After not seeing Harry after getting home from the wedding because for some reason Louis insisted they go to Liam and AJ's, Zayn decides to visit him today. Zayn is going to respect the time of rest for religious reasons but he hopes that that doesn't go for him from seeing him at all. He had a bad day yesterday and didn't text Zayn back after he sent the last message.

The door to the home opens, revealing a short woman, familyat features, but someone else. She frowns, quirking up an eye brow. "Hey, are you here to sell something or-"

"I'm a friend of Harry's." Zayn says, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Her brows raise in what seems to be shock. "My brother?" she says and Zayn nods. "My brother does not have fri-"

"Whose at the door, Gem?" A sweet voice rings from inside, cutting Gem off. He suspects it to be Anne.

"A guy claiming he's Harry's friend!" Gem says.

"Oh Zayn?"

Gem turns back to him, quirking up an eyebrow. He smiles slightly, sticking out his hand for her to shake. "The names Zayn."

"Sure." she says, narrowing her eyes.

Suddenly the door opens more, revealing Anne who has a bright smile on her lips. "It is Zayn! Come on in." She says cheerily, beckoning him in with a pat on the shoulder. "Sweetheart, can you follow me into the kitchen really quickly?" She says and Zayn does, wondering if she's just excited to give him more food.

However Anne sits at the table, smiling up at Zayn as she pulls out the seat next to her. Zayn raises his brows slightly, a bit confused.

Frowning a bit, he takes a seat, trying to see the light in the darkness of what's happening. Is she going to say that he's a bad influence on her son and doesn't want him seeing Harry anymore? Zayn wouldn't be surprised.

"I'm sure you've noticed Harry is a bit different." Anne states and Zayn doesn't react, not sure how to. Of course he has. "He was diagnosed with aspergers when he was ten, and obviously he had trouble making friends." She reveals and Zayn nods in acknowledgement, not wanting to seem as if he is not listening. "I just wanted to know...since you've been speaking with him, coming over and inviting him places...I was just wondering, you know, as a man with his own life and all...if you're willing to deal with Harry's personality."

Zayn nods. "Yes, just like any other human being...just wired differently."

She smiles.

"Is there anything that I should know that might set him off?" Zayn asks.

Anne sighs, frowning a bit. She looks down and begins picking at her nails. "He doesn't like to be touched." She says, glancing up for a second. Zayn frowns at her reaction at the statement. "Even by me," she says,then Zayn understands, mostly. He can feel empathetic. "So just, be careful with that. No hugging, no brushing skin against skin."

"I um...I hugged him the other day." Zayn says, making Anne look up at him with raised brows, stopping her actions. Zayn swallows thickly, nervous. "D-Did I make him have a bad day?" he questions, biting his bottom lip.

Anne furrows her brows, shaking her head. She chuckles quietly. "No,...he...he didn't even seem sad recently until yesterday evening. He allowed you to hug him?" she asks.

"He didn't push me away." Zayn shrugs.

Anne parts her lips, seeming speechless, her smile gone. Zayn is still guilty but confused.

"Well, Zayn, I think you've helped my boy make progress." She says, still seeming shocked. She blinks quickly, looking up at him and she slowly grows a small smile. "He actually...he had a bad incident yesterday after coming home from the market." She says. "It shook him up...and I don't blame him. He hasn't come out of his room since." She explains, standing up. Zayn follows her actions, now looking down at the shorter woman. "Both me and my daughter, Gemma, have been passing him his favorite snacks, books, playing music he likes...but nothing. It really effected him. Do you mind?" Anne questions Zayn.

"You...you want me to try talking to him?" Zayn asks.

The woman nods, hope in her eyes.

"Okay." Zayn agrees. She smiles and suddenly steps forward, engulfing Zayn into a hug, startling him from the gestures. But he quickly warms up, smiling, before hugging her back.

"If you can, please help him." She says softly before stepping away and she turns, seeming to be wiping at her eyes.

Zayn turns to walk out of the kitchen, and into the living room. He sees the daughter or sister, Gemma, sitting on the couch and watching television. He looks at each door, not finding it hard to notice Harry's room considering his name is written on a white board in curvy, cursive letters.

He walks up to it, knocking lightly and he puts his ear agaisnt the cold wood.

"It's open." Gemma says, making Zayn turn to her. "Just walk in." She shrugs.

Zayn grabs the knob and turns it, hearing the click to indicate it is open. He turns to Gemma, nodding his head as a thanks before opening the door and walking inside slowly. Harry sits at a desk with headphones in his ears and he seems to be writing very hastily in a notebook. Zayn closes the door behind him and walks up behind him.

Not knowing how to subtly approach him, Zayn taps on his shoulder, making Harry whip his head around with a frown, but his eyes widen when he sees Zayn. The forest eyed man turns off the music and takes the headphones off his ears before quickly closing the notebook and throwing it in a drawer.

"H-hey, what are you doing here?" Harry says when he turns in his seat to look at a smiling Zayn.

"Thought I would visit." Zayn shrugs. "You said it was a rest day...and you're still home. Plus,...you said you had a bad day but you stopped texting me yesterday." Zayn reminds him.

"Oh, um,...yeah I didn't want to keep bothering you." Harry mumbles, scratching at the back of his neck with a grimace.

"You weren't so don't worry about that." Zayn sends him a half smile. "Why aren't you talking to your mum and sister?" he asks.

Harry frowns, looking down at his hands. "I'm embarassed." He says quietly.

Zayn furrows his brows, wanting to know what he would be embarrassed about. "About?" Zayn says.

"I can't tell you." Harry shakes his head.

Zayn sighs softly. He looks down at Harry's hands that can't seem to stop moving, tempted to reach out, touch them and somehow comfort him, but he shouldn't because he can't touch Harry if he doesn't like to be touched. "Well when you're ready, you can tell me."

"I don't think I ever can." Harry glances up but looks back down just as quickly, his eyelashes fanning his cheeks.

"Love,...Harry?" Zayn says.

Harry looks up. "Yeah?" he says, making Zayn smile.

"Just wanted to see your eyes." Zayn states.

"W-why?" Harry questions, looking at Zayn in confusion.

"So I know you're listening." Zayn says. "And you have pretty eyes." He adds, making Harry's lips tilt up slightly.

"Don't do that." He says, turning away suddenly in the chair he is in. He faces the desk so Zayn can only see his profile.

"What?" Zayn smiles slightly. "Compliment you?"

Harry nods, turning his head to face him. "It feels wrong." He mumbles, frowning, making Zayn stop smiling.

"Why would feeling good about yourself feel wrong?" Zayn asks, furrowing his brows.

"Because I don't want to believe something that's a lie." Harry says. Zayn's heart deflates from the words. Harry doesn't believe he deserves to be complimented and that hurts. He doesn't know how to respond as Harry looks down again. "Do you want to leave?" he asks without looking up.

"Not at all, babe." Zayn says, shaking his head. "Do you trust me?" Zayn asks. Harry takes a while to respond and it makes Zayn believe he didn't hear him.

"No, I only trust my mum and my sister." Harry shakes his head.

"Do they say you have pretty eyes?"

Harry shakes his head and Zayn frowns.

"I told them not to compliment me." He says quietly.

"What made you even fathom up the idea that being complimented is a lie?" Zayn questions gently, furrowing his brows. But Harry doesn't seem to want to respond. He keeps his gaze to the ground and lips shut, fiddling with his fingers like a toddler in trouble. "Lets play a game then." Zayn says, perking himself up in order for Harry to somehow do the same. The forest eyed man obviously catches interest,looking up through his lashes.

"Game?" He mumbles.

Zayn nods, looking for somewhere to sit. On his bed? Would that be crossing boundaries or a trigger?

"You want to sit on the bed?" Harry asks and Zayn turns to him, brows raised.

"Oh uh, no, we don't have to-"

"But you want to." Harry states, furrowing his brows as he stands up,making Zayn notice he is wearing sweat pants and a t shirt. "Does the game require a bed?" He asks.

Zayn bites his bottom lip. "Okay, let's sit on the bed." He shrugs, turning to sit on the edge, making Harry sit beside him and turn to face his body towards Zayn. "The rules of the game are to say things you like about yourself, if you hesitate, you lose."

Instantly, Zayn knew Harry wouldn't be fond of it, but he thought it would be proactive, especially since he really doesn't want Harry hating how he looks. But Zayn smiles softly as Harry frowns with pouted lips and furrowed brows. "I'll go first?" Zayn suggests.

Harry shrugs.

"Well okay, I like my hair." Zayn says, and then he stays silent, waiting for a Harry to continue.

Harry parts his lips, grimacing, and his cheeks become red. "Zayn, I don't w-wanna play." He whispers.

Maybe this isn't the best tactic for him to find attributes he likes about himself.

"I cannot lie-"

"Okay Harry." Zayn nods, frustrated. But Harry seems taken aback by his suddenly aggressive tone, turning his head away. "Then I'll say it, something other than your eyes." Zayn states. Harry just stares at him, expressionless and obviously not sure what to do. Zayn's eyes flicker to his lips, then his chest, then down his torso, to his hands fiddling on his lap. "But I can't seem to think of one thing... because I like everything about you." Zayn says quietly, not looking into Harry's eyes.

His hands stop fiddling as Zayn stares at them and Zayn cringes at himself for saying those words. It wasn't a jokingly cheesy pick up line, but Zayn wants it to be. His gaze finally flickers up to Harry's whose still staring at him, cheeks tinted a light pink. "I think you're beautiful." Zayn says.

Suddenly his phone begins blaring into the serene silence, making Harry flinch as he darts his gaze to Zayn's pocket. The man quickly takes out his phone and sees that it's Liam that is calling him. He answers it, looking down at his lap as he plays with the fray on the pocket of his black cargo pants. "Li?" Zayn says.

"Hey, Zayn, you busy?"

Zayn looks up at Harry who is staring down at the floor, his lips moving as he seems to be mumbling something quietly to himself. "Yeah, why?" he questions.

"Uh, the carnival is in town, just thought you would like to go with AJ, Louis and I."

"Um,...that actually sounds great. You think we could go next Saturday?" Zayn asks. Harry seems to be singing, his eyes closing. Zayn frowns, wondering if he's okay.

"Of course, it's here for a month." Liam says, snapping Zayn from his thoughts.

When they say their goodbyes Zayn hangs up and places his phone on his lap. "Harry." Zayn says quietly, making Harry stop as he snaps his gaze upwards again, his cheeks glowing pink. "Do you want to go to a carnival next Saturday with me and my friends?" He asks.

"Your friends?" He repeats, brows raising, and Zayn nods silently, growing a small, reassuring smile on his lips. "Will they l-like me?" He questions, tracing his finger on the white sheets that they sit on. Zayn watches the action before nodding his head.

"Of course." Zayn says, smiling brightly , having the urge to reach out and rest his hand on the man's. "In fact, they'll love you."

"Is Louis your friend?" Harry asks. Zayn nods and Harry frowns. "He doesn't seem to like me." Harry shakes his head.

Zayn sighs. "That's just his personality, don't worry about him" he states.

"Even if he doesn't, I can get him to." Harry says and Zayn smirks fondly.

"And how is that?" he questions curiously, liking the confidence in his personality. Harry smiles, looking away as if he is thinking.

"Avec un peu de bonheur et d'amitié." (With a little happiness and friendship).

Zayn blinks, quirking up an eyebrow. "What a show off." he snorts teasingly, making Harry smile. And Zayn is glad he took it as a joke. "But I see you've been working on your French." he states, leaning forward in interest and actually loving the way the language rolls off his tongue. Harry bites his bottom lip.

"Oui mon amour."(Yes my love.)

"What does that mean?" Zayn questions, smiling brightly.

Harry blinks, looking down at his lap quickly, his cheeks turning a light pink. "I forgot." he says quietly, pinching at his thigh.

"Sure, you just don't want to tell me!" Zayn teases, making Harry look up through his lashes with a small grin.

"Peut-être."(Maybe).

THE NEXT DAY

Birds fly with the wind as the sun beats down on the city streets, kissing his skin and creating a caramel color to his paler parts.

Sticking his hands into pockets, Zayn walks to the cafe after leaving Louis who still seemed distracted and upset about something and Zayn doesn't want to deal with that any more, especially for the fact he has a sour attitude towards him and literally no one else. Zayn never did anything, he knows that much...unless he did, but it only makes sense for them to talk about it, not just seethe in anger like a petty teenager. They're grown men but Louis just isn't acting like it.

The man observes his surroundings to get his mind off figures that make him upset because Zayn doesn't handle stress well. Especially for the fact he can't smoke any more.

He walks into the cafe, hoping to see Harry right away, but he doesn't sadly because he is his little piece of genuinity in a day. Zayn orders a water instead of coffee and gets himself a chocolate muffin, wondering how good it would taste.

After getting his food he sits down, resting his cheek on one hand and using the other to take sips of water from the bottle. The muffin is pretty bland and he concludes to himself that the blueberry muffin is probably the best.

Zayn darts his eyes up towards the door that flies open, showcasing Harry who breathes heavy as he leans against it, making Zayn stand up quickly with furrowed brows. "Harry?" Zayn says, his eyes dart outside through the windows to see a few people run past, looking like a few hoodlums, about three of them, in dark clothing.

"Z-Zayn," Harry stammers, pushing himself off the glass door, the jingling of the chimes above following his movement. Zayn looks back at Harry and then at the counter to see the person in front had left. His attention goes fully to Harry and he puts his arm around his lower back before, noticing how his body is sweaty through the thin, cotton white shirt.

Zayn leads him towards the bathroom, noticing the limp in his step and Zayn's heart is racing, his mind pounding with wonderment of what could've happened and worry that Harry is hurt.

When they enter, it's silent and it's simply Harry still attempting to catch his breath. The forest eyed man leans agaisnt the wall and Zayn leans against the wall across from him. His face and neck glistens with sweat, pants are a bit dirty at the bottom and so is his white shirt. Zayn frowns, not liking to see Harry like this.

Harry has closed his eyes, mumbling something to himself. Zayn swallows thickly, biting his bottom lip nervously.

"You okay?" he whispers, making Harry snap his eyes open. He flickers his gaze up to look at Zayn and closes his parted lips.

He nods silently and Zayn thinks back to the way he said his name when he saw him, he sounded scared as hell and it instantly broke Zayn's heart. He wouldn't be shocked if Harry didn't want to speak right now.

What a dumb question...of course Harry isn't okay.

Zayn isn't going to ask what happened, hoping Harry will just tell him, but most likely not.

"They haven't been around for a few months." Harry frowns, speaking quietly but voice shaky.

Who are they?

Zayn wants to ask but has learned not to push him.

"If someone is being mean to you, you need to tell someone." Zayn states carefully, watching his facial expression to see a change...but nothing.

"No...I...messed up." he whispers, closing his eyes. "I take the same path to work everyday by bus...the same people on it with me everyday...then they come after eleven months and somehow they're on there." Harry speaks softly, voice broken and fragile. His hands are shaking in front of him and Zayn has the biggest desire to reach out and grab them, comfort him, kiss them.

That doesn't explain how he messed up. But Zayn bites his tongue.

"They were making fun of me one day , how I make sure to isolate myself from people...but it's for a good reason." he says, seeming to be trying to convince himself. Zayn blinks, painfully keeping his distance as he observes Harry's distressed features. "Then one day I stood up for myself and they beat me up...now they saw me again and they thought it would fun to hurt me again...I-I don't know why." Harry's white face pales, his green eyes round and lips letting out shaky breaths. He's afraid, petrified is a better adjective. "When I speak, bad things happen." Harry whispers and Zayn isn't sure if he was supposed to hear that.

"No, Harry, no, babe." Zayn says, stepping towards him as he shakes his head quickly. "If you didn't speak, no one would get to know the beautiful person you are." Zayn says, reaching out, but Harry digs his body more into the wall and the forest eyed man closes his eyes.

"If I didn't speak, I wouldn't get hurt." Harry whispers.

Zayn purses his lips. "That's not true." he says just as quietly.

"I don't even like people." he suddenly snaps, his eyes opening as he glares furiously at Zayn, making Zayn back up quickly, putting his arms to his sides. "So stop making me feel like you like me. You don't. Just go away and stop lying to me." he snaps, deep voice bouncing off the walls and making Zayn deflate.

"Harry. Where is this even-"

"Go. Away." He seethes and Zayn gets that he needs to cool off until he can be spoken to again. He swallows thickly and turns to walk away but suddenly he hears Harry let out a quiet sob, making him turn back to see the forest eyed crumble to the floor, covering his face with his hands, and Zayn turns back to somehow comfort him, knowing he shouldn't hug or touch him so he simply sits on the thankfully clean floor beside him.

LATER

After minutes of silence Zayn notices Harry has calmed down, hands still shaking but he's no longer silently crying just having his head resting his on his knees. Zayn takes out his lighter, beginning to flicker it on and then off, hoping to ease the tension.

"Sorry." Harry whispers.

"Nothing to be sorry about, Harry." Zayn says.

"I yelled."

"It's okay." Zayn shakes his head.

"Mum says-"

"Harry, it was a mistake, you were hurt, it's okay." Zayn repeats, looking at him.

"I don't want you to go." Harry states.

Zayn smiles mostly to himself. "I won't." he says softly.

"Thank you." Harry says.

Zayn looks at the time on his phone, frowning. "I've got to get back to work, though, okay? Want me to pick you up from work?" He asks.

"In your car?"

"Whatever you would like."

"I don't want to get in your car." Harry shakes his head, looking away.

"That's okay." Zayn says. "I'll meet you here, walking."

Harry nods silently and Zayn stands. He turns to help Harry up, but Harry just frowns as he looks at his hand and Zayn pulls back, remembering what sets him off. Harry stands up himself, brushing his clothes off.

"Zayn," Harry says before Zayn can leave the bathroom. Zayn looks at him.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for crying."

Zayn swallows thickly, shaking his head. He takes his hand off the door and turns to Harry. His hands lift and he places them on his cheeks, hooking his fingers beneath his jaw, making the pale man's breath hitch. But this gentle action, Zayn feels he can do. Harry doesn't seem upset, just surprised. "Don't apologize about that when there is nothing wrong with crying." Zayn says.

Harry's lips part and he nods subtly, barely noticeable.

Then Zayn turns, leaving.

(Was it too early to being in a tense moment??? I honestly just wanted some feels happening yo

Hopefully y'all enjoyed.

Have a beautiful day/night!)