Strings of Fate

4/4 Strings of Fate Cam 39- Reacting and recounting As promised, Harry is on my doorstep at ten in the morning. I just wear my normal clothes. this time. Jeans and a soft blue t-shirt. I'm not planning to actually work the bar today so it doesn’t matter too much. But these are the clothes that I'm used to. Regardless, Harry greets cheerfully and complementsso enthusiastically | have to work not to turn a magnificent shade of red.

“You look absolutely breathtaking this morning. Are you ready to go?” He asks, holding out at hand to me. | take it and we head off. Harry didn’t bring his car today so | asswe aren't going far.

“Since you insist | have to leave tto actually WORK today, | thought we could just get something at the bakery near your bar and eat there. Is that alright?” Harry asks. | nod.

“Sounds great. Although if that’s the plan, you could have just metthere. Unless this is closer. Where do you live anyway?” | ask. Harry names a street and | stumble a little. The only reason | don’t faceplant is because of Harry's grip on my hand.

“What? But... that’s right next to my bar! Are you saying that you live closer to my work than | do?” | ask in shock. Harry shrugs.

ppose so.” He agrees.

“But... then why did you walk all the way here? Actually... Why even walkhome? You live in the opposite direction!” | point out. Harry rolls his eyes.

“I've told you before, | enjoy spending twith you. So unless you want to cback to my place, then this is the best | can do.” he tellscalmly. | frown and | know my brow is furrowed. | sort of assumed that Harry lived nearby, or that at least walking to my place was only a little out of his way, not that it is in the COMPLETE OPPOSITE DIRECTION! “Besides, walking is good exercise. You don’t get an ass like mine sitting around all day.” He winks atand | roll my eyes. Okay, sweet moment gone. Harry swings our arms between us as we walk.

1/4 Cam 39 Reacting and recounting “Are you planning to hold my hand this whole walk?” | question. He nods.

“Yep. | doubt you will be surprised to hear it but I'm discovering that I'm pretty clingy. At least | am when it comes to you. Letknow if I'm annoying you too much.” He responds cheerfully, still swinging our arms.

Holding his hand, | begin to notice other things, like how one of his steps matches two of mine. He must be slowing his pace quite a bit to walk with me. It didn’t ever occur to me. | study him subtly out of the corner of my eye, | suspect that he notices, but if he does then he chooses not to say anything When we reach the bakery | send Harry to find us a seat at one of the little tables while | order us food. Harry doesn’t object tobossing him around and | go pay for our breakfast. When | return with food he’s at a table that technically seats four. | could sit next to him... But not wanting to make a fool of myself and needing a little distance from him and his seductive magic, | choose to sit neross from him instead. Harry doesn’t notice my internal dilemma and smiles brightly atas | take my sent.

“Thanks.” He says. The next few minutes are unusually quiet as the two of us stuff our faces. | usually eat this late since | like to sleep in, but | doubt Harry usually waits until after ten in the morning for his breakfast. The poor guy was probably starving. I'm only halfway through my meal when he’s finishing up. I'm so caught up in my breakfast which is insanely good and about a hundred times better than my usual toast or nothing, that | don’t notice the woman approaching until she speaks.

“Hey, | hope this isn’t too forward of me, but | was wondering if | could get your number and... maybe take you for drinks tonight?” My eyes latch onto the dark haired beauty who has approached us, or more specifically, approached Harry. She is gorgeous, with her hair cut into a pixie cut that | could never pull off, ice blue eyes and high cheekbones, she looks like she belongs on the cover of a magazine or something, not in the bakery where I'm eating breakfast. | clear my throat subtly. The woman's eyes dart to me, lookup and down, then dismiss me. She turns back to Harry expectantly. Okay RUDE.

“No, | don’t think so. Sorry.” Harry answers cheerfully. The woman frowns. She’s about to walk away but | can’t help but say something.

“What am | invisible or something? How rude do you have to be to ask a guy out in front of his... his date?” | finish. For a second | wanted to say girlfriend or partner, but both words. implied too much of a committed connection that | am not comfortable implying. The woman raises an eyebrow.

2/4 Cam 39- Reacting and recounting “Honestly, | didn’t think you were together. You're sitting at the stable, but you're as far away from the guy as you can get, not to mention neither of you have said a word to each other for a few minutes now. | assumed you were just sharing the table. If | was seeing a guy who looks like that I definitely wouldn't be keeping my distance. Sorry, | didn’t mean to offend you.” She sounds sincere and my anger drains away. Well shit, she wasn't meant to be REASONABLE. How am | meant to take my anger and jealousy out on her if she’s going to be reasonable. | kind of wanted her to fight back. As it is, all | can do is behave myself. Wordlessly, | stand from my seat and move into the one beside Harry, making sure to shuffle it close to him so that the legs of the seat are basically touching. | lean into his arm and taking the hint, Harry wraps it over my shoulder.

“No meal in peace.” | tell her, probably a bit rude still, and I'm definitely rubbing my closeness to Harry in her face, but the satisfaction | get as | watch her walk away makes it worth it. Not wanting a repeat of the sscenario, | stay beside Harry while | eat. | might not be as clingy as Harry, but apparently | AM jealous. If snuggling up to him makes other women leave him be then it’s worth it.

Problem. Thanks for your honesty. Now if you don’t mind, we would like to finish our Harry keeps his arm loosely over my shoulder in a half hug until | finish my breakfast and we get up to leave. He only removes it to immediately take my hand again. He waits until we get outside to start gloating.

“You were SO jealous! And what happened to your objection to hugging? You were all over me. You know if you're allowed to hugwhenever you want it’s only fair that | get to hug you!” he points out. | roll my eyes.

“Yeah, fine. Hugging is allowed. And | wasn’t jealous, | was offended. She was being very rude.” | respond primly.

Harry laughs.

“Sorry love, but I'm not buying it. You were jealous. You were half a second away from crawling into my lap!” he crows.

“Shut up, don’t say another word!” | hiss at him. | flush red and angle myself away from him, yanking on our joined hand and hoping to create a little distance. Harry just holds on and lets the yanking motion drag him closer to me.

“Nope, this is too much fun. I'll be recounting this to people until the day | die.” he declares.

3/4 Cam 39- Reacting and recounting I glare at him.

“What is it going to take to get you to drop this?” | ask, grumbling. Harry pretends to think. but the glint in his eyes tells| won't like the answer.

“Ill stop talking in exchange for a kiss.” He smoulders down atand for a second I'm stuck staring into his eyes as his magic powers through me. | have to work not to shiver. Finally, | force myself to take a step back.

“Absolutely not.” | glare at him and begin marching my way towards work, towing Harry along by our still joined hands as he laughs until he nearly cries.