Zarry - Oneshots

You're Young and You're Dumb

It's early morning, but Harry's already lounging outside Newton Halls, having jogged over from the other side of the campus to catch his almost-sort-of-basically-but-not-quite boyfriend getting in from his regular Saturday morning football practise. The air is chilly with the oncoming winter this October and Halloween is fast approaching. Harry's already planning his fancy dress for the party Ed'll be hosting back over at Harry's own halls, across campus; he's hoping he can convince Zayn to go as an old spinster, to compliment his soft black kitten number.

Harry snuffles in the sharp air and buries his nose into the chunky knit snood around his neck, digging his hands deep into the pockets of his black peacoat. He can already hear the chatter of Niall and Louis and a second later Zayn's boisterous tone thunders in, laughing loudly. Harry smiles a little and stands straighter, legs pressed together as though he wants to look smart.

They round the corner and Harry's heart flips a bit, because Zayn's sweating like a racehorse; strands of bleached blond hair plastered across his forehead and shiny nylon jersey clinging wetly to his torso, showing off his narrow waist and flat stomach. His legs look long and damp, kitted out in white football socks and shorts the same material as his jersey, flapping about his thighs and clinging to the muscle so that Harry can see it tense and bulge as he walks.

Louis says something, slapping Zayn on the back as he does and Harry watches moisture spray into the air, only visible because of the late rising sun hitting their bodies over the lip of the building behind them. Zayn bursts into laughter, clapping his hands together and swivelling his hips towards Louis as he shakes his head in disbelief, before turning back and catching sight of Harry.

One mitten-covered hand slips out of Harry's coat pocket and moves to smooth his hair to the side, cheeks warm and pink at the way Zayn's smile softens and his eyes squint slightly as he gets closer.

'Harold,' cheers Niall, grinning from ear to ear and coming to a stop to his side. Louis stops on the other side of him and both have shit-eating grins on their faces, dripping with perspiration and letting off that strange, chlorinated smell of fresh sweat. Harry greets them both a little warily; they always connive to prank him at these sorts of times.

'Leave him alone,' laughs Zayn and Harry frowns for a second, before something spatters onto his face and he yelps, jumping back and falling over his own big feet as Louis starts to shake himself all over like a dog that's just been in a pond. Zayn's trying not to laugh too much, as Louis stops and Niall starts up, causing Harry to leap away to the side again, ungainly. 'Stop!' laughs Zayn now, shoving Niall hard and reaching forward to grab Harry's arm, pulling him forward so that they're shoulder to shoulder.

'He just looks so clean and pretty,' coos Niall, batting his eyelashes at Harry, who huffs and snuffles his nose back down into his grey marl snood, eyebrows knitted together. From the corner of his eye, he can see Zayn's fond look, the slight quirk at the corner of his broad smile that's just for Harry.

'I'd like to stay that way,' Harry gruffs out from amongst his layers and Louis rolls his eyes, dragging out a long proclamation of, 'Boring'.

'What're you doing here, anyway? Do we have plans?' asks Zayn finally, digging around in the side pocket of his sports bag at his feet, trying to get his pass to enter the building. Louis and Niall clearly haven't brought theirs today.

'No,' says Harry, shrugging and forcing his cheeks to stay neutral. Zayn has a way of asking questions that Harry would usually find embarrassing or shaming, and making them sound like he's incredibly pleased Harry's done something he had no idea about. When they were first friends (before the fucking and the kissing and lately the more complicated feelings), Harry was shy about turning up unannounced, or even announced, but Zayn made it perfectly clear that being in Harry's company was something he liked, enjoyed even. Harry turns up without calling ahead, a lot, these days.