Mine ♡ Ziall/Niam/Narry/Nouis/Zianourry AU [COMPLETE]

SIX -- AVOIDANCE

"Zayn's ignoring me," Harry mutters to Liam. It's been a week since they kissed, and Zayn has been avoiding him like the plague. He's come up with semi-believable excuses -- "I have a doctor's appointment." "My mom needs me to watch my sisters." "I have to go grocery shopping." -- but after a week of them, Harry isn't buying it anymore.

Liam laughs. "Yeah, he so is."

Harry smacks his arm. "It's not funny! I need to talk to him. Apologize or something." He runs a hand through his hair. "I never wanted this." 

"I know," Liam says gently. "Just wait it out. Zayn will come to you when he's ready. Knowing him, he's freaking out that you got wrapped up in the moment and it just happened."

- - -

"Oh -- uh -- I can't come to lunch today," Zayn lies badly to Niall. "I -- uh -- have to finish, um, a paper?" It ends up sounding like a question, and he cringes.

Niall narrows his eyes at Zayn. "You're not good at lying, Zee."

"Neither are you!" Zayn retorts, which is true. Niall sticks his tongue out at him, and Zayn manages a laugh. "Go to lunch, little cutie. I'll see you later." Niall hugs him, nuzzling his cheek against Zayn for a second.

Niall finds Louis on his way to the cafeteria, letting out a delighted squeal and jumping on his back. "Hi, Lou!"

Louis lets out a laugh. "Hi there, Ni. You almost gave me a heart attack just now." He hoists Niall up higher on his back. "You ready to go eat?"

Niall nods, his hair brushing against Louis' cheek, and Louis carries him to the caf. Harry straightens as they walk in, looking for Zayn behind them, and he slumps a bit when he's not there.

"Have you seen Zayn?" he asks a bit glumly. 

"Yeah! I just saw him!" Niall is beaming, happy that his answer has visibly cheered Harry up. "He said he needed to finish a paper or something, but I think he was lying. Zayn's a bad liar."

Liam laughs. "He really is a -- Harry, where are you going?"

"I have to find him." Harry's jaw is set -- he's determined to get some answers out of Zayn.

"Go easy on him," Liam says, but a smile is playing at the corner of his lips. Harry rolls his eyes at Liam and leaves.

"Liam," Niall asks, biting off the heads of one of his animal crackers. Liam looks over at him. "Is Harry gonna beat Zayn up or something?"

Both Liam and Louis start to laugh. "No, baby," Liam says, still chuckling fondly. "No, he just needs to talk to him. Iron some stuff out." Liam reaches over and ruffles Niall's hair, and Niall smiles, nuzzling into Liam's touch. 

"I have fairy bread!" Niall squeals, kicking his legs excitedly. "Want some?" Louis and Liam both take some, knowing that Niall will be hyper for the rest of the day if they don't. He hums happily as he finishes his fairy bread and then scowls at the broccoli, the only thing left in his lunch bag. "Stupid vegetable."

"Eat it, Ni," Louis says, playing with Niall's hair. With a pout, Niall puts a piece of broccoli in his mouth.

"Tiny trees taste stupid," he mutters, still scowling at the bag. 

Liam shakes his head, chest so warm, smile so fond. "How is it possible for you to be that cute?" he asks, mostly to himself, but Niall hears him. He goes pink to the end of his ears, and both Liam and Louis can't stop smiling.

- - -

"Bullshit," is the first thing Harry says when he finds Zayn in the computer lap. Zayn jumps, startled, and then blushes.

"I d-don't know what y-you're talking about," he stammers, embarrassed at being caught.

"You told Niall you had to write a paper," Harry snaps. Zayn's hands are shaking. "You're up here fucking playing Pac-Man online!"

Zayn chews on his lip, changing his glance from Harry to his shaking hands. "I...I have to go meet with a teacher, Harry..."

"Bullshit," Harry hisses again, and then he's got Zayn by the bicep and is tugging him outside. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not --"

"I'm not going to ask you again." Harry's gaze is dark when Zayn looks him in the eye, so he stares down at his shoes.

"I...I don't know, I..." Zayn shifts uncomfortably. "I didn't know what it meant!" he finally blurts.

"What? The kiss?"

Zayn nods tightly. He's scared Harry is going to say it just happened, that it hadn't meant anything. Those words might kill him. Zayn had only ever thought about kissing Niall, but kissing Harry had opened up so many possibilities, and he felt like he was going insane.

"Zayn," Harry says, and his voice is much softer. "Look at me." Zayn doesn't; he watches his fingers as he interlaces and unlaces them. "Sweetheart, look at me." Zayn's heart melts at the pet name and he finally looks Harry in the eye. Harry gives him a soft, sweet smile, his dimples showing the smallest amount, and Zayn manages to smile back. That smile tells him everything he needs to know, and he's still smiling when Harry kisses him again.