chance connection |2| [zarry]

twohundredthirtyone

"She keeps looking at me," Harry whispers, bumping his shoulder into Zain's. "Do you think she recognises me?"

"Maybe she just thinks you're hot," Zain shrugs, scratching his nose and watching Freddie almost face dive onto the ball.

"Maybe she thinks your outfit is stupid," Louis supplies helpfully. "You look like a dick."

"I'm literally wearing the same you are," Harry says, shooting Louis a look.

"He also looks like a dick," Zain says, both of them in jogging bottoms and oversized sweatshirts like they were the one going to play football.

"Wow," they say in unison, looking at him with fake expressions of hurt.

Zain snorts, cupping Harry's cheek to pull him into a quick kiss. "Why should she recognise you now?"

"Dunno?" Harry says, shrugging. "Looks like they're done," he adds, pointing towards the field.

They grab Freddie's bag and the snacks they've brought, walking down the steps towards where the children are huddled in smaller groups, still jumping around with too much energy.

"Daddy!" Freddie yells, running towards them when his little group starts breaking up. "Daddy, did you see?" he asks, jumping in front of Louis until he picks him up.

"See what?" Louis asks, tapping Freddie's nose and tickling his chin. Zain pushes him forward slightly to get him moving.

"How I played! I was really good!" Freddie says self-confidentially, like he hadn't almost fallen a few times.

"I saw," Louis confirms, kissing his cheek a couple of times. "You were great, monster."

"Did you see as well?" Freddie asks, looking at Harry and Zain.

"We saw, baby," Harry assures him, taking Zain's hand. "You were great."

Freddie nods happily, turning back to Louis. "Daddy," he says seriously. "We are building a castle later."

"Sure," Louis agrees. "What do you need a castle for?"

Freddie shrugs, craning his neck around to look for their car. "I want to," he says and starts wiggling around to be let down. "Let me go," he says and tries to run off as soon as his feet hit the ground, only kept back by Louis snagging the back of his shirt.

"Don't run off," Louis says, looking at Zain and Harry with an eye roll. "Are we good for lunch?"

"Yea," Zain agrees. "At least we should be. We can go straight home."

"I think I need a nap," Harry says as he slides into the car, sliding into the back with Freddie and strapping him in. "I'm gonna fall asleep. You gonna nap with me, baby?" he asks Freddie, stroking his hair.

"No, mummy," Freddie sighs, exasperated. "I need to build a castle, weren't you listening?"

"Yea, sorry, baby," Harry yawns.

Louis shoots Zain a look.  Zain shoots him a quick smile, reaching back to wrap his hand around Harry's calf and turns his head slightly when Freddie starts talking loudly about his plans for his castle, watching him. He's not quite sure what he did to deserve all this, but he feels warm and contended and like there's no place he'd rather be.