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Zayn shows up to dinner fashionably late, the way he does almost everything. He approaches the table that he and his friends sit at every Tuesday night to see something that is a little bit unexpected.
“Who invited him?” he asks no one in particular.
And there is no need to mention a name because everyone knows who Zayn is talking about. Liam swallows hard, not wanting Zayn to be angry with them.
Harry pipes up, which probably isn’t the best idea he has ever had. “I ran into Liam on his way here, actually. But it’s okay if I join, right?”
There is a moment of silence as Zayn rolls his eyes. Harry is always asking him if things are okay. Zayn, is your mum okay? Zayn, is that coffee okay? And it bothers him. He doesn’t know why, but it does. It also bothers him that he slept with Harry two weeks ago and the lad is still lingering. “Yeah, it’s fine,” is all he says, choosing to focus on the menu and not the emerald eyes staring at him.
A few minutes after they have ordered, Niall nudges his leg under the table. “How was that meeting for the editing position?” he asks.
Harry, even though he had just been chatting with Liam, is now suddenly aware of the conversation at the other end of the table.
“It was okay,” Zayn answers after taking a sip of his lemonade. “I think it went well.”
“Good for you!” Harry beams.
Zayn takes a minute to give him a glare before checking his email on his phone. It’s not that there is anything wrong with Harry, it’s just that Zayn doesn’t like lingering. When you’ve had sex with someone, that’s just it, you’ve had them. Zayn isn’t interested in keeping people around long enough to know if they hold more purpose that just a one night stand.
The food arrives a while later and the table is silent as they indulge themselves.
“Harry, what is that?” Niall asks.
Harry smiles. “It’s a lamb slider.”
“It looks fucking amazing,” Niall says.
Zayn and Louis share a look as they both wonder when food hasn’t looked good to Niall.
“Here,” Harry says as he pushes his plate towards Niall.
“Really?” Niall asks, his eyes lighting up as if he has just discovered the eighth wonder of the world.
Harry nods and Niall takes a bite out of one of Harry’s sandwiches. “God, that’s good.” Then Niall has the audacity to look at Zayn with a great, cheeky smile and say, “I like him, you should keep him around.”
Zayn pushes his chair out, throws a few bills out of his wallet, and walks out without a goodbye. He ignores a call behind him, Liam- he knows, and walks until he’s reached his apartment building.
I’m really sorry, is the text that Niall sends him.
I’m not mad at you, is Zayn’s reply.
And he’s really not. He’s just mad that Harry has made himself a part of their lives and it makes him nervous, for whatever reason, and he doesn’t like that one bit.
Zayn has showered and changed into the basketball shorts he likes to sleep in when there’s a knock at his door. He figures it’s Liam so he answers it, even though its nearly eleven.
“Hey,” Harry softly smiles.
Zayn thinks about shutting the door in his face, about pretending to be sick or something but he doesn’t have a chance before Harry is spewing information.
“I’m sorry I made things weird at dinner. I thought you wouldn’t mind my tagging along, but now I can see it bothered you. I don’t really get it but I am sorry.” Then he holds up the bag he has with him, “I brought your leftovers for you.”
That frustrates Zayn because he is apologizing to him and Harry doesn’t even understand what for. He is basically being understanding about not understanding and its frustrating, like everything Harry does. He’s also being too nice about it so that Zayn can’t find it in himself to be mean to him.
“Thanks,” he says as he takes the bag from him.
Harry just smiles, his hands sliding into his pockets because they are no longer occupied.
“I’d invite you in but it’s late and I’ve got work in the morning,” Zayn finds himself explaining, although he doesn’t have to explain anything to Harry.
“That’s alright. I just wanted to bring your food and say sorry,” Harry says. And with a small smile and wave he turns to go, “Goodnight!”
“Night,” Zayn replies before shutting the door.
It’s the next day that Louis meets Zayn at a café during their lunch hour. They sit out front and enjoy the warm day as they eat. Zayn is having a nice time until Lou brings up last night.
“I don’t think Harry is all that bad,” he starts.
Zayn just nods, wondering where this is going.
“I mean he cares, maybe a little bit too much, but that’s nice- right?”
Zayn shrugs, “Sure.”
“I think he cares about you,” Lou adds.
Zayn nods again, “Okay.”
“Maybe you could care about him too,” Louis suggests.
Zayn frowns at that. “Why are you bringing this up now?”
“Because I saw the way he looked after you walked out at dinner,” Louis explains.
Zayn takes a bite of his sandwich. “I’m not responsible for that, Lou. His feelings are his own problem.”
“Well that’s just not fair.”
“And why not?”
“Because you can’t just go and sleep with someone one night and then pretend you don’t know them the next. You can’t give a bit of love and then take it back.”
“I didn’t,” Zayn says.
“You did,” Louis insists. “The least you could do is make it clear to him what your intentions were because he seems to want more and it’s wrong to let him think that something might happen.”
Louis grabs his keys and phone before he’s off. Zayn thinks that Louis isn’t usually right, but maybe this time, he is. So he gives Harry a call.
“Zayn?” Harry asks on the third ring.
“Yeah, hey.”
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, it’s just that I need to talk to you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Zayn pays the waitress and leaves the café. “Actually, I think it would be better to talk in person.”
There’s a pause before Harry’s replies as Zayn walks down the street to his car. “Niall invited me to watch the game tonight at his place with all of you. I was going to go- if it was cool with you.”
“You don’t have to ask my permission, Harry.”
“So we can talk there?”
“Sure, see you later.”
“See you.”
Zayn shows up to Niall’s around seven thirty, knowing he’s late and that the game has already been on for nearly an hour. Harry looks a little relived to see him, maybe thinking that he wasn’t going to show up. But to Zayn’s dismay the only spot left is the one on Niall’s love seat, the one next to Harry. He takes it and the boys smile at him.
“Where were you?” Liam asks.
“I had to stay late at work.”
“Can I get you a beer?” Niall asks.
“I’ll get it,” Zayn says, knowing he has to make a trip to the bathroom anyway.
When Zayn returns everyone is engrossed in the game. Harry notices he’s back and gives him a little smile before turning back to the TV. Zayn touches his elbow lightly, making Harry look back to him. He nods towards the balcony. Harry understands and gets up to follow Zayn. It’s a cool night and Harry immediately crosses his arms at the wind.
“So what’s up?” Harry asks when Zayn has shut the glass door.
“I just need to make sure that you understand what happened between us.”
Harry nods but looks a little worried.
“I consider the night we spent together as just that: a night. I’m not interested in anything else. You know that, don’t you?”
Harry is frowning but also nods understandingly. “I guess I kind of knew that.”
“Then I don’t understand why you’re still hanging around two weeks later and watching soccer games with my friends.”
“Look,” Harry sighs. “I didn’t mean to make friends with them, it just happened. I woke up that morning and you were already at work, but your friends were there. They warned me about you, but I didn’t want to listen to them, because I really liked you.”
Zayn nods.
“And then I ran into Liam a few times when I was out, and being new to Bradford.. I just wanted to make a friend.” He runs a hand threw his hair. “I wasn’t trying to make things weird.”
Zayn feels bad that he even asked. Of course Harry had some legitimate excuse and it was actually pretty heart breaking. Zayn knew that he couldn’t tell him not to be friends with his friends, he wasn’t that cold.
“Okay, I get it. I’m not telling you to stop being friends with them. Just know that you and I can’t be more than friends.”
“Is that a rule just with me or everyone you sleep with?” Harry asks, a bit timid.
“It’s a rule for everyone. I don’t date people and I don’t do relationships. That’s why it’s weird for me that you’re still around.”
Harry nods. “Well I’m glad we talked about it.”
Zayn agrees, “Yeah.”
Then Harry gestures to the door and Zayn turns to look. Liam, Louis, and Niall are all at the glass, watching them. He rolls his eyes and Harry smiles.
The game has already ended by the time Harry and Zayn return from the balcony. Niall wants to order a pizza and watch a movie but Zayn insists that he has to go.
“I’ll walk with you,” Harry says as he grabs his coat too.
“You don’t have to,” Zayn tries to tell him.
Harry just gives him a large smile, “I want to.”
Zayn gives him a suspicious eye.
“I mean, I want to get home too.”
Zayn lets it go and they leave together. They walk in silence for a while as Zayn makes a game of trying not to step on the cracks in the sidewalk.
“So why me?” Harry asks to break the silence.
“What?”
“The night that we met at the club,” Harry says. “Why did you choose me to take home?”
“Because you looked easy,” Zayn says.
Harry is shocked at that and Zayn laughs. “I’m joking,” he smirks. “I chose you because you were pretty, and I like pretty boys.”
Harry wants to roll his eyes at that but lets it go. His reasoning isn’t the best, but at least he had a reason. “Aren’t you going to ask why I chose you?”
Zayn is smirking again, watching Harry out of the corner of his eye. “What’s not to like about me, is the real question.”
Harry laughs and tells him anyway. “I chose you because you didn’t seem to want just anyone. You were selective with who you talked to and it made me want to be good enough. I thought, if I could get you to pick me, I would feel some sort of pride.”
“Did you?” Zayn asks.
Harry nods, “I did. I felt it all night. But the next morning it was gone, just like you were.”
That takes a stab at Zayn’s chest. He doesn’t want to feel sorrow, but he does. He feels bad for hurting this kid with a giant heart and pretty, pretty eyes.
“Sorry,” he says, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and touching his head to Harry’s.
Harry lets an arm circle Zayn’s waist. “It’s alright. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.”
“I didn’t give you any warning.”
“No, you didn’t. But I should have figured that a guy like you didn’t want a guy like me.”
That takes another stab at Zayn. He has this great feeling that all Harry really wants is to be loved. It makes him sympathetic and sad and he feels a bit lonely. And just like that, as if to set the mood, if begins to rain. It starts lightly at first and they figure to just endure it, but then it pours just as hard as Harry poured his heart out. They run to get to Zayn’s, which is now only down the street.
“Shit,” Zayn says as they enter the lobby to his building.
And the rain only seems to get worse at that.
Harry is a soaking mess, with his hair in his eyes and his over sized shirt clinging to him. Zayn invites him in because it’s what any normal person would do in that situation. He gives Harry a towel, too.
“Thanks,” Harry smiles.
Zayn then goes into the bath to grab another for himself before wiping down his hair. Harry is doing the same thing when they meet up again in the hall.
“Maybe you ought to stay the night,” Zayn says.
Harry is a bit surprised at that. “Are you sure?” he asks, even though he rather not go back outside.
Zayn nods. “I’ll get you something to change into.”
Harry thanks him again and waits. Zayn brings him a pair of basketball shorts and a grey tee. Harry doesn’t complain and strips down right there, never being one to be shy about his body. And it’s nothing that Zayn hasn’t seen, after all.
Zayn changes too and hangs their wet clothes in the bath to dry. It’s nearly one in the morning now and he has got to get to bed or he’s going to be a terror tomorrow morning.
Harry notices him looking at the clock. “It’s fine if you wanna get to bed, I know you have an early morning. Just show me where you keep the extra blankets and I’ll set up a bed for myself.”
“You don’t have to sleep on the couch.”
“I’m fine with it.”
But Zayn thinks that he’s not. Harry has already been in his bed once, and he’s too nice of a guy to let him sleep on the couch.
“You can sleep with me,” Zayn says. “If you want to, that is,” he adds, feeling a bit unsure.
Harry nods and follows him into the bedroom. He thinks it a bit strange that Zayn is okay with this, but tells himself not to question things to much. Over thinking is one of his specialties.
They get into bed and Zayn turns off the lamp. Harry lays there a moment, mesmerized by how the moonlight hits Zayn’s cheekbones and how it makes him look even more beautiful.
“Goodnight Harry,” Zayn says, feeling his eyes on him.
Harry blushes a bit, glad that it’s dark and Zayn can’t see. He then leans over and kisses Zayn on the cheek. Zayn’s eyes open at that and he turns his head to watch him.
“What was that?”
“A goodnight kiss.”
“What for?”
“Just because,” Harry smiles.
Zayn is perplexed and annoyed and everything all at once. He wants to push him off the bed, and jump his bones at the same time. Harry is completely impossible, completely.
“You’re a dork,” he says.
“Sorry.”
“Goodnight,” Zayn says.
“Night.”
The next morning Zayn wakes up and looks to the alarm clock next to his head. It’s still early for him to get up by exactly an hour. He hates when he wakes up before the alarm, absolutely hates it. He notices that Harry isn’t next to him any more and thinks that strange because it’s so early that it’s not likely he’s gone home. Then he hears the toilet flush and understands. Harry walks back into the room and Zayn pretends he’s still asleep. To his surprise Harry get’s back into bed and curls up next to him, letting his head rest against Zayn’s arm. He pretends to need a stretch and flips to his side, facing Harry. He feels the weight next to him shift as Harry pulls the covers up over his shoulders. And Zayn thinks that this is kind of nice. The weight next to him doesn’t bother him as it usually does when others sleep over. And he doesn’t feel the need to get up and throw all his sheets in the wash, like he normally would.
So, as an experiment, he reaches over and wraps his arms around Harry’s frame. He’s surprised to find that the boy next to him merely complies and inches ever so slightly closer, so that their chests are now touching. Well, most of their body parts are touching.
Harry thinks it nice because this is what he wants everyday. He wants someone to cuddle in the mornings and someone to fuck at night. It’s a simple concept, really. He just wants companionship, which isn’t much to ask for, but a lot to ask of Zayn.
“Are you awake?” Harry asks.
Zayn thinks that is one of those stupid questions you hear about. He knows his mother says those don’t exist but this is most definitely one that does exist.
He gives a little hum in response, just to be nice.
Harry is happy at that, letting a hand slide over Zayn’s hip and rest there.
“Sleep okay?” Harry asks too.
“Fine,” Zayn replies, eyes still closed, pulling Harry closer and letting his nose fall into his hair. “You smell like nandos, if I’m honest.”
“Are you complaining?” Harry asks.
“No,” Zayn says.
And they stay that way for the next hour, only adjusting position when one becomes uncomfortable. Zayn thinks it nice just to have company like this. And Harry’s skin is so soft against his that’s its really nice to just lay there with him.
But it comes time for Zayn to actually get up and be an adult, which he is angered by. He honestly wishes he could just stay in bed with Harry all day, which is not something he would consider to be a normal thing for him. He invites Harry into the shower but the boy refuses, saying he has to get going too. And there’s an awkward moment, just after Harry has gotten dressed in his semi dry clothes. They’re both in the doorway between Zayn’s room and the hallway that leads to his front room and they stop, awkwardly waiting for the other to make a move first. Harry is looking at Zayn, well more like the side of his face because Zayn is looking away.
“Thanks for letting me stay last night,” Harry says.
“No problem,” Zayn says, now turning to look Harry in the eyes.
He can feel a tension and he knows that Harry wants it and maybe so does he. It feels stupid to be stepping around each other like this, especially with the way they were just so close not even ten minutes ago. So Zayn does it. He takes Harry’s cheek in his palm and brings their lips together. It’s brief and sweet.
Afterwards Harry is looking at Zayn like he holds the answers to every question he had ever asked and his eyes are so bright that Zayn wants to kiss him again. Zayn thinks that this little spell Harry has put him under is really unfair.
“So I’ll see you later,” Zayn says.
Harry gives him a brief hug, “Yeah,” he smiles, and then he’s out the door.
Later that day Liam runs into Harry at the bakery where Harry works.
“Wow, you look tired,” Liam comments as Harry gets him a muffin.
“Got up kinda early,” Harry nods.
“Did you get home okay last night?” Liam asks.
Harry nods, even though it’s a lie and he wasn’t even close to home last night.
“I tried calling around ten,” Liam says.
Harry’s brow furrows, knowing that this looks bad. “Sorry, must’ve been asleep.”
Liam takes that but doesn’t really buy it. In his brief time knowing Harry he knows that the boy is a shit liar. So Liam takes a seat, knowing Harry is soon to be on his break and that then they can chat more. But then someone enters the shop who may be wanting to take that break time for himself. It’s Zayn who has showed up, in a long coat and wooly sweater that’s visible because the coat isn’t buttoned.
Liam notices the way Harry first looks a little nervous and then smiles when he sees that Zayn has. He thinks it a bit strange, and feels a bit strange that he’s watching this, but continues on. Zayn says something to him and leaves a coffee on the counter for Harry. Harry looks as if he is thanking him and then they laugh over something else. Liam likes the look of this, he really does. Harry suddenly looks over to him though, only now having remembered that Liam is even there. Zayn looks too and he looks a little bit angrier than Liam likes.
“What are you doing here?” Zayn asks once he’s at Liam’s table.
“I always get a muffin and wait for Harry to get on his break,” Liam says. “The real question is, why are you here?”
“I wanted to talk to him,” Zayn says matter of factly. “And that’s none of your business.”
“I thought you didn’t like him,” Liam says.
“Well I do now,” Zayn admits.
“What changed your mind?”
Zayn sighs, no longer able to be angry. He looks back to Harry and has a little smile on his lips. “Look,” he starts. “I know I say that I don’t want a relationship and that I like it better on my own. But something about that curly little shit makes me want more, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”
Liam beams. “Zayn, that’s amazing.”
Zayn rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Is that why Harry didn’t answer his phone last night, was he with you?”
“Once again, none of your business.”
“So that’s a yes,” Liam laughs.
“Shut it,” Zayn tells him. “And eat your damn muffin.”
Liam smirks as Zayn walks off, stopping at the counter before going to the door, saying something to Harry and then letting a hand rest on his shoulder as he gives him a kiss on the cheek. And Liam thinks it sweet, he really does.
It’s two days later that the other boys first notice that something is up, mainly because Zayn had sworn Liam into secrecy or else they would have known that day. Harry and Zayn show up for Liam’s dinner, at the same time, coincidentally. Niall doesn’t think anything of it, but then he notices their clothes. Zayn and Harry are both wearing a shade of blue, be it different blues, but they look kind of matchy matchy. Which is something couples do, not people that aren’t even friends.
“What’s with the blue patrol?” Louis asks.
Zayn and Harry look to one another and then up and down, before sighing.
“Shut up Tomlinson, it’s just coincidence.”
But Louis is one of those people that know when something is up. “Is that hickey on Harry’s neck just coincidence too?”
Harry pulls at the collar of his shirt before going to sit down next to Niall quickly. Zayn shoots Louis a dirty look.
It’s after dinner later that Niall seems to pick up on something. They’re all sitting around the TV watching some show about searching for the next kid star or something like that, who knows. It’s something that Liam likes, which means Niall probably doesn’t. Anyway, bored out of his mind, Niall begins to glance around at the other lads- wondering if they too are going into a coma. Louis is playing some game on his phone, Liam is staring into the TV, and Harry- well Harry is doing something that is really out of the ordinary. Harry, sitting next to Zayn, is leaning against him so that nearly his whole left side is touching Zayn’s right side. Niall thinks that strange because Zayn usually likes his personal space, but things can change, he figures. But then Harry lets his head lean a little bit more and it’s on Zayn’s shoulder. Niall wonders if anyone else is seeing this. And then, to top it all off, Harry slips his fingers between Zayn’s and they’re sitting there, hands intertwined and resting on Zayn’s thigh. Niall wonders what world he is in, that Zayn is showing affection with someone that isn’t a puppy on the street. And Zayn is now turning his head, letting his mouth and nose move into Harry’s hair, and smiling. Smiling! Niall thinks that this is really weird. And the kiss that Zayn leaves on Harry’s head, that’s just enough to make him question his whole existence.
But he waits to ask about it, until he and Harry are alone.
“Hey Zayn, Liam wanted to talk to you.”
Zayn picks himself up off the railing of Liam’s balcony, where he had been leaning with Harry, and says okay before going back into the flat. Harry gives Niall and small smile and goes back to staring out over the street.
“Okay- what the fuck Styles?”
Harry turns quickly at the sound of Niall’s worried tone and his eyes are wide. “Niall, what do you mean?”
“I saw you and Zayn on the couch and I saw how you were acting with him,” Niall explains.
Harry nods.
“I just want to know what’s going on,” he says.
Harry sighs. “Zayn isn’t ready to tell all of you about it yet.”
And Niall thinks that is weird. It’s weird that Zayn and Harry seem to have this understanding between them, something that Niall knows nothing about. It’s weird but then again it’s also kind of comforting, knowing that Zayn is comfortable enough with someone that isn’t one of his friends he has known since grade school and is able to share a secret with them. Comforting and also troubling because he wonders why Zayn wouldn’t tell them. And Harry is looking at him with a small, timid smile looking sorry. He knows Harry wont say because he won’t betray Zayn but he kind of wishes he would.
It’s a few days later that Niall goes over to Zayn’s, hoping to get a chance to talk to him. Zayn opens the door looking groggy and his hair is a mess.
“Did I wake you?” Niall asks first.
Zayn shakes his head and steps aside to let him in. “No, I’ve just been editing all afternoon.”
“The life of a newly appointed editor, right?” Niall tries to smile.
Zayn nods and takes a seat on the couch where he had previously been. On the coffee table before him in a stack of papers and an assortment of colored pens.
“Have a seat,” Zayn tells him.
Niall nods and takes a seat on the couch opposite Zayn, looking around a bit as Zayn puts the papers away. He notices the shoes by the door. They’re Converse and he knows Zayn would never wear them. He also notices the sweater that’s draped over the arm of the couch, also not likely Zayn’s.
“You would tell me if anything was going on with you, right?”
Zayn looks up at that, his brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Just- anything new that’s happened in your life.” Niall adds a small, nervous smile.
Zayn nods. “Yeah, I would. I don’t understand why you’re bringing that up now, but yeah.”
Niall isn’t okay with that answer. He wonders why Zayn isn’t telling him about Harry then.
“What about this?” he asks as he holds up the sweater that’s sitting next to him.
“A sweater?” Zayn asks.
“Not just any sweater. Harry’s sweater.”
Zayn still doesn’t seem to understand. “Yeah, it’s his. I don’t get why you care.”
“Zayn, Harry told me that something’s going on. I just want to hear it from you.”
Zayn’s eyes narrow at that. “What did he tell you? He wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about anything.”
“Not like that-“ Niall tries to speak up over the ringing of Zayn’s phone but its useless.
When the phone stops ringing the message plays aloud.
“Hey, it’s Harry. I was just calling to see if I could get take out and stop by. I know it’s unexpected but I’d really like to see you tonight. Give me a call back, yeah?” There’s a short pause. “I miss you.”
When the message stops recording and Harry has hung up, Zayn looks back to Niall. “I don’t care what he told you, because he wasn’t supposed to say anything, and nothing is going on.”
“Don’t be angry-“
“Of course I’m angry. I’m sick of trusting people that betray me.”
“What?”
“I’m so done with him,” Zayn says as he gets up and goes into his room.
“Zayn, wait-“
“Shut the door when you leave,” Zayn yells back before slamming the door to his bedroom.
Niall thinks that now he has really done it. He’s gone and pissed Zayn off because he thinks Harry let the cat out of the bag.
+
It’s a few hours later that Harry gets off work at the bakery. He hasn’t heard back from Zayn yet and it bums him out because he really does want to see him. They see each other at least once a day now, even if it’s just on Harry’s break for a few minutes. He really likes Zayn and he makes him happy. So Harry heads over to Zayn’s anyway, food in tow. He knocks on the door even though he knows Zayn wouldn’t care had he let himself in. Zayn opens it a few minutes later.
“I didn’t call you back,” Zayn says.
“I know,” Harry smiles. “I just wanted to see you.” The look on his face is so totally puppy love that it makes Zayn want to vomit.
“Well I don’t want to see you,” Zayn says.
Harry’s smile fades at that. “Oh,” he says. “And why is that?”
“Because you can’t keep your giant mouth shut and went and told the world what I told you to keep a secret.”
Harry’s brow furrows. “And what was that exactly?”
“You told Niall that something was going on between us. I know you did because he was over earlier and he asked me about it and said you had told him.”
Harry rolls his eyes. “I don’t know what Niall told you, but I didn’t tell him about us.”
Zayn crosses his arms.
“When he asked me about it all I said was ‘Zayn isn’t ready to tell you about it’- which is the truth. What would I get from telling Niall about what we have? I would only achieve something similar to this very moment with you not trusting me and having no faith in me respecting your wishes. And frankly, it makes me angry that you would think I would disrespect you like that.”
Zayn is quiet at that, looking down to the ground. He realizes that maybe he was jumping to conclusions. Niall could have figured it out for himself without any of Harry’s help.
“Harry-“ he tries to say.
But Harry has already pushed past him and into his flat. Zayn thinks that strange because people usually run from him when he gets like this. When he shuts the door and turns around, Harry has put the food down and is standing at the table.
“Zayn, look at me. Do I look like Perrie?”
That hurts Zayn a bit, just a bit. Perrie, the girl who cheated and left him. The girl who was the root cause of all his trust issues.
He slowly shakes his head.
“I’m not going to screw you over,” Harry says. “I care about you and I care about the state our relationship is in.”
Zayn nods as he walks over to him. “I’m sorry, Harry.” He takes the boy by the waist and brings their bodies together, letting his head rest on Harry’s shoulder.
+
“About time,” Niall complains.
Zayn rolls his eyes as he kicks off his shoes and joins his friends in Niall’s living room. He’s smiling at them but they all know he’s looking for one face in particular. And that’s when Harry comes up from behind him, wrapping his arms around his middle.
“Well isn’t that just the cutest,” Louis smirks.
Liam throws a pillow at him.
Harry steps away from Zayn and falls onto the couch next to them. Zayn follows suit and it’s like they’ve been doing this the whole time. Their friends have fallen into the routine as much as they have. And it’s nice, really nice.