night changes [zarry]

vii

Harry kisses Sophie's cheek, pulling the hat over her head. She watches him, gnawing in a piece of apple, drool everywhere.

"Let's get your brother and sister, mm?" he tells her, tickling her kneecaps.

"Mamama," she agrees, making Harry's heart swell like it does every time. He'll never get over the cuteness of his babies starting to talk, of them slowly starting to call him ma and manamama and finally mummy.

His phone rings as he's struggling into his jacket. He smiles when he sees it's Zain, his stomach squirming happily. It's been two days since their date and they've been texting almost constantly — often enough that Harry has had to remind himself not to be glued to his phone while his kids were awake.

"Zain, baby," he tells Sophie and slides his finger across the screen. "Hey."

"Harry," Zain says, sounding distracted. "One sec," he adds right away, his voice going muffled.

Harry blinks, looking at Sophie who looks back at him with large eyes and two of her fingers stuck in her mouth. His messy baby, getting drool everywhere.

He listens to the muffled voices on Zain's end, sliding into his trainers.

"Sorry, hey," Zain says after another minute, just as Harry's locking his door. "I have a favour to ask, actually."

"Oh?"

"Could you take Laila home with you today? I have a work emergency and my mum can't take her either. I'll finish here as soon as I can, I promise, but the client wants some changes and needs them by tomorrow and—"

"It's fine," Harry interrupts even as his stomach sinks. He's never heard Zain babble like that. But now he knows what Zain wants of him. A convenient babysitter. Maybe a bit of sexy as well, while he was at it.

"It's fine," he repeats, the joy of seeing Zain's name on his phone evaporating, carrying Sophie down the street towards school even though she is getting much too heavy for it. "I can take her, she'll be fine. Have you called the school?"

"I will right away," Zain says, relief in his voice. "Could you call me when you have Laila? I wanna talk to her."

"Of course," Harry says. "I'll call you in a moment. Good luck with work and such."

"Thank you, Harry," Zain says, already sounding distracted again. "Really."

"You're welcome," Harry says and hangs up. He drops his phone in his coat pocket, biting his lip. Sophie is happily babbling to herself all the way to school, unaware of the dread in Harry's stomach.

He had really thought Zain liked him — for whatever reason. Wanted him even, with how he'd kissed Harry. But being a convenient babysitter made more sense.

"There they are," Harry tells Sophie quietly, smiling at the other parents in front of the school in greeting.  Emma is already running across the yard, jumping into every puddle on sight with a shriek, her little friends right behind her.

"Mummy!" she calls excitedly, barrelling into him as her friends rush towards their own mothers. Harry avoids their eyes because it's so very clearly his daughter's fault that their children are now splashed with muddy water.

"Hi, baby," Harry says, crouching down to hug her properly, kissing her cheek.

"I'm hungry, mummy," Emma announces, holding onto Harry's jacket and leaning back. "So hungry."

"Hungry like a hippo?" Harry grins, tickling her slightly.

She giggles and starts twirling around, her hair —mostly out of its braids — flying as they wait for Jamie and Laila to make their way across the yard as well.