[Dedicated to nightgate for the lovely fanart above! x]

THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AFTER New Year were insane - I was rushing to complete an art folio, things at work were busier than ever, Harry was getting swamped with later shifts and extra work - and on top of all that, my motivation was slowly disappearing.

Usually after work, I'd be straight to painting when I got in. Recently, tiredness consumed me every night, and I found myself sliding into laziness which had me really worried - what would Robert think if I were to turn up to his gallery with only a few minor paintings? All the talk Harry had spilled about my work would seem to be just that - talk, nothing more. Without actual art to back up his persuasive speech, everything would crash and burn.

In addition, I was scared that Robert wouldn't like my work enough to have it show cased. That thought made my stomach tighten into knots. It would be like a slap in the face, a punch to the gut. No doubt it would crush me and my ambition to become a famous artist.

However, I was a tough cookie and nothing was going to get in the way of my one chance at a break-through.

Except the fact that you are a lazy git who has been in bed all day, said the voice. 

I sighed, nodding to myself slowly. It was right - second Saturday into the New Year and I was lazing about with little time left to finish my work. It was exhausting both mentally and physically, and Harry seemed to have noticed too.

"You seem rather down lately," he'd mentioned over dinner the night previously.

I'd just shrugged off his assumption and told him that work was tiring me out - which it was - but deep down, it was truly the worry about being turned away that had me on edge. It wasn't healthy and I knew that, but somehow I just couldn't find it in me to put pen to paper and get on with what I was supposed to be doing.

Keep calm, Jane. Just keep yourself calm and you'll figure something out.

Soon, I found myself crawling out of bed and into my studio. The blank canvas in front of me almost seemed to resemble my mind - empty; empty of idea, colour and detail. It would most likely just sit there for another day as I procrastinated and waited for the motivation to hit me.

"Urgh," I groaned as I fiddled with my pencil. "What to draw," I muttered over and over until I felt a hand rest gently upon my shoulder.

"Hey," Harry spoke softly as he took a seat beside me. "Are you alright?"

I just nodded. "Trying to think of what I can do," I admitted. "I can't seem to think of anything that will be fun."

"I thought you were going to finish your landscapes?" he questioned, resting his chin on my shoulder. "The ones you've completed already are incredible. Don't tell me that you've suddenly decided to change your theme?"

I could only shrug. "I'm not sure. Landscapes are so cliché and typical of an artist to think of first. I think I regret not being a little more creative with my choices."

"I think they're wonderful, and if Robert and the Gallery staff don't see their beauty, then there is something seriously wrong with the lot of them. Jane, these paintings - this entire room - is a work of art. You hear me? This is art, and so is the woman who created them. You're a master-piece."

I swirled round to face him in my chair, grinning at his choice of words. It reminded me of the time when I had called him the exact same thing - a master-piece, and it was because he was just that. A work of art, the master-piece of all master-pieces. 

"Even if I get turned down," I quietly began, the words hitting me harder than they should have, "at least I still tried, right?"

Harry kissed my cheek. "Precisely," he said. "And you would regret not trying. You'd regret it for the rest of your life."

I just nodded, knowing fully well how right he was - I would regret it. However, it was difficult not to think negatively because after all, the world was full of talented artists, ones who would no doubt be trying just as hard to get a place in that gallery.

"Why are you always right?" I asked with a wide grin. 

Harry just shrugged. "I have no idea, but I wouldn't say always - perhaps ninety-five percent of the time."

"I'll just round it up to one-hundred," I told him.

"You're too kind to me, Jane," he mused, taking my hands in his. "So I'll be kind to you now."

"You always are," I protested as he pulled me to my feet and into the hallway. "Where are you taking me?"

"Out," he said simply. "You need motivation, and I am determined it finds you. We're going for a run."

I cringed. He didn't mean a literal run, right? "A run?" I questioned with a frown.

"Yeah," he said. "In the car, don't worry. Ha, the pure horror on your face at the mention of exercise is hilarious."

I just giggled. Running had never been a favourite of mine. Sports that required a racket or a ball on the other hand, count me in. They were fun but also good for beating the bitches you hated in class. I'd discovered that when I'd been thirteen and desperate for revenge after Alice Cawthorn had made fun of me for three years previously. Oh, it had felt good to 'accidentally' hit her in the face with a tennis racket.

Harry knew what I needed - scenery. In order to continue my work or even get an idea for it, I required the right kind of treatment. That treatment came in the form of visual pleasure. Artists had to see, really see, to be inspired and creative. And so, as he drove us through the London streets, all I could think of was how he himself was inspiration, and how it was me that was the problem. I was too wrapped up in him that I basked in his presence instead of using it to suit my artistic abilities.

I wanted nothing more than to be able to use all my works of Harry in the gallery, but I knew that would perhaps come across as non-professional. I wanted to be professional, and I wanted to impress. However, with such a large variety of arts, movements and techniques already done to death, I just couldn't make my mind whip up anything new. I needed something fresh, yet personal, yet not too new that it would appear strange.

The radio was playing a soft melody as the car turned left, Harry's long fingers tapping against the steering wheel in time to the music. Our eyes met momentarily, and his smile made my heart beat faster, like the first time we had looked towards one another all those months ago at the work do. I knew then, as I smiled back at him, that I would make him proud.

"I THINK YOU JUST NEED to keep calm," Liam told me as he took a gulp from his beer. He coughed. "Shít. That went down the wrong way."

"Yeah, what he said," Louis added. "I don't see why you're so worked up about this gallery thing. I mean, I thought you'd be ecstatic?"

"I am!" I argued. "But think of it like this; I've been waiting for an opportunity like this my whole life and it just appeared out of the blue. Not to mention, I'm completely unprepared and lacking motivation when I need it the most."

Liam bit his lip as he thought, his fingers tapping absent-mindedly against the side of his glass. It was nice to be out with friends again. After last time with Heather, I'd considered never going to a pub ever again. But considering the circumstances - Harry being held behind after hours and me being bored and in need of inspiration and human interaction - it was nice to be out for a night out.

Louis seemed to be thinking too; scratching carefully at his jaw with narrowed eyes. Finally he said, "Reward yourself."

I frowned. "Reward myself?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Make a list of what you need to do, and every time you do one of them, reward yourself. "

"For example?" I urged, raising my glass to my lips.

"Well, for starters you could take something you love dearly - a favourite food or drink, or TV show you watch faithfully every week - and only allow yourself to do it after you complete something on the list. In your case, this list of yours will be full of things like finding motivation, meeting deadlines for your paintings and so on."

"That's a good idea," Liam piped in. "Deny yourself a taste of alcohol until you finish your next painting."

"Or don't allow yourself to have sex until you find the motivation," Louis added in with a wicked grin. "That is ... if you can stop yourself." He winked at me and I felt myself flush a little.

Oh, stop being silly. Everyone knows you're fúcking Harry.

"Yeah," I muttered. "I like the idea but I'm terrible at keeping deadlines and such."

"Well, that ends today," Louis said firmly. "Don't give-in until you have completed something, Jane! You can do it, and we sure as hell want to see these paintings of yours done in time. Like you said - once in a life time opportunity."

His words almost saddened me, because he was right. I wouldn't blow the chance to have my work shown to the public, I wouldn't let my friends, family, Harry and myself down. I certainly didn't want to live on knowing that submitting my work to Somerset could have been the big break-through I needed.

I downed the rest of my drink. "You guys are right. I'm going to write that damn list when I get home and stick to it."

"That's the spirit," Liam cheered, raising his glass up. "We can be more helpful than you think."

"Did I ever say you weren't?" I laughed as I checked my phone. There was one message from Harry saying that he would be home a little later and to not wait around for him. "Guess I'm buying myself some pizza tonight."

"Pizza?" Liam's attention had been caught and I just nodded.

"Do you guys want to come round and have some? Or just for coffees?" I asked as I stood from my seat and slung my coat on. I popped my phone into my pocket after double-checking that it was OK with Harry about eating without him.

The men looked at each other, and as if they could communicate telepathically, they nodded at the same time and soon were following me out of the building. I drove us back to my place with a smile on my face, the two of them bickering like children in the back. I could have sworn that I heard Louis say something about mixing up a customer's order at the coffee shop.

"Pepperoni?" I asked as we stepped out the car. The suggestion seemed good all round, and as soon as I'd made the two of them a drink and set some plates out, did I phone in our order. With the expectation of roughly twenty minutes to wait, I decided to show the pair my art.

Liam's jaw dropped as he eyed several of my paintings, flicking through the canvases  propped against the wall. "Did you honestly paint all of these?" he asked, grinning. "Unbelievable."

"Harry showed us the pictures on his phone but Jesus, these are so much more incredible when you see them in person," Louis added as he headed for the stack by the far wall. "I see a nice one of Harry at the back here," he teased.

I just rolled my eyes. "Well, I like painting people I'm close to."

"By the look of the date in the corner, you painted this before you were together, so technically you weren't that close," he said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Do we have a stalker before us, Liam?"

"Hm, not too sure, Lou," Liam added, chuckling along with his friend as they looked at the paintings of Harry.

"Oi, we were friends before we were a couple," I pointed out. "And I have a few of the both of you somewhere around here, so I can assure you I'm no stalker."

Keep telling yourself that.

"You do?" Liam asked. "May we see them?"

"Sure," I said before I began searching around. It took a good five or so minutes before I found the small canvas pieces of them and I suddenly felt a little guilty for not having added more details in like I had with Harry's. Then again, when you obsessed over someone like I had with Harry, it was only natural that I paid more attention to him.

However, both Louis and Liam seemed thrilled with the paintings and sketches. 

"You should draw me all muscular and riding an armoured bull into battle," Louis joked. "And throw in a red cape so I look mighty."

"And I'd like to be dressed up like a superhero with a cool name and all. How about 'Payne-man' with the caption, 'No payne, no gain?'"

"That's shit," Louis said whilst giving him an incredulous look. "You're too soft to be a superhero anyway."

Liam scoffed. "And you're strong enough to take down a bull?"

"Ride into battle, not wrestle it. Good God, pay attention Payne-man," Louis teased and I just chuckled.

The pizza arrive earlier than we'd anticipated and soon we were all munching away at the junk food while laughing about things that happened in our childhoods. Louis had always been mischievous it seemed, and Liam had had a rougher start in life involving health issues. I, on the other hand, had nothing interesting or shocking to share. My childhood had been fairly regular.

"What time does Harry come home?" Liam asked while glancing at the clock.

I shrugged. "Soon, I think. It's seven nearly so he should be home just before then."

"Poor guy, being held back like that," Louis muttered. "I hate being asked last minute to do an extra few hours."

"You know what your first task should be on your list?" Liam said suddenly. He turned to look at me and grinned. "Get a painting started before he returns. And if you do, reward yourself."

I thought about it and what exactly I could give myself if I followed through. Sex didn't sound so bad, and neither did a big bowl of ice-cream. However, sex and ice-cream together sounded even better. I just grinned over at the boys who laughed loudly before finishing off their pizza.

As soon as they left and I cleaned everything up, I made my way through to my studio, a determined smile on my face as I threw my hair up into a ponytail before picking up my pencil to begin sketching. I didn't even think of what to create before I was drawing faint lines across the textured surface, my mind on my reward and all the ones to come if I kept up with the list suggestion from Louis and Liam.

It seemed to be working, for I had doodled out the roughest outline of a beach with cliffs in the background. Just as I squirted some paint onto the palette, did I hear the door open and close, Harry finally arriving home for the night.

I didn't drop anything though, I just continued to work.

Thank you for reading, I love you all very much. Please comment!
Cazza x