night changes [zarry]

viii

Like every morning Harry wakes up to the chant of: "Mummy, mummy, mummy!"

He grunts in response, blindly grabbing for Emma to pull her into bed. She comes easily, wiggling about and already chatting.

"Mummy, I dreamt I was riding a pony. Can we go pony riding, Anna goes every day she says. She says it's great fun. She says —," she interrupts herself, her hands on Harry's shoulder as she sits on his belly.

"Mummy, why are Laila and her dad in your bed?"

"Huh?" Harry makes and then turns his head around, opening his eyes for the first time.

Laila is looking back at him solemnly, a book in her hands that Harry's not sure how she got. Zain's still slack-faced and asleep. Harry's not sure how he's managing to sleep through Emma's excited chatting. How they both slept through Laila getting up apparently.

"Good Morning," Harry says, hoping he isn't blushing. Nothing even happened but it's still weird to be caught out like this, even if Laila was tucked between them. "You slept well, love?" he asks, brushing a strand of hair behind Laila's ear.

Zain's still not stirring and it worries Harry a bit, that Zain won't wake up from movement around him. What if Laila needed him?

"Yea," Laila says brightly. Zain stirs a bit, his arm moving towards her. "I've been up ages, when's breakfast?"

Harry pulls Emma closer, kissing the side of her head, when she echoes. "Breakfast, mummy. I'm hungry as well! Can we have waffles?"

Harry kisses the side of her faces few times. "You know we don't have time before school," he says, hugging her for a moment. "But we'll have them on the weekend, hm?"

Emma sighs like she's carrying the burden of the world with her. "Alright," she says, brushing Harry's hair from his forehead.

"Can you Show Laila where the bathroom is?" Harry asks, tapping her nose. "You need to get ready for school."

"Laila," he adds. "Is your father going to wake up?"

"I can wake him up," Laila shrugs, closing him. "Grandma says I'm the best at it. Baba," she says, leaning over Zain and smacking a loud kiss to his cheek. "Baba, breakfast."

Zain grunts, his arms going around Laila at once. It reassures Harry a bit, seeing him respond so quickly.

"What?" Zain says.

"Breakfast, baba!" Laila repeats. "Up!"

"I'm up," Zain answers, sitting up and rubbing a hand over his face. He freezes right after, blinking in confusion until his gaze settles on Harry. "Oh," he says, a bit confused.

"You slept in mummy's bed," Emma explains helpfully, pulling on Harry's shirt as she leans back. "We only get to sleep in mummy's bed if we're ill or scared or lonely. Which was it?"

"Err," Zain says, blinking slowly. He still looks mostly confused.

"Go get ready for school, baby," Harry says, freeing himself and kissing her hair. "And take Laila. I'll be along right away."

"But-"

"Go," Harry says, shooing her away. Laila scrambles off the bed after her, kneeing Zain in the side of the grunt he lets out is any indication.

Harry watches them run off and regrets it instantly, being alone with the thick silence between them. He doesn't think he's ever had a more awkward morning after — not that he's had many.

"So," Zain says, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Sorry?"

"No," Harry says, clearing his throat against the squeakiness. "No problem. Just. We should -"