Isn't She Lovely?

“Darcy,” Harry called as he walked into the dressing room.

She stood up from being sat with me on the floor colouring a princess book to run over to him. He picked her up and pressed a few kisses to her face as he told her how much he loved her.

“You’re going to hang out with your Grandma though.” He told her and I scrunched my eyebrows together.

“Why?” I stood up and walked over to him placing my hands on my hips.

“I have an idea for us.” He told me and I looked confused as he laughed before turning to Darcy, “tell your mummy she looks cute when she’s confused.”

“Tell your Daddy that his surprises make her nervous.” I stroked her hair and Harry chuckled.

“Tough.” He moved forward and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

I gave him a soft smile in response and he turned back to Darcy. It’d been 4 days since we’d sat on a bus and spoke about us and I was starting to feel a bit more comfortable with him again. I was still sharing a room with Nick but he was due to leave tomorrow afternoon and I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant for our sleeping arrangements.

“Hello clan,” Georgie walked in with Zayn and I smiled in response.

“How are you?” Zayn moved over to where I had moved to grab my water bottle out of my bag.

“Okay.” I shrugged, “what about you?”

“Pretty standard.” He shrugged and I nodded.

“What’s going on with Perrie?” I asked and his jaw tightened for a moment, “sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I spoke to her…” He crossed his arms across his chest, “probably for the last time ever.”

“It’s for the best.” I place my hand on one of his biceps and rubbed my hand up and down for a moment as he let out a long sigh, “hey, come here.”

I pulled him into a hug and he froze in my hold for a moment before squeezing me back tightly. He buried his face in the side of my neck and I rubbed his back gently.

“God I’ve missed you.” He breathed out and I bit my lip.

I realized why he froze as he spoke, this was the first physical contact I’d had with any of the boys. Harry was the only one I’d hugged, aside from Nick, and I hadn’t even kissed him yet. For someone who was so naturally affectionate with each of the boys I’d completely pulled away from them. I knew I’d done it on purpose, that I’d removed myself from their touch because it felt like it burnt my skin.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.” I whispered.

“Same.” He sighed and pulled back tucking my hair behind my ear, “this is one demon I don’t know how to fight.”

“I don’t think it’s a demon you can fight Zayn.” I gave him a sad smile, “I think it’s something I have to do alone.”

“We’re going in 5 minutes Blair!” Harry sung across the room and I looked over my shoulder to give him a thumbs up.

“With maybe a little help from that idiot.” I let out a breathy laugh before looking over my shoulder at him again.

“You’re taking it slow with him.” Zayn stated and I raised an eyebrow, “you’ve pulled away from him.”

“I’m just a bit jittery.” I confessed and he nodded.

“You two look like you’re falling in love all over again.” He commented and I hummed.

“I think we have to.” I licked my bottom lip for a moment, “I think this has changed us as people so it would make sense that we’d have to fall in love with each other again.”

“That makes sense.” Zayn nodded and paused for a moment before speaking again, “he’d do anything for you Blair.”

“I know.” I rubbed my lips together, “I’d do it for him as well.”

Zayn didn’t say anything and I wondered what he was thinking. If my behaviour recently had caused him to doubt what I would do for Harry, if he’d wondered if I was capable of walking away from him like I had late at night. If the guilt I felt was heavy enough to cause me to leave. I’d never admit it out loud to anyone that I’d been kept up with the thoughts that perhaps Harry would be better off without me.

“I know you would B.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, “you two can get through anything.”

I smiled softly at him before I felt Harry’s hand on my hip, he squeezed it lightly and I looked up to see him texting with his other hand.

“Are we off?” I asked as he shoved the phone in his back pocket.

“Yea,” he nodded taking my hand in his and squeezing it soft, “let’s go.”

We left the room to a chorus of goodbyes from our friends, his hand held mine firmly with his thumb rubbing over the back and forth over my knuckles. I looked up at him and couldn’t stop the butterflies in my stomach if I had wanted to. He looked down at me, catching me staring at him and grinned back at me squeezing my hand in his.

“Any clues about this surprise?” I asked and he rolled his eyes.

“When have I ever given in to your questioning?” He raised an eyebrow making me purse my lips together.

“You haven’t but this would be a nice time to.” I smiled hopefully up at him and he laughed shaking his head.

“Well I can tell you we’re leaving the venue if that helps?” He offered and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Not really.” I pursed my lips and he grinned.

“You and Zayn looked like you were having a serious conversation.” He commented and I hummed, “everything okay?”

“Yea.” I shrugged, “just spoke about Perrie.”

“They are completely finished right?” He asked and I nodded, “that sucks.”

“Do you think they should have been together?” I asked curiously and he shrugged.

“She used to make him really happy.” He opened the door to a car and I climbed into the passenger seat.

“That was a long time ago though.” I said as he got in the driver’s side.

“Did he ever get over her though?” He asked, “he never really went out on any dates with anyone else.”

“Well maybe this will be the final bit of closure he needs.” I suggested.

“I hope so.” Harry bit his lip, “I worry about him. I just want him to be happy.”

“He will be.” I gave him a reassuring smile, “talking about being worried about people. What’s going on with Louis? He’s like avoiding me or something.”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, “I’ve not seen him other than on stage.”

“Weird.” I pursed my lips and Harry hummed in agreement.

I looked over Harry’s profile and felt a warmth start in the pit of my stomach. He was driving with one hand on the wheel and the other rested on the gearstick. He had a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and he was chewing gum that made his jaw tighten and slacken, he looked gorgeous. I saw the edges of his lips twitch upwards slightly and knew he’d spotted me checking him out. I blushed slightly and looked out the window instead.

“You look beautiful today.” He spoke softly and I looked over at him, he kept looking forward and I bit my lip, “not that you don’t normally…just today you look…not that I think that you don’t always look beautiful because I do. You’re like flawless. I just meant that…”

“Thank you.” I smiled softly at him and giggled quietly at his rambling.

He blushed at my laughter and I played with my hands in my lap. It was weird that we were like this, that we had moments where it felt like nothing had happened and then we would be fumbling over our words worse than we ever had before. We’d never been particularly nervous around each other, never had the awkward compliments or stuttering moments.

“Alright we're here, get out.” He opened the door and I looked around.

I got out the car and Harry locked it coming to stand by my side as I looked down the street. It was pretty desserted, there were a few cars and people walking around. There was a couple of cafés, a pub, a women’s clothing shop and a toy shop on the side we were stood on. The other side had a newsagents, another clothing shop and a vinyl shop. He took my hand in his and led me down the road towards the café, he opened the door and I smiled. It was a cute little place with a display case of cakes and there was an older looking woman behind the counter. Aside from her there was a couple and a woman with a small child and a teenger.

“Let’s get lunch.” Harry walked us over to a table and we slid into the seats that were mismatched like the rest of the furniture.

The place had a really nice vintage feel and I looked over the menu for a moment before Harry put his down and I felt his feet move to wrap around mine pulling them towards him. I looked up and raised an eyebrow as he grinned playfully at me.

“I’m having cake.” He declared and I laughed.

“I thought we were having lunch?” I asked and he shrugged.

“Cake counts.” He declared.

“I’m pretty sure we tell Darcy that it doesn’t.” I smiled putting the menu down.

“She’s not here so if you don’t tell her I won’t either.” He smiled leaning forward on the table.

“I want the chocolate fudge.” I told him and his grin widened.

“I though cake didn’t count as lunch?” He fake gasped and I laughed.

“If your secret is safe with me I think mine is safe with you.” I told him untucking my feet from his and doing to him what he’d done to me.

“Your secrets are always safe with me.” He told me seriously before releasing his feet from mine and standing up, “tea?”

“Yes please,” I smiled up at him, “can you get me like a pink lemonade as well?”

“Sure.” He nodded leaning down and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I closed my eyes and felt a blush rise on my cheeks at the contact of his lips on my skin. I watched him walk up to the counter and the lady instantly smiled, he said something to her that made her laugh and I didn’t even realize I was smiling until I felt my cheeks rise up by my eyes. Harry always managed to charm anybody he came across and as she giggled at something he said I knew she was being swept away by his words. He was leaning on the counter with one hand, his black tshirt made his broad shoulders look even broader and his legs looked miles long in a pair of blue skinny jeans with his brown boots. His hair was pushed off his head with an army green bandana and I rubbed my lips together at how attractive he looked. How the tattoos that adorned his arms that often made other people look intimidating had no effect for him, I had never seen anybody eye his tattoos with anything but fascination when I had seen them look at other people with less tattoos than him with a certain wariness in their eyes. Harry had something about his aura that just put people at ease and I envied him for it at the same time as adoring him for it. His laid back attitude often placated my impulsive side.

“Here you go.” He walked over holding a tray with a large pot of tea and two tea cups as well a two bottles of pink lemonade.

I helped him take it all off the tray before he turned to return the tray to the lady. I took a sip of the lemonade from the straw and sighed contently. Harry sat back down opposite me and went to reach for the pot of tea only for me to bat his hand away.

“Ouch, what was that for?” He frowned.

“You need to let the tea stew a bit more.” I rolled my eyes, “otherwise it’ll be really watery.”

“Oh yea,” he grinned, “I always forget.”

“Lucky you have me to remind you huh?” I smiled and felt him wrap his feet around mine again.

“Very lucky.” He nodded and I looked down at the tea cup blushing.

The lady brought over our slices of cake and I poured out the tea as we tucked in. Harry had gotten a vanilla sponge with raspberries in topped with vanilla buttercream and coconut sprinkles and we ended up swapping halfway through. We spoke easily about the concerts and about what Gemma was up to in London.

“Darcy is so clever,” Harry shook his head lifting the teacup to his lips, “I just can’t get over it.”

“She’s growing up.” I nodded, “her starting nursery is crazy.”

“Soon it’ll be school.” Harry sighed and I nodded.

“Then she’ll have a first boyfriend.” I smiled and he tensed.

“No.” He shook his head and I giggled.

“She is going to have boyfriends Harry.” I told him and he shook his head, “she had so many firsts left.”

“It scares me.” He confessed and I looked at him surprised.

“What does?” I asked curiously.

“Like at the moment I know I can protect her and make sure she’s okay but when she gets older I won’t be able to.” He ran a hand through his hair, “other people will be able to hurt her and I won’t be able to stop them.”

“You just have to be there when they do.” I took his hand I mine and ran my thumb over his knuckles, “she’s such a Daddy’s girl. She’ll come to you if she’s upset Harry and you just have to hold her and that will make her feel better.”

“What makes you so sure?” He asked looking at our hands.

“Because you do that for me.” I said softly, “when I’m upset and you hold me I know everything will eventually get better.”

He squeezed my hand and I smiled at him. We spent a few seconds just looking at each other and smiling before someone started approaching the table. I looked over to see the teenager I’d noticed before walking towards us.

“Hello.” She shifted awkwardly and Harry smiled at her.

“Hello love,” he turned to her and she blushed, “are you alright?”

“Yes thank you.” She spoke with a slightly shake in her voice, “I was just wondering if I could have a picture with you?”

“Sure.” He smiled and he stood up.

“I’ll take the picture,” I offered and she passed me her phone with a grateful smile.

“Thank you,” She took the camera back off of me, “I’m so glad I saw you both. I never believed what they were writing about in the press.”

“Good,” Harry smiled easily as I rubbed my lips together, “Blair and I are happy, sometimes the press just likes to speculate over us and that sucks.”

The girl stayed for a few moments talking to Harry about the concert and how she was going to it tomorrow. After she left Harry stood up and offered me his hand before leading me out the café.

“So where to now?” I asked and he smiled.

“Time for the surprise.” He started walking down the road, “I hope you like it. You don’t have to go along with it if you don’t want to. I just thought this might help.”

“What?” I asked looking up at him and then he stopped walking.

I turned to look at the shop front we’d stopped in front of and read the name The House of David. I noticed from the window that it was a tattoo shop and I looked up at Harry curiously and saw he was biting his lip looking at me.

“A tattoo shop?” I asked and he nodded.

“I was thinking about you and me and us and everything that had gone on and thought this might be a good idea.” He gestured to the shop, “we have tattoos that mark moments in our life.”

He rubbed his thumb over the tattoo on my wrist marking the date of our marriage and I felt the tattoo I had of Darcy’s finger print in a the shape of heart on the inside of my left arm burn slightly. I could feel the weight of the tattoos that were etched into my skin and their memories.

“Mark our baby?” I asked quietly and he rubbed his lips together nodding.

The sleeves of his top were rolled up slightly and as his left arm moved up to scratch the back of his neck I saw Darcy’s name sat there in the same place as where her finger print rested on me. I took a breath in and stepped forward opening the door to the parlor with Harry following behind me. The guy behind the desk nodded at us like he’d been expecting us and I assumed Harry had booked an appointment.

“What will it be then?” The man asked and I looked to Harry.

“Can we have some time to talk about it?” Harry asked and the man nodded.

“Take as long as you need, I have no other appointments booked in today.” He told us, “do you want some paper?”

“Yes please.” I nodded and he handed me a pad of plain paper and a pencil.

We walked over to two seats in the corner and sat down.

“Do you have any ideas on this?” I asked Harry and he hummed, “what?”

“Well I was thinking that maybe just remembering the baby we could remember us and what this whole experience has done to us.” He shuffled nervously.

“What was your idea?” I asked and he took the pencil from my hand and drew a semi colon.

“We could have let this finish us B, but we haven’t.” He bit his lip, “this could have ended us but we chose to continue even though it’s been hard.”

I looked down at the drawing and let my finger tip trace over it imagining it on my skin. I stood up and walked over to where the man was standing sketching and I asked if he had any coloured pencils. He handed me a some pencils and I started sketching around the semi colon Harry had drawn. I did a watercolour background of colours fading from dark to light before walking back over to Harry and showing him.

“Perfect.” He nodded and moved to look down at his arm, “now to find some space.”

I smiled before taking his arm in my hands and raising it above his head before pulling the side of his top up and moved to trace over the skin at the top of his ribs. He had a few small tattoos on his side and I finally found a patch that would sit by the side of his heart and traced my finger over it softly.

“Found it.” I looked up and he nodded.

“Now what about you?” He asked and I bit my lip looking down at my body.

I had quite the collection, some I regretted and others I cherished.

“The same place.” I told him, “near my white ink one.”

“Okay.” He nodded standing up and we walked over to the tattoo artist.

I explained the colouring and he nodded agreeing that he could do it and we walked over to the set up.

“Who’s first then?” He asked, Harry and I looked at each other.

“Me.” I pulled myself onto the chair.

“Sure?” Harry asked and I nodded, “you’re in a dress, how is this working?”

“Oh yea.” I looked down at myself before sliding the thin straps off my arms and pushing it down rest around my waist.

“Oh.” Harry blink and I blushed as I sat in my bra.

“The bra is going to have to come off.” The guy said and I bit my lip.

“Oh right.” I nodded and tried to work out what to do.

“Here.” Harry pulled his tshirt off and I took his from him and held it to my front as I undid my bra.

The tshirt covered me but I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to do after the tattoo other thn go back to the car braless which wasn’t exactly ideal. I laid on my side and felt the template be placed on me, I looked at the placement and agreed to it before looking at Harry who sat on the stool in front of me. He was shirtless and I let my eyes wonder over his tattoos, the stories they told and my heart skipped a beat at every tattoo that marked us. I knew the significance of every tattoo he had and I reached out and let my fingers graze over the swallows on his collarbones that I had loved for the longest time. He took my hand in his and squeezed gently as I heard the tattoo gun start up.
As soon as the needle touched my skin I knew this was the best idea Harry had ever had. I closed my eyes and leant into the chair as I relished the sweet pain from the needle moving over my skin. It was like the needle was brushing away the pain that I’d been feeling for all this time. I felt Harry press a kiss to my forehead, I opened an eye and took my hand out from holding his and used it to pull his face to mine. I pressed my lips to his briefly before pulling away, he gave me a soft smile before bringing his thumb up to his lips stroking over where my lips had just been on his.

“Thank you.” I whispered to him and he gave me a soft smile.

“I love you.” He pressed his forehead to mine, “we’re going to get through this.”

I brought my hand up to cup his cheek stroking my thumb over his soft skin before giving him a small smile.

“I know,” I nodded and he grinned in response.