"But you knew he was married right?" Niall asked as he raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry. "I mean I know you knew because you were a fan, you literally begged Louis to let you be the first one to do anything with him so you could have bragging rights, so I really don't see what the big deal is that his wife happened to show up while he was eating where you worked."
Harry crossed his arms as he stopped pacing back and forth in the living room and he glared at Niall, "Is that the only thing you got from my two hour rant?" he asked as he shook his head. "That I care that Zac was married?"
Niall nodded before picking up a blueberry muffin which was in a container on the table, "Pretty much," he said after he swallowed his bite of food. "Is there really any other thing I should have picked up?"
Keeping his glare, Harry shook his head, "Yes," he hissed out, clearly annoyed that Niall had missed some parts of his ranting but then again Niall had been busy wolfing down all the muffins Harry had brought back home with him. "You missed the fact that I said his wife has came in there before."
"So, she's a regular," Niall said as he scrunched up his nose in confusion before taking another bite of the muffin. "What's the big deal?"
"She's not just a regular," Harry sighed feeling like he was talking to a brick wall or someone who just didn't understand. "She's been in there on dates with another man...another Hanson. ..I'm a fan but I just thought she was his wife until today when I realized she was Zac's wife, after googling his wife on my break."
At that revelation Niall seemed to go silent and Harry hoped Niall was finally grasping the meaning of his words, "You mean Zac's wife is cheating on him with his brother?" Niall finally voiced and Harry let out a breath.
"That's what I am saying, yes," Harry nodded as he walked to the couch and plopped down beside Niall, his arms coming uncrossed. "His wife is cheating on him with his older brother."
"Which one?" Niall asked curiously as he finished off his muffin. "The cute blue eyed stud or the one who had a few awkward years?"
"The one who had a few awkward years....Isaac, his name is Isaac," Harry spoke as he let his head fall back against the couch. "What do I do with this knowledge?" he asked not even sure if he had a right to tell Zac or even if Zac cared. After all he was pretty sure Zac's wife Kathryn or Kate as she was labeled in most articles, probably didn't know what her husband's new side job was.
Niall just shrugged as he stood from the couch, "Nothing. You do nothing Harold," he said as he began to walk towards his bedroom. "How do you even know she is cheating and she wasn't just having friendly lunch with her brother-in-law?"
"Pretty sure friendly lunch doesn't entail having your tongue down someone's throat or sitting almost on top of the person," Harry replied as he watched Niall make a disgusted face before walking off.
After Niall walked off, Harry closed his eyes and sighed loudly, feeling conflicted about what to do but the only real plus here was that he more than likely wouldn't see Zac for a bit. Louis would surely have Zac do his next video with someone else and Harry would be paired with either Zayn or Liam but more likely Zayn because Louis' viewers liked to see him better with Zayn and Louis loved to please his viewers and of course Zac would probably avoid the diner like the plague now.
But Harry pouted slightly because a part of him didn't want Zac to avoid the diner like the plague. He kind of wanted to see Zac again because it had been fun flirting with him and he was sure Zac had been flirting back before Zac's cheating wife had interrupted them.
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Going into the kitchen the next morning Harry froze slightly as he found Zayn sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning newspaper as Niall stood at the counter, fixing a cup of coffee. "When did you get here?" he asked going to the counter as well and opening the cabinets to take down his thermos. "I know you weren't here when I went to bed."
"A little after three," Zayn answered not even looking up from the paper. "Niall gave me a key last week. Said you'd be okay with it and that my knocking would stop waking you up in the middle of the night."
"I am okay with it," Harry nodded as he reached for the coffee pot once Niall moved out of the way. "Just surprised to see you is all and surprised that I didn't hear you two having sex."
Niall snickered at that comment as he finished his pancakes, soon putting them on a plate, "Zayn's mouth was kind of full last night. So no noises were to be heard," he said as he walked to the table and Harry just made a disgusted face. "You have a morning shift today Hazza?"
"Yeah," Harry answered as he poured coffee into his thermos. "Morning shift, then classes, then taking Gemma to the airport."
"I don't know how you do it," Niall tsked as he forked some of his pancake. "So many shifts at the diner and then filming on most of your days off."
Harry shrugged after he finished filling his thermos up, "Have to pay my way through college somehow," he laughed. "Really want that degree in Photography, even if it means lack of sleep and showing my cock for every gay man on the internet," he said as he picked his now full thermos up and headed to the front door.
"You coming out bowling tonight with the group?" Zayn asked as he finally put the paper down and looked at Harry. "If so I must warn you that Jacob is back in town."
"J..Jacob?" Harry asked as his voice faltered at the mention of the guy he had been involved with after his relationship with Louis ended and also the man who worked with Zayn at Zayn's day job. "Thought he moved back to Seattle."
Zayn sighed as he ran a hand through his buzzed cut hair, "He did but I guess he just missed Tulsa. He sort of invited himself to the bowling tonight and I just thought you should be warned since things ended badly between you both."
"They didn't end badly," Harry argued as he opened the door of the apartment.
"You burned all the clothes he had here and slashed his face in all of your pictures," Niall countered proving Zayn's point.
Shaking his head Harry didn't say anything, instead he left the apartment and eventually made it outside to his car. Getting in he opened his thermos and took a long drink of his coffee before putting the thermos in the cup holder and starting his car.
It was after he pulled out and began the thirty minute drive to work that he sighed and let his mind go to Jacob. Maybe things had ended badly but Jacob had chosen another man over him, Jacob had chosen to go back to Seattle to work things out with his estranged husband a few months ago and it had left Harry heartbroken because he had thought that maybe Jacob could have been the one, sometimes still thought that and he knew tonight at bowling was going to be awkward with Jacob there but if things worked like they always did he'd probably be in Jacob's bed at the end of the night. Harry was just easy especially when it came to Jacob because Jacob had been his first grown up experience at love, the one that had cut him the deepest, even deeper than his experience with Louis when they had been teenagers.
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Harry made it through most of his morning shift fine, that was until he looked up when he heard the bell above the door chime during their ten-thirty lull and he blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things from where he was standing behind the counter but when the figure got closer and then sat down at a stool that was directly in front of the counter he knew he wasn't seeing things.
Swallowing hard he moved just the few inches he needed to and reached for the pad he kept in a pocket of the apron he wore, "Can I take your order? Maybe start you off with a drink?"
"I'll take a latte again," Zac spoke as he browsed over the menu briefly. "And the chocolate chip pancakes."
Harry just nodded at Zac's words, writing down his order before going to put the tab up for the man in the back and then he proceeded to get to work on the latte. "Wasn't expecting you to come in here again." he said loud enough so Zac could hear him.
"Why?" Zac asked and Harry could feel Zac's eyes glued to him and it made him blush.
"Cause things got weird after you know...." Harry trailed off not wanting to even mention Zac's wife because that brought him back to the fact that he knew the woman was cheating on Zac. "Things just got weird," he said as he turned back around and walked the latte over to Zac.
"They did," Zac agreed as he looked down at his latte and Harry couldn't help the smile on his face. "Really? You had to do that?"
Harry shrugged as he felt his cheeks get warm, "You don't like the tiara?" he asked trying to feel mock offended. "Figured it was better than the dick from yesterday."
Now it was Zac's turn to blush but before he could speak Harry watched as the cook in the back put the pancakes where he could grab them and he reached for the plate, bringing it over to Zac, "The strawberry is better than the chocolate chip. I mean in case you come in here again."
"I'll remember that," Zac stated as he looked up and locked eyes with Harry. "About yesterday though, I am sorry things got weird. I didn't know she'd show up like that."
"She's your wife, you guys had stuff planned. I get it," Harry said as he did his best not to show that he really didn't like Zac's wife. "It happens much like you showing up again today. How did you even know I'd be working?"
Zac broke eye contact with Harry as he took a bite of his food, "Texted Louis this morning and asked him where I could find you this morning. Said I needed to apologize for something."
"Oh," Harry muttered as he blushed again but went silent, deciding to let Zac eat in peace.
Moving away from Zac without saying anything Harry looked around at the nearly empty diner, thankful that he wouldn't be here when it got busy again, though before he could hope that Zac was the last customer to come in Harry internally groaned when he heard the door open again.
He was also sure that his internal groan got a little louder when he watched Jacob just saunter inside like he owned the place before sitting down right beside Zac on a stool. Today really wasn't his day and he just wanted to go back to bed. Hell maybe he was still in bed and this was a really bad dream.
Taking several deep breaths he finally worked up the courage to walk to Jacob but just as he was about to open his mouth and ask for Jacob's order he stopped as the man shook his head.
"I'm not here to eat," Jacob spoke as he looked at Harry. "I came to see you and give you a heads up I was back in town before you saw me tonight at bowling."
"Zayn already told me," Harry replied as he leaned in closer to Jacob, his hands going to rest on the counter. "I was shocked to hear the news. Thought you and Levi were working things out."
Jacob laughed, "We tried but I missed you too much," he replied as he reached out to grab for Harry's hand but Harry jerked his hand away before he could. "Harry, don't be like that," he scolded making Harry feel like a disobedient child. "I missed you okay. I came back here for you. I'm divorcing Levi for you and I really hoped that you weren't still acting like a child over my leaving."
Harry once again opened his mouth to speak but before he could he was beat to it yet again.
"Excuse you," Zac said as he turned his head to glare at Jacob. "But how dare you even talk to my boyfriend like that," he stated and Harry just hoped that his eyes didn't bug out of his head or his mouth drop to the floor. "You left him and he isn't acting like a child. He moved on and he probably didn't think it was appropriate to have you touching him in front of me."
"Boyfriend?" Jacob asked disbelieving as he looked between Harry and Zac. "He is really your boyfriend?"
Harry nodded his head, "Y..yeah," he lied feeling a bit glad that his voice had came out at all. "He's my boyfriend," he spoke as he locked eyes with Zac, hoping Zac would give him some kind of code as to why he was lying about this. He was married for god's sake.
"I'm his boyfriend," Zac said again as he stood from the stool and reached inside his pocket for his wallet.
Harry still just stood almost frozen in place as he watched Zac leave enough money for his food as well as a tip and as Zac walked away he felt confusion building inside of him, a confusion that grew when Zac quickly turned back around and motioned for Harry to come over to him.
Leaving the safety of being behind the counter, Harry was surprised that his feet were even able to move and walk him over to Zac and when he reached Zac he just looked at him as he shook his head, not even sure what Zac wanted but Zac didn't say anything to Harry.
No, instead of speaking to Harry, Harry felt both of Zac's hands go to either side of his cheeks and then their lips were crashed together in some weird kiss. A kiss that sent tingles down his spine and that he was sure was just for show, just for Jacob to see but Harry still didn't understand why in the hell Zac was doing this. The only reasoning he could come too was that Zac had lost his mind.
When Zac pulled away from the kiss, both of them stood their awkwardly for awhile and Harry blushed as he felt Zac's eyes land on his lips.
"I'll see you at bowling tonight," Zac spoke and Harry was again sure that his eyes were going to bulge out of his head or his mouth drop to the floor.
"Yeah, see you at bowling," Harry agreed as he swallowed hard but before he could walk away and go back to being behind the counter, Zac had pulled him into one more kiss though this one was brief and a lot more chaste and Harry really couldn't help the dumb grin fighting to come out on his lips.
As Zac finally left and he turned back to Jacob who was glaring, Harry swallowed hard, "What?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Can't a man kiss his boyfriend?"
Jacob scoffed as he stood from the stool finally, "Boyfriend?" he asked as if he didn't believe it. "Zayn never mentioned that you moved on...and if he is your boyfriend you must really have a thing for married men babe. I mean you knew I had an estranged husband and that dude wore a wedding ring around his neck," he sighed as he shook his head. "It doesn't even matter though, you and I both know that by the end of the night we'll have had sex," he stated before walking out of the diner.
After Jacob left Harry walked back behind the counter and just rested his forehead against the counter. His head swimming with confusion because of what Zac did and also how Zac would even know where to find him tonight and then there was Jacob's final words and Harry hated how sure he sounded, though Jacob was probably right. By the end of tonight he'd be in Jacob's bed or Jacob would be in his.
Harry crossed his arms as he stopped pacing back and forth in the living room and he glared at Niall, "Is that the only thing you got from my two hour rant?" he asked as he shook his head. "That I care that Zac was married?"
Niall nodded before picking up a blueberry muffin which was in a container on the table, "Pretty much," he said after he swallowed his bite of food. "Is there really any other thing I should have picked up?"
Keeping his glare, Harry shook his head, "Yes," he hissed out, clearly annoyed that Niall had missed some parts of his ranting but then again Niall had been busy wolfing down all the muffins Harry had brought back home with him. "You missed the fact that I said his wife has came in there before."
"So, she's a regular," Niall said as he scrunched up his nose in confusion before taking another bite of the muffin. "What's the big deal?"
"She's not just a regular," Harry sighed feeling like he was talking to a brick wall or someone who just didn't understand. "She's been in there on dates with another man...another Hanson. ..I'm a fan but I just thought she was his wife until today when I realized she was Zac's wife, after googling his wife on my break."
At that revelation Niall seemed to go silent and Harry hoped Niall was finally grasping the meaning of his words, "You mean Zac's wife is cheating on him with his brother?" Niall finally voiced and Harry let out a breath.
"That's what I am saying, yes," Harry nodded as he walked to the couch and plopped down beside Niall, his arms coming uncrossed. "His wife is cheating on him with his older brother."
"Which one?" Niall asked curiously as he finished off his muffin. "The cute blue eyed stud or the one who had a few awkward years?"
"The one who had a few awkward years....Isaac, his name is Isaac," Harry spoke as he let his head fall back against the couch. "What do I do with this knowledge?" he asked not even sure if he had a right to tell Zac or even if Zac cared. After all he was pretty sure Zac's wife Kathryn or Kate as she was labeled in most articles, probably didn't know what her husband's new side job was.
Niall just shrugged as he stood from the couch, "Nothing. You do nothing Harold," he said as he began to walk towards his bedroom. "How do you even know she is cheating and she wasn't just having friendly lunch with her brother-in-law?"
"Pretty sure friendly lunch doesn't entail having your tongue down someone's throat or sitting almost on top of the person," Harry replied as he watched Niall make a disgusted face before walking off.
After Niall walked off, Harry closed his eyes and sighed loudly, feeling conflicted about what to do but the only real plus here was that he more than likely wouldn't see Zac for a bit. Louis would surely have Zac do his next video with someone else and Harry would be paired with either Zayn or Liam but more likely Zayn because Louis' viewers liked to see him better with Zayn and Louis loved to please his viewers and of course Zac would probably avoid the diner like the plague now.
But Harry pouted slightly because a part of him didn't want Zac to avoid the diner like the plague. He kind of wanted to see Zac again because it had been fun flirting with him and he was sure Zac had been flirting back before Zac's cheating wife had interrupted them.
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Going into the kitchen the next morning Harry froze slightly as he found Zayn sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning newspaper as Niall stood at the counter, fixing a cup of coffee. "When did you get here?" he asked going to the counter as well and opening the cabinets to take down his thermos. "I know you weren't here when I went to bed."
"A little after three," Zayn answered not even looking up from the paper. "Niall gave me a key last week. Said you'd be okay with it and that my knocking would stop waking you up in the middle of the night."
"I am okay with it," Harry nodded as he reached for the coffee pot once Niall moved out of the way. "Just surprised to see you is all and surprised that I didn't hear you two having sex."
Niall snickered at that comment as he finished his pancakes, soon putting them on a plate, "Zayn's mouth was kind of full last night. So no noises were to be heard," he said as he walked to the table and Harry just made a disgusted face. "You have a morning shift today Hazza?"
"Yeah," Harry answered as he poured coffee into his thermos. "Morning shift, then classes, then taking Gemma to the airport."
"I don't know how you do it," Niall tsked as he forked some of his pancake. "So many shifts at the diner and then filming on most of your days off."
Harry shrugged after he finished filling his thermos up, "Have to pay my way through college somehow," he laughed. "Really want that degree in Photography, even if it means lack of sleep and showing my cock for every gay man on the internet," he said as he picked his now full thermos up and headed to the front door.
"You coming out bowling tonight with the group?" Zayn asked as he finally put the paper down and looked at Harry. "If so I must warn you that Jacob is back in town."
"J..Jacob?" Harry asked as his voice faltered at the mention of the guy he had been involved with after his relationship with Louis ended and also the man who worked with Zayn at Zayn's day job. "Thought he moved back to Seattle."
Zayn sighed as he ran a hand through his buzzed cut hair, "He did but I guess he just missed Tulsa. He sort of invited himself to the bowling tonight and I just thought you should be warned since things ended badly between you both."
"They didn't end badly," Harry argued as he opened the door of the apartment.
"You burned all the clothes he had here and slashed his face in all of your pictures," Niall countered proving Zayn's point.
Shaking his head Harry didn't say anything, instead he left the apartment and eventually made it outside to his car. Getting in he opened his thermos and took a long drink of his coffee before putting the thermos in the cup holder and starting his car.
It was after he pulled out and began the thirty minute drive to work that he sighed and let his mind go to Jacob. Maybe things had ended badly but Jacob had chosen another man over him, Jacob had chosen to go back to Seattle to work things out with his estranged husband a few months ago and it had left Harry heartbroken because he had thought that maybe Jacob could have been the one, sometimes still thought that and he knew tonight at bowling was going to be awkward with Jacob there but if things worked like they always did he'd probably be in Jacob's bed at the end of the night. Harry was just easy especially when it came to Jacob because Jacob had been his first grown up experience at love, the one that had cut him the deepest, even deeper than his experience with Louis when they had been teenagers.
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Harry made it through most of his morning shift fine, that was until he looked up when he heard the bell above the door chime during their ten-thirty lull and he blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things from where he was standing behind the counter but when the figure got closer and then sat down at a stool that was directly in front of the counter he knew he wasn't seeing things.
Swallowing hard he moved just the few inches he needed to and reached for the pad he kept in a pocket of the apron he wore, "Can I take your order? Maybe start you off with a drink?"
"I'll take a latte again," Zac spoke as he browsed over the menu briefly. "And the chocolate chip pancakes."
Harry just nodded at Zac's words, writing down his order before going to put the tab up for the man in the back and then he proceeded to get to work on the latte. "Wasn't expecting you to come in here again." he said loud enough so Zac could hear him.
"Why?" Zac asked and Harry could feel Zac's eyes glued to him and it made him blush.
"Cause things got weird after you know...." Harry trailed off not wanting to even mention Zac's wife because that brought him back to the fact that he knew the woman was cheating on Zac. "Things just got weird," he said as he turned back around and walked the latte over to Zac.
"They did," Zac agreed as he looked down at his latte and Harry couldn't help the smile on his face. "Really? You had to do that?"
Harry shrugged as he felt his cheeks get warm, "You don't like the tiara?" he asked trying to feel mock offended. "Figured it was better than the dick from yesterday."
Now it was Zac's turn to blush but before he could speak Harry watched as the cook in the back put the pancakes where he could grab them and he reached for the plate, bringing it over to Zac, "The strawberry is better than the chocolate chip. I mean in case you come in here again."
"I'll remember that," Zac stated as he looked up and locked eyes with Harry. "About yesterday though, I am sorry things got weird. I didn't know she'd show up like that."
"She's your wife, you guys had stuff planned. I get it," Harry said as he did his best not to show that he really didn't like Zac's wife. "It happens much like you showing up again today. How did you even know I'd be working?"
Zac broke eye contact with Harry as he took a bite of his food, "Texted Louis this morning and asked him where I could find you this morning. Said I needed to apologize for something."
"Oh," Harry muttered as he blushed again but went silent, deciding to let Zac eat in peace.
Moving away from Zac without saying anything Harry looked around at the nearly empty diner, thankful that he wouldn't be here when it got busy again, though before he could hope that Zac was the last customer to come in Harry internally groaned when he heard the door open again.
He was also sure that his internal groan got a little louder when he watched Jacob just saunter inside like he owned the place before sitting down right beside Zac on a stool. Today really wasn't his day and he just wanted to go back to bed. Hell maybe he was still in bed and this was a really bad dream.
Taking several deep breaths he finally worked up the courage to walk to Jacob but just as he was about to open his mouth and ask for Jacob's order he stopped as the man shook his head.
"I'm not here to eat," Jacob spoke as he looked at Harry. "I came to see you and give you a heads up I was back in town before you saw me tonight at bowling."
"Zayn already told me," Harry replied as he leaned in closer to Jacob, his hands going to rest on the counter. "I was shocked to hear the news. Thought you and Levi were working things out."
Jacob laughed, "We tried but I missed you too much," he replied as he reached out to grab for Harry's hand but Harry jerked his hand away before he could. "Harry, don't be like that," he scolded making Harry feel like a disobedient child. "I missed you okay. I came back here for you. I'm divorcing Levi for you and I really hoped that you weren't still acting like a child over my leaving."
Harry once again opened his mouth to speak but before he could he was beat to it yet again.
"Excuse you," Zac said as he turned his head to glare at Jacob. "But how dare you even talk to my boyfriend like that," he stated and Harry just hoped that his eyes didn't bug out of his head or his mouth drop to the floor. "You left him and he isn't acting like a child. He moved on and he probably didn't think it was appropriate to have you touching him in front of me."
"Boyfriend?" Jacob asked disbelieving as he looked between Harry and Zac. "He is really your boyfriend?"
Harry nodded his head, "Y..yeah," he lied feeling a bit glad that his voice had came out at all. "He's my boyfriend," he spoke as he locked eyes with Zac, hoping Zac would give him some kind of code as to why he was lying about this. He was married for god's sake.
"I'm his boyfriend," Zac said again as he stood from the stool and reached inside his pocket for his wallet.
Harry still just stood almost frozen in place as he watched Zac leave enough money for his food as well as a tip and as Zac walked away he felt confusion building inside of him, a confusion that grew when Zac quickly turned back around and motioned for Harry to come over to him.
Leaving the safety of being behind the counter, Harry was surprised that his feet were even able to move and walk him over to Zac and when he reached Zac he just looked at him as he shook his head, not even sure what Zac wanted but Zac didn't say anything to Harry.
No, instead of speaking to Harry, Harry felt both of Zac's hands go to either side of his cheeks and then their lips were crashed together in some weird kiss. A kiss that sent tingles down his spine and that he was sure was just for show, just for Jacob to see but Harry still didn't understand why in the hell Zac was doing this. The only reasoning he could come too was that Zac had lost his mind.
When Zac pulled away from the kiss, both of them stood their awkwardly for awhile and Harry blushed as he felt Zac's eyes land on his lips.
"I'll see you at bowling tonight," Zac spoke and Harry was again sure that his eyes were going to bulge out of his head or his mouth drop to the floor.
"Yeah, see you at bowling," Harry agreed as he swallowed hard but before he could walk away and go back to being behind the counter, Zac had pulled him into one more kiss though this one was brief and a lot more chaste and Harry really couldn't help the dumb grin fighting to come out on his lips.
As Zac finally left and he turned back to Jacob who was glaring, Harry swallowed hard, "What?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Can't a man kiss his boyfriend?"
Jacob scoffed as he stood from the stool finally, "Boyfriend?" he asked as if he didn't believe it. "Zayn never mentioned that you moved on...and if he is your boyfriend you must really have a thing for married men babe. I mean you knew I had an estranged husband and that dude wore a wedding ring around his neck," he sighed as he shook his head. "It doesn't even matter though, you and I both know that by the end of the night we'll have had sex," he stated before walking out of the diner.
After Jacob left Harry walked back behind the counter and just rested his forehead against the counter. His head swimming with confusion because of what Zac did and also how Zac would even know where to find him tonight and then there was Jacob's final words and Harry hated how sure he sounded, though Jacob was probably right. By the end of tonight he'd be in Jacob's bed or Jacob would be in his.