The evening ushered in a tranquility that had eluded both you and Harry for quite some time.
A slight crack in the small window above your bed allowed a gentle breeze to permeate the room. While many might argue that the air in New York City carried a sharp and unpleasant scent, it smelled of new beginnings to you. Describing your life in the city proved to be an indescribable experience.
You gaze up at Harry, lying on your bed. He looks like a dream, his eyes half-closed and glazed with the allure of sleep. Your right hand rests on his bare chest, while the other is delicately woven through his.
His ginger hair is slightly overgrown, falling over his forehead haphazardly. He hadn’t been able to get a haircut lately; the holidays were approaching, and his barber was packed with appointments. You’ve been trimming his hair for him, but you're afraid to go too short—God forbid you ruin his beautiful hair. He couldn’t care less about his hair's appearance, though, as long as you're running your hands through it gently.
You swipe your hand over his forehead to smooth out his unruly hair, allowing you to see his eyes more clearly. His green ones flutter towards your own and rest there.
The two of you pause for a moment. The city is surprisingly quiet, with no traffic or drunk college students, just the two of you breathing in time with the wind outside your window. Your chests rise and fall together.
“What do you think you would be doing right now if we hadn’t met each other?” You speak, breaking through the silence you had accumulated. Harry moves a piece of hair behind your ear and lets his hand linger on your face for a while.
“I’d probably be in my own bed at home, dreaming of being here instead,” he smirks.
You scoff and let out a small chuckle, “But you wouldn’t know I exist! How could you possibly dream of me?”
“I’m sure I’d find a way,” he says, matter-of-factly.
“Well, I think I would be at the movies.” Harry laughs at your answer, a real laugh, from the bottom of his chest. The sound of his happiness always makes you feel warmth in your chest.
“What’s so funny?” You sit up on your knees, looking down at him, still laughing. His laughter is contagious, and you join him in his fit.
“Just you, always so sure of yourself. If you told me you were born with vampire fangs and blue skin, I would have no choice but to believe you.”
“Well, it’s just one of my many charms.” Harry laughs again, swiftly pulling you back down to lie with him. You wonder how he’s gotten so strong over the past couple of months.
He pulls you into a warm kiss, slowly trailing down to your neck and lingering there for a moment. You feel his breathing below your ear, and it elicits a shiver to run down your spine.
“Can I stay here tonight?” He says your name, dripping with want. It causes you to let out a gentle moan.
You suck in a sharp breath you hadn’t realized you were holding.
“Of course you can.”
He smiles wide and kisses you again, this time harder and needier. He bites your bottom lip, and you gasp, allowing him to slip his tongue into your mouth.
You part to allow yourselves a moment to breathe. There is barely any space between the two of you, the gap between your lips just enough to speak in a whisper.
“Anything for my Theo…”
Harry blushes a red you have never seen before; it may not even exist on the color wheel. He swiftly buries his head into your neck and groans, embarrassed.
“Nobody has called me that since the third grade.” It comes out muffled, barely audible, but you heard it.
“But it’s so cute!”
“Who names anyone Theopolis anyway? What was my dad thinking…” He separates himself from you and flops on your bed, placing a pillow over his face.
“I think it’s a beautiful name. Very regal, like a knight.” You lean down and remove his pillow-shield, kissing his nose.
“A knight… Your knight in shining armor.” His blush fades, and his smile returns.
You fake a sigh and shake your head, “What am I going to do with you, Theo?”
Harry groans again, much louder this time, and swiftly launches a pillow at you.
“I am never going to stop calling you that.”