chance connection |1| [zarry] (✔️)

onehundredthirtyseven

Zain wakes up to the sound of retching and stumbles mostly blindly into the bathroom. He turns on the small mirror light and winces at the sight of Harry hunched over the toilet again.

"I missed," Harry whines, retching again, in general looking miserable and pathetic.

"That happens," Zain soothes, running a cloth under the water and filling up a glass.

"It's really chunky," Harry continues, sounding half-delirious. "I don't understand how."

"Yea, thanks for that detail, babe," Zain says, wrinkling his nose and crouching down beside him, stroking his back, handing him the water. "Do you need to change your pyjamas?"

"Yea," Harry says, spitting, flushing the toilet and scooting back some.

"Here," Zain says, handing Harry the wash cloth and cupping the back of his head. "Just take off your clothes and clean your face, I'll take take of the rest."

"Okay," Harry says weakly, clearing his throat. "I don't like throwing up, it's disgusting."

"Yep," Zain says, kissing his forehead, and helping him get up, throwing the cloth into the sink.

He follows Harry into the bedroom, letting him leans most of his weight on Zain. Harry sinks back into the sheets with a sigh. "I stink," he whines, turning onto his front.

"You do," Zain says, kissing the back of his neck. "But unless you feel like showering there is not much we can do."

"Don't wanna shower," Harry complains.

"That's what I thought," Zain answers patiently, stroking his hair. "Try and go back to sleep."

"Sleep is stupid," Harry mutters, making Zain smile in amusement. His breath evens out quickly, though, so Zain turns back to the bathroom, wrinkling his nose in disgust in anticipation.

🌱

"How's the patient?" Louis asks, yawning, and taking the tea Zain hands him.

"I'm up, doesn't that say everything," Zain answers, taking a sip of his own tea.

"That bad, huh?" Louis asks unconcerned. "Freddie was still asleep when I looked in on him, fyi."

"Alright," Zain says. "As long as he doesn't get ill as well."

"Nah, he was doing the thing he does before waking up," Louis says, imitating the way Freddie always spreads out even more just before waking up. "And it's not that late, yet."

"You've summoned him," Zain laughs when the door to Freddie's room opens upstairs right at that moment.

"It's my power," Louis answers, getting up to grab Freddie's breakfast.

"Daddy," Freddie says sleepily as soon as he enters, attaching himself to Louis's legs.

"Hi monster," Louis greets him, leaning down to pick him up and kissing his cheek. "Sleep well?"

"Yea," Freddie answers, cuddling against Louis with a yawn, clutching his stuffed dog to himself.

"And Woof?" Louis asks, stroking the toy.

"He is fine, he was bored upstairs," Freddie says. "He wants to have a dog to play with."

"Of course," Louis says, rolling his eyes in Zain's direction. "But you'll have to make do with each other for now."

Freddie sighs heavily and leans his head on Louis's shoulder, looking forlorn. The way he pouts is new, less frowning and more exaggerated lower lip, the way he probably picked up from Harry.