If You Seek Amee | Zarry

8.💋

I've seen her once or twice before, she knows my face
But it's hard to see with all the people standin' in the way, oh

💋

Zayn woke up feeling the lingering tension from the events two nights prior. Even after some rest, his mind was still clouded with flashes of that night, trapped in a whirlwind of emotions.

He'd managed to get Harry settled on the couch, leaving him there with a note by his side letting him know he had to leave, and that he would have a car waiting for him when he was ready.

In reality, Zayn had slipped away like a coward and hunkered down in his own bedroom, hoping to avoid any confrontations before they both had a chance to recover. Ames's sudden, jarring appearance had thrown him off balance, and Zayn wasn't sure how to face Harry—or Ames—after all that had happened.

He had spent the morning mulling over every detail, questioning how things had gone from the best night of his life to a near-death experience in mere moments. By noon, Harry was long gone, but Zayn stayed barricaded in his room.

Two days have passed without any communication between the two and Zayn would be lying if he wasn't constantly glancing at his phone and wondering if Harry would reach out. Maybe Harry just wanted to let this whole ordeal quietly fade into silence.

Just as Zayn decided to put it out of his mind, his phone buzzed on the bedside table, vibrating insistently. He glanced at the screen and froze.

It was Harry.

Harry:
"I'm sorry about the other night. I didn't mean for Ames to come out and ruin everything. Can we talk?"

Zayn read the message over and over, his heart pounding in his chest. He wasn't sure what to make of Harry's words. Did he really understand what had happened? Could he control Ames? And more importantly, was Zayn ready to face the man—or men—who had thrown him into chaos? His mind raced, but in the end, he found himself typing a response almost on instinct.

Zayn:
"Sure. I can come to yours, or we can meet at the cafe?"

He hit send before he could rethink it, wondering if he'd made a mistake. Ames's unpredictable behavior left him with an uneasy feeling, and he wasn't sure if he was prepared to open that door again. But there was a part of him—a selfish, hopeful part—that wasn't ready to give up on Harry.

Zayn was completely gone for Harry. He had been from the moment he laid eyes on him and for some crazy reason, Zayn is convinced that he needs Harry.

💋

Zayn adjusted his jacket as he made his way up the familiar pathway to Harry's door. His hands trembled slightly as he raised one to knock. Each beat of his heart seemed to match the sound, steady and deep, grounding him as he waited.

The door swung open almost immediately, revealing Harry on the other side. Zayn let out a soft breath of relief—Harry looked calm, his usual gentle, reserved demeanor in place. Gone was the intensity of that other personality, the darker part of Harry he now knew as Ames.

Harry smiled, a soft blush rising to his cheeks when he caught sight of Zayn's hesitant gaze. Zayn let himself drink it in, the calm, unguarded expression on Harry's face. The memory of Ames's cold stare, the possessive fury that had taken hold of Harry, seemed to fade for a moment. He felt his fingers itch with the desire to reach out, to cup Harry's face and lose himself in the softness of the man standing before him.

Without thinking, he reached forward, brushing his thumb over Harry's cheek. Harry's dimples deepened, and his blush darkened as he leaned into Zayn's touch.