The sound of the shower was soothing from the other room. I studied the imperfections of my nails before beginning to bite them. I felt sort of anxious these past few days so I'd been trying to avoid caffeine.


He entered the room shortly with a towel hugging his lower half. His chest was bare and still dripped with water despite his effort to dry himself. I looked away from him as I pressed softly against my stomach. It was beginning to become slightly harder to the touch everyday I'd inspected it. His phone buzzed quite loudly, catching my attention. I witness him study it before leaving the room, I assumed to answer it. I hated the weird behavior only because it was something we never did around each other. I also hated to sweat the small stuff but it definitely hadn't gone unnoticed.

I'd gotten up as my taste buds longed for something sweet.
I made a start for the kitchen when the doorbell sounded, bouncing repetitively against the walls.

Winter:
"Hey Austin."

I smiled out of duty while heading in the opposite direction for the kitchen.

Austin:
"Hi."

He followed behind me slowly while removing his top layer.

Winter:
"He'll be down in a few."

They hadn't told me where they planned on going so I assumed it wasn't my business.

Winter:
"How's Cate?"

Austin:
"She's great. Says she's coming to see you tomorrow."

I nodded as I pressed the nozzle of the whipped cream onto a spoon, before putting it to my mouth. He watched me with curiosity.

Austin:
"Why don't you just-"

Winter:
"Because that would be gross."
--

He came in the house a little after midnight to fall into bed next to me. He was likely drunk again though I'd constantly asked him not to drink. It wasn't fair that I was in this myself with the crazy cravings and waves of sickness. He hadn't even kicked his shoes off, sleepily letting his legs fall off the bed. I guess with the way my mind had been racing I wouldn't be getting to sleep tonight. I turned to the side to lay on my back and stare at the darkness that now hid the ceiling.

--

It was a quiet day in the house. I'd just finished folding the cloths quietly in my pool of thought. I needed to pick up some more of my meds from the pharmacy today so I decided to get to that before it slipped my mind.

I leaned over the banister to see him seated at the computer silently. His elbow rested against the stand while his palm held the side of his face. I wondered what was wrong, but on the other hand if something was I expected him to tell me.

I walked down the stairs as I pulled on my jacket and grabbed the keys from the table beside the door.

Winter:
"I'm going to the pharmacy, okay?"

He turned his head to initially acknowledge that I'd been talking to him.

Harry:
"I'll drive...I need something for this migraine."




The sky was stirred with a mixture of dark colors. I leaned my head against the window as it began to rain again. It was a light drizzle and the water patted gently against the window creating small droplets against the glass. I was sure he was doing under the speed limit and I had recognized the route he'd chosen as the one he took when he wanted to spend a little extra time in the car. I waited for it.

It had been a few days since visiting my mom and I'd began to slowly rid the thoughts that day gave to me. The stress wouldn't be good for my health and in the past few days I'd learned to come to terms with it.

Winter:
"Harry."

He stared out against the road with his hand planted on the steering wheel. He turned as if I'd been disturbing him from it. It wasn't rude. He was never rude but I could tell something was on his mind.

Winter:
"You alright?"

He turned away to resume.

Harry:
"...Yea. Great."

It would have been mute without the sound of the tires meeting the road, the heat dispersing throughout the car, along with the subtle slow of the windshield wipers. I could tell the answer was automatic or a polite dismissal.

Winter:
"Are you sure?"

I watched him with curiosity. He usually didn't behave this way which put me on guard a little about pushing the issue.

Harry:
"Umm... Tell me what happened with you and your mom the other day."

I certainly didn't expect him to go there but if it would help me get to the bottom of what bothered him I'd proceed.

Winter:
"Her and my dad are separated. That's what she needed to talk to me about."

It hurt to say out loud for me. He remained quiet for a few blocks before reaching for my hand in a comforting manner.

Harry:
"Give it some time, it could be nothing."

It gave me hope to hear but I wouldn't get my hopes up about it,



--


He closed the door after opening it for me. He hadn't touched me much in the past few days. I thought I'd done a good job of keeping my feeling about that situation out of our relationship but there was something else I wasn't interpreting. I hadn't received his eye contact for what seemed awhile now and I had always made it a priority to clear the air whenever he'd been feeling off.

I trapped him between myself and the door after locking it. He was significantly taller but I made it work. I decided on giving him a taste of his own medicine, gradually feeling him up with my touch.

Winter:
"Did I do something?"

He was always affectionate but I guess it was my turn. I removed his jacket along with mine to hang it on the rack just to the left of us. I closed the proximity between our faces to sop the dampness from his mood. His arms roamed around the small of my back in acceptance.

Harry:
"Its just-"

Just then his phone vibrated in his pocket between us. It gave me worry when he'd released me to study the screen. He walked away to leave me standing there. I wasn't quite sure how to receive that.

Harry:
"I'm going to take this. I'll be back."

I wasn't sure but that may have been the first he had done that. Any other time he'd ignore it, especially if we'd been in a close embrace.

Harrys POV:

Harry:
"What am I going to do?"

Linda:
"She didn't mean it Harry. She's just upset with me, I know it."

I took a breathe in the hopes that were true. It'd been wrecking my mind since the day I'd experience those words from her. It honestly made me feel like less of an importance to her, but I'd also considered her situation. I wanted her forever and I didn't care how selfish I'd been in ensuring that. I just really wish she would feel the same for me...it hurt to know she didn't already.

Harry:
"She sounded pretty sure to me-"

Linda:
"I'll talk to her, okay. Just to see where her heads at...I realize now that I shouldn't have just sprung this on her. It was bad timing."

I closed my eyes with the stress of it all.

Harry:
"I don't blame you. I just need some time with her...I think I may plan something out and have her take off for a bit."

Linda:
"That's perfect. Let me know how that goes alright."

Harry:
"Alright, Mrs.Rylie. Thanks."


--
Winters POV:



He came to find me in the living room curled up into the chair as I watched Tangled. He had changed into more comfortable lounge cloths as I had and came over to lay with me.

Harry:
"Scoot over."

I did so automatically. I didnt know what this was we were doing but I wouldnt allow myself to think to hard about it. My feelings were a little hurt at his bizarre actions of rejecting me earlier but I didnt let it hover.

Harry:
"I'm not upset with you...and you know I wouldn't have answered if it weren't important. I'm sorry about that."

Winter:
"...Its okay..."

I snuggled into him out of habit. Buried in his chest was honestly where I belonged. Even when things we weird between us.

Harry:
"What would you say about...going away with me somewhere?"

I rubbed against the abs of his stomach under his white t-shirt. They were both hard and smooth in one experience.

Winter:
"Like where?"

Harry:
"I'm figuring it out... but you'll need some time from work."

I wondered what caused this sudden decision, given that there were still things I couldn't figure out with us.

Winter:
"I'll talk to my boss on Monday. He won't care because I hardly ever take off."
He touched the palm of his hands to mine, so we were able to compare the sizes. It was comical really.

Harry:
"Two weeks, okay."

I nodded into him as we watched the screen quietly for a while.

Harry:
"...You love me right?"

It'd come as a weird surprise.

Winter:
"Of course I do, Harry. You know that."

Harry:
"...And you're happy?..."

Winter:
"More than I've ever been. Harry what's this about?"

I lifted my head in a complete confusion. I needed to know why he'd been questioning things that should have been clear to him. He looked at me with a sadness in his eyes I'd never experienced before. I became broken with that realization, wanting nothing but that internal pain to subside.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breathe before revealing them to me again.

Harry:
"I guess I just...needed to hear it."

He began to remove himself from my side. He was up and leaving the room before I could speak.

Winter:
"Harry."

I followed behind him at a complete loss.

Harry:
"I'm kind of tired, okay. I'm just going to head up."

I took his hint with hesitance as I stopped the movement of my feet. I didn't want to just let it go but I also didn't know if I should push it. I doubled back to the living room slowly, laying across the couch and finishing the movie alone.





Harry's POV:

The sleepiness left in fragments every moment I'd spent lying here without her. I was hurt more than I had ever been with her, but it didn't mean I didn't care. I looked to the nightstand to see the clock read 2 am. She had most likely fallen asleep by now down there by herself. I'd gotten up, pulling back the duvet and heading for the door.


She was laid on her stomach with a covering pulled around her. She always slept that way which usually led to me turning her over several times during the night. I rubbed against her arm to wake her but it had only caused her to turn over.

Harry:
"Baby."

I continued again but she didn't wake. I'd turned off the TV and set the remote back against the table. I pulled the covers from her and proceeded to pick her up. She'd woke for a moment only to rub her eyes and lay her head against me. I carried her bridal style up the stairs and set her on her side of the bed. My mind wondered the day and how proud I was of her for actually finishing her plate today. I pulled the fabric over her, kissing her forehead and climbing on the other side. My thoughts traveled there in the dark. It wasn't that I was upset with her...I was just weakened at the thought of our prospect if she didn't want us to ever be that serious. There was fear in my chest of her ever giving us distance because of it. I wondered the idea of just asking her and ruining everything I'd planned. But if there were anything worse than what I'd been feeling now, it was rejection from her. That was something I wasn't sure I could take...I wasn't sure our relationship could take now with the baby...and I didn't want to push her.

So for the rest of that night I debated to myself never asking at all....

Notes

Thanks for reading ! Sorry it's so late. Heart you <3 I'll edit later.