call it what you want✨part1
Harry is your best friend, but one day things started to change..
masterlist
word count: 8k
warnings/tags: harry x reader, bestfriends to lovers trope, fluff, smut implied/mentioned
It all happened very innocently, out of the blue and probably due to the built up tension between you two. It was a cool fall day, nearly a year ago, when your big group of friends decided to play a friendly game of baseball together. It was a Saturday afternoon, you were playing your second game of the day. Everyone was having fun, especially your brother and his best friend, Harry, who both love the sport. Harry went to college on a sports scholarship, as did your brother, so they were both very active. A few of your other friends have always played the game growing up, including yourself, so it was always a good time whenever you all planned a game.
But that particular game will always be lingering in your mind. You were running when you caught a bad cramp in your thigh. Harry wasn’t on your team, he was actually trying to get you out when you tumbled over and started crying. Everyone instantly became worried - fearing you broke your leg. But Harry reacted the quickest, and the calmest.
He tossed his glove onto the ground and made the short distance to you, dropping to his knees instantly. His hands grabbed your face and he tilted your head so he could see you.
“Hey, peach, are you okay? Did you twist your ankle?” He asked in a sweet tone, his eyes skimming your lower half for any obvious breaks or bruising.
You shook your head and grabbed the back of your thigh. “Hurts.” You muttered back.
“Pulled a muscle, yeah? I know that hurts. Want me to get you up?”
A whimper came from your mouth as you nodded. His arms went around you and he picked you up off the ground. Your arm flew on his neck, whining began to erupt as you realized it hurt to put pressure on your leg.
“Everything okay?” Austin, your brother, appeared at your side.
You weren’t sure if he had been there the whole time or not, because whenever Harry was around all you could focus on was him. And he had been talking so sweetly to you, his big hands touching you gently. You were lost in a trance.
It wasn’t uncommon. Harry and you were close, due to his friendship with your brother. You hung out a lot more with each other than others did in the group. He was your best friend these days, not really your brother’s anymore. It was platonic, though.
“I dunno.” You sighed, eyes shifting to Harry’s. “I can’t walk.”
“Want me to get her?“ Austin asked.
Harry shook his head and suddenly swept you off your feet. “I got her.”
He carried you to the dug out while the game started back up. You weren’t bothered by not being able to play. You felt horrible, your leg ached like it was on fire. Harry sat down on the bench and sat you on his lap. You were still holding onto his neck, fingers tangled in his long hair. It wasn’t unusual for you two to sit this way - but normally it was in private. Like on the couch as you watched a movie or the nights Harry gets drunk and you look after him - he’s very clingy with you and always, always wants to hold you. But now, in front of all your friends and your brother, this was different. You figured everyone would brush it off and just blame your injury and slightly dramatic reaction.
“Feels like my leg is gonna fall off.” You said with a pout as Harry rested his hand on top of your hurting thigh.
He chuckled, squeezing your waist for a moment. “M’sure it’s fine, doll. Just a cramp.”
“What if I can’t walk tomorrow?”
He smiled, leaning closer to you to lower his voice. “I’ll stay with you tonight. Take good care of you, yeah?”
“Please, bubby. It hurts so bad.”
He pressed a comforting kiss to your temple. “M’gonna give you a massage when we get home. Make it better, promise.”
You nodded back. “You’re the best.”
“Mhm, I know.” He smirked as you rolled your eyes at him.
“Still cocky, though.”
Harry insisted on going back to his apartment instead of yours that night. He had a drawer system he was building for his room and he wanted to get it done this weekend. So you went to his place, not minding staying there for the night. You were curled up in his bed, the soft blanket you picked out months ago wrapped around your body.
You always slept so comfortably in his bed - ever since that time he assured you nothing had happened in this particular bed and no other girl had ever been in it. The idea of you laying where someone’s naked body had been, even if the sheets were clean, was weird. You took a little pride in knowing you were the only person who’s been in his room.
“Are you done yet?” You whined as he walked back into the room. The dresser he was building was finished now and in its new place, yet he was still walking around occupying himself. “Harry.”
He looked over his shoulder and smirked at you. “Few minutes, darling.”
“I miss you.” You mumbled into the pillow, your eyes fluttering shut.
“I’ll take a nap with you in a minute.”
You grunted. “Gotta rub my leg first.”
A shudder rippled through your body as you felt his weight press down on the bed, his lips against your forehead. “I know, sweet girl.” He pressed a kiss to your skin. “Five minutes, okay?”
“Four.”
He chuckled. “Five.”
“Three.” You pushed your luck.
Harry couldn’t resist it. He smiled against your skin. “Three, lovey. I promise.”
You always got what you wanted when it came to Harry. It made you feel special and loved - he cared more than anyone else about you. You kept your eyes closed as you felt him move away. You didn’t want to bother him because that would ultimately increase the time he had to stay away from you. So, you let him be and laid there silently, waiting as patiently as you could manage.
—
Harry was your favorite person to be around. Sometimes, you forget that he hasn’t always been your favorite person. You met Harry when you were thirteen and he was fifteen. He was the new kid at school, from a different country, but he was great at sports so he fit right in. He met your brother, Austin, and they became best friends. He was always over at your house on the weekends and during summer breaks. You used to argue with him over any little thing - more than you did with your own brother.
It was like that for a couple years. He would just join in on Austin picking on you, you’d get aggravated and tell them off to your parents. It all changed when you were eighteen.
You were at a party with your friends, and Harry and Austin just so happened to be there with their friends, too. This was before your two groups mixed together. A guy decided he wanted to flirt with you and when you didn’t return his behavior, he got touchy.
Harry had been watching your encounter from across the room, without you being aware of that. Austin went to do something, leaving Harry in charge of keeping an eye on you. It was an unspoken rule between the two of them - something even you didn’t know. The moment the guy’s hand grabbed your butt, and you shoved his chest in an attempt to get away, Harry knew what was happening. He shot through the crowd. His big hand grabbed your waist and he pulled you away from the guy and into his body instead. You were about to freak out, scared out of your mind, until you looked down at the arm around your stomach and saw some familiar tattoos. It was Harry.
“Back the fuck off.” He said coldly to the guy, eyes full of anger.
Your nails sunk into his wrist, wishing he could just sweep you away. But Harry loved confrontation- and he wasn’t about to let this guy get away with anything. Besides, you were only eighteen. It was the first big party you’ve been to, Harry knew you were going to be vulnerable.
“Gettin’ selfish, Styles? Didn’t know you were fuckin’ Austin’s sister.” The guy laughed, the realization immediately hit you - this guy knew Harry and your brother. “Does he know?”
“Fuck off before I shove your head through the fuckin’ floor.”
“Do it, then. Know you like to fight, Styles. Let’s go,”
Harry dropped his arm from your body, his skin ripping against your nails in the process. He grabbed your elbow to pull you behind him, but you spun around and quickly snaked your arms around him. He stood frozen for a split second, surprised that you did that but he figured you were terrified.
“C’mon, loverboy. Don’t let a whore stop you,” The taunting continued.
But Harry wasn’t paying him any attention. His left arm went around your shoulders, keeping you against him. He reached out with his right hand and grabbed the guy's collar. He held it tight, twisting the fabric to create more tension.
“If you ever touch her again.. I’ll fuck you up.” He spat out, then let the guy go.
Harry immediately turned you away from the guy and rested his hand on your lower back, not quite sure what to do. You were shaking, tears dripping down your cheeks as you kept your face pressed against his hard chest.
“S’okay, now, sweetheart.” He said in a mumble as he let his chin rest against your head. “I’ve got you.”
—
A happiness filled your heart as Harry finally came to the bed. He motioned you to roll over onto your back, so you did. You stretched your arms out as he pulled the blankets away from your body. You were wearing a pair of his briefs as shorts, along with one of his shirts. You had clothes at his apartment, but you always wanted to wear his stuff instead.
“Gotta relax for me, alright? Don’t be so ticklish.” He said with a lift of his brows, trying to be stern with you.
You smile sweetly. “I know, I know.”
Thankfully, all those years of him playing sports has taught him things about healing cramps and pulled muscles. So you never once doubted what he was doing. He grabbed your ankle and pulled your leg up, resting your foot on his shoulder. You winced as the position forced your muscles to stretch out.
“Harry.” You whimpered, reaching to grab your leg but he swatted your hand down.
“Relax, peach.”
“Rub it.. don’t pull it.”
He smiled when your eyes met his. “I know what to do, honey.”
You groaned as he grabbed the side of your knee and began moving your leg, pushing your knee to a bend - pulling a grunt from you in the process.
“Don’t want this part, Harry.” You felt tears swelling in your eyes from the pain. “Please, pretty please, just rub it.”
“Darling, if I don’t do this, the rubbing won’t make a difference. Please, trust me.”
You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest. A mutter fell past your lips. “Never said I didn’t.”
Harry was well aware that you hated it when he said things like that - if it was the slightest bit against you, it made you upset. Of course you trusted him, why would he say that? Is he insisting you aren’t trusting him? Is it not obvious? Obviously, he knew and you knew he knew - but his reassurance was read wrong, you were slightly upset now. A bit dramatic, for sure.
“I know, lovey. Let me take care of you, yeah?” He said, the pads of his fingers were now digging into the back of your thigh, right where he knew you were aching. “Y’know m’always gon’ take care of you, peach. Don’t get upset.”
You nod a few soft times, your eyes shifted to meet his as you realize you were being a bit childish. Your arms fell to your sides and you took a deep breath.
“Play some music, lovey. Get relaxed for me. I’ll work your leg.. don’t worry about it.” He insisted as he took his phone from the pocket of his pajama pants and gave it to you.
You typed in the password, your birthday of course, and opened his music library. You had your own playlist saved, so you started playing it and slid the phone away from you on the mattress. He chuckled as you snarled your lip at his actions - he was stretching your leg again.
Harry couldn’t help but to stare at you as your pretty eyes closed. You were laid out on his bed, his hands on your body. He swallowed as he pulled his mind out of the gutter. You playfully wiggled your toes against his neck as he brought your leg up. He shook his head, grinning at you.
“I think you’re faking it.” He mumbled, gripping the back of your thigh as hard as he could, making you wince.
“Harry!” You squealed, kicking his hip with your other foot.
“Fine, fine.. I guess you’re really hurt, hm?”
“Yeah, obviously.” You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest.
He kept on with the rough, but pain relieving massaging. You let out small grunts here and there, each of them making his eyes flick to your face to make sure you were okay. You were content, despite the discomfort, because he was with you.
A few more minutes passed before your arms fell down to reach for the phone. Harry gave you a funny look as you changed the song and dropped the phone back down. He noticed the red blush coating your cheeks, your eyes avoiding his.
“Thought you liked that one.” He said with a chuckle as you let out a deep breath.
“It says the p word.” You muttered back, not wanting to talk about it.
Of course he wasn’t going to let that slide though. He kept his hands focused on your thigh as his eyes watched you so closely, not wanting to miss a reaction.
“What, pussy?”
“Harry! Stop!” You whined instantly, pulling laughs from his mouth.
He was amused by your distaste for that word. It wasn’t anything he wasn’t aware of, but usually the songs don’t bother you. He licked his lips and decided to give your leg a bend, working your muscles as much as he could. You winced as he pushed your leg, your knee bending.
“You’re such a grandma sometimes. It’s just a word.”
You rolled your eyes. “I don’t like hearing it.”
He lifted a brow, even though you hadn’t looked at him. “You only get irritated when I say it.”
“Because you’re my best friend.. I don’t want to hear you say it.”
“You’re so mean to me, yeah? Won’t even let me talk.”
You nudged him with your foot again. “Leave me alone.”
“Fine.”
The moment he let your leg go, you whined and tried to sit up to grab him. You failed and a spark of pain shot through your leg. He grabbed your thigh again, chuckling as you struggled through the discomfort.
“You’re the mean one. That’s the second time you hurt me.”
“Cause you’re bullying me.”
You smacked your lips. “It’s your fault I got hurt!”
He gasped. “What?”
“Yeah! You were gonna get me out so I had to run faster and hurt myself.” You lifted yourself up by your elbows, a pout on your lips as you gave him a hard glare.
“You know I always go easy on you.. I wasn’t going to get you out.” The curl of his lips into a smirk made your stomach bubble. “You get special treatment.”
“Yeah, cus you’re a pussy.” You cocked a brow at him, a cheeky grin covering your face.
“Me? If either of us is a pussy it’s you.” He chuckled. “You’re a bit of a crybaby.”
“Don’t say that!” Your smile dropped to a frown.
“See, you’re getting upset and I’m just joking with you, honey.” He leaned down a little, just to get a closer look at you.
“You’re so mean to me.” You huffed as your arms fell and your back hit the bed.
You knew he was joking and it didn’t really bother you, but the idea of him teasing you always made your stomach churn and your heart race. Every little snide comment was followed by a comforting mumble or touch, it was just teasing.. and it drove you crazy. Nobody else gets that treatment from him, and it makes you feel so special.
“C’mon, don’t be sad, angel.” He sighed out heavily as he realized you were still pouting after a few minutes went by.
You grunted, keeping your response very limited. He let go of your thigh and gently moved your leg so that it was bent and your foot was resting on the bed. You glanced at him, somewhat concerned as to what he was doing. You didn’t want him to stop, not even for a minute.
“Smile for me, peach.” He rubbed his fingers against your calf, knowing you were oddly ticklish there.
You groaned, trying your hardest to ignore his efforts. He didn’t like how you were acting, so he figured he could try to help. He ran his eyes down your body, but stopped as he saw your shirt had rode up a little and your stomach was exposed. If you were ticklish anywhere, it was definitely your stomach.
With no warning whatsoever, he shoved his hands up your shirt and started tickling you. You shrieked, kicking your legs up as he moved his fingertips against your skin. His laugh filled your ears and you couldn’t resist it anymore. You started giggling and squealing as he dug his fingers into your sides and stomach.
“Harry! Stop!” You whined through your first of laughter as he leaned down to move his arms further under your shirt, tickling up to the band of your sports bra.
“No, you won’t smile for me so I gotta make you.” He said with a chuckle as you tried to grab his arms.
“You’re so-so mean!” You couldn’t stop laughing, which was making him laugh just as much.
“Hey!” He yelped as you grabbed his elbow and sunk your nails into his skin. “That’s not fair.”
You grinned. “Don’t be a baby.”
“That’s it. I’m done going easy on you.” He chuckled out as he slid his hands down to your tummy, tickling around your navel and above the waistband - an area that drove you absolutely mad.
“No, please! Ha-harry!” You cried out with the biggest smile on your face.
He couldn’t help but laugh along with you as he tortured your nerves. It felt like a never ending sensation and it was causing you to curl your toes and squeeze your hands into fists. He was enjoying this entirely too much, and that was making you feel like you had the disadvantage.
In an attempt to throw him off guard, you tried to use your feet against his thighs to push him away from you. It was hard to concentrate your strength when you were gasping for air and twisting in his hold. Harry anchored a knee on the edge of the bed to strengthen his position. He was too strong for you to fight, but you didn’t give up.
“You’re a bully!” You said between laughs as you grabbed his forearms and tried your best to tear his hands away from your body, but it was a poor attempt.
Harry kept on, lightening up his movements every now and then to allow you time to catch your breath. But it wasn’t much time. He didn’t want you to retreat back to your previous mood. He wanted to see you laugh and smile and be playful with him. He wanted you to be happy, always happy.
For just a moment, he slowed down his fingers and shifted his eyes to your face. He needed to make sure you were okay and not too overwhelmed by everything. You caught his gaze and instantly grinned at him, a layer of blush covering your cheeks. He figured it was your body’s reaction from the tickling, a soft flush was covering your arms as well. The moment he decided to set aside for you grew into several long seconds, allowing you the perfect opportunity to get him back.
You grabbed his shirt and yanked him forward, immediately grabbing his waist to start tickling him. He let out a laugh as you curled one hand around his neck and brought him down even further, you needed better access.
“Don’t do it!” He said amusingly as you started pinching the skin behind his ear. He was sensitive there and it always made him cackle.
“Payback.” You smacked your lips, then shaped them into a smile as his eyes met yours.
You hadn’t realized how close you actually were to him. He was letting you have your way now, pulling him as close as you wanted and doing whatever you desired. His fingers had stalled on your waist, which surprised you. He had been so intent on tickling you that it seemed unusual that he stopped.
“Finally give up?” You asked with a giggle, but it was too late. He slid his arm under the small of your back and started lightly rubbing his fingertips across your skin - causing you to burst into a fit of laughter. “No!”
Your nails let go of his skin and you instinctively grabbed his nape, applying pressure that caused him to lean further down. Your body began to flop around and limbs were twisting around his body, trying to be freed. He kept on, laughing the entire time as you went through hell.
The leg you had injured was resting on the bed, but the other had wrapped around the back of his thigh. “Please, please.. need a break.” You begged through a whine. The tickling was now truly hurting you.
He decided to be sweet to you, so he stopped moving his fingers, but kept them in place. You whimpered softly, feeling your body start to realize the pain was over for now. It felt nice to come down from the intense high, but you feared it would end quickly. To your shock, Harry dropped down so his head was next to yours, his lips gently pushing against your temple.
“I’ll stop.. for now.” His words were soft as his warm breath caused goosebumps to rise on your skin.
“Thank you.” You whispered back while your fingers trailed into his hair.
“Only because I don’t want you to strain your leg.” You felt his smirk against your skin.
A heavy breath filled your lungs and slowly left your parted lips. “You’re supposed to make me feel better.. not make me hurt more.”
“M’sorry, peach.” He let out a low chuckle. “Want me to take care of you?”
“Yes.. that’s your job.”
He licked his lips and carefully placed a kiss on your temple again. “My job, hm? You’re a bit bossy.”
You shifted your head slightly to catch his eyes. You silently admired how pretty the color was. It was obviously something you were familiar with, but every time you saw them this close up you become intrigued. He furrowed his brows and gave you a smile, slightly unsure as to why you were looking at him that way. Little did either of you realize, he looks at you the same way all of the time, even if by accident. He had been doing it when you decided to distract him just minutes ago.
“Did I really hurt you?” He asked in the softest voice he could manage, not wanting to be too loud this close to your ears. He cared so much about you, even the simplest things were always being considered.
“No.. just made my tummy twist up.”
He licked his lips gently, turning his lips to a smile. “I can always rub the twist away.”
“I do like a good tummy rub.” You giggled back, thinking of the times when you would be on your period and he would insist on rubbing your cramps away. Just the slightest touch of his skin on yours would always make you feel better.
“I know you do, peach.” He quickly pecked your cheek, making your face flush even more.
“Thank you for taking care of me.” You curled your fingers into his hair. “Even though the tickles hurt.. i feel better.”
“You don’t ever have to thank me. Like you said, it’s my job.”
A meaningless sigh slipped past your lips. “Can I give you a hug? As a thank you.”
Harry gave you a soft smile. “You don’t have to ask me that, y’know.”
Without saying anything else, you slid your arm around his torso and the other around his head. He let out a soft grunt as he fell against you, his face nuzzling against your shoulder. The amount of security you felt was incredible. You never wanted him to move. You were the safest when you were with him, that you were sure of. Harry moved his other hand off the mattress and under your body, pulling you even further together.
“Can I stay with you all weekend?” You asked in a mumble.
He swallowed softly. “M’supposed to go to the bar with the guys tomorrow night.”
A displeased grunt came from your throat. That made him smile. He turned his head, pushing his face into the side of your neck. You wanted to beg him to stay home so you could be with him, but you didn’t say anything. The fear of seeming too annoying or clingy was something you had to deal with a lot. Harry was your friend, that’s all..
“But.. I can always go with them some other time.”
You sunk your nails into his back. “So, I can?”
“Of course you can.” He pressed a kiss to your neck without even thinking about the location - it made you gasp. “Um, sorry.” He nervously laughed out, about to lean up but you tighten your arm around his head.
“Don’t get up yet.” You muttered, closing your eyes as you savored the feeling of his lips lingering on your skin.
It felt wrong to soak up the pleasure like that, but at the same time you were so consumed by it that it didn’t matter. You were not at all mad about his little action, in fact you wished he would do it again and again. But, in the end, Harry was your best friend and you shouldn’t feel that way. Maybe you were just tired and overthinking how you felt.. or maybe you were really being honest with yourself for once.
“I didn’t mean to do that.”
“Shh.. it’s fine.” You gently chewed on your bottom lip as you relived the moment over in your head.
“Do you.. wanna take a nap?”
You shook your head. “Not yet.. my leg still hurts.”
A laugh left his mouth. “Want me to get back to that?”
You thought for a moment about everything that had happened. The way you felt when his hands were touching your body, the way your heart melted when his lips pressed against your neck, the way your eyes seemed to get lost in his.. every little thing. Perhaps you were tired, and your judgment was altered. Or maybe you were tired of pretending the feelings you always got were fake.
“Can you.. do it again?” You asked in the softest voice he had ever heard you use.
He would be lying if he said he wasn’t confused. He gulped as he thought about what to say back. Did you mean what he thinks you did? No, surely not.. you weren’t interested in him that way.. or were you?
“The.. massaging?” He asked innocently, hoping that was what you meant.
It wasn’t that he was opposed to the other possibility, he just didn’t want to seem desperate or weird by insisting that. To his surprise, you answered him truthfully.
“No.. Kiss me.. just.. just one more time?”
Harry’s heart began to race in his chest, causing his entire body to receive sparks. There wasn’t anything he wanted more right now than to give you what you want - whatever you want. He licked his lips and carefully placed them on your skin. You released the quietest moan he’s ever heard - it was hardly even a sound, and that alone made his heart explode. Even though you asked for just one, he decided to give you a few more. He created a short line of kisses along your warm skin, hoping you’d be okay with that.
“Harry.” You whispered his name, making his stomach drop. “Don’t stop. I.. I like it.”
He listened to your command and gladly kept going. He didn’t hesitate to move further up your neck, marking your skin with his lips. Your stomach was churning in the best way possible, making a wetness grow between your legs. You tried your hardest to ignore that, but it was difficult. Harry meant the world to you, he was your favorite person. Now here he is.. kissing your neck and holding your body like this, like he really, really cared about you.
A small lump began growing in your throat as he covered your jaw and suddenly came to a stop by the corner of your mouth.
“You’re so soft.” He said through a breath. “Gotta be gentle.”
You smiled sweetly. The movement made your mouth touch his lips just slightly. “You’re always so gentle with me.”
He pressed a feathery kiss to your skin, still avoiding your lips. “s’because you’re my little peach, hm.”
A breathy laugh slipped from your lips. “I.. I.. never noticed this.” You brought your hand to his cheek and gently used your index finger to tap on the little freckle.
He couldn’t help but grin at you, his dimples sinking into his cheeks. You bit down on your bottom lip as you trailed your fingertip over his skin, admiring the feeling and searching for new freckles. You didn’t see anymore though. Harry’s eyes watched yours intensely as they moved across his face. He felt like the world had stopped and time was frozen. It felt magical to be so close to you.
“You’ve got the slightest bit of.. green in your eyes.” He said quietly, which grabbed your attention. “Just a tiny spot of it on both.. barely there.. the blue almost hides it.”
Hearing him say that made your heart flutter. You realized how close he had been looking at your eyes because those spots he’s referring to were very faint and small. You only ever noticed them yourself when you were doing your eye makeup close up in a mirror.
You gently laid your hand over his jaw. Your thumb was rubbing against his cheek, the stubble growing from his skin was scratchy. You took a deep breath and pushed it out slowly.
“You’re so beautiful.” He muttered the words as quietly as he could, his eyes locked with yours.
Your cheeks were on fire. Despite his weight literally being on top of you, you felt weightless and blissful like this. Harry leaned his face back down, his lips peppering soft kisses across your cheek. You closed your eyes and mustered up every ounce of courage you could. The grip you had on his jaw tightened and you pulled him over, his mouth brushing yours. He wanted to so bad, so desperately bad. You swallowed, trying to keep your composure.
“Please.” You uttered out.
He didn’t wait any longer. His lips touched yours, pushing against your mouth as he let out a soft grunt. You moved your hand to the side of his head, your fingers grabbing his hair as you squeezed your eyes tightly, trying to savor the moment forever.
Harry’s hands were glued to your body. One had snuck down to your waist while the other was on your back. You hoped he’d never move them. You wanted to melt into his body, never be torn away. A whimper fell from your mouth as he gently moved his lips away from yours.
“Harry.” You whispered faintly, unsure of how to tell him you wanted more.
“I.. I, um.” He paused to swallow harshly. “I can stop.”
“No, don’t have to.” You said through a gentle whine.
His eyes moved to yours and you instantly felt your heart overflowing. He gave you the sweetest smile and lowered his lips back to yours, but he didn’t kiss you just yet.
“Your lips are so soft.” He whispered, chuckling as you gave his waist a playful squeeze in an attempt to distract him from your flushed cheeks. “Peaches are soft though, hmm?”
You rolled your eyes and gave him a cute smile. “I guess so.”
“I know so.” He winked, then pushed his lips on yours.
Your stomach turned to knots as he started to move, guiding you with him. It was purely just lips, but the feeling was phenomenal. Harry’s gentle hold of your waist caused tingles to shoot through your body. You wanted him to squeeze you tighter, but you feared asking him. The last thing you wanted to do was ruin everything by doing too much.
A deep grunt filled your ears and made you pull your lips back. Your hand froze on Harry’s head as his eyes opened to look at you. He furrowed his brows slightly, wondering what was going through your head.
“Do you want to stop?” He said quietly.
You shook your head. “No, please.. no. Just.. wanted to see you for a second.”
He curved the corner of his mouth. “See me?”
“You’re.. you’re very nice to look at.”
His chuckle made you whine and furrow your brows at your own words. He gently kissed your cheek then made sure to return his eyes to yours. Your cheeks were covered in flames.
“You’re attractive.” You muttered once you gained some courage. “You know that.”
“You’re quite attractive yourself, peach.”
You scoffed. “Am not.”
“If you weren’t.. I wouldn’t keep doing this.”
His lips pressed onto yours yet again, sending an explosion of sparks through your body. You whimpered softly against his mouth while your fingers twisted into his hair. Naturally, his body began to relax against you, his pelvis nuzzling between your legs. You hadn't really noticed that your legs had fallen apart for him, the uninjured one was still wrapped around his thigh.
The kiss lingered for a few more moments before you decided to take it a step further. You stopped the soft pecking and parted your lips. Harry didn’t say anything, but he did copy your actions to slot his lips with yours. Before you could process anything, his tongue was slipping into your mouth. He grunted when your hand returned to his face and gripped his jaw, keeping his mouth on yours as you returned the favor with your tongue.
Your heart skipped a beat with each touch of his tongue against yours. You felt your core tingly, your stomach bubbling as his hands got greedy with your body. He was squeezing and sliding under your shirt, his hot skin burned against yours.
There was nothing in the world that could ruin this for you. You were both completely engulfed. Harry was grunting while you kept softly moaning into his mouth. He wanted more from you, wanted to show you how he felt but he didn’t. When your nails scratched down his bare waist, he let out a breathy moan, his lips tearing from yours for just a moment.
“Harry.” You muttered out and grabbed the fabric of his shirt, pulling at it.
He understood your unspoken request and he quickly snatched it off his body, throwing it onto the floor before returning to you. Your hands immediately hit his body - you rubbed over the contours of his muscles and ribs before settling on his sides again. You loved to cuddle with him and hold him there, so right now it was more than you could have ever imagined. It felt like he was yours and you could do whatever you wanted. Little did you know, he would tell you that if you asked.
Just as things were starting to heat up, you realized what was happening and who it was happening with. You furrowed your brows and opened your eyes the instant you felt his hardened crotch rutting against yours. He was deep in the kiss, both hands possessively holding your body. You gulped and turned your head so your lips could be freed. He huffed and tried to reconnect to your mouth, but you quickly brought your fingers to his lips.
“Harry.” You whispered, a frown covering the lips he had made swollen.
“What’s.. what’s wrong?” He asked nervously, unsure of what was going through your mind. Was it too much? Did he do something you didn’t like? He started to worry, his heart was racing for a different reason now.
“Just.. not this.” You mumbled back, gently pushing up against his hips.
He lifted his body up some, dropping his brows as your eyes returned to his. “M’sorry.”
“It’s okay.” You whispered back, making sure to give him a sweet smile.
He licked his lips and flicked his eyes to your mouth. “Are we.. done?”
A thousand thoughts ran through your head but you settled on just one. “We don’t have to be.”
That brought a smile to his handsome face, which made you feel relieved. “Yeah? I.. I don’t wanna be.”
“Me neither.”
Harry placed a kiss on your cheek then chuckled against your skin. “Then let’s keep going.”
He practically swallowed your giggle, he wasted no time hitting his mouth on yours. Within a moment, you were locked back in. He picked up where you left off without any trouble or hesitation. It made you feel like you were worth something, like he really cared about you. Despite feeling that way, you constantly pushed back the lingering thought in your head: he doesn’t like you like that. He doesn’t love you the way you love him. He doesn’t want to be with you the way you want to be with him. He just wants to hook up. He just wants to use you.. Your mind kept twirling with the same thoughts over and over again, which were making you lose the sensations you had felt before you stopped the kiss. It didn’t feel magical anymore, it didn’t feel perfect - it felt scary. What if he never wanted to talk to you again after this? What if you went entirely too far?
“No.” You suddenly broke the kiss and whined to him, your hand gripping his shoulder while the other stayed on his waist. “Harry.. we can’t.”
It wasn’t for nothing, though. His crotch had been pressing into yours again, making your toes curl and your heart drop. It didn’t need to happen. He was your best friend, he was your brother’s friend - it can’t happen..
“No?” He furrowed his brows.
“We can’t do this.” You shook your head, letting your hand go down to his pelvis just so you could push him upward again.
He obliged with your movement and lifted his hips again. He hadn’t even noticed that they fell down. He was just as lost in the moment as you were. But now he felt like he had messed up. Was it too much? He should’ve never kissed your neck..
“Not now.. not ever.” You whispered out, squeezing your eyes shut as tears began to swell. You wanted to break down, but you hated when he saw you cry.
“Hey, honey, don’t get upset.” He sighed softly as he realized you were holding back tears. He recognized that every single time. “I didn’t mean to.. m’sorry. I really am. We.. we can keep .. going if you want or if you don’t.. that’s okay.”
You turned your head away from him, your hand coming up to cover your eyes. There was nothing you wanted to do more right now than cry your eyes out. Harry took a deep breath and gently tugged your arm away from your face. You didn’t fight him, there was no point. He was much stronger than you.
“No, Harry.” You felt a tear trickle down your skin. It was such an embarrassing moment for you, but Harry remained calm.
“Hey, if you don’t want to keep going.. It's fine. And.. if you don’t ever want to do it again, that’s okay, too. I won’t.. tell anyone or.. bring it up.” He told you with the sweetest tone and comforting squeeze of your fingers.
“You-you don’t.. get it.” You choked out.
He licked his lips and let go of your fingers. He gently pushed your hair away from your face. “Tell me, then. Tell me what’s going on.”
You huffed. “I want to, Harry. I want to keep going.. so bad.”
His hand found yours again and this time you didn’t try to push him away. You laced your fingers with his and gently whimpered as he gave you a squeeze. His eyes were glued to your face and you could feel his stare on your skin. You could also feel how warm your cheeks were and how wet they were getting from the tears.
“That’s all you have to say, peach. We can-“
“No, Harry.” You cut him off. “We can't! I can’t.. do this with you. You’re my-my best fr-friend.”
“Sweetheart-“ He tried again, but you didn’t let him get far.
“Harry!” You suddenly cried out his name, tears flooding your eyes as your head shifted on the pillow.
You felt like you were going to fall to pieces beneath him. He cupped your jaw and started rubbing his thumb over your skin. You loved it so much when he did that during a normal situation, so surely you’d like it now. You did. You felt comfort from his warm, soft skin. But yet you were still sobbing.
“Hey.. listen to me, okay?” He said quietly as you tried to turn your head in his hold. He shushed you for a moment, trying to ease you back down. “Listen, sweetheart. Calm down.. just take some deep breaths.”
His deep voice caused your stomach to burst with butterflies and your skin to get chills. He could look at you and you’d explode with emotion, but his voice drove you mad whenever he spoke like that. So low, so sweet and kind and comforting.. He wanted to take care of you, make sure you knew he was right there.
“There you go.” He smiled to himself as you started sucking in deep breaths and pushing them out through your nose. “Whenever you’re ready.. M’right here.”
His reminder was followed by the softest peck against your temple. He didn’t want to overdo it by touching your lips again. You needed some time to cope, and he knew that. He knew you so well. It made you feel safe. Harry knew how to take care of you and what to do when you were overwhelmed. You loved that about him.
After a few quiet minutes of thinking to yourself and trying to slow down your heart, you opened your eyes and looked directly at him. He gave you a smile and relaxed his features, waiting for you to speak.
“I.. I want to.. I really like kissing you.. I.. just can’t.. risk it.” Your voice was incredibly soft, but he listened.
“What are we risking?”
“Everything. Our.. friendship.” You whined, but tried your best to not let the tears return.
He rubbed his thumb against your cheek to wipe away part of the tear stream. “Why is it at risk, honey? We both agreed we liked it.. nothing wrong with that.”
“We’re friends, Harry. I can’t.. have these feelings for you.”
He frowned slightly. “Why not? I have feelings for you. You know I do.. you mean the world to me.”
“Harry.” You breathed out quietly.
“I’m serious. I’d kiss you to the end of time if you wanted me to.”
You licked your lips and swallowed harshly. “We can’t.. My brother would freak out.. everyone would.”
Harry exhaled, wishing he could make everything go back to how it was just minutes ago. But he couldn’t do that, and he felt guilty and responsible for the mess up. He should’ve controlled himself. He should’ve paid better attention.
“We don’t have to tell anyone about this.” He watched your face closely as you went from being sad to being annoyed.
“Harry, I know what guys talk about.”
“I would never tell anyone anything about you.” He was quick to retort your comment. His voice got stern and it made you lock eyes with him. “I would never disrespect you like that, ever.”
You huffed through your lips then pouted them out. “I’ve heard the things the guys say about girls they’ve-“
Harry interrupted you. “I would never tell a soul about anything that happens between you and I in private. Whether it's kissing or cuddling or anything.”
You couldn’t dare tear your eyes from his, so you just stared at him. You could tell he was being serious but he was also hurt by your assumptions. You gulped gently, pushing down the lump in your throat.
“You don’t trust me?” He asked in a mutter.
“I trust you more than anyone.” You gently hit your hand against his chest, forgetting it was bare until just now. “With my life.”
“Then why are you so worried about this?” He sighed back. “Nobody knows about the cuddling we do.. how you sleep in the bed with me or.. don’t wear pants while you’re here. You never have to worry about that stuff.”
“I dunno.”
“Do you really think I’d do that to you?” He furrowed his brows again.
“No.. I know you wouldn’t. I just.. need a reason.. for this to be wrong.”
“It isn’t wrong.” He muttered.
“Then why does it feel wrong?”
Harry lifted his head some, just to give you some space. He was about to move beside you on the bed when you let out a whimper and slid your arm around his waist to keep him there. He gave you a smile and shook his head in disbelief.
“If it felt wrong.. you wouldn’t want me to stay right here, peach.”
You shrugged. “Do you actually.. care about me?”
He scoffed. “Of course I do. You’re my favorite human. I’d do absolutely anything for you.”
You thought for a second about everything and eventually exhaled slowly. Harry watched you as your eyes moved to the ceiling, your mind was lost in thought. He waited patiently for you to say something.
“Would you keep this a secret?” Your eyes shifted to his and you surprised him by moving your hand up to his neck. “Like.. whatever we do together.. kiss or.. or whatever else.”
“Of course, peach.” He assured you with a smile. “I’ll never tell a soul.”
You gave him a nod and let your hand fall to his chest. The feeling of his chest hair against your fingertips made your heart jump. You had a weird thing you liked where you rubbed the light hair on his chest. He always found it funny, but he admired how it made you relax. It was comforting.
“Can we keep kissing now?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that.” He chuckled before finally returning his lips to yours.
…
[a/n: of course, this is just the introduction to this new pairing and short series! I am so excited for this one, It’s one of my favorite things i’ve ever written. Hope you enjoy! + this is more of a story telling format that includes “flashbacks” so I hope it’s not too confusing!]
