All the Leaves are Brown (Zarry AU)

Chapter 26

There’s much to be said for spontaneity, except when you’re trying to find a B&B on the last Sunday of summer. Everywhere’s booked, at least everywhere they can afford. Zayn’s checking to see if they’ve missed the last train but Harry isn’t so willing to admit defeat and insists he use the credit card his parents gave him for emergencies.

‘This isn’t an emergency,’ Zayn tells him without looking up from his phone.

‘How isn’t this an emergency?’

‘Is anything on fire?’

‘My loins!’

‘Will you calm down?’

‘No!’ Harry points at him. ‘You said later and it’s later.’

‘We’ll find somewhere to stay.’

They’re so busy bickering that they haven’t noticed the stretch Hummer that’s pulled up next to them. It’s pink and pumping out Katy Perry so it’s hard to miss, but the promenade’s cluttered with limos now it’s dark. Zayn was amused by how startled Harry was by it. Everyone knows Blackpool is hen party central, but when you’ve spent the day dodging kids with ice cream cones and old people on mobility scooters it’s hard to believe that the wholesome seaside town becomes so lively after dark. They’ve already been stopped twice – once by a bride-to-be in L plates who'd been challenged to have her photo taken with as many blokes as possible and another who insisted they do shots with her – but Harry’s no longer in the mood.

‘You need somewhere to stay, love?’ A woman about their age asks Zayn, sticking her head out the window. She’s wearing a tiara and holding a champagne bottle. Zayn ignores her as she takes a swig, but she persists. ‘Plenty of room on my face.’

‘He likes cock, love,’ Harry snaps, taking Zayn by the arm and leading him away.

Horny Harry is grumpy Harry, Zayn realises as he drags him down a side street, muttering darkly. Zayn is aching to tease him for it, tell him not to worry, he’s gonna get laid, even if they have to do it on the beach, but before he can, Harry sighs.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbles, hand in his hair, and he says it so quietly that Zayn almost doesn’t hear him.

They’ve only been walking for a few minutes, but the street they’re on is so ordinary with it’s terrace houses and wheelie bins that they feel far, far away from the sparkle of the promenade. Zayn can see the light of a television through the net curtains of every house they pass, and he can’t help but think of Sunday nights at home, of his mum’s pork chops and ironing his shirt for school and sitting on the living room floor because there’s not enough room on the sofa, watching You’ve Been Framed.

‘’Salright.’ Zayn slips his phone into his back pocket. ‘I do love cock.’

Harry grins, slow and wicked. ‘Especially mine, right?’

‘Yeah. Yours is top ten, at least.’

‘Top ten?’ Harry nudges him with his hip and Zayn sighs theatrically.

‘Alright. Top five.’

Harry throws his head back and laughs and before Zayn knows it, he’s hooked his finger into his belt loop and they’re kissing again. Harry pulls away first this time, though, and it’s for the best because Zayn’s ready to fuck him right here in the street.

‘Look,’ Harry says, eyes wide as he points over Zayn’s shoulder at the house they’re standing in front of. When he turns to see what he’s pointing at, he thinks it’s just another B&B, but when he takes Zayn’s hand and leads towards the front door, he realises why Harry’s so excited.

There’s a VACANCIES sign.