Need • Zarry

11. The Spot

Zayn refused to let Harry get him a birthday present. In fact, he threatened to completely cut Harry off from all things sexual if he even so much as wrapped one gift.

So Harry didn't buy him anything.

He did, however, take him out to Philadelphia for the night to celebrate. He had mentioned to Harry days before how birthdays were never really special for him, how nobody ever really made a big deal of him turning another year older and on some occasions his foster families had completely forgotten about his birthday altogether. So Harry wasn't about to let his special day go by without making a big deal of it.

And Zayn almost fought him on it until he realized that Harry was bringing him to The Spot, which was a pool hall with an arcade and at the mention of the word arcade Zayn's eyes had lit up.

Ever since Harry had purchased that Sega Genesis for Zayn weeks ago he had spent an awful lot of time playing it. He had already beaten nearly every game and was becoming quite the gamer, and Harry would sometimes hear him yelling at the TV from in the study and he'd laugh at how into the game Zayn would get. He was very passionate when it came to just about everything he did, almost childlike in a way.

It was one of the things that Harry liked most about him.

The Spot was called the spot for a reason. It was insanely busy, jam packed full of mostly college kids and it reminded Harry of the billiards hall that he and James used to frequent back during their days at Liberty. It was bright, noisy, the scent of pizza and cold metal wafting through the air and Harry sat there waiting for the large cheese pizza he had just ordered, gazing across the way at the shooter games, spying Zayn completely engrossed in taking out several slow moving zombies.

He sipped lazily on his diet Coke and stretched his long legs in front of him, foregoing the suits and instead casually sporting a pair of light blue jeans, a loose fitting maroon and white striped t-shirt, and his favorite dirty pair of tennis shoes. He adjusted the black framed glasses on his nose and folded his arms across his chest, trying to hide the smile that wanted to creep onto his lips as he watched Zayn put the plastic gun back in its holster and stroll towards him.

Harry liked the way Zayn looked that night. Actually, he always liked the way Zayn looked. But he was a fresh 19 years old and was starting to let his beard grow in and Harry thought it made him look older.

Zayn had his hair done with a little bit of product and it looked dark and purposely messy, complimenting his round, brown eyes that appeared to nearly shine in the fluorescent lights. He donned a pair of black jeans and a plain white t-shirt with a neon pink palm tree on the front of it and Harry had no idea what it meant but he liked how the shirt fit his body, clinging to all the right places. And he wore his rose ring while Harry's still lived securely in his pocket.

Zayn slunk into the booth across from Harry just as the pizza arrived at the table and grinned, eying it hungrily as he dug in and grabbed a steamy slice, taking a large bite from the end and nearly dropped it due to the fact that it was still a bit hot.

Harry smiled at him.

"So after we eat you promised we'd play a game of pool. Now I've never played before but I'm still pretty convinced that I'm gonna kick your ass," said Zayn before he took a sip of his soda.

"You may be better than me at video games but I'm telling you right now you will not beat me at pool," Harry replied, reaching out to grab a pizza slice of his own.

"You say that now but don't cry when I win," Zayn quipped back, raising his eyebrows playfully as he took another bite.

"I admire your confidence but pool is my game," Harry declared as a matter of fact.