No Fear of Falling (Zarry AU)

Chapter 5

That was the last time either of them fell from the tree. As soon as they got back from the hospital, Yaser declared a tree amnesty, much to the boys’ horror, but all was forgiven when, as soon as the weather improved, he started building them a treehouse. Zayn and Harry helped. Harry was in charge of measuring things (he was actually supposed to hold the bottom of the ladder, but wandered off after ten minutes, distracted by a squirrel) and Zayn picked what colour they were going to paint the walls.

When it was done, the pair of them practically moved in. If they ever went missing, Tricia would go looking for them up there, ushering them out for dinner or to school as she picked up empty cans of Coke and the pillows they’d stolen from the sofa.

They had their first kiss in that treehouse. They were fourteen and it was Zayn’s second kiss, actually. He’d had his first with Katie Sewell the night before at a party – his first proper kiss anyway, with tongues and a not so accidental brush of Katie’s right breast – and Harry had been beside himself since he walked into the living room to see Zayn and Katie against a wall. He kept asking Zayn what it was like, over and over, Zayn’s nonchalance as he shrugged and said, ‘It was a kiss’ making him more hysterical.

‘Show me,’ Harry said eventually, kneeling in front of him and snatching the comic book out of Zayn’s hand. When he slung it across the treehouse, which was so small it flew out and fluttered to the lawn like a broken bird, Zayn frowned.

‘Show you what?’

‘What it was like.’

Zayn laughed, but the corners of his mouth fell when he looked at Harry kneeling in front of him and realised he was serious. ‘You’re joking?’

‘What if I do it wrong?’ Harry said, a hand in his hair. ‘What if I bite her or lick her nose or something.’

‘You won’t do it wrong.’

‘What like Indesit Andrews?’ Harry arched an eyebrow at him and Zayn chuckled as he thought about poor Mikey Andrews who kissed like a washing machine according to Melanie Munro. Zayn was sure that Mikey had improved his technique since then, but the nickname had stuck.

‘Alright,’ Zayn conceded with a sigh. ‘But if you tell anyone.’

‘I won’t, I promise.’ Harry grinned, his cheeks suddenly pink. ‘Just don’t try and feel me up like you did Katie.’

Zayn laughed and leaned in to press a kiss to Harry’s mouth. When he sat back again, Harry stared at him.

‘What the fuck was that? I’m not your nan.’

‘You kiss your nan on the mouth?’

‘She kisses me.’ Harry closed his eyes and shuddered then shook his head. ‘Never mind. Just do it properly, Zayn.’

‘I’m not putting my tongue in your mouth.’

‘Why not?’

‘Have you even brushed your teeth this morning.’

‘Just do it.’ Harry whined, pointing at Zayn when he went to object. ‘I’m taking Mel Munro to the cinema tonight and I’m not going to be Indesit Styles.’

Zayn rolled his eyes, getting on his knees as well. ‘Fine.’

‘Yes! Okay. What do I do?’

‘I dunno.’ Zayn shrugged. ‘You just kind of do it.’

‘That’s very useful, Zayn. Can you imagine if Mr Summers said that? How do you work out a quadratic equation, Sir?’ Harry tilted his head and put on his best Brummie accent. ‘I dunno, Styles, you just kind of do it.’

‘Alright. You’re on your own, Indesit,’ Zayn told him, but when he went to sit down again, Harry laughed and grabbed his wrists.

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Just tell me what to do.’

‘You can start by shutting up.’

‘Okay.’ He didn’t take the hint, though, and pointed at his mouth. ‘But what do I do with my tongue? Swirling’s bad, I know. Is flicking acceptable?’

‘Flicking?’

‘What about up and down?’ Harry stuck his tongue out and squinted as he moved it up and down so it touched his top lip then his bottom.

Zayn stared at him. ‘Never do that again. Especially in someone’s mouth.’

‘Tell me then!’

‘Oh Jesus. Alright.’ Zayn sighed theatrically. ‘Just don’t stick it in straight away.’

‘Yeah but how do I know when to open my mouth?’

‘You’ll know.’

‘But what if I don’t?’

‘You will.’

‘But what if I don’t?’

‘You will, I promise.’ Zayn put his hands on Harry’s shoulders. ‘And when you do, don’t just shove your tongue in there. Be gentle.’

‘I can be gentle.’

Zayn thought about Harry’s poor guinea pig, Rocky, and frowned. ‘Really gentle.’

‘How gentle?’

‘Just slip your tongue into her mouth slowly. Just the tip.’

Harry nodded. ‘Show me.’

Zayn leaned in, his right hand shaking suddenly as he moved it from Harry’s shoulder to cup the back of his neck. ‘Lick your lips,’ he breathed as Harry leaned in, too, his hands reaching for Zayn’s hips. He did as he was told and Zayn did the same before he closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to Harry’s mouth. He waited a beat then did it again and again, Harry’s breath shallowing as he did it once more. Then he parted his lips and sure enough, Harry knew to do it as well, his head tilting ever so slightly as Zayn slipped his tongue into his mouth – just the tip, just for a second.

‘Do it again,’ Harry breathed, fingers digging into Zayn’s hips when he pulled away. Zayn obliged, but this time Harry dipped his tongue into Zayn’s mouth first, the tip of it moving over Zayn’s for a moment before he slid it back out again.

‘Like that?’ Harry asked, eyes half-closed as he pulled back to look at Zayn.

He nodded. ‘Like that.’

So Harry did it again, slipping his tongue into Zayn’s mouth as soon as their lips touched. Zayn couldn’t help the sigh that he breathed into Harry’s mouth when their tongues met again, but if Harry heard, he didn’t say anything, just pulled back to look at him.

‘That’s so nice,’ he said with a loose smile. ‘Was it even better with Katie?’

Not at all, Zayn thought, his whole body shaking as he reluctantly licked the taste of Harry from his lips.