she made it to the passenger side before slipping in beside him. "I got you!" she exclaimed through her giggles as she buckled up, pointing an accusing finger in his direction.

"You're so mean," Harry countered, his expression less than serious with dimples denting his cheeks and a light in the green of his eyes, "I can't believe 'm taking y'out tonight, and y'still scare me like that. 'S rude, you know that?"

"It was funny!" she laughed, playfully rolling her eyes at his faux attitude, "I'll let you get me next time, is that fair?"

Harry grumbled something under his breath she couldn't quite catch as he pulled away from the curb, starting them off in the direction of the movie theater. Though the space between them was now quiet, (Y/N) couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She was more than pleased with her greeting, the act having scrubbed away the harsh edge of her nerves and leaving something soft and familiar in its place. She relaxed into her seat, finally catching the Mac Miller song playing through the speakers, the same one that she had exclaimed was one of her favorites the last time she got a look into his music taste.

Beside her, she saw Harry with his own smile tacked onto his features. One of his hands was fixed to the steering wheel while the other was bent at the elbow to rest on the lip of the sill of the door. His knuckles dented into his smiling cheek.

"So, what movie are we seeing?" she asked, setting her sights solely on him.

His smile somehow grew at the sound of her question though she could tell he was trying his best to keep it under wraps. "'M not telling you, but I think you'll like it."

"Why can't I know? If I know, I'll be able to tell you for sure if I'm going to like it," she countered, amusement tinting her voice. Even though she was complaining, she thought it was cute. He wanted the date to be a surprise.

"I think you'll like it even more if its a surprise."

"Fine," she relented through her smile, "Where are we going for dinner, then? Am I allowed to know that?"

"Well," he started, glancing at her as he came to a stop at a light, "I haven't decided yet, but would y'want to go to Pasta Sauce tonight?"

(Y/N) perked up at the sound of the neighborhood restaurant she and Ny liked to indulge in a little too often for their bank accounts. "Yes! Ny and I love it there; we order from there all the time."

By the time he's following the line of cars beginning to move, Harry's smile was wide enough it could have split his cheeks. He hadn't stopped smiling since she got into the car, she noticed, the fact bloating her heart. Even when she spooked him, after he recovered, his expression immediately twisted into a small smile when he realized it was only her. It made the butterflies in her stomach go wild at the thought that he might be as excited as she was.

She had a good feeling about tonight.

—————

As Harry ushered (Y/N) through the ticket booth at the theater, it was hard to ignore the self-satisfied smirk on his features. He was a little too proud of himself for thinking ahead and buying the tickets online, further drawing out the surprise of what film he picked for the night. Nonetheless, she only rolled her eyes a bit as she followed after him.

"Is it okay if I...?" he trailed off, falling into step beside her as they joined the short line waiting for the usher to scan their tickets and direct them to the correct theater. When she looked up at him, he had his brows raised and a faint pink tint to his cheeks, hand hovering cautiously at her side, "I jus' don't want to lose you."

He always asked permission to touch her, even if it drew those rosy hues across his skin every time. It never got old for her. "Of course," she bubbled, readily giving him permission. She looked forward to when he felt secure enough to touch her without the preamble.

His features softened significantly as his gaze dropped to the retro carpeting under their feet. Harry's arm wrapped itself gently around her waist, the warmth of his palm settling on the curve of her middle. He was still shaky in his movements as if waiting for a rejection from her, but (Y/N) only curled herself into his embrace. A glowing smile made a home on his lips as he tightened his fingers on her form, the line moving slowly as the bubbly teenager rattled off directions with signature customer service graciousness.

Harry cleverly shielded his phone from her as he showed the attendant the barcode to verify their tickets, making a point to lean away from (Y/N) to obscure the bright screen.

"You're going to be in theater seven down the left hallway," the girl who's nametag read Kelsie puttered off. The bright smile on the teenager's face grew genuine as she caught sight of the delicate arm around (Y/N)'s waist, "Have a nice night, you two."

Harry reciprocated the niceties as he tucked his phone away. Bringing (Y/N) along, he edged towards the concessions counter. "Do y'want snacks or anything?" he mumbled, ducking his head as if sharing a secret with her.

She was too jittery to eat, (Y/N) decided, her veins still thrumming from the arm around her waist. Her tummy was full with butterflies, leaving no room for anything else. "I'm okay, but thank you."

Pulling back just enough to shoot her a small smile, Harry nodded his head as his eyes trailed over her features. "Okay," he sighed, something dreamy taking over his tone, "Ready to see what I picked, then?"

When she eagerly nodded her head in response, Harry let out a breathy laugh. He urged her alongside him with his arm looped around her form. They followed the direction given by Kelsie up front, tracing down the left hallway with large flags posted above the various theaters inscribed with golden numbers. Her eyes scanned through the hall for the large illuminated seven that was just at the edge of the hall before it forked in either direction with more viewings down each side. Harry's pace picked up when he followed her gaze, a giddy smile on his face as he ushered them forward.

In the cubby where the doors to the theater were housed, the poster of the film playing was tacked between the entrances. (Y/N) scanned over the gory scene, realizing it was a scary movie that had been advertised through the month of October and was released Halloween night. It was one she was planning on avoiding if she was being honest (blood didn't make her feel too well, and if the ads and commercials were accurate, there was going to be a lot of that coating the scenes). She was sure the horror stricken face of the 'final girl' printed on the poster emulated just what she looked like.

No wonder he had grown smug after she scared him in the car. He knew he was going to get her back, tenfold.

But, there was no way she was going to tell Harry any of this. He had clearly been so excited all night about seeing this, and she wasn't going to rain on his parade. She was going to have fun, she decided, even if she was going to close her eyes all throughout.

"Y'alright?" Harry asked when (Y/N)'s feet unknowingly stuttered as they approached the entrance.

Whipping her head up to face him, she schooled her features into something much less terrified. "Yeah, sorry. Just can't walk sometimes I guess," she ended with an airy laugh, hoping he bought the more than ridiculous excuse she mustered.

Luckily, Harry only laughed off her words, something affectionate tinting his eyes as he shook his head. (Y/N) tried not to drag her feet as she followed him into the theater. Emerging into the main room, she realized he had gone all out for her, having picked a viewing with the more expensive recliner style seating that had just been installed in their small cinema. He led her with confidence to one of the upper rows, counting off the golden plaques with numbers etched inside to a pair in the center of their chosen row.

"These okay?" Harry whispered, "I was able to pick them when I bought the tickets, so I hope you like them."

Despite the new set of nerves climbing up her spine, (Y/N) felt a smile cling to her features. It wasn't new information, but she was still struck every time he did something to reveal just how sweet he was. He wanted everything to be perfect for her, even down to their seating at the theater.

"This is perfect, Harry," she answered, voice quiet as she shuffled beside him to their seats.

The timing was perfect as they settled into their plush seats, the lights lowering and previews starting only moments after. The theater wasn't as full as she would have expected for a Friday night, but she was more than grateful that there weren't going to be rows of people hearing her scream when she inevitably got scared. With the lowered lights, her nerves only increased, her mind going a little haywire at the childish fears that somehow the movie would come to life and be enacted right in front of her now that it was dark. But, she was also hyper aware of Harry's heat beside her as she unintentionally gravitated towards him.

Only a few others filtered in with arms full of concessions by the time the previews started winding down. (Y/N)'s attention was directed squarely ahead, a plan of action storming through her head as she tried to figure out how she was going to get through this movie without giving away the fact she was going to have nightmares that night. With her mind swirling, she almost didn't catch Harry's hand he splayed out on the armrest between them, palm up with a faux casual set to his fingers.

He wanted to hold her hand.

If she knew anything about Harry, she was sure he was using the cover of the darkness to get away with the move he considered bold. The lowered lights would conceal the pink of his cheeks with the screen giving him something to look at instead of anticipating her reaction with a burning gaze.

(Y/N)'s own eyes fell to her lap with a smile blooming across her lips. The opening sequence detailing all of the companies and production names involved with the film started playing as she reached to take his hand in hers. She hoped her hand wasn't sweaty and he didn't notice the tremors that worked through the appendage.

His hand was warm in her own, his palm span larger than hers as he curled it around her. He hesitated for only a beat before slipping his fingers into the spaces between her own, lacing them together in a delicate hold. With her hand on top, she was granted the perfect view of his freshly polished thumb running along the outside of her own.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Harry's smiling face illuminated.

She relaxed into her seat, feeling a tension leave her muscles now that Harry's fingers were curled between hers for the first time. The picture perfect beginning was being projected on the screen in front of them, allowing (Y/N) a moment to settle before she was sure to grow stiff in her seat and try any distraction in the book to keep her mind off the brewing horror story. She wasn't sure if he meant to, but Harry pulsed his hand around hers with his fingers flexing into a comforting cage.

Yeah, (Y/N) decided, she could handle this.

As the film played out, (Y/N) was proud she was able to follow along with the story for the first act. She watched as the family moved into their new home, a history of which the realtor was reluctant to share, but the onscreen wife was in love with the rustic charm. She was able to stomach the faux tense moments, seconds of ratcheting music before the scare was revealed to be nothing other than one of the children playing. All the while Harry held her hand tightly, as if he knew she was on edge. It wasn't until the unusual happenings on screen were taken up a notch that (Y/N) began to divert her eyes.

The children started speaking to invisible people in their closets and the wife in the film refused to believe the husband's assumptions about spirits living in their home, making (Y/N) nervous every time a character made it to the basement or a trio of noises was heard in the background. She made a conscious choice to divert her eyes to the sides of the theater or the front collection of rows after things started appearing in the mirrors around the home. She just hoped Harry didn't notice the way she clutched his hand that much tighter every time she anticipated a scary scene.

Every time something did happen, a jumpscare or an insidious revelation, (Y/N) knew when it was safe to look when the music settled and the other viewers let out sighs of relief after gasps of terror. But, during a particular scene, when the music didn't slow and it seemed everyone around them was watching with bated breath, she couldn't quell her curiosity. She knew it was a bad idea, but she wanted to know what was happening; though curiosity killed the cat, wasn't it said that satisfaction brought it back? It wouldn't hurt her to know, right?

(Y/N) peeked her eyes to the big screen just in time to see a rotted face pop up in the face of the wife with a harrowing scream being released from her gaping maw. As expected, (Y/N) jumped in her seat and clutched Harry's hand tighter than she had all night. A breathless scream escaped her throat, the sound coming out like a whimper as she curled away from the film. Her free hand fluttered towards her throat, pulse thrumming wildly under the delicate skin.

By the time she was back in the present, the sound of blood rushing past her ears calming to a barely there trickle, the scene had ended. If she had only waited a few more seconds, she wouldn't have to be worried about nightmares of that creature following her home tonight. At least Harry had picked some seats high above; there weren't many people around to hear exactly how startled she was.

"Y'alright?" Harry laughed into her ear.

It took everything (Y/N) had not to startle again at the sound of his voice so close to her. He squeezed her hand in his as he waited, the ghost of his smile radiating against her skin.

She nodded her head, eyes squirreling from the screen to the rafters above in hopes of tricking him into thinking she was paying attention. "Yeah, I just wasn't expecting that."

Another breathy laugh fanned over her cheek as Harry's smile expanded, "Y'didn't see that coming? It was so obvious," he teased, voice hushed as the wife on screen recovered from the heady scare she had. (Y/N) felt her pain.

She rolled her lips between her teeth as she tried to smile at his nudging, but (Y/N) couldn't manage. "I... I haven't been watching," she admitted, unsure of why she muttered that truth when she had been trying so hard to keep up with him.

Keeping her eyes stuck ahead, she was only halfway aware of Harry's waning smile as his energy shifted beside her. The hand he had wrapped around hers stayed firm though she could feel his muscles growing slack. "Why not?"

The family on screen shifted into a new kind of normal, the parents tip-toeing around the specters they'd seen with the children now refusing to play with the invisible people in the closet. She was thankful for the story stealing the attention of the other patrons and rows long gaps between the next closest couple. She didn't want anyone else to hear the childish fears she had surrounding fictional horror.

"Scary movies are... hard for me. I get scared easily," she murmured.

A beat passed as the music accompanying the film changed as one of the twin daughters began to creep through the storage area beneath the stairs. (Y/N) didn't bother to hide the fact she shifted her gaze to one of the chairs stationed in front of them.

"(Y/N), why didn't y'tell me? We don't have to watch this, 's okay," he mumbled.

"No, no, I'm okay," she protested with a shake of her head and a squeeze to his hand, "I just looked at the wrong time, but we can stay—it's okay."

She was sure he had a counterargument settling on his lips, but instead he rolled them between his teeth as he shifted to sit back in his chair. (Y/N) felt his eyes drift from the screen to her before finally settling in soft caresses over her profile. He squeezed her hand before gently slipping his fingers out from between hers and leaving her palm cold.

He nudged her arm off the rest before pulling it up to remove the partition. With the press of a button, their seats reclined to take advantage of the extra space given in the theater. Once he was positioned the way he wanted, he reached for her wrist, fingers looping around the bone before mumbling, "C'mere."

(Y/N) shuffled close to him, cuddling underneath the arm he offered. The position felt reminiscent of the night of the Halloween party, snuggling on the trampoline out back. He was just as warm and sturdy as she remembered through her sleep-tinted and vodka-scented haze. His cheek came to rest softly on the top of her head while his arm hooked around her middle in a comforting weight. He was taking care of her.

"Is this alright?" he mumbled, his lips brushing her hair as his voice fanned across the crown of her head.

She nodded her head gently, aware of the tip of his nose brushing her scalp, "Thank you."

Searching blindly, (Y/N) reached for his free hand, hoping to clasp it in her own. She missed the warm weight of it in her palm and the reassuring squeezes he administered. He freely gave her reign over his hand, allowing her to bundle his one between her two.

"If I had known y'didn't like this kind of stuff, I wouldn't have picked this, (Y/N). 'M sorry, really," he mumbled into her hair, his arm around her waist tightening.

"Don't worry, please," she whispered, "I'm still having a good time with you, I promise."

Though (Y/N) made it a point to keep her eyes from the screen, she knew something eerie was beginning to ramp up on screen. Harry's arm around her pulsed, curling her into a prone position against his chest with her face tucked into his shoulder

"Don't watch if y'don't want to, okay? Jus' hang onto me," he mumbled, his words felt against her skin more than she heard them.

(Y/N) gratefully took his invitation, smushing her cheek into his chest the second she realized the turn the scene was taking. Harry kept his arm tense around her form, the curve of her waist conforming delicately to the cup of his palm as he held her. She wasn't sure how long she had hid in his chest, only aware of the panicked screams and eerie silence following that blared from the theater's speakers, before things went quiet with the sweeping music stilling.

"'S over," Harry mumbled into her hair, curling his fingers tightly around her waist before beginning to unfurl and peel her from the cage of his chest.

When she peeked towards the screen, she found that the scary scene she was avoiding was over, leaving a small reprieve for her. He made sure she knew when it was safe to breathe again, keeping her tucked against him until she was free to look. It made her heart bloat as she remembered the sound of his voice ringing through her ears amidst the chaos of the thundering music.

A ritual was created then, leaving Harry to warn her when something scary was gearing up to happen so she could cuddle against his chest and avert her eyes to their joined hands or distract herself with the thread of his shirt. When it was deemed safe, he would offer a small indication that the scene had ended, even waiting a couple of moments to ensure there wasn't a residual scare waiting to happen after the viewer was eased. (Y/N) was grateful to him, squeezing his hand in silent gratitude with affectionate brushes of her fingertips against the back of his hand.

Harry held her tighter, the strong build of his arm behind her acting as a cradle when what she figured to be the climax began to play. As far as she could remember, the wife was now supposed to somehow fight off the ghost and demons that were plaguing their home now that the rest of the family was put into comatose states at the hands of the unseen forces. At the first glimpse of a shadowy figure in the background of a shrouded shot, she curled into Harry's chest.

She knew it would be a while before Harry gave her the all clear, so she focused her attention on the paint coloring his nails. She could only catch glimpses of the true hue of the polish when the screen illuminated her surroundings, but she was nonetheless entranced with the view of his hands.

"'S almost done," he mumbled to her, "I'll tell y'when we get to the happy ending."

(Y/N) was pretty sure she just found the best and only way she was going to watch scary movies from here on out. If it was always like this, horror was going to become her new favorite genre.

After Harry gave her the signal and she got to cleanse her mind with the happy ending of the reunited family and the allusion to the next chapter of their lives, his hold around her lingered as the credits began to roll. (Y/N) indulged in the few extra moments with his touch before the lights came up, causing Harry to reluctantly peel himself from around her.

She felt cold without his arm around her waist and his chest under her cheek, as her vision adjusted to the lowlights. Harry took a gentle hold of her hand, catching her attention as she gazed up at him. He looked dreamy under the amber tinged lighting, the wisps of his curls something like a halo with his skin highlighted in warmth. She happily followed after him as he led her out of the theater, being the last stragglers to follow the group out.

"'M sorry I made y'go see that," Harry repeated out in the hall of the cinema, the overhead lights seeming brighter after being in the dark for so long, "If I had known, I would have picked something completely different. I should have asked, 'm sorry."

(Y/N) looked up from her feet to find Harry with his gaze set on the retro carpet under their feet, cheeks colored the customary pink she associated with him. She squeezed his hand and gently bumped her shoulder against his own.

"It's fine, Harry—really," she insisted, stepping out into the cool air outside the theater. She could still feel the ghost of his arm looped around her middle, a smile tugging at her lips. "I actually really liked that one."

Harry let out an airy laugh as he escorted them towards his parked car, mumbling something teasing about how he could totally tell she liked it with the way she couldn't stop watching. She knew he thought she was joking, only trying to make him feel better with her last comment, but she knew it was the truth.

Even if her heart did quake every time the music thundered and a piercing scream emanated from one of the actors, she wouldn't give up the experience of being with Harry through the whole thing.

—————

The drive to the restaurant was short, leaving (Y/N) little time to miss Harry's hand wrapped in hers as he drove. Parking out front, they got a perfect view of the small patio that was so romantically lit with strings of fairy lights draped over the pergola. With the help of the large windows that spanned from floor to ceiling over the front of the venue, she was able to see inside where booths and tables were filled with couples and families—a few friends she recognized from campus were even tucked into the far corners. The same hazy lighting that twinkled outside was carried into the restaurant, setting everything aglow under faux candlelight.

She was giddy to join the scene as she pulled open her door. She wanted to be a part of the couples that could be seen from the street on a date with the cutest boy she'd ever seen. When she rounded the front of his car to join Harry waiting on the sidewalk, her smile only brightened. Without thought, she instinctively stretched her hand in his direction, her fingertips brushing against the back of his hand.

Harry's hand lingered around her's without matching his palm to the curve of her own and slipping his fingers between the gaps like she had thought he would. It wasn't until they were paces away from the door did he speak up, "Is it okay if I...?" The tip of his pinky stretched and just barely hooked around her own, a gentle caress that acted as a ghost with the way it so quickly dissipated.

He was too sweet for his own good.

(Y/N) grabbed his hand, twining their fingers together herself. "You know, you don't have to ask."

He lifted his shoulders in a shy shrug, cheeks washed a sweet red. "I jus' don't want to do anything y'don't want. I want to make sure before I touch you."

A sheepish smile of her own stretched across her lips, rivaling that of Harry's dimpled curl. "Well, I like it when you touch me, so you don't have to worry."

She hadn't thought it possible, but Harry's blush burned brighter and trailed down his neck and to the tips of his ears at her words. If he wasn't careful, (Y/N)'s heart was going to completely melt with how much of a sweetheart he was.

Maneuvering himself, Harry managed to keep his hand clasped in (Y/N)'s while opening the door to allow her first entry. She happily pulled him after her, immersing them in the romantic vision she had seen when they pulled up. A line two deep was queued at the register with a small sign off to the side detailing customers to seat themselves.

"Do y'want to find us a table while I order?" Harry mumbled to her, his thumb running a soothing course on the outside of her hand.

(Y/N) gazed at the menu display above the heads of the attendants, rolling her lips between her teeth. "But you already paid for the movie tickets. I don't want you to pay for this, too."

He seemed to have expected her small protest when he looked to her with a determined set in his jaw though his eyes remained velvet soft. "I want to do this for you, (Y/N). Please let me."

A beat passed as (Y/N) considered his words. She felt guilty asking him to pay for all of this, alongside the coffee he brought for her almost regularly, and the tutoring lessons he gave her for weeks completely free of charge. She didn't want to create an imbalance between them that made Harry the one that had to shoulder all of these things when she wanted to treat him well, too.

"I've wanted to take y'out for a long time, (Y/N). Let me make this special, please."

Harry's final plea broke through. How was she supposed to say no to something like that?

"Okay," she relented, a crooked smile moulding to her mouth, "Thank you."

A proud smile took home on Harry's face, his chest seemingly growing broader and an inch added to his height as he glowed under the responsibility she passed off. She rattled off her order to him (just a simple bowl of buttered noodles with extra parmesan cheese) before giving his hand a squeeze and setting off to find a suitable table. She glanced back at him once before entering the main dining area, finding him with his proud smile still stretching along his lips and the hand she had been holding cradled in the other against his chest.

If she wasn't gone for him before, she's sure she was now.

Finding the perfect booth tucked away in the corner of the dining area, (Y/N) fished her phone from her crochet bag and scrolled to find Ny's text thread. She started off with the location of the restaurant, keeping her promise of sharing her whereabouts just in case, only to follow up with quick messages before Harry came to find her.

Naomi!!!! he's so cute it makes me want to cry:(

he took me to a scary movie and held me the whole time can u believe that:(

Barely a second passed before the status below the blue text was changed to Read at 8:24pm and the familiar grey bubble housing three dots popped up.

Ny 🪴

Omg what movie did you see?? He didn't know you don't like scary movies???

He HELD you?!!!!!??? (Y/N)!!!!!!!!!!

Before she could craft a response, Harry startled her by approaching their secluded table. He shuffled his feet nervously before taking the seat across from her, dropping a small card with an order number on it at the edge of the table and a bottle of apple juice in front of her with a plain water staying in his hands.

"I wasn't sure what to y'wanted to drink, so I jus' picked an apple juice. I hope that's alright," Harry explained, "But, if not, I also grabbed a water for myself that y'could have."

Her eyes lit up as she dropped her phone in favor of grabbing for the drink, "This is perfect, Harry, thank you!"

That proud smile she was sure was going to be etched into her memory by the end of the night returned to his features, dimples thumbed into his cheeks. She could see he was gearing up to say something, his chest expanding with a breath before he was cut off at the magnified buzzing of her phone against the glass table.

Ny 🪴

Omg have you kissed yet?!!!??!!

Please tell me you've kissed him

By the time (Y/N) tucked her phone away, she could feel a heat having gathered beneath her cheeks, hoping she'd been quick enough that Harry hadn't caught sight of her roommate's line of questioning. Her hopes were dashed when she glanced at him from where she was struggling to unlatch her bag and throw the device inside, finding him with his cheeks blazing a bright red with his eyes directed on her hands.

"Sorry," (Y/N) laughed, feigning an air of lightheartedness though she was moments away from dying from embarrassment, "She just gets excited about this stuff."

Harry rubbed his knuckle under the tip of his nose, his hand obscuring the growing smile that threatened to split his features. "'S okay," he spoke around the smile, his teeth coming to trap his bottom lip between his teeth as if to contain the curl.

His nails were painted an alternating pattern of a glistening bright pink and honeyed blue, giving (Y/N) something to focus on other than the stare of his eyes from across the table.

"So, what did you think about the movie?" she settled on, changing the subject, "You keep asking me how I felt, but I want to know what you think."

He shrugged, relaxing some into the plush, eggplant colored booth seat. He fiddled with the cap to his water, twisting and untwisting the plastic though he kept his gaze fixed on her. "It was good, I liked it. But, I still feel bad."

(Y/N) let out a sigh, her shoulders rolling back as she canted her head. "Harry, really, I'm fine," she insisted, "It's not a big deal at all, I promise. It scared me for a minute, but you made it better so it doesn't matter."

"Yeah?" he voiced, tone soft and shy as his dimples made a starring appearance in the apples of his cheeks.

Before she could form any response, one of the attendants from the register dropped off their food. She distributed it with a smile though she glanced towards the growing line up front before disappearing off with a bid for them to enjoy their meal. Now that food was in front of her, (Y/N) finally realized just how hungry she was, and Harry felt the same if the way he tucked into his bowl was anything to go by.

A comfortable lull in conversation followed as they focused on their meals. Moments passed before (Y/N) paused to sip from her apple juice, the edge of her hunger having dissipated now that she had more than the half sandwich she had for lunch in her tummy.

"You know," she started, replacing the cap on her juice with a fond smile dressing her features, "Ny used to work here when we were freshmen. I would harass her to bring it to our Friday night Bio lecture after she got off from the lunch rush. We had Ms. Barnes, and since she didn't allow food, we would just sit underneath our desks when she wasn't looking and eat as much as we could before she noticed we were missing."

(Y/N) let out a laugh as she finished, hoping to elicit the same noise from Harry. Instead, he nodded his head with an airy chuckle and a small smile on his lips. "I know, that's why I thought to bring y'here."

A furrow cinched (Y/N)'s brow. "How did you already know?"

Harry's smile dropped as he mimicked her expression, his helping of pad Thai noodles being forgotten as he directed his attention to her. "Y'told me, remember?"

"When did I tell you?"

A sly smile tugged at Harry's lips now that seemed to be putting something together (Y/N) was still lost on. "Y'don't remember?"

"No, that's why I'm asking."

He shook his head and twirled a bite of his noodles around his fork, "Y'told me at the Halloween party. We were on the trampoline before y'fell asleep."

Blood rushed to fill (Y/N)'s cheeks, her mouth dropping open in a silent gape. "I didn't think I was that drunk that I don't remember telling you things! What else did I say?"

At her question, Harry softened immensely. His shoulders held a soft set with the line of his jaw staying sturdy though the bone was now draped in velvet. The lily pad of his eyes scanned over her features in soft caresses. When he looked at her like that, she hoped she only told him good things.

—————

As Harry pulled up to her apartment complex, (Y/N) realized the moment she had been dreading all night had finally come.

The entire evening had felt so natural. While there were those first date jitters that followed her well into the first half of their movie, nothing was easier than falling into sync with Harry and allowing the date to take its course. Nothing was forced during dinner; the silences were warm with the avenues of conversation flowing openly between them. If she had known it was going to be this easy, she would have plucked up the courage and asked him out herself weeks ago.

Now, as Harry opened her door for her and walked her to the main entrance of her building, she was sad she was going to have to say goodbye.

"I had a really good time tonight, Harry," she confessed, pulsing her hand that was wrapped around his, "Thank you for everything."

A sheepish smile took his features. She liked to think he was just as reluctant for the night to end.

"Of course," he started, maneuvering himself to stand at her front as she was stationed with her back to the front doors, "I've—uh—I've wanted to go out with you for a while now, so 'm really happy y'had a good time with me, (Y/N)."

He was a dream, (Y/N) decided. There was no way that someone like him could be real.

"I always have fun with you." She spoke around her smile, hoping he realized just how honestly she meant those words.

This would be the moment in the script where they would bid each other goodnight with a promise to call one another at some point to see each other in class. (Y/N) tried her best not to deflate at the thought of Harry's goodbye. Maybe she could convince him to walk her up?

"Can I walk y'up?" Harry asked as if reading her mind, a gentle pulse of his hand being delivered around hers, "I don't want to say bye, yet." He ended with an airy laugh as if he were trying to soften his admittance in case she declined his offer.

"I was actually just going to ask if you wanted to walk me up, anyway," (Y/N) confessed, watching as Harry's cheeks pinked.

She led him through the building and to the elevator, messaging Ny that she would be up in a couple of minutes. She was sure her roommate was going to be on the other side of their door listening intently.

"Ny's probably going to be right by the door," (Y/N) whispered as they exited the elevator and moved towards her apartment at the end of the hall.

"Yeah?" Harry laughed, looking down at her with his softened eyes.

"Mhm," she hummed, a playful roll of her eyes at the thought of her best friend, "She's obsessed. She was acting like she was going on this date with us when I was getting ready today."

"That would explain that text, then?" Harry laughed, referencing the peek he got at her phone during dinner.

"You got it," (Y/N) smiled, playfully heaving an exasperated sigh hopes of hiding the glow that filled her cheeks at the mention.

A beat passed as they made it to her door, (Y/N) coming to stand with her back to the wood and Harry in front of her. He rolled his lips between his teeth, peeking over her shoulder at the door behind her before returning to her features.

"Do y'think she's waiting for you, right now?"

"Maybe, why?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Harry fixed his gaze to match her's in unwavering contact. "I jus'... I wanted to know if I had more time with you."

His eyes drifted from her own and traced over her features. When he dipped towards her lips with caution, she realized the real reason he was asking. (Y/N) felt like the air had been sucked from her lungs, her mouth falling into an unconscious gape as she stared at him with what she was sure were heart-shaped eyes. The only thing that anchored her to the moment, keeping her from floating away on the pink tufted clouds that filled her head, was his gentle grip on her hand.

"Is it okay—," Harry started, stumbling over his murmured words, "Can I kiss you?"

(Y/N) figured she'd show him her answer instead of telling him.

She slipped her hand out from his and extended her height to the tips of her toes as (Y/N) wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. He moved pliantly every which way she needed, ducking his head as he settled his hands on the soft of her waist. Tipping her head back, (Y/N) matched her lips to the raspberry pair of his own. Slotting together, the plush of her bottom lip was fit between his two.

He moved gently against her lips, his kiss being just as sweet and gentle as she knew he would be. His hands on her waist kept her steady as a shiver ran up her spine at the knowledge that she was kissing Harry. Her sweet, shy, physics extraordinaire had her huddled against her front door with his lips soft like pillows against her own as he guided her gently through the contact. She was going to have so much to tell Ny when she got inside.

The kiss was kept innocently short, only lasting a few beats before (Y/N) pulled away and landed at her natural height flat on her feet. She slowly unraveled her arms from around him, her fingertips skimming his arms before falling limply at her sides. She felt faint as she looked at him, completely enveloped in the moment with him. Harry looked to her with a slight swell to his smiling lips.

He looked at her with stars in his eyes, the twinkling lights trailing over her features with instinctive softness. "Goodnight, (Y/N)," he said quietly, breathless.

"Goodnight, Harry."

(Y/N) fell back against her door with her smiling bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she watched Harry make his fumbling exit. He stuttered over his feet though his eyes were glued to his steps. More than once, he paused the viewing of his feet to look at her over his shoulder, his smile never once wavering while his cheeks flamed a bright red. She waved at him before he stepped into the elevator, causing the blush on Harry's cheeks to reach to the top of his ears.

Once he was gone, (Y/N) let herself in the apartment. As expected, she was greeted by her blonde-haired roommate with a giddy smile on her face.

Before (Y/N) even had a chance to lock the door behind her, Ny was fluttering around her. "Did you kiss him?!"

All (Y/N) had to do was shoot her a small smile with her brows raised.

"You did, didn't you!"

She couldn't wait to relive the night and tell Ny all about it.

—————

The whole drive home after dropping (Y/N) off, Harry was sure his head was going to pop with the rate of the thoughts swirling inside or his heart was going to burst with the fact it was filled to capacity. He could barely breathe, still swathed in the moment that he kissed her.

When he got home, he was jittery with adrenaline. He'd never been forward enough to kiss on the first date, and the first time he did was with (Y/N). The thought was enough to keep his hands shaky and his stomach tight with butterflies.

Though he felt a bit skeezy to be considering the idea, he needed to work out the energy lingering in his system, and he knew the best way to do that was to lock himself in the spare room he used for filming. He needed to film a premium video anyway.

The best part about making prerecorded videos, was the fact Harry got a chance to theme them. He got to build a narrative around his actions instead of playing solely off of what the viewers were requesting like a live show. He got to be self-indulgent.

Tonight, he was feeling particularly soft, he decided. Thoughts of his dream girl drifted through his head, making his pants tighten with nothing but affection causing the blood to rush south. Tonight, he wanted to play the role of a doting boyfriend in the premium reel, taking care of his lover and indulging in any fantasy she wanted. Sitting at his computer, Harry typed out a teaser for the weekend's premium, alluding to the romantic nature of the video he was set to film in a few moments, linking his various premium platforms at the end.

After setting up his camera and settling on the direction he wanted to take, Harry let the memory of his kiss with (Y/N) wash over him, taking him somewhere in the clouds with the camera capturing his journey.

—————

(Y/N) had to push her roommate into going to bed after she finished her recounting of the date, noticing her drooping eyes despite her insistence that she wanted to hear every detail. Now that she was alone in her own bedroom, (Y/N) could finally address the jitters that lingered in her system like butterflies rattling her veins.

She couldn't believe Harry actually kissed her.

Judging from the shy demeanor he carried with him and the fact he asked permission before he even held her hand, she figured she was going to get in a couple more dates before stealing a kiss. She couldn't get the feel of his lips off her mind, her tummy rolling into pleasurable knots at the memory of his hands on her waist.

She wished she could have Harry himself with her, but as (Y/N) flopped onto her bed, she figured she was going to have to work out this extra energy without him.

Since the private conversation a couple of weeks ago she had with H, she'd been much more lenient about checking his page. If she was in the mood, his site was the first she checked instead of dancing around while pretending she didn't know her endgame. That's why she didn't hesitate to pull up his page on her phone, finding a new post pinned on his profile.

A short video was posted along with a teasing caption about what kind of lover his viewers thought he was. The comment was punctuated with links to his platforms, but (Y/N) couldn't draw her eyes from the six second video that repeated once it was finished. A romantic ambiance radiated through the set up; soft lighting was achieved through the delicate neon strips that adorned his background and the hazy filter placed over the frame. It was edited to show only bits and pieces of himself—the weave of his sweater, his glowing skin, and his painted nails scratching at the muscles of his abdomen being a few of the flashes before disappearing.

Seeing as he had nothing new to share, she liked the post and decided to calm down instead and actually get a good night's sleep. After changing into her pajamas and forcing herself to drink enough water to cool down, (Y/N) heard a buzz come from her phone.

The grey notification bar detailed a new message from the cam-site. (Y/N) didn't have to wonder too hard about who it was from before swiping it open. H's thread now held a new message. He forwarded his new post to her, leaving his private message to her to follow after.

treatpeoplewkisses: are you excited sweetheart?

She could only imagine the tone he would have used to ask her that. She hadn't expected him to notice her small interaction with the post, but she wasn't going to pass up any opportunity to talk to him.

sunflowerssweetheart: it looks really good h

sunflowersweetheart: makes me wish I was on one of ur premiums

Wrapping herself up in her comforter, she awaited his response. She hoped it didn't seem like she was egging him to give her free content or to make him feel bad that she wasn't subscribed to any of his platforms; she was only being honest. The teaser looked really good, and she wished she was able to afford the whole thing. But, she was happy with what she got from him now, there was no need to be greedy for more.

treatpeoplewkisses: don't worry about any of the premiums sweetheart just keep an eye on your inbox for me this weekend

Before she could message back, the green dot beside his user that declared him online vanished. (Y/N) couldn't help the growing smile that threatened her lips. She was definitely going to be watching her notifications this weekend.

—————

"I can carry that for you."

(Y/N) looked up from where she was fumbling with her textbook (the one time she remembered to bring it, Stanfill didn't reference it for even a second) and bookbag, only to find Harry with his hand out towards her and a soft smile on his face. Her own cheeks split as her lips curled into a bubbly grin, still getting used to the way Harry doted on her.

"Are you sure? You're already carrying your own stuff, I don't want to pile more on you," she countered, finding his own textbook tucked under his arm with his bag slung over his shoulder.

"I don't mind." With the way he looked at her, she knew he was being genuine.

It was her turn to feel her cheeks fill with warmth as she passed along her supplies to Harry. He happily took on the responsibility, holding the pair of books to his chest with her bag overshadowing his on his shoulder. With his free hand, he tentatively took her hand in his. He was getting much better at touching her without so much hesitancy, though she could still feel his eyes on her face as if gauging for her reaction in case of rejection.

"Thank you, Harry," she smiled, locking their fingers together as he escorted her out of the physics hall.

"Of course," he bit his bottom lip between his teeth, a sheepish pink tint coloring the apples of his cheeks, "Did y'still want to come over and study tonight?"

Though (Y/N) was no longer needing tutor sessions for the retake exam, Harry still offered to study with her for their current units so she could keep on pace going forward. Looking up at him, she found him with his gaze on their feet, with his glasses he forgot to take off after class still perched on his faintly-freckled nose. She was sure she wanted to go to his apartment that night, but she wasn't sold on the idea of studying when she had much better ideas.

"I don't know if I want to study, but I was hoping I could still come over," she sung, her voice lilting around the words. She playfully bumped her shoulder against Harry's hoping to draw his dimples into his cheeks.

Harry was the sterner of the two of them when it came to academics, and he wanted to do well for her. He wanted to keep her on track with physics, especially since the subject was not her strong suit, but (Y/N) had made it her mission to show him the joys of putting off anything science based in favor of cuddling on the couch while whispering to one another despite being the only ones in the apartment.

"Yeah," he nodded, dimples thumbed into his cheeks, "I'd like it if y'still came over."

When she nudged him gently with her hip, he let out an airy laugh, his hand flexing around her's.

This was how it had been for the two weeks since their first date. Harry was ever the doting gentleman. After every class and every coffee date they had, he walked her to her car with his hand gently entwined in her's. He still spoke softly to her, his attention stuck to her like a moth to a flame as he prompted her for any detail of her life she hadn't already shared with him. They were edging towards a place of familiarity while the butterflies still ran rampant through (Y/N)'s system.

Harry was special, she decided. She'd never felt like this before, especially so soon. In the past, it'd take months to get to the stage of wanting to be with the other person everyday and indulge at nights at their house without feeling awkward in the surroundings. With Harry, everything was softer, gentler. It was easy with him. She couldn't get enough of him.

Even Ny was smitten with him—with the relationship that was growing between her best friend and the sweetest guy on campus. He was still delicately shy every time they spent time as a group, Naomi eagerly included. He waited for (Y/N) to initiate or pull him into conversation before piping up so as to not take over or step on anyone's toes, and touched her softly out of view of the others as he wasn't sure how she felt about PDA. He was respectful, Ny has told (Y/N) one night after he'd gone home.

Nothing was more natural than being with Harry.

"Did y'want to stay for dinner tonight, then?"

The sound of Harry's voice pulled (Y/N) from her rose-tinted thoughts. She tuned into her surroundings, finding them coming to her parked car with Harry looking at her with his brows raised.

"Sorry, what?"

"I was wondering if y'wanted to come over for dinner with me tonight," he explained, "I was planning on making pizza."

She perked up at the sound of tonight's menu, bouncing on her feet as she looked to him with a beaming smile. "I'd love to! Can I help you with the pizza?"

"Of course, y'can. Y'didn't think I was going to make it all myself, did you?" Harry teased, letting go of her hand after a slight squeeze. He rounded her car, popping open the unlocked passenger door to start sorting her belongings for her. "I'll text y'when I get off work, and then y'can come over, if that's alright. I shouldn't be too long, 'm only scheduled for a couple of hours."

"Sounds good to me," she sighed, reaching for the knit of his cardigan once he finished putting away her things. She pulled her to him, feeling her features soften as he gazed down at her. "Should I bring my physics stuff tonight?"

She watched as his features gained a dusting of light pink coloring, the white of his teeth peeking out as he bit at his bottom lip to hold back the smile threatening to curl his features. He gave a gentle shake of his head, his curls flopping over his forehead. "No, jus' bring you."

"Good, because that's all I was planning on bringing anyway," she laughed, shuffling closer to him as he set his hands on the flare of her hips.

He looked to her with a request for permission in his eyes. The question was left unanswered for only a second before she stood on her tip-toes and tugged Harry to match her level. Tipping her head, she pressed her lips gently against his own in an innocent kiss. She could feel his smile against her lips, the sweetness permeating the contact and making (Y/N)'s heartbeat skip like a butterfly's wings.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" Harry mumbled, pulling back just far enough to speak before pressing a single delicate kiss to her lips. He released her to stand at her normal height, the warmth of his hands slipping down her sides before they fell to his sides, "Text me when y'get home safe."

"I will, Harry. See you soon," she chirped before edging towards the driver's side door, "Have fun at work."

She saw the traces of a blush work at the base of his neck before he nodded his head, giving her a bright smile as he bid her goodbye.

—————

impulse is an interfering force that changes an objects direction

its all coming together!!!!!!! only a couple parts left but I promise alot happens!!! thank you so much for reading, sorry for any mistakes and if you have any ideas ab the next part or requests of your own please lmk!!

[treesandtheirberries]

July 23, 2020