Clockwork

Two and a half months after our first date I was returning to Harry's flat after my morning run. I'd been pretty much living at his for a month and he didn't seem to mind, in fact he'd often beg me to stay. I obviously hadn't moved in with him officially, nobody had said 'I love you' yet, but that's the beauty I found in our relationship, we were a little different. Most people say I love you in the first month of a relationship then might live together after about 5 months, but not Harry and I. We are joined at the hip and did most things together, not like those creepy couples that are never away from one another but like a couple that are friends first. And we are, we are friends first and lovers second.

I jumped in the shower in the guest bathroom really quickly because I didn't want to wake Harry. I often did a lot of solid thinking in the shower after my run

Harry had yet to notice my scars and I was slightly grateful but a little mad at myself for keeping this part of me and my past away from him. He has been nothing but great and has kept nothing away from me.

Fighting wise, we'd had our little spats when either of us was in a bad mood but we just separate for a while and then come back together and apologize. I'd go to my flat and paint or stay overnight and someone would apologize and I'd be back in his bed at night, where I like to be. It may be a strange relationship to some but I like being with him this way and I hoped he felt the same way.

I tied my towel around my body and proceeded quietly to the master bathroom to get my hair dryer, but surprisingly Harry was up and coming out of the bathroom after hanging up his phone. He pulled me by the waist(pretty much ass) towards him.

"Good Morning Beautiful." He gave me a sleepy, sly smile.

I pressed my lips gently to his, "Good Morning Sugar."
"So do you have any plans for the next couple of days?"
I looked up at his disheveled hair and crazy eyebrows,"That depends. What are you planning?"
"Well,I want you to come to Holmes Chapel with me, I need to see my mum before she beheads me and my sister's home too."
My eyes widened. I hadn't even thought about parents. Sure, we'd been together for almost three months but it has been completely wonderful and at times I thought of it as me and him against the world, only us. He cared a lot about his family, and I definitely didn't want to keep him from his family. If he planned to leave now, or soon, I could take a couple of personal days and explain to my clients that an important matter has come up. I hated bailing on my clients but some things are just more important and it was only 2 people, who are repeats and good friends.
He leaned down so that his forehead was against mine,"Mora, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing, really. Are you sure you want me to go? I don't want to impose. I know you don't see them as often as you'd like and I wouldn't want to crash your family time." I felt my anxiety creeping in, I didn't do good in new situations like these. I often felt as though I was unwanted or intruding.

"Impose? Mora, I want your there. There's no way you could ruin the family time, you are family. Or at least I want you to be. Plus, my mum went on and on about how she wants you to come and Gemma was yelling into the phone that 'You better bring that girl or I'll hate you forever.'"I was slightly stunned for about a milisecond, he wanted me to with his family.

"Your mom really invited me?"

He gave me a sweet kiss,"Yes, darling. And, I'm excited for you to be coming with me."

I loved these sweet moments with him, granted, things were often quiet when we were together. I only had three friends in London and two of them came with me from the United States. We'd went to dinner with Tex and Jake one night after Harry came to get me from work. We all worked together but Tex and Jake have been together for about 5 years and Harry was surprised that they were gay, but got along great. Being that I only had three friends, Harry is my fourth friend and my best friend and since the rest of his friends had jobs and lives away from London he didn't see them often.

"Well leave in an hour or so after breakfast. Pack things for a couple of days, its awful just driving there and staying for the day and then driving back." He gave me a cheeky grin, hoping I wouldn't be mad that he just then told me we were staying for a few days.

"Holy shit, what am I going to wear?" I mumbled a little louder than needed.
Harry chuckled,'Anything you want to."

"I don't want your family thinking I'm some crazy gothic bitch."

"Even if you were gothic, they'd still like you the same."

I stood on my tip-toes and kissed him quickly, biting at his lip a little,"Thank You, Sugar. Now make me breakfast."

I slipped out of his arms quickly and sprinted to the bathroom. I heard him groan and start to make his way out of the bedroom, "You kill me in the best way."
I giggled at his drama and continued to get ready

He'd made me my normal apple juice with milk and honey and toast, packed, and gotten completely ready in the time it took me to get semi ready and packed. Sometimes men just have it easier.
We set out towards Holmes Chapel after breakfast and locking up the flat.

Three hours later we were pulling into Harry's neighbourhood. I wasn't sweating or fidgety but Harry could see the unease on my face as he parked on the curb in front of his childhood home.

He cupped my cheek gently,"I know you don't like strange situations but everything is going to be fine." He gave me a sweet lingering kiss and squeezed my hand before opening his driver side door. I jumped out and walked around to get my bag out of the trunk of his Range Rover but he'd already grabbed it.
He grinned at me cheekily,"After you ma' lady."
I giggled,"You never cease to make me smile."
"I try."
I opened the door as Harry told me to and stepped into the entryway slowly with Harry on my heels, urging me in.
As soon as Harry plopped our bags down next to the door a small woman, about my size, peered around a door way,"Harold!"
When she saw me standing a little behind Harry she yelled for Gemma. He grabbed my hand and crossed the distance in three strides of his long legs.
"Mum," he said whilst hugging her tiny frame. She had a beaming smile on her face and clung to his torso with a death grip. It was a wonderful sight; the love she had for her son.
After Harry let her go she came over to shake my hand politely,"And you must be the Mora we've been hearing all about.My name is Anne and Gemma should be down shortly."
I blushed and chuckled and her excitement,"Nice to finally meet you. I hope he's only been telling you good things."

"Oh nonsense, of course he has! Harold here has been so excited about-"

"Mum!"

"Oh shush Harold, I can't embarass you anymore than you'd embarass yourself!"
I hip-bumped him and saw a Harry female look alike decending the stairs. She had on bright red lipstick and dark wavy hair. I automaticly knew she must be Harry's older sister, Gemma.
Harry started towards her to give her a hug but she bipassed him and came straight over to me,"Hello,you must be the woman my baby brother has been babbling about for two months."

I didn't know if she was being snarky or joking, but she had a genuine looking smile on her face so I took it as a joke,"He does happen to talk a lot doesn't he?"
She laughed and stuck her tounge out at her brother,"Where did you find her Harry, I like her."
I blushed a little and Gemma led me to the sofa where were talked about boyfriends and such.
"Harry, get these bags out of the doorway. You know better,"Anne told him after coming back inside.

"Fine," he groaned, dragging out the 'i'.

He gave me a little shoulder shove, silently telling me to go with him.
I followed him upstairs, through a short hallway to his bedroom.
His bedroom walls were a light grey, typical for Harry and his ultra modern sense of interior decor.

He dropped our overnight bags beside his full size bed and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind,"They like you."

"Do they?"

"Of course. Everyone likes you Mora."

I leaned my head back against his shoulder,"I wouldn't say that. Your sister is wonderful though."

I felt him vibrate with a low chuckle,"She's a twat sometimes. But she's pretty cool."

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his midsection,"Now I know why you're so cool."

"Oh ha-ha. I'm way cooler than Gemma."

"I don't know." I gave him a cheeky grin as his hand came up from my waist to cup my cheek. I stood on my tip-toes to bring my lips to his.

He kissed me gently but passionately. I pulled away and smiled up at him, a little sheepishly. He just pulled me back in for a deeper kiss. His hands moved down from my waist to my ass.

"Harry, mum sa-."

Gemma slammed the door when she saw Harry and I making out in the middle of his bedroom. My face instantly went red as Harry groaned out of frustration,"For God Sake, Gemma!"

"What?!"

"Do you not have hands to knock on the door!?"

"Jesus ,Harry, I didn't think you'd screw her now, it's 3 in the afternoon!"

I couldn't help but laugh at their banter, even if I was embarrassed.

"What did you want anyway?"

"Mum said dinner would be ready at 5."

"Yeah yeah. Now bugger off."

"I will if you promise not to screw her brains out, I like her too much."

"Go away, Gemma!"

I continued to laugh while Harry pulled me out of the house.

"Where are we going," I asked quietly.

"I don't know truthfully. We have two hours to kill and there's actually sun today instead of complete grey."

We wandered down the streets, hand in hand, telling stories about our childhoods, even though we are both still basically children.

"Sometimes I miss the States but then I really don't."

"Why don't you miss it? I think the U.S is awesome."

"I've got you here. I won't have you if I go back to the U.S."

"I'd follow you across the globe, never mind the Atlantic Ocean."

I squeezed his hand,"I'd do the same."

Harry's mother made a wonderful baked spaghetti dinner. Later that night, after spending the rest of the evening with his family, I was stationed in Harry's bed reading a bit of Jack Kerouac while he sat in his over sized chair getting a bit of work done. I looked up at him after finishing a page. He was gorgeous, even sitting there typing, lips pursed in the blue glow his laptop gave off. We were doing the most mundane, unexciting things anybody could think of doing, but we enjoy it. I flipped the page of my book ,after admiring him and smiling for a moment, to continue on.

"I love this," he said a few minutes later, his deep voice breaking the comfortable silence we had.

"Love what Sugar?"

"These quiet, calm moments with you."

"Even though these two months have been calm, it gets more hectic and it's just nice to have these moments. There's not too many people I can sit in silence with and still be comfortable."

"I know it does, and I can't even begin to comprehend the shit that you deal with everyday, but I'm always here for moments like these."

"Okay."

He joined me on the bed a minute later and snaked his arm around my stomach,"I love you Mora."
He pressed his lips to the back of my neck,"I love you too Harry."