Detached [h.s au]

Chapter 19: Flashback

Harry's POV

"I don't care about the job, it's not like we can get fired," I try to assure Elizabeth. She's worried about us leaving our workplace after I pulled her out of the building. It's not like we could stay there, I'd end up killing Gerald. If there's something I hate, it's violence in any shape and form.

"Besides, you're obviously not capable of working right now," I continue. "You have to calm down and tell me exactly what happened."

I glance at her, noticing a frown on her face. The tears have already dried on her cheeks and I'm glad she's not crying anymore. "You almost never keep your mouth shut, but you decided to do it now?"

"I messed up." She sighs.

"Do tell," I say flatly.

"He tried to talk to me as if nothing happened and I just..."

"You snapped," I state, my brows pulling together. "Please tell me you didn't reveal anything to him."

"Of course I didn't, I'm not stupid. Reckless, maybe," she defends. "He told me to tell you the game is on."

My jaw clenches and I grip the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. I can't fucking believe this, was this complication really needed? I don't think Elizabeth is capable of staying out of trouble longer than a day. I've never met someone so frustrating in my life, even Louis can't compete with her.

"Are you angry with me?"

"Yes," I say honestly. "But I'm mostly angry at myself, I've anticipated something like this. That's why I didn't want to tell you anything,  you're not handling emotional situations very well."

"Why would you say that?" She frowns defensively.

"Let's remember The Bonding ceremony, shall we? You looked like a scared little girl, in search of her parents for what? Protection? Reassurance? Whatever it was, I knew you were going to be difficult," I say.

"That was a big change, it's natural I reacted the way I did," she snaps. "And you knew I was going to be difficult? Have you met yourself?"

I shoot her a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Come on, I can't even keep track of your mood swings. I never know what to say so I don't end up angering you, in one moment you're shy and detached and in the other you look like you could choke someone with your bare hands."

I look at her blankly. "Maybe we wouldn't have problems if you weren't so nosy, you're like an empty glass just waiting to be filled with knowledge."

Elizabeth blushes slightly when she realises what she said, but quickly forms a small pout. "Sure, because my family is not my problem, right? Of course I want to know anything related to them."

"Just tell me what happened with Gerald." I sigh in resignation.

"Like I said, he was pretending like nothing happened and I was ignoring him because I was already in a bad mood because of my fight with Louis, and then-"

"Wait, what fight?" I cut her off. 

"Louis accused me of being a liar, he doesn't trust me with this issue with Gerald and my family."

My fingers rake through my hair and I let out a long sigh. "I'll talk to him about it, don't worry."

"Well, I kind of crossed a line as well," she says. "Niall told me about his...situation."

"Situation?" I raise my brow.

"You know, about his partner...Jenna, was it?"

"Oh, yeah. He gets really sensitive when someone mentions her, I don't really understand it," I shrug.