chance connection |1| [zarry] (✔️)

onehundredfourtyeight

"Are you sure you don't wanna come?" Zain asks, tying his boots while looking up at Harry who is still in sweats and t-shirt, his hair a mess.

"No," Harry says, scratching his cheek. "I'll go on a run and then get stuff ready for Niall while you have fun." He pulls Freddie close and kisses his cheek with loud smacks. "Shoot me a goal, yea, baby?"

"Ok," Freddie says confidently, his hand sneaking under Harry's t-shirt again, like he always does now. Harry watches Louis rummage through Freddie's bag with his hands on his hip, not even reacting to Freddie's griping anymore. Zain sometimes worries that they gave up too quickly, but Freddie has never even tried to get under anyone else's clothes and he wasn't really going for any inappropriate spots. He'd probably grow out of it, like he'd grown out of his lisp and sucking his thumb and chewing on furniture.

"What are you looking for?" Harry asks, frowning down at Louis.

"Second pair of track bottoms," Louis answers. "You know he hates wet clothes and I'm not dealing with a meltdown because he doesn't wanna keep them on but also doesn't wanna leave. Aha!" he finishes, nodding in triumph and getting up. "We're good to go."

"Alright," Zain says, pulling on his coat - which technically was Harry's - and kissing his cheek. "Love you," he says, rubbing at the pillow crease on Harry's cheek fondly. He looks sleepy still, his hair a mess and Zain kinda wants to push him back upstairs.

"Let's go!" Freddie says, ripping the front door open. "Football!"

"Football!" Louis echoes him and Harry grins, pushing Zain towards the door.

"Football!" he tells Zain, grinning, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Love you," Zain says and follows Louis to the car.

🌱

"Are you actually nervous?" Zain asks, when Harry runs into him the third time, catching him around the waist and hugging him for a moment.

"Maybe," Harry says, burying his face in Zain's neck and breathing him in. He smells a bit like Freddie's soap because apparently there had been a suds fight during bath time, which is a bit off-putting but also weirdly calming.

"He's your mate, isn't he? No need to be nervous. And the food looks good," Zain says reassuringly, rubbing Harry's back.

"I just get in my head," Harry shrugs. "And he's never met you. Or Louis and Freddie and I want him to get along with you. Possibly with Louis, but who knows if that'll happen."

"He's a bit off-putting at first," Zain grins. "But Freddie usually makes up for it by being a cute little shit."

"He hid with Nick," Harry reminds him drily, stepping away from Zain to finish glazing his cinnamon rolls.

"That was ages ago," Zain dismisses him, wrapping his arms around his waist and watching Harry work with his chin on his shoulder. "And this wasn't his home, yet. He's all about territory."

"Yea?" Harry asks, smiling at the casual mention of home. "Too much time pretending to be a dinosaur, you think?"

"Too much time spent with Louis, more like," Zain mutters, kissing Harry's shoulder. "You say the word when you want us to clear out, yea?"