four's a crowd [harry styles]

harry: ❝dinner with gene!❞

"So she's seeing the principal?" 

"Yes? No? I don't know, Zayn," Harry groaned and threw himself onto his couch. "'I would try not to let your thoughts wander as much as your eyes do.' Like, what? That has to be, like, relationship level stuff, right?"

"Not necessarily," Zayn responded and took a sip of the wine Harry prepared for himself once he got back from work. The kids all had after-school activities today--which usually never happens on the same day--, and Aglentine would pick everyone up, so Harry decided to use the following free hours to rant to Zayn about Principal Payne.  "He could just be your competition."

"Compe--" Harry scoffed and stopped himself mid-sentence, "I am not competing with anyone."

"Ah, because you have this in the bag?"

"What? No! Because I am not going to pursue Miss Cooper." 

"Then what's the point of golf this weekend? I thought that I was supposed to be your wingman. This is all so confusing!" Zayn exclaimed and took another swig of wine before handing it to Harry. "Here, drink this. I need more honesty from you."

Harry took several sips of wine and said, "I want to get to know her."

"Okay..."

"As friends," Harry specified. "I--I don't even know if I'm ready to think about someone in a non-platonic way. It already has brought me so much anxiety. I want this weekend to be casual and fun."

"Okay," Zayn repeated and shrugged his shoulders, ready to turn around to grab some food from the fridge.

"But," Harry said quickly, but not before gulping down the entire glass of wine. "I think that she is very attractive. I can say that, right? Like, I think that you are attractive. We can think that friends are attractive."

"Yeah, but you don't want to fuck your friends, Harry."

Harry blushed furiously, "You don't know anything."

"If this is your way of coming onto me, I politely decline." 

"Jerk," Harry murmured, watching as Zayn retreated into the kitchen. 

Suddenly, the front door opened, and all four of his children spilled into the house--all speaking at the loudest volume possible. Harry quickly sobered up but did not remove from his passive position on the couch. He was still wallowing on what to do about Miss Cooper and what would happen this weekend. What if it was awkward? What if he was awkward? Oh god, what if he hits himself with a golf ball?

"Dad, you look petrified right now," Nadia said, appearing at the edge of the couch. "Are you overthinking things again?"

His kids knew him entirely too well. Maybe he did need to get out more. 

"No, everything is fine," Harry replied. "How was school today?"

Nadia knew not to push any further, " It was really fun. Miss Cooper plans to hold a gallery walk with all of our art! She's going to invite faculty and parents too. It'll be at the end of the month, so I have to practice drawing until then. Will you come?"

"Of course, I'll come."

"Because Miss Cooper is thereee!" Alix whispered teasingly as he walked past the living room. "And before you say anything, dad, Angel is in his room doing homework."

"How considerate," Harry deadpanned. 

Zayn walked out of the kitchen and grinned, "I thought I heard little demons running around here. I thought we went over not teasing your dad about she-who-shall-not-be-named?"