night changes [zarry]

xix

It feels like the perfect day, which should be impossible with four kids at the zoo when he weather was more than questionable. But the kids are happy - or asleep - rushing around the reptile house and looking at all the animals Harry could go without seeing. And he's warm and and Zain is holding his hand, reading the sign on whatever animal was hiding in the greenery of the terrarium and stroking his thumb over the back of Harry's hand, sometimes catching the ring on Harry's finger like it was something else entirely. 

"Can we go back to the elephants now?" Emma asks loudly, pulling on Harry's coat.

"Shush," Harry makes, looking down at her. "Indoor voice, love."

"But can we?" Emma asks, only marginally more quiet. "We've been here ages."

"I—," Harry says, shooting  a look at Jamie, who was still fascinated. Sometimes he wishes he could clone himself so Jamie could keep watching his snakes and Emma could move on. "Another 5 minutes, alright, then we'll move on. Jamie, five minutes, okay? Prepare to say goodbye to the snakes."

"But mummy!" Jamie says, not turning around. "She'll be fed in a bit!"

"I don't wanna watch that," Emma announces before Harry can ask. "I like mouses, I don't want to watch them be eaten."

"Mice," Harry says absent-mindedly, shooting Jamie another look. 

"I can stay with Jamie," Zain says quietly, touching Harry's hand. "Or take the girls," he adds. "Whatever."

"I," Harry says again, looking at his son who's trying to get as close to the snakes as possible, and to his daughter who was already vibrating with energy.

"Jamie," he says, stroking his hair. "Baby, Zain's gonna stay with you to watch the snakes, is that ok? I'm going with Emma to the elephants."

Jamie looks at him for a moment, and then at Zain. "Okay," he says, turning back to the snake that wasn't even doing anything.

"Okay," Harry tells Zain. "Thank you," he adds, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of Zain's mouth, where his skin is soft despite his stubble.

"I'll call when we're out of here, I'm pretty sure you'll have moved on," Zain says, smiling at him softly. Harry loves his smile.

"Yea," he says, taking the pram. "Thank you. He never gets to spend as much time as he wants here because Emma doesn't have his patience."

"Yea," Zain smiles. "Laila," he calls. Laila's head swivels and she hops towards him, smiling brightly as she hangs herself from his coat.

"I'm gonna stay with Jamie to watch the snakes, meri jaan," Zain continues, taping Laila's nose. "Harry's going with Emma to the elephants. You wanna go with him or stay with me?"

"Elephants," Laila decides right away, leaning up slightly. "Bye, baba," she says, kissing Zain's cheek when he leans down to meet her.

"Bye," Zain says, smiling at Harry in amusement as Laila rushes off towards Emma. "See you in a bit."

"Yea," Harry says, handing Zain Jamie's bottle and one of the boxes with snacks. "Just in case," he says.

Zain takes them without fuss, leaning in to kiss Harry quickly. "Just in case," he grins, stuffing them into his coat pocket. 

"Mummy!" Emma calls, pulling Harry from his stupor.

"See you in a bit," he says to Zain and turns the pram around. 

"Emma," he adds, catching up to them, "There is no need to yell!"

💚

"You're staying the night?" Harry asks quietly once they've all settled. The kids are watching their film with rapt attention, like they've never seen a film before but at least it meant they weren't trying for his attention and he could focus on Zain. 

"Yea," Zain says, pressing his lips to Harry's neck and rubbing his thumb over Harry's thigh. "I'd like that. Will you make your croissants tomorrow?"

"Yea," Harry smiles, strangely pleased. "Sunday breakfast, isn't it? I'll prepare the dough later."

"Need help?" Zain asks, wrapping his arm around Harry's waist. 

"No," Harry laughs lightly, leaning into him. "I'm pretty sure I'll be quicker if you're not helping."

"Probably," Zain says, pulling Harry even closer and kissing his neck. "But I might have to watch, can't believe you make them from scratch. Nothing you can't do, huh?"

"You're sweet," Harry says, kissing Zain's jaw. "What do you usually have for breakfast? I can make Laila's favourite."

"Just porridge or toast," Zain answers. "I can only do the basics. Mum does pancakes or waffles or a full English sometimes. Nothing special. She'll love croissants, though."

"You said she eats Nutella? She likes chocolate, then?" Harry asks, a bit worried Laila would be disappointed her favourites wouldn't be there. He could make a few pains au chocolate, his kids liked them as well and he doesn't want to give them chocolate too often but it would be alright, this once. 

"Sure," Zain says. "She's got a sweet tooth."

"Okay," Harry says and tries to focus on the film. It's difficult with Zain's hand on his belly and his breath on his neck, distracting. It's so very nice.

💚

"I don't wanna be presumptuous," Zain says, his breath on Harry's cheek and his hands hot on Harry's waist. "But I have a bad feeling that one of the kids is gonna interrupt if he have sex now."

Harry flushes, both relieved and disappointed. "Definitely," he agrees because that's the kind of luck he has. 

"And I don't want to rush," Zain adds, kissing Harry's cheek. "I really don't want to rush."

"Yea," Harry answers, slightly breathlessly. He's not sure when they will ever not have to rush but  if Zain was even just half as good in bed as he was sweet, Harry won't stand any chance of seeing quiet and he'd rather not traumatise his kids. 

"I'll ask mum when she can take the kids, maybe your mum will have time for Laila," he says before he realises, feeling his cheeks burn with it when he realises how forward that was.

"Yea," Zain just says, kissing Harry's mouth. "Yea, I'd like that," he repeats, leaning down to kiss Harry properly. 

He doesn't know how long they kiss, but it's definitely not long enough before they are - predictably - interrupted.

"Mummy, I had a nightmare," Emma says, stumbling into the bedroom and into Harry's bed, falling asleep before Harry has even managed to find his words again.

"At least we were right," Zain says, kissing Harry's cheek. "Imagine it being the one night everyone slept through."

"Yea," Harry agrees, not sure how he's supposed to fall asleep anytime soon. He rubs his tingling lips and pulls the blanket up around Emma, lets himself be pulled back against Zain.

"Sleep well," he says, linking their fingers and listens to Zain's breath evening out, to Emma's breaths. He wants so many things and it seemed like he would actually get them for once.

💚

update, yay. no sex, sad.

bye!