The feeling of someone watching you made you look up from where you were hunched over the bathroom vanity, a toothbrush tucked between your teeth and the frothy toothpaste collecting at the corner of your lips. Your eyes locked with Harry’s through the mirror as he stood there, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest. His body was adorning a pair of tight boxer briefs and nothing else, his hair pulled back into his signature bun and his eyes full of sleep. It was just after 8pm and you’d organised a small girls night in, with the exception of Harry staying in, with Lou and Lux popping over and Gemma and Sophia sitting in with you.
“What time are the girls coming over?” He wondered, as he sauntered into the bathroom. The tiles cool against the undersides of his feet, a shiver being sent through his spine. He perched himself on the edge of the bathtub, the hems of his boxer legs riding up his thighs and becoming dangerously close to his crotch. “Just, I need a shower and a cheeky shave and I don’t want to end up walking down through the sitting room, and giving them something to look at,” he chuckled, watching as your foot collided with his knee.
“You really need to stop being arrogant.”
“Hey. You love me and you love when I show up in the kitchen cheekily in nothing but my naked self. However, what you do not love is when other ladies see what is meant for your eyes only,” he teased, hooking his arm around your hips and pulling you between his thighs. You threw the towel in your grip on the lid of the closed toilet, smirking when you felt Harry’s hands roam your behind. “This body is for your eyes only, so… I know for a fact you hate when ladies get to see this,” he laughed, bringing his face to nuzzle against your jumper covered belly ***. His nose inhaling the scent that lingered on the material before he tilted his head up to look at you.
“They’re coming by around eight thirty. So, you have thirty minutes to shower this very sexy body of yours. And please come down dressed appropriately. Lou couldn’t get a babysitter, Tom’s out for work, so she has to bring Lux,” you smiled, watching his face light up at the mention of the tiny girl he spent so much of his tour time with.
“Lux is coming? You didn’t tell me! I didn’t buy her anything to play with. Babe, you know she gets bored here,” you heard his whisper, shaking his head as he pulled his head back from your body.
Whenever Lou needed a babysitter, Harry was her number one go-to guy, if he wasn’t busy at all that is. She never felt comfortable leaving her daughter with a stranger, always leaving her with her sister if Harry couldn’t possibly make time to look after her. And he always felt guilty when he turned the opportunity down, because he knew that Lux was more than excited when Lou told her that she couldn’t go with mummy because it wasn’t for young girls. Lux and Harry were definitely a eye-opener for you with the fact that there was a definite piece in his mind of wanting children. He wanted a baby, and you were the one.
“Harry, it’s okay. Lou said she’s going to bring something for her to do, and I’m sure you can help do whatever with her,” you smiled, raking your fingers through the small tufts of baby hair curled at the nape of his neck. “It’ll probably be some colouring books and some pens, so I’m sure you can help with that. After all, we do know what an artist you are,” you said, leaning down to press a minty and fresh kiss to his lips. “Now, get showered. I don’t really think you need a shave now.”
A smirk lifted at the corner of his lips as you mentioned the word shave, and a confused look spread across your face.
“I didn’t mean facial shave now, baby. I got to keep myself nice and trimmed down there, don’t I?” He chuckled, barely audible as he burst out into a fit of laughter. His head tilted down to his chest, and his eyes casting upon his own crotch area.
“Harry, for god sake,” you muttered.
He ran his hands up your clothed body as he stood to his feet, his fingers resting at the curves of your hips. He knew from that moment, that there was a definite load of years settled for the two of you. You fit like a puzzle piece perfectly. A puzzle piece that gave off an image of relationship goals as everyone liked to call you both, including Sophia and Liam. Throughout the first month and a half of the news being out there, messages had been coming left, right and centre. On social media, through magazines, and through outings out in public when you and Harry fancied a bout of fresh air and a little walk around the London city centre.
“I’m going for a shower. Go and have a good time. Catch up with the ladies. You deserve this. Relieve the stresses of wedding planning. We get right back onto it tomorrow afternoon, yeah?” He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. Cake shopping was organised for the both of you tomorrow, with Gemma popping along with you for a third opinion upon the cake you wanted as your wedding cake.
“Sounds good, handsome. Have a good shower. Don’t cut yourself shaving now, will you?”
“Cheeky bugger, you. Ge’out. I love you. See you in a bit.”
And with that, you waltzed from the bathroom and into the master bedroom connected to finish getting ready for the night in with the girls and Harry.
* *
“There’s my favourite little lady! How’ve you been Lux? I’ve missed you,” you gushed, as the small toddler ran into your awaiting and open arms, a wide grin on her face. “Have you missed me, hm? I’ve missed you so much, lovey. Oh, that’s a very, very tight hug! I’m presuming you’ve definitely missed me,” you giggled, as you lifted her up and settled her upon your hip as Lou arrived in the doorway of the porch.
“Hi, love. I’m so sorry I have to look after Lux. My sisters busy otherwise she’d have her,” Lou sighed, as you moved from her way so she could settle the bags of what you could only guess was full of toys and books and colouring utensils to keep Lux entertained for the evening, whilst you and the girls had a wine night and gossiped the night away. “Where’s Harry? He’s usually the first to come down when me and Lux arrive,” Lou laughed, as she closed the door behind her, and turned to face you. Her arms opening wide as she pulled you and Lux into a hug.
“It’s completely fine, Lou. I’ve been excited to see this little munchkin again,” you giggled, feeling Lux tighten her arms around your neck so she felt secure and safe, and sure you weren’t going to drop her. “Harry’s in the bedroom, getting dressed. He insisted upon sitting with us, and entertaining Lux from time to time rather than staying upstairs and being bored,” you smiled, as Lux cheered and giggled loudly.
“Is that my cheeky little lady?” Sophia called from the kitchen, a pop soon following as she opened the bottle of wine she’d brought, courtesy of Liam who’d brought you the near expensive one from the shop on their street corner. “I’ll be out in a second! I’m just pouring wine for us. Oh, and we ordered pizza, Lou! Pepperoni and that meaty one that you said Lux likes,” she added, poking her head from round the kitchen doorway.
“Hello, lovey. It’s nice to see you again,” Lou grinned, waving slightly.
As the three of you manoeuvred into the living room from the bottom of the stairs, Lux started to get fidgety and kicked her legs lightly against your hips as she demanded she be put down. With Lou scolding her lightly as she continued to kick, you soon gave in to putting her down, and she instantly ran to the stairs and hoisted herself up to the second floor of the house, a sudden gasp coming from Harry. And you could only hope he was dressed and not roaming around the upper level in his naked self.
“Hello, my favourite little lady. I’ve missed you a whole load,” you heard Harry fawn, followed by a giggle from Lux. “What have you brought for us to play with today then, hm? Have you got some colouring books for us to be all artsy with? Maybe some toys? What about your tea party set?” Harry wondered, his voice getting louder and his footsteps heavy as he made his way down the steps with the little girl on his hip. They emerged from round the corner, a freshly showered and facially shaven looking Harry and a giggling and cosy looking Lux settled in his arms.
“Careful of your back, mister. We can’t have another back problem before the wedding now,” you warned, following the both of them into the kitchen and walking around them to stand with Sophia in the corner of the kitchen. “Lux, do you want some chocolate cake? We popped round Anne’s on the way home from our trip to Cheshire when we booked the wedding venue, and she gave us this massive cake as a congratulations,” you giggled, nudging Sophia out the way as you bent down and opened the cupboard behind where she was stood. “Lou, is she allowed?”
“Of course she is. Just, not too much if we’re having pizza,” she smiled, and a cheer erupted from Harry’s and Lux’s mouths. Double trouble, as the three of you called them. “But, did I hear you say you booked a wedding venue? Where is it? Obviously in Cheshire, but where?” Lou cried out, reaching for a glass of wine that Sophia had poured earlier for her. She settled beside Harry on one of the 3 stools for the island counter, the wine glass held between her hands as she took a hearty sip of the red liquid inside.
“It’s the wedding barn that my mum looked at when she and Robin were looking at wedding venues. I got Gemma to send me photos that day, and we looked it up a few days ago and decided on checking it out,” Harry smiled, looking towards the lady beside him. “It’s called Sandhole Oak Barn, and it’s out of the way of everything in a secluded area. There’s a field and a lovely ceremony hall. It’s beautiful,” he smiled, as Lux smushed at his cheeks and pinched at them.
“Will we get to see it?” She wondered, and Lou laughed softly.
“Of course you will, lovely. That’s where me and Harry are going to be getting married. You’re going to be my little flower girl, remember?” You smiled, as Lux nodded happily. A smile still on her little pink lips, reminding you of the day you’d told her you wanted her in your bridal party. Yes, she was turning 4 but she understood that she was going to be a big part in the wedding, and she was definitely excited. She got to be in her Uncle Harry’s wedding. You’d called Lou up the second night Harry was bedridden and sick, face timing her and Lux as they were snuggled in bed back in their home in the city centre. Lou was extremely excited to be your bridesmaid and your hair stylist for the day, and Lux even shed few child tears as you told her you wanted her to be your special little flower girl. “But yeah, it’s absolutely gorgeous,” you smiled, cutting the piece of cake for Lux to munch upon as you waited patiently for the pizza to arrive.
“But, we had a problem, didn’t we, baby? (Y/N) here had a Bridezilla moment. Is that what they’re called?” Harry smirked, bouncing Lux on his knee as you slid a ceramic plate across the island for her to snack on. “She gave me the silent treatment for the journey up there, and she was cold and mean,” he chuckled, as Sophia nudged your shoulder and gasped loudly.
“Our sweet, dear, cute little (Y/N) went all bride crazy? That’s so unlike her. Oh my god, I need to see that,” she laughed. “Will you go bride crazy at any more moments in your planning? I really need to see crazy (Y/N),” Sophia giggled, as Lou nodded and joined in with the laughter. Harry’s soft chuckles making you look directly at him.
“Oh trust me, with this doofus as my fiancé, there will be loads of crazy moments.”
* *
“Gemma told us you were heading out cake shopping tomorrow. Do you have any ideas in mind of what type of cake you want as a wedding cake?” Sophia wondered, as she looked at you from her place at the end of the sofa. An old episode of The Big Bang Theory was playing in the background, acting as background noise, as you spoke to the girls about the planning.
“I think we were going for some kind of red velvet cake, and if not red velvet then just a normal vanilla sponge with a funky looking pattern decorated on it. I know Harry wants a rather outstanding cake,” you laughed, as he looked over from his seat in the arm chair, a sleeping Lux settled on his chest as he felt himself drifting off with sleep. His eyelids heavy and connecting together when he felt like resting his eyes for just a few moments.
“I really can’t see you guys as the traditional couple, you know? Like, you’re both very weird people, in a good way of course, who don’t follow the typical stereotypes and traditions of typical celebrations, ya’know?” Lou smiled, placing her empty wine glass upon the coffee table and reaching for her bag. One glance over at Lux and she felt guilty for keeping her daughter out when she was sleeping. “I’m going to take Lux home now, love. It’s been great catching up with you. We have to do this again. Maybe one night where Harry isn’t here, so we can discuss your bachelorette party,” she winked, Harry giving her a warning look and pointing his long and slender index finger at the woman slightly older than him.
“No strippers.”
“Oh, c’mon Harry! She’ll be stuck with your naked body for the rest of her life. Let her see at least one more before she marries you for good,” Lou teased, lifting Lux for his chest and holding her in her arms tightly. Her head rolling to the side and resting on Lou’s shoulder as Lou held her securely to her body.
“No strippers, Louise. I mean it.”
“You’re no fun, Harry,” Sophia whined, kicking his leg with her foot with a smirk on her face. She was most definitely drunk, and you were sure you’d need to give Liam a ring, and possibly wake him from his slumber. “I need a ride home. I was hoping one of you two could do it, but… I want Liam to pick me up,” she whispered, slurring slightly as she went to stand up.
“Woah. Woah. Soph, just stay seated. I’ll give Liam a ring,” Harry smiled, and stood from his seat in the armchair, following Lou out of the room. “Lou, can we have Lux tomorrow? I’d love to take her with us. She can help us choose cakes,” Harry begged, cupping Lux’s head in his palm as Lou sighed and nodded.
“But, I need her dropped back immediately. Tom’s parents are coming round and they insist upon seeing her. Please do not be late back with her,” she stated, pressing a kiss to Harry’s cheek before leaving the house and emerging into the cold air of the outside world. As he made his way back into the living room, you were in a heated discussion with a drunken Sophia about the wedding arrangements, as she instantly went into her drunken maid of honour mode.
And with that, Harry made the call to his best friend to come and pick his girlfriend up.
* *
“Harry?” He heard from behind him, a tug on the sleeve of his hoodie making him look down at Lux standing beside him, her head tilted back as she looked up at his towering figure. A grin on her face as she held her arms up, wanting to be lifted up to sit on the counter beside where he was making your tea. “What are you doing? Can I help you? (Y/N) said I could come and help you,” she lisped, as Harry dropped the spoon on the mug and crouched down in front of the young girl, his hands hooking under her arms as he lifted her up and sat her on the counter.
“I’m making (Y/N) and myself some tea. Do you want me to make you some warm milk? Oh, how about a cheeky chocolate milkshake? You love my milkshakes, don’t you?” Harry grinned, watching as the plaits running down Lux’s shoulders swayed from side to side as she nodded her head. Whenever he babysat for Lou, he was under strict commands of not giving her anything sugary or sweet because she had the worst case of sugar rush. And she was a nightmare when Lou came to pick her up and she refused to leave her Uncle Harry and go home. “Don’t tell your mother, okay? You’re already going to have mega sugar rush from today,” he laughed; as the small girl clapped her hands and swung her legs out and let her heels knock against the cupboard beneath her.
“What are we doing today, Uncle Harry?”
“We’re going cake shopping for mine and (Y/N)’s wedding, love. We thought you’d like to come and have a day with us tasting cake and choosing what we have as our wedding cake,” Harry smiled, as he reached up for the chocolate milkshake powder in the cupboard above Lux’s head. “Gemma’s coming as well, love. You get to Auntie Gem,” Harry stated, watching as Lux’s eyes widened in excitement. She loved Gemma.
Gemma was one of those people that children adored. She was a lot like Harry in the sense where she loved being around young children, and young children loved being around her. She adored Lux from the moment Lou brought her home as a newborn baby, and she popped round with Harry immediately to get a glimpse of the sweet little lady that would no doubtedly be joining the boys and Lou on tour. From the word go, Lux and Gemma had been inseparable, much like how Lux and Harry were inseparable. Lux was always excited when Harry told her Gemma would be joining them on tour, and Gemma was even more excited to see her favourite little lady.
“When’s Gem coming?”
“Soon, love,” Harry smiled, as he used another spoon to mix up the milk and the powder in the cup Lux had made sure Harry kept at his house; a Minnie Mouse cup that he’d brought her when he went to Disneyworld with you a few years back, in the days when you and Harry were dating and spending as much time as possible together before he left for a world long tour. “”Right, do you want to take your milkshake and go upstairs with (Y/N), yeah? We can wait up there for Gemma, and then we can go cake tasting, sound good?” Harry smiled as Lux gave him thumbs up.
“No need to go upstairs, I’m dressed and ready to go,” he heard you say from the doorway, and as he lifted Lux from the counter top, she toddled over to where you were standing with the sippy cup filled with chocolate milk. “Hello, gorgeous. How are you today? Don’t you look all beautiful in your dress ***, hm?” You smiled as she hugged your leg and nuzzled her face into your jeans.
“When’s Gem coming, (Y/N)?”
You looked up at Harry, seeing his hand protruding out with a mug of tea in his hand, smelling of the typical English Tea smell. “You stocked up on the tea bags. I’m so lucky I bagged a good guy,” you winked, as Lux looked up at you with a confused look on her face. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“Will I get to eat cake today? Mummy said that we were eating cake, are we (Y/N)? Harry said I could help you choose your cake,” she lisped.
“You can eat a little bit of the cake, lovely. We don’t get to eat a lot of the cake, but we get little samples so we know what the cake tastes like,” you stated, shuffling across the kitchen floor to sit at the kitchen table, placing your mug on a coaster and lifting Lux into the seat beside you. Her legs dangling down limply as she sipped away at her chocolate milk, made courtesy of Harry. “Some of them you won’t be able to eat, okay? Ones with nuts or a little alcohol in. You aren’t allowed them. Your mum told me that,” you giggled, as she kicked at your knee softly in a rhythmic pattern.
As you continued talking with Lux, you looked over to where Harry was stood hunching over the island with his nose tucked into a magazine you’d left lying around after you’d finished reading that morning. He looked sweet and cosy tucked beneath the constraint of his hoodie, a view only a few people ever saw. Yes, he walked around London city with Yves Saint Laurent clothes to look sophisticated and smart, but when he was home and in the company of you, he liked to walk around in the clothes he was wearing whilst he waited for his sister to arrive; grey sweats that were rolled up at the cuffs because they were too long in the legs and a Nike hoodie that you’d brought for him when he complained that he had no lounge clothes for the winter months.
He looked perfect. People liked to comment on how he looked absolutely perfect in his YSL clothes and his brown boots and his tight skinny jeans that looked like they never gave his crotch and genitalia area any chance of breathing. But, that was the view they got to see. The view you got to see was completely different, when he was sleepy and freshly showered and smelling of his mint smelling shower gel, and his hair still slightly damp as he emerged from the en-suite bathroom.
It was a view you’d felt lucky to witness.
* *
“(Y/N), chocolate cake,” Lux whispered, tugging on your hand as you followed Harry and Gemma into the cake shop in the centre of London town, a cake shop going by the name of The Cake Store. It smelt sweet, and it was full to the brim of already made cakes and sweet treats that people would come in a fawn over at how gorgeous they looked. The cakes weren’t particularly wedding styles, but Gemma had told you you were able to make and style your own cake and get it personally made. (Y/N), chocolate cake,” Lux repeated, tugging harder on your hand to get your attention to where she was pointing.
“Oh, wow. That’s a beautiful cake, isn’t it, love?” You smiled, and looked down as she licked her little pink lips and stared at the cakes around the 4 of you. As you walked more around the little shop, an elderly couple stepped out from behind the till, smiles on their faces as they realised who had stepped into their shop.
“Hello, Mr Styles. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man. And I’m presuming that this lovely lady is your fiancée?” The elderly man smiled, as he shuffled around the counter and shook your fiancé’s hand. He looked to you and you nodded softly, as the elderly lady came round to pull you into a hug. Of course they knew who Harry was. They had grandchildren who were massive fans of him, and they were constantly talking about how they were happy Harry had finally found a girl to settle down with.
“Hello, lovely. You’re so very beautiful. How may we help you today? Are we looking to buy some cake for your wedding?” She asked, as she led you into the room in the back where an array of cake palettes and small taster samples were set out ready to be tested. “Who is this lovely little lady here with you today?” She asked, as she looked at Lux who was demanding to be set on the ground.
“This is Lux, she’s my fiancé’s bands hair stylist,” you giggled, the words coming out a jumbled and messed up sentence. “I guess you’ve heard of One Direction? Your husband seemed to recognise him,” you smiled, sitting down in one of the plush and velvet chairs as you awaited Gemma and Harry to enter the room. The elderly lady nodded, as she watched Lux toddle around the room, looking at the cakes and the sample shapes. “We’re looking after her for the day, since Harry wanted to spend the day with her, and she likes cake and she wants to get involved in our wedding, bless her,” you smiled, before warning her about touching the cake. “Sweetie, don’t touch anything. Come and sit down, and we’ll get Harry in here.”
“Hello, Lux. I’m Jackie. It’s lovely to meet you. You look very beautiful in your dress, don’t you?” The elderly lady smiled, as Lux climbed up on the chair beside you, and looked nervously at the lady. “Where’s Harry, hm? My husband can get a bit carried away when he gets chatting to someone,” she stated. A laugh escaping your lips as you looked towards the door of the room, and watched as Gemma emerged with Harry and Jackie’s husband hot on her tail.
“I am so sorry. Harry got caught up. There’s a cake that he really likes out in the window and he was curious as to how much it was,” Gemma laughed, sitting down in the seat beside the one you’d left for Harry. “Harold! Come on. We need to get this done. Lux is getting restless, she wants to taste some cake,” she laughed, as Lux shuffled of her seat and climbed onto Gemma’s lap.
“There’s a cake out there, for £420. It suits us so much, babe. Can we please look at it? Maybe we get the same pattern and then change the actual cake inside? Like, we could have vanilla and chocolate or something, and then have the icing and the pattern the same?” Harry grinned, sitting down in the seat you’d left for him. His hand gripped hold of yours as he looked at you with wide eyes, excitement sitting behind his green orbs.
* *
“So it’s settled then? We’ll have vanilla, red velvet and chocolate chip as the cakes and then we’ll have the trailing ivy*** pattern going form the upper tier of the cake to the top of the lower tier. That will look absolutely wonderful, guys,” Ken, the elderly man, smiled. You’d taken a look at the pattern that Harry was talking about, and it hit you that that was going to be your wedding cake. That with your favourite cake flavours and you had the ideal wedding cake being made personally for you for your wedding.
“Thank you so much for your help today, Jackie and Ken. We’re so grateful for your ideas and your suggestions. We’re really happy we’ve found it, after hours of looking,” Harry chuckled, as he leant against the counter in the main room of the shop. His hand was dug into his pocket as he pulled his wallet from his pocket. “How much was it again?” Harry wondered, smiling when you stood beside him and hooked an arm around his hips. Your face mushed against his bicep.
“That will be £420, Harry,” Jackie smiled, tapping away at the till as Harry slid his card into the card payment system. “And thank you for the small autographs for our granddaughters. We’ll have some very jealous young ladies, I think,” she laughed, as Harry gave her a soft nod and a chuckle.
“You’re very welcome. Tell them that their grandparents were a whole load of help, and we are very thankful for that. We’ll see you on the day we pick it up. Bring your granddaughters in that day, Jackie. Surprise them,” he suggested, as you rolled your eyes and gave them a smile.
“Oh, that sounds like a good idea, Harry.”
And with that, he whipped his card from the card reader and slid it back into his wallet, pushing that back into his jeans pocket. After your goodbyes were said, and your thanks yous were exchanged, you took a hold of Harry’s hand and laced your fingers together as you left the shop. Gemma was settled in her car outside of the shop, with Lux in the seat behind her, and they looked deep in conversation as you looked up to Harry.
“One step closer to getting married, my lovely. I think we chose a damn good cake, don’t you think?” Harry whispered, his hands cupping your hips as you stood by the bumper of the car, your arms hooking around his neck. “I’m surprised you never saw it in the window. It was gorgeous. Stood out to me,” he added, nudging his nose against yours. To anyone of the streets, they would have thought you were in the honeymoon phase of dating, when in retrospect you were engaged and due to be married in a matter of months.
“It’s a beautiful cake pattern, mister. You chose well.”
“Tell me about it, babe. I’ve got a damn good taste in wedding cakes. Gemma also liked the look of it as well,” Harry smiled.
You had a hunch that Gemma had a speak in the style of wedding cake, but she helped pick her mums wedding cake. And Anne’s cake was breath-taking and beautiful, so you were happy that your future sister in law had an input; she had good taste, which was wonderful compared to Harry. His hands tightened on your hips as he brought his puckered lips closer to yours, your lips connecting for just a slight second before the car horn behind you scared you to your wits. Gemma yelling behind the wheel with a humoured smirk on her face.
“We want McDonalds! Hurry the hell up!”

Notes