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The college courtyard was its usual chaos students lounging under trees, laughter spilling from café benches, and music playing from someone’s portable speaker.

He spotted Rhys sitting under their usual tree, tapping away at his phone while sipping an iced drink. Zayn made his way over, dragging his bag lazily and flopping down beside him.

Rhys didn’t even look up. “You’re unusually silent today.”

Zayn tried to act nonchalant. “Am I?”

Rhys finally turned and narrowed his eyes. “Yes. And you’ve been smiling to yourself like a weirdo since you got here.”

Zayn blinked, the corner of his lips twitching. “No, I haven’t.”

“You literally are right now!” Rhys said, pointing at him. “Spill it. Something happened.”

“Nothing happened.”

“Zayn, I’ve known you for twelve years. Your face is screaming ‘I have a secret.’ Now talk.”

Zayn looked away, biting his lip and failing to suppress the smile that tugged harder at his lips.

“Oh my god, you are smiling,” Rhys gasped. “What the hell happened? Did you kill someone? Did someone finally punch that smug face of yours?”

Zayn rolled his eyes, a blush creeping up his ears. “Elior asked me to go out with him today.”

Rhys blinked. “Wait. Go out with him where?”

“I don’t know. He said, ‘come out with me.’ That’s all.”

Rhys stared.

Zayn raised a brow. “What?”

Rhys practically threw his drink. “That’s a DATE, Zayn! Are you seriously this dense?!”

Zayn blinked like a deer caught in headlights. “You think so?”

“Oh my god.” Rhys buried his face in his hands dramatically. “How have you slept with 30+ people and still don’t know when someone’s asking you out?”

Zayn laughed nervously. “I don’t know… I thought maybe he meant hang out or something. I mean doesn’t have to be a date.”

Rhys looked like he was about to scream. “What exactly did he say?”

Zayn cleared his throat and mimicked Elior’s tone: “Zayn, would you like to come out with me tonight? Just us.”

Rhys slowly lifted his head, expression deadpan. “Okay, Sherlock. He said just us. That’s code for: ‘I like you, I want to spend time with you, preferably alone.’ He didn’t invite you to group karaoke.”

Zayn rolled his eyes, though his heart fluttered a little. “Okay, okay. Maybe it’s a date.”

Rhys leaned in eagerly. “So? What did you say?”

“I told him… I’ll let him know later.”

Rhys’s eyes widened in betrayal. “You WHAT?!”

Zayn laughed at his reaction. “Relax, I didn’t say no.”

“You didn’t say yes either!” Rhys cried. “Why didn’t you just say yes?!”

Zayn grew quieter, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. “I don’t know. I panicked, I guess.”

Rhys tilted his head, voice softening. “Panicked… or scared?”

Zayn didn’t answer immediately. He just picked at the edge of a loose thread on his jeans.

Rhys gently nudged his knee with his own. “Hey. It’s okay to be scared. But you know Elior’s not like the others, right?”

Zayn looked up. “You think I don’t know that? That’s the problem.”

Rhys gave a small smile. “Zayn, you deserve something good. Something real.”

Zayn let out a soft laugh. “You think Elior is real?”

“I think…” Rhys paused, thoughtful. “I think he wants to be real with you. He isn’t chasing you like a game. He’s choosing you even when you make it really damn hard.”

Zayn’s smile faded just a little. “I don’t know how to do this, Rhys. The... dating thing. The relationship thing.”

“You don’t need to know everything,” Rhys said. “You just need to start. Let him show you what it’s like.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then Zayn murmured, “You really think I should go?”

Rhys leaned back and nodded confidently. “Absolutely. And wear something nice. No ripped jeans. And don’t flirt with the waiter.”

Zayn groaned. “You’re ruining the mood.”

“I’m preparing you for your transformation from emotionally unavailable manwhore to confused but adorable boyfriend.”

Zayn rolled his eyes again but laughed. “Fine, fine. I’ll go.”

“YES!” Rhys pumped his fist in the air. “My boy’s going on a date!”

Zayn chuckled and pulled out his phone. His thumb hovered for a second before he typed:

> Hey, about tonight… Count me in.

A second later, Elior’s reply popped up.

> I was hoping you'd say yes. 7 PM. I’ll pick you up.

Zayn’s heart gave a strange flip. Something terrifying… and good.

Rhys peered at the message. “See? Smooth alpha.”

Zayn smiled down at the screen. “Yeah. He kinda is.”

Rhys leaned closer. “You okay?”

Zayn nodded slowly. “I think… I want to try.”

Rhys squeezed his arm. “That’s all I ever wanted for you.”

Zayn gave him a warm look, and in a rare, tender moment, rested his head briefly on Rhys’s shoulder.

“Don’t tell anyone I did that,” he mumbled.

“Already uploading to Instagram,” Rhys teased.

They both laughed.

And for the first time in a long time, Zayn didn’t feel like running away.

He felt like running toward something.

---

"No! Absolutely not!" Rhys crossed his arms like a strict fashion police. "Zayn, change. Now."

Zayn groaned, throwing his hands up. "Rhys, I swear to God, if you make me change one more time, I’m going to break your head. This is the tenth outfit you’ve rejected! I’m going out on a date, not attending a royal wedding!"

"Shut up and wear what I tell you to," Rhys said flatly, pushing him back toward the closet. “You’ve got one chance to make an impression.”

Grumbling under his breath, Zayn kicked his foot as he walked away. “This better be worth it.”

A few minutes later, he stepped out again. "Okay... now?"

Rhys turned and his jaw dropped.

Zayn was wearing a loose blue baggy jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a black-and-blue checked shirt layered over it. Casual, a little messy, but effortlessly hot. His hair was slightly tousled, and he wore a chain around his neck like he didn’t care—but of course, he did.

Rhys clapped. “Wow. Just wow. You look amazing.”

Zayn smirked. “I look like a cheap disco ball.”

“Shut up,” Rhys said, rolling his eyes. “You look like a brightly shining star. And you know it.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Rhys moved to open it. Standing there was Elior, looking like a dream himself in a black hoodie and dark jeans, with his hair slightly wet like he'd just stepped out of a shampoo commercial.

“Hey, Elior,” Rhys greeted.

“Hey, Rhys,” Elior smiled, then looked past him and his eyes landed on Zayn.

Zayn walked up behind Rhys casually. “Shall we go?”

Elior didn’t speak.

He just stood there, staring.

“What?” Zayn frowned, looking down at himself. “It’s not good, right? I told you, Rhys! This outfit is.”

But before he could finish, Elior interrupted, his voice low and almost stunned.

“You look… breathtaking.”

Zayn froze for a second, his breath catching slightly.

A smile crept to his face despite himself. “Really?”

Elior nodded, eyes still on him. “Yeah. Honestly, I didn’t think you even owned anything that wasn’t black. But this... suits you more than anything I’ve seen.”

Rhys gave Elior a thumbs-up behind Zayn’s back. “Just don’t ruin my baby’s mood, okay?”

Elior smirked. “Who’d dare? I’m not suicidal.”

Zayn narrowed his eyes playfully. “I could cancel this whole date, you know.”

“Hey, hey sorry!” Elior raised his hands. “I’m kidding, I swear.”

Zayn snorted and shook his head, grabbing his phone and wallet. “Come on then, before I change my mind.”

And just like that, the door closed behind them.

---

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