"Let's go to your place," Max says, pulling at Harry's waist to get him closer and mouthing on his neck. "It's closer."
"My sister and her friend are visiting," Harry says, biting his lip.
"So?" Max shrugs because he knows Harry well enough that his sister knows and that any friend of hers he lets stay in his house, he trusts at least a little as well.
"Just. We gotta be quiet," Harry says, gasping when Max bites at his neck.
Max makes a sound of agreement and Harry gives up trying to think, following Max to their car.
💟
Zain's already downstairs when Harry comes downstairs, sipping tea at the kitchen counter.
"Where's your smoothie?" Harry grins, brushing his fingers over Zain's shoulders as he passes him.
"Babe," Zain groans, dropping his head into his arms. "It's been ten days of smoothies and you've reached the kale and broccoli recipes, I think I'm good."
"Aww, don't say that. You're only here three more days, you can't give up now," Harry teases, grabbing the smoothie ingredients he's prepared yesterday.
Zain eyes it distrustfully, already pulling a face. For all that he liked the first few, he's rapidly lost interest, sipping his smoothies with the same long-suffering expression he sometimes gets around Gemma.
"Where's Gemma?" Harry asks when the kitchen is silent again, pouring three glasses of smoothie. Max unironically liked green smoothies and definitely want some. He makes sure Zain's glass is barely half full, sliding it towards him.
"She's gone shopping," Zain yawns, taking a sip and wrinkling his nose.
Harry grins at him, settling down at the counter and taking a sip of his own smoothie. It tasted rather a lot like wet earth. "Didn't want to go with?"
"No way," Zain groans. "I'm ready to go back to rainy England. It's all so shiny here. People are always smiling at me. One woman cooed at me because of my accent! It's awful."
"Sounds it," Harry says, amused, glad that none of the awkwardness lingered. "How are you passing the next three days then? Avoiding people smiling at you?"
Zain glares, unamused. "I'm gonna lie in your pool and eat your food," he says. "And in the evening I'm gonna lie on your couch and eat your food."
"Sounds good," Harry grins. "I'll keep you company. I have the next two days off."
"Really?" Zain asks, seeming to perk up a bit. It makes Harry's stomach flutter, despite his boyfriend under the shower upstairs and the fact that he swore he wouldn't be weak.
"Sure," he smiles, trying to downplay his awkwardness. "I do want to spend time with you. I've actually been busy with work. Sorry," he adds, contrite.
"It's fine," Zain smiles, taking another reluctant sip of his smoothie. "Gemma kinda surprised us both, didn't she? Work's important."
"Yea," Harry answers, smiling at Max when he comes in, his stomach clenching nervously. "Hey."
"Hi baby," Max greets, turning his smile on Zain. "I'm Max, you must be his sister's friend."
"Zain, yea," Zain answers, eyeing Max's smile like he's proving everything fears about people in LA.
"I made smoothies," Harry says into the awkward silence, pushing the glass towards Max.
"Thanks, baby," Max says, taking the glass and wandering towards the fridge, getting his usual breakfast ready.
Zain is still watching him with a slight frown. Harry tries not to read too much into it, tries not to think about what Zain might think about Max and about Harry for having Max as his boyfriend. Next to Zain, Max was horribly LA, all American, with bright teeth and meticulously cut hair.
"You really don't wanna do anything?" Harry asks, bumping his foot against Zain's leg to get his attention. Zain blinks, licking his lips.
Maybe Harry got it all wrong and Zain wasn't judging Max. Maybe Zain wanted a bit of Max as well. He swallows, irrationally jealous at the thought and not for the right reasons. It was good that Zain was leaving soon. Harry's self-restraint was stretched thin.
"Nah, what am I supposed to do?" Zain asks.
"Have you been to Runyon Canyon?" Max asks, settling into the chair next to Harry and sliding his arm around Harry's back. "It's great for hiking. It's where Harry and I met, ran into each other."
"Did you," Zain asks flatly, rising an eyebrow at Harry. "I'm not really for hiking," he adds, shrugging. "And I hear it's crowded."
Harry shrugs a bit. "We'll just stay by the pool then," he agrees. "I could do with a quiet day."
"Sounds perfect," Zain says, pushing his chair back. "I'm gonna take a shower. See you round Max," he nods and leaves.
Harry sighs a bit, watching him go. He doesn't like that he's so drawn in again. It's nowhere near as bad as when he'd arrived, but still.
"What's he do?" Max asks, pulling Harry from his thoughts.
"Mm?" He asks.
"Zain. What's he do? Is he a model?"
Harry laughs abruptly. "No," he grins, shaking his head. "Oh wow, he'd hate that. He's a student. Studying to be an English teacher."
"Oh, boring. What a waste," Max says. Harry bristles slightly. It's not the first time he's encountered opinions like that and it grates at him. It was worse somehow that Zain was dismissed directly.
"He likes it," he says, sounding defensive even to his own ears. "He'll be a good teacher," he adds, stretching, trying to distract himself. "You staying?"
"Nah, baby," Max says, pulling Harry towards him and kissing him wetly. "Gotta go to a casting. I'll text later, maybe you can come by."
"I think I wanna spend some time with Gemma," Harry says. "They're leaving in two days. Go out to dinner maybe."
Max shrugs, taking a long sip of his smoothie. Harry takes Zain's glass and empties the rest, getting up to put it away in the dishwasher. It's not exactly disappointment that Max isn't asking to come with, to actually meet Gemma. But it's something he'd expect. It makes it easier and harder at once, knowing that for Max this wasn't more than a bit of fun either. He scrubs a hand through his hair and settles back down next to Max, keeping him company until he's done.
💟
"Why are you cross?"
Zain hasn't said a word since Harry's joined him at the pool, not even when Harry'd gone inside and come back out, carrying a — alcohol-free, it wasn't even noon yet — cocktail and the most ridiculous sunglasses he could find. Zain hasn't even made a tiny comment about their LA-ness.
"M not," Zain clearly lies, taking another sip of the cocktail Harry had handed him.
"Yea, you are," a Harry insists. "You haven't looked at me once."
"Babe," Zain says, clearly annoyed now. "Maybe I don't want to see the hickeys your boyfriend left on you. Bad enough you paraded him in front of me."
"Paraded him!" Harry gapes, his hand going to his neck. "I did not parade anyone! Not that it's any of your business if I did, you don't get a say in my life."
"That's not where the hickey is," Zain snorts, looking at him derisively.
Harry flushes, his gaze dropping down. He hasn't properly looked at himself today, just a quick shower before rushing down to keep Zain company. It's pretty obvious, though, and in a very obvious spot low on his belly.
"What do you care?" he snaps. "Sorry someone else got me this time. If you wanted to get laid, I'm sure you could have found someone."
"Sure," Zain snaps back. "That's what I want from you. A bit of arse. That's why I drink disgusting smoothies every day. Because I hope you'll suck my cock for a bit," he sets his cocktails down a bit too forcefully. "I'll be upstairs. Don't bother me."
Harry gapes after him, sure he's missed something somewhere.
"Zain!" he calls. Zain flips him off without looking back, pulling the door closed behind him.
Harry doesn't think he's ever been this stunned in his life. And yet. A tiny bit of hope flutters in his chest. Zain had basically admitted he liked him, hadn't he? Even if they were both going about it awfully.
He takes a sip of his cocktail, wishing he'd actually added alcohol. Too bad they we're leaving so soon.
He bites his lip, grabbing his phone and almost text Max before he remembers that Max was busy. And he wanted to spend time with Gemma, so not tonight. It could wait another day. And then he'd clear everything up.
💟
😏