Echo Of Us • Zarry

RS 2

The first time Harry saw Lucrecia, at a Gucci campaign shoot in March, he felt a little flower of desire open up in his chest, one that had been dormant for a good while. It sparked that thrilling feeling of exploring romance with someone new, someone with a clean slate that isn't tarnished by the past. They spent a couple of days in Rome on the shoot and by the end of it, Harry could hear Lucrecia's ringing laughter even in his dreams. He was enamoured and for the first time in years, his genuine attraction to someone wasn't clouded by a dark storm looming over him, reminding him that his heart still belonged to someone else. So without feeling guilty or heartbroken, he asked Lucrecia out for a date at the end of their shoot. Shockingly, at least to Harry because it didn't happen to him normally, Lucrecia said no. Harry didn't want to act like a bloody creep so he kept his distance, put it all behind him and treated her like anyone else at the shoot, as a potential friend.

But then there was a party at a villa just outside of Rome, one that Alessandro threw for the talent and the crew. Heaps of amazing Italian food, lots of wine and also, dancing. And that last bit was what granted Harry that date with Lucrecia. Once everyone had drunk enough wine, everyone was dancing with anyone and generally having great fun. One moment, as people were switching partners around before the next song, Lucrecia ended up right in front of Harry, nearly knocking him down. He grabbed her elbows to steady both her and himself and she just smiled, kicked her heels off and they danced. Even barefoot she was tall enough to meet his eyes without tilting her head up and it took two songs before they even spoke. It was very film-like, Harry thinks, especially in hindsight. Or they were both quite drunk.

For the rest of the night, they barely spent a moment apart. That wonderful laughter of hers was now meant for Harry, he made her laugh and it was magic. Harry was arse over tit before midnight had even struck. In the chilly spring night, he went outside with her where he watched her smoke and ramble about her grandmother's house in the south of Italy where she grew up, wishing she could go there now but she simply didn't have time. They laughed over a story of how she taught her grandma how to FaceTime and fucking hell, Harry really wanted to kiss her. He was scared to fuck it all up, since she had already refused him once but then he was taken aback by Lucrecia kissing him herself, right there in the night, in a garden that wasn't quite out of its winter slumber yet. She tasted like smoke and cocoa, and after the fleeting kiss was over, she whispered good night to him and slinked back inside.

In the morning, he found a note underneath his door. It was from Lucrecia and it simply had her number, a date and a place on it, along with a lipstick kiss.

They met up three days later in Milan, in a tiny restaurant that felt like home. The first half of the date was a typical first date and Harry was fumbling like he was a teenager back in his village again. Then Lucrecia's smile disappeared and she told him about Dario, her four-year-old son. It was an unspoken ultimatum and Harry had about ten seconds to decide if he was ready for this or wasn't. But he said to himself - fuck it, she's worth it. He loves kids either way, even if he's not quite sure he could be a step-dad. To this day, he consoles himself by keeping the possibility of an amicable breakup alive and then he can always be the fun uncle Harry he is to already so many kids.

Lucrecia takes his breath away just the same as she walks towards him in his backyard, carrying two glass bottles of mineral water straight from the fridge. She's smiling and even if her vibrant brown-green eyes are obscured by sunglasses, the smile makes up for it. Her long dark brown hair is down, framing her face.

"There you go, babe," Lucrecia says as she hands Harry one of the bottles and plops down on the sun lounger next to him. "Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?"

Harry hums. "Maybe, yeah. Not the worst idea." He turns on his side and watches Luc as she picks up her book from a side table and goes back to reading right after she plucks out the tarot card she uses as a bookmark. Harry just watches her, smiles a little when he sees the corners of her lips lift up. It takes longer than anticipated until Lucrecia finally notices.

"Why are you staring at me all serial-killer like?" she chuckles and reaches out to pat Harry's cheek. Her warm hand stays on his face and Harry covers it with his own.

"You're very beautiful. Impossible not to stare," Harry mumbles a reply and kisses her palm before placing it back on his face.

Luc shakes her head and laughs, "You're a horrible flirt. Can't stop it."

"You're special," Harry grins.

"Now you're just buttering me up," Luc laughs brightly and leans over from her lounger to kiss him quickly. "Let me read, Dario will be up from his nap in a bit."

"Of course, my lady, I shall not hinder you from being even smarter than you already are," Harry pretends to courtesy while still lying down.

"Catch up then," Luc wiggles her brows and starts reading again.

Harry thinks he dozes off next to her and he truly thinks he did once he feels two small hands on his face while his eyes are still closed. A moment later, his sunglasses are taken off. When Harry squints at the thief above him, he finds Dario laughing at him, Harry's sunglasses barely not slipping off of his face right onto the ground.

"There's been a robbery!" Harry calls out exaggeratedly and pulls Dario down into his lap before the little boy has a chance to run away. "I've caught the thief, I've got him, Luc."

Lucrecia laughs and laughs next to them, and so does Dario. "That's very good," Luc says, "but he has an accomplice." She grabs Harry's sunglasses from Dario's face and puts them on hers, replacing her own pair. That one is quickly snagged by Dario.

"I see how it is," Harry scoffs. He lets Dario sit freely on his sun lounger. He high-fives his mum. "You two are actively working against me. This is a setup."

"I want ice cream, Harry," Dario says. "Pay me for the glasses."

"But they're already mine, bub," Harry goes to tickle him but Dario slinks out of his grasp. "And your mummy has them now. I think she's the criminal I need to negotiate with."

Lucrecia smirks and leans over to whispers her ransom into Harry's ear. Harry's cheeks go bright red and he prays to every deity that Dario didn't hear.

He clears his throat. "Your mummy really knows how to bargain, Dario. But you will get ice cream anyway because I'm not a heartless criminal."

Lucrecia winks at them from above her book as they leave to go inside and get some gelato from the freezer. Harry just shakes his head, the smile impossible to hide. He might as well be bloody falling in love.

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hi everyone! say hello to lucrecia and dario! i personally looooove luc, i wanna date her tbh, harry gtfo, im stealing your girl lmao. anyway let me know what you guys think!! and what you think is coming next??? thank you sooooooooooooo much for reading, voting and commenting, it means so much to me!! i was genuinely BLOWN AWAY by your response to the first two chapters!! ive loved your comments and i wish i had the time to respond to them rn but i dont 😭😭 i love you all sm thank you 💜