FRidAY? ↠ zarry AU

chapter 54

Looks, glances, whispers, gossiping -

"Zayn." Harry's deep and soothing voice grasps a hold of Zayn. His face is riddled with concern. "What is it?" He asks with his hands folded in his lap.

Zayn scratches his eyebrow with his thumb and turns his head to look at the people sitting comfortably at their tables, dressed in their fancy clothes, eating their fancy food and drinking their fancy drinks. Harry's eyes trace that deep scar that will forever decorate Zayn's skin. It must be a shade or two lighter than Zayn's beautiful toffee coloured skin. Sometimes he would find Zayn letting his fingers travel along his cheek, gently feeling the journey of its path.

"Your drinks." The spirited waitress pulls both men out of their thoughts as she places their ordered drinks down. "Ready to order?" She asks with a smile.

"Can we have five more minutes please?" Harry asks and after she nods, him and Zayn are left alone again. "Do you want to leave?" He asks and, Zayn is conflicted. He wants to go out and do normal things with Harry yet he also holds onto the fear of being scrutinised under society's ever watching eyes.

"No. No, I just..."

"You look uncomfortable." And Harry knows that it's not a physical pain.

"... It just feels like they're all watching us...talking about us."

Harry looks around, following Zayn's gaze. People were bound to look, he's a famous sports star who was just in a ugly accident and an even uglier divorce. The media have already labelled him as a washed up wonder who's killed his career because he can't control his alcohol intake. "You think that they're talking about us what, being together?"

Zayn nods his head and keeps his eyes fixed on the white crockery.

"But we're just mates...?"

He looks up at Harry with parted lips wondering if he had heard right.

"I mean, is it so wrong that ... a couple of friends are having dinner together? Other people do it all the time." Harry's mouth suddenly felt like the desert once he was done. He grabs his water finishing half of it before he places it back down.

Zayn had suddenly lost his appetite. "Let's just get out of here then." He says in a sullen tone before getting out his wallet and placing a £50 note on the table.

The ride to Zayn's place is agonisingly silent. Harry's got one hand on the steering wheel and strokes his bottom lip with his free finger, deep in thought.

"Please come in?"

"I shouldn't." Harry says, making no move to get out of his car once they had arrived at Zayn's house.

"Please, Harry?" Zayn begs and Harry knows that just with one look at Zayn, there's no way that he can refuse.

It's awfully lonely to live in a mansion by yourself. Sometimes it scares Zayn, other times it just makes him dejected. Harry's face is stern as he opens his door to get out and then to come over to help Zayn out.. But Zayn shows that he's more than able to do it himself and climbs out so that he can lead the way for Harry.

Zayn's house is so lovely, Harry can't help but marvel at the interior.

"Can I get you anything to drink; tea, coffee?"

"Uhm," Harry scratches the back of his head. Nothing. Just let me rather go. "Tea. Please. Do you need me to help you?" He offers but Zayn shakes his head.

"You know, my leg doesn't feel as bad as my hip." Zayn says, trying to make small talk.

"You sound like my granddad." Harry leans on the marble counter and laughs

"I feel like it." Zayn smiles.

While they wait for the water to boil, Harry just knows that Zayn's going to say something.

"Harry...-"

"Zayn, just leave it."

But he can't. He knows that he can't, not again. He made his way over to Harry to cup his cheek. "I'm sorry." He whispers and brings his face close to rub his nose against Harry's.

"Don't." Harry exhaled, but let's Zayn give him a slow Eskimo kiss. "I'll be in your life as a friend or not be in it at all." He says, opening his eyes to look at Zayn.

"I don't want you as just a friend -"

"Don't do this to me again, Zayn. My heart can't afford to break again." Harry shakes his head by a fraction with his eyes showing just how much pain he had to come to terms with.

Zayn blinks, letting the tears spill over and Harry can't help his hand travelling up to caress his cheek and wipe the tear away with his thumb. "Harry I love you. I always have." Zayn finally confesses and Harry's face crumples before he coughs out a sob. "I'm sorry I'm like this. I'm sorry I've treated you so horribly."

Harry's squeezing at Zayn's suit jacket so tightly, his knuckles are a stark contrast to the navy blue colour.

"I'm sorry I'm so scared of everyone and what they think and say. I'm sorry." Zayn presses wet kisses to Harry's face to show how sorry he is before his body can't handle anymore of the emotion and he slides down to the floor.

"Zayn, Zayn." Harry bends down to sit on his knees. "Hey, come here." He cradles Zayn in his arms. "Shhhhhh." He rocks him back and forth whilst stroking his back.

Zayn felt broken in this moment.

"Look at me." Harry whispers and forces his head up. He wipes away at his wet cheeks only to have them become damp again from a fresh set of tears. "We're going to face discrimination. It's going to happen because people don't like people who are different to them. They don't like that sort of unfamiliarity of things." Harry spoke softly and calmly, his tears having subsided. "It sucks. I know it does because we're not doing anything wrong. We aren't different to them and we can't let those people win, Zayn. Their words are fear and you can't let fear win. They won't ever silence your voice because that's what let's them in, the silence we stay in. There's so many people that will always love and support you no matter what you look like or who you decide to love." Zayn's crying has somewhat eased and he gazes at Harry with glossy eyes as he speaks. "I will always love and support you, Zayn.. You are so strong and courageous. Just look at how much you've already conquered. You've been honest with yourself, your parents... Zayn you're -"

"Can I just stop you," Zayn interrupts and Harry's jaw falls slightly in bewilderment. "You're always lifting me up and telling me how beautiful and great and strong and just - everything I am. Harry you are amazing .. Honestly if it weren't for you and my family..you especially for being there for me when I was away from her and hadn't told anyone else, I really don't think I'd be here today." Zayn had finally let himself feel the love that Harry had to offer and come to terms with his own love that he had for him. "I may be your 'Friday' but you - you are all of my hours in a day, a week, the entire year. No one would have put up with me like you have..." Zayn takes both of Harry's hands in his own to kiss his knuckles, ignoring the pain that was beginning to shoot up his leg and hip. "You're sitting on the floor crying with me when you could be off with anyone you want..." Harry let out an exasperated laugh. "Let me make things right?"