bitter || zarry stylik

thirty-two

lil love songs to keep your big hopeless romantic hearts beating:

> new york by ed sheeran
> I follow rivers by lykke li
> enchanted by taylor swift
> look after you by louis tomlinson
> I want to write you a song by one direction
> I love you by alex & sierra (another repeat, I believe)
> our apartment by aaron west and the roaring twenties
> this by ed sheeran
> so don't by joelle
> lost stars by adam levine
> somewhere only we know by lily allen
> have a little faith in me by john hiatt
> falling for you by nick howard
> today was a fairytale by taylor swift
> fool's gold by one direction

-

"Don't look, okay?" Zayn nods from the bathtub, and covers his eyes. "No peaking."

Harry slips out of his trousers and briefs, and leaps into the bathtub, causing the bubbles and water to splash out onto the floor, and Zayn to laugh. He opens his eyes, and grins at Harry. "This is nice. The candles were a nice touch. Come here."

Harry wades through the water so he's wedged in next to Zayn, and visibly relaxes as Zayn wraps his arms around him. "My little baby Harry. So cute and pretty."

Harry giggles, and ties his curls back into a perfect man bun. "Thank you, Zaynie. Now it's my turn to shower you with compliments." Harry smiles goofily and points to the shower head above them. "Get it?"

Zayn laughs loudly, and pecks Harry's cheek. "That was great, my love. Well done."

Harry smiles, proud of himself, and snuggles in closer to Zayn. Luckily, the bubbles cover everything, and both of them are too shy to reach over and cop a feel.

"Harry, love, can I explore you? Now that I've said it, I agree, it sounds like cheap pornography. But anyway, I'd like to feel you." Zayn smiles, and rubs Harry's shoulder affectionately.

Harry blushes, and a small, shy smile tugs at his lips. "Okay. Be forewarned, I'm really, really ugl-"

Zayn pats Harry's lips to quiet him, and smiles. "Harry, my lovely baby, you're the most beautiful person I've ever met. And I'm starting to think, in the whole world. You're perfect, and I'm not just saying that. Now that we've cleared this up, I'd like to prove it to you, if you'll let me."

With a quick nod from Harry, Zayn begins kissing his eyelids, and running his thumb up and down the hallow of his cheekbone. Zayn's face is content, as he runs his finger through Harry's left eyebrow, and around the curve of his lips. "Beautiful," he murmurs, his eyes glazed over in thought.

Harry likes this. A lot. He feels at ease, and appreciated and above all, loved. He leans into Zayn's hand, which is now tickling along his clavicle, and tracing the anchor tattoo on his wrist.

Zayn smiles, as if reading Harry's thoughts, and hums softly as Harry's toes curl while Zayn blows air onto his neck. Harry giggles at the sensation, and drags Zayn down to lay on top of him. His eyes widen to the size of saucers when he realises that both he and Zayn are naked.

And then he's laughing, and kissing the tip of Zayn's nose. "That's okay. I love you, Zaynie."

Zayn smiles, and presses his lips to Harry's, smiling wider into the kiss. As they cuddle closer together, Harry peppers Zayn's face with wet kisses, and laughs aloud at Zayn's surprised expression. "Did you have fun exploring me?"

Zayn nods, and lifts Harry up so he's curled up in Zayn's lap, and whispers, "More than you know. You're so beautiful, Harry."

Harry smiles proudly, and rocks back and forth in Zayn's lap. "Thank you, my love. You're endlessly sweet."

"And you're endlessly perfect." Zayn kisses the hallow right below Harry's ear, and tightens his grip on the lanky boy. "Shall we go to bed? It's getting late."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there in a minute, I just want to hang out in the bath for a few more minutes."

Zayn smiles, and relaxes against Harry. "Alright. I could actually use a minute or two more in the tub as well."

Zayn takes out the man bun, and begins running his hands through Harry's damp hair, and Harry nearly melts. Zayn must know the effect he has on me, Harry thinks. He makes me feel so relaxed and lovely.

After a few minutes, Zayn stops mid-comb, causing Harry to look up, only to find Zayn fast asleep. Harry smiles affectionately, and pushes himself out of the tub. He wraps a towel around his waist, and begins moisturising his face.

He'll wake Zayn in a few minutes, but for now he's going to let him sleep. Harry takes a minute to look at his reflection in the full-length mirror, and frowns. He tries not to, but his mind makes a list of negative things about his body.

Too tall.
Fat legs.
Ugly scars.
Acne.

Harry runs his hand through his hair, and tries to remember the thing Zayn taught him, about naming four positive things for every negative thing.

"Long legs, funny, good at running, modest," Harry whispers, checking things of his mental list. "That's four. Pretty skinny, good complexion, kind, caring. Good at reading and writing, good hair, patient, accepting. Big heart, nice voice, easy to get along with, good in school," Harry whispers, obsessively twitching as he struggles to come up with good qualities.

He can't think of any more, and even if he could name endless things, the bad ones would still be there. The negative things about him are all he can see right now. It's all starting to be too much.

Harry looks down at Zayn, and considers waking him up, but decides against it. He doesn't want to bother someone so special with something that will inevitably make them sad.