"I'm sorry for being an asshole." Zayn said when Niall stopped in his driveway.

Niall looked at him, sighing softly and slowly letting his hands slide down off the wheel. "I know you had a hard day, it's okay."

"But, Zayn?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to." Niall said quietly.

Zayn sighed now. "I know. I can't apologize to him right now. I just need more time to...whatever." He said, honestly just wanting to go to bed.

"Well, make sure you do." Niall said.

Zayn looked at him. "I mean I might. He was the one who kept pushing it."

"He was just trying to help, Zayn." Niall told him.

"Whatever." Zayn muttered. "See you tomorrow." He said before getting out of the car.

He went inside and tossed his bag in the corner, breaking out a new canvas.

He let himself get lost, down on the floor painting for hours.

By the time he finished, his mom was home.

"How was school?" She asked after they'd been eating dinner in silence for a bit.

"Fine." Zayn lied.

He'd been lying about school to his mother for years.

"How was work?"

"Fine." Trisha also lied.

"How are things with the boyfriend?" She smiled.

Zayn looked her, taking a moment to realize that the one time things with him and Harry weren't okay, his mother decided to ask about their relationship.

Funny how the universe seemed to work that way.

"Zayn?" Trisha asked, frowning a little.

Zayn blinked. "Um, fine."

"You sure?"

He nodded, looking down at his plate.

Trisha didn't say anything else, deciding to wait.

She knew it was coming.

Zayn glanced at her, able to tell what she thought she knew by her expression.

He wasn't going to say a word.

They ate the rest of their dinner in silence, and just as Trisha got up to collect the plates Zayn huffed.

"Okay I kind of yelled at him today because he kept asking me what was wrong and claiming there had to be a reason I was sad or whatever and I was just really mad."

"Niall told me I need to apologize because Harry was just trying to help but I don't want to." Zayn practically pouted, folding his arms.

Trisha gave him a look. "Now Zayn,"

"I know, I know." He sighed, waving his hand to silence her.

"Are you sure you don't want to? Or maybe you don't know how?" She asked.

Zayn looked up at her with those big eyes, and she already knew the answer.

"Sunshine, just call him and apologize. Or if that...makes you nervous maybe do something considerate for him then apologize in person when you get the chance." She suggested.

"Something considerate." Zayn repeated.

"Yeah, maybe...if he really likes muffins get him some muffins." She shrugged.

"Dunno if he likes muffins." Zayn said quietly, staring off into space.

"Well what does he like?" Trisha asked, putting their plates in the sink.

"The color pink." Zayn said, that being the first thing that came to mind.

"Paint him something pink." Trisha shrugged.

Zayn began to think, realizing that was brilliant.

"I will." He said, getting up and rushing out of the room.

He got straight to work, deciding the painting wouldn't really be of anything, just different shades of that pastel pink type color Harry was crazy about.

"Mom, do we have any wrapping paper?" Zayn called, wanting to surprise him.

"In the hall closet!" She called back.

Zayn quickly went and got it, framing the painting before putting it in an old clothing box and wrapping it.

Then, he got in bed and got some much needed rest.

×

×

×

"Zayn, you shouldn't have." Niall joked when he got in the car the next morning.

Zayn forced himself to smile. "Funny."

"I'm guessing that's for Harry?" Niall asked.

"Yeah." Zayn said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Niall asked.

"Nothing, just..." Zayn trailed off with a shrug.

"You need a hug?"

"No, bacon breath." Zayn teased, making Niall chuckle.

"Seriously though, I mean is yesterday still bothering you or...?"

"I feel really awful about how I acted towards Harry. Especially after everything." Zayn said.

"I understand, but don't worry yourself too much." Niall said.

Zayn couldn't help but worry.

When they got to school and parked, Zayn watched Harry pull in and park.

"I'll see you later Ni." He said, gathering the box and getting out of the car.

Zayn quickly made his way across the parking lot, taking a deep breath as he got closer.

Harry was taking a bunch out of the backseat, and when Zayn was close enough he realized it was gifts.

Harry struggled to close the door, gasping as he turned and saw Zayn.

The two stared at each other, each looking at what the other had in his arms.

"Um, I painted you something to say sorry for being a dick." Zayn said quietly, his face a little warm.

"You painted me something?" Harry asked, his eyes lighting up and his dimples appearing.

"Yeah, and...it's pink." Zayn said, forcing out some brief enthusiasm and a smile.

Harry smiled fondly at him, his heart pounding now.

"What's all that?" Zayn asked, looking at all that Harry was holding.

"Oh, um, well I felt bad about yesterday. I felt like an idiot for not...knowing more about your depression, I guess. So I did some research about it and..." Harry trailed off, looking down at everything.

"I got you a book of poems about depression so you'll always know you're not alone. I looked through it, a lot of the poems are so beautiful and inspiring, I think you'll like it. Um, I got you a blanket because I read that blankets are good comfort materials for those who are depressed. It's really soft, and warm because I know you get cold so easily. I got you a bear because I thought it was cute and I know you love the color black. I know you love cuddling too, though you'd never admit it. I figured it could...be of comfort too." Harry explained.

Zayn stared at him, wanting nothing more than to be alone with him at the moment.

He didn't know what to say, but he felt an unbelievable amount of warmth inside, and felt close to tears all of a sudden.

Harry smiled some, able to tell that Zayn needed him, and that things were much closer to okay.

"Thank you so much, Harry. That's really nice. I wish we could-"

"You read my mind." Harry said, opening the car door again and putting everything back.

"What?"

"C'mon. We're skipping today." He said, getting back in his car.

Zayn rushed around to the passenger side and got in.

"The last place you need to be is here. I want to be there for you while you're feeling like this. What do you say to going to my place and getting under that blanket? Maybe read that book together and cuddle? Let me squeeze the bad out of you?" Harry asked.

Zayn smiled for real this time. "I'd love that."

"I can't wait to see what you painted. Nobody has ever painted anything for me before." Harry said excitedly.

"You're so cute." Zayn said, giving him a fond look.

Harry blushed, driving them away from the school.

××××××××××××××

A/N: imagine, write, imagine, repeat

-Z