Snow (Zarry AU)

Part 5

The next morning he eats breakfast alone. He has chosen a window seat in the back so he can look outside at the sun reflecting off the mountain whenever the clouds part to let it through. It's early, but a lot of people are already up and about, getting ready for their activities of the day.

Zayn gets ready in his own way. He likes to wake up slowly and quietly, prefers to sit by himself so he can prepare himself mentally for whatever he is planning to do that day. Or he used to. He doesn't know what changed, but he's less content with the silence and his mind as his only distraction. It must be this place; it's messing with his head and he just isn't himself.

When he looks out the window again and watches the birds circling in the sky, it's as if something finally settles. It's time to stop circling around himself and everyone else, because it's what he always does and it isn't getting him anywhere.

Before he has time to finish his inner monologue, he catches Doniya from the corner of his eye slowly approaching his table. Zayn frowns when he sees her expression; it's the one she always has that says 'you better listen, or else,' and because he's a smart lad, he stays silent when she sits down in the chair opposite him.

''Stop sulking and come ice-skating with us.'' She's always been straight-forward.

''I'm not sulking,'' Zayn protests.

She gives him a disbelieving look. ''You are and it's painful to watch. You're like a teenager all over again.''

''I'm allowed to sulk," Zayn defends himself. They look at each other for a moment before Doniya nods.

''Come ice-skating with us. He'll be there.''

''Who?''

''Harry, of course.'' So she's trying a different tactic. It doesn't work.

''I'll pass.''

''Fine, enjoy your sulking.''

''I will.''

As he watches her leave the restaurant, it slowly dawns on him that he's doing it again. He's pulling away out of fear; fear of getting hurt and fear of the unknown. So he looks down at his coffee, pretends it's liquid courage, and downs it in one go.

Zayn gets up from his chair and as he tries to think of how to get to the skating rink, he decides he'll do this his way: slowly.

When he does get there it's nearly empty except for families with younger kids that aren't quite ready for skiing yet. It's small, but has a certain charm to it. There's a café attached to the skating rink, separated by a window so you can see what's happening on the ice. Zayn decides to stay there, watches from behind the glass and away from the ice. As soon as he spots them, he feels his heart skip a beat.

Doniya and Waliyha are hand in hand, skating around the rink and chatting while Harry is in the middle with Zayn's youngest sister, Safaa. Harry is trying to spin circles with her, very slowly, to minimise the risk of falling. As Zayn watches fondly, he realises he's not afraid. For some odd reason, he trusts Harry with his sister, who he's otherwise very protective over. Maybe it's the smile on her face, or Harry's stretched out hands, ready to catch her.

So he keeps watching, hands in his pockets and gaze focused on the boy that seems to occupy his mind all the time. There's a weird tug in his gut when he sees Harry skate over to Doniya, catching her by the shoulders before circling around her so he's facing her. Zayn can't hear them from here and isn't sure if he wants to. He never actually considered the idea of his sister being possible competition. Not that it's a competition; Harry seems to really like Doniya, and Zayn kind of ruined things for himself.

Zayn is chewing on his bottom lip while trying to think of a way to approach Harry, when he suddenly looks right at him. Their eyes meet for a split second before Zayn turns around and hurries towards the bar. He sits down on a stool with his back to the window, ears burning and head bowed down. He had been caught and must have looked like an absolute creeper.

He politely declines when the barman asks if he wants anything and waits for the inevitable. Why do bad things happen sooner rather than later?

''Zayn.'' It's Harry's voice behind him, and miraculously enough he sounds normal.

Zayn turns around on his stool to face Harry. ''Hi. Why aren't you on the ice?'' Harry shrugs before sitting down on the stool next to him, facing the window. He rests his elbows on the bar and leans back, avoiding Zayn's gaze carefully.

''I saw you watching,'' Harry starts, glancing at Zayn before continuing. ''You're scared, I get it. Just don't think me a fool, be honest about it.'' Zayn knows that the next thing he's going to say will be important, probably deciding where they go from here, so he waits a moment. He watches Harry's guarded expression, and decides that if he trusts him with Safaa, he has to trust Harry with himself.

''I'm scared,'' Zayn admits because honesty isn't such a bad thing to start with.

Harry finally looks at him with a smile tugging at his lips. ''Alright, then,'' Harry sighs and gets up off his stool. ''I'll see you at dinner, and you're sitting next to me. No excuses.'' Just like that, Zayn is by himself again. Although this time he's not exactly alone - he's got Harry now.

Next update will be on.. Tuesday! Thank you for the support so far!

Love you all xxx <3

Dedication: @MusicIsSanity