chance connection |2| [zarry]

twohundredsixty

When Zain wakes up, Freddie's already snuck between them, reading one of his books, for once quiet and not jumping around. Harry's still snoring next to him, his mouth slack, drooling. He doesn't look as exhausted anymore as he had when they had arrives last week. It makes knowing they are leaving later worse.

"Morning, monster," Zain says quietly, rubbing his hand over Freddie's chest. 

"Hi," Freddie says, distracted, burying under Zain's arm. 

Zain adjusts him slightly so he doesn't cut off the blood flow to his arm, closing his eyes again and stroking his fingers idly through Freddie's hair.

He wakes up properly when Freddie says "Mummy", blinking his eyes open to watch Freddie crawl onto Harry, Harry hugging him immediately.

"Breakfast?" Harry asks, sounding like he's been awake a while as well but his hair is still stuck to his forehead so he hasn't been up yet.

Zain watches them cuddle for a moment, Harry rocking them from side to side with his nose in Freddie's hair. He wishes he could pack Louis and get him to move here for a while, useless dream that is was; Louis couldn't even plan to get off work early.

"I'll go make it," Zain offers, leaning across to kiss Freddie's head and Harry's temple, stroking his thumb over Harry's cheek for a moment.

"In bed again?" Freddie asks, blinking at Zain with wide eyes.

"Yea," Zain says, irrationally wanting to keep them both like this for as long as possible, even if he'd need to strip the bed, again, after. 

"Is it because of the baby?" he asks. "Are you sure Mummy's having a baby? His belly is still like it was."

"We're sure," Zain says. 

"Hm," Freddie makes, sceptical, before turning back to Harry and grabbing the book. "You have to read to me, I don't know what it says," he demands, rolling off Harry to cuddle into his side and holding the book up for both of them. 

Harry looks at Zain over Freddie's head, grinning. His shirt has ridden up from Freddie's movement, his belly showing. Despite Freddie claiming it didn't look different, at least to Zain, it did, just the slightest swell to it. He leans across, kissing Harry's belly. 

"Be right back," he says, brushing his fingertips over it as he leaves them, Freddie loudly instructing Harry on the right way to read.

🌱

"Monster," Zain says, looking up when Freddie stomps into the room. "You done packing?"

"Go away," Freddie glares, looking like Louis on his worst day. "Don't wanna talk to you."

"What's wrong?" Zain asks, rising an eyebrow. Freddie had his moods but he rarely got properly short. 

"I said: Don't wanna talk to you!" Freddie glares, crossing his arms and turning his back on Zain.

"Alright," Zain says slowly, watching Freddie with a frown. "I'll be here if you wanna talk about what's upsetting you."

Freddie glares and crawls under the sofa, huffing.

Zain watches his feet for a moment before turning back to the sketch on his tablet. Waiting him out was usually the best thing when Freddie was in a mood like that. 

It doesn't take long this time. "Zain," Freddie says, crawling on Zain's lap.

"Hm?" Zain asks, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "What's up?"

"I wanna see daddy," Freddie says quietly, playing with Zain's shirt.

"Yea," Zain asks, stroking hair hair off his forehead. "We'll see him later. He's excited to see you, too, baby. He misses you."