crystal method || Harry Styles au

14

Harry visited every other day to give her space, not like she had many other people coming to see her. The day's Harry did come, they sat in silence while he tapped his foot, or he would aimlessly flip through the TV channels.

They would sit in silence for hours on end, and then he would stand, walk towards her, kiss her softly, and then leave. It had been like that for a week and Mai had no clue what exactly was going on between the two of them.

Today was the day that she finally got to get out of the bed. She had gotten out a few times for a bath, but never had she been able to use her legs. Harry had mixed up something when translating all of her injuries. Her foot was not broken, it was partially paralyzed. He said he didn't want to 'scare her.' Harry knocked on the door and stepped inside the room, his cologne instantly filled the room and Mai felt at home.

"Hey." He smiled at her politely and stepped closer to the bed, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

The young nurse was at Mai's side, unhooking her IV's and lowering the bed sides. The nurse grabbed onto Mai's hand securely and helped her swing around the bed.

"You feeling okay?" Harry quick stepped around the bed so he could help the nurse with Mai.

"Mhm." She mumbled. But she would be lying. Her arm was throbbing and her head was spinning. She sat a foot flat down on the ground and relaxed when Harry placed one hand on the small of her back and another held her elbow while they gently helped her to a wheelchair.

"I've got it." Harry spoke to the nurse and began pushing the wheelchair out of the room. People stared and she knew it was because of Harry. His piercings and tattoo's weren't really an easy sight on the eyes, unless that was the kind of thing you liked. They followed the nurse until they got to a large room where other handicapped people were being helped around the room.

It was overwhelming and Mai began shaking her head.

"No, no, nevermind. Take me back." She leaned back to look at Harry and he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Come on, we've got to do it."

Nurse Katie left for a brief second and returned with a middle aged man, who was 'fit'.

"This is Mr. Ed, he will be helping you get back on your feet!" She said excitedly while they exchanged handshakes.

"Well, I guess we should start by just seeing what you can do." He smiled at her, but it seemed so uncomfortable. He went to touch Mai and she flinched at his cold hands.

"Harry, I don't want to do it." She shook and Harry bent down so he could be at face level in front of her. "It hurts." She admitted and he nodded, closing his eyes for a little bit.

"I know." He rubbed her thigh. "You're not the kind of person to give up. Come on, you can do it." He had a short temper and she knew that If she tried to get any more sympathy out of him, it would just make him angry.

"Okay." She whispered and let the man take her hand, helping her up until she was standing; somewhat.

"Can you feel your left leg?" He asked and observed it.

"No." She grumbled and looked over to Harry who was nibbling on his lip nervously. His arms crossed.

"Alright, boyfriend, what's your name?" Mr. Ed snapped at Harry and Harry's head shot up from his gaze on the ground.

"Harry." He answered quickly and jumped into the conversation that he seemed to have zoned out of.

Mai's heart raced when Harry didn't correct the man for calling him her 'boyfriend', he went along with it and she wasn't quite sure why he would have.

"This works easier with someone they trust." He smiled at the two of them and motioned for Harry to place his hands on Mai's hips. "Alright, I'm going to step over here, I want you to try and walk to me." He was now focusing his attention on Mai while she listened intently. "And Harry, just follow behind her, stay close." They stood in between two bars and Harry rested his hands gently on her hips. The physical therapy doctor stood about 3 feet from her and waited patiently.

"Okay, let go." Mai whispered over her shoulder to Harry. She felt his fingers hesitantly drift from her waist and she held onto the bars. Slowly making it down the blue mat. She had barely made it a foot before Ed told her to raise her arms off the bar.

She stopped in her spot before letting her shaky hands float up. Within 1 second, she was dropping to the ground and her reflexes were too slow for her one foot to catch her.

Large hands wrapped around her and she fell back into Harry's chest.

"Damn Mai." He grunted and lifted her back to her feet.

"That was really good." Mr. Ed cheered and Harry stepped around Mai, his arm still holding her up from behind.

"Are you kidding me? She can barely walk a foot and she has to hold onto something. How is that good?" Harry raised his voice at the doctor and his face went white.

"It's a good start." He restated himself and Mai leaned into Harry's chest to wipe her tears off of her face.

"Mai, don't cry. We can try one more time." He nudged her playfully and she shook her head in protest.

"I'm done for today." She reached out for the doctor and he took her from Harry's arms. Ed led her back to her wheelchair and called for Nurse Katie to come back over since she was socializing with another nurse.

"What are you talking about Mai? Come on, just do it again." Harry groaned and pouted at Mai.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint you again." She said under her breath and waited for the nurse to wheel her away.

They were both silent until they were back in the room, alone.

Harry paced slowly and Mai sat up straight in her bed waiting for him to break the silence.

"You're so damn frustrating." He stated and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it a mess upon his head.

"Then why are you even here?" She shot back. She didn't like being talked down to, and definitely not by him. "If I'm so frustrating, why the hell do you even bother?" She raised a good point and he stopped pacing to think for a minute.

"I love you Mai. I don't even fucking know what that word means, but I do love you. At least, I think that's what this feeling is." He stepped forward while she tried to catch her breath. There was no way this was actually happening. She was hallucinating again. She had to be.

"This feeling, like my stomach is going to explode. It happens every single time I come to see you and I don't know why. I don't know why I feel like this, or why all I can think about it kissing you on your damn mouth all the time. I want to understand what this is." He was inches from her and she was breathing heavily. "And excuse me if I'm wrong, but this girl, that has been driving me crazy for the past 3 years, almost dies and it's suddenly wrong for me to want her to get better! Mai, you were one in a million, you've heard the doctors say it before. You shouldn't be here now; I got a second chance with you. I'm not wasting it this time." It took everything in him to finish and he wasn't sure whether the tears leaving Mai's eyes were good or bad.

Mai could feel the panic rising in her and she couldn't find the proper response in time. So he did what he does best. Leave.