Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

H -53

We spent the last two days doing absolutely nothing, and it's probably the best weekend I've had in my entire life.

Waking up to Violet every day is like a dream. I'm the luckiest man in the world getting to sleep next to and spend my time with this fucking incredible woman.

There's been a change in her this past week, and I think we both can feel it. I think there's been a change in me too. Watching her go through the whirlwind of emotions she experienced being home, and her resilience to keep pushing forward, forced me to take a look at my own behavior and the things I haven't exactly been proud of.

I don't want to be that person anymore. I don't want to be selfish, angry and cold. She makes me want to be better. With her, I want to be thoughtful, generous, and open. I hated having a secret that I was consciously keeping from her. I was being a coward, and I needed to trust that she would love me enough to know that I'm not that person, and I never will be again.

Even though the conversation was hard, and I was scared I might lose her again, it feels so good to be on the other side of it. It feels like we are in such a good place now, and I can't fucking wait to move forward together.

"I'm tired." Violet mumbles as we step into the elevator to head down to the office.

"I know, baby." I chuckle and pull her into my chest, kissing her forehead.

"Why am I nervous?" She asks softly. "Like it's the first day of school, or something."

"You're adorable." I mutter and run my hands down her arms as she leans into me.

The elevator dings when we reach our floor and she sighs heavily. The doors open and before I can blink she's stepping out from under my touch and leaves me standing alone in the elevator. My hands fall to my sides and I step out onto the floor, expecting to see her around the corner, like she's messing with me.

My mouth drops open a little when I find she's not waiting for me, but she's walking into the office, like we didn't just come from my place together. Like she wasn't just wrapped around me in my bed an hour ago.

Are you fucking kidding me.

I exhale a heavy breath, watching her greet Lynette at the front desk before she walks through the door.

"Welcome back, Harry." Lynette says with a smirk when I follow after Violet like a dog.

"Thanks." I mumble shortly, barely looking at her as I turn the corner to Violet's office. The door closes in my face as she shuts it and I immediately push it back open.

"What are you doing?" She whispers when I step inside.

"What are you doing?" I ask as I shut her door behind me and step toward where she's leaning back against her desk.

"Uh, I'm trying to be professional." She raises her eyebrows at me as I close the distance between us but freeze when she leans away from me a little.

"Don't you think it's a little late for that?"

"I know we took vacation at the same time, and that's a little suspicious, but I'm sure no one thinks we were together." She says assuredly. I bite the inside of my cheek.

"I'm sure no one would've thought that..." I say cautiously and she furrows her brows at me, "except I told them."

"You what?" She gasps and plants her hand on my chest to push me away from her.

"Don't look at me like that." I point my finger at her accusingly and she looks like she wants to bite it off.
"People were starting to notice, and they were going to figure it out anyway. I just got ahead of it."