Body Paint (Harry Styles AU)

Chapter Four.

Night after night passed where Harry's bed was left empty and Aubry's was taken by two. After a pile of Aubry's dirty clothes grew in the corner of the room, the fridge was stocked with chocolate milk and the only thing in the freezer was Reese's peanut butter cups. Aubry still made shitty coffee, and Harry hardly ever got out of bed before two p.m. When Niall grew comfortable and began walking around the apartment in white briefs and tube socks, late night movie marathons were had on the couch with junk food and Harry's belly begging him for a vegetable. Living with Aubry also opened him up to the realization that it may have been a woman thing to disregard privacy, because more than just once did she bust in the bathroom while he was brushing his teeth to use the toilet, and more than just once did he have to double check that the lock was latched when he needed to use it himself. Or, perhaps, it was just an infuriating reminder that he really had fallen in love with someone who was just as much like his mother as he feared.

The first day of her classes, after five days of sitting at home, was the only morning he bothered to get out of bed before noon, only to crawl back under the covers after walking her the few blocks to campus. It was also the day he opted out of a four o'clock pizza snack for the fifth day in a row and granted himself time away from the grease for a shower. His privacy was short lived, because he startled when the door opened up and knocked shampoo bottles off the shelf. They clattered to the floor, his feet shuffling away as quickly as possible to avoid injured toes, and Harry's eyes peered out from behind the curtain to find Aubry reaching for a toothbrush. "Hi, I'm naked."

He watched her squirt toothpaste onto the bristles, her eyes glued to his silhouette in the foggy condensation clinging to the mirror. Clothes were scattered across the floor, and water dripped from the tip of his nose. "Nice."

The curtain was pulled closed completely while he submerged himself back under the water stream. "I'm almost done, can it wait?"

"No," she mumbled, her mouth already filled with sudsy toothpaste. He peeked out again just barely, just an eye to see she was busy, and he returned to his task trying his best to keep from feeling shy.

He jumpstarted again when the shower curtain moved, and he rapidly turned around to hide himself from her eyes, "I'm manscaping, go away!"

She laughed, stepping away to spit into the sink, but she returned to the open space of the shower curtain to peer in on his nude frame. "You're not going bald, are you?"

"No, I'm not ten years old," he grumbled, razor in hand, and it might've been a little less embarrassing if she hadn't caught him with his leg propped up on the edge of the tub for easy access. "Would appreciate if you'd stop startling me while I have a blade next to my balls, though. Please go away, I'm naked and vulnerable."

"You have a really cute butt," she grinned, her toothbrush being popped back into her mouth while he cowered away and tried to protect his body from her eyes. "I've never gotten a chance to actually look at it before. Perky and round, so cute."

His hand splayed out on his behind trying to hide his perky round cheeks the best he could, "Yes, I get it. I'm great, go away."

She laughed some more, though she willed him the respect to pull the curtain shut again. "Don't forget to shave your grundle."

"I was, before you so politely interrupted me." His line of vision peered out for his next point, "I'll walk in on you during your body hair removal next time. See how it feels."

"Jokes on you, I wax."

He stepped back under the water, "Waxing is for people who hate themselves." The razor ran over his skin quickly a few last times, and the water stream was put to an end. "Could you at least hand me my towel so I can cling onto a fraction of my dignity?"