Echo Of Us • Zarry

PM 3

       "Great. Why'd you leave the living room? And why do you want to leave me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Harry scoffs. "I asked you what were we doing and you ask if we have to be doing anything? Like, c'mon. This obviously means nothing to you."

Zayn laughs softly, this time not bitterly but with actual amusement. Harry's understandably bewildered.

"God, Haz, I didn't mean it like that. I didn't think you meant those words as 'Are we dating, Zayn? and not 'Why are we lying on the couch doing nothing?'. So please, reconsider that thought about leaving me," Zayn smiles at Harry sweetly. Harry blinks a few times, willing his brain to take all the words in.

"Are you taking the fucking piss?"

Zayn laughs again, throws his head back and while still laughing, shakes his head.

"Haz, I swear to God I didn't mean it like that. What we've been doing since we met again... it means so much to me. Like, I can't believe this is actually real. And I love you, still love you. So if that's the only reason why you wanted to leave, please don't. I'm not above begging at this point."

"Why haven't we fucked yet?" Harry blurts out. Fuck. He almost hits himself on the forehead because Zayn has just said he loves Harry, and what does Harry do? Say something incredibly stupid. The thought has been pestering his mind for days and of course his brain-to-mouth filter decides this is the best time for not working.

But Zayn just chuckles and looks at Harry with a smile. "Because I love you. I didn't want you to think that we're just fucking around. So I just kept kissing you. Anything was enough as long as you were still talking to me."

Harry's eyes splur tears again, this time from pure happiness. His mind is too muddled by new information and a headache coming in from crying to actually process everything. He's just sure of one thing – Zayn loves him. He's said it multiple times and Harry will make him say it thousands of more times because he's not letting go anytime soon, preferably never. So instead of talking any more, Harry grabs the back of Zayn's neck and brings their lips together.

They kiss with a new purpose, at least Harry does. Previously, Harry tried to not give everything into the kiss, give all of himself. Each and every time, he held something back. Now he doesn't have to. The fear he had just hours ago seems distant now, like an old memory that appears to be sepia coloured, more of a fragment than a full image. He lets his hands roam all over Zayn's body – clutching at his neck, his face, gripping his waist. He savours every second and every little thing about this, every flick of a tongue, every touch and every moan. This is what Harry's wanted all along – knowing they don't have to pretend once they're not behind closed door. Let their love be free, untethered.

"Are we doing this then? For real this time?" Harry asks after they pull away from each other, his voice small and wary. This is a huge thing to ask, words he never asked Zayn before despite wanting to hundreds of times.

Zayn nods, his hand splayed on Harry's cheek, eyes going up from watching Harry's lips to meet his gaze. "If you'll have me after all this time."

"I don't want anyone but you," Harry whispers. "Do you really want me? Long-term and everything?"

"Of course. It's you, Haz. It's always been you."

"I'm really clingy," Harry drawls, a lazy smile on his lips. The veil of dread around him has finally fallen off and a surge of happiness replaced it. He doesn't even care that he has to leave in the morning. The tour will end one day and then they will be able to hole up at Zayn's house and not do anything useful for weeks.