Playing the part (Ziam)

Chapter 11: Babe im Hungry (for more than breakfast)

Harry stood in the kitchen of their shared hotel room, humming to himself as he cooked. He wasn't exactly a five-star chef, but when it came to breakfast, he could manage a decent fry-up. Sizzling bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast—simple but effective. He was still smiling from the night before, the entire shower debacle having been far too amusing to be taken seriously. If anything, it had only made the whole situation more entertaining for him. But now, he had a new plan in mind. He wasn't just here to make food—he was here to observe.

He glanced back over his shoulder at Zayn and Liam, who were lounging on the couch in their hotel room, still groggy from the night before. Their phones were on the coffee table, screens lighting up with Twitter notifications.

"You two gonna help or just keep complaining?" Harry asked, grinning as he flipped a piece of bacon.

Zayn looked up, his voice still thick with sleep. "Do I look like I'm in the mood to cook, Styles?"

Liam shot Zayn a pointed look. "We just had to shower together. I think I've earned the right to sit the fuck down."

Harry chuckled, eyes twinkling. "Yeah, but you two seem to be getting awfully comfortable with each other. Maybe too comfortable."

The way Zayn shifted uncomfortably in his seat confirmed Harry's suspicion—things were definitely shifting between them, and he wasn't sure if they even realized it yet.

Zayn shot Liam a sideways glance, his expression somewhat sheepish. "Yeah, well, it's not like I had much of a choice."

Liam, ever the stubborn one, muttered under his breath, "No, I guess you didn't. But you didn't have to be so... clingy."

Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Clingy? You're the one that kept rubbing up against me in the shower."

"That was for the fans, you dickhead," Liam shot back, his voice playful but with just enough bite to suggest he wasn't entirely joking.

Harry smirked to himself, focusing on the eggs as he scrambled them slowly. The boys weren't even realizing it—they were flirting. Actual flirting. The little banter, the teasing, the back-and-forth bickering that, at this point, wasn't just for show. It was natural, effortless. They'd probably been doing it for years, but now, something about it was different. And Harry couldn't help but find it hilarious.

"Can you two stop pretending you hate each other for a minute and help me set the table?" Harry called over his shoulder.

Liam rolled his eyes but stood up. "I swear to God, Styles, I'm going to start a petition to get you to stop calling us 'lovebirds.'"

Zayn snickered, nudging Liam with his shoulder. "Oh, you're so right."

"You two are unbearable," Liam muttered under his breath, going to grab some plates.

Harry almost felt sorry for them, seeing them act like they didn't realize how their little "hate-to-love" dynamic was turning into something more. They had no clue how obvious they were being.

Just as Harry was about to put the plates on the table, his phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at it—Niall and Louis were on their way up. Perfect timing. He quickly texted them back: Get up here. I need witnesses.

Louis responded almost instantly with: Witnesses for what?
Just trust me.

A few minutes later, Niall and Louis arrived, both looking well-rested, unlike Zayn and Liam, who still looked like they hadn't slept a wink.

"Morning, everyone," Niall said, plopping down on the couch next to Zayn, looking at the still-warm food with an appreciative grin. "This looks good."

"Of course it does," Harry replied, setting out a plate for Niall. "I'm a goddamn genius in the kitchen."

"You sure are," Niall said with a wink, not missing a beat.

Harry watched the interaction closely. Niall's grin was just a little too cheeky, and Zayn, who was usually cool as a cucumber, was now shifting in his seat again, eyes darting between Niall and Liam, before he finally focused on his phone.

Liam, meanwhile, was too busy pouring coffee to notice. Or at least, that's what he told himself. But Harry could tell. Liam was glancing at Zayn a little more than he needed to. And Zayn? Zayn wasn't exactly making an effort to stop it.

Harry leaned back in his chair and grinned. This was going to be fun.

"You two are looking cozy," Louis said, taking a seat next to Liam. "What's going on with you two, huh?"

Zayn nearly choked on his bacon. "What? No, fuck off. We're just—" He stopped, as if trying to figure out what the fuck he was actually trying to say.

"Flirting?" Harry interrupted with a teasing smile.

Zayn's eyes snapped to Harry. "We're not fucking flirting!"

"Sure you aren't," Harry said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm just imagining all those cute little nicknames you're throwing around."

"I—" Zayn faltered. "We're not—"

"Oh, I think you are," Niall said with a devilish grin. "Zayn, you've been calling Liam 'babe' for the last five minutes."

Liam's eyes widened in horror. "What? I have not!"

"You've totally been saying it." Niall shook his head with a smirk. "It's cute. It's like you're actually dating or some shit."

Liam shot Zayn a warning look, but Zayn only shrugged, clearly unsure of how to backpedal. "Fuck off, Horan."

"Look at them," Louis whispered to Harry, pointing to Liam and Zayn, who were clearly flustered now. "They're so fucking obvious."

"I know," Harry said, barely able to suppress a laugh. "And the best part is, they don't even realize they're doing it."

Niall laughed, turning to Louis. "So when do we get to see them kiss again?"

"You mean makeout in front of us?" Louis grinned. "I'm game."

Liam and Zayn's faces flushed bright red, and they both simultaneously cursed.

"I swear to fucking God," Zayn muttered under his breath.

Liam shot him a quick look. "You're such a prick."

"You love it," Zayn shot back.

"I do not!" Liam nearly shouted, then lowered his voice, giving a sheepish look. "Okay, maybe a little."

Harry's grin stretched from ear to ear. It was all falling into place. "Alright, alright, enough of this. Eat your breakfast before it gets cold, lovebirds. We've got a long day ahead of us."

As they all dug into their food, Harry could see it—tiny progress. Zayn and Liam, despite their protests, were slowly growing comfortable with this whole thing. Flirting, teasing, calling each other cute nicknames. They were already halfway to acting like a couple. All they needed now was for their brains to catch up to what their bodies already knew.

And Harry? Well, he was just along for the ride, thoroughly enjoying every second of it.