night changes [zarry]

xxv

"Hi," Zain says, leaning down to kiss Harry. "How was your morning?"

"Uneventful," Harry says drily, pointing at his foot, which was still useless.

"Hm," Zain says, brushing his nose over Harry's cheek. "Want me to grab you some books or magazines when I pick up the kids?"

"Maybe?" Harry sighs, annoyed at himself. "Maybe, yea."

"Anything specific?" Zain asks, sounding amused.

"Just. Whatever is popular right now. Haven't red in ages. And maybe some crafting magazine?" he adds, considering.

"Kay," Zain nods, kissing him again, quick and soft.

Harry smiles. He should feel restless and anxious. He hasn't really done more than awkwardly balance while doing the dishes, fold some laundry and hobble around awkwardly for the past week.

He's immensely bored but it didn't feel like the house was coming down around him. The kids were happy and fed because Zain was doing most of the feeding. Harry sat at the table and cut what was put in front of him or kept an eye on the pot if one of the kids yelled for Zain — they yelled for Zain if they wanted someone to come now. The laundry was still getting down and Zain had hoovered and scrubbed the toilet while Harry had hovered awkwardly and said he could. He had been told to stick to wiping down the counter instead. It was nice.

But slowly, he was growing bored with being bored and the telly wasn't nearly as entertaining when it was the only entertainment he had.

He couldn't wait for the kids to come home so he could supervise homework and colour with them. It was nice sitting down with them without feeling like he needed to pick up something or put the laundry up. It was a bit like back when he had been pregnant the first time and his mum had been there and I insisted he rest when he'd been too big to do much except try to knit another jumper.

"Oh," he says, sitting up. "Zain!" he calls towards the kitchen.

Zain sticks his head back through, looking slightly panicked. "You okay?"

"Yea," Harry grins. "Just remembered my knitting! Could you get it?"

"Sure," Zain says, drying his hands. "Didn't know you knitted. Where do you have it?"

"Upstairs. In my wardrobe, there is a box at the back, it should be labelled," Harry says, excitement raising up in him.

He hasn't been able to sit down and knit in ages, or at least hasn't felt like be could, but he always making outfits for Jamie just as he wanted. And they kept nicely warm as well.

He's not sure what he still has, or what he had last been working on, but he could order some wool online if it came to it. Jamie needed a new hat anyways and Emma could do with a jumper.

Sophie still fit in those he had made back when Jamie had been small but he had stopped before be had been a year old and Sophie would outgrow it soon enough as well.

Sophie crawls towards him, pulling herself up on the couch.

"Hi, baby," he says, his heart breaking a bit at how big she was already. He strokes her cheek and watches her chew on his sleeve, sighing.

"This one?" Zain asks, pushing the door open with the box in his arm.

Sophie turns to look at him, distracted.

"Yea," Harry says, picking her up to kiss her cheek. "Thank you," he says, sitting up properly to open it. "Haven't looked in here in ages, I hope the moths didn't get to it."

"Why did you stop?" Zain says, looking in curiously.

"Just didn't find the time, I don't know," Harry says, letting Sophie reach for a skein of wool. "When I was pregnant with Jamie I had plans to make all of his outfits. Didn't even make it to his first birthday."

"Happens," Zain shrugs. "This is a nice colour," he adds. "Sophie has a jumper like that."

"Yea, must be left over from it," Harry nods, considering it. "Should be enough for a hat for Jamie, what do you think?"

"You made Sophie's jumper?" Zain says.

"Yea," Harry laughs, looking up from rummaging through the wool. "What did you think I meant when I said I used to knit."

"Dunno. Weird clothes. Like my great aunt made. Ugly ones," Zain shrugs, looking awkward. "Ones that scratch."

Harry grins at him. "I'm sure I could make those as well."

"No thanks," Zain says, wrinkling his nose.

Harry has to lean forward to kiss him, ignoring Sophie's attempts to dive headfirst into the box.

"I'll let you pick something non-ugly and not scratchy as well," Harry offers. "I'll just have to find my patterns again. There's probably even more online now, it's been years."

"Yea," Zain says, looking pleased. "I'd like that. I'm gonna go pick up the kids, then."

"Hm," Harry makes, handing Sophie across and wondering where he's put his needles.

"See you," Zain says, brushing a kiss over Harry's hair. "Have fun."

"Thanks," Harry says absentmindedly and wonders if he should simply tip over the box.

💚

Idk.
Not inspired by anything at all ok @people who know me!