🎄 Underneath the Tree 🎄 Zarry

Nine ❄️

*** A little A/N to start: I really want to thank you guys for all the wonderful comments that you've left on this story so far! I'm having a great time reading them and I'd like to reply to way more but I'm pressed for time with other things and I'm trying to post a chapter a day because Christmas is coming very fast. Enjoy this chapter :) We have around 2-3 more to go :) ***

The following morning, Harry's woken up by the sound of a text message being delivered. He reaches for his phone on the bedside table, eyeing the clock grimly, as it shows that it's just after 7 AM. But there is indeed a new text waiting for him. It's from Niall, saying 'happy christmas you cunt, love ya! ps. have you and zayn killed each other yet or have you fucked?'.

Harry rolls his eyes as he reads it, unlocking his phone to reply. Since Zayn's currently pressed against his back, an arm thrown around Harry's waist, he's very much alive. And no, they haven't fucked and they won't. That's a boundary Harry isn't willing to cross. Kissing doesn't mean anything but letting someone quite literally inside of you is a step too far for this whole charade. None of it is real, not quite. They might've consciously fallen asleep like this but whether it's stockholm syndrome or cabin fever, or some Christmas spell, it'll be over once January rolls around and they're in NYC again. So Harry's going with whatever is happening now. He knows very well that if they weren't forced into this by Niall, Zayn would've forever stayed that weird good acquaintance, not quite friend that he was before.

'christmas was a few days ago now and no, we're both alive and we HAVE NOT FUCKED nor will we ever' Harry texts back. Niall sees the message right away and his typing bubble appears promptly. The next text is even worse 'your sister said something else about you two'.

"Oh my god," Harry whispers to himself and starts typing again. 'niall i swear to god if youre trying to hit on my sister again im disowning you. im deporting you back to ireland somehow. why are you two talking?' Harry sends. Within a few moments, he has his reply, 'she texted me. said she was pissed at me for organizing this because you and zayn keep acting like boyfriends while pining for each other and its annoying. her words, not mine. have you at least sucked him off? i know your moves hazza'.

Harry considers blocking Niall's number then but instead, he texts back, 'no, i havent and i wont. we havent done anything sexual. we kissed a few times IN FRONT OF PEOPLE because thats what we woudlve done if we were actually dating. which we are not. i just have to get through a week or so more and i can go back to ignoring him like before.'. Niall must be having great fun with this because he replies, 'yeah and im father christmas. just let it go hazza. z likes you. he wouldnt have gone with you otherwise, that boy is a stubborn cunt.'.

Harry scoffs at this ridiculous statement. Niall doesn't know about their past. And besides, Harry has been single for almost a year. If Zayn truly liked him, he could've asked him out a million times. They've been clubbing together as a group this year more than five times. He could've made a move then or literally any other time he saw Harry, which was many times. Harry just texts Niall, 'if he really liked me, he had a million chances to ask me out this year and he wouldve done it. hes not a mute child. im not talking about this with you anymore. GOODBYE.' and locks him phone. He's determined to ignore Niall at least until the new year.

With his phone on do not disturb, Harry closes his eyes and tries to fall back asleep again, at least for a bit. The bed soft and cozy, and another warm body there with him, it's not such a hard feat.

xxx

In early afternoon, Harry decides to drag Zayn out to to tiny frozen lake behind their cabin. It's not snowing, thankfully, so they should be mostly okay. As usual, it is freezing so they bundle up in warm jackets and this time around, Harry doesn't wear jeans. It still sometimes feels like his dick is half-frozen and he doesn't want to find himself in the ER later tonight because he's pissing icicles.