pins and needles ➳ zarry

love was a currency

Out of Zayn's car window, he could see Louis inside the Brewstone Creamery shooting up from his seat full of excitement.

"Look," he elbowed Harry sat in the passenger seat, who peered out of the window, watching as Louis ran outside to greet the two.

As soon as Zayn parked, Harry jumped out grinning. "Louis?!" he smiled, stopping in his tracks once seeing his best friend. "Is that you?"

Shaking his head, and trying to withhold his smile, Louis nodded. "Harry?" he called in response, the sarcasm shining on his voice. "Is that really you?"

With a sly smile, Harry slightly pushed his shoulder forward and poked his head over it. "What?" he bit back his continuous grin. "I look different?"

Zayn was watching the exchange from his car, beaming at the two. Once Louis and Harry finally embraced, Zayn stepped out of the minivan, clicking the keys to lock it.

"I don't get a hug?" Zayn asked Louis once he and Harry had parted. "I've never received any sort of interaction like this from you! Am I not special enough?"

With an eye roll, Louis scoffed. "I literally saw you yesterday,"

"Come on Zayn," Harry added with a sharp grin, before grabbing Louis' hand and walking inside with him.

Zayn followed behind the two, watching as Louis practically dragged Harry to their booth beside the window, where Liam was sitting with an ice cream sundae already in front of him.

"Harry!" Liam called, standing up to hug him. "I missed you!"

Parting with Liam, Harry gently pushed his shoulder. "I missed you!"

"We have to party this summer," Liam began, sitting down next to Louis, leaving the opposite side of the booth for Zayn and Harry.

Zayn had already sat down, watching Harry reunite with his friends. In a way, it was comforting. Zayn liked to see how happy Harry was, the dimple highlighted on his cheeks, the smile engraved in his eyes. It was as if things were finally getting back to normal. He could get used to this, right?

"Niall hasn't had his party yet, has he?" Harry questioned, sitting down beside Zayn. Before he continued, he squeezed Zayn's thigh, telling him in their own language that he was thinking of Zayn.

The feeling was there, the pins shooting through his thigh, all the way to the place Harry had cast a spell on the previous night.

"Nope," Liam shook his head. "He was waiting for you,"

With Liam's words, as if Niall was cued, there he came from the back and around the counter sporting his Brewstone Creamery uniform as if it was designer.

"Do you see this Harry?" Niall asked, walking the floors like he was on a runway. "The hat and all!"

Harry's face brightened when he saw Niall, his clapping following. "The hat and all! You look great in the uniform Horan,"

"Get up and give me a hug what are you waiting for, lad?!" Niall opened his arms for Harry, who slid out of the booth and into his embrace.

"I missed you!" he spoke, muffled into Niall's shoulder as Niall swayed him around.

"We have to party soon!" Harry smiled, motioning towards Louis and Liam who agreed with their eyes.

"Yeah! The boys told you I was waiting for you right?" Niall let go of his hug with Harry and squeezed his cheeks. "So? What do you think? You know I can get you guys free ice cream now!"

Harry chuckled, unable to speak as Niall's fingers stayed on his cheeks. He shook out of Niall's grip and sat down beside Zayn.

Zayn missed this. The easy energy he shared with the boys. The last year hadn't been easy. He found it hard to communicate with Louis, Niall and Liam. Maybe it was Harry that brought them all together, Harry put something in the air, something warm and pink. Something that reminded him that the good can stay.

"I'm thinking the party can be next weekend. Your Mum is getting married soon, yeah? This week..." Niall continued, ranting as Zayn watched Harry grab onto every word he said. Liam and Louis stayed unresponsive, as this was probably a plan they had heard before this interaction.

Cutting Niall off, a perky voice from behind the counter called, "Niall! It's not your break, is it?" there was a snarkiness on the edge of her voice, mixed with a sense of friendship and understanding.

When Zayn looked, it was Leigh Anne. He hadn't seen her in a while, he's spent most of his days cooped up in his room, and he's stayed far away from anyone who had been involved with Perrie.

Niall turned around quickly and raised his hands in defence. "It's dead in here Leigh! And I haven't seen this boy—" he ruffled Harry's hair to make his presence known to the girl, "—in a year!"

"You're almost off Niall," she sighed, rolling her eyes with a scoff. "Can you please spare me this today,"

"Fine," Niall smiled, walking over to her behind the counter. "Harry, do you recognize her?" he smiled and poked her shoulder. 

In response, Leigh pushed Niall with a laugh. "Do not do this right now, Niall," 

"Of course I do," Harry said, a grin growing on his face which sparked laughter between the boys. "Perrie's ex? But she doesn't like to call you that, does she?"

"No, she does not," Leigh spoke, a matter of factly. "Preferably, I think she'd call us a fatal mistake,"

More laughter sprung throughout the group.

Pointing at Leigh, Zayn nodded. "That's something we have in common," 

"Exactly!" Leigh Anne smiled. "Anyway, I've got to get this kid back to work. Did you guys want to come over later? I've got some weed I'd be down to share," she mouthed the 'weed' part as if there were children around.

She had a sort of charisma to her that Zayn loved. Maybe the two were a little similar.

"Um, is that even a question?" Niall said, eyeing the boys.

Zayn placed his hand on Harry's knee, giving him another squeeze in their little language.

Almost as if he was asking Harry if he wanted to go too.

"I would be down," Harry nodded, looking at Louis, Liam and Niall, then back at Leigh. "Whenever you guys finish we'll be ready,"

"Perfect," Leigh smiled. "I'll see you all again later,"

~

Zayn had a smug look on his face as he looked at Harry. "You've never smoked before, have you?" 

"Not yet I haven't," Harry stood up a little straighter, almost as if he was preparing to knock on Leigh's door.

Zayn and Harry stood on the porch of Leigh's townhouse. She lived with two other roommates, Leigh had told the boys in advance that they were out for the night. Her place was on the other side of town, Zayn drove them over in his Mum's minivan, memories of last summer bombarding his mind.

This year was feeling similar to him. He liked the feeling of familiarity. 

Harry intertwined his pinky with Zayn. It was quick and natural. Last summer, a simple action like this would lead Zayn into a spiral of questioning and feelings he never thought he could experience freely.

Now, Zayn felt gratitude. He felt gratitude and he felt luck. He felt lucky that he could feel his feelings without the worry or the backpedalling.

He liked that he could just feel Harry.

He liked that he could just feel the familiarity of the boy that he was in love with.

Grabbing Harry's hand in response, Zayn planted a kiss on his forehead, blushing afterwards. 

That was something he wanted to get under control.

"I guess there's a first time for everything, huh?" he said softly, before knocking on Leigh's door.