Leather & Lace

“Good morning, welcome to the BBC Radio One Breakfast show. Today we have a very special guest. My personal friend, the beautiful and talented Rowan Locke!” Nick announced, smiling over at the petite brunette sitting across from him.

“Hello, hello.” She chirped with a grin. “I'm excited to be back, thank you for having me.”

“Well, I’ve missed you. Haven't seen you in ages.”

“I know, I know. I've missed you too! I've been so busy the past few months getting things settled so I can take a break for a bit.”

Nick grinned, “Today is also a very special day for our professional relationship.”

“Is it?” She questioned, wondering what in the world her friend had in store for her.

He chuckled, “On this day, four years ago, we were doing our first show together.”

“You’re kidding me. Has it really been four years?”

(Flashback)

“I'm ‘avin a little get together at mine tonight. You should come, there's some people I want to introduce yeh to.” The dark haired radio host said to her after they finished their interview for the day.

Rowan quirked her eyebrow, unsure as to how to respond. “And just who would that be?”

“Just some friends that I think yeh should know. Don't worry, they're your age and you'll love ‘em.”

Rowan stood in front of her floor length mirror, deciding yet again that her outfit of choice was not right for the occasion. In all honesty, she didn't really know how to dress for a party that was probably going to have more than just a handful of well-known people attending. She huffed, falling back on her bed and reaching for her phone.

Minutes later, her best friend Addie’s smiling face appeared across the screen.

“I'm not going.”

She chuckled, rolling her eyes slightly. “Of course you're going.”

“I don't even think I brought anything to wear to a party. All I brought was interview stuff, leggings, and sweaters.”

“Figure something out, go shopping, hell I don't care, but you're going. You need to branch out and meet people.” Rowan knew she was right, the only way she was ever going to meet people was if she actually left the confines of her hotel room for once.

Being a newbie on the music scene was a bit overwhelming at times, causing Rowan to want to just hide away while she could after her job was done for the day. Another part of her, wanted to rediscover the social butterfly part of herself again, she needed friends in the same business, hell, she needed friends period. Grimmy’s party would be the perfect start to finding said friends, if only she could gather up the courage to go alone to a party that she only knew one person at.

“Why do you have to have a huge exam this week?” Rowan groaned, feeling the need for her best friend’s presence more than ever. “It's so much easier to be social at parties when I know more than one person.”

Addie chuckled, “You know Ed, you said he's going.”

“We only met briefly at the VMA’s, I’d hardly call that knowing him.”

“Row, you're gonna have to stop making excuses and just fucking go. What harm is it going to do?”

*

Much to Rowan’s pleasant surprise, there wasn't as many people in attendance as she first anticipated. Relief flooded her entirety, starting to feel a tiny bit more comfortable in the situation.

“There she is!” She heard the familiar voice exclaim. “Come on, come on. You’ve got a few people to meet.”

Her nerves kicked back in and she was unsure as to why she was feeling so anxious. “How about a drink first?”

Nick nodded and led her over to the makeshift bar, “What’s it gonna be?”

“Just a whiskey and coke, please.”

“Would yeh lighten up a little bit, Rowan? S’only a small party.” Grimmy offered, holding out her freshly mixed drink. “I promise everything will be fine.”

As he led her over to a small group gathered on the patio, she nervously gulped down her drink. It wasn't like her to be nervous at a party-- hell, she was usually the life of them; a social butterfly, if you will. But this night, it seemed so different. It wasn't just normal Rowan attending; it was Rowan, singer and songwriter. There was a new stigma around her, or so she felt. Impressing people seemed to be a constant job, and she was never good at first impressions.

“Breathe, love. They’re are just m’friends. Just people.” He gently reminded, nudging her shoulder slightly as the pair approached a boy with dark curly hair and a dimpled smile. “This is Harry, y’know, from-”

“One Direction, of course.” She finished for him, feeling slightly starstruck as he stood in all of his Harry glory in front of her. “Shit, sorry, I'm Rowan.”

Harry flashed her a dimpled smile, making her nerves lessen dramatically, offering his hand. “Pleasure.”

“Pleasure is all mine,” she smiled, and for the first time all night, she felt calm.

(End flashback)

That night, she and Harry’s inseparable bond began. From that night on, their friendship bloomed beautifully-- He was her best friend, and she was his. It was a friendship they were both extremely thankful to have.

“By the way, I'm a little hurt that you cancelled our dinner plans last night.” Nick shot her a hurt look, making her chuckle. “I guess your label is just more important than me.”

“I don't think it would have gone over well if I missed that important dinner with my bosses.” Rowan protested with a chuckle.

“You ghosted me.”

Rowan rolled her blue-green eyes, “You are so full of it. I did no such thing. I'm an angel.”

The pair fell silent, a smirk playing on her lips before Grimmy finally broke the silence with a loud cackle, making her erupt in a fit of giggles.

“We'll act like that is actually true.” He chuckled, gathering his papers in front of him. “I of all people know that you're lying through your teeth when you say that.”

She chuckled, rolling her eyes once more. “You still love me though.”

*
Rowan had just settled into her plush bed following her long flight from London to Los Angeles, sprawling herself fresh from a shower across her off-white duvet. Her one year old Siberian Husky, Maverick, curled into her side, silently welcoming his mom home. Exhaustion couldn’t begin to describe how she felt although she knew that sleep was not going to come easily considering she was always one to suffer from jet lag. It was the first time she’d been at home in what seemed like ages, she missed her simple coastal home in Malibu and was thankful to have one night between shows to somewhat relax in the confines of her own home.

Just as her stomach reminded her that it was indeed, almost dinner time, her phone chimed next to her.

Pink: Dinner tonight?

You’re in LA? I thought you were still in New York.

Last minute change of plans.

Well in that case, 8pm at Saddlepeak?

See you soon x

*

After successfully making her way into the restaurant somewhat unnoticed, she was led to the table for two on the back patio to wait for Harry. She hadn't expected for him to be in town that week, assuming that he was too busy with promos for his upcoming album. It was a pleasant surprise none the less, it had been a since his birthday earlier that year that they had found a spare moment to visit each other, seeing as she was still on tour at the time and he was occupied promoting Dunkirk. It tore her to pieces that she wasn't able to attend the premiere like she had originally planned, she wanted to be there for her best friend and gush to him how amazing he was in the film, but alas, her label had other plans for her.

As her first glass of wine was being poured, Harry appeared through the small crowd of patrons that filled the beach-front restaurant. Rowan couldn't hide her smile as she rose to greet him with a warm embrace. His long arms wrapped around her tiny frame, lifting her slightly as he buried his face in her neck, inhaling her familiar scent.

“Nice to see you, Pink.” She grinned, breaking from the hug to ruffle his hair slightly before taking her seat again. “I still can't believe you cut off your hair.”

“It’s almost been a year, Row.” He chuckled, sinking into his chair.

She sighed, “True, but I also haven't seen you in six months.”

“It has been a while, hasn't it?”

The young friends were accustomed to not being able to drop in for a visit months at a time, but the duration was never longer than two months or so until earlier that year. Both of their careers had become increasingly busy, causing them to only have time to focus on their work. It was understandable to both of them, of course, but not being able to see your best friend in times of great stress didn't help. Especially going through a break up.

“How have you been since, you know?” Harry asked carefully eyeing her, hoping it wouldn't still upset her months later.

“Harry, it's okay. You can say his name. It's been six months.” Truth be told, it took her almost five of those to begin to get over her ex, Nate. Three years of memories, fights, and love is a lot to get over. To make matters more stressful, it wasn't a clean and easy break.

Rowan believed at one point she was going to marry Nate. In her eyes, he was her Prince Charming, everything she could ever want-- or so she thought. For the first two years, things were nothing but blissful. After her career started to build even more, he became bitter believing that she put her career before him. He didn't understand the position she was in and he didn't want to take time to understand. All he knew was he felt like he wasn't a priority anymore, which he claims is the reason Rowan found him in their shared bed with another woman. But Rowan was head over heels for him, giving him another chance and changing around her entire tour to cater to his sudden need for her constant attention.

For months, he continued to cheat every time she was away. Rowan overlooked it because she believed it was her fault, she couldn’t give him the time that he wanted from her. It wasn't until Harry finally stepped in that she realized that he wasn't lonely, he was just a piece of shit.

“I'm sorry I intervened, but I couldn't watch him do that to you anymore.”

She shrugged, taking a sip of her wine. “I'm not mad at you. You know that. I'm moreso mad at myself for giving him another chance. I should have known he wouldn't change.”

“You were in love, Row. You can't blame yourself for him being a proper dick.”

“I know, I know. Thank god I’m done with him now though, yeah? I’ve got a new, better home and I’m back to being fun Rowan.”

He chuckled, “Actually that reminds me, since you're not bound to someone anymore, my mum and sister are dying to see you. I'm going home for a bit before I start touring, I know they'd love for you to tag along, as would I.”

“Hmm, I don't know. I have such a busy schedule now.” She smirked, watching him roll his eyes knowing that after her performance the following day, she would be free as a bird for a year. “I’d love to, Pink.”

“Perfect. We can leave Sunday morning.”

*

The following day was spent in preparation for Rowan’s last show for a while. It was unknown to her how long her hiatus would last, she hadn't set a time frame and she really didn't want to. For five years of her life, she had devoted herself completely to her music. It consumed her life and she absolutely adored it, but it was time to take a bit of a break. The constant demands that her career entailed were beginning to eat away at her. She knew that if she continued at the pace she was going she was going to burn out and lose her passion for the thing she loved most, and that would devastate her. It had taken a lot of meetings, a lot of convincing not only her label and management team, but also herself that this was ultimately the best thing for her to do.

As she sat in her chair in her dressing room, she pondered over the thoughts that had been circling her mind for weeks. Tonight was going be an emotional night for her, it was going to be one of the hardest things she's ever had to do. This had been her life for so long and she didn't really know how to be just a normal twenty-two year old anymore. All she had known was the constant hustle and bustle of her normal schedule. It was going to be a strange adjustment to make.

“Knock, knock.” Came a familiar voice from behind the door, filling the room with a sudden warmth. It amazed her how his presence in any setting just seemed to bring a new light.

“Just in time.” She sighed, watching as he pushed his tall frame through the doorway and taking a seat on her dressing table.

Harry smiled nudging her bare leg with his foot. “Why the long face?”

“Am I doing the right thing, Pink? Taking a break?”

“I think everyone who works their arse off deserves a break, that definitely includes you.”

She smiled sadly, “Is it hard?”

He shrugged, “You just have to learn to relax and enjoy being somewhat normal again. It's hard at first because you don't really know where to start but after a while, it's easier. Trust me, this is a good thing for you, Row.”

“I guess you're right.”

“And also you're taking this break at the greatest time ever.” He smirked, taking a sip from his water. “Now I get you all to myself for my tour. You can be my groupie.”

Rowan chuckled, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you weren't so damn brilliant at what you do I'd be walking the other way.”

“Sure you would.”

*

It was nearing the end of the concert, that had gone off without a hitch, Rowan hooked her trusty custom guitar (that had been a gift from Harry and one of her most treasured pieces in her collection) around her neck strumming a few cords before walking back to the mic that stood at the front of the stage. It was the last song of her set and she felt the tears brewing behind her eyes, this was going to be difficult.

“Um, I just want to take a moment before I do this last one to say a few words.” She started, looking down at her shoes briefly, trying to will the tears away. Successful in her attempts, she smiled looking back out at the arena full of people that had supported her since the day she started. “Five years ago, I moved from Alabama to Nashville with a dream. That dream brought me to LA where I have lived now for four years. Never in my eighteen years of life would I have imagined I'd be standing in an arena of this many beautiful souls, singing my heart out to them five years later.”

The crowd erupted in cheers, making her heart swell. It was inevitable that the tears would come then, there was no way to stop them from falling down her face. Her fans were amazing and she could never thank them enough for all the love and support they had showed her through the years.

“And that's all because of you guys. You guys have made my dreams come true, and I can't begin to thank you enough. This has all been made possible because you took the time to listen to my music and let me tell my story through it.” She placed her hand over her heart, feeling her emotions getting the best of her. “I just want to thank y’all, for taking a chance on me. You are the best damn people I know and I am so fucking lucky to have you.”

The arena was filled with the loudest cheers she had ever heard in her life. She was truly blessed and she was reveling in her last moments on stage for a while. This was going to be hard to walk away from.

“I love you all, this one's for you.”

*

The adrenaline was still pumping wildly through her veins as she finished strong. She couldn’t get enough, she would give them everything in her that night as long as the venue would let her. Unfortunately she had to end the night after not one, but two encores. After taking her final bow and soaking everything in for the last time for a while, she practically had to peel herself from the stage or else she’d stay there all night. The electrifying feeling of performing would not be easily replaced by anything.

Her mother was waiting at the side of the stage with a fresh bottle of water and towel. Before she could take the two items from her, she pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I am so proud of you, baby girl.” Her mother muttered through tears. “You were amazing.”

“That was much harder than I thought it would be.” Rowan sniffled, pulling back to dab under her eyes where mascara was surely beginning to streak down her face.

“This isn’t the end, honey.”

Rowan nodded, taking a swig of the cold water, trying to steady her still racing heart before she was tackled into a bone crushing hug from behind.

“That was amazin’, Row.” Harry peppered kisses to her head, beaming with pride for his best friend, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

She turned in his hold to give him a proper hug, “Thank you for being here.”

“You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He slung an arm lazily over her shoulder as they walked back to her dressing room for her to change for a night out. “I just hope you’re ready for a fun night.”

“Always.”

*

The club was alight with life and Rowan was deliriously happy, she was surrounded by her closest friends— save a few that weren’t able to make it, but she wouldn’t hold that against them— and was honestly close to being drunk out of her mind. Harry sat beside her, sipping his whiskey contentedly, an arm slung lazily around her waist, keeping her close to him. If there was one thing she and him both loved, it was to be close to each other. It just brought them a sense of security that they both always appreciated.

“Yeh havin’ fun, love?” He chuckled as her head dipped to rest on his shoulder.

A silly smile stretched across her face as her eyes fluttered closed. “The best time. I’m so glad you’re here. Can we have a sleepover tonight?”

“Is that even a question?”

“Harry, I love you. You’re my best friend.” She grinned, feeling the effects of her seven—or was it nine— Screaming Blues. “Like the bestest friend in the world.”

Harry felt his heart soar, he had never had this kind of relationship with a woman. Had never been so content with just how they were, nothing more than two friends who loved each other dearly. It was the kind of friendship that he couldn’t have with just one of the boys, the kind of friendship he always craved. A woman that truly and completely loved him with everything she had, so much so that she didn’t feel the need to act like everything he did was perfect, because she knew it wasn’t. She wasn’t afraid to tell him when he was making a mistake, when he was doing something so utterly stupid. It was her sixth sense, he always said. She was always right.

“I love you too, bubs.”

“I’m gonna go dance now, okay?” She suddenly perked up from her spot, causing a giggle to come from Harry. “There’s a really cute guy over there with my name about to be all over him. Maybe my lipstick too. I’ll do my seduction dance.”

Harry cackled, remembering the last time she was this drunk and attempted to do what she called her ‘seduction dance’. Whatever she thought was seductive about it he would never know because it was nothing more than her pitiful attempt at slinking her body around in circles, holding her arms in the air and grazing a hand through her hair. Rowan was nothing short of a tiny, clumsy, goofball and Harry loved her for it.

“Go get ‘im, bubs.”

*

“‘Arryyyyyy.” Rowan slurred, draping herself around his body, her own feeling too heavy for her to hold up on her own. “Can we go home now?”

His arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her upright against him. A kiss was dropped to her head, “Of course. Let me call my driver.”

Harry led her back over to where their friends sat, leaving her in the trusted hands of her friend Addie while he went to call the car service.

“Addie! Oh my god, I’ve been looking all over for you!” Rowan shrieked, plopping down next to her friend and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. “I’m sleepy.”

*

After Harry had successfully all but carried her petite frame up the pathway to her front door, Rowan was continuously in a fit of giggles as she heard Maverick’s howling coming from the inside.

“My child is waiting on me, Harry. We have to hurry.”

Harry chuckled, reaching in his pocket for his keys to find the spare she had given him when she bought the place. ‘In case you need a bath bomb or something’ she’d said, as if he would drive from West Hollywood to Malibu, bypassing at least three stores that carried the bath fizzies to come snag one from her collection in her glass vase perched beside her claw foot tub. He simply smiled that charming dimpled smile with a shake of his head, knowing that his best friend was not one to get mushy with the sentiments of things.

The door swung open to reveal Maverick howling and barking happily at their return. Rowan fell to her knees in a fit of giggles as the fluffy dog showered her with affection.

Harry patted his head, helping Rowan back to her feet to escort her to her room upstairs. The journey up the stairs was interesting to say the least. Rowan was quite the klutz, for lack of a better term. The edges of the hardwood stairs catching her toes every other step, causing her to fall forward slightly. Thankfully Harry was there to catch her before she tumbled back down the staircase.

Soon enough the pair had made it to her room and successfully changed into PJs. Rowan was already snuggling into her comfortable bed as Harry brushed his teeth before climbing into bed next to her. To an outsider, anyone would think they were a couple. This kind of thing was simply routine for them.

“Pink?” She muttered sleepily as he wrapped an arm around her.

“Hmm?” He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her soft scent.

“Thank you for tonight.”

“Go to sleep.” He whispered, kissing the skin of her neck. “Love you.”

“Love you.”

Notes