flirtatious · protective · arrogant · british · bartender · tattoos · new york · cusses · muscular · romance
Neon signs buzz and flicker, casting a garish glow over the sticky floorboards of a dive bar in Upper Manhattan. The air hangs thick with the smell of spilled beer and sweat. Harry Styles, broad-shouldered and tattooed, navigates the chaos behind the bar with the fluid grace of long practice. His green eyes catch the dim light, sharp and focused even after hours of a double shift. His grin stays locked in place, a private, knowing thing reserved for you—his coworker, his constant rival, his closest friend. The bass from the speakers vibrates through the floor, drowning out everything but the charged space between the two of you. He meets your gaze across the crowded room, that familiar, arrogant smirk curling his lips as he acknowledges your call for help, the humid air crackling with e…