awkward ➳ zarry

part eleven: weak knees

"Another vodka craaanberry on the rocks," Harry slurred, struggling to keep his head up as he spoke to the bartender. 

"Sure you're not done for the night Styles?" The bartender chucked, pouring a bit of vodka into a short glass and spraying cranberry juice over it after adding a couple ice cubes. 

"No sir," Harry shook his head, leaning it down on the sticky bar table. "I'll be here all night," he stretched the word 'all' with a smirk on his face.

The bartender smiled at Harry, who was now humming a made up tune as he placed the glass in front of him. "Here you go,"

"Thank y-y-you you you," He sang, lifting his head and downing half of his drink. "Think I could replace Mariah Carey?"

With a laugh, the bartender nodded confidently. "Most definitely,"

As Harry sang and drank, the bartender was called off to serve others.

It was around 1:46 AM, quite early for Harry. He was in his regular gay bar, he hadn't been here in a while. If a week was considered a while.

He was waiting for Niall to arrive, Niall had told him he was downtown earlier with his girlfriend and that he would pop by after dropping Jade off at their home.

Harry hadn't seen Zayn since he had passed out. Harry hadn't contacted Zayn, nor heard anything from Zayn either.

It was weird not talking to Zayn for just a day as he had previously spent days and nights with him for a week. Harry felt kind of empty without Zayn, as if his stomach was plowed through and there was not enough material left to fill it.

Harry's heart sank every time he thought of Zayn. Every time he thought of Zayn's fingertips, or even his lips. Zayn's eyes and most definitely Zayn's mind. 

But maybe this was a good thing that they weren't talking anymore. Harry doesn't usually get himself into love situations for these reasons.

He'll get hooked.

The bell on the door jingled, and through blaring music and his blurred mind, Harry could still hear it. He turned around flimsily to see Niall coming towards him, pushing through the crowd of gay men in navy blue pattered pyjama pants and a grey t-shirt.

"You reek of alcohol," Niall said, the second he was within a centimetre of Harry.

"Have a sip! I'm trying something new, new n-n-new!"

"We're singing tonight?" Niall chuckled, squeezing Harry's shoulder as he sat down on the empty barstool beside him.

"We're singing every night!" Harry blabbered with enthusiasm in his voice. "Woah, ooh, o-o-oh!"

"God," Niall squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing them. "You are absolutely shit faced. Ya need some fucking food in you,"

"Take me out to the ball game! Take me out with the croooowd!" Harry swayed to the imaginary karaoke backing track in his head, as Niall stood up, helping Harry off of his seat.

He left a twenty dollar bill on the counter beside Harry's drink, and held Harry's arms steady as Harry threw himself around and across the floor until the two had reached the exit.

"Buy me some peanuts and cracker-" Harry was cut off by a gurgle in his stomach once him and Niall had gotten outside the bar.

"You okay?" Niall spoke, helping Harry steady himself before he let go of his arms.

"Yep," Harry nodded slowly, leaned over looking down at the concrete beneath his beat up old Converse sneakers.

"You sure Harry?" Niall backed away from Harry just a little bit. Niall knew what was about to happen. 

Harry wearily began singing again as he lifted his body back up. "Take me out to the-" He was quickly cut off as he doubled over, letting go of any alcohol in his system.

Niall squeezed his eyes shut and plugged his ears, waiting for Harry to scream that everything is okay.

Wiping his mouth hastily, Harry stood back up straight and grinned a toothy grin. He shot Niall a thumbs up. "Let's go partner," he exclaimed in a lazy Texan accent.

"Alright," Niall smiled weakly, plugging his nose as he grabbed Harry's hand and walked him to the car. 

Once Niall had gotten Harry buckled in the back seat, he secured himself in the front seat and began driving.

"Are we still getting you some food?" Niall questioned as they stopped at a light.

Nodding with his cheek pressed onto the window, Harry smiled. "You got it dude,"

"Holy fuck," Niall chuckled softly to himself, turning on the radio as they continued their drive.

Harry hummed along to the tunes that played one after another. The two passed through neighbourhoods with little town houses lining each side of the streets, some people walking their dogs, others sat on their porch drinking warm drinks.

Harry looked out and wondered why anyone was awake at all, it was 2:56 AM, but soon after, he thought of himself and realized that he was still awake too. 

So Harry almost drifted off into quick power nap against the window in Niall's car.  As he drifted, he was trying his hardest to imagine Zayn's arms around him. 

Harry couldn't help but imagine his first night with Zayn, the first night he was actually in his arms (although the two were doing other things). Harry felt something that night, and every day after that he had never imagined.

Something he had decided long ago that he was unworthy of. 

Harry felt love. A concept so new to him, a concept so fresh. A concept so familiar despite the fact that it was so foreign. 

Harry was so drowsy at this point, his mind so focused on the imaginary Zayn he had created that he didn't even feel the car come to a stop, and Niall calling his name.

He heard murmurs outside and inside of the car. Harry didn't fully wake up until he could feel the window opening beneath his cheek which startled him, so his opened his eyes, groggily and in a hurry.

"Harry is this him?" Niall asked, pointing over at the man who was leaned over Harry's car window.

It took Harry a minute to process his views, but once he did, he shifted backwards.

"Hi Harry," Zayn smiled, the same smile that made Harry's knees weak.