Dark Side (Harry Styles) HOLD

“Think we can do some work, finally?” Harry entered her bedroom without knocking, and leaned against the door frame. He was holding a bottle of water, rubbing it between his palms slowly.
“I've been waiting for you!” Lux said, trying not to raise her voice. Just the sight of him got her irked.
“Right, then. Let's get to it. Come along, sweet cheeks.” He nodded, waiting for her to stand and slip her wedges on before following him out of the room. They had to go down two flights of steep fucking stairs to get down to the studio where they rehearse, and she knew then that she should have worn different shoes for this.

Harry was leaping down the stairs like a freakin frog, and she was waddling like a toddler who just learned how to walk. She gripped the railing like her life depended on it. She was good walking in heels, but going down these stairs in them was a different story. She loathed it.

“Are you serious? Is this a joke?” His accent was thick and almost made her smile.

“Harry, if I go frolicking down the stairs like you, I'll break my neck. Sorry!” She said sarcastically, but picked up her pace on the stairs a little bit anyways. He waited for her on the second landing, and when she got to the last stair, she felt unbalanced and reached out, grabbing him instead of the railing.

Lux's hand found his without even trying, locking his palm into a death grip while she steadied herself on his shoulder with her other hand. He pressed his free hand to her hip, both of them looking down at her feet while she straightened out. Their faces both turned up until they were inches apart, staring into each other's eyes for what felt like the 50th time that day. She swallowed harshly, slowly letting her hand fall from his shoulder as he removed his from her waist. Their hands stayed locked as they walked down the last staircase.

She's sure if she loosened her grip on him, he would have dropped her hand like it had a disease, but she was holding onto him for her life. She did not want to fall on her face two days before live shows.
“Oh god, Harry. The live shows are in two days.” Lux felt her breathing get heavier as she began to think about performing in front of all those people. “Oh, I'm gonna be sick.”

“Honestly, love, you're just a big mess.” He scoffed, shaking his head. Once they were on flat ground, she loosened her grip on his hand, but he held it a moment longer before they released and stepped away.
“I know.” She sighed, and he looked shocked at her agreeing with him. She really just wanted to sing, she doesn't want to argue right now. She led him into the studio space, sitting down on a couch and grabbing her acoustic from its case.

“You play?” He asked, and she nodded slowly, pressing her fingers to the strings lightly.
“Alright, then. What shall you sing?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow as he sat opposite her, his eyes blazing green-blue. She looked up into his eyes, momentarily forgetting what a jerk he is because he has such beautiful eyes. “Lux?”
p
“Oh, right. Marry the night. Lady Gaga.” She replied, nodding. “I changed it a little..”

“Let's hear it then, love.” He said, gesturing for her to start. “See if you can sing.”

He watched her roll her eyes at that comment, beginning to strum and sing softly.

“I'm gonna marry the night, I won't give up on my life, I'm a warrior queen, live passionately tonight.” Her voice was gentle, and she slowed the song down a reasonable amount. It was always a risk to change a song, but the way she did it was beautiful in every way.

“I'm gonna marry the dark, gonna make love to the stark, I'm a soldier to my own emptiness, I'm a winner.” Harry felt his eyes close as she continued to sing, letting himself get carried off in her voice. She went through the first chorus slightly slow, and then moved onto the second verse, which she sped up a tiny bit, her voice growing stronger and louder.

She finished it off sometime after the second verse, and he realized that even though she stopped playing, his eyes were still shut lightly.

“Wow, do I look that ugly when I sing that you've got to shut your eyes?” Lux asked softly, laughing a bit, but he could tell she was asking a serious question. She seemed to be really insecure.

He opened his eyes and stared at her sitting there curled up on the couch, cradling her guitar like it's a baby. Her dark eyes were wide and staring at him with something he never thought he'd see from her.
Respect.

Harry can be an asshole to her all he wants, but if she respects him as an artist, he has to respect her as one too. Hating each other on a personal level is different than on a musical level.

“That was insane.” He heard himself whisper, watching her frown slowly.

“Oh. Ok. Um... I can.. I can change it..” She began to fiddle with her guitar, and his hand shot out to stop her. He grabbed her hand in both of his, watching her do a quick intake of breath when he did.

“No. It's insane in a good way. Look, I have the chills.” He took her hand and guided it to his arm, watching her fingers slowly feel his goosebumps. As her fingertips danced along his skin, he felt more goosebumps pop up, and he pushed it off as a late response to her singing.

“Look at us, agreeing on something.” She smiled, her hand still pressed against his arm.
“Never thought I'd see the day, honest.” She laughed quietly, nodding in agreement.

“This doesn't make us friends or anything. Or even frenemies.” Lux narrowed her eyes at him.

“What in the bloody hell is a frenemy?” He asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Part friend, part enemy. It's a girl thing.” She stood up, walking over to the piano in the corner, running her fingers along the keys slowly, jutting down onto one every once in a while.

“You play anything?” She asked, turning back to look at him.

Harry smiled, “I can play the kazoo.” Lux laughed, and he felt a warmth spread through his body at the sound of her laughter, knowing he caused it just by being himself. It was nice.

“Aren't you a big bad rockstar!” She said sarcastically, still laughing.

“I am a big bad rockstar. I have the groupies to prove it.” He laughed, and she stared at him for a moment like she was trying to decipher whether he was being cocky or funny. When she decided he was being funny, she began to laugh too.

Harry forgot what it was like to laugh with a girl who wasn't a fan. It was nice because knowing that she isn't a fan, he knows she's not just laughing to please him. She's not laughing because she thinks everything he does is funny and adorable. She's laughing because she thinks he's funny, and not very often. She thinks he's a jackass most of the time, actually, and she's right. He is.

But this place... this can be their safe place. They can come here and be themselves, they can laugh at each other's jokes and compliment one another and everything will stay in here. They won't ever admit to that though, but Harry can tell that this is how it will be.

Safe when in the presence of music.

“So, again?” He asked her, watching her smile and nod, picking her guitar back up.

“Hey..” He held his hand up, notifying her to wait a second. “Your voice is really beautiful. Just so you know, I think you've got a real shot at winning this thing.”

He has never seen Lux's face light up like it did right then, her eyes gleaming and glittering like the stars as she gave him a dazzling smile, her cheeks turning a light shade of red. They stared at one another for a long moment before she tilted her head downwards, a smile still on her lips. She began to play the song quietly, and this time, Harry made sure to keep his eyes open.

“I'm gonna marry the night..”

Notes

Sorry I haven't updated In literally forever..... We'll happy Easter everyone!!!! Night.x