The Beautiful Escape [ZARRY]

12

Naturally, he was relieved to see that the clouded vagueness had gone from the guy's eyes, but Zayn didn't consider the cool, analytical detachment that had replaced it to be an unqualified improvement.

"I'm not in any position to complain...?" The fleeting smile might have softened Harry's hard eyes but Zayn was making a point of not looking- he didn't want a repeat performance of that silliness. The little shudder that chased its chilly pathway up her slender spine had nothing to do with the weather.

"Zayn." For a short, selfish moment he almost regretted not letting Doniya win the prior argument.

"Of course... Zayn. I'm in your debt, Zayn."

Zayn could almost hear him thinking, outlandish name, outlandish family. Zayn had a strong suspicion that had this strange man not considered himself in his debt he would have not qualms about complaining; he didn't give Zayn the impression of someone who had a particularly high patience quota. He just couldn't see the man suffering in silence. 

"I'm not keeping score." He decided to make allowances for the stranger's attitude. I probably wouldn't want to smile either if I'd just bashed my head and bust my arm, Zayn reasoned.

"You're just being neighbourly, I suppose?"

This time it was impossible to misinterept the biting contempt in the man's voice. Zayn twisted the excess moisture from the ends of his wet hair as he slid in beside him. 

There was a faint puzzled line between his feathery eyebrows as he turned in his seat and levelled his thoughtful gaze at the man.

"Is it so unusual?" Zayn asked, unable to keep the edge from his voice.

"Only slightly less so than an honest politician.:

Harry had noticed straight off that at some point during the last few minutes the guy had paused to anoint those naturally pouty lips with a covering of a lipbalm, drawing Harry's attention to the soft lushness of his mouth.

Through the haze of dull pain Harry felt his libido drowsily stir. It was the sort of mouth it was a crime not to kiss. He found it weird, thinking of that way about a dude, instead of any drop dead gorgeous lady he's been with.

He shifted uncomfortably as Zayn gazed trustingly over at him. 

"Well, it looks like your sarcasm has survived the crack on the skull intact- congratulations."

"You sound disapproving...?"

Zayn shrugged; he didn't fight with people who were in urgent need of medical attention- even if they were misguided.

"In my experience people rarely do anything for nothing," the stranger announced, authoritatively doling out some more of his homespun sarcasm.

This was a man who had very definite opinions, Zayn decided, and a strong belief in his own reliability. Zayn was beginning to suspect it might be mixed blessings that Harry Styles had recovered his wits- he was one seriously joyless individual. In a different situation Zayn might have been tempted to put up a strong argument against this prejudiced notion on life, but under the circumstances, he contented himself with a gentle, "I promise you, I have no hidden motives."