LATER THE SAME DAY

Zayn waits outside of the bathroom for Harry to return. He leans against the wall, eyes searching the area to see some sight of his other friends, but he can't really see through the crowd of families and teenagers.

It's around five now, so the sun is beginning to set which creates a lively glow of orange and pink in the infinite sky.

The man relaxes, deciding to take in the glow and the wind brushing past him. He watches as a couple walks past him, smoke releasing past their lips with a cigarette stick between each of their fingers. Zayn swallows thickly, looking down at the ground and attempting to ignore the sight. The smell of smoke burns his nostrils and he grimaces as his skin begins to tingle.

Zayn bites his bottom lip and turns to walk inside the bathroom himself. He sighs heavily, walking over to the sink and he splashes some water on his face. He makes sure the water is cold enough to snap him out of this agitated state.

"Boo!"

"Shit!" Zayn exclaims, turning around to push off whoever just decided to scare him at this moment but he instantly untenses when seeing Harry's playful forest eyes. He's not used to them.

Zayn let's out a breathy chuckle. "You really scared me." he sighs shakily.

"Are...are you sad?" Harry furrows his brows, looking over Zayn's face. He doesn't sound sure and Zayn knows that Harry isn't great at picking up on emotions if one doesn't explicitly show or say something.

The man shakes his head, reaching out to lightly brush his hand but doesn't grab it. "I used to smoke...but I've been trying to stop and lately I've been feeling withdrawls." Zayn says.

"Like what?" he says.

"Headaches, agitation, sensitivity to sound and light, weird sensations under my skin...it could just all be in my head." Zayn mumbles the last part.

"You'll feel better. I know you will." Harry says, shocking Zayn a bit as he makes eye contact with him again. His face is expressionless, making Zayn aware of his sincerity. Zayn smiles slightly, reaching out to grab his hand lightly, and Harry thankfully lets him take it.

"Thanks, babe." he says, running his thumb along his knuckles. He hears the man let out a shaky breath, making Zayn smile slightly from his nerves as Harry stares at their hands with concentrated eyes and furrowed brows. 

"I like holding your hand." He says. Zayn's smile brightens. "Do you like it?" He asks.

"Yeah, more than you know." Zayn snorts.  Harry flushes, biting back a grin.

As the night goes on, the more games they play, but with Harry uncomfortable in the crowd, he tended to begin to disappear either sitting on a bench alone or standing under a vacant tent.

No matter how much Zayn encouraged him, he still walked off without him noticing looking content with being away from a crowd.

So, Zayn decides its time for a meal. He knows eating brings people together, no matter how much the other person does not like people.

The five of them sit at a bench, AJ snacking on nachos with cheese and chili, Liam sipping on some water as he scrolls through his phone, Louis is chowing down on his third pizza slice and Zayn continues to nibble on his second, watching Harry cut into first slice of pizza with a knife and fork. The emerald eyed man insisted he needed to eat with silverware since it is proper etiquette and Zayn understood, no judgment there. In contrast, Zayn had to force Louis not to be rude and say something as he always does. 

"So, whats your name?" AJ speaks up, asking the man next to Zayn. Zayn looks at Harry, noticing he isn't paying attention to any of them but to cutting his pizza into small pieces. Zayn leans over slightly, bumping his shoulder against the man's and Harry looks up, looking at Zayn then at AJ.

"M-Me?" he stammers. AJ smiles, nodding silently as Louis snorts. 

"We all know each other except you, dude." Louis says.

Harry swallows thickly, putting down his silverware before wringing his hands together. Zayn reaches over and rests his own hand on top of Harry's intertwined ones, squeezing lightly, to which Harry slightly flinches at before slowly relaxing. "It's Harry." he says quietly, swallowing thickly. 

"I'm AJ, this is my husband Liam and our hoodlum friend Louis."

"Really had to add the hoodlum, didn't you?" Louis narrows his eyes at her. 

"The world wouldn't function right if I didn't." AJ shrugs, smiling sarcastically. 

"Nice to meet you." Harry smiles tightly, one of his hands squeezing Zayn's for dear life. He  notices the darkness of his own skin start to drain because of how much Harry is cutting of the circulation. 

"Where'd you guys meet?" she questions.

Harry looks at Zayn for the answer and Zayn smiles. "He works at that coffee shop downtown. We met there." he says. "And our friendship flourished." Zayn says, emphasizing the word friendship and AJ rolls her eyes playfully, Liam smirking. 

"He likes black coffee." Harry says and Liam and AJ chuckle, confusing Harry instantly as he looks taken aback by their amusement, cheeks flushing.  

"Meaning: Zayn likes it dark." Louis jokes. 

"You really had to turn an innocent statement into that?" Zayn scoffs.

"Yes." Louis nods.

"Well that's not what I was thinking at all." AJ shakes her head. "I'm just not shocked Zayn doesn't like anything in his coffee. Dark and mysterious." she says. "Like him." 

"Just call me predictable." Zayn jokes. 

"You're not predictable in the slightest." Liam scoffs. 

"And I like it that way." He turns to Harry as he says this, who looks back at him curiously. "Are we gonna go on anymore rides?" he asks, looking back to his friends.

"Let me digest so I don't puke up my damn pizza." Louis says, holding his distended stomach.

"Why the hell did you have to eat so much?" Liam snaps jokingly. 

"Yo, we have all night." Zayn shrugs. 

"Are you sure Harry doesn't have a bedtime?" Louis questions, small smirk on his lips, and Zayn rolls his eyes. 

"If anything, I have a bedtime, but it's gonna be broken tonight. Now hurry up and digest." he states, soothing Harry silently by rubbing his knuckles. 

THE NEXT DAY

"Sundays are the best." Liam smiles, leaning back in his seat as he rests his feet on the coffee table in his living room. Louis is off somewhere in the kitchen getting snacks with AJ and Liam and Zayn sit on the couch watching the football game.

Zayn would invite Harry if he didn't know that he doesn't like being in other people's homes...but he does know and it's in fact a fact, therefore there will just be no Harry today, but that doesn't mean he can't text him.

Just...hopefully he'll text back.

Louis plops down beside Zayn, eating potato crisps before shoving the bag in his face. Zayn happily takes one and puts it in his mouth, letting the salty taste consume it.

"I honestly feel terrible."AJ sighs, sitting down am on a chair, resting her head back with her eyes closed. A hand laid on her stomach limply.

"What's wrong?" Zayn asks, furrowing his brows.

"Yes Rooney, go!" Louis exclaims suddenly, jumping up from his seat.

Zayn puts his phone down and looks at AJ again expectantly.

" I just...feel so damn nauseous." she sighs. "And like, my back is killing me," she says.

"Go, go!" Liam suddenly yells at the screen.

"You can't take anything for it?" Zayn asks.

She shakes her head. "I mean, I probably could...but I don't want to. I want he or she to be a drug free baby." she smiles, looking down at her stomach as she rubs it. Zayn smiles as well.

"All natural." he says, nodding. "I can respect that."

"You know what I can't respect? The fact you guys aren't watching the game!" Louis exclaims over the two of them in Zayn's ear for that matter. Zayn cringes at the loudness before turning to shove Louis which actually causes him to fall off the couch from the unsuspecting move. Zayn and Liam burst out laughing as Louis exclaims an angry, "hey!"

"Not his fault your so small."

"Why the fuck am I friends with you guys if you're just going to treat me like this?" Louis snaps suddenly over the cheering on the flat screen television,  genuinely angry now. Zayn shushes instantly and Liam just waves him off, AJ watching intently. The silence is tense and no one moves.

Until Louis stands wuth a huff and storms out of the living room.

"He's so damn dramatic." Liam sighs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Something's up." Zayn says, turning towards AJ and Liam.

"Theres always something up his ass for sure." Liam nods.

"No, Liam, be sensitive for a second." Zayn shakes his head, concerned. He's been experiencing Louis' backlash the most and he's never been this...emotional...in a while. The last time he was aggressive and fragile to anything that makes him feel bad about himself was when his mum died. That was extremely hard for him and he didn't talk to anyone for days, only lashed out if asked a question or spoken to.

With this in mind, Zayn stands up and follows the path Louis took, noticing he walked out the front door to see him then getting into his car. He quickens his pace and runs out the door, knocking on Louis' window to get his attention, causing the man to jump at the unsuspecting action. Louis rolls his eyes, thankfully rolling down the window for Zayn. "Hey," Zayn says, small smile on his lips. "Why are you leaving?" He asks.

"I should. It's the right thing to do." Louis shrugs.

Zayn frowns. "What?"

"You can obviously tell I've been thinking about stuff. You're perceptive like that. But I'm not ready to talk about it." Louis shakes his head. "So, instead of putting all my anger on you guys, I should just...leave."

"I don't want you alone when you're angry."

"Why the fuck do you care?" Louis snaps, glaring. Zayn flinches, not expecting the sudden aggressive attitude.

"Because I've known you for years and you're my friend and I don't want you to do anything you might regret." Zayn says.

"Like what?" Louis narrows his eyes accusingly. "You think your friend is a murderer now?" He scoffs.

"I mean I don't want you to hurt yourself." Zayn says.

He remembers finding Louis once in his apartment with beer bottles surrounding him and his hands bleeding from punching his walls so many times, obvious dents in the wood. That's why they hardly go over to Louis' place. Louis hates his own apartment and he doesn't want anyone being in there either considering the condition its in. That happened about three years ago.

This seems to trigger something in Louis and he looks away from Zayn, down to his lap. "Can you...can we just go somewhere?" Louis asks, looking up at Zayn with saddened eyes, droopy as if he's about to cry.

Zayn nods, walking around the front of the car before sliding into the passanger's seat. "Where do you want to go?" He asks.

"Anywhere." Louis shrugs, starting up the vehicle.

Zayn doesn't respond, not having anything to say. Louis is most likely just going to drive around until he gets bored and drops Zayn home.

As expected, they drive in silence. He doesn't expect Louis to speak or talk about anything, and he's not going to force his friend to, Zayn isn't the type of person to pry, especially if he feels it's at the wrong moments.

"I talked to my dad a few weeks ago." Louis says quietly. He reaches over and turns down the air conditioning to let silence completely engulf the car. Zayn looks at his profile, waiting for him to continue. "He said I'm a failure because I've gotten no one to love me except my mum." Louis says. He opens his mouth, a struggled gasp escaping them as he tries to say something else. "A-And she's gone." He chokes out, stepping on the break abruptly with a lurch forward, making Zayn notice they've stopped on the side of the road.

Zayn let's out a breath as Louis slumps over the steering wheel, audible, shaky breathes releasing past his lips with his shoulders moving up and down.

"Louis, you know Liam, AJ and I love you to pieces." Zayn says, shaking his head. "We care if something happens to you and if anything did we would be sick and not know what the fuck to do." He states.

"Yeah? Liam and AJ don't give a fuck about me. If they did they would've come out of the house with you. And you? You're just a good person-"

"Louis you're the best friend I've ever had. I love you, I care about you, don't tell me otherwise." Zayn shakes his head. He unbuckles his seatbelt, running his fingers through his hair. "Can we take a walk?" He questions.

Louis looks at Zayn, lips pursed and eyes sorrowful. He sighs heavily, turning off the ignition before opening to car door. Zayn follows suit and walks to the sidewalk, Louis following him.

"You really love me?" Louis furrows his brows, questioning the man as they walk down the street, getting further and further away from Louis' car.

"Of course."

Louis snorts. "Its a strong word, you know?" He says.

"Yeah, I know." Zayn nods.

"Why do you love me? What have I done?" Louis asks.

"Be by my side, even at my worst."

"You hardly have your worst." Louis scoffs. "You're fucking perfect, personality wise and looks wise."

"You know I have bad days." Zayn scoffs. "When I'm totally quiet and I don't want to talk."

"Rare. Why would I leave you just because of that?"

"Exactly, you're a good friend for not leaving just because of that. Just like I'm not leaving just because you get angry easily. That's something I want to go through with you, just to help you." Zayn states.

A small smile grows on Louis' lips and he look away, down at the floor. "I didn't think you thought that way." Louis says.

Zayn shrugs. "I just hoped you'd feel it I guess." He says.

"No, I can't." Louis says quietly, shaking his head. "I've been feeling really lonely lately." He sighs shakily. Louis looks up again, most likely just to see Zayn's reaction. Through the years he's known Louis, the man hardly gets emotional.

"Why?"

Louis snorts. "Well look at my life."

"I live alone too."

"Sure but you're good with people, I push them away subconsciously. I don't even know its happening." Louis shakes his head.

"You don't need a bunch of people by your side, you only need the few like Liam, AJ-"

"You're the only one." Louis says, looking up at the man. Zayn closes his mouth, not expecting the statement. "I don't think you understand you're the only one that deals with my bullshit." Louis says.

Zayn doesn't respond. He's in a different perspective than Louis. He can't prove him wrong. It's not like he has evidence Liam is the most caring friend or person besides towards AJ. But Liam isn't a bad friend either.

Zayn sticks his hand in his pockets, looking in front of himself to see a familiar complex and familiar person walking out of a cafe with a garbage bag in one of his large hands, lanky body stumbling towards the side of the building. Zayn gets the urge to call out his name and go up to him  but he looks back towards Louis whose eyes are towards the ground, frown on his lips. So, he decides he'll just see Harry later.

"You can go to him, if you want." Louis suddenly says. Zayn looks up at him, not even noticing he was that obvious.

"No. You need someone right now."

"I know you'll come back...its fine Zayn." Louis shakes his head.

"Come with me?"

Louis shrugs.

Zayn turns to Harry again, seeing him putting the garbage bag into the dumpster. "Harry." Zayn calls out, instantly the man's body tensing as he looks over at Zayn with slightly widened eyes. But the man calms down, a small smile growing on his lips when they make eye contact. He raises a hand to wave, eyes flickering towards Louis that makes a frown onto his mouth now.

"Hey, almost done with work?" Zayn asks. Harry blinks, beginning to fiddle with his hands, his cheeks turn bright pink with a thick swallow. 

"Um, I end at five." He says quietly. It's only two now.

"Darn, want to hang out later?" Zayn asks. Harry smiles, nodding at Zayn, eyes flickering to Louis again who simply looks back at Harry with a blank stare. "In fact, we should all hang out. I want you to get to know Harry, man." Zayn says, throwing his arm around Louis' shoulders. Louis simply snorts.

"You want me to know you Harry?" Louis asks the man, and Zayn furrows his brows, flickering his gaze to the emerald eyed man. 

Harry doesn't respond, looking down awkwardly towards the ground.

"That's a weird question." Zayn comments.

"He obviously doesn't want me in his life." Louis says, stepping to the side in order for Zayn's arm to drop off him. "Fuck this guy," Louis says, making Harry's breath hitch. Zayn looks towards him and Harry quickly walks past them and back into the cafe.

"I...I thought you wanted him to get him comfortable around me." Zayn says as he slowly turns to look back at Louis. Louis snorts, shaking his head.

"Do whatever the fuck you want. Doesn't mean I have to make a good impression on him."

Zayn feels a bit of anger boil within him and his fists clench, getting a bit shaky as a glare forms on his features. The change of demeanor obviously has Louis startled since Zayn is hardly ever angry. "Can...can you just try to be nice to him?" Zayn says slowly, menacingly and as if he speaks any faster he may burst out yelling things he regrets.

Louis blinks, nodding silently. Zayn sighs shakily and turns away, running his hands down his face.

"I can tell you care about him a lot, Z. I'm willing to help you out if that means staying friends."

Zayn nods. "Yeah, I do." He says. "Do you not like him or something?" He asks.

Louis shrugs again and Zayn becomes irritated.

"He hasn't done anything to you, has he?" Zayn questions, furrowing his brows.

"No, he's innocent." Louis snorts.

"So?"

Louis shakes his head. "I can't tell you. Maybe another time. Want me to drive you home?" He asks, raising his brows.

Zayn shakes his head. "Have a coffee with me?"

Louis purses his lips, flickering his gaze towards the cafe before nodding hesitantly. "I hate loving you." Louis says and Zayn simply laughs.

"Yeah? I love it." Zayn teases, making a blush coat Louis' cheeks but the Muslim man doesn't notice as he throws his arm around his friend's shoulders again.

LATER

Zayn rubs his hands together, feeling the chilling air makes his digits icy. he leans against the wall, just outside of the cafe, waiting for Harry to hopefully come outside anytime soon. He would go in, but he doesn't want to  Hatry to feel as if Zayn is rushing him. But he said his shift ends at five, its five thirty now and mj o text messages or reassurance that he's coming out soon, leaving Zayn confused.

So, the man walks inside, deciding to just wait in there because of te accumulating cold weather. He looks around, noticing it's empty inside. Theres really just no sign of Harry at all. And no other employee in general.

He frowns in confusion, eyes flickering around until he sits at a table and takes out his phone to eventually text the man. He asks where he is before putting the phone down then turning his head to look out the window. Frost grows on the glass due to the cold air that is beginning to get worse outside.

Suddenly Zayn's phone buzzes and he looks down quickly, expecting a message from a harry but instead he sees one from Louis.

Louis: Wanna hang out tonight?

Zayn smiles slightly and looks around the cafe again, no sign of life.

Zayn: Of course, around seven?

The sound of a sneeze causes Zayn to look up quickly, seeing a worker behind the counter that is not Harry. Zayn furrows his brows, standing up and walking over to the counter. The young woman makes eye contact with hi., standing to attention immediately in front of the counter. "What can I get you today, sir?"

"Um, nothing actually. Have you seen your employee? Harry?"

Her brows raise and she looks around before looking back at Zayn. "He was let go earlier." She says quietly.

Zayn furrows his eyebrows, heart dropping. "Wait what?" He says, shaking his head. "I visited him here earlier, when was he let go?"

"End of his shift actually. So, he had to leave right away after that." She shrugs.

Zayn swallows thickly. "Do...do you happen to know why he was let go?" He asks.

"Not my information to tell sorry." She shakes her head.

Zayn nods. "I um...understand. Mind if I get a hot chocolate?" He asks.

She nods, ringing it up on the cash register before turning to make the hot beverage.

Later, Zayn walks back to the apartments, holding his hands around the hot chocolate in order to keep it as warm as possible until he gets there.

He enters the lobby, going up the elevator before traveling down the corridor to get to Harry and his mother's apartment. He lifts his fist, knocking and glad steam is still releasing from the top of the cup to show the hotness it still contains.

The door then opens and he is met up with Anne. A smile graces her lips from Zayn's presence. "Zayn! How are you?" She exclaims, opening the door wider for him to enter. Zayn smiles.

"Great, um, you?" He asks, his eyes searching the space for Harry,  but he's nowhere to be seen. He must be in his room.

"I'm fine. Just watching some television. Were you looking for Harry?" She asks.

"Yeah, I just wanted to know how he is." He answers instantly, looking down at the woman with interest. She nods.

"Yes, it's the first job he was ever fired from, but he has many other opportunities. I had to pep him up, but, you may help him even more." She smiles. "He's in his room." She says, nodding towards the door. This time the white board doesn't read Harry in nice, cursive letters but Loser in big, block letters with the name Gemma signed at the bottom with a heart next to it and a PS: Love you bro.

Zayn raises his fist to knock again and waits patiently for Harry to answer. Slowly he hears the click of the door, indicating it has opened. Zayn backs up slightly, heart racing as Harry slowly opens it, looking up and emerald eyes widening when he makes eye contact with Zayn. A small smile sets on his mouth and Zayn doesn't know what to say, but is happy to see him.

"Hey um, we made plans but I see...they've changed." He teases. Harry shrugs, opening his door a little more and Zayn walks into his room. Harry closes the door and Zayn notices there is a candle lit on his dresser, emitting a vanilla scent. And all his lights are off.

"It helps me calm down." Harry says. Zayn looks back at him to see he is looking down at his feet bashfully.

Zayn smiles. "Smells really good in here." He says, nodding. "That would really help me too." He says. "Want some hot chocolate?" He asks.

"For me?" Harry questions, raising his brows.

Zayn nods.

"Um,...I shouldn't." He shakes his head and Zayn blinks, confused.

"Why not?" He questions.

Harry shakes his head, looking away as he walks over to his desk. He picks up a few sheets of paper that seem to be written on before opening a drawer and dropping them inside, swiftly closing the drawer.

Zayn sughs heavily and puts the cup of chocolate on the dresser. He walks up to the man who has his back turned to him and gently rests his hand on Harry's own, the man flinching. Harry looks at Zayn and smiles slightly. "What happened?" He asks.

"With what?" Harry asks.

"Work."

"Oh I got fired because I'm a coward." He says, facial expression stoic. Zayn frowns.

"What?" He says, confused.

"My boss, those were his words." He states. "But he's not wrong. I am." Harry says.

"You're not a coward."

Harry shakes his head. "No. I am." He says, but the weird part is he doesn't look sad about it but accepting. "I got the job, so I wouldn't feel like a coward...but I'm still a coward." Harry says, biting his bottom lip harshly, knawing on it as his nerves begin to visibly heighten. "Your friend, Louis, he scares me." Harry says.

Zayn takes his hand away, blinking silently. He turns and sits on the edge of the man's bed and Zayn waves Harry over to join, which he does. "Is that what affected you?"

"No." Harry shakes his head. "A rude customer came in a while after...that's why I never deal with customers." He states.

"Well...what happened?" Zayn asks again.

"I couldn't talk. It was a panic attack. So I had to leave the cafe and take a walk. When I got back, he fired me." He says.

Zayn purses his lips. "You know none of that was your fault, right?"

Harry doesn't respond, looking away. And Zayn can see a lot swirling behind his eyes, but has the inability to know what unless Harry tells him. But it doesn't seem like Harry would ever. He's extremely secretive and it's not like Zayn knows how to break his walls unless he hangs around long enough to find out...which seems like the best plan at this point because he doesn't plan on leaving Harry alone anytime soon.

(Whew chile.)