Echo Of Us • Zarry

M 2

The bliss and euphoria of their brand-new engagement lures them out of the smog-tainted Los Angeles scarcely a week later. It's not like they want to stay in bed all day and fuck (they kind of do, truth be told), but there's this deep-rooted desire to be alone, just the two of them. Get lost in one another, talk, look back at the obstacles they've overcome to reach this point. It's simply better to do it on a private beach with room service.

One night in the ethereal Belize, they fall into a seeming time vortex when they lay on the sand, stargazing and talking, mirroring a night in Bali from many year ago. Barely breaching adulthood back then, everything that was said were just hopes and dreams. Nothing seemed like a real possibility. A relationship, a wedding, a life together without hiding and looking over their shoulders to make sure their pretend invisibility hasn't budged. Now all that wishful thinking is a part of a plan, one they're certain will work out.

"What do you think about a beach wedding?" Harry asks Zayn as they're lying on a blanket in the sand. The stars above them are so vibrant and clear they haven't been able to keep their eyes off them. The nightly chill isn't really getting to them because they're wrapped up in each other. Harry would even say his cheek on Zayn's bare chest is burning. Maybe they'll go for a middle-of-the-night skinny dip in the ocean that keeps reminding them of itself with a lovely song of its waves.

"I'm not against it," Zayn replies. "I don't like big weddings so as long as it's small, I'm game."

"I love the seaside," Harry muses. "There's like... so many options. We could get married in a place like this one. Probably in like... Capri or somewhere near the mainland. Or even back home. Cornwall is beautiful."

Zayn just hums as a response, his fingers continuously playing with Harry's hair. The comforting motion will eventually make Harry sleepy, whether he wants to or not.

"But I don't want a big wedding either," Harry adds then. "Just our immediate family and a few close friends. I would elope with you but I think I'd feel like I'm not even married? I don't know. I mean, it's for us, obviously. But it's a joyful day that, I think, should be shared with some people we care about. What do you think?"

Zayn sighs, his chest lifting Harry's head. "I don't like a lot of attention on me in like... these private situations. But it's our families, yeah? Mum would probably throw a fit if I got married and she wasn't there. You know what I just realised?"

"What?"

"I never told you what happened after you passed out at that party back when we met again."

"Oh," Harry says, his voice drifting. "Please tell me I wasn't lying there until Jeff randomly found me."

"No, of course not," Zayn chuckles. "I sent Taryn to find Jeff or anyone from your team and stayed there with you. Was scared you'd like... choke on your own puke. But that's not important. Jeff came maybe fifteen minutes later and he was so angry. He didn't yell at me but he looked ready to just snap my neck. Or your neck maybe. Him and your bodyguard took you outside and that was it. Jeff didn't say anything, really. Just asked if you were taking anything. Anyway, I've no idea why I never told you."

Harry's blood stills. Why did Jeff ask that when he knew very well that at that point, Harry hadn't taken anything almost a year. It always comes to bite him in the arse, even though he's truly been done with everything for a few years now. It's too risky for him. And since he got back with Zayn, he wouldn't dare get fucked up knowing Zayn's "party history" from after he left and literally, Gigi saved him from.

It's in the past now and Harry takes a deep breath, changing the topic altogether. "I'll leave the wedding planning for later but I think we need to talk about like... timeline and stuff."

"Huh?"

"When should the wedding be?" Harry starts. "How long are we going to go on honeymoon for? When should we have a baby?"

"Hold on, that escalated quickly," Zayn laughs. "We got engaged like a week ago and you're already talking about kids?"

"What, you don't want them?" Harry asks, trying not to get worried because it'd be just paranoia since they've talked about kids before and they both want a family eventually. He just hopes Zayn's eventually isn't when they're nearly in their 40's.

"No, I do," Zayn says. "You just took me by surprise is all."

"Good because I want a baby before I turn 30," Harry says, his heartbeat more relaxed already. "I really don't want to be in like... my sixties with a kid in uni. Like... right now is soon. But in three years... Oh and I don't want to adopt. I know there are many children that need a home but I want our kids to like... resemble us at least a bit since unfortunately we can't have kids together biologically. It's a shame, we'd have handsome children."

Zayn laughs suddenly. "Go to uni, Haz. Get a degree in genetic studies or whatever and maybe you will come up with something."

"Ha ha, very funny. You're so hilarious you should be a comedian. Scrap that album and start doing stand up. You might even get a show on Netflix. I could call Chelsea, she might know someone who could help you."

"I know, right?" Zayn says and kisses the top of Harry's head. "You're such a supportive boyfriend."

"Fiancé," Harry reminds Zayn with a blind slap on his head. "You know what's really cool?"

"You, I assume."

Another blind smack. "Baby names that are like... the names of stars and galaxies? For example, Elara. It's so nice."

"You know what else is nice? Binging Black Mirror in our room and eating that caramel candy we got on the airport."

Harry cranes his head up to look at Zayn, who only wiggles his eyebrows at him with a grin. It's impossible to keep the laugh in.

"Fine," Harry rolls his eyes for show and sits up. "But you're not getting out of this conversation, mister."

"Not planning to," Zayn kisses Harry quickly and stands up. He starts walking towards their little beach house, leaving Harry on the blanket.

Harry watches after him and thinks about how lucky he is to get this life, this amazing man, this unmeasurable happiness. Nothing lasts forever but Harry foolishly hopes this does. He can't imagine what he would do otherwise.