showstopper [zarry] ✔️

biscuit week

"So many people started following my Instagram," Harry says, awed, showing Zain the screen of his phone. "Look! How did they even find me? My name is so common."

"It's pretty obvious with the baking, I guess," Zain says with a yawn, kissing Harry's cheek. "All that wanna-be insta fame stuff will finally pay off now, babe."

"You are so awful. It's not insta fame, I just want stuff to look nice, you know that."

"I know," Zain says, rubbing his thumb over Harry's cheek. "And I love your Instagram. I like seeing how pretty you make our kitchen look."

"I know," Harry smiles. "You adore everything I do, because you love me."

"Not your snoring," Zain teases, patting his arse gently and getting up.

"I'm making my showstopper again later," Harry says, stretching his arms above his head. "So don't let Mrs Kapur sneak you gulab jamun again. Or brownies!"

"Never," Zain lies, grabbing his jeans. "You good?"

"Yes, I'm good," Harry sighs, annoyed. "I haven't thrown up in ages, this time isn't as bad as with Nooriy. And anyways. I was fine with her."

"Sure," Zain says, leaning down to kiss Harry gently. "Have a good day, then."

"I will," Harry says, letting himself fall back into the bed. "And can you bring me Noor before you go? I don't wanna get up."

"Sure," Zain says, amused, pulling a clean t-shirt over his head.

"Don't make that face, I'm not lazy," Harry yawns. "I just wanna cuddle her a bit."

"Of course," Zain says earnestly, crossing their narrow hallway. Noor is sitting up already, shaking her stuffed dog around by the ear. "Hi, love," Zain coos, leaning down to pick her up.

She babbles at him and he hums in agreement, kissing her cheek a few times and breathing in her baby smell.

"Mummy is lazy and wants to cuddle," he tells her, grabbing her stuffed dog when she lets go of it and reaches for his ear instead. "Do you need anything else to keep you occupied, my love?"

"Gah," Noor makes happily, pulling on Zain's ear.

"Alright," Zain answers, kissing her chubby cheek.

"I heard that," Harry says, reaching his arms out for Noor. "You are not funny."

"And you are not lazy," Zain grins, putting Noor on Harry's torso and leaning down to kiss him again. "Love you."

"Love you, too," Harry says, taking the dog from Zain and watching him with a soft smile. "And no sneaking sweets behind my back!"

"Of course not," Zain says, tickling Noor's neck and pulling himself away.

🎂

"Hey, love, how was it?" Zain asks, his eyes on Noor as he throws her into the air carefully, pulling grimaces at her listening to her shriek happily.

"I came last in the technical," Harry answers, his voice wobbling. Zain puts Noor on his hip and turns towards him in alarm, pulling him close.

"Baby," he says, kissing Harry's cheek. "Don't cry."

"I wanted to do so well," Harry says and starts crying in earnest, hiding his face in Zain's neck and gripping his coat tightly. "And then I added too much butter and then I had to put in flour and I tried to salvage it but I left it in the oven too long and it was hard and Paul spit it out!" Harry blubbers into Zain's neck like Zain has any clue what's going on.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he says, kissing Harry's cheek and rubbing his back.

"I'll get kicked off and it'll be embarrassing," Harry whines, clutching at Zain.

"It won't be embarrassing. And anyways, you won't get kicked off, baby. Your showstopper is awesome."

"My showstopper is ok," Harry cries, clinging to Zain.

Zain kisses his head and strokes his back and pulls a grimace at Noor who is watching them with large eyes. She grins in response, grabbing for Harry's hair and Harry sniffs and straightens, wiping his face with the sleeves of his shirt.

"Hi baby," he says, still sounding slightly shaky. "Did you have a better day than me?"

"Ma!" Noor says happily, reaching for him.

Harry smiles, his whole face softening, and kisses her nose. "That's good, my love," he says softly.

🎂

"And?" Zain asks anxiously, trying to read the frown on Harry's face. It was sometimes a bit hard to tell with him, because he usually tried keeping a brave face on until the moment they were alone and sometimes he cried when he was happy and sometimes he looked very thoughtful.

"I made it," Harry says, biting his lower lip and blinking a few times, close to tears again. "But barely. It was so bad, already in week two," he says, taking Zain's hand between his and holding on.

Zain leads him towards the car, stroking his thumb over the back of Harry's hand. "Baby, you made it to week three, that's already one quarter of the way to the finale, that's impressive. And next week might be completely different, you don't like biscuits, baby, of course you're not gonna be perfect."

"I don't like pasty either," Harry mutters, "pasty is stupid and I still need to do that."

"Look at you planning ahead. Didn't you say next week is chocolate?" Zain grins, kissing his cheek. "Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Harry glares slightly, taking Noor from Zain to kiss her cheek and coo at her instead of strapping her into her seat. Zain leans against the side of the car and watches them, glad to see the dimples back on Harry's face.

"Baba's being mean, my light," Harry says, putting her in her car seat with another kiss. "But at least he listens, so that's something, hm?"

"I always listen," Zain says with a sigh. "Wanna stop somewhere to eat? I'm starving."

"Alright," Harry says. "I could eat as well, I'll google once we're on the way," he says, straightening and leaning back slightly to stretch his back.

Zain reaches out to touch his belly automatically, smiling.

"You good to go?" Harry asks, running a hand through his hair and readjusting the little clip he always has on him. Zain kind of hopes he'll let it grow out again.

"Yea," Zain says, pulling Harry towards him for a moment, kissing him deeply.

"Oh, are we hoping to get some tonight?" Harry teases when they break the kiss, rubbing his nose against Zain's.

"Maybe," Zain says, kissing the corner of Harry's mouth. "Maybe I just wanna kiss the man I love."

"Sounds fake," Harry grins, kissing Zain again and stepping back. "Come on. I think I saw a pub one town over when we drove in. It looked cozy and you'll get cranky if you don't eat."

Zain doesn't bother protesting that it wasn't him who got cranky and gets in the car, watching Noor sit down next to Noor and stroke her head.

"I still can't believe that I actually made it," he says.

Zain meets his gaze through the mirror and smiles. "I can," he says snappily. It's worth it for the way Harry beams at him.