Chapter Text
It felt like being trapped in every underground subway system in New York. It felt like explosions, both the good and the bad kind. The kind that light up in your eyes on New Years, all bright and colourful, and the kind that cause forest fires and heat waves. It felt like the feeling sunlight on your bare skin in winter. Love was always something to run from, something that wasn't needed.
Harry had his hood up. The sky was a bare, cloudy gray and the clouds sang their same old song. It wasn't raining, and it was barely snowing but it was cold. He watched the people pass by, smiling and dressed up in light raincoats. They had flowers in their hands, passing them to their lovers, or pinned in their pockets. He chucked; flowers in February? The freezing air was filled with dark rose petals and lovers wearing rose coloured glasses. Harry slid his hands deep into his pockets and breathed a cloud of misty air.
Downtown wasn't usually as crowded this time of the year. He could hear the soft clicking of his boots on the pavement underneath the faint giggles between exchanged glances. They were everywhere; the lovers.
Of course, he wouldn't know. Harry had always imagined that if he had been in their place, he would have glimmering eyes and smiles as wide as his cheeks every time he looked at her. The difference between Harry and them, however, is that he doesn't have a "her". It's just Harry. He began to think it would be such forever.
"Hey, my man!" chirped Zayn from across the street. He was dressed in a black coat and he grew his hair out long enough to be placed in a thick bun. It had been a while.
"Hey," Harry called. He tried to not yell too loud, he wouldn't want to break the love cast spell of the people around me. Tiny snowflakes were falling around them, highlighting Zayn's dark attire, but it wasn't they weren't the only ones falling, especially at this time of the year.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Zayn smiled, putting his arm around Liam, who was hopping alongside him.
Zayn didn't have a "her", either. He believed he would for quite a while, he even went on a chain of unsystematic dating in high school. On occasion, he would even blend into the girls that he dated. He dated a volleyball player once, and suddenly, Zayn who loved staying indoors and playing video games became the most athletic guy on Earth. Another time, he dated a singer and Harry could have sworn he was ready to join an upcoming pop boy band. Although, that was never the Zayn that Harry knew.
Zayn was always quiet but he had the softest heart. It was almost like he saw in colour his whole life, he lit up the world. It wasn't long until one short trip to a coffee shop resulted in Zayn pouring his entire life into art and colour. Zayn didn't have a "her", but he had Liam, and that was always more than enough.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Harry mumbled, watching the crowd of people around them grow larger. There must have been a rose sale going on or something, "We should get outta here."
"Of course," Liam said, quick-wittedly, "I was thinking before the debut, we could get a coffee? Maybe hit up the place where we met, babe?" Liam nudged Zayn's forearm and Zayn squinted and smiled. They both ended up mirroring each other's cheeky smiles and clasped hands. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Come on, lovebirds," Harry sighed, "the gallery opens in an hour. We've got plenty of time."