It's You [H.S.]

11.3 | You're it

7th February 2019 (continued)

With his eyes fixated on the play of light through the ice cubes and rich amber of the Japanese whiskey he swirls in his crystal tumbler, Harry releases another deep breath, then begins, lowly.

"El had been, umm, going through something...", he rubs his neck distractedly, then clears his throat. "Back in September, she was targeted by a convicted stalker and, well, rapist. He's violent and has history with her family. It was all pretty horrific...", he winces. "When she was just fifteen, he tried to attack her too. And if it wasn't for Ben, well...", he trails off.

Jeff, Mitch and Tom sit across from him, elbows braced on their knees and leaning forward over the low table between them, listening intently.

Cutting his intense green eyes away from his glass and back up, he takes the plunge and finally admits it. "Well, I couldn't, wouldn't-... I just couldn't risk putting her in any more danger".

Starting to put two and two together - he thinks - Jeff gasps, cutting him off. "H, there had to have been another way? Surely-".

"No", Harry cuts him back off, green eyes flashing as he shakes his head, vehemently. He's still adamant; it's just about the only thing he is still sure off.

Catching Mitch and Tom's confused looks between the pair of them, Harry sighs again, rubbing his hands over his face and then up into his hair.

After another long sip of his whiskey, he quickly checks that no one else is in ear shot, then, crossing an ankle over his knee, leans forward and starts clueing them in; finally getting it all off his chest...

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[flashback, via Harry's recount]

20th September 2018

After heading back to the balcony hand in hand, with Harry clued in, if not quite any the wiser, they all sit talking until long after the sun goes down.

Later, after lengthy discussions with Crispin, and loose plans made and enquiries issued to his security agency, Harry has a frank discussion with Ben; about his version of events from that afternoon ten years before.

He ends up taking it all out on his punching bag, sans gloves.

When heightened emotions give way to physical exhaustion, finally calling it a night, they and Crispin head up to bed, soon after Ben and Mer head home to relieve their nanny.

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[flashback, via Harry's recount]

21st September 2018

Having only slept fitfully, and then awoken from dreams he was thankful he couldn't quite recall, Harry has been staring at Eloise for the last hour or so.

With her left arm draped over his chest and hand tucked under his waist, she's curled up tightly against his side. Swamped in his old t-shirt, rucked up around her hips, her bare legs are tangled around his. Features soft and relaxed, bar the gentle movement of her eyelids as she dreams, he's struck by how young and innocent she looks.

Lying there, stock still, he feels a war of conflicting emotions simmering within. Overcome with the depth of his love for her, he's still feeling ashamed of his behaviour over the last couple of days. He can't fathom how she must be feeling, and how hurtful his inadvertent abandonment must have been in her time of need.

Eyeing his red and grazed knuckles, as his hand moves gently up and down her arm laid across his chest, he can't help but shiver as a wash of warring instincts rolls over him. His primal need to protect Eloise, clashing with an animalistic desire to inflict real pain on Magnus.