falling [zarry] ✔️

xxi

Harry wakes up when Zain decides to turn around again, his arm hitting Harry's chest. Sharing a bed had not at all been like sharing the sofa. Harry should have expected it.

He watches Zain's peaceful face, his lashes fluttering slightly in his sleep. There had been a moment of apprehension yesterday, when they had gone upstairs to go to bed. Harry may have told his mother to take down everything of Zain that had still covering his walls, trying to hide whatever his fifteen years old self had put up. It was embarrassing that he's never taken the time to take down all the magazine cuttings of Zain, more embarrassing perhaps than the crush he had had on Zain. And maybe still has.

He bites his lip and looks at the blank space on the wall where his favourite picture had hung, the one he had kissed goodnight well past an acceptable age.

He shakes himself, listening to Zain's even breaths and the sounds of his family, growing louder downstairs, and almost dozes off again.

"Boys," his mum says, knocking on the door loudly. "Breakfast in a bit, time to get up."

Zain grunts, blinking sleepily.

Harry strokes the hair from his forehead before he can help himself. "You awake?"

Zain grunts again, turning away and hiding his face in the pillow.

"Kay," Harry answers, used to Zain's morning mood. "I'm gonna go shower and wake you up after."

Zain grunts again.

👑

"Slept well?" Harry's mum smiles at them.

"I'm sure Zain did," Gemma says before Harry or Zain can respond. "He got a wet goodnight kiss from Harry, huh?"

"What?" Zain asks, confused, blinking.

"Gemma!" Harry hisses, feeling his cheeks flush. He should have known she would say something, simply to embarrass.

He realises his mistake as soon as Zain turns to look at him, much more awake. No reaction would have been much better.

"What does she mean, Haz," Zain smirks at him, leaning a bit closer.

"Go away," Harry says, pushing at Zain's forehead. "Breakfast looks amazing, mum."

"What did you mean?" Zain asks Gemma, smirking at her.

"Gemma!" Harry pleads but it's too late, delight spreading across her face.

"Dear little Harry," she starts, literally rubbing her hands.

Harry groans, dropping his face onto the table.

"Harry, sit up," his mum says but does nothing to stop Gemma when she continues.

"He used to cut your face from magazines and he would kiss your picture goodnight," Gemma grins brightly. "He always has a favourite he would put up right next to his bed. And if we went to visit grandma, it would have to come with, didn't it?" she smirks at Harry.

"Yea, super embarrassing," Harry says, trying to own it. "Not like you never had a crush."

"Cute," Zain grins, poking Harry's cheek. It's a much better reaction than Harry had feared. "A baby crush. I bet you were the cutest."

"He was," Mum says loyally, kissing Harry's head.

"He didn't stop until he moved out," Gemma says mercilessly. "Maybe not even then. Wouldn't call it a baby crush," she shrugs, grinning at Harry evilly.

"Oh," Zain says, his smirk turning devious as well. „Wanted to be my princess, did you?"

"Shut up," Harry says with dignity, not looking at him. "And you as well," he glared at Gemma. "Or I'm gonna go find David Beckham and tell him all about your crush."

"Don't know him," Gemma shrugs, grinning. "Doesn't really matter to me."

"He's hot," Zain agrees with Gemma, nodding.

"I'll show you where mum put them later," Gemma says. "Because you have good taste."

"I thought you were gonna throw them away," Harry asks his mum when she sits down next to him. There is a sense of resignation in him and it was not like seeing the pictures would actually make it more embarrassing. Expect maybe that one he had tried to cut out in the shape of a heart. It was a more recent one as well. He groans, hiding his face in his hand.

"They meant so much to you," his mum says, like Zain wasn't sitting right there, listening. "I couldn't just throw them out, love."

"She's right, Haz," Zain says, still sounding gleeful and way too awake. "It's my face after all, that would be treason."

"Stop it with the treason!" Harry says, pushing Zain away.

"But it annoys you so much," Zain says smugly. "Breakfast looks wonderful, Anne," he adds before Harry can tell him to fuck off. "I am starving."

"Liar," Harry complains, feeling like a whiny child.

"Don't pout, princess," Zain says, blowing Harry a kiss. "It's not becoming."

Harry sticks his tongue out in response. This has been the worse idea. But at least Zain looks happy, he can't even be truly mad.

👑

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