falling [zarry] ✔️

xix

"So?" Harry asks, twirling the key with the chunky metal keychain around his fingers and watching the light play cross the white marble of the kitchen. "What do you think?"

"Bit big, innit?" Zain says, syllables all slurred together, sounding like he always does when he's been spending his time around school children for some charity or other.

"Innit?" Harry echoes, amused, watching Zain turn on the spot in what would be the living room.

"Dunno what you'd want with all that space," Zain says, walking towards the windows to look down into the garden. "You get lonely."

Harry bites the inside of his cheek and forces himself to smile when Zain looks at him. "We can't live in your flat forever."

Zain frowns at him slightly for a moment before turning away again. "No," he says, jaw clenching and his shoulders hunched slightly.

"Your mum came to talk to me," Harry says, fighting to get the words out through the tightness in his chest.

Zain turns abruptly, staring at him blanks for a moment. "When?" he asks, frowning like he's trying to remember.

"When she picked Safaa up," Harry says, pulling at his shirt. He should have worn a jumper. An empty house was always cooler than expected.

"When did she pick Safaa up?" Zain asks.

Harry rolls his eyes towards the ceiling, wishing for patience. "While you were in Australia."

"That was weeks ago, Haz," Zain says, sounding both amused and annoyed.

"Wait," he adds, leaning back against the windowsill and crossing his arms. "Is this why you've been weird?"

"I've not been—," Harry starts to protest but Zain interrupts him, his frown deepening.

"What did she say to you?"

"I've not been weird," Harry repeats, raising his chin slightly. He can never quite manage looking down on Zain but it was always worth a try. "And she didn't say anything much. Really."

"Sure," Zain drawls, dragging the word far too much.

Harry looks towards the fireplace, which he had liked and thought Zain would as well, always cold in winter and happy to cozy up.

"Just. Some things to think about," Harry shrugs.

"What things?" Zain asks a bit sharply.

"Just," Harry shrugs, "about spider webs. Not sure I understand completely."

"Oh wow," Zain says with a slight groan. "Did she use one of her awful analogies? Wait. Is that the one with a spider feeling movement in the web or whatever?"

"Maybe," Harry says, smiling at the face Zain pulls, scrunched up eyes like a little boy embarrassed at his mummy's kiss. "Don't talk about your mother like that."

"Right," Zain says, rolling his eyes. "So she's been talking to you about Aunt Meena."

"Maybe," Harry says because it was still weird to hear Zain talk about his family like ... family and not princes and princesses.

"Like I said," Harry continues, trying to ignore Zain's gaze on him, assessing. "I'm not sure I understand. But she is right that I can't — we can't," he swallows, clenching his jaw. "We can't get too — too tangled."

"We're not getting tangled," Zain says with a slight sneer.

"No, I just mean. I'm not a good— it doesn't fit, Zain. You've seen the articles."

"There's always articles about everything. I thought you of all people —"

"I of all people know how fucking draining it is," Harry says, a bit angry. "And I'm not saying we shouldn't be friends but my whole life is tangled up in yours right now. I picked your sister up from school, Zain.
They think I'm dating any one or all of you to throw over the kingdom or whatever, my grandma is panicking because I'm disrespecting your mum or something and just. We've been careless because we're nice and safe in your flat and I think we shouldn't forgot."

"You moving out won't change a thing," Zain says, frowning slightly. "And this house is too big for you."

"Zain!" Harry tries.

"I don't know what mum said and what dumb metaphor she packed it in, but she's not trying to warn you off, she just wants you to be aware. And since you're not actually suggesting anything that will do anything — except create a lot more hassle for everyone — I'm going to ignore you.
Let's go home, I'm hungry and I need to review tomorrow's speech," he adds, pushing off the windowsill and striding towards the door.

Harry twirls the keys around his fingers once more, throwing a look at the fireplace that really was the only thing that had made him even consider getting the place. Everything else had felt too cold.

"Haz," Zain calls from the front door, impatient and demanding.

"Yea," Harry answers, barely raising his voice, and turns his back on the fireplace, his thoughts going back to whatever the queen had been trying to tell him, none the wiser for it still.

👑

😬 idk what I'm doing with them help