To This Day - Zarry Mini-fic (AU)

Part 5

3 YEARS AGO

Zayn’s P.O.V.

“Coming with me to the club tonight?” Louis asked me one day while he juggled on the street corner. I was sitting on the steps of the building behind him, watching him perform, like I did everyday around dinner time.

“Sure,” I smiled at him, watching the pins fly over his head.

The great part about Louis is that he was crazier than me. He was so laid back and silly that he didn’t even think I was abnormal when I talked to thin air. He accepted me for who I was and didn’t turn me into the police, even though he knew I stole almost all of my belongings. It was rare that I had something actually purchased. But Louis didn’t care. He knew it was necessary. He also accepted the fact that I sold my body. He didn’t like it, but he accepted it. Louis understood that life could be cruel. People can be cruel.

“Alright,” Lou smiled, packing up his things and then grabbing the money from his beanie, “I’m ready to go. Do you want to stop by my place and take a shower before we head out? I know that you haven’t cleaned up in awhile,” He chuckled.

“Yeah, thanks,” I said.

Louis still lived with his mum, so I wasn’t really allowed to move in—even though he had offered. His mum didn’t like me. She thought I was a bad influence. And yes, I probably was.

We walked shoulder to shoulder towards his house, chatting about everything and nothing.

“Seen Liam today?” Louis asked, as if it was normal to see your dead best friend.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“Why do you think you see him, Zayn? I mean, what makes him appear in your mind?” Louis asked. I shrugged, having no idea, and not really wanting to know.

“Huh,” Lou said, “I bet it’s something weird with your brain. Like, you didn’t cope over his death correctly, and your mind like short circuited and made you go all crazy,” He flailed his arms over his head. I chuckled and then sighed.

“Thanks, Lou,” I said sarcastically, “That makes me feel so much better,”

The night flew by in a haze of smoke and loud music, the entire club shaking with the bass. I honestly don’t remember how it happened, but somehow I ended up being dragged out of the hot and sweaty atmosphere and pulled down the street by Louis, his walking and speaking burdened by the alcohol.

“Love you, Zayn,” He choked, his lips attaching to my neck. My mind was blurry, and I didn’t think. I just let him kiss and nip all over my body, right in the street by the club. “Do you love me too?” He slurred.

I didn’t say anything, because I couldn’t even think. My high mixed with the drinks I had were too much, and I wasn’t handling myself correctly.

“Are you that wasted, Zayn?” He asked, pulling back and looking into my eyes. Once again, I said nothing. Then he dragged me down the street again. I think we were headed in the direction of his house, but I honestly wasn’t sure.

PRESENT DAY

Harry’s P.O.V

Zayn’s eyes were welling up with tears again, and he looked at me, biting his lip, obviously trying to control himself. I opened my mouth to say something, maybe to calm him, but he pressed his fingers against my lips, and leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. My breath hitched, and I caught a whiff of his smell, my mind going numb. I vaguely wondered if this is what Zayn felt that night at the club. Then his fingers were gone and replaced by his lips, moving against mine powerfully.

I realized how wrong this was. I did. Zayn was a criminal, one about to be sent away and executed. I was supposed to be his hostage. I should be afraid of him. Instead, I was kissing him hard, kissing him as if my life depended on it. When he pulled away, there was a small smile on his face.

“Harry,” He breathed against my lips, making me taste smoke and mint at the same time and making my mind spin. “Harry, do you hate me for this?”

I shook my head, “No,”

“You should,” Zayn said, “I have only known you for about an hour. You shouldn’t let me take you like this,”

He was right, of course, but I couldn’t help myself. Zayn was so, mysterious, tortured, and fucking beautiful. It was hot on a whole new level.

“I should go out now,” Zayn said, standing up, “Thank you, thank you for everything,”

“No!” I yelped, grabbing his hand and pulling him down to the ground. He lost his balance and fell, his body trapping mine against the floor boards. My breathing hitched, but I managed to say, “Finish the story,”

He smiled and nodded.

3 YEARS AGO

Zayn’s P.O.V.

The night after the club, I woke up in Louis’ bed, naked. It was obvious what had happened the night before. The sheets smelled of sexsexsex. My back was stinging, and when I reached around to feel my skin, I felt the deep scratches that had been clawed into me.

“Uh, what happened?” Louis said, sitting up beside me. I moaned and fell back onto the mattress, wondering how Louis would handle this.

“You tell me,” I groaned, feeling my hangover set in.

“Shit, Zayn,” Louis mumbled, “You screwed me so hard,”

It was obvious he was in pain, but I just groaned.

“Louis, I don’t like you like that,” I admitted.

“I know,” He sighed, “But it was still good,”

“I don’t remember it,” I said, “But get me out of your house before your mum comes and gets you up. I don’t want her to hate me even more.”

Another great thing about Louis—our one night stand didn’t affect our friendship. We went right back to the way things were. He would be on the street corner, performing, and I would go and see him around dinner time, like clockwork.