I went to work with worry chewing away at me. If he were sick, or in trouble, or hurt, I wouldn’t know until it was too late. I could tell he’d been at the hospital, that something had happened, but he didn’t leave Molly any details.
I texted him from my phone, but all I got was silence. Even when I messaged him non-stop like I was drunk, he still ignored me. After all the shit we'd been through, I wish he could still trust me if it was serious enough. Which was fucking hypocritical of me, but I couldn’t stop myself wanting to be the only one he leant on.
By midday, I couldn’t sit still knowing he needed someone.
I called him from my desk during my lunch break, throat tight, holding my breath.
He answered on the last ring, and my breath rushed from me.
“Dom?” he answered numbly. “Are you okay?”
I rocked forwards in my chair, my elbows landing on my desk. My head dropped as relief swept through me.
“I should be asking you that. You sound awful. What’s going on?”
“It’s just work stuff,” he croaked.
There was a long pause, and I could feel he wasn’t going to say any more, but I wasn’t letting him go. He needed me.
“Okay, look, I made too much food last night and I want you to come over for dinner.”
“Dom, I… I’ve had a really hard night.” The slight tremor in his voice had me itching to put my arms around him and kiss away the hurt. If I were beside him, I’d already be pulling him close.
“What happened, Harry?”
He breathed a heavy sigh. “I just need to rest.”
“Then come over tonight. Let me take care of you, handsome.”
There was a sharp hiss of breath and a low thud from the end of the line. He went completely silent. I couldn’t even hear him breathe.
I was tempted to promise I wouldn't hit on him, but it was obvious it wasn't the time for teasing.
“Harry? What's happening?”
“I’m fine. I just…” There was another shaky sigh.
“Then you’ll come over? Come on, I bet it’s been ages since you’ve had a proper meal.”
There was another pause before he replied.
“Okay, fine,” he groaned. I was pretty sure it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had said in every message he left for Molly that he needed her. And I could be that for him. “I’ll be there at eight,” he mumbled.
I closed my eyes, relief pouring through me.
“Good,” I said. “I’ll see you soon.”
***
I could tell as soon as I opened my door and laid eyes on Harry that whatever had happened had totally wrecked him.
I didn’t hesitate. I reached out, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him to my chest. I drew in his scent, loving how gentle he was in my arms.
He was stiff for a second before his body sagged, his hands gripping my waist as he moaned, burying his face in my shirt.
I kept down the pride rumbling through me, choosing to tuck his head under my chin instead. Strands of loose chestnut hair tickled my nose, and I sank into him. I had no idea when I might touch him like that again.
“Hey,” I murmured, stroking his back through his jacket. I loved how wide he was, how easily his skin dented under my fingers. There was no hard muscle, just pure softness.